A method of producing round rod formed of thermoplastic material by extrusion is described. The rod, following extrusion, is first heated and then cooled while rotating fully supported on rollers. The rollers impart a concentric outer surface shape to the extruded rods and permit uniform cooling across the entire cross section of the extruded rod.

Conventional extrusion of thermoplastic rods such as acrylic rods is normally accomplished by the use of an extruder which typically consists of a screw mechanism rotating within a piston chamber. The action of the screw mechanism mixes and melts the synthetic thermoplastic contained in the piston chamber primarily by the mechanical actions of compression and shearing. The synthetic thermoplastic material, as a result of this mechanical action, becomes plastic and is then able to be squeezed out through a die opening on the outlet end of the extruder which imparts the desired final shape to the rod. Since the extruded synthetic material is above its glass transition temperature (i.e. the temperature at which the synthetic material changes from a solid to a plastic) as it exits the extruder die, it must be cooled immediately as it exits from the extruder die so that the extruded rod retains its extruded shape. Cooling typically is accomplished by blowers, fans and the like which are directed at the die outlet.
Cooling, i.e. by blowing, merely cools the outer periphery of the extruded rod. While this is sufficient so that the rod will retain generally the shape imparted by the extruder die, stresses and voids may be formed internally of the rod as it cools. More particularly, with surface cooling of the rod only the outer periphery initially solidifies. This prevents the rod from contracting across its full diameter as it further cools. Consequently, as the internal plastic molecules take up less volume after they have cooled and shrunk, the remaining empty space in the interior of the rod is filled by stretching of the remaining molecules. The net effect of this non-uniform cooling is that the outer wall of the rod sets first and becomes fixed (because it has solidified) while the interior plastic material continues to contract as it cools and solidifies. This uneven cooling can result in the formation of voids, bubbles and interior molecular stresses in the interior of the extruded product. This phenomena is particularly acute in the case of rods formed of acrylic due to inherent good heat insulating characteristics of acrylic molecules. A major problem which results from the presence of interior bubbles or voids and molecular stresses is that a fracture or chip in the rod can occur when the rod is drilled, machined or otherwise manipulated.
The contraction problem becomes more significant as the diameter and wall thickness of the rod increases since the amount of contraction of the interior plastic material is directly related to the diameter of the rod. For example, in the case of rods formed of acrylic materials having diameters of approximately 13/4", the amount of diametric stretching within the interior of the rod becomes so great that the interior molecules typically can no longer withstand the stress. The molecules thus may tear apart from one another during contraction and form bubbles or voids within the rod. As a result, there heretofore has been a practical limitation upon the maximum diameter that extruded acrylic rods can be acceptably produced at normal production rates.


A flash EEPROM array (22) is erased and a threshold voltage distribution of the erased flash EEPROM cells (36, 39-46) is converged to within a predetermined voltage range by using a two-step erasing procedure. In the first step, flash EEPROM array (22) is electrically bulk erased using a conventional bulk erase procedure. Electrons are tunneled from the floating gate (38) to the source, causing cells (36, 39-46) to have a relatively low threshold voltage. In the second step, the threshold voltage distribution of the array (22) is converged to within the predetermined voltage range by grounding the source and drain of each cell (36, 39-46), while concurrently applying a high positive voltage to the control gate (27) of each cell (36, 39-46). Some electrons are tunneled back to the floating gate (38), thus converging the threshold voltage distribution to within a predetermined range.

A nonvolatile memory is a type of memory that retains stored data when power is removed. There are various types of nonvolatile memories, including read only memories (ROMs), programmable read only memories (PROMs), erasable programmable read only memories (EPROMs), and electrically erasable programmable read only memories (EEPROMs). EEPROMs and flash EEPROMs are commonly used in data processing systems requiring a nonvolatile memory that is reprogrammable.
A flash EEPROM generally includes an array of floating gate, single transistor memory cells. As with an EPROM, the entire memory array of a flash EEPROM is bulk erased, but instead of using ultraviolet (UV) light to erase the cells, an electrical signal is used. The term "flash" refers to the fact that the flash EEPROM can be erased much more quickly than an EPROM. It may take less than two minutes to erase a flash EEPROM memory cell, compared to about 20 minutes to erase an EPROM with UV light.
Once the flash EEPROM is bulk erased, Selected cells are programmed using various methods. A programmed flash EEPROM cell provides a logical one when programmed and an unprogrammed flash EEPROM cell provides a logical zero. A cell may be programmed by applying a high programming voltage to the control gate, and a power supply, voltage to the drain with the source grounded. Hot carrier injection causes electrons to be transported from the source region to the floating gate and become trapped since the floating gate is isolated from the control gate by an interpoly dielectric layer and from the drain-source region by a thin oxide layer. The effect of trapping electrons on the floating gate is to raise the floating gate transistor's threshold voltage (V.sub.T). The raised V.sub.T prevents the transistor from becoming conductive to the array ground at normal read cycle voltages, thereby providing a logic one that is sensed by a sense amplifier when read. The non-programmed transistors have a lower V.sub.T and become conductive to the array ground at normal read cycle voltages and provide a logic zero when read. Because the floating gate is isolated, the cell can remain programmed or erased for an extended period of time (10 years or longer).
To erase the array of floating gate transistors, a high positive voltage is applied between the source and the control gate of each transistor. Electrons are transported from the floating gate to the source region by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. Removal of the electrons from the floating gate has the effect of lowering the V.sub.T of the floating gate transistor If the high positive voltage is applied for too long, some of the floating gate transistors may be over-erased. A floating gate transistor is over-erased when the V.sub.T of the transistor becomes negative. A floating gate transistor normally functions like an enhancement mode device, however with a negative V.sub.T the floating gate transistor functions like a depletion mode device. When the floating gate transistor operates in depletion mode, it stays at least partially conductive, even when not selected, and may prevent the cells on the same bit line from being correctly read, leading to failure of the entire memory. U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,769, "Nonvolatile Memory Cell", issued to Kuo et al. on Jul. 14, 1992, describes a prior art flash EEPROM cell (FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) that is susceptible to over-erasure.
Because of variations in process and erase timing, the flash EEPROM cells may not erase at the same rate. Therefore, the floating gate threshold voltages may differ by 2 volts or more after aft erase operation. A wide distribution of threshold voltages reduces margins and limits the ability of the flash EEPROM array to function properly and reliably at low power supply voltages, such as 3 volts.
Several techniques have been developed to correct, and to prevent, over erasure of flash EEPROM cells and to converge the V.sub.T distribution of the floating gate transistors within a predetermined voltage range. One common technique used to prevent over-erasure is known as intelligent erase. To perform an intelligent erase, all of the flash EEPROM cells of the array are first programmed. Then, the cells are gradually erased in steps using an erase pulse of relatively short duration. After the application of each erase pulse, a verification step is used to check the V.sub.T to determine if the V.sub.T has been sufficiently reduced. The erase and verify steps are repeated until none of the cells register a programmed response to the verification step. This technique is generally effective, however it is time consuming and adds complexity to the flash EEPROM.
Another technique for preventing over-erasure is to form a split gate on the source side of the floating gate transistor which maintains the cell in enhancement mode even when the floating gate is driven into depletion. The split gate functions in a manner similar to a select transistor in an EEPROM to limit drain-source current during erasure. The split gate is formed by allowing the control gate to overlap the source region of the floating gate transistor. Having a split gate eliminates the problem of over-erasure, but increases the size of the flash EEPROM cell, which limits the number of flash EEPROM cells that can be included in a single flash EEPROM array of a given density. An example of a split gate flash EEPROM cell is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,769, "Nonvolatile Memory Cell", issued to Kuo et al. on Jul. 14, 1992.
A technique which has been used to correct, rather than prevent over-erasure is known as a self-convergence erasing scheme. This scheme is described in an article entitled "A Self-Convergence Erasing Scheme For A Simple Stacked Gate Flash EEPROM", by Yamada et al., IEDM 1991, page 307. The self-convergence technique has two steps, the first step is to bulk erase the array of flash EEPROM cells. After erasure, the second step is to converge the threshold voltages of the cells by injecting some electrons back into the floating gate by using avalanche hot carrier injection. The self-converging operation is accomplished by connecting both the control gate and the source to ground and the drain to a power supply voltage. The threshold voltages converge to a predetermined steady state value that may be adjusted by varying the channel doping. A problem with this technique is that there is a significant drain-source current that may be up to 10 microamps per cell during the self-convergence step. For a very large array size, the total current may be beyond what is practical for an integrated circuit implementation.

