An integrated circuit device comprises an insulation layer formed on a substrate, a plurality of lattice relaxed SiGe layers each formed in an island form on the insulation layer, wherein a maximum size of the island form thereof is 10 xcexcm or less, one of a strained Si layer, a strained SiGe layer and a strained Ge layer formed on at least one of the plurality of lattice relaxed SiGe layers, and a field effect transistor having a gate electrode and source and drain regions, wherein the gate electrode is formed on one of the strained Si layer, the strained SiGe layer and the strained Ge layer with a gate insulation film is disposed therebetween, and the source and drain regions is formed to sandwich a channel region formed below the gate electrode with the gate insulation film disposed therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an integrated circuit device and more particularly to an integrated circuit device including field effect transistors.
2. Description of the Related Art
An attempt has been made to enhance the operation speed, improve the functions and lower the power consumption of large-scale integrated circuits (LSI) such as microprocessors. In order to successfully achieve the above attempt, it is necessary to make transistors small while the driving abilities of the respective transistors configuring the circuit are maintained or enhanced. In order to meet the above requirement of miniaturization, the gate length is reduced in the conventional MOSFET, for example.
However, recently, a technical or economical barrier to a reduction in the gate length rapidly becomes higher. Therefore, as a method for enhancing the operation speed of the LSI, a method of using a channel material with high mobility is known other than the method for reducing the gate length.
As the channel material with high mobility, much attention is paid to strained Si and strained SiGe. The method for forming strained Si or strained SiGe is as follows. Strained Si is formed by forming Si on lattice relaxed SiGe having a larger lattice constant than Si by epitaxial growth. Strained SiGe is formed by forming strained SiGe on lattice relaxed SiGe or Si having a lower composition ratio than strained SiGe by epitaxial growth. The mobility of electrons and holes in strained Si is increased by in-plane tensile strain and the mobility of holes in strained SiGe is increased by in-plane compressive strain. Further, since the amount of strain caused in the channel layer becomes larger as a difference in the Ge composition ratio between the underlying lattice relaxed SiGe layer and the channel material is larger, that is, a difference in the lattice constant therebetween is larger, the mobility becomes higher.
The inventor of this application and others have proposed a MOSFET (strained SOI-MOSFET) having an SOI (Si-on-insulator) structure combined with strained Si and relaxed SiGe and demonstrated the operation thereof (see T. Mizuno, S. Takagi, N. Sugiyama, J. Koga, T. Tezuka, K. Usuda, T. Hatakeyama, A. Kurobe, and A. Toriumi, IEDM Technical Digests p. 934 (1999), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view showing a strained SOI-MOSFET using strained Si.
As shown in FIG. 1, the strained SOI-MOSFET includes an Si substrate 6, an insulation layer 5 formed on the Si substrate 6, a lattice relaxed Si0.9Ge0.1 buffer layer 4 formed on the insulation layer 5, a strained Si layer 3 formed on the lattice relaxed Si0.9Ge0.1 buffer layer 4, a gate oxide layer 2 formed on the strained Si layer 3, and a gate electrode 1 formed on the gate oxide layer 2. A portion of the strained Si layer 3 which lies under the gate oxide layer 2 functions as a channel region. Source/drain regions 7 are formed on both sides of the channel region. The strained Si layer 3 may be replaced by a strained SiGe layer.
The strained SOI-MOSFET with the above structure has an advantage that the carrier mobility is high since the strained Si layer 3 is used as the channel. Further, in addition to the above advantage, it has advantages that the junction capacitance can be made small by use of the SOI structure and the MOSFET can be made small with the impurity concentration kept low. Since holes generated by impact ionization can be easily absorbed into the source region through the relaxed SiGe layer, occurrence of the body floating effect which is normally treated as a problem in the SOI structure can be suppressed.
The inventor of this application and others have found that it is necessary to substantially completely lattice-relax the lattice relaxed Si1xe2x88x92xGex buffer layer 4 with lower dislocation density and make the thickness thereof to 30 nm or less in order to put the strained SOI-MOSFET having the above advantages into practice. The mobility of the strained Si layer 3 (or strained SiGe layer) can be further enhanced by forming the strained Si layer 3 on the lattice relaxed Si1xe2x88x92xGex buffer layer 4 which satisfies the above condition by epitaxial growth.
The inventor of this application and others have found a method for forming the lattice relaxed Si1xe2x88x92xGex buffer layer on the insulation layer 5, 4 which includes growth of an Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x=0.1) having a low Ge composition ratio and successive thermal oxidation of the Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x=0.1) at high temperatures. The method has the following property. As the thermal oxidation process proceeds, Ge in the Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x=0.1) is enriched to form an Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x greater than 0.5) having a higher Ge composition ratio. At the same time, the Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x greater than 0.5) is lattice-relaxed and made thin (see T. Tezuka, N. Sugiyama, T. Mizuno, H. Suzuki and S. Takagi, Extended Abstracts of the 20001 International Conference on Solid State Devices and Materials (Sendai, 2000) p. 472, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).
The method for forming the lattice relaxed SiGe layer will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2E.
First, as shown in FIG. 2A, an Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x=0.1) 11 having a low Ge composition ratio is formed by epitaxial growth on an Si substrate 6. Then, an insulation layer 5 is formed between the Si substrate 6 and the Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x=0.1) 11 by use of an SIMOX method.
Next, a dry oxidation process is performed at a high temperature of 1200xc2x0 C. Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, Ge is removed from an Si oxide layer 12 which is formed on the surface of the structure and Ge is accumulated into an SiGe layer 18 which lies under the Si oxide layer 12. Thus, the Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x greater than 0.5) 18 having a high Ge composition ratio is formed. By the above heat treatment, the Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x greater than 0.5) 18 is lattice-relaxed by a slip on the interface with the underlying insulation layer 5.
Next, as shown in FIG. 2C, the Si oxide layer 12 on the lattice relaxed Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x greater than 0.5) 18 is removed by use of an ammonium fluoride solution. Then, a strained Si layer 3 (or strained SiGe layer) is formed by epitaxial growth on the lattice relaxed Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x greater than 0.5) 18.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 2D, an element is separated by mesa-etching.
Next, as shown in FIG. 2E, a gate insulation layer 2, a gate electrode 1 and source/drain regions 7 are formed according to the process for forming an SOI-MOSFET and thus a strained SOI-MOSFET is formed.
The Si1xe2x88x92xGex layer (x=0.1) 11 having the low Ge composition ratio and formed on the insulation layer 5 is thermally oxidized at high temperatures in the step shown in FIG. 2B. Therefore, Ge atoms are removed from the SiGe oxide layer 11 formed on the surface of the structure and accumulated in the underlying SiGe layer 18. The insulation layer 5 which lies under the SiGe layer 18 prevents Ge atoms from diffusing into the Si substrate 6. As a result, the Ge composition ratio of the SiGe layer 18 is increased as the oxidation process proceeds.
Since the lattice constant of SiGe increases as the Ge composition ratio becomes higher, shearing stress occurs on the interface between the insulation layer 5 and the SiGe layer 18. If a sufficient amount of slip on the interface or plastic deformation of the insulation layer 5 occurs, the SiGe layer can freely expand and contract due to the shearing stress so that lattice relaxation proceeds without dislocation generation.
However, particularly, when the insulation layer 5 is formed of SiO2, plastic deformation or slip between the SiGe layer 18 and the insulation layer 5 will not sufficiently occur even if the heat treatment is performed at a temperature which is as high as 1200xc2x0 C. Therefore, the SiGe layer 18 is lattice-relaxed in a mode of dislocation generation. If the temperature is further raised, SiO2 is softened and a slip between the SiGe layer 18 and the insulation layer 5 or plastic deformation of the insulation layer 5 tends to occur. However, if the temperature becomes excessively high, the SiGe layer 18 will be melted.
As described above, it is difficult to reduce the threading dislocation density without melting the SiGe layer 18 to a value of 104 cmxe2x88x922 which is a practical target.
An object of this invention is to provide an integrated circuit device in which the reliability is high, the operation speed is high and the power consumption is low.
An integrated circuit device according to an aspect of the present invention comprises: a substrate; an insulation layer formed on the substrate; a plurality of lattice relaxed SiGe layers each formed in an island form on the insulation layer, wherein a maximum size of the island form of each of the lattice relaxed SiGe layers is not longer than 10 xcexcm; one of a strained Si layer, a strained SiGe layer and a strained Ge layer formed on at least one of the plurality of lattice relaxed SiGe layers; and a field effect transistor having a gate electrode and source and drain regions, wherein the gate electrode is formed on one of the strained Si layer, the strained SiGe layer and the strained Ge layer with a gate insulation film are disposed therebetween, and the source and drain regions are formed to sandwich a channel region formed below the gate electrode with the gate insulation film disposed therebetween.
In above aspect, the following manners are preferable. The following manners may be applied solely or by combining appropriately.
(1) A Ge composition ratio of the strained SiGe layer is not less than 50 atomic %.
(2) A distance between the island-form regions is at least 0.1 xcexcm.
An integrated circuit device according to another aspect of the present invention comprises: a substrate; an insulation layer formed on the substrate; a lattice relaxed SiGe layer formed on the insulation layer, wherein the lattice relaxed SiGe layer having slits or holes is formed within a distance of 10 xcexcm from the end portion thereof and a distance between the slits or holes is set not longer than 10 xcexcm; one of a strained Si layer, a strained SiGe layer and a strained Ge layer formed on the lattice relaxed SiGe layer; and a field effect transistor having a gate electrode and source and drain regions, wherein the gate electrode is formed on one of the strained Si layer, the strained SiGe layer and the strained Ge layer with a gate insulation film disposed therebetween, the source and drain regions are formed to sandwich a channel region formed below the gate electrode with the gate insulation film disposed therebetween.
In above aspect, the following manners are preferable. The following manners may be applied solely or by combining appropriately.
(1) A Ge composition ratio of the strained SiGe layer is not less than 50 atomic %.
(2) A width of the slit is at least 0.1 xcexcm.
(3) The hole is formed in a long narrow shape along the gate electrode. With this configuration, a width of the hole is at least 0.1 xcexcm.
In the above aspect, C (carbon) may be contained in the strained Si layer and strained SiGe layer or relaxed SiGe layer.


