This invention relates to methods and apparatus for performing microanalytic and microsynthetic analyses and procedures. The invention provides a microsystem platform and a micromanipulation device for manipulating the platform that utilizes the centripetal force resulting from rotation of the platform to motivate fluid movement through microchannels. These assays may be performed for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to screening of drug candidate compounds, life sciences research, and clinical and molecular diagnostics. Methods specific for the apparatus of the invention for performing any of a wide variety of microanalytical or microsynthetic processes are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and apparatus for performing microanalytic and microsynthetic analyses and procedures. In particular, the invention relates to microminiaturization of genetic, biochemical and bioanalytic processes. Specifically, the present invention provides devices and methods for the performance of miniaturized biochemical assays. These assays may be performed for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to screening of drug candidate compounds, life sciences research, and clinical and molecular diagnostics. Methods for performing any of a wide variety of such microanalytical or microsynthetic processes using the microsystems apparatus of the invention are also provided.
2. Background of the Related Art
Recent developments in a variety of investigational and research fields have created a need for improved methods and apparatus for performing analytical, particularly bioanalytical assays at microscale (i.e., in volumes of less than 100 μL). In the field of pharmaceuticals, for example, an increasing number of potential drug candidates require assessment of their biological function. As an example, the field of combinatorial chemistry combines various structural sub-units with differing chemical affinities or configurations into molecules; in theory, a new molecule having potentially unique biochemical properties can be created for each permutation of the sub-units. In this way, large libraries of compounds may be synthesized from relatively small numbers of constituents, each such compound being a potential drug lead compound of usually unknown biological activity and potency.
More traditional approaches to compound library development are also yielding growing numbers of candidates, including the use of naturally-derived compounds extracted from plants, fungi, and bacteria. In part, this is due to an increased understanding of the function of these compounds, including how they affect the metabolic pathways of the organisms which synthesize and use them; the increasing refinement in identifying and understanding compounds based on small structural and compositional differences; and improved methods for extracting and purifying these compounds.
Increased numbers of potential targets for these drug candidates are also being identified. Recent advances in biology, most notably the Human Genome Project, have discovered many molecules whose biochemical activity is implicated in various disease states. Although these novel targets can provide exquisitely precise and specific indicia of how biological processes underlying disease can be effectively controlled and manipulated, drugs must be identified, usually by screening processes, to find compounds that can enhance, diminish, or otherwise alter these targets' ability to affect the metabolic pathways associated with disease.
The function of drug candidates, targets, and the effect of the candidates on targets is assessed in the early stages of pharmaceutical development through a process of screening that typically includes: binding of a drug candidate to a portion or domain of the target molecule; immunoassays that bind to drug candidate target domains correlated with drug efficacy; enzymatic assays, in which the inhibition of an enzymatic activity of the target by the drug candidate can be used as a sign of efficacy; protein/protein binding; and protein/DNA(RNA) binding. Additional assays involve the use of living cells and include gene expression, in which levels of transcription in response to a drug candidate are monitored, and functional assays designed to investigate both macroscopic effects, such as cell viability, as well as biochemical effects and products produced in and by the cells as a result of treatment with the drug lead compound. (Wallace & Goldman, 1997, "Bioassay Design and Implementation", in High-Throughput Screening: The Discovery of Bioactive Substances, J. P. Devlin, ed., Marcel Dekker, Inc.: New York, pp. 279-305).
In initial screening of compounds against targets, the number of possible screens is roughly the number of candidates multiplied by the number of targets. As a result of the growth in both the number of candidates and the number of targets, the number of assays that must be performed is growing rapidly. In addition to the increasing number of assays to be performed, it is desirable to reduce the time required to perform the assays in order to obtain results of such screenings in a timely and useful fashion. Finally, "multiplexing" technology that allows the performance of multiple assays on one sample within a single reaction well—for example, by using readily-distinguishable signals, such as fluorescent moieties with different characteristic wavelengths—can be used to increase throughput.
In addition to drug screening assays, biological research has uncovered a vast reservoir of genetic information and diversity having little if any correlation with the function of the gene products encoded by the deciphered DNA. On the one hand, the identification of the nucleotide sequence of the human genome, coupled with bioinformatics analysis of these sequences, has identified a larger number of protein coding sequences (termed "open reading frames") that can and probably do encode functional proteins. However, since these sequences have been uncovered by simply "reading" a sequence without any information (such as the correlation of a genetic locus with a mutation associated with a disease), the function of the gene products of such a locus must be determined in order to fully understand and identify what protein target is encoded thereby and what utility drug candidates directed to such a target might have. On the other hand, human genome sequencing efforts have also identified genetic mutations (such as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or "SNPs") that may or may not be associated with human disease. In either instance, the products of this human genetic information must be assayed to determine the activity of the genes, both "wild-type" and mutant, encoded at each new genetic locus. Progress in life sciences research requires researchers to perform large numbers of assays as they investigate the structure and function of proteins coded by the growing number of identified genes in the human genome. Many of the same assays and assay formats used in drug screening may be used in other life sciences research.
Large numbers of assays must also be performed in the field of molecular diagnostics, in which individuals can now be assayed for genetic mutation associated with a disease state or the propensity to develop a disease state. For example, any particular disease or propensity for disease may be associated with several different mutations in more than one gene that can determine disease susceptibility or severity. In the monitoring of a disease state, a disease may have a "fingerprint" consisting of certain genes the expression level of which can be used diagnostically to predict the severity of the disease. Monitoring expression levels of these genes can provide an indication of the response (or lack of response) to different treatment modalities.
For these and other applications in drug discovery, life sciences research, and molecular and clinical diagnostics there exists a need for systems and assay methods that can perform very many assays in a highly-parallel fashion at low cost. A central strategy has been the miniaturization of existing assays or development of new assays that work with very small volumes of drug compound and reagents. Miniaturization has been accompanied by the development of more sensitive detection schemes, including both better detectors for conventional signals (e.g., calorimetric absorption, fluorescence, and chemiluminescence) as well as new chemistries or assay formats (e.g., imaging, optical scanning, and confocal microscopy).
Miniaturization can also confer performance advantages. At short length scales, diffisionally-limited mixing is rapid and can be exploited to create sensitive assays (Brody et al., 1996, Biophysical J. 71: 3430-3431). Because fluid flow in miniaturized pressure-driven systems is laminar, rather than turbulent, processes such as washing and fluid replacement are well-controlled. Microfabricated systems also enable assays that rely on a large surface area to volume ratio such as those that require binding to a surface and a variety of chromatographic approaches.
The development of fluid-handling and processing for miniaturized assays has primarily involved the scaling down of conventional methods. The vast majority of initial drug screens have been performed conventionally in 96-well microtiter plates with operating volumes of less than 0.1-0.5 mL. The wells of these plates serve as "test tubes" for reactions as well as optical cuvettes for detection. Fluids are typically delivered to these plates using automated pipetting stations or external tubing and pumps; automation is also required for handling of plates and delivery to sub-systems such as plate washers (used in solid phase assays, for example).
Miniaturization has led to the creation of 384-well and 1536-well microtiter plates for total reaction volumes of between 0.015 and 0.1 mL. However, a number of problems arise-when miniaturizing standard plate technology. First, because the total volumes are smaller and the plates are open to the environment, evaporation of fluid during the course of an assay can compromise results. Another drawback of open plates is the existence of a fluid meniscus in the well. Meniscuses of varying configurations (due, for example to imperfections in the plate or differences in contact angle and surface tension) can distort the optical signals used to interrogate the samples. As the strength of the optical signals decreases with decreasing assay volume, correction for background distortions becomes more difficult. Finally, optical scanning systems for high-density plates are often complex and expensive. Methods that minimize evaporation, provide a more uniform optical pathway, and provide simpler detection schemes are desirable.
Highly accurate pipetting technologies have been developed to deliver fluids in precisely metered quantities to these plates. Most of these fluid-delivery methods for low volumes (below a few microliters) rely on expensive piezoelectric pipetting heads that are complex and difficult to combine or "gang" into large numbers of independent pipettors so that many wells may be addressed independently. As a result, fluid delivery is either completely or partially serial (i.e., a single micropipettor, or a small number of parallel delivery systems used repeatedly to address the entire plate). Serial pipetting defeats the aim of parallelism by increasing the amount of time required to address the plate. Methods that reduce the number and precision of fluid transfer steps are therefore needed.
Integration of microdevices with existent laboratory infrastructure is also desirable and has been poorly addressed in the art. This integration is one of both scale and format. Regarding scale, fluids must be transferred to devices from the external world, where the volumes in which they are handled are typically one or more orders of magnitude greater than the volumes required by the microdevice. It is desirable that this transition be done in a way that does not introduce excessively complex processes or machinery and which does not create excessive errors, such as in the volume of fluid transferred. Regarding format, it is desirable that microdevices have a similar physical aspect to macroscale devices already used in laboratories, especially in regard to the manner in which fluids are added to or removed from the devices. Microdevices that can be loaded with fluids using standard methods, such as pipettors, will be more easily and widely used in a variety of settings.
Fluid processing in microtiter plates is also difficult. The small dimensions of the wells, while enhancing diffusional mixing, suppress turbulence and make difficult mixing on length scales between a few tens of microns and a few millimeters. For similar reasons, washing, an important step in many assays can be problematic. Methods that reduce both the number of manipulations of fluids on the plate as well as manipulations of the plate itself (such as passing the plate to and from washing stations) can reduce cost while improving assay quality through suppression of contamination, carry-over, and fluid loss.
Thus, there is a need in the art for improved micromanipulation apparatus and methods for performing bioanalytic assays more rapidly and economically using less biological sample material and which may be easily interfaced with existing laboratory instrumentation. Relevant to this need in the art, some of the present inventors have developed a microsystem platform and a micromanipulation device to manipulate said platform by rotation, thereby utilizing the centripetal forces resulting from rotation of the platform to motivate fluid movement through microchannels embedded in the microplatform, as disclosed in co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,589, issued May 16, 2000, and co-owned and co-pending patent applications U.S. Ser. Nos. 08/761,063, filed Dec. 5, 1996; Ser. No. 08/768,990, filed Dec. 18, 1996; Ser. No. 08/910,726, filed Aug. 12, 1997; Ser. No. 08/995,056, filed Dec. 19, 1997; Ser. No. 09/315,114, filed May 19, 1999, and Ser. No. 09/858,318, filed May 15, 2001, the disclosures of each of which are explicitly incorporated by reference herein.

