An RF feed element for an antenna system required to comply with a set of specified secondary pattern characteristics is designed by performing a quantitative optimization of the RF feed element directly with respect to the secondary pattern characteristics. The quantitative optimization may include pre-computing a plurality of partial secondary pattern complex field values. Each partial secondary pattern may be associated with an RF feed element modal beamlet. A value of at least one to-be-optimized feature is optimized by iteratively adjusting the value of the to-be-optimized feature(s) within an optimization loop that iteratively computes secondary pattern characteristics and compares them to the specified secondary pattern characteristics. The computed secondary pattern characteristics result from performing a linear superposition on the pre-computed partial secondary pattern complex field values, using complex modal coefficients of the RF feed element, determined taking into account current value(s) of the to-be-optimized feature(s).

Antenna systems consisting of an antenna reflector illuminated, directly or indirectly, by one or more RF feed elements are commonly used in equipment for terrestrial and satellite based communications. RF power emitted (or received) by the RF feed is reflected and concentrated by the antenna reflector to (from) a distant receiver (transmitter). The performance of such an antenna system may be specified in terms of the so-called "secondary" pattern characteristics of the antenna reflector, as exhibited, for example, at a remote target. Secondary pattern characteristics may be specified in terms of effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP), gain to noise temperature ratio (G/T), ratio of desired polarization/cross polarization (C/X), far field amplitude, edge of coverage directivity, coverage and suppression (isolation) regions, and cross polarization and co-polarization roll-off.
An important contributor to achieving a specified set of secondary pattern characteristics, are the output characteristics—so-called "primary" pattern characteristics of the RF feed element. Primary pattern characteristics include, for example, aperture efficiency, edge taper, polarization purity, cross polarization level, phase center variation with frequency, and spillover loss. Primary pattern characteristics of the RF feed element may be varied by varying RF feed element design parameters, including, where the RF feed element is a horn, for example, aperture size, length, internal profile, number, size, and placement of horn corrugations, steps, and/or tapers, and size of input waveguide.
Mathematical modeling of the secondary pattern characteristics that result from an antenna reflector being illuminated by an RF feed element having a particular set of primary pattern characteristics is computationally very demanding, at least for antenna systems of commercial interest. As a result, quantitative optimization of RF feed element design parameters with respect to secondary pattern characteristics has proven to be impractical. Instead, antenna system designers conventionally rely on engineering judgment and experience to first specify primary pattern characteristics that are considered necessary to achieve the specified secondary pattern characteristics, and then optimize the RF feed element design parameters with respect to the specified primary pattern characteristics.
For example, referring now to FIG. 1, the conventional design procedure begins with specifying the desired secondary pattern characteristics 101, followed by selection of the reflector optics 102. Selection of reflector optics 102 may include choosing a reflector system configuration, (for example, selecting a single offset reflector or a dual-reflector configuration), along with other choices such as focal length(s), reflector diameter(s), offsets, shaping of reflector surfaces, etc. Specifying primary pattern characteristics 103, may include specifying, for example, phase center variation with frequency, cross polarization level, spillover loss, edge taper. Conventionally, primary pattern characteristics are specified based on engineering judgment that illumination of the reflector system by a feed element compliant with the specified primary pattern characteristics will produce a secondary pattern that at least complies with the specified secondary pattern characteristics. An initial selection 104 is made for the parameters of the feed element, which may include, for example, one or more of: aperture size, length, horn profile, number, size, and placement of corrugations, steps, and/or tapers, size of input waveguide exciting the feed, and possibly others. The design process then enters an iterative optimization loop 105, 106, 107, 108, wherein the primary pattern properties obtained for a given set of feed element parameters are computed and compared to the desired properties. The selected parameters of the feed are adjusted within this loop until a variance (the "first variance") between achieved and specified primary pattern properties is made sufficiently small. When the first variance is acceptably small, the relatively expensive computation of secondary pattern characteristics may be performed 109. Determination 110 of a variance (the "second variance") between achieved and desired secondary pattern characteristics is then performed, and a decision 113 is reached as to whether the variance is sufficiently small. If not, the cause must be that the initial choice 103 of primary pattern characteristics was not appropriate, and an adjustment 111 of these characteristics implemented. The feed parameter optimization loop 105, 106, 107, and 108 is then reentered and the process is repeated until convergence on the desired secondary pattern characteristics is achieved.
Results of the foregoing conventional methodology, as measured both in terms of cost and duration of the process, as well as quality of the delivered design, are highly dependent on the quality of the engineering judgment applied to initially specifying the primary pattern characteristics. Expensive redesign and reanalysis and/or sub-optimal antenna system performance are inherent risks of such a design methodology.
Thus, there is a need for more efficient and reliable methods for designing an RF feed element.

RF feed element design optimization using secondary pattern


An exercise device is held in first one hand and then in the other hand, while the second hand is exercised by screwing nuts in on threaded rods against a spring resistance. Both right hand and left hand threads are provided so that exercise of clockwise and counterclockwise motions are required. The nuts have different outside diameters so that the gripping of the nuts will be at different positions to enhance the experience. Also provided are springs of different tensions to adjust the resistance to rotation.

This invention relates to exercise apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for exercising the fingers, hand, and arm in rotary motion.
Hand and finger exercising devices are well known in the art, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,611 issued Jul. 11, 1995 to Silagy and U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,052 issued May 7, 1996 to Charles. These are generally designed to strengthen the grip of the hand by exercising the muscles that cause flexion or extension of the fingers by opening or closing the hand against resistance. Many people, such as mechanics, also use their hands in a rotary or twisting motion. The prior art devices do not exercise the hand using those motions.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a means for exercising the fingers,thumbs, hand, and wrist by rotary or twisting motion against resistance. It is another object that the exercise motions be bidirectional. It is another object that the resistance be adjustable. It is yet another object that the device be small, portable, and inexpensive to manufacture.


An access point management facility manages use of an access point configured for IP-based communications in a telecommunications system. The facility allows for the establishment of one or more static and/or dynamic parameters for limiting use of the access point for IP-based communications. The facility monitors traffic on the access point and determines whether any requests for use of the access point complies with the parameters for limiting use. The facility then denies or redirects a request for use of the access point if otherwise permitting the request would not comply with the parameters for limiting use of the access point.

In this digital age, modern telecommunication service providers and device manufacturers are increasingly relying on public and/or private IP networks, including the Internet, as a core part of their technology. For example, many telecommunications service providers now offer a suite of Voice over IP ("VoIP") services, as well as various data services, that utilize IP networks and/or IP-based wireless access networks (e.g., access networks based on IEEE 802.16 ("WiMAX"), IEEE 802.20 Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (MBWA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), 802.11 wireless fidelity ("Wi-Fi"), Bluetooth, and similar standards) for at least part of their infrastructure. Likewise, device manufacturers are producing the next generation of mobile devices (e.g. wireless handhelds, wireless handsets, mobile phones, personal digital assistances, notebook computers, and similar devices) that are enabled to send and receive information utilizing IP-based telecommunications services. In fact, many of today's modern mobile devices are able to function as "dual-mode devices" that take advantage of both cellular network technologies and IP-based technologies.
Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology has developed as part of this trend to incorporate IP solutions into mobile device telecommunication systems. UMA technology has recently been accepted into Release 6 of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and is also referred to as Generic Access Network (GAN) technology. In various implementation schemes, UMA allows wireless service providers to merge cellular networks (such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks) and IP-based wireless networks into one seamless service (with one mobile device, one user interface, and a common set of network services for both voice and data). One goal of UMA is to allow subscribers to move transparently between cellular networks and IP-based wireless networks with seamless voice and data session continuity, much like they can transparently move between cells within the cellular network. Seamless in-call handover between the IP-based wireless network and the cellular network ensures that the user's location and mobility do not affect the services delivered to the user.
At an operational level, UMA technology effectively creates a parallel radio access network, the UMA network, which interfaces to the mobile core network using standard mobility-enabled interfaces. For example, UMA can replace a system's GSM radio technology on the lower protocol layers with a wireless LAN or similar technology. A call or other communication may be tunneled to the switch (e.g., Mobile Switching Center or MSC) of a mobile service provider via an access point (e.g., a WiFi access point connected to a modem via the Internet) and gateway (e.g., a UMA network controller). In many cases, the mobile core network remains unchanged, making it much easier to maintain full service and operational transparency and allowing other aspects of the service infrastructure to remain in place. For example, in many systems that utilize UMA, the existing service provider's business support systems (BSS), service delivery systems, content services, regulatory compliance systems, and operation support systems (OSS) can support the UMA network without change. Likewise, service enhancements and technology evolution of the mobile core network apply transparently to both cellular access and UMA.
As the incorporation of IP solutions, such as UMA, into mobile device telecommunication systems expands, wireless service providers and wireless users may face various obstacles. For example, one challenge involves ensuring that communication quality is maintained for devices connected to an access point. Since access point capacity is not typically considered when authorizing a new access point user, it is possible for a mobile device user to connect to an access point that is already overburdened. Accessing a congested access point may cause poor call quality due to transmission delays or even packet loss. Because traffic-related problems are typically transient, the sporadic quality of service changes could create costly customer support issues and customer dissatisfaction. The need exists for a system that overcomes the above problems, as well as one that provides additional benefits. Overall, the examples herein of some prior or related systems and their associated limitations are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of existing or prior systems will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the following Detailed Description.

