A voltage controlled oscillator is provided. The oscillator includes a surface acoustic wave element for forming a feedback circuit for an amplifier, and a phase adjustment circuit including a filter which is interposed in the feedback circuit. The oscillator also has a phase shifter including a hybrid coupler to which an additional control part is attached for changing a phase value within an oscillation loop with a control voltage supplied from an external source. An equal power divider equally distributes output power within the oscillation loop and supplies the output power outside the oscillation loop. A multi-layer board is used for mounting the amplifier, surface acoustic wave element, phase adjustment circuit, phase shifter, and equal power divider in at least two separate layers.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a voltage controlled oscillator, a receiver, and a communication device. In particular, the present invention is preferably applied to a voltage controlled oscillator in which a surface acoustic wave element is used as a resonator to form a feedback circuit.
2. Prior Art
Conventional high frequency oscillators include voltage controlled oscillators in which micro strip lines and strip lines are used as a resonator. Unlike a surface acoustic wave element that uses the piezoelectric effect of a quartz crystal substrate, the voltage controlled oscillator using such a resonator can not expect to have a large Q value.
On the other hand, the voltage controlled oscillator using a surface acoustic wave element as a resonator is able to have highly stable and high quality properties and, thus, it may be used as a reference oscillator for communication networks with a transmission rate of several gigabits/s or more. This type of voltage controlled oscillator is described, for instance, in Japan Laid-Open Patent Application 59-158106.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an exemplary structure of the prior art voltage controlled oscillator. A surface acoustic wave element 201 and a 3 dBxe2x88x9290xc2x0 coupler having an additional control part for changing the phase value within the oscillation loop with control voltage Vc supplied from an external source are interposed in series to form the feedback circuit of an amplifier 202 for oscillation. Here, the control voltage Vc is supplied to the 3 dBxe2x88x9290xc2x0 coupler 203 to change the phase value within the oscillation loop and, thus, to change the oscillation frequency.
A voltage controlled oscillator having an output power divider besides the structure in FIG. 11 is described in the journal of IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium, pp519-527, 1998.
FIG. 12 is a block diagram to show the structure of this prior art voltage controlled oscillator.
FIG. 12 shows a surface acoustic wave element 301, a variable phase shifter 302 for changing the phase value within the oscillation loop with control voltage supplied from an external source, an amplifier 303, an equal power divider 304 for equally distributing the output from the oscillation loop and supplying it outside, and a loop adjustment line 305. The surface acoustic wave element 301, variable phase shifter 302, equal power divider 304, and loop adjustment line 305 are interposed in series to form a feedback loop on the output and input sides of the amplifier 303.
The loop adjustment line 305 is provided with a transmission line formed by a microstrip line. With fine adjustment of the line length, frequency regulation can be executed to make the phase angle zero after one round of the feedback loop.
However, the prior art voltage controlled oscillators described above have many structural elements and, therefore, require a proportionally large number of parts. This can cause problems in reliability and increased cost. In particular, the voltage controlled oscillator in FIG. 12 requires many parts and a large mounting surface area for the variable phase shifter 302 and equal power divider 304.
For the voltage controlled oscillator with an output frequency of several hundred MHz, the variable phase shifter 302 and equal power divider 304 can consist of a lumped constant circuit, which allows a reduction in the size of the entire circuit, but requires many parts. For a voltage controlled oscillator with an output frequency of several GHz, the variable phase shifter 302 and equal power divider 304 can consist of a transmission line designed with distributed constants, which allows a reduced number of parts, but requires large mounting surfaces due to the length and size of the transmission line.
One purpose of the present invention is to provide a voltage controlled oscillator, a receiver, and a communication device, which have a reduced mounting area for downsizing while satisfying the basic properties.
To solve the problems described above, the voltage controlled oscillator, according to one embodiment of the invention, is characterized by comprising an amplifier; a surface acoustic wave element for forming a feedback circuit for the amplifier; a phase adjustment circuit consisting of a filter and interposed in the feedback circuit; a phase shifter consisting of a hybrid coupler to which an additional control part is attached for changing the phase value within the oscillation loop with control voltage supplied from an external source; an equal power divider for equally distributing output power within the oscillation loop and supplying it outside the oscillation loop; and a multi-layer board for mounting the amplifier, surface acoustic wave element, phase adjustment circuit, phase shifter, and equal power divider in at least two separate layers.
This prevents extension of the mounting area and allows a larger variable range of frequencies for the voltage controlled oscillator while obtaining excellent frequency properties for the control voltage.
The mounting area can be reduced for downsizing the voltage controlled oscillator in both forms of a lumped constant circuit and a distributed constant circuit.
Furthermore, a low insertion loss and low return loss are realized, which allows for minimized circuit loss and reduced output fluctuation, thus ensuring stable circuit operation for the load.
The voltage controlled oscillator, according to another embodiment the invention, is characterized by the multi-layer board and is provided with a microstrip line structure consisting of a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer, and a strip line structure consisting of the second wiring layer, a third wiring layer, and a fourth wiring layer.
This allows stacking of the strip line and microstrip line structures for the purpose of downsizing as well as allowing a via connection between the strip line and microstrip line structures, which ensures efficient circuit geometry. A distributed constant circuit, which requires a large horizontal mounting area, can be stacked vertically for the purpose of downsizing, thereby significantly reducing the mounting area.
The underlying strip line structure contributes to more ground layers and improved mechanical strength of the circuit board. The circuit board can be connected to and mounted on a main board through the ground layers. The voltage controlled oscillator according to another embodiment of the invention is characterized by the second and fourth wiring layers having a ground layer.
This allows the strip line structure to share the ground layer with the microstrip line structure. A wiring layer can be added to the strip line structure to stack the microstrip line structure on the strip line structure. This prevents an increase in the number of wiring layers and enables the provision of the microstrip line and strip line structures on the same board.
The voltage controlled oscillator according to another embodiment of the invention is characterized by the amplifier, surface acoustic wave element, additional control part, and phase adjustment circuit being provided on the micro strip line structure; and the hybrid coupler and equal power divider being provided on the strip line structure. This allows surface mounting of parts that can not be built in the board, such as a surface acoustic wave element for the voltage controlled oscillator in the form of a distributed constant circuit as well as realizes a multi-layered transmission line, which occupies a large area. The voltage controlled oscillator can satisfy the basic properties while being downsized.
The voltage controlled oscillator according to another embodiment of the invention is characterized by the hybrid coupler and equal power divider provided on the strip line structure having a transmission line which is rectangularly bent.
This prevents a horizontal extension of the transmission line that is provided on the strip line structure, realizing a downsized voltage controlled oscillator.
The voltage controlled oscillator according to another embodiment of the invention is characterized by engaging the convex rectangular bends in the concave rectangular bends. This allows for efficient usage of the board area by simply changing the transmission line pattern. The mounting board can be downsized even if the transmission line is horizontally disposed in the board.
The voltage controlled oscillator according to another embodiment of the invention is characterized by the multi-layer board and is provided with a micro strip line structure consisting of a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer; a strip line structure consisting of the second wiring layer, a third wiring layer, and a fourth wiring layer; and a micro strip line structure consisting of the fourth wiring layer and a fifth wiring layer.
This allows stacking of a microstrip line structure above and below the strip line structure by adding the fifth wiring layer. This also allows a via connection between the strip line and microstrip line structures for efficient circuit geometry, enlarging the mounting surface area while preventing the increase in size of the circuit board.
The voltage controlled oscillator according to another embodiment of the invention is characterized by the second and fourth wiring layers having a ground layer. This allows the sharing of the ground layers above and below the center strip line structure with the micro strip line structures provided above and below them.
A microstrip line structure can be stacked one each above and below the strip line structure by adding a wiring layer one each above and below the strip line structure. This realizes two layers of microstrip line structures and one layer of strip line structure on the same board while preventing the increase in number of the wiring layers.
The voltage controlled oscillator according to another embodiment of the invention is characterized by the multi-layer board and is provided with a micro strip line structure consisting of a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer; a strip line structure consisting of the second wiring layer, a third wiring layer, and a fourth wiring layer; and a strip line structure consisting of the fourth wiring layer, a fifth wiring layer, and a sixth wiring layer.
This allows the stacking of microstrip line and strip line structures above and below the strip line structure, respectively, using only six wiring layers. The strip line and microstrip line structures can be via connected for efficient circuit geometry. This prevents the increase in the mounting area and realizes a downsized circuit board even for a large scale voltage controlled oscillator in the form of a distributed constant circuit.
The voltage controlled oscillator according to another embodiment of the invention is characterized by the second, fourth, and sixth wiring layers having a ground layer. This allows the sharing of the ground layers above and below the center strip line structure with the micro strip line and strip line structures provided above and below them.
A microstrip line structure and a strip line structure can be stacked above and below the strip line structure, respectively, by adding a wiring layer above the strip line structure and two wiring layers below the strip line structure. The receiver according to the invention comprises a photodiode for converting optical signals into electric signals; a clock data recovery for extracting data and synchronous signals from the electric signals; a voltage controlled oscillator for providing signals to operate the clock data recovery; a deserializer for converting serial data that are extracted by the clock data recovery into parallel data; and a decoder for decoding the parallel data, characterized by the voltage controlled oscillator comprising an amplifier; a surface acoustic wave element for forming a feedback circuit for the amplifier; a phase adjustment circuit consisting of a filter and interposed in the feedback circuit; a phase shifter consisting of a hybrid coupler to which an additional control part is attached for changing the phase value within the oscillation loop with control voltage supplied from an external source; an equal power divider for equally distributing output power within the oscillation loop and supplying it outside the oscillation loop; and a multi-layer board for mounting the amplifier, surface acoustic wave element, phase adjustment circuit, phase shifter, and equal power divider in at least two separate layers.
This enables data processing with data transmission rates of several gigabits/second to several tens of gigabits/second while preventing an increase in the mounting area. This also minimizes circuit loss and output fluctuations and realizes a stable receiving operation for the load. The communication device according to the invention comprises an access control part for controlling data access; an oscillator for generating synchronous clocks; a PLL control part for controlling frequencies based on the outputs from the oscillator; an encoder for combining and encoding parallel data from the access control part and the synchronous clocks; a serializer for converting the parallel data combined with the synchronous clocks into serial data; a laser diode for converting the serial data into optical signals; a photodiode for converting the optical signals into electric signals; a clock data recovery for extracting the data and synchronous signals from the electric signals; a voltage controlled oscillator for providing signals to operate the clock data recovery; a deserializer for converting serial data that are extracted by the clock data recovery into parallel data; and a decoder for decoding and supplying the parallel data to the access control part, characterized by the voltage controlled oscillator comprising an amplifier; a surface acoustic wave element for forming a feedback circuit for the amplifier; a phase adjustment circuit consisting of a filter and interposed in the feedback circuit; a phase shifter consisting of a hybrid coupler to which an additional control part is attached for changing the phase value within the oscillation loop with control voltage supplied from an external source; an equal power divider for equally distributing output power within the oscillation loop and supplying it outside the oscillation loop; and a multi-layer board for mounting the amplifier, surface acoustic wave element, phase adjustment circuit, phase shifter, and qui-distributor in at least two separate layers.
This enables gigabits network systems that ensure stable circuit operation for the load while preventing an increase in the mounting area.