A three-dimensional image processing apparatus includes: an obtainment unit that obtains range image data from each of a plurality of range image generation devices and obtains visible light image data from each of a plurality of visible light image generation devices; a model generation unit that generates three-dimensional model data expressing a target contained in a scene based on a plurality of pieces of the range image data; a setting unit that sets a point of view for the scene; and a rendering unit that selects one of the pieces of the visible light image data in accordance with the set point of view and renders a region corresponding to the surface of the target based on the selected visible light image data.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to three-dimensional image processing apparatuses, three-dimensional image processing systems, and three-dimensional image processing methods.
2. Related Art
A three-dimensional image processing apparatus that changes a displayed image in accordance with a set point of view has been known for some time. This three-dimensional image processing apparatus captures a scene from a plurality of image capture points, generates a single piece of three-dimensional model data based on a plurality of pieces of image recording data captured from the same scene, and renders image display data based on the three-dimensional model data (see JP-A-2011-149952).
However, when generating a single piece of three-dimensional model data from a plurality of pieces of visible light image data obtained by capturing a scene from different image capture points, each image capture point will have a different illumination environment, errors, and so on. This can result in unnaturally noticeable borders between pieces of visible light image data appearing in the display image depending on the set point of view, leading to an undesirable display quality.

Three-dimensional image processing apparatus and three-dimensional image processing system


Provided are method and apparatus for generating a digital multimedia broadcasting application format. The apparatus includes: generating metadata for DMB contents; and combining the generated metadata and the DMB contents, wherein the metadata includes copyright information for the metadata, user information for a user who consumes the DMB contents, and package table information for describing a package related to the DMB contents.

Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) is a broadcasting service for modulating video and audio to digital data and providing the digital data to a stationary terminal or a portable terminal. DMB is a digital mode of multimedia broadcasting that provides a high quality audio, data, and video service and provides superior fixed and mobile receipt quality. According to the transmission scheme, DMB is classified into Terrestrial DMB and Satellite DMB.
If structural information of DMB contents and detail information of the DMB contents are not provided when DMB contents are provided, a user may not properly consume the DMB contents. Therefore, there is a demand for developing a method for storing and identifying DMB contents and describing the characteristics thereof. There is also a demand for developing a method for describing supplementary contents that are provided with the DMB contents.

Digital multimedia broadcasting application format generating method and apparatus thereof

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A bad pixel correction (BPC) algorithm that can be implemented on the image sensor chip is provided for detecting and correcting defective pixels in a digital color image sensor. Gradients of neighboring pixels in at least one other color plane than the color plane of a current pixel and a range of sensor values from neighboring pixels in the same color plane as the current pixel are determined. If the sensor value of the current pixel is outside of the range by a threshold amount that is calculated using one or more of the gradients, the current pixel is determined to be a defective pixel, and replaced using the sensor values of the neighboring pixels in the same color plane.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to digital color image sensors, and specifically to image processing of sensor values.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic image sensors are predominately of two types: CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices) and CMOS—APS (Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor—Active Pixel Sensors). Both types of sensors typically contain an array of photo-detectors (e.g., pixels), arranged in a pattern, that sample color within an image. Each pixel measures the intensity of light within one or more ranges of wavelengths, corresponding to one or more perceived colors.
Despite advances in the manufacturing process, digital image sensors often contain a few defective pixels as a result of noise or fabrication errors, such as impurity contamination. Defective pixels respond inappropriately to the incident light, and therefore produce inaccurate sensor values. Defective pixels are predominantly of three types: stuck high, stuck low or abnormal sensitivity. A stuck high pixel has a very high or near to full scale output, while a stuck low pixel has a very low or near to zero output. An abnormal sensitivity pixel produces a sensor value different from neighboring pixels by more than a certain amount when exposed to the same light conditions.
Thus, a defective pixel can be identified by examining the difference between sensor responses of the defective pixel and its immediate pixel neighbors to the same illumination. Once identified, the sensor value of a defective pixel can be replaced with an estimated sensor value from pixels in the neighborhood of the defective pixel. The process of detecting and correcting defective pixels is referred to as bad pixel correction (BPC). There are a number of algorithms for BPC available in the market today. BPC algorithms exist for both color image sensors and monochrome image sensors. For color image sensors, BPC algorithms typically identify defective pixels by comparing the response of a pixel with neighbors of the same color, even though the neighbors may not be spatially adjacent to the pixel.
For example, one BPC method for color image sensors proposed by Maynants & Diercickx in "A circuit for the correction of pixel defects in image sensor", Proceedings of the 24th European Solid-State Circuits Conference, The Hague, Netherlands, Sep. 22-24, 1998, p. 312-315, which is hereby incorporated by reference, detects bad pixels by comparing the sensor value of a current pixel to sensor value predictions from neighboring pixels of the same color on the same row. However, the Maynants & Diercickx BPC method does not compare pixels in other color planes that are spatially adjacent to the current pixel, and therefore has the drawback of erasing local ridges in the image, where sensor values peak or recess. The Maynants & Diercickx BPC method also does not compare pixels vertically, and therefore has the additional drawback of erasing fine vertical lines.
Another BPC method for color image sensors proposed by Tan & Acharya in "A robust sequential approach for the detection of defective pixels in an image sensor" Proceedings of the 1999 International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing, Phoenix, Ariz., Mar. 15-19, 1999, p. 2239-2242, which is hereby incorporated by reference, builds a bad pixel map by accumulating the result of bad pixel detection over a sequence of images based on a minimum difference between a given pixel and its immediate neighbors of the same color. However, the Tan & Acharya method requires the storage of the bad pixel map in non-volatile memory. Incorporating non-volatile memory into an image sensor or an image processor chip is a significant expense. Furthermore, the Tan & Acharya method also does not compare pixels in other color planes when creating the bad pixel map.
Therefore, what is needed is a bad pixel correction algorithm that effectively and accurately detects and corrects defective pixels using sensor values from other color planes to account for local ridges in an image. In addition, what is needed is an efficient and accurate bad pixel correction algorithm that requires minimal memory and computation, allowing the algorithm to be implemented on the image sensor chip.

Method for detecting and correcting defective pixels in a digital image sensor


A detergent composition comprising 1-20 weight percent of a peroxygen or hypohalite bleaching agent, 0.05 to about 10 weight percent cyanuric acid, from 1 to 75 weight percent of a builder; and 0 to 40 weight percent of a surfactant is described. The composition prevents tarnishing of silver and silver plated articles.

Silver is chemically the most reactive element among the noble metals and tarnishes readily on exposure to sulfur bearing atmospheres. Discoloration, generally termed tarnishing, is caused by a silver oxidation process in which sulfide is formed. Food such as onions, mustard and eggs which contain organic sulfur compounds are also known to tarnish silver. See Singh et al., "Silver Tarnishing and its Prevention--A Review" Anti-corrosion Methods and Materials, v. 30 (July 1983) pp. 4-8.
Silver tarnishing is also known to occur when an oxygen bleaching agent used in detergent compositions oxidizes the silver to silver oxide. This oxidation process causes surface blackening of the silver leaving undesirable tarnishing of silverware when machine dishwashed.
Conventional detergents, particularly automatic machine dishwashing detergents, are generally formulated with chlorine bleaching agents in a high alkaline pH range. During washing, certain chlorine bleaches (e.g., chloroisocyanurate) react to form isocyanuric acid and thus do not greatly effect silver discolorization.
Detergent compositions are, however, increasingly being based on peroxygen bleaching agents and are being formulated to be milder to produce more environmentally friendly products. The problem of tarnishing of silver and silver plated articles has thus become more severe.

Silver anti-tarnishing detergent composition

Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.


