Trigger jitter in an internally triggered real time digital oscilloscope can be reduced through correcting the horizontal position value obtained from a conventional trigger interpolation mechanism by an error or substitute amount learned from an inspection of the acquisition record that notes where in the acquisition record the signal actually crossed the trigger threshold. The display (and measurement) sub-systems that utilize the selection by panning and zooming of a portion of the acquisition record for viewing (and measurement) are supplied with the acquisition record portion of interest, and with an associated horizontal position value that originates with trigger interpolation and that may be subsequently modified by panning. After the trigger circuit detects the trigger condition for a new acquisition record, the voltage threshold for the trigger level in use by the trigger circuit can be compared to the region proximate the trigger location in the acquisition record to determine by further local interpolation the precise location in the acquisition record where the triggering event should have occurred. This allows the determination of a correct and jitter free horizontal position value. Actual display of the desired portion of each new acquisition record then proceeds by supplying to the display rendering system a corrected associated horizontal position value. This reduction in visible trigger jitter is also beneficial to measurements made on the displayed trace.

Real time digital oscilloscopes operate by digitizing closely spaced consecutively sampled values of an applied waveform, storing the digital values in a memory, and then re-constructing the waveform as a displayable image (the xe2x80x9ctracexe2x80x9d) on a raster-scanned CRT by reading and processing the stored values. We shall call the stored digital values an xe2x80x9cacquisition recordxe2x80x9d and note that its contents correspond to a definite time interval in the history of a signal""s behavior. The length of that time interval is largely determined by the number of addressable memory locations devoted to a signal""s acquisition (the memory""s xe2x80x9cdepthxe2x80x9d) and the rate at which the samples are acquired. That sample rate will be high enough to meet Nyquist sampling and bandwidth requirements, but is in all probability not high enough to directly produce a satisfactory reproduction of the waveformn, even though it does determine what that reproduction ought to look like. Accordingly, it is conventional to xe2x80x9cfill-inxe2x80x9d the xe2x80x9cmissingxe2x80x9d samples before all or some portion of the acquisition record is used, by sending the portion of interest through an interpolation filter before being used by other mechanisms.
It often happens that the acquisition record contains many times more digitized signal data than is displayed at any one time, allowing the operator to select as the displayed trace a size (degree of zoom) and location (panning) of a subset of the acquisition record. To support panning and zooming, and because the sampled values generally have an arbitrary relationship to the horizontal pixel positions in the display, the digitized data stored in the acquisition record is algorithmically processed (xe2x80x9crenderedxe2x80x9d) to produce a graphics image in a frame buffer, from whence is created a raster-scanned display of quite modest scan line rates (as things go for CRTs). That is, the trace is not written immediately while the variations in its corresponding input signal are occurring. Only the taking of the samples is performed in real time, and once they are stored the raster-scanned display is a low speed representation of what the ""scope remembers having sampled. As mentioned, those sampled values in the acquisition record that correspond to the displayed trace are not necessarily the same in number as the number of horizontal pixel positions in the display, and digital signal processing techniques are commonly used to produce equivalent Y amplitude values that most probably would have been measured, had there been true alignment between the consecutive samples and the horizontal pixel positions. This rendering operation is essentially a process of interpolation.
Furthermore, the vast majority of oscillographic activities require that the displayed portion of the acquisition record be in some xe2x80x9cdefined relationxe2x80x9d to a detected event originating outside the ""scope, whether that is a particular type of signal condition or transition occurring in the signal being measured, or a condition or transition in some other signal that is merely related to the signal being measured. The detection and operational response to this xe2x80x9cdefined relationxe2x80x9d is called triggering; in the first case it is termed xe2x80x9cinternalxe2x80x9d triggering, and xe2x80x9cexternalxe2x80x9d triggering in the second.
The term xe2x80x9creal timexe2x80x9d sampling is generally applied to the manner of digital oscilloscope operation described above. There is another mode of operation where a repetitive waveform cannot be densely sampled within a single instance thereof, but one (or perhaps more) samples can be obtained. For example, if the locations of those samples are allowed to xe2x80x9cdrift acrossxe2x80x9d the waveform during successive instances thereof, enough samples can eventually be accumulated that a faithful reproduction of the waveform is obtained. (Provided, of course, that the waveform is repetitive, and that the trigger circuit re-triggers each time at the same relative location upon the successive instances of the waveform. The xe2x80x9cdriftxe2x80x9d is then a precession relative to the trigger.) The old analog sampling oscilloscopes used this general technique (although they did not digitize and store values in a memory). We shall refer to the technique of digital oscilloscope operation that uses precession of samples relative to the trigger as one that practices xe2x80x9cequivalent timexe2x80x9d sampling. There is another equivalent time sampling technique that uses random sampling. It will be appreciated that the various manufacturers each have their own lexicography, and that there are many operational properties (and their associated descriptive terms) that arc reflections of differing internal architectures. We have chosen hereto use a particular division of the world of digital oscilloscopes into xe2x80x9creal timexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cequivalent timexe2x80x9d sampling, as defined above, because it is appropriate for the description that follows. It is believed that there is no significant inconsistency between our definitions and any of those promoted in the prior art. Accordingly, what follows herein should be understood according to our above definitions.
There are several useful modes of operation in connection with triggering, some of which deal with how to detect the trigger condition, and some of which deal with what to do once the trigger condition has been detected. In one (what-to-do) mode, the occurrence of the trigger indicates that thenceforth the acquisition record will be filled (or re-filled if it already has data in it) until one acquisition record""s worth of subsequent data has been stored, and then the measurement ended. In another mode, some fractional portion of the acquisition is subsequently filled (the usual assumption being that the preceding portion has already got data), whereupon the measurement is ended. At the other extreme, the occurrence of the trigger can immediately end the storing of samples into the acquisition record.
The entire acquisition record can then be displayed, if desired. More typically, some selected subset of the acquisition record is displayed as the trace, beginning at some selected offset from that location in the acquisition record that corresponds to the occurrence of the trigger. That allows panning and zooming, which means that the location in the acquisition record corresponding to the trigger may or may not be a part of the displayed portion of the trace. If the trigger location is included in the visible portion of the acquisition record, then it is customary to indicate its location in the trace with some stylized indicia. (The algorithmic rendering mentioned above undertakes this annotation task, along with displaying a graticule, time per division indica and volts per division indicia, etc., by the inclusion of suitable visible pixels into the frame buffer.) The displayed and annotated trace may thus represent waveform activity that preceded the trigger, occurred after the trigger, or some combination of the two.
An aspect of real time digital ""scope operation that is of interest concerns how often a completed acquisition record is used to create a new displayed trace. In one case, a real time ""scope may capture, in just one instance of an event of interest, a complete description of that event and then display it indefinitely, regardless of what occurs next in the waveform. This is usually termed xe2x80x9csingle shotxe2x80x9d operation. In another mode of operation, say, for a repetitive waveform such as a modulated sine wave, the acquisition record may be obtained, a portion rendered for display, and while that portion is being displayed for some brief period of time, a new acquisition record is triggered and taken, and then similarly rendered and displayed, etc. This amounts to a free-running, or xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d mode of operation. The various manufacturers of digital ""scopes each have their own favorite terminology . . . ) This mode of operation allows the presence of variations in the waveforn to be observed.
Central to all that has been mentioned to this point is the notion of triggering. The ability to trigger on an event of interest allows the single shot mode of operation to produce a single acquisition record that contains some event of interest Likewise, when viewing a recurrent waveform in the xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d mode, triggering is what allows the trace to xe2x80x9cstand stillxe2x80x9d for viewing. Should the detection of the trigger condition occur at slightly varying times relative to the actual event to which it is supposed to correspond (which might be, say, an abruptly rising edge or simply a crossing of a threshold in a selected direction), then the trace will not stand still, but will appear to slide back and forth along the time axis by the amount of variation. The variation in the appearance of the trace that can be traced to such instability is called trigger jitter.
In what follows, we shall be principally interested in real time digital oscilloscopes, operated in the normal mode and with an internal trigger. As ""scopes have gotten better, and as signal speeds have gotten faster, what were previously regarded as minor variations in the performance of the trigger circuitry have become an issue in their own right. Trigger jitter can be generally be observed for any sufficiently fast repetitive signal. It arises out of the (inevitable and unavoidable) trigger delay between: (a) when the trigger condition in the signal being measured actually occurs; and, (b) when an internal trigger signal indicative of that condition becomes available and is subsequently used within the ""scope. If the delay from (a) to (b) is always the same, then there is no trigger jitter, even though the slight trigger delay manifests itself as some constant offset. Alas, there are several pernicious causes for trigger jitter that are hard to eliminate. It is essentially a problem in precision circuit behavior. The bottom line is that various circuit parameters will drift, especially as function of temperature, and circuits, especially threshold circuits, are susceptible to noise.
There is yet one more background topic of interest concerning triggering. It will be appreciated that the triggering event is under no obligation to occur in simultaneity with a taking of a sample, Note that the acquisition record amounts to a time axis along which are placed the various real time samples. What is done for each trigger event, then, is to take note of some time difference between that trigger event and some cardinal aspect of the time axis for the samples. Say, the trigger falls between sample numbers n and n+1. Then it is useful to note that the trigger occurred r-many picoseconds after sample number n, or s-many picoseconds before sample number n+1. This is an established technique that generally goes by the name xe2x80x9ctrigger interpolationxe2x80x9d (the alternative to which is to simply assign the trigger event to one of the two samples). There may be some jitter in successive trigger interpolation values themselves during a free running display of the trace, although it is generally less than the sample-to-sample interval. Nevertheless, as a process conditioned upon the triggering process generally, jitter in the trigger interpolation values will manifest itself as an additional source of trigger jitter in the displayed trace for a sequence of consecutive acquisition sample records.
The result is that, in a conventional real time digital oscilloscope, consecutive acquisition sample records are misaligned from one another by the amount of overall trigger jitter, which is clearly visible in the normal mode trace for a sufficiently fast repetitive input signal.
Various solutions to the problems of horizontal jitter in digital oscilloscopes have been proposed: see, for example, U.S. Pat. 5,352,976 and 4,843,309. Nevertheless, there continues to be a need for a low cost and effective way of removing trigger jitter from the internally triggered trace of a real time digital oscilloscope. What to do?
Trigger jitter in an internally triggered real time digital oscilloscope can be reduced through replacing or correcting the trigger interpolation value obtained from a conventional trigger interpolation mechanism by an amount learned from an inspection of the acquisition record that notes where in the acquisition record the signal actually crossed the trigger threshold. The display(and measurement) sub-systems that utilize the selection by panning and zooming of a portion of the acquisition record for viewing (and measurement) are conventionally supplied with: (a) the acquisition record portion of interest, as well as with; (b) an associated horizontal position value that originates with the trigger interpolation value and is subsequently modified by panning. When trigger jitter occurs it begins as a different value (varying error) in that horizontal position value for each different acquisition record, and then manifests itself visually by each rendered display being shifted a different amount along the time axis. After the trigger circuit detects the trigger condition for a new acquisition record, the voltage threshold for the trigger level in use by the trigger circuit can be compared to the region proximate the trigger location in the acquisition record to xe2x80x9cdetermine by inspectionxe2x80x9d (by further local interpolation) the precise location in the acquisition record where the triggering event should have occurred. This allows the determination of a correct amount for the trigger interpolation value, and that is free of jitter. Actual display of the desired portion of each new acquisition record (which may or may not include the trigger location) then proceeds by supplying to the display rendering system an associated horizontal position value that incorporates the corrected trigger interpolation value associated with that new acquisition record. The proper or corrected trigger event location can be determined by such inspection to a resolution of the nearest horizontal pixel location, or to an even greater resolution, if desired. This reduction in trigger jitter is beneficial to measurements made on the displayed trace, as well as to the simple appearance of the trace, and is also effective against drift in the trigger circuitry.