Voltage controlled oscillator with two layered mounting structure

c/o Seiko Epson Corporation 3-5, Owa 3-chome


Provided is a method for producing a cellulose ether including a drying step capable of continuously and stably drying a highly adhesive wet cellulose ether with high thermal efficiency without causing adhesive growth and solidification of the wet cellulose ether in a dryer. More specifically, the method for producing a cellulose ether includes a step of drying a wet cellulose ether having water content of more than 50% by weight in a rotary type through-flow dryer.

A cellulose ether as a final product is usually obtained by comprising the steps of adsorbing alkali metal hydroxide onto cellulose to form alkali cellulose, reacting the alkali cellulose with an alkylating agent or a hydroxylating agent, optionally neutralizing in an addition of acid, and then washing, dehydrating, drying, and grinding.
A wet cellulose ether changes from a soft muddy form to a hard cake form, depending on the dehydration degree in the dehydration step, and has adhesiveness and cohesiveness. For drying of such a muddy or cake-like material, a conductive heat-transfer type agitated trough dryer excellent in thermal efficiency or a convective heat-transfer type pneumatic dryer effective for drying of an adhesive material as shown in JP 2010-132920A is usually employed.


A thermal management system is provided. The system includes a temperature sensor, a fan, an electronic circuit breaker (ECB) coupled to the fan to provide electric power to the fan. The system includes a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and the ECB, to direct the ECB to turn off the electric power to the fan responsive to detecting a temperature, from the temperature sensor less than a temperature threshold based on a temperature rating of the fan.

Electronic equipment generates heat while in operation and is typically cooled with heatsinks and natural convection through venting or component exposure, or forced convection, for example, through a fan forcing airflow into or out of a chassis. Components must adhere to temperature operating characteristics. Fans are electro-mechanical components with specific operating conditions. The ball bearing lubricants for the rotator are particularly temperature sensitive and limit typical fan operating conditions, for example to 0° C. to 70° C. Operating, i.e. spinning, a fan below this temperature may stall the fan as the lubrication becomes too viscous. If a fan stalls, i.e., stops or greatly slows rotation with operation under these conditions, the fan's degradation accelerates and will decrease the mean time between failures.
Producers and users of industrial or extended operating temperature products typically face this problem. From a user standpoint, it is important to minimize fan maintenance and replacement. The conventional solution is to select lubricants and materials based on estimated operating conditions. To account for wider variations, more expensive lubricants and materials are often selected, which results in more expensive fans. In some situations, however, this still creates a trade-off between the low operating temperature and the high operating temperature. Producers recognize that certain customers demand reliability and must face a problem of providing reliability at economical costs. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a solution which overcomes the drawbacks described above.


An electrochemically active paint is disclosed which provides cathodic protection to metallic materials of construction. This paint incorporates high concentrations of conductive pigment materials in combination with both corrosion inhibiting agents and exceptionally active metal pigments that can cathodically protect the base metal to which the paint is applied even though the metal pigment particles are incorporated within the paint vehicle. Applying this paint to an engineering structure confers active cathodic protection, and the resulting painted structure is thus rendered completely immune to corrosion for the active lifetime of the paint.

Cathodic protection is widely used to protect steel by galvanizing this steel with metallic zinc, whose sacrificial corrosion keeps the electrochemical potential of the steel sufficiently negative that the steel does not corrode at all. Cathodic protection of steel has not previously been possible using paint instead of an applied metallic coating, or external sacrificial anodes or applied electric current.
Although a great number of different corrosion-inhibiting paints are known, such inhibiting paints only slow down the onset of corrosion and do not completely and absolutely prevent of corrosion. The present invention, by conferring cathodic protection to the base metal to which it is applied, can entirely prevent the onset of corrosion, and can even stop corrosion that has already started before the paint was applied. The present paint therefore can be applied even over rust and still be effective in preventing corrosion through active cathodic protection.
There are several known paint compositions which disclose the use of metal pigments in combination with pigments, usually carbon or graphite, added specifically to increase the conductivity of the resulting paint. Hardenfelt, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,423 teaches a spreading or coating composition including a metallic powder and powdered graphite. In Column 1, lines 27-35 Hardenfelt teaches the use of the metals particularly suited to his invention as being copper, bronze, iron, tin and zinc. Hardenfelt also teaches that the noble metals silver, gold, or platinum may also be used in his invention. All of the metal powders taught by Hardenfelt, except zinc, are relatively electrochemically inert. Zinc is the most electrochemically active of the metals taught by Hardenfelt, but even zinc has an electrochemical potential of only -1.0 volts when measured versus a calomel electrode in seawater. It has now been found that a substantial portion of the electrochemical activity of the zinc is lost by the incorporation of this zinc into a paint, even an electrically conducting paint, and as a consequence zinc cannot provide complete cathodic protection when it is thus incorporated into the paint because its electrochemical activity is effectively reduced by such incorporation. None of the metals taught by Hardenfelt will, when used in a paint, confer complete cathodic protection to steel in seawater because of the loss in the electrochemical activity of the metal pigment material which occurs when the pigment is incorporated into the paint.
Corboy, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,282, teaches in the abstract a paint composition comprising a hardenable fluid binder, metal particles selected from the group of nickel particles, aluminum particles and mixtures thereof, carbon particles, 2, 4-pentadione and a titanate coupling agent. Corboy does not anywhere teach the use of metal pigments of extremely high electrochemical activity.
Pollart, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,826, teaches, in the abstract, coating compositions comprising finely divided carbon, a microwave reactive metal, powdered inert solid and a binder. Pollard, et al., cite preferred metals as being aluminum, iron, nickel, copper, tin and silver, all of which are of relatively low electrochemical activity. Even aluminum, which has an electrochemical potential of -0.98 volts versus a saturated calomel reference electrode in seawater, will not provide complete cathodic protection because of the loss in its electrochemical activity which occurs when it is incorporated into paint. None of the metals taught by Pollart, et al. will, when used in a paint, confer complete cathodic protection to steel in seawater because of the loss in the electrochemical activity in the metal pigment material which occurs when the pigment is incorporated into the paint. Nowhere do Pollard, et al., suggest the use of metallic pigments having an exceptionally high electrochemical activity to achieve active cathodic protection or the combined use of an active metal pigment in combination with a corrosion inhibiting agent to produce an electrochemically active paint of extended active lifetime.
Fouts, Jr. et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,926, teaches, in the abstract, a polymer composition comprising a polymeric material having dispersed therein conductive particles composed of a highly conductive material and a particulate filler. Fouts, Jr., et al. teach specifically the use of nickel, tungsten, molybdenum, silver, gold, platinum, iron, aluminum, copper, tantalum, zinc, cobalt, chromium, lead, titanium and tin, and cites particularly the preferred use of nickel, tungsten, and molybdenum. None of the metals taught by Fouts, et al., are of high electrochemical activity and none would produce complete cathodic protection of iron or steel in seawater.
Japanese Patent Specification No. 57-085994 teaches, in the abstract, an electroconductive resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin, polyurethane, carbon black, sulphur and a metal or metal sulphide powder. The metal powders include Ni, Fe, Zn, Cr, Cu, and Al. Nowhere does this specification disclose the incorporation of extremely active metal pigments.