Microfluidics devices and methods of diluting samples and reagents


A premix gas burner comprises a main body, a porous wall, a distribution chamber delimited by the main body and by the porous wall, and an entrance in the main body for introducing a premix of combustible gas and air into the distribution chamber. The main body comprises a cylindrical shape. The porous wall comprises a first porous wall segment and a second porous wall segment. The first porous wall segment and the second porous wall segment both comprise pores for the premix gas to flow from the distribution chamber through the pores, for combustion of the premix gas outside the distribution chamber. The first porous wall segment comprises or consists out of a shaped segment. The shaped segment is directed to the inside of the distribution chamber, such that when the burner is in use premix gas flows from the distribution chamber through the pores of the shaped segment to the inside of the shaped segment. The second porous wall segment comprises an annular porous wall segment. The annular porous wall segment is provided at the base of the shaped segment. The base of the shaped element is provided at the side of the shaped element opposite to the location of the entrance in the main body.

In two pass boilers, a burner produces a longitudinal flame in a combustion chamber. The flow of the gaseous combustion products hits a wall of the combustion chamber opposite to the location of the burner. The flow of gaseous combustion products is reversed. The flue gas flows along the walls of the—mostly cylindrical—combustion chamber; and an exit of the gaseous combustion products is provided at the side of the combustion chamber where the burner is located.
WO2014/167270A1 and EP2713105A1 disclose burners that are suited for two pass boilers.
The burner disclosed in EP2713105A1 has a main body adapted to receive a fuel gas-air mixture. On the main body a conical surface is provided having a series of openings, through which the fuel gas-air mixture flows from an internal distribution chamber of the main body to a combustion area outside the main body, in a manner so as to develop a longitudinal flame.


A method of user authentication on a computing device is proposed, together with computing device on which the method is implemented. In the method a modified base image is overlaid with a modified overlay image on a display and movement of either the modified base image or modified overlay image is responsive to receiving an input starting outside a display area of a touchscreen. Positive authentication is indicated in response to the base image reference point on the modified base image being aligned with the overlay image reference point on the modified overlay image.

Passwords may be used in many situations where a user needs to be authenticated. Situations requiring authentication may include access to or use of a computer, mobile phone, PDA, or any other device. Passwords may also enable access to a physical location, or allow use of a credit/debit card or similar instrument. Passwords are typically alpha-numeric strings or sequences entered on a keyboard. Graphical authentication systems, where passwords are comprised of graphical components, also exist.
Like reference numerals are used in the drawings to denote like elements and features.


An integrated circuit on a (100) substrate containing an n-channel extended drain MOS transistor with drift region current flow oriented in the <100> direction with stressor RESURF trenches in the drift region. The stressor RESURF trenches have stressor elements with more than 100 MPa compressive stress. An integrated circuit on a (100) substrate containing an n-channel extended drain MOS transistor with drift region current flow oriented in the <110> direction with stressor RESURF trenches in the drift region. The stressor RESURF trenches have stressor elements with more than 100 MPa compressive stress. An integrated circuit on a (100) substrate containing a p-channel extended drain MOS transistor with drift region current flow oriented in a <110> direction with stressor RESURF trenches in the drift region. The stressor RESURF trenches have stressor elements with more than 100 MPa tensile stress.

An integrated circuit may contain an n-channel extended drain metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor, and/or may contain a p-channel extended drain MOS transistor. The extended drain MOS transistor may have a RESURF element abutting a drift region adjacent to the channel region of the extended drain MOS transistor, so that current flow through the drift region is substantially parallel to a boundary between the RESURF element and the drift region that is parallel to a top surface of the integrated circuit substrate. The extended drain MOS transistor may be, for example, a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor, a diffused metal oxide semiconductor (DMOS) transistor or a drain extended metal oxide semiconductor (DEMOS) transistor. Generally, an average doping in the drift region is less than an average doping density in the source region of the extended drain MOS transistor. It may be desirable to reduce an electrical resistance of the drift region so as to increase current through the extended drain MOS transistor.


The invention concerns a bending tool (6) with an actuating element (19) accessible outside the tool receptacle, with coupled to it a locking element (20) with a locking catch (21) for securing the bending tool (6) in the tool receptacle. The first end portion (32) of the actuating element (19) has an actuating face (33) arranged on the end side and the second end portion (34) of the actuating element (19) has an actuating recess (35).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bending tool for inserting into a tool receptacle and a gripping device for manipulating a bending tool.
2. The Prior Art
AT 511 591 B1 discloses a bending tool for inserting into a tool receptacle, comprising a tool body, a displaceable locking element for securing the bending tool in the tool receptacle, two actuating faces accessible from opposite sides of the tool body that are directed towards at least one actuating element that is displaceable between a base position corresponding to the locked position of the locking element and an actuating position corresponding to the unlocked position of the locking element, and where a displacement of the actuating element is translated into a movement of the locking element by means of a coupling device. The coupling device extends from the actuating element to the locking element and touches a transmission surface on the actuating element and a contact surface on the locking element, and the coupling device is further configured to be displaceable on the tool body between the actuating element and the locking element in the direction of the gap between the actuating element and the locking element.
The embodiment described in AT 511 591 B1 has the disadvantage that the design of the bending tool, especially of the locking element, consists of many component parts, making it prone to error and expensive to manufacture.
The aim of this invention is to create a bending tool and corresponding gripping device for manipulating the bending tool whose design is as simple as possible to attain high durability of the components.
This aim of the invention is achieved by a bending tool as described herein.

Bending tool and gripping device for manipulating the bending tool

Abstract: The invention further concerns a gripping device (14) for manipulating a bending tool (6), comprising a first gripping arm (59) and a second gripping arm (60) displaceable relative to the first gripping arm (59) in the clamping direction (64), said gripping arms (59) being formed to engage in a gripping groove (23, 24) of the bending tool (6) and to clamp the bending tool (6). Also formed is an unlocking member (65) for actuating an actuating element (19) of the bending tool (6), said unlocking member (65) being longitudinally displaceable normally to the clamping direction (64) relative to the gripping arms (59, 60).


A connector includes a packing which includes an annular body part, ear parts extending outward from the body part, and lock receiving parts provided in the ear parts. The connector further includes a case which includes an annular packing-mounted part provided on which a body part of the packing is mounted, a flange part which is integrally provided on the case body part to surround the packing-mounted part, a pair of through holes which are formed in the case body part to communicate between a face of the packing-mounted part and a back face of the flange part and through which the ear parts are respectively passed, and a pair of locking parts which are provided on the back face of the flange part and with which the lock receiving parts in the ear parts are respectively engaged.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a connector 200 in a related art as seen diagonally from the back, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the connector 200 as seen diagonally from the front, and FIG. 7 is a sectional perspective view of the connector 200 in FIG. 6.
The connector 200 in the related art is a connector for inverter which is directly attached to an inverter of an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), for example, and includes an aluminum case 202, a packing 204, and terminals 206.
The inverter of the HEV is disposed in an engine room of a vehicle, and must be reliably waterproofed. For this purpose, an annular packing 204 is provided on a front face of the connector 200 (or the aluminum case 202) at a position in contact with an inverter housing. By means of the packing 204, an interior of the aluminum case 202 in which the terminals 206 are provided is waterproofed. Because the aluminum case 202 is formed by die casting, using molds in the same manner as in resin molding, it is necessary to provide a draft.
The aluminum case 202 is formed of aluminum or aluminum alloy for the purpose of removing noises which occur in an electrically connected region or the like where a large current flows.
Moreover, a connector-mounted part 208 is formed inside the aluminum case 202, and the terminals 206 are integrally provided on the connector-mounted part 208 by way of a connecting connector 210.
As patent literatures concerning the related art, Patent Literatures 1 and 2, for example, should be referred to.


Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method of utilizing a flash memory array to decrease programming time while maintaining sufficient read speeds. An array of cells is programmed and read in pages that are oriented in the column direction, parallel to the bit lines in the array. An erased cell in the present invention is a cell in the “off” state. According to the present invention a cell is programmed by lowering the threshold voltage of the cell, thereby turning the cell “on.” An array of cells is programmed read in a sector-by-sector method, wherein a sector consists of units situated diagonally adjacent to each other, and a unit consists of multiple parallel column-oriented pages.

A flash memory device utilizes an array of flash memory cells to store data. Prior Art FIG. 1 is a cutaway view of a typical flash memory cell 100, consisting of a control gate 101, a charge trapping layer 102, e.g. an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) stack, an oxide film 103, a channel region 104, and doped regions 105a and 105b. One of the doped regions 105a can be designated as the source for the cell, and the other doped region 105b can be designated as the drain for the cell. The role of the doped regions 105a and 105b (source or drain) is interchangeable depending on the outcome desired. The control gate 101, floating gate 102 and oxide film 103 are stacked on top of the substrate 106, while the channel 104 and doped regions 105a and 105b are situated within the substrate. The control gates 101 of flash memory cells 100 in a row are connected by a word line 110.
Prior Art FIG. 2 is diagram of a conventional array of flash memory cells. The memory cells 100 in a row 215 in the array 200 are connected by a word line 110, and the word lines 110 are controlled by a word line driver 211. Columns 225 of memory cells 100 in the array 200 are also accessed by bit lines 220. The bit lines 220 are controlled by a bit line driver 221. Each bit line 220 is shared by two adjacent columns 225 of memory cells 100 in the array 200.
In single bit flash memory architecture, each memory cell 100 can represent two states: binary 1 or binary 0. Referring to Prior Art FIG. 1, if a cell 100 is "turned on," current can flow through the channel 104, and the cell reads as "1." If the cell 100 is "turned off," a read current cannot flow through the channel, and the cell reads as "0." Single bit flash memory cells store 1 bit per cell. Programming of a flash memory array 200 begins with every cell in the same state, either 1 or 0. If all cells 100 are initially in the 1 state, in other words all cells 100 in the array 200 are turned on, programming consists of changing selected cells to the 0 state, i.e. turning them off. Conversely, if all cells are initially in the 0 state (turned off), programming consists of changing selected cells to the 1 state (turning selected cells on). A read operation can then be performed on the array to mine the binary data from the array of cells. Before the next program operation, the flash memory cells are erased, or returned to their initial state, and programming begins again. Flash memory cells can be programmed (written) and erased repeatedly during the lifetime of the flash memory device.
Referring back to Prior Art FIG. 1, to read a single bit flash memory cell 100, a read voltage (e.g. 3V) is applied to the control gate 101 via the word line 110, a secondary voltage (e.g. 1.4V) is applied to the drain 105b, and the source 105a is grounded. The resulting current flowing from the source 105a to the drain 105b through the channel 104 is measured and compared to a reference current. If the measured current is above the reference current, the cell reads as "1," and if the measured current is below the reference current, the cell reads as "0."
Still referring to Prior Art FIG. 1, to create the "0" state of a single bit cell 100, the threshold voltage of the cell is raised by applying a high positive voltage (e.g. 9V) to the control gate 101, a positive voltage (e.g. 5V) to the drain 105a, and grounding the source 105b. The voltage potential of this configuration excites electrons in the channel 104 to accumulate near the drain 105a and then pierce the oxide film 103 and get trapped in the charge trapping layer 102 of the cell. The electrons remain trapped in the charge trapping layer 102 even after the high voltage is no longer applied to the control gate 101. When a read operation is performed on a cell in this state, the cell reads as "0." In other words, the measured current through the channel 104 is less than the reference current.
Still referring to FIG. 1, to create the "1" state of a single bit cell, in other words to turn on a cell that is off, the threshold voltage of the cell 100 is lowered by applying a low or negative voltage (e.g. −6V) to the control gate 101 and a positive voltage (e.g. 5V) to the source 105a and the drain 105b. The voltage potential of this configuration forces electrons to tunnel through the oxide film 103 and down into the substrate 106. When a read operation is performed on a cell 100 in this state, the cell 100 reads as "1." In other words, the measured current through the channel 104 is greater than the reference current.
Typically, when electrons are trapped in the floating gate 102 of a flash memory cell 100, they tend to remain on the side of the floating gate 102 above the drain (e.g. 105b) of the cell 100. Due to this phenomenon, it is possible to store two bits of information in a flash memory cell 100 in what is called dual bit, or mirror bit flash memory.
Referring now to Prior Art FIG. 3A, the threshold voltage of a cell 100 is raised by applying a high voltage (9V) to the control gate 101 via the word line 110, designating the left doped region 105a as the source and grounding it, and designating the right doped region 105b as the drain and applying a positive voltage (5V) to the drain 105b. Electrons 301 are trapped in the right side of the charge trapping layer 102. Subsequently, as depicted in Prior Art FIG. 3B the source and drain regions can be reversed, e.g. the left doped region 105a designated as the drain and given the positive voltage (5V) and the right doped region 105b designated as the source and grounded. Consequently, electrons 302 are trapped on the left side of the floating gate 102.
When a read operation is performed on a dual bit flash memory cell 100, there are four possible states that can be represented. If there are no electrons trapped in the floating gate 102, the threshold voltage of the cell 100 is at its minimum, the measured current is at its maximum, and the cell is read as "11." If there are electrons (301, 302) trapped in one side of the floating gate 102 but not the other, the cell reads as either "01" or "10." The measured current through a "01" cell is distinct from the measured current through a "10" cell. If electrons (301 and 302) are trapped on both sides of the floating gate 102, the threshold voltage is at its maximum, the measured current is at its minimum, and the cell 100 reads as "11."
When operations are performed on one cell 100, the states of neighboring cells 100 tend to be disturbed. For example, when the threshold voltage of cell A 230 is raised to the desired level, the threshold voltage of neighboring cell B 240 along the row 216 might inadvertently raise. This disturbance leads to read and write errors. Dual bit cells are especially susceptible to disturbance, as there are four possible threshold voltage distributions that must be distinct and separate from one another. Conventional flash memory methods incorporate remedies for inhibiting or preventing disturb on neighboring cells.
A conventional method of flash memory programming consists of starting with an array 200 of cells 100 in the "1" state in a single bit architecture or "11" in a dual bit architecture, designated as the "erased" state. In other words, in an erased array 200, according to conventional methods, the cells are turned on. Selected cells are programmed by raising the threshold voltages of the selected, so that selected cells read as "0" in single bit architecture or "01," "10," or "00" in dual bit architecture.
A page 250, depicted in Prior Art FIG. 2, in flash memory is the amount of flash memory cells 100 that can be programmed at once. Writing, or programming a cell 100 requires a certain current. Page size is dictated by the maximum current that can be applied to the array 200 at one time, and how many bits can be programmed with that current. According to conventional methods of flash memory, pages 250 are typically oriented in the row direction. In other words, cells 100 are programmed row by row. A high voltage is applied to the control gates 101 of a row 215 of cells 100 via the word line 110 connecting these cells 100, and voltages are applied to the bit lines 220 as required to raise the threshold voltage on each cell 100 by the desired amount, thereby programming selected cells in the page 250. In this scenario, approximately 250 μA is required to program a dual bit cell, and a typical page size is 8 bits, programmed at a rate of approximately 5 μsecs per page (0.20 kB/msec).
One characteristic of flash memory is that cells are erased in blocks to conserve time. In a conventional method, erasing a block means to return a block of cells to their "1" or "11" state, in other words restoring a block of cells to the "on" state, by lowering the threshold voltages on all the cells in the block at once.
Conventional mirror bit architecture is non-volatile and is suitable for long term code storage and other read-only applications. Due to the long programming time, conventional mirror bit architecture is not suitable for re-writable data storage, for example data storage arrays used in digital cameras.
In the field of flash memory, there is a constant desire to increase programming speed while maintaining efficient read speeds and the non-volatile nature of the data storage and keeping changes to fabrication processes to a minimum.

Method and architecture for fast flash memory programming


A computer-implemented method includes determining a user account associated with a vehicle occupant. The method also includes detecting the presence of at least one active monitoring device. The method further includes determining an association between the active monitoring device and the user account and periodically downloading device information from the active monitoring device to a vehicle computing system. Finally, the method includes storing downloaded device information in association with the user account.