A valve system has a piston mounted in a cylinder in one of first and second rocker arms and is adapted to be forced by a return spring, and an engagement projection formed in the other one of the first and second rocker arms and is adapted to abut the piston to cause both of the first and second rocker arms to move in conjunction with each other. The return spring is disposed eccentrically with respect to the piston in such a direction as to get away from the engagement projection. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a sufficient stiffness of a power transmitting section of the valve system and a sufficient valve lift.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a valve system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of opening and closing intake valves and exhaust valves of the internal combustion engine at different timings according to operating states of the internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a valve system (also referred to as a xe2x80x9cvariable valve systemxe2x80x9d), which is capable of changing operating characteristics (such as opening/closing timing, opening time, and so forth) of intake valves and exhaust valves (hereinafter generically referred to as xe2x80x9cengine valvesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cvalvesxe2x80x9d) provided in a reciprocating internal combustion engine (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cenginexe2x80x9d) to the optimum characteristics according to engine load and speed, have been developed and put into practical use.
As an example of a mechanism for changing operating characteristics as described above, a variable valve system is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-41017. This variable valve system is comprised of a connection mechanism constructed such that a low-speed rocker arm is provided with a hydraulic piston, and an engagement projection formed in a high-speed rocker arm is selectively engaged with the piston such that the valve timing can be switched between a low speed and a high speed.
This variable valve system is also provided with a return spring that forces the piston toward the bottom of a cylinder. In the state in which oil pressure is not applied to the piston, the piston is forced by the return spring and is held at a position in the cylinder, where the piston is not engaged with the engagement projection of the high-speed rocker arm.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a valve system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of switching the timing of an engine valve by a piston provided with a return spring and whose position can be switched, and a member abutted on the piston to move in corporation with the piston, while ensuring a sufficient stiffness of a power transmitting section of the valve system and a sufficient valve lift.
To attain the above object, the present invention provides a valve system for an internal combustion engine that has: a first rocker arm supported by a first rocker shaft such that the first rocker arm rocks with respect to first rocker shaft when driven by a first cam, the first rocker arm having an end thereof connected to one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve; a second rocker arm supported by the first rocker shaft adjacent to the first rocker arm such that the second rocker arm rocks when driven by a second cam having a different cam profile from that of the first cam; a cylinder formed in one of the first and second rocker arms; a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder; an engagement projection provided in a manner being projected from the other one of the first and second rocker arms and is capable of being engaged with an engagement part formed in the piston; and a piston position switching device that switches a position of the piston between an engagement position where the engagement projection is engaged with the piston and a disengagement position where the engagement projection is not engaged with the piston.
With the above arrangement, when the piston position switching devices positions the piston at the engagement position, the engagement projection projected from the other one of the first and second rocker arms is engaged with the engagement part formed in the piston, so that the first and second rocker arm rock integrally with each other to open and close one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve according to the cam profile of the second cam. On the other hand, when the piston position switching devices positions the piston at the disengagement position, the engagement projection projected from the other one of the first and second rocker arms is engaged with the engagement part formed in the piston, so that one of the first and second rocker arm rock independently of each other to open and close one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve according to the cam profile of the first cam.
Further, the piston position switching device is comprised of a return spring that urges the piston towards the disengagement position, and the return spring is disposed in a manner being eccentric from the piston in such a direction as to get away from the engagement projection. With this arrangement, it is possible to easily ensure a sufficient stroke of the engagement projection in such a range as not to interfere with the return spring, and even in the case where the return spring is disposed inside the engagement part formed in the piston, it is possible to easily ensure a sufficient thickness of the engagement part.
As a result, it is possible to enable the engagement projection of the second rocker arm to move in a wide range, and to ensure a sufficient valve lift when the first rocker arm is operated according to the cam profile of the second high-speed cam.

Valve system for internal combustion engine

Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


An encoding technique is disclosed for mitigating against the effects of Intersymbol Interference (ISI) and DC creep by forcing data transitions at least every two data bits. Two consecutive bits of data in the original non-return-to-zero (NRZ) data stream are grouped and are converted by an encoding circuit into two new consecutive data bits of the same duration as the original bits. The new encoded bits in each group will necessarily transition between two of three possible data states, and specifically will transition between ‘−1’ and ‘0’ logic states, or ‘+1’ and ‘0’ logic states. Pursuant to this encoding scheme, no more than two consecutive encoded bits will ever be of the same logic state, which prevents any particular data state from predominating and causing DC creep.

It is a common practice to employ forms of data encoding to facilitate data transfer in a communication system 10, such as shown in FIG. 1. A transmitter (Xmit) 12 sends data along a channel 16 to a receiver (Rcvr) 14. In one example, the transmitter 12 and receiver 14 may comprise integrated circuit components, while channel 16 comprises a signal trace on a printed circuit board that supports those components. As shown, within the transmitter 12, the data 11 to be transferred is sent to an encoder 13, where it is modified into a new format presumably better suited for transmission through the channel 16. Once the encoded data is received at the receiver 14, it is sent to a decoder 15, which essentially removes the formatting to once again recover the original data 11. The recovered data 11 may then be applied to some useful end by a functional circuit 18 within the receiver 14. System 10 may comprise, for example a Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), in which the receiver 14 comprises an SDRAM integrated circuit and the transmitter 12 comprises a microprocessor or a memory controller 12. Of course, in such an implementation many channels 16 would be present and operate in parallel, but this is not shown for convenience. However, the transmitter 12 and receiver 14 can comprise any type of integrated circuits, or even functional blocks on the same integrated circuit for example.
There are many different ways in which data may be encoded prior to transmission, and several previous methods are illustrated in FIG. 2. Starting at the top of FIG. 2 is an exemplary data stream of '1s' and '0s,' corresponding to the un-encoded data 11 of FIG. 1. This data 11, as shown, comprises a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) signal, which for all intents and purposes comprises a "normal" time varying digital data signal in need of encoding, in which a logic '1' state comprises a high voltage (e.g., Vcc, typically the operating voltage of the transmitter 12) and a logic '0' state comprises a low voltage (e.g., GND).
The first encoding method shown in FIG. 2 comprises return-to-zero (RZ) encoding, in which the latter half of each data bit necessarily returns to zero. The next illustrated encoding method comprises bipolar non-return-to-zero (Bi-NRZ) encoding, which basically level shifts the voltage of the logic '0' bits to a logic '−1' state (e.g., −Vcc), such that the resulting signal is bipolar, varying from −Vcc to +Vcc. The next illustrated method comprises bipolar return-to-zero (Bi-RZ) encoding, which essentially comprises a combination of the previously-illustrated RZ and Bi-NRZ encoding methods, in which a bipolar signal returns to zero (e.g., GND) during the latter half of each data bit.
Manchester encoding, the next illustrated method, converts each data bit to a logic transition. Specifically, a logic '1' bit is converted to a low-to-high ('0'-to-'1') transition, while a logic '0' bit is converted to a high-to-low ('1'-to-'0') transition. Finally, the last illustrated method shown, 4-PAM (Pulse Amplitude Modulation) encoding, assesses two sequential bits and encodes them into a single pulse having one of four potential amplitudes. These amplitudes can be equally spaced between ground and Vcc (e.g., GND, +⅓Vcc, +⅔Vcc, and Vcc), which for convenience can be respectively referred to as logic states '0,' '1,' '2,' and '3.'
These previous encoding approaches were designed to achieve various benefits; however, it is not particularly interesting to this disclosure to review such benefits in detail. Instead, what is important to understand is the effect that these previous encoding methods have on intersymbol interference (ISI). As one skilled in the art understands, ISI results when a pulse becomes dispersed while traveling down a bandwidth-limited transmission line, such as channel 16 in FIG. 1. This dispersion results from a combination of non-uniform group delay (different frequency components within the pulse propagating at distinct speeds and arriving at different points in time at the receiver) and the high frequency signal loss incurred as the bandwidth of the data to be transmitted exceeds the physical bandwidth of the transmission channel 16. As the data rate approaches or exceeds the bandwidth limit of the channel, the dispersion becomes worse, with the result that a given data pulse has the potential to perturb prior and subsequent pulses.
FIG. 3 illustrates the effects of ISI on an un-encoded (NRZ signal), and particularly shows the problem of DC creep resulting from ISI. Shown is an ideal signal 20 as would be sent from the transmitter 12. The transmission of this ideal signal 20 was simulated as passing through a channel 16 with a specified transfer function essentially mimicking that of a lossy and bandwidth-limited trace on a typical printed circuit board. Because frequency components within the ideal signal 20 are approaching the frequency limit of the channel 16, it can be seen that the resulting signal 22 is "smeared" and does not well represent the ideal signal 20. Obviously, such a poor representation of the data reduces the sensing margins at the receiver 14.
DC creep makes sensing further difficult. As one skilled in the art understands, DC creep tends to draw ISI-affected signals higher or lower in potential over time. Whether the average signal level creeps up or down depends on the predominant logic states within the signal: if the signal contains a predominant number of '0s', the average signal level will creep downward; and if the signal contains a predominant number of '1s,' the bias average signal level will creep upward. Creep in both directions is noticeable in FIG. 3. Because the first half of the ideal signal 20 contains mostly '0s,' the resulting signal 22 during that period tends to creep to lower DC levels. By contrast, the second half of the ideal signal 20 contains mostly '1s,' and so it is seen that the resulting signal 22 creeps towards higher DC levels. As noted, this problem of creep further exacerbates sensing. If it is assumed that a single threshold voltage (Vt) is used to sense the data at the receiver, creep will eventually cause some '1s' to be erroneously sensed as '0s' (see, e.g., points 24a), and some '0s' to be erroneously sensed as '1s' (see, e.g., point 24b).
As data frequencies continue to increase, problems resulting from ISI and DC creep become significant, and so it is worthwhile to consider to what extent the previous encoding schemes of FIG. 2 are useful in protecting against such effects. In this regard, it can be noticed immediately that three of the illustrated encoding techniques (RZ; Bi-RZ; and Manchester) result in an effective doubling of the frequency, because the encoded bits are half the duration of the original NRZ bits. Because ISI results from the problem that even the baseline NRZ signal is of too high a frequency for the channel 16, it is obvious that encoding techniques that increase the frequency of the signal will only make matters worse, and are not preferred as a means for mitigating such problems. Manchester encoding is somewhat of an exception in that the DC balanced nature of Manchester encoded data tends to suppress DC creep. However, the doubling of the associated circuitry bandwidth is still problematic, and as such, Manchester has been avoided in multi-Gigabit/second systems.
Another technique, Bi-NRZ, does not change the frequency content of the signal when compared to the normal NRZ signal. However, it requires operation at negative voltages, which increases system complexity, while doing nothing to mitigate ISI or DC creep.
Finally, the 4-PAM technique would mitigate against the effects of ISI because it cuts the effective frequency in half by doubling the duration of the encoded bits. However, such benefits are largely overshadowed by a concomitant increase in sensing complexity. Specifically, because of the four voltage levels for the encoded signals (e.g., GND, +⅓Vcc, +⅔Vcc, and Vcc), at least three voltage thresholds must be used to sense these levels (e.g., +⅙Vcc, +½Vcc, and +⅚Vcc). Because the magnitudes of data signals are also decreasing as technology progresses, the requirement to sense voltages of such fine gradations is difficult, especially at appropriate speeds. In short, the 4-PAM technique essentially trades off one sensing problem (ISI) for another (reducing voltage margins), and is not preferred as an encoding technique for mitigating against the effects of ISI in modern-day high-frequency digital signals.
With the foregoing understood, it should be evident that the art would be benefited by an improved data encoding technique useful in mitigating ISI and DC creep in high-speed data transmissions, but without significant associated drawbacks. This disclosure provides such a solution.

