An open baseband processing architecture for next generation wireless and mobile communication terminal system supporting full integration and convergence of existing and future wireless standards with open processing engines to optimize the terminal system performance and network resource management.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an open wireless architecture terminal design, focusing on the open baseband processing platform to support different existing and future wireless communication standards through the multi-dimensional open baseband processing modules with open interface parameters and baseband management systems. The invention includes multi-layer open system architecture to maximize the system flexibility and minimize the terminal power consumption, so as to provide an integrated and converged next generation wireless and mobile communication terminal system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Second-generation (2G) mobile systems were very successful in the previous decade. Their success prompted the development of third-generation (3G) mobile systems. While 2G systems such as GSM, IS-95, and cdmaOne were designed to carry speech and low-bit-rate data, 3G systems were designed to provide higher-data-rate services. During the evolution from 2G to 3G, a range of wireless systems, including GPRS, IMT-2000, Bluetooth, WLAN, and HiperLAN, have been developed. All these systems were designed independently, targeting different service types, data rates, and users. As these systems all have their own merits and shortcomings, there is no single system that is good enough to replace all the other technologies. Instead of putting efforts into developing new radio interfaces and technologies for 4G (fourth generation) systems, which some researchers are doing, we believe establishing 4G systems that integrate existing and newly developed wireless systems into one open platform is a more feasible option.
Researchers, from all over the world, are currently developing frameworks for future 4G mobile networks. Different research programs, such as Mobile VCE, MIRAI, and DoCoMo, have their own visions on 4G features and implementations. Some key features (mainly from the users' point of view) of 4G mobile networks are stated as follows:    High usability: anytime, anywhere, and with any technology    Support for multimedia services at low transmission cost    Personalization    Integrated services
Next generation wireless and mobile networks (meaning 4G mobile networks and beyond) are all-IP based heterogeneous networks that allow users to use any system at any time and anywhere. Users carrying an integrated open terminal can use a wide range of applications provided by multiple wireless networks, and access to various air interface standards. Second, next generation mobile systems provide not only telecommunications services, but also data and multimedia services. To support multimedia services, high-data-rate services with good system reliability will be provided. At the same time, a low per-bit transmission cost will be maintained. Third, personalized service will be provided by this new-generation network. It is expected that in future, users in widely different locations, occupations, and economic classes will use the services. In order to meet the demands of these diverse users, service providers should design personal and customized services for them. Finally, next generation mobile systems also provide facilities for integrated services. Users can use multiple services from any service provider at the same time based on the open services architecture.
This vision from the user perspective can be implemented by integration of these different evolving and emerging wireless access technologies in a common flexible and expandable platform to provide a multiplicity of possibilities for current and future services and applications to users in a single terminal. Systems of future mobile networks will mainly be characterized by a horizontal communication model, where different access technologies as cellular, cordless, WLAN type systems, short range wireless connectivity, broadband wireless access systems and wired systems will be combined on a common platform to complement each other in an optimum way for different service requirements and radio environments which is technically called "Open Wireless Architecture (OWA)".
In order to use the large variety of services and wireless networks in next generation wireless and mobile systems, open user terminals are essential as they can adapt to different wireless networks by reconfiguring themselves. This eliminates the need to use multiple terminals (or multiple hardware components in a terminal). The most promising and optimal way of implementing such multimode and multi-standard user terminals is to adopt the aforementioned open wireless architecture (OWA) approach.
OWA defines the open interfaces in wireless networks and systems, including baseband signal processing system, RF system, networking, and service and application, so that the system can support different wireless industrial standards and integrate the various wireless networks into an open broadband platform. For comparison, Software Defined Radio (SDR) is only a radio in which the operating parameters including interalia frequency range, modulation type, and/or output power limitations, etc can be set or altered by software. Therefore, SDR is just coupling different wireless systems into a reconfigurable radio without defining an open interface within the converged wireless platform. SDR consumes much more power when the number of supported wireless standards increase, especially in the RF system and baseband processing systems.
Like open computer architecture in the computer system, the aforementioned OWA shares all the open system resources including hardware and software by mapping different wireless standards to the open interface parameters of baseband, RF and networks. Each OWA system module is an open module, rather than any standard-specific module, and can be easily reconfigured to maximize the system performance, and minimize the power consumption.
To migrate current systems to such an advanced open wireless system with the features mentioned above, we have to face a number of technical challenges in the open baseband processing:    Terminal design is much hard than base station design due to its limitation of power consumption, chip area, and processing capability,    Open architecture requires full flexibility in baseband processing which normally can be handled by general-purpose processors and digital signal processors. However, these processors consume more power with less efficiency in system performance.    Application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) is a very efficient processor and consumes low power compared to genera-purpose processors and DSPs, but without flexibility in supporting different wireless standards, because ASIC is normally a standard-specific implementation solution.    Open Wireless Architecture demands efficient baseband processing management system to optimize the open processing modules and system performance.
Such an open baseband processing architecture of the terminal design as provided by the present invention provides an optimal solution to manage the baseband processing tasks for the next generation mobile communication terminals integrating and converging different wireless standards based on the open wireless architecture.