Apparatus and method for erasing a flash EEPROM


A probe is provided for electrically testing high-density printed circuit boards on a bed of nails test fixture. An elongated probe is provided with a fixed contact point interfacing with the PCB under test and a spring loaded probe on the opposite end of the probe barrel contact the interface between the test fixture and test equipment. A mechanism is provided which maintains the probe in precise perpendicular orientation to the X and Y planes while permitting movement of the probe along its axis in the Z plane.

Printed circuit boards are typically tested using a device consisting of an array of pogo pins. The device is positioned on the board so that the pogo pins contact leads of the components on the printed circuit board. The circuit board is then tested by measuring electric current through the pogo pins. FIG. 1 shows one example of a commonly used pogo pin. This probe is composed of two subassemblies, a socket (47), and a moveable probe assembly (48) which is inserted into the socket (47) to form a complete pogo pin assembly (51). The pogo pin is used to deliver repeated electrical access to the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) under test. The socket (47) provides 2 functions: it allows the probe assembly (48) to be easily replaced after wear or damage, and it prevents potential damage to the delicate probe assembly (48) on insertion of the socket (47) into the alignment plate 41 (FIG. 2).
The probe assembly (48) includes a probe body (49), a probe spring (50) and a probe tip (46). The socket assembly (47) includes a socket body (44) and a socket tail (43). The probe tip (46) contacts a test pad on the PCB when the PCB is compressed onto the pogo pin tip. To complete the electrical connection between the PCB and the test system, the socket's tail (43) contacts a translation board as the fixture interface or alternatively is wire wrapped to the fixture interface.
The socket is forced into a thick plate of material (41) in order to be held in place during use (FIG. 2). The plate (41) also serves to counteract the force used to compress the PCB under test on to the pogo pins.
A typical application (e.g., PC motherboard) requires in excess of 1000 pogo pins. A standard 0.025" probe would use a spring with 4 ounces of force at 2/3 compression. In a PC motherboard application, the thick plate of material (41) would have to support a pressure of over 250 pounds. In order to counteract such a high force without deformation, a very thick fiberglass and glass composite is utilized for the plate material. This material is generally referred to as "G-10". This material is very thick, averaging about one half inch, and very difficult to drill straight holes for socket 47 (FIG. 1) insertion. If the holes are not straight, the assembled pogo pin will not be perpendicular to the PCB. In this case, the probe may miss its target and will succumb to excessive wear and early life failure.
The drill bit's strength is limited by their size and their ability to maintain a precisely perpendicular hole is impacted by the thickness and length of the drill and the consistency of the material being drilled. G-10, the material (41) used to hold the probe socket 47 in place, is a molded material that uses inconsistent fiber sizes within. The strength, thickness and inconsistency of the material make it very difficult to drill straight. In an attempt to overcome this problem many different drill processes have been experimented with and several are in use today. The more consistent processes require drilling shallow holes from each end side of the material. This reduces the distance the drill bit can drift from the desired position. It also adds cost and increases the time required to complete the fixture.
Even thick G-10 material cannot resist the constant pressure from the probes. Over time, the G-10 material deforms and the socket deviates from it's perpendicular position. Replacement of pogo pins causes stress on the socket which can further affect perpendicularity.


In some implementations, a system may obtain a first model that is trained to identify feature data associated with a client system using one or more services of a service platform. The system may train, based on the feature data, a second model to identify anomalies associated with devices accessing the one or more services in association with a client identifier of the client system. The system may receive access data associated with an acting device accessing a service of the service platform. The system may determine, using the second model, that the acting device accessing the service corresponds to potential anomalous activity based on the access information. The system may obtain, from a verification device, a verification that the acting device accessing the service is anomalous activity. The system may perform, based on obtaining the verification, an action associated with the acting device.

A service platform may be positioned between a client system and a collection of backend services. The service platform may utilize an application programming interface (API) gateway as a proxy to accept API calls, aggregate various services required to fulfill API calls, and/or respond with results of operations performed in accordance with the services. Fraudulent access to an API gateway may impact numerous enterprises and/or consumers. With the advancement of technology, many sophisticated methods are being used to commit fraud, while fraud detection and/or fraud analysis has been employed to combat fraud. Methods of detecting and/or analyzing fraud may include one or more data analysis techniques.