Trigger jitter reduction for an internally triggered real time digital oscilloscope


A method for planning a manipulation task of an agent, particularly a robot. The method includes: learning a number of manipulation skills wherein a symbolic abstraction of the respective manipulation skill is generated; determining a concatenated sequence of manipulation skills selected from the number of learned manipulation skills based on their symbolic abstraction so that a given goal specification indicating a given complex manipulation task is satisfied; and executing the sequence of manipulation skills.

General use of robots for performing various tasks is challenging, as it is almost impossible to preprogram all robot capabilities that may potentially be required in the latter application. Training the skill whenever it is needed renders the use of robots inconvenient and will not be accepted by a user. Further, simply recording and replaying a demonstrated manipulation is often insufficient, because changes in the environment, such as varying robot and/or object poses, would render any attempt unsuccessful.
Therefore, the robot needs to recognize and encode the intentions behind these demonstrations and should be capable to generalize the trained manipulation to unforeseen situations. Furthermore, several skills need to be performed in a sequence to accomplish complex tasks. The task planning problem aims to define the right sequence of actions and needs a prespecified definition of the planning model and of the preconditions and effects of all available skills. Due to the large variation of skills, the definition of such a planning model quickly becomes impractical.

Method and system for robot manipulation planning


A memory storage device includes a host interface to be connected to a terminal host, a controller connected to the host interface, and a fingerprint sensor and a memory module both connected to the controller. The controller communicates with the terminal host by handshakes and causes the terminal host to automatically run a suitable driver and a suitable application program from the memory module to the terminal host. The terminal host receives an instruction from a user through the driver and the program and informs the controller to control the fingerprint sensor to read to-be-recognized fingerprint data of the user. The terminal host utilizes the application program to process and judge whether or not the to-be-recognized fingerprint data substantially matches with template fingerprint data stored in the memory module, and further enables a specific block of the memory module to be accessed by the terminal host according to a matching result.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a memory storage device and a method for protecting the data therein, and more particularly to a memory storage device with a fingerprint sensor and a method for protecting the data stored therein. The invention also correlates to the patent applications to the some of the inventors: (a) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/160,519 filed on Jun. 1, 2002, and entitled "METHOD FOR PARTITIONING MEMORY MASS STORAGE DEVICE"; (b) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/403,052, filed on Apr. 1, 2003, entitled "CAPACITIVE FINGERPRINT SENSOR," and published on Oct. 9, 2003 as U.S. 20030190061A1; (c) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/434,833, filed on May 13, 2003, entitled "PRESSURE TYPE FINGERPRINT SENSOR FABRICATION METHOD," and published on Nov. 20, 2003 as 20030215976A1; (d) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/414,214, filed on Apr. 16, 2003, and entitled "THERMOELECTRIC SENSOR FOR FINGERPRINT THERMAL IMAGING"; and (e) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/638,371, filed on Aug. 12, 2003, and entitled "CAPACITIVE MICRO PRESSURE SENSING MEMBER AND FINGERPRINT SENSOR USING THE SAME".
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional method for protecting the personal data is often made by way of password protection. However, using the password to protect the personal data is troublesome because the user tends to forget the password and the password may also be dangerously cracked. Hence, the biometrics identification methods based on the biometrics data particular to the personal, such as the fingerprint, voice, signature, and iris, have been gradually developed in order to provide the more complete and effective data protection methods. The advantages are that the biometric feature is always kept on the user and the user does not need to memorize the feature, the biometric feature cannot be stolen, and the fingerprint biometrics feature protection method is strict and very convenient.
Recently, owing to the invention of the chip-type fingerprint sensor, the miniaturized electrical product incorporated with the fingerprint identification device becomes the technology that can be implemented. The associated technology can be found in the above-mentioned (b) to (e) patents. Thus, span personal applications, such as the portable electrical products with the fingerprint identification function, have been developed.
More particularly, the aspect of the storage medium protection is an important development item incorporated with the biometrics identification method. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,985 issued on Apr. 15, 1986 has disclosed a storage medium protection method, in which the personal data stored in the personal ID card device is protected by way of fingerprint authentication. The protected data stored in the card device can be outputted for the subsequent processing or authentication procedures only after the fingerprint identification procedure passes. The transversal dimension of this device is the same as that of the generally used credit card. This device, which is a completely independent fingerprint identification device because the fingerprint capture and identification are performed in the same device, includes a fingerprint sensor, an image processing and identification module, and a memory. Although the application object thereof is to prevent the personal credit card from being counterfeited, this device has a high price because the image processing and identification module needs a high-level microprocessor, such as a 32-bit RISC processor or DSP chip, in addition to the fingerprint sensor is needed, which causes the independent identification device not easy to be popularized.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,403 discloses a storage device having a fingerprint sensor and utilizing the PCMCIA interface to connect to the computer. Similarly, the concept of this device is almost the same as that of the '985 patent because this device is also an independent fingerprint identification device, which possesses the fingerprint capture and identification functions, and the data stored in the storage device can be accessed only when the fingerprint authentication passes. The only one difference therebetween is that the '403 patent utilizes a standard PCMCIA interface. Meanwhile, the card of the PCMCIA device is completely inserted into the computer slot. Consequently, the '403 patent has to expose the fingerprint sensor device for usage according to the complicated mechanism designs, which may increase the unstability and cost of the mechanism.
Similarly, EP124079A1 patent discloses the data protection concept of an independent fingerprint identification module, which is the same as the '985 and '403 patents except for that the communication interface of the '079 patent is the golden finger configuration that is for the SD card interface.
WO 02/42887A2 patent discloses the data protection concept of an independent fingerprint identification module, which is the same as the '985, '403, and '079 patents except for that the '887 patent utilizes the USB interface to communicate with the terminal system. This device is similar to the flash memory disk that is popular over the market, but this device has the independent fingerprint processing and identification module.
U.S. Patent publication number 2003/005337 discloses the data protection concept of an independent fingerprint identification module, which is the same as the '985, '403, and '079 patents, and utilizes the USB as the communication interface. Similarly, the device of '337 patent is also an independent fingerprint identification device.
GB2387933 patent also discloses an independent fingerprint identification device, which has a concept and device design almost similar to those of the '887 and '337 patents, wherein the fingerprint capture and identification are performed in the same device.
Heretofore, the prior arts have a common feature of providing an independent fingerprint identification device including a fingerprint sensor, and a fingerprint image processing and identification IC. Such a design is intuitive and easily implemented and there is no need to install the fingerprint application program in the terminal system and the convenience of plug-and-play function may be provided. However, the prior art devices have an important problem of the high prices because a fingerprint image processing and identification IC and its associated memory components have to be utilized. Usually, the IC is the 32-bit RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) or DSP (Digital Signal Processor) so as to perform the fingerprint identification effectively. Consequently, the conventional portable storage device with a fingerprint sensor has the drawback of high cost.
