The invention relates to a method comprising receiving at least one set of data on satellite signals from at least one first GNSS receiver 22, each received set of data being associated to a particular instant of time. The method further comprises estimating data for at least one additional set of data associated to a respective additional instant of time based on the at least one received set of data. The method further comprises providing data from the at least one additional set of data in addition to data from the at least one received set of data for a determination of a position of at least one second GNSS receiver 12 relative to a position of the at least one first GNSS receiver 22.

A satellite based positioning of a device is supported by various Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). These include for example the American Global Positioning System (GPS), the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), the future European system Galileo, the Space Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS), the Japanese GPS augmentation Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), the Locals Area Augmentation Systems (LAAS), and hybrid systems.
The constellation in GPS, for example, consists of more than 20 satellites that orbit the earth. Each of the satellites transmits two carrier signals L1 and L2. One of these carrier signals L1 is employed for carrying a navigation message and code signals of a standard positioning service (SPS). The L1 carrier phase is modulated by each satellite with a different C/A (Coarse Acquisition) code. Thus, different channels are obtained for the transmission by the different satellites. The C/A code is a pseudo random noise (PRN) code, which is spreading the spectrum over a 1 MHz bandwidth. It is repeated every 1023 bits, the epoch of the code being 1 ms. The carrier frequency of the L1 signal is further modulated with navigation information at a bit rate of 50 bit/s. The navigation information comprises inter alia ephemeris and almanac parameters. Ephemeris parameters describe short sections of the orbit of the respective satellite. Based on these ephemeris parameters, an algorithm can estimate the position of the satellite for any time while the satellite is in the respective described section. The almanac parameters are similar, but coarser orbit parameters, which are valid for a longer time than the ephemeris parameters. The navigation information further comprises for example clock models that relate the satellite time to the system time of GPS and the system time to the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
A GPS receiver of which the position is to be determined receives the signals transmitted by the currently available satellites, and it detects and tracks the channels used by different satellites based on the different comprised C/A codes. Then, the receiver determines the time of transmission of the code transmitted by each satellite, usually based on data in the decoded navigation messages and on counts of epochs and chips of the C/A codes. The time of transmission and the measured time of arrival of a signal at the receiver allow determining the pseudorange between the satellite and the receiver. The term pseudorange denotes the geometric distance between the satellite and the receiver, which distance is biased by unknown satellite and receiver offsets from the GPS system time.
In one possible solution scheme, the offset between the satellite and system clocks is assumed known and the problem reduces to solving a non-linear set of equations of four unknowns (3 receiver position coordinates and the offset between the receiver and GPS system clocks). Therefore, at least 4 measurements are required in order to be able to solve the set of equations. The outcome of the process is the receiver position.
Similarly, it is the general idea of GNSS positioning to receive satellite signals at a receiver which is to be positioned, to measure the time it took the signals to propagate from the satellite to the receiver, to deduce therefrom the pseudorange between the receiver and the respective satellite and further the current position of the receiver, making use in addition of estimated positions of the satellites. Usually, a PRN signal which has been used for modulating a carrier signal is evaluated for positioning, as described above for GPS.
In a further approach known as Real Time Kinematics (RTK), the carrier phases measured at two GNSS receivers are evaluated for determining the distance and attitude between the two receivers very accurately, typically at cm- or even mm-level accuracy. The combination of the distance and attitude between two receivers is also referred to as baseline. The carrier phase measurements that are performed at GNSS receivers for a RTK positioning may be exchanged in real-time or be stored for a later exchange known as post-processing. Usually, one of the GNSS receivers is arranged at a known location and called reference receiver, while the other receiver is to be positioned with respect to the reference receiver and called user receiver or rover. The determined relative position can further be converted into an absolute position, if the location of the reference position is accurately known. However, the RTK calculations actually require that the positions of both receivers are known at least approximately. These positions can be obtained from determined pseudoranges.
A satellite signal is distorted on its way from a satellite to a receiver due to, for instance, multipath propagation and due to influences by ionosphere and troposphere. Moreover, the satellite signal has a bias due to the satellite clock bias and its carrier phase has unknown initial phase. When the satellite signal is measured in the receiver, it is further distorted. The signal measurement contains, in addition to previous errors, errors due to, for instance, receiver noise and receiver time bias. In traditional RTK, all or most of these errors are assumed to correlate between the receivers and satellites, in which case the errors vanish in double differencing.
The relative positioning may thus be based more specifically on signal measurements at two GNSS receivers, which are used to form double difference observables. Such signal measurements may include for example carrier phase measurements and PRN code measurements, etc. A double difference observable relating to the carrier phase is the difference in the carrier phase of a specific satellite signal at both receivers compared to the difference in the carrier phase of another satellite signal at both receivers. A double difference observable relating to the PRN code is obtained correspondingly. The double difference observables can then be employed for determining the position of the receivers relative to each other at high accuracy.
A relative positioning of GNSS receivers making use of double difference observables has been described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,479 B1.
With a standard GNSS positioning, two GNSS receivers are able to determine their location, and therefore the baseline between them, with an accuracy of 5 to 20 meters. Compared to such a standard GNSS positioning, it is an advantage of the RTK approach that it allows determining the baseline with a much higher accuracy of 0.1 to 10 cm. It is noteworthy that this accuracy can be achieved with standard commercial GNSS-receivers.
Originally, RTK has only been available for geodesic surveying and other applications requiring a high accuracy. The equipment required for such applications is expensive and meant, therefore, only for professional use. However, it is also possible to obtain a high-precision baseline using two low-cost GNSS-enabled handsets, for example terminals with integrated GNSS-receiver or terminals equipped with an external Bluetooth GNSS-receiver. The data between the terminals can be exchanged using any kind of data transfer technology, like general packet radio service (GPRS), wireless local area networks (WLAN) or Bluetooth™. This allows the baseline to be determined and updated in real-time, while in many conventional solutions, the baseline is determined off-line. This approach is also called mobile Real-Time Kinematics (mRTK), indicating that mobile technology is used to expand the RTK use cases and bring the benefits of the technology to a wider audience.
Whenever a baseline between a user receiver and a reference receiver is to be updated using mRTK, some information on signal measurements has to be exchanged between the receivers. For example, if the positioning calculations are carried out at a user receiver, the user receiver has to obtain results of signal measurements from the reference receiver. The required signal measurements may comprise, but are not limited to, in particular a pseudorange value, a carrier phase value, a Doppler frequency, a carrier phase polarity and cycle slip information for each received GNSS signal. In addition, time and position information is needed, which is common to all the measured signals. The amount of the required measurement information is thus considerable and consequently, also the bandwidth required for data relay is substantial.
The required bandwidth is in particular an issue, when a high update frequency is to be used in a positioning.
The typical update frequency is 1 Hz, but in high-precision applications, such as moving particle trajectory determination or writing, a higher update frequency is required.
The effect of the update frequency on an RTK positioning is illustrated in FIG. 1. A terminal including a user receiver moves on a circular trajectory that is indicated in FIG. 1 with a solid line 1. The terminal is circling the origin with a period of 5 seconds. A dotted line 2 connects the five positions 3 that are determined with the typical update frequency of 1 Hz. It can be seen that this trajectory deviates significantly from the true circular trajectory 1. If the update frequency is increased tenfold to 10 Hz, the true trajectory is captured very well when connecting the determined positions, indicated as dots 4 in FIG. 1. However, conventionally, this means that a reference receiver has to send the result of signal measurements to the terminal at 10-fold frequency. This also increases the amount of transmitted data and thus the required bandwidth by ten.
This is often not acceptable, because in many applications in which a high baseline update-frequency is desired, the required bandwidth is not available or a cost issue.


An image compressing device includes: a histogram creating unit configured to create a histogram regarding an input image; an original type recognizing unit configured to recognize an original type of the input image using the histogram; and an image compressing unit configured to perform a compression process for creating a high-compressed image file from the input image and to control a compression mode of the compression process depending on at least the original type recognized by the original type recognizing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image compressing device, an image forming apparatus, an image compressing method, and a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, high-compressed PDF is known as a technique of increasing a compression ratio of a PDF file and achieving more improvement in image quality. In the high-compressed PDF, a technique of dividing an image into a character area and a picture area and performing compression processes (MMR, JPEG, and the like) which are each suitable for one of the character area and the picture area, to realize high compression is known.
A technique of determining attributes of an original as a whole is generally referred to as an original type recognition technique. In creating a high-compressed PDF file, it is also known that an original type is determined using the original type recognition technique to switch processing (for example, a threshold value of a binarization process is switched or an appropriate compression method is selected) to be suitable for the original type.
In creating a high-compressed PDF file, there are following original types as original types which are expected to achieve improvement in image quality by switching processing to be suitable for the original type determined using the original type recognition technique.                Only-character original        Newspaper original        Thin original
Particularly, with a recent increase in environmental consciousness, the number of cases in which an original is copied or printed in a toner save mode in reproducing an image using a copier increases. When a printed image in the toner save mode is scanned as an original and a high-compressed PDF file is created in this way, the original becomes a "thin original."
However, according to the original type recognition technique according to the related art, there is a problem in that a determination circuit is necessary for each original type and processing costs increase. There is also a problem in that the original type recognition technique and the compression technique according to the related art cope with an "only-character original" and a "newspaper original," but do not cope with the other original types (for example, a "thin original").

