The present invention is a ramp having a front end that can be positioned up to the open end of a shipping container. The ramp has a back end adapted to receive the forks of a forklift for lifting and transport. Generally, the ramp is made up of an upwardly inclined support structure having an upper surface and a lower surface. A load-bearing plate having an outer surface, an inner surface, a front edge and a back edge is attached by its inner surface to the support structure""s upper surface. The load-bearing plate includes at least one slot with a forward edge spaced above the support structure lower surface. At least one fork capture plate is attached to the support structure. The at least one fork capture plate has a bottom surface that is substantially in a plane with the lower surface of the support structure when the ramp is positioned horizontally.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ramps used to load and unload freight from shipping containers. In particular, the invention relates to a portable container ramp that can be transported by a forklift.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Container ramps are used to load and unload items to and from shipping containers like those carried by container ships. Shipping containers are often lifted from ships and placed on the dock or ground for loading and unloading. While on the ground, a difference in level exists between the floor of the shipping container and the surface on which it rests. Container ramps are used to bridge this difference in level. These ramps need to be portable for transport from one container to another. Forklift tractors are the vehicles of choice for transporting container ramps between shipping containers.
One of the challenges to transporting a container ramp is the difficulty in initially getting the forks of a forklift under the rear edge of a ramp, which normally rests in full contact with a supporting surface. Prior art attempts to solve this problem mostly involve a rear edge lifting mechanism having moving parts. The moving parts for these lifting mechanisms add substantially to the costs of the ramp and also require more maintenance than ramps not having moving parts.
Other ramps have attached chains that loop over the forks of a forklift for lifting and transporting. Lift chains have the disadvantage of requiring a helper to ready the chains and loop them over the forks of the forklift for lifting and transport. Worse yet, if a helper is not available, a forklift operator must dismount the forklift to ready the chains, thereby breaking up what should be a continuous operation.
One patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,145 to Humpe discloses a ramp that does not require a lifting mechanism or lift chains. Instead, the ramp disclosed by Humpe has an internal lift engagement support plate structure that receives the forks of a forklift. One disadvantage of this design is the need for a forklift operator to use great precision to guide the forklift forks through openings in the ramp in order to reach the internal lift support plate structure. Another disadvantage is the complexity of manufacture involving the alignment of the internal support plate structure with the slot openings in the ramp. Therefore, a need remains for a container ramp of simple construction that can be easily transported by a forklift tractor.
The present invention is directed to a portable container ramp capable of supporting loads of considerable weight while bridging the difference in level between the floor of a shipping container and the surface on which the ramp rests. The invention relates especially to a container ramp that can be easily lifted and transported by an elevator type forklift tractor.
The present invention is a ramp having a front end that can be positioned up to the open end of a shipping container and a back end adapted to receive the forks of a forklift for lifting and transport. Generally, the ramp is made up of an upwardly inclined support structure having an upper surface that supports a load bearing plate and a lower surface that normally rests on the ground. The load bearing plate has an outer surface, an inner surface, a front edge, a back edge and side edges. The load-bearing plate includes at least one slot to receive at least one fork of a forklift. The term slot used herein covers both cutouts and openings. In a preferred embodiment, the back edge of the load-bearing plate includes at least one cutout section with a forward edge spaced above the support structure""s lower surface. The ramp further includes at least one lift plate that has a bottom surface that is substantially in a plane with the at least one cutout forward edge when the ramp is positioned horizontally, i.e., on the ground.
In the preferred embodiment, there are two spaced cutouts in the back edge of the load-bearing surface. Each of these two cutouts is sized to engage and guide a forklift fork. The spacing between the cutouts is set to receive the forks of a forklift adapted to a given separation distance. Preferably, the front edges of both cutouts are aligned and are parallel with the back edge of the load-bearing surface. Moreover, the forward edge of each cutout can be beveled on a downward slope to help guide the forklift""s forks to underneath the ramp. The bevel slope can range between 5 and 45 degrees. The preferred bevel slope is around 20 degrees.
Furthermore, in this preferred embodiment, sidewalls each having a railing section and a support section attach to the side edges of the load-bearing plate. A forward bracing plate near the ramp front end extends downwardly from the load-bearing plate inner surface and extends between and transverse to the sidewalls. Preferably, the upwardly inclined support structure is made up of a plurality of bracing plates extending downwardly from the load-bearing plate""s inner surface. The bracing plates and sidewall support sections have bottom edges forming the support structure""s lower surface.
Also, two lift plates extend downwardly between two pairs of the bracing plates. Both lift plates have a bottom surface that is substantially in a plane with the forward edges of the two cutouts when the ramp is positioned horizontally, i.e., resting on the ground. The spacing of the lift plates substantially equals that of the spacing of the two cutouts. Moreover, the cutouts and lift plates align defining a pathway that leads engaging forklift forks from the back end of the ramp to the front end of the ramp.
The preferred ramp also includes a forward section comprising a lip for extending over the floor of a shipping container. The lip comprises a horizontal lower surface with a forward edge that extends from the front end of the ramp. An upper surface for the lip is made from a section of the load-bearing surface that extends beyond the front end of the ramp and inclines slightly downward such that the load-bearing surface front edge joins with the horizontal surface""s forward edge. Preferably, the lip upper surface inclines downwardly at an angle of around 10 degrees. It is also preferred that the load-bearing surface has a texture to prevent slipping while loading or unloading a shipping container. The texture can be any texture that makes for a non-slip surface. An example would be a texture like that found on the surface of a type of steel plate commonly known as diamond plate.
To lift the ramp, a forklift operator drives the fork tips of a forklift tractor under both cutout forward edges. As the forklift tractor is driven forward, the edges of the cutouts guide the forklift""s forks underneath the lift plates. Normally, the forklift operator continues driving the forklift forward until the tips of the forks extend slightly beyond ramp front end. At this point the forklift""s forks can be raised to lift the ramp. When lifted, the weight of the ramp is distributed across the forklift""s fork at the cutout forward edges, lift plates, and forward bracing plate.
Once lifted, the ramp can be carried on the forklift""s forks to a shipping container to be loaded or unloaded. Since the front end of the ramp is facing away from the forklift tractor when carried, the ramp front end can be maneuvered just up to the open end of a shipping container. When the ramp is lowered, the support surface will come to rest on the ground and the ramp lip will extend into the shipping container. Ideally, the lip lower surface will come to rest on the floor of the container. However, slight differences in level may allow a small gap to exist between the lip""s lower surface and the container floor. Once the ramp is resting horizontally on the ground, the forklift tractor is backed away and the forklift forks withdraw from beneath the cutout leading edges.
In an alternate embodiment, a slot is an opening in the load-bearing plate rather than a cutout, and in this case, a slot will have both a forward edge and a trailing edge. Generally, the alternate embodiment has a load-bearing plate that includes at least one opening with a forward edge spaced above the support structure""s lower surface. The at least one opening is preferably located within the rear section of the ramp""s load-bearing plate. The rear section of the load-bearing plate extends from the back edge of the load-bearing plate to approximately midway the load-bearing plate between the ramp""s front end and back end. In other words, the at least one opening is spaced forward of the load-bearing plate""s back edge and to the rear of the mid-point of the ramp. Preferably the at least one opening is spaced immediately to the rear of the midpoint of the ramp.
The ramp further includes at least one lift plate that has a bottom surface that is substantially in a plane with the at least one opening""s forward edge when the ramp is positioned horizontally, i.e., on the ground. The ramp also includes at least one fork capture plate spaced below the at least one lift plate for preventing the ramp from falling off a forklift fork when the ramp is accelerated by the movements of a forklift tractor transporting the ramp from one location to another.
Preferably, the alternate embodiment has two spaced rectangular shaped openings within the load-bearing surface""s rear section. Each of these two openings is sized to engage and guide a forklift fork. The spacing between the openings is set to receive the forks of a forklift adapted to a given separation distance. Preferably, the front edges of both openings are aligned and are parallel with the back edge of the load-bearing surface. Moreover, the forward edge of each opening can be beveled on a downward slope to help guide the forklift""s forks to underneath the ramp. The trailing edge of each opening can also be beveled with a downward slope to help guide the forks of a forklift. The bevel slope for either edge can range between 5 and 45 degree. The preferred bevel slope is around 20 degrees.
Furthermore, like the preferred embodiment, the alternate embodiment includes sidewalls, each having a railing section and a support section attached to the side edges of the load-bearing plate. A forward bracing plate near the ramp front end extends downwardly from the load-bearing plate inner surface and extends between and transverse to the sidewalls. Preferably, the upwardly inclined support structure is made up of a plurality of bracing plates extending downwardly from the load-bearing plate""s inner surface. The bracing plates and sidewall support sections have bottom edges forming the support structure""s lower surface.
The alternate embodiment also includes, two lift plates that are attached between two pairs of the bracing plates. Both lift plates have a bottom surface that is substantially in a plane with the forward edges of the two openings when the ramp is positioned horizontally, i.e., resting on the ground. The spacing of the lift plates substantially equals that of the spacing of the two openings. Moreover, the openings and lift plates align defining a pathway that leads engaging forklift forks from the trailing edges of the openings to the front end of the ramp. To prevent the ramp from bouncing or tipping off the forklift forks during ramp transport, a fork capture plate is spaced below each lift plate and is preferably attached to the same pairs of braces as the lift plates. The space between the lift plates and fork capture plates are pockets through which the front portions of the forklift forks are inserted in order to lift the ramp. Preferably, each fork capture plate has a bottom surface that is substantially in a plane with the support structure""s lower surface when the ramp is positioned horizontally.
Like the preferred ramp, the alternate embodiment also includes a forward section comprising a lip for extending over the floor of a shipping container. The lip comprises a horizontal lower surface with a forward edge that extends from the front end of the ramp. An upper surface for the lip is made from a section of the load-bearing surface that extends beyond the front end of the ramp and inclines slightly downward such that the load-bearing surface front edge joins with the horizontal surface""s forward edge. Preferably, the lip upper surface inclines downwardly at an angle of around 10 degrees. It is also preferred that the load-bearing surface of the alternate embodiment has a texture to prevent slipping while loading or unloading a shipping container. The texture can be any texture that makes for a non-slip surface. An example would be a texture like that found on the surface of a type of steel plate commonly known as diamond plate.
To lift the alternate embodiment of the ramp, a forklift operator drives the fork tips of a forklift tractor under both opening""s forward edges and above the fork capture plate. As the forklift tractor is driven forward, the edges of the openings guide the forklift""s forks between the lift plates and fork capture plates. Normally, the forklift operator continues driving the forklift forward until the tips of the forks extend beyond the forward extents of the lift and fork capture plates. At this point the forklift""s forks can be raised to lift the ramp. When lifted, the weight of the ramp is distributed across the forklift""s fork at the openings forward edges, and lift plates.
Once lifted, the alternate embodiment of the ramp can be carried on the forklift""s forks to a shipping container to be loaded or unloaded. Since the front end of the ramp is facing away from the forklift tractor when carried, the ramp front end can be maneuvered just up to the open end of a shipping container. When the ramp is lowered, the support surface will come to rest on the ground and the ramp lip will extend into the shipping container. Ideally, the lip lower surface will come to rest on the floor of the container. However, slight differences in level may allow a small gap to exist between the lip""s lower surface and the container floor. Once the ramp is resting horizontally on the ground, the forklift tractor is backed away and the forklift forks withdraw from beneath the openings leading edges.
Other embodiments can be created by combining elements of the preferred embodiment with the proceeding alternate embodiment. For example, the fork capture plates can be added to the preferred embodiment to help prevent the preferred ramp from falling from the forks of a forklift during transport.