Detection of anomalies associated with fraudulent access to a service platform


An image reading optical system, including: an imaging optical system used for imaging a slit area of a document and includes an optical element having different cross section shapes in a main scanning direction and in a sub-scanning direction; an aperture stop; and an optical phase changing filter disposed adjacent to the aperture stop and including a phase lead area and a phase delay area, in which the optical phase changing filter includes a surface shape component that is symmetric only with respect to a predetermined plane including a surface normal at the center of the incident beam and one of the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, and with respect to a surface that includes the surface normal at the center of the incident beam and is perpendicular to the predetermined plane, one side is the phase lead area, and another side is the phase delay area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading optical system and an image reading apparatus, and more particularly, to an image reading optical system and an image reading apparatus which are suitable for an image scanner, a digital copying machine, or the like, which needs image reading with large aperture and stable contrast performance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is an image reading apparatus for reading image information on a platen, which uses a linear image sensor including a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a main scanning direction. An image of the image information is formed on the linear image sensor by an imaging optical system and a relative position between the document and the linear image sensor is changed in a sub-scanning direction. Thus, the image reading apparatus reads the image information.
FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of a conventional integrated carriage type scanning image reading apparatus. In FIG. 17, a beam emitted from an illumination light source 81 directly illuminates a document 87 placed on a platen glass 82. An optical path of a reflected beam from the document 87 is folded in a carriage 86 by first, second and third turn back mirrors 83a, 83b and 83c in turn, and hence an image of the image information on the document 87 is formed on a linear image sensor 85 by an imaging lens (imaging optical system) 84.
Then, the carriage 86 is moved in a direction of the arrow A (sub-scanning direction) by a motor 88 for scanning in the sub-scanning direction, and hence the image information on the document 87 is read. The linear image sensor 85 of FIG. 17 has a configuration in which a plurality of light receiving elements are arranged in one-dimensional direction (in the main scanning direction).
FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a basic configuration of a reading optical system of the image reading apparatus illustrated in FIG. 17. In FIG. 18, the imaging optical system 84 is disposed, and the linear image sensor 85 is constituted of linear image sensors 85R, 85G and 85B for reading red (R), green (G) and blue (B) colors, respectively. FIG. 18 further illustrates reading ranges 87R, 87G and 87B on the document 87 to be read by the linear image sensors 85R, 85G and 85B, respectively.
The document 87 is scanned in the sub-scanning direction, so that the same part is read by the linear image sensors for different colors with a certain time interval. In the above-mentioned configuration, if the imaging optical system 84 is constituted of an ordinary refracting system, axial chromatic aberration, lateral chromatic aberration, or the like occurs. Therefore, with respect to the linear image sensor 85G as a reference, defocus or a positional shift occurs in line images formed on the linear image sensors 85B and 85R. Therefore, when the color images are overlaid to reproduce the image, color blurring or color drift becomes conspicuous in the image. In other words, when a performance with large aperture and high resolution is required, the requirement cannot be satisfied.
On the other hand, there is a technology for satisfying the above-mentioned requirement by using an anamorphic optical system that is asymmetric in the main scanning direction and in the sub-scanning direction in an optical system on the precondition of the linear image sensor. In particular, in a non-coaxial optical system among the anamorphic optical systems, it is possible to form an optical system in which aberration is sufficiently corrected by utilizing a concept of reference axis and forming an asymmetric and aspheric element surface.
This non-coaxial optical system is called an off-axial optical system, which is defined as an optical system including a curved surface in which a surface normal of the element surface at an intersection with the reference axis is not on the reference axis (off-axial curved surface) when considering the reference axis along a light beam passing through a center of the image and a center of a pupil. In this case, the reference axis has a folded shape.
This off-axial optical system has an element surface that is usually a non-coaxial surface, and vignetting does not occur on a reflection surface. Therefore, it is easy to constitute an optical system using a reflection surface. In addition, it is easy to form an integrated type optical system by a method of integrally molding a surface on which an optical path can relatively freely designed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-259544 discloses an off-axial optical system in which two off-axial reflection surfaces are combined. According to this optical system, a mold and a molding machine, which otherwise tend to be expensive, can be integrated, so that manufacturing cost can be significantly reduced. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 19, it is possible to realize the image reading apparatus having a small size and a small number of components.
In FIG. 19, a light source device 1 is constituted of a fluorescent light, an LED array, or the like. A document (object) 7 is placed on a platen glass 2. FIG. 19 further illustrates a first reflection mirror 3a, a second reflection mirror 3b and a third reflection mirror 3c. An imaging optical system 94 for image reading (off-axial optical system) forms an image of the beam based on image information on the document 7 on a linear image sensor 5 as a reading unit.
In the imaging optical system 94, the surface normal at a reflection point of a reference axis light beam is not on the reference axis. A free-form surface reflection member 4a in which a plurality of reflection surfaces having a free-form surface shape are formed in an integrated manner is disposed to be opposed to a flat reflection member 4b having a flat reflection surface. The image reading apparatus further includes an aperture stop SP disposed on a flat reflection surface R2 of the flat mirror member 4b. For instance, the aperture stop is formed by attaching a black color resin sheet member to the flat mirror surface or by other such methods. The linear image sensor 5 (light receiving unit) constituted of a CCD or the like is disposed at a position corresponding to an image plane. A carriage 6 (case) houses the individual members 1, 3a, 3b, 3c, 94, 5, and the like.
Here, an arranging direction of pixels of the linear image sensor 5 (X direction perpendicular to the drawing sheet) is regarded as a main scanning direction, and a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction (Y direction in the drawing sheet) is regarded as a sub-scanning direction. A propagation direction of the beam is regarded as a Z direction. In this case, an XZ plane is a main scanning cross section, and an YZ plane is a sub-scanning cross section. The beam emitted from the light source device 1 illuminates the document (object) 7 placed on the platen glass 2, and the beam from the document 7 enters an off-axial reflection surface R1 of the off-axial reflection surface member 4a via the first reflection mirror 3a, the second reflection mirror 3b and the third reflection mirror 3c.
Then, the beam reflected by the off-axial reflection surface R1 enters the flat reflection surface R2 of the flat mirror member 4b so as to be reflected at an acute angle. After that, the beam enters an off-axial reflection surface R3 different from the off-axial reflection surface R1 and is reflected. Then, an image of the beam is formed on the linear image sensor 5. Note that, in this case, individual reflection surfaces fold the optical path in the sub-scanning cross section. Further, the relative position of the carriage 6 to the document 7 is changed in the sub-scanning direction (the direction of the arrow A), so that image information on the document 7 is read in a two-dimensional manner.
In order to compactly constitute the image reading apparatus, the first reflection mirror 3a, the second reflection mirror 3b and the third reflection mirror 3c fold the optical path. The imaging optical system 94 also contributes to folding of the optical path. In this conventional example, an f-number (Fno) is designed to be 6.0, a magnification is designed to be 0.11, and an object height is designed to be 150 mm. FIG. 22A shows modulation transfer function (MTF) depth characteristics at 60 lines pair/mm on the image plane. A solid line indicates MTF in the sub-scanning direction (S_MTF). A broken line indicates MTF in the main scanning direction (M_MTF). A center 0 of a horizontal axis is a focusing position.
In the imaging optical system 94, the optical path is folded in substantially a Z shape by off-axial surfaces so that decentering aberrations generated on the off-axial reflection surfaces can be easily canceled by each other. Further, the flat mirror member is used so as to fold in a Σ shape without affecting the aberration. Thus, in spite of a simple configuration of one flat mirror member and one off-axial reflection surface member, good imaging performance is obtained.
In recent years, image reading apparatus have been required to support higher speed, and the optical system has been required to have larger aperture. The conventional off-axial optical system of FIG. 20 is caused to have large aperture at the f-number of 4.0 as an optical system illustrated in FIG. 21. The MTF depth characteristics of this optical system are shown in FIG. 22B. In general, the large aperture optical system has a high MTF at the focusing position, which is rapidly decreased in a defocused position. In addition, when the aberration is large, the MTF is low even in in-focus state and is further decreased by a focal point shift.
In particular, in the anamorphic optical system including the off-axial optical system, characteristics in the main scanning direction are not the same as characteristics in the sub-scanning direction. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B, the MTF in the sub-scanning direction indicated by a solid line indicates a high MTF value at a position 0 of the in-focus state and is rapidly decreased when the focal point shift occurs. In the main scanning direction indicated by a broken line, the MTF value of aberration is lower than that in the sub-scanning direction even in the in-focus state and is further decreased by the focal point shift. FIG. 23 illustrates wavefront aberration in the focusing position of FIGS. 22A and 22B. In general, an aberration amount is larger as being closer to a periphery, and hence the aberration amount is increased when a larger aperture is achieved.
If the focal point shift occurs in the image reading apparatus, not only image deterioration but also various problems occur. For instance, a process for sharpening an image is optimized at the time of shipment from the factory. Therefore, if the focal point shift from the state occurs, an appropriate process cannot be performed, so that an image cannot be sharpened. Therefore, it is desired that the MTF value be always stable. As an index of whether or not the MTF value is stable, the following Equation 1 can be used.MTF stability MS=((highest MTF)−(lowest MTF))/((highest MTF)+(lowest MTF))(%)  Equation 1
In the conventional optical system shown in FIG. 22A, the stability MS is 4.6% at a position within a range of ±1 step of the focusing position. Here, "1 step" is defined as equivalent of 0.025 mm. Therefore, the range of ±1 step of the focusing position corresponds to a movement range of an imaging plane as ±0.025 mm from the focusing position. It is preferred that the stability be 8% or lower so that the above-mentioned problem does not become conspicuous. In the conventional optical system shown in FIG. 22B, the stability MS is 14.4% at a position within a range of ±1 step of the focusing position and is required to be improved.
The focal point shift may be caused by various phenomena. For instance, if the ambient temperature of the image reading apparatus is extremely high or low, the optical element may be deformed, so that the focal point shift may occur. Other than that, if vibration in the installation or transportation is large, a positional shift may cause the focal point shift. At present, in order not to generate the focal point shift described above, there are taken measures such as air conditioning or packing for installation environment or vibration. However, along with economic growth in developing countries, there may be a case where the apparatus is used in an unexpected installation environment or a case where the apparatus is transported in bad road conditions.
Therefore, taking measures against the focal point shift is important for the image reading optical system. As measures against the focal point shift, there are measures such as incorporation of a focus adjustment mechanism, and the like. However, in the image reading apparatus, the carriage moves at high speed as described above, and hence it is difficult to incorporate a weight-increasing mechanism such as the focus adjustment mechanism. Therefore, it is necessary to realize the optical system having a small variation of contrast performance even if the focal point shift occurs.
On the other hand, there is a technology enabling to reduce a variation of contrast performance even if the focal point shift occurs. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-288254 discloses a technology for correcting the contrast performance by an optical phase changing filter with an N- (2-, 3-, . . . ) fold symmetry including a phase lead area having a phase lead action of leading a phase of a wavefront of an incident beam and a phase delay area having a phase delay action of delaying the phase of the wavefront of the incident beam. The N-fold symmetry means that the same shape is obtained before and after rotation by an angle of 360/N degrees about the reference axis. In this case, with respect to the plane that includes the surface normal at the center of the incident beam and is perpendicular to the above-mentioned symmetric plane, one side is regarded as the phase lead area, while the other side is regarded as the phase delay area.
The technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-288254 can be effective in a camera or the like, which uses a general imaging optical system disposed in a rotationally symmetric manner about the optical axis. In other words, it is possible to provide an imaging optical system having little variation of the contrast performance due to the focal point shift as a general imaging optical system disposed in a rotationally symmetric manner.
However, the above-mentioned technology is not sufficiently effective in an image reading apparatus that uses an anamorphic imaging optical system for forming an image of a slit area (imaging optical system having different cross section shapes between the main scanning direction as a longitudinal direction of the slit area and the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction). In other words, an imaging optical system having little variation of the contrast performance due to the focal point shift cannot be provided as an anamorphic imaging optical system.