Image compressing device, image forming apparatus, image compressing method, and recording medium


A method and device may accept a first database query plan including a plurality of rows and a second database query plan including a plurality of rows, compare each row in the first database query plan with a corresponding row in the second database query plan, and based on each comparison, calculate a difference between the compared rows. Each difference may be recorded in an output file.

Database management systems (DBMSs) manage data stored in databases and enable users to formulate queries over the data, returning the corresponding results. For example, a query could be, "give me the names of employees working on projects in the oil and gas industry". DBMSs include or use optimizers to receive queries (or compiled versions of queries) and produce query execution plans (also termed query plans or execution plans). An execution plan is a tree, set or list of operators (e.g., logic operators) or other commands that instructs another unit, such as an executor, how to execute the query: for example which specific operators to apply and in which order, and how to access the data. Optimizers typically produce execution plans estimated by the optimizer to be optimal in execution cost. Cost may be determined based on processor (CPU) usage, input/output (I/O) cost, or other resource usage, and may be a combined measure of various costs.
Execution plans for the same query may differ when applied to or based on databases having different structures and sizes, different optimizers, or differences between DBMSs, or other differences. Thus if for a given DBMS or data associated with a DBMS a change in its characteristics or attributes occurs (e.g., a change in the structure or indexing of the data, the physical layout or storage of the data, the amount of the data, or the optimizer), the execution plan for a query may change. Various characteristics of a DBMS or data associated with a DBMS may change. Data may change if, e.g., sanitized (e.g., where sensitive information is made safe for wider visibility) or desensitized, if new rows are inserted, or the amount of data changes. An optimizer may change how it constructs a plan or how it relies on the distribution of data. The physical design of the data may change in that the indexes to the data may change, or the partitioning of data may change.
The results of changes in the attributes of the DBMS may include changes, in the resulting query plan, of cardinality and cost estimations (which may be included as part of a query plan), operator choices, operator ordering or arrangement, or other differences.
DBMSs typically make the execution plans available to the users in a human readable or machine-readable form. A DBMS may include a user interface, front end or utility that depicts the plan in a graphical or hierarchical manner, e.g. as a list or operator tree. Some provide different panels with different information about the plan. For example, one DMBS displays the operator tree in one panel and, separately, statistics and cost estimates for each operator, row or line in another panel. Others display a graph (e.g., a flow) of operators. A user may indicate (e.g., by clicking using a pointing device) an operator, and a display (e.g. a window) may expand and contain cost estimates for that operator.
It is common for users (e.g., database administrators and optimizer developers) to compare the plans before and after a change in attributes of a DBMS (e.g., in the optimizer or the data) to analyze the effect of the change in the plan and performance.
Such evaluation is difficult using current query plan viewing tools, as a query plan may be complex and lengthy, and may include much detailed information such as operators that will be applied to execute the query, estimated cardinalities (amount of results, e.g., rows or tuples estimated to be produced for an operator) for the intermediate results and estimated costs of executing each operator. Analyzing this information manually using current tools is cumbersome and time consuming.
Reference numerals may be repeated among the drawings to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Moreover, some of the blocks depicted in the drawings may be combined into a single function.

System and method for comparing database query plans

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present invention is related to the use of formulations of new random copolymers and terpolymers, synthesized by a method of semi continuous emulsion polymerization, and that function as flow improvers, lowering the pour point and reducing the viscosity of Mexicans crude oils, which have gravities within the range of 9 to 30° API.

Crude oil and any of their distillates, such as diesel, gasoil, naphtha and kerosene, contain different percentages of paraffins, which precipitate when the temperature decreases and crystallize very often coating the hydrocarbon.
The crystallization and agglomeration of paraffins degrade the flow properties of the oil or their distillates and break off the extraction procedure, processing, transport, storage and the use of the hydrocarbon.
This paraffin agglomeration is often observed during winter, when the environmental temperature falls and approaches to the pour point, producing the obstruction and even the complete plugging of pipelines in refineries, storage centers and other installations for petroleum processing.
Paraffin agglomeration takes place also in some crude distillates, in example diesel, producing obstructions in the filters of internal combustion motors, plugging heating pipes, which results in a bad operation.
When there is a cooling, paraffins disaggregate and form small crystals which interact forming a tridimensional network able to trap the liquid and increasing the viscosity. If this one happens in distillates like diesel, filter and valve stoppages are observed, but, when this phenomenon occurs in crude oil, the petroleum suffers gelling and deposits are formed on pipelines and storage tanks, provoking great damages to the production and storage capacity.
There are two kinds of flow improvers: nucleation and Crystal growing modifiers (Odriozola et al, 2008). The first promote the formation of tiny paraffin crystals, whereas the second kind facilitates the appearance of great crystal groups. In both cases the formation of a tridimensional crystal network is hindered. Nucleation modifiers are applied in gas and diesel transport and processing because paraffin crystals are so tiny that they can traverse trough filters. In contrast, growing modifiers are specially employed in crude oils (Tomassen H P M et al, 1998).
Most common flow modifiers are polymers, some of them homopolymers and the most copolymers. Homopolymers are obtained by reacting a single monomer while copolymers are synthesized from a combination of two different copolymers (M1 and M2). Monomers forming a copolymer chain may be arranged following an alternate sequence (alternate copolymer M1M2M1M2M1M2), or a succession of first monomers followed by a succession of the second monomer (block copolymers M1 M1 M1 M1 M2 M2 M2 M2) or a random sequence of monomers (M1 M2 M1 M1 M2 M2 M2 M1). This last kind of copolymers is specially characterized by their high homogeneous composition. The monomer sequence arrangement in copolymer chains, just that composition homogeneity, has a strong influence on their application properties. The use of single terpolymers as petroleum flow improvers has not yet been reported.
In the specific case of polymers employed as petroleum flow improvers, branched polyolefins, alphaolefin and esters of unsaturated carboxylic acids copolymers, ethylene and vinyl esters of fat acid copolymers, vinyl acetate and alpha olefin copolymers, styrene maleic anhydride copolymers, fatty acid amides and polyalkylacrylates, (Castro L V et al, 2008).
More specifically, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA) are produced by BASF under the trade mark Keroflux (Eisenbeis A et al., 2005).
Some examples of petroleum flow improvers given by the international literature are the following: European Patent No. EP0931825 B1 depicts a process for improving flow properties of oils with a sulfur content lower than 500 ppm and a minimal paraffin content around 8% by weight, using mixtures of copolymers and terpolymers, at a rate of 15% to 50% by weight of copolymers consisting of: polyethylene from 87% to 92% mol; polyvinyl acetate from 6.5% to 12% mol and 4-methyl-polypentene from 0.5% to 6% mol and terpolymers made of ethylene, vinyl esters and vinyl acrylates, at a composition between 50 and 85% (Krull M et al, 2003).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,533 describes the synthesis and use of terpolymers as pour point depressors for crude oil middle distillates, made of polyethylene (45-75% wt.), at least 5 by weight of polyvinyl acetate and 5% by weight of polystyrene. These polymers present a homogeneous distribution and composition of each monomer (Kidd, N. A., 1982).
European Patent No. 0136698A2 describes as a new flow improver a polymer with content between 50 and 90% by weight of ethylene, 10 to 40% by weight of esters of polyvinyl, 0.2 to 10% by weight of olefins and 2% to 25% by weight of aromatic vinyl, its molecular mass vary from 1,000 to 50,000, more preferably 2,000 to 10,000 Dalton. The polymer is added at concentrations between 0.03 and 0.10% by weight, being very effective to decrease the pour point of oils and middle distillates of petroleum (Chen J C S, 1985).
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0092665 describes the use of copolymers constituted by a butylic fraction (isoprene, butadiene, 2,4-dimethyl-butadiene, 2,4-hexadiene and halogenated derivatives, among others) and styrenic fraction (alpha-methyl-styrene and styrene) (Pazur R et al, 2004).
Copolymer synthesized from vinyl esters, alkyl acrylate and styrene were added (200 to 4,000 ppm) into Mexican crude oils and diminished viscosity and pour point (Castro L V et al, 2008). These additives were synthesized by semi continuous emulsion polymerization and, afterwards, characterized by spectroscopic and calorimetric techniques, in order to ensure a random distribution in the chains and a homogeneous composition. The synthesis procedure showed their efficiency to avoid the formation of homopolymer mixtures. The performance of these products depends strongly on this molecular feature and on the absence of long sequences of a single monomer.
In Mexico, the reserves of light crude oil diminishes very fast and, in consequence, only heavy and extra-heavy crude oils will be processed in the future by the national system of refineries. This situation represents a challenge because of the technical and economical difficulties related to this problem. Therefore, it is very important to find a solution to the problem of the low API gravity and high viscosity of the Mexican crude oils (Camacho-Bragado et al, 2002).
Taking in account the great importance of these technical and economical requirements, a series of formulations of new random copolymers and terpolymers dissolved in different solvents was prepared. All these polymers were prepared by emulsion polymerization and showed a considerable performance as pour point and viscosity decrease agents in some Mexican crude oils. It is important to remark that none of the references mentioned above neither disclose nor claim the application of polymers and/or formulations whose main characteristic is that polymers are composed of combinations of two or three acrylic, vinylic and styrenic monomers together at random which main component are styrenic type.

