The width (L) in the circumferential direction of the outer surface 2a of an inner joint member 2 is L.gtoreq.3.5 mm. When the assembly angle (.theta..sub.0) of the torque transmitting ball 3 is set to 50.degree., the width (W) in the axial direction is set so that the ratio Rw (=W/PCD.sub.SERR) between the width (W) in the axial direction and the pitch circle diameter (PCD.sub.SERR) of the teeth of an engagement portion 2c lies within the range of 0.57<Rw.ltoreq.0.95. Thus, while enabling the assembly of the torque transmitting ball at the assembly angle .theta..sub.0 =50.degree., cold forging on the inner joint member 2 is made possible, thereby reducing the processing cost. By reducing the width (W) in the axial direction as much as possible, the weight, dimension, and material cost can be reduced.

The present invention relates to a propeller shaft for transmitting rotational power from the transmission to the differential in a four-wheel drive vehicle (4WD vehicle), front engine rear drive vehicle (FR vehicle), or the like. Although a propeller shaft of two-joint type is typical, a propeller shaft of three-joint type, four-joint type, or the like is also used according to the structure of the vehicle and the required characteristics.
At present, except for some luxury vehicles, it is the mainstream to use a Cardan joint (joint using a spider) for the propeller shaft of a four-wheel drive vehicle (4WD vehicle) or front engine rear drive vehicle (FR vehicle). Due to the non-constant velocity of the Cardan joint, however, the noise, vibration and harshness commonly known as NVH characteristics of the vehicle deteriorate. As means for improving the NVH characteristics, there is a tendency to use a constant velocity universal joint for the propeller shaft.
FIG. 6 shows a Rzeppa constant velocity universal joint (ball fixed constant velocity universal joint) used for a conventional propeller shaft. The constant velocity universal joint comprises: an outer joint member 11 in which six curved guide grooves 11b are formed in the axial direction on an spherical inner surface 11a; an inner joint member 12 in which six curved guide grooves 12b are formed in the axial direction on an spherical outer surface 12a and an engagement portion 12c having teeth (serration or spline) is formed on an inner surface; six torque transmitting balls 13 disposed in six ball tracks formed by the cooperation between the guide grooves 11b of the outer joint member 11 and the corresponding guide grooves 12b of the inner joint member 12, respectively; and a cage 14 for holding the torque transmitting balls 13.
The center O1' of the guide groove 11b of the outer joint member 11 is offset from the spherical center of the inner surface 11a, and the center O2' of the guide groove 12b of the inner joint member 12 is offset from the spherical center of the outer surface 12a, by an equal distance in the opposite axial directions (the center O1' is offset to the left side in the diagram and the center O2' is offset to the right side in the diagram). The ball tracks formed by the cooperation between the guide grooves 11b and the corresponding guide grooves 12b have therefore the shapes such that the ball tracks are widened toward one side in the axial direction (left side in the diagram) like wedge shapes. Both of the spherical center of the inner surface 11a of the outer joint member 11 and the spherical center of the outer surface 12a of the inner joint member 12 lie within the joint center plane O' including the center O3' of the torque transmitting ball 13.
When the outer joint member 11 and the inner joint member 12 is displaced with each other by an angle .theta., the torque transmitting balls 13 guided by the cage 14 are maintained in the two-equally divided plane (.theta./2) of the angle .theta. at any operating angle .theta., so that the constant velocity of the joint is assured.
A constant velocity universal joint has been often used for a drive shaft in the power transmitting mechanism of a vehicle. The conventional constant velocity universal joint for a propeller shaft is adopted the very design of the conventional constant velocity universal joint for a drive shaft. However, when the characteristics of the power transmission of the joint for the propeller shaft are compared with those of the joint for the drive shaft, the torque loaded on the propeller shaft is about the half of that loaded on the drive shaft and the practical range of the operating angle of the propeller shaft is narrower than that of the drive shaft. Consequently, the conventional specification adopting the design for the drive shaft as it is more than the required characteristics. It has room for improvement from the viewpoint of further reduction of the weight, size, and cost. Since the propeller shaft rotates higher than the drive shaft, it is preferable that the joint part is more compact also from the viewpoint of increase in the rotational speed.

Propeller shaft and constant velocity universal joint for a propeller shaft


An image detection manager uses run length encoding to detect a target image in a candidate image. The image detection manager extracts run length encoding data from the candidate image. The image detection manager distinguishes between a foreground and background of the candidate image and target image, and takes into account an interval of scale factors for matching color runs in the foreground and length runs in the background. The image detection manager treats background pixels as wildcards, and utilizes fuzzy color matching in which color levels of adjacent pixels in the foreground are allowed a specified variation. Using such functionality, the image detection manager compares rows of the run length encoding data from the candidate image to rows of run length encoding data from the target image, and determines whether the target image is present in the candidate image.

Those who attempt to deceive electronic consumers with fraudulent e-mail messages and web sites often embed the logo of a legitimate company in the fraudulent e-mail or web page in an attempt to add credibility. Current fraud detection methods can track Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) that have been determined to point to fraudulent sites, but these methods can be made more accurate and more proactive if the fraudulent use of a legitimate logo used by the perpetrator can be identified. If, for example, an e-mail message contains the logo of an e-commerce or financial institution, and also contains URLs that point to web sites that do not belong to or are not sanctioned by the relevant institution, not only can the e-mail message be classified as fraudulent, but the URLs it contains can be added to a blacklist of URLs known to be used for fraud.
However, it can be extremely difficult to distinguish fraudulent image content from legitimate image content. Known image identification techniques such as hashing or various transform-based methods are easily defeated by slight modifications to the image, such as manipulation of the color levels of individual pixels or embedding the logo in a larger image. Such modifications typically cannot be detected visually by the end user. Thus, logo images can be used fraudulently by making minor modifications which are sufficient enough to spoof traditional image detection methods, but minor enough to go undetected by the naked eye.
What is need are methods, systems and computer readable media for robustly detecting images even when they have been subjected to these and other evasive techniques.