Image reading optical system and image reading apparatus


In a device and associated method for reconstruction and visualization of projection data, projection data are stored per slice and are subjected to an image reconstruction procedure in parallel within arbitrary slice planes in a processor-controlled filtering process that is executed n times, wherein volume data that are created can already be made available (loaded) for a direct visualization.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns computerized devices and methods for operating on projection data to reconstruct an image therefrom, and for displaying (visualizing) the reconstructed image.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A reconstruction of volume data based on projection data leads (for example in medical image processing or in materials testing) to more detailed spatial insights and enables a substantiated diagnosis. For example, the projection data can be acquired by means of x-rays, electrically (for example with impedance), optically or acoustically (for example with sonography).
A method of slice image generation of the type known as tomosynthesis can be used in cases in which computed tomography is not available. Such a method is described in, for example, the DE 102006012407. Perceptible delays in the visualization of volume data result due to the large number of digital projection data sets that must be processed.

Device and method for reconstruction and visualization of projection data


A shoe sole made of a flexible, resilient material and having a central longitudinal passageway therein. A fresh air intake is located at the heel region of the sole and provides ventilation air to the passageway. With each stride, the wearer pumps air from the heel through the longitudinal passageway and then out upwardly extending vents to the interior of the shoe.

This invention relates to a shoe sole structure, and more particularly to a ventilated shoe sole structure.
There has long been a need to design shoes to minimize, if not eliminate, the unpleasant odor that is generated during wear. Additionally, there is a need to design a shoe that will keep the wearer's foot cooler and drier. The normal shoe construction traps the air around the wearer's foot and permits the natural perspiration and body odor generated during the day to simply collect within the shoe. The shoe material becomes impregnated with this perspiration and odor and eventually both the wearer and those around him are subjected to this unpleasant occurrence.
There have been previous attempts to remedy this situation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,552,711 (Dunker) discloses a boot that is provided with a spring-type pump arrangement that attempts to circulate exterior air into the toe region of the shoe. An air check valve is utilized to permit exterior air to be drawn into the region of the heel so that when the wearer takes a step, a leather plate is depressed which forces air into the toe region of the boot. A mechanical spring is placed in the heel of the boot to return the leather plate to its upper position.
This arrangement, however, requires the use of the check valve to ensure that the air is forced into the toe region of the shoe. Without the check valve, the exterior air would have tendency to fllow bback out the rear of the boot and not serve its intended purpose. The check valve is also located inside the heel of the boot and its ability to function may be impaired by the heel of the wearer pressing down on the leather plate. The inside configuration and dimensions of the shoe also change during each step. The heel of the wearer's foot actually moves up and down through the travel space through which the leather plate traverses to push the air toward the toe region. Thus maintaining a comfortable fit about the wearer's heel is not possible with this design. There likewise is no support for the middle region or the toe region of the foot since both of these areas change size up and down during each step by the wearer. The use of a spring under the wearer's heel also creates an uncomfortable foreign object inside the shoe which will cause discomfort to the wearer during each step. Eventually, the spring would actually wear through the leather plate and contact directly the underside of the wearer's heel causing direct discomfort not unlike walking on a rock. Finally this design is quite difficult to manufacture and assemble in that many parts not normally found in a shoe or boot must be added. Also, the failure of any of these moving parts will completely destroy the functionality of this shoe.
Another attempted remedy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,875 (Robbins). This patent discloses a shoe sole comprised of a plurality of layers. The intermediate layer has a series of oval cavities interconnected by small passageways. The toe region of the sole has a plurality of small vents. When the wearer takes a step, the air inside the shoe is circulated from the heel of the shoe to the toe of the shoe and then upwardly through the vents. When the wearer's foot reaches then end of his step, the air recirculates backwardly from the toe of the shoe to the heel of the shoe.
The only external access &:o the intermediate sole cavities is through the small vents in the toe of the shoe. The only possible fresh, outside air that can be used for circulation comes in through the space between the wearer's ankle and the upper opening of the shoe. This outside air must actually pass over the wearer's foot on its way to the intermediate sole cavities. This air will already have been subjected to the odors present on the wearer's foot. This design actually requires a plurality of interconnected chambers to effect the circulation of the air. Much of the air that is flowing back and forth is the same air that has remains within the shoe and has already been subjected to the odors present on and around the foot of the wearer. The numerous cavities also results in large, irregular areas under the foot of the wearer which fails to provide adequate support to the wearer's foot and will cause discomfort during use.
Yet another proposed remedy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,061 (Saaristo). Two small vents located in the center of the sole are disclosed as providing passageways for air to be vented to the interior of the shoe. The air intake, however, is located very close to the surface walked upon which increases the possibility that dirt or water may be sucked into the sole area thus contaminating the outside air and diminishing its ventilating effect. This design also utilizes a check valve to ensure flow is only in one direction which increases the possibility of premature failure of the design in the event of failure of the check valve. As with the other designs previously discussed, the interior surface of the shoe which is contacted by the bottom of the foot actually deforms to decrease the size of the chambers to effect the flow of air, but this deformation results in actual or potential discomfort to the wearer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a shoe sole structure that effectively and efficiently ventilates the interior areas of a wearer's foot.
It is a feature of the present invention to utilize a single continuous transforming passageway to pump or feed fresh outside air from the heel region of the shoe forward to the toe region of the shoe. This is accomplished during each stride of the wearer and without the necessity of check valves or springs to effect the circulation of the air. Air that has been contaminated by the foot of the wearer is prevented from returning to the passageway by the flexible and unique design of the sole.
It is an advantage of the invention that fresh, uncontaminated air is pumped or fed to the interior of the shoe in order to cool and ventilate the foot of the wearer automatically with each step made by the wearer.


