A tomographic system includes a reporting device colocated and juxtaposed an object so that both are ground through grinding to various sectioning depths as the reporting device is ground down exposing a reporting marker along a length of the reporting device for indicating the depth of sectioning for accurate precise depth of grinding well suited for precise sectioned tomographic imaging.

There is frequently a need to image the internal, three-dimensional structure of objects, in order to analyze internal structures or mechanism of failure, particularly at the scale from 200 nm to 10 mm. Imaging methods based on the transmission of a probe beam through a material can be used to generate a tilt series of data for three dimensional reconstruction, but such methods are typically insensitive to structure parameters, and are limited in the resolution that can be provided. A potentially more informative and higher spatial resolution approach to the collection of tomographic data sets can be to physically section an object in many slices while collecting images at incremental sectioning steps through the object. This sectioning approach also enables the collection of maps of many structure parameters, such as composition, orientation, hardness, and resistivity. Further, surface treatments known to reveal microstructural information can be used at each step, expanding the range of structure parameters that can be mapped for each slice sectioning an object, and thus, for the entire object being examined.
A straightforward approach to sectioning an object for tomography is the mechanical removal of material of each slice to be imaged, known as serial sectioning. A major problem exists with the sectioning approach. For the mechanical sectioning approach, however, it is very difficult to accurately measure the depth of any particular step of material removal at small length scales. This is in part caused by the difficulty in maintaining a reference plane for an object being sectioned in a planar manner. Mechanical measurement systems that do not rely on a reference plane on the object being measured are limited to a resolution of one micron at best, rendering the sectioning only useful for objects with detail on the scale of at least twenty microns. That is, objects that are least two centimeters in size, or larger, can be mechanically sectioned with good resolution.
Other methods of mechanical measurement, such as surface profilometry, measure only relative changes in height, and therefore require a reference plane if absolute depth measurements are desired. The profilometry method is not practical when sectioning an object in a planar manner. Other mechanical systems allow automated removal of material from an object by cutting or grinding, controlling the advance of a machining head. These removal methods are designed to reach and reveal a certain location within an object. The accuracy of these removal methods is severely limited to five microns in resolution. Interferometry methods enable measurement of depths with a much finer resolution, but such interferometry systems require an external reference object to measure the amount of material that has been removed from an object. As such, the interferometry methods suffer from the need to have external references. Additionally, incorporation of an interferometry system into an automated sectioning or tomography system would add significant complexity and cost.
Commercial companies offer systems that automate some process steps in a sectioning process. Such systems typically use a robotic arm to iterate between sectioning, cleaning, and imaging, with the sectioning steps lasting for a predetermined period of time. Such automated systems and methods reduce labor but are limited in resolution accuracy while sectioning through material. For example, sectioning rates are approximated, and typically a human operator must tend the machine in order to stop the sectioning process when the desired region is observed in the transient displayed images generated during the process. In some cases, the feature of interest will have an appearance that is characteristic enough to allow for the robotic sectioning apparatus to stop automatically, but with most objects, such is not the case. It is desirable to have a more predictably automated system that can accurately determine depths of sectioning.
Sectioning machines are available that are capable of accurately sectioning material, but with a precision of only five microns, which is too coarse for many applications. Such sectioning hardware relies on mechanical sensors to measure depth. The sectioning machines can store data on material removal rates and sectioning headwear rates to compensate for tool wear and drift. This offers an improvement over the measurement of only the depth of material removed, but is limited because such compensation requires calibration runs and to generate data sets related to tool wear and material grinding rates. It is necessary to perform these calibration runs before sectioning any new object that differs substantially from any performed previously on an instrument. Also, replacement of consumables such as the sectioning head requires recalibration. The frequent need for recalibration severely limits the use of such sectioning machines for sectioning objects and necessitates a thorough and complicated set of calibration data retention and labeling.
Several US patents describe methods of detecting end points of depth sectioning procedures and methods of measuring the depth of material removal in grinding and polishing operations. U.S. Pat. No. 7,014,531 describes a detection mark that is intended to measure the depth of grinding at a given stage. Its precision is five microns, which is insufficient for tomography of objects less than 1000 microns in size. U.S. Pat. No. 6,734,427 describes a method that uses an object of predetermined size to mark a stopping point for a polishing operation. It does not measure the increment of polishing steps. U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,641 describes a similar resolution capability and involves mounting a sample on a steep incline and imaging during grinding and polishing. The ground and polished surface is not imaged, rather the incline is merely used to allow visual access to distinguishable features during grinding and polishing of the object. The incline in this patent is intended to allow visual access to all surfaces of a parallelipipedal object during sectioning, and does not measure depth. U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,147 discloses a reporting substance for detecting a polishing depth, but suffers from two major limitations. First, the reporting substance marks only an end point in the grinding and polishing procedure. Second, the method describes the use of spectroscopy in detection, which leads to the use of overly complicated spectroscopy devices than are necessary for this application. U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,941 describes a predetermined pattern of raised bumps of known geometry as part of a sensor that can serve as a coarse indicator of depth during a grinding and polishing procedure. As various bump features becomes visible, the sectioning depth can be coarsely and qualitatively estimated. This method requires the building of a complicated reporting device as well. Prior sectioning and tomography systems and methods suffer from complicated and limited collateral reporting and sensing devices, and used the sectioned material as a sectioning object for measurement during grinding and polishing. These and other disadvantages are solved or reduced using the invention disclosed herein.

Automated sectioning tomographic measurement system


An approach is provided for location correction using feature point correspondences between images or image sources. The approach, for example, involves processing a first image and a second image to identify a feature that is visible in both the first image and the second image. The first image has an image-to-ground correspondence between the feature in the first image and a geographic location. The approach also involves transferring the image-to-ground correspondence from the first image to the second image. The approach further involves using the transferred image-to-ground correspondence to reference the feature in the second image to the geographic location.

Modern location-based services and applications (e.g., autonomous driving) are increasingly demanding highly accurate and detailed digital map data (e.g., centimeter-level accuracy or better) across wide geographic areas. To achieve such levels of coverage, map service providers have relied on data (e.g., imagery) collected from a variety of sources (e.g., aerial cameras, ground-level cameras, etc.). However, location accuracy can vary across these sources, thereby limiting their use when trying to achieve high accuracy digital map data and leading potential wasted image data. Accordingly, map service providers face significant technical challenges to maximize the use of all available image sources including lower accuracy sources for creating digital maps.

Method, apparatus, and system for location correction based on feature point correspondence


A method of adjusting a watt density distribution of a resistive heater includes designing a baseline heater circuit. A detection circuit is designed having a constant trace watt density and the detection circuit overlaps the baseline heater circuit. The detection circuit is manufactured, and its baseline thermal map is obtained. The baseline heater circuit is manufactured, and a nominal thermal map is obtained. A subsequent detection circuit is manufactured, and an actual thermal map is obtained. A subtraction thermal image is created by subtracting the baseline thermal map from the actual thermal map, and a subsequent baseline heater circuit is modified according to the subtraction thermal image.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Layered heater assemblies generally include a substrate, a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate, and a resistive heating layer disposed on the dielectric layer, among other layers. For example, a protective layer may be disposed over the resistive heating layer. Further, there may be multiple dielectric layers and multiple resistive heating layers. The dielectric layer, resistive heating layer, protective layer, and other layers together are generally referred to as a layered heater. Further, there may be one or more layered heaters in any given assembly, and the layered heater may or may not include the dielectric or protective layer, depending on a material of the substrate (e.g., if the substrate is nonconductive) and the operational environment.
Layered heaters may be processed by "thick" film, "thin" film, or "thermal spray," among other types, wherein the primary difference between these types of layered heaters is the method in which the layers are formed. For example, the layers for thick film heaters are typically formed using processes such as screen printing, decal application, or film dispensing heads, by way of not-limiting example. The layers for thin film heaters, on the other hand, are typically formed using deposition processes such as ion plating, sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and physical vapor deposition (PVD), by way of not limiting examples. A third series of processes for forming layered heaters, thermal spraying processes, include by way of not-limiting example flame spraying, atmospheric plasma spraying (APS), suspension atmospheric plasma spraying (SAPS), wire arc spraying, cold spray, low pressure plasma spray (LPPS), high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF), and suspension high velocity oxygen fuel (SHVOF). Yet another way in which layered heaters may be processed are by sol gel processes.
On a microscopic scale, the deposited layers may have uneven surfaces, or a variable geometry, for many reasons, such as trenches in the substrate and manufacturing tolerances associated with the method of forming the resistive layer, or other layers. As a result, the sheet resistance of the overall layered heater may not be uniform from heater assembly to heater assembly. Generally, sheet resistance refers to the resistance along a plane of the resistive layer due to the relatively thin nature of the resistive material being applied, versus resistance perpendicular to the resistive material. Lack of uniformity of sheet resistance of the layered heater can unpredictably alter the electrical resistance the layered heater, which can inhibit the heater in achieving an intended thermal distribution. Further, a desired thermal distribution may be inhibited by local bonding/adhesion irregularities of the various layers as well as irregularities in the substrate, among other assembly/system irregularities.
Under conventional methods, patterns or "traces" of the resistive layer are designed using computational analysis tools that determine the electrical wattage distribution needed from the layered heater to produce a desired thermal profile. Circuit geometry and a nominal sheet resistance value are input to an analysis model. In some applications, resistive layer traces include segments with different widths in order to optimize the wattage distribution. If the analysis model predicts an unsatisfactory thermal distribution, the segment widths, along with the overall trace geometry can be adjusted to achieve a target thermal distribution.
To manufacture the designed resistive trace, a variety of patterning processes may be employed. Examples of patterning processes for layered heaters can include chemical etching, dry etching, and CNC (computer numerical control) material removal processes such as machining and laser ablation. Even with highly precise manufacturing methods, variations in resistance along/throughout segments of the resistive trace can occur from manufacturing batch to manufacturing batch.
These variations, including the variation of sheet resistance of the resistive heating layer, variations in layer-to-layer interfaces, variations in the substrate, and assembly/system variations is addressed by the teachings of the present disclosure.