Electrochemically active paint for cathodic protection of engineering structures


A feeder tube for bulk product, including a tube in which there are inlet openings distributed along the length of the tube. A screw conveyer is disposed axially within the tube. The tube rotates about its axis, the screw conveyer rotates relative to the tube and the feeder tube moves in the lateral direction. Activators form projections on the outer side of the tube and are disposed on the tube near the inlet openings. In each cross-section along at least 40% of the length of the tube, there are at least two inlet openings. At least two activators are also positioned in each cross-section. For a feeder tube having a desired average volumetric capacity (Vxe2x80x2) the slot width (d) of the majority of the openings is Vxe2x80x2xcx9cdn, wherein n is between 2-3. The total sum of the width (xcexa3d) of all openings in each-section is between 150-700 mm.

This invention relates to a feeder tube, for bulk products, which comprises a cylindrical drum or tube in which there are accommodated a large number of inlet openings distributed along the length of the tube, a screw conveyer disposed coaxially within the tube, a first arrangement for rotating the tube about its axis, a second arrangement for rotating the screw conveyer relative to the tube, a third arrangement for moving the feeder tube in the lateral direction, and activators for the bulk product, which activators form projections on the outer side of the tube and are disposed on the tube in association with said inlet openings.
Feeder tubes of the above stated kind are previously known and commonly used. Example of such feeder tubes are described in Swedish Patent Applications 7611862-9, 8004499-8 and in EP-751904. This kind of feeder tube, requires an extremely low amount of power input (compared to other kind of prior art feeder tubes) to the feed-out of bulk, from a buffer storage vessel, e.g. as a silo. In some known installations it has happened that jamming has occurred after shut down, which is believed to be caused by uncontrolled flow through the tube inlet openings, and flow of bulk material through the tube and thereby causing jamming of the screw conveyer.
Another disadvantage with the known kind of design is that the maximum lateral velocity of tube, within the pile of bulk products in the silo, is rather limited. A velocity exceeding 30 mm/min is mostly not feasibly, because the bulk material then acts as a barrier making it impossible to move faster even if the lateral force is drastically increased. It is evident that if the limit velocity is reached and the lateral force is increased further, this could result in undesirably high stress within some parts of the feeder tube, e.g. leading to premature wear and failure.
It has been believed that this limited lateral velocity is a kind of implicit feature of the design related to the extremely low power consumption. Accordingly it has been believed that if the velocity would be increased this could only be achieved at the price of drastically increased energy consumption. Indeed tests have been performed which imply that changes such as increasing the rotational speed of the tube and/or increasing the width of the slots have not improved the performance of the feeder tube without drastic negative consequences.
Now it has been found that considerable improvements of the performance of a feeder tube of this specific kind may be achieved by providing a feeder tube characterized in that in each cross section along at least 40% of the length of the tube, preferably at least 70%, more preferred at least 90%, there are disposed at least two inlet openings. Thanks to this arrangements the feeder tube may be moved through the bulk product at considerably higher speed than is known from prior art. Furthermore this also leads to minimised risk of jamming after shut down.
According to further aspects of the invention;
there are disposed at least three inlet openings in each of said cross sections,
said tube feeder is designed for feeding bulk products of wood chips, and/or fibrous material and/or powder, said bulk product having an average size with a maximum extension/width (X) and wherein the width (d) of each slot is 1,5-30 xc3x97, preferably 3-10 xc3x97 and more preferred 4-8 xc3x97,
in each of said cross section said openings are disposed along the circumference of the tube such that the bending resistance of said tube in said cross section is the same irrespective of which diametrical centreline (y) is chosen within said cross section, i.e. the number openings being 3 or 4 or any multiple of 3 or 4,
the diameter of said tube is between 200-1500 mm, more preferred 500-1000 mm and most preferred 600-900 mm,
said activators are detachably arranged on said tube,
the total length of said tube is between 3-30 m, more preferred 4-25 m and most preferred 10-18 m,
said first arrangement for rotating the tube about its axis provides for a rotational speed of the tube of 0-20 rpm, preferably 0,5-15 rpm and more preferred 1-8 rpm,
in a portion comprising at least 30% of the length of the tube the total sum of the width (xcexa3d) of all openings in each cross-section is between 150-700 mm, preferably at least 250 mm, more preferred at least 350 mm,
a detachably arranged cover device is positioned to cover a part of at least one of said openings such that the width (d) of said opening may be adjusted,
at least one of said activators, preferably the majority of said activators, comprises at least one discrete protruding element, preferably a number of discrete protruding elements acting as an agitator.
said tube is arranged with a number of discrete protruding elements which are positioned at a distance in relation to said inlet openings.
said activator comprises plate like structure that extends across the opening at a distance from each lengthwise extending edge of the opening in a direction substantially parallel to the extension of the tube, wherein the width (b) of said plate like structure is substantially smaller than slot width (d) of said opening, such that preferably 10 mm less than 2b less than d.


