A packet combining device for a communication system using hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) includes: a HARQ buffer; a combiner configured to combine data which is previously received and stored in the HARQ buffer with newly-received data; and a channel decoder configured to attempt channel decoding by using the combined received data provided from the combiner and provide one or more of log likelihood ratios (LLRs) computed for a systematic bit and a parity bit of the combined received data to the combiner such that the one or more LLRs are combined with the data used for channel decoding.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a packet combining device and method for a communication system using hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ).
As the communication system develops and information to be transmitted contains multimedia information, it becomes more important to transmit information quickly and effectively. However, an information loss may be caused by noise, fading, or interference occurring in a communication channel. In order to effectively overcome an error caused by the information loss, it is necessary to use error correction coding.
The error correction coding refers to a technology in which a transmitter adds a parity bit to an information bit to transmit, and effectively decodes bits received through a channel, thereby increasing the reliability of the information bit.
In order to overcome a channel error occurring in a digital communication system, an error correction technology using turbo codes has been first proposed by Claude Berrou, in 1993. An error correction ability of the turbo codes has a characteristic in which bit-error rate (BER) performance is improved according to a repeat number, and it is known that when a sufficient number of iterations are performed, error correction may be achieved around a channel capacity published by C. E. Shannon [refer to C. Berrou, A. Glavieux and P. Thitimajshima, "Near Shannon limit error correcting coding and decoding: turbo-codes," ICC 1993, Geneva, Switzerland, pp. 1064-1070 May 1993.].
A basic decoder of a turbo decoder is implemented by using a MAP (Maximum A Posteriori) algorithm or SOVA (Soft Output Viterbi Algorithm).
The MAP algorithm known as a BCJR algorithm was used as a basic decoding algorithm of a turbo decoder which has been first published by Claude Berrou [BCJR algorithm has been disclosed in L. R. Bahl, J. Cocke, F. Jelinek and J. Raviv, "Optimal decoding of linear codes for minimizing symbol error rate," IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, Vol IT-20, pp 284-287, March 1974.].
Furthermore, the SOVA has been proposed by J. Hagenauer [refer to J. Hagenauer, "A Viterbi algorithm with soft-decision outputs and its application", Proc. GLOBECOM'89 Dallas, Tex., pp 47.1.1-47.1.7, November 1989.], and the architecture of a turbo decoder using the SOVA as a basic decoder has been published by Berrou [refer to C. Berrou, P. Adde, E. Angui and S. Faudeil "A low complexity soft-output Viterbi decoder" ICC 1993, Geneva, Switzerland, pp 737-740, May 1993.].
In general, it is known that a turbo decoder using the MAP algorithm is two to four times more complex than a turbo decoder using the SOVA in terms of computational complexity, and is more excellent by 0.5 dB to 0.7 dB in terms of performance. Meanwhile, the architecture of a turbo decoder using a modified Log-MAP algorithm, which is obtain by simplifying a Log-MAP algorithm to facilitate hardware implementation, has been published by S. S. Pietrobon [refer to S. S. Pietrobon and S. A. Barbulescu, "A simplification of the modified Bahl decoding algorithm for systematic convolutional codes," ISITA 1994, Sydney, NSW, pp 1073-1077, November 1994.]. Furthermore, since the existing Log-MAP algorithm is difficult to implement, Sub-Log-MAP and Max-Log-MAP algorithms have also been published to reduce a computational amount while accepting a performance reduction.
The turbo codes have been adopted to perform error correction for high-speed data transmission requiring a low BER in the LTE (Long Term Evolution) standard which is a next-generation mobile communication system as well as the current mobile communication system, and adopted as the error correction standard of a digital broadcasting communication system.
In general, a turbo decoder calculates only a log likelihood ratio (LLR) of a systematic part. Referring to FIG. 1, however, U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,901 of Motorola has disclosed a technical idea in which a turbo decoder computing an LLR of a parity bit is used to feedback the LLR, thereby improving the performance of the turbo decoder.
The HARQ scheme is an advanced form of the ARQ scheme and is a method of attempting a retransmission to reduce an error and loss of a packet. In the HARQ, the information of previously-transmitted packets is utilized to retransmit a packet, in order to increase the reliability of the retransmitted packet.
The HARQ scheme may be divided into a chase combining (CC) scheme and an incremental redundancy (IR) scheme.
The CC scheme utilizes both signal information of a retransmitted packet and previously-transmitted packets. At this time, an initially-transmitted original packet is transmitted as the retransmitted packet. That is, since the original packet and the retransmitted packet are combined to attempt reception, a unique combining effect of the HARQ scheme may be obtained.
Furthermore, the IR scheme uses a coding scheme such as turbo codes, rate compatible punctured convolutional (RCPC) codes, or low density parity check (LDPC) codes. In the IR scheme, information which is to be transmitted by a transmitter is coded to generate a redundancy information block, only an original packet excluding redundancy information is transmitted at the initial transmission, and the redundancy information block is transmitted instead of the entire original packet, when the transmission fails. That is, the redundancy information generated by the coding is transmitted for a retransmission request of the IR scheme, instead of the original packet. At this time, a receiver receives only the original packet at the initial transmission, and attempts reception by combining the original packet and the retransmitted packets when the redundancy block is received for the retransmission request. Therefore, a unique combining effect of the HARQ scheme and a coding gain may be obtained.
However, when the HARQ scheme is performed according to the conventional schemes, data obtained by combining previously-received data and newly-received data is inputted to a channel decoder. In this case, although the unique combining effect of the HARQ and the coding gain are obtained, the data improved by the channel decoder cannot be used.
Therefore, there is demand for a method of using the high-quality data improved by the channel decoder.
The related art of the present invention has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,901 (2001 Oct. 23).

Packet combining device and method for communication system using hybrid automatic repeat request

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


An electronic scanning type radar device mounted on a moving body includes: a transmission unit transmitting a transmission wave; a reception unit comprising a plurality of antennas receiving a reflection wave of the transmission wave from a target; a beat signal generation unit generating a beat signal from the transmission wave and the reflection wave; a frequency resolution processing unit frequency computing a complex number data; a target detection unit detecting an existence of the target; a correlation matrix computation unit computing a correlation matrix from each of a complex number data of a detected beat frequency; a target consolidation processing unit linking the target in a present detection cycle and a past detection cycle; a correlation matrix filtering unit generating an averaged correlation matrix by weighted averaging a correlation matrix of a target in the present detection cycle and a correlation matrix of a related target in the past detection cycle; and a direction detection unit computing an arrival direction of the reflection wave based on the averaged correlation matrix.