In order to solve the high cost problem, it is preferred to utilize the microprocessor of the terminal system to execute the fingerprint image processing and identification so as to effectively reduce the cost. However, the prior arts had not definitely disclosed the solution to the method. The reason will be described in the following.
If the fingerprint image processing and identification works are to be transferred from the storage device to the microprocessor of the terminal system, the disclosed device must have the functions of causing the fingerprint application program, which includes the fingerprint image processing, identification and encrypting/decrypting sub-programs, and a fingerprint matching program, to be automatically run or executed in the terminal system so as to achieve the plug-and-play function and facilitate the usage in any other terminal system. The above-mentioned prior arts, however, do not provide this solution.
Alternatively, as shown in U.S. Patent Publication Number 2003/005337, it is possible to install the fingerprint processing and identification programs in the terminal system. Such a design, however, disables the user from using the device over various terminal systems, or the user has to spend time to laboriously install the driver and application programs first in the terminal systems before using. The conventional method is to provide an optical disk for storing the drivers for the memory and the drivers for the fingerprint sensor of the storage device so that the user can install the suitable drivers and enable the storage device to be used. In this case, each time when the computer systems are firstly set, the user has to carry the portable storage device together with the optical disk so that he or she can use the storage device in other computer systems. Although it is possible to download the driver through the network, it is not a convenient way because some computers cannot connect to the network.
Thus, it is an important subject of the invention to provide a storage device with a fingerprint sensor and a method for protecting the data therein. The first feature of this invention is to utilize the processor of the terminal system for the fingerprint process and identification. Thus, the hardware cost of the device can be greatly reduced, and the device may be popularized. The second feature of this invention is to provide a function of causing the driver and the fingerprint application program including the fingerprint matching program to be completely and automatically run without installing the driver and program in the terminal system first. Because the firmware of the USB controller, the fingerprint identification and processing software, and the associated APs (application programs) are integrated together, the invention device can be used in various terminal systems, especially the computer devices, having various operation systems in a plug-and-play manner and supporting various operation systems of various languages without installing any driver or identification software in the terminal systems first.
Meanwhile, the personal data is encrypted and then stored in the memory of the device, and the data format and content in the memory cannot be correctly acquired even though the memory is removed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Memory storage device with a fingerprint sensor and method for protecting the data therein


The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element. The present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element that can easily realize a high-density array of thermoelectric conversion elements and secure connection reliability. This is an apparatus for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element that sucks a p-type or n-type thermoelectric conversion material into heat-resisting insulating tube 102 and includes preheating apparatus 205 that can heat tube 102 to a predetermined temperature before sucking the melted thermoelectric conversion element. Tube 102 whose temperature condition is adjusted by being heated by preheating apparatus 205 is inserted into crucible 204 and the molten thermoelectric conversion material is sucked into tube 102 by decompression apparatus 201.

Elements taking advantage of a Peltier effect or Seebeck effect are used as thermoelectric conversion elements. Since thermoelectric conversion elements have a simple structure, are easy to handle and able to maintain a stable characteristic, widespread use of thermoelectric conversion elements is attracting attention in recent years. Especially when used as an electronic cooling element, the thermoelectric conversion element can perform local cooling and accurate control over temperature close to a room temperature, and therefore a wide range of studies are being carried forward aiming at temperature stabilization of opto-electronics and semiconductor laser or the like.
The aforementioned electronic cooling element or thermoelectric module used for thermoelectric power generation is configured as shown in FIG. 7 by connecting p-type thermoelectric conversion element (p-type semiconductor) 5 and n-type thermoelectric conversion element (n-type semiconductor) 6 via a connection electrode (metal electrode) 7 to form a pn element pair and arranging a plurality of such pn element pairs in series. At this time, depending on the direction of a current flowing through each pn element pair, one end of p-type thermoelectric conversion element 5 and n-type thermoelectric conversion element 6 is heated and the other end is cooled. In FIG. 7, reference numerals 8 and 9 denote external connection terminals, 10 denotes a ceramic substrate and H denotes an arrow indicating a heat flow direction.
For the material of this thermoelectric conversion element, a material having large performance index Z (=α2/ρK) expressed by Seebeck coefficient α which is a substance-specific constant, specific resistance ρ and thermal conductivity K is used in the temperature region where the element is used. Crystal materials generally used as thermoelectric conversion elements are Bi2Te3-based materials and these crystals have an outstanding cleavage property and these crystals are known to have a problem that after undergoing slicing and dicing steps or the like to obtain a thermoelectric conversion element from an ingot, the yield becomes extremely small due to cracking or chipping.
To solve this problem, a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element module is being tried, which undergoes various steps such as a heating step of mixing material powders so as to have a desired composition and heating/melting the mixture, a coagulation step of forming a solid solution ingot of a thermoelectrically converted material having a rhombohedral structure (hexagonal structure), a crushing step of cursing the solid solution ingot and forming solid solution powder, a sizing step of uniformalizing the grain size of the solid solution powder, a sintering step of sintering the solid solution powder of the uniformalized grain size under a pressure, and a hot upset forging step of making the powder sintered substance plastic-deformed in hot pressing and rolling and thereby orienting crystal grains of a powder sintered structure in a crystal orientation of an excellent performance index or the like (e.g., see Patent Literature 1).
Furthermore, as a conventional method for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element module, a manufacturing method is known, which includes a step of manufacturing an alloy ingot, a crushing step of crushing the alloy ingot under a vacuum with an oxygen concentration of 100 ppm or below or under an atmosphere of inert gas into raw powder having an average powder grain size of 0.1 μm or above and 1 μm or below and a sintering step of sintering the raw powder through electric resistance heating while adding a pressure to the raw powder. In the sintering step, a pulse-shaped current is made to flow, the raw powder is sintered with its joule heat and a pressure of 100 kg/cm2 or above and 1,000 kg/cm2 or below (9.8 MPa or above and 98.1 MPa or below) is added to the raw powder during the sintering. This manufacturing method allows a thermoelectric conversion material of a fine crystal grain size and with excellent workability to be manufactured (e.g., see Patent Literature 2).
Furthermore, as a conventional method for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element module, a method is known whereby an entire tube made of a heat-resisting insulating material is accommodated in a crucible that accommodates a molten thermoelectric conversion material and the molten thermoelectric conversion material is filled into the tube under a pressure (e.g., see Patent Literatures 3 to 6). Furthermore, as a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element, a method is known whereby one end of a glass capillary is inserted into a molten thermoelectric conversion material, the thermoelectric conversion material is sucked up, the thermoelectric conversion material is coagulated, the capillary is cut and a thermoelectric conversion element is thereby obtained (e.g., see Patent Literature 7).

Apparatus for manufacturing thermoelectric conversion element

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


There is provided an information processing apparatus including a display section, a contact detection section which is provided on a surface at an opposite side of the display section, and an operation control section which decides, when a predetermined operation input is performed based on a detection result obtained by the contact detection section, not to execute predetermined operation processing corresponding to at least a part of the operation input to the contact detection section.