An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having an exposure unit configured to irradiate each of a plurality of photosensitive members with a corresponding light beam, a light amount control unit configured to control a light amount of the light beams, a plurality of developing units configured to develop electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive members by exposure with the light beams, and a transfer unit configured to transfer toner images formed on the photosensitive members onto an image carrier; a pattern forming unit configured to control the image forming unit to form a misalignment detection pattern for detecting a relative misalignment between the toner images transferred onto the image carrier; a pattern reading unit configured to read the misalignment detection pattern; and a correction unit configured to correct the relative misalignment between the toner images based on the reading result obtained by the pattern reading unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and, more particularly, to a technique of correcting misregistrations between the respective colors in an electrophotographic color image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, for example, a multicolor image forming apparatus has been proposed, which includes a plurality of image forming units and can form a color image in the following procedure. Each image forming unit applies a laser beam onto a drum-like electrophotographic photoreceptor as an image carrier, that is, a photosensitive drum. Each unit forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum by an electrophotographic process. A developing device develops this electrostatic latent image and turns it into a visible image (toner image). Transfer units multi-layer-transfer the toner images, formed on the photosensitive drums by the respective image forming units, onto a transfer material conveyed by a belt-like transfer material conveyor (transfer convey belt), or perform multiple transfer of the respective images on a belt-like intermediate transfer member (intermediate transfer belt). Thereafter, the images are collectively transferred onto a transfer material.
In this type of image forming apparatus, misalignments occur between the respective color images formed on the respective photosensitive drums due to various factors. Registration for the cancellation of such misalignments may sometimes become incomplete on a transfer material on which images finally undergo multiple transfers. The various factors in this case include, for example, mechanical mounting errors between the respective photosensitive drums, optical path length errors between the respective laser beams, and optical path changes.
FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B show a case of coping with a situation in which registration is incomplete. Conventional photosensitive drums 11, that is, 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d, are used to form registration correction patterns 70 as misalignment detection patterns on an endless belt such as an intermediate transfer belt 31 (or transfer convey belt) as the second image carrier. Photosensors 60 and 61 as pattern detection units placed adjacent to the photosensitive drum 11a of the image forming unit on the most downstream side read the patterns and detect misregistrations the photosensitive drums 11 corresponding to the respective colors formed by the respective image forming units. This apparatus electrically corrects an image signal to be printed by using detected misalignment values.
Various patterns have been proposed as registration correction pattern images. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-98810 has proposed a pattern including the first line segment placed at a predetermined angle relative to a process direction as the moving direction of an endless belt and the second line segment placed symmetrically with the first line segment about a virtual line perpendicular to the process direction.
A pattern detection unit is constituted by a light-emitting element, such as an LED or phototransistor, and a light-receiving element, that is, a photosensor as a pattern reading unit. The pattern detection unit reads such a registration correction pattern image. Two such photosensors are arranged at a predetermined distance from each other in a direction perpendicular to the process direction. A registration correction pattern image is formed so as to pass over the photosensors.
FIG. 3 shows how the photosensors 60 and 61 detect the registration correction pattern 70 on the intermediate transfer belt 31. Note that the intermediate transfer belt 31 is made of a material whose reflectance of light (for example, infrared light) emitted by light-emitting elements (LEDs) in the photosensors 60 and 61 is higher than that of the registration correction pattern 70. Differences in reflectance of emitted light allow pattern detection.
FIG. 4 shows how a light-receiving element (phototransistor) PT receives reflected light emitted by the LED and reflected by the registration correction pattern 70 for image misalignment or the intermediate transfer belt 31. FIG. 5 shows a light-receiving circuit which converts the reflected light received by the phototransistor PT into electrical signal.
First of all, when the photosensors 60 and 61 detect reflected light from the intermediate transfer belt 31, since the reflected light amount is large, a large photocurrent flows in the phototransistor PT. A resistor R1 converts current into voltage. Resistors R2 to R4 and an operational amplifier OP1 amplify the voltage. When the photosensors 60 and 61 detect reflected light from the registration correction pattern 70 formed on the intermediate transfer belt 31, since the reflected light amount is small, a photocurrent smaller than that flowing upon detection of reflected light from the intermediate transfer belt 31 flows in the phototransistor PT. As in the above case, the resistor R1 converts the photocurrent into voltage, and the resistors R2 to R4 and the operational amplifier OP1 amplify the voltage.
The waveform pattern indicated by A in FIG. 4 shows how the light-receiving circuit detects reflected light from the intermediate transfer belt 31, the registration correction pattern 70, and the intermediate transfer belt 31 in the order named. As shown in FIG. 5, fixed resistors R5 and R6 set a threshold level at almost the midpoint between the detection level at the intermediate transfer belt 31 and the detection level at the registration correction pattern 70. A comparator OP2 then compares the value obtained by converting the current detected by the phototransistor PT into a voltage with the threshold level. This operation can generate a registration correction pattern detection output like the waveform pattern indicated by B in FIG. 4. The control unit of this system reads this pattern detection output which is sequentially transmitted, and detects a misregistration amount from pattern intervals and the like, thereby electrically correcting an image signal to be printed.
The registration correction described above is based on the premise that the registration correction pattern has a proper density. However, the density of the registration correction pattern varies due to environmental changes such as variations in temperature and humidity, deteriorations in toner materials over time, and the like. When, in particular, the density of the registration correction pattern decreases due to variations in temperature and humidity or the like or deteriorations in toner materials over time or the like, the registration correction accuracy also deteriorates.
If the density of the registration correction pattern for each color is not uniform, the rising or falling speed of an analog signal corresponding to the registration correction pattern changes. When the rising or falling speed of the analog signal changes, the timing of a leading or trailing edge of a pulse of a digital signal generated from the analog signal changes. More precisely, the change amount of the leading or trailing edge of a pulse of an analog signal varies for each color. For this reason, a color misalignment amount detected from pulses of digital signals includes the difference in change amount between the timings of edges. This leads to a deterioration in detection accuracy associated with the relative positional relationship between registration correction patterns.
The waveform pattern indicated by A in FIG. 4 has a bilaterally symmetrical pattern. However, an actual waveform pattern is not bilaterally symmetrical in a strict sense. This is because of the influences of the optical characteristics of each photosensor based on the installation positions of the LED and PT of the photosensor. An analog signal after a variation in the density of a registration correction pattern does not have a bilaterally symmetrical pattern, either. If, therefore, the density of a registration correction pattern excessively decreases, the change amounts of the gradients of the leading and trailing edges of an analog signal increase. This leads to deterioration in detection accuracy of the relative positional relationship between registration correction patterns.
In order to solve this problem, decreases in pattern image density are made to fall within the specifications of various types of image forming apparatuses by controlling changes (high voltage settings) of laser light amounts, charging biases to be set in chargers, and developing biases to be set in developing devices, and various kinds of process conditions for toner replenishment control in accordance with durability. Note however that as image density decreases, the density of a corresponding registration correction pattern decreases. That is, even if the image density can be made to fall within specifications, color misalignment may fall outside the specifications.
In order to prevent deterioration in registration correction accuracy, the laser light amount may be increased. If, however, the laser light amount is always increased in operation including printing operation, the charge of the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum may not be sufficiently removed. This may adversely influence the next printed image or cause early deterioration in the photosensitive drum.

Image forming apparatus configured to control a light amount of a light beam for forming a misalignment detection pattern


A computer-implemented method of creating a simulation engine for simulating a circuit design can include receiving a source code contribution from a high level modeling system and receiving a simulation model specified in an interpretive language that specifies the circuit design. The source code contribution can be compiled together with the simulation model using a Just-In-Time compiler. A simulation engine, specified in native machine code, can be output as a single, integrated software component formed from the source code contribution and the simulation model.

A high level modeling system (HLMS) is an electronic design automation tool that allows a designer to create circuits and systems within a graphical design environment. Using a drag-and-drop paradigm, the designer may move graphic blocks, representing circuit components or functions, into the design environment. The designer may "draw" wires connecting the blocks to establish clocking and connectivity, e.g., signal flow, among the blocks.
Typically, an HLMS provides an architecture that allows plug-ins from different manufacturers to be used with the HLMS. Inclusion of these plug-ins allows the functionality of the HLMS to be extended. For example, an HLMS may allow a simulation engine to be used in conjunction with the HLMS. The simulation engine may provide a library of functions necessary to simulate hardware description language code. The simulation engine further may include software-based models of hardware components found within a particular type of programmable integrated circuit (IC) within which the circuit being developed will be implemented. This allows the HLMS to achieve greater accuracy during simulation.
To increase simulation performance, some simulation engines utilize Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation technology. JIT compilation refers to a process where portions of a computer program written in an interpretive language, e.g., a script or bytecode, can be compiled into native machine code for increased execution speed. The compilation typically is performed during execution of the interpretive program. While the runtime performance of the computer program will incur a penalty when portions of the program are compiled, typically this delay is overcome as the resulting native machine code executes much faster than its interpretive counterpart. Moreover, further performance gains are achieved each time the compiled code is executed as JIT compilation need be performed only one time during runtime of the simulation engine.
While using a simulation engine with an HLMS can provide a number of benefits, disadvantages do exist. For example, when a simulation engine runs as a plug-in of an HLMS, the two are still distinct entities. Typically the simulation engine will be implemented as a dynamically linked library (DLL). During runtime while the simulation engine executes, the HLMS and the simulation engine communicate through inter-process communication (IPC) and/or text-based communication. IPC refers to a set of techniques for the exchange of data among multiple threads in one or more processes, e.g., computer programs, executing within a computer. Depending upon the particular IPC technique used and the data exchanged, the latency between threads will vary, but still exists. This latency introduces inefficiencies into the simulation resulting in longer simulation times.
Because of the lack of integration between the simulation engine and the HLMS and the use of JIT compilation within the simulation engine, various internal states of the circuit design being simulated may not be observable during the simulation. The simulation engine must be instructed to write such information to a file. Only after simulation has completed execution may a developer view the contents of the file. This restriction can be inconvenient for the developer.
Another disadvantage of using an HLMS with a pluggable simulation engine is that the simulation engine is restricted to operating as a slave of the HLMS. The master, in this case the HLMS, must initiate all queries to the simulation engine and track the queries, e.g., monitor for responses, and perform the necessary "bookkeeping." This relationship also introduces inefficiencies into the simulation.

Reloadable just-in-time compilation simulation engine for high level modeling systems


Improved endpin block apparatus for stringed instruments are provided. The endpin block apparatus comprises an endpin support for securing and connecting an endpin to a stringed instrument. The endpin block apparatus may be fixedly attached to the instrument or may be able to rotate about an attachment location, allowing for adjustment of the angle of the instrument relative to the axis defined by the endpin and the musician. The endpin block apparatus provides one or more endpin insertion locations, allowing for one or more angles of the endpin relative to the axis of the instrument, which angle may be adjustable, and may allow for more of the instrument's weight to be borne by the endpin. The adjustable endpin angle and the adjustable endpin block apparatus rotation allow for a greater range of instrument location and angle, and more support of the instrument by the endpin, removing weight from the musician.

