A gas laser oscillator has two discharge tube columns, both ends of which are connected by a bending unit, wherein each column comprises two discharge tubes connected in series. At the opposite ends of the bending unit, one column has a total-reflection mirror, and the other column has a partial-reflection mirror. These discharge tubes, the bending unit, the total-reflection mirror, and the partial-reflection mirror are mounted to a single optical bench. Each end of the discharge tubes is fixed to the optical bench by a clamp. When counted from the clamp nearest to the partial-reflection mirror, the first clamp, the fourth clamp, and the eighth clamp are non-movable with respect to the optical bench, while the remaining clamps are movable, and thus adjustable. One total-reflection mirror unit of the two total-reflection mirror units on the bending unit is non-movable, and the other total-reflection mirror unit is movable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas laser oscillation device in which the axis of each discharge tube is aligned with the axis of a laser. In particular, the present invention relates to a gas laser oscillation device and an optical axis alignment adjustment method for the device, wherein the gas laser oscillation device comprises an optical resonance zone having two or more columns of discharge tubes which are connected at their bending portions by means of a bending unit, with each column made up of one or more discharge tubes which are connected in series, with a partial-reflection mirror at one end of the optical resonance zone and with a total-reflection mirror at the other end of the optical resonance zone.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 8 illustrates the basic configuration of a gas laser oscillation device. Indicated at 1 in FIG. 8.is a discharge tube made of a dielectric material such as glass and the like. Indicated at 2 and 3 are metallic electrodes disposed in the discharge tube 1. A high tension power supply 4 is connected to the electrodes 2 and 3. The power supply 4 supplies, for example, a voltage of 30 kV across the electrodes 2 and 3. Indicated at 5 is a discharge space between the electrodes 2 and 3 in the discharge tube 1. A total-reflection mirror is designated 6, and a partial-reflection mirror is designated 7. An optical resonator is formed by the total-reflection mirror 6 disposed on one side of the discharge space 5, and by the partial-reflection mirror 7 disposed on the other side of the discharge space 5. A laser beam 8 is output via the partial-reflection mirror 7. An arrow 9 indicates the direction of gas flow. Laser gas circulates in the axial flow type laser device. A gas feeder pipe is designated 10. Heat exchangers 11 and 12 work to lower the laser gas temperature which rises as a result of discharge action in the discharge space 5 and the operation of a gas blower. The blower 13 is used to circulate the laser gas. The blower 13 causes a gas flow of about 100 m/s to take place in the discharge space 5.
The basic structure of the axial flow type gas laser oscillation device has been described above. Described below is how it operates.
The high tension power supply 4 supplies a high voltage between a pair of metallic electrodes 2 and 3, resulting in glow discharge in the discharge space 5. The laser gas that passes through the discharge space 5 receives energy from the discharge, and is thus excited. The excited laser gas is put into a state of resonance in the optical resonator formed by the total-reflection mirror 6 and the partial-reflection mirror 7. The resulting laser beam 8 is output through the partial-reflection mirror 7. The laser beam 8 is then used for welding, cutting, heat treatment, and other applications.
FIGS. 9A and 9B are a detailed view showing a conventional optical resonator portion of a gas laser oscillation device. Mounted on an optical resonator are an optical bench 14, clamps 16 and 17, discharge tubes 1, a bending unit 18, a partial-reflection mirror 7, and a total-reflection mirror 6. All of the clamps 16 are adjustable. Also mounted on the optical resonator is an adjuster 22 which aligns the optical axis by adjusting two total-reflection mirrors disposed on the bending unit 18. Specifically, a reference optical axis is first set up, and then, all of the clamps 16 and the total-reflection mirrors disposed on the bending unit are adjusted so that the optical axes of all optical elements agree with the reference optical axis. As described later with reference to FIG. 5, the clamps 16 are fitted into the optical bench 14 with a clearance fit. The clamps 16 are adjustable to within the clearance range which is allowed by clamp mounting screws (not shown) and their holes. The clamps 17 are integrally mounted on the discharge tube 1 as shown in FIG. 3; thus, the clamps 17 are installed along with the discharge tube 1 in order to fit into the clamps 16 after they are adjusted.
The following is a description of how the conventional optical axis alignment is adjusted. Indicated at 25 in FIG. 6 and at 26 in FIG. 11 are instruments which are used to visually inspect the position of the optical axis and which, made of translucent material, at their centers, have through holes 27a and 27b, respectively, of 0.5 to 1 mm diameter. Similar to the manner illustrated in FIG. 7, the instrument 25 may be installed on the clamp 24 on the mounting portion of the partial-reflection mirror 7. Both the accuracy of fit between the instrument 25 and the clamp 24 and the accuracy of fit between the clamp and the optical bench 14 are far better than an optical axis misalignment level normally considered as acceptable. As shown in FIG. 12, the instrument 26 is inserted into a hole (31 in FIG. 10) with the incidence side total-reflection mirror (28 in FIG. 10) of the bending unit 18 removed. As in the instrument 25, the instrument 26 is inserted into the hole 31 with a clearance fit far better than an optical axis misalignment level normally considered acceptable. Under the setup as mentioned above a helium-neon laser beam (hereinafter, simply referred to as laser beam), for example, is directed to the hole 27a at the center of the instrument 25 installed on the clamp 24. The helium-neon laser device is adjusted in positional setting so that the laser beam passes through the hole 27b at the center of the instrument 26. Indicated at 34 both in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 is laser beam. Since the instruments 25 and 26 are made of translucent material, the laser beam creates a light spot on the areas of the instruments, if the laser beam fails to align with the holes. Such light spot allows the position of the beam axis to be visually located. After making sure that the laser beam passes through both the center hole 27a on the instrument 25 installed on the clamp 24 and the center hole 27b on the instrument 26, another instrument 25 is installed on one clamp 16 between the first instrument 25 and the instrument 26 as shown in FIG. 7. The clamp 16 is then adjusted and secured so that laser beam already set up passes through the center hole 27a of the instrument 16. This step is repeated until all clamps 16 are adjusted. After completing adjustment of all the clamps 16, the instrument 26 in FIG. 12 is removed, and is then refitted into the next hole (32 in FIG. 10) as shown in FIG. 13. The angle of the total-reflection mirror 28 is then adjusted with the adjusting screws 22 illustrated in FIG. 9 so that the laser beam passes through the center hole 27b on the instrument 26. Indicated at 21 is a total-reflection mirror unit having a total-reflection mirror 28. Next, the instrument 26 is removed from the hole 32, and the instrument 25 is installed on a clamp 23 (FIG. 9) at the end of the optical resonance zone after the total-reflection mirror 6 is removed. Both the accuracy of fit between the instrument 25 and the clamp 23 and the accuracy of fit between the clamp 23 and the optical bench are far better than an optical axis misalignment level normally considered as acceptable. After the total-reflection mirror 29 is installed on the bending unit 18 the angle of, the total-reflection mirror 29 is adjusted with an adjusting screw 22 so that laser beam passes through the center hole 27a on the instrument 25. Then, another instrument 25 is installed on one of clamps 16 arranged between the bending unit 18 and the clamp 23, and that clamp 16 is adjusted and secured so that laser beam passes through the center hole 27a on the instrument 25. Each of the clamps 16 should be adjusted as above. This completes the optical axis alignment adjustment in the entire optical resonance zone. If three or more discharge tubes are connected in series, similar additional adjustment are required between the bending unit and the total-reflection mirror at the end of the optical resonance zone.
In the above-mentioned prior art, the optical axis alignment procedure is complex and requires a high standard of adjusting skills, thereby consuming a great deal of time. The machining accuracies of the optical bench and other components have been improved in an attempt to shorten the time required for the optical axis alignment adjustment. Such an attempt has failed in achieving satisfactory results. Higher machining accuracy incurs higher machining costs. Furthermore, even high-accuracy components still result in cumulative errors thereby causing misalignment of the optical axis to occur, even to the extent that adjustment itself is impossible.

Gas laser oscillation device and an optical axis alignment method therefor

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A medical device may include a handle having an actuator, and a shaft coupled to the handle. The shaft may include a working channel. The medical device also may include a pair of friction rollers configured to be actuated by the actuator. The pair of friction rollers may be configured to receive an elongate member between one another, wherein actuation of the actuator may cause the pair of friction rollers to rotate and urge the elongate member to translate.

Retrieval devices and systems allow physicians and other medical professionals to remove various materials from a patient, including organic material (e.g., blood clots, tissue, and biological concretions such as urinary, biliary, and pancreatic stones) and inorganic material (e.g., components of a medical device or other foreign matter). For example, concretions can develop in the kidneys, pancreas, ureter, or gallbladder, and cause blockages or other complications within the body. Minimally-invasive medical procedures may be used to remove these materials through a natural orifice, such as lithotripsy and ureteroscopy, or through an incision, such as percutaneous nephrolithotomy.
Current endoscopic systems have disadvantages, however. For example, ureteroscopic procedures typically require two or more people, wherein a physician controls the ureteroscope with both hands (one hand to grasp the handle and the other to hold the distal portion of the ureteroscope as it enters the urinary tract via the urethral meatus), and an assistant inserts a tool such as a basket, forceps, or a laser through a working channel of the ureteroscope and manipulates the tool. To remove a kidney stone, for example, a ureteroscope is used to gain access to the kidney, and a separate basket device is inserted into the working channel of the ureteroscope to remove or reposition the stone. In order to fragment larger stones into smaller pieces for removal, the basket device can be withdrawn from the working channel and substituted for a laser. After fragmenting the stone, the laser can be removed from the working channel and the basket device reinserted to capture the fragments.
This technique requires careful coordination. If communication between the physician and assistant is unclear, the assistant may require multiple attempts to successfully fragment and retrieve a stone or other material from the patient. Multiple attempts can increase risk to the patient, increase procedure time, and lead to tool damage for repeated unsuccessful attempts. Further, coordination between multiple people to control separate instruments simultaneously in a limited space can be logistically difficult and inconvenient, requiring awkward gripping and imprecise manipulation of the instruments.

