In accordance with one or more aspects, a current security policy for accessing a device or volume of a computing device is identified. A secondary access control state for the device or volume is also identified. An access state for the device is determined based on both the current security policy and the secondary access control state.

Controlling access to different storage devices that can be plugged into or connected to computers has become a widespread concern for both computer users and computer designers. A variety of different techniques have been developed to control this access. Unfortunately, many of these techniques are problematic due to their being inefficient and cumbersome for the computer designers to implement.

Access control state determination based on security policy and secondary access control state


Example embodiments relate to a composite material exhibiting a low or even negligible volumetric shrinkage upon curing, or even a small expansion (e.g. up to 0.5%), in particular composite materials in the form of dental filling materials. Example embodiments also relate to a method of controlling volumetric shrinkage of a composite material upon curing, and to a method of reconstructing a tooth. Example embodiments also relate to ultrasonic curing of dental filling materials. Example embodiments further relate to a population of zirconia particles and methods for preparing such zirconia particles (e.g. zirconia in the tetragonal phase or zirconia in the cubic phase). The martensitic transformation of the filler ingredients is, e.g., triggered by application of ultrasound or by a chemical trigger.

In general, when polymerizable resin bases (e.g. monomers or monomer mixtures) are polymerized, shrinkage occurs. As it has been pointed out in, e.g., "Ring-Opening Polymerization with Expansion in Volume" by William J. Bailey et al, ACS Symposium 59, No. 4; pages 38-59 (1977), most of the critical shrinkage occurs after the gel point in cross-linked materials, or when the monomer-polymer mixture approaches the glass transition point in linear thermoplastic materials. This publication also notes that it is desirable for many applications in polymer technology that polymerization should be accompanied by near zero shrinkage or even by expansion. Examples of areas where near zero shrinkage is desirable are: strain-free composites, potting resins, high gloss coatings, binders for solid propellants, impression materials and structural adhesives. Zero shrinkage materials find particular application in R.I.M. (reaction-in-molding) technology.
However, even expansion may be desirable in such areas as e.g. precision castings, high strength adhesives, pre-stressed plastics, rock-cracking materials, elastomeric sealants and dental fillings.
Dental plastic fillings are based on the principle of polymerization of resin bases including monomers or oligomers. This can give rise to shrinkage when the plastic dental filling material is polymerised. This means that a small micro-crack is opened between the tooth and the filling. The crack can cause secondary caries or discoloration of the plastic filling. Micro-cracks give rise to a degradation of the mechanical properties of the composite material. In the field of bone cement the shrinkage creates porous structures between the bone cement and implant cement. This can also give rise to degradation of the mechanical properties and failure of implants. In the field of impression materials, shrinkage can cause dimension problems which can lead to misfit.
Thus, it would clearly be useful to utilize filler materials that could counteract the shrinkage normally occurring upon curing of polymerizable resin bases, and which generally may be used in polymerization processes (i.e. not restricted for practical purposes to thermal cure).
Zirconia has widespread utility as a filler ingredient in composite materials, e.g. dental materials. Zirconia can exist in three principal crystalline phases: the tetragonal phase, the cubic phase and the monoclinic phase. The specific volume (density−1) of the three phases is 0.16, 0.16 and 0.17 cm3/g, respectively.

Composite material, in particular a dental filling material, ultrasonic curing of dental filing materials, and a population of zirconia particles


A straightening tool for straightening an elongate angled member of an angled tissue cutting instrument in which the elongate angled member has a proximal length portion and an initial bend connecting the proximal length portion to a distal length portion extending from the bend to a distal end. The straightening tool comprises a positioning block attached to a handle, an unbending channel in the positioning block configured to effect straightening of the elongate angled member and a guide template corresponding to the unbending channel. The guide template comprises a guide slot having a longitudinal profile corresponding to the longitudinal profile of a forward aspect of the elongate angled member extending from the distal end proximally of the bend. A method of straightening an elongate angled member of an angled tissue cutting instrument involves matching the longitudinal profile of a forward aspect of the elongate angled member to a guide template of a straightening tool, inserting the forward aspect into an unbending channel of the straightening tool corresponding to the guide template, straightening the elongate angled member using the unbending channel and withdrawing the straightened elongate member from the unbending channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to angled tissue cutting instruments and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods for straightening the bends of angled tissue cutting instruments.
2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art
Tissue cutting instruments comprising an elongate outer tubular member and an elongate inner member rotatably disposed in the outer tubular member to cut anatomical tissue have become well accepted for use in various surgical procedures. Typically, the inner member has a distal end with a cutting edge and the outer member has an opening through which the cutting edge is exposed to access anatomical tissue to be cut by the cutting edge when the inner member is rotated within the outer member. The cutting edge may have various configurations in accordance with the type of tissue and/or the type of cutting action to be accomplished. In some instances, the distal end of the outer member has a cutting edge cooperable with the cutting edge of the inner member to cut the anatomical tissue as the inner member is rotated. The outer and inner members ordinarily have proximal ends adapted for coupling with a powered surgical handpiece used to rotate the inner member relative to and within the outer member. Many tissue cutting instruments provide for aspiration of anatomical debris through the tissue cutting instrument and/or irrigation at the operative site via an irrigating or flushing fluid supplied along the tissue cutting instrument.
In tissue cutting instruments of the foregoing type, the outer members may be longitudinally or axially straight or may be longitudinally or axially bent, angled or curved depending on the surgical procedure being performed. Where the outer member is longitudinally or axially bent, angled or curved, the inner member is normally provided with a flexible region adjacent or within the bend, angle or curve in the outer member whereby the inner member assumes the longitudinally or axially bent, angled or curved configuration of the outer member while still being rotatable within the outer member. Angled tissue cutting instruments of the latter type are represented by U.S. Pat. No. 177,490 to Fones, U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,509 to Auth, U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,429 to Loscher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,738 to Trott, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,744 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,505 to Krause et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,253, U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,514 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,586 to Fucci et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,630 to Daniel et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,580 to Kusumoki et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,415 to Lucy et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,447 to Smith et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,003 to Anctil et al.
In most angled tissue cutting instruments, the bend, curve or angle is pre-formed in the outer member as part of the manufacturing or fabrication process and is essentially rigid or fixed. However, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,586 and No. 5,411,514 to Fucci et al are representative of variable angle tissue cutting instruments in which a longitudinally straight outer member has a spiral relief cut forming a non-rigid bendable section along which the outer member may be bent axially by a user, and the inner member is flexible to follow the bent configuration of the outer member. Accordingly, the Fucci et al patents are representative of angled tissue cutting instruments in which the bend is pre-formed in the outer member subsequent to the manufacturing process and is essentially non-rigid or variable. The Fucci et al patents also disclose bending tools permitting a user to bend the longitudinally straight outer member axially along the non-rigid bendable section to assume various predetermined angles.
The bending tools disclosed in the Fucci et al patents operate by bending a longitudinally straight outer tube into contact with an angled limit surface disposed at a greater angle than the bend angle to be created in the outer tube and then allowing the outer tube to spring back in a direction away from the limit surface to obtain the bend angle. The angles of the limit surfaces specifically provide for a spring back to create a significant positive bend angle in the outer tube, and the bending tools are not designed with limit surfaces capable of providing a spring back for unbending or straightening an already bent or angled outer tube to obtain a longitudinally straightened outer tube.
Angled tissue cutting instruments in which the outer members are pre-formed with an essentially fixed bend, angle or curve may advantageously be precision manufactured with the bend, angle or curve formed with exactitude to extend in a pre-selected direction at a specified location and angle with a predetermined radius of curvature. Accordingly, the outer member can be manufactured with a pre-formed angle, bend or curve that is optimal for the surgical procedure being performed. As an example, the outer member can have a pre-formed bend, curve or angle that is optimal for use of the instrument as an adenoid blade. In many surgical procedures facilitated by an angled tissue cutting instrument, it is preferable that the outer member be pre-formed with the most desirable or advantageous bend, curve or angle for the particular surgical procedure to ensure that the most optimal outer member configuration is used for the particular surgical procedure.
In some surgical procedures, it is desirable to utilize angled tissue cutting instruments to remove anatomical tissue and to thereafter utilize longitudinally or axially straight tissue cutting instruments for further removal of anatomical tissue. In a combined tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) procedure, for instance, an adenoidectomy is performed prior to a tonsillectomy to remove all or part of an adenoid using an angled tissue cutting instrument as represented by the adenoid blade disclosed in the aforementioned Anctil et al patent and by the RADenoid® Blade of Medtronic Xomed Surgical Products, Inc. The tonsillectomy is thereafter performed, typically utilizing the same angled tissue cutting instrument or another different tissue cutting instrument in which the outer member is longitudinally or axially straight. Performing the tonsillectomy using the angled tissue cutting instrument that was used for the adenoidectomy, i.e. the adenoid blade, is disadvantageous since longitudinally or axially straight tissue cutting instruments provide better access to the tonsils. Using another different tissue cutting instrument having a longitudinally or axially straight outer member for the tonsillectomy is also disadvantageous for the increased cost associated with an additional instrument and/or the additional surgical time associated with preparing the additional instrument for use. The added steps involved in preparing an additional instrument for use during surgery may include removing the instrument from its package, assembling the inner member of the instrument within the outer member, coupling the inner member and the outer member to the surgical handpiece, and/or removing the angled tissue cutting instrument from the surgical handpiece so that the same handpiece can be coupled with the inner and outer members of the additional instrument. Furthermore, the need to inventory and supply both angled and straight tissue cutting instruments for a surgical procedure imposes a difficult burden on hospitals and other surgical sites.
In various sinus procedures, it is also common for surgeons to initially utilize an angled tissue cutting instrument to remove anatomical tissue and to thereafter utilize a straight tissue cutting instrument to further remove anatomical tissue. The Rad® 40 Curved Blade and the Rad 60 X-TREME™ Curved Blade of Medtronic Xomed Surgical Products are representative of angled tissue cutting instruments which allow access into the frontal recess and maxillary sinus and are popular for use in sinus surgery, particularly superior ethmoid and frontal recess surgery, removal of maxillary polyps, uncinectomy and antrostomy. During sinus surgery where tissue removal is initially effected using an angled tissue cutting instrument, the surgeon will sometimes switch to a longitudinally straight tissue cutting instrument where needed to afford better access for further tissue removal. As discussed above, the need to switch between two different instruments during a surgical procedure presents numerous drawbacks.
Sometimes angled tissue cutting instruments having blades with a particular distal end cutting configuration are available to surgeons without there being available straight tissue cutting instruments having the particular distal end cutting configuration. There arises an unsatisfied need where a surgeon desires to use the particular distal end cutting configuration of an available angled tissue cutting instrument but as a longitudinally straight tissue cutting instrument. Accordingly, an angled tissue cutting instrument may have to be used in a surgical procedure in which use of a counterpart straight tissue cutting instrument would be more preferable.
Where an angled tissue cutting instrument is to be used in a surgical procedure alone or prior to using a longitudinally straight tissue cutting instrument, the need to bend an initially straight outer tube to obtain the angled tissue cutting instrument as required by the Fucci et al patents is undesirable for the additional time and procedural steps added to the surgical procedure. An angled tissue cutting instrument having a bent outer tube obtained using the bending tools of the Fucci et al patents cannot thereafter be reliably straightened for use as a longitudinally straight tissue cutting instrument since the bending tools are incapable of reversely bending a previously bent outer tube with any degree of precision or control to obtain a longitudinally straight outer tube.
It is seen from the above that a need exists for apparatus and methods to effect controlled unbending or straightening of an angled, bent or curved member of an angled tissue cutting instrument to obtain a longitudinally or axially straight tissue cutting instrument therefrom. Apparatus and methods are needed which are capable of accomplishing unbending or straightening of an angled tissue cutting instrument prior to or during a surgical procedure in a brief amount of time using a minimal number of simple procedural steps. In particular, apparatus and methods are needed for unbending or straightening an angled tissue cutting instrument for use as a longitudinally straight tissue cutting instrument during a surgical procedure to ensure that the instrument has both the optimal distal end cutting configuration and the optimal longitudinal profile for the surgical procedure and/or to eliminate the need for surgeons to switch between different instruments during the surgical procedure. There is also a need to reduce the number of different instruments required to be made available for and/or used during a surgical procedure to reduce surgical costs and the burden on hospitals and other surgical sites associated with maintaining and supplying many different instruments. Especially in the areas of T&A procedures and sinus procedures, the need exists for allowing a pre-formed angled tissue cutting instrument to be used in a surgical procedure to remove anatomical tissue and to be thereafter straightened or unbent for further use in the surgical procedure to remove anatomical tissue as a longitudinally straight tissue cutting instrument. There is also a need to permit an available angled tissue cutting instrument having a particular distal end cutting configuration desirable for use in a surgical procedure to be straightened or unbent prior to the surgical procedure to assume a straight longitudinal profile that is more preferable for the surgical procedure than an angled longitudinal profile. There is a further need for an unbending or straightening tool having a contact surface against which an angled member of an angled tissue cutting instrument is reversely bent and then allowed to spring back in a direction away from the contact surface to obtain a longitudinally straight member. An unbending or straightening tool for angled tissue cutting instruments is needed having a contact surface at the proper angle to controllably unbend the angled members of the angled tissue cutting instruments to obtain longitudinally straight members after accounting for spring-back of the members. An additional need prevails for an unbending or straightening tool having a guide template allowing a particular angled member to be matched with the guide template for unbending using an unbending channel of the tool corresponding to the guide template. A still further need exists for an unbending tool having a plurality of unbending channels for angled members of different longitudinal profiles, respectively, and a guide template for each unbending channel to facilitate matching the different angled members with the appropriate unbending channels.