Using run length encoding to detect target images


A semiconductive member including an alkali metal salt having the formula (M)n.X in a surface layer thereof. M represents Na+, K+, or Li+; X represents Cl−, Br−, I−, F−, CH3COO−, CF3COO−, CH(COOH)CHCOO−, (CHCOO−)2, CH2(COOH)CH2COO−, (CH2COO−)2, (HOOC)Ar(COO−), Ar(COO−)2, (HOOC)2Ar(COO−), (HOOC)Ar(COO−)2, Ar(COO−)3, (HOOC)3Ar(COO−), (HOOC)2Ar(COO−)2, (HOOC)Ar(COO−)3, Ar(COO−)4, Ar—SO3−, Ar(SO3−)2, an oligomer or a polymer having an acrylic acid anion unit, or an oligomer or a polymer having an methacrylic acid anion unit; Ar represents a benzene ring, a naphthalene ring, or a biphenyl ring; and n is a numeral equivalent to the anionic valence of X.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductive member, and a developing roll, a charging roll, and a transfer belt using the semiconductive member. The present invention also relates to an image forming apparatus using the developing roll, the charging roll, or the transfer belt.
2. Discussion of the Background
In the field of electric and electronic devices, resin materials which can precisely control static electricity have been demanded. For example, electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, facsimiles, and laser beam printers, form images through various processes including charging, irradiation, development, transfer, fixing, cleaning, and neutralization. Each of these processes requires precise control of static electricity.
In the charging process, a surface of a photoreceptor is evenly charged. In the irradiation process, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the charged surface of the photoreceptor by irradiation of light. In the development process, the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image that is visible. In the transfer process, the toner image is transferred from the photoreceptor onto a transfer material such as paper. In the fixing process, the toner image is fused on the transfer material by application of heat and pressure. In the cleaning process, residual toner particles remaining on the photoreceptor are removed. In the neutralization process, the charged photoreceptor is neutralized.
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is typically equipped with a charging roll or belt, a developing roll, a toner layer thickness controlling blade, and a transfer belt. These members are required to have a semiconductive surface layer, more specifically a surface layer which has a volume resistivity of from 107 to 1011 Ω·m. For example, the charging roll, to which a voltage is applied, directly provides a photoreceptor with charge by direct contact with the photoreceptor. The developing roll frictions a toner supply roll so that toner particles are charged and the charged toner particles are adhered to a surface of the developing roll. The toner layer thickness controlling blade evens out the adhered toner particles on the developing roll. The toner particles fly to an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the photoreceptor by electric attraction force. The transfer belt is applied with a voltage having the opposite polarity to the toner particles so that an electric field is generated. The toner particles are transferred from the photoreceptor onto a transfer material by electrostatic force of the electric field.
As described above, various members in image forming apparatuses are required to have semiconductivity with an appropriately low volume resistivity. It is preferable that the volume resistivity is even at any point within a member. If the volume resistivity differs locally, high quality images cannot be produced. For example, if the volume resistivity distribution is uneven within a charging roll, a photoreceptor cannot be evenly charged, resulting in poor image quality.
A high voltage is repeatedly applied to the above members. Therefore, if the volume resistivity considerably varies upon application of a high voltage, high quality images cannot be produced reliably. Similarly, if the volume resistivity considerably varies upon variation in temperature and/or humidity, high quality images cannot be produced reliably. It may be possible to avoid effect of variation in temperature by warming up the apparatus, but it may be difficult to avoid effect of variation in humidity.
Various approaches have been proposed to control electric resistivity of polymer materials and moldings thereof. For example, one approach involves (1) applying an organic antistatic agent to the surface of a molding. Another approach involves (2) kneading an organic antistatic agent into a polymer material. Yet another approach involves (3) kneading a conductive filler such as a carbon black and a metal powder into a polymer material. Yet another approach involves (4) kneading an electrolyte in a polymer material.
However, the approach (1) has a disadvantage that the antistatic agent is likely to release when the surface of the molding is wiped or washed, resulting in short-term antistatic effect. In the approach (2), the organic antistatic agent is typically a surfactant or a hydrophilic resin. When a surfactant is used, electric resistivity and antistatic performance considerably vary upon variation in temperature and/or humidity because antistatic effect is provided by bleeding of the surfactant from the surface of a molding. When an antistatic agent is used, a large amount thereof is required to provide desired antistatic effect, which is likely to suppress good natures of polymers. In addition, there is a disadvantage that electric resistivity and antistatic performance considerably depend on humidity.
The approach (3) has been employed in various fields. For example, a typical charging roll is comprised of a cored bar which is covered with a semiconductive polymer composite material which is a polymer material into which a conductive filler is kneaded. However, such a semiconductive polymer composite material, which is a polymer material into which a conductive filler is kneaded, has a disadvantage that the volume resistivity distribution is very uneven. The degree of variation in volume resistivity is too large to put it into practical use. Additionally, such a semiconductive polymer composite material has another disadvantage that the withstand voltage is so low that it is not always suitable for intentional use such that high voltage is repeatedly applied. To achieve desired semiconductive level, a large amount of a conductive filler is required, which is likely to degrade molding processability of polymer composite materials or to increase hardness too much.
In the approach (4), as disclosed in Examined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 63-14017, an alkali metal salt (i.e., an electrolyte) such as lithium chloride and potassium chloride is kneaded into a polymer material so that the electric resistivity is reduced owing to the presence of a metal ion such as Li+ and K+. Because inorganic metal salts such as alkali metal salts have poor compatibility with resins, they are likely to aggregate in the resins, resulting in poor electric resistivity. If the kneading temperature is increased or the kneading time is lengthened for the purpose of dissolving the aggregations in the resin, the problem may arise that the resin or the inorganic metal salts are decomposed, which results in destruction of mechanical properties and surface appearance. When a metal salt having deliquescence, such as a Li salt, is used in a large amount, the resulting polymer composite material may have hygroscopicity. In this case, the problems may arise that the volume resistivity considerably varies upon variation in humidity and the surface of the molding becomes sticky due to deliquescing substances of the metal salts.

Semiconductive member, and developing roll, charging roll, transfer belt, and image forming apparatus using same


A heat sink and its manufacturing method. The heat sink includes a base and plural heat pipes. The base has a first surface, plural parallel heated areas concavely formed on the first surface, a protrusion disposed between any two heated areas and protruding in a direction towards the first surface, and at least one notch formed on each protrusion. A first protrusion portion and a second protrusion portion are formed at the top of the protrusion and the top of notch respectively. The heat pipes are embedded into the heated areas respectively in the lengthwise direction, and the heat pipes at the notches of the protrusions are attached and in contact with each other. The notch of each heat pipe may be compressed and deformed, so that the heat pipes are in contact with each other.

In general, a component such as a heat pipe is added to the bottom of a heat sink to improve the thermal conduction effect. For example, a groove is concavely formed on a base of the heat sink, and then the heat pipe with an appropriate length is embedded into the groove, so that the heat pipe is contacted directly with a heat source such as a central processing unit (CPU) to achieve a better thermal conduction effect.
However, the quantity of heat pipes will determine the thermal conduction effect, so that the quantity of heat pipes is increased according to size of the contact area with the heat source. In a conventional structure for embedding the heat pipes, or directly embedding the heat pipes into the base of the heat sink, the bonding strength is insufficient. In order to embed the heat pipes securely, additional structures are added between the heat pipes, and such arrangement reduces the thermal conduction effect significantly.
P.R.C. Pat. No. CN201750660U has disclosed a "Heat-pipe heat sink" comprising a plurality of grooves formed on a base of a heat sink, partially coupled next to one another, and provided for installing a plurality of heat pipes. Since the grooves are arranged adjacent to one another, therefore the grooves lose its function of fixing the heat pipes significantly, and it is necessary to solder the heat pipes into the grooves by a solder such as a solder paste. As a result, the heat pipes may fall out easily or have poor thermal conduction due to poor soldering, and the complicated manufacturing process may lower the yield rate of the product.
P.R.C. Pat. No. CN202032928U has disclosed a "Thermally conducting base assembly for arranging heat pipes closely" and the assembly comprises a plurality of spaced grooves formed on a thermally conducting base, a supporting rib formed between the grooves, and each supporting rib has a protruding rib disposed at the top edge and protruding towards the inner side of the groove, and the protruding rib will be embedded into a deformation portion of the heat pipe after the heat pipe is compressed and deformed, so as to achieve the effect of fixing each heat pipe. However, most bases are formed by aluminum extrusion, so that the uniformity of the rib at the top edge of the supporting rib cannot be controlled easily. If the protruding rib is too small, the heat pipe may fall out easily. If the protruding rib is too large, the heat pipe will be damaged easily when compressed. A large gap between the heat pipes occurs very often, so that the compressed heat pipes fail to form a heated surface with their adjacent heat pipes, and the thermal conduction efficiency will be very low.
In view of the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art, the discloser of this disclosure based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive research, and experiment, and finally provided a feasible and effective solution in accordance with this disclosure to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

Heat sink and manufacturing method thereof


A method for operating a drive train of a vehicle having a clutch assembly, in particular for distributing torque to a primary axle and a secondary axle of the vehicle and/or for distributing torque between two wheels of one axle of the vehicle, comprises at least the following steps:

With respect to the control of a clutch assembly, it is known that an electronic control unit (ECU) is assigned thereto. Such an electronic control unit can be integrated into the clutch assembly itself or into a superordinate electronic management system of the vehicle, in particular of the drive train.
To be able to ensure as far as possible optimum vehicle movement dynamics properties of a demand-oriented all-wheel driven vehicle even in boundary situations (e.g., frequent load changes, repeated starting on a gradient, repeated changing between single-axle operation and all-wheel drive etc.), stringent requirements are made of the electronic control unit of the clutch assembly. In particular in the boundary situations described above, strong heating may occur of the power stage and/or of the electronic servomotor, owing to heavy loading. This heating can extend as far as overheating of the electronic control unit. Known electronic control units, power stages and/or electronic servomotors are switched off in these cases, in particular in the case of imminent overheating, in order to avoid continuous damage to the respective component, in particular to the control unit and/or to the electronic servomotor.
However, such overheating prevention measures have the disadvantage that they act directly on the operation or the driving behaviour of the vehicle, and under certain circumstances, cause the demand-oriented all-wheel system to fail for a certain time. This can lead to reductions in the driving comfort and/or in the vehicle movement dynamics which are perceptible to the driver.

Operating a drive train of a vehicle having a clutch assembly for distributing torque

Abstract: a) determining temperature data at least from an electronic control unit which is assigned to the clutch assembly, or from an actuation unit of the clutch assembly;

Abstract: b) evaluating the temperature data determined in step a); and

Abstract: c) reducing an effective value of a control current at least of the electronic control unit or of the actuation unit by pulsing the control current if the evaluation in step b) reveals that a temperature at least of the electronic control unit or of the actuation unit exceeds a threshold value.