Formulations of random polymers for improving crude petroleum flow


The invention is a design method to lower the capacitance in high-frequency interconnect circuits built using copper dual-damascene back-end-of-line (BEOL). The method achieves lower interconnect capacitance by reducing capacitance to parasitic copper fill shapes. Parasitic capacitance is reduced physically by a) stacking copper fill shapes on each copper layer, and b) using larger dimension fill shapes. The consequence of using larger dimension fill shapes is to: a) increase white space between fill shapes, and b) reduce the summed perimeter of the fill shapes.

The present invention relates generally to electronic integrated circuit wiring techniques. More particularly, the present invention relates to on-chip interconnect circuits with use of large-sized copper fill in CMP processing.
In the -chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process of dual damascene copper back-end-of-line (BEOL), minimum copper densities must be present over the local areas of the wafer to maintain planarity during polishing. Correct copper densities are achieved in low-density areas by adding dummy copper shapes in the circuit design; these dummy shapes are known as fill. Process engineers have identified that fill shapes larger than the minimum linewidth improve manufacturing yield. However, little attention has been paid to the fill impact on electrical performance of interconnect circuits, other than a relatively larger effective capacitance of the dielectric stack. At high frequencies, the AC coupling between the interconnect signals and fill shapes can be significant and excessive capacitance can reduce circuit performance.
High frequency interconnect circuits consist of a signal line and an appropriate ground reference nearby. Such ground reference can be either a DC ground or an AC ground with a static reference potential other than 0 Volts. Characteristic impedance for interconnect circuits is accomplished by design of signal line width and separation to the reference ground conductors. The regions of white space (absence of metal) between the signal and ground or adjacent to a signal line without ground is therefore critical in control of the characteristic impedance and capacitance per unit length of the interconnect.
Sub-micron fill shapes at 10-50% area densities effectively increase the strength of electric fields in a pejorative way for copper interconnect circuits. The larger capacitance can be compensated in the design of the interconnect by proportionately increasing the inductance. However, this may either increase the conductor resistance or reduce the signal routing density, both of which are undesirable.
Accordingly, a need exists to lower the capacitance in high-frequency interconnect circuits that utilize copper fill shapes.
The invention is a design method to lower the capacitance in high-frequency interconnect circuits built using copper dual-damascene back-end-of-line (BEOL). The method achieves lower interconnect capacitance by reducing capacitance to parasitic copper fill shapes. Parasitic capacitance is reduced physically by a) stacking copper fill shapes on each copper layer, and b) using larger dimension fill shapes. The consequence of using larger dimension fill shapes is to: a) increase white space between fill shapes, and b) reduce the summed perimeter of the fill shapes.

On-chip interconnect circuits with use of large-sized copper fill in CMP process


A touch substrate and a method for manufacturing the same, and a display device are provided. The touch substrate includes: a base substrate; a plurality of first electrodes including body segments arranged in an electrode pattern layer; a plurality of second electrodes including body segments arranged in the electrode pattern layer, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes intersect at intersection areas on the touch substrate; and an insulating layer arranged on a side of the electrode pattern layer away from the base substrate and provided with first via holes and second via holes; wherein each first electrode includes a first conductive bridge, each second electrode includes a second conductive bridge, and in an intersection area, two adjacent body segments of a first electrode are electrically connected through the first conductive bridge, and/or two adjacent body segments of a second electrode are electrically connected through the second conductive bridge.

In a touch panel, transmitting (Tx) electrodes and receiving (Rx) electrodes are arranged crosswise on the panel in mutually orthogonal directions to realize a detection of a touch position. In an electrode layout scheme proposed by Flexible Multiple Layer on Cell (FMLOC) technology, the Tx electrodes and the Rx electrodes are arranged in a same layer.

Touch substrate and method for manufacturing the same, and display device

CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A low pressure radial ply tire (20) for light off-the-road use has tow radial carcass plies (22) oriented at a cord angle (CA) with respect to the Equatorial Plane (EP) from 65 to 85.degree.. The tire is not reinforced by a belt reinforcing structure to allow the carcass (22) to compensate within the footprint of the tire under varying conditions. The tread (26) is provided with a number of holes (38) having a very shallow depth and spaced uniformly across the tread surface to increase flotation and wherein the net-to-gross is in the range of 0.63 to 0.77.

This invention relates to pneumatic tires which will be used primarily in light off-the-road applications. More particularly this invention relates to tires where the environmental impact by the vehicle/tires is to be minimized, while still retaining traction, especially wet traction Examples of such uses are on all terrain vehicles and golf cars and other lawn or garden service vehicles.
In many off-the-road applications, the tires used on a vehicle utilize a wide open tread pattern with axially extending tread lugs which cut into the loose ground surface. Tires which utilize this approach are generally those known in the industry as Agricultural (tractor) tires and Off-the-road (Earthmover, dozers, etc.) tires. These tires are generally used on large vehicles and in applications where the damage or impact to the ground is of a secondary importance to traction.
Some smaller vehicles though, which are used primarily in off-the-road conditions, i.e., not primarily highway use, do not fall into either of the above categories in their use or in their environmental impact. Specifically All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) and golf cars are two such examples. Each uses a light weight vehicle that is primarily driven off the road where not only good traction characteristics are required, but also where the damage to the turf is best kept to a minimum. This is especially true of the golf car tires where much time and money is spent maintaining well conditioned grounds by country clubs and other owners of golf courses.
Damage to such grounds can occur as the tires of the car slip with respect to the turf. The slippage can be increased, and therefore the damage under wet conditions.
It is therefore desirous to produce a tire which will have a minimal impact on the turf of golf courses and other off-the-road applications to thereby reduce the damage thereto and the cost to repair such damage. It is believed that as a goal for such reduction in the damage of the turf that the effect of the tire upon the turf should approximate that of a human foot.
At least one study has indicated that the average human foot exerts 7.5 PSI of pressure while an individual is standing at rest. It is preferable then that in the static footprint, the tire should not exert more than 2.10 times the PSI of that of the average human footprint and preferably less.
The traditional golf car tire is a bias ply tire which is typically a ribbed tire, either with smooth ribs or with blading or sipes. Alternatively, tires have employed repeating block patterns and, in some ATV tires, lugs. The lugs in these tires have traditionally a nonskid which in some cases acts similar to those of the larger Agricultural or Off-the-road tires as they cut or bite into the ground. This can result in damage to turf and other ground conditions which may accelerate erosion.
It therefore would be advantageous to develop a tire which has good traction, especially wet traction, on turf. It is also desirous to provide a tire which has good traction characteristics while having a low environmental impact upon the ground and thereby minimizing the stress on grass blades in order to help assure their survivability.
It is believed that these and other considerations can be accomplished by a low pressure non-belt reinforced pneumatic radial ply tire for light off-the-road use comprising:
a circumferentially extending ground engaging tread portion, said tread portion having a plurality of voids spaced about said tread such that the net-to-gross is in the range of 0.63 to 0.77;
a pair of sidewalls, one said sidewall extending radially inward from each lateral edge of said tread to a bead portion having an inextensible bead therein:
two radial carcass plies, each extending from one said bead to the other said bead portion, said carcass plies comprising a plurality of cords laid at a cord angle from 65.degree. to 85.degree. with respect to the equatorial plane:
wherein the aspect ratio is in the range of 0.40 to 0.75.


A Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) measurement circuit includes a control circuit configured to receive respective detection signals output from one or more single-photon detectors in response to a plurality of photons incident thereon. The control circuit includes a photon counter circuit including a digital counter circuit and an analog counter circuit, the digital counter circuit being responsive to an output of the analog counter circuit or the analog counter circuit being responsive to an output of the digital counter circuit to count detection of respective photons of the plurality of photons based on the respective detection signals, and a time integration circuit configured to output a time integration signal representative of respective times of arrival indicated by the respective detection signals. The control circuit is configured to calculate an estimated time of arrival of the plurality of photons based on a ratio of the time integration signal and the count of the detection of the respective photons of the plurality of photons.