Devices for medical procedures and related methods of use


The present invention relates to a method for resetting a plasma display panel which can improve contrast by reducing unnecessary light in a set-up period, and apparatus thereof. The method for resetting the plasma display panel, includes the steps of: forming initial wall charges in the discharge cells by means of a reset discharge in a set-up period; and erasing unnecessary wall charges of the initial wall charges from the discharge cells by means of an erasing discharge in a set-down period, wherein a period where the sustain electrodes are floated during the set-up period is set in one or more sub-fields.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel, and more particularly, to a method for resetting a plasma display panel which can improve contrast, and apparatus thereof.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, a plasma display panel (hereinafter, referred to as "PDP") that can be easily fabricated as a large-scale panel has attracted public attention as a flat panel display device. The PDP is adapted to display an image by controlling a gas discharge period of each of pixels according to digital video data. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a discharge cell in a conventional plasma display panel. A representative PDP is one having a three-electrode and driven as an AC voltage, as shown in FIG. 1.
A discharge cell of an AC type PDP shown in FIG. 1 includes a pair of sustain electrodes 12A and 12B formed on the bottom of an upper substrate 10, and a data electrodes 20 formed on the top of a lower substrate 18.
Each of the pair of the sustain electrodes 12A and 12B includes a dual layer structure of a transparent electrode and a metal electrode. These pair of the sustain electrodes 12A and 12B consist of the scan electrode 12A and the sustain electrode 12B. The scan electrode 12A mainly supplies a scan signal for an address discharge and a sustain signal for a sustain discharge. The sustain electrode 12B mainly supplies a sustain signal, while operating in turn with the scan electrode 12A. The data electrodes 20 is formed to intersect the pair of the sustain electrodes 12A and 12B and supplies a data signal for the address discharge.
An upper dielectric layer 14 and a protection film 16 are laminated on the upper substrate 10 on which the pair of the sustain electrodes 12A and 12B are formed. A lower dielectric layer 22 is formed on the lower substrate 18 having the data electrodes 20 formed thereon. The upper dielectric layer 14 and the lower dielectric layer 22 serve to accumulate electric charges generated by a discharge. The protection film 16 serves to prevent the upper dielectric layer 14 from being damaged due to sputtering of plasma particles and increase efficiency of secondary electron emission, upon discharge. These dielectric layers 14 and 22 and the protection film 16 cause a driving voltage supplied from the outside to be lowered.
Barrier ribs 24 are formed at the lower substrate 18 on which the lower dielectric layer 22 is formed. A phosphor layer 26 is formed on the surfaces of the lower dielectric layer 22 and the barrier ribs 24. The barrier ribs 24 serve to separate discharge spaces and to prevent the ultraviolet rays generated by a gas discharge from leaking toward neighboring discharge spaces. The phosphor layer 26 is light-emitted by the ultraviolet rays generated by the gas discharge, producing a red (hereinafter, referred to as as "B") visible rays. Furthermore, the discharge spaces are filled with insert gases for the gas discharge.
This discharge cell is selected by an address discharge due to the data electrodes 20 and the scan electrode 12A, and the selected discharge cell maintains its discharge by means of a sustain discharge due to the pair of the sustain electrodes 12A and 12B. Also, the discharge cell enables the phosphor to emit light by means of the ultraviolet rays generated during the sustain discharge, thus producing the R, G or B visible ray. In this case, the discharge cell implements a gray scale that is necessary to display an image by controlling a sustain discharge period, i.e., the number of a sustain discharge depending on the video data. Moreover, three discharge cells on which the R, G and B phosphors are covered are combined to implement color of one pixel.
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of sub-fields included in one frame. A typical method for driving this PDP is an ADS (Address and Display Separation) driving method wherein driving is performed with a period divided into an address period and a display period, i.e., a sustain period separately. In the ADS driving method, one frame 1F is divided into a plurality of sub-fields SF1 to SF8 corresponding to respective bits of the video data, as shown in FIG. 2. Each of the sub-fields SF1 to SF8 is then divided into a reset period RPD for initializing a discharge cell, an address period APD for selecting a discharge cell, and a sustain period SPD for maintaining discharge of the selected discharge cell. In the above, different numbers of sustain pulses by the sub-fields SF1 to SF8 are assigned to the sustain period SPD, and the sustain period SPD is assembled according to the video data, whereby the PDP implements a corresponding gray scale.
FIG. 3 shows a driving waveform in a conventional plasma display panel.
Referring to FIG. 3, each of the first and second sub-fields SF1 and SF2 includes a reset period RPD for initializing discharge cells, an address period APD for selecting discharge cells, a sustain period SPD for maintaining discharge of the selected discharge cell, and an erasing period EPD for discharge erasing.
FIG. 4 shows a process in which wall charges are changed in a reset period. The reset period RDP includes a set-up period SUPD for forming wall charges in all the discharge cells, and a set-down period SDPD for erasing unnecessary wall charges from the discharge cells. In the set-up period SUPD, a ramp-up pulse RUP where a voltage slowly rises from a sustain voltage Vs to the peak voltage Vp is supplied to the scan electrodes Y. A reset discharge occurs in all the discharge cells by means of the ramp-up pulse RUP. Accordingly, wall charges of the negative polarity are formed on the side of the scan electrodes Y and wall charges of the positive polarity are formed on the side of the sustain electrodes Z and the data electrodes X, as shown in FIG. 4.
Thereafter, in the set-down period SDPD, a ramp-down pulse RDP where a voltage of the scan electrodes Y drops from the peak voltage Vp to the sustain voltage Vs and a voltage slowly drops from the sustain voltage Vs to the ground voltage is supplied. Since a weak erasing discharge occurs in all the discharge cells by means of the ramp-down pulse RDP, unnecessary wall charges are erased and wall charges required in a subsequent address discharge remain, as shown in FIG. 4.
Meanwhile, in the set-up period SUPD, the ground voltage is applied to the sustain electrodes Z and the data electrodes X. In the set-down period SDPD, a DC bias voltage BP of the positive polarity is applied to the sustain electrodes Z and the ground voltage is applied to the data electrodes X.
In the address period APD, the scan pulse SP of the negative polarity is sequentially applied to the scan electrodes Y and the data pulse DP of the positive polarity is applied to the data electrodes X in synchronism with the scan pulse SP. Accordingly, in a corresponding discharge cell, a voltage difference between the scan pulse SP and the data pulse DP and a wall voltage by means of the wall charges generated in the reset period RPD are added. Thus an address discharge occurs. By means of this address discharge, wall charges to be used in a subsequent sustain discharge are formed within the corresponding discharge cell. In this address period APD, the DC bias voltage BP is supplied to the sustain electrodes Z.
In the sustain period SPD, sustain pulses SUSPy and SUSPz are alternately applied to the scan electrodes Y and the sustain electrodes Z. Therefore, in the discharge cells in which the wall charges are formed by the address discharge, the wall voltage and each voltage of the sustain pulses SUSPy and SUSPz are added. Thus, whenever the sustain pulses SUSPy and SUSPz are applied, the sustain discharge occurs. By means of this sustain discharge, a corresponding discharge cell emits a visible ray proportional to the sustain period SPD.
In the erasing period EPD, the erase pulse SP is applied to the sustain electrodes Z and an erasing discharge thus occurs. Therefore, wall charges within the discharge cell are erased.
As such, in the conventional method for driving the PDP, the reset period RPD is required every sub-field in order to form wall charges to be used in the address period APD. In the reset period RPD, however, unnecessary light is generated due to the reset discharge generated in all the discharge cells. Therefore, there is a problem that contrast is degraded.
In the concrete, during the set-up period SUPD of the reset period RPD, the reset discharge occurs between the scan electrodes Y and the sustain electrodes Z and between the scan electrodes Y and the data electrodes X by means of the ramp-up pulse RUP supplied to the scan electrodes Y. Discharge that degrades contrast in this reset discharge is a surface discharge between the scan electrodes Y and the sustain electrodes Z. This is because light generated by the surface discharge between the scan electrodes Y and the sustain electrodes Z is generated in the whole area of the discharge cell. Therefore, in order to reduce unnecessary light occurring in the set-up period SUPD, it is required that the discharge between the scan electrodes Y and the sustain electrodes Z be small and short.

Method and apparatus for resetting a plasma display panel


A fiber optic detection system comprising an array of fiber optic elements is presented. Each fiber optic element is uniquely encoded using a plurality of discrete ferquencies, digital codes or other encoding techniques. When a break occurs in one or more fiber optic elements, the missing light frequencies or digital codes are sensed, thereby indicating the break. Preferably, the fiber optic elements are arranged in a grid pattern so that precise location of the break can be made.

