Disclosed is a thermoplastic polyamide with reduced flammability obtained by melt mixing a polyamide with a phosphate ester of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein n is a number of from 1 to 10;. m is a number of from 0 to 3; PA0 x is a number of from 0 to 3; PA0 R is linear or branched C.sub.1 -to C.sub.18 -alkyl radical.

The main approaches to reduce the flammability of polyamides are melt additives, topical finish treatments, and copolymerization with flame resistant monomers. Melt additives generally include halogenated organic compounds with high levels of bromine or chlorine. A second component when halogenated compounds are employed is antimony trioxide (Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3). Other popular elements found in melt additives are phosphorus and molybdenum.
Phosphorus compounds are widely used to reduce the flammability of thermoplastic polymers. For example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,987,008; 4,203,888; and 4,940,772 disclose a broad variety of organic phosphor compounds in thermoplastic polyester.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,008 discloses a polyphosphonate with arylene and haloarylene groups. U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,888 discloses an aryl diphosphate.
One disadvantage of these phosphorus compounds is that they are inert additives which build a separate phase in the thermoplastic polyamides with negative influence of their properties and a tendency to migrate to the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,772 describes a process for producing a flame resistant polyester by copolymerizing a polyester with an unsaturated compound and reacting this copolyester with a specific phosphorus compound.
An object of the present invention was to provide a thermoplastic polyamide with reduced flammability and simultaneous excellent physical properties. Another object was to provide a process for the manufacture of thermoplastic polyamide with reduced flammability for the manufacture of molded articles by injection molding or extrusion.
Still another object was to provide a masterbatch of a thermoplastic polyamide with reduced flammability.

Thermoplastic polyamide with reduced flammability


A photoelectric conversion element includes: a first photoelectric conversion layer including: a bottom electrode; a photoelectric conversion layer; and a top electrode; and a second photoelectric conversion part including: a bottom electrode; a photoelectric conversion part; and a top electrode. A conductive layer is formed on the bottom electrode. The top electrode and the bottom electrode are electrically connected by a conductive portion and the conductive layer. The conductive portion is formed of a part of the top electrode filled in a first groove that makes a surface of the conductive layer exposed and separates a photoelectric conversion layer and a photoelectric conversion layer from each other. The top electrodes are physically separated by a second groove provided to make a step surface of a stepped portion provided in the photoelectric conversion layer exposed and have a bottom surface thereof overlap the surface of the conductive layer.

In photoelectric conversion elements used in solar batteries, light emitting elements, optical sensors, and so on, a photoelectric conversion part has a structure in which a photoelectric conversion layer is sandwiched between two electrodes, and a transparent electrode is used for at least one of the two electrodes. Currently, transparent electrodes at a practical level are not sufficiently conductive, so that the efficiency of extracting the generated charge to the outside decreases as the area of the photoelectric conversion part is enlarged. Thus, it is common to form a plurality of strip-shaped photoelectric conversion parts in a row and to connect the plural photoelectric conversion parts in series. A photoelectric conversion element module, such as a photovoltaics module having a plurality of photoelectric conversion parts, is formed by the following method, for example.
First, a photoelectric conversion layer is formed on the entire surface of a substrate such as a transparent substrate on which a plurality of strip-shaped bottom electrodes such as transparent electrodes are formed. The photoelectric conversion layer is patterned according to the number of photoelectric conversion parts to be provided, to make some of the bottom electrodes exposed. This is referred to as P2 patterning. Then, an electrode film is formed on the entire surface of the substrate, which serves as a top electrode such as a counter electrode. A stacked film of the photoelectric conversion layer and the electrode film is patterned, to divide the electrode film into multiple portions according to the number of photoelectric conversion parts to be provided. This is referred to as P3 patterning. The P3 patterning only needs to enable division of the electrode film basically, but when the conductivity of the photoelectric conversion layer is relatively high or the width of the P3 patterning is narrow, it is preferable to remove at least a part of the photoelectric conversion layer in the thickness direction with the electrode film in order to improve photoelectric conversion characteristics by breaking the conductivity between the adjacent photoelectric conversion layers.
The P3 patterning is performed by mechanical scribing using a cutting tool, for example. The stacked film is patterned by scanning a scribing blade while pressing the scribing blade against the stacked film of the electrode film and the photoelectric conversion layer, for example. At this time, burrs of the electrode film forming the top electrode may be pressed in the pressing direction of the scribing blade to come into contact with the bottom electrodes. If between the two burrs of the top electrode divided by a scribe groove, the burr of the photoelectric conversion part comes into contact with the bottom electrode, a short circuit is caused between the electrodes of the photoelectric conversion part, leading to a decrease in the photoelectric conversion characteristics. As the brittleness of the top electrode is lower or the expandability of the top electrode is higher, the burr is more likely to occur and the short circuit between the electrodes is more likely to occur. As compared to metal oxides such as indium tin oxide (ITO), for example, metals such as gold and silver, and organic composite materials such as silver paste are more likely to cause burrs.
Further, in the case where the bottom electrode has high brittleness or is soft, scanning while pressing the scribing blade against the stacked film causes cracking or scraping in the bottom electrode, resulting in lower conductivity and lower photoelectric conversion characteristics. For example, metal oxides such as ITO are more likely to crack than metals such as gold and silver, and further, conductive polymers such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS) are more likely to be scraped. Further, in the case of using a soft substrate, the bottom electrode also tends to be deformed at the same time as the substrate is deformed when the scribing blade is pressed against the stacked film, and thus, the substrate is more likely to crack. In the meantime, in the case where the pressing pressure of the scribing blade is lowered so as to prevent cracking or scraping of the bottom electrode, the top electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer cannot be sufficiently removed to remain, failing to sufficiently break the conductivity between the adjacent photoelectric conversion parts, resulting in a decrease in the photoelectric conversion characteristics.

Photoelectric conversion element and method of manufacturing thereof

Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation


A partition includes a plurality of panels and an elongate panel joiner. The plurality of panels includes a first panel and a second panel that are adjacent about one another. The elongate panel joiner joins the first panel and the second panel. The panel joiner includes two end members and a corrugated portion there between. The end members are configured along opposite ends of the panel joiner. One of the two end members is configured to connect to the first panel and the other of the two end member is configured to connect to the second panel. The corrugated portion is configured such that the panel joiner can move in an accordion-like manner.

Awnings that are part of an inhabitable structure, such as a residence, a motor home, a recreational vehicle or the like, provide shelter in an outdoor environment. It may be possible to form walls that surround the space below the awning so as to provide an enclosed, room-like space that is secluded from the outdoors. However, these rooms might require the use of fastening means such as screws, nuts, bolts or the like for assembly and it might also be cumbersome to assemble or disassemble the room if the components were connected using these fastening means. Moreover, these rooms might not be able to compensate for the conditions of the ground having undulations and irregularities and gaps may exist between the walls of the rooms and the ground. Thus, there is a need for a room that helps reduce the shortcomings of the apparatuses known in the art.

Portable recreational vehicle seasonal roll-up awning snap-room awning addition


A new and distinct variety of Callistemon plant named ‘CNU19’ which is characterized by the combination of a semi-compact, globular growth habit, an abundance of cylindrical inflorescences bearing dark pink flowers, and the stability of all characteristics from generation to generation.

Parentage: 'CNU19' is the result of a controlled cross-pollination breeding program carried out by the inventor at a commercial plant breeding facility in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia in October of 2014. The inventor performed a controlled cross-pollination of the seed parent, Callistemon 'Hot Pink' (South African Plant Breeder's Rights grant number ZA 20043189) with Callistemon 'Mauve Mist' (unpatented), the pollen parent. The resulting seedlings were grown for two years to evaluate for new and distinct characteristics. In October of 2016, the inventor selected the new Callistemon plant for its upright growth habit and dark pink flowers. This new and distinctive cultivar was given the name 'CNU19'
Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of 'CNU19', by way of stem cuttings, was first initiated in 2016 in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. Through greater than four subsequent generations of asexual propagation, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true to type.


A method for producing a customized surgical instrument or prosthesis for a specific patient is described. At least one x-ray image of a body part of the patient is captured. A statistical model having a dense set of anatomical correspondence points across the model is instantiated using image data derived from the at least one x-ray image to generate a patient specific model of the body part having a high accuracy surface. Patient specific data from the patient specific model is used to generate a design of the customized surgical instrument or prosthesis for use in a surgical procedure to be carried out on the body part. The surgical instrument or prosthesis is then manufactured using the design. A computer implemented method for generating the patient specific model of the body part is also described.