Time of flight (ToF) based imaging is used in a number of applications including range finding, depth profiling, and 3D imaging (e.g., LIDAR, also referred to herein as lidar). Direct time of flight measurement includes directly measuring the length of time between emitting radiation and sensing the radiation after reflection from an object or other target. From this, the distance to the target can be determined.
In some applications, the sensing of the reflected radiation may be performed using an array of photodetectors, including single-photon detectors, such as a Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) array. One or more photodetectors may define a detector pixel of the array. SPAD arrays may be used as solid-state photodetectors in imaging applications that may require high sensitivity and timing resolution. A SPAD is based on a semiconductor junction (e.g., a p-n junction) that may detect incident photons when biased beyond its breakdown region, for example, by or in response to a strobe signal having a desired pulse width. The high reverse bias voltage generates an electric field of sufficient magnitude such that a single charge carrier introduced into the depletion layer of the device can cause a self-sustaining avalanche via impact ionization. The avalanche may be quenched by a quench circuit, either actively (e.g., by reducing the bias voltage) or passively (e.g., by using the voltage drop across a serially connected resistor), to allow the device to be "reset" to detect further photons. The initiating charge carrier can be photo-electrically generated by means of a single incident photon striking the high field region. It is this feature which gives rise to the name "Single Photon Avalanche Diode." This single photon detection mode of operation is often referred to as "Geiger mode."
Center of Mass Method (CMM) Time of Flight pixels may be configured to calculate the center-of-mass of the distribution of the times-of-arrival (TOA) of signal photons over a time window of interest, which can be used to estimate the distance of and time of flight to a target. For example, a CMM SPAD ToF pixel may count and sum photons and their corresponding times of arrival, which has typically been implemented by integrating many timestamps in-pixel, to calculate the center-of-mass of the TOA distribution.
To count photons that are incident on array of SPADs, some ToF pixel approaches may use either a digital counter or an analog counter to indicate the detection and arrival times of photons, also referred to as time-stamping. Digital counters may be easier to implement and scale, but may be more expensive in terms of area (e.g., with respect to the physical size of the array). Analog counters may be more compact, but may suffer from limited photon counting depth (bit depth), noise, and/or uniformity issues.
To time-stamp incident photons, some SPAD array-based ToF pixel approaches have used a Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC), a Time to Amplitude Converter (TAC), or a counter plus an interpolator, e.g., a global time stamp count plus a TAC. TDCs can be used in time of flight imaging applications to increase timing resolution over that of a single clock cycle.
However, TDC circuits may only be able to process one event in a single measurement cycle, such that multiple TDCs may be used for an array of SPADs. TDCs may also be relatively power consuming, making larger arrays more difficult to implement. TACs may be less power consuming, but may have limited dynamic range when implementing many timestamps in-pixel. TDCs may also generate relatively large amounts of data, e.g., one 16-bit timestamp per photon. A single SPAD connected to a TDC may generate millions of such timestamps per second. An imaging array of greater than 100,000 pixels therefore can generate unfeasibly large data rates relative to the available input/output bandwidth or capability.
The fine resolution created by TDCs is reliant on fast moving digital signals, which may have high power consumption, e.g., a ring oscillator operating at a frequency of about 2 GHz and current of about 200 μA. Some advantages of digital approaches include that the size of the TDC tends to scale with technology node and the stored values can be robust to leakage. With respect to analog approaches, summing multiple analog voltages on a capacitor or integrator may have advantages with respect to averaging (e.g., reduction in noise); however, the dynamic range of the system may vary with the number of stored voltages when using an ADC (analog-to-digital converter) with fixed voltage references. Also, leakage of a least significant bit (LSB; or n LSBs) can be difficult to avoid within the frame read out time.

Hybrid center of mass method (CMM) pixel


A barrier layer is provided for an inflatable article for impeding the flow of inflation gas through the inflatable article. The barrier layer may be constructed of a material that is based upon a cross-linkable rubber composition, the cross-linkable rubber composition comprising, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr), between 1 phr and 40 phr of a chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber, between 60 phr and 99 phr of a butyl rubber and a sulfur curing system.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally barrier layers and more specifically to barrier layers in pneumatic tires that decrease the diffusion of gas through the tire.
Description of the Related Art
Various articles are constructed to hold gas, such as air, under pressure, examples of which include tires, athletic balls such as basketballs, footballs and tennis balls, inflatable boats, air mattresses, and the like. These articles are typically made from a polymeric material having some elastic properties. Tires, for instance, are typically made from rubber materials such as styrene butadiene rubber, polybutadiene rubber and/or natural rubber.
Many elastomeric materials used to make inflatable articles may, in some circumstances, remain slightly permeable to gases. If left unchecked, the gas permeability of the inflated article may compromise the performance of the article and cause the article to deflate over time. Furthermore, if the gas that passes through the slightly permeable material is oxygen, then the oxygen can cause oxidation of the elastomers, causing deleterious effects to the properties of the elastomer, e.g., the elastomers may tend to harden and degrade.
In view of the above, it is often advantageous for inflatable articles to contain a barrier layer that reduces gas permeability and inhibits oxygen travel through the article. Often, in the past, these barrier layers have been made from a composition containing butyl rubber, a copolymer that contains a majority of isobutylene units. Butyl rubber in its raw state, however, still remains somewhat gas permeable. Thus, efforts continue in the industry to discover new ways of providing an effective barrier to the diffusion of gas through rubber articles.

Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin


A flexible cover installable on a spa (hot tub) to provide a barrier against upward escape of moisture or heat or chlorine out of the spa. The cover is formed as a three ply laminated sheet that includes an outer canvas layer, an impervious plastic film adhered to the lower face of the canvas layer, and a thermally reflective film adhered to the lower face of the plastic film.

This invention relates to a thermal cover for a spa (hot tub). The cover includes a thin insulating blanket laminated to a canvas sheet; in its usage the cover is pulled tightly over the upper rim of a hot tub to form a barrier against upward escape of moisture, or chlorine, or heat. The cover is formed of light weight materials for easy handling and compact storage.
In some respects our thermal cover is similar to a cover shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,083 issued in the name of J. Kingston. However, the Kingston cover is fastened to the spa by means of upstanding pins on the spa rim wall; such upwardly projecting pins could be a safety hazard to persons using the spa. Our thermal cover is fastened to the spa by means of mating snap fasteners carried on flap extensions of the cover and vertical side surfaces of a peripheral flange that surrounds the spa. The snap fasteners are relatively flat structures that are not likely to injure a person if he or she should come into contact with the fastener structures Also, the spa-attached fasteners are located on vertical surfaces of the spa where they are not likely to be struck by a person using the spa.


A rocking horse provided with a buffer assembly that includes a wheeled axle which may be selectively engaged within upper and lower grooves formed in the front portions of the rocker arms to prevent the horse from rolling over during use and permitting the horse to move forward along a support surface.

Due to rapid growth of industry and economics, value is placed on practical and safe devices, particularly devices in the form of toys of children. If a toy design is not both novel and safe, it will not have much commercial interest. For example, an ordinary rocking horse formed of wood may be of different forms and appearances, but its basic function is limited to a rocking motion in a stationary position. Alternatively, a wooden horse may be provided with four rollers on its legs so that the horse can be permitted to roll on a support surface in the manner of a toy car. Known horses of these types have several disadvantages.
First, a conventional rocking horse can swing or rock back and forth in a stationary location. However, if the rocking motion imparted by the user is too great, the horse will roll over and throw the user onto the ground. A rocking horse of this type does not provide a sense of security in use and is very monotonous and unsatisfying since its movement is limited to rocking in a stationary location.
Second, it is known to support a toy horse on a metal frame which does not roll over during use, thereby providing a greater sense of security to the user. However, this type of horse is also unsatisfying since movement in use is confined to a stationary location.
Third, a conventional toy horse supported on wheels to permit the horse to roll on a surface like a toy car may not be of the proper height for the user. If the legs of a child using the horse are too short to reach the ground for propelling the horse in a forward direction, an adult is required to assist the child by pushing the child and horse in a forward direction.

No. 10, Alley 1, Lane 92, Kwangchow Street


The present invention relates to a synthetic leather for a steering wheel cover of a vehicle, and a method for preparing the same. The synthetic leather including a fiber base layer (101) including a microfiber nonwoven fabric, an urethane porous layer (102) formed on the fiber base layer, a polyurethane resin skin layer (104) formed on the urethane porous layer, and prepared by polymerizing an isocyanate compound and a polyol compound including polycarbonate-based polyol, fluorine-based polyol and ester-based polyol, and an adhesive layer (103) for adhering the urethane porous layer and the skin layer.