A feedback control loop around a gain element controls the output signal of said gain element responsive to an input or reference signal, and is additionally responsive to a non-linear feedback signal. The feedback loop of this invention comprises computation means for exponentiating a signal representing the output of the gain element to generate said non-linear feedback signal. The control loop of invention provides exceptional transient response when used for driving reactive loads.

It is often desirable to drive a capacitance quickly and accurately to a desired voltage and to maintain that voltage despite sudden load and line changes. This need is particularly acute in the output of power supplies, but also arises in precision applications such as driving the highly-capacitive inputs of some analog-to-digital converters. It is common practice to obtain low instantaneous output impedance using large capacitors. With descending frequency, capacitive reactance increases, and at some band of frequencies one augments the susceptance of the capacitor using a control loop around an amplifier or other gain block. The amplifier is commonly responsive to the difference between a signal representing desired output voltage and actual output voltage. The problem that arises with this classic control loop is that somewhere in the bandpass of the amplifier there exists a peak accompanied by large and abrupt phase changes with frequency. This happens because a pole is formed by the amplifier output impedance and the capacitance being driven. This pole attenuates control loop feedback at higher frequencies where the amplifier still has significant gain. The transient dynamics of the classic control loop often suffer from this problem, and some loops even oscillate unless carefully adjusted. The classic dilemma is that with large output capacitors one can obtain low instantaneous output impedance, but only by compromising the ability of the control loop to respond quickly to line and load changes. This problem is so pervasive that one semiconductor data book, "Amplifiers, Book 1 of 2" of the 2004 Linear Family Databooks, by Linear Technology Corp., of Milpitas, Calif., devotes pages 40, 41 and 42 to a list of approximately 144 amplifiers, called "C-Load OP AMPS", especially designed for driving capacitive loads. The problem with the classic loop arises from feeding back within the control loop a linear representation of output voltage that mismatches in incremental shape the energy demand of output capacitance in the event of a requirement to respond to change.

Power conversion regulator with exponentiating feedback loop


A mounting apparatus for drive bracket comprises a chassis (70) forming a front plate (73), a drive bracket (10) mounted on the chassis and a locking device (30). The drive bracket comprises a joint plate (26), and the joint plate comprises a confining hole (18) and a baffle (24) therein. The locking device comprises a sliding portion (32) slidably mounted to the front plate and an elastic patch (46) arranged on the sliding portion, a confining patch (34) is attached to the upper edge of the sliding portion and a locking patch (44) extends downwardly from the bottom edge of the sliding portion. When assembling, the drive bracket stays in the chassis, the confining patch is engaging in the confining hole, the elastic patch presses the baffle; when disassembling the drive bracket is pushed outwardly by the elastic patch pressing the baffle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mounting apparatus, and particularly to a mounting apparatus for steadily and securely mounting a data storage device therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally speaking, when a computer is assembled, a drive bracket is mounted in a computer enclosure, and then data storage devices are fixed to the drive bracket. The data storage devices comprise various combinations of hard disk drives (HDDs), floppy disk drives (FDDs), and compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM) drives.
A conventional drive bracket is generally attached to a computer enclosure by bolts or rails. Fixing the drive bracket to the computer enclosure with bolts is unduly laborious and time-consuming: Furthermore, the computer enclosure needs extra operating space for carrying out the fixing operation. Since components of a computer are compactly arranged in a computer enclosure, the assembly and disassembly thereof is complicated and low efficient. Moreover, the components may be destroyed by inadvertent operation. Fixing a drive bracket in a computer base using rails is more convenient than using the above-described bolts. However, the rails are generally made of plastic. This leads to extra maintenance because of the plastic rails easily wearing out and resultantly needing replacement.
Another computer enclosure with drive bracket assembly is disclosed in Taiwan patent application No. 091212339. The drive bracket assembly comprises a drive bracket, an assembly panel, and a positioning device. A clip plate, which can move in lateral directions, is formed on a side plate of the drive bracket. The clip plate has elastic restoring force. A bevel guiding edge and a clip slot are formed at a front edge of the clip plate. A clip member is formed on the assembly panel corresponding to the clip slot. The assembly panel can be a surface of a computer base or an inner surface of a computer enclosure. The positioning device comprises at least a guiding groove and a corresponding positioning member. The guiding groove and the positioning member are formed on a proper position between the drive bracket and the assembly panel. The positioning member is engaged in the clip slot of the clip plate to secure the bracket on the assembly panel. The clip plate is moved away to make the positioning member disengage from the clip slot, thus the bracket is disassembled from the assembly panel. However, the assembly and disassembly of the drive bracket still need to be operated in inner space of a computer enclosure.
Thus an improved computer enclosure which overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.

Mounting apparatus for data storage device

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


A memory cell array includes a plurality of memory cells enabled to store multi-value data. A bit-line control circuit includes data storage circuits connected to bit-lines and each store one of a plurality of sets of page data included in the multi-value data, the bit-line control circuit controlling bit-line voltages applied to the bit-lines. A word-line control circuit controls a word-line voltage applied to a word-line. A control circuit controls the word-line control circuit and the bit-line control circuit. The control circuit performs a mode in which, to distinguish a fault block, all or specific memory cells in a fault block may be written so that all or specific memory cells in the fault block have a threshold voltage higher than a word-line voltage applied to a selected word-line when reading a first page data of the sets of page data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor storage device, and particularly, to a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device enabled to store two bit or more data in one memory cell.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the well-known non-volatile semiconductor storage devices is a NAND cell type flash memory. The NAND cell type flash memory includes a memory cell array including a plurality of NAND cell units. Each NAND cell unit includes a plurality of memory cells connected in series and two selection transistors connected to both ends thereof. The memory cell holds, in an erase state, data "1" having a negative threshold voltage. In a data write operation, a floating gate is injected with electrons to rewrite data "0" having a positive threshold voltage. The NAND cell type flash memory may change the threshold voltage only from a lower value to a higher value in a data write operation, and may change the threshold voltage in the reverse direction (from a higher value to a lower value) only by an erase operation per a block.
For the purpose of increasing the memory capacity, a so-called multi-value NAND cell type flash memory has recently been developed, which stores two bit or more data in one memory cell. By way of example, a four-value NAND cell type EEPROM may store four-value (two-bit) data ("00," "01," "10," and "11") in a memory cell.
An n-value NAND cell type EEPROM includes a plurality of latch circuits per a single bit-line connected to the selected memory cell (see, for example, JP 2004-192789 (paragraphs from 0025 to 0139 and others). Specifically, when n-value data is written or read to or from the selected memory cell, the latch circuits serve to temporarily store the n-value data. For a four-value NAND cell type EEPROM, for example, in a write or a read operation, four-value (two-bit) data is temporarily stored in two latch circuits provided per one bit-line connected to the selected memory cell.
For the NAND cell type flash memory, an operation test is done to determine whether data write, erase, and read operations from the memory cell are successfully performed. When the result of the operation test shows a fault of a memory cell, the block including the cell is recognized as a fault block, and the subsequent access to the block is prohibited.
In a binary storage NAND cell type flash memory, as fault-block data for indicating a fault block, "0" data is written to all. (or specific (the several bits at the top, for example)) memory cells in the fault block. The "0" data group functions as the fault-block data indicating the fault block. For a multi-value storage (for example, four-value storage) NAND cell type flash memory, writing "0" data to one page in all (or specific) memory cells included in the fault block, for example, may make it possible to write the fault-block data. The multi-value storage has a problem, however, that it has a complicated write process or it needs to control the threshold voltage in a narrow range, thus making it difficult to write the written fault-block data with a high reliability.