Large stringed instruments, including but not limited to the cello and the upright bass, are heavy instruments that must be supported on the floor, in nearly all uses of the instruments, so that a musician can play them. Traditionally, instruments are supported with a straight endpin that protrudes from the bottom of the instrument, known as the lower rib area. The endpin is braced to the instrument with a small endpin support that is external to the instrument and which in most instances has an element that spans into the internal space of the instrument, in contact with a part of the instrument that is a reinforcing block inside the lower rib area of the instrument, which reinforcing block is in contact with the inside surface of the instrument body panels comprising the lower rib area. Traditional endpins protrude straight out of the instrument, parallel to the long axis of the instrument and perpendicular to the exterior surface of the instrument at the lower rib area. They can be adjusted for length but not adjusted to be affixed to the instrument at any other angle, or to be affixed in any location other than a single hole placed in the lower rib area of the instrument, which hole is typically in the center of the lower rib area. Such an endpin is depicted in FIG. 1A. For definition of a reference frame, if one faces an upright instrument with the strings approximately vertical and facing the viewer, the x axis is side-to-side along the instrument, the y-axis is front to back on the instrument, and the z-axis is vertical along the instrument.
Angled endpins are known in the art as well, in which the endpin is supported at the center of the lower rib area of the instrument, but departs from the lower rib area in the y-z plane (as defined by the plane comprising the y-axis and the z-axis), away from the front of the instrument, and in line with the center line of the instrument along the z-axis. Such an endpin is depicted in FIG. 1B. Such endpins typically cannot be adjusted for angle: they are fixed at a particular angle in the y-z plane, and cannot be rotated about the z-axis. Further, while such endpins are angled along the y-z plane, they are not angled sharply enough to be under or nearly under the center of mass of the instrument. While there are limited examples in existence of angled endpins that can be rotated about the z-axis, they are generally poorly supported by or attached to the instrument at or near the hole in the lower rib area, and are disfavored by musicians.
The current state of the art of endpin supports—which may also be referred to in the present disclosure as an endpin block or endpin block apparatus—for stringed instruments presents several problems. First, they do not support as much of the weight of the instrument as they could if the endpin were closer to being directly under the center of mass of the instrument. To do so, the endpin's attachment location to the endpin support would need to be sharply angled, or angled and offset from the hole in the center of the lower rib area. It could then make contact with the ground at an angle of approximately 90°. Such an endpin support, referred to in this disclosure of the present invention as an endpin block apparatus, would allow the endpin to bear most of the weight of the instrument, with the instrument approximately balanced above the endpin where the endpin contacts the floor.
The current state of endpins and endpin block apparatuses leaves much of the weight of the instrument on the musician, with the instrument's center of mass between the musician and the endpin, forcing the musician to hold the heavy instrument that is leaning on her or him, while the musician is sitting or standing and playing the instrument. Bearing this weight has effects on the musician: first, it tends to lead to injuries, including but not limited to repetitive stress injuries, as musicians force themselves into awkward postures or put stresses on their backs, legs, arms, and/or shoulders to support the weight of the instrument while also playing the instrument. This can lead to a range of injuries related to poor ergonomics. Second, being required to hold up a relatively heavy instrument while playing can impact the playing, and ability of the musicians to express themselves musically, by constraining their motions.
To address these problems, some musicians modify or attempt to modify their instruments. This is risky because some changes, such as enlarging the hole in the lower rib area, or adding a second hole to the lower rib area, are difficult or impossible to reverse. They can cause damage that permanently affects the sound and performance of the instrument. And if such changes are made to an instrument and they are not in quite the right place on the instrument, they may reduce or destroy the ability of anyone to play the instrument. Furthermore, making such changes may be expensive, especially if a musician hires an expert luthier.
The accessories relating to endpins, angled endpins, and endpin supports that are currently in use don't allow for adjustability of the endpin, other than two accessories that are known in the art. One of these allows for a choice of two endpin positions: either straight in line with the z-axis from the hole in the lower rib area, or angled in the y-z plane and originating from the hole in the lower rib area. The other known accessory allows for rotation of the endpin exit angle (such that the endpin leaves the instrument not in the y-z plane, but rather in a plane that is perpendicular to the x-y plane and rotated around the z-axis. The endpin in this accessory is attached to a cantilever arm that is attached only to a stock endpin support, with no additional bracing against the lower rib area. This leads to a significantly increased torque from the endpin, due to the cantilever arm, on the endpin support and on the hole in the lower rib area of the instrument. This increased increases torque on the instrument significantly increases the risk of damage to the instrument.
Accordingly, the problems with the prior art for endpin support apparatus for stringed instruments include inadequate support of the instrument by the endpin block apparatus; injuries to musicians due to repetitive stress injuries and poor ergonomics of supporting the weight of a heavy instrument with arm, shoulder, or torso while needing to move to play the instrument; difficulty playing expressively or freely for many musicians due to the need to support the instrument while also moving to play; difficulty and expense of modifications to the instrument; the risk of damage to the instrument in making modifications or adjustments; the irreversibility of modifications to instruments, even if such modifications do not damage the instrument; and low or no adjustability by the musician once the endpin support is chosen and installed.

Endpin block apparatus for stringed instruments


A method for manufacturing a sensor component, in particular, a thin-film high-pressure sensor, as well as a sensor component, is described, in which at least one measuring element, in particular an expansion measuring strip is arranged on a membrane, and separated from the membrane through an electrically insulating film, the measuring element being arranged on an electrically insulating substrate, which is mounted in a subsequent step onto the membrane on the side that faces away from the measuring element, so that the electrically insulating substrate forms the electrically insulating film. The electrically insulating substrate performs both a carrier function during the application of the expansion measuring strip to the substrate as well as an insulation function after the mounting of the substrate onto the membrane. In this way, the application of a separate insulation film made of silicon dioxide becomes unnecessary.

The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a sensor component and a sensor component, in particular a thin-film high-pressure sensor that has a substrate, on which at least one functional film that is to be provided with contacts is to be applied. High-pressure sensors of this type are used in numerous systems in the motor vehicle, for example, in direct gasoline injection. High-pressure sensors are also used in the field of automation technology. The function of these sensors is based on the conversion of the mechanical deformation of a membrane, which is brought about by the pressure, into an electric signal using a thin-film system. German Patent No. 100 14 984 describes thin-film systems of this type, having high-pressure sensors. They have a silicon dioxide film for the electric insulation of the functional film from the high-grade steel substrate. However, known manufacturing systems for semi-conductor methods are not prepared for the processing of high-grade steel substrates that are 5 millimeters thick and up to 850 grams in weight, for example.
The method according to the present invention and the sensor component according to the present invention have, in contrast, the advantage that an electric insulation of the measuring elements is ensured by the membrane, without having to apply insulating films, such as silicon dioxide films for example, separately onto the membrane. In this way, the processing can be performed using standard systems, since a material with a thickness of less than one millimeter, which is compatible with manufacturing systems that are currently available for semiconductor methods, can be used as an electrically insulating substrate. Thus, it is no longer necessary to adapt the production equipment for the application of the thin films to the use of high-grade steel membranes, for example. Furthermore, costs for the production equipment, which is necessary for the application of a silicon dioxide film that is several micrometers thick, can be avoided. Insulating substrates that are self-supporting are, in addition, easy to handle in the context of the application of the resistor, contact, and passivation films.
It is especially advantageous to use thin glass as an electrically insulating substrate, which ensures a good electric insulation in a cost-effective manner, is stable and thus easy to handle, and furthermore, can be attached to a membrane using anodic bonding. Other attachment methods such as, for example, adhesion, are also possible.

Manufacturing method for a thin-film high-pressure sensor


A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to the present embodiments comprises a gantry device, a front light source and an exterior casing of the gantry device. The gantry device has a bore serving as a space where a magnetic resonance image is captured, with the gantry device being configured to acquire, when a subject placed on a couchtop has been moved into the bore by a couch device configured to move the couchtop, a magnetic resonance signal from the subject. The front light source is provided in surroundings of a front opening, with the front opening being an opening of the bore positioned at front of the couch device. The exterior casing of the gantry device, with a portion of the exterior casing being illuminated by light emitted from the front light source, is made of a transparent or translucent material.

During a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) image-capturing process using an MRI apparatus, a subject is moved into a bore of a gantry device, while being placed on a couchtop. The gantry device generates a high-frequency magnetic field and a gradient magnetic field on the basis of a pulse sequence corresponding to an image-capturing condition and acquires magnetic resonance signals thereby emitted from the subject.
The gantry device includes, for example, a magnetostatic field magnet that generates a uniform magnetostatic field in the bore and a gradient coil that is provided on the inside of the magnetostatic field magnet and generates a gradient magnetic field in the bore. The magnetostatic field magnet, the gradient coil, and so forth are provided on the outside of a bore tube securing a bore space. Furthermore, a rail etc. on which the couchtop is moved is provided in the bore of the gantry device.
In the gantry device, noise is generated mainly from the gradient coil because of mechanical operations or electromagnetic forces during data acquiring processes. To improve comfortability of subjects during image-capturing processes, such MRI apparatuses that are able to inhibit the noise generated by the gantry device are being developed. Examples of such MRI apparatuses include an apparatus in which the sound released from end faces of an Actively Shielded Gradient Coil (ASGC) is blocked by covering the end faces of the ASGC with lids (sound-blocking lids) that are configured by using a sound-blocking material or a sound-absorbing material. Examples of such MRI apparatuses also include an apparatus in which the gradient coil is stored in a vacuum container.
Furthermore, in recent years, to improve comfortability of subjects during image-capturing processes, such an MRI apparatus that has a large aperture so as to physically make the space inside the bore as large as possible has been developed. However, in view of performance of RF coils and image quality of MRI images, there is a limit to designing apertures of bores to be large.
Because there is a limit to securing physical spaces of bores, attempts have been made by arranging the wall of a bore to be in a bright color such as white and by brightening the wall of a bore with illumination, in order to improve comfortability. However, even with those methods, it is not necessarily possible to prevent subjects from feeling insecure when the subjects are inserted into a bore, and the degree of comfortability which subjects experience when having been moved into a bore was not necessarily sufficient.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and medical image diagnosis apparatus