Open baseband processing architecture for next generation wireless and mobile communication terminal design


A distribution network architecture resistant to component failure is provided for distributing streaming media which supports partial mesh and ring-based topologies. Data streams are provided to and transmitted from distribution router clusters employing a shared broadcast medium having one-to-many relationship between respective input distribution routers and output distribution routers. The shared broadcast medium can be a plurality of hubs configured to transmit packets and signaling on opposite, unidirectional paths.

The invention relates generally to a streaming media distribution architecture that is reliable and resistant to component failures.
A number of systems for distributing data such as streaming media have been proposed which are implemented using a bus between system components. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,278 describes a bridge/router architecture that is scalable. Input and output modules providing network interfaces are interconnected via a backbone for signaling. These systems are disadvantageous because the bus presents a single point of failure. In other words, the system is rendered inoperable upon bus failure. A need exists for a distribution architecture that is flexible and reconfigurable and is not required to have a shared backbone communication medium to communicate data payloads and messages relating to routing and other functions.
Other distribution systems have been proposed which provide multiple paths between a plurality of components, that is, a cluster. A fail-over cluster is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,259 which performs adaptive load balancing of its components to optimize message throughput. TCP/IP requests therein are processed as if the cluster is a single device without having to have detailed knowledge of the internal cluster topology. If component failure occurs, another component is used in its place. The topology of the cluster, however, is unchanged. The cluster is not optimal in terms of providing alternate paths for data when component failures occur upstream of the cluster, for example. A need exists for a fail-safe system that provides for topology reconfiguration and therefore more than mere load balancing operations within a cluster.
Communication protocols are provided in a conventional content distribution system to permit topology configuration or re-routing around failed components in a cluster. These communications between components can result in delays and packet loss, among other issues, which in turn result in disruptions to real-time data flows. A need therefore exists for a distribution system that provides end-to-end passive fault tolerance and recovery to permit the reliable distribution of real-time data streams in the presence of component failures.
A distribution network architecture for distributing data (e.g., streaming media) is provided which is resistant to component failure. The architecture employs a dynamically reconfigurable hierarchy of ring and mesh topologies.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a distribution router cluster is provided comprising multiple input distribution routers that broadcast or multicast packets to multiple output distribution routers via a shared medium. Multiple equivalent streams are provided to respective input distribution routers that enqueue packets in variable length queues. Once dequeued and broadcast, the packets are enqueued at selected ones of the output distribution routers if they contain a selected stream-unique identifier and the sequence number of the packet has not already existed in the output queue. Output distribution routers receive duplicate or equivalent packets for each media stream and can discard all but one of each packet.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the architecture comprises distribution router clusters with ring connections at regional and local hierarchical levels, respectively.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the architecture is passive and does not require a communication protocol for routing around failed system components. Packet streams need not by synchronized. In addition, packets are not internally routed along selected paths using switching functions.

Fail-safe system for distributing streaming media having a dynamically reconfigurable hierarchy of ring or mesh topologies


A Magnetic, latent fingerprint development brush featuring a non-rigid, removable, disposable cover/body, to be used when developing latent fingerprints on contaminated surfaces. The cover can be removed and cleaned or disposed of and exchanged with a new cover. The non-rigid design allows operation without tension springs. The tip is less abrasive against surfaces being printed, since it has no sharp rigid edges. This lessens the chance of distortion of the latent print. The design is simple. A magnetic rod is attached to a handle, which is inserted into a flexible removable cover/body. A light grip holds the cover against the handle during use.

This application pertains to the field of Law Enforcement and is a device for developing latent fingerprints on a variety of non-metal surfaces. Information on the technique used in "dusting"for latent prints can be found in the book, The Science of Fingerprints 1977 issue (F.B.I./ Dept. of Justice) chapter 14. A magnetic brush allows even distribution of ferrous fingerprint powder and ease in clean up from the surface being dusted, which is conducive to better quality prints. Problems involved in the prior use of magnetic fingerprint brushes are; 1) Sterilizing the brush after biohazard crime scenes, without causing damage to the brush. (submersing the entire brush can lead to mechanical failure) 2) Rigid materials used in construction of prior magnetic brushes caused distortion of latent prints. Anytime the brush came in contact with the surface being printed, a scratch could be detected. 3) Prior designs can't be operated upside down without the use of an internal tension spring. 4) When the tension spring gets jammed or breaks, the magnetic brush won't work.


A method of forming a plurality of easy to open handle bags including the steps of. providing a flattened tube of thermoplastic material oriented in a generally longitudinal direction. The flattened tube has a first longitudinal side edge and a second longitudinal side edge, a transverse lower heat seal, and a transverse upper heat seal. The tube also has first, second, and third sections. The second section being disposed between the first and third sections. The first section is joined to the second section along a generally longitudinal first fold line. The second section is joined to the third section along a generally longitudinal second fold line. The second section is cut along a generally transverse first cut line extending between the first and second fold lines. The first section is folded over the second section along the first fold line. The third section is folded over the previously folded-over first section along the second fold line such that the first, second, and third sections overlap one another. The overlapped first, second, and third sections are cut along a generally longitudinal second cut line that intersects the first cut line, the first fold line, and the second side edge at one end and intersects the upper heat seal at the other end. The overlapped first, second, and third sections are then cut along a generally longitudinal third cut line that intersects the first cut line, the second fold line, and the first side edge at one end and intersects the upper heat seal at the other end.