Straightening tools having guide templates for angled tissue cutting instruments and methods of using the same


A method and apparatus for scheduling an item, and a computer-readable storage medium are provided. The method can include acquiring a first time sequence corresponding to a target item in a target warehouse, the first time sequence including shipment volume information of the target item corresponding to each unit time within a first historical period. The method can further include determining, according to the first time sequence and a target period to be predicted, total shipment volume information of the target item within a target period through a shipment prediction model, the shipment prediction model including a plurality of parallel first time sequence sub-models and a weighted sub-model which is connected to an output of each of the first time sequence sub-models, and scheduling the target item in the target warehouse according to the total shipment volume information and current inventory information of the target item in the target warehouse.

After the production of various types of items is completed, the items usually need to be distributed to a respective warehouse so as to support the needs of users within a coverage area of the warehouse. With the development of logistics networks, users have gradually increased their requirements for the timeliness of item shipping. In related art, usually manual allocation can be used to schedule items to respective warehouses. If there are few items in the warehouse, items can be scheduled from other warehouses to complete the shipping when the items are shipped. If there are more items in the warehouse, it can negatively affect the supply and demand of other warehouses.

Method and apparatus for scheduling item, and computer-readable storage medium

Beijing Xiaomi Pinecone Electronics Co., Ltd.


The video processing apparatus includes: a pattern information storing unit that stores use part information and location information; a plurality of video inputting units that input each of a plurality of video data; a video data generating unit that generates a plurality of types of generated video data; a generated video pattern selecting unit that selects a pattern of generated video data to be generated; a process unit that stores the use part of each video data in a storing unit; and a video outputting unit that coordinate-converts the generated combined video data with coordinate conversion data, generates the generated video data, and outputs the generated video data to the display unit. The use part information indicates a use part of each video data used for the generated video data, and the location information includes reduction ratio information of the use part of the each video data.

There is provided an apparatus that supports driver's safe driving, as the apparatus captures videos of an area around a vehicle that is out of driver's line of vision by using a camera mounted on the vehicle and displays captured videos on a monitor mounted in the vehicle interior.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-027448 discloses an art to generate a synthesized video with captured images captured with multiple cameras.


Multimode docking station embodiments provide power to an Information Handling System (IHS). The docking station detects the coupling of a multimode USB-C adapter that supports USB-PD (USB Power Delivery) transmissions and also supports a high-power transmission of a voltage greater than the USB-PD transmissions. The docking station configures a power transmission by the multimode USB-C adapter based on a power request by the IHS. Based on the power request by the IHS, a power circuit of the docking station is configured for providing the transmission to the IHS. When the multimode adapter provides a USB-PD power transmission, the power circuit routes the transmission directly to the docking port. When a high-power transmission is provided, a portion of the power transmission is converted by the power circuit for use by external devices coupled to the docking station, with another portion being provided to the IHS as a USB-PD transmission.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an Information Handling System (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, global communications, etc. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Certain IHSs, such as laptops, tablets and mobile phones, are portable and are designed to operate using power supplied by rechargeable batteries. Power drawn from an electrical outlet may be used to charge the batteries of a portable IHS. Since the batteries of IHSs operate using DC (Direct Current) power, an AC adapter (i.e., AC/DC adapter or AC/DC converter) is required to convert the AC power from the wall outlet to DC power that can be used to charge the batteries. In some instances, AC adapters may provide DC power to an IHS via a cylindrical, barrel connector that couples with a corresponding DC power port receptable of the IHS. In some instances, DC power may be additionally or alternatively provided via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) coupling. The USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) Specification specifies communications between an AC adapter and an IHS that enable negotiation of various supply voltages that are supported by the AC adapter and that may be provided to the IHS via a USB port.
A docking station may be used to support the use of a mobile IHS while at a workstation that is available for use at a fixed location. The docking station may support use of the mobile IHS while utilizing external displays and other I/O devices coupled to the docking station, such as speakers, external keyboards, a mouse or other pointing device, cameras, etc. In addition, while the mobile IHS is docked, a docking station may provide power to a mobile IHS. A mobile IHS may utilize the power provided by a docking station for powering the mobile IHS and for recharging the internal batteries of the mobile IHS. In some scenarios, such as at a public workstation, a docking station may support providing power to multiple different types of mobile IHSs.