Method of manufacturing and adjusting a resistive heater


Methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating the configuration of transmit power and coverage areas corresponding to access points in a wireless network environment. The present invention in one embodiment facilitates the dynamic configuration of coverage boundaries across a plurality of access points, improving the performance of the wireless network environment.

Market adoption of wireless LAN (WLAN) technology has exploded, as users from a wide range of backgrounds and vertical industries have brought this technology into their homes, offices, and increasingly into the public air space. This inflection point has highlighted not only the limitations of earlier-generation systems, but the changing role WLAN technology now plays in people's work and lifestyles, across the globe. Indeed, WLANs are rapidly changing from convenience networks to business-critical networks. Increasingly users are depending on WLANs to improve the timeliness and productivity of their communications and applications, and in doing so, require greater visibility, security, management, and performance from their network.
As enterprises and other entities increasingly rely on wireless networks, monitoring and management of the components implementing the wireless network environments become critical to performance and security. To ascertain the coverage and other performance attributes of a wireless network deployment, prior art processes, such as site surveys, typically involve a human tester roaming throughout the wireless network environment with specialized equipment, such as a WLAN tester, that sweeps the wireless coverage area and stores the resulting data for analysis of one or more attributes of the wireless network deployment, such as the coverage provided by each access point, and the signal-to-noise ratios associated with the coverage area of a given access point. Such site surveys, however, are time consuming and expensive. In addition, the analysis of the wireless network environment is performed with data gathered at a single point in time and, therefore, is not responsive to periodic or subsequent changes associated with the wireless network environment (such as deployment of new access points, or intermittent sources of RF interference, etc.).
Defining appropriate coverage boundaries across access points is important to the performance of a wireless network. In an Ethernet LAN (IEEE 802.3), the Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) protocol establishes how simultaneous transmissions (packet collisions) are handled. In a WLAN, collision detection in this manner is not possible due to what is known as the "near/far" problem: to detect a collision, a station must be able to transmit and listen at the same time. To account for this difference, the 802.11 protocol uses a slightly different protocol known as Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA)). CSMA/CA attempts to avoid packet collisions by having the transmitting wireless station sense the air for wireless traffic. If there is no activity detected, the transmitting wireless station will wait an additional random period of time. If there still is no activity, the wireless station transmits the data. If the packet is received intact, the receiving station will send an ACK frame that, once received by the original sender, completes the transmission. If the ACK command is not received in a predetermined period of time, the data packet will be resent under the assumption that the original packet experienced a collision. CSMA/CA also handles other interference and radio-wave related problems effectively, but creates considerable overhead. Accordingly, the presence of access points operating on the same or overlapping channels within the vicinity of each other can affect the performance of the enterprise's wireless network.
Given the collision avoidance mechanisms employed in 802.11 -compliant wireless networks and the limited number of non-overlapping frequency channels, management and monitoring of the wireless network airspace (for example, to ensure that wireless access points do not interfere with one another) are critical to the performance of the wireless network environment. The administrative or management functionality associated with WLAN networks, however, generally lacks an integrated and/or automated means of adjusting transmit power of access points to optimize WLAN performance. Hand-held scanners, AP startup scans, or full-time scanning devices are the current methods of obtaining data relating to radio coverage within a wireless network environment. Accordingly, many WLANs do not perform at optimum speed due to overlapping coverage areas and channel interference.
In light of the foregoing, a need in the art exists for methods, apparatuses and systems that facilitate dynamic configuration of transmit power in a wireless network environment comprising a plurality of wireless access points. Embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill this need.

Dynamic transmit power configuration system for wireless network environments


Breathable barriers, comprising a thermoplastic polymer and at least 30% by weight filler, are stretched in one direction in multiple discrete steps wherein the strain rate of each discrete stretching step is less than about 100,000%/minute and wherein the line speed of the last stretching step is in excess of 500 feet per minute. The resulting films may be stretched, as a result of the cumulative discrete stretching operations, from about 2 to 7 times its original length in order to create a breathable barrier having a WVTR in excess of 800 g/m.sup.2 /day and a hydrohead of at least 60 cm.

There exist a variety of fabrics today which are capable of acting as a barrier to particulate matter, water and other liquids yet which allow water vapor and air to pass therethrough. Such fabrics are commonly referred to as "breathable barriers." Breathable barrier fabrics have been employed in outdoor fabrics, tarpaulins, garments, personal care products, infection control products, as well as numerous other articles. Moreover breathable barrier fabrics are often preferred over non-breathable barrier materials since breathable barrier fabrics allow moisture trapped beneath the fabric to escape as water vapor. Thus, apparel using breathable barriers is generally more comfortable to wear since the migration of water vapor through the fabric helps to reduce and/or eliminate discomfort resulting from excess moisture trapped against the skin.
While a variety of breathable barrier fabrics are known in the art, one particularly useful breathable barrier comprises stretched filled microporous films. Such films are typically filled with particles and then crushed or stretched to form a fine pore network which creates tortuous paths through the film. The film pore network allows gas and water vapor to pass through the film while acting as a barrier to liquids or particulate matter. The amount of filler within the film and the degree of stretching is controlled so as to create a microporous network of tortuous paths which are of a size and/or frequency to impart the desired level of breathability to the fabric. An example of stretched filled film is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,073 issued to Sheth which discloses a stretched filled polyolefin film filled with about 15 to 35% by volume calcium carbonate which can be stretched to about four times its original length.
While filled microporous films are capable of providing good barrier properties and breathability, efficient commercialization and practical applications of such films requires relatively low defect rates. The barrier properties of stretched filled films may be compromised by defects such as macroscopic holes or zones of weakness in the film. This is of enormous concern where the film is intended to act as a barrier to urine, blood or other potentially hazardous materials. However, the process of stretching the filled films to the required degree, while acting to orient the film and also make the film microporous, also has the adverse effect of creating many of the defects. Thus, the process and manner in which such films are produced can have a significant impact upon the number and frequency of defects within the stretched-thinned films. It therefore follows that methods which produce less defects create superior films and have the added benefit of being more efficient in the sense of creating less unusable or defective product.
Unfortunately, the production of stretched filled films at higher production rates can significantly increase the propensity for defects within the stretched filled film as well as creating other more serious manufacturing problems which can cause process line shutdowns. However, the ability to produce stretched filled films at increased rates is often desirable although any benefits to be achieved by increased rates of manufacture are reduced and/or entirely eliminated where the increased production rate also increase the level of defects and downtime of the production line.
Thus, there exists a need for an improved method of making stretched filled films. Moreover, there exists a need for a method of making stretched filled films which have reduced levels of defects and which are more tolerant of film irregularities during stretching. Further, there exists a need for such a method of making stretched filled films and, in particular a method of making breathable barriers, which allows for increased rates of production, improved efficiencies and wider processing windows.

Methods of making stretched filled microporous films


A feeder for larval and juvenile fishes is capable of delivering a small (ca. 15 mg) precise dose of microparticulate (ca. 100 μm diameter) feed to selected locations, via pneumatic conveyance and control. A source of low-pressure dry gas is used to blow microparticulate feed through a manifold and into a selected one of a number of tubes. A terminal valve at the end of the tube is selectively activated to send the feed to a selected tank or pond. When not in use, the feeder is sealed, and the feed protected from moisture and ambient oxygen.