For many years, thermoplastic bags have been widely used for a number of household and industrial purposes. Many bags have a simple rectangular structure comprising two layers of thermoplastic film heat sealed at the bag bottom, folded sides and an open top. This simple structure has been adapted to form a wide variety of sizes and configurations that vary with the intended uses of the bags.
In recent years, bag manufacturers have developed new types of thermoplastic bags such as, for example, draw tape bags, handle bags, and bags with protruding top edges. These different bag types provide the user with different advantages such as being able to easily close, tie and/or identify a bag. However, the easy to open, use and close handle bags have traditionally required expensive and complicated manufacturing procedures. Furthermore, handle bag manufacturers have experienced cost reduction pressure from other products and, as a result of their cost reduction efforts, new product configurations have been developed. These new handle bag configurations have decreased the manufacturing costs of the product but have also made the resulting bags more difficult to open and use.
For example, one existing low cost handle bag configuration is produced by starting with a thin thermoplastic film tube that is transversely heat sealed to form individual bags. The edges of tube are then longitudinally folded inward so that the edges are adjacent to the middle of the bag. The tube is then folded again about its middle thereby forming four overlapped bag sections comprising eight layers of thermoplastic material. A corner of the bag is then removed to form the handles and bag mouth. Such a manufacturing process is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,467.
However, the above described manufacturing process makes the resulting handle bag difficult and time consuming to use. A user must unfold the second middle fold and then the first quarter folds in sequence before being able to open the bag.
Consequently, these deficiencies have created a need for an inexpensive and efficient method of manufacturing handle bags that are easy to open, use and close.


A level shift circuit includes a capacitor element that has one terminal to which a logic input signal having a first logic amplitude is input; a logic output circuit that includes a first logic inverting circuit having a first logic inversion level with respect to an input terminal thereof connected to the other terminal of the capacitor element; and a second logic inverting circuit having a second logic inversion level with respect to an input terminal thereof connected to the other terminal of the capacitor element, and that inverts a logic output signal having a second logic amplitude when output polarities of the first logic inverting circuit and the second logic inverting circuit coincide with each other; and a third logic inverting circuit whose input and output terminals are connected to the other terminal of the capacitor element and that has a third logic inversion level with respect to the input terminal thereof connected to the other terminal of the capacitor element. In the level shift circuit, the first logic inversion level is set to be higher than the third logic inversion level, and the second logic inversion level is set to be lower than the third logic inversion level.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a level shift circuit that converts a logic signal into another logic signal having a different amplitude, to an electro-optical device using the same, and to an electronic apparatus.
2. Related Art
There are known electro-optical devices that display an image by using the electro-optical change of an electro-optical material, such as liquid crystal or electro-luminescent (EL) material. Among them, an active matrix electro-optical device in which pixels are driven by non-linear elements, such as transistors or diodes, can display high-quality images.
The active matrix electro-optical device has the following structure. That is, in the active matrix electro-optical device, pixel electrodes are formed at intersections of scanning lines extending in a row direction and data lines extending in a column direction, and non-linear elements, such as thin film transistors (hereinafter, referred to as TFTs), which are turned on or off in response to scanning signals supplied to the scanning lines are provided between the pixel electrodes and the data lines at the intersections. In addition, the pixel electrodes are arranged opposite to a counter electrode with an electro-optical device interposed therebetween.
However, a relatively high voltage is needed to drive the electro-optical material or the non-linear elements. Meanwhile, since an external control circuit for supplying a clock signal or control signal, which is a driving standard, to the electro-optical device is generally composed of a CMOS circuit, the amplitude of a logic input signal thereof is a voltage of about 3 to 5 V. Further, in general, in the electro-optical device, an amplitude converting circuit (hereinafter, simply referred to as a 'level shift circuit') that converts a low-amplitude logic input signal to a high-amplitude logic output signal is provided at an output portion of a driving circuit for driving the scanning lines and the data lines, or at an input portion for the clock signal.
Further, there is a known level shift circuit that includes first and second capacitors each having one terminal to which a signal is input, an offset circuit which offsets a voltage applied to the other terminal of each of these capacitors, and first and second switching elements which are connected to the other terminals of these capacitors (see JP-A-2003-110419). This level shift circuit can be operated at high speed with a simple structure.
The input sensitivity of the level shift circuit having the above-mentioned structure is determined by threshold voltages of the first and second switching elements. Since the threshold voltages of the switching elements are much affected by variations in a manufacturing process, the input sensitivity of the level shift circuit is also much affected by the variations in a manufacturing process. In addition, since the TFT, serving as a switching element, is formed on an insulator, the threshold voltage thereof is varied by the influence of electric charge stored when on/off operations are repeatedly performed.