Conventionally, an electronic scanning type radar has been used as a radar mounted on a vehicle, which utilizes the system of an FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) radar, a multifrequency CW (Continuous Wave) radar, a pulse radar, and the like.
According to each of the radars mentioned above, an estimation method of a direction of an incoming wave of an array antenna is used as a technology for detecting a direction of an incoming wave (or a reception wave) from a target.
An example of this estimation method of a direction of an incoming wave is a null operation method (refer to Non-Patent Document 1 and 2, for instance) known as a super-resolution (high precision) algorithm such as a beam scanning method like the Beamformer Method and the Capon Method, a linear prediction method like the Maximum Entropy Method (MEM: Maximum Entropy Method), the Minimum Norm Method, MUSIC (Multiple Signal Classification) Method, and the ESPRIT (Estimation of Signal Parameters via Rotational Invariance Techniques) Method.
Further, the estimation of the direction of the incoming wave, used by a radar mounted on a vehicle, is conducted by a method (refer to, for example, Patent Document 1) using solely the digital beam forming (DBF: Digital Beam Forming) of the Beamformer Method, or by a method (refer to, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3) combining the DBF and the Maximum Entropy Method in recent years in order to enhance the detection accuracy of the arrival direction of the reception wave (or the resolution performance of the target).
Moreover, in order to apply a super-resolution algorithm such as MUSIC to a vehicle-mounted radar, a microprocessor is used which is utilized for vehicle-mounted radar with a low arithmetic processing capacity, compared to normal personal computers. Therefore, a method is developed by simplifying an estimation algorithm (refer to, for example, Patent Documents 4, 5, 6, and 7).
According to the super-resolution algorithm such as MUSIC, mentioned above, a correlation matrix is generated from data of reception waves received by each array antenna. An eigen value calculation is conducted by this correlation matrix. Thus, the arrival direction of the reception wave is detected. Here, the eigen value calculation (computation) refers to a calculation obtaining the eigen value and the eigenvector.
At this time, the super-resolution algorithm generates a correlation matrix by an ensemble average of the reception data because the accuracy of detecting the arrival direction enhances as the noise element of the correlation matrix is removed.
For example, the FMCW radar uses a correlation matrix generated by obtaining highest possible number of samples of a data set of the received beat signal (a temporal sequence data of a certain period of time, which can be converted to a data in a frequency domain) and obtaining an average. The number of samples is called a snapshot number (refer to, for example, Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2).
However, according to the vehicle-mounted radar, the distance from the target and the relative velocity change constantly. Therefore, even if the snapshot number is increased nebulously, the accuracy of detecting the arrival direction of the reception wave does not necessarily increase.
On the contrary, in order to increase the snapshot number within a control cycle (or a detection cycle such as 100 ms) for detecting the target, the frequency resolution operation corresponding to the reception signal must be conducted simultaneously for a number of times multiplying the number of array antennas and the snapshot number. Thus, there is a limit on the number.
Patent Document 4 describes a method in order to enhance the accuracy of detecting the target without increasing the snapshot number. According to this method described in Patent Document 4, for example, a correlation matrix is stored for each beat frequency at the previous control cycle (or the control cycle immediately prior to the previous control cycle). Further, this method obtains a weighted sum (weighted average) of a correlation matrix of a beat frequency, for which a target exists in the present control cycle, and a correlation matrix in the previous control cycle (or the control cycle immediately prior to the previous control cycle) having the same beat frequency. Moreover, Patent Document 4 describes a method which stores the weighted averaged correlation matrix for each beat frequency, and obtains a further weighted sum of the correlation matrix of a beat frequency for which a target exists in the present control cycle and a correlation matrix with the same frequency obtained as described above by weighted summation.
In addition, Patent Document 5, mentioned above, discloses a method for increasing the snapshot number by averaging each correlation matrix generated for a frequency indicating a peak value, from among the same peak waveform for which a target exists at a beat frequency, and for a frequency in the vicinity (for example, ±two frequency resolutions).
According to this Patent Document 5, an average of the correlation matrix in the frequency domain is further averaged by using a past correlation matrix. Next, Patent Document 6 describes estimating an arrival direction of the reception wave by combining a method estimating the form of a roadside and a method averaging the present and past correlation matrices.
In addition, Patent Document 7 describes a method which determines a weighted coefficient (or a forgetting coefficient: a constant representing the degree of forgetting) in real time in order to average the present and past correlation matrices.
Further, an electronic scanning type radar has been used conventionally as a radar mounted on a vehicle, which utilizes the system of an FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) radar, a multifrequency CW (Continuous Wave) radar, a pulse radar, and the like.
According to each of the radars mentioned above, an estimation method of a direction of an incoming wave of an array antenna is used as a technology for detecting a direction of an incoming wave (or a reception wave) which is a reflection wave from a target corresponding to a transmission wave.
An example of this estimation method of a direction of an incoming wave is a null operation method (refer to Non-Patent Document 1 and 2, for instance) known as a super-resolution (high precision) algorithm such as a beam scanning method like the Beamformer Method and the Capon Method, a linear prediction method like the Maximum Entropy Method (MEM: Maximum Entropy Method), the Minimum Norm Method, MUSIC (Multiple Signal Classification) Method, and the ESPRIT (Estimation of Signal Parameters via Rotational Invariance Techniques) Method.
Further, the estimation of the direction of the incoming wave, used by a radar mounted on a vehicle, is conducted by a method (refer to, for example, Patent Document 1) using solely the digital beam forming (DBF: Digital Beam Forming) of the Beamformer Method, or by a method (refer to, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3) combining the DBF and the Maximum Entropy Method in recent years in order to enhance the detection accuracy of the arrival direction of the reception wave (or the resolution performance of the target).
Moreover, in order to apply a super-resolution algorithm such as MUSIC to a vehicle-mounted radar, methods have been developed with an inclination to simplify the processing (refer to, for example, Patent Documents 4 and 8). These methods can be applied to a vehicle-mounted device which has a low processing capacity compared to normal personal computers.
According to the super-resolution algorithm such as MUSIC, mentioned above, it is preferred that the direction of the incoming wave is estimated after a number of the incoming waves is estimated, in order to enhance the accuracy with which the direction is estimated.
Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 introduce the AIC (Akaike Information Criteria) and the MDL (Minimum Description Length) as methods to estimate the number of incoming waves based on the maximum-likelihood approach in statistical processing.
However, according to the estimation methods introduced in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is necessary to collect a large amount of data and then conduct a dispersion assessment. Therefore, it is not suitable to use these methods for a vehicle-mounted radar whose relative distance to the target and relative velocity fluctuate rapidly.
Patent Document 8 describes a method for estimating the number of incoming waves, necessary for computing the MUSIC spectrum, with a light computation load. In other words, Patent Document 8 describes a method which is an application of a threshold approach in which an eigen value is computed, and the signal space and a noise space are estimated individually based on the magnitude of the eigen value.
In this case, the reception intensity of the radar declines as the measured distance becomes larger. Therefore, the method described above estimates the number of incoming waves by storing and setting a threshold for each relative distance to the target, and then comparing this threshold with the eigen value (equivalent to the reception intensity).
In addition, there is a method (refer to Patent Documents 9, for example) which normalizes an eigen value as one of the diagonal element value of the original covariance matrix (in other words, the correlation matrix), and then distinguishes based on a threshold value. This method is not designed to be used for a vehicle-mounted device.
Furthermore, an estimation method which estimates the number of incoming waves with a high degree of accuracy constantly performs a spectrum computation assuming that the number of incoming waves is the maximum number that can be received, and in the subsequent calculation of electronic power, unnecessary peak values are removed, and obtain a final estimation value of the number of incoming waves (Patent Document 10).
Moreover, an electronic scanning type radar has been conventionally used as a radar mounted on a vehicle, which utilizes the system of an FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) radar, a multifrequency CW (Continuous Wave) radar, a pulse radar, and the like.
According to each of the radars mentioned above, an estimation method of a direction of an incoming wave of an array antenna is used as a technology for detecting a direction of an incoming wave (or a reception wave) which is a reflection wave from a target corresponding to a transmission wave.
An example of this estimation method of a direction of an incoming wave is a null operation method (refer to Non-Patent Document 1 and 2, for instance) known as a super-resolution (high precision) algorithm such as a beam scanning method like the Beamformer Method and the Capon Method, a linear prediction method like the Maximum Entropy Method (MEM: Maximum Entropy Method), the Minimum Norm Method, MUSIC (Multiple Signal Classification) Method, and the ESPRIT (Estimation of Signal Parameters via Rotational Invariance Techniques) Method.
Further, the estimation of the direction of the incoming wave, used by a radar mounted on a vehicle, is conducted by a method (refer to, for example, Patent Document 1) using solely the digital beam forming (DBF: Digital Beam Forming) of the Beamformer Method, or by a method (refer to, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3) combining the DBF and the Maximum Entropy Method in recent years in order to enhance the detection accuracy of the arrival direction of the reception wave (or the resolution performance of the target).
Moreover, in order to apply a super-resolution algorithm such as MUSIC to a vehicle-mounted radar, methods have been developed with an inclination to simplify the processing (refer to, for example, Patent Documents 4 and 8). These methods can be applied to a vehicle-mounted device which has a low processing capacity compared to normal personal computers.
According to the super-resolution algorithm such as MUSIC, mentioned above, it is preferred that the direction of the incoming wave is estimated after a number of the incoming waves is estimated, in order to enhance the accuracy with which the direction is estimated.
Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 introduce the AIC (Akaike Information Criteria) and the MDL (Minimum Description Length) as methods to estimate the number of incoming waves based on the maximum-likelihood approach in statistical processing.
However, according to the estimation methods introduced in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is necessary to collect a large amount of data and then conduct a dispersion assessment. Therefore, it is not suitable to use these methods for a vehicle-mounted radar whose relative distance to the target and relative velocity fluctuate rapidly.
Patent Document 8 describes a method for estimating the number of incoming waves, necessary for computing the MUSIC spectrum, with a light computation load. In other words, Patent Document 8 describes a method which is an application of a threshold approach in which an eigen value is computed, and the signal space and a noise space are estimated individually based on the magnitude of the eigen value.
In this case, the reception intensity of the radar declines as the measured distance becomes larger. Therefore, the method described above estimates the number of incoming waves by storing and setting a threshold for each relative distance to the target, and then comparing this threshold with the eigen value (which is proportional to the reception intensity).
In addition, there is a method (refer to Patent Documents 9, for example) which normalizes an eigen value as one of the diagonal element value of the original covariance matrix (in other words, the correlation matrix), and then distinguishes based on a threshold value. This method is not designed to be used for a vehicle-mounted device.    [Non-Patent Document 1] "Adaptive Signal Processing Using Array Antennas," Kikuma Nobuyoshi (Kagaku Gijutsu Shyuppan, 1998).    [Non-Patent Document 2] "Adaptive Antenna Technology," Kikuma Nobuyoshi (Ohm Sha, 2003).    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2000-284044    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-275840    [Patent Document 3] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-308542    [Patent Document 4] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2007-040806    [Patent Document 5] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-145251    [Patent Document 6] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-242695    [Patent Document 7] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-284182    [Patent Document 8] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-047282    [Patent Document 9] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-153579    [Patent Document 10] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2000-121716

Electronic scanning type radar device and method for estimating direction of reception wave


Techniques for denoising an electromagnetic signal are disclosed. The techniques utilize an antenna, a weight adaptation component, a reservoir computer including a computer interpretable neural network, a delay embedding component, and an output layer computer. The techniques include passively acquiring an electromagnetic signal by the antenna, producing a plurality of reservoir state values by the reservoir computer based on the electromagnetic signal, collecting the plurality of reservoir state values by the delay embedding component into a historical record, determining a plurality of reservoir state value weights by the weight adaptation component based at least in part of the historical record, scaling, by the plurality of reservoir state value weights, to produce a plurality of output values, the plurality of reservoir state values by the output layer computer, and outputting the plurality of output values, where the scaling occurs over a plurality of clock cycles of a clock for the system.