A steering wheel is generally referred to as a wheel or a handle, and is a circular steering apparatus used for changing a direction of progress by turning the wheels of a vehicle to left or right.
A steering wheel delivers rotation operating force of a driver to a steering apparatus through a steering axis binding to the center as a medium, and carries out an operation of angular motioning the wheel. Such a steering wheel has been formed with a circular rim that a driver holds, and a rim support formed in the center of this rim and having a steering axis binding to the center. A steering wheel may be formed with various materials, but may be manufactured using a method of welding a rim support to a rim that forms a metal pipe into a ring shape, or manufactured using a method of casting aluminum or magnesium, a light nonferrous metal having relatively high stiffness. To the rim support part of a steering wheel manufactured as above, an assembly of an air bag, a horn button, an audio operation button and the like are combined after being covered with a cover made of a synthetic resin material, and on the rim, a rim cover made with cloth, synthetic leather, leather and the like covers the surface of the steering wheel.
In conventional processes for preparing synthetic leather, a method of forming a film may be used by applying an urethane skin resin mixing solution containing an organic solvent such as dimethylformamide and methylethyl ketone on a release paper and drying the result, and applying an adhesive on the formed urethane film, and cross-linking and curing the result, and thus prepared skin may be combined with a conventional (short-fiber type)microfiber nonwoven fabric or a woven fabric fiber base.
In the related arts, Korean Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2012-0133210 (Patent Document 1) discloses a method for preparing polyurethane synthetic leather for automobile interior materials, and the method for preparing polyurethane synthetic leather includes a first step of preparing a release paper; a second step of forming a surface layer laminated with a plurality of layers by repeatedly applying a polyurethane resin including water-dispersible polycarbonate urethane on the upper surface of the release paper and drying the result a plurality of times; a third step of forming an adhesion layer by applying a solventless-type adhesive on the upper surface of the surface layer; and a fourth step of forming a fabric layer by adhering woven fabric weaved with synthetic fiber, knitwork or nonwoven fabric on the upper surface of the adhesion layer.
However, the synthetic leather manufactured as described above may form a skin coating layer on a fiber base of short-fiber type nonwoven fabric or woven fabric having relatively small density, such that substantial wrinkles may be formed when such synthetic leather is used as a rim cover of a steering wheel, and sew holes may be gaped. Accordingly, there may be limitations in providing softness similar to natural leather volume, feel and the like. In addition, the conventional polyurethane skin coating layer may have light resistance for irradiation amount, which is a physical property for general vehicle sheets and door trims, of about 84 MJ but may not have sufficient light resistance for irradiation amount of about 126 MJ, which is required for steering wheel covering of a vehicle. In addition, physical properties such as chemical resistance, heat aging resistance and frictional coloration may be reduced low, such that application of the synthetic leather as a rim cover of a steering wheel has not been made.
In addition, Korean Patent No. 10-1402783 (Patent Document 2) discloses synthetic leather in which a fiber base layer containing long fiber-type high density microfiber nonwoven fabric; an urethane porous layer having micropores; and a skin layer; are laminated in consecutive order. Such technology has introduced an urethane porous layer having structurally strong binding power on long fiber-type high density microfiber nonwoven fabric thereby complementing hydrolysis resistance, heat resistance, chemical resistance and mechanical properties compared to existing synthetic leather. However, improvements in physical properties of a wrinkle property and fouling resistance may be required in order to be used for a curvy steering wheel cover.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Synthetic leather for steering wheel cover having improved durability and method for preparing the same


According to a semiconductor device (101), a first switching active element (103) of a normally-on type and a second switching active element (104) of a normally-off type are cascode-connected to each other. This causes an electric current path to be formed. The first and second switching active elements (103, 104) are provided and connected so that loop area of the electric current path is a minimum area in a plan view of the semiconductor device (101).

In light of a decrease in electric power consumption of home electric appliances, an emphasis has been placed on reducing power loss of semiconductors such as power devices and power modules. In view of the circumstances, semiconductor devices such as power devices employing wide bandgap semiconductors have been developed for the purpose of further reduction in power loss.
Since field-effect transistors (FET), which are made of the III group nitride semiconductor of a GaN (gallium nitride) system, are expected to bring about low on-resistance, various semiconductor devices employing such field-effect transistors have been developed. A known example of the field-effect transistors of a GaN (gallium nitride) system is an AlGaN/GaN HFET (Heterojunction FET) employing a heterostructure in which GaN and AlGaN (aluminum gallium nitride) are combined. Since the AlGaN/GaN HFET has characteristics such as low on-resistance, high-speed performance, high withstand voltage, and high resistance to heat, the AlGaN/GaN HFET has become a focus of attention.
However, the AlGaN/GaN HFET is typically a normally-on field-effect transistor, and is therefore in an on state while a gate voltage is 0V. In order for the AlGaN/GaN HFET to be put in an off state, negative voltage needs to be applied to a gate. Note that, since a power device handles a vast amount of electric current, the power device is required to employ a normally-off field-effect transistor which blocks an electric current while zero bias voltage is applied. This causes a problem that a normally-on field-effect transistor such as the AlGaN/GaN HFET cannot, without any alterations thereto, be used in a power device.
In view of the problem, Patent Literature 1 discloses a semiconductor device in which a normally-off operation is realized by employing a normally-on active element. According to the semiconductor device, a normally-on field-effect transistor and a normally-off field-effect transistor are cascode-connected to each other.
Specifically, according to the semiconductor device, (i) a drain of a first field-effect transistor of a normally-on type is connected to a first node, (ii) a source of a second field-effect transistor of a normally-off type is connected to a second node, and (iii) a switching element is provided between a control electrode of the first field-effect transistor and the second node. While the semiconductor device is in an off state, the switching element operates, by causing the first field-effect transistor to be in an on state, so as to maintain a voltage less than a withstand voltage of the second field-effect transistor. In a case where a voltage across a control electrode reaches or rises higher than a threshold voltage, the switching element allows electric conduction from the first node to the second node.
The semiconductor device configured as such operates as a normally-off transistor which is turned on by applying positive voltage to the control electrode of the second field-effect transistor. Then, by sealing such a semiconductor device in a package such as TO220, it is possible to provide a normally-off field-effect transistor which is high withstand voltage and which is capable of a high-speed operation.

Semiconductor device and electronic apparatus


A foldable keyboard comprises a pair of keyboard panels with a proximal panel pivotal over a distal panel about a keyboard hinge oriented laterally with respect to and located between two adjacent rows of keys of the keyboard. A stand panel is pivotally coupled to the distal panel at a stand hinge oriented laterally with respect to the keyboard, and pivotal over the proximal panel of the keyboard. A kickstand can be pivotally coupled to a back of the stand panel. A shelf can be pivotally coupled to a front of the stand panel at a shelf hinge located proximate to the stand hinge to receive the tablet computer thereon.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a foldable keyboard for tablet computers, cellular or cell phones (or smart phones) and phablets, and the like.
2. Related Art
Tablet computers or tablets, such as the Apple® iPad® tablet computer, have grown in popularity. Such tablet computers are often thin, rectilinear computers with a broad touch screen that can offer media viewing and user input through a graphical keyboard. In addition, cellular or cell phones, or so called smart phones, have also grown in popularity, and have increased their abilities and computing power to blur the distinction between tablets and smart phones. So called phablets have combined the functions of smart phones and tablets.
These tablets, smart phones, and phablets have also increased their abilities and computing power to rival portable computers or laptop computers. One distinction between the laptop computers and tablets, is that tablets lack a keyboard external to their display. Typing or keyed entry on the tablet computers, and smart phones and phablets, can be difficult due to the lack of haptic or tactile response of the graphical keyboard, and the large amount of space required by the graphical keyboard leaves a small viewing area. User's can supplement the tablet computer with a wireless keyboard to facilitate typing or keyed entry. Such wireless keyboards can also be incorporated into the case or folio. As tablets grow smaller and more portable, it is difficult to provide an external keyboard.


A control system for an image sensor that has an array of pixels and a fetching circuit. During a charge accumulation interval each pixel generates a corresponding instantaneous pixel signal cumulatively responsive to the light the pixel has received from an incident image. At the end of the accumulation interval, the fetching circuit composes an image signal from the values attained by the array's various instantaneous pixel signals. The control system has a drive control circuit and a contrast detector. The contrast detector is coupled to the array for deriving an instantaneous image contrast signal from the instantaneous pixel signals. The drive control circuit then uses the instantaneous image contrast signal for adjusting the array's accumulation interval so the image signal will have good contrast.