Two-bit tri-level forced transition encoding


A motor controller, operatively connected to a motor having an output shaft, includes a rotary detector to detect a rotation direction and a rotation amount of the output shaft of the motor to generate an actual rotary signal, a drive controller to generate a control signal based on the actual rotary signal and a target rotary signal indicating a target rotary direction and a target rotary amount, and a driver to supply a driving power to the motor based on the control signal. When the motor is in a hold state, the control signal is reversed periodically for a predetermined reverse time period T2 per a predetermined one reverse cycle T1. When the control signal is not reversed for a certain lock detection time period Tr that is longer than the revere cycle T1 of the control signal, supply of the driving power to the motor is blocked.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a motor controller, an image processing apparatus including the motor controller, and a motor control method executed by the motor controller.
2. Related Art
With image readers contained in scanners, copiers, facsimiles, and multi-function devices, and image processing apparatus, such as image forming apparatuses, accuracy in reading and forming images is ensured by accurately operating relevant movable parts.
For example, in a state in which a fixed image reader reads a document while a document feeder, such as an Auto Document Feeder (ADF), transports successive documents, a light source irradiates each transported document with light and a photoelectric conversion element such as a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) receives the light reflected from the document and photoelectrically converts the image into an electrical image signal line by line. It should be noted that the document feeder includes a driving motor and a document transport roller, and the driving motor drives the document transport roller to transport the documents at a predetermined constant speed to the image reader for reading.
In addition to the light source and the CCD, the image reader also includes a movable image reading element and a reader transport unit. When the document is placed on an exposure glass or platen, the reader transport unit, which includes a driving motor, roller, and a belt, moves the movable image reading element at a constant speed in a sub-scanning direction while the light source irradiates the document placed on the exposure glass with light and the CCD in the image reader receives the light reflected from the document to photoelectrically convert the read image into an electrical image signal line by line.
In addition, for example, in an inkjet image forming apparatus, an image is formed on a sheet of recording media by repeatedly performing an image forming process to eject ink for a predetermine number of lines and by a transport process to intermittently advance the sheet for the predetermined lines using a driving motor.
At present, direct-current (DC) motors, in particular, brushless DC motors, are widely used as the above-described driving motors.
The brushless DC motor includes a rotor having a permanent magnet but does not include a brush. Therefore, in order to detect the magnet rotor, as a position detection element, in general, a Hall IC is provided, or an inductive voltage generated in a stator coil is detected by a motor control unit and the position of the magnet rotor is estimated.
In the image processing apparatus described above, for example, in order to slacken the sheet or document, it is necessary to stop the transport of the document or sheet while the motor position is maintained as is (that is, the motor is in a position hold state). However, the driver that drives the motor based on a control signal generally deems the motor to be locked and idle when the control signal is not changed for a predetermined time period, and the driver too enters a locked state in which the driver blocks output to the brushless motor.
To solve this problem, JP-2004-324105-A discloses setting a threshold value used for determining whether the motor is a normal rotary state or the position hold state, at which point the output polarity is reversed to avoid erroneous recognition. More specifically, by setting a reversed time of an output polarity to the threshold value, it is determined that the motor is in the normal rotary state or the position hold state.
However, with this arrangement, this example cannot distinguish between the locked state determined when the control signal is not changed for a predetermined time period and the position hold state, which may erroneously recognize the hold state as the locked state. When the hold state is erroneously recognized as the locked state, the driver stops the output to the motor, such that the sheet and document cannot be hold at an intended position, and the suitable transportation cannot be performed. Therefore, it is desired to accurately distinguish between the hold state and the locked state and keep the hold state.

Motor controller, image processing apparatus including the motor controller, and motor control method


An air conditioning unit capable of performing a refrigeration cycle using a small-GWP refrigerant is provided. A refrigeration cycle apparatus (1, 1a to 1m) includes a refrigerant circuit (10) including a compressor (21), a condenser (23, 31, 36), a decompressing section (24, 44, 45, 33, 38), and an evaporator (31, 36, 23), and a refrigerant containing at least 1,2-difluoroethylene enclosed in the refrigerant circuit (10).

Conventionally, heat cycle systems such as air conditioning apparatuses use in many cases R410A as a refrigerant. R410A is a two-component mixed refrigerant of difluoromethane (CH2F2; HFC-32 or R32) and pentafluoroethane (C2HF5; HFC-125 or R125), and is a pseudo-azeotropic composition.
However, R410A has a global warming potential (GWP) of 2088. In recent years, R32 which is a refrigerant having a lower GWP is being more used as a result of growing concern about global warming.
Due to this, for example, PTL 1 (International Publication No. 2015/141678) suggests various low-GWP mixed refrigerants alternative to R410A.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A process and system for the conversion of biomass under high severity in the presence of a catalyst to produce a bio-oil, olefins, methane, and carbon monoxide (CO). The methane and/or CO can be used to generate hydrogen and the generated hydrogen can be used for hydrotreating the bio-oil. Additionally, or alternatively, a syngas stream, a carbon dioxide-rich stream, and/or a methane-rich stream can be recovered for use in the bio-oil production process and/or for use in a conventional petroleum refinery and/or petrochemical plant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the conversion of biomass under high severity to produce high quality bio-oil and byproducts, wherein the byproducts can be recovered and/or processed to provide one or more commercially valuable streams.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the rising costs and environmental concerns associated with fossil fuels, renewable energy sources have become increasingly important. The development of renewable fuel sources provides a means for reducing the dependence on fossil fuels. Accordingly, many different areas of renewable fuel research are currently being explored and developed.
With its low cost and wide availability, biomass has increasingly been emphasized as an ideal feedstock in renewable fuel research. Consequently, many different conversion processes have been developed that use biomass as a feedstock to produce useful biofuels and/or specialty chemicals. Existing biomass conversion processes include, for example, combustion, gasification, slow pyrolysis, fast pyrolysis, liquefaction, and enzymatic conversion. One of the useful products that may be derived from the aforementioned biomass conversion processes is a liquid product commonly referred to as "bio-oil." Bio-oil may be processed into transportation fuels, hydrocarbon chemicals, and/or specialty chemicals.
Although many of these biomass conversion processes can produce high yields of bio-oil, most, if not all, of the bio-oil produced is of low quality due to the high amounts of oxygen present in the bio-oil. Due to the high amounts of oxygen, these low quality bio-oils require extensive secondary upgrading in order to be utilized as transportation fuels and/or as fuel additives. However, many secondary upgrading processes, such as hydrotreatment, are prohibitively expensive due to the need for excess hydrogen in upgrading the bio-oil. Since hydrogen is not naturally produced during most biomass conversion reactions, it must be acquired through an outside source, thus adding to the costs of upgrading bio-oil.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved process and system for producing and upgrading bio-oil into renewable fuels and/or fuel additives.

Bio-oil production with optimal byproduct processing


A system for selectively deactivating engine valves of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The system employs switching rocker assemblies between the valves of the engine and rotating cam lobes. The disclosed design is able to operate using a single cam lobe per valve. The rocker assembly employs a first arm pivotally attached to a second arm at one end. The first arm engages the valve and the second arm has a roller bearing that engages the cam lobe. A latch causes the first and second arm to move in unison following the cam surface when latched. When unlatched, the second arm follows and moves according to the rotating cam surface, but the first arm does not follow and does not actuate the valve, thereby deactivating the cylinder.