Level shift circuit, electro-optical device using the same, and electronic apparatus


A front shoe as a sliding member includes a pair of support walls facing each other in a vehicle width direction, and a fulcrum shaft disposed in a bridging manner between both support walls. A support bracket as a support member supporting a movable panel and integrally moving while being joined to the front shoe includes a joint block having an engagement portion for the fulcrum shaft and serving as a second joint portion joined to a first joint portion on the front shoe side. Further, the joint block is arranged between both support walls while being relatively rotatable about the fulcrum shaft. On the joint block, a cushion member interposed between the joint block and the support walls while being fixed thereto is disposed.

Conventional sunroof devices for vehicles include a sunroof device that includes a movable panel disposed in a roof opening portion of a vehicle, sliding members that slide along guide rails extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and support members that support the movable panel and, in conjunction therewith, cause the movable panel to perform opening and closing movements by moving integrally with the sliding members while being joined to the sliding members.
For example, in a sunroof device described in JP2013-23057A (Reference 1), each sliding member has a pair of support walls that are arranged facing each other and a fulcrum shaft that is disposed in a bridging manner between both of the support walls. A support member has an engagement portion for engagement with the fulcrum shaft at a tip portion and is joined to the sliding member while being rotatable about the fulcrum shaft. Further, the support member has the tip portion, which includes the engagement portion, being arranged between both support walls of the sliding member. In the sunroof device, improvement in ease of assembly is attained by enabling position adjustment of the movable panel by use of gaps formed between the tip portion of the support member and the respective support walls of the sliding member because of the above-described configuration.
However, in the configuration of the above-described conventional technology, there is a possibility that the support member and the sliding member being relatively displaced along the fulcrum shaft, which constitutes a rotational joint point therebetween, due to vibration or the like of the vehicle cause the tip portion of the support member to interfere with the respective support walls of the sliding member. There is a possibility that occurrence of contact noise due to the interference causes quality feeling of the sunroof device to deteriorate.
Thus, for example, in a sunroof device described in JP6090598B (Reference 2), a position adjustment mechanism of a movable panel is disposed on each support member of the sunroof device. The sunroof device is configured to be capable of suppressing interference between the support member and a sliding member by eliminating backlash between the support member and the sliding member by use of the position adjustment mechanism, and thereby securing high quality feeling.
However, adding such a position adjustment mechanism to the support member causes the configuration of the support member to become complex. Since there is a problem that this complexity causes production cost to increase and, at the same time, ease of assembly to deteriorate, room for improvement has been left in terms of this point.
A need thus exists for a sunroof device which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.


A method of detecting halftones in the wavelet domain includes determining an energy value for the sub-bands in a wavelet decomposition. The calculated energy values are compared to a model of energy values that are expected when halftone data are not present. If the actual energy values do not conform to the model, halftone data are deemed to be present. In one embodiment, the model defines a pattern of decaying sub-band energy for each sub-band moving from a highest level of the wavelet decomposition to the lowest level of the decomposition. In another embodiment, the expected energy values in the model vary depending upon the bit-rate of compression of the wavelet-domain data.

The present invention relates to the digital image processing arts. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for detecting halftones in the wavelet domain. The method is employed in a compression encoding procedure to trigger a descreening process (in the wavelet domain) whereby the halftone data are descreened prior to the compression process to increase compression. The method is also employed in a decompression decoding procedure to trigger the descreening process during image reconstruction to improve the quality of the reconstructed image.
The representation of digital image data in the wavelet domain is well known. Wavelet-based data compression schemes are also known and are expected to become increasingly popular. For example, JPEG 2000 is a newly developed wavelet-based data compression scheme that is expected to be widely implemented in the digital image processing arts.
It has been found that the presence of halftone image data in a digital image is disruptive to wavelet-based compression methods. Thus, halftone image data cannot be compressed as efficiently. Likewise, reconstruction of an image from compressed data that contains halftones results in a reconstructed image of sub-optimal quality.
In accordance with the present invention, an image processing method comprises receiving wavelet-domain data defining a digital image. The wavelet-domain data are processed in the wavelet domain to determine if halftone data are present in the wavelet-domain data. A descreening process, preferably a wavelet-domain process, is activated if halftone data are present in the wavelet domain data.
The method of detecting halftones in the wavelet domain includes determining an energy value for the sub-bands in a wavelet decomposition. The calculated energy values are compared to a model of energy values that are expected when halftone data are not present. If the actual energy values do not conform to the model, halftone data are deemed to be present. In one embodiment, the model defines a pattern of decaying sub-band energy for each sub-band moving from a highest level of the wavelet decomposition to the lowest level of the decomposition. In another embodiment, the expected energy values in the model vary depending upon the bit-rate of compression of the wavelet-domain data. If desired, violations of the model can be counted based upon the quantity and/or the magnitude thereof.
One advantage of the present invention resides in the provision of a method for detection of halftone image data in the wavelet domain.
Another advantage of the present invention is found in the provision of a method for detection of halftone image data in the wavelet domain wherein a wavelet-based halftone descreening method is triggered in response to detection of halftone data.
Another advantage of the present invention resides in the provision of a method for detection of halftone image data in the wavelet domain wherein the method is employed upstream and/or downstream from a wavelet-based image compressor to trigger descreening prior to compression or during image reconstruction.
A further advantage of the present invention results from the provision of a method for detecting halftones in the wavelet domain wherein halftone detection is based upon the absence of a preferred energy pattern in the wavelet sub-band data.
A yet further advantage of the present invention resides in the provision of a method for detecting halftone data in the wavelet domain wherein an expected energy pattern for the wavelet sub-band data is modeled and the actual energy pattern is compared to the model to determine if halftone data are present.
Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains upon reading and understanding this specification.