Microparticulate diets for larval and small juvenile fish pose specific challenges for aquaculturists. Microparticulate diets, by definition, have a very high specific surface area, making them vulnerable to the effects of oxidation and hydration. Many of the diet components are often labile and hygroscopic, which further exacerbates the problem. Fine, hygroscopic particles tend to clump and cake together, and adhere to surfaces with which they come in contact, making rationing and delivery difficult to achieve by automation. See, e.g., Michael B. Rust, "The Challenges of Feeding Microparticulate Diets to Larval Fish", The Advocate, February 2000, pages 19-20, and Juan P. Law, et al, "Co-feeding microparticulate diets with algae: toward eliminating the need for zooplankton at first feeding in larval red drum", Aquaculture, 188, (2000) pages 339-351, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The digestive system of larval fish is slow to develop; so artificial diets fed to them must have a high leaching rate in order to make nutrients available to the larvae that ingest the diets. This high leaching rate is a two-edged sword, in that upon contact with the water, nutrients are often lost to solution before the larvae can ingest them. Larval fish also have no body energy reserves to call upon and so they require a constant stream of available nutritive feed. To circumvent this problem, culturists often employ a technique called, "feeding the water", where feed is delivered in pulses to excess. The feed is either eaten, falls to the bottom of the tank, or is cleared by the exchange of circulating water in the tank. This technique unfortunately creates an alternating feast and famine situation that is conducive to neither good nutrition nor good hygiene.
Small juvenile fish have a digestive system and some reserves, however they still require frequent feeding, and accurate rations. Feeding early juvenile fish can be prohibitively expensive in terms of husbandry labor. Most of this labor is rationing and feeding. Accuracy of ration is paramount in diet trials, where growth and feed conversion are correlated to the diet actually consumed by the fish; therefore feeding the water will not work. An accurate ration is calculated based upon what the fish can be expected to eat in one feeding, and must be precisely delivered for a diet trial experiment to succeed.
Prior Art automated fish feeders can be categorized by a few basic groups:                Belt feeders, generally employ a slow moving, spring wound clock powered, conveyor belt that dumps the feed off the belt as it is rolled up over the tank. An example of such a feeder is the Ziegler Belt Feeder, manufactured by Zeigler Bros., Inc. of Gardners, Pa. See, e.g., Ziegler Belt Feeders brochure (Zeigler Bros., Inc., Gardners, Pa.) Sep. 4, 2009, incorporated herein by reference        Drum feeders employ a rotating drum filled with feed and capture a small aliquot for feeding and dispenses it with each rotation. An electric clock motor usually powers this type of feeder. An example of such a feeder is the Lifegard Aquatics Intellifeed Aquarium Fish Feeder, made by Lifegard Aquatics of Cerritos, Calif. See, e.g., Intellifeed Aquarium Fish Feeder operating instructions, (Lifegard Aquatics, Cerritos, Calif.), incorporated herein by reference.        Shear feeders use some method of sliding the feed off of a base and over an edge to drop into the fish tank. This type of feeder also includes screw feeders and dial feeders, which have individual rations in separate chambers, arranged radially on a disk. The disk rotates, powered by a synchronous AC clock motor and the feed drops as it is slid over a hole in the base. An example of a screw-type feeder is the Eheim 3582 Automatic Feeder by EHEIM GmbH & Co. KG of Deizisau, Germany. An example of a dial-type feeder is the Fish Mate F14 by Ani Mate Inc., of Conroe, Tex. See, e.g., EHEIM 3582 Automatic Feeder User Manual (EHEIM GmbH & Co. KG of Deizisau, Germany), January 2008 and Fish Mate F14 Instructions (Ani Mate Inc., Conroe, Tex.), both of which are incorporated herein by reference.        Vibrating feeders use a hopper with a narrow annular opening, allowing the feed to drop when the unit is vibrated. An example of a vibratory feeder is the Sweeney Model AF6 Vibratory Feeder by Sweeney Feeders of Boerne Tex. See, e.g., Sweeney Aquaculture Feeders brochure (Sweeney Feeders, Boerne Tex.), incorporated herein by reference.
There are a number of Prior Art Patents relating to various fish feeders. The following is a summary of a number of those Prior Art Patents.
Belloma, U.S. Pat. No. 6,715,442, issued Apr. 6, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a fish feeder having inner and outer trays, which move relative to one another, to dispense fish feed using gravity. Belloma discloses using a pneumatic actuator to power the device.
Patterson, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,736, issued Jun. 3, 2003, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a fish feeder for use with moist fish feed. The moist feed disclosed are pellets, of the type used with fish farming. A blower is used to direct the fish pellets towards a fish pen through a nozzle attached to the device.
Lin, U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,830, issued Feb. 27, 2001, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an underwater fish feeder than uses compressed air. Compressed air is used to eject fish feed from a remote fish feed holder.
Halford, U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,299, issued Jun. 4, 2000, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an automatic fish feeder using a screw-type mechanism to eject fish feed from a hopper, which then falls into the fish tank.
Evans et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,166, issued Jan. 20, 1998, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a refrigerated automatic fish feeder.
Flahs, II, U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,745, issued Oct. 11, 1994, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an Aquaculture system and methods for using same. A feeding hopper (FIG. 5) is used to gravity feed the diet to the tank. A gas ejector 110 is used to spread the feed over the surface.
Masopust, U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,381, issued Apr. 6, 1993, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an automatic fish feeder using a rotating disc.
Newton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,695, issued Dec. 17, 1991, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an automatic fish feeder using a rotating wheel.
Smelzer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,864, issued Dec. 16, 1986, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an automatic fish feeder, which is water-driven. A water-filled container drives a rotating arm.
Olsen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,660, issued Feb. 7, 1984, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a Water Powered Fish Feeder. As with Smelzer, water drives a lever arm to dispense fish feed.
Molinar, U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,588, issued Aug. 23, 1983, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an automatic fish feeder and orienter. This device actually orients individual fishes for feeding.
Suchowski, U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,299, issued May 16, 1978, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an air-operated fish feeder. This device, which is immersed in a fish tank, is operated by air pressure, apparently from an aquarium pump.
Hoday et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,328, issued Jun. 12, 1973, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a Fish Feeder for an aquarium, which is driven by a clock motor.
Sanders, U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,125, issued Feb. 20, 1973, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an automatic feeder for a fish aquarium. A piston slides a rod, which takes feed from a hopper and passes it to the aquarium once a day.
Cook, U.S. Pat. No. 3,231,314, issued Jan. 25, 1966, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an automatic fish feeder using a blower motor for dispensing palletized fish feed to a fish tank. A hopper dispenses fish feed to two fish tanks (FIG. 5) via two parallel discharge ducts 4 (Col. 3, lines 12-41). A reciprocating metering plate dispenses fish feed from the hopper. A blower is used to force the feed to two tanks at the same time, and to dry the ducts.
Appleton, U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,029, issued Aug. 21, 1962, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an automatic fish feeder of the disc variety.
Smolin, U.S. Pat. No. 2,785,831, issued May 28, 1953, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an automatic fish feeder with a rotating shaft, which dispenses a measured amount from a hopper, via gravity feed.
The Arvotec T Drum 2000 Feeder (see. e.g., Arvotec, Feeding Technology for Modern Aquaculture brochure Huutokosken Arovkala Group, Huutokoski, Finland, and Arvotec Feeder and Spreader Manual, Arvotec, Huutokoski, Finland, and Arvotec, Feeding Technology brochure, Huutokosken Arovkala Group, Huutokoski, Finland, all of which are incorporated herein by reference) discloses a hopper-type feeder with a compressed air dispersal unit. Compressed air is used to blow the feed from a chute, onto the surface of a fish tank. Note the dosing drum designs (Page 9, of the Feeding Technology Manual) and the nature of the compressed air dispersal unit (Page 9 of the Feeder and Spreader manual).
The Arvotec Feeding Technology manual also discloses the use of a centralized pipe feeding system, with a manifold and a number of pipes to feed different tanks. Each manifold may feed up to four tanks, and up to 28 tanks may be fed. It appears each manifold has a switching device to direct feed to a different tank, via a 3″ open-ended pipe. However, as with the Cook reference, this embodiment uses a blower to blow feed through large (3″) open pipes. The problem with such a design, as with Cook, the open-ended pipes above fish tanks, may harbor moisture, making such a design unsuitable, particularly for microparticulate feeds, which may cake and clog in the piping. The brochure states that the number of pipes is reduced, which makes cleaning easier. However, this seems to be an admission that runs of piping with fish feed and moisture contamination could require frequent cleaning. Moist caked-on fish feed in such pipes would be an ideal environment for the growth of bacteria, fungus, and mildew, which could in turn sicken or kill the fish or larva being fed.
To avoid this problem, Arvotec shows another "robotic" embodiment, where one or more hopper-type feeders are mounted on a monorail, which in turn is moved over a plurality of tanks to distribute the feed. The problem with this design is that the hoppers need to be refilled over time. To solve this problem, in another embodiment, long hoses are used to refill the hoppers from even larger hoppers. However, such a design results in a large number of expensive components, hoppers, blowers, hoses, and the like, adding to cost and complexity. Moreover, the hoses need to be made flexible enough to avoid interfering with the operation of the monorail. The robotic solution is rather costly and over-designed.
In another embodiment, the Arvotec Feeder shows a rotating drum feeder, where the drum rotates to measure a portion of feed (determined by cutout sizes in the drum) and when rotating, dumps these onto a dispersal plate. Compressed air is used to spray the feed over the surface of the water. In one embodiment, which is illustrated on a YouTube video, compressed air is used to disperse the fish feed pellets. From the video, as well as the product catalogs, it appears that the feeder merely dumps feed onto a plate, which in turn uses a timed charge of compressed air to spray onto the surface of a fish tank. In another embodiment, a rotary (spinner-type) spreader is used. The feeder in that embodiment is mounted above the tank, and thus does not solve the problem of moisture contaminating the fish feed.
The most common shortcoming of all these prior feeders is that they don't protect the feed from the effects of moisture and oxygen. Since most feeders dispense the feed directly above the fish tank, they subject the feed to a highly humid environment. The hygroscopic nature of larvae feeds results in feed eventually caking and accumulating on the feeder surfaces, resulting in deterioration of both the feed quality, and the accuracy and precision of the dispensed ration.
The challenge then, is to create a feeder that can repeatedly and automatically deliver a small, precise amount of a fragile and functionally difficult material, and protect the feed from the environment when not in use. It remains a requirement in the art to provide a feeder which may be used to feed multiple tanks, without the need for large tubes, as well as avoiding moisture and caking in such tubes, which would as a result, require frequent cleaning. And it remains a requirement in the art to provide such a feeder in a simple and straightforward manner that minimizes the number of components, cost, and complexity of the device.