The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer program, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus including a sensor for detecting contact with an operating object at an opposite side of a display surface, an information processing method, and a computer program.
As a controller of a GUI (Graphical User Interface) which is widespread in smartphones and the like, there is an input device that uses a sensor such as a touch panel. In recent years, a multi-touch detectable touch panel, as it is called, has started to become widespread, which can simultaneously detect a plurality of finger contacts.
Further, the improvement in the operability is realized by providing a device with a plurality of sensors (for example, JP 2010-108061A and JP 2009-157908A). In such a device, when one of the sensors is provided on a surface at the opposite side (back surface) of a display section as a touch panel which detects finger contact, it becomes possible to perform operation input on the back surface side, and even in the case of a compact device, the display screen is not hidden by a finger. Further, by providing the plurality of sensors, there can be realized intuitive interaction and further variations in gestures that have been difficult to be realized in a touch panel of the past.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program


A catalytic proppant and methods for making and using same are disclosed herein. The catalytic proppant can include a proppant support containing silica and alumina. The proppant support can have a macropore concentration of about 15% to about 45%, a mesopore concentration of about 20% to 50%, and a micropore concentration of about 8% to about 30% based on the total pore volume of the proppant support. The proppant support can also have a surface area of about 0.5 m2/g to about 50 m2/g. The catalytic proppant can have a long term permeability at 7,500 psi of at least about 10 D in accordance with ISO 13503-5.

Oil and natural gas are produced from wells having porous and permeable subterranean formations. The porosity of the formation permits the formation to store oil and gas, and the permeability of the formation permits the oil or gas fluid to move through the formation. Permeability of the formation is essential to permit oil and gas to flow to a location where it can be pumped from the well. Sometimes the oil or gas is held in a formation having insufficient permeability for economic recovery of the oil and gas. In other cases, during operation of the well, the permeability of the formation drops to the extent that further recovery becomes uneconomical. In such cases, it is necessary to fracture the formation and prop the fracture in an open condition by means of a proppant material or propping agent. Such fracturing is usually accomplished by hydraulic pressure, and the proppant material or propping agent is a particulate material, such as sand, glass beads or ceramic particles, which are carried into the fracture by means of a fluid.
Subterranean formations oftentimes contain petroleum compositions that can reduce production and consequently reduce estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) of a well. These petroleum compositions can be difficult or impossible to recover due to their relatively high densities or viscosities, which oftentimes require application of heat energy or CO2 gas pressure for their production. Also, oil and gas produced from wells can oftentimes include undesirable heteroatoms, such as sulfur or nitrogen, which are typically removed via a downstream surface facility, for example a refinery. The presence of such heteroatoms increases the cost of oil and gas produced from a well due to the necessity of further downstream refining. It would be desirable to increase the market value of hydrocarbons produced from a well and to increase the well's EUR.
Therefore, what is needed is a method to reduce the densities and viscosities of certain petroleum compositions to improve an estimated ultimate recovery of a well. Also, what is needed is a method to remove heteroatom contamination from oil and gas prior to its production at the surface.

Catalytic proppant and methods for making and using same


An arrangement for detection of the sharpness of chopper knives that can be moved relative to a shear bar includes a sensor that detects the effective cutting forces directly or indirectly and an evaluation arrangement connected to the sensor. The evaluation arrangement integrates the measured values of the sensor over time in order to generate information concerning the sharpness of the chopper knives.

In agricultural forage harvesters the sharpness of the chopper knives is a significant factor in the quality of the cut and is also a factor in the spacing between the shear bar and the chopper knives, and the power required for the cutting operation, since the cutting force increases significantly with dull chopper knives. Usually the operator of the forage harvester recognizes from the cutter sounds, the rotational speed of the drive motor and/or the quality of the chopper cut the time at which a grinding process is required, in order to sharpen the chopper knives again. Here it is seen as a disadvantage that the recognition of the sharpness of the chopper knives by the operator is subject to subjective influences and determinations and accordingly is not very exact. Since the sharpness of the chopper knives at the beginning of the grinding cycle is not known precisely, the determination of the duration of the grinding is also problematic, so that in many cases either too much or too little material is ground off the chopper knives, which leads in the first case to unnecessary wear, and in the second case to inadequate sharpness of the chopper knives.
In order to improve the accuracy of the recognition of the sharpness of the chopper knives and to control the grinding process automatically, various procedures have been described.
DE19903153C1 proposes measuring the forces applied by the chopper knives to the shear bar in the radial, as well as the tangential direction, and to form a quotient from these that represents a measure of the sharpness of the chopper knives.
According to DE10235919A1 the acceleration of the shear bar is detected and subjected to a frequency analysis. On the basis of the harmonic wave spectrum a determination can be made whether the chopper knives are still sufficiently sharp or not.
Moreover, DE4133043A1 proposes that the number of cutting operations in a cutting machine be detected in order to initiate a grinding process and to initiate a grinding process after reaching a predetermined number of cutting operations.
Finally US 2007/0209344 A1 describes a lawn mower in which the drive power of the cutting spindle is detected. If it exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the operator is advised to perform a grinding operation.
In the state of the art it is seen as detrimental that the procedure based on the detection of the cutting angle, according to DE19903153C1 and DE10235919A1, does not always operate accurately enough, since the cutting forces depend not only on the sharpness of the chopper knives and their distance from the shear bar, but also upon mechanical properties of the chopped harvested crop and its through put. A direct determination of the number of cutting processes according to DE4133043A1 is not feasible in the case of a forage harvester, while a detection of the drive power requirement analogous to US 2007/0209344 A1 would also not lead to sufficiently accurate measurement values due to the effect of the material properties of the harvested crop and the spacing between the shear bar and the chopper knives.

Arrangement and process for the detection of the sharpness of chopper knives


A latch assembly for a movable closure element. The latch assembly has a housing, a first rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position, and a second rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position. The first rotor has a first throat to receive a strike element. The latch assembly further has an operating assembly with a latched state and an unlatched state. The operating assembly in the latched state releasably maintains the first rotor in its first latched position and the second rotor in its first latched position. The first rotor is movable substantially parallel to a reference plane as the first rotor moves between its first latched and release positions. The first rotor has a non-uniform thickness taken orthogonally to the reference plane.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to latch assemblies and, more particularly, to a latch assembly that can be used to releasably maintain a movable closure element in a desired position relative to a support therefor.
2. Background Art
Movable closure elements are used in many industries in both static environments and on moving equipment. These closure elements are commonly pivoted, or translated, between different positions, normally opened and closed positions, to selectively block and allow access to, a space fronted by the closure element.
An exemplary latch assembly, utilized on the above type of closure element, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,787, to Kutschat. Kutschat employs two throated rotors 16 which are repositionable to cooperatively engage with a strike element 4. The rotors 16 are designed to be selectively maintained in secondary latched positions, as shown in FIG. 7B, and primary latched positions, as shown in FIG. 7C. The primary and secondary latched positions are maintained by the end of an L-shaped arm 28, which is movable about a pivot 56 between positions wherein the arm 28 is engaged with the rotors 16, to maintain their latched positions, and disengaged from the rotors. The free end of the arm 28 is spaced from the pivot 56 and travels in an arcuate path between its rotor-engaged and rotor-disengaged positions. Accordingly, as the arm 28 is pivoted to effect disengagement, the rotor 16 most remote from the pivot 56 must be pivoted to clear the arcuately moving free end of the arm. As a result, significant resistance to pivoting of the arm 28 may be imparted by the rotor 16.
It is conventional to stamp the rotors from relatively thick metal stock or to form the rotors from metal. Typically, the metal rotors are pivotably mounted on pins/axles within a receptacle defined by facing surfaces of a housing. The thickness of the rotors is normally substantially less than the spacing between the facing housing surfaces. As a result, the pins/axles and/or housing must be provided with support surfaces to maintain the desired axial position of the rotors relative to their associated mounting pin/axle.
Aside from requiring special pins/axles with supporting, axially facing surfaces, the rotors may be prone to skewing relative to their associated pin/axle. Commonly, the contact area between the rotors and pins/axles is relatively small so that a certain degree of skewing is inevitable. Alternative arrangements are known in the art to confine movement and skewing of the rotors. For example, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,787, to Kutschat, one of the housing parts has an offset end which is bent to confine the axial rotor shifting. The potential for rotor skewing exists likewise with this design.
By reason of the relatively small contact area between the axially extending surfaces on the rotors and the cooperating pins/axles, these surfaces are prone to considerable wear. Similarly, a catch element, which contacts the rotors to maintain the same in at least a primary latched position, engages the rotors along a relatively short axial distance. To avoid excessive wear, these catches have likewise commonly been made from a metal material.
By having to use metal for the rotors and catch elements, the costs attendant the manufacture of these elements may be relatively high. At the same time, metal parts are prone to corrosion in certain severe environments in which they are used. This may lead to deterioration of the latch assembly components and ultimately to the premature failure of the latch assembly.
Still further, the metal parts generally have a relatively high coefficient of friction between the surfaces which coact. This may lead to binding between the metal parts that are required to act, one against the other.
One problem with existing latch assemblies is attributable to the fact that the closure element must be nearly closed for the rotors to achieve the secondary latched positions. The present design of glass doors on agricultural tractors requires significant camber built in to the door to compensate for the inherent flexing of the door. In addition, all-glass doors require more momentum to be closed to the secondary latched position and some never achieve full closing to the primary latching position. It has been observed that doors can be accidentally left ajar. With the equipment being transported at high speeds, the door can fly open and possibly shatter.
Another problem with the prior art latch assemblies has been that with the conventional latch assembly construction, the secondary latched positions for the rotors may be almost indistinguishable from the primary latched positions by viewing the position of the closure element. As a result, a user may mistakenly believe that the unlatched closure element, which is but slightly ajar, is positioned so that the rotors are in their secondary latched positions. This could lead to a situation in which the unlatched closure element may be inadvertently opened or otherwise undesirably allowed to reposition. There is also a potential problem I the manufacturing and assembly operation that can lead to additional time spent to install the latch and door plus rework and warranty costs to correct this condition in the field.