Halftone detection in the wavelet domain


A controller driver includes a driving process circuit configured to receive background bit map data of a background image and font data for a character image, and a font drawing circuit configured to generate pixel data of the character image from the font data. The font data for a pixel is described in a format in which a bit length of the font data for the pixel shorter than in a RGB format, and the driving processing circuit displays on a display panel a synthetic image in which the character image is superimposed on the background image in an on-screen display mode, by driving the display panel based on the background bit map data and the pixel data of the character image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a controller driver and a display panel driving method. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a technique of reducing power consumption of a controller driver used to drive a display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a display panel such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel is driven by a controller driver. The controller driver is sometimes provided separately from the display panel, and the controller driver is sometimes provided with the display panel by using the COG (chip on glass) technique. The controller driver receives display data to be displayed, and stores the received display data in a display memory. Based on the display data stored in the display memory, the controller driver drives data lines of the display panel.
In the controller driver mounted on a mobile terminal such as a portable telephone and a PDA (personal data assistants), the reduction of power consumption is important. If the power consumption of the mobile terminal is reduced, the operation time during which the mobile terminal can be operated through a single recharging operation can be prolonged. The prolongation of such an operation time is effective to use the mobile terminal in more convenient manner.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-P2002-182627A) discloses a technique of reducing the power consumption of a controller driver. The controller driver in this conventional example is provided with a latch circuit for receiving display data, and a display memory which does not contain a sense amplifier. A plurality of bits of the display data are latched by the latch circuit. The bit lines of the display memory are directly driven by the latch circuit. Since the sense amplifier is not used, the power consumption of this controller driver is low. Further, since the plurality of data bits are written in the display memory by the latch circuit, a total number of times when word lines of the display memory are activated is decreased. In other words, a total access time to the display memory is reduced, so that the power consumption of this controller driver is reduced.
One of factors which cause increase of power consumption in the controller driver is the increase in a data quantity of display data sent to the controller driver. Since various sorts of information are displayed on the display panel, display data sent to the controller driver increases rapidly. In some case, bit map data having high gradation are sent to the controller driver so as to display a photograph on a display panel. Also, in some case, video image data whose data quantity are large are sent to the controller driver in order to display the video image data on the display panel. In addition, in some case, bit map data of a character image are sent to the controller driver in order to display the character image on the display panels. However, every time a data bit of the display data is received, the controller driver consumes power to some extent. Therefore, the increase of the data quantity of display data directly causes increase of power consumption by the controller driver.
The increase of the data quantity of display data sent to the controller driver is also not preferable from the viewpoint of EMI (electromagnetic interference). However, undesirable radiation of electromagnetic wave from the controller driver cannot be avoided every time the data bit of the display data is received. As a consequence, the reduction of the data quantity of display data is important in suppression of the EMI.
A synthetic image that a background image and a character image are synthesized is one of the reasons why the display data sent to the controller driver increases. In a general controller driver, in order to display the synthetic image newly after a certain image is displayed, for example, for an on-screen display, an entire image to be displayed needs be newly resent to the controller driver.
A controller driver having a function to partially rewrite a displayed image can solve such a problem to some extent. The reason is in that the controller driver can display the synthetic image if only character bit map data to be synthesized is sent to the controller driver.
There is stronger requirement to decrease the data quantity of display data sent to the controller driver. Under such a requirement, provisions of techniques are demanded that the data quantity of display data to be sent to the controller driver having the function for synthesizing the background image and the character image can be further reduced.

Controller driver and display panel driving method


An actuator particularly for accomplishing the swinging motion of a swinging arm comprises two cylinders using a pressurized medium, the piston rods of the cylinders being connected to a structure rotatable in relation to the swinging arm for the purpose of rotating the swinging arm around a rotation axis by the effect of movements of the pistons of the cylinders. The actuator comprises two control valves, of which one control valve is arranged to guide the pressurized medium either to both cylinders while they are coupled in parallel, or solely to one cylinder where its piston rod chamber and piston chamber are coupled together. This results in a movement of the piston outwards, because the pressure is directed to the whole work area of the piston on the side of the piston chamber and on the side of the piston rod chamber only to the work area which is the difference between the cross-sectional areas of the piston and the piston rod. Further, the pressurized medium needs to be supplied only in an amount proportional to said difference for achieving the same speeds of motion as before.