Docking system utilizing multimode USB-C power transmission and conversion


A disposable rapid cell sorter comprises a microfluidic chip with electrodes and sorts biological cells of interest though a magnetic field and an electric field based on biological cell functional antibody bonded magnetic beads and luminescent labeling.

Embryonic stem cells possess the ability to remain undifferentiated and propagate indefinitely in culture while maintaining their normal karyotypes and pluripotency to differentiate into the derivatives of all three embryonic germ layers (i.e. endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm), including such highly specialized cells as neurons, pancreatic and heart cells, etc. that do not normally regenerate in vivo. In vitro differentiation, which is required for therapeutic applications, remains a stochastic process that non-specifically generates all the three germ layers and their derivatives to varying degrees. It is therefore necessary to purify the cell lineage of interest for clinical use. Similarly, adult stem cells for therapeutic applications can be harvested from various tissues of the human body (e.g. bone marrow, adipose tissue, etc.), but the cells need to be isolated and purified for therapeutic applications. Although first used for hematopoietic reconstitution, stem cells are now central to major efforts in regenerative medicine across multiple organ systems, including but not limited to; vascular, myocardial and neuronal repair. Central to all therapeutic efforts that utilize pluripotential stem cells is the ability to rapidly identify and non-destructively isolate individual cells using a cost effective process.
Developing of a cell based screening assay often requires identification and isolation of particular cells from a mixture of various kinds of cells. Moreover, in order to obtain reproducible data on cells and their use in cell-based therapies, reliable and non-destructive purification of cells is essential. Multiple cell isolation and purification techniques are being used in stem cell arena. Currently, magnetic-activated cell separation (MACS) provides a parallel rapid method for cell purification. However, due to the limited specificity of single antibodies in this technique and the omni-present non-specific binding, the purity of cell purification is marginal. It is usually used as a pre-purification method. The cell by cell sorting method currently provides the highest purification rates because multiple signals can be used to increase specificity. Fluorescence activated cell sorters (FACS) using flow cytometry are widely used in research clinics for cell isolation and purification. In a typical flow cytometer(1,2), individual particles pass through an illumination zone, typically at a rate of some 10,000 cells per second, and appropriate detectors, gated electronically, measure the magnitude of a pulse representing the extent of light scattering or fluorescence from labeled antibodies. The FACS instrument combines two basic functions: cell analysis and cell sorting. Fluorescence from labeled antibodies bound to cell surface markers is analyzed on a cell by cell basis in the analysis portion. The cell population of interest is then further sorted into a separate port and accumulated by electrically deflecting the flow stream. The essential character of the flow cytometric approach is strictly quantitative. The large number of available fluorescent antibody tags makes flow cytometry a unique tool for cell analysis and sorting.
FIG. 1 shows the schematic diagram of a conventional flow cytometric cell sorting system 100. A cell 103 passes the interrogation zone 102, where it is excited by laser beam 105 and its light scattering and fluorescence is collected by lens 107 and received by detection system 109. Typically, the flow cell 103 is vibrated at some 10 s of kHz to ensure that a uniform stream of droplets emerges from the end of the flow cell. The cell concentration is dilute enough so that the majority of droplets contain either zero or one cell. If a cell or droplet has been identified to be of interest, it is electrostatically charged by 108, causing the droplet to be deflected while passing a system of electrodes 111 and 112. The sorted cells 113 and 114 are collected by the collection tubes 115 and 116, respectively. Since the fluid with cells 103 is moving at a rate of 1 to 10 ms/droplet and the distance from the flow cell interrogation zone 102 to the deflector formed by the electrodes 111 and 112 is about 5 mm, the sorting decision needs to be made in less than 0.5 to 5 ms, allowing the sorting of some thousands of cells per second.
However, the rather bulky and complicated nature of the instrumentation as shown in FIG. 1 leads to fairly low adaptation rates in clinical labs. It is very difficult for a clinical lab to obtain appropriate approvals necessary to certify the cleanliness due to patient sample contamination in flow system for therapeutic applications. Current cytometer require careful and extensive cleaning procedures or exchanging of their sample handling components for this application, which requires a highly trained technician and can take many hours between running samples.

Rapid single cell based biological cell sorter


The present invention relates to a method for connecting multiple battery cells (21) of a battery (11), wherein the multiple battery cells (21) can be connected in series to one another, and a single first control variable P1 and a single second control variable P2 are predefined for all the battery cells (21). In this context, in order to generate a desired output voltage of the battery (11), each battery cell (21) is electrically coupled to the battery (11) with a corresponding first probability, defined as a function of the first control variable P1, and in each case electrically decoupled from the battery (11) with a corresponding second probability, defined as a function of the second control variable P2. In addition, a value of the first control variable P1 and a value of the second control variable P2 are respectively predefined repeatedly with an update frequency which is dependent on the desired output voltage of the battery (11) which is to be generated.

The present invention relates to a method for connecting multiple battery cells of a battery. The invention also relates to a battery system having a battery having multiple battery cells, each battery cell having a respective associated battery cell monitoring module arranged in the battery.
FIG. 1 depicts a battery system 10 that is known from the prior art and that comprises a battery 11 having multiple battery cell units (Smart Cell Unit SCU) 20 that each have a battery cell 21 and a battery cell monitoring module (battery cell electronics module or battery cell electronics) 22 associated with the battery cell 21. To simplify the depiction from FIG. 1, only two battery cell units are outlined and each provided with the reference symbol 20. The battery cell monitoring modules 22 allow individual control of the single battery cells 21. To produce an output voltage (total output voltage) U from the battery 11, which is also used as the output voltage U of the battery system 10, the battery cell monitoring modules 22 are connected to one another in a series circuit by means of a link. The battery system 10 further comprises a central control unit (CCU) 30 for controlling the battery system 10.
To produce a regulated output voltage (total output voltage) U from the battery 11, single battery cells 21 are each switched on by means of the associated battery cell monitoring module 22, that is to say that the battery cells 21 are each introduced into the series circuit or electrically coupled to the battery 11 in positive or negative polarity relative to the tap of the output voltage U. To produce a regulated output voltage (total output voltage) U from the battery 11, single battery cells 21 are further each switched off by means of the associated battery cell monitoring module 22, that is to say that the battery cells 21 to be switched off are isolated from the series circuit or are electrically decoupled from the battery 11 by virtue of the connection terminals of each battery cell 21 to be switched off being electrically connected by means of the associated battery cell monitoring module 22, as a result of which the applicable battery cells 21 are bypassed. The battery cells 21 connected to form the series circuit may consequently each be in a switching state referred to as "positively connected" or in a further switching state referred to as "negatively connected". Further, the battery cells 21 isolated from the series circuit are in a switching state referred to as "bypassed".
In such battery systems 10 (SmartCell battery systems), the decision about the change of switching state for the battery cells 21 is made locally in the respective battery cell monitoring modules 22. The actual regulatory function is implemented by the central control unit 30, which is in the form of a central controller, implemented with little complexity.
In this case, a first controlled variable P1 and a second controlled variable P2 are prescribed in the battery system 10 by means of a communication link 31, in the form of a unidirectional communication interface, that the central control unit 30 uses to send only a single message, which comprises the present controlled variables P1 and P2, to all battery cell monitoring modules 22. All battery cell monitoring modules 22 receive the same message and either autonomously connect the respective associated battery cells 21 of the series circuit or bypass the respective associated battery cells 21 using the applicable switches that are present in each of the battery cell monitoring modules 22 (not depicted). According to a control algorithm, the central control unit 30 prescribes the two controlled variables P1, P2 in the form of two numerical values between 0 and 1 that are transmitted via the communication link 31 from the central control unit (CCU) 30 to the battery cell monitoring modules (SCU) 22 and are equally received by all battery cell monitoring modules 22. In this case, it holds that 0≦P1≦1 and 0≦P2≦1.
FIG. 2 shows a control engineering equivalent circuit diagram 15 for the battery system 10 that depicts production of a desired or prescribed output voltage Us of the battery 11 of the battery system 10.
FIG. 2 reveals that the central control unit 30 provides the controlled variables P1, P2 for each battery cell monitoring module 22 of the battery 11. In this case, the value of the first controlled variable P1 and the value of the second controlled variable P2 are regularly prescribed and updated by the central control unit 30 at a constant update rate or update frequency. Consequently, the first controlled variable P1 and the second controlled variable P2 are transmitted at a transmission rate or transmission frequency that is the same as the update frequency.
In this case, whenever the value of the first controlled variable P1 and the value of the second controlled variable P2 are updated, an applicable evenly distributed random process is carried out in each battery cell monitoring module 22, which random process interprets the respective present value of the first controlled variable P1 as the present value of a first probability, referred to as the switch-on probability, of the associated battery cell, when switched off, being switched on and that interprets the respective present value of the second controlled variable P2 as the present value of a second probability, referred to as the switch-off probability, of the associated battery cell 21, when switched on, being switched off. Consequently, this associated battery cell, after the applicable random process has been carried out, will remain either switched off or switched on in each case, that is to say will maintain its switching state, or be switched on or switched off, that is to say will change its switching state. The value of the currently produced output voltage U appears in each case on the basis of the switching states that the battery cells 21 of the battery 11 have after the applicable random processes are carried out. In FIG. 2, Zi denotes the switching state that the ith battery cell 21 has after an applicable random process is carried out. Further, U denotes the output voltage currently produced by the battery 11 and Us denotes the desired output voltage that is currently to be produced. In addition, ΔU denotes the existing control difference or control error between the currently produced output voltage U and the desired output voltage Us that is currently to be produced from the battery 11. In this case, the central control unit 30 tracks the controlled variables P1 and P2 such that the magnitude of said control difference or control error ΔU is as small as possible.
FIG. 3 shows an example of a profile of an output voltage U produced, measured in volts, as a function of a time t, measured in milliseconds, in comparison with a further profile of a desired output voltage Us, to be produced in the form of a sinusoidal AC voltage and also specified in volts, as a function of the time t. In this case, regulation of the output voltage U produced has been performed here in the same way as the regulation described in connection with FIG. 2.
Since the update frequency at which the value of the first controlled variable P1 and the value of the second controlled variable P2 are updated is the same as the transmission frequency at which the first controlled variable P1 and the second controlled variable P2 are transmitted, said update frequency is limited by the maximum transmission frequency of the transmission channel, which in this case is in the form of the communication link 31. Said transmission frequency should, however, be chosen to be as high as possible in order to obtain a low magnitude for the control error ΔU and a small time constant for regulation as cited above. This is of great significance particularly for producing a desired output voltage Us to be produced in the form of an AC voltage. To produce a sinusoidal output voltage U from the battery 11, for example, the controlled variables P1, P2 should be sent to the battery cell monitoring modules 22 repeatedly per half-cycle of the sinusoidal desired output voltage Us to be produced as applicable. To obtain as few harmonics as possible in the sinusoidal output voltage (sinusoidal oscillation) U produced from the battery 11, the update frequency at which the value of the first controlled variable P1 and the value of the second controlled variable P2 are updated is chosen to be higher than the frequency of the sinusoidal desired output voltage Us to be produced as applicable by at least a factor of 10.
A disadvantage of using a high update frequency for the value of the first controlled variable P1 and for the value of the second controlled variable P2 is that the switching state of each switched-off battery cell 21 of the battery 11 or of each switched-on battery cell 21 of the battery 11 can possibly change on receipt of each new value of the first controlled variable P1 or of the second controlled variable P2 by the respective battery cell monitoring module 22 associated therewith. The switching processes connected to such switching state changes or switching state variations cause switching losses in the power electronics that each of the applicable battery cell units 20 contain, which switching losses reduce the amount of energy that can be taken from such a battery system 10 and a corresponding battery system efficiency. In addition, these switching processes increase the requirements on cooling of the power electronics or increase the additional heating of each battery cell 21 by the applicable power electronics.
The document US 2012/0038322 A1 discloses a battery having a battery management system and having multiple battery modules, each battery module comprising multiple battery cells, an analog-to-digital converter and a switching apparatus. In this case, the battery management system is designed to set a switching rate at which the switching apparatus of each battery module specifically prompts each battery cell of the applicable battery module to communicate with the analog-to-digital converter present in the applicable battery module on the basis of at least one parameter of the applicable battery cell.