The present invention relates to customising surgical apparatus and in particular to customising surgical instruments and/or implants using patient specific data obtained from a captured image of a patient.
The general idea of creating a patient specific instruments or implants from CT or MRI data has been described previously, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,134 and WO 93/25157. U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,134 describes using a CT scanner or MRI scanner to generate digitized medical information, which can be used with additional digital information, and a rapid prototyping method to create a prosthesis matching a body part and to which a further functional element can be attached. WO 93/25157 describes a method using tomographic data, such as from a CT or MRI scan, and image processing to generate a 3D reconstruction of the body part, which can be used with a CNC machine to allow an individual prostheses to be created. An individual template can also be manufactured matching a patient's anatomy and for mounting on the patient for guidance, alignment and positioning of a treatment tool.
However, not all medical facilities have access to CT or MRI scanners. In many cases, CT or MRI data of a patient is not available. Further, CT scans entail a significant radiation dose for patients and so should be avoided where possible. Further in many countries, regulations require the scans to be diagnosed by a specialist radiologist. Furthermore, CT and MRI scans are data processing intensive and require a large amount of processing time in order to derive patient specific data from the scans. Processing of the data can not be fully automated due to the variability in data quality and the accuracy in surface reconstructions required thus making such an approach unsuitable for a large-scale production scheme.
Other approaches to generating a 3D model of a patient's anatomy exist. For example statistical shape model and other deformable model based approaches can be used for modelling patient's actual bone shapes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,194,295 describes a method for computer assisted navigation and/or pre-operative treatment planning in which a generic model of the patient's body part is adapted based on patient characteristic data which can be obtained from X-ray images of the patient. US2005/0027492 describes a method of building a statistical shape model by establishing correspondences between sets of two dimensional or three dimensional shapes. However, the approaches described in these documents have not in themselves been able to generate 3D models which can efficiently be used to replace CT or MRI scans in the above described methods. Such modelling approaches do not in themselves produce the surface accuracy, for example 1-2 mm, generally required for customising implants or instruments.
Therefore, it would be desirable to be able to provide customised implants, instruments or surgical procedures without using a CT or MRI, or similar, 3D scanning approach.


A semiconductor element and method are provided such that the method includes providing a processed substrate arrangement including a processed semiconductor substrate and a metallization layer structure on a main surface of the processed semiconductor substrate. The method further includes release etching for generating a kerf in the metallization layer structure at a separation region in the processed semiconductor substrate, the separation region defining a border between a die region of the processed substrate arrangement and at least a second region of the processed substrate arrangement.

The term microelectromechanical system (MEMS) is often used to refer to small integrated devices or systems that combine electrical and mechanical components.
MEMS may be used as, for example, actuators, transducers or sensors, e.g., pressure sensors, loudspeakers or microphones. Pressure sensors are nowadays mass products in automobile electronics and consumer goods electronics. Many of these applications systems are used in which the sensor is integrated in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In particular, MEMS are manufactured in high numbers on a wafer at a time. The processing includes separation of the MEMS from each other.

Semiconductor element and methods for manufacturing the same


A synthetic aperture radar system fluctuation compensating apparatus includes a synthetic aperture radar mounted on a flying unit, a data acquiring unit, a position measuring unit and a position determining unit. The data acquiring unit receives a reception data by the synthetic aperture radar. The position measuring unit measures a position of the flying unit to generate a position data. The position determining unit determines a correct position of the flying unit based on the reception data and the position data to generate a compensated position data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a synthetic aperture radar system and a platform position measuring apparatus used in the same, and more particularly to a technique of increasing the measuring precision of a position of a flying body on which a platform is mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is mounted on an artificial satellite and an aircraft and is used to obtain an image of a portion of a ground surface in a high resolution regardless of night and day and the weather of the ground surface portion.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic structure example of a conventional synthetic aperture radar. Referring to FIG. 1, a synthetic aperture radar basic unit 10 and a position and attitude measuring apparatus 14 are mounted on a platform (not shown). In the synthetic aperture radar basic unit 10, a pulse signal is generated by a transmitter 11 and is radiated as a electromagnetic wave for the ground from a transmission and reception antenna 12. The electromagnetic wave is reflected on the ground surface and is received by the transmission and reception antenna 12. The received electromagnetic wave is amplified and detected by a receiver 13 and is recorded on a recording medium (not shown) such as a magnetic tape in a complex data format by a data recording unit 15.
A series of operations are repeated in a predetermined time interval of 1 msec. or at the frequency of 1000 Hz. Also, a position and attitude data of the platform measured by the position and attitude measuring unit 14 is also recorded by the data recording unit 15 together with the receive data by the synthetic aperture, radar basic unit 10.
After the measurement, an image is produced from the recorded data by an SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) image reproducing unit 16 through an SAR image reproducing process which is well known. The SAR image reproducing process is described in, for example, the fourth chapter of "Remote Sensing for Resource Investigation: practical use series 5 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)" by Yoshirou Iguchi (published from Resource Observation and Analysis Centers on Mar. 31, 1992, pp153-198).
When the fluctuation of the platform in position is large in an aircraft, a fluctuation compensating process is executed using the platform position and attitude data synchronous with a pulse signal in the measurement in the case of the SAR image reproducing process. Thus, it is necessary to prevent the degradation of a resolution of the reproduced image and the warp of the image due to the fluctuation of the platform.
The fluctuation compensating process is a process in which the variation of a phase of the reception signal is compensated or corrected based on the actual fluctuation of the platform, supposing that the platform flies on an ideal straight route at a uniform velocity. This process is well known. This process is described in, for example, "III. DATA PROCESSING" of "Repeat-Pass Interferometry with Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar" by A. L. Grayet.al (IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING, Vol.31, No.1, JANUARY 1993, pp.180-191).
In order to obtain an SAR reproduction image without the degradation of the resolution through the fluctuation compensating process, it is necessary to compensate the platform position and attitude data for the fluctuation of the platform in the measurement in precision of 1/8 or below of the measurement wavelength. Because the synthetic aperture radar system at present uses the wavelength from several cm to about tens of cm, the required detection precision of the fluctuation of the platform is from several mm to several cm.
Also, in recent years, a method of detecting a minute diastrophism to the extent of the wavelength of the measurement electromagnetic wave or below by unit of a differential interferometry type synthetic aperture radar is developed. This method is described in, for example, "Mapping Small Elevation Changes Over Large Areas: Differential Radar Interferometry" by A. K. Gabrielet.al (Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol.94, No.B7, 1989, pp.9183-9191).
In this case, it is necessary to detect the fluctuation of the platform in the precision higher than that of the detection of the minute diastrophism. The fluctuation compensating process is executed based on the detecting result. Therefore, it is required that the fluctuation of the platform is detected in the precision of about several mm for detection of the minute diastrophisms of several cm such as earthquake, volcanism, landslide, and land subsidence. In this way, it is very important to obtain the fluctuation data of the platform in a high precision, when a data is obtained by the synthetic aperture radar system.
Conventionally, as the position and attitude measuring unit which is mounted on the platform together with the synthetic aperture radar is generally used a global positioning system (GPS), an inertial navigation system or a hybrid navigation system of a combination of them. The position measurement precision is about several m in the hybrid navigation system, and about several cm in kinematic GPS using a carrier wave. Therefore, the above systems are insufficient in precision for the fluctuation compensating process in the synthetic aperture radar and the diastrophism detection in the differential interferometry type synthetic aperture radar.
A method of compensating for the fluctuation in the synthetic aperture radar and a method of measuring a position by the radar are described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 6-160515) to solve the above problem.
Next, the method of measuring the position of the platform on which the synthetic aperture radar is mounted will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the conventional method of measuring the position of the platform using the radar.
Referring to FIG. 2, a reference numeral 1 denotes a radar platform, and a reference numeral 2 denotes a platform flight track. A reference numeral 3 denotes an measurement object area. Reference numerals 4, 5 and 6 denote first, second and third repeaters. A reference numeral 7 denotes a phase compensation basing point. Here, the first repeater 4, the second repeater 5 and the third repeater 6 are arranged in different positions.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a conventional fluctuation compensating and position measuring system in a synthetic aperture radar system. Referring to FIG. 3, the system is composed of a synthetic aperture radar basic unit 50, which is equivalent to the synthetic aperture radar basic unit 10 shown in FIG. 1. In the synthetic aperture radar basic unit 50 is composed of a transmitter 51, a transmission and reception switching unit 52, a transmission and reception antenna 53, a receiver 54 and a local oscillator 55. The synthetic aperture radar system is further composed of a phase compensation reference signal generating unit 56, a complex data multiplier 57, an image reproducing unit 58 and a display unit 59. Also, the synthetic aperture radar system is further composed of an inertial navigation system 60 and an antenna directional control unit 61. Moreover, the synthetic aperture radar system is further composed of antennas 70, transceivers 71, relative distance calculating units 72 and a platform position calculating unit 73. The antenna sends and receives a electromagnetic wave to and from a repeater. The transceiver 71 is connected with the antenna 70. The relative distance calculating unit 72 is connected with the transceiver 71 and the inertial navigation system 60 and calculates a relative distance between the radar platform 1 and the phase compensation reference point 7. The platform position calculating unit 73 determines the position of the platform from the relative distances calculated by the relative distance calculating units 72.
The operation of the above-mentioned system will be described with refers to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The operation of the synthetic aperture radar basic unit 50 is the same as described above. After the repeater receives and amplifies a high frequency signal which has been radiated from the radar, the repeater sends back the amplified high frequency signal to the received direction.
In the method of measuring the position by the radar, the high frequency signals are transmitted to the first repeater 4, the second repeater 5 and the third repeater 6 using the transmission and reception antennas 70 and the transceivers 71. The amplified high frequency signals are received from the first repeater 4, the second repeater 5 and the third repeater 6 by use of the transmission and reception antennas 70 and the transceivers 71.
In this case, a relative distance between the radar platform and the repeater is calculated from the reception signal which has been received by the above-mentioned transceiver 71 based on a electromagnetic wave propagation time and a phase by the relative distance calculating unit 72. The position coordinate of the radar platform is calculated from the above-mentioned relative distances and the positions of the repeaters by the platform position calculating unit 73 connected with the above-mentioned relative distance calculating unit 72.
In the above mentioned conventional method of measuring a position of the platform, the radar used for the position measurement is different from the radar used for the SAR. Therefore, 3 or more antennas and transceivers are required to send and receive the high frequency signal to and from the repeater, in addition to the synthetic aperture radar basic unit.
Also, the antenna to send and receive the high frequency signal to and from the repeater must be controlled to always face the repeaters. Therefore, a control mechanism become necessary. Thus, there is a problem that the structure of the synthetic aperture radar system becomes very complicated.
Also, the antennas which send and receive high frequency signals to and from the repeaters are different from each other. Also, the positions of the repeaters are different from each other. Therefore, in order to calculate the precise position of the platform, their relative position relation must be considered. Thus, there is a problem that the calculation of the platform position becomes very complicated.
In conjunction with the above description, an interferometry type synthetic aperture radar fluctuation compensating apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2546175. In this reference, the apparatus is composed of a an integration time calculating section, a summation section, a fluctuation compensating data calculating section and a fluctuation compensating section. The integration time calculating section calculates an integration time of an SAR reproduction process based on a position and speed data of a flying body. The summation section sums fluctuation data outputted from a recording and reproducing section based on the integration time. The fluctuation compensating data calculating section calculates a fluctuation compensating data based on the summation data and the position and speed data. The fluctuation compensating section calculates a difference between an interference data outputted from an interference processing section and the fluctuation compensating data and outputs the difference as a compensation interference data.
Also, an interferometry type synthetic aperture radar apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 9-230039). In this reference, the apparatus is composed of a radar section, a plural image generating section, an image mixing section and a phase unlapping section. The radar section performs measurement using a synthetic aperture radar apparatus to obtain a plurality of geometry images in which measurement conditions are different from each other. The plural image generating section combines the plurality of geometry images to interference to each other and generate a plurality of interference images. The image mixing section mixes the plurality of interference images. The phase unlapping section converts the mixed plurality of interference images into images with data corresponding to the geometrical height.
Also, a radar apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 8-29528). In this reference, the apparatus is composed of a signal processing section which performs a compensating process in a distance direction and a synthetic aperture process to a reflected signal from a target to generate a high resolution radar image signal. The signal processing section is composed of a reference point detecting section 121, a smoothing section 122, and a range walk compensating section 123. The reference point detecting section 121 detects a reference point of the target. The smoothing section 122 acquires the frequency of the reference point plural times from a plurality of transmission signals and specifies the frequency of the reference point from the plurality of frequencies to determine a speed. The range walk compensating section 123 synthesizes the speed of the target and the speed of a moving body externally given to determine the change of a relative distance to the target and compensates the position of a reflected signal from the target for every range cell corresponding to a resolution in a distance direction.
Also, a satellite mounted synthetic aperture radar apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2751901. In this reference, the apparatus is composed of an antenna section and a chirp pulse generator. The antenna section is mounted on a plane including a traveling direction of a satellite and radiates two beams for the ground and reflection beam of the radiated beams. The radiated beams have slightly different radiation angles in a perpendicular to the traveling direction. The chirp pulse generator generates chirp pulses corresponding to the two radiated beams such that the delay inclination characteristic of the chirp pulses are inverted for every pulse.
Also, an SAR/GPS inertial distance measuring method is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2702076. In this reference, an air plane is moved along a predetermined route, and a relative position and speed along the route is precisely measured using the GPS with an inertial navigation system. A first synthetic aperture radar map is generated and a target pixel is specified in the first synthetic aperture radar map corresponding to a target. Also, additional synthetic aperture radar maps are generated and a target pixel is specified in the additional synthetic aperture radar map. A position of the target pixel is calculated in the inertial navigation system and the GPS and at the same time a propagation speed of a radar wave to the target is calculated using the air plane position data calculated by the GPS. A precise position of the target pixel is calculated using the calculated radar wave propagation speed.