1. Technical Field
The illustrative embodiments generally relate to using a vehicle data system for medical data acquisition and provision.
2. Background
Keeping an accurate account of medical records and patient health data may sometimes be a difficult task. Patients may visit numerous doctors, and may often times fail to record data that they're being asked to track about themselves. Further, due to inconvenience and limitations on time, patients may fail to, or simply not realistically be able to track certain data that would otherwise be useful for diagnosis and medical assistance.
For example, if a patient has high blood pressure or a stress related condition, the patient may be asked to track blood pressure or heart rate periodically. Since many people live lives packed with numerous activities, it may become difficult or near impossible for a patient to actually monitor this data with a recommended frequency. Additionally, even if the medical data is measured, the patient may fail to accurately track all of the data. Finally, there is a possibility that the patient will forget to bring some or all of the data when reporting to a physician.
Some of the difficulties with medical record tracking are addressed by solutions such as MICROSOFT HEALTHVAULT and GOOGLE HEALTH. These voluntary record-keeping services allow users to consolidate their medical data into one accessible source. Data from a variety of different physicians, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, etc., can all be conglomerated in a single place.
Further, some of these services offer additional connection capabilities for medical monitoring devices. HEALTHVAULT, for example, has the ability to store data from heart rate monitors (HRMs), blood pressure monitors (BPMs), wireless scales, etc. It may also be possible to connect other wireless devices to HEALTHVAULT.
In an environment where wireless sensors are reporting gathered information to a service such as HEALTHVAULT, those sensors typically require a local network over which they can transmit the data. While such networks may be easily available at a user's house, when a user is not in the home it may be difficult to find a network that is accessible. Further, if the user is not carrying or using a sensor at a given time, the data simply cannot be measured or taken down.
In addition to health monitoring devices, various exercise assistance and wellness devices may record data pertaining to athletic activity. This data may then be transferred, via, for example, a home wireless network, to a remote site or computer for analysis and tracking.


An actuator, comprising at least one beam capable of generating flexural oscillations, at least one pair of electric supply terminals (23, 24) which supply oscillation-inducing electric power to the beam(s), and a holding mechanism which holds the beam(s), the holding mechanism including at least one holding member (12) to hold one portion of the beam(s) and a case (13) jointed to the holding member and configured to contain the beam(s) therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexural oscillation type actuator used as a speaker for a small terminal device such as a mobile phone, personal computer or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally what has been developed is a flexural oscillation type actuator of a bi-morph type or mono-morph type for use in a small terminal device, for example, as a speaker. A known example is a uni-morph type flexural oscillation type actuator in which a beam having a metallic plate referred to as a shim and a piezoelectric layer formed on one surface of the metallic plate is fixed at a central portion thereof to a holding member and configured to expand and contract longitudinally by applying an alternating signal voltage in a direction of thickness of the piezoelectric layer, thereby generating a flexural oscillation in the beam.
Also known is a flexural oscillation type actuator of a bi-morph type in which a piezoelectric layer is formed on both surfaces of a metallic plate (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Disclosure No. 2003-520540, FIG. 9 of a purported International Application).
The Applicant of this application has proposed a bi-morph type flexural oscillation type actuator which comprises a beam including a plate-like member such as a metallic plate and laminated parts including piezoelectric layers and electrode layers which are formed on both surfaces of the plate-like member; one end portion of the beam is held in a case (see Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-263399).
The bimorph-type actuator for flexural oscillation includes two beams 1a and 1b and a case 2 having cavities 3 containing the beams, and has a structure in which one end of each of the beams is fixed to the case 2 by an adhesive, as shown in FIG. 17. Each of the beams 1a and 1b is composed of a shim 5 made of a metallic plate-like member and laminated parts 6 formed on both surfaces of the shim 5. Each of the laminated parts 6 has a plurality of piezoelectric layers and a plurality of electrode layers which are laminated alternately. An alternating current signal is supplied to each beam through electric supply terminals 7 and 8 to extend and contract the piezoelectric layers in a longitudinal direction of the beam so that a flexural signal is induced in each beam.
In this actuator for flexural oscillation, containing the beams 1a and 1b in the case 2 avoids breakage of the fragile piezoelectric layers due to an error by a worker during assembly and also avoids deterioration of the characteristics of each beam through attachment of dust.
Providing the electric supply terminals 7 and 8 on the case 2 prevents the problem that wirings to the beams are complicated and affect oscillation as in the actuator in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Disclosure No. 2003-520540 (FIG. 9) of a purported International Application.
Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 17, inner wall surfaces 9a and 9b of each cavity of the case facing each beam have gradually curved surfaces so that, when an excessive flexural oscillation is caused by, for example, an accidental dropping impact, surface of each beam comes into contact with the inner wall surfaces at a plurality of places in a longitudinal direction of the beam. Excessive flexural oscillation may occur in the beam in a number of cases; for example, when a small mobile device such as a mobile phone installed with the flexural oscillation type actuator as a speaker is accidentally dropped on a floor surface.
In the flexural oscillation type actuator shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the case 2 made of resin is manufactured as three pieces C1, C2 and C3 and then, in order to hold the beams 1a and 1b between these pieces forming the case 2, the beams 1a and 1b are manually assembled and held in the case by using, for example, a screw mechanism (not shown). Therefore, if the beams 1a, 1b and the case 2 are not arranged parallel to one another or if the beams are misaligned upward or downward, an interval between a surface of each beam and an inner wall surface of the case opposite the beam's surface varies. Consequently, the actuator's flexural oscillation characteristic is deteriorated, since the oscillating beams may come into contact with the inner wall surfaces of the case at irregular intervals.


A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor memory unit which stores LDPC encoded data, and a decoding unit which decodes the encoded data, wherein the decoding unit performs serial decoding using the posterior likelihood ratio as it is for a column element likelihood ratio when the absolute value of the posterior likelihood ratio is not smaller than a threshold and using the column element likelihood ratio as it is for the posterior likelihood ratio when the absolute value of the column element likelihood ratio is not smaller than the threshold, and if the decoding does not succeed even after a predetermined first cycle count of iterative processing is performed or if the number of syndrome errors becomes smaller than a predetermined first syndrome error count, the decoding unit shrinks the absolute values of at least some of posterior likelihood ratios and resets all prior likelihood ratios to “0.”

In order to make semiconductor memory devices capable of high-density recording, error correction codes for digital data are under development. The error correction codes can be roughly divided into algebraic codes and codes prepared by probability-based iterative calculations. Regarding Low Density Parity Check codes (hereinafter referred to as "LDPC codes") which belong to the latter category, excellent performance close to the Shannon limit has been reported.
The LDPC codes are linear codes defined by a very sparse parity check matrix, i.e., a parity check matrix containing a small number of non-zero elements, and can be represented by a Tanner graph. Decoding involves exchanging results locally inferred by row processing and column processing between a bit node corresponding to each bit of code words connected on the Tanner graph and a check node corresponding to each parity check equation. Then, error correction is performed through repeated cycles of iterative processing which includes the row processing and column processing.
LDPC encoded data can be decoded by parallel processing on a relatively small circuit scale using the Sum-Product algorithm. Decoding by means of the Sum-Product algorithm can be roughly divided into batch decoding whereby row processing and column processing are performed in batches and serial decoding whereby row processing and column processing are performed serially with respect to each row index. The serial decoding is known to be faster in convergence speed and lower in memory consumption than the batch decoding.
Row operations for performing processing operations in a row direction of the parity check matrix in the Sum-Product algorithm involve nonlinear function calculations and thus particularly large amounts of operations, and therefore use the Min-Sum algorithm, which determines row operation data for each "1" element in each row of the parity check matrix by finding a minimum value among column operation data corresponding to the other "1" elements excluding the given element.

Semiconductor memory device and decoding method


Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for measuring the supply of a consumable product/energy source, such as electrical power, to a facility over time and analyzing the measurements to determine the consumption or supply of the product by one or more loads and/or sources in the facility, and to determine induced and residual heat flow through the facility's envelope. Various aspects compare the measured supply of the consumable product to a database of consumption signatures, which characterize access to the consumable product by particular users. Operating conditions and facility characteristics, such as temperatures, load factors, insulation factors, etc., may be further considered in determining a particular user's access of the consumable product. To aid in the controlling of energy use, thermal resistance factors of the building are determined, which are based on the induced and residual heat flow through the facility.