Non-volatile semiconductor storage device


A sealing device for a disposable cup is disclosed. The sealing device has a main body and the lateral wall of the main body is located at the sliding rail and is provided with a block body having a forward elevating sliding slot and the cup holding seat is provided with a through hole and the through hole has a size smaller than a hollow cylindrical body, and the bottom face of the hollow cylindrical body is protruded with two protruded securing sections, having provided each with an elevating and lowering block for mounting, a vertical through hole is obtained at the elevating and lowering block, and the through hole is positioned at the two ends at the bottom face of the holding platform, and the bottom end of the cylindrical body has a larger surface and the external side of the elevating and lowering device has a shaft with pulley.

(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sealing device, and in particular, to a sealing machine which used to seal a disposable cup by means of a thermal pressing process.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional sealing device 10 having a front side being mounted with a thermal pressing mechanism 15 for pressing a film 16 onto the edge of a disposable cup 19 so that the film 16 is adhered to the edge of the cup 19. A control box is secured to the top section of the thermal pressing mechanism 15 and is provided with a control panel 101 to control the operation of the sealing device 10. The disadvantage of this conventional sealing device 10 is that the sealing process is slow and is not convenient. This is because the design to retrieve the disposable cup 15 after the cup 15 has been sealed in laborious.
FIG. 2 is another conventional sealing device 20 having a thermal pressing mechanism 21 and a holding platform 24. A placing seat 26 is located below a through hole 25 of the holding platform 24. The disadvantage of this conventional sealing device is that the height of the cup is only limited to one specific size and if the height is too tall or too short, this sealing device 20 cannot be used to seal the cup, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
Referring to FIG. 3, when a tall up 19 enters the sealing device 20, a safety blocking board 22 blocks the cup 19 from entering. Referring to FIG. 4, a short cup 19 cannot be lifted up by the placing seat 26 and it cannot conveniently remove the cup 19.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sealing device for a disposable cup which can mitigate the drawbacks as shown above.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sealing device for a disposable cup, wherein a through hole provided to a cup placing seat is provided with a hollow cylindrical body which can move upward and downward to simultaneously elevate or lower the cup placing seat, allowing user to access the cup for use.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a sealing device for a disposable cup having a main body with a plurality of corresponding securing rods mounted at the two sides of the front thereof, and one side of the securing rod for mounting with a rolled film and a downward pulling-film end being surrounded to the securing rod and then being mounted onto the securing rod, a control box having a control panel being provided with a safety blocking plate beneath the control panel, a thermal pressing mechanism being mounted below the control box and the two side wall of the main body being engaged with a sliding rail having a front section being a holding platform, the center position of the holding platform being a through hole and the external edge of the through hole being a cup-placing seat, and the holding platform being connected to a transmission rod and the transmission rod caused the holding platform to move out from the main body or being pulled back to the main body characterized in that the lateral wall of the main body is located at the sliding rail and is provided with a block body having a forward elevating sliding slot and the cup holding seat is provided with a through hole and the through hole has a size smaller than a hollow cylindrical body, and the bottom face of the hollow cylindrical body is protruded with two protruded securing sections, having provided each with an elevating and lowering block for mounting, a vertical through hole is obtained at the elevating and lowering block, and the through hole is positioned at the two ends at the bottom face of the holding platform, and the bottom end of the cylindrical body has a larger surface and the external side of the elevating and lowering device has a shaft with pulley, when the holding platform is driven to/or away from the main body, the individual pulleys enter the sliding slot and cause the second hollow cylindrical body to move upward or downward, if the hollow cylindrical body moves upward, the sealed cups are lifted up and when at lowering, the edge of the cup is placed onto the through hole of the cup-placing seat to proceed with next sealing.
The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.


An air bag device is provided on upper side of a boss portion. The air bag device comprises an air bag, an inflater supplying gas to the air bag, a backup plate holding the air bag and the inflater, and a pad in box shape for covering the air bag. A thin breaking portion is formed on an upper wall of the pad so as to break the upper wall in state of connecting the upper wall to the side wall when the air bag is expanded, and a plurality of membrane switches comprising a pair of electrodes in thin film shape are arranged at portions of the upper wall of the pad except for the breaking portion. A connector connected to a prescribed electric circuit at lower side of the boss portion and the membrane switches are electrically connected by lead wires arranged along a pad side wall portion in state of connecting the pad upper wall when the pad upper wall is broken.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering wheel wherein an air bag device comprising an air bag expanded at a prescribed time and a pad covering the air bag and having a thin breaking portion formed on an upper wall thereof and broken at the expanded state of the air bag is arranged on the upper side of a boss portion, and the pad is provided with prescribed switches.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, in such a steering wheel, a horn switch is arranged between an air bag device and a boss portion, and a pad of the air bag device is depressed against the biasing force of a spring for biasing the air bag device upwards and the air bag device is moved downward, thereby a horn is actuated (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,699).
Also as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,205, in another steering wheel, four horn switches are installed on four spoke portions respectively.


Compositions curable to pressure sensitive adhesives are disclosed which comprise from 30 to 50 parts of a vinyl endblocked polydiorganosiloxane fluid having a viscosity from 500 to 10,000 centipoise at 25.degree. C., from 50 to 70 parts of a benzene soluble resin copolymer having EQU R.sub.3 SiO.sub.1/2 units and SiO.sub.4/2 units,. an organopolysiloxane having silicon bonded hydrogen atoms for the purpose of curing the composition and developing the PSA properties, and a platinum catalyst for the curing process.

The term, pressure sensitive adhesive, as used herein refers to adhesives that can be adhered to a surface and yet can be stripped from said surface without transferring more than trace quantities of adhesive to the surface, and can be readhered to the same or another surface because the adhesive retains some or all of its tack and adhesive strength.
Pressure sensitive adhesives, hereinafter also referred to as PSAs, comprising polyorganosiloxanes are not new. Mixtures of a benzene soluble resin copolymer comprising EQU R.sub.3 SiO.sub.1/2 units and SiO.sub.4/2 units,
hereinafter also referred to as MQ resin, M units, and Q units respectively, and a vinyl endblocked polydiorganosiloxane have been disclosed, which have PSA characteristics. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,983,298 and 4,774,297 teach such mixtures. U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,298 points out that compositions of the prior art based on mixtures of MQ resins and low viscosity silicones do not form pressure sensitive adhesive compositions and then teaches that the use of mixtures of such benzene soluble resins with higher molecular weight linear vinyl functional polysiloxane having viscosities of 20-100,000 centipoises does form PSA's. U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,297 also teaches the preparation of PSA's utilizing vinyl functional polysiloxanes of still higher molecular weight with organopolysiloxane resins. In order to obtain satisfactory products, U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,297 teaches that it is essential that the vinyl functional polysiloxane have a viscosity of at least 500,000 centipoise and preferably at least 1,000,000 centipoise. The compositions of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,983,298 and 4,774,297 both require solvent for the purpose of reducing viscosity of the PSA to a usable level. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,297 requires about 25 to 400 parts of solvent per 100 parts of PSA composition. U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,298 requires less solvent, but when 95 parts of composition are blended with 5 parts of solvent the viscosity remains 162,000 centipoise at 25.degree. C. This is rather greater than is usually desired. At 90-95% solids a viscosity of less than 100,000 and preferably less than 30,000 is desirable.
The PSA art still requires a polyorganosiloxane PSA having high tack, good adhesive strength, and low solvent content. In light of the foregoing it was unexpected to obtain these desirable qualities by using low viscosity vinyl-functional polysiloxanes in critical combinations and curing the resulting mixture.