Synthetic aperture radar system and platform position measuring apparatus used in the same


A mold for forming a prosthesis is disclosed. The mold can include a stem portion, a head portion, and a securement assembly. The stem portion and the head portion can be provided in a kit having a variety of different interior dimensions so that a user can select or customize a mold cavity size based on the dimensions of a particular implant site of a patient. While a set of stem portions and head portions can have interior dimensions of varying sizes, each of the stem portions and each of the head portions can have the same or similar exterior dimensions for attachment using a common securement structure. Related methods are also disclosed.

It is possible for tissue surrounding orthopedic implants, such as knee or hip implants, to become infected. If necessary, an implant is removed and it can take several weeks or more to adequately treat the infection, during which time an implant site is kept immobile. The implant site immobility can result in shrinkage of the space previously occupied by the implant.


A method of managing defects on a write-once optical recording medium having at least one recording layer is disclosed. The method of managing defects on the at least one recording layer comprises the steps of allocating at least one replacement area and a plurality of temporary defect management areas to the optical recording medium, wherein the temporary defect management areas are separately provided, and recording defect management information on at least one of the plurality of temporary defect management areas.

Optical discs, which are a kind of optical recording media, can record a large amount of data, and are now being widely used. Currently, a kind of innovative high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) such as blue ray disc (Blu-ray Disc) is under development. This kind of medium can record and store video data of high quality and audio data of high fidelity for a long time.
The Blu-ray disc is a next generation optical recording solution that can store a larger amount of data than a conventional DVD.
The Blu-ray disc generally employs a blue-violet laser having a wavelength of 405 nm. This wavelength is shorter than a red laser used on a conventional DVD. The wavelength of the red laser is 650 nm. The Blu-ray disc has a thickness of 1.2 mm and a diameter of 12 cm, and includes a light transmission layer having a thickness of about 0.1 mm. Therefore, the Blu-ray disc can store a larger amount of data than a conventional DVD.
An optical disc device for writing and reading data on the Blu-ray disc is shown in FIG. 1. It includes an optical pick-up 11 for writing and reading a signal to and from an optical disc 10, a video disc recorder (VDR) system 12 for processing the signal read out from the optical pick-up 11 into a replay signal, or for modulating and processing an externally inputted data stream into a record signal suitable for recording, and an encoder 13 for encoding an externally inputted analog signal and outputting the encoded analog signal to the VDR system 12.
A Blu-ray disc can be of a rewritable type, which is referred to herein as a Blu-ray Disc Rewritable (BD-RE). A BD-RE has a rewritable capability, which enables video and audio data to be written, erased, and rewritten thereon repeatedly.
The BD-RE, as shown in FIG. 2 is divided into a lead-in area (LIA), a data area and a lead-out area (LOA), and the front and the rear of the data area are allocated to have an inner spare area (ISA) and an outer spare area (OSA).
With the BD-RE configured in the manner described above, the VDR system 12 of the optical disc device shown in FIG. 1 encodes and modulates externally inputted data into a signal suitable for recording, and records by cluster unit corresponding to error correction block unit. If a defective area occurs in the data area while recording data on the BD-RE, the data of one cluster unit recorded on the defective area is also recorded on the spare area (for example, the inner spare area on the BD-RE) according to a linear replacement operation. A series of linear replacement operations can be performed.
Accordingly, the VDR system 12 of the optical disc device records the data of the cluster unit recorded on the defective area onto the spare area, even if the defective area occurs in the data area of the rewritable Blu-ray disc. When a playback operation is performed for the rewritable Blu-ray disc, the data recorded onto the spare area are read out and replayed so that a data recording error can be prevented.
Various standards related to the Blu-ray disc are under development.
In this respect, a second type of Blu-ray disc, on which data is not repeatedly rewritten (non-rewritable), but is written only once, is herein referred to as a Blu-ray Disc Write-Once (BD-WO). The Write-once Blu-Ray disc is useful when it is not desirable to repeatedly rewrite data. In a BD-WO, management of defective areas is needed.
But since data can be recorded on the BD-RE repeatedly (due to the characteristics of the BD-RE), the size of the defect management area (DMA) for the rewritable Blu-ray disc is relatively small (see DMA 1˜DMA 4 in FIG. 2). In contrast, since data is recorded on the write-once Blu-ray disc only one time, the area required in the BD-WO to manage the defective area needs to be larger than the area required for a write-once Blu-ray disc. Accordingly, a sufficiently sized defect management area should be allocated for the BD-WO.
A Blu-ray disc such as a BD-WO having both a sufficiently sized defect management area can store an even greater amount of data than the conventional DVD when a cross-section two-layers recording technology is applied for making two recording layers on one side of the disc with 0.85 NA (Lens Numerical Apertures). An increase in storing capacity is achieved by closely irradiating rays being passed through a lens to the optical disc.
A Blu-ray disc has generally a high numerical aperture lens, increased density, and a 0.32 μm track pitch. An optical disc being manufactured by using the Blu-ray disc technology can transmit data at a much faster speed than a DVD ROM and a CD ROM. When formatting video and audio data, a formatting method being presently used for DVD such as MPEG2 (video), AC3, MPEG1 and layer 2 (audio) should be used so as to maintain compatibility with the conventional methods. A feature of a HD-DVD type drive (such as BD-WO) effectively protecting data, should be such that its data can be stored on and reproduced from most of conventional DVD discs being presently used.