Global environmental and economic concerns regarding increasing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emission, the rising cost of energy worldwide, and demands for lower operating cost, are driving changes to legislative regulations and consumer demand. As these regulations and requirements become more stringent, advanced engine technologies must be developed and implemented to realize desired benefits.
FIG. 1B illustrates several valve train arrangements in use today. In both Type I (21) and Type II (22), arrangements, a cam shaft with one or more valve actuating lobes 30 is located above an engine valve 29 (overhead cam). In a Type I (21) valvetrain, the overhead cam lobe 30 directly drives the valve through a hydraulic lash adjuster (HLA) 812. In a Type II (22) valve train, an overhead cam lobe 30 drives a rocker arm 25, and the first end of the rocker arm pivots over an HLA 812, while the second end actuates the valve 29.
In Type III (23), the first end of the rocker arm 28 rides on and is positioned above a cam lobe 30 while the second end of the rocker arm 28 actuates the valve 29. As the cam lobe 30 rotates, the rocker arm pivots about a fixed shaft 31. An HLA 812 can be implemented between the valve 29 tip and the rocker arm 28.
In Type V (24), the cam lobe 30 indirectly drives the first end of the rocker arm 26 with a push rod 27. An HLA 812 is shown implemented between the cam lobe 30 and the push rod 27. The second end of the rocker arm 26 actuates the valve 29. As the cam lobe 30 rotates, the rocker arm pivots about a fixed shaft 31.
As FIG. 1A also illustrates, industry projections for Type II (22) valve trains in automotive engines, shown as a percentage of the overall market, are predicted to be the most common configuration produced by 2019.
Technologies focused on Type II (22) valve trains, that improve the overall efficiency of the gasoline engine by reducing friction, pumping, and thermal losses are being introduced to make the best use of the fuel within the engine. Some of these variable valve actuation (VVA) technologies have been introduced and documented.
A VVA device may be a variable valve lift (VVL) system, a cylinder deactivation (CDA) system such as that described U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/532,777, filed Jun. 25, 2012 "Single Lobe Deactivating Rocker Arm" hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, or other valve actuation system. As noted, these mechanisms are developed to improve performance, fuel economy, and/or reduce emissions of the engine. Several types of the VVA rocker arm assemblies include an inner rocker arm within an outer rocker arm that are biased together with torsion springs. A latch, when in the latched position causes both the inner and outer rocker arms to move as a single unit. When unlatched, the rocker arms are allowed to move independent of each other.
Switching rocker arms allow for control of valve actuation by alternating between latched and unlatched states, usually involving the inner arm and outer arm, as described above. In some circumstances, these arms engage different cam lobes, such as low-lift lobes, high-lift lobes, and no-lift lobes. Mechanisms are required for switching rocker arm modes in a manner suited for operation of internal combustion engines.
One example of VVA technology used to alter operation and improve fuel economy in Type II gasoline engines is discrete variable valve lift (DVVL), also sometimes referred to as a DVVL switching rocker arm. DVVL works by limiting engine cylinder intake air flow with an engine valve that uses discrete valve lift states versus standard "part throttling". A second example is cylinder deactivation (CDA). Fuel economy can be improved by using CDA at partial load conditions in order to operate select combustion cylinders at higher loads while turning off other cylinders.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showed a 4% improvement in fuel economy when using DVVL applied to various passenger car engines. An earlier report, sponsored by the United States Department of Energy lists the benefit of DVVL at 4.5% fuel economy improvement. Since automobiles spend most of their life at "part throttle" during normal cruising operation, a substantial fuel economy improvement can be realized when these throttling losses are minimized. For CDA, studies show a fuel economy gain, after considering the minor loss due to the deactivated cylinders, ranging between 2 and 14%.
Currently, there is a need VVA systems and devices that operate more efficiently, with additional capabilities over existing rocker arm designs.

Development of a switching roller finger follower for cylinder deactivation in internal combustion engines


A hard disk drive that includes a voice coil motor and a micro-actuator. The disk drive includes a servo with a voice coil motor loop, a micro-actuator loop and an overall loop. The servo is calibrated by first calibrating the voice coil motor loop, then calibrating the micro-actuator loop and finally calibrating the overall loop.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a servo routine of a hard disk drive.
2. Background Information
Hard disk drives contain a plurality of magnetic heads that are coupled to rotating disks. The heads write and read information by magnetizing and sensing the magnetic fields of the disk surfaces. Each head is attached to a flexure arm to create a subassembly commonly referred to as a head gimbal assembly ("HGA"). The HGA's are suspended from an actuator arm. The actuator arm has a voice coil motor that can move the heads across the surfaces of the disks.
Information is typically stored in radial tracks that extend across the surface of each disk. Each track is typically divided into-a number of segments or sectors. The voice coil motor and actuator arm can move the heads to different tracks of the disks.
FIG. 1 shows a typical track that has a number of fields associated with each sector. A sector may include an automatic gain control ("AGC") field 1 that is used to adjust the strength of the read signal, a sync field 2 to establish a timing reference for the circuits of the drive, and ID 3 and Gray Code 4 fields to provide sector and track identification.
Each sector may have also a servo field 5 located adjacent to a data field 6. The servo field 5 contains a plurality of servo bits A, B, C and D that are read and utilized in a servo routine to position the head 7 relative to the track. By way of example, the servo routine may utilize the algorithm of ((A-B)-(C-D)) to create a position error signal ("PES"). The PES is used to create a drive signal for the voice coil motor to position the head on the track.
Some disk drives contain a micro-actuator that can provide micro-control of the head position. For hard drives with a micro-actuator the servo will have three loops. A loop for the voice coil motor, a loop for the micro-actuator and an overall loop for the system. It would be desirable to provide a scheme that can calibrate all three loops in an efficient and effective manner.

Algorithm for DSA/microactuator total loop gain calibration


An in-wheel motor power line (93) includes, between its one end and the other end, an in-wheel motor drive device-side region (93d), an intermediate region (93e), and a vehicle body-side region (93f) which extend continuously. The in-wheel motor drive device-side region (93d) extends in the vertical direction, and the lower side of the in-wheel motor drive device-side region is connected to the intermediate region. The vehicle body-side region extends in the vertical direction, and the lower side of the vehicle body-side region is connected to the intermediate region. The intermediate region is curved with its both sides located at a higher position and its intermediate part located at a lower position.

A technique of mounting an in-wheel motor inside a wheel of an electric vehicle to drive the wheel by the in-wheel motor is conventionally known in the art. In such electric vehicles, it is not necessary to mount an engine and a motor on a vehicle body, which is advantageous in that the vehicle body can have larger internal space such as passenger space and cargo space. The in-wheel motor is coupled to the vehicle body of the electric vehicle via a suspension device. A control unit, a battery, and an inverter for the in-wheel motor are mounted on the vehicle body. The in-wheel motor coupled to an unsprung part (the wheel side) of the suspension device and the inverter mounted on a sprung part (the vehicle body side) of the suspension device are connected by power lines. For example, power lines as described in Japanese Patent No. 4,628,136 (Patent Literature 1) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-240430 (Patent Literature 2) are conventionally known as power lines that supply electric power from the inverter to the in-wheel motor. The power lines described in these patent literatures are attached to an upper arm of the suspension device by a clamp member or are attached to the in-wheel motor by a clamp member.

Wiring structure for in-wheel motor power line, and in-wheel motor drive device


Stents made of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys and methods of making such stents are provided.