A press fixture for pressing a housing and a battery together includes an air cylinder, a motor to control a motion of the air cylinder, a controller, a base, and a support mounted on the base. The support is used to receive the battery. The housing is placed on the battery. The controller controls the motor to drive the air cylinder to press the housing and the battery together in response user input.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to press fixtures and, particularly, to a press fixture for pressing a housing and a battery together.
2. Description of Related Art
During assembling electronic devices, batteries may be pressed into place at a predetermined position in a housing. However, because the size of the battery is small, it is not easy to precisely position in the battery. Also, a press fixture may be used on the battery, and even a small variance in the pressure used may damage the battery.
Therefore, what is needed is a press fixture to overcome the described limitations.

Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


A video compression system processes images captured from a video camera mounted to a vehicle. Vehicle-mounted sensors generate vehicle motion information corresponding to a current state of motion of the vehicle. An optical flow estimation circuit estimates apparent motion of objects within a visual field. A video encoder circuit in communication with the optical flow estimation circuit compresses the video data from the video camera based on the estimated apparent motion.

1. Priority Claim
This application claims the benefit of priority from European Patent Application No. 06 021719.7, filed Oct. 17, 2006, which is incorporated by reference.
2. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to video systems. In particular, this disclosure relates to video data compression systems.
3. Related Art
Vehicle video recording systems may require large amounts of storage. Video data may be compressed based on the differences from video frame to video frame in a pixel-oriented manner. However, such compression techniques may be computationally expensive and are not robust. These compression techniques may not faithfully predict frame-to-frame changes.


Provided are methods for making quantum nanostructures based on use of a combination of nucleation and growth precursors. The methods can be used to provide quantum nanostructures of a selected size. Also provided are quantum nanostructures, compositions comprising the quantum nanostructures, and uses of the quantum nanostructures. The quantum nanostructures can be used, for example, in imaging applications.

Quantum dots (QDs) and other quantum nanoparticles have been prepared and their properties have been documented and described. One proposed use of quantum dots is in the field of biochemistry wherein these particles provide photoluminescent markers for whole cells. In addition, they can be used as markers that allow one to track the activity of individual cellular ligands, for example, organelles or macromolecules.
The essential components in the synthesis of II-VI and IV-VI QDs have remained largely unchanged for 20 years, typically employing tertiary phosphine chalcogenides and metal salts as the reactive precursors. Notable advances include removing the need for pyrophoric compounds and designing ligands to obtain a greater control over QD size, size distribution, and shape. However, the synthetic conversion yield can be very low (<2%) for normal reactions. Also, inconsistencies can arise from the fact that traditional QD syntheses are based on tertiary phosphine chalcogenide molecular precursors, which at temperatures under 200° C. are largely unreactive and thus not responsible for QD formation.
Most current methodologies for the production of II-VI and IV-VI colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) rely upon the slow addition precursor to nucleated particles for the growth of larger structures. QDs grow larger with time so a reaction must be quenched at a precise time to achieve a desired nanoparticle size. This can be laborious and inexact which is a major source of batch-to-batch inconsistencies and contributes to the very high price (>$100,000 per gram) for commercial sources of quantum dots.

Quantum nanostructures, compositions thereof, and methods of making and using same


The present invention is directed to a system, method and server to assist account issuers in managing risk, fraud and unauthorized use. A system, method and server for use in pushing advanced warning alerts to issuers based on consumer data element level triggering events and fraud and unauthorized use reports is disclosed. The ability to the push the alerts to issuers with a permissible purpose for receiving the information in the alerts provides a real-time, online and cost effective way of providing issuers with valuable risk management tools.

With increased losses in a recession economy, issuers need faster, better account management tools to control risk. Current account and risk management tools for issuing financial institutions (issuer) do not allow them to receive unsolicited data or other data automatically that could indicate an account or an account holder may have become risky in an online real-time process using data submitted by other issuers. As of yet, there is no simple way for issuers to share fraud data, unauthorized use data and application velocity data at a consumer level in real time.
In an attempt to deliver timely alerts to their member account issuers, some transaction processors offer risk management tools for prevention, detection and resolution of fraud and credit risks including application screening and fraud detection (AFSD) services for new accounts and other tools for detecting fraud and risk on existing accounts. Alerts are used to inform member account issuers of conditions during the application and approval process and conditions that arise after an application is processed, approved, an account is opened and, in the case of credit cards, a card is issued. Alerts delivered after an account is open "retroactively" can provide "new" more recent information that might be relevant to the identifying increased risk during the life of an account. For example, one member account issuer might like to know when one of their consumers has taken various actions such as applying for an account with another member account issuer.
When an account issuer processes an application for an account, it collects information from the consumer applying for the account. In the case of a credit card account application, the issuer typically collects the consumer's name, address, Social Security number, telephone number and other information that can be used for identifying the consumer.
To aid in its decision as to whether to open the account, the issuer will conduct research to determine whether the consumer qualifies under its own internal qualification and risk management policies, systems and protocols. Various issuers will have various requirements for opening an account. For example, a credit card issuer may require the consumer has fewer than X number of other credit card accounts and no convictions of fraud, whereas an online retail site might only require that a consumer have no more than one account with that retailer.
To aid in an account issuer's research to determine whether a particular consumer is account worthy, various consumer-reporting entities provide a multitude of consumer reporting services. For credit card issuers, there are several consumer credit reporting bureaus such Equifax® and Experian® that provide lenders with access to consumer reports that include the status of all tradeline accounts reported into that bureau for that particular consumer under investigation. Consumer credit reporting bureaus can also compute and report an overall credit score for the consumer. The information consumer credit reporting bureaus have combines all individual account level data, such as the age of the account, payment history, the amount of credit and the amount and age of the outstanding balances for a particular consumer. To provide incremental information above what is available through the consumer credit reporting agencies, various transaction processing associations and other organizations have developed numerous services to collect and deliver supplemental risk data to lenders opening accounts including credit card account issuers.
Currently, consumer and other risk data is collected by various data sharing consortiums. Typically, each consortium specializes in solving a particular problem. In the credit card industry, risk products and services are provided by transaction processing associations such as Visa with its Issuers' Clearinghouse Services (ICS). When an account issuer receives the application for a new account from a consumer, the account issuer submits consumer level information along with an application identifier and account issuer entity identifier, such as a bank identification number or BIN. Typical consumer data elements can include, but are not limited to, name, address, phone number, Social Security number (SSN) and birth date.
Every application reported into an ASFD services server receives a response based on the consumer data elements submitted with the application. The response is a confirmation, an alert or invalid. An alert returns information back to the account issuer that submitted the application advising it of any suspicious characteristics or activities as defined by the account issuer. This flexibility is provided to allow issuers to define the types of information they need based on differences in customer prospects, credit card portfolios and risk management protocols. For example, credit card issuers will submit a credit card application with all of the consumers particular consumer data elements, an application identification code and a bank identification number and expect to receive a report regarding the authenticity of the consumer data elements and any reports of fraud or unauthorized use involving those consumer data elements reported by other credit account issuers but they may not want to be advised when a card is lost or stolen or they may want only fraud reported and no application activity.
In addition, all risk service servers collect and store application data for some period of time in order to report historical activity on individual consumer data elements. For example, an ASFD server 140 can keep track of the number of times a particular name or Social Security number is submitted in various credit card applications from multiple issuers. Currently, many ASFD servers can report to issuers whenever it detects a consumer data element level triggering event or consumer data element application velocity threshold.
Consumer data element level triggering events can vary depending on the needs of the account issuer. Some issuers, for example, will want to know the application velocity for a particular Social Security number. That is, the issuer will want to know the rate at which the Social Security number shows up in applications submitted within some defined period of time. As an example, issuer A may wish to be alerted whenever Social Security number XXX-XX-XYZX is observed in 3 credit applications in less than 30 days. The threshold Social Security number velocity therefore is 3 applications per 30 days.
If a triggering event is observed by the ASFD server, current services provide protocols for sending retroactive alerts to the issuers that requested the alerts and defined the triggering event. However, for the ASFD server to send a credit issuer more information than a notification that a triggering event has been observed, the operator of the ASFD server must first verify that a credit issuer has a permissible purpose under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
Permissible purpose is defined in Section 604 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 25 U.S.C. §1681b. Under FCRA, a credit issuer cannot obtain a consumer report unless they have a permissible purpose to receive a consumer report.
As define under 35 U.S.C. §1681b, permissible purposes for receiving consumer reports are:    (a) In general, subject to subsection (c), any consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer report under the following circumstances and no other:
(1) In response to the order of a court having jurisdiction to issue such an order, or a subpoena issued in connection with proceedings before a Federal grand jury.
(2) In accordance with the written instructions of the consumer to whom it relates.
(3) To a person which it has reason to believe                (A) intends to use the information in connection with a credit transaction involving the consumer on whom the information is to be furnished and involving the extension of credit to, or review or collection of an account of, the consumer; or        (B) intends to use the information for employment purposes; or        (C) intends to use the information in connection with the underwriting of insurance involving the consumer; or        (D) intends to use the information in connection with a determination of the consumer's eligibility for a license or other benefit granted by a governmental instrumentality required by law to consider an applicant's financial responsibility or status; or Jul. 30, 2004 13        (E) intends to use the information, as a potential investor or servicer, or current insurer, in connection with a valuation of, or an assessment of the credit or prepayment risks associated with, an existing credit obligation; or        (F) otherwise has a legitimate business need for the information                    (i) in connection with a business transaction that is initiated by the consumer; or            (ii) to review an account to determine whether the consumer continues to meet the terms of the account.
(4) In response to a request by the head of a State or local child support enforcement agency (or a State or local government official authorized by the head of such an agency), if the person making the request certifies to the consumer reporting agency that                (A) the consumer report is needed for the purpose of establishing an individual's capacity to make child support payments or determining the appropriate level of such payments;        (B) the paternity of the consumer for the child to which the obligation relates has been established or acknowledged by the consumer in accordance with State laws under which the obligation arises (if required by those laws);        (C) the person has provided at least 10 days' prior notice to the consumer whose report is requested, by certified or registered mail to the last known address of the consumer, that the report will be requested; and        (D) the consumer report will be kept confidential, will be used solely for a purpose described in subparagraph (A), and will not be used in connection with any other civil, administrative or criminal proceeding, or for any other purpose.
(5) To an agency administering a State plan under Section 454 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. §654) for use to set an initial or modified child support award.
ASFD servers and databases do not receive information from issuers as to whether an application was approved and if an account was opened nor do they receive periodic updates from issuers reporting applications into the database about the status of an account, payment history etc. Therefore, it is unknown if a particular issuer meets the requirements of the FCRA and subsequently if they can receive updated information related to the original applicant. To obtain such information, issuers must validate that they have permissible purpose before any retroactive alerts can be delivered to them. This process involves five steps two transactions and delays the receipt of risk information.
When a triggering event is observed by the ASFD server, the ASFD server sends a retroactive alert to one or more credit issuers as the first transaction. The retroactive alert as initially sent to the credit issuers contains no other information other than one of that credit issuers' triggering events has been observed.
FIG. 1A is a flow chart of a current retroactive alert process from the perspective of a credit issuer. Once the retroactive alert with limited information is sent by the ASFD server, the issuer receives the retroactive alert via existing or other communication channels in step 10. In step 15, after determining that it wants to take further action, the issuer verifies to the ASFD server it has permissible purpose under FCRP. This is typically achieved in a second transaction wherein the credit issuer sends an account number with a corresponding application identifier and BIN to the ASFD server to confirm that the credit issuer did in fact open a credit account based on an application it previously submitted to the ASFD server.
Once the issuer verifies it has a permissible purpose for the information that triggered the event, the issuer sends a second transaction, or inquiry transaction, to the ASFD server to request additional information regarding the events that triggered the retroactive alert in step 20. As shown in FIG. 1A, after receiving the alert, the process of getting information regarding the triggering event involves two transactions between steps 10, 15, 20 and finally step 25 in which the issuer receives information about the event that triggered the retroactive alert. Under FCRA regulations, the ASFD server can only send specific information about the account activity for the account issued by the issuer. No information about the activity of accounts not owned by the particular issuer is ever delivered, the ASFD server can only send generalities and nonspecific descriptions of the events.
Finally, in step 30, the issuer can determine whether to investigate the events that triggered the retroactive alert using information received from the ASFD server. A typical issuer response would be to contact the consumer involved to investigate the behavior or the events that triggered the alert or to change the behavioral model or decision tree associated with that particular consumer. In any event, the two-transaction process involved in sending an issuer information regarding the behavior or events that triggered the retroactive alert can be slow and expensive.
Embodiments of the present invention address these and other problems and deficiencies.