Latch assembly for a movable closure element


A target value of a contrast ratio of an image display apparatus is set, and the number of levels, among which the luminance of a backlight is changed over, and each level of luminance are decided according to the target value of the contrast ratio. The backlight is made to emit light at the individual levels of luminance of the backlight thus decided, and at the same time, the image display apparatus is made to display a predetermined color chart thereon, so that color measurement is thereby carried out, and calibration is carried out at each level of luminance of the backlight based on a color value thus measured. The calibration is carried out only on an appropriate number of levels of the luminance of the backlight required to achieve the target value of the contrast ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display system, an image display apparatus and a calibration method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A color liquid crystal display forms a color image by controlling the luminance of a backlight, and the transmittance of each liquid crystal cell. The pixel value of an input image signal is represented, for example, by a value of 256 steps or levels, with respect to an R (red) component, a G (green) component, and a B (blue) component, respectively. A liquid crystal driving signal (drive voltage) is decided from the above-mentioned pixel value through a matrix operation or through reference to a look-up table, so that the liquid crystal transmittance can be controlled by providing the drive voltage to a liquid crystal driving unit.
The color liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as a calibration display), which is provided with a calibration function to be carried out by a personal computer, measures the luminance and the chromaticity of each of a plurality of color charts displayed on a screen. The calibration display adjusts arithmetic operation (i.e., computation) parameters and the look-up table for deciding a backlight driving signal (a drive electric current or a pulse width modulation duty ratio) and the liquid crystal driving signal. According to this, it is possible to manage so as to make smaller an error or difference between a color which should be displayed and a color which is actually displayed. With the general calibration display, a user sets one set of calibration desired or target values such as a white color luminance, a black color luminance (or a contrast ratio=white color luminance/black color luminance), a white chromaticity, a color gamut, a gamma coefficient, and so on.
The calibration display displays, at least, a color chart of three primary colors for adjusting the color gamut, a white color chart for adjusting white chromaticity, a black color chart for adjusting black color luminance, a white color chart for adjusting white color luminance, and a plurality of gray color charts for adjusting a gamma curve. The calibration display adjusts the arithmetic operation parameters and the look-up table values for deciding the backlight driving signal and the liquid crystal driving signal so as to meet the set calibration target values.
There is a display which divides a backlight into a plurality of light source blocks, and carries out variable control of the luminance of the backlight for each of the light source blocks. According to such a local dimming display, there will be obtained such effects as an improvement in the contrast ratio or a reduction in the power consumption. There are some display devices in which the luminance of an entire backlight is changed in a uniform manner according to an image signal to be inputted, without dividing alight source into blocks, but in the following description, such display devices are handled as a kind of dimming display (i.e., dimming with the number of light source blocks being 1).
The characteristics of the arithmetic parameters and the look-up table for deciding the backlight driving signal and the liquid crystal driving signal according to the image signal to be inputted vary with the luminance of the backlight. For that reason, in the case of local dimming displays in which the luminance of the backlight can be switched or changed over among a plurality of levels of luminance, it is necessary to carry out a calibration with respect to each of the plurality of levels of backlight luminance.
In the patent gazette of Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2006-145798, there is described a technique which, in a local dimming display, measures the luminance and the chromaticity of each of a plurality of color charts displayed on a screen, and adjusts arithmetic operation parameters and a look-up table for deciding a liquid crystal driving signal from a pixel value to be inputted.

Image display system, image display apparatus and calibration method


Compositions are disclosed. The compositions include a binder, a transparent or semi-transparent colorant having an average particle diameter of greater than 150 nanometers; and at least one member comprising a scattering pigment dispersed in a matrix. Substrates coated with such compositions and methods of coating substrates with such compositions are also disclosed.

Paints typically include colorants, such as pigments or dyes, dispersed in a binder. In many cases, the colorants are transparent or semi-transparent pigments, such as is often the case with certain reds, yellows and oranges. While such colorants are often desired, one problem that may arise from their use is that they may not adequately "hide" the substrate upon which the paint is deposited. This is often the case because the index of refraction of such colorants is similar to that of the binder in which the colorant is dispersed. As a result, such colorants scatter little or no light, so that light more easily reaches the substrate. To solve this hiding problem, the film thickness and/or the amount of colorant in the paint may be increased. Both of these solutions, however, can be costly because, at least in part, of the relatively high cost of colorants.
Another known way to improve the hiding ability of a paint composition is to include substrate-hiding materials, such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and/or lead oxide, in the paint composition. Of these, titanium dioxide is most often used by paint manufacturers. These materials, sometimes referred to as "opacifying pigments," usually have an optimal particle diameter of around 200 nanometers and a refractive index that is significantly higher than that of the binder in which the material is dispersed. As a result, they provide whiteness and are good hiding pigments.
The use of these white hiding pigments, however, has not been without drawbacks. Typically, particles of hiding pigments, such as titanium dioxide, are randomly dispersed in the binder along with the coloring pigment. To achieve sufficient hiding, however, sufficient levels of hiding pigment must be used so that there is a statistical probability that light will be scattered by particles of hiding pigment before reaching the substrate. As a result, a significant amount of hiding pigment may reside at or near the top surface of the coating film, away from the substrate. In such a case, a significant amount of light may be reflected by the white hiding pigment without ever passing through the colorant, thereby affecting the chromaticity, or purity, of the paint color.
It has been proposed to include in a coating a flake-like assemblage in which scattering pigments are encapsulated in a resinous polymer. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0125417A1 discloses that when such assemblages are included in a paint composition and the paint is applied to a substrate, the assemblages tend to align with the substrate and with each other in parallel along their longest dimensions to create multidirectional scattering of light in the paint composition. The coatings of this application, however, are directed to the use of specially processed colorants having a primary particle size of less than about 150 nanometers dispersed in a resinous binder. Such colorants are, however, often undesireable because, for example, they require extra processing to produce, are costly, and they are less commercially available as compared to conventional colorants, which have an average particle diameter of greater than 150 nanometers. In addition, the use of colorants having a primary particle size of less than about 150 nanometers may be especially undesirable in certain applications because of metamerism effects. Metamerism is caused by the nature of human color vision and results from the fact that two colored articles may appear the same color under illumination with a given light source, even though they may have differences in their reflection spectra. Because of these differences, these same articles may appear different from each other in color under a different light source. This can be particularly problematic because, for example, a refinish paint composition could appear to match an original automotive paint when indoors but fail to match outdoors. Because most original automotive paints contain conventionally sized pigments as colorants, it is particularly desirable to provide refinish paint compositions that with good hiding and color purity that also use conventionally sized pigment particles.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved pigmented compositions that use conventionally sized transparent or semi-transparent colorants, and which can (i) exhibit improved hiding as compared to coatings that include such transparent or semi-transparent pigments in the absence of any substrate-hiding materials, and (ii) exhibit improved color purity as compared to coatings that include dispersed transparent or semi-transparent pigments and substrate-hidings materials.