Write-once recording medium and defective area management method and apparatus for write-once recording medium


An image sensor includes an avalanche diode, an avalanche detector circuit, a sample and hold circuit, and a sample collection circuit. The avalanche diode has an output voltage that changes in response to an avalanche event in the avalanche diode. The avalanche detector circuit is configured to generate a sample capture signal in response to detecting the avalanche event. The sample and hold circuit is configured to store a sample of the output voltage in response to receiving the sample capture signal. The sample collection circuit is configured to collect the sample of the output voltage from the sample and hold circuit.

Avalanche diodes are used in a variety of applications, including: as voltage references, for surge protection, or in imaging applications. One type of avalanche diode—the single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD)—may be used in three-dimensional (3D) imaging applications (e.g., light detection and ranging (LIDAR) applications).
An important characteristic of an avalanche diode is its breakdown voltage. However, there are very few methods for determining an avalanche diode's breakdown voltage, and existing methods rely on complex, time-consuming calibration processes, and are sensitive to various environmental effects.

Breakdown voltage monitoring for avalanche diodes


A direct memory access (DMA); controller for controlling data transfer between a memory and an input/output (I/O) device comprises an address counter for counting an address to be supplied to the memory, and a read/write controller for controlling a read/write operation between the memory and the I/O device. A jump start address register is provided to hold a jump start address, and an address comparator compares a content of the address counter with a content of the jump start address register. When the address comparator detects consistence between the content of the address counter and the content of the jump start address register, the read/write controller operates to stop the read/write operation between the memory and the I/O device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a DMA (direct memory access) controller, and more specifically to a DMA controller used in a microcomputer system for transferring data between a memory and an I/O (input/output) device.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional microcomputer system, a DMA controller for controlling a direct data transfer between a memory and an I/O device which are coupled in common to a data bus, includes a data counter, an address counter and a read/write controller.
When the read/write controller receives a DMA request from the I/O device, the read/write controller outputs a DMA acknowledge to the I/O device, and at the same time, outputs read/write control signals to the memory and the I/O device, respectively. For example, when data is transferred from the memory to the I/O device, the read/write controller outputs a read control signal and a write control signal to the memory and the I/O device, respectively. To the contrary, when data is transferred from the I/O device to the memory, the read/write controller outputs a read control signal and a write control signal to the I/O device and the memory, respectively.
On the other hand, when the DMA is requested, the DMA controller, particularly the data counter and the address counter are initialized by a CPU (central processing unit) included in the microcomputer system. In the course of the DMA operation, the read/write controller decrements the data counter, and increments or decrements the address counter. A content of the address counter is supplied to the memory as an address to be accessed.
Thus, a large amount of data can be directly transferred between the memory and the I/O device through the data bus but without the intermediary of the CPU.
When the content of the data counter becomes zero, the data counter outputs a data transfer stop signal to the read/write controller so as to stop operation of the read/write controller.
In the above mentioned conventional DMA controller, if a memory area not to be read or written exists between a data transfer start address and a data transfer end address in the memory, it is necessary to stop the data transfer just before the memory area not to be read or written, and then, to initialize the DMA controller, again, so that the data transfer is restarted just after the memory area not to be read or written. However, as mentioned above, the initialization of the DMA controller is executed by the CPU, an extra load is given to the CPU in the course of the data transfer in the DMA mode. As a result, a system efficiency of the microcomputer is decreased.


A matching adjustment between left and right screens is easily and accurately performed in a digital stereo camera and/or a digital stereo video camera at or after the time of photographing. A stereo viewfinder 3 of a digital stereo camera 1 comprises a pair of left and right liquid crystal displays and eyepiece lenses 10. Aspect ratios of left and right image display regions of the liquid crystal displays is made narrower than aspect ratios of image capture regions of image capture devices and horizontal scrolling is performed symmetrically. Images on the image capture devices are horizontally scrolled, while finder images are viewed in a stereoscopic manner with both eyes, so that perspective of a stereoscopic image changes and an optimally scrolled image data can be photographed. Scroll adjustment can be performed on image data after being photographed, and stereo photographs giving an optimal stereoscopic feeling can be printed from edited image data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera, a 3-dimensional display, a 3-dimensional projector, and a printer and a stereo viewer, and in particular to a digital stereo camera or a digital stereo video camera, a 3-dimensional display, a 3-dimensional projector, and a printer and a stereo viewer which achieve improvement in reproducibility of a 3-dimensional stereoscopic image.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been a long history in a 3-dimesional (3-D) stereo photograph or a 3-D stereo motion picture where a viewer or observer can view a stereoscopic image by watching two images with different viewpoints photographed at places spaced to right and left individually at his/her left and right eyes. In order to obtain a preferable stereoscopic effect in the stereo photographic, it is important to achieve positional matching between a left image and a right image. When a mismatching occurs, the stereoscopic effect is reduced or diminished, or considerable visual fatigue is given to a viewer.
In a conventional stereo camera or stereo slide of a silver halide film type, many means for taking matching at a photographing time or means for taking matching when a film is mounted on a slide mount have already been proposed by the assignee of the present application (Japanese Patent No. 2880131, Japanese Patent No. 2880132, Japanese Patent No. 3370051, and the like).
As a technique for a stereo photograph in a digital camera, for example, there is a proposal about a technique where a prism type stereo adapter having two set of left and right mirrors is attached to a photographing lens of an ordinary digital camera having one photographing lens, and a stereo photograph is taken by projecting images incident on the left and right mirror on respective left and right halves of an image-capture device in a divisional manner (Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-341789)
As a 3-D motion picture appreciating method where a viewer appreciates a 3-D stereo motion picture projected on a projection screen by a liquid crystal projector, such a method have been conventionally implemented that a linear polarizing processing where a left eye side image and a right eye side image are orthogonal to each other or a circular polarizing processing where rotating directions are reverse to each other and an image is projected on a projection screen is performed, a viewer uses glasses having linear polarizing filters or circular polarizing filters corresponding to the image on the left eye side and the right eye side to separate the image entering in both the left and right eyes into a left side eye image and a right side eye image thereby appreciating a 3-D stereoscopic image.
When a scanning type electronic display such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display is used, a 3-D cinema system where in an interlace scanning constituting one frame with two fields, a motion picture is displayed by alternately scanning a left eye side image and a right side eye image for each one field, and when a viewer watches a screen wearing liquid crystal shutter glasses with a left side liquid crystal shutter and a right side liquid crystal shutter alternately opened and closed so that a left side image appears on his/her left eye and a right side image appears on his/her right eye is known (for example, see JP-A-H10-133801).
For a stereo photograph, it is important to obtain a positional matching between a pair of left and right images (adjustment of a distance where a viewer can see a stereo-composite image). Regarding the matching, however, since there are also various factors affecting visual matching including not only positions of main subject images on left and right images but also a photographing distance to the main subject or a distance between optical axes of left and right photographing lenses, a positional relationship between the main subject image and other subject images or a background, and the like, it is difficult to obtain an optimal matching by performing a uniform adjustment.
That is, in order to produce a stereo photograph with quality higher than that of a stereo photograph to which matching adjustment has not been performed, the stereo photograph to which coarse matching adjustment has been performed, or the like, it is necessary to perform adjustment to stereoscopic feeling for each one photographing or for each production of a pair of stereo photo-prints or stereo slides. There is a similar requirement in the 3-D cinema, where matching adjustment should be performed for each one scene. However, it seems that an art about a digital stereo camera or 3-D projector provided with a matching adjusting unit or means which can attain adjustment to a complete state has not been known at this time.
Therefore, a technical problem to be solved arises in order to perform matching adjustment of left and right screens for a pair of stereo photographs or for each one scene of a 3-D cinema at a photographing time or after photographing easily and accurately. An object of the present invention is to solve the above problem.
Another object of the invention is to allow accurate matching adjustment such that a distance relationship between a stereoscopic image and "a stereo window" (one virtual window through which right and left image frames appear at a certain distance in conformity with each other) is made easily visible at a photographing time or at a time of matching adjustment between left and right screens after photographing.
A conventional digital silver halide print system used in a photo shop or the like does not accommodate a stereo photograph, and can not perform matching adjustment between left and right screens at a printing time. Still another object of the invention is to provide a printer which allows easy accurate matching adjustment between left and right screen at a printing time, allows printing of one sheet of stereo photograph on which a pair of left and right images have been arranged properly, and can provide stereo photograph print service at a photo shop or the like

Digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera, 3-dimensional display, 3-dimensional projector, and printer and stereo viewer


The present invention provides a sheet conveying roller which requires a smaller number of ingredients than a prior art sheet conveying roller, has an excellent weather resistance, is less liable to suffer from reduction in friction coefficient attributable to accumulation of paper dust and sheet conveying failure attributable to the reduction in friction coefficient, and ensures proper sheet conveyance for a longer period of time. The invention further provides a rubber composition for the sheet conveying roller. The rubber composition comprises an ethylene-propylene-diene rubber and an epoxylated natural rubber as a rubber component. In the rubber composition, the epoxylated natural rubber is present in a proportion of 10 mass % to 90 mass % based on the overall amount of the rubber component including the two rubbers. The sheet conveying roller includes a roller body formed from the rubber composition.