Microparticulate feeder for larval and juvenile fishes


A rear projection display device capable of reducing the depth of a display device itself, comprising an optical engine, first, second, third reflective mirrors arranged at such positions as to be easily held integrally with each other, a fourth reflective mirror, a plane reflective mirror for turn-back of light flux, and a screen.

This invention relates to a rear projection display device so adapted as to receive an image projected from an image projector (an optical engine) on a rear surface of a screen and to project image light toward an observer positioned in front of the screen.
FIG. 10 is a schematic view illustrating a structure of a conventional rear projection display device. The rear projection display device comprises an image projector (an optical engine) 102, a projection lens 103, a reflective mirror 104 and a transmission-type diffusion screen 105 in a case 101. Image light projected from the image projector 102 is projected and magnified through the projection lens 103, reflected on the reflective mirror 104 and received on a rear surface of the transmission-type diffusion screen 105. An observer can watch the image in front of the diffusion screen 105. This type of the rear projection display device has an advantage in that upsizing of a screen is easily achieved in comparison with display devices using a cathode-ray tube.
In order to realize upsizing of the screen, the above-mentioned rear projection display device requires either using the projection lens 103 with a high magnification or extending an optical path between the image projector 102 and the screen 105. The projection lens has a limit to magnification under present circumstances. When providing a projection lens of a high magnification, the case 101 also increases its depth, leading to the difficulties in slimming. When extending the optical path between the image projector 102 and the screen 105, the case 101 also increases its depth, leading the difficulties in slimming.
On the other hand, JP 111458/1998 A (Int. Cl G02B 17/00) discloses another conventional rear projection display device including an image forming system comprised of three reflective mirrors having curved surfaces.
The image forming system comprises a first reflective mirror whose reflective surface is spherical and concave in shape, a second reflective mirror whose reflective surface is aspherical and convex in shape, and a third reflective mirror whose reflective surface is aspherical and convex in shape. Image light optically modulated in a liquid crystal panel is reflected on the first to third reflective mirrors in sequence and irradiated on the screen.
The optical path is folded up by the first, second and third reflective mirrors, therefore the depth of the case can be reduced.
To make the case slimmer, however, image light should be emitted at an angle with respect to the screen, specifically; a main light beam of the image light should be emitted at an angle with respect to a normal to the screen. Under the circumstance, it is difficult to achieve power arrangement of reflective mirrors enough to correct aberrations such as astigmatism and coma only by aspherical components of the second and third reflective mirrors.
The mirror unit for forming and projecting image comprised of the first to third reflective mirrors is an optical part having a same function as that of a general projection lens. Considering efficiency of adjusting operations in assembling processes of the device, positioning accuracy of each mirror, and dust-resistance effect, it is preferable to shorten the distance between mirrors and integrally hold the mirrors in a holding body.
Each of the first to third mirrors, however, is placed in close to a front or rear side of the case. When each of the reflective mirrors is held by an integral mechanism, a holding system becomes big. Therefore it is difficult to hold the mirrors and place a dust-resistance mechanism by using the integral mechanism
In a rear projection display device comprising an image displaying liquid crystal panel of about 1 inch diagonally arranged in the optical engine, and magnifying and projecting an image onto a 50 inch diagonal screen, for example, the spacing between mirrors requires 20-30 cm with consideration given to the power arrangement of each mirror and image forming performance such as MTF. Therefore, it is difficult to integrally hold every mirror. Also some problems are found in assembling efficiency of the rear projection display device, positioning accuracy of the mirrors, and dust-resistance effect.
Generally, one of the biggest problems of a reflective-type image forming optical system incorporating reflective mirrors is interference between reflected light flux and members in the device. In the display device using three reflective mirrors, the light flux, which travels from the first reflective mirror to the second reflective mirror, passes in proximity to the upper part of the optical engine, which may cause interference between the light flux and the holding system for the image forming members. That places constraint on a design of the holding system and the mirror optical system.
This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems and has an objective to reduce the depth of the display device.
Also, this invention has an objective to provide a rear projection display device capable of sending image light to a magnifying and projecting system without being cut off by the optical engine or the like.
Further, this invention has an objective to reduce the depth of the rear projection display device by projecting image light at an angle with respect to the screen without the first reflective mirror in an aspherical shape which is complicated to manufacture.
This invention comprises an optical engine including an image forming unit for forming image information by spaciously modulating intensity of a light flux from a lightning unit including a light source, a first reflective mirror in a concave shape arranged opposite to the optical engine to receive the light flux from the optical engine, a second reflective mirror in a convex shape arranged opposite to the first reflective mirror, a third reflective mirror in a convex shape arranged opposite to the second reflective mirror, a fourth reflective mirror in a convex shape arranged opposite to the third reflective mirror, a plane reflective mirror arranged opposite to the fourth reflective mirror, and a screen on which an image from the plane reflective mirror is displayed. The second reflective mirror is in a position in proximity to an upper part of the optical engine and closer to the first reflective mirror than the optical engine is. Also the first, second, third reflective mirrors are held in an integral holding system.
The described invention adopts four curved mirrors in all including a new curved reflective mirror arranged in proximity to the upper part of the optical engine, thereby preventing interference of the light flux reflected between reflective mirrors and the optical engine. Also the invention can improve assembling efficiency of the rear projection display device and positioning accuracy of the reflective mirrors and have dust-resistance effect by integrally holding the new reflective mirror arranged in proximity to the optical engine and other reflective mirrors around it in the holding system.
The rear projection display device according to the invention comprises an optical engine which optically modulates light emitted from a light source on the basis of image information and emits the modulated light, and projecting means for magnifying and projecting the emitted light from the optical engine through a plurality of reflective mirrors to a rear surface of the screen at an angle. In the rear projection display device which an image is observed from a front surface of the screen, the plurality of reflective mirrors includes at least one or more than one curved reflective mirror. An auxiliary lens for correcting an aberration of the curved reflective mirror to which light emitted from the optical engine is first irradiated is arranged on the way to the curved reflective mirror and closer to the optical engine.
According to such a structure, an image light emitted from the optical unit is magnified and corrected for aberration by the projection means including curved reflective mirror and the auxiliary lens, and emitted at an angle to the screen. Then, power of the curved reflective mirror, to which the light emitted from the optical engine is first irradiated and which requires the highest accuracy, is corrected by the auxiliary lens. Although the image light emitted from the optical unit is magnified in sequence as the image light travels closer to the screen, the auxiliary lens can be small because it is arranged between the optical unit and the curved reflective mirror where the light flux passing through is the smallest.
The projecting means in this invention comprises a first curved reflective mirror having a concave surface opposite to the light flux from the optical engine, a second curved reflective mirror having a convex surface opposite to the light flux from the first curved reflective mirror, a third curved reflective mirror having a convex surface opposite to the light flux from the second curved reflective mirror, a fourth reflective mirror for introducing the light flux from the third curved reflective mirror to a back surface of the screen and an auxiliary lens arranged on an optical path from the optical engine to the first curved reflective mirror.
According to such a structure, an image light emitted from the optical unit passes through the auxiliary lens, is reflected on the first curved reflective mirror, the second curved reflective mirror and the third curved reflective mirror in this order and is irradiated on the screen.
Also the invention is characterized by comprising a first curved reflective mirror having a spherical reflective surface and an aspherical auxiliary lens.
According to such a structure, the spherical reflective surface of the first curved reflective mirror is formed with high accuracy as well as the auxiliary lens which compensates aspherical components. The reflective surface and the auxiliary lens can be accurately formed by a conventional polishing method, because the reflective surface of the curved reflective mirror is spherical in shape and the auxiliary lens is relatively small.
The invention is characterized by that the second and third curved reflective mirrors have aspherical reflective surfaces.
The second and third curved reflective mirror can be formed by a conventional polishing method, because they are big in comparison with the first curved reflective mirror and require moderate accuracy.