Controlling access to an IP-based wireless telecommunications network via access point management


In systems and methods for allocating physical resources in a communication system, a common periodicity of two or more allocations for a communication between a wireless device and an access node is determined. A permissible division of a data unit in at least two transmission time intervals in a single carrier within one of the two or more allocations is also determined.

Communication systems commonly share resources between a plurality of wireless devices. The number of wireless devices utilizing a node in the communication system can vary significantly over time. This can cause varying demands on the communication system, which can affect the experience of the user of the wireless device. Additionally, nodes in the communication system represent a considerable capital investment. Accordingly, various techniques have been developed to optimize the utilization of the nodes in the communication system taking into consideration the user's experience and the capital cost of the nodes.
Some of the techniques are directed to allocating physical resources, such as wireless resources to the wireless devices. Such allocations can include assigning wireless devices to particular frequency bands, a strong or weaker signal, or the like, depending on the needs of a particular wireless device. The allocations can also include assigning particular carriers or subcarriers for use by an application on the wireless device. The allocations utilize a control channel (e.g., PDCCH), which can consume the physical resources. Reducing the use of a control channel for such allocations may result in a more optimal use of the physical resources.

Systems and methods for allocating physical resources in a communication system


A method of hiding a figure in an image replaces information from a figure-shaped portion of the image with information from another location having similar texture. The relative insensitivity of the eye to discontinuities in texture patterns having a significant high-frequency or random component minimizes the perceptibility of the replacement. The figure is revealed by autocorrelating the image containing the repeated information, and subtracting the image from a copy of itself shifted according to the arguments creating large value of the autocorrelation function.

A well-known, time-honored method of incorporating creatorship information into a work of art is the application of a signature to the work itself. In the case of a two-dimensional image, such as a photograph, the signature typically obliterates the information it overlies, and is therefore applied to a peripheral portion of the image. Although the signature has the desirable attribute of ready availability to anyone possessing the image, it may interfere with proper use of the image or be otherwise distracting or annoying to the viewer. This problem also persists in the realm of digitally represented data, in which it would be desirable, for example, to mark photographs or other types of images as proprietary material before electronic publication or distribution through on-line services, or to vary the signatures marking different versions in order to identify different routes of distribution.
Data hiding is a class of processes used to embed recoverable (e.g., signature) data in digitally represented information, such as a host image, with minimal degradation to the host information. Although the changes introduced by embedded data may be perceptible by a human observer, they need not be conspicuous. The goal of data hiding is not to restrict access to the host information, but rather to add the signature information to the host so that they can be distributed together. The ability to embed inconspicuous data makes data hiding attractive for adding signature information to digital and analog images.
Several known low-bit data hiding techniques afford encoding of information in a minimally perceptible fashion. Typically, however, recovery of the embedded data requires recreating specific details of the embedding process. Although this restriction makes the encoded information highly resistant to unauthorized removal, this resistance is generally purchased at the price of excluding the typical consumer of the image from accessing the encoded ownership or copyright information.

Method and apparatus for logo hiding in images


The disclose relates to ordered Alloy 690 comprising: a matrix that includes a short range order (SRO) in a state in which nickel (Ni) is enriched, and chromium (Cr) and iron (Fe) are depleted, and the ordered Alloy 690 is characterized by having excellent resistance to stress corrosion cracking and improved thermal conductivity due to agglomeration of nickel (Ni) atoms, as compared with the unordered Alloy 690.

Steam generator tubes of nuclear power plants are a heat exchanger which transfers heat from the primary coolant loop to the secondary one to produce steam in the latter. At an early stage of the nuclear industry, Alloy 600 was mostly used as steam generator tubes but with increasing plant operation time, Alloy 600 is well-known to be very susceptible to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) (see Korean Laid-open Patent Publication No. 10-2010-0104928). To overcome this problem, Alloy 690 containing a higher content of Cr than Alloy 600 has recently been used as steam generator tubes, instead of Alloy 600, because Alloy 690 is well-known to be much higher resistant to PWSCC than Alloy 600.
Alloy 600 is a Ni-base alloy with a composition in weight percent of 14-17% Cr, 6-10% Fe, 0.15% C max, 1% Mn max, 0.5% Si max, 0.015% S max, and 0.5% by mass of Cu max, and Alloy 690 is a Ni-base alloy with a composition in weight percent of 27-31% Cr, 7-11% Fe, 0.05% C max, 0.5% Mn max, 0.5% Si max, 0.5% Cu max, and 0.015% S max.
As described above, Alloy 690 is a material with a higher Cr concentration than Alloy 600, which was called "Inconel Alloy 690," after the name of the developer, or the Inco Alloys International. Inc. but is now called "Alloy 690" due to the expiration of the patent.

Ordered alloy 690 with improved thermal conductivity


A water-based latex of an acrylic-modified waterborne alkyd or uralkyd dispersion in water is described. The acrylic-modified waterborne alkyd or uralkyd is a hybrid resin prepared by the polymerization of at least one latent oxidatively-functional (LOF) acrylic monomer in the presence of a waterborne alkyd or uralkyd. Alternatively, the acrylic-modified waterborne alkyd or uralkyd is a hybrid resin prepared by shearing a mini-emulsion based on a solvent-borne alkyd or uralkyd dissolved in at least one LOF acrylic monomer. Preparation of the latexes may be achieved by emulsion polymerization of at least one latent oxidatively-functional acrylic monomer in the presence of a waterborne alkyd or uralkyd whereby the latent oxidative functionality of the acrylic polymer survives polymerization. Water-based latexes may also be prepared by polymerizing a sheared mini-emulsion based on a solvent-borne alkyd or uralkyd dissolved in at least one LOF acrylic monomer such that the latent oxidative functionality of the acrylic polymer survives polymerization. Such acrylic-modified waterborne alkyd or uralkyds are useful in a variety of coating compositions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a water-based latex of an acrylic modified waterborne alkyd or uralkyd dispersion in water. The invention also relates to a water-based latex based on non-waterborne or solvent-borne alkyds or uralkyds. Such hybrid resins are useful in a variety of coating compositions.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, considerable effort has been expended by the coatings industry to develop low or zero VOC containing coating formulations. Regulations to limit the amount of VOC content of industrial coatings have encouraged research and development to explore new technologies directed at reducing solvent emissions from industrial solvent-based coatings operations such as automotive, appliance, general metal, furniture, and the like. One technology involves the replacement of organic solvents with water and is of particular interest for the obvious reasons of availability, cost, and environmental acceptability. However, while the move from organic solvent-based compositions to aqueous compositions brings health and safety benefits, aqueous coating compositions must meet or exceed the performance standards expected from solvent-based compositions. The need to meet or exceed such performance standards places a premium on the characteristics and properties of waterborne polymer dispersions used in aqueous coating compositions.
Waterborne polymer dispersions have been prepared from each of the three primary industrial film-forming polymer types: polyesters, acrylics, and alkyds. Of the three polymer types, waterborne alkyd resins exhibit significantly higher storage stability and coating stability than the waterborne polyester or acrylic resins. In addition, waterborne alkyd resins, due to their low molecular weight, exhibit exceptional film forming ability which translates into very high gloss in the final coating film. Resistance properties are developed, as with traditional solvent-borne alkyds, via autooxidative crosslinking of the alkyd film. However, while waterbome alkyd polymers have shown, and continue to show promise, they have relatively slow "dry" and/or cure times, particularly at ambient temperatures. In an attempt to address such concerns, hybrids of waterborne alkyds and relatively high molecular weight acrylic polymers have received considerable attention and have demonstrated, in some cases, slight advantages over waterborne alkyd systems alone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,073 describes the preparation of an aqueous dispersion of particles of a film-forming polymer comprising a pre-formed polymer and at least one polymer formed in situ ("multi-polymer particles"). The dispersion is prepared in the presence of an amphipathic stabilizing compound having a hydrophobic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of at least 8 and whose lipophilic portion comprises at least one ethylenic unsaturation. The aqueous dispersion is useful as a film-forming component of coating compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,596 describes water-dilutable alkyd and acrylate resins for use in water-dilutable lacquer systems. A method for the preparation of water-dilutable resin preparations based upon alkyd and acrylate resins is also described.
European Patent 0 555 903 describes a water-dispersible hybrid polymer of an unsaturated fatty acid-functionalized polyester. In addition, aqueous dispersions of such a hybrid polymer for use in aqueous coating compositions with a high solids content and films produced by using such coating compositions are described.
WO 95/02019 describes an emulsion of an air-drying resin dispersed in water and the preparation of such emulsions. Hybrid emulsions of an alkyd resin and an acrylate resin are also described.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,760 describes a general process for cleaning and providing a protective shine to a hard surface by use of an alkyd/acrylic latex. The alkyd/acrylic latex is prepared from an aqueous emulsion of an alkyd resin and at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer. Upon heating of the aqueous emulsion, an alkyd/acrylic latex is formed which can then be applied to a hard surface.
The acrylic polymers of previous hybrids are either non-reactive or possess reactive groups (e.g. hydroxyl groups) which react, as do similar groups present in the alkyd resin, at elevated temperatures with aminoplasts such as melamine formaldehyde resins and only at elevated temperatures.
Uralkyd resins have also been used in various coating compositions. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,178,425 and 4,180,645 describe uralkyd containing coating compositions having high solids content. More specifically, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,178,425 and 4,180,645 each describe autooxidizable coating compositions based on (1) a member of the group consisting of an organic polyisocyanate, an isocyanate-modified drying oil or a urethane oil, and a uralkyd; (2) at least one non-volatile reactive liquid monomer selected from the group consisting of dicyclopentenyloxyalkyl acrylate and dicyclopentenyloxyalkyl methacrylate; and (3) an effective amount of a polyvalent metal-containing complex or salt that catalyzes the curing of (1) and (2).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,911 describes a coating composition containing a polyester diol extended uralkyd resin. The polyester diol extended uralkyd resin is prepared by reacting an oil modified alkyd resin, a polyester diol having a number average molecular weight in the range of from about 800 to about 4000, and a diisocyanate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,395 describes a printing ink containing a color body and an oxidation vehicle. The oxidation vehicle is based on a modified uralkyd consisting of the reaction product of an alkyd prepolymer and a polyisocyanate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,392 describes an aqueous ambient dry paint coating based on an addition copolymer matrix polymer of a polyurethane or polyester oligomer and an ethylenic monomer. The coating is free of organic coalescing solvents.
RU 2017780 describes a protective coating composition containing a uralkyd resin modified with an N,N'-substituted aliphatic amine, a drying agent, a cyclohexanone oxime and an organic solvent. SU 924184 describes the use of water soluble mixtures based on phenol formaldehyde and alkyd, alkyd-epoxide or uralkyd resins in electrophoretically produced polymer coatings.
SU 537099 describes rapidly drying uralkyd resins. Such uralkyd resins are prepared by reacting a modified oligoester with an isocyanate in the presence of an aliphatic alcohol and a N,N'-disubstituted aliphatic amine. SU 537104 describes the use of a uralkyd resin as an undercoating in aerosol form. The uralkyd resin is based on the reaction product of toluene diisocyanate with an ethriphthalic oligoester modified with dehydrated castor oil.
Various coating compositions have been prepared from polymer emulsion dispersions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,388 describes a process for preparing an aqueous polymer emulsion by polymerizing an aqueous dispersion of at least one polymer (e.g. cellulosic compounds) and at least one monomer (e.g. acrylics, methacrylics, styrene) to form an emulsion of a substantially homogeneous blend of at least two polymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,686,518 describes an essentially stable monomer mini-emulsion which includes water, a surfactant, a monomer or mixture thereof, and at least one polymer which functions as a polymeric co-surfactant. The monomer mini-emulsion is characterized by small monomer droplet size. Such an mini-emulsion can be polymerized to a polymer latex.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,715 describes a process for forming a hydrophobically modified emulsion and a modified emulsion polymer. The emulsion polymer is formed by combining a hydrophobic polymeric compound and an .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated monomer to form a mixture and then subjecting the mixture to high shear to form surfactant stabilized particles of the hydrophobic polymer and monomers. The .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated groups of the particles can be co-polymerized to form a hydrophobically modified core polymer. Addition of at least one more monomer including at least one .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated hydrophilic monomer followed by emulsion polymerization results in the formation of a hydrophobically modified emulsion polymer.
Non-water reducible, i.e. solvent-borne, alkyds or uralkyds have not received much attention due to the difficulty in incorporating them into a waterborne system. Accordingly, there still exists a need in the art for a method of imparting water-reducibility to solvent-borne alkyds or uralkyds.