Utility costs represent one of the largest expenses effecting net operating cost of residential, commercial, and industrial facilities. For example, a large office building comprised of 60,000 square feet will have an electrical consumption of approximately $10,000 monthly in the Mid Atlantic states in the summer months. Knowing how a building is being utilized by its tenants and knowing the building energy performance are both factors in understanding and controlling these costs.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Building material including temperature transducer


In a method of molding an optical device by press-molding a glass preform by using molding dies, the press-molding process is executed under a mixed gas atmosphere of a nonoxidizer gas and a hydrocarbon gas.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical device molding method whereby an optical device made of a glass such as lens, prism, or the like is manufactured by press-molding a glass preform.
2. Related Background Art
A technique for manufacturing a lens by press-molding a glass preform without needing the grinding process eliminates complicated processes which are needed in the conventional manufacturing method of a lens and can easily cheaply manufacture the lens. In recent years, such a technique has been used to manufacture not only a lens but also a prism and other optical devices made of glass.
(1) Hardness can be mentioned as a property which is required of a die material which is used to press-mold such optical devices made of glass or the like. Hitherto, as such kinds of die materials, many materials such as metal, ceramics, material on which metal or ceramics are coated, and the like have been proposed. For instance, a 13 Cr martensite steel has been proposed in JP-A-49-51112, and SiC and Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 have been proposed in JP-A-52-45613.
(2) In an Official Gazette of an apparatus for molding glass in JP-U-42-8123 (based on the priority on Dec. 28, 1961; U.S. patent Ser. No. 162743, Applicant is General Precision Inc.), the following apparatuses have been disclosed.
A glass substance molding apparatus comprising a combination of: a sealed chamber having an inert atmosphere; a metal die which is disposed in the sealed chamber and has a cavity in the die; a glass substance put in the cavity; and an apparatus for heating the glass substance to flow the glass and to fill in the cavity.
An apparatus according to the above, wherein the metal of the die has a expansion coefficient lower than an expansion coefficient of glass.
An apparatus for molding a glass substance comprising a combination of: a sealed chamber having an inert atmosphere; a die of a metal portion which is supported by this chamber and has a cavity in the die; a plunger for applying a continuous pressure when one end is put into the cavity which is slidably attached onto the die connected to the cavity; and a heating apparatus for heating glass in the cavity.
An apparatus according to the former apparatus, wherein the heating apparatus includes a heat sink apparatus which is arranged on the outside of the sealed chamber and heats the glass by the induction and surrounds the metal die.
(3) In the specifications of U.S. Pat. Nos. 833347 and 3900328 (JP-B-54-38126), there is disclosed a manufacturing method in which a glass-like carbon die is disposed in a proper chamber and which comprises the steps of: (a) inserting a glass block into a cavity of the die; (b) evacuating the chamber; (c) degassing the die assembly at a relatively low temperature; (d) controlling an atmosphere so as to nonoxidize the chamber; (e) thermally softening the glass block by raising the temperature of the die; (f) applying a pressure to the die; (g) setting the temperature of the glass to a temperature which is equal to or lower than a glass transformation point by cooling the die; (h) eliminating the pressure from the die; (i) further reducing the temperature of the die; and (j) taking out the finished lens.
According to the glass press-molding method, a glass preform which was heated at a high temperature is inserted into the die which was heated at a high temperature and is press-molded and, thereafter, it is cooled and an optical device is manufactured. Therefore, a thermal fatigue or the oxidation of the die occurs due to a thermal shock thereof, which makes the life of the die short. The molding surface of the die must be cleaned. Since, a mist of the glass surface occurs due to the reaction of the glass and the die material.
As a countermeasure for the above problems, there has been proposed JP-A-61-31321 in which the molding surface of the press-molding die is formed with ceramics or JP-B-61-32263 (U.S. Pat. No. 4481023) in which the surface of the die is formed with tungsten carbide, an alloy of noble metal, or the like.
On the other hand, as a countermeasure to improve the separating efficiency between the glass and the die which were heated at high temperatures, there has been proposed JP-A-61-197430, which discloses:
a die for molding an optical glass device in which a molding surface of a predetermined shape is formed on the die to press-mold a desired molding object, characterized in that a coating film consisting of AlN is formed on the molding surface; PA1 an optical glass device molding die which is formed by a metal material of either one of an Ni base alloy, an Fe base heat resistance alloy, and a WC--Co system alloy; and PA1 an optical glass device molding die which is formed by a ceramic material containing either AlN or Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 as a main component.
However, 13 Cr martensite steel has drawbacks such that it is easily oxidized and Fe is diffused into the glass at a high temperature and the glass is colored. Although SiC and Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 are generally considered as being hardly oxidized, they are also oxidized at a high temperature and an SiO.sub.2 film is formed on the surface, so that adhesion with the glass occurs. Further, since their hardnesses are high, the working efficiency of the die itself is bad. When tungsten carbide is used as a material of the die and the glass preform is press-molded, a reaction occurs between the glass surface and the surface of the die due to the press-molding by the heating at a high temperature and a phenomenon such that the glass reactant is deposited onto the surface of the die when the molded glass is separated from the die occurs. The inventors of the present invention have found out that such a reaction phenomenon occurs in the following manner. The sintered hard alloy is formed by coupling tungsten carbide by using cobalt Co as a binder. When tungsten carbide and glass are heated at a high temperature and are press-molded, cobalt on the surface of the tungsten carbide and lead contained in the glass react as follows. EQU Co+PbO.fwdarw.CoO.sub.x +Pb
On the other hand, tungsten carbide WC and lead contained in the glass react as follows. EQU WC+PbO.fwdarw.WO.sub.x +Pb+CO+CO.sub.2
Thus, lead in the glass is precipitated and causes a product between the die and the glass, so that a phenomenon such as a mist as mentioned above occurs when the glass is separated from the die. If the surface of the die is made of a ceramics material, a reaction between the ceramics and lead oxide in the glass hardly occurs. Therefore, a product due to the reaction as in the case of using tungsten carbide mentioned above is hardly produced. However, in place of it, the contact force between the surface of the die and the surface of the glass molded article increases. Since such a contact force is larger than the strength of the glass when it is separated from the die, the surface of the glass molded article is destroyed and a cracking phenomenon of the glass molded article is caused.
It is the first object of the invention to propose a manufacturing method in which even a high endurance material having a high adhesion tendency can be used as a material of the die.
Practically speaking, it is an object of the invention to propose an optical device manufacturing method in which a material which can reduce a reaction such that cobalt and tungsten carbide in a sintered hard alloy directly reduce lead oxide in the glass and which has a separation effect is interposed between the die surface and the glass surface, so that no adhesion occurs and the die surface hardly deteriorates.
Still another object of the invention is to propose a manufacturing method in which a very small amount of material which actively reacts to lead in a glass is interposed between the die surface and the glass preform, thereby blocking a direct reaction between the die and the glass preform.
In the above invention, the inventors of the invention propose a manufacturing method in which when a die and a glass preform are heated at a high temperature and are press-molded, an atmosphere in which the press-molding is executed is filled with a gas containing hydrocarbon (practically speaking, a mixture gas of a nonoxidizer gas and a hydrocarbon gas) and a reaction such as EQU C+PbO.fwdarw.Pb+CO+CO.sub.2
is caused between carbon in the gas and lead in the glass, thereby blocking a reaction between the die and the glass.
The inventors of the invention also propose an application example in the case of using a preferable atmosphere. For instance, in the case of using a process to fill the whole molding steps by an inert gas such as a nitrogen gas or the like which is suitable for solving various problems such as thermal stress due to high temperature and high heat of a mechanism which is necessary for the operations in the steps which are needed for a molding apparatus, particularly, for a glass press-molding included in the molding apparatus. For instance, the steps such as conveyance, insertion, heating, and cooling of a die and a glass preform, fetching of a molded article, and the like, fatigue due to the repetition of the heating and cooling cycles, and the like.
Further, the inventors of the invention propose a manufacturing method in which a ceramics sintered material as a die material which does not cause any reactant with lead in a glass is used and a gas containing carbon is interposed between the die made of the ceramics sintered material and a glass preform, thereby causing a reaction between carbon in the gas and lead in the glass, so that it is possible to avoid the cracking phenomenon of the glass molded article which is caused by an increase in contact force due to the ceramics die.


In accordance with certain embodiments, interior spaces are illuminated with a combination of harvested sunlight and artificial light emitted by one or more light-emitting elements.

Daylight-harvesting systems that redirect sunlight into building cores have been utilized to provide interior lighting for many years. However, it has proved difficult to supplement the harvested sunlight, e.g., during night or periods of inclement weather, with other sources of illumination without interfering with the efficient transfer of the sunlight into the interior space and/or consuming valuable "real estate" from which the sunlight shines into such spaces. Similarly, the illumination of objects such as artwork and jewelry in display cases is often made difficult by the viewer casting shadows on the objects. In some situations where lighting internal to a display case is used, frames for the case may be bulky, or dimensions of the case may not be ideal for optimum viewing.
Various conventional systems for such applications incorporate linear fluorescent lighting when, e.g., there is insufficient daylight to illuminate an office space. However, linear fluorescent lamps typically have a toroidal luminous intensity distribution, which requires the light guide in the vicinity of the lamps to be lined with an opaque reflective material in order to efficiently couple the emitted light to the diffusers and into the illuminated office space below. Such coatings may compromise the overall efficiency of the illumination system, particularly the sunlight-harvesting portion. Thus, there is a need for efficient hybrid illumination systems that improve upon conventional daylight-harvesting systems, as well as systems utilized for other illumination and/or display applications.


A distribution transformer (58) is assembled using a core (18) having a core surface (36) including an inner circumferential surface (40) defining an open eye region (38), an outer circumferential surface (42), and end surfaces (24, 26). Wedged-shaped core supports (20, 22), secured to the end surfaces of the core, are used to support the core during conductor winding operations and to mount the finished transformer within a transformer container (66). The core supports do not extend into the open eye region and allow virtually the entire inner circumferential surface to be covered by the electrical conductors (34, 56). The layers of electrical conductors are wound on top of one another so that each successive layer of electrical conductors conforms to the core surface and any previously wound conductors. Electrical insulation (54) is provided between each conductor layer.