An intravascular catheter system has a balloon angioplasty device disposed about a common lumen near its distal end. The common lumen is in communication with multiple lumens within a proximal region of the catheter body to allow for positioning of the catheter over a movable guide wire and convenient delivery of imaging or interventional devices to a desired region of the blood vessel being treated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to catheter systems for imaging and treatment of stenoses within a patient's vascular system and more particularly to a catheter system in which a balloon angioplasty device can be delivered along with an imaging or interventional work element to a desired region within a blood vessel.
2. Description of the Background Art
Arteriosclerosis, also known as atherosclerosis, is a common human ailment arising from the deposition of fatty-like substances, referred to as atheroma or plaque, on the walls of blood vessels. Such deposits occur both in peripheral blood vessels that feed limbs of the body and coronary blood vessels that feed the heart. Localized accumulation of deposits within regions of the blood vessels may result in stenosis, or narrowing of the vascular channel. When this occurs, blood flow is restricted and the person's health is at serious risk.
Numerous approaches for reducing and removing such vascular deposits have been proposed, including balloon angioplasty, in which a balloon-tipped catheter is used to dilate a stenosed region within the blood vessel; atherectomy, in which a blade or other cutting element is used to sever and remove the stenotic material; laser angioplasty, in which laser energy is used to ablate at least a portion of the stenotic material; and the like.
In order to apply such intervention techniques more effectively, a variety of vascular imaging devices and methods may be employed. Of particular interest to the present invention, imaging catheters having ultrasonic transducers at their distal ends have been employed to produce images of the stenotic region from within the blood vessel.
A number of specific designs for ultrasonic imaging catheters have been described. An early design is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,931, where the mechanical components of the imaging system are located within a housing at the distal end of the catheter. The housing includes a fixed guidewire, which is used to position the catheter within the vascular system, at its distal tip. While the use of such fixed-guidewire designs can provide excellent image quality, under some circumstances it is desirable to use an "over-the-wire" design where the catheter may be introduced over a separate (movable) guidewire. The use of a movable guidewire offers certain advantages, including improved steering capability through narrow regions and easier catheter exchange, e.g., substitution of an interventional catheter for the imaging catheter.
Exchanging the imaging catheter for an interventional or other catheter within a patient's vascular system is time consuming and may be injurious to the patient. It is desirable therefore to combine imaging and interventional capabilities in a single catheter system. A design for an ultrasonic imaging catheter having a balloon angioplasty device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,831. One depicted embodiment uses a fixed guidewire and is thus subject to the disadvantages noted above. Another embodiment has a guidewire movable through the ultrasonic imaging transducer and its associated drive shaft. This requires that the transducer and the drive shaft be made hollow and increased in diameter in order to accommodate the guidewire therein. Additionally, the transducer is fixed at the end of the drive shaft and not movable along the length of the catheter.
To be able to cross very narrow lesions, the diameter of the catheter should be as small as possible at its distal end. Furthermore, the need to move the catheter body within the patient should be minimized. The blood vessel interior is delicate, may be weakened by disease, and is therefore susceptible to injury from movement of the catheter body within it.
For the reasons stated above, it would be advantageous to provide a catheter capable of delivering a balloon angioplasty system in combination with an imaging or interventional work element to a region of interest within the vascular system. Such delivery should be accomplished with a minimum repositioning of the catheter body within the blood vessel. Additionally, the catheter should be as narrow as possible at its distal end to allow for entry into and through narrow and tortuous regions of the patient's vascular system.

Catheter system having a balloon angioplasty device disposed over a work element lumen and method of use


A water current power generating system includes a support structure located on a bed of a body of water. A power generating apparatus, such as a water current turbine device, is mounted on the support structure, by way of a mounting portion. The system also includes a measurement unit operable to determine operating information relating to operation of the system, and a controller operable to determine loading on the system from such operating information, and to adjust a controlled parameter of the system such that loading on the system falls below a predetermined threshold value.

It is widely known that easily accessible resources of fossil fuels are declining. In addition, the impact of the use of fossil fuels upon the environment has become increasingly apparent. As a result of this, it has become imperative that viable alternative energy sources are used as effectively and efficiently as possible. The use of turbines to capture the power of water flow, such as tidal, river and ocean current flows is becoming a viable source of alternative energy. The turbine equipment used to capture such water flow energy typically includes a rotor assembly connected via a drivetrain to a shaft driven power generator. The rotor assembly includes a plurality of rotor blades that are driven by the water flow, so as to turn an input shaft of the drivetrain, and hence the generator.
Existing turbine systems are arranged to operate at a nominal operating point, typically the power being generated. This operating point is chosen in order to balance power output requirements with the physical requirements of building the system. For example, it is possible to model and predict with some certainty steady state loading for a range of flow speeds and power outputs. This loading modeling is then used to determine the design and specification of the system components, for a desired operating point of the equipment, such that the components of the system that are able to deal with such steady state loading, and that are economically viable. The loading capabilities of the components are then typically uprated from this nominal design point, in order that transitional loading, such as that caused by waves or other turbulence, can be accommodated. This results in equipment that is able to withstand higher loading than is often experienced in practice.


A child seat positionable between an operative deployed orientation and an inoperative storage orientation comprising a main support frame in a generally inverted U-shaped configuration having a pair of parallel vertical legs and a single horizontal leg coupled therebetween at the upper extent of the vertical leg; attachment brackets secured to each vertical leg at an upper extent thereof and at a lower extent thereof for coupling the main support frame to a horizontal surface such as the wall of a bathroom; a pivotable frame formed with linear parallel legs and with hinge means coupling the inboard end thereof to a central extent of the vertical legs of the main support frame intermediate the brackets, the pivotable frame also having an elongated cross leg at the outboard ends of the parallel legs; a flexible fabric cover having inboard ends coupled to the vertical and horizontal legs of the main support free and outboard ends coupled to the parallel and cross leg of the pivotable frame; and a strap coupling intermediate extents of the vertical legs of the main support frame and the parallel legs of the pivotable frame to limit downward movement thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wall mounted child seats with fold-up capabilities and more particularly pertains to safely seating a child in a public restroom in a convenient, fold-up seat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of child seats is known in the prior art. More specifically, child seats heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of seating a child are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Child seats of various configurations are found throughout the prior art. By way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,568,122 to Kain and 4,662,683 to Knoedler disclose seats for children for use in vehicles having pivotable restraints moveable from an operative orientation in front of the child to an inoperative rotation rotated thereaway.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,047 to Mikami discloses a child car seat with a waist support and a support for the upper torso.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,446 to Roney discloses a seat for an adult with side and front supports.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,080,439 and 5,183,315 to Takahashi disclose child seats for use in bathrooms and the like.
In this respect, the wall mounted child seat with fold-up capabilities according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of safely seating a child in a public restroom in a convenient, fold-up seat.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved wall mounted child seats with fold-up capabilities which can be used for safely seating a child in a public restroom in a convenient, fold-up seat. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

Wall mounted child seats with fold-up capabilities


A marine barrier gate includes a pleated row of buoyant panels movable between an expanded position and a retracted position, where the panels are substantially parallel. A first buoy is attached to a first end of the panel row, and a second buoy is remote from the panels when the panels are in the retracted position. The second buoy has a tow winch and cable attached to a second end opposite the first end, for moving the panels from the retracted position to the expanded position. The first buoy comprises a catenary winch and cable movably engagable with the panels and attached to the second buoy. When the panels are in the retracted position, the catenary winch sets a length or tension of the catenary cable such that it absorbs catenary loads on the barrier when the panels are moved to the expanded position by the tow winch.

Certain marine structures such as security barriers and other floating structures need to be repeatedly moved from one position to another. An example is a gate for a fully enclosed military port or harbor, which must be moved from an open position to a closed position and back again.
Current practice for moving barrier gates, etc. is to make connections at the ends of unit structures, or at the ends of a series of end-to-end linked unit structures. Using these conventional techniques, the structure forms a catenary shape as the forces of wind and current push the floating links into a curved condition, as the ends are the only restraints to these forces. In practice, the connections at these ends carry the forces needed to pull the entire structure taut from end to end, while the forces of current, wind and waves can be broadside to the structure. This can result in a substantial force making closure difficult and requiring latching systems to carry both the forces of loads from wind and waves on the structure, as well as operational forces of fluid drag and moving the mass of the marine structure itself.
Another disadvantage of current techniques for moving marine gates or booms is that they require vessels and personnel to physically do the work of moving the structures, and of latching or connecting the ends of the linked structures to their fixed locations. Those vessels and personnel can mishandle the transit, wandering into navigation channels and sometimes causing marine barriers to flip over. Such equipment and personnel is also vulnerable to attack while moving the structures. The result is high labor and equipment costs, and danger to personnel.
Hence a need exists for a safer, less costly, and more reliable way of repeatedly moving floating and submerged marine structures.