Typical autofocus cameras recently available in the market are so arranged that the light from an object to be photographed falls upon an image sensor and focus detection is performed on the basis of an image data signal (i.e., image pickup signal) output from the image sensor.
Many autofocus cameras use a charge-coupled-device (CCD) element or metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) sensor as the image sensor and, in general, employ a so-called "phase difference detecting mode" in which the object to be photographed is imaged both on a primary area and a reference area of the image sensor. Then the image on the reference area is brought into proper correlation with the image on the primary area to effect the desired focus detection. Other autofocus cameras employ a so-called contrast detecting mode which utilizes the fact that the object imaged on the image sensor exhibits the highest contrast ratio when brought into focus.
FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a prior art image sensor. It consists of a CCD element which is well known, comprising a multi-pixel image sensor array 11 having a primary image area and a reference image area, a reset gate 12, a shift gate 13, and a CCD shift register 14. A brightness monitoring sensor 15 disposed adjacent the image sensor causes its associated amplifier 16 to output a brightness monitoring voltage V.sub.m which is used to regulate the charge accumulation or storage time of image sensor array 11.
More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B and FIGS. 19A-19C, in response to a reset pulse .phi..sub.r input to the reset gate 12 of sensor array 11 and the circuit associated with monitoring sensor 15, an amplifier 16 begins-outputting a falling brightness monitoring voltage V.sub.m, the slope of which is determined by the brightness of the light incident on monitoring sensor 15. The pixels of image sensor array 11 accumulate negative charge in response to the image illumination intensity for a charge accumulation time interval which ends when brightness monitoring voltage V.sub.m falls to a preset voltage level V.sub.t.
In response to a shift pulse .phi..sub.s, the amount of charge thus stored in array 11 is transferred in parallel to the CCD shift register 14. Then, in response to transfer clock pulses .phi..sub.1, .phi..sub.2, the charges stored in the shift register 14 are successively serially transferred to a preamplifier 17 which, in turn, outputs a corresponding image data signal voltage V.sub.os.
This image data signal voltage V.sub.os is compared to a compensation voltage V.sub.cs output from a reference amplifier 18 identical to amplifier 17, and a signal (V.sub.os -V.sub.cs) representing the difference of these voltages is digitalized by an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter (not shown) and then applied to a digital signal processing circuit (not shown) for distance calculations.
In this arrangement of the prior art, the monitoring sensor 15 monitors only an average brightness of the illumination distributed on the primary area of the image sensor array 11. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 20, when an image of a high contrast ratio is projected onto the sensor array 11, or relatively intense light is incident upon some pixels locally, the brightest pixels become saturated as time increases as is shown happening in charge amount curve A. Because the saturated pixels distort curve A, an accurate image data signal voltage V.sub.os cannot be obtained, and an error inevitably appears in the resulting distance calculations used for focusing.
To avoid such saturation with high contrast images, it might be contemplated to set the preset voltage level V.sub.t in FIGS. 18A and 18B for the monitoring voltage V.sub.m to a level corresponding to a shorter charge accumulation time for image sensor array 11. However, this would have the disadvantage of decreasing the amount of charge accumulation when detecting an object of a low contrast ratio and reducing the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of the image data signal voltage V.sub.os. Moreover, a level of V.sub.t sufficiently far from the saturation region would limit the amount of stored charge, causing the image sensor to be inefficiently used at a disadvantageously low S/N ratio.
Furthermore, the prior art brightness monitoring sensor 15 is never exposed to exactly the same light from the object to be photographed, or a portion thereof, as the light incident on the image sensor itself. Therefore, it is sometimes impossible to properly control the amount of accumulated charge, depending upon the particular objects to be photographed.
As shown FIG. 18B, when the image of an object projected onto the sensor array 11 is of a low contrast ratio, the signal fluctuation-(V.sub.max -V.sub.min) of the image data signal voltage V.sub.os is substantially smaller than the fluctuation in the difference voltage-(V.sub.os -V.sub.cs) between the image data signal voltage V.sub.os and the compensation voltage V.sub.cs. Therefore, if the signal to be digitalized for data processing is (V.sub.os -V.sub.cs), and A/D converter of relatively high resolution must be employed to accurately convert the information-bearing ripples in image signal V.sub.os.
As will be apparent from FIGS. 18A and 18B, and FIGS. 19A-19C, the charge accumulation time of the image sensor array 11 is set to the time elapsing from when the reset pulse .phi..sub.r is input to the time at which the monitoring voltage V.sub.m (corresponding to an average output signal) reaches the preset voltage level V.sub.t. Thus, the average of the difference voltage-(V.sub.os -V.sub.cs) is kept constant and such difference voltage is input to the A/D converter after amplification.
In the special case when the brightness of the object to be photographed is so low that the brightness monitoring voltage V.sub.m does not reach the preset voltage V.sub.t within a specified time limit, the difference signal voltage-(V.sub.os -V.sub.cs) for the image is amplified by an amount determined by the level reached by the average brightness monitoring voltage V.sub.m. In such case also, no effective A/D conversion can be achieved for an object of low contrast ratio, since the degree of amplification depends on the average of said difference voltage-(V.sub.os -V.sub.cs) rather than the range of image signal fluctuation V.sub.min -V.sub.max.


A fastener driving machine includes an actuator which injects a fastener to a driving target object, a controller which controls an operation of the actuator, and a sensor which detects a physical quantity changed by a contact with the driving target object. The controller controls the actuator based on the physical quantity detected by the sensor.

In order to secure a safety in a driving operation of a fastener, an accidental-ejection preventing mechanism is widely used in the related art in which the fastener is not launched only by a control of pulling a trigger lever, and fastener driving can be performed by pressing a contact arm disposed at the tip of a tool.
However, the fastener driving operation is often performed by pressing the contact arm against a driven member in the state of pulling the trigger lever, and thus the contact arm may contact an unintended portion to operate a fastener driving machine.
For this reason, it is prevented that the contact arm is pressed when the contact arm contacts the unintended portion by taking an action that protrudes the contact arm with a spring having high load, which improves the reliability of preventing an accidental ejection. However, there is a problem that a burden on the operator increases since a usual operation load increases.
JP-A-5-57635 describes a driving tool in which a human body detection sensor including a pyroelectric-type infrared ray sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a capacitive sensor, or the like is embedded in a lower end surface of a guide plate guiding a lower end of a striker. In the driving tool, when the human body detection sensor detects a human body, the driving of the staple is stopped although a main switch is turned on.
JP-A-9-239674 describes a nailing machine in which a pyroelectric-type infrared ray sensor for detecting infrared ray emitted from a human body is provided in the front side of a nose portion including an injection outlet of a nail, and when it is recognized that the human body is present in a direction of injecting a nail, the striking mechanism is not operated although a trigger and the contact arm are erroneously controlled.
Japanese Patent No. 3132330 describes a nailing machine in which an acceleration sensor is mounted in a mechanism housing as a body of the nailing machine. The nailing machine is configured such that in a case where an acceleration pattern and a moving direction, which is stored in advance, of the nailing machine moving toward a driving target object in an injection direction do not match with an acceleration and a moving direction detected by the acceleration sensor, a nail is not launched although a fastener driving control is performed.


An electrically conductive composition containing a charge transfer complex of a TCNQ salt and a donor molecule is obtained by dissolving a charge transfer complex in a solvent having a relative evaporation rate of less than about 30, and evaporating the solvent so that the charge transfer complex forms a network of fibrils, dendrites or sphericulites. Polymers may also be included in the composition.

This invention relates in general to electrophotography and, in particular, to electrically conductive materials and a method of producing such materials for use in an electrophotographic imaging member.
There is a need in various fields for conductive materials which are humidity insensitive and which can be easily coated. Such materials are especially needed for electrophotographic applications. For example, partially transparent conductive ground planes are extensively used in electrophotographic imaging members. These ground planes typically consist of a metal or metal oxide layer on a non-conductive support. The metal/metal oxide layer must be very thin to allow the transmission of light. To achieve thin layers, the metal/metal oxide layer is applied to the substrate by vacuum deposition, adding a substantial cost burden to the imaging member design.
Solvent coating of a ground plane in an electrophotographic imaging member may be performed. However, the materials which can be solvent coated rely on ionic conduction and are generally humidity sensitive.
Charge transfer complexes containing tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) salts are highly conductive. A large number of charge transfer salts have been synthesized. In 1981, Polish workers published a "note" (Jeszka et al, Nature, vol. 289, Conductive Polymer: Reticulate Doping with Charge-Transfer Complex, Jan. 29, 1981) on the fabrication of conductive polymer films doped with TCNQ salts. A charge transfer complex loading of 2% provided conductivity through a dendritic crystalline network, which was induced by optimized fabrication procedures. These fabrication procedures include a substrate temperature of over 100.degree. C. as well as use of O-dichlorobenzene solutions heated to 170.degree. C., making film coating a difficult task.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,538 to Kim reported the effect of various polymers on the conductivity of N-methylphenazine/TCNQ salt. Filamentary (fibril) structures were noted in some of the binders. Although the solutions were coated at room temperature, the preferred use of dimethyl formamide (DMF) as solvent required controlled vacuum drying to achieve the desired conductive structures. Optimum concentration of charge transfer complex in the binder was 35%.
In electrophotography, an electrophotographic plate containing a photoconductive insulating layer on a conductive layer is imaged by first uniformly electrostatically charging its surface. The plate is then exposed to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation such as light. The radiation selectively dissipates the charge in the illuminated areas of the photoconductive insulating layer while leaving behind an electrostatic latent image in the non-illuminated areas. This electrostatic latent image may then be developed to form a visible image by depositing finely divided electroscopic marking particles on the surface of the photoconductive insulating layer. The resulting visible image may then be transferred from the electrophotographic plate to a support such as paper. This imaging process may be repeated many times with reusable photoconductive insulating layers.
An electrophotographic imaging member may be provided in a number of forms. For example, the imaging member may be a homogeneous layer of a single material such as vitreous selenium or it may be a composite layer containing a photoconductor and another material. One type of composite imaging member comprises finely divided particles of a photoconductive inorganic compound dispersed in an electrically insulating organic resin binder. U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990 discloses a layered photoreceptor having separate photogenerating and charge transport layers. The photogenerating layer is capable of photogenerating holes and injecting the photogenerated holes into the charge transport layer.
Other composite imaging members have been developed having numerous layers which are highly flexible and exhibit predictable electrical characteristics within narrow operating limits to provide excellent images over many thousands of cycles. One type of multilayered photoreceptor that has been employed as a belt in electrophotographic imaging systems comprises a substrate, a conductive layer, a blocking layer, an adhesive layer, a charge generating layer, a charge transport layer and a conductive ground strip layer adjacent to one edge of the imaging layers. In such a device, the conductive layer is typically a metal layer formed by vacuum deposition.
There continues to be a need for conductive materials for electrophotographic applications.