This invention generally relates to a detection system using fiber optics. More particularly, this invention relates to a detection system using a plurality of fiber optic elements wherein each fiber optic element has a light input thereto having a unique frequency or digital code. When a break occurs in one or more fiber optic elements, the missing light frequencies or digital codes are sensed, thereby indicating the break. This invention is particularly well suited for use in grid configurations wherein precise location of the breaks can be made.
There is a great need for detections systems which detect certain events in remote or inaccessible environments. These environments may be remote because they pose a health hazard or because they are inaccessible so that direct assessment of the event is impossible. For example, there is a need to monitor and detect events such as leakage or breakage in hazardous waste containment and disposal systems; as well as nuclear (e.g. radioactive) environments. Similarly, in many remote impact experiments and tests, a direct assessment of the damage test results is impossible. Thus, a system is needed to provide real-time impact information. An illustrative example of such a test would be an intercept test involving a rocket launched warhead intercepting a reentry vehicle at high altitude. It will be appreciated that under experimental conditions there is a need to place a hit-indicator system on board the reentry vehicle to monitor the effectiveness of the interceptor.
Still another example of important applications for remote detection systems is in security systems. Security systems often include a security fence or the like installed along a perimeter or a boundary. In the event of a breach of the security system, the fact of the breach is signaled by an alarm. With the present invention, the location of the breach may also be immediately known.
There are known systems for detecting certain events in remote environments which utilize a plurality of fiber optic elements as an integral component thereof. Such known systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,399,430; 4,450,434; and 4,581,527.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,527 discloses a grid or array of optical fibers in a series of layers for locating and assessing damage in a structure (e.g. plastic composite structure). Light from a single light source is inputted through the fibers in a planar array, and an optoelectronic viewing device analyzes the fiber output from that planar array. In the event of damage to the structure, broken fibers will not carry light. The location of the damaged area (e.g. broken fibers) in two dimensions in any given plane is determined from those fibers having dark outputs. An LED may be used as the light source. The damage in three dimensions may be determined by performing the two dimensional analysis in the several layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,430 describes a security system incorporating a mesh-like array of fiber optic elements. When an element is broken, light will cease passing therethrough which will trigger an alarm. However, there is no disclosure of means for determining the location of the broken element(s). U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,434 describes a security device which is similar to the device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,430, however it does provide means for determining the location of the break. This is accomplished by using time domain reflectometry (TDR) techniques which measures the time it takes for a train of pulses to travel to the break in the fiber optic element and then be reflected back.
Notwithstanding the above-described prior fiber optic detection systems, there is a continuing need for improved fiber optic detection systems which will provide accurate information about the location and time of a break, and which are more reliable, simpler in design and more cost effective to manufacture and operate than the prior art.

Break detection system using optical fibers having unique frequency modulated light


An apparatus for use with an internal combustion engine operable on either of gasoline fuel, alcohol fuel and gasoline/alcohol fuel blend. The apparatus comprises an alcohol concentration sensor for producing a signal indicative of an alcohol concentration of the fuel to be delivered to the engine, an oxygen sensor for producing a signal indicative of an oxygen content of exhaust gases discharged from the engine, and an engine coolant temperature sensor for producing a signal indicative of an engine coolant temperature. A control unit is coupled to the alcohol-concentration, oxygen and engine-coolant-temperature sensors. The control unit is responsive to the air/fuel ratio feedback signal for correcting the fuel supplied to the engine to maintain a desired air/fuel ratio when the sensed engine coolant temperature exceeds a predetermined value. The control unit is also responsive to an idle engine condition for calculating a target value for engine idling speed as a function of alcohol concentration and engine coolant temperature when the coolant temperature is below the predetermined value. An engine speed control device is coupled to the control unit for adjusting the engine speed at the calculated target value.

This invention relates to an apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine operable on either of gasoline fuel, alcohol fuel and gasoline/alcohol fuel blend and, more particularly, to an apparatus for controlling the idling speed of such an engine.
For example, Japanese Utility Model Application No. 63-41015, filed by the same applicant of the invention, discloses an apparatus for controlling the idling speed of an internal combustion engine operable on gasoline fuel or gasoline/alcohol fuel blend. The control apparatus sets the engine idling speed at a target value calculated as a function of engine coolant temperature. That is, the engine idling speed is set at a greater value as the engine coolant temperature decreases. In such an engine idling control apparatus, however, the target engine speed calculation is made regardless of the alcohol concentration contained in the fuel supplied to the engine. Because of this, the harmful emission of aldehyde from the engine will increase as the alcohol concentration contained in the fuel increases if the engine idling speed is set at a target value appropriate for gasoline fuel. The aldehyde concentration contained in the exhaust gases discharged from the engine is three or four times greater in the case of alcohol fuel than in the case of gasoline fuel. Although the catalytic converter can purify 90 or more percents of aldehyde emission when fully activated, a great amount of aldehyde will be discharged to the atmosphere until the catalytic converter is activated. In addition, any attempt to reduce the harmful emission of aldehyde by setting the engine idling speed at a target value appropriate for alcohol fuel will result in substantially poor fuel economy.

Apparatus for controlling the idling speed of engine operable on gasoline/alcohol fuel blend


A hanger fixture is disclosed herein mountable on the side of a road case or trunk for supporting a musical instrument. The hanger fixture includes a mounting plate having a peripheral edge arranged about a recessed support by side members. A hanger is carried on a rotatable shaft within the recess having an operable position cantilevered outwardly from the plate and a storage position within the recess. Also, included is a support bar pivotally mounted on the shaft and having a pair of hanger elements fixed to opposite ends of the shaft separated by the pivot and in fixed parallel relationship. Tension mechanism disposed on the shaft maintains the hanger elements in a desired location and a limit stop cooperatively related between the shaft and the recessed support of the plate maintains the hanger elements in its operative position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of musical instrument storage devices, and more particularly, to a novel hanging fixture adapted to be carried on a road case for temporarily storing or holding a musical instrument at the convenience of the musician.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been the conventional practice for a musician, particularly a guitarist, to utilize several guitars or musical instruments during the course of a stage performance. In this connection, the musician must continuously alternate between several guitars of the multiplicity in order to obtain the desired musical effect during the performance. It has been the usual practice to lean instruments, such as guitars, against surrounding road cases, trunks, music stands or the like within reach of the musician. Obviously, this has raised difficulties and problems which stem largely from the fact that the instruments are not well supported in their temporary storage position and in many instances, the instrument will fall to the floor which will damage or untune the instrument making it ineffective for play. Also, no means are available for organizing the instruments so that selected ones are readily visible and reachable by the musician during the performance.
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed for providing a novel means for supporting one or more musical instruments, such as guitars, from a supporting structure, such as a road case, adjacent to the musician so that he may alternately play one of several instruments during the performance and at his selection. Such a support means should include an operable position and a storage position so that it will not interfere with transportation or movement of the road case and yet have an operable position outwardly cantilevered from the road case so that it will adequately and properly support a musical instrument.


Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media are disclosed for detecting, identifying, and/or assessing hidden vulnerabilities in an enterprise network. In one example, a device may have one or more memories storing computer-readable instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to receive vulnerability data of network components within an enterprise network. The vulnerability data can include identification of one or more vulnerabilities detected within the enterprise network. The device can then determine a vulnerability frequency and a machine frequency associated with each of the one or more vulnerabilities. The device can then determine a vulnerability score for each of the one or more vulnerabilities based on the vulnerability frequency and an inverse of the machine frequency, to yield a plurality of vulnerability scores. The device can then rank the one or more vulnerabilities based on the plurality of vulnerability scores.

Data centers typically include a large number of servers and virtual machines running a variety of applications. Furthermore, each server, virtual machine, and application may be vulnerable to malicious attacks. Monitoring a data center's servers, virtual machines, and applications can help in detection of such vulnerabilities. However, currently utilized schemes for vulnerability detection in a network fail to detect infrequent but critical vulnerabilities, addressing of which is critical to proper network operations.

Systems and methods for detecting hidden vulnerabilities in enterprise networks


A system and method for providing dynamically variable maps in a video game is disclosed. A map is provided that defines a playable space available to one or more game players in a video game. Gameplay is monitored in real-time for the detection of a trigger event. Upon detection of a trigger event, a map management engine dynamically modifies a configuration of the map to improve the gameplay experience based on the type of trigger event. Dynamic modification of a map may comprise altering one or more of the map boundary, and/or the location, position, size, number, state, etc. of one or more static map objects or dynamic map objects. As a result of the dynamic modification of the map, the map may transform from its initial (or first or beginning) configuration to a modified (or new or second) configuration.