Acrylic modified waterborne alkyd or uralkyd dispersions


Provided herein is a loudspeaker system utilizing one or more ducted slot ports. In various embodiments, a ducted slot port may incorporate an acoustic low pass filter, such as a bend in the airflow path, to control midrange leakage. A ducted slot port may also minimize standing waves within the port duct and control turbulent port noise, such as by varying its cross-sectional area substantially continuously and symmetrically along the port duct's entrance-exit axis.

It has been known for over 50 years that greater low frequency efficiency in a loudspeaker system may be obtained by incorporating a mass-compliance resonance device. There are two basic approaches in common use in connection with mass-compliance resonance devices in loudspeaker systems: the ducted port (sometimes referred to as a "vent") and the passive radiator. Although the passive radiator has some advantages, the ducted port has generally been more popular because it is less expensive, easier to manufacture, and more compact than a passive radiator.
There are, however, disadvantages to the ducted port approach. An ideal ducted port would pass only low frequencies, reinforcing the low frequency output of an actively driven transducer, but adding no coloration or independent sonic signature above the ducted port's desired pass band. Acoustic disadvantages of ducted ports arise when a ducted port's performance deviates from this ideal, adding distortion (e.g., coloration and/or undesirable noise) to the mid- and/or high-frequency output of the loudspeaker system. These disadvantages tend to be more prominent at high air velocities within the ducted port. In addition, midrange frequencies generated by the back wave of an active driver can "leak" out of the ducted port, adding undesirable coloration to the loudspeaker's output.
It is well known to those skilled in the art that a vented loudspeaker system has a specific tuning frequency determined by the volume of air in the enclosure and the acoustic mass of air provided by the ducted port. As a rule, relatively low tuning frequencies are desirable for high performance loudspeaker systems. The tuning frequency of a vented loudspeaker system can be lowered by increasing the "acoustic mass" in the ducted port or by increasing compliance by increasing the enclosure volume.
The acoustic mass of a ducted port is directly related to the mass of air contained within the ducted port but inversely related to the cross-sectional area of the ducted port. This relationship suggests that to achieve a lower tuning frequency a longer ducted port with smaller cross-sectional area should be used. However a small cross-section is in conflict with the larger volume velocities of air required to reproduce higher sound pressure levels at lower frequencies. For example, if the diameter of a ducted port is too small or is otherwise improperly designed, non-linear behavior such as chuffing, whistling, or port-noise due to air turbulence can result in audible distortions and loss of efficiency at low frequencies particularly at higher levels of operation. In addition, viscous drag from air movement in the ducted port can result in additional loss of efficiency at lower frequencies.
One way to lower the velocity of air within a ducted port is to use a long and narrow cross-section. Ducted ports with long and narrow cross sections are often referred to as "slot ports." As used herein, the term "slot port" refers to a port having a relatively narrow cross section at its exit, in which the cross-section exit ratio of the port exit's longer dimension to its shorter dimension is at least 4:1. Slot ports tend to have naturally lower air velocity than conventional round ports. However, slot ports tend to have higher port noise caused by turbulence, as they have more wall area for a given cross-section than a corresponding round port. Accordingly, front-loaded slot ports are rarely used in high-performance loudspeaker enclosures. Moreover, according to conventional wisdom, slot ports having a cross-section exit ratio of greater than 8:1 should be avoided altogether.
Increasing the cross-sectional area of a ducted port can also reduce turbulence and loss, but the length of the ducted port must be increased proportionally to maintain the proper acoustic mass for a given tuning frequency. However, increasing the cross-sectional area can also increase the amount of midrange leakage, and increasing the cross-sectional area also increases the amount of space that the port occupies on a loudspeaker's baffle and within the enclosure. Various formulas are typically used for determining a minimum standard cross section area for a cylindrical ducted port.
In some cases, the entrance and/or exit of a ducted port may be flared in order to reduce turbulent port noise. This approach can reduce port noise to a certain degree, but it also increases the size of the port exit on a speaker baffle. While large port exits are acceptable in some applications, large port exits can be difficult to implement in compact high performance loudspeaker systems, especially those intended for high-performance use in relatively small rooms.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,162,049 to Polk, Jr. discloses various means of controlling turbulence in a duct port by flaring the ends of the duct port. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,714,721 to Gawronski, et al discloses a port duct with a tapered cross section. However, both of these references require large port exits and may not be suitable for front-loaded use in a compact high-performance loudspeaker system.
Consequently, many loudspeaker designs rear-load the port, placing the port exit on the rear baffle of the loudspeaker enclosure. Rear-loading can decrease the audibility of turbulent port noise and midrange leakage compared to a front-loaded port. However, rear-loading the port also makes the loudspeaker system more sensitive to room placement, and it makes it virtually impossible to mount the loudspeaker system against a rear wall or to flush-mount the loudspeaker within a wall.