A turbocharger assembly (1) comprises a turbine (4), a compressor (6), a housing (8), one or more electronic components (38, 40, 41, 42, 45, 47, 50, 51, 52, 54, 58) and a pettier device (46). The pettier device (46) is configured to provide electrical power to the one or more electronic components (38, 40, 41, 42, 45, 47, 50, 51, 52, 54, 58).

Turbochargers are well known devices for supplying air to the intake of an internal combustion engine at pressures above atmospheric pressure (boost pressures). A conventional turbocharger comprises an exhaust gas driven turbine impeller mounted on a rotatable shaft within a turbine housing. Rotation of the turbine impeller rotates a compressor impeller mounted on the other end of the shaft within a compressor housing. The compressor impeller delivers compressed air to the intake manifold of the engine, thereby increasing engine power.
The turbocharger shaft is conventionally supported by journal and thrust bearings, including appropriate lubricating systems, located within a central bearing housing connected between the turbine and compressor wheel housing.
A turbocharger assembly may comprise a turbocharger, an actuator and electronic components. The electronic components may serve a variety of functions. For example, the electronic components may control the position of an actuator which in turn determines the position of a wastegate of the turbocharger. Alternatively, the electronic components may serve to monitor and/or record the conditions in and around the turbocharger assembly during use.
The electronic components may include a processor and memory facility for processing and recording variables of interest, such as temperature.
Typically the electronic components of a turbocharger assembly are powered by a battery of a vehicle in which the turbocharger assembly is incorporated. Although the vehicle battery provides a seemingly convenient source of power, issues may arise at the point of key-off when the power supply from the vehicle battery is suddenly terminated.
One particular issue which may arise is that of data corruption resulting from the sudden loss of power due to key-off.


A channel letter has a rear surface for mounting against a raceway, wall, or a structure for supporting the signage, and sheet metal sides defining the figuration of the letter of shape to be depicted. A lighting element is positioned against the rear surface of the enclosure, and a lens is retained to the open front of the enclosure. The lens is retained by a plurality of retainer clips to a shoulder recessed within the walls of the enclosure and a cable between opposing walls provides lateral support to the walls. Each of the retainer clips has a first and a second leg extending from a back with the legs spaced a distance sufficient for the legs to fit around the end of the sheet metal of the walls. A partially flexible finger extends from one of the legs into the space between the legs so a to wedge against a surface of the sheet metal wall and thereby retain the retainer clip to the wall.

Channel letters are used to provide signage for buildings, shopping malls, and the like where it is desirable that the signage comprise illuminated letters or any other shapes that are easily seen, even at great distances, day or night. Each channel letter consists of an enclosure, usually a metal box, having a rear surface which is positioned against a raceway, or the wall of a building, on which the signage is mounted and a plurality of sides which define the figuration of a letter or number which make up a portion of the sign. A light source, such as a neon tube, is positioned within the walls of the enclosure and attached to the rear surface to provide illumination for the letter.
The light sources used in existing channel letters are neon bulbs requiring high voltage power with transformers built into the metal enclosures. To prevent injury to those servicing such channels letters many municipalities require that such letters be inspected to ensure that they are adequately sealed using standards set by Underwriters Laboratories.
It is expected that new technology will soon be available for the manufacturers of channel letters. Specifically, low voltage LED type light sources have been developed which provide a very long lasting bright light without requiring the high voltage and transformers needed for neon lighting. It is expected that channel letters employing the new technology will not be required to meet the standards set by Underwriters Laboratories.
In addition to the lighting, a channel letter also includes a planar, transparent lens, the outer shape of which corresponds to the figuration of the letter or any other shape defined by the sides of the enclosure. The lens of existing channel letters have a trim cap glued to the outer edges thereof which form a border to the lens. The trim cap also has a lip which, when assembled to the enclosure, is shaped to fit snugly around the forward ends of the walls thereof for retaining the lens to the enclosure and to maintain the water tight seal required by Underwriters Laboratories. Screws are threaded through the lips of the trim cap and into the walls to retain the lens across the forward opening of the enclosure.
The manufacture of the lens requires that a planar panel of transparent plastic be cut to the shape of the enclosure and that the trim cap be glued to the outer edges of the lens. The contours of the sides of many letters are curved and the process of shaping and gluing the trim cap around the edges of the lens is labor intensive. It is, therefore, expensive to manufacture existing lenses which fit across the forward ends of the enclosure of a channel letter.
It would be desirable to provide a channel letter having a lens which could be manufactured without incurring the labor intensive step of attaching a trim cap. It would also be desirable to provide a less expensive method of manufacturing and assembling a lens to the enclosure of a channel letter.
Briefly, the present invention is embodied in a channel letter. For the purposes of this description, a channel letter is defined as an eliminated contoured fixture in the shape of a letter of the alphabet, a numeral, an element of punctuation such as a comma, an exclamation point, or any other shape or form intended to constitute a portion of a sign.
The channel letter of the present invention has a rear surface for mounting against a raceway, a wall, or any other structure suitable for supporting the signage. The walls defining the figuration of the letter or shape to be depicted are made of sheet metal having a given thickness. A lighting element, such as a strip of LEDs according to the newly available technology or any other light source, is positioned against the rear surface of the enclosure to provide illumination therefore.
To retain the lens to the open front of the enclosure, a shoulder, preferably made of foam or rubber, is provided around the inner surface of the sides thereof where the shoulder defines a plane parallel to the outer ends of the sides but is recessed therefrom. A planar transparent lens having an outer edge which is in the shape of the letter and sized to fit within the sides of the enclosure is retained against the shoulder by a plurality of retaining clips which fit around the edge of the sheet metal walls.
In accordance with the present invention to retain the lens against the shoulder a plurality of retainer clips are spaced along the outer end of the walls of the enclosure. Each of the retainer clips consists of a unitary generally ridged body having a first leg and a second leg with the legs extending from an arched back. The legs are spaced from each other by a distance that is a little greater than the given thickness of the sheet metal of the walls. At least one semi-ridged/semi-flexible finger extends from the surface of one of the legs and into the space between the legs. In the preferred embodiment the finger is made from polyurethane and the body of the retainer clip is made from a transparent polycarbonate. Also, the fingers are not perpendicular to the side walls of the legs from which they project, but are at an angle with respect to the perpendicular with a component of the angle extending toward the arched back. The angled orientation of the fingers permit the clip to be easily fitted over the outer ends of the enclosure but resist removal of the retainer clip once it has been installed. A plurality of such retainer clips positioned around the outer edge of the walls thereby attaching the lens to the walls of the enclosure.
To provide lateral support to the enclosure, one or more cables may be provided to connect opposite walls of the enclosure.