Various types of sheet conveying rollers are incorporated in sheet conveying mechanisms provided, for example, in electrostatic copying machines, laser printers, plain paper facsimile machines, copier-printer-facsimile multifunction machines, inkjet printers, automatic teller machines (ATM) and the like.
Examples of the sheet conveying rollers include sheet feed rollers, transport rollers, platen rollers and sheet output rollers, which are each adapted to be rotated in frictional contact with a sheet to convey the sheet. The term "sheet" is herein defined to include a paper sheet, a plastic film sheet and a sheet made of a material other than paper, and this definition is effective in the following description.
Typical examples of a material conventionally used for such a sheet conveying roller include various rubbers such as a natural rubber (NR), a urethane rubber, an ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM), a polynorbornene rubber, a silicone rubber and a chlorinated polyethylene rubber.
However, paper dust generated from paper sheets is liable to adhere to an outer peripheral surface of the sheet conveying roller. As the sheet conveying roller is repeatedly brought into contact with the paper sheets, the paper dust is accumulated on the outer peripheral surface of the sheet conveying roller. This reduces the friction coefficient of the sheet conveying roller with respect to the paper sheets, thereby causing sheet conveying failure at a relatively early stage.
Particularly, paper sheets having a higher ash content is more liable to generate paper dust, so that the accumulation of the paper dust and the sheet conveying failure attributable to the accumulation of the paper dust are more liable to occur.
It is contemplated that a rubber mixture containing an EPDM, an isoprene rubber (IR) and a styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) in a predetermined ratio is used as a rubber component for formation of the sheet conveying roller (see JP-2011-116480A).
Based on the contemplation, the inventor of the present invention finds that a sheet conveying roller produced by using the three rubbers in combination as the rubber component suppresses the accumulation of the paper dust and the accompanying sheet conveying failure to some extent and ensures proper sheet conveyance for a longer period of time than ever.
However, the effects of the combinational use of the three rubbers as the rubber component are not sufficient. There is still a demand for a sheet conveying roller which prevents the accumulation of the paper dust and the accompanying sheet conveying failure for a longer period of time to ensure proper sheet conveyance.
In the combinational use of the three rubbers as the rubber component, the IR and the SBR are added to the EPDM intrinsically having a smaller friction coefficient in order to improve the initial friction coefficient of the sheet conveying roller. However, the effect of improving the initial friction coefficient is not sufficient.
Of the three rubbers as the rubber component, the EPDM is intrinsically excellent in weather resistance as well known. However, the IR and the SBR each have a carbon-carbon double bond in a main chain thereof and, therefore, are insufficient in weather resistance as compared with the EPDM. This may result in cracking and breakage of the sheet conveying roller during prolonged use of the sheet conveying roller.
Further, the rubber composition has a complicated formulation, because a lot of ingredients including the three rubbers as the rubber component should be blended. This reduces the productivity of the rubber composition and the productivity of the sheet conveying roller to be produced by using the rubber composition, and makes it difficult to control the qualities of the rubber composition and the sheet conveying roller. Further, this increases the production costs.

Sheet conveying roller and rubber composition


A high-pressure fuel supply pump comprising a suction valve disposed on a suction side of a pressurizing chamber, an engagement member having a protrusion part that protrudes toward the outer periphery and biasing the suction valve by use of the force of a spring, a stator for generating a magnetic attraction force, and a plunger drawn by the magnetic attraction force and driving the engagement member toward the stator by engaging with the protrusion part, the fuel supply pump being configured so that the area of the fuel passage is smallest between the outer periphery of the protrusion part and the inner periphery of the plunger, and so that a tapered section whereby the area of the flow path increases from the portion where the area of the passage is smallest toward the pressurizing chamber or toward the suction valve side is formed.

There is a widely used high-pressure fuel supply pump including an electromagnetic suction valve that increases a fuel pressure and discharges fuel at a desired flow rate in a direct injection type internal combustion to directly inject the fuel into a combustion chamber among internal combustion engines of an automobile and the like. For example, PTL 1 (JP 2012-251447 A) below discloses, as a next generation high-pressure fuel pump, a structure in which an anchor and a rod are formed in separate bodies.


Disclosed is a hydraulic engine mount having a fastener which protrudes outside from a mount body and is inserted into a fastener insert hole formed in a support structure such as a vehicle frame or the like and then fixed thereto by means of a fastener member. The engine mount comprises a first elastic pad having a first hole through which the fastener can pass and a second elastic pad having a second hole through which the fastener can pass. When installed in the support structure, the first elastic pad is disposed between the support structure and the mount body and the second elastic pad is disposed between the support structure and the fastener member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an engine mount, more particularly to an engine mount which is installed between a powertrain such as an engine or transmission of a vehicle and the vehicle structure such as a sub-frame where the powertrain is installed and supported, to thereby inhibit vehicle vibration from being transmitted between the powertrain and the vehicle structure, due to road conditions, engine operation, power transmission and the like.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, a hydraulic engine mount provides sufficient damping to the rigid body mode control of the engine during the operation of a vehicle and at the same time can isolate vibration from the engine, thereby providing an excellent vibration isolation performance, as compared to a rubber engine mount. Thus, luxurious vehicles employ such hydraulic engine mounts.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional hydraulic engine mount 10. This engine mount 10 includes a mount body having a rubber isolator 11 filled with liquid, a lower cover 12 installed at the lower portion of the rubber isolator 11 and a metallic inserter 13 installed at the top face of the rubber isolator 11.
The metallic inserter 13 is provided with an upper fastener 15 protruded upwardly so as to be inserted into and fixed to a hole formed in the bracket of an engine or transmission or the like. Installed in the bottom face of the lower cover 12 is a lower fastener protruded downwardly so as to be inserted into and fixed to a hole 22 formed in a vehicle frame 20 or the like. A guide pin 17 is installed in a way to protrude downwardly spaced apart from the lower fastener 16, thereby preventing rotation of the engine mount 10 installed in the vehicle frame 20 and the like.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional hydraulic engine mount 10 is fixedly mounted on the vehicle frame 20 in such a manner that the lower fastener 16 and the guide pin 17 are inserted into the holes 22 and 24 respectively and then a nut 18 is tightened into the lower fastener 16 from the bottom face of the vehicle frame 20. Here, the lower cover 12 is directly contacted with the vehicle frame 20.
The conventional hydraulic engine mount 10 of FIG. 1 can provide sufficient damping to the rigid body mode control of an engine during operation of a vehicle and also provides an advantage of isolating vibration from the engine. However, this can not avoid structural resonance at a high-frequency range. Thus, in case where the conventional hydraulic engine mount 10 is applied to a high-power diesel engine or the like, which produces vibration at a high-frequency range, it produces significant noises inside of the vehicle disadvantageously.


An image processing method, an image processing apparatus and an image capturing apparatus are provided, which are capable of obtaining an output image exhibiting high visual recognizability while reducing the processing time with a circuit on a comparatively small scale. Datum plane system coordinates xdydzd with a datum plane DP serving as a basis and having a fixed positional relationship with a virtual projection plane VP are set, and there is provided a two-dimensional LUT stored with zd coordinates in a direction perpendicular to the datum plane with respect to xd- and yd-coordinates on the datum plane DP and based on a shape of the virtual projection plane VP, and image data is calculated, by calculating the coordinates of the pixels on the virtual projection plane VP in the world coordinate system on the basis of the two-dimensional LUT and converting the calculated coordinates of the pixels on the virtual projection plane in the world coordinate system into a camera coordinate system by using a distortion correction coefficient of an optical system.