Stents are small and expandable tubulur members, which are inserted into clogged blood vessels to restore proper blood flow, or to treat other damaged passageways or lumens in the body, like bronchi or the esophagus. In turn, placing a stent implant (stenting) is often a catheter-based procedure. In the example of vascular stenting, a catheter is used to place a stent into a diseased artery to maintain the vessel patency after balloon angioplasty. In another application, covered stents (called stent-grafts) are also used to treat aneurysms, including abdominal aortic aneurysms. In a stent-graft procedure, the physician prevents blood from filling the aneurysm (bulge in artery) by placing a stent graft at the aneurismal site.
Generally there are two classes of stents: balloon-expanded stents, and self-expanding stents. Balloon expanded stents are initially small enough to enter the body lumen easily and are fitted over a collapsed balloon. The stent is then expanded through plastic deformation as the balloon is inflated. After inflation, the stent is in tight approximation to the lumen wall. The specific design of the stent struts (mesh segments) is optimized to provide a flexible, unexpanded structure that can track through the body cavities during insertion, and a patent lumen after expansion. Self-expanding stents are naturally sized for tight fit in the target lumen, but held in a compressed state during delivery through the body lumens to the target site. Once the self-expanding stent is located at the target lumen site, then the stent is release and allowed to spring back to its natural, expanded size. Design considerations similar to those followed with balloon-expanded stents are used in the design of a self-expanding stent. The self-expanding stent must track through the vasculature in the collapsed state and fit the lumen when expanded to provide patency. The struts of the self-expanding are designed to elastically deform during compression and return to a predetermined final shape. Those can be made of a wire-mesh or a specially designed pattern of slots or apertures.
Specific stent strut structures include wire-mesh, specially designed pattern of slots or apertures, coiled springs, helical wound spring coil, expanding forms in a zig-zag pattern, diamond shaped, rectangular shaped, and other mesh and non-mesh designs. Stents come in different sizes and designs depending on the many factors. Some of the factors include: 1) the size of the artery in consideration; 2) where the blockage is located; 3) the extent of the blockage; 4) the extent of blockage in other arteries; 5) the strength of the heart muscle; and 6) the interaction of the implanted stent with the vascular (or target lumen) physiology.
Despite the number of different considerations used in the designing a stent, the variety of materials used is quite limited. For example, stainless steel is the most common metal used for stents although, nitinol is also gaining wide-spread acceptance.
The quality of stent's function can be measured in terms of acute performance and chronic performance. Acutely, the stent keeps the lumen wall from recoiling after balloon expansion, and keeps dissected flaps from causing acute closure at the angioplasty site. Chronic performance of a stent is gauged by the degree of restenosis (re-blockage) in the treated lumen. Restenosis is considered to be a proliferative cellular response to the injury caused during angioplasty and stent implantation. Approximately 20 percent of stents close (restenose) within six months of placement.
Improving stent performance can be measured against several other criteria: 1) designing smaller diameter stents (less than 2.5 millimeters) for smaller vessels; 2) custom-designing stents for an optimal fit; 3) designing stents for multiple sites within the same artery (including stents with side branches); and 4) providing effective coating of stents with anticoagulants and antiproliferation agents.
Unfortunately, current materials used in stents are not readily adaptable to many of these desired improvements. The limitations of the current stent materials include both limited fabricability, and non-optimal physical and mechanical properties. For example, the mechanical properties of stainless steel and nitinol depend on the history of thermo-mechanical process history. As such, various fabrication and finishing steps can result in inconsistent or inferior physical and mechanical properties. Furthermore, the physical and mechanical properties of current materials are not generally sufficient for the development of new novel stent designs, such as stents having diameters less than 2.5 mm.
Accordingly, a need exists for a new class of materials to address the material and fabrication deficiencies of current materials as well as to provide options and tailorable properties for the various demands of stents.


An instrument lighting device configured in such a manner that even index marks disposed away from the light sources can achieve sufficient luminance using a reduced number of light sources. An instrument lighting device comprising: a pointer needle (4) mounted to a drive shaft (2) of an instrument body (3); a display panel (6) having index marks (5); a light source (7b) for lighting the index marks (5); a reflecting surface section (9) for applying the light from the light source (7b) to the display panel (6); and a reflecting wall section (10) for guiding the light from the light source (7b) toward the reflecting surface section (9). The reflecting wall section (10) comprises a circular conical first reflecting wall section (10a) for mainly lighting index marks (5) which are present in a first index mark region (N) located close to the light source (7b), and also comprises a second reflecting wall section (10b) consisting of a curved surface or a flat sloped surface for mainly lighting index marks (5) which are present in a second index mark region (F) located farther away from the light source (7b) than the first index mark region (N). The instrument lighting device can illuminate the index marks (5) on the display panel (6) by transmitted light with substantially uniform luminance.

As an instrument lighting device of this type, there is a known type having a configuration in which an instrument body having a drive shaft projecting therefrom is mounted on a circuit board, an indicating needle is mounted to a distal end of the drive shaft, a display panel having translucent markings such as calibration markings or characters along an orbit of rotation of the indicating needle is arranged behind the indicating needle, and the markings of the display panel or the indicating needle are illuminated by a luminous source arranged behind the display panel. In Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the instrument lighting device as described above is configured to irradiate a reflecting surface with an illumination light beam from a luminous source via a reflecting wall which constitutes part of an instrument case, and light the markings provided on the display panel by light reflected from the reflecting surface which constitutes part of the instrument case without using a light guide member.
Therefore, by providing the reflecting wall or the reflecting surface on the instrument case, a lighting device of an instrument can advantageously be made up of relatively simple constituent means without adding components such as individual light guide members, which is effective for cost reduction.


A system and method is disclosed for in-field communication connectivity verification reporting between centralized on-line centers, and a number of in-field subscribing stations. The substations each have associated therewith an in-field product controlled by software which requires periodic upgrading, maintenance, service, and general monitoring. The system and method includes a computer program and a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for carrying out the process, which includes submitting customer and product data, and a user selected mode of notification of completion electronically to a centralized on-line center, which in turn creates a configuration module based on the submitted customer and product data. The configuration module is then transmitted to the subscribing station by the on-line center. The configuration module is loaded into the subscribing station to allow future communications between the on-line center and the subscribing station. The on-line center automatically confirms connectivity for future automatic communications. The on-line center creates an output connectivity report that includes data on the connection and configuration. The connectivity report can include a status report that is sent to the user based on the user selected mode of notification, which can include an email notice, a voice mail notice, and/or a pager notice. Additionally, a problem/solution database is queried if a problem is encountered and the connectivity report can also include a possible solution to a problem encounter.

The present invention relates generally to remote servicing of in-field products or equipment, and more particularly to, a method and apparatus for verifying and reporting valid connectivity between centralized online service centers and remote subscribing stations having the in-field equipment, such as medical diagnostic equipment.
Medical diagnostic equipment and supporting systems, such as medical imaging systems, have become increasing complex in recent years. Examples of such systems include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, computed tomography (CT) systems, ultrasound and x-ray systems, and positron emission tomography (PET) systems. To add to the complexity of each particular imaging system, many facilities today incorporate a variety of such equipment. In larger facilities, the systems may be networked to permit common management and control. Further, such systems may be networked with a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) for storing digitized image data for subsequent retrieval and reconstruction. Additionally, teleradiology systems involve transmitting digitized image data to remote locations for review and diagnosis by specialized physicians and/or radiologists.
Because medical diagnostic systems are critical elements in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, their use must not be inhibited by a slow response for service or maintenance. Due to the increasing complexity of these systems, trained service personnel are oftentimes not on location with the equipment. Therefore, remote servicing of medical diagnostic equipment has become an important tool in maintaining these systems.
Remote servicing of medical diagnostic equipment has traditionally been performed via voice communication between operations personnel and a centralized servicing facility. Operations personnel would call a remote service facility to report malfunctions and ask questions regarding the proper operation and settings for the equipment. When such queries could not be sufficiently handled by telephone, a service or field engineer was dispatched to troubleshoot the system and provide the needed assistance.
Improvements in computer networks have greatly facilitated the task of offering assistance to medical imaging equipment. In particular, rather than having to call a service center and talking to a technician or engineer, or having to await a return call from the service center, network technologies have facilitated proactive techniques wherein the service center may contact the medical diagnostic equipment to check the status of subscribing equipment. Further advancements have been proposed to provide remote service to medical diagnostic systems in an effort to provide the level of service on a continual and interactive basis as needed by many facilities. In one such system, a service center can interactively receive messages via a network and can respond automatically to the messages if configured correctly. Data required to analyze the state of operation of the medical diagnostic equipment can be transferred during an electronic connection. This technique greatly facilitates identification of system problems, allows questions to be posed to the subscribing service provider, facilities transfer of updates and imaging protocols, and permits standard and customized reports to be transmitted to subscribing systems or stations. The interactive aspect of this technique allows the medical diagnostic facility to remain current on services provided by the centralized service facility and to readily communicate with the centralized service facility.
While such advancements in the provision of remote services to medical diagnostic equipment has greatly enhanced the level of service and information exchange, they are subject to unanticipated connectivity problems and require manual configuration by system engineers. In order to perform this checkout procedure manually on each particular piece of medical diagnostic equipment in the field is slow and labor intensive. That is, in order to initiate connectivity, a field engineer must initiate communication with the service facility and manually provide the data required in order to initiate a connection. An engineer at the centralized facility must then manually create a configuration file and download it to the subscribing station, where the field engineer can install it, and after making an initial connection, both engineers must monitor the connection and ensure the systems are properly configured for valid communication.
In present systems, a field engineer generally requests a connectivity check, but the initial connectivity verification sequence is initiated by the service facility to the subscribing system. Therefore, the field engineer does not have any control when the verification sequence is performed and very well may not be present to troubleshoot when it is actually done. As a result, the completion of the installation and verification functionality may not be performed due to this delay, and the field engineer must then come back another time to complete the installation and verification sequence. If the required connection between the diagnostic equipment and the service facility is inoperative, service requests may not be readily submitted to the service facility and information from the service facility to the diagnostic system may not arrive properly or in a timely manner. Intervention by field engineers or online service engineers at the service facility can detect and correct such problems, however, such detecting and correction is typically only initiated after a needed response has not been received for some period of time. The goal is to set up the equipment so to exchange service information and requests on an interactive basis so that the centralized facility can contact the subscribing station at will and conversely, so that the subscribing station can freely contact the centralized service facility and each can exchange data accurately.
It would therefore be desirable to have a system and technique for automated communications connectivity initialization and verification capable of performing the aforementioned checkout procedure automatically and configure a subscribing station to an online service facility such that future communications can occur automatically with a high level of trust that the system has been validated. It would also be advantageous to have a system that could provide a report to authorized personnel of the status of such an automatic checkout and notify the authorized personnel when a status report is available. It would be advantageous to have a system that is flexible to communicate with the authorized personnel based on a mode of communication as selected by the authorized personnel.
The present invention provides a system and method to initiate communications between an on-line center and a subscribing station and verify proper connectivity for future automatic communications, and provides an automated reporting system of connectivity verification or failure thereof and provides suggestions to correct connectivity problems that overcomes the aforementioned problems.
The present invention includes a technique that includes both hardware and software by which an on-line center, that has access to service software, at a centralized facility, is capable of servicing in-field product remotely. The service software includes software for service, upgrades, maintenance, or any other similar type functions, and the servicing of the in-field product includes general servicing, upgrading, maintaining, repairing, or any other similar type function. A communications link connects the on-line center to one of many subscribing stations, wherein each subscribing station has a computer controlling an in-field product, such as a medical image scanner. When the on-line center is connected to one of the subscribing stations via the communications link, after receiving customer and product data the on-line center automatically creates and sends a configuration module to the subscribing station to configure the subscribing station to automatically receive service/maintenance software thereafter. The on-line center is capable of providing connectivity verification and has an output report generator and notifier to generate a connectivity report and send a status report via a desired mode of notification to a user.
In accordance with the process of the invention, a method of automatically reporting connectivity verification with in-field product is disclosed. The method includes receiving customer and product data, together with a desired notification mode request, electronically at an on-line center, then configuring the in-field product at the subscribing station based on the received customer and product data to allow future automatic communications between the on-line center and the in-field product. Next, connectivity is verified by automatically initiating a call back procedure. After which, the process includes generating a report indicating status of the configuration and verification steps, posting the report to a network of computers for access by the user, and electronically notifying the user that the report has been posted.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a computer data signal that is embodied in a carrier wave represents a set of instructions which when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to create a connectivity verification report for a field product is disclosed. The embodied instruction include transmitting customer data and a user requested mode of notification to a centralized on-line center wherein the customer data is processed, and then connecting a subscribing station to the on-line center for data transfer therebetween. Next, the instructions include verifying whether valid connectivity between the on-line center and the subscribing station was achieved and generating a connectivity report indicating whether valid connectivity was achieved. Then, disconnecting the connection between the on-line center and the subscribing station, and reporting a status of the connectivity report to the user.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a computer program stored on a computer-readable storage medium is disclosed which, when executed by one or more computers, will cause the one or more computers to retrieve customer and product data electronically in a centralized on-line center and retrieve a user selected mode of notification. A configuration module is then created at the on-line center based on the submitted customer and product data and the configuration module is then transmitted to a subscribing station which has the field product associated therewith. After loading the configuration module into the subscribing station, the subscribing station is then configured to allow future automatic communications between the on-line center and the subscribing station. After logging off the subscribing station, the on-line center automatically checks connectivity and creates a report indicating whether connectivity verification was successful, and then notifies the user via the user selected mode of notification of the success of the connectivity verification.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings.