Method for connecting multiple battery cells of a battery and battery system having a battery with multiple battery cells and multiple battery-cell-monitoring modules which are respectively assigned to a battery cell


In a image processing apparatus executing an error diffusion process, normal error diffusion process is performed when an input pixel value is not “0”. When the input value is “0” (white pixel), “0” is automatically output, error memory of the pixel is reset, and calculation and distribution of the error are not performed. Accordingly, the speed of processing of the image processing apparatus can be improved. Further, by setting smaller the threshold value in error diffusion, the influence caused by resetting of the error memory and delay in generating a dot can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to method and apparatus for image processing and, more particularly, to the claimed method and apparatus for image processing capable of high speed processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image processing apparatus or a program executing an error diffusion process has been known.
FIG. 15 is a block diagram representing a configuration of a conventional image processing apparatus employing the error diffusion method.
Referring to the figure, the image processing apparatus includes an input unit 501 successively receiving as inputs image signals (input values) representing density of respective pixels; a subtractor 503 reading an error value corresponding to a pixel of interest from an error memory 513 and subtracting the error value from the input value; a thresholding unit 507 thresholding, with a prescribed threshold value, an output (modified input) of subtractor 503; an output unit 509 outputting the result of thresholding (for example, the value 0/1); a subtractor 511 subtracting the output of subtractor 503 from the output of thresholding unit 507; and the error memory 513 distributing the output of subtractor 511 as an error to surrounding pixels and stores.
By the image processing apparatus configured as described above, an error in pixel density resulting from gradation reducing process is diffused. Therefore, it becomes possible to reduce gradations of an image as an object of processing, while maintaining the density of the image as a whole.
The conventional image processing apparatus, however, has a problem that the speed of processing is low.

Method and apparatus for image processing capable of high speed processing


Check valve assemblies operable to inject treatment fluids during stimulation operations are described. One check valve assembly includes a valve body defining an inlet, one or more discharge ports, and a cylindrical passageway fluidly communicating the inlet with the one or more discharge ports, the valve body further defining a valve body seat within the passageway. A valve cap is configured to be coupled to the valve body and defines an opening therein that fluidly communicates with the cylindrical passageway, the valve cap further providing a valve cap seat. A spherical piston is disposed within the passageway and movable between a closed configuration where the spherical piston engages the valve body seat and an open configuration where the spherical piston engages the valve cap seat and allows fluid communication between the inlet and the one or more discharge ports.

The present invention relates to equipment utilized in subterranean well operations and, more particularly, to check valve assemblies operable to inject treatment fluids during stimulation operations while preventing inflow of production fluids.
In the course of drilling and construction of wellbores that traverse hydrocarbon bearing formations, it is oftentimes desirable to inject treatment fluids into the wellbore for a number of purposes. For example, hydrochloric acid solutions are often injected into the wellbore to stimulate the hydrocarbon bearing formation. In such cases, the hydrochloric acid solution can be injected into the subterranean formation to react with acid-soluble materials disposed in the formation, thereby enlarging pore spaces in the formation. These acidizing treatments are designed to improve the formation permeability, which consequently enhances production of reservoir fluids. Typically, such acidizing operations are performed at a high flowrate, but at a treatment pressure below the fracture pressure of the formation such that the acid is able to penetrate an extended distance into the formation without damaging the formation.
Attempts have been made to inject treatment fluids as reverse flow through conventional inflow control devices that utilize one or more flow restrictors such as flow tubes, nozzles, labyrinths, or the like. Inflow control devices are often used to control the rate of fluid inflow into a production casing and generally feature a dual-walled tubular housing with one or more inflow passages laterally disposed through the inner wall of the housing. A sand screen often surrounds a portion of the tubular housing, and production fluid can enter the sand screen and then negotiate, for example, a tortuous pathway between the dual walls to reach the inflow passages. The tortuous pathway serves to slow the rate of flow and maintain it in an even manner.
It has been found, however, that the flowrate required for acidizing operations is typically higher than the production flowrate from the formation. As such, reverse flow through conventional inflow control devices can result in an unacceptably high pressure drop in the treatment fluid. Accordingly, a need has arisen for an apparatus that is operable to enable injection of a treatment fluid into the wellbore and the surrounding formation. A need has also arisen for such an apparatus that is operable to enable injection of the treatment fluid at a high flowrate. Further, a need has also arisen for such an apparatus that is operable to enable injection of the treatment fluid without an unacceptably high pressure drop.