Rear surface projection type display device


A method for performing error correction code operations on data to be read from the disk (12) of a hard disk drive (10) includes applying a first error correction code algorithm to a first set of data to be written to the hard disk drive, and a second error correction code algorithm, different from the first, to a second set of data to be written to the hard disk drive (10). The first and second error correction code algorithms may for example produce a different number of error correction code bits for application to said data. The selection between the first and second algorithms may be made, for instance, in dependence upon the physical locations (76, 78) on the disk, or in dependence upon the type of said data (80) to be written. By reducing the number of ECC bits that need be associated with at least some of the data to be written to the disk (12), the available space on the disk for user data can be increased.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to improvements in mass data storage devices, or the like, and methods for operating same, and more particularly to improvements in methods for applying and using error correcting codes in the operation of mass data storage devices, or the like.
2. Relevant Background
Mass data storage devices include well known hard disk drives that have one or more spinning magnetic disks or platters onto which data is recorded for storage and subsequent retrieval. Hard disk drives may be used in many applications, including personal computers, set-top boxes, video and television applications, audio applications, or some mix thereof. Many applications are still being developed. Applications for hard disk drives are increasing in number, and are expected to further increase in the future.
Recently, in the design of hard disk drives, the drives have been considered analogous to classical communication channels, and error-correcting codes (ECCs) have been applied to the data as it is written to the disk of the drive. Upon subsequent retrieval of the data, the error correcting code is decoded and used to detect and correct any data errors that may have occurred during the process. Thus, modern magnetic disk drives use an error correction code (ECC) to identify and attempt to correct errors in a unit of data, generally a disk sector.
Error correcting codes that are used in hard disk drives or the like can be quite complicated. Generally, error correcting codes are provided by code experts that design the codes for particular hard disk drive characteristics and applications that are specified by a hard disk drive manufacturer. For example, some of the characteristics of the hard disk drive that may be taken into account in the design of a particular ECC are the media noise characteristics of the drive, the fly-height of the heads, which effects the signal-to-noise ratio of the device, the data density at which the data is written to the hard disk drive, and so on.
Typically, the data that is written to the hard disk drive, for example, has a predetermined number of error correcting code (ECC) bits associated with a corresponding predetermined number of data bits. The associated data bits may be referred to, for example, as a data frame or xe2x80x9cgroupxe2x80x9d. It is well known that the larger the number of ECC bits that are associated with the predetermined number of data bits, the larger the number of errors that can be corrected in the read back data. This is not a linear function, however, since the larger the number of code bits that are used per data frame, the slower the data transfer rate that can be accomplished. Moreover, the larger the number of code bits that are associated with a data frame, the smaller the space that exists on the drive that can contain user data. Thus, generally tradeoffs between the space that would be occupied by the data bit and the accuracy desired may be made over the entire device, or, alternatively, the ECC may be designed to handle the xe2x80x9cworst casexe2x80x9d type of error that may be experienced in the device.
The errors themselves may be either xe2x80x9chardxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d errors. Hard errors are errors not corrected b the ECC. Soft errors are bit errors seen prior to any ECC correction attempt. A meaningful pattern of ECC bits is calculated by an ECC algorithm, based on the data bits to be written to the sector. When the data is written to the disk, the ECC bits are typically appended to the end of the sector and become an integral part of the data in the sector. When the data in the sector is retrieved, the ECC bits are used to determine if specific data bits are in error and what they should correctly be to a degree of certainty inherent to the power of the algorithm.
Thus, according to a broad aspect of the invention, a method is presented for performing error correction code operations on data to be read from a hard disk drive. The method includes applying a first error correction code algorithm to a first set of data to be written to the hard disk drive. A second error correction code algorithm, different from the first, is applied to a second set of data to be written to the hard disk drive. The first and second error correction code algorithms may for example produce a different number of error correction code bits for application to said data. The selection between the first and second algorithms may be made, for instance, in dependence upon the physical location on the hard disk drive to which the data is to be written, or in dependence upon the type of said data to be written.
According to another broad aspect of the invention, a hard disk drive system is presented which has a first circuit for applying a first error correction code algorithm to a first set of data to be written to a disk of said hard disk drive, and a second circuit for applying a second error correction code algorithm, different from the first error correction code algorithm, to a second set of data to be written to the disk. A circuit selects between the first and second circuits in dependence upon a predetermined error correction code selection criterion.
In one embodiment, the error correction selection criterion selects which of said first and second algorithms is to be applied in dependence upon the physical location of said data on said hard disk drive. In another embodiment, the error correction selection criterion selects which of said first and second algorithms is to be applied in dependence upon the type of said data to be written to the disk. The first and second error correction code algorithms preferably produces a different number of error correction code bits for application to the data.
According to yet another broad aspect of the invention, a method is presented for operating a hard disk drive in which first a partial response type signal equalization filter is applied to data read from at a first location on the hard disk drive a second partial response type filter, different from said first partial response type filter, is applied to data read from a second location of said hard disk drive. For example, the first partial response type filter can be a PR4 filter, and the second partial response type filter can be an EPR4 filter.

Error correction codes applied variably by disk zone, track, sector, or content


The present invention provides an improved spark plug and electrode arrangement therefor. A central electrode has a sparking end adjacently positioned to and mated with a spark-receiving end of an outer electrode. At least one of the electrode ends has a protrusion extending towards the other electrode, and the other electrode has a geometrically mated indentation. A relatively uniform spark gap having increased surface area is provided therebetween. Hemispherical or rounded and conical protrusions and mated indentations are preferred embodiments of the present invention. The present spark plug electrode arrangement provides increased area sparks, regulates sparks under varied conditions and decreases incidence of carbon build up.

The present invention relates to spark plugs, specifically the arrangement of electrodes in spark plugs.
A typical spark plug has an inner electrode axially positioned within an insulated sheathing and further within a metal casing. The casing has threads for fitting within the block of an engine. The inner electrode has a firing system attachment end and an opposite sparking end, which extends beyond the sheathing towards an outer electrode. The outer electrode has a spark-receiving end and an opposite end attached to the metal casing. The firing system provides a current to the inner electrode and causes a spark to arc from the inner electrode sparking end to the outer electrode spark-receiving end. As the spark plug extends into a combustion chamber of an engine, the spark ignites the flammable vapor within the chamber and drives a piston.
Many problems exist with present spark plugs. Voltage variations due to engine load and variations in chamber pressures cause variation in spark size, malfunction in sparking, and otherwise erratic firing of the ignition system. Standard spark plugs incorporate small area electrode ends, reducing spark size and enabling carbon to build up on the ends.
A need exists for an increased surface area electrode arrangement, which provides adjustment for firing voltage and pressure variations and resists or hinders carbon buildup. A need also exists for an electrode arrangement which creates a larger, uniform spark which decreases chamber ignition time, thus increasing pressure on the head of the piston.

Spark plug and electrode arrangement therefor


Running and tearing of nylon hosiery and other hydrophobic fabrics are prevented by immersing the hosiery and fabrics in a special aqueous treatment comprising a film-forming polymeric solution, a wetting agent, a substantive quaternary compound and fabric softener to encourage attachment to the substrate, and an elasticity enhancing plasticizer.