In most video games, a map is provided that defines the playable space available to one or more game players. A map may also be referred to as, for example, an area, a stage, a world, a zone, a location, or another similar descriptor. While the particular nature of a map may depend on the type of video game, some non-limiting examples of maps may include a building layout (e.g., one or more floors), a city layout, a forest, a fort, a battlefield, a racetrack, etc. Numerous other examples exist.
In those instances where the same map(s) are played repeatedly in a video game without variety or the introduction of new maps, game players may grow tired of playing the video game after a short period of time.
A lack of maps, or a lack of variety in the maps provided, may result in additional drawbacks for multiplayer video games in which two or more players typically play in a match during a gameplay session in a cooperative or adversarial relationship. One disadvantage of having fewer maps in a multiplayer game (in addition to boredom), is that an appropriate-sized map may not be available for every possible number of players. For instance, a map of a larger scale that is designed (or optimal) for twenty total players in a gameplay session may be too large or challenging (and therefore unsatisfying) for two teams of two players each (four total players). Likewise, a smaller scale map that is designed (or optimal) for eight total players in a gameplay session may be too constrained for two teams of ten players (twenty total players). In either instance, the enjoyment of gameplay may be diminished, resulting in frustrated or discouraged players.
Another example of a drawback associated with a limited number or variety of maps in a multiplayer game is that veteran players may develop more familiarity with available map(s), and hence an unbalanced advantage, over newer players. As such, novice or lower-skilled players, for instance, may feel that they are continually at a disadvantage.
Currently, a "brute force" approach exists to providing game players with more map variety, which is to generate more maps. One disadvantage of this approach is the time and expense required for video game developers to create entirely new maps. Creating new maps may require, among other things, a formidable amount of development time that may negatively impact a developer's ability to provide additional content and/or new titles to consumers. In addition, the new maps must be delivered to the game players' systems, adding additional costs and resources.
Another approach to providing map variety is to limit the availability of certain maps to gamers to pre-announced times. For example, a map which might normally be disabled during peak multiplayer gameplay hours may be made available to players at a time when player counts might otherwise be low. This approach, however, also provides disadvantages. For instance, the map that is made available is still a separate map that requires time and expense to create. Further, having a given map available for a limited time period still requires players to play the other available maps in a frequent manner until the pre-announced times, which may result in a poor or unsatisfying player experience.
These and other drawbacks exist with current maps in video games.

System and method for providing dynamically variable maps in a video game


Embodiments of the present invention are directed to gaming devices that provide audio-visual animated characters in response to game play. The character has a personality that may be encouraging, taunting or another quality. A plurality of expressions of the personality is presented, between one extreme and another, dependant upon the history of game outcomes.

Gaming devices typically includes a plurality of possible outcomes, some of which are winning outcomes and some of which are losing outcomes. Each game usually displays a pay table that indicates whether each outcome is a winning outcome or a losing outcome. As a result, a player can determine whether the outcome of each game he or she plays is a winning or losing outcome by comparing it to the pay table. Of course the game itself responds to each game played by paying for each win, e.g., via the credit meter, hand pay, player account, etc., or by not paying thus indicating a loss.
Some gaming devices further emphasize a single winning outcome with a variety of sound, light, or audio-visual effects. This is in contrast to losses, which are not emphasized or typically even acknowledged other than by not indicating a win.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Nano-sized polyurea particles or a dispersion of polyurea particles suitable for improving the mechanical properties of a polyurethane material, said particles having at least equivalent diameter dimensions in the nanosize range of 50 nm up to 700 nm, a uniform equivalent diameter particle size distribution, an amount of urethane bonds calculated on the total amount of urea+urethane bonds in said particles of <1%, and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of >100° C., preferably Tg>120° C., more preferably >150° C. measured in a second heating cycle after heating to >220° C. at 20° per minute using Differential Scanning calorimetry.

Processes for preparing a flexible polyurethane foam by reacting a polyisocyanate, one or more polyether polyols and water have been described widely.
Flexible polyurethane foams often do not have sufficient load-bearing properties. In order to provide such foams with enhanced load-bearing properties often polyols are used which contain particulate materials dispersed therein. Examples of such polyols are so-called SAN-based polymer polyols, PIPA-polyols and PHD-polyols. If the particulate material has particles with a rather big average particle size (micron-sized particles), only a low surface area and limited interfacial interaction per weight unit is achieved. As a consequence of the low surface area and limited interfacial interaction only a low potential for mechanical reinforcement per weight unit may be achieved.
In the prior art, polyurethane/polyurea particles, in particular polyurethane/polyurea nano-particles are disclosed. As an example, US2006/0128885A1 discloses a method to make polyurethane-polyurea particles having two discrete maxima in the particle size distribution, consisting of at least two discrete steps, performed in batch mode. In a first step, amines carried in water are added to a prepolymer, i.e. the reaction product of polyisocyanate and a polyol, which polyisocyanate is carried in acetone. After the initial reaction, water is added to complete the forming of polyurethane-polyurea particles. In a further step, the large amount of acetone is to be evaporated
EP 418039 discloses a process for preparing PIPA-polyol and a process for preparing flexible polyurethane foams using such PIPA-polyol. The PIPA particles have a size falling into two discrete ranges of 100-700, preferably 100-400 and more preferably of 100-200 nm on the one hand and of 200-more than 1000, preferably up to 1000, more preferably up to 800 nm on the other hand. Example 2, sample 7 showed a particle size of 800 and of more than 1000 nm. When the experiment was repeated the average particle size was determined at 1.7 μm.
The formation of relatively small (up to 0.3 μm) urea aggregates in flexible polyurethane foam preparation in itself is known; see Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 35, 601-629 (1988) by J. P. Armistead et al. and Journal of Cellular Plastics, Vol. 30, page 144, (March 1994) by R. D. Priester et al.
Until recently it was believed that by increasing the urea hard phase content other important properties like resiliency, hysteresis and compression set will suffer; see Polyurethanes Expo '98, 17-20 Sep. 1998, page 227 by D. R. Gier et al.
EP1305352, discloses in-situ formed particulate material having a relatively large average particle size and comprising urea and urethane groups.
The state of the art particulate materials are particles having polyurethane and polyurea groups, have rather large particle diameters and rather non-uniform particle size distribution which gives limitation towards their applicability as reinforcement additives in formulations used to make up a polyurethane foam. The limited effect is due to a significant smaller surface area and hence interfacial interaction with the (foam) matrix and also the process for forming the foams may be negatively influenced.
The process for forming the foams is more likely to be influenced with particulate materials with small particle diameters, because of the large surface area.

Use of polyurea nanoparticles as performance modifiers in polyurethane materials


A reproducing apparatus is provided in which the recording data, having a predetermined number of image data divided into synchronizing blocks, is reproduced at a speed different from that in the recording mode. The apparatus has a memory unit having a memory capacity of two fields. The reproduced image data is written into one of the field areas in the memory unit. The field areas in the memory unit into which the data should be written are switched at a predetermined period. The data is read out from the field area in which the writing operation is not executed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for reproducing a digital recording.
2. Related Background Art
There is known a recording method whereby information such as an image signal is digitally recorded onto a magnetic tape by a helical scan system. A recording method of interleave recording under predetermined rules is used in order to improve a picture quality for a burst or a signal dropout in a normal reproducing mode, a reproduction disable region in a special reproducing mode, or the like (for example, JP-A-63-306504).
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a rotary drum of such a helical scan type digital recording and reproducing apparatus. FIG. 2 shows a development diagram of the rotary drum. Reference numeral 50 denotes a rotary drum; 52A, 52B, 54A and 54B, magnetic heads for recording or reproducing; and 56, a magnetic tape. Each of the heads 52A and 54A has a plus azimuth angle. Each of the heads 52B and 54B has a minus azimuth angle. Each of the heads 52A and 54A is arranged so as to be away from each of the heads 52B and 54B by only a small angle .theta. in the circumferential direction of the rotary drum 50. Each of the heads 52A and 52B is arranged so as to be away from each of the heads 54A and 54B by an angle of 180.degree. in the circumferential direction of the rotary drum 50. In the recording or reproducing mode, a pair of heads 52A and 52B and another pair of heads 54A and 54B are alternately used.
FIG. 3 shows a recording format of a magnetic tape in case of using eight tracks per one frame. A+ denotes tracks which are recorded or reproduced by the magnetic heads 52A and 54A. B- indicates tracks which are recorded or reproduced by the magnetic heads 52B and 54B. Image data of an even field (field #0) are recorded to the former half four tracks. Image data of an odd field (field #1) are recorded to the remaining four tracks.
FIG. 4 shows a data structure of one picture plane. In case of the NTSC system, one frame has 512 horizontal scanning lines and the image data are divided into synchronizing blocks on a line unit basis. On the CRT screen shown in FIG. 4, a solid line indicates a line of the even field and a broken line denotes a line of the odd field. In a line data block L.sub.n,m, n de notes a distinction (0 or 1) of the field and m indicates a line number. Each of the synchronizing blocks comprises: a sync code (sync) to match the synchronization timing; an identification code (ID) to identify each synchronizing block; image data of the line; and an error detection correction code P.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a construction of a recording system of a conventional apparatus. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a construction of a reproducing system of the conventional apparatus.
In FIG. 5, an analog video signal to be recorded is supplied to an input terminal 10. An A/D converter 12 converts the analog video signal from the input terminal 10 into a digital signal. A coding circuit 14 compresses and encodes the output data from the A/D converter 12 by, for example, a DPCM coding method. The compression coded image data from the coding circuit 14 are written into a frame memory 16 and is also supplied to an error detection correction coding circuit 18. The coding circuit 18 generates the error detection correction code P to the compressed image data on a line unit basis and writes the resultant image data into the memory 16. The memory 16 ordinarily has a memory capacity of two frames. An address generation circuit 20 generates a write address and a read address of the memory 16.
A sync-ID addition circuit 22 adds a sync code (sync) and an ID for every line to the data read out from the memory 16, thereby forming a line data block as shown in FIG. 5. A modulation circuit 24 modulates an output of the sync-ID addition circuit 22 (for example, converts the output into an NRZI signal). An output signal of the modulation circuit 24 is magnetically recorded onto a magnetic tape 28 by a magnetic head 26. The magnetic head 26 corresponds to the magnetic heads 52A, 52B, 54A and 54B shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The reproducing system of FIG. 6 will now be described. The magnetic recording signal on the magnetic tape 28 is electromagnetically converted by the magnetic head 26. A demodulation circuit 30 demodulates the output of the magnetic head 26 and generates the digital signal of the line data block structure. A sync-ID separation circuit 32 separates the ID, image data, and error detection correction code P in accordance with the (sync) code sync from the line data block which is generated from the demodulation circuit 30. The reproduction image data and the error detection correction code P are supplied to a memory 34. The reproduction ID is supplied to an address generation circuit 36.
The address generation circuit 36 generates write addresses of the memory 34 in accordance with the reproduction ID. The memory 34 also generally has a memory capacity of two frames. An error detection correction circuit 38 detects and corrects errors in the image data stored in the memory 34 with reference to the error detection correction code P of the memory 34. The address generation circuit 36 generates a read address of the memory 34, thereby, reading out from memory 34 the image data of the frame whose error detecting correcting processes have been finished in the memory 34.
In case of reproducing the data at the same speed as that in the recording mode, the reproduction data are written into a first field memory area in the memory 34 in accordance with the ID of the line data block. In this instance, the data stored in another field memory area are read out. The memory area into which the data are written and the memory area from which the data are read out are changed for every field. FIG. 7 shows a memory space of a memory having a memory capacity of one frame. The ordinate indicates an address and the abscissa shows a time. Data are written in accordance with arrows shown by solid lines. The recorded data are read out in accordance with arrows shown by broken lines. Since the reading and writing operations of data are executed for different field memory areas, an outrun of the memory access does not occur.
A decoding circuit 40, shown in FIG. 6, executes a decoding process corresponding to the coding process in the coding circuit 14 to the data read out from the memory 34 and generates a digital image signal. A D/A converter 42 converts the digital output signal from the decoding circuit 40 into the analog signal. The analog signal is supplied from an output terminal 44 to a video monitor or the like.
In case of reproducing the data at the same speed as that in the recording mode, no problem occurs. In case of reproducing the data at a speed higher than that in the recording mode (hereinafter, such a reproduction is called a search reproduction), however, the magnetic head traces a plurality of tracks during each rotation. FIG. 8 shows a trace pattern for search reproduction. That is, data of different fields coexist in one frame period. Therefore, the address generation circuit 36 generates a write address existing in both of the odd field memory area and the even field memory area in the memory 34 in accordance with the reproduction ID. FIG. 9 shows the writing operation of the memory 34. The ordinate indicates an address and the abscissa shows a time. Since the data are reproduced by irregular addresses, the data are also irregularly written into the memory 34.
As mentioned above, since the writing operation is irregularly executed to the whole frame, there is no surplus time to read out the data. If the operator tries to forcedly read out data, the reading operation outruns the writing operation. To avoid such an outrun, hitherto, the frame memory having a memory capacity of at least two frames is used as a memory 34 and the memory area to write data and the memory area to read out the data are switched every frame.
When the frame memory having a large memory capacity of two frames is used, however, hardware size increases and costs also rise.
As will be clearly understood from a trace pattern shown in FIG. 8, not only data of a plurality of frames coexist in one frame period but also data which is not reproduced in one frame (or field) appears.
In case of the interlace system, the lines constructing one frame are alternately assigned to even fields and odd fields as shown in FIG. 10. Even if the data (for example, L.sub.0,1 and L.sub.1,1) of the lines which are neighboring on the screen could be reproduced, in case of an image which moves at a high speed, there is a case where a deviation between the times of those data is too large.
The line data block which has once been reproduced is not rewritten until the line data block of the same address in the memory 34 is reproduced. The rewriting period (hereinafter, called an updating period) is relatively long although it depends on the data shuffling or reproducing speed.
Because of the above reasons, a reproduced image becomes a remarkably unnatural image.