An electromagnetic valve having a high coupling strength between a valve portion and a solenoid portion is secured at a low cost without large-sizing the solenoid portion. Recessed portions positioned on one end side of a valve body and having inner wall faces formed by inclining faces that incline from the one end side of the valve body to the other end side towards its depth are provided on a valve body side face positioned on one end side of the valve body to be opposed to each other. Cuttings for forming caulking pieces are positioned corresponding to the recessed portions on the side wall on an opening side of a magnetic case. The valve and solenoid portions are coupled such that they are biased in directions they are fitted to each other by abutting the caulking pieces on the inclining faces to caulk them in the recessed portions

The present invention relates to an electromagnetic valve comprising a solenoid portion and a valve portion, and in particular to an electromagnetic valve having constitution suitable for small-sizing.
Conventionally, as an electromagnetic valve of this kind, one disclosed in JU-A 06-071980 has been known. The electromagnetic valve is constituted by a solenoid portion provided in a cover whose one end is opened and a magnetic flame with a bobbin on which a coil has been wound, a fixed iron core mounted to a central hole of the bobbin, a magnetic plate arranged on one side of the bobbin, a movable iron core inserted slidably in the central hole of the bobbin and the central hole of the magnetic plate, and a return spring returns the movable iron core to its original position, and a valve portion provided in a valve main body with a plurality of ports, a valve seat in a passage causing these ports to communicate with one another, and valve body driven by the movable iron core to open/close the valve seat, where the solenoid portion and the valve portion are coupled relative to each other by causing a claw portion provided in a projecting manner on a side wall of the valve portion and an engagement window provided in a penetrating manner on a side of an opening of the cover to be engaged with each other and causing the resilient force due to a leaf spring provided on a bottom side of the magnetic frame to act on the engaged portion of the claw and the window.
However, since the above-described conventional electromagnetic valve requires a complicated structure where the resilient force due to the leaf spring is caused to act on the engaged portion of the claw portion and the engagement window for coupling the solenoid portion and the valve portion, it is entirely large-sized and a cost is increased. In addition, since, simultaneously with assembling of the solenoid portion, assembling to the valve portion is performed, there is a problem that consideration for performing simultaneous and accurate assembling works is required.
That is, assembling and manufacturing must be performed so as to maintain a relatively accurate positional relationship between the movable iron core in the solenoid portion and a portion to be driven in the valve portion. For this reason, it is necessary to perform assembling of the solenoid portion itself with a high accuracy and simultaneously perform positioning between the solenoid portion and the valve portion stably and accurately, and it is also necessary to obtain a sufficient coupling strength in a simple structure. However, since there are the above-described problems in the above-described conventional electromagnetic valve, it is desirable to provide means which can further simplify the structure of the solenoid and can perform assembling and coupling of the solenoid portion to the valve portion more simply and more stably.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem, and an object thereof is to provide an electromagnetic valve where the structure of a solenoid portion is further simplified and assembling and coupling of the solenoid portion to a valve portion can be performed more simply and more stably.
Also, another object of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic valve where a coupling strength of a valve portion and a solenoid portion can be secured simply at a low cost without large-sizing the solenoid portion.
In order to achieve the above-described object, an electromagnetic valve according to the present invention is an electromagnetic valve which comprises a solenoid portion where a movable iron core driven by excitation operation to a coil is provided in a magnetic case having an opening at one end and a valve portion where a valve body which is driven by the movable iron core to switch flow paths among a plurality of ports is provided in a valve body, and where the solenoid portion and the movable iron core are coupled to each other by fitting one end side of the valve body into the opening of the magnetic case, characterized in that recessed portions for engagement are provided on opposing side faces of the valve body on the side of a connection end of the valve body with the solenoid portion and inner wall faces of the recessed portions on the side of the solenoid portion are formed in an inclining face from the solenoid portion side to the other end side thereof towards a depth direction, and on the other hand, cuttings applied for forming caulking pieces are formed on a side wall of the magnetic case positioned on the side of the opening at positions corresponding to the recessed portions, and the valve portion and the solenoid portion are coupled to each other in a state that the valve portion and the solenoid portion have been biased in a direction in which they are fitted to each other by causing the caulking pieces to abut on the inclining faces of the recessed portions to caulk the caulking pieces into the recessed portions.
In the above-described electromagnetic valve, it is desirable to constitute the solenoid portion by positioning a magnetic plate to the magnetic case such that a distance between a magnetic pole face of a fixed magnetic pole member which attracts the movable iron core by a magnetic force which is formed in the magnetic case and a face of a magnetic plate which is positioned on the side of the opening of the magnetic case is fixed and fixing the magnetic plate to the side wall of the magnetic case.
In the above-described electromagnetic valve, such a constitution can be employ that the cutting provided on the side wall of the magnetic case is formed in a U-shape opened to the side of the opening end of the side wall and a region surrounded by the cutting with the U-shape is caulked into the recessed portion as the caulking piece; the cutting is formed in a straight line shape parallel with the opening end of the side wall of the magnetic case and a region positioned between the cutting with the straight line shape and the opening end of the magnetic case is caulked into the recessed portion as the caulking piece; and the cutting is formed in a thin hole bored in parallel with the opening end of the magnetic case and a region positioned between the thin hole and the opening end of the magnetic case is caulked into the recessed portion as the caulking piece.
In the electromagnetic valve having the above-described constitution, since the valve portion and the solenoid portion are coupled in a state where they have been biased in directions in which they are fitted to each other by providing a recessed portion for engagement on the opposing face of the valve body, forming an inner wall face of the recessed portion positioned on the solenoid portion side in an inclining face inclined from the solenoid portion side to the other end side towards the depth direction, while forming a caulking piece at a portion of the magnetic case corresponding to the recessed portion and causing the caulking piece to abut on the inclining face of the recessed portion to caulk it therein, the structure of the solenoid portion is further simplified as that of the conventional example, and coupling of the solenoid to the valve portion can be performed more simply and more stably. In addition, the coupling strength can be secured simply at a low cost without large-sizing the solenoid portion.
In particular, when the solenoid portion is constituted by positioning the magnetic plate to the magnetic case in the state where the fixed iron core is pressure-contacted to the inner end of the magnetic case such that the distance between the end face of the fixed iron core on the side of the movable iron core and the face of the magnetic plate positioned on the opening side of the magnetic case is fixed and fixing the magnetic plate to the side wall of the magnetic case, assembling of the solenoid portion itself can be performed with a high accuracy and simultaneously positioning between the solenoid portion and the valve portion can be performed stably and accurately.
FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c) show a first embodiment of an electromagnetic valve according to the present invention, FIG. 1(a) being a longitudinal sectional view on which a left half shows a state at a time of de-excitation to a coil and a right half shows a state at a time of excitation to the coil, FIG. 1(b) being a side view, and FIG. 1(c) being an enlarged partial sectional view of a caulking portion.
From FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c) are sectional views for explaining steps for assembling a solenoid portion in the first embodiment of the electromagnetic valve according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view for explaining a coupling method of a valve portion and a solenoid portion effected by caulking in the first embodiment of the electromagnetic valve according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the coupling method of the valve portion and the solenoid portion effected by caulking in the first embodiment of the electromagnetic valve according to the present invention.
FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c) show a second embodiment of an electromagnetic valve according to the present invention, FIG. 5(a) being a longitudinal sectional view on which a left half shows a state at a time of de-excitation to a coil and a right half shows a state at a time of excitation to the coil, FIG. 5(b) being a side view and FIG. 5(c) being a cross-sectional view taken along line Ixe2x80x94I.
FIGS. 6(a) to 6(c) show a third embodiment of an electromagnetic valve according to the present invention, FIG. 6(a) being a longitudinal sectional view on which a left half shows a state at a time of de-excitation to a coil and a right half shows a state at a time of excitation to the coil, FIG. 6(b) being a partial sectional side view and FIG. 6(c) being a cross-sectional view taken along line IIxe2x80x94II.


A Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) device includes a flow generator that generates a supply of pressurized air. The flow generator includes a programmable controller. The programmable controller is adapted to allow continuous access to at least one active operating mode and selective access to at least one dormant operating mode. The programmable controller includes a mode control system adapted to receive a data signal to control the selective access to the at least one dormant operating mode.

A Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) device is used in the treatment of sleep related breathing disorders such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Colin Sullivan was the first to invent the use of nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,310. OSA is characterized by partial or complete occlusion (i.e., apnea) of the upper airway passage during sleep. OSA sufferers repeatedly choke on their tongue and soft palate throughout the entire sleep period resulting in lowered arterial blood oxygen levels and poor quality of sleep.
CPAP treatment generally provides a supply of air or breathable gas from a blower to a patient via an air delivery conduit and a patient interface, such as a full-face or nasal mask or nasal prongs. The air or breathable gas is commonly delivered at a pressure of 4 cmH2O to 28 cmH2O and acts as a splint to hold the airway open during sleep. CPAP therapy has been shown to effectively eliminate both snoring and obstructive sleep apneas. However, some patients complain of discomfort with CPAP therapy.
The pressure required for effective CPAP therapy differs between patients. In order to determine an individual's effective CPAP therapy pressure, the individual generally undergoes a sleep study in a hospital, clinic or sleep laboratory. A complete sleep study commonly occurs over two nights, with diagnosis of OSA occurring the first night and pressure titration occurring the second night. On the first night, the individual is observed while asleep and parameters such as oxygen saturation, chest wall and abdominal movement, air flow, expired CO2, ECG, EEG, EMG and eye movement are recorded. On the second night, the individual is provided with nasal PAP therapy and the delivered treatment pressure is altered in response to the presence of snoring or apneas. The minimum pressure required during the night to eliminate the snoring and apneas is determined to be the effective PAP therapy pressure.
Because breathing against a pressure elevated above ambient pressure can be uncomfortable, especially when trying to sleep, it is desirable to keep the PAP pressure as low as practicable, particularly if the individual requires long term treatment. Lower PAP pressures also result in a lower mask contact pressure which is generally more comfortable for the user. Thus, during PAP therapy it is desirable to use the lowest practicable treatment pressure that is effective in preventing occlusion in order to provide the higher levels of comfort and thereby promote compliance with treatment.
Another type of CPAP device known as a Bilevel CPAP device provides a first pressure during inhalation (commonly termed an IPAP) and a second, lower pressure during exhalation (commonly termed an EPAP). Some patients perceive that the lower pressure during exhalation is more comfortable, at least while they are awake. Examples of these devices include the ResMed VPAP® series, and the Respironics BiPAP® series. Bilevel CPAP devices may be prescribed for patients who are not compliant with single pressure CPAP devices.
A further type of CPAP mode designed to enhance patient comfort and compliance provides a rapid decrease in pressure at the beginning of expiration and then quickly returns to therapeutic pressure at or near the end of expiration. These algorithms are designed to overcome the perceived problem of exhaling against a high pressure and are termed Expiratory Pressure Relief (EPR) modes. This mode forms the basis of Respironics C-Flex mode. See published applications WO 2005/065757 and WO 2004/112680 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,535,738; 5,794,625; 6,105,575; 6,609,517 and 7,128,069.
Another way of improving patient comfort and compliance is to start each therapy session at a low therapeutic pressure (e.g., 4 cmH2O), and then ramp up to full therapeutic pressure over a period of time such as the first hour. This allows the patient to adjust to the sensation while falling asleep. Alternatively, the device may be set to implement a time delay before full therapeutic pressure is applied, which allows the patient time to fall asleep before full therapeutic pressure is applied. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,199,424 and 5,522,382.
Another form of CPAP therapy can be provided by an automatically adjusting CPAP device such as the ResMed AUTOSET™ SPIRIT™ device. In this device, the CPAP pressure is automatically increased or decreased in accordance with indications of flow limitation, such as flow flattening, snore, apnea and hypopnea. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,704,345; 6,029,665; 6,138,675; and 6,363,933. These patents also describe a method and apparatus for distinguishing between so-called "central" and obstructive apneas. More recently, automatically adjusting Bilevel devices have been described where both the IPAP and the EPAP pressures are capable of being automatically increased or decreased in accordance with indications of flow limitation as described above. See pending patent application WO 2005/063323.
An advantage of an automatically adjusting system is that it provides the patient with an elevated PAP only when required. This means that the patient is spared the discomfort of receiving the highest treatment pressure during the whole treatment session. Furthermore, while the treatment pressure required for a particular patient may vary over time, a correctly functioning automatic system can obviate the need for the patient to return for a subsequent sleep study to reset the treatment pressure delivered by the PAP device.
Generally, PAP devices are made and tested to work most efficiently with particular patient interface systems. However, the PAP devices and patient interface systems are sold as separate components of the therapy equipment. Thus, patients may decide to use a particular PAP device together with a patient interface system that was not specifically tested for that PAP device. This may result in a less than efficient therapy system. Therefore, a system that encourages consumers to buy compatible products may provide more efficient and/or comfortable therapy. Once compatible products are combined, they may deliver enhanced therapy benefits compared to the separate products alone.
The contents of all of the aforesaid patents are incorporated herein by cross-reference.
The present invention provides improvements to known PAP devices to enhance and/or facilitate the treatment session.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An image forming apparatus includes: a main body having a side wall in which an opening is formed; a cover for opening and closing the opening; and a guide member for guiding a printed recording sheet, arranged in a position facing to the opening. The guide member is pivotally supported at its lower end portion on the main body. When the cover is being opened and the guide member is pivoted around its lower end portion as a pivot axis so that an upper end portion of the guide member is tilted toward the opened cover and into a lying-back position, a second sheet-output passage is formed which extends from the image forming unit toward the opened cover through the opening. The guide member is movable to a position away from the opened cover when it is in the lying-back position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with a cover to open and close an opening that is formed in a side wall of a main body, wherein when the cover is in an open position, ejected sheets of paper can be stacked on the opened cover.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional image forming apparatus known in the art includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet of paper (recording sheet), a rear cover configured to open and close an opening formed in a rear wall of the main body, and a guide member arranged between the image forming unit and the opening and configured to guide the recording sheet ejected from the image forming unit to a sheet output tray formed on an upper surface of the main body. In this image forming apparatus, a lower end of the guide member is pivotally supported on the main body, and an upper end of the guide member is connected to the rear cover.
According to this conventional image forming apparatus, when the rear cover is tilted back, the guide member connected to the rear cover is also tilted back to form a part of a tray. Therefore, the recording sheet ejected from the image forming unit can be output through the opening onto the rear cover when the rear cover is in the tilted-back position.
However, in this conventional image forming apparatus, when the rear cover is in the tilted-back position, a gap is formed between the rear cover and the upper end of the guide member and a recording sheet ejected onto the rear cover may disadvantageously goes into the image forming unit. Further, if a recording sheet goes into the image forming unit from the gap and gets jammed between the rear cover and the guide member, it is difficult to fix a paper jam because the upper end of the guide member is connected to the rear cover. In other words, a trouble about a paper jam between the rear cover and the guide member may not be overcome by the conventional image forming apparatus.
In view of the above, the present invention seeks to provide an image forming apparatus, which can overcome a trouble about a paper jam between the rear cover and the guide member at the tilted-back position of the rear cover.


A seabed-to-surface riser system is disclosed. The seabed-to-surface riser system has a group of subsea riser supports that each support riser pipes extending from the seabed to mid-water. Jumper pipes extend from there to a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) offset horizontally from the riser support in a flow direction. The group of riser supports is disposed to one side of the surface installation. Laterally-extending lines are attached to at least the outermost riser supports of the group. Those lines apply mutually-opposed stabilizing forces to those outermost riser supports in directions transverse to the flow direction.

(1) Field of Invention
This invention relates to subsea risers used to transport well fluids from the seabed to a surface installation such as an FPSO vessel or a platform. The invention relates particularly to systems for restraining movement of such risers under the action of currents or excursion of an FPSO.
Hybrid riser systems have been known for many years. Such systems use riser pipes, possibly of lined and coated steel, that extend upwardly from the seabed to near the surface. Flexible jumper pipes extend from there to the surface to add compliancy that decouples the more rigid riser pipes from surface movement induced by waves and tides. The riser pipes experience less stress and fatigue as a result, especially at the vulnerable sag bend near their touchdown point on the seabed.
More specifically, a hybrid riser system comprises a subsea riser support extending from a seabed anchorage to an upper end held buoyantly in mid water, at a depth below the influence of likely wave action. A depth of 250 m is typical for this purpose but this may vary according to the sea conditions expected at a particular location.
The riser support may comprise a hybrid riser tower or 'HRT' pivotably attached to the anchorage and held in tension by buoyancy at its upper end, or a riser support buoy tethered to the anchorage under tension. A riser support buoy is sometimes referred to by the acronym 'BSR', derived from the Portuguese term 'bóia de suporte de riser'. That acronym will be used to identify riser support buoys in the description that follows.
Riser pipes extend from the seabed to the upper end region of the riser support. In the case of an HRT, the riser pipes will typically extend along the HRT as an upright bundle of generally parallel pipes. In the case of a BSR, the riser pipes will typically hang freely from, and splay away from, the BSR as steel catenary risers or 'SCRs'. SCRs are a non-limiting example: other types of pipe are possible for the riser pipes.
Jumper pipes hanging as catenaries extend from the upper end region of the riser support to an FPSO or other surface installation. The FPSO is moored at a location above the riser support and spaced or offset horizontally from the riser support.
When viewed from above so that the arcuate shape of the jumper pipes and the depth of the riser support beneath the surface is not apparent, there is a general flow direction extending from the upper end region of the riser support toward the FPSO. The flow direction will be used to explain the present invention in more detail and is illustrated in FIGS. 2a, 3a and 4a of the accompanying drawings.
In the case of a BSR, when similarly viewed from above, the SCRs extend from the BSR in a direction generally opposed to the flow direction; optionally, the SCRs also diverge from each other moving away from the BSR.
Umbilicals and other pipes generally follow the paths of the riser pipes and jumper pipes to carry power, control data and other fluids.
In deep water, a surface installation such as an FPSO will usually have spread moorings. Spread moorings typically comprise four sets of mooring lines (each set being of say four to six mooring lines) with the sets radiating with angular spacing from the FPSO to anchors such as suction piles or torpedo piles embedded in the seabed. Such moorings can maintain the FPSO on location for several years at a fixed orientation or heading without 'weathervaning' rotation about a vertical axis. This minimal yaw movement means that there is no need for a turret structure or for swivel connections for fluids, power and control data. The connections are therefore advantageously simplified. Also, flexible riser pipes and umbilicals may simply be connected amidships along sides of the FPSO, which maximises the space available for those connections.
In a spread-moored arrangement, a riser system is typically accommodated between neighbouring sets of mooring lines of the FPSO. Space may be limited such that in extreme weather conditions, there is a potential for interference between the mooring lines of the FPSO and the riser supports and/or the riser pipes.
The potential for interference is greater still where a plurality of riser supports are combined with a single surface installation such as an FPSO, as more space is required for plural riser supports. Also, arrangements having a plurality of riser supports introduce the further risk of interference between neighbouring riser supports or between the riser pipes carried by those neighbouring riser supports.
It is desirable to stabilise riser supports against excessive movement in extreme conditions. The buoyancy that creates tension in a riser support is a stabilising factor; so too is the horizontal component of the force applied to the riser support by the jumper pipes. Also, where SCRs or other riser pipes hang from a BSR, the SCRs apply to a lesser extent a force to the BSR whose horizontal component is opposed to the horizontal component of the force applied to the BSR by the jumper pipes. This, too, helps to stabilise a BSR. However it may be desirable to apply other stabilising restoring forces to a riser support.
(2) Description of Related Art
GB 2346188, U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,725 and US 2006/0056918 disclose riser arrangements in which a plurality of riser supports are shared by a single surface installation. GB 2346188 discloses a row of HRTs whereas U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,725 and US 2006/0056918 each disclose two BSRs. All of those documents propose additional means for stabilising the riser supports but they work in very different ways—none of which are helpful for the purposes of the present invention.
GB 2346188 discloses interconnecting tethers between the riser towers near their upper ends. This interconnection is intended to limit differential movement between the neighbouring riser towers but it also allows—and indeed encourages—the whole row of riser towers to move together. So, there is nothing to prevent the row of towers colliding with any adjacent spread moorings. Also, the interconnecting tethers in GB 2346188 hang as shallow catenaries and so have negative buoyancy, which means that the riser towers will be pulled together by the tension in the tethers due to their weight. In practice, this will cause the riser towers to lean toward each other, thus increasing the risk of collision between neighbouring towers in extreme conditions. This is a particular risk with the towers at the ends of the row.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,725 discloses two riser supports but they are not grouped together: instead, one riser support is disposed to each side of a production facility floating above. The jumper pipes and riser pipes apply opposed stabilising forces to each riser support in directions parallel to the flow direction. Additionally, guy lines extend to the seabed from each riser support to prevent lateral movement due to water current. There is no practical risk of collision between the riser supports and there is space to avoid collision between the riser supports and spread moorings of the production facility. However, the arrangement would not be suitable for accommodating a group of two or more aligned riser supports between neighbouring sets of mooring lines of a spread-moored FPSO.
US 2006/0056918 discloses a weighted line between two riser supports but the weighted line only applies restoring forces parallel to the flow direction. As in U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,725 above, the riser supports are not grouped to one side of a surface installation floating above: instead, one riser support is disposed to each side of the surface installation. Again, therefore, there is no risk of collision between the riser supports and there would be space to avoid collision between the riser supports and spread moorings, if used.
If the riser supports of U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,725 or US 2006/0056918 were grouped to one side of the surface installation (not that there is any motivation or suggestion in those documents to adapt those proposals in that way), there would be a risk of collision between the riser supports and between the riser supports and spread moorings, if used.
It is against this background that the present invention has been devised.