Addition cured silicone pressure sensitive adhesive


A multi-test, hand-held instrument and method for testing engine sensors and ignition modules includes a housing enclosing a battery and an electrical circuit. The electrical circuit includes a first test circuit electrically interconnected with said battery for testing potentiometer-type, temperature-type and Hall effect type sensors and ignition modules, a second test circuit electrically interconnected with the battery for testing oxygen, reluctance and knock sensors, and a third test circuit for testing the battery in the instrument. A first switch selects between the first or second test circuits, while a second switch selects between a component testing mode and a battery testing mode. Electrical leads extend outwardly from the housing and are connectable to the engine component being tested. A pair of light indicators, with each light indicator including a LED and a resistor connected in parallel, provide a variable output display to allow the test instrument to be used to test various engine sensors and ignition modules, and to test these components on different types of vehicles.

Various instruments have been developed to test electrical components in vehicles for operability. Such instruments include voltmeters, ammeters and continuity testers. Some of these instruments have been incorporated into hand-held units such that these tests can be easily performed. One such hand-held instrument is a digital multimeter marketed by the assignee of the present invention under Model 2880. This instrument tests solid state electronics, computer and electronic ignition dwell, electronic and conventional ignition systems, and diodes.
Hand-held instruments have also been developed which have the capability to test certain engine sensors and ignition modules in vehicles. However, it is believed that these instruments are generally limited in their flexibility in testing a wide variety of sensors and/or ignition modules, and in testing these components in different types of vehicles. For example, it is known that hand-held instruments have been developed that test potentiometer-type sensors (e.g., throttle position and EGR position), temperature sensors (e.g., engine coolant, incoming air), Hall effect sensors and/or ignition modules in vehicles; while other hand-held instruments have been developed which have the capability to test oxygen, knock and/or reluctance sensors. In general, potentiometer-type, temperature and Hall effect sensors, and ignition modules, are checked for operability by applying a voltage across the sensor or module, exercising the sensor or module, and observing whether the resistance has changed across the sensor or module. On the other hand, oxygen, knock and reluctance sensors are generally tested by exercising the sensor, and comparing the output voltage of the sensor with a reference voltage. It is believed that these different types of test instruments have been developed heretofore because of the different testing requirements for the engine components.
By way of example, one type of test instrument developed exclusively for Hall effect sensors is shown in Bates, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,791. This test instrument apparently provides a visual indication of the operativeness of the Hall effect device when it is coupled to the device. However, the Bates test instrument is limited in its applicability to other types of engine sensors or ignition modules, or even to test the continuity of a circuit. In other words, the Bates test instrument is designed for a specific application and has limited flexibility. To test other vehicle components, for example potentiometer-type and temperature sensors, ignition modules, and oxygen, knock and reluctance sensors, additional instruments or adapters are necessary. However, expense is incurred in having to purchase a multitude of different test instruments or adapters for a vehicle engine. Further, having various test instruments for a vehicle engine can complicate the entire testing process.
Another type of hand-held test instrument is shown in Bates, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,125. This test instrument is specifically designed to test the ignition module of a vehicle and to apparently provide a visual indication of the operativeness of this device. However, this instrument also has limited flexibility in being able to test other vehicle components, such as the various engine sensors, and hence suffers from the same drawbacks identified above.
Further, in addition to an instrument's ability to test a variety of engine components, it is important that a test instrument have the capability to test these components on a number of different types of vehicles (e.g., makes, models, etc), for these engine components can be manufactured slightly differently by the various vehicle manufacturers, and hence can have different responses during the testing process. Finally, it is important that such an instrument have protection from circuit overload, incorrect connection, shorts, etc., such that the instrument is not damaged during the tests.
Accordingly, there is a demand in the industry for a single, integral, hand-held instrument which tests a broad range of vehicle components such as various engine sensors and ignition modules, and tests such components on a broad range of vehicles. Further, there is a demand in the industry for a simple and convenient instrument of the above-mentioned type which includes protection from overload, incorrect connection to the vehicle, and shorting, such that the instrument is not damaged through improper use.

Method and apparatus using a pair of test circuits having LED indicators for testing engine sensors and ignition modules in vehicles


A data communication system includes a portable electronic apparatus, a server apparatus, a cradle apparatus, and a home apparatus. The portable electronic apparatus includes a communication section, a reception control section, a storage section, and a utilization control section. The cradle apparatus includes a first communication section, a second communication section, a connection detection section, a notification control section, and a relaying control section. The server apparatus includes a first communication section, a second communication section, a first transmission control section, and a relaying control section. The home apparatus includes a communication section, a preparation section, and a transmission control section.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system formed using a cradle apparatus to mediate transmission and reception of data between various portable electronic apparatus or mobile apparatus such as, for example, a portable telephone terminal, a digital camera and a portable music reproduction apparatus and a server apparatus such as a personal computer, and an apparatus, a method and a program for use with the system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As mobile apparatus which can be carried and used, portable music reproduction apparatus and portable video/audio reproduction apparatus are utilized. As portable music reproduction apparatus, an MD player wherein an MD (Mini Disc; trademark) is used as a recording medium, a memory player wherein a semiconductor memory is used as a recording medium, a hard disk recorder wherein a hard disk is used as a recording medium and so forth are available. Meanwhile, as portable video/audio reproduction apparatus, for example, a notebook type personal computer, a game machine and so forth are implemented, and also a portable video/audio reproduction apparatus for exclusive use is provided.
In such portable music reproduction apparatus and portable video/audio reproduction apparatus as described above, music data or AV data, which are data composed of video data and audio data to be reproduced in synchronism with each other, to be utilized must be recorded on a recording medium which can be utilized on such portable music reproduction apparatus and portable video/audio reproduction apparatus or in a recording medium built in such apparatus. In particular, in order to use a portable music reproduction apparatus or a portable video/audio reproduction apparatus to utilize object content data, prior preparations of recording the object content data on an object recording medium are required.
However, it is cumbersome for a user itself to separately carry out a work of recording content data, which the user wants to utilize on a portable music reproduction apparatus and portable video/audio reproduction apparatus, on an object recording medium. Further, where sufficient time is not available, the work of recording content data on an object recording medium may not be carried out.

Data communication system, cradle apparatus, server apparatus, data communication method and data communication program


A row of rich-side flame holes is centrally arranged. Two rows of lean-side flame holes are arranged on both sides of the rich-side flame hole row, respectively. In addition, two rows of rich-side flame holes are arranged on the outsides of the two lean-side flame hole rows, respectively. A lower end part of a central rich-side burner part is projected into a tubular part into which the rich-side mixture is introduced, and communication holes in fluid communication with an inner space are formed in walls on both sides so as to pass completely therethrough in alignment with each other. Each communication hole has a larger diameter than an inner width P and is disposed at a potion situated nearer to the upper of the tubular part and nearer to the front so as to leave, at the rear, a space in which dust p particles are accumulated.

Heretofore, there have been proposed various types of rich-lean combustion burners (for example, see Patent Literature Publications 1, 2 and 3). In such a rich-lean combustion burner, a lean-side mixture whose air ratio (the ratio of the amount of air to the amount of fuel) is in excess of 1.0 is burned at lean-side flame holes for the accomplishment of NOx reduction while for the stabilization of combustion flames, rich-side flame holes where a rich-side mixture whose air ratio falls below 1.0 is burned are arranged adjacent to the lean-side flame holes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Systems and methods for a markerless approach to displaying an image of a virtual object in an environment are described. A computing device is used to capture an image of a real-world environment; for example including a feature-rich planar surface. One or more virtual objects which do not exist in the real-world environment are displayed in the image, such as by being positioned in a manner that they appear to be resting on the planar surface, based at least on a sensor bias value and scale information obtained by capturing multiple image views of the real-world environment.

The proliferation of mobile computing devices and the increase in graphics processing capabilities has resulted in a rise of augmented reality applications. For example, a user may capture image data of a real-world environment and augment that image data with a digital representation, often three-dimensional (3-D), that is "placed" into the real-world environment and which appears to exist in the real-world environment when viewed through the computing device. In some applications, the representation of the object can be viewed in real-time from different angles, just as objects existing in the real-world environment. However, the representation of the object can look out of place or unrealistic in the augmented reality view; for example, the representation may appear to be floating in air or at an inappropriate size when compared to the other objects in the real-world environment being viewed in augmented reality.