Channel letter and retaining clip therefor


An optical device having variable focal length may include a deformable membrane, a support to which a peripheral anchoring area of said membrane is connected, and a cavity filled with a constant volume of fluid. The cavity being delimited by the membrane, a base opposite the membrane and a wall of the support extending between the base and the membrane. The optical device further includes an actuation device of a region of the membrane located between the peripheral anchoring area and a central part of the membrane, configured to bend said membrane by application of electrical actuation voltage so as to displace some of the volume of fluid. The membrane comprises a stiffening structure comprising cells which delimit, in the central part of said membrane, at least two deformable regions each constituting a diopter of a respective elementary optical system, each elementary optical system comprising said respective deformable region of the membrane, the fluid and the base of the cavity.

Multi-opening optical devices, comprising a plurality of optical systems such as lenses forming an array, are used in many fields of optics and photonics. Examples of applications are artificial eyes, cameras (for example Lytro or Pelican Imaging plenoptical optics), 3D optical imaging systems (capture or projection of images), or even telecommunications.
There are different technical solutions for varying the focal length of an optical device comprising a plurality of lenses.
A first technique consists of forming a plurality of lenses by electrowetting. The optical device can be activated by applying a difference in potential between several electrodes (traditional case of electrowetting). Another solution (without electrode) consists of using a Lithium Niobate substrate comprising reversed polarization regions distributed according to a determined pattern and a layer of optical oil spread over the surface of said substrate. A variation in temperature of the substrate modifies its polarization and results in modifying the thickness of oil according to the polarization of the corresponding region of the substrate [1].
Another technique is based on deformation of a deformable membrane in contact with a constant volume of fluid. The optical device comprises a fluid circuit formed by a plurality of chambers intercommunicating via channels, said chambers being delimited between a substrate and a deformable membrane. Each chamber constitutes a lens. The fluid circuit is filled with substantially uncompressible fluid and is connected to a pump which varies the fluid pressure in all the chambers and deforms the membrane to adjust the focal length of the lenses [2].
However, such a device is bulky, especially due to the presence of the pump which is arranged offset relative to the array of lenses.
Also, the fluid circuit, which is complex and costly to make, compromises the response time of the device.


A printing apparatus executes a print process of body text and a 2-sided print process of tab paper sheets by a single operation at an information processing apparatus. After one face of each tab paper sheet undergoes a print process, the printed tab paper sheets are set on a tray again, and the other face of each tab paper sheet undergoes a print process upon reception of a print instruction. In this case, the information processing apparatus issues commands and data required for the printing apparatus to execute such print processes.

A tab paper sheet is a paper sheet with a "tab" indicating an item or title to an A4 or letter paper sheet, and so-called "10-tab style" sheets with 10 tabs, "5-tab style" sheets with five tabs, and the like are prevalent. The standard size of a tab portion is ½″ in case of the letter size, but some tab paper sheets have tabs of other sizes. FIG. 4A shows an example of a "5-tab style" sheet.
Compared to a normal paper sheet, since a tab is attached and a tab paper sheet is normally formed of a paperboard and often causes paper jam at a convey system in a conventional printing apparatus, most of the conventional printing apparatuses do not support a print function on tab paper sheets. However, in recent years, since the technology of sheet convey systems has improved, a printing apparatus can perform a tab paper print process. Accordingly, a printing apparatus called a multi-function machine having a printer function and the like can print a tab generated on a computer via a printer driver.
However, a printing apparatus can only perform a 1-sided print process on tab paper sheets, but cannot normally perform a 2-sided print process due to its convey system. Since the tab paper sheet is made up of a paperboard, it is technically very difficult to reverse the sheet in the 2-sided print process.
Since items or titles to be printed on the tabs of tab paper sheets represent the contents of documents divided by these sheets, it is very important that they can be confirmed from the reverse face side, i.e., they are printed on the reverse faces.
In order to conquer such physical limitation (i.e., a paperboard cannot be reversed) of the printing apparatus, the following method may be adopted. That is, a tab paper sheet with a tab, one face of which has undergone a print process, is removed from printouts output onto an exhaust tray, and is manually reversed. Then, the reversed tab paper sheet is set on a sheet feed tray or manual insert tray to print only on the reverse face of the tab paper sheet.
However, with this method, (1) the user issues a print instruction from an information processing apparatus such as a host computer or the like to print on only one face of each sheet. (2) The user goes to the location of a printing apparatus, removes only tab paper sheets from an exhaust tray, and sets them in a cassette or manual insert tray. (3) The user then issues a print instruction of only tab paper sheets again from the information processing apparatus. Hence, the user must come and go at least twice between the host computer and printing apparatus. Such method not only wastes time but also readily causes operation miscues since user's actions increase.

Printing apparatus and information processing apparatus, control method thereof, program, and storage medium


A gas detection device includes a gas sensor and a drive circuit. The drive circuit includes a measurement circuit, a power supply circuit, and a control circuit. The gas sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a metal-oxide layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an insulating film that covers the first electrode, the second electrode, and the metal-oxide layer, and has an opening that exposes part of a main surface of the second electrode. A resistance value of the metal-oxide layer decreases when gas containing hydrogen atoms contact the second electrode. When the resistance value of the metal-oxide layer falls outside a predetermined range, the drive circuit applies a predetermined voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode to restore the resistance value of the metal-oxide layer back into the predetermined range.

PTL 1 discloses a gas sensor that detects, as a change in a resistance value, a presence of hydrogen gas. The gas sensor includes a material made by adding palladium (Pd) and glass to tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5), and platinum (Pt) electrodes sandwiching this material.
Non-Patent Literature (NPL) 1 discloses Pt/Ta2O5 Shottky diodes for hydrogen sensing. In the Shottky diodes, hydrogen molecules are dissociated into hydrogen atoms on the surface of catalyst Pt.
PTL 2 discloses a gas leak alarm which includes a lifespan determiner that determines the lifespan of a gas sensor, and a switching circuit that sequentially switches from one sensor element to another in accordance with a result of the determination.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Gas detection device, gas sensor system, fuel cell vehicle, and hydrogen detection method


Future travel times of a target vehicle traveling on a route from a starting point to a destination are predicted by first acquiring, by a probe vehicle, real-time probe data to alternative links from the starting point to the destination. Then, the future travel time for each link is predicted using a set of regression functions.