Reproducing apparatus for reproducing data at a speed different from that at which recording is performed


In a charge and discharge control circuit, a mode control part manages a normal mode in which voltages at a power terminal and an overcurrent detection terminal are monitored, a time-shortening mode in which predetermined delay times for detecting an overcharge, an overdischarge, and an overcurrent are shortened, and a protection mode in which a signal to stop a charge current or a discharge current is output when an abnormality is detected in the normal mode. A transition is made from the normal mode to the time-shortening mode when the voltage at the power terminal exceeds a predetermined value, and a transition is made from the time-shortening mode to the protection mode when one of the overcharge, overdischarge, and overcurrent is detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charge and discharge control circuit and a charge and discharge control method to control charge and discharge of a secondary battery or a rechargeable battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a lithium ion battery is used as a secondary battery in portable apparatuses, such as a digital camera. The lithium ion battery is weak with respect to an overcharge voltage and an overdischarge voltage. Hence, the lithium ion battery is used in the form of a battery pack that is provided with a charge and discharge control circuit, that is, a protection circuit to protect the lithium ion battery from the overcharge voltage and the overdischarge voltage.
The protection circuit may be integrated in the form of a semiconductor integrated circuit, that is, a protection IC (Integrated Circuit), to include an overcharge voltage detection circuit, an overdischarge voltage detection circuit, a charge overcurrent detection circuit, a discharge overcurrent detection circuit, and the like. The protection IC stops discharge of the lithium ion battery by cutting off a discharge stopping MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor when the overdischarge voltage detection circuit detects an overdischarge voltage or the discharge overcurrent detection circuit detects a discharge overcurrent. In addition, the protection IC stops charging of the lithium ion battery by cutting off a charge stopping MOS transistor when the overcharge voltage detection circuit detects an overcharge voltage or the charge overcurrent detection circuit detects a charge overcurrent.
In the overcharge voltage detection circuit, the overdischarge voltage detection circuit, the charge overcurrent detection circuit, and the discharge overcurrent detection circuit described above, the overcharge voltage detection, the overdischarge voltage detection, the charge overcurrent detection, and the discharge overcurrent detection are determined or made definite when detection times of each of these detection circuits are measured and the measured detection times exceed corresponding delay times (predetermined times) that are set with respect to each of these detection circuits, in order to prevent an erroneous operation by cutting off the corresponding MOS transistors. In other words, a predetermined time is required until each of the overcharge voltage detection, the overdischarge voltage detection, the charge overcurrent detection, and the discharge overcurrent detection is determined or made definite.
However, when testing the protection IC at the time of manufacture, there is a problem in that a test time becomes long because a delay time is required for each of the overcharge voltage detection, the overdischarge voltage detection, the charge overcurrent detection, and the discharge overcurrent detection. For this reason, at the time of the testing, a time-shortening mode is set in the protection IC in order to reduce or eliminate the delay time described above.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-195303 proposes a technique that provides a voltage detection circuit to detect a state in which a voltage greater than or equal to a prescribed value is applied across a power detection terminal and a power terminal of a charge and discharge control circuit, in order to reduce the delay time of an internal control circuit according to a detection signal output from the voltage detection circuit.
One example of the conventional protection IC is provided with a test mode terminal (time-shortening mode terminal), and is set to a normal mode with a normal delay time or a delay time shortening mode (time-shortening mode) depending on whether an input signal level to the test mode terminal is a high level (VDD) or a low level (VSS). However, in this case, the protection IC must be additionally provided with the test mode terminal, and the cost of the protection IC increases due to the need to provide the additional test mode terminal.
In another example of the conventional protection IC, a threshold value VTH higher than the power supply voltage VDD that is normally supplied to the power terminal is set, and the mode is set to the time-shortening mode which shortens the delay time when the voltage at the power terminal is higher than the threshold value VTH, and to the normal mode which uses the normal delay time when the voltage at the power terminal is the threshold value VTH or lower. In this case, it is unnecessary to add the test mode terminal to the protection IC, however, the lithium ion battery is put into an overcharge voltage state during the time in which the voltage at the power terminal is higher than the threshold value VTH. For this reason, even when the time-shortening mode is set, there is a problem in that the functions of the overcharge voltage detection circuit cannot be tested.

Charge and discharge control circuit, and charge and discharge control method


Apparatus for manufacturing, on an automatic continuous basis, successive album pages of predetermined length and width each of which consists of a base sheet having a reinforcing tape bound thereto in overlapping relation with each edge thereof comprises a series of five stations: a tape preparing station, a sheet loading station, a glue station, a page assembly station and a cut-off station. In operation, one of two tapes has staple-like hinges applied thereto, both tapes are coated on one surface with glue, and both tapes advance to the assembling station to which successive sheets are fed lengthwise from the sheet loading station. In passing through the page assembling station, the tapes are folded and pressed into overlapping adhered relation with the side edges of the sheet to form a web consisting of a series of pages held together by intermediate pieces of the two tapes. The tapes, the successive sheets and the resulting web are drawn through the apparatus by a reciprocating carriage. During forward feeding movement of the carriage, the web is clamped to the carriage, and during each return stroke of the carriage, the tape is clamped to the cut-off station while the pieces of tape connecting the leading page to the remainder of the web are cut out to leave that page free for further disposal. The apparatus is adjustable to accommodate sheets of different lengths and widths.