Communication connectivity verification and reporting system and method of use


A heat source fluid inlet pipe of a heat exchanger main body 150 comprises a rotation side inlet pipe 27 and a fixed side inlet pipe 23 that are integrated with the heat exchanger main body 150. A heat source fluid outlet pipe comprises a rotation side outlet pipe 26 and a fixed side outlet pipe 22 that are integrated with the heat exchanger main body 150. These pipes 22, 23, 26 and 27 are constituted into a coaxial double-piping structure 16 and the heat exchanger main body 150 is allowed to rotate with a center axis A of this coaxial double-piping structure 16 as the center.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a coaxial double piping structure for charging and discharging a heat source fluid in an air conditioning heat exchanger used as means for heat-exchanging air in a car. More particularly, the invention is effective when it is applied to an air conditioning heat exchanger of the type in which the air conditioning heat exchanger itself is so constituted as to be capable of rotating.
2. Description of the Related Art
An air-mix-type, that regulates the ratio of cold air and warm air by using an air-mix door and adjusts a temperature of air blowing to a passenger compartment, is a typical example of a temperature regulation system of an air conditioner for a car.
In this air-mix-type air condition for a car, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 2001-47845 and No. 2001-246921 disclose an air conditioner in which a hot-water-type heat exchanger for heating is so constituted as to be capable of rotating and is also allowed to play the role of the air-mix-door. Consequently, an air-mix-door can be eliminated and, at the time of maximum cooling, the hot-water-type heat exchanger for heating is operated and rotated to a position so that it does not operate as a resistance to a cold air flow and can increase the flow of cold air.
More concretely, according to the first reference No. 2001-47845, a hot water inlet pipe and a hot water outlet pipe on the fixed side are joined in a spaced-apart relation with a predetermined distance to one of the side surfaces of a disk-like member on the fixed side in a radial direction, and an inlet arc groove communicating with the hot water inlet pipe and an outlet arc groove communicating with the hot water outlet pipe are formed on the other side surface of the disc-like member on the fixed side.
On the other hand, two through-holes are formed in a spaced-apart relation in the rotation side disc-like member opposing the fixed side disc-like ember, and a hot water inlet pipe and a hot water outlet pipe on the rotation side that are integral with the hot-water-type heat exchanger for heating are connected to these through-holes in such a manner as to communicate the hot water inlet pipe on the rotation side with the inlet arc groove of the disc-like member on the fixed side and the hot water outlet pipe on the rotation side with the outlet arc groove of the disc-like member on the fixed side.
A seal material is arranged at each peripheral edge portion of the inlet and outlet arc grooves on the other surface of the disc-like member on the fixed side and is clamped between the fixed side disc-like member and the rotation side disc-like member to seal the hot water passage communication portion between the disc-like members.
According to the latter reference, i.e. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-246921, the rotation side hot water inlet pipe integral with the hot water inlet tank of the heat exchanger for heating is sealed and connected to the fixed side hot water inlet pipe in such a manner as to be capable rotating, and the rotation side hot water outlet pipe integral with the hot water outlet tank of the heat exchanger for heating is sealed and connected to the fixed side hot water outlet pipe in such a manner as to be capable rotating.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-47845, the hot water inlet pipe and the hot water outlet pipe are arranged in a spaced-apart relation in the radial direction of the fixed side disc-like member and the rotation side disc-like member. Therefore, the diameters of both disc-like members become unavoidably large.
Because the surface seal structure in which the seal member is clamped between disc-like members is employed, it is difficult to secure a uniform surface pressure throughout the entire length of the seal material and seal defect is likely to occur.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-246921, the hot water inlet pipe and the host water outlet pipe protrude from the hot water inlet tank and the hot water outlet tank, respectively, in the mutually opposite directions. Therefore, a connection work of the fixed side pipe and the rotation side pipe must be carried out on both sides of the heat exchanger for heating and the assembly work factor is deteriorated. Because the hot water inlet pipe and the hot water outlet pipe protrude in mutually opposite directions, the arrangement performance of these hot water pipe is deteriorated, too.
The same problem occurs also when the cooling heat exchanger itself is allowed to rotate and to play the role of the air-mix door.


Engineers have been seeking strategies to improve a work machine operator's comfort and to ensure the operator's safety. The present disclosure includes an operator control station that includes a seat assembly supported, in part, on a suspension system. At least one work machine operation controller is pivotably attached to the seat assembly between an egress position and a work machine operation position. A locking mechanism is operable to fix the work machine operation controller in the work machine operation position.

In several relatively new work machines, work machine operation controllers are attached to an operator's seat, rather than to a work machine body. By attaching the controllers to the seat, the work machine operator's comfort is improved, which in return, can improve the operator's productivity. For instance, many work machines are operated on relatively rough ground, causing vibrations that can shake the operator. A vibration path back to the operator is dampened by removing the controls from a console attached to the work machine body and mounting them on the operator's seat above a seat suspension. Moreover, European regulations limit the amount of vibration allowed to the operator.
Because operators must egress to and from the operator's seat and operators are of various sizes, controllers attached to the operator's seat are preferably moveable with respect to the seat. For instance, the operator seat designed for an agricultural tractor set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,778 issued to Valier et al., on Oct. 22, 1996, includes controllers that are attached to an arm rest that is moveable in various directions. In order to provide egress to and from the operator's seat, the arm rest can be moved between a vertical and horizontal position via a friction articulated joint. In order to enhance the operator's comfort, the arm length and angle of the arm rest with the controllers can also be adjusted.
Although the Valier operator seat may provide the operator with the ability to adjust the position of the work machine operation controllers in order to enhance the operator's comfort, the Valier arm rest may not be adequately robust for use in many work machines that operate under relatively rough conditions. For instance, when operating a work machine along the side of a hill, a slant of the hill will cause the operator to put the operator's weight partly on the arm rest with the controllers in order to keep himself in an upright position. Thus, the arm rest, and possibly the controllers, must be sufficiently strong to withstand a relatively large lateral load. Moreover, it is important that the operator feel secure that the arm rest will support the operator's weight. Further, because the Valier arm rest is secured into position by the friction articulated joint rather than being securely locked into a work machine operation position, the arm rest may vibrate or backlash due to the vibrations caused by rough terrain. Both the lack of strength and stiffness in the arm rest can adversely affect the operator's comfort, safety, and performance.
The present disclosure is directed at overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

Work machine operator control station with moveably attached controller


An autonomous light management system for a window includes an electrochromic film stack comprising an electrochromic layer on a first transparent electrode, an ion storage layer on a second transparent electrode, and an electrolyte sandwiched between the ion storage and electrochromic layers. The electrochromic film stack exhibits a transmissive state or an absorptive state depending on charging or discharging of the electrochromic layer. The light management system further comprises an array of power units disposed on a front surface of the electrochromic film stack, where each power unit comprises at least one solar microcell. Collectively, the solar microcells cover an area no greater than about 6% of a total area of the front surface. The array of power units is configured to control the charging and discharging of the electrochromic layer, thereby manipulating light transmission through the electrochromic film stack.