State-of-the-art systems for detecting, localizing, and classifying source emitters using passive radio frequency antennas over an ultra-wide bandwidth (>30 Gigahertz (Ghz)) signal generally requires high rate analog-to-digital converters. Such high-rate ADCs are expensive and power hungry; due to fundamental physical limits (such as the Walden curve), they are not capable of achieving the sampling rate needed to capture the ultra-wide bandwidth. To mitigate this, state-of-the-art Electronic Support Measure (ESM) systems use either spectrum sweeping (which is too slow to handle agile emitters) or a suite of digital channelizers, which have large size, weight, and power requirements. In addition, the detection, localization, and classification algorithms used in state-of-the-art ESM systems are typically based on the fast Fourier transform, with high computational complexity and memory requirements that make it difficult to operate in real-time over an ultra-wide bandwidth.
Conventional methods for denoising fall into two categories: filter-based methods and training-based approaches. Filter-based methods use filtering to smooth out noise from a signal, but are too simplistic to simultaneously maintain the low-frequency long-term trends of a signal while adapting to the high-frequency abrupt transitions. Training-based methods rely on a "dictionary" that models the signals of interest. Such a dictionary must be trained in an offline process, and requires training data that may not be available. In addition, the dictionary often requires a large amount of memory and computation to be stored and leveraged on the platform, making such approaches infeasible for ultra-low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) systems.
Thus, a continuing need exists for a signal denoising system that does not require offline training and can efficiently operate over a wide bandwidth.


The present invention comprises a safe for providing an enclosure housing for video films or the like, the safe being lockable to a doorknob. The safe has a back panel and a front panel which define the housing. The back panel is disposable over a doorknob, and a front cover is hingedly swingable onto said front panel and said back panel to lock them together, and to lock the safe containing the video films or like products onto the doorknob.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lockable safes, and more particularly to safes which are securable to doorknobs or the like, for storing video films or other valuables therein.
2. Prior Art
Our society has changed from a stay-at-home type, to one that is constantly on the go. People are often not content to or even able to wait at home for delivery people. Included in this changed society is the desire to view video films frequently, which are rented from a local distributor. Ordering these video films requires only a phone call. But actually getting and returning these films is more of a problem.
A good idea for solving this is having the films delivered to the user's home, and having them picked up by the film distributor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,370 to Cooper shows a door attachable security box for a pair of video films. This box however, precludes the closing of any storm door over the box, or minimizing its obtrusiveness. Its padlock has to be removed and may be possibly lost, as the films are inserted and/or removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,668 to Giletti et al, shows a security box for a door, but the box has two different openings for depositing and removal of articles stored therein, and the door has to be opened to remove the box.
The prior art has just not come up with a good solution for securing valuable products such as video films onto a door, which also keeps the products/films safe from the weather, easy to load and unload, while being removable from the door without having to open the box to expose its contents to loss or inclement weather.


The disclosure presents novel methods to conduct aerial surveying, inspection and measurements with higher accuracy in a fast and easy way, comprising: (1) flying a drone with an accelerometer, gyro, and camera sensors over a target object; (2) capturing a first aerial image at a first position; (3) capturing a second aerial image at a second position, wherein the second position has a horizontal and vertical displacement from the first position; (4) calculating the displacements between the first and second location using a sensor fusion estimation algorithm from the position sensors' data; (5) solving for the pixel depth information of the aerial images by using a single-camera stereophotogrammetry algorithm with the relative altitude and horizontal distance; (6) deriving the ground sample distance (GSD) of each pixel from the calculated depth information; (7) using the image pixel GSD values to compute any geometric properties of the target objects.

Aerial survey is a method of collecting geomatics, construction, or other imagery using airplanes, helicopters, UAVs, balloons, or other aerial means. Aerial survey is sometimes recognized as aerophotogrammetry, part of photogrammetry, where the camera is placed in the air. Measurements on aerial images are provided by photogrammetric technologies and methods. A special case, called stereophotogrammetry, involves estimating the three-dimensional coordinates of points on an object employing measurements made in two or more photographic images taken from different positions. Common points are identified on each image. A line of sight (or ray) can be constructed from the camera location to the point on the object. It is the intersection of these rays (triangulation) that determines the three-dimensional location of the point. Stereophotogrammetry is emerging as a robust, non-contacting measurement technique. The present disclosure discusses a combination of stereophotogrammetry and aerophotogrammetry called stereoaerophotogrammetry.
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without a human pilot aboard. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS); which includes a UAV, a ground-based controller, and a system of communications between the two. The flight of UAVs may operate with various degrees of autonomy: either under remote control by a human operator or autonomously by onboard computers. From this point on in our discussion, we will use the terms "unmanned aircraft system", "UAV" and "drone" interchangeably according to the convenience of the explanation.
UAVs are normally equipped with various sensors. The position and movement sensors, such as gyro, accelerometer, GPS, barometer, etc., give information about the aircraft state. The exteroceptive sensors, such as camera, multispectral sensor, and LiDAR, deal with external information including distance measurements and imagery. One important measurement is the drone's precise current altitude—the height from sea level or ground level. The traditional methods or sensors used to measure are, but are not limited to, distance rangers (laser, sonic, radio, photometric), barometers, GPS, skydiver altimeters, and a combination of skydiver altimeters and barometers. Those devices are either too large, heavy, or expensive to be installed or used on a UAV, or the measurement is not accurate enough. The normal accuracy is around 10 to 30 feet. Some of the latest digital altimeters that can be installed on the drones provide a best accuracy of no less than 1 foot.
One of the uses of UAVs is aerial photography and surveying. For example, conducting or operating a roof examination and inspection for houses or buildings in the construction and real estate industry, which is not as easy as doing other inspections. It always requires human beings to climb onto the roof to check the condition of the rooftop and chimney, which is costly, inconvenient, and even dangerous. While roof inspection is necessary for houses and buildings since the rooftop or chimney may become damaged in use, there is a great need to provide a safer and more economical method for it. One of the solutions is to conduct the inspection, examination, and measurement by using a drone with sensors.
Even though the UAVs are relatively new on the market, there are already many applications that use UAVs and their onboard cameras and sensors for aerial inspection, surveying, and measurement. However, none of the solutions can provide very high accuracy by using drone with off-the-shelf sensors, and a fast, simple, and easy operation in the surveying, inspection, and measurement.
The present disclosure provides a group of methods and apparatus to conduct the aerial surveying, inspection, and measurements with higher accuracy in a fast and easy way, comprising: (1) flying a drone with an accelerometer sensor, gyro sensor, and single-camera to capture two aerial images and collect the sensors' data; (2) applying new single-camera stereophotogrammetry combined with an accurate sensor fusion algorithm to measure any geometric properties in the captured image.

Single-camera stereoaerophotogrammetry using UAV sensors


In an onboard gateway apparatus, when data is received from one network, the received data is stored in the buffer. The buffer includes a first storage area for storing data in the order of priority of an identifier (ID) attached to the data and a second storage area for storing data in the order in which the data is received. A control means stores the received data in one of the first and second storage areas based on the attached identifier, and sends the data to another network in accordance with the priority of the ID of the data. As to data passing through the first storage area, sending in the order of priority is ensured. As to data passing through the second storage area, sending in the order in which the data is received is ensured.