This invention pertains to textiles and, more particularly, to a process for treating nylon stockings to improve its resistance to running and tearing and enhance other qualities.
Fabrics produced by machines include fabrics knitted from continuous filaments such as ladies' hosiery and the like. Filament fabrics are made of elongated knittable or continuous structure, as distinguished from spun yarn. The continuous filaments are characterized by having a uniform cross section and a smooth surface. One of the difficulties with filamentary knitted materials of fine gauge is that the stitches are susceptible to laddering. For example, in ladies' hosiery, a loop stitch broken at the knee may cause a ladder along the length of the stocking. When hosiery are worn, they are susceptible to lateral tension which tends to weaken and break loop stitches and causes successive stitches to unwind and disengage.
Significantly, nylon stockings and other thin fiber fabrics are very susceptible to running, punctures, snags, wear and damage when they come into contact with finger nails and other abrasive materials such corners of drawers and dressers and other sharp objects. Nylon and other synthetic fibers can also be weakened and damaged by prolonged exposure to heat, sunlight (ultraviolet radiation), rain or body perspiration. When a fiber is severed or damaged, the integrity of the entire fabric is adversely affected and the resulting damage spreads to surrounding areas which generally causes the garment to lose its appeal and effectiveness.
In the past, hosiery was treated to resist runs by spraying the hosiery with adhesive material. However, the adhesive material would form visible patterns and be seen as a blemish on the hosiery, as well as reduces the hosiery's elasticity to a fraction of what it was prior to the spray treatment.
Over the years various techniques have been suggested for improving hosiery, fibers and other textiles, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,784,497; 4,917,920; 4,970,110 and 5,066,521. These prior art techniques have met with varying degrees of success.
Accordingly, an improved treatment which increases the resistance of fabrics and reduces the possibility of fiber rupture without adverse effects is extremely useful and desirable. It is, therefore, desirable to provide an improved treatment for nylon and other textiles which overcomes most, if not all, of the preceding problems.


An electronic package includes a lead frame structure having one or more structural features configured to improve board level reliability. In one embodiment, the structural feature comprises lead frame protrusions extending outward from the electronic package, which are configured to laterally engage solder structures used to attach the electronic package to a next level of assembly. In another embodiment, conductive bumps are attached to exposed portions of the lead frame in advance of next level assembly processes. In a further embodiment, the lead frame comprises laterally separated contact points for attaching an electron die and for attaching the electronic package to a next level of assembly.

The present invention relates, in general, to electronics, and more particularly, to semiconductor packages, structures thereof, and methods of forming semiconductor packages.
Electronic devices, such as semiconductor dies are conventionally enclosed in package structures that protect the semiconductor die from hostile environments and that enable electrical interconnection between the semiconductor die and a next level of assembly, such as a printed circuit board ("PCB") or motherboard. The elements of a typical package structure include a conductive leadframe or substrate, an integrated circuit or semiconductor die, conductive structures, such as bond wires or solder balls that electrically connect pads on the semiconductor die to individual leads of the leadframe or substrate, and a hard plastic encapsulant material that covers the other components and forms an exterior of the semiconductor package commonly referred to as the package body. Portions of the individual leads are configured to electrically connect the package structure to the next level assembly.
In the past, certain reliability issues have plagued packaged electronic devices particularly in chip-scale packaged electronic devices having a high density of interconnects in a small footprint package. Such reliability issues have included, for example, poor bonding between the package electronic device and solder materials used to connect the packaged electronic device to a next level assembly and as well as other stress induced failures.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a structure and method for forming packaged electronic devices that reduce the occurrence of reliability issues, such as those described previously. It is further desirable for the structure and method to be cost effective and manufacturable.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the same reference numbers in different figures denote generally the same elements. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. In addition, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," and/or "including," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various members, elements, regions, layers and/or sections, these members, elements, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one member, element, region, layer and/or section from another. Thus, for example, a first member, a first element, a first region, a first layer and/or a first section discussed below could be termed a second member, a second element, a second region, a second layer and/or a second section without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. Additionally, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that words, during, while, and when as used herein related to circuit operation are not exact terms that mean an action takes place instantly upon an initiating action but that there may be some small but reasonable delay, such as propagation delay, between the reaction that is initiated by the initial action. Additionally, the term while means a certain action occurs at least within some portion of a duration of the initiating action. The use of word about, approximately or substantially means a value of an element is expected to be close to a state value or position. However, as is well known in the art there are always minor variances preventing values or positions from being exactly stated. Unless specified otherwise, as used herein the word over or on includes orientations, placements, or relations where the specified elements can be in direct or indirect physical contact. Unless specified otherwise, as used herein the word overlapping includes orientations, placements, or relations where the specified elements can at least partly coincide or align in the same or different planes. It is further understood that the embodiments illustrated and described hereinafter suitably may have embodiments and/or may be practiced in the absence of any element that is not specifically disclosed herein.

Chip-scale electronic package structure with conductive connective element having increased surface area and laterally spaced connection points for improved connectivity


In one embodiment an encryption based storage lock comprises at least one storage media, at least one processor, at least one drive controller, and logic to; store at least a first encryption key in a persistent memory location, establish a logical association between the first encryption key and a first drive, receive a write operation in a drive controller, wherein the write operation is associated with the first drive in the network attached storage device, encrypt data associated with the write operation using the first encryption key, and store the encrypted data in the first drive in the network attached storage device.

The term Network Attached Storage (NAS) refers to a dedicated data storage device(s) connected directly to a computer network to provide centralized data access and storage services to one or more network clients such as, e.g., a personal computer. In some circumstances it may be useful to lock one or more storage media to a specific NAS device.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A rotating electrical machine stator and a method for manufacturing a rotating electrical machine stator with high productivity. A rotating electrical machine stator includes a stator core having a slot; and a coil having a leg part including a held-in-slot part held in the slot and a portion extending from the held-in-slot part, and a resin foam is provided between an inner surface of the slot and an outer surface of the held-in-slot part facing the inner surface of the slot. The coil is formed by joining together a plurality of segment conductors each having a joint part, and a conductive joint material is disposed between a pair of joint parts facing each other in the slot.

For example, the following Patent Literature 1 (JP 2013-31254 A) discloses a method for manufacturing a stator in which fixing of coils (3) to a stator core (2) is performed using varnish. In Patent Literature 1, after installing a coil (3) in the stator core (2), varnish impregnated into the coil (3) is cured by heat, by which the coil (3) is fixed to the stator core (2).

Rotating electrical machine stator and method for manufacturing rotating electrical machine stator


A mix door includes a slide door unit, a slide driving part configured to drive the slide door unit, and a gear cover partially covering the slide driving part. The slide driving part includes a gear mechanism portion formed of a rack portion and a gear portion. The gear cover is provided to cover the gear portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mix door and a vehicle air conditioner using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle such as an automobile is provided with an air conditioning device (hereafter, referred to as air conditioner) (for reference, see International Patent Application Publication No. WO20071061039 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-270317).
The air conditioner includes an air conditioner main body installed in a front portion of a vehicle cabin and ducts for sending air for air conditioning from the air conditioner main body to blow-out ports provided in corresponding portions of the vehicle cabin.
The air conditioner main body includes a hollow air-conditioner housing and an air intake port and an air discharge port which are provided in the air conditioner housing.
The hollow air conditioner housing includes an evaporator (heat exchanger for cooling) and a heater core (heat exchanger for heating) disposed in this order from a windward (upwind) side in an inner portion of the hollow air conditioner housing. A leeward (downwind) side of the evaporator is divided into a warm air passage and a bypass passage, and the heater core is provided inside the warm air passage. A mix door capable of distributing air for air conditioning having passed through the evaporator to the warm air passage and the bypass passage is provided between the evaporator and the heater core.
The mix door mentioned above includes slide door units each having: a frame-shaped slide door case having a warm air opening portion and a cool air opening portion; and a slide door part capable of opening and closing the warm air opening portion and the cool air opening portion or adjusting the opening degrees thereof by sliding along the slide door case.
The slide door units each include a door attachment wall part which enables the slide door part to be attached to the slide door case. Moreover, the slide door units each include a slide guide part which slideably supports the slide door part. Furthermore, a slide driving part capable of driving a slide of the slide door part is provided on the upwind side of the slide door units.
The slide driving part includes a rack portion and a gear mechanism portion, the rack portion being provided in the slide door part and extending in a sliding direction, the gear mechanism portion being configured to transmit a driving force to the rack portion.
The air conditioner main body mentioned above is configured to be assembled as follows. For example, left and right housing divided pieces into which the air conditioner housing is divided are mounted to the mix door. Then, the evaporator and the heater core are inserted from an opening portion formed in a side surface of the air conditioner housing. Thereafter, the opening portion is closed by a side surface member and air delivery units of the air intake ports and the air discharge port and the like are attached.
However, in the mix door structure as described in International Patent Application Publication No. WO2007/061039, the rack portion and the gear mechanism portion of the slide driving part are provided in a center portion of the slide door case in a width direction. Hence, the air for air conditioning is easy to blow directly on the gear mechanism portion (on a gear portion provided therein). Therefore, there are risks that foreign objects such as debris and dust carried by the air for air conditioning are caught by the gear portion and that the gear portion located in the flow of the air for air conditioning causes wind noise and an increase in flow resistance.
Furthermore, in the vehicle-air-conditioner as described in International Patent Application Publication No. WO2007/061039, the mix door and the evaporator are disposed in the air conditioner housing at positions extremely close to each other. Hence, when the evaporator is inserted into the air conditioner housing, there is a risk of the evaporator being damaged by the mix door.