A distributed antenna system comprises: one or more access units configured to receive multiple downlink radio frequency signal sets, and further configured to convert the multiple downlink radio frequency signal sets into multiple downlink optical signal sets; a first wavelength division multiplexing unit configured to multiplex the multiple downlink optical signal sets to generate a first wavelength division multiplexing optical signals; a first wavelength division demultiplexing unit configured to demultiplex the first wavelength division multiplexing optical signals to obtain the multiple downlink optical signal sets; a first optical fiber, coupled between the first wavelength division multiplexing unit and the first wavelength division demultiplexing unit, and configured to transmit the first wavelength division multiplexing optical signal; and multiple first remote units coupled to the first wavelength division multiplexing unit, and configured to convert the multiple downlink optical signal sets into the multiple downlink radio frequency signal sets for transmission.

A distributed antenna system receives downlink signals from a base station (Base Station, BS) to transmit to user equipment (User Equipment, UE), and receives uplink signals transmitted by the user equipment to transmit to the base station. In a traditional distributed antenna system, as shown in FIG. 1, multi-band access modules (121-1 and 121-2) in an access unit 120 receive multi-band downlink signals from multiple base stations (110-1 to 110-m) to which multiple operators belong. First optical modules (122-1 and 122-2) in the access unit 120 couple signals of different frequency bands and convert them into optical signals, and transmit the optical signals to the (high-power) remote units (130-1 to 130-1 to 130-n) via optical fibers.
In a remote unit (e.g., 130-1), the optical signals are restored to a multi-band radio frequency signals through second optical modules (131-1 and 131-2). The multi-band radio frequency signals are divided by power division modules (132-1, 132-2, 132-3 and 132-4) and then fed into the low-noise amplifier & power amplifier modules (133-1 to 133-k) of each frequency band to achieve power amplification and fed into antennas (140-1 and 140-2) coverage through combiners (134-1 to 134-2).
The uplink signals fed by the antennas (140-1 and 140-2) are coupled in power division modules (132-1 to 132-4) after low-noise amplification through low-noise amplifier & power amplifier modules (133-1 to 133-k). -4), and then enter the second optical modules (131-1 and 131-2) for photoelectric conversion into optical signals and then are transmitted to the access unit 120 through optical fibers. In the access unit 120, the optical signal is separated into signals of various frequency bands and then fed into the base stations of each operator (110-1 to 110-m) to complete processing of the uplink signals.
The traditional distributed antenna system uses an ordinary optical module, and optical wavelength drifts greatly with temperature and other changes. Generally, two wavelengths of 15XX nm and 13XX nm are selected in one optical fiber to transmit the uplink and the downlink signals respectively.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a first optical module 200 in an access unit according to the prior art. As shown in FIG. 2, the first optical module 200 in the access unit may at least include a laser 210, an optical power divider 220, multiple wavelength division multiplexers and demultiplexers 230-1 to 230-n, multiple optical transceiver ports 240-1 to 240-n, photodetectors 250-1 to 250-n, a combiner 260. The laser 210 is used to convert the received radio frequency signals into optical signals. The optical power divider 220 is used for dividing the optical signals into n channels correspondingly and sending them to the wavelength division multiplexers and demultiplexers 230-1 to 230-n for multiplexing and then outputting through the optical transceiver ports 240-1 to 240-n. The optical transceiver ports 240-1 to 240-n are also used for receiving optical signals, and the wavelength division multiplexers and demultiplexers 230-1 to 230-n demultiplex the optical signals and output them to the optical detectors 250-1 to 250-n. The optical detectors 250-1 to 250-n are used to realize photoelectric conversion, and output n radio frequency signals to the combiner 260 for combining and outputting.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a second optical module 300 in a remote unit according to the prior art. As shown in FIG. 3, the second optical module 300 in the remote unit may at least include an optical transceiver port 310, a wavelength division multiplexing demultiplexer 320, an optical detector 330 and a laser 340. The optical transceiver port 310 is used for receiving and transmitting optical signals. The wavelength division multiplexing demultiplexer 320 is configured to demultiplex the optical signals received by the optical transceiver port 310, and transmit the demultiplexed optical signal to the optical detector 330. The wavelength division multiplexing demultiplexer 320 is further configured to multiplex the optical signals received from the laser 340, and transmit the multiplexed optical signals via the optical transceiver port 310. The photodetector 330 is used for photoelectric conversion of the demultiplexed optical signal received from the wavelength division multiplexing demultiplexer 320 to generate radio frequency signals. The laser 340 is used to convert the received radio frequency signals into optical signals, and transmit the optical signal to the wavelength division multiplexing demultiplexer 320.
The number of optical fibers consumed by the above-mentioned conventional distributed antenna system for the case of multi-signal set transmission, for example, will increase with the increase of the number of signals, failing to meet the application requirements under the condition of limited optical fiber resources.

Distributed antenna system and communication system


A voltage reduction circuit for a bandgap reference voltage circuit is provided, and the voltage reduction circuit includes a first transistor, a current mirror circuit, a voltage dividing circuit, an output resistor, and a fourth transistor. The first transistor receives an initial bandgap reference voltage from the bandgap reference voltage circuit. The voltage dividing circuit has a voltage dividing node for outputting a first dividing voltage. The fourth transistor receives the first divided voltage. The current mirror circuit forms a first current on the voltage dividing circuit through the first transistor, and mirrors the first current to the output resistor to form a second current. The voltage dividing circuit and the output resistor each have a first temperature characteristic, the first transistor and the fourth transistor each have a second temperature characteristic, thereby generating, a reference voltage independent of temperature and lower than the initial bandgap reference voltage.

Generally, a voltage generated by a bandgap reference voltage circuit is around 1.25V. Therefore, if the voltage of the bandgap reference voltage circuit is to be used to generate a temperature-independent reference voltage lower than 1V, a variety of circuits can be used.
For example, buffers and resistors can be used to reduce the bandgap reference voltage. However, size and power consumption of the buffers and the resistors are relatively large. Alternatively, a voltage follower can be used to reduce the bandgap reference voltage, but the reference voltage thus generated has poor temperature characteristic.
Furthermore, voltage dividing resistors are also utilized to directly divide the bandgap reference voltage. However, when resistances are small, the characteristic of the bandgap reference voltage may be affected, or an area occupied by the circuit increases when the resistances are large.
Therefore, generating a temperature-independent reference voltage through a simple circuit by improving circuit designs has become an important issue in the art.

Voltage reduction circuit for bandgap reference voltage circuit


A kit-of-parts includes: a hearing aid having a first attachment member; a first device comprising a second attachment member that is configured to mate with the first attachment member of the hearing aid; and a second device comprising a third attachment member that is configured to mate with the first attachment member of the hearing aid; wherein the second attachment member and the third attachment are alternatively attachable to the first attachment member of the hearing aid; and wherein the first device comprises a first electrical power source that is rechargeable, and the second device comprises an accessible compartment configured for holding a second electrical power source.

Batteries for hearing aids need to be small in order to fit within the strictly restricted space of a hearing aid housing. Contemporary hearing aids may be powered by a variety of different power sources including, but not limited to, zinc-air batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries and similar compact power sources. Some battery types are disposable, such as zinc-air batteries, while other battery types, such as the lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery types, are rechargeable. Changing or recharging batteries presents a challenge to a disabled or elderly person due to the small size of the batteries and the motor skills required of the person changing the batteries.
Systems for charging hearing aid batteries while the batteries reside in the hearing aids have been devised, thus eliminating the need for changing batteries. However, the rechargeable batteries of these systems are usually hard-wired into the hearing aids without a possibility for exchanging the battery. This leaves the user with a hearing aid having a useful service life equal to that of the battery itself, e.g. three to four years, leaving the user with no other option but to purchase a new hearing aid once the rechargeable battery is depleted. Since a hearing aid may function reliably for as long as ten years if provided with proper maintenance, this may pose an undue economical burden upon the hearing aid user.

Hearing aid with detachable battery compartment


The present invention provides a seat holding apparatus for manufacturing vehicles which is able to easily and reliably hold seats having various specifications so as to enable the seats to be installed into vehicle bodies. Preferred vehicle seat holding apparatus may comprise a back push unit; back push drive to rotate the back push unit; a cushion push unit; and cushion push drive.

To install seats in a vehicle body in an automatic assembly line for manufacturing vehicles, it is generally necessary to insert into a vehicle the vehicle body seats which have been produced through a production line separate from a vehicle body production line.
Seats can have varying specifications for even the same model of vehicle. Therefore, a seat holding apparatus should have a structure that is able to reliably hold seats having different specifications.
The information set forth in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art that is already known to a person skilled in the art.

Seat holding apparatus for manufacturing vehicles


A method of heating a charge material by controlling heat flux in a tilt rotary furnace is disclosed. Combustion by the burner forms a heat release profile including a high heat flux region. The positioning of the high heat flux region is controllable by providing a controlled amount of secondary or staged oxidant. The burner is configured and controlled to position a region of high heat flux at a position corresponding to an area requiring greater heating, such as the area of maximum charge depth in the furnace to provide substantially uniform melting and heat distribution.