Colored compositions with substrate-hiding materials


A maximum likelihood decoder (28) comprises a Viterbi decoding unit (30) and a symbol concluding unit (29). Final N-M bit data of data of N (>M) bit unit, to which M-bit original data is converted, is supplied to the symbol concluding unit (29) as a terminal portion and other data is supplied to the Viterbi decoding unit (30), thereby being demodulated by a demodulator (37). A maximum likelihood decoding apparatus is provided in which image data or the like can be recorded and reproduced at high speed and maximum likelihood parallel decoding is effected. A reproducing data demodulating apparatus using such maximum likelihood decoding apparatus is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to recording data modulating apparatus and reproducing data demodulating apparatus for use in recording and/or reproducing digital data. More particularly, this invention relates to recording data modulating apparatus and reproducing data demodulating apparatus in which a modulation code is a variable length code for converting recording data of m-bit unit into a recording code of n-bit unit and to a reproducing data demodulating apparatus in which a variable length code and a maximum likelihood decoding such as a Viterbi algorithm are combined.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, in recording and reproducing appliances such as a digital VTR (video tape recorder) or the like, advance in high density has been made and as one of its elemental techniques, a variety of modulation and demodulation systems are examined. Particularly, there is known a partial response (Partial Response) system or the like which positively utilizes an intersymbolic interference from the beginning in order to restrict the intersymbolic interference and performs a code configuration.
Particularly, Kretzmer (E. R. Kretzmer), a proposer of this system, mentioned five kinds of characteristics as typical ones of a transmission system upon a dual information series and referred to them as classes I, II, III, IV and V, respectively. Among these classes, FIG. 1 shows a frequency characteristic of the class I (hereinafter referred to as Pr (1, 1)) of a so-called duobinary code (Duobinary) used in the present embodiment. Such Pr (1, 1) enables the frequency characteristic to be compressed into 1/2 in comparison with a single-current system encoding. In order to restrict a recording band in this way, and, further, to reduce deterioration of S/N ratio, a decoding system called a maximum likelihood decoding (Maximum Likelihood Sequence Estimation) is also employed.
A Viterbi decoding is known as the simplest system of the maximum likelihood decoding. The Viterbi decoding is a decoding method which permits the whole electric power of an input signal to be effectively used in the same way in a matched filter. A fundamental construction of such viterbi decoding and a construction of a viterbi decoding circuit or the like upon application thereof to the recording and reproducing system in the form of an NRZI code are described in detail by Yoshizumi Eto and two others, in "A digital video recording technique", Nikkan Industrial Newspapers Co., pp 72-84, Aug. 31, 1990.
There is known "data conversion and detecting method" which is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4-76867 (laid-open on Mar. 11, 1992). According to this prior art, by increasing a pattern distance between code patterns in order to avoid an intersymbol interference, it is possible to increase a recording density while a present recording medium and recording and reproducing device are utilized. According to the arrangement of this prior art, in a data converting circuit in the recording system, of N codes of conversion data, n consecutive codes the number of which is equal to the number of intersymbol interferences that can be allowed in view of the characteristic of transmission path are weighted so as to linearly decrease from a reference value of a distribution center. When n consecutive codes thus weighted are sequentially added to form intermediate series of N-n+1 bits, conversion data is selected as a code so that a total of absolute values of a difference between codes of the intermediate series becomes more than a predetermined number of times the value of a reference value of the weighting. Thus, the pattern distance between the code patterns is increased.
Further, there is known "data conversion and detection method" which is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4-89664 (laid-open on Mar. 23, 1992). In this prior art, as a code of at least a preceding portion of conversion data, there is selected one such that a total (modulation code distance) of absolute values of a difference between codes of intermediate series becomes more than a predetermined number of times the standard value of the weighting. Thus, an error rate in the playback can be reduced and a recording density can be improved. An arrangement of this prior art will be described below. N codes of conversion data are divided into Ns preceding portions and Nt succeeding portions. Of Ns preceding portions and Nt succeeding portions, n consecutive codes whose number is equal to the number of intersymbol interferences that can be allowed in the transmission path are weighted so as to decrease linearly from the center. When n consecutive codes thus weighted are sequentially added to form intermediate series, as at least the code of the preceding portion of conversion data, there is selected one such that a total of absolute values of difference between codes of intermediate series becomes more than a predetermined number of times the standard value of the weighting. Therefore, the pattern distance between the code patterns can be increased and the error rate in the playback mode can be reduced while the present media and recording and reproducing device are utilized. Also, the recording density can be improved.
Furthermore, there is known "Application of New Variable-length block code and Viterbi Decoding using d-constraint to magneto-optical-Recording", Vol. 44, No. 10, pp. 1369 to 1375, 1990, in The Journal of the Institute of Television Engineers of Japan. A summary of this paper will be described below. A (3, 19; 4, 9;3) code, one of the variable-length block codes, is developed. This code introduces less intersymbol interference into magneto-optical recording than a conventional (2, 7; 1,2;4) code. A PR(1, 1) system, used for signal detection, and Viterbi decoding using the d-constraint of these codes as a decoding method, are proposed. Their error probabilities are obtained by computer simulation. Their performance is compared with the conventional peak detection method. The results show the proposed method exhibits excellent performance compared with the conventional one, and a large improvement in performance is achieved by using a (3, 19; 4, 9; 3) code.
The above-mentioned digital video recording technique discloses (pp. 83 to 84) the technique that the Viterbi decoding is applied to the Pr(1, 1) transmission path (optical disc), whereby an error rate is improved and a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio is improved by 2 dB.
Although the S/N ratio can be improved and an electric power can be utilized effectively by using both the maximum likelihood decoding and the partial response system, this maximum likelihood decoding is a sequential decoding. Thus, when a predetermined metric is detected, a point immediately preceding the detection point must be detected and therefore the parallel processing cannot be effected.
Further, when the calculation for detecting a metric is carried out, there is then the probability that there remain indefinite data. Therefore, the length to the end that data is determined cannot be determined as a predetermined length. Consequently, the hardware arrangement becomes complex and the circuit scale is increased.
Furthermore, there occurs an error propagation (see pp. 79 to 81 of the above digital video recording technique). There is then the possibility that this error occurs over 2 symbols. In such case, there are then the problems that an error correction code or the like will be destroyed.

Apparatus for converting a digital signal


A system and method for peeling a semiconductor chip from a tape using a multistage ejector is disclosed. A housing in the multistage ejector houses a plural sets of tape removing contacts. A pick and place unit is moved slowly to have contact with the chip. A vacuum source is utilized for generating vacuum to suck the tape. Plural sets of contacts such as inner, middle and outer contacts are independently or together moved below the tape at various stages by utilizing their respective actuation mechanism. A controller can independently control the movements of each contact to effectively remove or loosen the tape from the chip. A pick and place unit can then pick up the chip easily without any damage to chip.

In fabrication of semiconductor chips, various processing steps are carried out simultaneously on a single wafer to produce the desired semiconductor Integrated Circuit (IC). Typically, ICs are produced in large batches on a single wafer of Electronic-Grade Silicon (EGS) or other semiconductor material through the processes such as photolithography. The wafer is cut ("diced") into many pieces, each containing one copy of the circuit. The process of cutting the wafer is called dicing or singulation and each piece is called a die or chip.
During the singulation process, it is necessary to protect the chips from damage, as isolation of individual chips from wafer may cause damage to the chips. To protect a chip and to reduce such damage, normally an adhesive tape is first applied to the bottom surface of the wafer before singulation. After the singulation process, the adhesive tape is removed from the chip. Removal of an adhesive tape from a thin die (for example, of minimum thickness 40 μm) is subjected to die cracking and results in production loss. Various methods have been attempted in prior arts to overcome this problem.
In a US patent application US 2009/0101282 A1, an apparatus and method for picking-up a semiconductor die is disclosed. The apparatus and method uses a wiper that has a tip end moving in and out of an adherence surface of a die stage and a shutter that is moved with the wiper while blocking a suction window formed in the adherence surface. When picking up a semiconductor die, the tip end of the wiper is aligned with a first end of the die, the wiper is moved along the adherence surface while the tip end of the wiper is protruded from the adherence surface with the die being suction-held by a collect. A suction opening is sequentially opened between a first end surface of the suction window and a seat surface of the wiper as the wiper is moved, and a dicing sheet attached to the die is suctioned into the suction opening that has been opened and sequentially peeled off from the die. In this art, the wiper sliding speed must be slower than the propagation speed of the delamination process and the delamination process has to propagate from one side to another. Therefore, the circle time is limited.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,238,258 discloses a system for peeling semiconductor chips from a tape. The system is provided with a nose on a housing. The nose has transverse dimensions smaller than the transverse dimensions of a target chip. Apertures are provided through the nose from the housing. Vacuum ports are provided in the housing adjacent the nose. A vacuum source controllably connects to the apertures and the vacuum ports. The nose is positioned adjacent to a tape attached on the side opposite to the target chip. Vacuum is applied to attract the tape against the nose and the adjacent portions of the housing to peel the tape from the peripheral edges of the target chip while supporting the tape in the center of the target chip.
In this prior art, the vertical ejection tools include push-up needles and push-up two staged blocks. Since all the needles are moved simultaneously, it creates a high pressure at the center of the chip before it is peeled, thus increasing the likelihood of the chip to be damaged. Additionally, the angle between the slanting tape and the chip surface is small, which may lead to reduced process flows and ejection sequences.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved system and method for peeling a semiconductor chip from a tape that overcomes the above drawbacks.