Markerless image analysis for augmented reality


A bias point of an external modulator is set to different values according to on and off of a burst control signal and an optical source is driven continuously in a burst optical signal transmission device. The burst optical signal transmission device avoid generation of transient fluctuation of a wavelength and a light amount at the time of burst signal rising.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a burst optical signal transmission device which transmits a burst optical signal and the like its a control method.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
Recently, along with rapid popularization of the Internet, a large capacity, advanced, and economical optical access system has been required. Research of a passive optical network (PON) is underway as a method of realizing such a system. The PON is an economically advantageous optical access communication system in which a plurality of users can share a transmission path between a center device and an optical passive element by concentrating a plurality of transmission paths from a plurality of users to a unique transmission path by the optical passive element such as an optical power splitter. In Japan, an economical optical access communication system Gigabit Ethernet (TM)-PON (GE-PON) in which up to 32 users share 1 Gb/s class line capacity by time division multiplexing (TDM) is currently introduced. Research of a 10 Gb/s class 10G-EPON is underway as the next-generation optical access system capable of responding to needs of further large capacity, the system capable of realizing large capacity by an increased bit rate of an optical transmitter/receiver while using the part of transmission path which is the same path of the existing GE-PON.
FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a conventional burst optical signal transmission device for PON focusing only on a transmitting unit of a transceiver 1 mounted on an ONU (receiver unit and other peripheral circuits are not illustrated). FIG. 2 illustrates a time chart of a burst signal control method of the conventional burst optical signal transmission device for PON illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the conventional optical transmitter is mainly formed of a DML transmitter optical subassembly 2 (DML-TOSA) including a direct modulation LD 3 (DML: transmitter optical subassembly) such as a Fabry-Perot LD (FP-LD: laser diode) and a distributed-feedback LD (DFB-LD) and a burst supporting LD driving circuit 4. Burst signal light 0 transmitted from the transceiver 1 is generated in the following manner. Transmission signal data 5 transmitted from an upper layer (not illustrated) of the transceiver 1 is formed of an idle signal 52 and a data signal 51 (refer to FIG. 2). A burst control signal 6 also transmitted from the upper layer (not illustrated) generates the burst signal light by controlling on/off of the burst supporting LD driving circuit 4 according to transmission allowed time allocated to the ONU. Values of bias current (Ib) 61 and modulation current amplitude (Ipp) 62 supplied from the burst supporting LD driving circuit 4 to the DML-TOSA 2 through an LD signal line 7 are set according to on/off of the burst control signal 6. Meanwhile, the bias current 61 being a constant current value is 30 mA/0 mA at the time of on/off respectively in the conventional example illustrated in FIG. 2. The modulation current amplitude 62 being a current amplitude value on which high-speed intensity modulation at 1 Gb/s is performed is 40 mA/0 mA at the time of on/off respectively in the conventional example illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus, when the burst control signal 6 is turned off, LD driving current (bias current 61 and modulation current amplitude 62) is 0 mA and the optical signal is not transmitted. When the burst control signal 6 is turned on, the signal light on which intensity modulation at 1 Gb/s is performed is transmitted within a range from 10 mA to 50 mA according to the data signal 51 around the bias current 61 of 30 mA. In this manner, in the conventional burst optical signal transmission device for PON, it is possible to transmit the burst signal light only by controlling the LD driving current. It is required that the ONU does not transmit the optical signal or that optical intensity is not higher than a certain reference value outside the transmission allowed time in PON specification. The reference value is specified to be "lower than (minimum reception sensitivity of OLT receiver—10 dB)" (lower than approximately −40 dBm) in ITU-T standard G-PON and XG-PON1 and specified to be lower than −45 dBm in IEEE standard GE-PON and 10G-EPON, for example. The LD driving current can be set to 0 mA outside the transmission allowed time in the conventional burst optical signal transmission device for PON, so that this may sufficiently satisfy the specification.
In contrast, large capacity over 10 Gb/s class might be required depending on a service such as a high-definition image service, a higher bit rate of the transmitter/receiver (40 or 100 Gb/s class) causes a sharp increase in cost of the transmitter/receiver, so that there is a problem that a practical system cannot be obtained. A wavelength-variable WDM/TDM-PON obtained by combining the TDM and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) in which wavelength variability is added to the optical transmitter/receiver such that the optical transmitters/receivers in a station side device can be gradually increased according to band requirement is reported as means of realizing economical large capacity (refer to Non Patent Literature 1, for example).    Non Patent Literature 1: S Kimura, "WDM/TDM-PON Technologies for Future Flexible Optical Access Networks", 15th OECC 2010, 6A1-1.

Burst optical signal transmission device and control method for burst optical signal transmission device

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


A unit pixel of an image sensor and a photo detector are disclosed. The photo detector of the present invention configured to absorb light can include: a light-absorbing part configured to absorb light by being formed in a floated structure; an oxide film being in contact with one surface of the light-absorbing part; a source being in contact with one side of the other surface of the oxide film and separated from the light-absorbing part with the oxide film therebetween; a drain facing the source so as to be in contact with the other side of the other surface of the oxide film and separated from the light-absorbing part with the oxide film therebetween; and a channel interposed between the source and the drain and configured to form flow of an electric current between the source and the drain.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a unit pixel of an image sensor and a photo detector of the unit pixel.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image sensor is a sensor that transforms an optical signal to an electrical image signal. When light is irradiated to a light-absorbing part inside a unit pixel of an image sensor chip, the image sensor detects the light incident at each unit pixel and the amount of the light and transforms an optical signal to an electrical signal and then transfers the electrical signal to analog and digital circuits for forming an image.
The conventional image sensors can be classified into CCD (Charge Coupled Device) types and CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) types, based on their structures and operation principles. The CMOS type image sensors are commonly referred to as CIS (CMOS Image Sensor).
In the CCD type image sensor, groups of signal electrons generated at the pixels by the light are transmitted to an output unit by a pulse applied to a gate, transformed to voltages of the output unit, and sent out one by one.
In the CMOS type image sensor, the signal electrons and holes that are generated at the pixels by the light are transformed to voltages inside the pixels. These voltages are connected to a signal processor, including a row decoder and a column decoder, and sent out of the pixels by a switching operation according to a clock frequency.
The image sensor can be either an APS (Active Pixel Sensor) or a PPS (Passive Pixel Sensor), according to the presence of an amplifier in the unit pixel.
The PPS is a passive device that does not encompass a signal amplification function inside the pixel, and outputs the electric current of the device to the outside to transform the electric current to a voltage outside the pixel. On the other hand, the APS is an active device that encompasses a signal amplification function inside the pixel.
The PPS is mostly constituted with one photo diode and one select transistor, and thus not only can have a greater aperture ratio than the APS, which requires 3-5 MOS transistors for the same sized pixel, but also can raise a fill factor related to a light-absorbing efficiency.
However, since the intensity of photoelectric current of the photo diode is not great and an optical signal is transformed to electric current that is vulnerable to an outside environment for use in signal processing, the PPS has a problem of fixed pattern noise (FPN).
Therefore, for the same size pixel, the APS can provide an image signal that has relatively less noise than the PPS, despite the smaller size of the light-absorbing part than the PPS, since a multiple number of transistors are present in the unit pixel.
One electron-hole pair (EHP) is generated for one photon that is incident at a unit pixel light-absorbing part of an image sensor, and the generated electrons and holes are accumulated in a photo diode, which is a light-absorbing part.
The maximum accumulation electrostatic capacity of a photo diode is proportional to the area of photo detection of the photo diode. Particularly, in the case of CMOS type image sensor, the area in which the accompanying transistors are arranged is larger than that of the CCD type image sensor, and thus increasing the area of the light-absorbing part is physically limited. Moreover, the photo diode, which is commonly used as the light-absorbing part of an image sensor, has relatively small electrostatic capacity and thus is easily saturated, and it is difficult to segment the signals generated by the light-absorbing part.
Therefore, the unit pixels of the CMOS image sensor require a relatively long photoelectric charge accumulation time in order to generate a minimum electric charge for signal processing through the limited photo detection area. Accordingly, it is not easy to manufacture a high-density/high-speed frame image sensor by using the unit pixels having this kind of light-absorbing part.
The band gap of a silicon semiconductor is 1.12 eV, and a photo detector made of a silicon semiconductor can detect light energy in wavelengths of 350 nm to 1150 nm. Here, since the light has different inherent energy per wavelength and has different depth of penetration when the light penetrates silicon, which is solid, the photoelectric efficiency for each wavelength is also different at the photo detector. In order to detect the wavelengths of visible rays (400-700 nm), the image sensor forms an interface of P-N junction so that a green ray, which commonly has energy in the wavelength of 550 nm, can be better detected. Therefore, in the image sensor having this structure, photoelectric efficiencies for a short wavelength, such as blue color, and a long wavelength of a near infrared ray are deteriorated, or the optical signal is transformed to a noise.
Prior arts related to an image sensor and a unit pixel of an image sensor include U.S. Publication Number 2004/0217262 ("UNIT PIXEL IN CMOS IMAGE SENSOR WITH HIGH SENSITIVITY"), U.S. Publication Number 2009/0032852 ("CMOS IMAGE SENSOR") and U.S. Publication Number 2010/0073538 ("IMAGE SENSOR").
U.S. Publication Number 2004/0217262 discloses an image sensor that includes one photo diode and four transistors of a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, a drive transistor and a selection transistor and that inhibits the drive transistor and the selection transistor from being affected by leakage of a power supply voltage (VDD) by separating an active area in which the drive transistor and the selection transistor are formed from an active area in which the reset transistor is formed.
However, since U.S. Publication Number 2004/0217262 integrates the photo diode and the four transistors in a limited area, it is difficult to provide an area of the photo diode for generating a sufficient quantity of electric charge for signal processing.
U.S. Publication Number 2009/0032852 discloses an image sensor that can acquire a wide dynamic range without the loss of sensitivity, by allowing a pixel constituting a CMOS image sensor to have a plurality of floating diffusion regions.
The CMOS image sensor of U.S. Publication Number 2009/0032852 acquires a final image by acquiring and synthesizing a signal, of which the sensitivity is low but the dynamic range for the brightness is wide, and a signal, of which the dynamic range for the brightness is narrow but the sensitivity is high, in a separate floating diffusion region.
However, since the above CMOS image sensor acquires the high-sensitivity signal and the wide dynamic range signal using the respective separate floating diffusion regions and their related transistors, it is difficult to provide a sufficient region for a photo detector.
U.S. Publication Number 2010/0073538 discloses an image sensor having a high photoconductivity. However, the image sensor of U.S. Publication Number 2010/0073538 forms an additional film layer over a PN junction in order to increase the photoconductivity of a PN junction diode, and thus requires an additional manufacturing process.