The present disclosure is directed to melt furnace systems. More specifically, the disclosure is directed to tilt rotary furnace systems and methods for operating tilt rotary furnace systems.
Tilt rotary furnaces are used in processes like aluminum melting because they provide flexibility in metal tapping by furnace tilting. Three advantages include 1) they can operate with a much lower process temperature since a charge material can be removed by tilting (contrary to fixed-axis rotary furnaces where the process temperature is often well beyond what is needed for melting the charge material in order to liquefy the added flux to be removed after each cycle), 2) they can be emptied more thoroughly, and 3) they can reduce oxide formation on the charge material.
However, charge material distribution in a tilt rotary furnace is not uniform due to the tilt. Due to gravity, the charge material flows toward the end of the furnace above an edge of the furnace. Such load distribution is suboptimal to the conventional means of heat delivery, especially oxy-fuel burners, which tend to deliver relatively high heat flux in the flame vicinity. Known burners for use in tilt rotary furnaces lack the control to provide a heat release pattern corresponding to the positioning and depth of the charge material. Thus, these known burners provide too little heat to certain portions of the charge material or they waste heat by providing too much heat to other portions of the charge material. Because of this, known tilt rotary furnaces having known burner arrangements may have increased oxidation of metal and need to be cleaned frequently.
U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2009/0004611 A1 is directed to a combustion method. In the method, an industrial furnace is heated by one or more burners. Examples of the furnaces include steel reheating furnaces, aluminum melting furnaces, glass melting furnaces, cement kilns, lead melting furnaces, copper melting furnaces, and iron melting furnaces. Fuel (for example, any combustible fluid) and primary oxidant (a fluid having an oxygen concentration of at least 50 volume percent) are provided to the furnace through the one or more burners. The fuel and primary oxidant are provided at flow rates having a stoichiometric ratio of primary oxygen to fuel of less than 70 percent. The fuel and primary oxidant are provided at velocity of 100 feet per second or less. Secondary oxidant is injected through a lance. Heat generated in a combustion reaction radiates to the charge to heat the charge. The heat radiates directly or indirectly through furnace gases and walls and very little heat is passed by convection. This Application discloses nothing about the selective adjustment of heat flux to achieve uniform heating to a melt with uneven depth using burners at the same firing rate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,818A (corresponding to EP 0 748 982 B1) (the '818 patent) is directed to a method of staged combustion. The method is similar to that which is discussed in the '611 application; however, fuel and primary oxidant are provided at velocity of at least 100 feet per second. Like the '611 application, heat generated in a combustion reaction radiates to the charge to heat the charge, and the heat radiates directly or indirectly through furnace gases and walls and very little heat is passed by convection. Similarly, the '818 patent does not teach how to adjust the flame shape and length for different applications and different operational conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,481 (corresponding to EP 0 748 994) (the '481 patent) is directed to a method of heating or melting a charge of material in a direct-fired furnace. In the method, the charge is heated by radiant heat from a direct-fired burner. A charge-proximal gas for increasing or decreasing oxidation is introduced between the direct-fired burner and the charge. The charge-proximal gas forms a stratum separating combustion products from the charge. The stratum can be adjusted to control oxidation of the charge. To maintain the stratum, fuel, oxidant, and the charge-proximal gas are introduced at velocities below 50 feet per second. The '481 patent suffers from several drawbacks. For example, the strata can be interrupted by mixing of the charge thus limiting the ability to distribute heat within the charge and reducing the ability to utilize convective heating.
The disclosure of the previously identified patents and patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference.
It is desirable in the art to provide methods for controlled heating of melt furnace systems which result in greater uniformity in melting, reduced oxidation of charged material, and more thorough emptying with fewer cleaning cycles.

Selective adjustment of heat flux for increased uniformity of heating a charge material in a tilt rotary furnace


A method and system for deploying a calibrated positioning map of an area. The method, executed in a processor of a server computing device, comprises deploying a crowd sourced magnetic fingerprint map for mobile device localization during traversal of the indoor area, accumulating received signal strength (RSS) measurements in forming a RSS fingerprint map using crowd sourced RSS measurements during the deploying, and switching, responsive to identifying desirability of a change in the mobile device localization within the indoor area, from the crowd sourced magnetic fingerprint map to the RSS fingerprint map as basis for localizing the mobile device.

Users of mobile devices are increasingly using and depending upon indoor positioning and navigation applications and features. Seamless, accurate and dependable indoor positioning can be difficult to achieve using satellite-based navigation systems when the latter becomes unavailable or sporadically available, such as within enclosed or partly enclosed urban infrastructure and buildings, including hospitals, shopping malls, airports, universities and industrial warehouses. To address this problem, indoor navigation solutions increasingly rely on sensors received signal strength (RSS) sensors, magnetometers and inertial sensors including accelerometers, gyroscopes, which may be commonly included in mobile phones and other mobile devices. Wireless communication scans in particular may consume relatively high amounts of mobile device power, and in some cases the frequency of scans may be restricted by mobile device operating systems, especially during the calibration phase where a large amount of RSS data needs to be collected.

Crowd sourced multi-stage mobile device fingerprint based navigation


The embodiments of the invention provides a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing it The semiconductor device provided by the embodiments of the invention comprises: a first electrode layer; a substrate layer positioned on the first electrode layer; an epitaxy layer positioned on the substrate layer and comprising a first surface far from the substrate layer; a plurality of well regions disposed by extending from the first surface into the epitaxy layer and orthographic projections thereof on the first surface are spaced from each other; a second electrode layer, comprising first metal layers, each disposed between adjacent two of the well regions on the first surface and forms a Schottky contact with the epitaxy layer, wherein the Schottky contact has variable barrier height. The semiconductor device provided by the embodiments of the invention may improve the forward conduction ability without affecting the reverse blocking ability.

Schottky diode is an ultra-high-speed semiconductor device, which has a long history of development and mature technology. It is widely used in the field of energy conversion and mostly used in high-frequency application environment. Increasing the forward conduction capacity of Schottky diodes per unit area indicates better forward conduction capacity, so that the loss of conduction energy is reduced and the energy efficiency of product is improved. However, the traditional improvement of forward conduction capability of Schottky diodes per unit area often leads to the increase of reverse blocking leakage current.
Therefore, a new improved semiconductor device is needed.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method

WeEn Semiconductors Technology Co., Ltd.


A method and arrangement are provided in connection with a continuous material web, which runs from an unwinder to a winder, at least one of which being a center winder. The method includes providing an initial value for density of a material on the center winder, calculating a moment of inertia for a roll of material on the center winder, determining tightness of the material web, producing a correction term for torque calculation based on a material web tightness reference, the material web tightness and the moment of inertia of the roll of material, calculating a torque reference based on the produced correction term and the calculated moment of inertia of the roll of material, and controlling the torque of the center winder based on the torque reference. The method also includes correcting the density value of the material on the center winder based on the produced correction term.

In addition to actual paper machines, the paper industry utilizes various post-processing machinery, such as intermediate winders, coaters, different kinds of calenders, slitters, and rewinders. It is a characteristic of such post-processing machinery that at least one of the electric drives thereof is a machine called a center winder wherein a roll of paper is unwound or wound while the diameter of the roll of paper changes during winding. Another characteristic of the unwinders and winders is that the web being wound is controlled by means of tightness control. The tightness control consists of a controller whose current value is measured from the paper web by a sensor installed in a roll, as well as from a feedforward term wherein one part of the term consists of acceleratable moments of inertia.
The unwinders and winders of the post-processing machinery used in the paper industry include accelerating and decelerating large inertia masses, and in order to ensure successful winding it is important to know these inertia masses accurately. When determining the moment of inertia, it is important to know the density of the paper in the roll of paper. It is known to obtain the density of the paper from a data file concerning the roll of paper about to come off the paper machine. In the post-processing machines, density data may be obtained automatically from the paper roll data, or an operator has to manually enter the data into the system of the post-processing machine.
In connection with a grade change on a paper machine, or in other failure situations therein, the density may be erroneous or the data has been entered or measured incorrectly, in which case during post-processing the web tightness shows large variations that, at their worst, may cause the web to break and may thereby cause production losses. Erroneous density data may also cause the quality of post-processed rolls to be lower. A paper roll of poor-quality makes them more difficult to handle for printing machines, for example.
It is known to correct a density value by visually monitoring the process and the tightness control as well as the rolls of paper just off the paper machine. However, correcting the density value in such a manner requires great skill and experience. It is also obvious that such an empirical way of correcting the density value is a particularly unreliable procedure.