Distribution transformers are relatively large electrical transformers, typically between 10 Kva and 50 Kva, commonly used to reduce voltage from 2000-25,000 volts to 110/220 volts for residential and commercial use. Because of the large amount of electricity handled by distribution transformers, efficiency is of prime concern in their design.
There are several methods for winding electrically conductive coils for distribution transformers. In one method, a series of coils is wound separately. A strip of core material is then wound through the center of the coils. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,191,393 to Humphreys, U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,600 to Mas, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,484 to Curtis, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference. This method is not now used to any substantial extent. Another method, extensively used for commercial production of distribution transformers, proceeds by winding the coil onto a winding form or mandrel apart from the magnetic core. The winding form or mandrel defines the size and shape of the opening in the coil. The core is subsequently inserted through the opening in the coil. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,489 to Bastis, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
There are disadvantages to both of these prior art methods. First, there must be working clearance between the core and the coil. Second, the coil opening must be sized to accommodate the maximum core size, allowing for normal manufacturing tolerances. Third, the first method requires that the coil have a maximum radius of the core cross section, plus a working clearance for winding the coil onto the bobbin. Fourth, the second method requires that the magnetic circuit be cut and opened for insertion into the coil, and then reclosed.
Enlargement of the coil opening to accommodate different size cores requires that the electrical conductors be longer to obtain the same number of turns. Inefficiency, or load loss, of the transformer is directly affected by the conductor length. Therefore, the required spacing between the electrical conductors and the core results in less efficient transformers.
Another problem, referred to above, relates to variation in the dimension of the magnetic core. Magnetic cores are necessarily layered structures with certain space between the laminations. For certain types of materials, such as amorphous magnetic core material available from Allied Signal, Morristown, New Jersey as Metglas TCA, the manufacturer stipulates a range of void space from up to 30%. However, for a fixed cross section of a magnetic core, having a specified level of magnetic induction, the gross cross section of the core would vary by +11% to -11%.
Two cores can have the same magnetic cross section; however, the core which is more tightly spaced, so that there is less void space between the layers, will have a higher gross density. The core having a lower gross density will necessarily have a longer mean magnetic path and will have greater weight of energized magnetic core material. This results in increased core loss proportional to the increase in weight. To reduce the core loss, more magnetic material may be added to reduce the magnetic flux density for an offsetting value. This, however, compounds the variation in the gross cross section of the material +18% to -13%.
Specific core loss of magnetic core materials also varies within a certain percentage from the mean. This variation can be offset by decreasing the magnetic flux density or by increasing the amount of material in the core. This, of course, adds further variation to the gross cross section of the core.
It has been found that a conventionally wound distribution transformer using a spool of Metglas TCA magnetic core material requires that, using conventional distribution transformer manufacturing techniques, the inner perimeter of the coil be designed about 10% larger than a nominal size to accommodate variations in the size of the core. As discussed above, doing so lowers the efficiency and thus increases the cost of use of the distribution transformer.

Method for assembling a distribution transformer with conforming layers


An optoelectronic circuit including: an IC chip made up of a substrate in which an optical waveguide and a mirror have been fabricated, the substrate having a first lens formed thereon, wherein the mirror is aligned with the optical waveguide and the first lens is aligned with the mirror to form an optical path connecting the first lens, the mirror, and the optical waveguide; and an optical coupler including a second lens, the optical coupler affixed to the substrate and positioned to align the second lens with the first lens so as to couple an optical signal into or out of the optical waveguide within the IC chip.

Semiconductor fabrication technology is moving towards figuring out ways to combine both electrical signaling and optical signaling on the same IC chips. This drive to combine of the two technologies is in part fueled by the inherent advantages associated with optical signals in comparison to electrical signals both in terms of distributing information throughout a given IC chip and in terms of inter-chip communications. One application that is likely to be among early commercial implementations involves the use of optical signals to distribute clock signals throughout a very large IC chip, such as a microprocessor. This is because optical signals are typically characterized by smaller skews and they are less susceptible to jitter and other signal distortions to which electrical signals tend to be prone especially at the nanometer scales now being considered for IC chip design.
Getting the optical signals into and out of the IC chips in a way that is commercially practical and involves fabrication costs that are competitive presents one of the challenges the industry faces today. The embodiments described herein represent some answers to this challenge.


An image capturing device includes an image capturing element that performs photoelectric conversion of light from an object and outputs a pixel signal, a lens unit that forms images on the image capturing element based on light from the object, and an optical shift mechanism that displaces optical images formed on a light-receiving surface of the image capturing element relative to the image capturing element. The optical shift mechanism has an optical member provided with a parallel plate that is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the optical axis of the lens unit and rotated around the optical axis. The optical member is provided in a fluid having a higher refractive index than a refractive index of air.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image capturing device and a network camera system that obtain a plurality of images by performing image capturing while slightly displacing optical images formed on a light-receiving surface of an image capturing element relative to the image capturing element.
2. Description of Related Art
An image capturing device employs an image capturing element in which pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix pattern. The resolution of the image capturing element is limited because it depends on the size of pixels and the number of pixels in the image capturing element. To generate images having a higher resolution than that of the image capturing element itself, super-resolution processing is performed after so-called pixel offset (optical shift) in which a plurality of original images are captured while optical images formed on a light-receiving surface of the image capturing element are slightly displaced relative to the image capturing element.
Such a technology of pixel offset requires an optical shift mechanism for slightly displacing the optical images and the image capturing elements with respect to each other (see Related Art 1).
For example, a parallel plate is provided between the image capturing element and a lens unit that forms images on the image capturing element based on light from an object. The parallel plate is inclined with respect to the optical axis of the lens unit, and the position of the optical image on a light-receiving surface of the image capturing element is displaced by rotating the parallel plate around the optical axis (see Related Art 2 and Related Art 3).    Related Art 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-306492    Related Art 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-125170    Related Art 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-278614
In the conventional art, however, when the angle of the parallel plate with respect to the optical axis is varied by swing or the like due to backlash or the like in a supporting mechanism for supporting the parallel plate to be driven in rotation, an optical shift amount (shift position) is significantly affected and a precision of the optical shift mechanism is deteriorated. When the optical shift amount is not precise, the calculation cost in the super-resolution processing is enormous.

Image capturing device and network camera system


A configurable electronic controller system used for signal acquisition of input sensors and control of output loads, connected respectively to the configurable controller, can be re-configured to perform diagnostics on same input sensors and output loads. The diagnostic results provide information on the viability of the tested input sensors and output loads as well as the existence of shorts between input signal lines, while still connected to the sensors.

Digital electronic control systems are increasingly being used to control vehicle systems, industrial systems and other electro-mechanical systems and devices. For example, such digital electronic control systems are now found in a wide variety of on and off road vehicles, boats, aircraft and other forms of transportation, that typically use digital electronic control systems that include a digital control unit that is in communication with a plurality of sensors and drivers to monitor and control engine systems, steering systems, transmission systems, and/or fuel systems. Similarly, digital electronic control systems in the form industrial controllers are widely used, for example, in manufacturing facilities, chemical plants, air-conditioning systems, printing machines, computer numerical control devices and robotic devices.
The sensors that are usable with such a system can vary widely as can the types of sensor signals provided thereby. For example, different types of sensors can provide signals that have different signal range, different power characteristics, and/or physical connection requirements than those that the electronic control unit is adapted to receive. Such sensor provided output signals can take the form of analogue or digital signals and such sensor provided output signals can include signals characterizing information such as temperature, pressure, RPM and position. Thus, it is common in conventional digital electronic control systems to provide signal acquisition or conditioning circuits to match the signals provided by the sensors in the system to the requirements of the digital control unit used in the system. This circuitry varies according to the sensor type.
Similarly, the digital control units used in such systems do not often provide control signals that can be used to directly drive output devices. Typical output devices include, for example, heaters, solenoids, lamps and electrical motors. Accordingly, conditioning circuits are also provided between the digital control units and such output devices. These adapt the output signals from the digital control units to meet the particular needs of the output devices that they control.
The intensive use of such digital electronic control systems in vehicles and in industrial automation requires diagnostic testing methods in order to ensure correct operation. Conventionally, such diagnostic testing of digital electronic control systems is first done during the production process to verify that the systems perform as expected when compared with specified performance criteria. This is typically done using test fixtures that are specially adapted to this task. It will be appreciated that during production the digital electronic control unit, sensors and drivers have typically not yet been packaged within final enclosures and/or environmental protective systems and that it is comparatively simple to access testing points when these devices are in such a state.
After final manufacture, diagnostic testing can be performed as a matter of preventative maintenance or to diagnose the cause of error conditions. Such post manufacture diagnostic testing can be used to evaluate the operation of circuit elements, the functionality of a tested circuit in the system, in which the specific electronic circuit is installed, and/or to determine whether proper connections exist between the digital control unit and the sensors and/or output devices to which the digital control unit is connected.
Some conventional digital electronic control systems are adapted to facilitate diagnostics. For example, conventional automobile control systems are programmed to detect potential error conditions by analysis of data signals or other signals supplied by the sensors in the vehicle or by detecting that the sensor is not providing data. When such control systems detect these conditions, the digital electronic control systems provide signals that can be read by an appropriate reader connected to the automobile controller.
However, it will be appreciated that because such control systems are adapted to detect a data signal or other signals from a sensor, they are not particularly useful in detecting other conditions related to that sensor that might indicate that the sensor has a fault, that might indicate that a sensor is in a condition that suggests that a fault is imminent, or that might indicate that the electrical connection between the control system and the sensor has a fault. Accordingly, such an engine control module will typically provide only an indication that a fault exists and that the vehicle should be taken for service.
When this occurs, it is left to the service technician to use dedicated diagnostic testing equipment to detect such conditions so that the source of the fault can be determined. Unfortunately, this requires that the technician manually make appropriate diagnostic connections in order to detect signals that are of a different class than the sensor signals sensed during normal operation of the sensor but that indicate potential error conditions. This may involve connecting and disconnecting wiring harnesses or otherwise accessing sensitive electronic components thus risking damage to the components and/or wearing the components.
What is needed therefore is a digital electronic control system that facilitates diagnostic testing of the components of an electronic control system without requiring direct connections between an external device and the active components of a digital electronic control system. What is also needed in the art is a system for accomplishing this result while adding minimal expense and complexity to the overall digital electronic control system.