System and method for peeling a semiconductor chip from a tape using a multistage ejector

MANUFACTURING INTEGRATION TECHNOLOGY LTD


A new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant named ‘DIP 79’, characterized by its upright and vining plant habit; vibrant red-colored flowers; and year-round flowering period.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla, botanically known as Mandevilla splendens and hereinafter referred to by the name 'DIP 79'.
The new Mandevilla is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Sebring, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Mandevilla cultivars with dense foliage and red-colored flowers.
The new Mandevilla originated from an open-pollination during May, 2003 in Sebring, Fla. of the Mandevilla splendens cultivar Red Riding Hood, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with an unknown selection of Mandevilla splendens as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar DIP 79 was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Sebring, Fla. May, 2004.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings in Sebring, Fla. since March, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


An apparatus and method for compensating for a timing offset in a spread spectrum system which perform an oversampling of respective symbols to obtain a plurality of samples, estimate a chip clock timing offset and a symbol clock timing offset from the plurality of samples, and compensate for the chip clock timing offset and the symbol clock timing offset.

As well known, in a spread spectrum system, a transmitting-side signal is spread over chips having a smaller interval than a symbol interval, and thus the spread spectrum system is sensitive to a clock timing offset. For example, inter-chip interference caused by a chip delay is a primary cause of degradation of the system. Therefore, it is required to accurately estimate and compensate for chip and symbol clock timing offsets.
In a spread spectrum system, each data symbol is spread by a code having good correlation characteristics with other codes, that is, a code which has a peak value only when the code is multiplied by the same code at a receiving side and has a very small value when the code is multiplied by a chip-delayed code or a code of another pattern. When a sample clock offset occurs during an analog-to-digital converting (ADC) process, the same amount of offset occurs in chip clock timing also, and thus sample positions of respective data symbols having a peak value differ from each other by the offset upon despreading.
As an existing method of estimating a symbol and a chip clock timing offset, an early-late gate algorithm has been widely known. This algorithm always involves comparing a power value at a sample position ahead of an ideal sample point with a power value at a sample position behind the ideal sample point, thus requiring a large amount of computation in a system having a high data rate. Also, in a system in which a timing error fluctuates within a symbol unit, there is a high probability that an ideal sample point is not an accurate timing, and thus an error increases upon downsampling.
As another existing method of estimating a symbol and a chip clock timing offset, the Mueller-Muller algorithm is used. This algorithm requires only one sample per symbol, thus requiring a small amount of computation. However, this algorithm is sensitive to a carrier offset, and its timing estimation performance is degraded in a system with many carrier offsets.
This work was supported by the ICT R&D program of MSIP/IITP, Republic of Korea. [14-911-01-003, Development of software-based measuring equipment for enhancing inspection of radio station]

Apparatus and method for compensating for timing offset in spread spectrum system


An unnatural color change which occurs when combining trapping and spatial filter processing is suppressed. When image data is input, it is determined whether to perform trapping at the position of the pixel of interest of the input image data, and trapping is performed for the input image data. In addition, spatial filter processing is performed for the pixel of interest of the input data, an output of the trapping and that of the filter processing are weighted, and image data to be output is calculated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to trapping which prevents exposure of a background color caused by misregistration.
2. Description of the Related Art
In printing a color image, a given color is presented by superposing a plurality of colors, for example, the four colors cyan C, magenta M, yellow Y, and black K, which are known as process colors. The colors have a potential misregistration problem. In the boundary of the different process colors, even when the width of the boundary is ideally zero, exposure (to be referred to as a blank portion, hereinafter) of the white color of the background paper sheet or of unnatural artifacts occurs due to misregistration. This misregistration almost always arises from mechanical problems in a print system.
As a technique called trapping for correcting misregistration is known. In a general approach, a gap between colors or a boundary position of misregistration is detected, and the region of one color is extended to overlap the region of the other color so that adverse visual effects after printing are minimized.
One flaw of trapping is that the color changes in the overlap region (generally corresponding to the edge portion of an image) of different colors. Therefore, misregistration tolerance and color change are in a trade-off relationship.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-165693 discloses a technique of minimizing the adverse visual effects of overlap regions. This technique determines whether to perform trapping by converting a color into a color based on human perception or determines the color to undergo region extension and implements trapping with fewer adverse visual effects.
On the other hand, an edge operation such as an edge enhancement process is sometimes performed on the edge portion of an image. That is, a printing apparatus also has a spatial filter processing function. An edge enhancement process is sometimes performed not only to a picture image and a scan image but also to objects such as text, lines, and figures.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-237472 discloses a technique which applies filter processing to trapping. This technique applies a softening filter and mask process to a portion to be trapped (a portion in which a blank portion is likely to appear due to misregistration) in order to prevent the blank portion. However, a blank portion caused by misregistration is more clearly noticeable in an edge-enhanced image rather than in an image which does not undergo edge enhancement.
FIGS. 1A to 1C are views showing an example of a text image (density of 80%) with a sharp edge in a light background (density of 10%).
When the image shown in FIG. 1A undergoes edge enhancement, the density of the text image in the edge portion increases and that of the background decreases as shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C. As a result, the edge portion of the image is well-defined.
FIGS. 2A to 2E are views showing an example of an image formed with a plurality of colors. For example, a text image is formed with the color K in a light background and the periphery of the text image is colored with the color M.
When the image shown in FIG. 2A undergoes edge enhancement, the density of the edge portions of colors K and M increase and that of the background of the edge portions decreases as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C. When misregistration occurs, a clear blank portion appears as shown in FIG. 2E, as compared with a case shown in FIG. 2D wherein no edge enhancement is performed.
FIGS. 3A to 3D are views showing a case wherein edge enhancement is performed for the edge of an image which underwent trapping.
When trapping is performed for the image shown in FIG. 3A, as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, the colors overlap with each other in the trap width and an edge which does not exist in the original image appears. When edge enhancement is performed for this image, as shown in FIG. 3D, no blank portion appears but an unnatural stripe-patterned color change, which does not exist in the original image, occurs in the edge portion. Note that the same problem arises even when the processing order is reversed, that is, even when the edge-enhanced image undergoes trapping.
Such a potential problem exists because whether to perform edge enhancement is not considered in the post processing or preprocessing of trapping.
Since both of spatial filter processing and trapping are generally performed for each window, in order to obtain a satisfactory processing result, it is necessary to buffer an image for a plurality of lines. Accordingly, a processing system which performs both spatial filter processing and trapping must have independent line memories for respective processings, and this leads to an increase in memory cost.

Image processing apparatus and its method


A combination bathtub/shower base facility including a bathtub unit, and a shower base, wherein the bathtub unit and the shower base are molded together as one unitary piece. The shower base is positioned downstream of any fluid overflowing from the tub. The facility also includes means for providing easy installation of the facility. The facility provides a shower, a bathtub, a relaxation room, a rainroom, a steam space, and a total immersion bath experience.

In some home installations, a bathtub enclosure can double as a shower stall. In other installations, a separate shower stall can be installed adjacently with respect to a bathtub. These latter installations can be labor-intensive, time-consuming and, therefore, costly to install.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,787 describes a combination bathtub/shower facility comprised of separately prefabricated shower and bathtub units which are structurally interconnected in such a manner as to maintain the structural, watertight, and aesthetic integrity of the facility. However, this separate prefabrication of the bathtub and shower units still results in a system that is complex to install
There is therefore a need for an improved bathtub/shower base facility that addresses at least one of the problems of prior art systems described above.