In a process where the energy accumulated in the transformer while a transistor is turned ON is emitted to an output circuit and an LED is illuminated with the emitted energy, a voltage generated across a resistor is monitored by a control circuit. When the current flowing through the transistor has reached a limit current value, the ON operation of the transistor is limited. When the output voltage of the output circuit has exceeded a first set voltage, the limit current value is lowered and the ON operation of the transistor is further limited. When the output voltage of the output circuit has exceeded a second set voltage, the ON operation of the transistor is forcibly stopped.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lighting control unit for a vehicle lighting fixture and in particular to a lighting control unit designed to control lighting of a semiconductor light source including a semiconductor light-emitting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, a vehicle lighting fixture is known that uses a semiconductor light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode). This type of vehicle lighting fixture mounts a lighting control circuit for controlling lighting of an LED.
A lighting control circuit has been proposed in which for example a forward type switching regulator is used as a switching regulator to control lighting of an LED (refer to JP-A-2004-8409, page 4, FIG. 2). The forward type switching regulator has a transformer and a switching element connected to the primary side of the transformer. The forward type switching regulator is designed to emit electromagnetic energy accumulated on the primary side of the transformer while the switching element is ON to the secondary side of the transformer and supply the emitted electromagnetic energy to the LED via a rectifier circuit.
The maximum value of the switching regulator is determined by an input voltage as the battery voltage of a vehicle and the winding ratio of a transformer. For example, when the input voltage is 13V and the winding ratio of a transformer is 1:4, the output voltage is 13V×4=52V. The winding ratio of a transformer is set considering variations in the battery voltage. Since the battery voltage of a vehicle varies with engine operating state or load state. Thus, it is requested that an LED be illuminated despite variations in the range of 6 to 20V. As a result, when the forward voltage of the LED is about 30V, the winding ratio of the transformer should be 1:5 or over (6V×5=30V−(20V×5)=100V) in order to stably illuminate the LED. When the winding ratio of the transformer is set to 1:6 with some margin considered, the output voltage is 36V for an input voltage of 6V (6V×6=36V) thus stably illuminating the LED. When the battery voltage reaches 20V, the output voltage of the switching regulator reaches 20V×6=120V. A break of wire in the LED at this time elevates the output voltage of the switching regulator to 120V or more. This makes it necessary to use an LED with a pressure resistance that will not go faulty when the output voltage of the switching regulator exceeds 120V, which increases costs.
In order to prevent the increase in cost, it is possible to use a configuration where the output voltage of the switching regulator is monitored and the switching element is turned off when the output voltage of the switching regulator has exceeded a set voltage, for example 54V.
JP-A-2002-8409 (Page 4, FIG. 2) is referred to as a related art.
When too low a set voltage is specified in the configuration where the switching element is turned off when the output voltage of the switching regulator has exceeded the set voltage, variations in Vf (forward voltage) of an LED may result or the LED may fail to illuminate depending on the corresponding temperature characteristic. In particular, when an LED with a high Vf is used at low temperatures, it may cause the LED to illuminate despite a wire break, which will lower the system safety.
When too low a set voltage is specified to turn off the switching element, the transformer may be saturated in a process where the output voltage of the switching regulator rises.
A transformer used for a forward-type switching regulator has its primary side and secondary side generally coupled to each other while the switching element is turned on and a rise in the current flowing through the transformer is suppressed by the inductance of a coil inserted in the secondary side of the transformer. Thus, the transformer need not have a gap and coupling efficiency is upgraded by possibly eliminating a gap. When the coupling of the primary side and the secondary side is in good condition, there is no danger of magnetic saturation. When the secondary side of the transformer is open with the wire break in the LED, the transformer has no energy delivery port on the secondary side thus resulting in magnetic saturation at a lower current value caused by the absence of the gap unless the primary side and the secondary side are coupled again.
Immediately after the LED has encountered a wire break, the output voltage of the switching regulator is low so that the transformer can deliver its energy to a smoothing capacitor on the secondary side. In the process where the output voltage of the transformer rises in the absence of coupling of the primary side and the secondary side of the transformer, the primary side of the transformer merely serves as a coil with the absence of a gap, which results in magnetic saturation at a lower current value.
When magnetic saturation has taken place, the current flowing on the primary side of the transformer suddenly rises. This could damage the switching element without proper action being taken. In this case, to suppress magnetic saturation of the transformer, the set voltage may be set to a value considering variations in the Vf of the LED and temperature characteristic and the duty ratio of a switching signal applied to the switching element may be lowered with the rise in the output voltage of the switching regulator.
However, it is difficult to match the degree of lowering the duty ratio of the switching signal with the degree of magnetic saturation of the transformer. Too high a degree of lowering the duty ratio of the switching signal could result in variations in the Vf of the LED or the LED could fail to illuminate depending on the temperature characteristic. This could impair the safety of the system.
Another approach is to turn off the switching element to limit the current when the current flowing through the transformer has suddenly risen on occurrence of magnetic saturation. In the process, the energy of the current is applied to the switching element with the timing the switching element is turned off. The energy could damage the switching element when the switching element consumes the suddenly elevated current at the time of wire break, leading to power loss.

Lighting control unit for vehicle lighting fixture


To conserve energy associated with bi-directional communications with network devices (e.g., access point, router, long-range (LoRa) access point, edge device, etc.), and to limit data/information processing resources associated with such bi-directional communications, a user device (e.g., a data collection device, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, an end device, a low-power device, a sensor, etc.) may determine its location (e.g., geolocation, etc.). The user device may use mapping information that identifies each network device within a geographical area to identify locations of network devices within a communication range of the user device. The user device may determine its own location based on the locations of the network devices within the communication range.

Network devices, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, determine their location using various techniques, including latitude and longitude coordinates provided by a global positioning system (GPS) device, time difference of arrival (TDOA) measurements, or detecting nearby Wi-Fi networks. GPS techniques require network devices to be equipped with sensors that consume excessive amounts of energy, and may be limited to outdoor operation. TDOA measurements require a dense gateway deployment, costly gateway configurations, and a highly accurate clock synchronization technique. Detecting Wi-Fi networks requires Wi-Fi beacons to first be intercepted, then to be sent upstream to a geolocation solver configured to determine a location, routinely by GPS techniques and TDOA measurements.

Methods and systems for localized geolocation


To enable applications to share an established data connection, communication configuration parameters identified by a new application are compared to the parameters requested by applications already sharing the data connection. If there are no conflicts with exclusive configuration parameter(s) required by a new application, a union rule is applied to each shareable configuration parameter of the new and currently executing applications using the data connection to determine a mutually acceptable configuration. Also determined is a measure of the degree to which all applications are supported by a compromise parameter determined by the union rule. The data connection best supporting the sharable parameters of the new and executing applications is assigned to the new application. When an application terminates, the union rules may be applied to parameters requested by the remaining applications to reconfigure the data connection. A similar process may be used when an application requests changes to configuration parameters.

With ever widening use and popularity of communication networks such as the Internet, an ever increasing number of users enjoy communication network services like the World Wide Web and e-mail services. Recently, cellular phones with data inputting functions have been extensively used for transmission and reception of data and messages over such networks in addition to information processing terminals as personal information managers and hand held computers.
Cellular phones are also becoming more powerful, and therefore capable of executing a wide variety of programs. Many users are using their cellular phones as a portable computer and running multiple applications such as games, productivity software, music and video players, instant messaging programs, GPS programs and many other programs. The diversity of programs now capable of executing on a cellular phone is almost limitless.
Each application running on the cellular phone may require a different communication configuration. Each configuration may depend upon the exported behavior of the application and type of service it provides. For example, a Global Positioning System (GPS) application may only require a single carrier Radio Transmission Technology (1× RTT) system to work and may not be able to run on an Evolution-Data Only (EVDO) network service. Similarly, a voice-over-IP (VoIP) application may need a high data rate network (e.g., DoRev A, WLAN or HSPDA) that can also provide required quality-of-service (QOS) capabilities. Push-to-talk (PTT) applications may configure radio layers (RLP/RLC) to obtain least delay path with limited reliability. Practically speaking, it is neither feasible nor cost effective to setup a separate and dedicated data connection/radio path for each type of application.

Method for supporting multiple diversified data applications with efficient use of network resources