Configurable electronic control system and diagnostic method


A method of using an athletic activity heads up display system during an athletic activity includes the steps of a heads up display unit receiving information about a sport ball and the heads up display unit displaying an image to an individual based on the information, where the image is overlaid on the individual's present field of view of an environment.

Athletic activity is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and is a source of entertainment for many people. Some individuals prefer to engage in team athletic activities such as, for example, soccer or basketball, while other individuals prefer to engage in individual athletic activities such as, for example, running or skiing. Regardless of whether the activity is a team or individual activity, it is common for individuals to participate in both competitive sessions, such as a soccer match or a running race, and more informal training sessions such as conducting soccer drills or running interval sprints. Others who do not themselves regularly take part in athletic activities may nevertheless enjoy viewing athletic activities as a spectator.
Athletic activity monitoring systems exist that are capable of recording information about an individual's performance during an athletic activity using sensors. Some portable fitness monitoring systems employ sensors attached to the individual's body, while other portable fitness monitoring systems rely on sensors attached to a piece of athletic equipment. Such sensors may be capable of measuring various physical and/or physiological parameters associated with the individual's athletic activity.
Technology has resulted in the development of so-called "heads up displays" (HUDs) for presenting visual information to a user without requiring the user to look away from their usual viewpoint. The origin of the term stems from airplane pilots being able to view information (e.g. flight status or plane orientation information) with their heads still positioned "up" and looking forward, instead of angled down looking at lower instruments. HUDs typically include a projector for projecting information onto a transparent surface, such as a glass plate, that enables the background environment of the user's typical viewpoint to still be seen. Although HUDs were initially developed for military aviation, they can now be found in commercial aircraft, automobiles, and computer gaming applications.
HUDs can be a useful tool for a variety of "augmented reality" applications. The basic idea of augmented reality is to present computer-generated sensory input to a user—superimposed graphics, audio, haptic feedback, or other sensory enhancements—that provide information about the environment and its objects in the context of a real-world environment. For example, fans of American football have become accustomed in recent years to the presence a super-imposed "first-down" line on televised American football games.
An individual engaged in an athletic activity—or an interested observer such as a coach or fan—may desire to receive information about the athletic activity, including information about the individual's performance. But with respect to providing this information, existing athletic activity monitoring systems suffer from a number of drawbacks. Many existing systems do not provide the individual or interested observer with information about the athletic activity until after the activity has been completed. Other systems may present the information about the athletic activity during the activity, but in a way that distracts that individual or interested observer from focusing on the ongoing athletic activity itself. And many existing HUDs and augmented reality systems are not portable and are therefore not suitable for monitoring in many real world athletic competitive or training sessions. Finally, existing athletic activity monitoring systems often fail to provide the individual or interested observer with quick, accurate, insightful information that would enable them to easily compare past performances, develop strategies for improving future performances, or visualize performances.

Athletic activity heads up display systems and methods


An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a first input device; a second input device capable of operating in a first operating mode; and a system management module in communication with the first input device and the second input device. The system management module is configured for switching the second input device to a second operating mode in response to detecting, by the first input device, a presence of a user without receiving any operation-specific input from the user.

Many modern electronic devices are designed to automatically adjust their operating mode based on the presence or absence of user activities detected by the devices. For example, a computer may dim its screen, display a screensaver, or switch to a sleep/low power mode if no user activity is detected for a predetermined period of time. This can be done using an internal timer which tracks the duration of the idle state of the computer. Conversely, a user-initiated input event such as a movement of the mouse, a stroke on the keyboard, or a gesture detected on a touch pad may cause the computer to switch back to a full operating mode and be responsive to the various user inputs.
However, this timer-based management system is not flawless. For example, this type of system assumes that the system can switch to a power-saving mode when no user interaction is detected via the system's input devices. That may not be true, for example, when a user is reading from a device with a large screen that can display large amount of content without requiring the user to scroll up and down frequently. Another example is when a user is watching a movie on a handheld device. In this case, although the user is not actively interacting with the device (e.g., typing or moving the cursor around), the device should preferably remain in normal operation mode. If the device automatically displays a screen saver, dims the screen, or goes into sleep mode based on the idle-duration timer, it may become an inconvenience for the user who has to make some type of input every so often to switch the device back to its normal operating mode so that he can resume watching the movie.
In addition, existing device management systems are designed to manage the operating mode of the device as a whole, but not the operating mode of the individual component or applications running on the device. That is, there are often only a limited number of operating modes available for a particular device. For example, a desktop computer may only have four different operating modes: a normal mode, screensaver mode, sleep mode (i.e., low-power mode), and off mode. A handheld device such as a MP3 player or a cellular phone may have a normal mode, a dim mode (i.e., low-power mode), and an off mode. There is typically one setting for each of the available modes in terms of which components of the device are left on and which ones can be turned off. As a result, it is difficult to achieve optimal efficiency given the limited number of operating modes available.
As electronic devices become more and more sophisticated, they may include more hardware components such as a touch pad, touch screen, accelerometer, camera, etc, each of which can be a source of power consumption. Similarly, multiple software applications can run on a device and demand limited system resources such as memory and processor power at the same time. Thus, an internal management system that can intelligently manage the device at a component level and/or application level based on user presence and behavior is highly desirable.

Intelligent management for an electronic device


A router depth adjustment mechanism for minimizing rapid course depth adjustment for standard and plunge routers. Routers with rapid or course adjustment mechanisms may permit a router motor housing to drop suddenly, if the user is inattentive. Sudden adjustments may result in damage to the router and potentially contact the user. The mechanism of the present invention includes a threaded shaft and a biased thread engaging member which may be disengaged for rapid adjustment. A restraining device and/or a break may be included to minimize the rate of change.

Cautious operation is important when utilizing power tools, such as a router. Power tool manufactures strive to develop tools which minimize user risk. For example, some router depth adjustment mechanisms allow a router motor housing to adjust rapidly, which may damage the device.
For instance, United States Published Patent Application 2002/0043294 A1, entitled: Router, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a device which permits rapid depth adjustment. While such a device provides the ability to adjust rapidly, rapid adjustment may result in pinching and/or damage to the router itself. For example, when an unwary user replaces the motor housing into the router base, such as after changing a bit, the motor housing and motor may drop upon utilizing a course adjustment device, if the motor housing is not grasped.
Furthermore, if a user is forced to support the motor housing, such as to prevent damage to the router when adjusting plunge depth, the user's grasping hand or fingers may be smashed and/or pinched, upon rapid depth adjustment, due to the weight of the router motor and housing.
Moreover, routers which include grasping apparatus for aiding in grasping the base or motor housing typically include a lip or rim for at least partially supporting the weight of the router during operation and transfer. Problems may occur if the motor housing and grasping apparatus interact to create a pinch point where a user's finger or hand may be caught.
Moreover, the router itself may become damaged, such as when an adjustment mechanism is released when the router is implemented with a router table. For instance, if a user actuates the course adjustment device, the router may drop suddenly.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus for promoting router height adjustment.


Methods and systems are provided for operating an engine to generate vacuum for a subsequent leak detection routine. During a selected key-off condition, a starter motor is operated to spin the engine unfueled and generate intake vacuum for the leak detection. Fuel vapors drawn during the spinning are stored in an auxiliary canister that is purged along with a main canister during purging conditions.