Conductive layers using charge transfer complexes


Techniques and architecture are disclosed for managing power use during operation of an electronic device capable of processing and/or playback of audio and/or video (AV) content. In some instances, the disclosed techniques/architecture can be used, for example: (1) to stop decoding and/or rendering of AV content upon detecting that a user wishes to stop or is otherwise unable to consume (e.g., hear/listen to or otherwise utilize) such AV content; and/or (2) to continue/re-enable decoding and/or rendering of AV content upon detecting that a user wishes or is otherwise able to continue/resume consumption thereof. In some cases, use of the disclosed techniques/architecture may reduce central processing unit (CPU) cycles, audio digital signal processing (DSP), rendering hardware usage, etc., and/or otherwise make more efficient use of battery charge, and thus may realize an improvement in battery life, for example, for a mobile/battery-operated device capable of AV processing and/or playback.

Power management in electronic devices involves a number of non-trivial challenges, and mobile/battery-based electronic devices have faced particular complications at managing power consumption, such as those with respect to audio/video processing and playback.
These and other features of the present embodiments will be understood better by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the figures herein described. The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing.

Media device power management techniques


A tunnel-type reflow furnace containing a preliminary heating zone and a main heating zone is disclosed. In the furnace, at least two pairs of infrared heaters are disposed on both the top and bottom of a tunnel providing a pathway for the transfer of an article to be heated, and the infrared heaters are of a gas blowing type. In a preferred embodiment, a gas-blowing nozzle that is freely adjustable in the direction of gas blowing is provided between infrared heaters on both the top and bottom of the tunnel. This furnace allows the heating profile to be easily changed in accordance with a specific use. It is also capable of efficient and uniform heating of a printed circuit board even if it carries many components at high density. As a result, the furnace ensures reliable soldering of the circuit board.

The present invention relates to a tunnel-type reflow furnace, in particular, to a cream solder melting tunnel-type reflow furnace which is furnished with a plurality of heaters on both the top and bottom of the tunnel and which consists of a preheating and a main heating zone. The term "cream solder" as used herein means a creamy substance that is formed by mixing solder in powder form and a liquid flux and which can be deposited in a given amount on selected locations by means of a screen printing apparatus or a dispenser. Such a "cream solder" has been extensively used in soldering electronic components to printed circuit boards.
A reflow furnace as an apparatus for soldering chip-mounting printed circuit boards has been known. Heating means for use in reflow furnaces include a hot gas, infrared radiation (both far and near infrared rays), and even the recently proposed technique of using the latent heat which is liberated when a gas undergoes a phase change to liquid.
In a reflow furnace, selected locations on a printed circuit board where cream solder has been applied are heated to the temperature at which the solder melts, thereby enabling electronic components of interest to be soldered to the circuit board. With modern printed circuit boards on which electronic components are to be mounted, heating of the circuit boards must be held to the necessary minimum level in order to minimize the thermal damage that might be caused to the electronic components. Therefore, an optimum heating pattern or profile does exist depending on the use of a specific printed circuit board.
Conventional reflow furnaces have their own heating profiles and the heating profile of a certain furnace is uniquely determined by its design parameters, namely, it lacks flexibility. The upper and lower limits of heating and cooling temperatures can be adjusted by some degree but time-dependent temperature control has been practically impossible.
With the increasing versatility of electronic components to be mounted on printed circuit boards, it has become desirable to heat circuit boards according to the optimal heating profile of each board. As for the heating of circuit boards themselves, the difference in temperature between the locations where soldering is to be effected and the other areas of the circuit board is preferably as small as possible. However, one is not advised to meet this requirement by simply heating the circuit board over a prolonged period since this will cause thermal damage to the electronic components mounted on the circuit board.
Another tendency in modern electronics industry is to manufacture even lighter and smaller electronic devices and this has increased the need to mount a number of electronic components on a small-area printed circuit board. In soldering printed circuit boards mounting components at high density, the solder applied to very small spaces between individual electronic components must be melted. If heating is performed with a conventional infrared heater, some of the closely packed electronic components will obstruct the travel of infrared radiation which goes on a straight line, and it often fails to travel far enough to reach desired locations where soldering is to be performed. The radiation emitted from a conventional infrared heater has a wavelength of no longer than 3 .mu.m but such infrared rays are not effectively absorbed by a white substance such as solder to realize rapid heating. On the other hand, such infrared rays are rapidly absorbed by dark and sometimes black substances such as electronic components. Therefore, it has often occurred that only the electronic components are heated to high temperatures, with the solder remaining unmelted.


A power supply circuit, a relay device and a Power over Ethernet system related to the electronic technical field are provided. In the power supply circuit, each rectifier module has its positive output end connected to a positive supply pin, and a negative output end connected to a first end of a switch control module. The positive supply pin is connected to a positive terminal of a relay circuit in the relay device. The switch control module has a second end connected to a negative supply pin, and a control end connected to the positive supply pin. The negative supply pin is connected to a negative terminal of the relay circuit. The switch control module allows conduction between the first end and the second end when the rectifier module outputs a voltage greater than a preset threshold.

Power over Ethernet (POE) technology refers to the technology of transmitting data signals and providing DC power supply for a network device (such as a network telephone, a WLAN access point or a network switch) through Ethernet twisted pair
In the related art, a POE system typically includes a power sourcing equipment (PSE) and a powered device (PD). Both the PSE and the PD can be provided with an RJ45 interface. The RJ45 interface in the PSE can be connected to the RJ45 interface in the PD through a network cable. The PSE can supply power to and exchange data signals with the PD through the network cable.
However, due to the limited transmission distance of data signals in Ethernet (typically, 100 meters), the distance between PSE and PD is limited by the transmission distance of data signals. This results in poor application flexibility of the Power over Ethernet technology.

Power supply circuit, relay device and power over ethernet system

HANGZHOU HIKVISION DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


Products (2) presenting bevelled or rounded corner edges (35) are advanced singly and in succession along a predetermined path (P), each enveloped in a wrapper (11) of parallelepiped box-like shape, and directed ultimately into a station (15) where each product (2) is subjected to a finishing step that consists in deforming at least one part of the wrapper (11) and causing it thus to adhere to the surface of the relative product (2), in particular at the bevelled or rounded corner edges (35); thereafter, the finished products (2) are stacked and wrapped in respective stick packs (36) of which the longitudinal corner edges (38) will hug the corner edges (35) of the stacked products (2), adapting to the contours of the bevelled or rounded profile.

The prior art embraces packaging methods such as will form wrappers of substantially box-like appearance around single products of substantially parallelepiped shape, utilizing a succession of folder mechanisms designed to perform a series of steps in which the edges of the wrapper are closed around the product and thus caused to cover the relative flat faces of the parallelepiped form.
In the event that the shape of the products should happen to be other than substantially parallelepiped, such methods are unable to produce a wrapper that will adhere perfectly to the faces of the product, especially along or around the areas where the adjoining faces of the product meet one another.
This is the case, for example, with products of substantially parallelepiped geometry having rounded corners, as presented typically by tablets, or products of notably more complex shape.
For retailing purposes, finally, products of the type in question are assembled in groups and overwrapped to manufacture packs of the familiar stick type, which will always present an elongated parallelepiped appearance regardless of the shape presented by the single constituent products.
The object of the present invention is to set forth a method of wrapping each single product, such as will ensure that the shape of the single product is recognizable both individually and when assembled with others in a stick pack.

Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.