Generally, an image captured by an optical system including a lens having a short focal length and a larger angle of view as in the case of a wide-angle lens or a fisheye lens is accompanied by a distortion, and hence an image process is executed to correct, the distortion. Patent document 1 discloses, as a correction method of the prior art, a method of correcting the distortion occurring in the captured image captured by using the lens having the short focal length in a way that employs a correction, parameter of the lens.
Patent document 2 has a contrivance of including an optical distortion correction parameter with respect to a discrete lens position within a range of performing an optical zoom, restricting a lens position when performing the zoom to a lens position with the optical distortion correction parameter and linking the optical zoom between the restricted positions with an electronic zoom against such a problem that it is difficult in terms of a throughput for a simple image capturing apparatus to calculate the optical distortion correction parameter on a per lens position basis from a wide-angle end to a telescopic end of an optical zoom mechanism on the basis of an interpolation arithmetic operation, which entails an external information processing device.

Image processing method, image processing apparatus and image capturing apparatus


A vehicle is disclosed having a traction battery and an electrical impedance connected by a contactor. A pre-charge circuit is disclosed that controls current flow from the traction battery through the pre-charge circuit to the electrical impedance to increase voltage at the electrical impedance such that as the voltage approaches a voltage of the traction battery, a duty cycle of the pre-charge circuit approaches a maximum value and a current through the pre-charge circuit approaches a minimum value. In response to current falling below a predetermined value, the contactor is closed. A current sensor is disclosed that is located in the pre-charge circuit. A method of operating the pre-charge circuit is disclosed.

Vehicles using a high-voltage battery pack generally include a main contactor to switch battery power to the power electronic components. There is generally some capacitance associated with the power electronics circuitry. This capacitance can create large inrush currents when closing the main contactor. These large inrush currents can create an arc across the contacts causing damage to or reducing the operating life of the contacts and creating sparks. To eliminate the large inrush currents and to protect the main contactor, a pre-charge circuit is often used in parallel with the main contactor.
A typical pre-charge circuit may consist of a contactor in series with a resistor connected across the main contactor. During power-up of the vehicle, the pre-charge contactor is closed and current flows through the pre-charge contactor and resistor. The resistor is selected to limit the amount of current that flows. When the bus has reached a desired voltage or is within a desired range, the main contactor may be switched on and the pre-charge contactor may be switched off. Although these pre-charge circuits may reduce the voltage across the main contractor during switch-on, there may still be some small voltage across the main contactor that may damage the contactor over time.
A typical pre-charge event is ended by measuring the voltage difference between the battery output and the main contactor output using a voltage divider circuit. A high-precision voltage divider circuit is required to measure a near zero voltage for a high voltage over typical automotive temperature ranges. In addition, this type of circuit may be required on the battery output and the main contactor output which adds additional cost to the vehicle.

Bus pre-charge control using a buck converter


A fish measuring device is described which has a fish support surface with a length, width and first and second ends opposite one another. A stop at the first end prevents movement of a fish lengthwise beyond the first end and at least two fish restraining members at least partially along the length of the fish support surface partially enclose or envelope an interior space with the fish support surface. A passage exists between the two fish restraining members to permit a fishing line and/or thumb and forefinger holding a fish to be brought therethrough to the stop. A live fish may be brought into the device while still hooked via the line or after being unhooked. While the fish is restrained in its movement, its length may be compared against the end of the support surface or a scale therein to determine its length.

As is well known, the fish and game laws of the various states regulate the size of the fish which may be kept by the fisherman; requiring that all fish under the limit be released so that they may grow to at least the legal size. Fish size limits are a common means for conserving fish resources by preventing overdepletion of fish populations, and as such, fish size regulations are strictly and often severely enforced.
However, it has remained for the fishermen to determine a convenient and quick way to measure a live fish which does not cooperate with being caught and endeavors to escape, much less acquiesce to being measured. As has been well recognized, the use of a tape, ruler or yardstick type devices, while commonly available, are difficult to handle at the same time as a live fish. The fish typically will not remain still and extended for sufficient time to permit measurement and the fisherman is in danger of being stuck by the hook still within the fish. If the fish is unhooked to remove this hazard, then the fisherman is at risk of losing the fish during the cumbersome measuring operation.
A number of devices have been crafted to address these problems, For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,474,804 discloses a fish measure having a body and a pair of shoulders spaced thereon at a predetermined distance. The shoulders readily provide a quick visual and tactile means of judging the size of the fish without having to read a scale, but there is not provided a way of restraining the movement of the live fish which assuredly will not lay straight upon the ruler-like stick.
A measuring device which is a hollow body formed of a moldable polystyrene, polypropylene, butyrate, etc. and open at one end is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,988. At least one wall is transparent extending the full length of the enclosure and the fish can be judged as longer or shorter than the body for ready measurement. Measuring indicia may be present along the wall. This device appreciates and provides a mechanism for restraining the movement of the fish. However, in measuring the fish with this device one must unhook the fish first, which risks losing the fish, first while attempting to get it into the device and then again if it turns out the fish is of retainable size while attempting to get an unhooked fish onto a stringer or into a creel or live box. Additionally, since the length of the fish must usually be determined with its mouth closed, the fish's mouth can not be closed once it has been inserted into this hollow body.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,617 discloses an elongated, upwardly opening V-shaped trough for measuring fish. The trough has spaced apart indicia at measured intervals from one closed end of the trough for indicating the length of a fish placed in the trough. Auxiliary indicia are placed at appropriate distances along the trough to signify the legal limit for various species of fish likely to be encountered by a fisherman. While the use of labels such as "CRAPPIE" at 10", "BASS" at 13", "WALLEYE" at 15"etc. are easier to discern than memorizing the legal limits and then reading a numerical scale, a live fish will often not lie still in the V-shaped trough measuring. In attempting to restrain the fish being measured in such apparatus it is possible that it might be fatally injured and thus is wasted if it was undersized and cannot grow to the legal limit.
A device for simultaneously holding and measuring the length of a fish is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,607 which has a rectangular tray open at one end, the tray having a bottom, two side walls and one end wall and a preferably hinged lid with a releasable latch. The length of the tray is made equal to the minimum legal length established for the type of fish with which the device is to be used. The length of the lid is less than the length of the bottom of the tray and the lid is disposed on the tray with one end of the lid generally aligned with the closed end of the tray, such that a portion of the bottom of the tray adjacent to the open end is not covered by the lid. A fish is placed in the device with its nose against the end wall at the closed end of the tray, and the lid is closed to loosely retain the fish in the device. If the tail of the fish extends outwardly beyond the open end of the tray, the fish is of legal size and may be retained by the fisherman. While the inventor of this device appreciates the need for restraining the fish so that an accurate but quick measurement is obtained, the use of a tray with a hinged lid is again cumbersome. Despite descriptions that the apparatus can be easily used, it is readily seen that opening and closing the lid while inserting and removing the fish from the device risks injury to the fish. The use of a moving part (the hinge) also increases the possibility that the apparatus might break and additionally increases the cost of the device.
Both devices of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,097,617 and 5,148,607 are also suffer from the relatively large and heavy and thus limited to boat use. People who prefer to wade fish, float fish or dock fish need a relatively small, lightweight, portable device that can be readily carried on one's person.
It would be desirable to discover a device for quickly, easily and accurately measuring the length of fish, whether hooked or not, and in such a way that the fish is restrained during measurement, but which simultaneously exposes the fish to a minimum risk of injury by reducing the amount of handling required.


A method, computer-readable medium, and a computing device are provided for associating one or more data objects and other information with one or more contacts. In certain embodiments, an association application operates to access, analyze, and associate one or more data objects and other information with one or more contacts. A user may then examine a contact and utilize data objects and other information associated with the particular contact. Thus, a user can think about information as it relates to a contact, rather than the information type or application that the information relates. The user can now go to one location where information is compiled with respect to a specific contact.

As society moves forward, mobile devices, such as mobile telephones, smart phones, personal data assistants (PDAs), etc. are being used and depended upon more and more in everyday life. Today, it is not uncommon for a person to have a mobile telephone, PDA, laptop, and a personal computer. These devices typically include one or more applications which allow a user to send/receive e-mail, draft documents, maintain contacts, maintain schedules, organize finances, etc. The portability and usability of these mobile devices allow a user to perform many tasks which tends to promote greater efficiency and productivity.
However, while mobile computing devices have changed many lives for the better, there are some drawbacks, partly due to the limited screen size or viewable area that a user is able to see when using the device and the large amount of data and applications that can be stored on the devices. For example, due to the large number of available applications on a mobile device, it can be tedious for a user to find certain data that may not be available through one or more applications that the user is currently using. The user is typically dependent on a particular application to find and use data associated therewith. Searching through multiple applications and lists of data items stored on the mobile device can be cumbersome due to interaction and other constraints, which tends to lead to inefficiencies and repetitive actions.
For example, suppose a user wishes to access an e-mail from a specific person. The user must first locate and open the particular e-mail application on the mobile device. Next, the user needs to find the e-mail of interest, which may include trying to recall when the e-mail was received, the subject matter, and maybe other recipients included on the e-mail. While some e-mail applications include a keyword search function, it tends to be an inefficient and cumbersome process. Likewise, if a user would like to review details of a meeting, the user must first locate and open the calendar or scheduling application. After locating and opening the application, the user now has to manually look at each meeting until locating the desired meeting. Additionally, as briefly stated above, the display or viewing area associated with many mobile devices tends to be limited based on the size of the device itself. Thus, it is difficult to use and view information associated with multiple applications at the same time without opening and using each application independently of one another.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the various embodiments of the present invention have been made.