Unit pixel of image sensor and photo detector thereof


An electrooptical device includes a substrate that holds an electrooptical substance, a first substrate line and a second substrate line provided on the substrate, a semiconductor device provided on the substrate, a first input bump and a second input bump provided on a surface of the semiconductor device, the surface being close to the substrate, an output bump provided on the surface of the semiconductor device to be connected to the first substrate line, a base material mounted on the substrate, a first line provided on the base material to be electrically connected to the first input bump, and a second line provided on the base material to be electrically connected to the second input bump via the second substrate line.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a mounting structure in which a semiconductor device mounted on a substrate is electrically connected to a circuit board, an electrooptical device having the mounting structure, and an electronic apparatus having the electrooptical device.
2. Related Art
An electrooptical device, for example, a COG (chip on glass) liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal panel in which liquid crystal is sealed between a pair of substrates, a semiconductor device mounted on one of the substrates of the liquid crystal panel, a flexible printed circuit board electrically connected to the semiconductor device, and a circuit board that supplies signals to the liquid crystal panel via the flexible printed circuit board and the semiconductor device. Electrodes arranged in a display region, connecting lines for electrically connecting the electrodes to the semiconductor device, and input lines for electrically connecting the semiconductor device to the flexible printed circuit board are provided on the substrate of the liquid crystal panel. Signals are supplied from the circuit board to the electrodes via the flexible printed circuit board, the input lines, the semiconductor device, and the connecting lines, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-154601 (paragraphs [0026] to [0028] and FIGS. 1 and 2).
In the above-described liquid crystal device, however, signals are input from the flexible printed circuit board to the electrodes via the input lines provided on the substrate. For this reason, the signals are attenuated by the wiring resistance of the input lines, and the display characteristics are degraded.

Electrooptical device, mounting structure, and electronic apparatus having wiring formed on and protruding from a base material to directly under an input bump on a semiconductor device


An object of the present invention is to provide a fingerprint authentication system, a fingerprint authentication program and a fingerprint authentication method that can achieve high-speed processing.

Research and development of various fingerprint authentication systems have been conducted. Current fingerprint authentication systems are based on a "pattern (image) matching process", a "minutia process", a "minutia and relation process" or a "frequency analysis process", for example.
The "pattern matching process" is to specify a particular limited area of a fingerprint and check the pattern of ridges in the area by fingerprint image superposition.
The "minutia process" is to extract and register information on 20 to 30 end points or branch points of ridges in a captured fingerprint image and perform checking based on the information.
The "minutia and relation process" is to regard a fingerprint as matching with another fingerprint only when both of a minutia and relation information agree with each other between the two fingerprints.
The "frequency analysis process" is to regard a cross section of a slice of the pattern of ridges and grooves of a fingerprint as a waveform and uses the waveform spectral series as feature information to perform checking based on the maximum correlation.
In addition, Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-86130) discloses speed-up of an authentication process performed by a fingerprint authentication system used by a large number of users. The fingerprint authentication system that speeds up the authentication process described in the Patent Literature 1 is a fingerprint authentication system having a plurality of fingerprint sensors that comprises group identification means that identifies a group to which fingerprint data belongs according to the fingerprint sensor to which the fingerprint data is input in a fingerprint data input processing, registration means that registers the input fingerprint data in a storage device in association with the group identified by the group identification means in a fingerprint data registration processing, and checking means that checks the input fingerprint data against the fingerprint data associated with the same group as the input fingerprint data of the fingerprint data registered in the storage device in a fingerprint data authentication processing.
In addition, Patent Literature 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-164680) discloses a radio communication terminal that has an advanced security function that permits only a plurality of particular terminal users registered in advance to use the radio communication terminal, and a terminal user identification method.
The radio communication terminal described in Patent Literature 2 is a radio communication terminal provided with a PTT switch that comprises a fingerprint reading part provided in the PTT switch, a storage part in which fingerprint data for a plurality of terminal users and ID number information including at least user ID numbers set for the terminal users whose fingerprint data is registered can be registered, a fingerprint authentication part that checks fingerprint data read by the fingerprint reading part against the fingerprint data registered in the storage part, means of making the radio communication terminal operate according to the checking result from the fingerprint authentication part, and means of acquiring one piece of ID number information from the storage part based on the checking result from the fingerprint authentication part.
In addition, Patent Literature 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-277415) discloses a registration device of a fingerprint authentication system based on a difference in physical characteristics between users. The registration device described in Patent Literature 3 comprises an input part to which biological information on a registration target is input, an advance extraction part that extracts first feature data from the biological information in a predetermined feature extraction method, a classification part that determines classification data for classifying the biological information as any of a plurality of groups based on the first feature data, a feature extraction part that extracts second feature data from the biological information in a corresponding one of feature extraction methods specified for the plurality of groups, and a registration part in which the first feature data, the second feature data and the classification data are registered in association with each other as reference biological information.

Fingerprint authentication system, fingerprint authentication program and fingerprint authentication method

Abstract: A fingerprint authentication system includes a plurality of stages (n+1 stages) of indexes, a registration part in which fingerprint data FD is registered as fingerprint data TFD according to the indexes, and a checking device that checks the fingerprint data FD against the registered fingerprint data TFD based on the indexes. The fingerprint data TFD can be classified into groups, the processing speed can be increased even if there is a large number of pieces of fingerprint data TFD registered.


A relatively thin projection screen includes a sheet of parallel, specially treated fiber optic cables that emit light transversely, and an overlying liquid crystal display screen formed of a plurality of adjacent and individually modulatable liquid crystal shutters. A dot matrix of pixels is generated by controlling the sequential transmission of light to the optical fibers, and the transparency or opacity of the overlying shutters. As each row of the optical fibers is sequentially energized by a light source, the columns of liquid crystal shutters are simultaneously opened or closed in accordance with signals derived from a television video signal. This provides an optical reproduction of the television signal from the pixels of light defined at the cross over points of the rows and columns. The liquid crystal shutters are modulated to allow a varying amount of light to pass through so that different levels of brightness may be obtained. In one embodiment, a scanning laser sequentially energizes and illuminates the fiber optic cables. In another embodiment, a light source illuminates a shutter that, in turn, controls the sequential illumination of the fiber optic cables. A control apparatus ensures that operation of the liquid crystal shutters is synchronized with the sequential illumination of the fiber optic cables to recreate the video image from the input signal.