The present invention relates to a gateway apparatus mounted on a vehicle.
In recent vehicles, a plurality of electronic control units (referred to as ECUs) such as an ECU for an engine control, an ECU for a door control, an ECU for an airbag, and an ECU for navigation are mounted. A gateway apparatus for connecting these ECUs via a plurality of networks has been proposed such that these ECUs can communicate with each other.
Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2008-172353 discloses a vehicle onboard relay apparatus (gateway apparatus) for providing a sending queue for each of ports corresponding to connected plurality of networks, adding sender information to received data, determining an order in which the received data is sent based on the sender information and a priority (ID) of the received data, and storing the received data in the sending queue of the port of a network to which the received data is to be sent.
A plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) mounted on a vehicle perform various controls for various parts of the vehicle. The controls have various contents, and various kinds of data are sent and received between in-vehicle networks. By establishing a priority order for various kinds of data, data having a higher priority can be preferentially transferred as compared to data having a lower priority. On the other hand, for some kinds of data, it is desired to perform the data transfer in a fixed order. If the data transfer according to the priority is performed for all the cases, the order of sending of such kinds of data may be disturbed.
In the configuration of the gateway apparatus in the above patent document, data transfer is performed in the order of priority. On the other hand, the gateway apparatus uses the sender information to determine whether data is received from the same network or from the same onboard communication apparatus. The order in which the data is sent is maintained for data received from the same network or the same onboard communication apparatus.
Because the sender information is used, it is required, when the received data is stored in the sending queue, to compare not only the priority of the received data but also the sender information with data already stored in the sending queue, which may increase a processing load. Such a load may also increase in accordance with the number of the stored data, and hence a time period from receiving data to sending the data may increase. Because the sender information is added, the amount of transferred data may increase.
Therefore, a vehicle onboard gateway apparatus that is capable of sending data in the order of priority for one kind of data while sending data in the order in which the data is received for the other kind of data, with avoiding an increase of a processing load, is desired.


A method for forming a coated substrate is disclosed. The method includes depositing an undercoating layer on a substrate; and depositing a functional coating on the undercoating layer, the functional coating comprising at least one material that can be present in at least two crystal structures, wherein the at least two crystal structures are present at and exposed surface of the functional coating, wherein the undercoating layer comprises at least two different materials wherein a first material at the exposed surface provides a first surface area and a second different material at the exposed surface provides a second surface area.

Substrates like glass are used in a variety of applications such as architectural applications, automotive applications, aircraft applications, etc. Oftentimes, the substrates must be coated with a functional coating(s) to achieve the required performance properties. Examples of functional coatings include electroconductive coatings, photocatalytic coatings, thermal management coatings, hydrophilic coatings, etc.
A photocatalytic coating can be applied on, for example, a glass substrate, to keep the surface of the glass free of common organic surface contaminants. The photocatalytic coating works in the following manner: when the photocatalytic coating is exposed to ultraviolet radiation ("UV"), the coating absorbs UV photons and, in the presence of water or moisture, generates highly reactive hydroxyl radicals that tend to oxidize organic materials on the coated substrate. Ultimately, any organic material on the surface of the coated substrate gets converted to a more volatile, lower molecular weight material that can evaporate away or be washed away.
Titania (TiO2) is well known in the art as a material that has good photocatalytic properties. Conventionally, a TiO2 coating is polycrystalline with all of the crystallites that make up the coating having the same crystal structure. In a coating composition, TiO2 can be present in one of the following crystal structures: anatase, rutile and brooktite. Depending on the crystal structure of TiO2 present in the coating, the photocatalytic coating will exhibit different performance properties, i.e. photocatalytic activity, UV induced hydrophilicity, durability, etc. For example, a coating made up of TiO2 crystallites having the anatase crystal structure has a higher photocatalytic activity than a coating made up of TiO2 crystallites having the rutile or brooktite crystal structures.
Polycrystalline functional coatings like TiO2 coatings can be deposited on a substrate using a variety of techniques. For example, well known techniques such as spray pyrolysis, chemical vapor deposition ("CVD") and magnetron sputtered vacuum deposition ("MSVD") can be used to deposit a TiO2 coating on a glass substrate. The advantage of spray pyrolysis and CVD over other techniques for depositing a TiO2 coating on a glass substrate is they can be utilized on a float glass line during a glass production process. If the TiO2 coating is applied on-line during the glass making operation, the TiO2 coated glass can be produced at a reduced cost due to the efficiency of the process.
Regardless of the technique used to deposit a polycrystalline functional coating on a glass substrate, there is no process available at the current time for depositing a functional coating made up of a material that can be present in more than one crystal structure under fixed deposition conditions, wherein at least two crystal structures of the material that make up the functional coating are present at the exposed surface of the functional coating. For example, there is no process currently available for depositing a photocatalytic coating comprising TiO2 on a float glass line under standard operating conditions wherein at least two crystal structures of TiO2, for example, the anatase crystal structure and the rutile crystal structure, are present at the exposed surface of the TiO2 coating. Under conventional deposition processes, one specific crystal structure, for example, either the anatase crystal structure of TiO2 or the rutile crystal structure of TiO2 is present at the exposed surface of the coating depending on the deposition conditions.
The present invention provides a method for depositing a functional coating made up of one or more materials that can be present in more than one crystal structure over a substrate, wherein there are at least two crystal structures of the material that makes up the functional coating present at the exposed surface of the functional coating and the at least two crystal structures are deposited in a single operation or coating step. By controlling the types and amounts of crystal structures of the material that makes up the functional coating that are present at the exposed surface of the coating, a coated substrate having the most desirable properties for a particular application can be obtained.

Substrates coated with a polycrystalline functional coating


Carbon aerogels used as a binder for granularized materials, including other forms of carbon and metal additives, are cast onto carbon or metal fiber substrates to form composite carbon thin film sheets. The thin film sheets are utilized in electrochemical energy storage applications, such as electrochemical double layer capacitors (aerocapacitors), lithium based battery insertion electrodes, fuel cell electrodes, and electrocapacitive deionization electrodes. The composite carbon foam may be formed by prior known processes, but with the solid particles being added during the liquid phase of the process, i.e. prior to gelation. The other forms of carbon may include carbon microspheres, carbon powder, carbon aerogel powder or particles, graphite carbons. Metal and/or carbon fibers may be added for increased conductivity. The choice of materials and fibers will depend on the electrolyte used and the relative trade off of system resistivity and power to system energy.

The present invention is directed to the use of aerogels, particularly to carbon aerogel electrodes, and more particularly to a composite carbon foam electrode and method of fabrication wherein solid carbon, carbon aerogel, or metal particles are added during the process.
Aerogels, carbon aerogels, and carbon foams have been produced by various methods for a variety of applications. These prior processes are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,290 issued Feb. 21, 1989 to R. W. Hopper et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,218 issued Oct. 10, 1989 to R. W. Pekala; U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,804 issued Mar. 5, 1991 to R. W. Pekala; U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,085 issued Feb. 4, 1992 to R. W. Pekala; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,620 issued Oct. 12, 1993 to J. R. Elliott, Jr. et al. Recently, efforts have been directed to the development of carbon foams for use as electrodes and include all forms of carbon foams, monolithic, granular or microspheres. Such electrodes find use in energy storage devices, i.e. capacitors and batteries, as well as for fuel cells and electrocapacitive deionization devices, etc. These efforts are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,855 issued Nov. 9, 1993 to J. L. Kaschmitter et al., and copending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/036,740 filed Mar. 25, 1993, entitled "Carbon Foams For Energy Storage Devices", now U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,971 issued Jun. 25, 1996; Ser. No. 08/041,503 filed Apr. 1, 1993, entitled "Method Of Low Pressure And/Or Evaporated Drying Of Aerogel", now U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,168 issued May 20, 1995 and Ser. No. 08/089,119 filed Jul. 8, 1993, entitled "Organic Aerogel Microspheres And Fabrication Method Therefor", now U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,341 issued Apr. 16, 1996.
It has been discovered by the present invention that manufacturability and performance of these prior carbon foams for electrode applications can be enhanced by using these prior materials as particles with a carbon foam binder to form a composite electrode. Manufacturability would be enhanced by allowing precursor materials to be spread in very thin films or as thin films on roll to roll substrates. Also, performance could be further enhanced by mixing other high performance carbons, in particulate form with the precursor, prior to firing. Thus, this invention provides a composite carbon foam electrode and method for fabricating same.

Method for fabricating composite carbon foam

The Regents of the University of California


A method and apparatus for detecting the presence and/or concentration of biomolecules, in particular DNA, by providing a boundary surface between an optically denser medium and an optically rarer medium. Biomolecules adsorb to the boundary surface and alter the characteristics of impinging light. The method and apparatus use surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to excite the biomolecules. The angle of incidence of the impinging light is maintained at the angle at which SPR occurs, thereby controlling the energy transferred to the biomolecules. The energy transferred to the biomolecules causes the biomolecules to generate excitation light which is reflected and monitored at the boundary surface. The angle of incidence is controlled by rotating a desk such that the intensity of the reflected light is always maintained at a minimum which ensures that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle at which SPR occurs.