In a traveling inspection robot system, two carriages are each provided with one pair of guide rollers for guiding the travel in the vertical direction and two pairs of side rollers for guiding the travel in the horizontal direction. The two pairs of side rollers are arranged such that one pair locates on each of the front and rear sides of the pair of guide rollers as viewed in the direction of advance. The two carriages are interconnected by a coupling plate through parallel steering shafts, and a sprocket and a motor for driving the sprocket are provided as travel driving device on one carriage for giving a traction force to a transversely central portion of the upper inner surface of the monorail. An antenna and a current collector are provided on the other carriage. A control circuit unit and a span and tilt mechanism are attached to the coupling plate with a sensor unit mounted to the span and tilt mechanism. A swing motor and a tilt motor in the span and tilt mechanism are arranged in respective dead spaces created when the span and tilt mechanism swings and tilts. A chain, a trolley line and an antenna line are laid and wired on the upper inner surface of the monorail. With such an arrangement, the degree of freedom in rail design can be increased, the robot and the monorail can be both made small in size, and therefore the applicable range of the traveling inspection robot can be enlarged.

The present invention relates to a traveling inspection robot system, and mole particularly to a traveling inspection robot system which runs under remote operation or automatic operation via a control console installed on the ground and is suitable for use in inspection and monitoring of nuclear power plants.
As described in JP, A, 60-230094 entitled "Apparatus for Monitoring Nuclear Power Plant", there is conventionally known an idea of the so-called traveling inspection robot arranged such that a monorail is installed along an inspection route, a carriage is propelled to travel following the monorail, and further a sensor unit including a combined set of various sensors is mounted on the carriage through a pan and tilt mechanism, thereby carrying out inspection and monitoring.
Also, in the above-cited JP, A, 60-230094, a travel unit for the traveling inspection robot is constructed by mounting upper front and rear travel wheels and lower front and rear travel wheels on a traveling carriage in such a manner that the monorail is sandwiched between these upper and lower travel wheels on the front and rear sides.
Meanwhile, another similar travel unit for use in other than the traveling inspection robot is described in JP, A, 50-213562 entitled "Baggage Carrying Equipment". A travel unit for the described equipment is arranged such that two carriages are each provided with a pair of guide rollers for guiding the travel in a direction vertical to a monorail and two pairs of side rollers for guiding the travel in a direction transverse to the monorail, and these two carriages are connected with a coupling member through parallel steering shafts to be rotatable independently of each griper, thereby avoiding interference with the monorail curved in the horizontal direction. The described travel unit also includes, as travel driving means for giving a travel driving force to the carriages, a motor, a transmission mechanism and a friction driving wheel. Which are located above the guide rollers and the side rollers. On the inner side of the monorail, there are formed a guide surface over which the side rollers roll, and a friction surface which locates above the guide surface and over which the friction driving wheel rolls. The monorail has a height enough to form both the guide surface and the friction surface, as well as to accommodate the travel driving motor and the transmission mechanism.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,349 discloses a baggage carrying apparatus that a conveyor belt is installed along a guide track and a palette is placed on the guide rail to be carried by the conveyor belt. A U-shaped guide groove is formed at the center of the guide track, and the conveyor belt is traveled in the guide groove. Two segments having two pairs of side rollers to guide the travel are provided on a side wall of the guide groove and coupled with the palette through parallel steering shafts to be rotatable independently of each other.


The invention relates to a medical image data processing system (101) for image segmentation. The medical image data processing system (101) comprises a machine learning framework trained to receive an anatomical position of a voxel and to provide a tissue type classification. An execution of machine executable instructions by a processor (130) of the medical image data processing system (101) causes the processor (130) to control the medical image data processing system (101) to: —receive medical image data (140) comprising an anatomical structure of interest, —fit an anatomical frame of reference (302, 402) to the medical image data (140) using model-based segmentation, —classify tissue types represented by voxels of the medical image data (140) using the machine learning framework, wherein anatomical positions of the voxels with respect to the anatomical frame of reference (302, 402) are used as the input to the machine learning framework.

For the usage of medical image data, image segmentation and classification of voxels comprised by image data are an important but challenging task in order to identify and analyze anatomical structures of interest.
In order to analyze an anatomical structure of interest, not only its boundary contours, but also its internal structure may be important. It may in particular be important to determine which tissue types are comprised by the respective anatomical structure. Model-based segmentation using shape models have proven robust and successful in segmenting organs from medical images with high accuracy. Using model-based segmentation, certain areas within an image are delineated and labeled. However, such model-based segmentation may be unable to determine internal structural information of the segmented area, since only the boundaries are modeled. In other words, model-based segmentation only provides the anatomical positions at the organ boundaries but the anatomical positions over the complete image volume required for 3D tissue classification cannot be provided.

Tissue classification using image intensities and anatomical positions


A plasma processing system for processing a substrate is disclosed. The plasma processing system includes a process chamber within which a plasma is both ignited and sustained for processing. The plasma processing system further includes an electrode disposed at the lower end of the process chamber. The electrode is configured for generating an electric field inside the process chamber. The plasma processing system also includes a component for controlling an impedance between the electrode and the plasma. The impedance is arranged to affect the electric field to improve processing uniformity across the surface of the substrate.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for processing substrates such as semiconductor substrates for use in IC fabrication or panels (e.g., glass, plastic, or the like) for use in flat panel display applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatuses that are capable of processing substrates with a high degree of processing uniformity across the substrate surface.
Over the years, plasma processing systems utilizing inductively coupled plasma sources, electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) sources, capacitive sources, and the like, have been introduced and employed to various degrees to process semiconductor substrates and display panels. During the manufacture of these products, multiple deposition and/or etching steps may be employed. During deposition, materials are deposited onto a substrate surface (such as the surface of a glass panel or a wafer). For example, deposited layers such as various forms of silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, metals and the like may be formed on the surface of the substrate. During etching, materials are selectively removed from predefined areas on the substrate surface. For example, etched features such as vias, contacts, or trenches may be formed in the layers of the substrate.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional plasma processing system 10 is shown. In order to process a substrate, a substrate 12 is placed on a substrate pedestal 14 inside a process chamber 16 and a process gas is fed into the process chamber 16. Also, energy is supplied to the process gas to ignite a plasma 18 inside the process chamber 16. After the plasma is ignited, it is sustained with additional energy, which may be coupled to the plasma in various well-known ways, e.g., capacitively, inductively, through microwave, and the like. The plasma is then employed in the processing task, e.g., to selectively etch or deposit a film on the substrate 12. In most situations, a sheath voltage 20 is formed proximate the substrate surface to accelerate the ions of the plasma towards the substrate 12 where they, possibly in combination with other reactants, activate the processing reaction. The sheath voltage is associated with an electrical potential produced between the substrate pedestal 14 and the plasma 18.
Unfortunately, however, the electrical coupling between the substrate pedestal 14 and the plasma 18 tends to be non-uniform, which as a result causes variations in the process performance across the surface of the substrate 12. In particular, the center of the substrate tends to be processed differently than the edge of the substrate, and therefore the yield between the center and edge differ. Accordingly, the edge of the substrate is not generally used to create IC's, which as a result translates into higher costs for the manufacturer. Furthermore, the demand for larger substrates has made it increasingly important to improve process uniformity at the edge of the substrate.
In view of the foregoing, there are desired improved methods and apparatuses for increasing process uniformity at the surface of the substrate.

Lower electrode design for higher uniformity


In an embodiment, a first row of data is stored in a database. The first row of data is hidden until a current date is later than a hidden expiration date. An indication is returned, to a requestor, that the first row does not exist in response to a query from the requestor that specifies a key that identifies the first row if the current date is before the hidden expiration date. The first row is returned, to the requestor, in response to the query if the current date is after the hidden expiration date.

Computer systems typically include a combination of hardware (such as semiconductors, circuit boards, processors, and storage devices) and computer programs that are stored in the hardware and that are executed by the processors. Fundamentally, computer systems are used for the storage, manipulation, and analysis of data. One mechanism for managing data is called a database management system, which may also be called a database system or simply a database.
One type of database is called a relational database, which organizes data into tables that have rows, which represent individual entries, tuples, or records in the database, and columns, fields, or attributes, which define the organization or structure of the data that is stored in each row, entry, tuple, or record. Each table has a unique name within the database and each column has a unique name within the particular table. The relational database also has an index, which is a data structure that identifies the location of a certain row in a table given an indexed column value, analogous to a book index informing the reader on which page a given word appears.
The power of the relational database flows from the fact that the relational database model uses a mathematical representation for its data, where relationships exist within the data, but the data itself is not tied to any particular view of the data or method of accessing the data. Thus, accessing the data does not rely on any built-in navigational information within the data itself, and the actions, procedures, or modules that access the data are separate from the data. Thus, the relational data may be freely indexed, queried, and accessed as a whole.
Users sometimes want to insert data into a database without allowing others the ability to read the data. Such data are referred to as hidden records. For example, some data is classified or contains extraneous information, which needs to be removed before being made available for general viewing. Such classified or extraneous information may include identifying information, such as names, account numbers, teller or clerk numbers.

Displaying hidden rows in a database after an expiration date

International Business Machines Corporation