Windows with "smart" capabilities offer energy efficient alternatives to the double-pane windows that are typically employed in residential and commercial buildings. For example, in response to an externally applied bias, electrochromic windows can dynamically control the transmitted solar flux by either absorbing or reflecting a portion of the incident solar spectrum. Such smart window technology may enable control over internal lighting and heating/cooling needs, thereby reducing energy consumption. The impact of such technology may be substantial, as about 30% of the total energy demand in the United States is due to internal lighting control and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Electrochromic materials have been explored in research laboratories since the early 1960s and their integration into windows was intensively examined in the 1980s through the early 2000s; however, widespread commercialization has been limited by the need for complicated internal wiring and complete reinstallation of existing windows. Advancements are needed to circumvent this complexity if electrochromic-based smart windows are to become widely incorporated into residential and commercial buildings.

Autonomous light management system for a window and method of controlling light transmission

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS


Printer head (501) for a 3D printer, the printer head (501) comprising n distribution elements (510), wherein n≥2, a combination chamber (520), and a printer nozzle (502), wherein the combination chamber (520) is configured downstream of the distribution elements (510) and upstream of the printer nozzle (502), wherein each distribution element (510) comprise a flow-through chamber (511) with an inlet (512) and a plurality of k outlets (513) to the combination chamber (520), wherein k≥4, wherein the outlets (513) of the distribution elements (510) are configured such that a plurality of outlets (513) of a distribution element (510) have outlets (513) of another distribution element (510) as nearest neighbors.

Different types of material dispensing systems are known in the art. US2015/0093465, for instance, describes a material deposition system comprising an extruder for deposition materials, the extruder comprising two or more material entry ports, a mixing chamber, and an exit orifice; and a controller coupled with the extruder, the controller configured and arranged to dynamically change delivery rates of the deposition materials to be mixed in the mixing chamber before flowing from the exit orifice; wherein the controller combines a desired volume flow rate of material to flow from the exit orifice with a mix ratio to specify the delivery rates of the deposition materials.
WO2014/151809 discloses a fabrication device with an extruder configuration into which three or more colored materials are fed from a source. The extruder configuration has a printing tool head with a chamber and a nozzle. The extruder configuration operates by blending separate molten colored plastic filament material in a narrow melting chamber and extruding the mixture through a smaller bore within the printing tool head. As material in the chamber is pushed into the nozzle, the colored filament is further mixed into the desired color through resistance in the channel until it is finally deposited outside the nozzle onto the object being printed.


A wind turbine lattice tower structure includes a plurality of structural members connected together to define an open lattice tower, with the structural members including vertical leg members and diagonal braces extending between the vertical leg members. Pairs of the diagonal braces form cross braces having an intersection point therebetween. A damping bolt connection assembly is provides at the intersection point of the cross braces and is configured to attach the cross braces together at the intersection point while providing for relative movement of each individual cross brace along a defined longitudinal section of the other respective cross brace.

Conventional wind turbine towers typically include a tubular pole or a lattice structure to support a wind turbine at a considerable height to capture wind energy. The tubular pole configuration is relatively more simple and easier to assemble than the lattice structure. However, tubular poles use more steel than the lattice structure, resulting in a cost disadvantage with rising prices of steel.
The lattice structure towers use significantly less steel and other materials as compared to conventional tubular towers (generally about 30%-40% less). The lattice towers, however, lack the torsional rigidity of the tubular constructions and this decreased torsional stiffness potentially induces vibrations and stresses in the tower that must be compensated for.
It is known in the civil engineering and construction arts to incorporate damping devices and materials in structures to reduce vibrations, harmonics, and the like. An effective and practical means of damping lattice frame wind towers, however, has not been achieved. In fact, the conventional practice of rigid connections (e.g. bolt or weld connections) at the numerous joints between the vertical structural elements ("legs") and the cross braces that extend between the legs, as well as at the intersection of the cross braces, may even exacerbate the vibrations and resulting stresses. Vibrations caused by wind against the wind turbine tower may even loosen bolted connections over time.
Accordingly, an improved means for providing effective and practical damping to a lattice frame wind tower, without detracting from the inherent benefits of the structure as compared to tubular towers, is desired.

Friction damping bolt connection for a wind tower lattice structure


A multispectral smoke obscurant composition effective in reducing transmittance in the visual, infrared, and ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, comprising at least one metal organic framework (“MOF”), at least one fuel, at least one oxidizer, and optionally one or more additives selected from the group consisting of binders, coolants, and accelerants. The MOF or MOF composite is present from about 10 to 90 weight percent of the smoke obscurant composition, while the fuel and the oxidizer in combination comprise about at least 10 weight percent of the smoke obscurant composition.

Bispectral and trispectral (ultraviolet through visible and far infrared electromagnetic radiation) screening smokes are of increased interest to militaries due to the proliferation of ultraviolet sensors, thermal imaging, night vision, and other thermal guided threats. Multispectral screening smoke increases the warfighter's level of protection against emerging threats and methods of detection, while combining technologies to reduce logistical load. However, there is no known high efficiency bispectral obscurant smoke or continuously burning grenade. Ideally, the soldier would have a pyrotechnic device producing an obscurant that can provide a high performance bispectral and/or trispectral obscuration with continuous cloud production. Continuous cloud production is desirable to reduce transmittance and it is desirable to obtain obscurants that preferably block or reduce transmittance in the wavelengths between 40 nm to 100 μm (ultraviolet through visible to infrared).
Metal Organic Frameworks ("MOFs") are compounds that have metal ions coordinated to organic ligands. These coordination networks results in a stable porous structure usable for the storage of small molecules. MOFs possess appealing characteristics that have made them successful in applications such as gas purification and separation, catalysis, and sensors. However, to date no work has been done to explore the use of MOFs and MOF composites in obscurant chemistry. The structural components of MOFs are uniquely suited to smoke production. In particular, MOFs consist of a self-contained pyrotechnic mix, including a fuel (metal node) and oxidizer (ligand). MOFs and MOF/composites can replace, supplement, or enhance components of pyrotechnic smoke formulations in order to produce an ultraviolet through infrared blocking smoke.
MOFs are known for use as pyrotechnic materials. Blair et al. teaches MOFs including Ca, Sr, Ba, K, and Cs metal as fuels, and organic linkers as oxidizer, in "Metal-organic fireworks: MOFs as integrated structural scaffolds for pyrotechnic materials," Chem. Commun., 2015, 51, 12185. However, Blair, et. al. does not discuss or concern generating smoke that can obscure in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Pyrotechnic smoke obscurants containing metal-organic frameworks and composites thereof

The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary Of the Army


An automatic dishwashing product comprising a multi-dosing detergent delivery device comprising a housing (101, 110) for receiving therein a detergent holder (102) and a detergent holder (102) accommodating a plurality of detergent doses (104, 106) and a scenting composition wherein the scenting composition comprises a perfume and a polyolefin.

Items to be cleaned in an automatic dishwashing machine are soiled with food residues. The nature of the residues is quite diverse depending on the food that has been deposited on or cooked in the dishware/tableware. Usually the food residues have a plurality of malodours associated to them. Malodours can also come from food residues accumulated in dishwasher's parts such as the filter. The filter is usually a wet environment with food residues prone to bacteria degradation that usually have malodours associated to it.
The malodours can become evident during the automatic dishwashing operation either because there is superposition or combination of malodours that in terms give rise to other malodours and/or because the high temperature and humidity conditions found during an automatic dishwashing operation contribute to an easier perception of the malodours. Malodours can also be evident upon loading the dishwasher, especially if food residues degrade or rot.
Automatic dishwashing machines are usually placed in kitchens where users cook and frequently eat and they do not like to have unpleasant odours coming from the automatic dishwashing machine.
Auto-dosing devices are permanently placed into the automatic dishwashing machine and they are prone to collect food and residues during the automatic dishwashing operation. The food and residues can generate additional malodours.
There is a need to reduce or eliminate the malodours that are generated during an automatic dishwashing operation and substitute the malodours by pleasant fragrance in the area surrounding the dishwasher during use.
Machine fresheners are known in the art. They are devices that hang in the dishwasher and release a perfume over time. The perfume release profile tend to be non-homogeneous over time, usually a high level of perfume is delivered at the beginning of the life of the freshener—that sometime can be overpowering—and the release profile can drop dramatically with time. In addition, the fluctuating temperature and humidity conditions found in an automatic dishwashing environment lead to some difficulties with some of the known machine fresheners.
The aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.