Several methods for the detection of biomolecules, in particular of low concentration in a liquid, are known in the art. One method is based on so-called evanescent waves. The biomolecules to be detected are in a liquid solution and are brought into close contact with the surface of a medium, (e.g. glass), which is optically denser than the liquid used. This may be performed by adsorption of the biomolecules to complementary biomolecules immobilized on the glass surface. The biomolecules to be detected are marked with a fluorescent compound. Such may either be performed directly (i.e., by means of chemical binding between the biomolecule and the fluorescent substance), or in that biomolecules labelled with a fluorescent dye and immobilized or chemically bound to a part of the detection apparatus compete with the biomolecules to be detected; i.e., the unknown biomolecule releases a fluorescent biomolecule, which in turn adsorbs to the complementary biomolecule immobilized on the glass surface. The latter process is described in Badley, R. A., et al., "Optical Biosensors For Immunoassays: The Fluorescence Capillary-fill Device", Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B 316 (1987), pp. 143-160.
Monochromatic light, from a laser source or a filtered flash lamp, strikes the boundary surface between the optically denser medium (e.g., glass) and the optically rarer medium (e.g., an aqueous solution). The light beam is incident from the optically denser medium, and the angle of incidence is equal to or larger than the critical angle so that total internal reflection occurs. When such happens, an evanescent wave is created in the optically rarer medium (aqueous solution); this evanescent wave penetrates a fraction of a wavelength into the optically rarer medium. The electric field amplitude of the evanescent wave is largest at the boundary surface and decays exponentially with the distance from the interface.
Due to the limited depth of penetration of the evanescent wave, such wave is suited to monitor the presence of biomolecules at the boundary surface. It causes the fluorescent appendix of the biomolecules to emit light of a wavelength longer than the incident wavelength (this is effectively how fluorescence is defined). The fluorescence signal can be measured directly by monitoring the scattered light, or by measuring the light coupled back into the optically denser medium.
It is understood that the above technique is not limited to adsorption to a glass/aqueous solution interface. Instead, other materials may be used as well. It is further possible to use other effects than fluorescence which shifts the wavelength of the incident light to larger wavelengths, (e.g., phosphorescence or absorbance). In the latter case, even unlabelled biomolecules may be detected. The general method of detection is based on measuring a refractive index change caused by the presence of the biomolecules monitored by the refracted or reflected light, or, in other words, by the deviation of the angle of the reflected or refracted light. It is also known in the art to direct the incident light such that it is reflected multiple times in a waveguide, so that it strikes the boundary surface multiple times, see e.g., Sutherland, Ranald M. et al., "Optical Detection of Antibody-Antigen Reactions at a Glass-Liquid Interface", Clin. Chem. 30/9 (1984), p. 1533-1538.
Another technique for the detection of biomolecules is based on so-called surface plasmon resonance (SPR). This method requires a thin metal film, layer or coating (in more general terms, a conductive or semiconductive layer) between the glass and the liquid solution. Incident light, if impinging at a certain angle, causes surface modes (TE and/or TM modes) associated with collective electron oscillations to propagate along the interface between the metal film and the optically rarer medium (e.g., liquid solution). The incident light is usually coupled into the metal film by means of a prism or a grating. At a specific wavelength or angle, resonance occurs resulting in a sharp minimum or dip of reflectivity. The resonance condition is dependent upon the optical characteristics of the metal film, its thickness, the refractive indices of the dielectrics on either side of it (if any) and the angle of the incident light.
The first two of these characteristics remain basically unchanged in a given apparatus for performing surface plasmon resonance. However, the refractive index of the optically rarer medium varies with the amount of biomolecules bound or adsorbed to its surface. This is the property to be monitored.
In order to detect the presence and the amount of adsorbed biomolecules, either the variation in reflectivity at a given angle of incident light may be monitored, or the resonance shift (the reflectivity minimum is shifted to a different angle of incidence upon the presence of biomolecules) may be observed.
Surface plasmon resonance may be caused either by a metal grating, or by an evanescent wave resulting from total internal reflection (see above).
For further details of the surface plasmon resonance technique, reference is particularly made to Daniels, P. B. at al., "Surface Plasmon Resonance applied to Immunosensors, Sensors and Actuators", 15 (1988), p 11-18, and Kooyman, R. P. H. et al., "Surface Plasmon Resonance Immunosensors: Sensitivity Considerations", Analytica Chimica Acta, 213 (1988), p. 35-45.
Prior art surface plasmon techniques used the change of the refractive index caused by the biomolecules in order to detect their presence and/or their concentration. However, it is also known in the art to use the evanescent wave associated with surface plasmons to excite fluorescence or phosphorescence in an immunoassay, as described in EP-A-353 937.
A general problem in applying surface plasmon resonance is that the biomolecules may be "overexcited", i.e. too much energy is transmitted from the incident electromagnetic wave to the biomolecules. In such case, the biomolecules may bleach out, i.e., they alter their characteristics and their physical behavior, such that they may be no longer detectable. It will be appreciated that this effect impairs the results of the measurement.
The problem is that there is no control of the amount of energy "pumped" into the biomolecules. Of course, the energy emitted by the source of p-polarized electromagnetic waves is known and may be varied. However, the fraction of the total emitted energy pumped into the biomolecules is unknown (i.e., although the total emitted energy is known, the portion thereof passed on to the biomolecules is unknown). The reason is that, in prior art arrangements for the detection of biomolecules, the angle of incidence is not the exact angle at which surface plasmon resonance occurs (this angle will be called .theta..sub.SPR hereinafter) either because this angle cannot exactly be met, or, even if it were possible to adjust the apparatus exactly to .theta..sub.SPR, this angle would be subject to drift caused by temperature effects, binding of unspecific molecules (i.e., molecules not subject to detection), changes at the metal/liquid interface, etc. Therefore, even the latter approach would lead to some deviation of the actual angle of incidence, with respect to the optimum angle .theta..sub.SPR for surface plasmon resonance.
The consequence of the actual angle of incidence not exactly corresponding to the optimum angle for surface plasmon resonance is that only a fraction of the total energy carried by the p-polarized electromagnetic waves is passed on to the biomolecules. On the other hand, and as outlined above, this fraction is unknown. Even if it were possible to determine the deviation of the actual angle versus the ideal angle precisely, such would not solve the problem, as the fraction of energy coupled into the biomolecules is not a well-defined function of the deviation.
Therefore, in prior art arrangements, effective control of energy coupled into the biomolecules has been substantially impossible. It is, of course, possible to reduce the total amount of energy emitted by the radiation source such that even a 100% energy coupling would not damage the biomolecules. However, assume that a deviation between the actual angle of incidence and the ideal angle .theta..sub.SPR for surface plasmon resonance causes a reduction of energy transmission of 75%. In such a case, the remaining energy pumped into the biomolecules would be insufficient for reliable measurements. On the other hand, if the total energy output of the radiation source were substantially increased, operation could be performed reliably even upon a very little energy coupling ratio, but a 100% coupling would then damage the biomolecules.

Method and apparatus for detecting the presence and/or concentration of biomolecules


The present invention relates generally to an improved single strap overall. More particularly, the invention relates to an overall garment with a single strap design that remains fastened better than previous double strap overalls. The invention improvements also include a novel portable electronic device, such as a cell phone, holder positioned on the front panel of the overalls for easy and convenient access to the phone in a compartment that retains the phone during bending and quick movements by the user.

Overalls have clothed people at work or play since the 1700s. Overalls have been worn by railroad engineers, college students, hippies, farmers, mechanics, painters, children, and rap music artists. Overalls, once the exclusive purview of the lower classes in the 18th century, were one of the first types of clothing to be mass-produced. The color of the overalls produced were significant with painters and plasterers wearing white, farmers wearing blue or brown, railway workers sporting pinstripes, and blue denim being a favorite among mechanics.
Traditional bib overalls, however, have always been problematic for laborers of any kind. One of the failings with regard to the typical pair of bib overalls is that, during physical work involving a great deal of movement, one of the shoulder straps easily slips off. This provides a source of irritation to the wearer. Further, because these straps tend to slide off, they do not provide a suitable support means for pants, as well as for items such as cell phones that may be present in pockets. Simply put, the common article of clothing known as a bib overall, has long suffered from the above drawbacks.
Improvements in clothing comprise many different types of features. Simple ornamental improvements are noted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,987 to Teachout et al., in which customized fabric receiving strips are shown and described. Variations on the invention in Teachout include additional receiving loops as well as additional means to attach an ornament to a garment. The use of straps in conjunction with clothing to provide a superior garment is also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,789 to Young et al., in which a clothing article and safety harness are combined together to form an improved overall garment. The usage of straps to support pants has also seen recent improvements. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,031 to Lewis, a pair of pants was provided with a plurality of horizontal slots, through which supports straps were able to pass through the slots and able to be secured to the appropriate length. In place of slots, loops were also provided which functioned similarly to the slots. Despite these improvements, a need in the art still exists for a bib overall that reduces the slippage of the shoulder straps from the shoulder of the wearer as well as provide secure support for portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, for the convenience of the wearer.