Cathode ray tube (CRT) screens are projection devices typically comprising an electron gun, circuitry to control the path of the electrons emitted, and a phosphor coated screen that glows after an electron strikes the screen. While CRT's have been a standard display projection device for many years, certain fundamental and characteristically inherent features of the CRT present problems and limitations.
The typical CRT screen is heavy and difficult to move, and thus dictates to the viewer his viewing position. Once in place, CRT screens including most televisions usually remain where initially positioned due to weight and maneuverability restrictions. While problems caused by the weight and bulk of CRT screens can be remedied in some instances by the use of a smaller CRT, using a smaller CRT also decreases the screen size. CRT screens are limited in size due to the requirement that the electrons must travel in a vacuum. Much of the weight and bulk of a CRT is due to the heavy walls containing the vacuum. As the size of the screen increases, the walls necessarily become heavier and thicker. There comes a point where it is not economically or mechanically feasible to make a large CRT screen.
CRT screens also emit radiation from electron acceleration and deceleration. Electron acceleration occurs at the electron gun where the electrons are emitted. Deceleration occurs at the phosphor coated screen where the electrons collide with the screen. While some of this radiation can be shielded from the viewer, often this shielding is not totally effective. This radiation may cause eye fatigue and strain after extended viewing of the CRT screen.
In an attempt to solve the limitations and problems of CRT screens, liquid crystal display (LCD) screens have been used with limited success. A liquid crystal is an electronic device that alters its ability to pass light when a voltage is applied. In an LCD screen, liquid crystals are arranged to form a matrix allowing particular selection of each liquid crystal so that light and dark areas may be formed on the screen. In one typical use, characters such as letters or numbers are represented by darkening appropriate liquid crystals, preventing light from behind those liquid crystals from reaching the viewer.
Many LCD screens, however, do not present clear images as the contrast between light and dark regions is not remarkably distinct. Further, LCD screens do not display images in color, limiting their use as entertainment and graphic display devices. In comparison with other projection devices, LCD screens have been consistently slower in changing from one image to another. This has prevented LCD screens from acting as projection display devices of sequential images such as the ones in usual television transmissions. Accordingly, while LCD screens avoid most of the problems associated with CRT screens, LCD screens do not project sequential images as do typical CRT screens.
Lightweight, non-radiating screens composed of a bundle of fiber optic cables viewed on end have been used to overcome the disadvantages of LCD and CRT screens. In such a screen, fiber optic cables are used to conduct light from a projection system to the screen so that the images presented may be viewed. A crude way of doing this is to have one end of the organized fiber optic cable bundle pressed next to a CRT screen so that the CRT image illuminates the bundle, transmitting the image. The other end of the fiber optic cable bundle is then fixed for viewing so that the viewer sees the CRT projection. In this case, the fiber optic cable bundle acts as an extension for the CRT. As fiber optic cables do not transmit the radiation associated with CRTs, eye strain from extended viewing is avoided. A fiber optic cable screen is lighter in weight and more maneuverable, although in a crude configuration a large heavy projection system may be present while the fiber optic cable screen is limited in maneuverability by its umbilical attachment to the CRT.
For the normal television signal composed of 525 raster rows each composed of 380 segments, 199,500 individual fiber optic cables are required for one to one representation of a video signal. This large number of individual fiber optic cables tends to make a fiber optic cable screen hard to handle. Furthermore, if the fiber optic cable screen is significantly larger than the size of the originally received image, the resulting image becomes grainy and less pleasing for a viewer.
Large screen projection televisions are another means for projecting or displaying images. With large screen projection televisions, colored light is projected onto a viewing screen. As with CRT screens, the large screen projection television is a bulky device. The screen itself is large and must be precisely placed in relation to its projector. Many large screen projection televisions have the large screen attached to the projector. Additionally, large screen televisions dictate the viewer's position in relation to the screen as the screen projects a clear and pleasing image to a restricted viewing area. Outside this area, the image is distorted and blurred.
In an attempt to overcome these problems, viewing systems have been developed that are light, maneuverable, and which emit no irritating radiation. An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,709. Although such a flat optical television screen has provided significant advancements over typical CRT screens, additional features and useful modifications are desirable in order to provide a more commercially acceptable and technically superior product.
There exists, therefore a need for a visual display that overcomes the disadvantages of bulk, weight and unmaneuverability. Additionally, a need exists for a display system that emits no eye-fatiguing radiation. These disadvantages should be eliminated while preserving the advantageous viewing characteristics of previous projection screens. Further, a need exists for an improved projection screen that uses a combination of light emitting sources and light controlling shutters to present an image. Such a system would preferably be of simplified construction and maximize the size of the projected image with respect to the overall physical housing for the viewing system. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.

Thin projection screen having a liquid crystal display screen overlaid a sheet of fiber optic cables


Embodiments for predicting large data flushes in a data replication system collecting usage data for assets in the system; analyzing the data using machine learning processes on the basis of each asset and the system as a whole to determine usage trends with respect to the data flush operations; predicting a next large data flush using a time-series model; obtaining a capacity of a journal storage space used for write operations to a storage device in the system; and determining if a size of the predicted next flush size is too large relative to this capacity, and if so, invoking a fast forward mode to not retain I/O history information for undo operations during a replication in order to save resources in the system.

In data storage systems, a continuous replication process is used to create a copy of the data in a directory on a first storage device and transfer it to a directory on a second storage device. Continuous replication typically takes the latest changes to data and replicates them without requiring scheduling into an existing backup job.
One of the present challenges in continuous replication is how to deal with applications that flush large amounts of data at once, but that normally have traffic patterns that are low and quiet. Examples for such applications are in-memory databases and applications that perform calculations that continuously create data but persist it only periodically. The challenge in these cases is handling the very large spike in resource requirements from the replication system, network bandwidth and storage. To address such situations, modern replication systems, such as Dell EMC RecoverPoint for virtual machines (RP4VMs) and similar systems, may have a "fast forward" replication mode, which requires less resources at the expense of losing the application journal.
Today, the peak requirement for resources (e.g., bandwidth/CPU/IOPs) is typically identified at least a few minutes after the replication process starts, and when resources are strained to the maximum. Reaching this resource limit typically causes disruption to other workloads running on the system, and might also affect the ability to replicate other protected applications. Since moving to fast forward mode will lose the journal, the hard work the system performs to replicate the data until resources are depleted is actually redundant, and would better be avoided.
What is needed, therefore, is a way to predict when large amounts of data are going to be flushed and then move to fast forward mode in advance to reduce waste of system resources and disruption to other applications.
The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.

Efficient replication of systems with large data flushes using machine learning


A debris collection system for use with a portable, hand held blower/vac comprises a wheeled cart. A collection bag is releasably carried on the cart. A connecting hose releasably couples the collection bag to the fan outlet of the blower/vac to fill the collection bag with debris picked up by the blower/vac when the blower/vac operates in the vacuum mode. The cart rolls on the ground and trails behind the blower/vac in the manner of a canister vacuum cleaner as a user operates the blower/vac and walks forwardly with the blower/vac. The collection bag may be a reusable fabric bag or a disposable paper bag.

Portable blower/vacs are well known lawn and garden implements which are used for blowing or picking up various debris, such as leaves, grass clippings, etc. A typical blower/vac of this type comprises a housing that encloses an electric motor having a rotatable shaft. A fan is connected to the shaft of the motor and rotates when the motor is driven. As the fan rotates, air is drawn in through a fan inlet on the housing and is ejected from a fan outlet on the housing. A handle is provided on the housing to allow a user to grip and hold the blower/vac during use.
The blower/vac can be operated in both a blowing mode and a vacuum mode. In the blowing mode, a blower tube is coupled to the fan outlet to direct the air stream being ejected from the fan outlet in a desired direction, such as against the ground to blow leaves off a sidewalk or the like. In the vacuum mode, a vacuum tube is coupled to the fan inlet. When the vacuum tube is positioned adjacent the ground, the vacuum tube will suck or pick up leaves or other debris and the blower/vac will then eject such debris through the fan outlet.
In known blower/vacs operating in the vacuum mode, a small debris collection bag may be coupled directly to the fan outlet of the blower/vac. This collection bag typically has a strap or sling to hang the collection bag from the body of the user as the user operates the blower/vac. The debris being ejected from the fan outlet of the blower/vac is deposited in the collection bag. When the collection bag is full, the user unslings the collection bag from the user's body, disconnects the collection bag from the fan outlet, unzips a zipper provided in the bag, and then dumps the debris out of the bag into a trash can, plastic disposable trash bag or compost pile. The user can then close the collection bag and again sling the collection bag about the user's body to continue picking up and collecting debris.
This type of collection bag for a blower/vac is effective but has some disadvantages. Since the bag is carried on the user's body, it is necessarily somewhat limited in size. Thus, it must frequently be emptied when a lot of debris is being quickly picked up by the blower/vac. The need to frequently empty such a relatively small collection bag can be an annoyance.
Moreover, because the typical collection bag is slung from the user's body, the weight of the collection bag as it fills as well as dust emitted from the debris being collected by the collection bag can be bothersome to some users. In addition, the collection bag can also restrict the movement of the user or get in the way of the user as the user operates the blower/vac. This is also bothersome to some users. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a debris collection system that can efficiently collect larger quantities of debris and that will be easy to use without encumbering movement of the user's body.

Blower/vac debris collection system with collection bag on movable wheeled cart


The lower-level information acquirer searches a lower-level network, and acquires lower-level addresses for air-conditioning devices that are connected to the lower-level network. A database generator searches an upper-level network, and generates a database of upper-level addresses of air-conditioning devices that are connected to the upper-level network. An address assigner references the database generated by the database generator, and assigns vacant addresses existing among the upper-level addresses of the upper-level network to air-conditioning devices that are connected to the lower-level network. The table generator generates an address conversion table for converting the upper-level addresses assigned by the address assigner to lower-level addresses acquired by the lower-level information acquirer.

Air-conditioning systems are known with a central control device, and air-conditioning devices such as outdoor devices, indoor devices and the like are connected in parallel, and the central control device controls the air-conditioning devices (for example, see Japanese Patent Literature 1).
An air-conditioning system can form a networked air-conditioning system by expanding the air-conditioning system by connecting an air-conditioning system (upper-level air-conditioning system) that is connected to an upper-level bus, and air-conditioning system (lower-level air-conditioning system) that is connected to a lower-level bus. In a networked air-conditioning system that the communication methods for the upper-level air-conditioning system and the lower-level air-conditioning system are different in, the case of performing individual control of an air-conditioning device in a lower-level air-conditioning system from the upper-level air-conditioning system will be considered. In this case, it is necessary to provide a new function in the air-conditioning devices of the lower-level air-conditioning system for performing communication with the upper-level air-conditioning system. Furthermore, the upper-level air-conditioning must be able to specify an air-conditioning device of a lower-level air-conditioning system that is to be the target of control.
Therefore, a system is disclosed that connects an upper-level air-conditioning system and a lower-level air-conditioning system by providing a converter between the bus of an upper-level air-conditioning system and the bus of a lower-level air-conditioning system (for example, see Japanese Patent Literature 2).
The converter disclosed in Japanese Patent Literature 2 has a protocol conversion function. The converter receives a control command with the address of an air-conditioning device that is to be the target of control, interprets that control command through a protocol converter, and converts the communication method. With this converter, it becomes possible to perform communication between networks that have communication methods that are different from each other, and it becomes possible to perform individual control of an air-conditioning device in a lower-level air-conditioning system from an upper-level air-conditioning system.