The present invention discloses a phase interpolating apparatus comprising: a first signal generation circuit, configured for generating a first signal having a first phase; an optional second signal generation circuit, configured for generating a second signal having the first phase; a third signal generation circuit, configured for generating a third signal having a second phase; a fourth/fifth signal generation circuit, configured for generating a fourth signal having a third phase when operating in a first mode and for generating a fifth signal having the second phase instead of the fourth signal when operating in a second mode; and a phase interpolator, configured for generating an interpolated signal without utilizing the fourth signal when operating in the first mode and for generating the interpolated signal according to the first signal, the third signal, and the fifth signal when operating in the second mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a phase interpolating apparatus and associated phase interpolating method, and more particularly, to a phase interpolating apparatus and method capable of predicting interpolation and switching phase to be interpolated in advanced.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A phase interpolating apparatus is widely used in modern electronics because it is used to generate multiple clock signals having different phases based on few clock signals. Please refer to FIG. 1, which illustrates a block diagram of a phase interpolating apparatus 100 in the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, the phase interpolating apparatus 100 in the prior art comprises a phase interpolator 101 and multiplexers (denoted as Mux in abbreviation) 103 and 105. The multiplexer 103 is used to receive input clock signals CLK0, CLK2, CLK4, and CLK6 having different even phases P0, P2, P4, and P6, respectively, and is also used to select one of the inputs to the phase interpolator 101. Similarly, the multiplexer 105 is used to receive input clock signals CLK1, CLK3, CLK5, and CLK7 having different odd phases P1, P3, P5, and P7, respectively, and is also used to select one of the inputs to the phase interpolator 101. The phase interpolator 101 is used to generate an interpolated clock signal CIS according to the received clock signals.
However, when a traditional phase interpolating apparatus switches clock signals to be interpolated, an unexpected voltage pulse is sometimes generated. Please refer to FIG. 2, which depicts a diagram for explaining how voltage pulse is generated in the prior art. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the phase interpolating apparatus 100 generates the interpolated clock signal CIS based on the clock signal CLK0 having phase P0 at the upper side and the clock signal CLK1 having phase P1 at the lower side at first. Then the phase interpolating apparatus 100 switches to the clock signal CLK2 from the clock signal CLK0 to generate the interpolated clock signal CIS with the clock signal CLK1. As shown in FIG. 2(a), the interpolated clock signal CIS at timing points T1, T2, T3, and T4 are interpolated according to the clock signals CLK0 and CLK1 at the same timing points T1, T2, T3, and T4.
As shown in FIG. 2(b), at the moment that the clock signal at the upper side to be interpolated is switched from the clock signal CLK0 having phase P0 to the clock signal CLK2 having phase P2, a temporary transition state is generated because of the switch transition. In this temporary transition state, value of the clock signal CLK0 would be residuary and cause the interpolated clock signal CIS to display error. For example, at the timing point T2 shown in FIG. 2(b), the voltage level of the clock signal CLK2 is low and so is the clock signal CLK1, the voltage level of the interpolated clock signal CIS should be low accordingly. But the clock signal CLK0 is residuary (represented by dashed line). Moreover, the voltage level of the clock signal CLK0 at timing point T2 is high. Therefore a voltage pulse P would be interpolated as the interpolated clock signal CIS at timing point T2. Even though value of the interpolated clock signal CIS is correct after timing point T2, the voltage pulse P effects accuracy overall. Please refer to FIG. 2(c), the upper input signal is switched to the clock signal CLK2 after timing point T2, correct values of interpolated clock signal can be read at timing points T3 and T4. However, the voltage pulse P which appeared at the timing point T2 cause un-recoverable errors. Such errors make the interpolated clock signal display un-normal surge or decays, so the waveform becomes incorrect.
In order to solve the above problem, several solutions were already provided in the prior art. One of these solutions is to wait a predetermined time interval after the switch, and then generate the interpolated clock signal. However, the processing speed is slower in this configuration, and more complicated logic circuits are needed to control the switch and the interpolation separately.

Phase interpolating apparatus and method


The present invention relates to a black dyes composition for ink-jet printing ink comprising (A) a compound of the following formula (I)

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to ink jet printing, and particularly to a class of black dyes composition for improving ink-jet light-fastness.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
Ink jet printing is a non-impact printing method, the involving features include and provide sharp, non feathering patterns, as well consist of good water-fastness, light-fastness, and optical density. Properties such as fast drying and fine storage stability, fine fluency of ink flow, and non-clogging are also included.
Examples of the reactive dyestuffs used: When C.I. Reactive Red 180 or C.I. Reactive Black 31 from the publicized Color Index are used as the dye components of the inkjet printing ink, with time the reactive groups undergo hydrolysis, which then results in an increase amount of salts in the ink as hydrolysis proceeds, the consequences of are clogging at the nozzle or variability of the hue of the ink and others.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,302 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,892, the commonly used black ink dye composition such as C.I. Food Black 2 is disclosed, where the light-fastness and other properties are poor and the above printing required is not satisfied; and even though the C.I. Direct Black 168 consists of good light-fastness but it has low solubility, so that the use as the inkjet ink dye components is constrained.
As a result, the effort for a dye composition of the ink-jet printing ink with good light-fastness, wide area of color space, good solubility and fine fluency of ink flow is a direction to keep working with.

Abstract: wherein, R1 is —SO2CH2CH2OSO3H or —SO2CH═CH2 or —SO2CH2CH2OH; M is H, Na or Li; (B) a compound of the following formula (II)

Abstract: wherein, R1 is —SO2CH2CH2OSO3H or —SO2CH═CH2 or —SO2CH2CH2OH; M is H, Na or Li; and (C) a compound of the following formula (III)

Abstract: wherein, R1 is —SO2CH2CH2OSO3H or —SO2CH═CH2 or —SO2CH2CH2OH; M is H, Na or Li; these compositions are particularly suitable for using in paper inkjet printing ink, and inkjet printing inks with good light-fastness and solubility are obtained.


A belt conveying device includes an endless belt stretched by a plurality of rollers; a drive unit that is connected to one of the plurality of rollers and drives the roller; a plurality of belt velocity detectors that are arranged at a plurality of locations along a belt width direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the endless belt and detect conveyance velocities of the endless belt; and a belt-inclination calculating unit that calculates an inclination of the endless belt in the moving direction from a difference between conveyance velocities of the endless belt detected by the plurality of belt velocity detectors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a belt conveying device, and particularly, to various types of belt conveying devices for use in an image forming apparatus, such as a copy machine and a printer, and an image forming apparatus provided with the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatus, there is known an image forming apparatus that uses an intermediate transfer belt that is a transfer medium. There is also known an image forming apparatus that uses an endless conveyor belt as a conveying unit of a recording paper sheet that is a transfer medium. The belt used in these apparatuses is stretched by a plurality of rollers and is driven to rotate. During the rotation, there sometimes occurs a belt shift, in which a belt position moves in a direction (main scanning direction) perpendicular to a belt conveying direction, and also occurs a belt skew, in which the belt conveying direction is inclined toward the main scanning direction.
The occurrence of the belt skew causes a displacement of an image forming position on a transfer medium such as the intermediate transfer belt or the recording paper sheet, and this causes a distortion of an image. Moreover, in a color image forming apparatus that forms single-color images of black (hereinafter, "Bk"), yellow (hereinafter, "Y"), magenta (hereinafter, "M"), and cyan (hereinafter, "C") and superimposes these images on one another on the transfer medium to obtain a color image, each displacement between image forming positions results in a color misregistration between toner images of the respective colors. Because these lead to degradation in image quality, some measures have to be taken for the belt skew in order to obtain a high-quality image.
Various methods are proposed to deal with the above-mentioned problem. One method is to provide a shift guide member on an endless belt. In this method, the shift of the endless belt is suppressed by bringing the shift guide member provided on the surface of the belt into contact with an end face of a belt conveying roller so as to regulate the force in the main scanning direction produced in the belt. However, the belt skew caused by the deflection of the shift guide member in the main scanning direction or the deflection of the end face of the belt conveying roller cannot be suppressed and thus an image distortion or a color misregistration may occur.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-148127 discloses a configuration that uses a shift guide member provided on a belt to regulate the belt shift. In the configuration, a position of a latent image formed on a photosensitive element is controlled based on a previously measured meandering component for one rotation of a belt.
Other than the method of providing the shift guide member on an endless belt, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-276427 discloses a configuration that uses a skew detector. When the skew of the endless belt is detected, i.e., the state where the endless belt is conveyed while being inclined with respect to the belt conveying direction is detected by the skew detector, an image distortion is corrected by an image forming unit based on a skew amount of the endless belt detected by the skew detector.
Moreover, for velocity fluctuation in a belt conveying direction (sub-scanning direction), there is known a technology for reading marks continuously formed on the surface of the belt at predetermined intervals by a mark detector, calculating a conveyance velocity of the belt from a time interval of mark reading signals output from the mark detector, and controlling the rotation of a motor rotating a drive roller based on the calculated velocity so that the conveyance velocity of the belt becomes a predetermined velocity. According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-323806, by controlling the generation of an image signal of a latent-image forming unit, a color misregistration due to the displacement between image forming positions along the sub-scanning direction can be largely reduced. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2008-129518 discloses a belt conveying device that uses a 2D sensor for detecting a movement of a belt in the sub-scanning direction and a position of the belt in the main scanning direction. The belt conveying device performs a feedback control and a feedforward control based on a position of the belt in its shift direction.
However, there are the following problems in the method, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-148127, of suppressing the belt shift by providing the shift guide member on the endless belt and suppressing an effect of belt meandering, which cannot be suppressed by the guide member, by controlling the latent-image forming position on the photosensitive element.
Because the meandering component for one rotation of the belt, which includes the meandering component caused by the deflection of the end face of the belt conveying roller and the deflection of the shift guide member in the main scanning direction, is previously measured, the belt meandering caused by the deflections of both the roller end face and the guide member can be suppressed. However, to deal with a deformation of the endless belt and the shift guide member over time and a deformation in association with changes in environment such as temperature and humidity, it is necessary to frequently measure the meandering component. This causes frequent interruption of the image forming operation, which largely hinders an increase in speed of image output. Moreover, there is also a problem in that dealing with a dynamic deformation due to effects of vibration or the like is difficult. In addition, in the method of suppressing the belt shift by providing the shift guide member on the endless belt, large external force is applied to the shift guide member when the belt is driven at a high speed, which causes buckling and breakage of the belt and the shift guide member. This makes it difficult to speed up image output.
Furthermore, the method, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-276427, of controlling the latent-image forming position on the photosensitive element by detecting the belt skew without providing the shift guide member on the endless belt has the following problems.
In order to detect the belt skew, there is a first method that uses a control signal of a steering roller. The steering roller corrects the belt shift by controlling the inclination of the belt such that each portion on the belt always passes the same position after each rotation of the belt. The skew during one rotation is determined depending on inclined states of the rollers. The belt skew in an image transfer surface, to which an image is transferred from the photosensitive element, that affects an image distortion and a color misregistration is not always determined only by the inclination of the steering roller. If any roller other than the steering roller is inclined by temperature change or its variation over time, the belt skew cannot be accurately detected by the control signal of the steering roller. Thus, it is impossible to accurately correct the belt skew.
In order to detect the belt skew, there is a second method that forms a mark, which is used for detecting an image position, on a non-image area of an intermediate transfer belt and detects the mark by a mark detector. However, this method has a problem in that it is necessary, in order to form the mark for detecting an image position, to develop a latent image of the mark formed on the photosensitive element by toner and to transfer the developed latent image to the intermediate transfer belt. A large amount of toner is consumed in order to always detect the belt skew, which causes an increase in image formation cost. An ordinary image is transferred from the intermediate transfer belt to a recording sheet such as a paper sheet. In contrast, the mark for detecting an image position is not transferred and has to be removed by a cleaning member, which causes the load of intermediate-transfer-belt cleaning to increase and also may cause a cleaning failure.
In order to detect the belt skew, there is a third method that detects a belt edge at a plurality of positions along the belt conveying direction on the image transfer surface to which an image is transferred from the photosensitive element. However, unlike the conventional case in which only one belt edge sensor is provided to control the steering roller, this method requires a plurality of belt edge sensors, which causes an increase in cost. In addition, it is difficult in terms of layout that the belt edge sensors are arranged in the belt conveying direction of the image transfer surface along which a plurality of photosensitive elements for full-color image formation is arranged. This causes an enlarged device size due to an increase in a belt circumferential length and a cost increase.
Because the belt edge is detected as a signal for controlling the belt shift by the steering roller, edge data detected by the edge sensor shows a shape that includes a shape of the belt edge. To control meandering of the belt by referring to the previously measured edge data, it is necessary to synchronize, the belt. Thus, a detection signal from a belt home sensor for detecting a home position of the belt is required. Furthermore, there may occur so-called "belt meandering" in the intermediate transfer belt, by which the belt moves in the direction perpendicular to the belt conveying direction due to a manufacturing error of the intermediate transfer belt. A control is performed so that the "belt meandering" is prevented and edge positions of the intermediate transfer belt are made constant by detecting the edges of the intermediate transfer belt by the edge sensor and controlling the steering roller in accordance with the edge positions of the intermediate transfer belt detected by the edge sensor. In this case, even if the edge positions of the intermediate transfer belt are made constant, the "belt meandering" may remain if the edge positions of the intermediate transfer belt themselves are periodically displaced from predetermined positions. Thus, the periodic displacements of the edge positions of the intermediate transfer belt are previously detected by the edge sensor in a state in which the steering roller is not controlled. The data obtained by averaging the periodic displacements of the edge positions of the intermediate transfer belt is stored in a storage unit provided in a steering control circuit or the like. The displacements of the edge positions of the intermediate transfer belt that actually occur are detected based on displacement information for the edge positions of the intermediate transfer belt stored in the storage unit in order to prevent the "belt meandering". Because of these factors, an increase in device cost is inevitable.