A device for fitting and removing a tire to or from a wheel, that works in conjunction with an instrument having a turntable provided with elements for tightening a rim of the wheel, and with a tool which can be positioned at the height of the top edge of the wheel rim that is mounted on the turntable. The device includes a lever with at least one pressure element that can exert pressure on either an upper or lower bead and/or at least one side of the tire. The lever is fixed in a mobile and revolving manner to a support which is fixed in relation to the instrument. The support is connected to the lever by a single coupling system which allows full movement of the lever between a first position in which the pressure element can exert pressure on one of the upper or lower beads or the sides of the tire surrounding a wheel rim mounted on the turntable of the instrument, and a second position in which the pressure element can exert pressure on the other side and/or the sides of said tire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a device for fitting and removing a tire on/from a wheel rim, in particular of cars, motor bikes, etc.
In particular, the invention concerns a device to assist in the fitting and removal in case of very rigid tires, for example such as thin sports tires.
2. Description of the Related Art
For fitting and removing tires on/from a wheel rim, known devices are used provided with a turntable containing elements for tightening the wheel and with a support equipped with a tool that can be positioned at the height of the top edge of the wheel rim and containing a part in which can be provided a lever that can be placed between the wheel rim and the tire, as well as a guiding element for the tire.
In order to remove a tire from a wheel rim, it is known that one has to push the tire bead in a conventional outer groove of the wheel rim, after which the above-mentioned lever can be placed between the wheel rim and the tire.
Certain tires, in particular thin sports tires, are disadvantageous in that the sides are very rigid and in that the beads cannot be pushed in said groove without some extra force being exerted.
A device for exerting this extra force is known from document EP 0.649.763 of applicant and comprises a lever provided with a pressure element, whereby this lever is detachable, such that it can be mounted on any of the two supports, so that said pressure element can either rest on the bead and/or the inner side or on the bead and/or the top side of the tire.
Thus, this known device is disadvantageous in that said lever has to be moved from one support to another depending on the bead and/or the side being used, which is not very practical.


Combustion engines have opposed pistons in one or more cylinders, with the piston motion determined by cams. Ports, for intake and exhaust, are at one end of the cylinder, opened or closed by one piston, with the combustion chamber at the other end, and the engine being well suited to the optional use of a combustion chamber separate from the cylinder and with the communicating passages controlled by the other piston. That arrangement makes the engine particularly suitable for using heavy or unconventional fuels. The cam profile provides for a four-stroke cycle; one piston moves during the intake and exhaust strokes, while the second piston moves for compression and power strokes. Thus the advantages of a four-stroke engine are obtained while retaining the simplicity of a two-stroke engine. The cam profile may be tailored to the burning characteristics of the fuel, as by providing a period of dwell between the end of the compression stroke and the beginning of the power stroke. The engine is well suited to the use of compression ignition, but spark ignition is feasible. The isolated combustion chamber may also be replaced by a heat exchanger, to use an external heat source.

1. Field of the Invention
My invention is a heat engine, and more particularly, an opposed piston engine in which a gas is heated, causing the gas pressure to increase as the volume enclosed between the pistons increases. The expanding and cooling gas performs mechanical work in forcing the pistons apart, while the motion of the pistons is communicated to a shaft or other useful output.
Typically, the gas would be air heated by the burning of a gaseous, liquid, or slurry fuel in the volume between the pistons or in a separate chamber communicating with such volume. However, the invention is also suitable for use with a heat exchanger, in which heat is added to the working fluid (gas) by conduction through the walls of the heat exchanger. Thus, the invention may be categorized as either an internal combustion engine or an external combustion engine. In the latter, heat need not come from combustion but might be supplied by focused sunlight, nuclear sources, geothermal heat, or any other source at a temperature substantially above ambient.
2. Desctription of the Prior Art
Piston engines are ubiquitous. Except for the steam engine, the Stirling engine (which is rare), and certain "hot air" engines of the past, piston engines are almost invariably internal combustion engines. The most common internal combustion engine is the four-stroke engine, in which a piston in a cylinder moves in an intake stroke to increase the volume of the cylinder, a compression stroke to decrease the volume, a power stroke, and exhaust stroke; a total of four strokes in a cycle. When the piston is actuated by a crank and connecting rod, there is one power stroke per cylinder for each two revolutions of the crank. The volume of the cylinder is contained within the walls of the cylinder, the crown of the piston, and a cylinder head. The flow of air into and out of that volume is controlled by valves, usually poppet valves, but occasionally sleeve or rotary valves. The addition of heat to the air, between the compression and power strokes, is the result of burning fuel in the air. Sometimes the fuel is added to the air before the air is inducted into the cylinder, and the mixture is later ignited by a spark. Compression ignition engines (diesels) typically inject the fuel into the compressed and therefore hot air, where the fuel burns as it mixes with the air.
The two-stroke engine is typically simpler and lighter than the four stroke engine. In the two-stroke engine, the heated air is exhausted and fresh air introduced into the cylinder during that period when the cylinder volume is greatest. The exhaust is motivated not by the motion of the piston but by its own pressure and by the incoming fresh air. Means, such as a blower, must be provided to motivate the incoming fresh air since there is no intake stroke to draw it into the cylinder. When the piston moves toward the cylinder head there is compression; when it moves away there is expansion, i. e., the power stroke. In the two-stroke engine, there is one power stroke per cylinder for each revolution of the crank. While some two-stroke engines employ moving valves, it is common to provide ports in the cylinder walls which are covered and uncovered by motion of the piston. This results in a notably simpler engine, eliminating the complex valve mechanism.
The two-stroke cycle is well adapted to diesel engines, because the intake air can be used to scavenge the exhaust gases from the cylinder without the loss of fuel. Fuel is not introduced until the exhaust valves/ports are closed. Particularly attractive is the opposed-piston two-stroke compression-ignition engine, in which there are two opposing pistons in the cylinder, one controlling exhaust ports, the other controlling intake ports. That type of engine, which has no cylinder head or valve train, can be very powerful for its weight and volume. For example, fifty years ago, the Junkers Jumo 223 diesel developed 2,000 horsepower with a weight of only 2,000 lbs., and it was compact enough to fit in a volume a meter in diameter and less than 2 meters long.
There is another kind of internal combustion piston engine, the five-stroke engine (Tibbetts, U. S. Pat. No. 1,808,083 and subsequent variations), which attempted to combine the volumetric efficiency and other attractive attributes of the four-stroke engine with the simplicity and compactness of the opposed piston two-stroke engine. Like the two-stroke engine, the five-stroke engine has intake ports at one end of the cylinder controlled by one piston, and exhaust ports at the other end controlled by a second piston. There is an intake stroke, in which the piston controlling the intake ports (the first piston) is essentially still, while the second piston draws in a fresh charge of air. The two pistons approach each other, compressing the air, and, after combustion in the space between the pistons, they move apart for the power stroke. Then the second piston uncovers the exhaust ports while the first advances to expel the exhaust gases, until both pistons are at the exhaust ports end of the cylinder. The fifth stroke, a return stroke, is necessary to move both pistons back to the starting position at the intake end of the cylinder.
Unlike other engines, with the five-stroke engine, the exhaust and intake ports (valves) are never open at the same time, so that if a fuel-air mixture is inducted (e.g., through a carburetor), there is no possibility of the mixture departing through the exhaust ports or mixing with exhaust gases. Of course, direct injection, as in a diesel engine, is also feasible. However, the fifth stroke has two disadvantages: it takes time, making for a slower engine, and it presents some difficulties in achieving dynamic balance, although a multi-cylinder five-stroke engine can be arranged with symmetrical motions to achieve good balance. The rather complex piston motion is achieved with a cam mechanism.
Cam actuated piston engines have a long history. There were several development efforts during the period between the World Wars, and a few were actually marketed commercially. Most were of the "barrel engine" type, in which the cylinders are arranged around and parallel to a central shaft, like the staves of a barrel. There is, at present, an FAA certificated aircraft engine, the "Dyna-Cam," Dyna-Cam Engines, 105 N. Irena #1, Redondo Beach, Calif. 90277, which is a six-cylinder, twelve piston, four-stroke, spark-ignition engine which uses a cam and roller cam followers. The cam is symmetric, with two undulations per revolution, so the four-stroke cycle is accomplished in one revolution of the shaft. This has the effect of a 2:1 reduction gear with no gears, and also provides symmetric piston motions, so that the "Dyna-Cam" balances nicely. It is also notably powerful for its size and weight.
The art of using cams and cam followers is also well developed. The cam, for instance, can have a groove in which the cam follower moves, or it can have a raised track which is straddled by the cam follower. The follower can employ rollers or sliding members, which are supported hydrodynamically on a wedge of lubricant.
It is also generally necessary to provide members which act as a crosshead, either integral with the piston or separate. Whether sliding or rolling, the crosshead absorbs the component of the resultant force on the cam follower which is perpendicular to the direction of piston motion. Essentially, the forces on the crosshead relate to the torque on the cam in most configurations. There are many arrangements of cams and cam followers which are possible and which should be obvious to one skilled in the art. It should also be possible to replace a cam with a gear train, using, for instance, non-circular epicyclic gears. The inventor knows of no case where that has been demonstrated.
One characteristic of known opposed piston internal combustion engines, prior to this invention, is that the combustion takes place between the opposing piston crowns. The fuel injectors or spark plugs necessarily reside at the cylinder wall; no central location is possible. Because it takes time for the flame front and/or the fuel spray to progress to fill the chamber, it is practically required that there be multiple spark plugs or injectors. The Jumo 223 diesel had four injectors per cylinder, for a total of 96. If, however, the pistons are actuated by cams, it should be possible for the pistons to dwell, essentially stationary, at the end of the compression stroke. This option is absent with a crank-type engine. By thus providing a longer period of time for heat to be introduced into the working fluid, the engine maker can adjust the piston motion to the burning characteristics of the fuel or, in the extreme case, let the fluid be heated by conduction through a heat exchanger. The inventor does not know of a case where an externally heated cam engine has actually been demonstrated in the prior art. conventional (one piston per cylinder) four-stroke diesel engines have a long history of using "precombustion" chambers, "auxiliary air" chambers, "hot bulbs", and "energy cells" to promote the smooth and complete combustion of fuels. A few even had provision for isolating an auxiliary chamber with a valve, to raise the compression ratio for starting. Apparently, all of those engines had chambers which, during normal operation, communicated with the cylinder. The pressure in the chamber approximated the pressure in the cylinder, and a timed, high pressure injection of fuel was necessary. None employed a valve to isolate the chamber from the cylinder during the injection of fuel, to permit the use of fuel at low pressure, and none timed the ignition of fuel by the valving of the compressed air from the cylinder. (Some engines used compressed air from an external source to assist in atomizing the fuel, a very different concept.)
There are piston engine concepts (e.g., Mikina U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,163) which use a separate combustion chamber, but they are not engines in which the same cylinder is used for both compression and power; the thermodynamic cycle is closer to the Brayton cycle than to the Otto or Diesel cycle.
The object of this invention is to provide the means whereby the advantages of the five-stroke engine may be obtained without some of the disadvantages. Using a novel piston motion, it becomes possible to build piston engines which are light, compact, well balanced, simple, durable, efficient, and economical, with the option to use a carburetor, conventional fuel injection, low pressure fuel injection into an isolated chamber, or an external heat source and a heat exchanger. The last two listed options enable the engine to be used with unconventional fuels or heat sources.