Method and arrangement in connection with winder drive


A backlight module and a liquid crystal display (LCD) device thereof are proposed. The backlight module includes a DC/DC converter producing a positive/negative voltage level. The backlight module can output the positive and negative levels of driving voltage from an output end of the inverter to drive LEDs through alternately switching. Besides, a constant current can be obtained with designs of power on/off periods and energy-storing inductors to prevent LEDs employing current limiting resistors from having too low current efficiency and from being burnt out.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight module, and more particularly, to a backlight module and an LCD using the backlight module.
2. Description of Prior Art
With a rapid development of monitor types, novel and colorful monitors with high resolution, e.g., liquid crystal displays (LCDs), are indispensable components used in various electronic products such as monitors for notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, and projectors. The demand for the novelty and colorful monitors has increased tremendously.
Backlight modules are one of key components of liquid crystal display panels (LCD panels). Liquid crystals do not emit light, so backlight modules provide an evenly distributed light source providing abundant brightness. The light source is transformed into a high-brightness planar light source having a uniform luminance distribution via a simple, effective opto-mechanism to provide LCD panels with a backlight source. LCD panels have been extensively employed in electronic devices having growth potential, such as monitors, notebook computers, digital cameras, projectors, etc., and particularly in large-sized panels like notebook computers and LCD monitors. Thus, demand for backlight units is growing gradually as well.
In addition to cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs), backlight modules also use light emitting diodes (LEDs) as a light source. LEDs have become the mainstream backlight source for LCD televisions in recent years, because they are mercury-free and thus environmentally-friendly. In addition, LEDs respond fast. Current LEDs are mostly driven by a direct current (DC). But, since LED lighting gets gradually popular, alternative current (AC)-driven LEDs have been more and more common as well. The advantage of AC-driven LEDs is that LEDs only turn on and off in half of the time during an entire circuit period; it greatly reduces heat dissipation from LEDs and further prolongs life of LEDs. For AC-driven LEDs under ideal operating conditions, current limiting resistors have to be connected in series with LEDs to limit the amount of current flowing through the LEDs. But, the conversion efficiency of the circuit may be thus lowered due to a voltage drop caused by the current flowing through the LEDs.
A reduction in the number of current limiting resistors may cause LEDs to be burnt out easily. AC voltage fluctuations vary with different areas and environments, and LED forward voltage (VF) changes with temperature and technologies of manufacturers. Thus, problems like the burn-out of LEDs or the brightness inadequacy of LEDs may occur if the number of current limiting resistors is deliberately reduced or the resistance is deliberately lowered for increasing efficiency.

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.


Current technologies analyze electrocardiogram (ECG) signals for a long duration, which is not always a practical scenario. Moreover the current scenarios perform a binary classification between normal and Atrial Fibrillation (AF) only, whereas there are many abnormal rhythms apart from AF. Conventional systems/methods have their own limitations and may tend to misclassify ECG signals, thereby resulting in an unbalanced multi-label classification problem. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods that are robust and more efficient for classifying rhythms for example, normal, AF, other abnormal rhythms and noisy ECG recordings by implementing a spectrogram based noise removal that obtains clean ECG signal from an acquired single-lead ECG signal, an optimum feature selection at each layer of classification that selects optimum features from a pool of extracted features, and a multi-layer cascaded binary classifier that identifies rhythms in the clean ECG signal at each layer of the classifier.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is a common type of heart disease that leads to stroke, heart failure or other complications. Millions of people get affected by AF every year and the prevalence of the disease is likely to increase. Noninvasive detection of AF is a popular area of research for quite a long time. Irregularities in heart beat is considered to be the most common symptom of AF and can be traced in an ECG. However, being an episodic event an accurate detection of AF is not always trivial. Conventional AF detectors have been mostly of atrial activity analysis based or ventricular response analysis-based methods. The absence of P waves or the presence of f waves in the TQ interval are searched in atrial activity analysis-based AF detectors. On the other hand, time, frequency and morphological features are extracted from RR intervals to identity the heart beat irregularity in ventricular response analysis based methods. However, the traditional methods have certain limitations regarding real time deployments, firstly, most of them are validated on clinically accepted multiples of lead ECG signals, recorded for a relatively longer duration. Secondly, algorithms are mostly applied on carefully selected clean data. However, in practical scenario, ECG signals are often noisy in nature. Thirdly, size of the test dataset may often not be adequate for making a conclusion (or decision) thereby result in misclassification. Lastly, most traditional or conventional methods perform binary classification between AF and normal recordings only. However, there are many non-AF abnormal rhythms (e.g., tachycardia, bradycardia, arrhythmia etc.,) which exhibit heart beat pattern similar to AF, however these non-AF abnormal rhythms are not considered for classification. Even if considered them in the dataset makes the classification task more challenging.

Cascaded binary classifier for identifying rhythms in a single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) signal


A connector assembly includes first and second connectors. Each connector includes a plurality of terminals A1 through An, n is an integer ≥2, sequentially arranged in a row. The connector assembly also includes a flat cable that includes a plurality of electrical conductors electrically connecting the terminals of the first and second connectors. For each i from 1 to n, terminal Ai of the first connector is electrically connected, via a different electrical conductor of the cable, to the terminal Ai of the second connector. The cable includes a bend greater than about 150° around at least two fold lines that extend across the entire width of the cable. Each of the first and second connectors is configured to mate with the same mating connector, such that when each of the first and second connectors mates with the same mating connector in a same plan view, the An terminals are both either on a left or a right side of the A1 terminals.

A variety of different techniques have been developed for connecting electronic systems. As the electronic systems have become more complex, so have the articles to connect them. An example of an electronic system that utilizes complex connections are circuit boards. Circuit boards are often electrically connected to another electrical component using an electrical cable which includes a plurality of parallel insulated conductors. Conventionally, the electrical cable is then attached to another connector.

Connector assembly with folded flat cable


A snap fit fastener includes a base, a holder, and a plurality of snap fit arms. The holder extends from the base and includes a holder wall defining a fastener hole. The fastener hole is sized to receive a finger. The snap fit arms are cantilevered from the base. Each snap fit arm includes a beam and an overhang protruding from the beam in a direction away from the holder. Each overhang is configured to engage a panel to couple the snap fit fastener to the panel.

Many assembly operations use fasteners, such as bolts or screws, to couple two separate parts together. In many assembly operations, it is desirable to secure the fastener to one of the parts to be joined prior to assembly in order to more quickly and efficiently couple the parts together. It is also desirable to develop fasteners capable of being used in areas hard to manually reach during assembly.


The apparatus incorporates two platforms (1) resting whereon are the feet and mechanical vibrators (2-5) located pairwise on each platform (1) so as to exert their action on the bearing surfaces of both feet. Each of the platforms has a fore and a rear housing (6,7) which can be translated relatively to each other due to a mechanical actuator.

It is well known that in cases of restricted (impaired) mobility the bearing surfaces of the soles of the feet are not exposed to the effect of normal walking when these surfaces, the Achilles tendon and other structures taking part in the movement are stimulated at regular intervals concurrently with the rhythm of walking.
Lack of stimulant for mechanoreceptors leads to problems in static and kinetic control.
There is known a method of keeping or simulating orthostatic balance in cases of restricted (impaired) locomotion according whereto the body of a man is linked to a supporting means by a resilient link and exposed to inertial shock loads of short duration applied along the body's longitudinal axis so as to overcome the elastic forces of the link (cf. USSR Inventor's Certificate No. 256164, IPC A 61 H 1/00, Bulletin "Discoveries, Inventions, Industrial Designs and Trade Marks" No. 25, 1976; Inventors: V. V. Bazhanov, A. V. Eremin, V. I. Stepanov, L. P. Salmanov and V. A. Titler).
Also known is a walking-simulating apparatus for persons suffering from restricted mobility of various degree consisting of two platforms which give support to the feet and are provided with vibrators located so as to exert their action on the bearing surfaces of both soles. The platforms are attached to the feet by some sort of binding. The apparatus is provided with a programmed means of sequential control of the vibrators triggered in accordance with human walking pattern (Journal of neuropathology and psychiatry named after S. S. Korsakov, issue 8, Moscow, Meditsina Publishers, 1982 (in Russian) pp. 26-29 (1146-1149), "Application of vibro-stimulating footwear in complex treatment of postinsult patients" by I. V. Manekchina, A. S. Mirkin, L. G. Turbina, A. N. Vavilin, V. P. Ivannikov, L. A. Ivannikova, T. S. Ionova, V. K. Belokudrin).
The known apparatus lacks a means of accurately positioning the vibrators next to the bearing surfaces of the feet nd is incapable of stimulating the Achilles tendon. The stimulation of the bearing surfaces of the feet is poor, and the remedial effect of the apparatus is low.
Moreover, the soles are sites of numerous nerve endings and a misplaced vibrator can be an evil rather than asset, causing damage to organs.