Mix door and vehicle air conditioner using the same


An image forensics system estimates a camera response function (CRF) associated with a digital image, and compares the estimated CRF to a set of rules and compares the estimated CRF to a known CRF. The known CRF is associated with a make and a model of an image sensing device. The system applies a fusion analysis to results obtained from comparing the estimated CRF to a set of rules and from comparing the estimated CRF to the known CRF, and assesses the integrity of the digital image as a function of the fusion analysis.

Determining the integrity of digital media is of increasing importance due to the proliferation of both real and forged imagery on social media platforms. It is easier than ever to use manipulation programs (e.g., Photoshop) to alter the content of an image in order to misinform the public or to commit fraud. As such, there is a need for methods to assess the integrity of imagery in both the commercial and government sectors. These methods must work with uncontrolled source imagery and produce, with as little user input as possible, a numerical assessment of the probability that the image or video has been altered in such a way as to misinform or mislead the recipient.
In the government sector, DARPA has launched a program called MediFor (Media Forensics) to assess the integrity of visual media used by intelligence analysts for enemy force assessment, counter-intelligence, and to debunk misinformation from foreign intelligence services.
In the commercial realm, the ubiquity of digital cameras in mobile phones and other devices has made the assessment of integrity increasingly important. Insurance adjusters have traditionally been a user of prior art digital image integrity assessment in order to assess whether images of a car before or after an accident have been altered to exaggerate or understate damage. Other industries such as the parcel delivery industry have exhibited an interest in the use of digital imagery to document the condition of a parcel when it comes into their custody, and have similar concerns about the veracity of customer-provided imagery.

Determining image forensics using an estimated camera response function


The present invention relates to a system and method for mobile data collection in which a handheld device collects and integrates one or more forms of data. For example, data can include text, digital photographs, digital video, barcodes, sketches, digital signatures, audio, GPS, GIS, document scan, print scan, CAD/CAM scan, and interactive data retrieval from other systems data. Firmware on the handheld device provides a data collection template as a visual display on the handheld device to provide a user interface for collecting the forms of data. The data collection template can comprise consecutive questions nested in menus or submenus, data collection prompts and commands for guiding a user through data collection activities. A permanent record is generated from the collected data. The permanent record is synchronized to manipulate data in the record for later use such as optimization of the data collection template, production of reports from the collected data and storage of the collected data. The data collection template can be optimized during use of the handheld device to organize selections on the data collection template based on certain criteria, such as frequency of use or to reduce redundancy of text data entry and re-order menus or submenus to provide expedient data entry of the most frequently entered selections.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for mobile data collection in which a handheld device is used to collect and integrate multiple types of data, such as data related to building inspections. One or more reports of the integrated data can be generated.
2. Description of Related Art
Inspection of the premises for compliance with building and safety codes is typically performed by an inspector reviewing the site and manually collecting data, such as by writing the data in a notebook. The collected data is later manually inserted into an inspection report. Attempts have been made to gather data of construction and hazardous materials using a handheld portable device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,255 describes a floor safety inspection system. A portable data collector and probe are used to collect information. A plurality of buttons are each encoded with a hazard identifier. As an inspector tours the business premises, the probe of the portable data collector is brought into proximity of appropriate hazard buttons. The data is downloaded in a cradle/modem combination to a central computer. The central computer can generate reports of compliance with a predetermined floor safety inspection procedure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,621 describes a system and method for determining conditions of a plant at inspection sites identified by identifier codes. A remote processing device with an inspection transducer can sense and store at least one characteristic of equipment at the inspection site. The transducers are connected to a transducer adapter, such as an input/output card of a remote computer. The remote computer can be a personal computer. A portable processing device is fitted with a barcode reader to allow the device to read the identification codes. The operator can be prompted by the portable processing device to perform particular measurements on the equipment using the remote processing device. The portable processing device may also request the operator to make certain observations and enter qualitative conditions of the measurements.
A central processor communicates with and uploads from the remote processing device and portable processing device the measured characteristic and identification codes. The central processor produces a signal signifying the condition of some aspect of the plant in response to the measured characteristic and the identification codes. A camera can be used to take still images of changing aspects of the facility. The still images are stored for later retrieval, months or years later, to provide a comparison of how the facilities change over time.
It is desirable to provide an improved handheld device for data collection of inspection information combining, integrating and manipulating one or more types of data, such as text, GPS, sketches, barcodes and digital photographs, and generation of an associated report.

System and method for mobile data collection


A system for locating water floods, in some embodiments, comprises: multiple non-reference electrodes with insulative pads for coupling to a borehole casing; a reference electrode with an insulative pad for coupling to the borehole casing; and multiple transducers coupled to the reference and non-reference electrodes, each of said electrodes coupled to one or more of the multiple transducers, wherein each transducer coupled to a non-reference electrode determines a differential non-reference potential between that non-reference electrode and the reference electrode, and wherein a transducer that couples to the borehole casing determines an absolute reference potential between the borehole casing and the reference electrode; wherein the differential non-reference potentials are mathematically combined with the absolute reference potential to produce absolute non-reference potentials; wherein scaling weights are applied to said absolute non-reference potentials to produce scaled absolute potentials that are used to determine a water flood location.

In some enhanced oil recovery efforts, water is injected into a dead well to increase hydrocarbon throughput in an adjacent, producing well. The injected water approaches the producing well in what is called a "water flood." If the water flood breaks through to the producing well, the fluid produced by the producing well will become contaminated with the water. Existing monitoring techniques (e.g., electric field measurement techniques) often fail to detect such water floods until they are too close to the producing well and have already begun to dilute the hydrocarbons that the well produces, resulting in significant financial losses.
It should be understood, however, that the specific embodiments given in the drawings and detailed description thereto do not limit the disclosure. On the contrary, they provide the foundation for one of ordinary skill to discern the alternative forms, equivalents, and modifications that are encompassed together with one or more of the given embodiments in the scope of the appended claims.

Monitoring water floods using potentials between casing-mounted electrodes


A mounting and connection system for electrical communications equipment of the type including a plurality of plug-in modules which are each provided with electrical components and with multi-pin connectors, and which are inserted from the front into a magazine whose rear face is provided with a rear wall circuit board. This circuit board, in turn, is provided with multi-socket connectors into which the pin connectors engage. For signals which are to be supplied to all plug-in modules, bus bars are provided with such a bus bar being composed of a plurality of bus bar sections, each formed of a conductor path on the rear wall circuit board and each connecting only one contact socket of two adjacent socket connectors. The associated two connector pins of each pin connector are conductively connected with one another by a first conductor which leads from a first of the two connector pins to a terminal pin of an electrical component and a second conductor which leads from this terminal pin to the second one of the two connector pins, whereby stub lines, and thus reflection points, in the conductive connection are avoided.

The present invention relates to a mounting and connection system for electrical communications equipment of the type which includes: a plurality of the plug-in modules each provided with electrical components and with muti-pin connectors; a magazine which accomodates the plug-in modules and is provided with a rear wall circuit board provided with socket connectors mating with the multi-pin connectors; a plurality of bus bar sections provided on the rear wall circuit board, with each bus bar section connecting only one contact element of a socket connector with only one contact element of an adjacent socket connector; and a conductive connection between the two contact elements of each multi-pin connector engaging in the contact elements of the socket connectors at the ends of the bus bar sections.
Such a system is disclosed in Federal Republic of Germany published application DE-OS 3,137,388, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,793. The system is composed of a plurality of plug-in components or modules which each carry electrical components and which are provided with respective pin connector strips along one edge. A plurality of plug-in components are inserted from the front into a magazine at whose rear a rear wall circuit board is provided This rear wall circuit board is provided with socket connector strips into which the pin connector strips engage. The socket strips are electrically connected with one another by means of conductors on the rear wall circuit board. For signals which are to be fed to all or a plurality of plug-in modules, bus bars, composed of bus bar sections, are provided. Each bus bar section is formed of a conductor on the rear wall circuit board and connects only one socket contact of each of two adjacent socket connector strips. The associated two pins on the respective pin connector strips are directly conductively connected with one another on the respective plug-in component to form a bridge connection between two adjacent bus bar sections. Thus, a bus bar exists only if the required number of plug-in modules has been inserted.
On the respective plug-in modules, a conductor branches off from the direct connection between the two pins and leads to the electrical component on the plug-in module which is to be supplied with the respective signal. For a high-frequency signal such a branch point signifies an undesirable reflection point.