Two plus two stroke opposed piston heat engine


An automatic fluid dispenser including a pump mechanism actuated by a piston movable between a first position, and a second position in which a fluid is dispensed. A conduit is coupled to the pump mechanism and couplable to a pressurized fluid source. A valve is carried by the conduit and is movable between an open position in which a pressurized fluid from the pressurized fluid source moves the piston to the second position, and a closed position stopping the pressurized fluid.

Devices for dispensing fluids are well known and have been used to dispense liquid soaps, cleaning fluids, and condiments for many years. While capable of dispensing any fluid, the present invention is primarily concerned with dispensing liquid soap which will be the primary area of discussion.
Liquid soap is typically dispensed by the reciprocal translation of a plunger which pumps liquid soap from a source and ejects it from an aperture. These dispensers require manual manipulation of the plunger. Such manipulation serves as a vehicle for transmission of bacterial and viral contaminants to subsequent users.
There also exists pneumatically actuated and mechanically (motor/pump) actuated mechanisms for dispensing soap in response to a trigger signal. These devices require a relatively substantial amount of power, usually in the form of electrical power, to maintain the air or gas pressure necessary to operate the pneumatic dispenser or to operate a motor in a mechanical dispenser. Conventional electric power (120 volts AC) creates an electrical hazard in proximity to a wash basin, or the like, reducing the desirability of devices requiring large quantities of power.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved automatic fluid dispenser.
Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic soap dispenser which requires very little electrical power.
And another object of the invention is to provide an automatic soap dispenser which is self cleaning.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic soap dispenser which is adjustable to dispense a pre-determined quantity.


Optical measuring devises for measuring the angular position and rotation rate of a shaft 14. The shaft 14 has a variable pitch diffraction grating 22 etched on one end 16. The pitch gradient of the diffraction grating 22 varies as a function of circumferential position on the shaft 14. A monochromatic light source such as laser source 50 provides incident beam 20 which strikes grating 22. A diffracted light beam 26 from a the grating 22 strikes a position detector 61 at varying positions depending on the angular position of the shaft 14. By employing a position detector 61 which is sensitive to the position of the diffracted beam 26, a continuous position indicator of the shaft angular rotation is possible. A microprocessor calculates shaft position and rotation rates from the data supplied from the beam position detectors.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for measuring the rotation and angular position of a shaft and more particularly to devices which use optical means for measuring the rate of rotation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past many methods were used to detect the rate of rotation of a shaft. Mechanical means have been used extensively. In more recent years electronic means such as a magnetic implant in a shaft and a magnetic field detector adjacent the shaft to detect the passing magnetic field have been used. These electronic means for measuring the speed of the shaft are subject to electromagnetic interference which reduces the reliability of the device. Optical means for measuring the speed of a rotor are not subject to electromagnetic interference. In the past optical means for measuring the speed of a rotor have included a means to polarize light as a function of shaft rotation position and a diffraction grating where light of a specific frequency reflected from the grating is detected indicating an angular position in the rotation of the wheel.
Many types of rotary measurement devices experience errors in the readings due to temperature fluctuations, light amplitude fluctuations and slippage or creep of the devices measurement elements.

Diffraction grating rotary speed sensor having a circumferentially variable pitch diffraction grating


An adjustable table assembly for use in a passenger cabin environment such as an aircraft passenger suite including a passenger seat. The table assembly includes a fixed rail assembly attached to a monument, a support column rotatably mounted on the rail assembly, and a table mounted on the support column, the table having a stowed position and deployed positions in a first direction generally toward the passenger seat from the stowed position. The table has a predetermined stowage orientation at which the support column and table are movable along the rail assembly in a second direction opposite the first direction to the stowed position, and the rail assembly prevents the table from moving into the stowed position when the table is rotated out of the predetermined stowage orientation.

Airline operators offer different passenger seating classes with varying levels of amenities at varying ticket costs to fit a variety of budgets and traveler preferences. Conventional economy seating classes typically include closely spaced rows of seats for economic and space efficiency. Business and first-class seating classes typically include larger living spaces and more generous amenities.
One amenity found in many types of seating classes is a tray table, sometimes referred to as a meal table. In economy seating classes, tray tables may deploy from against the backside of a forward row of seats for use by an aft-positioned row of seats. In a first row of seats, tray tables may be attached to complex hinge mechanisms for vertical and rotational deployment from within an arm rest bay. Tray tables may be constructed with separated sections for compact packaging and stowage, wherein the tray table can be deployed and expanded to increase the tabletop size. Tabletop sections may be hinged together such that one table section folds against the other. While conventional table mounting arrangements permit deployment and compact stowage, such arrangements provide little or no other adjustability, which may become appreciated or required by customers expecting premium accommodations.
Accordingly, improvements are needed in table assemblies and passenger suites.

Passenger suite with table mechanism with vertical, translational and rotational adjustment


Resilient aircraft engine mounts and mounting systems including the same are provided. A resilient aircraft engine mount comprises a base and a pair of opposed spiral springs in parallel forming a clevis with the base. A first spiral spring of the pair of opposed spiral springs has a first center opening extending therethrough. A second spiral spring of the pair of opposed spiral springs has a second center opening extending therethrough that is concentric with the first center opening for accepting a clevis pin. First and second spiral springs are each comprised of a rectangular cross section beam. The resilient aircraft engine mount is tunable in three translational axes to support three degrees of freedom vibration isolation. Two or more resilient aircraft engine mounts provide six degrees of freedom vibration isolation. Resilient aircraft engine mounts attach the aircraft engine to a pylon structure and help isolate vibratory forces.