Belt conveying device and image forming apparatus


The present application discloses a blood pressure measurement device, includes: a blood pressure measurement body configured to measure blood pressure based on photoplethysmogram (PPG); and a calibrator configured to measure blood pressure values based on Korotkoff sounds. The calibrator is further configured to provide initial calibration parameters to the blood pressure measurement body, and the blood pressure measurement body is further configured to collect an ECG signal and a PPG signal, calibrate a PPG parameter-blood pressure equation according to the initial calibration parameters, and calculate a blood pressure value according to the PPG parameter-blood pressure equation.

Blood pressure is an important parameter that reflects the reproductive health conditions of human bodies. Particularly, for middle-aged or elderly patients with cardiovascular disease, frequent blood pressure measurements may have a vital role in disease warning, management, and treatment. As a country gradually develops into an aging society, the number of people suffers from high blood pressure (also called hypertension) increases constantly, and the market size of home-based blood pressure monitors expands continuously.
A conventional non-invasive blood pressure monitor includes a cuff-type blood pressure monitor. However, the cuff-type blood pressure monitor is not easy to use, and frequent use of the cuff-type blood pressure monitor may squeeze blood vessels and tissues under the cuff to cause discomfort. Simultaneously, because being hard to miniaturize and carry with, the cuff-type blood pressure monitors often fail to satisfy the measurement demands requested anytime by hypertensive patients.
Some blood pressure measurements may be cuff-less and may include wearable devices, where the blood-pressure measurement is based on photoplethysmography (PPG, a method of measuring pulse waves) signals and electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. The PPG method, however, is lack of measurement accuracy, needs a complicated calibration for each individual when in use, and requires re-calibration every once a while.
As such, there is a need to realize accurate measurements and to improve conveniences in use of the blood pressure monitor. The disclosed devices and methods are directed to solve one or more problems set forth above and other problems.

Blood pressure measurement device and calibration method thereof


A power supply system for a vehicle includes a power storage device, a direct current inlet, charging relays, a voltage sensor, and an electronic control unit. After system main relays and the charging relays are turned on to charge the power storage device from a power supply outside the vehicle, the electronic control unit is configured to finish the charging from the power supply outside the vehicle. At this time, in a case where an OFF control is performed on the charging relays and the voltage sensor detects a voltage equal to or more than a determination value, the electronic control unit is configured to set the voltage sensor to a state where no voltage is applied thereto from the power storage device, and to execute a voltage sensor check to check whether or not the voltage sensor detects the voltage equal to or more than the determination value.

1. Technical Field
The present specification relates to a power supply system for a vehicle, more particularly, to a power supply system for a vehicle that can be charged by use of an electric power from an external power supply provided outside the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, as an environmentally friendly vehicle, a vehicle that is provided with a power storage device (e.g., a secondary battery, a capacitor, and the like) and runs by use of a driving force generated from an electric power stored in the power storage device has attracted attention. Such a vehicle includes an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a fuel-cell vehicle, and the like, for example. Further, there has been proposed a technique to charge a power storage device to be provided in these vehicles by a commercial power supply with high power generation efficiency.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-160604 (JP 2011-160604 A) describes that, in such a vehicle, welding check is performed on a relay provided in a charge path from a vehicle external portion.
In JP 2011-160604 A, in order to perform the welding check on the relay, a voltage sensor is used. However, even in a case where an output value of the voltage sensor indicates an abnormal value, it is also conceivable that the voltage sensor itself is defective. Accordingly, depending on a situation, there is such a possibility that it is unclear whether the abnoiinal value is caused due to a welding defect of the relay or due to a defect of the voltage sensor. Accordingly, in order to determine an operation restriction range at the time of an occurrence of troubles or a replacement part at the time of repair, it is desirable that a defective range be specified in detail.


A driving circuit apparatus, including: a power converter, a reference light source, a light shield member, a luminance detection element, a comparison circuit, and a controller. The power converter outputs a driving voltage to drive a light string to emit light. The driving voltage continuously increases toward a maximum value. One end of the reference light source is electrically connected to the light string, and the other end is electrically grounded. The light shield member has an opaque chamber, and the reference light source and luminance detection element are disposed in the chamber. The comparison circuit receives a luminance signal from the detection element and determines whether the luminance signal strength is greater than a reference signal strength. When the luminance signal strength is greater than the reference signal strength, the controller sends an interrupt signal to the power converter to set an output value of the driving voltage.

A light string is a string-shaped illumination device having a plurality of light sources (for example, light emitting diodes or small-sized bulbs) through serial connection, parallel connection or hybrid connection of serial/parallel connection. The number of light sources in the light string affects the optimized driving voltage of the light string. Taking a serial connection light string as an example, if all light sources need to reach a same luminance, a long light string needs a relatively large driving voltage, and a short light string needs a relatively small driving voltage. Therefore, an optimized driving circuit needs to be matched with the design of the light string, so that all light sources can reach a maximum luminance allowed by the specification (a maximum current that can be received), without burning out or failing.
When a light string device is assembled in a factory or a consumer replaces a light string of the light string illumination device, a correct model of light string corresponding to the driving circuit is required. Otherwise, the driving voltage may be excessively small to cause an insufficient luminance, or the driving voltage may be excessively large to cause the light string to burn out. For a manufacturer or a vendor, the need for multiple driving circuit models creates an inventory and stock management challenge.
Currently there are driving circuits that can change the output voltage. A user or an assembler has to switch the output voltages of these known driving circuits correctly by using a switch. If the output voltage is set incorrectly, for example, too high, the light string quickly burns out after being powered on.

Driving circuit apparatus for automatically detecting optimized driving voltage of light string


A data recording controller for properly adding data to a disc medium. The controller includes a data location counter for performing counting in synchronism with reproduction of data written to an optical disc. An LPP location counter performs counting in synchronization with reproduction of a disc address recorded to the optical disc. A detection circuit detects the difference between a data format address recorded to the optical disc and an optical disc address recorded to the optical disc from count values of the two counters. A control unit calculates a recording initiation address from the detected difference. A timing control circuit determines a timing for starting the recording of additional data from the recording initiation address.