Walking-simulating apparatus for persons with restricted mobility

ulitsa Vinokurova, 7/5, korpus 3, kv. 30

Novoyasenevsky prospekt, 12, korpus 3, kv. 37


A charging device according to the present invention includes a rectifier circuit which rectifies AC power output by an AC power supply, a DC-DC converter which converts a voltage of DC power output by the rectifier circuit, a charging circuit which includes a positive electrode contact point in contact with a positive electrode terminal of a mounted secondary battery and a first negative electrode contact point and a second negative electrode contact point in contact with a negative electrode terminal of the secondary battery, an output voltage from the DC-DC converter being applied between the positive electrode contact point and the first negative electrode contact point, and a control circuit which includes a photocoupler that is turned on by a difference in potential between the positive electrode contact point and the second negative electrode contact point and outputs an enable signal for the DC-DC converter when the photocoupler is on.

Secondary batteries, such as a nickel-hydrogen secondary battery and a lithium-ion secondary battery, can be repeatedly used by being charged and are widely used in various electronic devices. For example, a charging device which operates using a commercial AC power supply for household use as a power source is widely used as equipment which charges a secondary battery. As an example of the charging device, for example, a charging device, on which a secondary battery compatible with dry batteries is mounted and which charges the secondary battery, is publicly known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). For example, a charging device which is connected to an electronic device, such as a smartphone or a tablet PC, via a USB cable or the like and charges a secondary battery built into the electronic device is also publicly known.


Techniques are disclosed for determining a location of an object based at least in part on a motion of the object. The techniques include generating a motion profile based at least in part on motion data received from a mobile device that is associated with the object. The techniques further include receiving, from a camera at a location, a plurality of images that identifies a candidate motion of a candidate object through at least a portion of the location. The techniques further include generating a candidate motion profile corresponding to the candidate motion of the candidate object based at least in part on the plurality of images. Based at least in part on a score generated by comparing the motion profile with the candidate motion profile, the techniques may determine that the candidate object is the object.

As object tracking technology improves, more and more techniques are developed that improve every-day tasks and increase efficiencies using mobile electronic devices. Some of these techniques include enabling service providers to accurately predict a location of an actively moving device in order to improve the accessibility of the services being offered.
However, attempting to predict the location of actively moving mobile devices within relatively small and/or enclosed/covered spaces (e.g., a building or a parking garage) can be challenging and prone to inaccuracies.

Techniques for determining a location of a mobile object


An integrated circuit includes first and second transmitter driver circuits. The first transmitter driver circuit includes a first pull-up circuit and a first pull-down circuit that are configured as a first voltage mode driver to drive a first single-ended output signal to a first pad during a voltage mode operation. The second transmitter driver circuit includes a second pull-up circuit and a second pull-down circuit that are configured as a second voltage mode driver to drive a second single-ended output signal to a second pad during the voltage mode operation. The first and second pull-up circuits and the first and second pull-down circuits drive a differential output signal to the first and second pads during a current mode operation when the first and second transmitter driver circuits are configured as a current mode driver.

Existing field programmable gate array (FPGA) integrated circuits typically have programmable input/output circuitry that includes dedicated drivers for different input/output standards. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a prior art input/output (IO) circuit in an FPGA integrated circuit (IC) that includes five dedicated driver circuits 101-104 and 109 coupled to pads 105-106 of the IC. The IO circuit of Figure (FIG.) 1 includes two single-ended (SE) double data rate (DDR) transmitter (TX) driver circuits 101 and 103, a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) transmitter driver circuit 102, a data strobe (DQS) DDR receiver (RX) driver circuit 104, and an LVDS receiver driver circuit 109.
FIG. 2 illustrates further details of the three prior art transmitter driver circuits 101-103 of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows p-channel field-effect transistors (PFETs) 201-204, n-channel field-effect transistors (NFETs) 211-216, pads 105-106 of the IC, current sources 231-232, feedback amplifier circuit 235, resistors 241-242, and switch circuits 251-252.
The DDR TX driver circuit 101 includes transistors 201 and 211, and the DDR TX driver circuit 103 includes transistors 204 and 216. When the switch circuits 251-252 are open (i.e., non-conductive), DDR TX driver circuits 101 and 103 function as single-ended voltage mode driver circuits that drive two single-ended signals PDRVP/NDRVP and PDRVN/NDRVN to pads 105 and 106, respectively. Although only one PFET and only one NFET are shown in each of driver circuits 101 and 103 in FIG. 2, each of the driver circuits 101 and 103 has multiple PFETs in parallel and multiple NFETs in parallel that may drive an output signal to the respective pad 105 or 106.
The LVDS TX driver circuit 102 includes PFETs 202-203, NFETs 212-215, current sources 231-232, resistors 241-242, and amplifier circuit 235. When the switch circuits 251-252 are closed (i.e., conductive), the LVDS TX driver circuit 102 functions as a differential current mode driver circuit. Feedback amplifier circuit 235 controls the currents through current sources 231-232 based on the voltage difference between the common mode voltage VCM between switch circuits 251-252 and a constant voltage of 1.25 volts. Driver circuit 102 drives the differential signal PDRVP/NDRVP minus PDRVN/NDRVN to pads 105 and 106. The LVDS and DDR driver circuits 101-103 have separate programmable current and drive strength for different platform requirements.


A method of driving a display panel includes generating a gate on voltage, generating first and second gate off voltages based on an external voltage in a first operating mode, and first and second gate off voltages based on the gate on voltage in a second operating mode, generating a clock signal based on the gate on voltage and the second gate off voltage and outputting a gate voltage generated based on the clock signal and the first and second gate off voltages to a gate line of the display panel.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of driving a display panel and a display apparatus for performing the method. More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of driving a display panel while improving a display quality and a display apparatus for performing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display ("LCD") apparatus includes a first substrate including a pixel electrode, a second substrate including a common electrode and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates. As voltage is applied to the pixel electrode and the common electrode an electric field is generated. By adjusting an intensity of the electric field, via a corresponding adjustment of the voltage, a transmittance of light passing through the liquid crystal layer may be adjusted in order to display a desired image.
The first substrate often includes a thin film transistor ("TFT") connected to the pixel electrode. The TFT transmits a grayscale data voltage to the pixel electrode in response to a gate signal when the LCD apparatus is turned on.
When the LCD apparatus is turned off, it is often preferable that image displayed on the LCD panel quickly disappear. However, when the LCD apparatus is turned off, the gray data voltage of the pixel electrode is often slowly discharged to a ground voltage. Thus, even though the LCD apparatus is turned off, the image on the LCD panel does not disappear quickly enough.

Method of driving display panel and display apparatus for performing the same


An information processing method for maintaining, in a system in which each of a plurality of client processes, connected via an information transmission medium, holds and uses shared data to be shared by the plurality of client processes, consistency of shared data held by the respective plurality of client processes, includes a holding step of holding the shared data, and a first issuance step of issuing, in response to a manipulation event request, a manipulation event that represents the manipulation to the shared data to the server process. In addition, a first manipulation execution step executes a manipulation to the shared data in response to a manipulation event received from the server process, and a second issuance step issues an issuance inhibition event to the server process. An inhibition step inhibits issuance of the manipulation event in the first issuance step after the issuance inhibition event is issued in the second issuance step until an event corresponding to the issuance inhibition event is received from the server process.