This invention relates to a machine and method for binding individual pages for subsequent assembly in an album, such as a looseleaf photograph album.
The type of page with which the invention is particularly concerned comprises a sheet of paperboard having a plurality of pockets on one or both surfaces thereof for retaining photographs or cards. Each of the pockets is formed by a sheet of clear plastic adhered or otherwise secured along its side and bottom edges to the surface of the base sheet, and a typical such album page is shown in the co-owned Wenstrom U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,516. This patent also shows such an album page having reinforcing tapes overlapping and bonded to the side edges of the sheet, with one of these reinforcing tapes also serving as a mounting for a plurality of U-shaped staples that form hinges by which multiple sheets are bound in an album.
The economical production of multiple pages of this type has offered problems to the industry in the past. One attempt to solve those problems is disclosed in the co-owned Chou et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,882. In the machine of that patent, staples are applied to reinforcing tape for one side edge of successive album pages, adhesive on one surface of the tape is activated, individual sheets are manually fed into assembled relation with the tape, the assembled sheet and tape are pressed together, and successive assembled sheets and tape are advanced to a cut-off station where the tape is severed. In order to apply reinforcing tape to the other side edge of the resulting page, it must be passed through the machine a second time for assembly with tape to which no staples have been applied.
Machines constructed in accordance with the above patent have been used to produce satisfactory products, but such machines are relatively slow in operation, which correspondingly reduces the rate at which they produce the album pages. They also are highly labor-intensive in that they require constant activity by relatively skilled labor to carry out the manual operations of individually loading, unloading and reloading each successive sheet.


A method and apparatus for realizing power control on a control channel including measuring the interval between the current control channel transmission and the last control channel transmission; comparing the measured interval with a preset threshold, and if the interval is larger than or equal to the preset threshold, carrying out the current control channel transmission by using the initial transmit power, or controlling the current control channel transmission by using the open loop power control and, otherwise, controlling the current control channel transmission by using the closed loop power control. When the control channel is an uplink control channel, it may be determined whether a compensation for path loss variance should be added based on the closed loop power control according to a related command, so as to enable that the power control can be provided effectively when the control channel transmission is discontinuous.

With the development of 3G technology, in order to meet the ever-increasing requirement of multimedia services on high-speed data transmission, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) discloses a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) technology. The main object of HSDPA is to provide a guarantee of higher data transmission rate, lower time delay, higher system throughput and more powerful Quality of Service (QoS).
In the HSPDA, a High Speed-Downlink Shared Channel (HS-DSCH) is used for data transmission. The HS-DSCH is a transmission channel, and may be mapped to one or more physical channels and shared by a plurality of User Equipments (UEs) in Time Division Multiplexing mode and in Code Division Multiplexing mode. To realize rapid control on the HS-DSCH, a High Speed-Shared Control Channel (HS-SCCH) is set as a dedicated downlink control channel for the HS-DSCH to bear control information of the HS-DSCH, and a High Speed-Shared Information Channel (HS-SICH) is set as a dedicated uplink control channel for the HS-DSCH to feed back quality information of the downlink channels and a response for data blocks of downlink transmission to a NodeB. Furthermore, a Dedicated Physical Channel (DPCH) exists in the uplink channel and the downlink channel respectively, the DPCH is used for transmitting control information such as Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, and may also support the service transmission such as voice service and data service.
The power control function in the HSDPA is mainly embodied in the initial transmit power allocation, open loop power control and closed loop power control of the control channels such as HS-SCCH, HS-SICH, uplink DPCH and downlink DPCH. The open loop power control refers to that a UE adjusts its own transmit power by measuring the path loss variance. The closed loop power control refers to that a UE or a NodeB adjusts its own transmit power according to a Transmit Power Control (TPC) command sent by the opposite end. The initial transmit power of HS-SCCH is set by a NodeB according to the transmission capacity of the NodeB and the number of code channels occupied by the HS-SCCH, and the initial transmit power of downlink DPCH is set by a NodeB according to the transmission capacity of the NodeB and the number of code channels occupied by the downlink DPCH. The initial transmit power of HS-SICH or uplink DPCH is set according to the open loop power control.
In the prior art, a method for power control on a control channel is shown in FIG. 1, the method specifically includes a UE transmitting information on an uplink control channel according to a certain transmit power, the information being received by a NodeB after the information passes through a radio control channel. The NodeB estimates the Signal to Interference Ratio (SIR) according to the received information, compares the estimated SIR with a target value of SIR configured by a Radio Network Controller (RNC) to generate a TPC command, and the TPC command is transmitted to the UE via a downlink control channel. The UE obtains a power deviation PTPC that the UE needs to adjust according to the TPC command and a power control step-length configured by an RNC, compensates the current transmit power of the uplink control channel according to the PTPC to obtain a new transmit power. On the NodeB side, the target value of SIR may be adjusted to meet the performance requirements of the downlink control channel according to the statistical information of coding result of the uplink control channel.
The power control on the uplink control channel is carried out in the following modes.
When a UE transmits information on an uplink control channel for the first time after the UE receives information on a downlink control channel for the first time, because the received information carried in the downlink control channel is an invalid TPC command, the closed loop power control on the uplink control channel cannot be accomplished according to the invalid TPC command, the UE performs the power control on the uplink control channel transmission via the open loop power control.
After the UE receives a TPC command on the downlink control channel, the UE adjusts the transmit power of the uplink control channel correspondingly according to the TPC command and the power control step-length set by an RNC.
When the UE needs to carry out uplink control channel transmission again after the UE is subjected to one or more receiving pauses of the downlink control channels, because the effective power control on the uplink control channel cannot be implemented according to the previous TPC command, the UE controls the current uplink control channel transmission by using the open loop power control.
The main reasons that may cause a transmitting pause of the downlink control channels include: 1) multi-UE sharing may cause multi-UE time-division scheduling interval, although the HS-SCCH Cyclic Sequence Numbers (HCSNs) of the downlink control channels may be continuous, the discontinuous scheduling on the UE may cause deviation of the control on the downlink control channel, which may cause discontinuous transmission of the downlink control channel; 2) the receiving error of the downlink control channel may cause discontinuous HCSN, so that an interval may appear on the power control of uplink control channel transmission after the UE receives information on a downlink control channel correctly.
The power control on the downlink control channel is carried out in the following modes.
When a NodeB performs downlink control channel transmission for the first time, the NodeB sets the initial transmit power of the downlink control channel according to the transmission capacity of the NodeB and the number of code channels occupied by the downlink control channel, and the initial transmit power should not exceed the maximum transmit power of the downlink control channel configured by an RNC. After the downlink control channel transmission is carried out for the first time, the NodeB may control the downlink control channel by using the closed loop power control, that is, the NodeB may adjust the subsequent transmit power of the downlink control channel according to a TPC command carried in the uplink control channel that is sent by a UE. The main purpose of the setting of TPC command is to make the receiving of the downlink control channel reach a target value of Block Error Rate (BLER).
In summary, since the time-division scheduling is used for UE in the HSDPA, discontinuous transmission exists in HS-SICH, HS-SCCH, uplink DPCH and downlink DPCH for the same UE. In the prior art, the power control is performed on an uplink control channel by using open loop power control so long as discontinuous receiving appears on a downlink control channel. Correspondingly, a NodeB performs the downlink control channel transmission by using the initial transmit power so long as discontinuous downlink control channel transmission appears. Such a method cannot well utilize the control gain obtained by carrying out the power adjustment using the TPC command in the closed loop power control in a certain related time. Therefore, in the prior art, when the control channel transmission is discontinuous, the power control on the control channel cannot be effectively performed.

Method and device for realizing power control on a control channel

Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co., Ltd.


A magnetic field generator for confining plasma within a vacuum chamber is disclosed. The magnetic field generator produces a multi-pole magnetic field around a workpiece positioned within the vacuum chamber. The magnetic field generator is provided outside the vacuum chamber and comprises a plurality of segment type permanent magnets circularly arranged. The magnetic field generator further comprises a plurality of magnetic members to which the segment type permanent magnets are selectively attached.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a magnetic field generator, and more specifically to such a generator for effectively confining magnetron plasma which is produced within a vacuum chamber in which a workpiece is positioned so as to be subject to plasma treatment.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known in the art to generate magnetron plasma, within an evacuated process chamber (viz., vacuum chamber), for use in implementing plasma treatment such as etching, film growth, etc. on the workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer provided in the chamber.
Prior to turning to the present invention, it is deemed advantageous to briefly describe, with reference to FIG. 1, a conventional magnetic field generator via which the plasma produced within the vacuum chamber is confined, When performing the plasma treatment (processing) on the workpiece, it is vital to effectively confine plasma in a manner to surround the workpiece so as to obtain designed results.
As shown in FIG. 1, a semiconductor wafer (viz., workpiece) 10 is positioned at the center area of a vacuum chamber 12 in a manner to face the surface of the workpiece upward on which the plasma treatment is to be carried out. Although not shown in FIG. 1, plasma is generated within the vacuum chamber 12 by way of conventional technology. The plasma generation per se is not directly concerned with the present invention, and thus the further description thereof will be omitted for the sake of simplifying the instant disclosure.
In order to effectively confine plasma around the workpiece 10 with forming no magnetic field above the wafer 10 (or with permitting very week magnetic field above the wafer), a magnetic field generator (or multi-pole magnet unit) 14 is provided outside the vacuum chamber 12. The magnetic field generator 14 is comprised of a ring-like magnetic member (supporter) 16 and a plurality of segment type permanent magnets (hereinafter referred to as segment magnets) 18 attached to the inner side of the member 16. More specifically, the segment magnets 18 are arranged such as to alternately change the magnetic polarities thereof in the circumferential direction of the supporter 16, and thus, a multi-pole magnetic field is generated within the vacuum chamber 12 so as to confine the plasma around the workpiece 10. Small arrows on the segment magnets 18 respectively indicate the magnetized directions of the magnets 18, and curved lines 20 respectively indicate magnetic forth lines.
It is typical in the art, when constructing the magnetic field generator 14, to make use of the permanent magnets 18 rather than electromagnets because the electric power consumption can be zeroed and the structure of the apparatus can be simplified. On the other hand, a study made by the inventor of the instant application has revealed that the plasma treatment rate (i.e., etch rate) on the wafer surface depends on the strength of the multi-pole magnetic field. However, there has been no proposal to control the multi-pole magnetic field which is generated using a multiple of permanent magnets. In other words, a permanent magnet type conventional magnetic field generator is unable to adaptively control the magnetic field strength.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic field generator wherein the strength of the multi-pole magnetic field generated thereby can adaptively be controlled.
One aspect of the present invention resides in a magnetic field generator for generating a multi-pole magnetic field around a workpiece positioned within a vacuum chamber. The magnetic field generator is provided outside the vacuum chamber and comprises a plurality of segment type permanent magnets circularly arranged. The magnetic field generator further comprises a plurality of magnetic members to which the segment magnets are selectively attached.