Restraint systems for hybrid decoupled risers


An anti-reflective coating having a composite layer of silicon nitride and silicon dioxide may be formed over the entire photosensitive region of the photodetector to minimize the amount of reflection. The composite layer comprises a silicon nitride layer and a dielectric layer contiguous to the silicon nitride layer. The anti-reflective coating may be formed in a CMOS process for fabricating the PN junction in the photodiode and CMOS devices for amplifying the photodetector signal, where the polysilicon gate layer is used as a etch stop. The P+ or N+ material in the PN junction of the photodiode has a distributed design where two portions of the region are separated by a distance in the range of Xd to 2Xd, where Xd is the one-sided junction depletion width, to enhance the electric field and to reduce the distance traveled by the carriers for enhancing bandwidth. A heavily doped region of the opposite type may be added between the two portions to further enhance the electric field. A mask is used to shield a portion of the substrate in which the photodetector region has been or is to be formed when other portions of the substrate region are implanted with a dopant to adjust at least one of the threshold voltages of the other portions. The mask prevents the photodetector region from being affected by such implant.

This invention relates in general to photodetectors and, in particular, to an improved photodetector and a device employing the photodetector for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal.
CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives have become increasingly important and popular for use with personal computers and amusement game machines. CDROM and DVD-ROM drives typically employ optical pickup usually comprising two tracking photodetectors and four high speed split photodetectors, such as that explained and shown in the article "High Speed SI-OEIC (OPIC) For Optical Pickup," by Takimoto et al., IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol.44, No. 1, February 1998, pages 137-142.
As noted by the Takimoto article, CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives are progressing in terms of system compactness and performance. But when the size of these drives are reduced, cross-talk has become an issue due to the close spacing between the components of the drive. To reduce the influence of external noise from the motor and other electrical circuits, the photodiode used in optical pickup has been integrated with the preamplifier circuit that is used to amplify the output of the photodetector.
CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives have increasingly been used for reading video data, such as data for motion pictures. For such applications and for improved performance in other applications, it is important for the CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives to have wide bandwidths.
Optical pickup components currently employed in CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives are typically bipolar devices. While bipolar devices may have acceptable performance for such applications, with the intense competition in the consumer electronics industry, it is desirable to provide alternative designs that are cheaper than the current optical pickup designs.
None of the above-described conventional optical pickup devices for CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives are entirely satisfactory. It is, therefore, desirable to provide an improved optical pickup and photodiode design to avoid some of the difficulties described above.

Photodetector and device employing the photodetector for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal


The invention relates to a diversity reception system for motor vehicles for digitally modulated terrestrial and/or satellite radio signals in a frequency range above 1 GHz. The system includes an antenna arrangement which supplies the reception signal to a radio receiver. The antenna arrangement is an antenna system having several individual antennas and several antenna components, and contains a controllable logic switching device. The individual antennas and the several antenna components are positioned on the vehicle so that different reception signals are available at the antenna connection point via discrete switching positions of a controllable logic switch. A reception level testing device comparatively determines the reception level contained in the data flow in the HF-channel with an HF channel bandwidth B. The level testing device is designed so that when initiated by the symbol cycle generated in the receiver and during the simultaneously occurring symbol identification of the received flow of data, the reception level is determined in each case within the shortest possible level testing duration.