Aircraft engines are typically mounted laterally on a fuselage of an aircraft via a pylon structure. Each pylon structure includes generally C-shaped yokes, and generally radially extending spars. Conventional engine mounting systems connect the yoke of the pylon structure and the aircraft engine by means of rigid clevis mounts 10 (FIG. 1). Conventional rigid clevis mounts include two symmetrical flanges 12.
Rotational imbalance of the aircraft engine causes vibration from the engine to be transmitted into the yoke of the pylon structure, through the intermediate spar thereof, and into the aircraft fuselage resulting in noise and vibration in the aircraft cabin. Such vibrations are referred to as "dynamic forces." In the case of dynamic forces (vibration), "compliance" is the ratio of the excited vibrational amplitude (angular or linear displacement) to the magnitude of the force. As used herein, "stiffness" refers to how far an aircraft fuselage moves from the vibration force of the aircraft engine and is measured in pound force/inches (lbf/in). The higher the compliance (i.e., the lower the stiffness), the better the high frequency vibration isolation. Significant dynamic forces from all six degrees of freedom of the aircraft engine often exist; therefore, complete six degree-of-freedom vibration load isolation is often desired.
Unfortunately, conventional rigid clevis mounts provide little or no vibration isolation due to their high stiffness (i.e., low compliance). While conventional rigid clevis mounts provide tunable stiffness to make more compliant in two axes (locally) by adjusting the length, width and/or height of the flanges thereof, and in concert with multiple rigid clevis mounts and/or vibration isolation struts, help support the engine in all six degrees of freedom, they are only tunable in a relatively small range before becoming susceptible to stress failures (if the flanges are too thin) or becoming too heavy for optimum aircraft efficiency (if the flanges are too thick).
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide resilient aircraft engine mounts and aircraft engine mounting systems including the same. In addition, it is desirable to provide resilient aircraft engine mounts that provide compliance without substantial cross-axis reaction forces, that are compact and lightweight, easily stiffness tunable to make more compliant over a greater range than conventional clevis mounts, in three degrees of freedom (per resilient aircraft engine mount) (translational degree of freedom) to support all six degrees of freedom, and that provide an easy replacement or conversion from rigid clevis mounts in engine mounting systems.

Resilient aircraft engine mounts and aircraft engine mounting systems including the same


A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member; developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with a developer; a developer container for containing the developer, the developer container having an opening for supplying the developer to the developing means; a sealing member for sealing the opening of the developer container; a winding shaft for winding the sealing member, the sealing member being rotatably supported by the developer container; a driving device for applying a driving force to rotate the winding shaft; and drive control device for permitting and preventing transmission of the driving force to the winding shaft, wherein the driving control device permits the transmission in response to insertion of the process cartridge into the main assembly of the image forming apparatus and prevents transmission in response to a predetermined number of rotations of the winding shaft.

The present invention relates to a developing cartridge, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge is mountable. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording material through an electrophotographic image-formation-type process. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (a laser beam printer or an LED printer mountable), a facsimile machine, a word processor and the like. The process cartridge integrally contains an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and charging means, developing means or cartridge, in the form of a unit or a cartridge, which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus. The process cartridge may contain the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and at least one of charging means, developing means and cleaning means, in the form of a cartridge which is detachably mountable to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. Furthermore, the process cartridge may contain at least the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and the developing means. The present invention is applicable to a process cartridge having developing means of such a structure.
Heretofore, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic image process, a process-cartridge type, in which the electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means, actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, are integrally contained in a cartridge, which is detachably mountable to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. Heretofore, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic image process, a process cartridge type, in which the electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means, actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, are integrally contained in a cartridge, which is detachably mountable to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus.
Such a process cartridge contains a photosensitive drum, and developing means is used to apply the developer (toner) to the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum. In the developing means, a developing device frame supporting a developing roller for feeding the toner to the photosensitive drum and a toner frame (toner container) accommodating the toner, are coupled with each other. Before the start of use of the process cartridge, the opening provided in the connecting portion between the toner frame and the developing device frame are sealed by a seal member. A process cartridge equipped with an automatic toner seal removing device for automatically unsealing the opening of the toner frame when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus, which is capable of driving the automatic toner seal winding device, are known.
The present invention provides a further development.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a developing cartridge, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge is mountable.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, comprising: an electrophotographic photosensitive member; developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with a developer; a developer container for containing the developer, the developer container having an opening for supplying the developer to the developing means; a sealing member for sealing the opening of the developer container; a winding shaft for winding the sealing member, the sealing member being rotatably supported by the developer container; driving means for applying a driving force to rotate the winding shaft; and drive control means for permitting and preventing transmission of the driving force to the winding shaft, wherein the driving control means permits the transmission in response to insertion of the process cartridge into the main assembly of the image forming apparatus and prevents transmission in response to a predetermined number of rotations of the winding shaft.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, the apparatus comprising: a. mounting means for detachably mounting the process cartridge, the process cartridge including: an electrophotographic photosensitive member; developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with a developer; a developer container for containing the developer, the developer container having an opening for supplying the developer to the developing means; a sealing member for sealing the opening of the developer container; a winding shaft for winding the sealing member, the sealing member being rotatably supported by the developer container; driving means for applying a driving force to rotate the winding shaft; and drive control means for permitting and preventing transmission of the driving force to the winding shaft, wherein the driving control means permits the transmission in response to insertion of the process cartridge into the main assembly of the image forming apparatus and prevents transmission in response to a predetermined number of rotations of the winding shaft; b. feeding means for feeding the recording material; and c. driving means for driving the driving means of the process cartridge.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, comprising: developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member with a developer; a developer container for containing the developer, the developer container having an opening for supplying the developer to the developing means; a sealing member for sealing the opening of the developer container; a winding shaft for winding the sealing member, the sealing member being rotatably supported by the developer container; driving means for applying a driving force to rotate the winding shaft; and drive control means for permitting and preventing transmission of the driving force to the winding shaft, wherein the driving control means permits the transmission in response to insertion of the developing cartridge into the main assembly of the image forming apparatus and prevents transmission in response to a predetermined number of rotations of the winding shaft.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a developing cartridge is detachably mountable, comprising: a. mounting means for detachably mounting the process cartridge, the process cartridge including: developing means for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member with a developer; a developer container for containing the developer, the developer container having an opening for supplying the developer to the developing means; a sealing member for sealing the opening of the developer container; a winding shaft for winding the sealing member, the sealing member being rotatably supported by the developer container; driving means for applying a driving force to rotate the winding shaft; and drive control means for permitting and preventing transmission of the driving force to the winding shaft, wherein the driving control means permits the transmission in response to insertion of the developing cartridge into the main assembly of the image forming apparatus and prevents transmission in response to a predetermined number of rotations of the winding shaft; b. feeding means for feeding the recording material; and c. driving means for driving the driving means of the process cartridge.
According to the present invention, it is not until the process cartridge is inserted into the image forming apparatus that drive transmission from the driving means to the winding-up shaft is permitted, and therefore, even if driving means is actuated for the purpose of inspection during the assembling of the process cartridge, the seal member is not unintentionally wound up. When the winding-up shaft rotates through a predetermined number of turns, the winding-up shaft is released from the driving, and therefore, the winding-up shaft is not driven after the sealing member is wound up. Thus, it can be avoided that an end portion of the seal member flappers with the result of toner scattering and/or different sound or the like. Additionally, the load of the driving source of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus can be reduced.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS TO WHICH A DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE OR PROCESS CARTRIDGE ARE DETACHABLY MOUNTABLE COMPRISING DRIVING CONTROL MEANS FOR PERMITTING AND PREVENTING TRANSMISSION OF A DRIVING FORCE TO A WINDING MEMBER


A method for detecting battery condition by monitoring air pressure and temperature both before and during the use of a sealed electronic device. A first air pressure is obtained before the device is powered on. A second air pressure is obtained during use of the device. A value of variations between readings is determined, and if the variation value in air pressure is greater than a preset value, an alarm is generated. An electronic device and a non-transitory storage medium are also provided.

Improper usage of batteries or long usage may cause batteries to burn or explode. Initially, a ready-to-burned or ready-to-explode battery may appear to be bulging or show other visible signs. Given that a battery is usually installed inside an electronic device, it is hard to detect the bulging or other visible signs.

Method for detecting battery condition, electronic device using method, and non-transitory storage medium

HONGFUJIN PRECISION ELECTRONICS (ZHENGZHOU) CO., LTD.


A method and system for producing an image includes creating an image template having a customizable region and extracting a 2D object from a source image. The 2D object is transformed using a 3D model in response to the customizable region, and the transformed 2D object is merged into the image template to create a customized image.

Many users desire self-expression and immersive experiences. For example, one area of expression is referred to as "personalized licensed merchandise," where licensed properties such as art, celebrities, fictional characters, sports figures, toys/games, etc. are personalized with users' images or other expressions.
Users' attempts to combine their images with images of favorite characters, actors, sports stars, etc. have often been unsatisfactory. Known photo editing programs, for example, are expensive, complicated to use, require extensive manual effort, and do not support sophisticated 3D models to enable objects to be rotated to the proper orientation. This can make providing such customized offerings at an attractive price point difficult. Other services offer images of characters that can be added to clothing, posters, calendars, mugs, etc. along with customized text, but do not allow the user's image to be combined with the images.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Method and system for creating a custom image

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.