Magnetic field generator for magnetron plasma


A front attachment device for fastening a turbojet engine to an aircraft fixing strut. The attachment device is adapted to absorb the turbojet engine thrust loads, and includes a top bracket, and a lower bracket. A thrust load absorption vector results from a first convergence point of primary vectors passing through primary fixing points that couple the top bracket to the lower bracket and a second convergence point of secondary vectors passing through secondary fixing points that couple the lower bracket to the turbojet engine. The thrust load absorption vector transmits the turbojet engine thrust loads to the fixing strut, and extends along a longitudinal axis of the turbojet engine.

A turbojet engine can be mounted at various locations of an aircraft, through a fixing strut belonging to said aircraft's structure. For instance, the turbojet engine can be suspended, through said fixing strut, to the aircraft wing intrados, or attached laterally to the fuselage, or else mounted, at the rear of the aircraft, on the rear vertical empennage. The function of fastening structures connecting the fixing strut to the turbojet engine is to ensure the transmission of mechanical force between the turbojet engine and the aircraft structure.
The force transmitted to the aircraft structure through the fastening structures are mainly thrust loads from the turbojet engine, extending parallel to the turbojet engine axis, lateral forces mainly due to wind gusts to which the turbojet engine and the aircraft are generally submitted, and vertical forces from said turbojet engine mass. The fastening structures should also absorb turbojet engine distortions, i.e., from dimensional variations due to thermal dilations or contractions during various aircraft flight phases.
Generally, fastening structure for fastening the turbojet engine to the aircraft fixing strut includes a front attachment device and a rear attachment device.
Fastening structures commonly used include the turbojet engine central cowl attached to the fixing strut using a front attachment device and a rear attachment device. In that case, the front attachment device absorbs the turbojet engine thrust loads as well as the lateral and vertical forces. The rear attachment device absorbs lateral and vertical forces.
Other fastening structures include a front attachment device, arranged between the fixing strut and the fan cowl, which absorbs lateral and vertical forces, and a rear attachment device, arranged between the fixing strut and the central cowl, which absorbs thrust loads, lateral forces and vertical forces. Thrust loads are then absorbed through two long rods, connecting the rear attachment device to a front part of the central cowl.
As a result of the turbojet engine thrust loads, and more specifically from said thrust load absorption by the attachment device and the fixing strut, the turbojet engine is submitted to significant bending, which tends to decrease the turbojet engine life span.
The present invention provides a device for fastening a turbojet engine to a fixing strut adapted to absorb the turbojet engine thrust loads and to transmit them to the fixing strut, without subjecting the turbojet engine to significant bending forces.
In that regards, the invention includes a front attachment mechanism, connecting the fixing strut to the turbojet engine fan cowl, forming a thrust load absorption vector resulting from different attachment points between aforesaid front attachment mechanism and the turbojet engine, which is directly coincident with the turbojet engine axis. The front attachment mechanism according to the invention includes an intermediate part, positioned under a main part of the turbojet engine front attachment mechanism. The intermediate part is linked to the main part by a first attachment system, which convergence point is located on the turbojet engine axis. The intermediate part is also connected to the turbojet engine through a second attachment system, which convergence point is also located on the engine axis, but upstream from the first attachment system convergence point. The front attachment mechanism according to the invention behaves as if the engine thrust was transiting between both attachment system convergence points of said front attachment mechanism, i.e. following the turbojet engine axis, and therefore without generating the slightest bending of said turbojet engine, the torque being naturally absorbed completely by the fixing strut.
The second attachment system, connecting the intermediate part to the turbojet engine, includes, for example, a rod system in the front and anti-torque controls in the rear. Front and rear as used herein are designated in relation to the moving direction of an aircraft having such turbojet engine. The intermediate part according to the invention, since the anti-torque controls and rod systems are connecting it, on the one hand, to the turbojet engine and, on the other hand, to the main part of the front attachment mechanism, has particular kinematics enabling a thrust load transfer along the axis of the turbojet engine. The geometry of the front attachment mechanism according to the invention is designed so that the resulting force from the various fixing points is coincident with the turbojet engine axis, so that said turbojet engine is not submitted to any bending force.
Therefore, the invention provides a front attachment device for fastening a turbojet engine to an aircraft fixing strut adapted to absorb said turbojet engine thrust loads, wherein the front attachment device includes a top bracket, a lower bracket, primary fixing points connecting said top bracket to lower bracket, and secondary fixing points connecting said lower bracket to said turbojet engine, the absorbing thrust loads vector which results, on the one hand, from the convergence point of the primary vectors passing through the primary fixing points, and, on the other hand, from the convergence point of the secondary vectors passing through the secondary fixing points, and which transmits the turbojet engine thrust loads to the fixing strut, extends along the axis of the turbojet engine.
Fastening point used herein is defined as any punctual attachment mechanism, enabling connection of one element to another through a specific point.

Device for fastening a turbojet engine to an aircraft fixing strut


A sealing connector for joining ends of two conduits is disclosed in which a collar is rotatably retained on an end of one of the conduits and is threaded onto the end of the other conduit to bring the sealing surfaces of the conduit ends into contact with each other. The collar has an end face and an internal shoulder facing in opposite directions such that the shoulder faces in the direction of movement as the collar is threaded onto the conduit end. A resilient ring member is located between the shoulder of the collar and the end of the conduit to which it is rotatably retained such that the resilient ring member is compressed during the connecting operation. Such compression causes deformation of the ring member which, in turn, causes a leg projecting from the ring member to come into contact with the collar and to extend beyond the end face of the collar.

The present invention relates to a connector for joining the ends of two conduits which indicates when the conduits are properly connected and which prevents the breaking of the seal between the conduit ends should the connector become slightly loosened.
Devices for connecting the ends of two conduits so that fluid may be transmitted between the conduits without leakage are, of course, well known in the art. A typical example of such a connector is disclosed in French Patent 2 660 983 in which a thinner and deformed zone is formed in a threaded collar segment to assure tightening and self-locking of the connector within the collar.
However, when such a connector is used in aircraft engine applications, accidental loosening may take place because of the strong vibrations present in the engine, as well as the high and variable temperatures to which the engine is subjected. Such loosening cannot be tolerated in an aircraft engine environment, since a leak in the conduit connection can result in malfunction of the control, monitoring and/or the safety circuits. Also, if the conduit is conveying toxic or flammable fluid, the consequences of a leak in the connection can be catastrophic.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,192 discloses a connector having a tightness indicator projecting from the nut following deformation of the adjustment part during tightening. However, there is no assurance that this tightness indicator allows such an indication should the connection subsequently become loosened. Moreover, this disclosed connector does not provide for any means to retain the sealing connection in the event the connection becomes loosened. Thus, loosening of the connector quite possibly will result in leakage of fluid from the connection.
French Patent 2 421 300 discloses a connector device for affixing a wheel to a vehicle hub by a bolt or a nut, wherein the connection includes an axially elastic washer inserted between the bolt head and the wheel having at least one external axial projection projecting in the direction opposite of the bolt and nut displacement caused by tightening. The axial projection comprises an end element nesting in the bolt or nut when the axial flattening of the washer corresponds to the desired tightening force. The deformation and partial destruction of the washer prevents the wheel from coming off. However, this patent does not disclose the use of such a washer in a conduit connector.
Thus, it is desirable that aircraft conduit connectors be equipped with a device for precluding the loosening of the connectors and to further ensure that the sealing fit between the conduit ends is not breached should the connector become slightly loosened.

Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation (S.N.E.C.M.A.)


In some implementations, a server device can improve Wi-Fi based location availability for sparse signal locations by augmenting Wi-Fi access point location data with additional Wi-Fi scan data that was collected near the sparse signal locations. The server can receive Wi-Fi access point scans from client devices, determine the locations of the Wi-Fi access points, and generate Wi-Fi access point tiles that include data describing the locations of access points in the geographic areas corresponding to the Wi-Fi access point tiles. After the tiles are generated, the server device can augment the access point tiles by inserting additional Wi-Fi access point scan information into the access point tiles near identified sparse signal locations. The server device can deliver the augmented access point tile data to a client device. The client device can determine the current location of the client device based on the augmented access point tile data.

Many modern mobile computing devices include location determination systems that can determine the current location of the computing device based on signals received from various sources. For example, a mobile device can receive signals from a global navigational satellite and can determine the current location of the mobile device based on the satellite signals. A mobile device can receive signals from cellular telephone towers and can determine the location of the mobile device based on the cellular tower signals. A mobile device can receive signals from Wi-Fi access points (AP) and can determine the location of the mobile device based on the Wi-Fi access point signals. To determine the current location of the mobile device, each of these location technologies requires that the mobile device has data that identifies the location of the signal source (e.g., satellite, cell tower, Wi-Fi access point, etc.) so that the mobile device can perform the required location calculation.