This invention relates to a diversity receiving system for digitally modulated terrestrial and/or satellite radio signals in the frequency range above 1 GHz for motor vehicles, with an antenna arrangement whose received signal is supplied to a radio receiver. In particular the OFDM method (orthogonal frequency division multiplex) and the MPSK method (phase shift keying with M phase conditions) are applied for the radio transmission of digital signals in the frequency range above 1 GHz. For the downlink of a satellite radio connection, the QPSK modulation (4 phase conditions) is frequently selected, and for terrestrial communication, the OFDM modulation is selected because the latter has a lower sensitivity with respect to traveling time differences between signals superimposing each other because of multi-way propagation. This also applies to the satellite radio system SDARS, which is designed for the area-covering mobile radio reception in the USA, and for terrestrial radio broadcasts which take place in heavily populated regions or overcrowded areas in addition to the radiation from 2 satellites.
The transmission disturbances occurring due to the multi-way propagation in connection with mobile reception have been successfully drastically reduced over the years with multi-antenna systems for transmitting analog transmitted signals such as, for example in connection with FM radio transmission. These systems are known from German patent P 3618452.7; P 4034548.3; and P 3926336.3. Because of the structure of OFDM or MPSK signals, these systems cannot be used with digital modulation. The present invention is based on European patent EP 1041736 A2. This patent describes and shows in FIGS. 1 and 2a diversity receivers for OFDM signals as prior art, in which, in connection with the transmission of the OFDM burst, preamble signals are transmitted outside of the time slot provided for the data transmission for the synchronization, channel estimation and antenna selection according to a level criterion. This method has the drawback that the time slot for the preamble signal denoted in FIG. 2 by reference numeral 11 has to be provided for, in the antenna selection in the transmitted burst signal. The most favorable antenna signal can be obtained exclusively depending on the occurrence of the burst signal, and not adapted to the necessity of updating, resulting from the driving movement in the multi-way scenario. This is of significance especially at carrier frequencies above 1 GHz. If, deeper level fading events are to be avoided, about ten updating events can be provided over a driving distance amounting to one half wavelength at 1 GHz. The updating then has to be repeated at a speed of 150 km/h at time intervals of 350 xcexcs. For COFDM signals according to the DAB method (digital audio broadcasting) on the L-band (1.5 GHz), this would mean, in the reverse case, of having the unacceptable requirement that the speed of the vehicle be limited to 0.5 km/h.
Furthermore, defining a separate time slot for a preamble signal for the antenna election would lead to a reduction of the effective rate of transmittable data. The invention described in the EP document 1041736 A2 cited above, does not exclusively evaluate the signal level in view of the antenna selection, but provides, as a selection criteria for the antenna selected in connection with the subsequent data identification, additional signal errors that can be derived from a defined, known burst signal, such as, for example traveling time and phase effects. However, in this case, the updating of the antenna selection only takes place in response to the transmitted burst signal, and consequently at large time intervals.
Modern satellite radio systems, like those in use under the name xe2x80x9cSDARSxe2x80x9d reduce the high bit error rate caused by multipath propigation, shadowing effects, and changing reception conditions due to satellite movement by time-delayed multiple emission of the same signal content. Here QPSK-modulated signals are emitted in a time delayed manner by two satellites. There is also sent a terrestrial COFDM-modulated signal with information content in a time delayed manner, for support, especially in urban areas. In the receiver, the signals are transmitted in a frequency bandwidth of approximately 4 MHz respectively on different, but closely adjoining frequency bands. The signals are sent at approximately 2.33 Ghz and are received with a separate HF-ZF component, and the digital information is summarily evaluated by balancing the various time changes between channels. The system thus works based on the principle of frequency diversity, whereby the transmission paths make the decorrelated reception of different signals possible due to their diversity. However, it is necessary to support the system through a further diversity function, especially in areas that are urban, hilly or shaded by trees.
With the present invention, the signals can be received even if there is statistical interference via several reflected waves.
One object of the invention is to create an efficient and inexpensive diversity system. Another object of the invention is to balance the cost of the device with sufficient and effective diversity efficiency.
Another object of the invention is to efficiently obtain an antenna diversity function that has an efficiency of xcex94nges.
Thus to achieve these objects the invention relates to a diversity reception system for receiving digitally modified satellite signals and digitally modified terrestrial signals according to a SDARS or similar standard. In with this invention, one of the three reception channels pd=psn is considered for the probability for the shortfall of the necessary minimum reception level in diversity operation.
One of the three reception channels pd=psn is used to calculate the probability for the shortfall of the necessary minimum reception level in diversity operation. With this formula, ps signifies the probability for the shortfall of the necessary minimum reception level of a satellite or terrestrial reception signal with a single antenna in the respective reception channel. The diversity efficiency of the total system in relation to the overall effective diversity efficiency nges present in the digital component of the receiver can be calculated taking into account the transmission paths nsdars=3. With this calculation, the resulting error probability of pdgesxe2x88x92psnges with nges=nt+ns1+ns2 emerges for the assumed case of equal shortfall probabilities Ps for all three signals. Here nt, ns1, nn2 are the corresponding diversity efficiencies of the terrestrial or of the first and of the second satellite channel. The total diversity efficiency of the system therefore has the value nges. The growth of the diversity efficiency of the total arrangement due to the diversity efficiency of the antenna system alone is thus calculated as xcex94nges=ngesxe2x88x92nSDARS. This reference value is a description of the capacity of the diversity antenna system.
Differing evaluation criteria of the diversity efficiency result from the antenna diversity systems known until now from the special structure and the diversity of the high frequency channels. This same information respectively is however transmitted in a time delayed fashion. With the designs of all of these systems, the cost of the system is weighed against the effectiveness of the system to obtain the most efficient diversity system known.
Therefore, the present invention provides a diversity reception system, in which the received signal is updated in response to the selection of a more favorable received signal with the lowest possible bit error rate, at adequately short time intervals. Moreover, when the vehicle is driving at a high speed, and the data flow is being identified at the same time with a low cost cable link of the radio connection, the bit error rate is kept as low as possible, assuming that a user-friendly antenna is employed from the point of view of current motor vehicle engineering.
The advantage of using the diversity method of the invention is that with respect to the transmitted signals, no measures have to be implemented for using the diversity receiving system on the receiving side. Because of this compatibility, the method can also be used as an addition to a radio system designed for reception with an individual antenna. A further advantage is that the diversity function can also be achieved with only minimal additional expenditure in a receiver intended for reception with a single antenna, because only the intermediate frequency signal, and the symbol cycle signal, which are both available, are required as the minimum requirement that the receiver needs to satisfy. If these two signals are made available on the receiver, the receiving system can be supplemented to obtain an efficient diversity reception system, external of the receiver, by selecting suitable diversity antennas and by a diversity component.
Antennas for receiving systems for the reception of satellite radio signals in motor vehicles are known from German patent DE 40 08 505.8. These antennas are designed as crossed horizontal dipoles, with dipole halves consisting of linear conductor components inclined downwards in the form of a xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d. These dipole halves are mechanically fixed in relation to each other at an angle of 90 degrees, and attached to a linear, vertical conductor that is secured on the upper end of a horizontally oriented, conductive base surface. To generate the circular polarization usually required in satellite communications, the two horizontal dipoles inclined downwards in the form of a xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d, are electrically wired together via a 90-degree phase network. To receive terrestrially emitted, vertically polarized signals, vertical monopole antennas are provided.
For satellite antennas, an antenna gain of a constant, for example 2 dBi and 3 dBi is strictly required for circular polarization in the elevation angle range of, for example between 25 and, respectively 30 degrees, and 60 and, respectively, 90 degrees depending on the satellite communication system. This requirement has to be satisfied for an antenna that is built up in the center of a plane, conductive base board. With antennas of this type of construction, the antenna gain required in the range of the zenith angle can be generally obtained without problems. As opposed thereto, the antenna gain required in the range of low elevation angles of from 20 to 30 degrees can be realized only with difficulty and can in no case be realized with a very small structural height of the antennas as required for mobile applications. Specifically, it is also impossible for physical reasons to exceed the 3 dBi-values within the entire three-dimensional angle range and to thus realize an increased quality of the signal.
Antennas bent from linear conductors can be used to satisfy the gain requirements both in the angle range of low elevation, and with steep radiation. The form of antenna frequently used at the present time is the quadrifilar helical antenna according to KILGUS (IEEE transactions on Antennas and propagation, 1976, pages 238 to 241). These antennas often have a length of several wavelengths, and are not known in the form of flat antennas with a low structural height. Also, with an antenna with a low structural height as specified in EP 0 952 625 A2, it is not possible to satisfy the gain values specified above in the low elevation angle range.
In the SAE Technical Paper 2001-01-128 with the title xe2x80x9cXM satellite Radio Technology Fundamentalsxe2x80x9d by Stellios J. PATSIOKAS, a helical antenna for the additional reception of terrestrially transmitted signals is combined for that reason with a monopole antenna, resulting in a large size construction of the combined antenna that is not suitable for use on motor vehicles.
A further problem that exists, in addition to the problem of the structural height, arises in conjunction with these antennas from the fact that because of the build-up required in automobile building on the outer surface of the motor vehicle, in conjunction with the impossibility of placing the antenna in the center of the roof for motor vehicle engineering reasons, or because of the frequently raised demand for integrating the antenna in the shape or form of the vehicle, the direction diagram formed in an idealized manner with the prescribed build-up on the surface is very highly deformed if it is attached to the vehicle, and has impermissible intake problems, as a rule. The ranges with low elevation of the radio waves are also frequently affected. The properties of circular polarization of the antenna may be completely lost in this angle range as well. These influences result from the deflections and reflections of the incident waves, which, in the frequency range above 1 to 3 GHz, are often caused on the edges of the vehicle and by the discontinuities of the body of the vehicle such as, for example the roof edge on the rear window, as well as by shading of the wave incidence by parts of the vehicle.
In addition, the received signal evaluated with the directional diagram changes strongly because of reflected waves superimposed on each other due to the movement of the vehicle, which may cause signal cancellations. All of these effects cannot be avoided with an antenna according to the specifications with the help of the build-up of the antenna on a board, and mounted on the vehicle. The impermissibly high bit error rates that result may lead to break-off of the radio connection. By selecting the suitable individual diversity antennas A1, A2, A3, etc. in the antenna system 1 in the diversity reception system as defined by the invention, it is possible to advantageously reduce these effects to a high degree.
Therefore, an important advantage of a diversity reception system as defined by the invention, is the fact that the demand for a single vehicle antenna with a directional diagram with the required circular polarization, such as with an idealized build-up on the prescribed or specified board surface, which cannot be satisfied in practical life, does not have to be separately satisfied for an individual directional diagram of the reception system in the entire three-dimensional angle range, either for the signals transmitted by the satellite or for the terrestrially transmitted signals. By separately realizing the sectoral directional diagrams, which are independent of one another, it is possible, for example to make available a single directional diagram at the selected points in time. This directional diagram has an adequate antenna gain in the required three-dimensional direction, including the small elevation angles that can be otherwise covered only with much difficulty. However, filling up the level fading events of 10 to 20 dB, which are substantial to some extent, over the driving distance, particularly in the area of partial shading, or shading of the directly incident received signals with the help of the diversity reception system as defined by the invention, is distinctly more effective in view of achieving low bit error rates, than meticulously adhering to a prescribed directional diagram on a circular board.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which disclose at least one embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

Diversity systems for receiving digital terrestrial and/or satellite radio signals for motor vehicles