Networked air-conditioning system, repeater and program


A method manages wireless telecommunications bills for end user subscribers. The method includes complete bill management for the wireless subscribers including, for example, establishing a baseline report, receiving and analyzing a subscriber bill, and requesting and posting credits from wireless telecommunication providers. The method includes the creation of the baseline report in order to manage common billing components across all wireless carriers and carrier plans.

Cellular phone bills are confusing and difficult to manage. Federal Communications Commission statistics from the fourth quarter of 2001 show 1,323 of 2,423 complaints relating to wireless service were about billing. This illustrates obvious confusion and dissatisfaction with the billing process. Businesses are especially susceptible to extraordinary costs due to the variable nature of the rate plans and usage; it is one of the few costs that is billed by the minute and therefore can significantly change by an hour or two of extra usage. Typically, subscribers do not know how to read their communications bill, and because of this, subscribers are often being billed incorrectly. This frequently results in significantly higher bills than necessary and mismatched applications of technology.
According to the Strategis group, "Wireless voice service has reached a commodity status, whereby all carriers across the United States offer voice minutes to subscribers at very competitive rates" (US cellular/PCS marketplace: outlook and forecasts, 2001). This translates to three important factors in the wireless market today: 1. Because the carriers are marketing based on commodity pricing, they are more focused on the consumer market and not the business market. 2. Because the commodity prices continue to fall, there are not only decreasing margins on rate plans, but also are offering a greater number of rate plans. Therefore, as their own margins decrease, carriers are not rewarded to service these customers proactively, nor are they rewarded to make the bills correct. 3. Because the commodity structure now focuses on price, carriers gain subscriber adds by lowering rate plans. These prices are falling an average of 5% per year.
Presently, any subscriber can manage his or her own wireless bill; however, this requires them to have:
1. Billing knowledge to insure they can correctly read a bill to determine its format and what is it telling the user.
2. Wireless knowledge to confirm the rate plans that are supposed to be billed are in fact the ones that are being billed and the details of the plan (minutes, coverage areas, features etc) are equivalent to what their plan offers.
3. The format to simplify the process and enable the user to identify comparisons to a baseline.
4. Wireless carrier knowledge to negotiate through the carrier end of the billing cycle to get credits posted. Although the layperson may be able to have some of these processes in place, they probably do not have all and thus cannot implement the same process as the discussed method.
In addition, some of the carriers are offering services to help subscribers onto a better rate plan if the subscriber initiates a call to a national customer service number and asks for a better rate plan. Further, some of the national account managers for carriers will sometimes meet with larger subscribers to go over new options. However, the options suggested usually are changes that reflect a financial benefit to the carrier and require action to be taken by the end user. This inquiry also takes the end user's time and also requires that the user will have some level of wireless expertise on which to make a decision.
Also, all billing systems that have been created are in the best interest of the carriers to make their billing easier to distribute to end users. The typical "bill management" searches reveal creations or enhancements to systems that are used by the carrier. Although the message being conveyed is a rate plan analysis, most information provided here is not using a baseline for comparison, nor does it have the best interest of the end user in mind.

Method for managing wireless telecommunications bills


A packaging apparatus and a method of operating the apparatus are provided. The apparatus comprises a support frame, a packaging station having a first tool, a second tool, and one or more actuators, operably coupled to at least one of the first tool and the second tool, to modify a position of the second tool with respect to the first tool; and a control unit operably coupled to the one or more actuators, wherein the one or more actuators have a first configuration, in which the first tool and the second tool are spaced from one another by a first distance, a second configuration, in which the first tool and the second tool are spaced from one another by a second distance, and a third configuration, in which the first tool and the second tool are spaced from one another by a third distance, and wherein the control unit is configured to operate in a first modality, wherein the control unit is configured to move the one or more actuators from the first configuration into the second configuration, to maintain the one or more actuators in the second configuration for a first time interval, and to move the one or more actuators from the second configuration into the first configuration.

Vacuum packaging of products generally requires a semi-packaged product to be subjected to a controlled environment (e.g., inert gas, pressure, temperature, etc.) within a chamber of some kind, in order to vacuumize and seal the product. During the packaging process, the products first have to be processed and pre-packaged, for example, by inserting the product into an open bag made from a suitable material. Subsequently, the products are moved towards a vacuumization and sealing station, where vacuumization and sealing takes place. In order to provide the controlled environment, semi-packaged products usually have to be moved into a chamber, which is then closed in order to establish the controlled environment. After vacuumization and sealing, the products have to be removed from the chamber, which has to be opened for this step. Packaging apparatuses can comprise a number of components that enable to moving of products and of components of the packaging apparatus with respect to each other. For example, a packaging apparatus can comprise electric or hydraulic actuators that open and close the chamber and/or drive a conveyor belt.
EP0381020 discloses a vacuum-packaging machine for packaging waste having a container space for receiving an open bag, as well as a hinged lid, which hermetically seals the container space to the outside, and a discharging device. So that the lid is not soiled on its inner side, the bag is provided with a collar and a groove connected thereto. The latter is suspended in fixing bolts in the lid.
CA1235648 discloses a method and apparatus for vacuum shrink packaging a product that includes the steps of placing the product in a heat shrinkable thermoplastic bag; then shrinking the bag in a heated gaseous medium, while partially constricting the mouth of the bag to cause ballooning of the bag, further provided that the constricting is selected such that shrinkage of the bag overcomes the ballooning to collapse the bag onto the product; and then placing the bag in a vacuum chamber followed by vacuumizing and in-chamber sealing, further provided that the rate of vacuumizing is limited to substantially prevent reballooning of the bag.
CA1235942 discloses a method and apparatus for vacuum packaging a molded meat product in a cook-in bag that includes the steps of vacuum stuffing a substantially deaerated moldable meat product into a thermoplastic bag lining a cooking mold, the bag having a length greater than the mold to define a bag neck; substantially removing any meat from the bag neck; and then, while still under vacuum, gathering and clipping the bag neck.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,537 discloses a dual stroke cylinder having a piston for sliding in a cylinder, a rod of the piston, and a sleeve fitted over the rod and passing through a rod hole of the cylinder. A lock portion is provided to an outer periphery of a tip end portion of the rod. The sleeve having an outer peripheral face for sliding in the rod hole in the cylinder and an inner peripheral face for sliding on an outer peripheral face of the rod is provided with an engaging portion on an inner end side to be engaged with an inside of the rod hole of the cylinder and an engaging portion at an outer end side to be engaged with the lock portion of the rod.
EP2174538 discloses a working device for an agricultural vehicle a working unit having a work organ, where an adjustment device is subjected with a pressure for adjusting the working unit between a working position and a transport position. The adjustment device has a piston of an adjuster that is adjustable along a piston rod.
EP0914896, DE3809461, DE102009037959, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,503 disclose devices having double cylinders in which a piston head is movably arranged within a cylinder, wherein the cylinder is movably arranged with another cylinder.
It is an object of the invention to provide a packaging apparatus provided with a two-stroke actuator that facilitates efficient and reliable movement of a vacuum chamber relative to a table during operation of a packaging apparatus.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of operating a packaging apparatus provided with two-stroke actuators in accordance with the present invention.

Packaging apparatus comprising actuator and method of operating packaging apparatus


A compound of the general formula (I) is provided for use in the topical treatment of infection, inflammation and/or pain: wherein R1 independently represents a methylene group, an ethylene group or a straight or branched chain C3 to C6 alkylene group; R2 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group or a straight or branched chain C3 to C20 alkyl group; x represents 0 or an integer from 1 to 4 and y represents 0 or an integer from 1 to 4, wherein the sum of x and y is 4; and Z represents a hydrogen atom or (HOR1)yR2XN+; compositions including the compound; use of the compound in the manufacture of a medicament; and methods of medical treatment including the topical application of the compound.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally provides compounds and compositions for use in the topical treatment of infection, inflammation or pain, a method of preparing the compounds, uses of the compounds and compositions in the preparation of medicaments for the topical treatment of infection, inflammation or pain, and a method of topical treatment of infection, inflammation or pain using the compounds and compositions.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
There are many common human or animal conditions which result in infection, inflammation and/or pain for which there are limited or no effective preventative or curative treatment. These include allergic and non-allergic conditions such as eczema, acne, psoriasis, geographic tongue and adverse reactions to insect bites (e.g., flea or midge bites). In some instances, steroidal treatments may be applied to the skin of a patient to treat these conditions with limited success and often with adverse side effects.
A way of ameliorating the above-identified problems has been sought.

4-hydroxy benzoate derivatives for use in the treatment of infection, inflammation or pain