Various methods are known for predicting future travel times for a target vehicle traveling on a route based on probe data collected by probe vehicles for the same route. The route includes links or sequential road segments. The methods include linear or nonlinear regression, non-parametric regression, neural networks, and support vector machines (SVM). The methods can use locations, current times and date of the target vehicle and compare that data to similar probe data acquired by the probe vehicle. Having a good estimate of the current travel time can significantly improve the prediction of future travel times.
It is important to predict future travel times for each link on the route, instead of simply using the current travel time estimates for each link. This is because a particular route can take hours to travel, and the current travel time can be very inaccurate, e.g., one or two hours later, particularly as traffic conditions change.
On less traveled roads, new probe data from the probe vehicles can be very infrequent and sparse. If there is no recent probe data for a link, then it is difficult to predict the current travel time on the link. For a method that relies on an estimate of the current travel time to make a prediction of future travel times, this is a major problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,894,980 describes a method for estimating real-time travel times or traffic loads in a transportation network based on limited real-time data. That method estimates traffic flow, i.e., number of vehicles on a link per unit time, from real time data on one link and using that estimate to predict flow on a connected link based on knowledge of splitting percentages, which is the percentage of vehicles that leave the link instead of continuing along the link.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,375,649 describes a method for identifying a fastest possible travel route. A traveler data processor collects traffic speed data and associates the traffic speed data with road segments. The road segments collectively represent one or more possible travel routes from a start point to an end point. A forecast engine determines a predicted travel time for each of the road segments based on the traffic speed data for each of the road segments. A routing engine determines the fastest possible travel route from the start point to the end point.
U.S. Publication 20120290204 describes a system for predicting a travel time for a traffic route including one or more road segments. A predicted travel time for each of those segments is based on traffic speed data for each road segments. A total travel time is then calculated for the route.
U.S. Publication 20120136561 describes a method predicting traffic conditions at future times by using probabilistic techniques for road segments in real-time based on changing current conditions for a network of roads. One or more predictive Bayesian models and corresponding decision trees are created based on based on historical traffic conditions.
U.S. Publication 20100063715 describes a method for predicting traffic on a transportation network where real time data points are missing. The missing data are estimated using a calibration model of historical data that can be periodically updated, from select links constituting a relationship vector. The missing data can be estimated off-line for part of the network.
Most prior art method use historical data for the prediction. This is a problem because the historical data may not reflect current traffic conditions.

Method for predicting future travel time using geospatial inference

Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.


Systems and methods which utilize gravity feed for mail item movement in postage metering operations are shown. Embodiments provide for gravity drop feeding mail items into a portion of a postage metering system for metering operations, such as to activate or apply postage indicia thereto. Embodiments provide for gravity drop exit of mail items from a portion of a postage metering system after metering operations, such as activation or application of postage indicia thereto. Postage metering operations as performed by embodiments of the invention may comprise scanning and activation of preprinted tokens. Postage metering operations according to alternative embodiments of the invention may comprise printing postage indicia. Embodiments provide processing in addition to or in the alternative to the aforementioned postage indicia activation or printing and mail item marking operations, such as weighing, sorting, etc.

Systems for processing mail items and applying postage indicia thereto (postage indicia metering systems) have been in use in large businesses for years, such as for use in mailing large volumes of letters generated daily by such businesses. In more recent years, postage indicia metering systems have become sufficiently affordable so as to be adopted by small businesses and even home users, such as for use in somewhat large mailing campaigns, daily correspondence, etc. Accordingly, various configurations of postage indicia metering systems have been developed.
Although various configurations of postage indicia metering systems have been provided in an attempt to address particular needs and demands of users, all such postage indicia metering systems have required moving of mail items or transfer media to and from a postage indicia printing area. For example, high volume and other postage indicia metering systems have utilized conveyers and/or other feed mechanisms to transport mail items to a postage indicia printing area, orient the mail items for postage indicia printing, and to transport the mail items from the postage indicia printing area. Less complicated postage indicia metering systems, such as low volume postage indicia metering systems often used in homes and small businesses, utilize manual means by which to transport mail items to a postage indicia printing area, orient the mail items for postage indicia printing, and to transport the mail items from the postage indicia printing area.
In addition to providing for moving of mail items or transfer mediums to and from a postage indicia printing area, such postage indicia metering systems have provided for various forms of associated processing and handling. For example, postage indicia metering systems have been provided with mechanisms for folding documents, stuffing envelopes, weighing mail items, sealing envelopes, sorting mail items, applying postage indicia, etc.
The foregoing mechanisms are often quite complicated, involving the use of many parts and requiring precise timing and/or tolerances for the proper operation thereof. Likewise, such mechanisms are typically quite expensive, adding to the base cost of an associated postage indicia meter. Accordingly, mail item feed and handling mechanisms generally increase the complexity and size of the postage indicia metering systems and reduce the reliability of the postage indicia metering systems.

Systems and methods utilizing gravity feed for postage metering


In a recording medium including stacked recording layers, management data requiring reliability is recorded in the recording layer far from the surface of the recording medium and data bodies are recorded in the recording layer close to the surface of the recording medium. Thus a data file can be read even if defects such as fingerprints and scratches occur on the surface of the recording medium.

As optical discs have developed to CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays with increasing storage capacities, the file systems have been taken over by new generations. To be specific, ISO 9660 was taken over by a file system called UDF (Universal Disk Format) that was defined by OSTA (Optical Storage Technology Association) and was standardized by ISO/TEC and Ecma International (e.g., see Non-Patent Literatures 1 and 2). After that, UDF has been revised several times. UDF 2.50 has been adopted for BD-RE (Ver. 2.0/2.1/3.0) and BD-ROM (Ver. 1.0) and UDF 2.60 has been adopted for BD-R (Ver 1.0) (e.g., see Non-Patent Literatures 3 to 5).
Generally, optical discs on which information is recorded thus are bare discs and the surfaces of the discs are likely to be contaminated or damaged during the manufacturing or use of the optical discs. In the case where defects occur and the management information of a file system is not correctly read, a recorded file cannot be reproduced. Conversely, even if a file body is defectively read, a file can be reproduced simply by correctly reading the management information. Thus in order to read a file regardless of whether the file body is defective or not, file system management areas are recorded at two points in UDF to have a dual management structure. The file system management area contains management information for managing the hierarchical structure of a file system and the recording area of a file body. With this structure, even when one of the management areas is defectively read, a file can be reproduced by reading the other management area (e.g., see Patent Literature 1).
In another known technique, in order to securely perform reproduction when an impact from an external factor causes damage or fingerprints are placed, important file system management areas are not situated on the inner and outer peripheries of a disc but on the inner and intermediate parts that are less subjected to fingerprints and scratches (e.g., see Patent Literature 2).