Mounting and connection system for electrical communications equipment


Even when a configuration in which instances of plural kinds of storage management software having equivalent functions are arranged to cooperatively manage a large-scale storage system is adopted, to prevent occurrence of a management inoperability and configuration information inconsistency and enable the same management operation and information reference as those performed when all management target objects are managed by a single instance. In the present invention, a representative management computer serving as a representative among management computers is determined. The representative management computer collects, from storage apparatuses and host computers, information concerning the management target objects and configuration summary information including a relation type among the objects and determines, on the basis of the configuration summary information, management target objects which each of the management computers should take charge of.

A data amount managed by a company keeps on increasing according to the development of the information society in recent years. On the other hand, for a reduction in management cost of an IT system and the like, an increasing number of general companies adopt a form of not owning an IT system and leasing the IT system from a specialty company which manages and provides the IT system. According to the increase, data managed by the companies are being aggregated in the IT system owned by the specialty company which manages and provides the IT system. In order to make it possible to accumulate the enormous data aggregated in this way, an increase in the size of a storage system included in the IT system steadily advances.
According to the increase in the size of the storage system, the number of objects treated by storage management software for managing the storage system (e.g., the number of volumes provided by a storage apparatus) also increases. As a result of such an increase in the number of objects, a problem occurs in that a maximum number of objects assumed by the storage management software at a design stage is exceeded, a long time is required for acquisition of configuration information necessary for management (e.g., information concerning volumes seen on a host computer and correspondence information between volumes provided by a storage computer and physical storage areas), or it takes time to process information search or the like on the storage management software according to the increase in the number of objects and operation response falls.
In order to solve such a problem, for example, Patent Literature 1 proposes to adopt a configuration in which plural instances of the storage management software having equivalent functions (hereinafter also referred to as "management software instances" or "member instances" or simply referred to as "instances") are arranged, volumes in the host computer and the storage apparatus, which are management targets, are distributed to each of the instances, and the volumes are managed among the instances in cooperation with one another.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Computer system and management method for the computer system and program


A system for observing the internal features of an object, such that the object's internal absorption, refraction, reflection and/or scattering properties are visualized, is disclosed. An embodiment may include one or more beams of penetrating radiation, an object with internal features to be imaged, a single or an array of radiation optics, and a detection system for capturing the resultant shadowgraph images. The beam(s) of radiation transmitted through the object typically originate from a line-shaped source(s), which has high spatial purity along the narrow axis, and low spatial purity in the perpendicular, long axis. In the long axis, radiation optic(s) capture and focus diverging rays exiting from the object to form a high resolution image of the object, without which optic(s) the shadowgraph would have blurring in this axis. Such shadowgraph is naturally well defined in the opposite axis of narrow beam origin and can reveal an object's refraction, reflection and/or scattering properties along that axis. An embodiment may also include discriminators (stops, phase shifters, analyzer crystals, etc.) in the beam exiting the object. An embodiment may also include mechanisms for scanning whereby a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image of a large object is made possible. An embodiment may also include an image of an object's internal features being derived from an analysis of the radiation and/or radiation waveform exiting the object.

This invention relates to a method for detecting an image of the internal features of an object, such as one mass internal with respect to another mass wherein the one mass has a refraction content, reflection content and/or scattering content different than the other mass, in particular, of materials where mass radiation absorption contrast is less significant. This non-provisional application is a continuation of provisional application 60/860,023 from which priority is claimed.

Schlieren-type radiography using a line source and focusing optics


A position measuring apparatus of the type that includes a measuring scale and a scanning unit is provided. The measuring scale includes a measuring graduation track and a reference mark track associated with the measuring graduation track. The reference mark track includes a plurality of reference marks, a predetermined number of which are further designated as marked or unmarked. The scanning unit provides for scanning the measuring scale and evaluating the signal produced by such scanning. The apparatus also includes an operating switch associated with the scanning unit. The operating switch provides for selection of at least two modes of operation of the scanning unit: a first mode in which all the reference marks on the reference mark track are evaluated, and a second mode in which marked or unmarked reference marks on the reference track are evaluated.

This invention relates to a length measuring apparatus of the type having a measuring grid scale, a plurality of reference marks positioned in association with the measuring grid scale and a scanning unit for sensing the grid scale and reference marks and generating an output signal in response thereto.
An apparatus of this type is used for example in conjunction with a tool and workpiece where it is required to measure the relative or absolute position or change of position of one with respect to the other. In such a usage, the scanning unit is typically connected to the tool and the grid scale is connected to the workpiece.
An example of this type of apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4.491.928 (corresponding to German patent DE 30 39 483 C2). In that patent, a position measuring apparatus is described having coded markings (eg. C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.3, C.sub.4 ...) allocated to the individual reference marks (N). By input of the corresponding code into a computer or comparator (R). any arbitrary reference mark (N) can be selected and located and the scanning unit can be positioned over the correspondingly-coded reference mark. Moreover, the coded marking may also include information to enable the determination of the absolute position of the reference mark (N) with respect to a reference point.
If the absolute position of the selected reference mark is not needed for a particular usage, the selection of individual reference marks can be made by means of optical or magnetic switching elements. An example of such an incremental length position measuring apparatus that provides for the determination of the relative position of two objects by means of such switching elements (e.g. magnet 9) is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,764 (corresponding to German patent DE 25 40 412-C3).
Still another position measuring apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,106 (corresponding to German patent DE 24 16 212-C3). In this patent, the reference marks are uniquely identifiable (or coded) by their spacings apart. Thus, by an evaluation of these spacings, the absolute position of any of the reference marks--with respect to a reference point of the apparatus--can be determined.
Users of such position measuring devices such as machine tool manufacturers, have different requirements especially relating to the various dimensions and ranges of dimensions of the tools and workpieces for which an apparatus of this type may be used. Accordingly, in order to meet these various requirements, manufacturers of position measuring devices have had to provide measuring scales of various dimensions to accommodate these needs. For the manufacturer, this requires the production and stocking of various sizes and types of position measuring components adapted for the specific and various needs of the different users of such devices. This is undesirable due to the relatively high cost of such production and storage.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a position measuring apparatus that is adaptable to the requirements of various users yet minimizes the production of a multiplicity of components.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a position measuring apparatus that can accommodate various users by a standardization of specialized and expensive components.

Position measuring apparatus with reference marks


An aerodynamic nonwoven formation, in which the nonwoven formation occurs in the operating range of a milling roller. The nonwoven formation takes place using a fiber opening unit, a moving screening surface with suction and a milling roller. The nonwoven-forming fibers are removed from the fiber opening roller and form a nonwoven after a flight or slide route. The nonwoven formation takes place in an area that is limited by an angle a against the direction of movement of the screen and by an angle β with the movement of the screen relative to a section from the center of the milling roller to the screening belt.

In the nonwoven industry, two methods are commonly used for the production of nonwovens from staple fibers longer than 20 mm.
Carding machines are used for the production of nonwovens which mainly comprise fibers oriented in the running direction (machine direction MD).
Using the aerodynamic method, it is attempted to produce a nonwoven with random fiber orientation.
A new development, i.e. DE 10 20169679 A1, attempts to align the fibers by means of a chute in the aerodynamic nonwoven formation.
This construction was still based on the usual fiber removal point from the last cylinder before the nonwoven formation. However, the chute causes a strong orientation perpendicular to the delivery direction (CD) and makes it difficult to align the fibers in the running direction (MD).
An object of the disclosure is to provide a fiber layer which allows in a simple manner to deposit fibers both in MD and CD orientation.
The definition of the nonwoven forming point is significant for the disclosure. Fibers or small flakes are removed from the last garnished cylinder. Occasionally, these fibers or small flakes fly or slide away from this cylinder towards the nonwoven forming point. At the nonwoven forming point, the fibers or flakes are significantly slowed down by their flying or sliding speed, and are combined into a nonwoven. The fibers/flakes no longer move individually but have contact to the other fibers/flakes. Occasionally, this contact and the slowing down can also even occur prior to the nonwoven forming point or line.
Therefore, the nonwoven forming point is defined here as the place or line where the largest number of combinations occurs. This is usually the place where the greatest suction is made.
According to one aspect, the nonwoven formation takes place using a fiber opening unit, a moving screening surface with suction and a milling roller. The nonwoven-forming fibers are removed from the fiber opening roller and form a nonwoven after a flight or slide route. The nonwoven formation takes place in an area that is limited by an angle α against the direction of movement of the screen and by an angle β with the movement of the screen (with respect to a section from the center of the milling roller to the screening belt). On the section from removal of the fibers/flakes up to approximately the nonwoven formation, the fibers fly or slide individually or in flakes.
A milling roller is a cylinder configured with a fiber-entraining surface.
Conventional aerodynamic nonwoven productions start from a duct which widens in the area of the nonwoven formation after the fiber removal point of the last opening roller. A narrowing duct leads to blockages. Using the milling roller of the disclosure, a narrowing duct can be formed, without clogging the duct.

Method and apparatus for forming a fiber nonwoven