Method and system for advanced warning alerts using advanced identification system for identifying fraud detection and reporting

Visa International Service Association, Inc.


A dispenser unit comprises a housing and an actuator movable relative to the housing to cause the contents of two containers to be dispensed simultaneously in mixed or separate state. Each container includes a hollow stem through which the substance is dispensed when the stem is depressed. The dispenser unit includes a fluid-conducting member distinct from the actuator and including two hoods for engaging the two stems of the containers. Depressing the actuator causes the fluid-conducting member to actuate the stems and initiate dispensing of the contents into a single passage or two separate passages of the fluid-conducting member. The fluid-conducting member is movable within the housing for accommodating mismatch in heights of the stems. The actuator includes a single internal channel or two separate channels for receiving the container contents from the fluid-conducting member.

The present invention relates to devices for dispensing two different fluid substances, such as two different hair dye components, from separate containers in which they are contained, so that the contents of the two containers are simultaneously dispensed. The present invention further relates to such devices that also mix the contents of the containers as they are being dispensed.
Numerous devices are known that enable the fluid contents of two separate containers to be dispensed simultaneously and mixed as they are dispensed. For instance, French patent application No. FR-A-2 732 245 describes a dispenser unit comprising a housing and a pushbutton that is depressed to cause the contents of two separate containers to be dispensed. Each container includes a valve that has a hollow stem that is depressed by the pushbutton so as to open the valve and cause the container contents to be dispensed through the stem.
A difficulty with certain known dispenser units is that, because of relatively loose manufacturing tolerances for the containers, the stems may have top ends that are not situated at exactly the same height. This can result in the contents of the two containers not being dispensed simultaneously because the shorter stem may not be sufficiently depressed to open its valve.
There also exists a need for a dispenser unit that is easily modified so that a large number of its component parts can be commonly used with various containers holding different types of contents, thus making it possible to benefit from economies of scale in the manufacture of dispensers.
Other dispenser units have also been proposed, but they are not entirely satisfactory for various reasons. By way of example, mention can be made of U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,457; German patent application DE 100 09 233 A1; European patent application Nos. EP-A-0 313 414; EP-A-0 427 609; and EP-A 0 243 667; British patent No. GB 1 163 978; and French patent application Nos. FR-A-2 598 392 and FR-A-1 413 164.
The present invention addresses the above-noted needs and achieves other advantages, by providing a dispenser unit that comprises a housing structured and arranged to receive a pair of containers, an actuator such as a lever or pushbutton movably connected to the housing, and a fluid-conducting member mounted inside the housing and formed separately from and non-rigidly connected to the actuator. The containers can be pressurized and provided with valves that are opened by actuating hollow stems through which the container contents are dispensed, or unpressurized and provided with pumps that are operated by depressing the stems. The housing receives the ends of the containers from which the hollow stems project. The fluid-conducting member has two portions that receive the stems of the containers. When the stems are actuated, the contents in the containers are simultaneously dispensed into at least one passage formed in the fluid-conducting member. The actuator is structured and arranged so that driving it toward a dispensing position causes the fluid-conducting member to actuate the stems to initiate simultaneous dispensing of the container contents. The actuator includes an internal channel through which the container contents flow when being dispensed.
The invention enables satisfactory operation to be achieved in spite of any difference in height between the top ends of the two container stems.
In addition, the way in which the container contents are delivered to the actuator, i.e., whether they are delivered in a mixed state or separately, is easily modified merely by changing the structure of the fluid-conducting member. When the container contents must be mixed together before being dispensed, the actuator can include a flow deflector to promote mixing of the contents so that the mixture is more homogeneous.
In a preferred embodiment, the actuator is formed as a lever pivotally connected to the housing of the unit. Alternatively, the actuator can be a pushbutton that translates in the housing when depressed.
The fluid-conducting member advantageously includes an outlet duct through which the container contents exit in the mixed or separate state, and the actuator advantageously includes a bell-mouth or socket suitable for receiving the outlet duct. The outlet duct and bell-mouth advantageously form a loose connection that is not leakproof when the actuator is not depressed. The connection becomes fluid tight only when the actuator is depressed, thus making it possible to reduce the risks of jamming and of unintended operation.
The outlet duct preferably can be received in the bell-mouth of the actuator so that the fluid-conducting member can pivot about at least one axis relative to the actuator, and preferably about two perpendicular axes, without destroying the fluid-tight connection between the fluid-conducting member and actuator during dispensing of the container contents. Such an arrangement makes it possible to use relatively large manufacturing tolerances for the top ends of the stems.
In a particular embodiment, the housing of the dispenser unit includes internal tabs suitable for snap-fastening on collars formed on the containers.
In a particular embodiment, the actuator is snap-fastened on the housing. More particularly, the dispenser unit can include a slot and the actuator can have a catch at one end suitable for snap-fastening in the slot. The slot is advantageously located close to a wall of the housing against which the actuator abuts when moved in a direction opposite to the direction causing dispensing to take place, such that the actuator is prevented from moving farther in the opposite direction. This arrangement prevents the user from lifting the actuator far enough to gain access to the fluid-conducting member.
When the actuator is pivotally mounted, it is advantageously generally xcex93-shaped when viewed in the direction of the pivot axis.
The actuator can be rigid. Preferably, the actuator can have at least one stiffening rib on an inner side, in which case the housing of the dispenser unit can include a recess enabling the stiffening rib to be received when the actuator is moved towards its dispensing position.
The actuator can include a fixing element for receiving a fitted dispenser endpiece. The dispenser endpiece can be fixed on the actuator by screw engagement. In another embodiment, the dispenser endpiece can be fixed on the actuator by snap-fastening, leaving it free to rotate about an axis.
The dispenser endpiece can be straight or bent, depending on whether dispensing is performed with the unit head-down or head-up. The free end of the dispenser endpiece can be chamfered or tapered, to enable it to penetrate more easily into the hair and part the hair.
In a particular embodiment, the fluid-conducting member includes an elongate tubular portion at least one end of which is closed by a nozzle piece whose outlet orifice is closed. The use of a nozzle piece for closing the elongate tubular portion makes it possible to take advantage of the wide availability of low-cost nozzle pieces, thus making it possible to avoid manufacturing a special plug. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid-conducting member has at least one longitudinal stiffening rib formed on the elongate tubular portion.
The dispenser unit can have at least one locking element that is movable between a locking position and a dispensing position, and serving, when in the locking position, to prevent the actuator from moving far enough to cause dispensing to take place. Such a locking element serves to avoid any risk of the container contents being dispensed accidentally while the dispenser is being transported.
In a particular embodiment, the locking element can turn relative to the actuator, being secured to or formed on the dispenser endpiece and being suitable for bearing against the housing of the dispenser unit when in the locking position.