The present invention relates to a device for recording data to a disc medium to which data may be added, and more particularly, to a recording controller for adding new data to a disc medium, to which a disc address corresponding to a predetermined data format is recorded beforehand, from the end of previously written data.
FIGS. 1 to 3 indicate the logic format of data recorded to a digital versatile disc (DVD).
FIG. 1 shows an error correction code (ECC) block. The ECC block includes information data, which is configured by 172 columns of bytes and 192 rows of bytes. The ECC also includes an outer code parity (PO) and an inner code parity (PI). The PO is added to each of the 172 columns of bytes and has a data length of 16 rows of bytes. The PI is added to each of the 192 and 16 rows of bytes and has a data length of 10 columns of bytes.
Referring to FIG. 2, the information data of the ECC block is divided into 16 units. Each unit is referred to as a data sector, each consisting of 12 rows of data. Each of the 16 rows of the PO is sequentially moved next to one of the 16 data sectors to configure 16 recording sectors.
FIG. 3 indicates the format of a data sector. Twelve bytes of header data, which includes a data address, are added to the head of each data sector. The data sector includes 2048 bytes of main data and 4 bytes of error detection code (EDC) data.
When data is recorded to a DVD, 8 bits of data is modulated to 16 bits of data, and a synchronization signal is added to each of the sixteen bits of data to perform 8-16 modulation. The 8-16 modulation generates the modulation data of FIG. 4.
Referring to FIG. 4, a frame of DVD recording data includes 32 bits of synchronization signal data (indicated as sync) and 1456 bits of modulated data. That is, 728 bits of original data undergoes 8-16 modulation to generate 1456 bits of modulated data, and 32 bits of the synchronization signal (sync) is added to the head of the modulated data. This configures the DVD recording data frame. In the DVD, 26 frames of recording data configure a single sector. The configuration of a single sector of recording data in a DVD is shown in FIG. 4.
The modulated data is recorded along a single spiral track that extends along a disc medium. The track is a groove extending between lands in a disc. The groove slightly wobbles. A wobble signal having a predetermined cycle is extracted from the wobbling of the groove.
The disc medium includes land prepits (LPP), which contain address information, formed at predetermined intervals along the track. More specifically, an LPP is provided for each data recording region, which corresponds to two of the above frames. The address information of the LPP indicates the position of a data recording region on the disc.
Data is recorded on the data recording region in accordance with the address information of the LPP. The address information of the LPP may be used to add data to the disc medium. Data is added in the following manner.
When ending the recording of data, the address of the data is recorded as address information in a certain recording region of the disc medium. When recording additional data, the position for starting the recording is determined by referring to the address recorded in the certain recording region. The recording of the data is then started at a timing in which the spot of a laser beam emitted to the disc medium coincides with the recording initiation portion. This enables the adding of data.
The address information of the disc medium that was recorded in the certain recording region based on the LPP to indicate the position where data recording ended may not accurately indicate the position where data recording actually ended. As a result, additional data may not be properly recorded when data that has already been actually recorded does not correspond to its allocated data recording region.
FIG. 5A shows an example in which a single block of actually recorded data is longer than a data recording region allocated for a single block. In this case, the end (DE) of the recorded data exceeds the end (AE) of the recording region block of the disc medium. The recording end position of the previous data, or the address information representing the end of the data, is recorded in the certain data recording region. However, the address information corresponds to the address of the end of the data recording region allocated for a single block (AE in FIGS. 5A and 5B). Thus, when data is added based on the address information obtained from an LPP signal, data is recorded from the end (AE) of the data recording region. As a result, data is rewritten on the previously recorded data. Thus, the previously written data cannot be correctly read.
FIG. 5B shows an example in which a single block of actually recorded data is shorter than a data recording region allocated for a single block. In this case, the end (DE) of the recorded data does not reach the end (AE) of the recording region block of the disc medium. Thus, when data is added based on the address information obtained from an LPP signal, data is recorded from the end (AE in FIG. 5B) of the recording region. In this case, a vacant region is formed between the previously recorded data and the head of the added data. As a result, data becomes non-continuous.

Data recording controller for adding new data to a medium


The present invention relates to the determination of the specific orientation of an object. In order to provide enhanced positioning information of an object to a user, a medical imaging system and a method for operating of a medical imaging system are proposed wherein 2D image data (14) of an object is acquired (12) with an imaging system, wherein the object is provided with at least three markers visible in the 2D image; and wherein (16) the markers are detected in the 2D image; and wherein the spatial positioning and rotation angle (20) of the object in relation to the system geometry is identified (18) on behalf of the markers; and wherein an object-indicator (24) is displayed (22) indicating the spatial positioning and rotation angle of the object.

For determining the position of an object located in a region of interest, medical imaging systems provide two-dimensional image data to a user. From WO 2006/114721 A2, a method is known wherein a tool is provided with markers which are visible in the images acquired by an imaging system. From the marker location information in the images, the tool location information can be derived. But two markers do not provide any rotational information.

Determining the specific orientation of an object


A vehicle wash and wax system (10) comprising a liquid coating dispensing station (11) and a waterfall dispensing station (20) to dump a continuous sheet of fluid (25) onto the liquid coating on the surface of the vehicle (30). The waterfall dispensing station (20) has a tank structure (21) with a weir member (32) to form the continuous liquid sheet dump (25). Chemical agents, such as optical brighteners, dyes and a carnauba wax emulsion may be introduced in the waterfall dispensing station (20) for the continuous liquid sheet dump.

This invention relates generally to an automatic vehicle wash and wax system. Particularly, the invention relates to a fluid application apparatus and process that is incorporated into an automatic vehicle wash and wax system. More particularly, the invention relates to a fluid dispensing apparatus and process that creates a waterfall for use in the wash and wax operations of an automatic vehicle wash and wax system.
Automatic vehicle washing and waxing operations are typically known to have two general embodiments. In one embodiment, a vehicle is moved by a conveyor structure through successive stations at which various washing and waxing operations take place, such as rinsing, washing, scrubbing, rinsing, waxing and drying. In the second embodiment these same operations are automatically performed on a stationary vehicle while the stations are moved with respect to the vehicle. The present invention may be adapted to both embodiments of these automatic vehicle washing and waxing operations.
A need exists in the automatic vehicle wash and wax system marketplace to effectively apply a coating onto a vehicle surface after the washing cycle. Prior art systems often yield spotty wax or coating applications, as well as wax coatings having a relatively limited effective duration. The automatic vehicle waxing system and process of the present invention provides a uniform and durable protective coating finish for vehicle surfaces.
The automatic vehicle waxing system and process of the present invention may be incorporated into existing automatic vehicle wash and wax operations. One approach of the automatic waxing system of the invention is to provide apparatus and process steps to enhance the effectiveness of the washing and waxing process as well as in the protective coating application on the vehicle surface by utilizing a waterfall dump which includes a carnauba wax emulsion.


A bond pad is provided for improving the reliability of the bond joints between a surface-mounted integrated circuit package and a conductor on a circuit board substrate. In particular, the reliability of the bond joints is promoted by preventing the bond pad from being placed upside down on the conductor, wherein a material mismatch occurs between the bond pad and the aluminum alloy wire used to electrically connect the package leads to the bond pad, and between the bond pad and the conductor patterned on the substrate. To avoid such a mismatch, the bond pad is configured such that it cannot be picked up with conventional vacuum-operated pick and place devices when delivered upside down to the loading station. As a result, only properly oriented bond pads will be placed on the circuit board, such that the bond pad properly presents the appropriate bond surfaces to the conductor and wire during assembly.

Hybrid integrated circuits used in automotive applications often employ surface-mounted integrated circuit packages. Such packages are typically electrically interconnected with their respective conductors on the substrate of the hybrid integrated circuit using wire bonding techniques, in which a very thin electrically-conductive wire is bonded to the lead of the package and to a bond pad soldered to the conductor. Bond pads serve to promote a durable and reliable bond with the wire, which is typically an aluminum alloy, and with the conductor. The conductor is typically formed from a different material than that of the wire. Common conductor materials are silver and silver alloys such as a silver-palladium alloy, though the use of other metals such as copper or a copper alloy is also known for this purpose.
In order to be compatible with the two different materials used for the wire and conductor, the two bonding surfaces of conventional bond pads are typically composed of different materials, each of which is compatible with either the wire material or the conductor material. Because the wire material is typically an aluminum alloy and the conductor material is typically silver or a silver alloy, prior art bond pads are typically composed of a multi-layer structure wherein an intermediate steel substrate is layered with aluminum or an aluminum alloy on one side to bond to the wire bond, and layered with copper or a copper alloy on the opposite side to bond with the silver or silver alloy conductor. Such bond pads may be on the order of about 0.25 millimeter thick, with the steel substrate accounting for about 0.15 to about 0.18 millimeter of that thickness. The thickness of the aluminum alloy layer may be on the order of about 25 to about 75 micrometers, while a thinner layer of copper is typically used, on the order of about 25 to about 50 micrometers. Bond pads of this type are placed with the copper layer face down on the conductor, in order to allow soldering of the copper layer to the silver or silver alloy conductor. Consequently, the bond pad is oriented such that the aluminum alloy layer is face up, in order to allow bonding of the aluminum alloy layer to the aluminum wire.
Due to the small size of integrated circuit packages and the numerous leads typically required for such packages, the maximum allowable size for a bond pad is often severely restricted. As an example, bond pads are typically on the order of about two millimeters to a side, though the size may vary depending on the application. The extremely small size of bond pads complicates their handling and placement during assembly, which typically is done by vacuum-operated pick-and-place devices. In particular, it has been found that bond pads are occasionally placed upside down on the conductor pattern. When this occurs, the aluminum alloy layer is mated with the silver or silver alloy conductor, and the copper alloy layer is mated with the aluminum wire, such that reliable and durable bonds are unlikely to be produced due to the material mismatch of the bond surfaces during soldering or bonding. As a result, the integrity of the bonds suffer.
Thus, it would be desirable if the occurrence of upside down bond pads could be substantially reduced if not eliminated during the assembly of a hybrid integrated circuit. A suitable solution would not significantly complicate the manufacturing or handling of the bond pad, nor have a detrimental effect on the ability of the bond pad to form high integrity bonds with the wire and conductor. Furthermore, the solution must be highly repeatable and reliable when used in mass production, particularly for the manufacture of electronic hardware for the automotive industry.