Combination bathtub and shower base facility


A self-damping fuel rail for a fuel-injected internal combustion engine includes an elongated tube defining a wall and having a longitudinal axis. The wall defines a fuel passageway and has a first wall portion movable between a first position bowed inwardly toward the longitudinal axis when the self damping fuel rail is in a non-operative state, and a second position moved outwardly away from the longitudinal axis when the self-damping fuel rail is in an operative state. The self-damping fuel rail also includes at least one fuel outlet configured to facilitate communication between the fuel passageway and a fuel injector.

The present invention relates to fuel rails for fuel systems of internal combustion engines, and more particularly to self-damping fuel rails for damping pressure pulsations created by fuel injectors.
Typically, a fuel rail, or manifold, supplies fuel to a plurality of fuel injectors that inject the fuel into corresponding inlet ports of an engine. Electromagnetic fuel injectors deliver fuel to the engine in metered pulses which are appropriately timed to the engine operation. The sequential energization of the fuel injectors induces pressure pulsations within the fuel rail that may create various problems. For example, the pressure pulsations may improperly distribute fuel to the injectors, which can adversely affect tailpipe emissions and driveability, and/or may induce fuel line hammering, which can result in vibration and audible noise.
It is known to utilize a damper element inside the fuel rail to effectively minimize or dampen the pressure pulsations created by the fuel injectors. However, using a damper element increases the installation and assembly time of the fuel rail, and thus increases the overall cost.


Provided are an anthracene-based compound represented by Formula 1 or 2 and an organic light emitting device employing the same:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anthracene-based compound and an organic light emitting device employing the same, and more particularly, to an anthracene-based compound including a pyridinylquinoline-based group or a pyridinylisoquinoline-based group and an organic light emitting device including an organic layer formed of the anthracene-based compound.
2. Description of the Related Art
Organic light emitting devices are active light emitting display devices that emit light by recombination of electrons and holes in a thin layer made of a fluorescent or phosphorescent organic compound (an organic layer) when a current is applied to the organic layer. The organic light emitting devices have advantages such as lightweight, simple constitutional elements, an easy fabrication process, superior image quality and a wide viewing angle. Furthermore, the organic light emitting devices can accomplish perfect creation of dynamic images and high color purity. The organic light emitting devices also have electrical properties, such as low power consumption and low driving voltage, suitable for portable electronic equipment
A multi-layered organic light emitting device using an aluminum quinolinol complex layer and a triphenylamine derivative layer was developed by Eastman Kodak Co. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,211), and a wide range of light from ultraviolet lights to infrared lights can be emitted using low-molecular weight materials when an organic emitting layer is formed (U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,629).
Light emitting devices, which are self light emitting display devices, have wide viewing angles, excellent contrast and a quick response. Light emitting devices are classified into inorganic light emitting devices using inorganic compounds to form emitting layers and organic light emitting devices (OLED) using organic compounds to form emitting layers. Organic light emitting devices have higher brightness, lower driving voltages and quicker responses than inorganic light emitting devices and can realize multi colors. Thus, organic light emitting devices have been actively studied.
Typically, an organic light emitting device has an anode/organic emitting layer/cathode structure. An organic light emitting device can also have various other structures, such as an anode/hole injection layer/hole transport layer/emitting layer/electron transport layer/electron injection layer/cathode structure or an anode/hole injection layer/hole transport layer/emitting layer/hole blocking layer/electron transport layer/electron injection layer/cathode structure.
Materials that are used in organic light emitting devices can be classified into vacuum deposited materials and solution coated materials according to a method of preparing an organic layer. The vacuum deposited materials may have a vapor pressure of 10-6 torr or greater at the temperature of 500° C. or less and may be low molecular materials having a molecular weight of 1200 or less. The solution coated materials may be highly soluble in solvents to be prepared in solution phase, and include aromatic or heterocyclic groups.
When an organic light emitting device is manufactured by vacuum deposition, costs may be increased due to expensive vacuum systems and high resolution pixels may not be easily manufactured if a shadow mask is used to prepare pixels for a natural color display. On the other hand, an organic light emitting device can be easily and inexpensively manufactured using solution coating such as inkjet printing, screen printing and spin coating and can have relatively high resolution compared to when using a shadow mask.
Meanwhile, when a conventional organic light emitting device is operated or stored at a high temperature, emitting light may be changed, light emitting efficiency may be reduced, driving voltages may be increased, and lifetime may be shortened. In order to prevent those problems, a novel electron transport material having a high glass transition temperature (Tg) and capable of reducing driving voltage needs to be developed.
Oxadiazole derivatives, triazole derivatives, phenanthroline derivatives and aluminum complexes are widely used as an electron transport material. In particular, research on an electron transport material using a phenanthroline-based or bipyridine-based compound is vigorously performed.
International Publication No. WO2007/026847 discloses a compound having a triazole ring structure substituted with a pyridyl group, and Japanese Patent Publication No. hei 15-123983 discloses a 1,10-phenanthroline-based compound to manufacture organic light emitting devices having low driving voltage and high efficiency by using higher electron transporting capability compared to conventional electron transport materials.

Anthracene-based compound and organic light emitting device employing the same

Abstract: where R is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a hydroxyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C3-C20 cycloalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C5-C30 heterocycloalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted C6-C30 aryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C6-C30 aralkyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted C2-C30 heteroaryl group, L is a bivalent linking group and a substituted or unsubstituted C6-C30 arylene group or a substituted or unsubstituted C2-C30 heteroarylene group, and m is an integer of 0 to 3.

Maetan-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do


Reflective optical element with extended service life for VUV wavelengths includes a substrate (41) and a metal layer (49) thereon. At least one metal fluoride layer (43) on the metal layer faces away from the substrate and at least one oxide layer (45) on the metal fluoride layer faces away from the substrate. The thicknesses of the layers on the metal layer facing away from the substrate are selected so that the electrical field of a standing wave, formed when a relevant wavelength is reflected, has a minimum in the region of the oxide layer. In addition, the relevant wavelength is selected so that, from a minimum VUV wavelength range to the relevant wavelengths, the integral over the extinction coefficients of the material of the at least one oxide layer is between 15% and 47% of the corresponding integral from the minimum wavelengths to a maximum wavelength.

Particularly in the relatively short-wave ultraviolet wavelength range between approximately 100 nm and 200 nm, also called vacuum ultraviolet radiation (VUV radiation), it is not possible just to employ transmissive optical elements. Rather, it is often necessary also to have recourse to reflective optical elements. Reflective optical elements comprising, on a substrate, a metallic layer and overlying that a protective layer or a highly reflective layer system have proved to be particularly worthwhile in this case. The protective layer or the protective layer system can comprise one or more fluorides. A method for producing such reflective optical elements is known from US 2017/0031067 A1, for example. It involves vapor depositing onto a substrate two first layers at room temperature and then a third layer at approximately 200° C.
It has been observed, however, that at high radiation intensities such as can occur in lithography and particularly also for the inspection of masks and wafers, already within a few days or even just a few hours, a severe degradation of the reflective optical elements can take place, accompanied by high loss of reflectivity, even if they comprise a protective layer and the irradiation takes place in a vacuum.


A transformer (100) includes a bar-shaped core (5), a number of coils (7) comprising a first winding group (71, 72) and a second winding group (73, 74) wound around the core, a housing (1) receiving the core and the coils, and a number of conductive terminals (3) being secured in the housing. The first winding group and the second winding group wound around different parts of the core. The coils are soldered to the conductive terminals (3). The coils (7) are wound around the core automatically by an automatic winder. Therefore, the cost of manufacturing the transformer is decreased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transformer.
2. Description of Related Art
In prior art, a transformer commonly comprise a winding frame, a first core and a second core. The winding frame has a primary winding area and a secondary winding area. The first core and the second core are set in the winding frame.
In another prior art, a transformer comprises a core, four winding wires wound together with each other around the core. U.S. Publication No. 2010/0109827 (US '827) assigned to TDK Corporation and published on May 6, 2010 discloses such a transformer. First and second terminal electrodes of the transformer are connected to each of both ends of the primary winding wire. The first terminal electrode is positioned close to the second terminal electrode. Third and fourth terminal electrodes are connected to each of both ends of the secondary winding wire. The third terminal electrode is positioned close to the fourth terminal electrode. Therefore, the core could only use low-permeability materials to avoid conduction between two close terminal electrodes. However, the low-permeability material such as nickel (Ni) is expensive. These winding structures are complex and high cost.
Hence, a transformer having a simple and low cost winding structure is desired.

Transformer having a simplified winding structure