A technique for sharing a three-dimensional virtual space among different computer terminals is indispensable to implement remote meeting systems, network games, cooperative design systems, and the like.
Such system that shares a 3D virtual space refers to a large volume of data at short time intervals so as to draw moving images on the virtual space by computer graphics. At this time, it is not practical to acquire whole virtual space data held in one apparatus (e.g., server) via a network due to the narrow bandwidth of the current network.
Therefore, in a method which is currently adopted, respective terminals (processes) have copies of the virtual space data and generate CG images by referring to them. When an arbitrary manipulation (e.g., movement or rotation of a virtual object) has been made for the virtual space on a given terminal (process), information associated with that manipulation is transmitted to other terminals (processes) via the network, thus reflecting that information on the databases of the respective terminals. As a result, consistency among the databases of the respective computer terminals is maintained. In this process, a process for issuing a manipulation request and a process for reflecting the manipulation request on shared data, which are included in all processes, run in parallel.
Details of the sequence for holding consistency among the databases in the conventional virtual space sharing system will be described below. That is, a manipulation for the virtual space at a given computer terminal is immediately reflected on the local database of that terminal, and the manipulation information is transmitted to other computer terminals. Other terminals receive this manipulation information, and update their data according to the received manipulation information.
As an implementation example of such virtual space sharing system, Distributed Open Inventor (source: G. Heshina et. al.: "Distributed Open Inventor: A Practical Approach to Distributed 3D Graphics", in Proc. of the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST'99), pp. 74-81, 1999) is known and hereby incorporated by reference.
However, in the conventional virtual space sharing system represented by the above reference, the contents of a given manipulation are immediately reflected on a database of a terminal at which that manipulation has been made, and other terminals update their databases after they receive that manipulation information. Therefore, the terminal at which the manipulation has been made and other terminals update their databases at different timings. Especially, if it takes long until reception of manipulation information due to the influence of network traffic or the like, the update timing differences of the databases among the terminals become large. For this reason, it is more likely that the terminals generate different drawing results of the virtual space. Also, the manipulation and update sequences of the databases are fixed to those described above, and the data update timing cannot be selected or adjusted.
By contrast, a system which allows a plurality of processes to nearly concurrently manipulate databases shared by these processes has been proposed. In this system, a server that maintains consistency of shared databases is provided independently of terminals. Each terminal issues a manipulation command associated with a change in contents of the shared databases, and transmits an event corresponding to that command to the server. On the other hand, the server receives the event transmitted from each terminal, and transmits that event to a plurality of terminals connected to the server. The respective terminals update their databases on the basis of manipulation information of the event received from the server. That is, since the respective terminals update their databases in response to reception of an event transmitted from the server as a trigger, they can execute manipulations at nearly concurrent timings.
In the above system, manipulations can be executed at nearly the same timings. However, a time lag is generated from when a given terminal issues a manipulation command associated with a change in contents of a database until an event corresponding to that manipulation command reaches other terminals and the terminals execute manipulations. Especially, when two or more manipulations are successive, a command of the subsequent manipulation (second manipulation) may be issued before an event associated with the previous manipulation (first manipulation) is received from the server. In such case, since the manipulation result of the first manipulation has not been reflected on the database, the second manipulation may result in an unintended consequence. To avoid this, issuance of the second manipulation command must be delayed.
However, the time period required from issuance until execution of a manipulation largely varies depending on the operating environment of the system. For this reason, it is not easy to determine a delay time period upon delaying issuance of the second manipulation command, and the issuance timing of a manipulation command is often limited. For this reason, a mechanism which guarantees that the first manipulation is actually executed after the command of the first manipulation is issued is demanded.
When respective processes hold copies of received data, each process uses a buffer for temporarily storing a received manipulation request to cope with a case wherein manipulation requests are generated at time intervals shorter than the time period required to process the manipulation request. However, in order to prevent manipulation requests from overflowing from the buffer (buffer overflow), a buffer with a sufficiently large size is required.
As described above, in an apparatus that makes collaborative operations by exchanging data among a plurality of processes, a reception buffer used by each process must be designed not to overflow. However, it is difficult to determine an optimal reception buffer size, and there is room for improvement.

Information processing method and apparatus


According to an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, an image display method may include displaying, on a display, an item list including a plurality of items and a cursor; detecting a user input for moving the cursor; and moving the cursor based on the user input and changing a property of at least one item of the plurality of items included in the item list based on a spatial relationship between the at least one item and the cursor.

1. Field
One or more exemplary embodiments relate to an image display apparatus and an image display method, and more particularly, to an image display apparatus and an image display method which display an image by changing properties of a highlighted item and items near the highlighted item from an item list that includes a plurality of items.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image display apparatuses may display an image that can be viewed by users. Users can view a broadcast via an image display apparatus. Image display apparatuses display, on a display included therein, a broadcast selected by a user from among broadcasting signals transmitted by a broadcasting station. Currently, most countries around the world have switched from analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting.
In digital broadcasting, a digital image signal and a digital audio signal are transmitted. When compared to analog broadcasting, digital broadcasting is resilient against external noise, thus having little data loss, and is favorable to error correction, and provides high-resolution and high-definition screen images. In addition, digital broadcasting can provide a bidirectional service, in contrast with analog broadcasting.
Smart TVs providing various types of content in addition to a digital broadcasting function have been recently provided. Smart TVs aim to analyze and provide user needs without manipulations of a user instead of being manually operated according to a selection of a user.

Image display apparatus and image display method


An air-driven delivery assembly for delivering marking material to a print head includes a supply reservoir configured to contain a quantity of marking material, a containment chamber coupled to the supply reservoir, and a low pressure source coupled to the containment chamber wherein activation of the low pressure source draws marking material from the supply reservoir into the containment chamber.

Efforts have been made to reduce the cost and size of ink-jet printers and to reduce the cost per printed page. Some of these efforts have focused on developing printers having small, moving print heads that are connected to larger stationary ink reservoirs by flexible ink tubes. This configuration is commonly referred to as "off-axis" printing.
The development of off-axis printing has created the need to precisely control the pressure of the ink at a variety of locations, including the ink reservoir and the print head. Print cartridges may have an internal pressure regulator for regulating the flow of ink from an external source into an ink chamber within the print cartridge. The internal pressure regulator controls the flow of ink into the print cartridge to maintain a relatively constant back pressure at the print head. A relatively constant back pressure may be necessary to prevent the undesired leakage of ink through the print head. This leakage, or drooling, may degrade the quality of printing produced by the printer and may even cause permanent damage to the printer.
Designs utilizing a separate pressure regulator to address these issues may be relatively complicated. In addition, such pressure regulators often have a low tolerance for ingested air, and hence, require special materials to minimize air transmission. In addition, physical contact between the ink and the parts of the regulator sometimes reduce the operating life of the system, due to the corrosive nature of some inks.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.

Hewlett-Packard Development Comapny, L.P.


A light beam scanner irradiates surfaces of respective of different image carriers with respective of plural light beams having been subjected to constant angular velocity deflection by a deflecting member and constant velocity deflection by a transformation member. Any one of the plural light beams except a light beam incident on the deflecting member at a widest incident angle corresponds with an image formed of a color material which is lowest in lightness.

The present invention relates to a light beam scanner for use in image forming apparatus such as a printer, facsimile apparatus and a copier. The invention also relates to an image forming apparatus provided with such a light beam scanner.
An image forming apparatus, such as a copier or a printer, includes a light beam scanner configured to scan the surface of an image carrier which is uniformly electrostatically charged in advance by static charger means with image-forming light, for example, laser beam modulated in accordance with signals based on image data.
Light beam scanners of the laser beam type adaptable to an increase in scanning speed are frequently used in such image forming apparatus because such a scanner exhibits a high modulating rate in modulating light into image-forming light in accordance with image data.
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus for color image formation has been provided with individual light beam scanners for respective elementary colors of a color image. However, the provision of plural light beam scanners in an image forming apparatus does not meet the demand for reduction in apparatus size and price.
In attempt to overcome this inconvenience, a light beam scanner has been developed having a configuration wherein a single polygonal mirror deflects plural light beams emitted from light sources provided for respective elementary colors in the primary scanning direction at constant angular velocity and the light beams thus deflected are further deflected at a constant velocity by a single transformation means and then separated from each other toward respective elementary color image carriers, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. S63-009361 A and 2000-347116 for example.
In deflecting plural light beams at constant angular velocity at a time by causing the plural light beams to become incident on the same surface of the polygonal mirror, further deflecting the plural light beams at a constant velocity by the transformation means and then separating the light beams from each other by reflecting members, it is required that the plural light beams become incident on the reflective surface of the polygonal mirror at different incident angles in the secondary scanning direction.
However, if a light beam is caused to become incident on a reflective surface of the polygonal mirror at an angle in the secondary scanning direction, a scanning line formed by the light beam deflected with rotation of the polygonal mirror becomes curved. This phenomenon is generally called "bow". The curvature of such a bow increases with increasing incident angle of a light beam on the polygonal mirror in the secondary scanning direction. Light beams incident on the polygonal mirror from opposite sides of a primary optical axis plane will form respective scanning lines curved in different directions after deflection by the polygonal mirror. The primary optical axis plane is perpendicular to a reflective surface of the polygonal mirror and, hence, light passing in the primary optical axis plane becomes incident on the reflective surface at an incident angle of 0°. Accordingly, light beams incident on the reflective surface of the polygonal mirror from opposite sides of the primary optical axis plane form scanning lines curved in opposite directions. Thus, the resulting scanning lines deviate largely from each other, which will cause a color drift to occur in a color image forming apparatus. Such a color drift raises a problem of considerably degraded image quality.
A feature of the present invention is to provide a light beam scanner capable of decreasing an error in the secondary scanning direction in forming scanning lines with plural light beams. Another feature of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus provided with such a light beam scanner.

Light beam scanner and image forming apparatus