The invention relates to an actuator for accomplishing the swinging motion of a swinging arm, wherein the swinging arm refers to a swinging arm carrying a load and usually accomplishing a progressive movement of a so-called walking vehicle, such as a forest machine, by means of its rotating movement. Thus, the swinging arm is part of a leg that is articulated with another structure, such as a body of a vehicle, to be pivotal with respect thereto around its rotation axis. An actuator is arranged to be effective on both sides of the rotation axis, for providing a torque at the rotation axis. The swinging arm constitutes thus the leg or the like in the vehicle, or a part of the leg. The vehicle moves when it is carried by the legs in turns. The stage when the leg or the like carries the vehicle when in contact with the ground and moves it in relation to the ground, is called in this application the supporting stage, and the stage of transferring the leg in the air from one supporting stage to another, is called the transfer stage. As a rule, there are at least four legs, but usually their number is six, and each leg generally comprises at least two swinging arms which are connected to each other pivotally, the upper one being mounted pivotally on the body of the vehicle, usually on a piece pivotal in relation to the body.
In known solutions, the swinging motion of the swinging arm is accomplished preferably with two hydraulic cylinders connected at one end to the swinging arm and at the other end to a structure, in relation to which the swinging arm is arranged to pivot. The pair of cylinders alternately lifts and descends the swinging arm in relation to the rotation axis at its end. Depending on the positions of the leg, e.g. an alternating supporting stage and transfer stage of the leg are accomplished with the movements. A good example of such a leg that can have two swinging arms is the previous Finnish Patent No. 87171 by the applicant.
It is obvious that a relatively great force is required at the supporting stage, which will further require high cylinder volumes and particularly large piston work areas. Consequently, the greatest problem with the efficiency of the actuator is that because of the large work areas, a high volume flow rate of the pressurized medium must be used at the transfer stage to retain sufficiently high motion speeds at the transfer stage. Particularly in hydraulic systems, in which the pump supplies to several actuators existing at mutually different loading situations, the supply pressure of the pump is always sufficiently high in view of the maximal load. This means that the supply pressure of the pump at the transfer stage is not in correct proportion to the pressure required by the load, the pressure difference is lost in the control valves or the like and in the flow channel system, and the pump must thus be used with an unnecessarily high power input. In the above-mentioned vehicles advancing by means of the swinging motion of the swinging arm and having several actuators requiring pressurized medium for the progressive movement, one problem is still the sufficiency of pump capacity due to great momentary needs of volume flow. The hydraulic system, for example a hydraulic fluid tank, must be dimensioned according to these high peaks of volume flow. Moreover, the pump capacity cannot be increased arbitrarily without exceeding the efficiency of the driving motor.

Actuator for accomplishing the swinging motion of a swinging arm


A multilayered polymer composite film includes a water-soluble polymer matrix and a plurality of fibers embedded within the water soluble polymer matrix. The fibers include a water insoluble polymer material and at least one of a non-polymeric hydrophobic therapeutic agent or a non-polymeric hydrophobic cosmetic agent incorporated in the water insoluble polymer material. The fibers have a rectangular cross-section, and extend the entire length of the multilayered polymer composite film.

Traditional industrial processes for synthetic polymer microfiber spinning can be classified as either solvent-based or melt-based. As the name implies, solvent processing involves the spinning of a polymer solution with solidification of the fiber either through coagulation in a non-solvent (wet-spinning) or solvent evaporation (dry-spinning) In contrast, melt spinning produces fibers via the spinning of molten polymer that solidifies upon cooling; drawing usually accompanies this melt-based process to induce chain orientation and enhance mechanical properties. Typically, accessing nanoscale cross-sections is difficult, where fiber diameters of only 10-20 μm are achieved with applications in the textile industry. Pushing the limits of fiber production to the nanoscale has garnered recent attention in the processing arena.
Electrospinning is perhaps the most well-known, and one of the oldest techniques for generating sub-micron fibers in lab-scale from a polymer solution, or less commonly, a polymer melt via the application of a large electric field. This charged polymer jet is subjected to electrostatic forces, which act to elongate, thin, and solidify the polymer fiber in the characteristic "whipping instability" region. Although some success has been achieved with electrospun fibers in high-value added applications, such as air filtration, topical drug delivery, and tissue engineering scaffolds, significant disadvantages are low throughput and scalability. Additionally, electrospinning necessitates large volumes of toxic solvents that must be recovered by specialized equipment to make the process viable on a large scale.
Other approaches to nanofiber fabrication have emerged, including rotary-jet spinning, gas jet blowing, melt blowing, and bicomponent fiber spinning Recent advances in rotary jet spinning have focused on a melt-based approach to nanofiber production with throughputs significantly higher than electrospinning, but improvements are ongoing to address processing complexity as it relates to broad applicability to a range of polymer systems. Melt blowing is a particularly commercially relevant and scalable technique for achieving fiber diameters on the order of tens of microns and higher; in this process, fibers are generated in-line by extrusion of a polymer through a die orifice, while a hot air jet blows down the extrudate. It is process compatible with a wide range of polymers, and is a solvent-less and environmentally-friendly manufacturing method. However, the pursuit of nanoscale fibers has been limited primarily to polypropylene for air filtration. Collectively, these limitations on nanofiber scalability increase manufacturing costs and lower productivity.
The production of continuous nanofiber has received considerable attention for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. Incorporation of drugs and/or other biomolecules in the fiber exhibit new trend in all types of drug delivery routes, such as topical delivery, oral, intravenous, intramuscular, or inhalation usage, to reach maximum bioavailability for desired therapeutic efficacy.
Up to now, polymer fibers have been used in different applications, such as membranes, filtration, electronic sensors and reinforcing materials. Previously employed methods to produce these fibers include electrospinning of a polymer solution or melt. More specifically, the fibers were obtained by electrospinnig the polymer out of solution or the melt under high voltage. The use of this approach, however, is limited in that the proper solvents must be found and high voltage must be used, which results in high capital costs for production. Furthermore, the sizes, materials, and cross-sections of the fibers produced by electrospinning are limited. Therefore, there is a need for a process of producing polymer fibers at a reduced cost.