A light emitting diode (LED) assembly includes an LED light source having a first light output with a characteristic spectrum and at least one phosphor through which the first light output passes. The phosphor includes the quaternary compound M-Li—Al—O, where M is Ba, Sr, or Ca, activated by Eu2+ or Ce3+.

Phosphor-converted white-light-emitting diodes (pc-WLEDs) are among the most promising solid-state lighting (SSL) technologies due to their high-energy efficiency and superior durability and reliability. For general illumination, we need a warm white light with excellent quantum efficiency, resistance to thermal quenching, and color quality, i.e., a low color-correlated temperature (CCT)<3000 K and a high color rendering index (CRI)>85. Typical commercial WLEDs based on blue-emitting (˜450 nm) LED chips combined with a yellow-emitting phosphor (Y3Al5O12:Ce3+) have poor CRI<80 and high CCT>5000 K. To improve the CRI and CCT, an alternative approach is to use near-ultraviolet (near-UV, 380-420 nm) or blue LED chips with a mixture of red, green and blue phosphors. Lu3Al5O12:Ce3+ and (Ba,Sr)2SiO4:Eu2+ are two well-known green emitters with good photoluminescence (PL) properties used for these phosphor mixtures. Unfortunately, the former requires the rare-earth Lu in large quantities, while the latter suffers from severe thermal quenching. Meanwhile, most commercial red-emitters are Eu2+-activated nitrides, such as CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ and Sr2Si5N8:Eu2+, which are synthesized under harsh conditions (high temperature and high pressure). Yet another way to generate white light with high color quality is to leverage on a single-phase broad-band emitter that covers a wide range of the visible spectrum (400˜700 nm). Ba0.93Eu0.07Al2O4 is an example of a recently discovered broad-band phosphor with good CRI>80 and CCT<4000 K, but its synthesis requires a high temperature of 1450° C. and a low pressure of 667 Pa.
There is therefore a need to discover new earth-abundant phosphors with reasonably facile synthesis for pc-WLED applications. Hitherto, the discovery of phosphor materials has largely taken place through painstaking experiments, such as using exploratory crystal growth, combinatorial chemistry screening and single particle-diagnosis, in an Edisonian fashion. In recent years, high-throughput density functional theory (DFT) calculations have emerged as a powerful complementary tool to experiments to accelerate materials discovery, with successes having been demonstrated in the many application areas. By enabling rapid evaluation across multiple application-specific properties, DFT calculations can be used to effectively screen thousands of materials to identify a small subset of candidates for subsequent synthesis and experimental evaluation. Nevertheless, there have been no successful demonstrations of in silico phosphor discovery to date, no doubt due in part to extensive experimental efforts in the field as well as the difficulty in predicting optical properties with DFT.

Mining unexplored chemistries for phosphors for high-color-quality whitelight-emitting diodes

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA


An output driving circuit includes a first pull-up transistor, a first pull-down transistor and a second pull-down transistor. The first pull-up transistor is configured to generate a first output signal at the output node in response to a first control signal. The first pull-down transistor is configured to generate a second output signal at the output node in response to a second control signal. The second pull-down transistor is configured to connect the output node to the first ground voltage in response to a third control signal. The memory device including the output driving circuit may be insensitive to noise and may have little data transmission error.

Various example embodiments relate to a semiconductor memory device, and particularly, to a semiconductor memory device including an output driving circuit capable of decreasing noise.
In a semiconductor memory device, noise may be included in a data output signal during a transmission of the data. Research into precise transmission of data without transmission error due to the noise is being conducted.

Output driving circuit capable of decreasing noise, and semiconductor memory device including the same


Methods of operation of a data reader and security tag deactivation system whereby a data reader such as a barcode scanner is equipped with EAS deactivation coils or modules disposed in the vicinity of the read volume or generally proximate thereto and the system is operable to permit reading of the ID tag (such as the barcode label) on an item, and upon a successful read, the deactivation unit is operable to (1) sense the presence of an EAS tag; (2) if presence of an EAS tag is sensed, energize the deactivation coil/module to deactivate the EAS tag; and (3) sense if the EAS tag is deactivated. If the EAS tag is sensed to have been deactivated, the system signals as such and a next item may be scanned. If the EAS tag is sensed to have not been deactivated, the system proceeds to alternate operational steps to handle the exception. In another function, the system is operable to urge the operator to return the item to the read volume to enhance EAS tag deactivation, one method being by delaying a good read acknowledgment until the system determines that the EAS tag which may have been previously detected has subsequently been deactivated.

The field of the present invention relates to data reading systems and electronic article security (EAS) systems. In particular, a method and apparatus are described herein for controlling and operating a checkout system including both a data reading system such as a barcode scanner and an EAS system.
In both retail checkout and inventory control environments, items are typically provided with readable ID tags. These ID tags may comprise optical labels such as barcode labels or electronic tags such as RFID tags. Data reading devices such as barcode scanners and RFID readers are provided at the checkout station to read the ID tags and obtain the data contained therein. The data may be used to identify the article, its price, and/or other characteristics or information related to checkout or inventory control. These data readers automate the information retrieval to facilitate and speed the checkout process. Thus data readers such as barcode scanners are pervasive at retail checkout.
Scanners generally come in three types: (a) handheld, such as the PowerScan™ scanner, (b) fixed and installed in the countertop such as the Magellan® scanner, or (c) a hybrid scanner such as the Duet® scanner usable in either a handheld or fixed mode. Each of these scanners is manufactured by PSC Inc. of Eugene, Oreg. In a typical retail checkout operation, checkout clerk uses either a handheld scanner to read the barcode symbols on the articles one at a time or passes the articles through the scan field of the fixed scanner one at a time. The clerk then places the articles into a shopping bag or other suitable container.
Though barcodes provide for rapid and accurate item identification at checkout, the barcodes do not provide for item security against theft. Electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems have employed either reusable EAS tags or disposable EAS tags to monitor articles to prevent shoplifting and unauthorized removal of articles from store. Reusable EAS tags are normally removed from the articles before the customer exits the store. Disposable EAS tags are generally attached to the packaging by adhesive or are disposed inside item packaging. These tags remain with the articles and must be deactivated before they are removed from the store by the customer.
EAS tags are generally classified into two categories: so-called "hard" tags which can be sensed but not deactivated and so-called "soft" tags which can be sensed and deactivated. Hard tags are tags such as attached to clothing which must be removed by the store clerk using a special tool at the store checkout. Soft tags since they can be deactivated need not be removed. Certain types of soft EAS tags are reactivatable which is useful in applications such as library books and video rentals.
One type of EAS tag comprises a length of amorphous magnetic material which is positioned substantially parallel to a length of magnetizable material used as a control element. When an active tag, i.e., one having a magnetized control element, is placed in an alternating magnetic field, which defines an interrogation zone, the tag produces a detectable valid tag signal. When the tag is deactivated by demagnetizing its control element, the tag no longer produces the detectable tag signal and the tag is no longer responsive to the incident energy of the EAS system so that an alarm is not triggered.
Such deactivation of the tag, can occur, for example, when a checkout operator in a retail establishment passes an EAS tagged article over a deactivation device located at the checkout counter thereby deactivating the tag.
Generally, deactivation devices of tags include a coil structure energizable to generate a magnetic field of a magnitude sufficient to render the tag "inactive." In other words, the tag is no longer responsive to incident energy applied thereto to provide an output alarm or to transmit an alarm condition to an alarm unit external to the tag.
Examples of deactivation devices include those sold under the trademarks Speed Station® and Rapid Pad® available from Sensormatic Electronics Corporation of Boca Raton, Fla. The Rapid Pad® deactivator, which generates a magnetic field when a tag is detected, has a single or planar coil disposed horizontally within a housing. Deactivation occurs when the tag is detected moving horizontally across in a coplanar disposition and within a four inch proximity of the top surface of the housing located on top of a check-out counter. The Speed Station® deactivator has a housing with six coils orthogonally positioned therein to form a "bucket-like" configuration. The operator inserts an article or plurality of articles into the open side of the bucket. The operator then deactivates the inserted articles by manually triggering the deactivator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,412 discloses an EAS tag deactivation device including a deactivating coil having first and second coil parts. The first coil part is positioned in angular adjacent relation to the second coil part so that the coil parts are adapted to transmit simultaneously a deactivating field. The deactivating field forms a deactivation zone having a configuration which permits for deactivation of an active EAS tag when the active EAS tag is situated within the deactivation zone.
There have been attempts to integrate the structure of a barcode scanner with an EAS deactivation system. In one system, an EAS deactivation coil is disposed around the horizontal scan window of a two-window "L" shaped scanner such as the Magellan® scanner. In such a system, barcode scanning and EAS tag deactivation are accomplished generally within the same volume. The deactivation either takes place at the same time as the scanning, or the deactivation may be controlled to activate after a successful barcode read.
Deactivation of a tag attached to an article is sometimes ineffective for various reasons. This failure to deactivate can result in false alarming of the EAS system which is undesirable. The present inventors have recognized the need for enhanced operation protocols for controlling operation of the scanner and deactivation unit to allow for handling of various operation scenarios, particularly where the EAS deactivation system is integrated within the scanner housing.

Systems and methods for data reading and EAS tag sensing and deactivating at retail checkout