Computer-readable medium, method, and device for associating information with a contact


Methods and systems thereof for streaming media data are described. Media data comprising a plurality of data packets is accessed. Information that quantifies a characteristic of each data packet in the plurality of data packets is also accessed. That information is used to determine an order for sending the data packets over a network.

Streaming media systems transmit media data, such as video and audio data, in data packets over wired and/or wireless networks. Due to constraints on available bandwidth, for example, some data packets transmitted over a network can experience delays along the way, perhaps arriving late at a destination node. Also, some data packets may be lost along the way.
The effects of late or lost data packets may be exacerbated for video data that are predictively encoded (compressed). Predictive encoding introduces dependencies in the encoded data that improve the amount of compression but can also result in error propagation in the event of data packet loss or late arrival.
Video frames are preferably received before their display (playback) times. With predictive encoding, the decoding of a frame of data may rely on the information in another frame, and therefore some frames need to be received earlier than their display time so that they can be used to decode other frames. For example, with MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) encoding, a P-frame is predicted from a preceding P-frame or I-frame, and a B-frame is predicted from two P-frames or an I-frame and P-frame.
Encoded video frames that do not arrive or that arrive late at the decoder (e.g., a client or destination node) will not only miss their respective display deadlines, but they may also prevent a number of other, subsequent frames from being displayed properly. If, for example, a data packet constituting an I-frame or P-frame is lost, then it might not be possible to decode and display a subsequent P-frame or B-frame. In the case in which a P-frame cannot be decoded because a preceding I-frame or P-frame is absent, other subsequent frames dependent on that P-frame may not be decoded. Thus, a number of frames may be prevented from being properly decoded and displayed due to a single late or missing frame, depending on the particular coding dependencies of the late or missing frame. This can affect the overall quality of the display.
Video transcoding offers one solution that allows encoded data to be adapted to accommodate available bandwidth and packet losses. However, transcoding can be complex and thus may require significant computational effort.
Scalable encoding techniques have been developed, where encoded (compressed) data are prioritized and the prioritization provides a natural method for selecting which portion of compressed data to deliver within transmission constraints. In addition, conventional MPEG encoding also lends itself to a natural method of prioritizing data packets for delivery (e.g., I-frames are typically considered to be of higher priority than P-frames and B-frames). However, MPEG encoding generally treats all frames of a given frame type the same. For instance, all P-frames are treated as having equal importance), when in reality one P-frame may affect quality more than another. Recently, rate-distortion optimized packet scheduling has been proposed as a method for prioritizing data packets for delivery. While these techniques each have their advantages, they remain relatively complex and consequently computation-intensive.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems that use information about data packets to determine an order for sending the data packets

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A hinge for use with a picture frame and a set-up base, includes first and second hinge leaves, each hinge leaf having claws, the claws of the first hinge leaf for fastening the first hinge leaf to a picture frame and the claws of the second hinge leaf for fastening the second hinge leaf to a set-up base. A hinge joint is disposed at first ends of the hinge leaves, configured of knuckles through which a hinge wire passes for connecting the first and second hinge leaves to one another. A connecting web is movably articulated to the first hinge leaf at an end edge of the first hinge leaf opposite the hinge joint. When the hinge is in an opened position, the connecting web is arranged at an angle to the first hinge leaf and is supported on the second hinge leaf. When the hinge is in a closed position, the connecting web is pivoted into a position essentially parallel to the first hinge leaf. The hinge ensures a stable limitation of an opening angle of the hinge leaves with respect to one another and thereby ensures a stable limitation of an opening angle of the supporting base with respect to a picture frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hinge for picture frames including a set-up base, with the hinge having two hinge leaves that are connected to one another at the abutting edges by means of a hinge joint, which is configured as knuckles through which a hinge wire passes, and each leaf is provided with claws for one leaf to be fastened to the cover on the rear of the picture and the other to the set-up base.
2. Background Information
Hinges of the above mentioned type are known (U.S. Pat. No. 2,811,741; DE-U-8,809,422). For these prior art hinges the limit of the angle required for setting up the picture frame with the help of the supporting base is determined by stops, which are either configured as axial projections on the knuckles of the one hinge leaf and as matching axial recesses in the knuckles of the other hinge leaf, or they are provided along the knuckles of one hinge leaf, extending over the entire length of the knuckle that stops the other hinge leaf when the picture frame is set up. With prior art hinges the danger exists that under greater stress, which could easily result from improperly setting up the picture frame, the hinges could become damaged in the region of the stops and/or could become deformed.


A vehicle includes a cooling arrangement that includes an air conditioning loop and a battery cooling loop connected together by a common chiller and arranged to cool each of cabin air and a battery. A coolant three-way proportional control valve is connected to the chiller and the battery. The control valve is configured to operatively control a capacity of the chiller for the battery.

Automotive vehicles have begun employing electric motors to supplement propulsion provided by a main motor, such as an internal combustion engine. These motors utilize high performance batteries to store energy needed for the propulsion, as well as to power accessories. One potential concern is that high performance batteries generate a large amount of heat. Accordingly, it is desirable to removed and/or reduce the heat generated by the battery for the performance of the battery, as well as to prevent overheating.
In some known battery systems, air flow from the vehicle cabin air conditioning refrigerant system is utilized to cool such batteries. Such battery cooling systems, either standalone configurations or ones that are integrated with a vehicle cabin air conditioning refrigerant system, utilizes a chiller. Heat from the battery is rejected into the chiller using a cooling loop that is integrated with a refrigeration system via the chiller. However, these systems have disadvantages. For example, chiller capacity can reduce or degrade cabin cooling. Further, when the chiller initially comes on, cabin temperature can jump, resulting in discomfort. While cabin air temperature can be maintained at a desirable condition, the chiller capacity cooling rate must be slowed down, thereby adversely impacting the batteries.

Vehicle cabin air conditioning and battery cooling system


An object of the present invention is to suppress reduction in a temperature cycle life of a wiring in a two-in-one type chopper module. A two-in-one type chopper module according to the present invention includes: a switching transistor; a first diode inverse-parallelly connected to the switching transistor; a second diode serially connected to the switching transistor and the first diode; a first wiring pattern mounting the switching transistor and the first diode; and a second wiring pattern mounting the second diode, wherein each of the switching transistor and the first diode has a power loss substantially identical with each other at a time of a forward direction current conduction, and an effective area of the second diode is larger than an effective area of the first diode.

There is a semiconductor module as a semiconductor device used for power control. Examples of the semiconductor module include an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). The IGBT module performs an on-off control of a conduction current by a gate drive signal, and is capable of a high-voltage and large-current switching. A semiconductor power module including the IGBT is widely used in an inverter driving a motor, for example.
A two-in-one type semiconductor module can be easily mounted on a motor drive device, for example, thus is in common use. The two-in-one type semiconductor module includes an IGBT module and a chopper module, for example.
The two-in-one type IGBT module is made up of two circuits serially connected to each other, and each circuit includes an IGBT element and a diode element inverse-parallelly connected to the IGBT element. The IGBT element and the diode element are often mounted on one insulating substrate in the IGBT module. In a normal inverter operation, a similar degree of current flows in the IGBT element and the diode element alternately, thus either element always has heat, and the insulating substrate receives the heat from these elements.
A two-in-one type chopper module has a configuration that the IGBT element is excluded from one circuit in the two circuits which are serially connected in the two-in-one type IGBT module. Accordingly, the chopper module includes an insulating substrate on which only the diode element is mounted. It is necessary to flow the similar degree of current in the IGBT element and the diode element alternately in the inverter operation in the circuit including the IGBT element and the diode element inverse-parallelly connected to the IGBT element, thus the circuit has the same configuration as that of the IGBT module described above. The insulating substrate on which only the diode element is mounted receives less heat compared to the insulating substrate on which both the diode element and the IGBT element are mounted.
Patent Document 1 discloses in FIG. 8 a step-up chopper circuit and a step-down chopper circuit as a conventional technique having a circuit configuration similar to that of the chopper module.


An apparatus and technique for operating an RF amplifier having a pre-distortion processor and a drain modulation circuit includes generating a compensating drain bias signal having a value which is a function of an RF input signal, a sampled RF output signal and a sampled drain bias signal. The compensating drain bias signal is applied to the RF amplifier. By sampling both the drain bias signal and the RF output signal and providing drain feedback and RF output feedback signals to a pre-distortion processor, RF amplifier distortions can be linearized enabling the RF amplifier to operate over a bandwidth which exceeds the bandwidth of the drain modulation circuit (i.e., the RF bandwidth can exceed the bandwidth of the drain modulator).