Polymer fiber scaffolds and uses thereof


An apparatus for machining an elongated workpiece with a tool a support column having a generally planar and vertical front wall and a pair of generally planar, parallel, and vertical side walls projecting rearward from respective outer edges of the front wall. A workpiece holder on the front wall can hold the workpiece forward of the front wall in a vertical orientation. A vertical guide secured to one of the side walls carries a vertical slide shiftable along the vertical guide. A front horizontal guide on the vertical slide forward of the front wall from the guide carries tool holder shiftable in the front horizontal guide on the vertical slide forward of the front wall and is adapted to hold the tool.

A standard apparatus for machining an elongated workpiece with a tool is described in German patent document 10 2008 037145. It has a support column having a generally planar and vertical front wall on which is mounted a workpiece holder for holding the workpiece forward of the front wall in a vertical orientation. A pair of vertical guides on the front is walls flank the workpiece holder and each carry a vertically shiftable vertical slide forward of the front wall. Each vertical slide in turn has a horizontal guide on which is mounted a respective tool holder horizontally shiftable in the respective horizontal guide on the vertical slide forward of the front wall and adapted to hold a respective tool. Thus horizontal movement of the holders on the respective vertical slides engages the tools horizontally with the workpiece in the workpiece holder and vertical movement of the vertical slides in the respective guide moves the tools vertically along the tool.
The problem with this construction is that it is quite wide. The guides and workpiece holder must move vertically in their own paths so that the apparatus has to be wide enough measured horizontally parallel to the front wall to accommodate all this equipment. This is disadvantageous in an operation where a number of such apparatuses need to be accommodated and, often, served by a single person or automatic loader/unloader.

Apparatus for machining an elongated workpiece


A monolithic ferrule/endcap/optical fiber structure is provided wherein an optical fiber is terminated in a ferrule and bonded by fusion to form a monolithic unit which minimizes optical loss and is typically capable of transmitting high power laser radiation, preferably on the order of 500 W and higher, without damage to the optical fiber and ferrule. Ferrule, endcap, optical fiber and fusible powder are composed of material of substantially the same physical characteristics such that, when all are fused together, the structure so formed is monolithic and the optical path is transparent.