Vehicle emission control systems may be configured to store fuel vapors from fuel tank refueling operations and diurnal engine operation, and then purge the stored vapors during a subsequent engine operation. In an effort to meet stringent federal emissions regulations, emission control systems may need to be intermittently diagnosed for the presence of leaks that could release fuel vapors to the atmosphere. Evaporative leaks may be identified by sealing off the emission control system after generating a vacuum therein, and then monitoring the vacuum bleed-up. In hybrid vehicles, leak detection routines may be adapted to account for the reduced engine operation times which can lead to insufficient vacuum for leak detection and purging routines.
One example approach for detecting evaporative leaks in a hybrid vehicle is shown by Chung et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 7,562,559. Therein, when the vehicle engine is not running, or during an electric drive mode, fuel injection and throttle operation to the engine is disabled while an electric motor or generator is operated to spin the engine and generate vacuum for a leak detection operation. After generating sufficient vacuum, the emission control system is sealed and evaporative leaks are diagnosed.
However, the inventors herein have identified potential issues with such an approach. As one example, when the engine is being spun to generate vacuum, fuel vapors may be drawn from the fuel tank into the engine intake manifold. The drawn fuel vapors may lead to air-to-fuel ratio variations during subsequent engine operation. The situation may be exacerbated if the engine is spun during hot ambient conditions that lead to the generation of more diurnal fuel vapors. As another example, if the engine is spun to generate vacuum while the vehicle is stationary during fuel tank refueling, or while the vehicle operator is inspecting the vehicle, the operator may be startled.
Thus, in one example, some of the above issues may be at least partly addressed by a method of operating an emission control system comprising, during a first key-on condition, spinning the engine fueled and storing fuel tank vapors in a first, larger canister, and during a second key-off condition, spinning the engine unfueled and storing fuel tank vapors in a second, smaller canister. In this way, fuel vapors drawn from the fuel tank during vacuum generation may be stored in an auxiliary in-line canister that is distinct from the main fuel vapor canister.
For example, during specified conditions, such as when the engine has not been running for a threshold amount of time, the engine may be spun with assistance from a starter motor, without any air or fuel injection into the engine cylinders, to generate vacuum for a subsequent leak detection routine. Following vacuum generation, the vacuum may be applied to the engine's fuel system to identify fuel system leaks (e.g., from the fuel tank and/or from the main, larger fuel vapor canister). Vacuum generation may be disabled if the fuel tank is being refueled, if the ambient temperature is higher than a threshold, and/or if the vehicle operator is in the vehicle. Fuel vapors drawn from the fuel tank during vacuum generation may be stored in the auxiliary smaller canister coupled in-line between the fuel tank and the intake manifold. Purging of fuel vapors stored in the auxiliary canister may be coordinated with the purging of fuel vapors from the main canister during subsequent engine operation.
In this way, an engine may be spun without fuel injection to generate a vacuum for evaporative leak diagnostics, while fuel tank vapors are isolated from the spinning engine by an auxiliary canister. By reducing the amount of fuel vapors drawn into the intake manifold during vacuum generation, air-to-fuel ratio deviations during a subsequent engine operation may be reduced. Also, by disabling the vacuum generation under specified engine-off conditions, the vehicle operator may not be alarmed.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Method and system for fuel vapor control


A mobile device is operative to change from a first operational mode to a second or third operational mode based on a user's natural motion gesture. The first operational mode may include a voice input mode in which a user provides a voice input to the mobile device. After providing the voice input to the mobile device, the user then makes a natural motion gesture and a determination is made as to whether the natural motion gesture places the mobile device in the second or third operational mode. The second operational mode includes an augmented reality display mode in which the mobile device displays images recorded from a camera overlaid with computer-generated images corresponding to results output in response to the voice input. The third operational mode includes a reading display mode in which the mobile device displays, without augmented reality, results output in response to the voice input.

Augmented reality is an intuitive and convenient way for displaying information to a user of a mobile device. Examples of mobile devices include a personal display assistant ("PDA"), a cellular phone, a portable digital music player, a laptop computer, or other mobile device. In general, augmented reality is a method of displaying both real-world environmental elements layered with computer-generated graphical elements. Using a mobile device, computer-generated information that is relevant to the environment may be displayed alongside or atop the actual environment so as to minimize interrupting an ongoing task or by minimizing the change in context and the amount of attention required from the user.
However, instructing a mobile device to display an augmented reality video or image can be an awkward process. For example, the mobile device may require that the user push a hardware or software button for switching between the standard operating functionality of the mobile device and an augmented reality mode. To complicate the switch, the mobile device may have tiny buttons that may or may not have tactile feedback for entering input. The mobile device may also have other challenging elements, such as requiring the user to open a cover or flip a switch. When the mobile device is being used in an ongoing activity, switching between entering input on the buttons of the mobile device and the augmented reality display mode can be a tiresome, strenuous, and annoying activity.
Although there are some existing arrangements that address switching between the standard functionality of the mobile device and the augmented reality mode, these existing arrangements require the user to locate and activate a software button or physical element to switch between modes. The requirement to press an additional button or screen element creates an interruption between the user's input and the output from the mobile device. Not only is the interruption jarring and not conducive to an ongoing task, but the user interaction of pressing an element itself is a suboptimal method for switching between modes.

Switching between a first operational mode and a second operational mode using a natural motion gesture


To provide a seal structure having seal members which can be easily inserted into insertion holes of a housing, and achieve an excellent sealing performance of the seal members, the seal structure is comprised of a housing provided with insertion holes to which a flexible wiring substrate is inserted, and seal members which are integrally formed on the flexible wiring substrate are made of a rubber elastic material in a bush-shape, and hermetically seal gaps between the insertion holes and the flexible wiring substrate, wherein projected portions are provided on parts of the flexible wiring substrate at positions where the seal members are integrally formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seal structure.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a seal structure providing a waterproof structure of an electronic device and a connector.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Recently, as for a waterproof connector which is used in an electronic device such as a cellular phone or the like, an automotive wire harness and the like, a high waterproof function is demanded while downsizing is promoted.
In order to provide a waterproof function to the electronic device comprising a plurality of spaces, it is necessary to provide an airtightness to a housing constructing each of the spaces, and electrically connect between the spaces by a flexible substrate or the like.
In this case, there have been proposed a method of arranging terminals on wall surfaces of the housing comparting it into the spaces, and connecting the terminals by a wiring member, and a method of inserting the wiring member through the wall surface of the housing and filling a gap between the wiring member and the housing with an adhesive agent or the like.
However, the mode that the terminals are provided on the housing wall surface has such a problem that an equipment is enlarged in size.
The method of filling the gap between the wiring member and the housing with the adhesive agent or the like causes such a problem that disassembly and reassembly are difficult.
Consequently, there has been proposed a mode that seal members are integrally formed on a flexible wiring substrate, as shown in FIG. 8 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 2004-214927 and 2003-142836).
The mode shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 is structured such that bush-shaped seal members 300 are integrally formed with a flexible wiring substrate 100.
The seal members 300 are installed to insertion holes 210 provided in a housing 200, as shown in FIG. 10.
Further, connectors 120 provided on both ends of the flexible wiring substrate 100 are electrically connected to electric parts within the housing 200.
In this case, shapes of the seal members 300, and shapes and sizes of the insertion holes 210 provided in the housing 200 for the flexible wiring substrate 100 to passing through are determined by shapes of the connectors 120 (the terminals) arranged on ends of the flexible wiring substrate 100.
This is because of necessity to insert the connectors 120 into the housing 200 via the insertion holes 210 of the housing 200.
Particularly, under such a background that transmission of a lot of information is indispensable due to a recent technical innovation, provision of a lot of pins become significantly necessary and the like, the connectors 120 provided on end portions of the flexible wiring substrate 100 are enlarged in size.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, a width Z of the seal member 300 is inevitably enlarged to a great extent in comparison with a width Y of the flexible wiring substrate 100.
Accordingly, the following problems are caused.
As shown in FIG. 10, since both sides (both ends in a direction along long sides) of the seal member 300, at which the flexible wiring substrate 100 does not exist, do not enter into the insertion hole 210, and deform largely downward in the figure, at a time of inserting the seal member 300 to the insertion hole 210 of the housing 200 in a direction of an arrow, such a problem that it is hard to insert is brought about.
Further, in the case of being compressed by force so as to be inserted, the seal member 300 is inserted while being deformed, and there is a risk that a waterproofing performance is lowered.


A method is provided for interrupting yarn production on a spinning machine upon detecting a defined deviation of a monitored yarn parameter from a target value, upon changing bobbins at a winding device, and/or prior to switching off the spinning machine. The feed speeds of the delivery device, the take-off device, and the winding device are gradually reduced to a stop in order to interrupt the yarn production, wherein the reducing takes place such that an end of the produced yarn is located within the spinning point after the reducing is completed.

In general, for example, stopping the spinning process in the case of a detected yarn defect by interrupting fiber infeed is known, for example for rotor or air-jet spinning machines. The end of the yarn on the winding side is then wound up by the bobbin continuing to turn, while the cut end of the yarn is drawn off by vacuum. When spinning is subsequently restarted by piecing, the end of the yarn on the bobbin must then be detached from the surface of the bobbin, such as by means of a corresponding suction device, in order to be able to feed it back against the actual spinning direction to the spinning point again. Locating the end of the yarn is, however, typically very time-consuming and is also afflicted by a mechanical effect, particularly for very fine and highly spun yarns, so that the process of piecing can lead to a significant delay in continuing the spinning process.
An object of the present invention is therefore to accelerate the piecing process after a controlled interruption of yarn production.

Spinning machine and method for interrupting yarn production on a spinning machine