As is known in the art, in telecommunications systems, satellite systems and other systems, it is desirable for radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers (PAs) to linearly amplify RF signals in a highly efficient manner. Efficiency is generally proportional to input drive level. High efficiency is typically not attained until an amplifier approaches its maximum output power. This, however, is not consistent with linear operation. Thus, a tradeoff must typically be made between achieving maximum efficiency and high linearity in RF power amplifier circuits. Furthermore, an RF amplifier that compresses its input or has a non-linear input/output relationship may cause the output signal to spread onto adjacent radio frequencies. This can be a source of interference on other RF channels.
As is also known in the art, predistortion is a technique used to improve the linearity of RF transmitter amplifiers. Predistortion can be implemented using either analog and/or digital techniques.
In general, a predistortion circuit inversely models the amplifier's non-linear gain and phase characteristics and, when combined with the amplifier, produces an overall system that is more linear and reduces the amplifier's distortion. In essence, "inverse distortion" is introduced into the input of the amplifier, thereby reducing (or ideally, cancelling) any inherent non-linearity the amplifier might have.
Since RF power amplifiers tend to become more non-linear as their power increases towards their maximum rated output, predistortion is a technique which allows one to obtain additional usable RF power from an RF amplifier without having to utilize a larger amplifier. Since the cost of RF amplifiers typically rises as a function of the maximum RF power rating of the RF amplifier, in addition to improving performance, predistortion is also a cost-saving technique since utilizing predistortion increase a maximum RF power rating of an RF amplifier.
As is also known, the need for data-intensive communications (e.g., digital video) for warfighters deployed in the field has created a requirement for RF transmitters having an instantaneous RF bandwidth of 20 MHz or more. Concurrently, there is a demand for improved efficiency in RF front-ends to increase battery life, reduce weight, and reduce operating cost. Achieving an acceptable efficiency over a necessary modulation bandwidth has proven to be a difficult challenge.
Referring now to FIG. 1, one state-of-the-art method for improving the effectiveness of communication transmitters without sacrificing efficiency is utilizing envelope-tracking technology. As illustrated in FIG. 1, an envelope-tracking RF amplifier circuit includes an amplifier 12 having a drain modulation circuit 14 coupled thereto. Drain modulation circuit 14 changes the drain voltage provided to transmitter power amplifier 12 in time in accordance with the amplitude of a modulated RF signal 16 as shown in FIG. 1. Envelope-tracking transmitters ideally minimize wasted DC power and exhibit much higher efficiency compared to conventional, fixed-drain power amplifiers.
In state-of-the-art envelope-tracking transmitters, the instantaneous RF bandwidth is limited to the bandwidth of the drain modulator which is typically in the range or about 5 MHz to about 10 MHz. While this is sufficient for some applications (e.g. current warfighter needs), it will soon be superseded by future demands and the ability to achieve 20 MHz or more bandwidth at high power and high efficiency is desired. In order to meet these requirements, it is necessary to generate a clean, accurate envelope. This becomes exceedingly difficult and impractical, for example, when designing around extensive selection of military waveforms with high crest factors.

Radio frequency (RF) amplifier utilizing a predistortion circuit and related techniques


A selected drill or driver bit [“d—d bit”] (i) is at a first time selected from a magazine and mounted to a rotary tool, normally an electric drill, and (ii) is at a later time removed from the tool and returned to the same magazine, each in a one-handed operation totally without manual contact with any of the drill or driver bit, a holder of the d—d bit, or any chuck of the tool. Coaction is realized between (i) a d—d bit holder having a sliding sleeve releasibly holding a d—d bit, and (ii) a d—d bit dispenser having multiple bores of complex interior contour each relieved to one side in a complex contour defining a side entrance and extraction channel. The d—d bit holder (and its mounted d—d bit) is (i) entered downward into a bore of the d—d bit dispenser, and (ii) plunged full to the bottom, whereupon (iii) the d—d bit is released while (iv) the d—d bit holder is withdrawn upward through the channel. Nearly the same process is repeated to mount a selected d—d bit; (i) the d—d bit holder is entered downward into the bore of the d—d bit dispenser, and (ii) plunged full downwards to contact a d—d bit, but is then (iii) extracted laterally sideways through the side entrance and extraction channel. Both mounting and dismounting of drill and driver bits is thus performed with easy and powerful movements transpiring over but a few seconds, with all drills and driver bits always being positively retained, each always within its associated bore of the d—d bit dispenser when not in use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally concerns holders and dispensers of bits for rotary tools, including drill bits and drive bits for portable handheld electric drills.
The present invention particularly concerns systems for holding each of a number of interchangeable bits and/or drills for handheld electric drills when not in use, and also for holding a selected bit or drill in use within the handheld electric drill, especially when there is some form or cooperative interaction between the holding of the bits and/or drills not in use and the holding of the bit or drill in use so that a particular bit presently held the electric drill may be de-selected while a new bit or drill may be newly selected and become held to the electric drill.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Holders serving to adapt drills, and driver bits such as serve to drive screws and nuts, to the chucks of electric drills are quite common. Some have sliding and/or twisting elements which permit quick mounting of a selected drill, or driver, bit to the holder, and thus to the chuck of the drill.
Likewise, the exist various retainers and containers, often as are portable and sometimes as may be mounted to the belt and/or tool belt of a workman, for holding drills and/or drive bits while not in use. These retainers and containers will sometimes service to hold, normally in a vertically erect position, a drill or a driver bit while it is preliminarily entered directly into the bore of the chuck of an electric drill, of into a holder that is itself mounted to the chuck of an electric drill (and thus indirectly into the bore of the chuck). Conversely, a drill or a driver bit that is mounted in the chuck of an electric drill, or in a holder that is itself mounted in the chuck of an electric drill, can be, while still so mounted, entered into some retainers and holders of drills and driver bits.
However, both for holders and retainers/containers, the extent of any interaction or coaction has been limited to (i) preserving alignments, (ii) feeding a drill or driver bit to be mounted (in the case of loading the chuck of the drill), or (iii) receiving a drill or driver bit to be dismounted (in the case of unloading the chuck of the drill). The actual, final, step of tightening the mount of a new drill or driver bit, or loosing the mounting of an old drill or driver bit, is realized (i) by use of the hand (including with "keyless" chucks), (ii) by use of a tool, such as a chuck key, held by the hand. Thus one hand normally holds the electric drill while the other hand tends to at least a final unsecuring of an old drill or driver bit, or the securing of a drill or driver bit, to the chuck of the electric drill (or, equivalently, to a holder mounted in the drill's chuck).
The present invention will be seem to function differently, and to permit of an interaction and a coaction between, on the one hand, (i) a holder, mounted to the chuck of an electric drill, of a drill or a drive bit, and, on the other hand, (ii) a retainer or container in which typically many drills and/or drive bits not currently in use for drilling or driving (as the case may be) are stored. The interaction and a coaction will be seen to realize, among other advantages, that a drill or driver bit may be both mounted to, and de-mounted from an electric drill totally by the use of but one hand, which hand remains grasping the handle of the electric drill.


A temperature control system for a sheet support plate of a printer which has at least two power supplies for powering different sub-systems of the printer, the temperature control system containing at least one heater and a power management system adapted to use spare power capacities of the two power supplies by controlling the power supplied to said at least one heater in accordance with the load conditions of said power supplies.

The present invention relates to a temperature control system for a sheet support plate of a printer which has at least two power supplies for powering different sub-systems of the printer, the temperature control system including at least one heater.
In the copying and printing industry, a temperature controlled sheet support plate is frequently used for supporting an image receiving sheet and at the same time controlling the temperature thereof. For example, in a hot melt ink jet printer, a sheet, e.g. a sheet of paper, is advanced over the sheet support plate while the image is being printed. At room temperature, the hot melt ink is solid, and it is therefore necessary that the ink is heated in the printer above its melting point, before it can be jetted onto the paper. The ink droplets that have been jetted onto the paper tend to spread-out more or less before the ink solidifies. In order to obtain a suitable and constant amount of spreading of the ink droplets, the temperature of the sheet support plate and hence the temperature of the paper should be controlled such that the ink cools down at an appropriate rate.
In an initial phase of the print process, when a new sheet has been supplied, it is generally desirable to heat the sheet and to keep it at a suitable operating temperature. Thus, the sheet support plate should be heated by a heater. However, in the further course of the print process, it is necessary to dissipate the heat of the ink that solidifies on the paper. To that end, a temperature control fluid, e.g. a liquid, may be passed through a cavity in the plate in order to control the temperature of the plate.
For reasons of power consumption, it is required that the printer enters into a so-called sleep mode, when the printer is not operating for a certain amount of time, and in the sleep mode, among others, the heating system for the sheet support plate is switched off. Thus, when the printer is switched on or is switched from the sleep mode into the operating mode again, it will take a certain amount of time for the sheet support plate to be heated to its operating temperature. In order to shorten this warming-up process of the sheet support plate, a considerable amount of heating power is required.

Temperature control system for a sheet support plate of a printer