The housing of the dispenser unit can have closure elements fitted to its top portion after the fluid-conducting member has been inserted into the housing to keep the fluid-conducting member inside.
In a particular embodiment, the housing of the dispenser unit has a pair of spaced-apart receiver tubes into which the ends of the containers are inserted to place the stems of the containers in their proper positions with respect to the fluid-conducting member. The upper ends of the tubular walls of the receiver tubes have respective notches in which the fluid-conducting member is received.
Advantageously, the fluid-conducting member has at least one rib that fits into the space between the two receiver tubes and serves to center the fluid-conducting member inside the housing of the dispenser unit.
The fluid-conducting member can be retained with perceptible slack inside the housing of the dispenser unit whenever the actuator is not depressed and the dispenser unit is waiting to be mounted on the containers.
The fluid-conducting member can be arranged to channel the container contents separately up to the actuator. The actuator can then be arranged to channel the container contents separately as far as the dispenser endpiece, or alternatively the actuator can mix the container contents.
In a further alternative embodiment, the fluid-conducting member can be arranged to mix the container contents before they reach the actuator.
The dispenser endpiece can include a mixer element for encouraging the components to mix together. Such a mixer element can be arranged to force the components to move in a direction that is not purely axial, for example to move along a path that includes one or more generally helical portions.
The mixer element can comprise a succession of identical portions through which the container contents pass in succession. The mixer element can be made separately from the dispenser endpiece and inserted into the passage of the endpiece, being retained between a shoulder inside the endpiece and the portion of the actuator on which the endpiece is mounted.
When the actuator is not moved far enough by the user, there is a risk of only one of the container valves being actuated. To reduce this risk, the dispenser unit can be arranged in such a manner that moving the actuator beyond a predetermined stroke generates an audible click that can be perceived by the user. Thus, the user knows that the actuator has been actuated far enough once the click is heard.
In a particular embodiment, the dispenser unit has at least one elastically deformable tab that is deformed in one direction while the actuator is being moved up to a certain threshold from an initial, rest position and that springs back in the opposite direction and thereby emits an audible click when the actuator is moved beyond the threshold. Such a tab can be made integrally with the housing of the dispenser unit, for example. In a particular embodiment, the housing of the dispenser unit has two click-generating tabs suitable for being deformed by the actuator.
The tab(s) can be connected to a generally plane portion of the wall of the housing and can be disposed in such a manner as to be deformed away from the plane of this wall portion when the actuator is moved. Each tab can have a width that decreases towards its free end.
In a particular embodiment, two tabs are provided on the housing of the dispenser unit to produce an audible click during displacement of the actuator, the actuator having two ribs for bearing against the tabs. The ribs can be useful for stiffening the actuator, in particular when it is generally xcex93-shaped when viewed in profile.
The invention also provides a dispenser assembly comprising a dispenser unit as defined above together with two containers on which the dispenser unit is fixed.
By way of example, the containers can contain fluids that are liquid or semiliquid for mixing together on an as-needed basis. The containers can be pressurized and provided with valves, and each container can have a stem presenting a top end whose axial position is known within a tolerance greater than or equal to 0.2 mm, or even greater than or equal to 0.3 mm.

Dispenser unit for simultaneously dispensing the contents of two containers


An industrial controller within an industrial automation environment is provided. The industrial controller includes a programming logic controller, configured to control an industrial device, and a predictive module, coupled with the programming logic controller. The predictive module is configured to receive configuration data from the programming logic controller, create a user-defined controller tag, and transfer the user-defined controller tag to the programming logic controller. The predictive module is also configured to receive operational data from the programming logic controller, and calculate operation monitoring data and value estimation data based on the operational data. The predictive module is further configured to write the operation monitoring data and value estimation data to the user-defined controller tag.

Creating diagnostic analytics solutions in industrial operations has long required expert data scientists with a deep understanding of the specific application to be analyzed. Depending on the complexity of the system, those experts then require weeks, months, or even years to understand and model the system.
As industrial customers undergo digital transformation using production data to help improve business outcomes, they can't afford to wait on expert-driven analytics. Even if there were enough industrial data scientists available, many companies lack the time or funds to employ them.

Industrial control system with predictive machine learning module


An automatic cooking device of the present invention comprises a rotating body and a cooking vessel that can regulate and control cooking processes. The rotating body is connected to a fixed structure, and the cooking vessel is attached on top of the rotating body. The automatic cooking device further utilizes integrated rotating devices, the cooking vessel and several driving motors to perform 3-dimensional movement including rotation, vibration, expanding and contracting motions, swinging or a combination of these motions. The automatic cooking device of the present invention is designed in such that it is simple to use and cost effective yet imparts meals cooked therein with the taste and flavor of food cooked traditionally. In other words, the automatic cooking device can cook various meals rapidly without impairing in quality of taste and flavor of the food. The automatic cooking device also can be used to prepare different meals.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates an improved cooking device, particularly, the present invention relates an automatic cooking device for general purpose heating, cooking in a house, restaurants and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
The cooking devices with digital cooking programs control the cooking processes according to the food to be prepared become increasing popular in our daily life. Most of the prior art are designed to operate the cooking programs with only hot air or with only steam, or with a combination of hot air and steam at various temperatures and different time settings. However, the setting and use of such cooking devices requires special knowledge, particularly for cooking processes in which different cooking media are used for various periods of time at different temperatures. For most of people, those high-tech cooking devices are inconvenient and difficult to be operated.
Secondly, those cooking devices are not suitable to prepare food in the hot oil, such as stir-fry food, a common dish in the Chinese cuisine. As a matter of fact, the conventional cooking devices are restricted in its cooking programs in respect to certain type of food to be cooked, most of Asian cuisine cannot be prepared through hot air or steam, as a result, the conventional cooking devices cannot prepare various types of food.
Further, the setting of the cooking programs of those cooking devices known from the prior art is very time consuming, in particular if there are a number of such cooking devices in a large kitchen.
Moreover, most of the conventional computerized cooking devices are large in size, and special actuating elements, such as knobs and buttons, and displays are required for programming cooking processes.
The invention has been made to resolve above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a computerized cooking device in which can automatically control and cook various types of cuisine either through the hot air, steam or hot oil. The present invention provides an automatic cooking device that can cook food, such as stir-fry dish, with consistent and acute cooking parameters to provide consistent good taste and flavour of food without lengthy and complicate operations.