File system managing method and recording medium


A system and method for indexing and retrieval of document images in an MMR system having repeated content is described. The system provides one or more hierarchical shared content indices that produce faster and/or more accurate search results. The system is also advantageous because the number and configuration of the hierarchical shared content indices is automated, scalable and efficient for processing documents with partially repeated content. In particular, the MMR matching unit includes a hierarchical shared content index (HSCI) and associated methods of use for processing images where the MMR system includes repeated content. The present invention also includes a number of novel methods including a method for adding an image to a hierarchical shared content index; a method for deleting an image from the hierarchical shared content index, and a method for using the hierarchical shared content index for image recognition, as well as a method for combining multiple MMR indexes into a hierarchical MMR index.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to techniques for indexing and searching for mixed media documents formed from at least two media types, and more particularly, to recognizing images and other data using Mixed Media Reality (MMR) recognition that uses printed media in combination with electronic media to retrieve mixed media documents. More particularly, the present invention relates to the creation and use of a hierarchical index for performing MMR recognition in systems having repeated image content.
2. Description of the Related Art
Document printing and copying technology has been used for many years in many contexts. By way of example, printers and copiers are used in commercial office environments, in home environments with personal computers, and in document printing and publishing service environments. However, printing and copying technology has not been thought of previously as a means to bridge the gap between static printed media (i.e., paper documents), and the "virtual world" of interactivity that includes the likes of digital communication, networking, information provision, advertising, entertainment and electronic commerce.
Printed media has been the primary source of communicating information, such as news papers and advertising information, for centuries. The advent and ever-increasing popularity of personal computers and personal electronic devices, such as personal digital assistant (PDA) devices and cellular telephones (e.g., cellular camera phones), over the past few years has expanded the concept of printed media by making it available in an electronically readable and searchable form and by introducing interactive multimedia capabilities, which are unparalleled by traditional printed media.
Unfortunately, a gap exists between the electronic multimedia-based world that is accessible electronically and the physical world of print media. For example, although almost everyone in the developed world has access to printed media and to electronic information on a daily basis, users of printed media and of personal electronic devices do not possess the tools and technology required to form a link between the two (i.e., for facilitating a mixed media document).
Moreover, there are particular advantageous attributes that conventional printed media provides such as tactile feel, no power requirements, and permanency for organization and storage, which are not provided with virtual or digital media. Likewise, there are particular advantageous attributes that conventional digital media provides such as portability (e.g., carried in storage of cell phone or laptop) and ease of transmission (e.g., email).
One particular problem in the prior art is that the image capture devices that are most prevalent and common as part of mobile computing devices (e.g., cell phones) produce low-quality images. In attempting to compare the low-quality images to pristine versions of printed documents, recognition is very difficult if not impossible. Thus there is a need for a method for recognizing low-quality images.
A second problem in the prior art is that the image recognition process is computationally very expensive and can require seconds if not minutes to accurately recognize the page and location of a pristine document from an input query image. This can especially be a problem with a large data set, for example, millions of pages of documents. Thus, there is a need for mechanisms to improve the speed in which recognition can be performed.
A third problem in the prior is that comparison and recognition of multiple document pages with similar content yields too many matches. Some common examples are: boiler plate text in contracts and other legal documents, forms or templates filled by hand or electronically, multiple versions of the same document, regional editions of a newspaper, reused figures in presentations, hankos, etc. When the layout of two or more different document pages is identical in some region, and an image patch is taken of that region, it is theoretically impossible to determine from which document the patch image was taken. Moreover, another problem with repeated content occurs when two document pages are very similar, except in a very small area (this occurs for example in multiple form instances of the same form template). In this case existing systems may get confused as usual document scoring metrics will assign very high scores to all form instances matching the correct template.
The prior art recognition systems fail to compare and recognize multiple document pages with similar content for a number of reasons. Some MMR systems (such as Path Coding) do not return any matches if two or more indexed documents closely match a given patch. This occurs because the ratio of scores of the two most similar documents is used as a measure of confidence in the retrieval. Thus, in these systems, patches matching multiple documents will be rejected as not being sufficiently discriminative and no matching documents are returned. Other recognition systems return only one of the matching documents at random when multiple documents match a given patch. This occurs because identical documents may get different scores during retrieval where heuristics are used to accelerate document scoring, or depending on the order in which documents were indexed (This occurs in invisible junction, and brick wall coding). These problems are exacerbated, when the matching parts among documents are not numerically identical (as would be obtained through printing a digital file) but merely very similar (as would occur when scanning forms).

Mixed media reality indexing and retrieval for repeated content


A self-locking agent for a fastening device comprises a microencapsulated adhesive composition comprising the following constituents (a) to (c):. (a) an epoxy compound having at least two epoxy groups,. (b) an aromatic diamine represented by the following formula (a) or (b): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 each represent CH.sub.3, C.sub.2 H.sub.5, C.sub.3 H.sub.7, CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2, C.sub.4 H.sub.9 or a halogen, or ##STR2## wherein R.sub.5 to R.sub.7 each represent CH.sub.3, C.sub.2 H.sub.5, C.sub.3 H.sub.7 or a halogen, and. (c) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of thiosalicylic acid, salicylic acid, benzoic anhydride, boron trifluoride and boron trifluoride complexes, wherein at least one of the epoxy compound (a) and aromatic diamine (b) is microencapsulated to keep them apart from each other, said self-locking agent has excellent thermal resistance and storage stability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-locking agent to be applied to an engaging part of a fastening device to secure that part by engaging and also to a fastening device coated with the self-locking agent.
2. Prior Art
Adhesives to be used for securing the engaging part of a fastening device by bonding generally include the following adhesives (1) to (3):
(1) an anaerobic adhesive mainly comprising an acrylic or methacrylic ester and a polymerization initiator,
(2) a precoat-type adhesive prepared by microencapsulating the same anaerobic adhesive as the above-described one (1), making the microcapsules with a catalyst, filler, binder, etc., applying the resulting mixture to the engaging part of a fastening device and drying it, and
(3) a precoat-type adhesive prepared by mixing microcapsules of an epoxy polymer with a hardener, filler and binder, applying the mixture to the engaging part of a fastening device and drying it.
However, these prior art techniques have each problems which will now be described.
The adhesive (1) is difficult to apply to a fastening device in a predetermined amount, because it is liquid. Further it is also difficult and costly to incorporate an application for the adhesive into the production line. In addition, the hardening of the adhesive when applied to, for example, a resin screw is insufficient, since the presence of a metal ion is indispensable for the hardening of the anaerobic adhesive. Since the resin squeezed out of the threaded part will not easily be hardened, it says or volatilizes to adhere to other parts, thus exerting a bad influence on the quality of the product.
The precoat-type adhesive (2) is one developed to solve the problems of the adhesive (1). Although the workability thereof was improved, the quality of the product is deteriorated when no metal ion is present on the surface of an object, since a hardening adhesive composition similar to the composition (1) is used.
The precoat-type adhesive (3) is one improved in the workability in application and the hardenability of the squeezed resin, but irritates the skin and has toxicity such as mutagenicity, since it contains an aliphatic or alicyclic polyamine used as the hardener. Further its thermal resistance and long-term stability are insufficient.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the above-described defects of the prior art techniques and, in particular, to provide a self-locking agent for a fastening device which has excellent thermal resistance and storage stability and also a fastening device coated with the self-locking agent.