Bond pad having a patterned bonding surface


In a semiconductor device fabricated by growing a compound semiconductor layer on a sapphire substrate, a sapphire substrate enabling the semiconductor device to have a high light-extraction efficiency is provided.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are often used for various types of lighting devices, illumination, electronic equipment, and the like, for their high energy conversion efficiencies and long lives. An LED capable of emitting visible light is generally fabricated using AlGaInN (hereinafter typified by GaN) or a Group III-V compound semiconductor material of AlGaInP GaN is used for LEDs which emit green light, blue light, or ultraviolet light. AlGaInP is used for LEDs which emit red light, orange light, or yellow light.
At present, GaN crystal is grown on a sapphire (Al2O3) substrate in consideration of, for example, cost and quality. In the GaN layer grown on the sapphire substrate, however, threading dislocation serving as a high-density nonradiative recombination center occurs in GaN crystal because of lattice mismatch between a sapphire crystal lattice and a GaN crystal lattice. Accordingly, an optical output (i.e., an external quantum efficiency) and a durability life decrease, and a leakage current increases.
In addition, GaN has an refractive index of about 2.4 and the sapphire substrate has an refractive index of about 1.8 in the wavelength range of blue light, i.e., the difference in refractive index between GaN and the sapphire substrate is large in this wavelength range. Accordingly, about 70% of light emitted from an InGaN/GaN multi-quantum well layer is confined in the GaN layer including the multi-quantum well layer due to total internal reflection, and is either self-absorbed in the multi-quantum well layer during transmission in the GaN layer, or absorbed in, for example, an electrode, to be finally converted into heat. That is, total internal reflection due to the difference in refractive index greatly reduces the light-extraction efficiency of an LED.
To reduce threading dislocation as described above, or to increase the light-extraction efficiency, a technique for growing a GaN layer and an AlGaN layer using a so-called patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) provided with unevenness formed by previously etching a surface of a sapphire substrate on which a GaN layer is to be grown is proposed (see, for example, PATENT DOCUMENT 1).

Method for forming sapphire substrate and semiconductor device

Abstract: A plurality of projections 2, 2, . . . are provided at random on a surface of a sapphire substrate 1, and a GaN layer 10 is grown on this surface. Then, a multi-quantum well layer 12, a p-AlGaN layer 14, a p-GaN layer 16, and an ITO layer 18 are formed on the GaN layer 10, and two electrodes 21 and 22 are also formed. In this manner, a semiconductor light-emitting device is fabricated.


An electrophotographic lithographic printing plate precursor capable of giving a good image free from pinholes is provided which comprises an electrically conductive base coated, on one side thereof, with an undercoated layer and a photoconductive layer containing zinc oxide as a predominant component in order and on the opposite side thereof, with a back layer, said undercoated layer having a surface resistivity of 1.times.10.sup.8 to 1.times.10.sup.14 .OMEGA. and said back layer having a surface resistivity of at most 1.times.10.sup.10 .OMEGA..

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrophotographic lithographic printing plate precursor and a developing method of the same and more particularly, it is concerned with an electrophotographic lithographic printing plate precursor which is suitable for not only the ordinary developing methods but also the developing methods of direct electron injection system and which is capable of obtaining a pinhole-free image and a developing method of the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Up to the present time, there has generally been employed an electrophotographic process for the production of a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising subjecting the photoconductive layer of an electrophotographic lithographic printing plate precursor (which will hereinafter be referred to as "master") to uniform static charge, to imagewise exposure and then to liquid development with a liquid toner to obtain a toner image, then fixing this toner image and processing with an oil-desensitizing solution (etching solution) to render hydrophilic a non-image area free from the toner image.
As the base of the above described master, paper rendered electrically conductive has hitherto been used, but this paper base tends to be penetrated with water, resulting in bad influences upon the printability and photographic properties. That is, the paper base is penetrated with the above described etching solution or dampening water during printing and expanded so that the photoconductive layer sometimes separates from the paper base to lower the printing durability, and the moisture content of the paper base is varied with the temperature and humidity conditions in carrying out the above described static charge or imagewise exposure so that the electric conductivity is varied to affect unfavorably the photographic performances.
In order to solve these problems, it has been proposed to coat the one or both surfaces of a paper base with, for example, an epoxy resin or ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer having water resisting property (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 138904/1975, 105580/1980 and 68753/1984) or to provide with a laminated layer of polyethylene or the like (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 57994/1983 and 64395/1984).
On the other hand, the above described liquid development has generally been carried out by allowing a developing liquid DL to flow between electrodes 10 and 11 and a master P to pass through the developing liquid DL, as shown in FIG. 3.
In this developing system, however, movement of negative ions in the liquid toner, i.e. developing liquid (negative ions of a polymer added so as to control the charge (+) of a toner in the developing liquid DL, i.e. charge controlling agent) is slow and accordingly, the speed of the negative ions adhering to the surface of a substrate P2 to neutralize positive charges thereof is also slow, so that the adhesion speed of the toner (+) to the surface of a negatively charged photoconductive layer P1 be slow and the master is sometimes conveyed to a next step with toner-nonadhered area left.
In the case of an image which needs adhesion of a toner to a large area such as picture or pattern, in particular, the master is often conveyed to a next step while uniform formation of a so called solid image is not carried out, since when the master P is passing through the developing step, the toner adheres to only a part of the photoconductive layer P1 opposite to a part of the substrate P2 neutralized by adhesion of negative ions and does not adhere to all over the above described large area.
In this developing system, furthermore, the toner (+) gradually adheres to the electrode (-) 11 facing the substrate P2 to lower the developing performance and consequently, it is required to periodically clean the electrode 11.
In order to further solve the above described problems, the inventors have proposed a liquid developing method of direct feed system in which development is carried out by using an elastic conductor 12 such as hardened steel with a diameter of about 0.1 mm as shown in FIG. 2 instead of the above described electrode 11 of the prior art, contacting the conductor 12 with a substrate P2 of a master P, optionally changing a switch and applying a voltage to between the conductor 12 and an electrode 10 from an external power source and directly feeding electrons from the conductor 12 to the substrate P2 (Japanese Patent Application No. 89373/1988).
According to this direct feed system, positive charges on the surface of the substrate P2 are rapidly and surely neutralized with the electrons directly fed from the conductor 12, so that adhesion of toners to the surface of a photoconductive layer P1 can rapidly and surely be carried out and formation of a so-called solid part can uniformly and finely be carried out. In addition, other processings are not required than flowing of a developing liquid DL between the photoconductive layer P1 and electrode 10 and accordingly, the toners (+) do not adhere to the conductor 12.
In the case of the above described direct electron injection system, however, if the substrate P2 has a high electric resistance, electrons cannot directly be fed from the conductor 12 and therefore, it is necessary that the substrate 12 has some electric conductivity.
Of course, in the developing system of the prior art as shown in FIG. 3, if the electric conductivity of the substrate P2 is high to some extent, the neutralization speed of negative ions in the developing liquid DL and positive charges on the surface of the substrate P2 is somewhat increased. Therefore, it is of important significance to decrease the resistance of the substrate P2 in the field of liquid development and this is adapted to not only the above described direct electron injection system but also the prior art developing system. Furthermore, for the purpose of, during imagewise exposure, neutralizing negative charges on an exposed area of the photoconductive layer P1 with positive charges on the surface of the substrate P2 through the interior of the substrate P2, it is important that the substrate P2 has a low electric resistance.
In order to decrease the electric resistance of the substrate P2, it is necessary to render electrically conductive a paper base itself for composing the substrate P2 by adding thereto an electrically conductive material or to decrease the resistance of a coated layer such as of polyethylene provided on one or both surfaces of a paper base to lower the permeability of water as described above by adding an electrically conductive material to the coated layer.
In the case of the coated layer (hereinafter referred to as "undercoated layer") provided on the photoconductive layer side of a paper base, however, an excessively low resistance results in pinholes (spark mark caused by discharge, to which toners do not adhere) and accordingly, it is required that the undercoated layer has at least some surface resistivity. On the other hand, a back layer has no concern for this, and it is not necessary to specify the lower limit of the surface resistivity.

Electrophotographic lithographic printing plate precursor and a method of developing the same