This invention relates to optical energy transmission technology and more particularly to fiber ferrules suitable for terminating optical fibers and mode stripping as may be useful with high power laser radiation transmission. The invention further relates to lensed fibers and collimators. Moreover, the invention also concerns methods of manufacturing such ferrules and lenses.
The flexibility and light weight of fiber optic cables make them well suited for delivery of high power laser beams in applications such as robotics. Since they can be readily fused in an interface to the output of high power fiber lasers, fiber optic cables are also useful for optical energy delivery, particularly beam delivery.
Optical fibers are normally constructed of at least a core, at least one cladding surrounding the core and a polymer overcoat to mechanically protect and strengthen the optical fiber. The refractive index of the core is slightly higher than the surrounding cladding such that optical radiation launched into the core is confined due to the lower index of refraction of the cladding. The higher index of the core can be uniform, a so-called "step index core" fiber, or the refractive index may vary across the cross-section, being a maximum at the center of the core in a so-called "graded index core" fiber. The protective polymer coating is purposely made with a high refractive index such that any light propagating within the cladding circumference (i.e. "cladding mode") is dispersed into the polymer overcoat and thus removed from the fiber.
In practical usage, some fraction of light focused into a fiber will not be guided by the core. This can be due, for example, to mismatch of beam parameters into the fiber, focusing lens imperfections and dust/imperfections on optical surfaces. The component of the incident radiation that is not coupled into the core will propagate within the cladding until it diverges to the protective polymer coating where it is removed ("stripped"). If the source of laser radiation input into the fiber is a high power laser, the intensity of radiation within these cladding modes is readily capable of burning the protective polymer coating and destroying the fiber. An example is laser radiation onto industrial workpiece targets (particularly metallic targets) that is reflected with substantial power back toward the fiber such that radiation couples into the cladding circumference rather than into the core of the fiber. For this reason it is necessary to remove any cladding mode radiation at all fiber terminations before it can possibly diverge to and destroy the protective polymer coating. "Mode stripping" is the name given to the numerous techniques used to remove such cladding modes.
The purity of the fused silica fiber optic cable production process allows fiber so manufactured to contain and transmit very high power radiation. However, surface imperfections and contaminants at terminations of the fiber cause the power threshold at which damage occurs to be greatly reduced. For this reason it is preferred that the cross sectional area of the transmitted power within the fiber, the "mode size," be increased at fiber terminations. This is commonly achieved either by expanding the core of the fiber ("thermally expanded core fiber") or by arc fusion splicing a length of coreless "endcap" fiber of similar outside diameter to the end of the fiber optic cable at the fiber terminations. The use of an endcap allows for much larger mode sizes at the fiber termination than those achieved by expanded core techniques. A large mode at the output end of an endcap also ensures geometrically that a very low amount of reflected radiation from this surface can couple back into the fiber as feedback without the need for an angled surface—an important practical feature in many instances. An endcap is therefore a desirable feature of any high-power fiber termination.
The small diameter (e.g. 125 μm) and high flexibility of typical silica fibers require that fiber optic termination be held in a mechanically rigid structure at termination points in order to be practically useful in precise beam delivery systems. Due to the very low thermal expansion coefficient of fused silica (0.5 ppm) the choice of materials for such a mechanical structure is limited. Additionally, for example, the core of typical single mode 1060 nm wavelength compatible fiber is only 6 μm in diameter—a very small target that requires exceptional mechanical stability in order to maintain optical alignment over expected environmental conditions. Ideally such a mechanical structure would be made of fused silica itself for perfect temperature stability. Such a mechanical structure often takes the form of a ferrule—a rod-shaped part that is typically about 1 mm or more in diameter with an inner hole precisely manufactured to just accept the optical fiber within a tight tolerance. Typically optical fibers are cemented into such ferrule structures. In practice some fraction of incident laser radiation will be incident upon such adhesive bonds. When radiation from high power lasers is incident upon such ferrule end, sufficient energy may be absorbed in this bond layer to burn the adhesive and destroy the ferrule structure. Thus, a bond that does not require an adhesive is desired. To minimize transmission losses and reflected power, it is desirable to apply an antireflective coating to the end of the fiber termination. The integrity of the antireflective coating is important, and a structure is needed in which the coating is not damaged by cladding mode or mode stripped radiation. For all of the above reasons, it is desirable that any such fiber termination minimize transmission losses and reflected power, and more particularly a ferrule structure is needed that maximizes the net transmission of energy through a fiber junction.
It is often desirable to be able to produce a collimated output beam at fiber terminations. Transmitting output of a fiber through a Faraday Isolator or other component, and then focusing it back into another optical fiber is an example. In such cases, it is necessary to have well-controlled beam parameters (beam diameter and waist location) in order to achieve high fiber-to-fiber beam coupling.
The foregoing background sets forth problems of the prior art. The following patents are believed to represent a reasonable summary of prior art approaches to the some of the foregoing problems, although the invention hereinafter explained is to be recognized as a non-obvious improvement thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,006 discloses a fiber termination composed of a silica rod arc fusion spliced to an optical fiber where a lens is formed onto the end of the silica rod with, preferably, an electric arc. The lens end is disposed adjacent to a mirror such that an optical signal transmitted down the optical fiber is reflected back into the fiber when the lens is optimally formed—terminating the electric arc heat treatment. Although such an arrangement has a desirable fused silica monolithic structure, it has no provision for mode stripping. Additionally, when applied to conventional small diameter fiber, the lens radius of curvature is necessarily very small. Both of these considerations make the previously disclosed collimator unsuitable for laser power levels in excess of a few watts.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,515 discloses use of a CO2 laser to fuse a fiber to a comparatively large cross section optical component (e.g., a lens). Although the patent discloses a monolithic structure, it is an inherently weak structure that requires an adhesive to strengthen the fiber to lens bond. It is also fatally flawed. It does not have any provision for mode stripping capability, laser power that does not couple into the core will be absorbed in the adhesive, ultimately destroying the device. Additionally the lens disclosed is of a fixed focal length and thickness, making the critical adjustment of beam size and waist location difficult to achieve with the desired precision.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,273 discloses various ways of applying a covering over the optical fiber cladding (after removal of the protective polymer coating), which effectively strip cladding modes into further outer absorptive layers. Alternate structures are as effective. For example, optical fiber constructed with large diameter cladding would achieve many of the objectives of this invention. The patent does not disclose any monolithic mechanical structure and does not include an endcap. Absorption of cladding modes in the absorptive layers discussed would tend to heat the device, making mechanical alignment stability problematic. If water were to cool the portions of the device that have exposed cladding only, it would be would be problematic. Water is known to spontaneously cleave bare fiber through attack of defect sites ("Griffiths micro-cracks")—especially if the fiber is stressed in any way. All of the above render the disclosed invention incomplete and unsuitable for use with very high power laser beams.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,181 discloses removal of the polymer cladding in a region near the termination of an optical fiber exposing the cladding layer. The surface of the exposed cladding is formed into a rough surface which effectively mode strips cladding modes onto a mechanical holder. The holder supports and contains a suitable length of the end of the fiber in relation to a focus lens mounted to one end of the holder. This patent does not disclose endcaps and is not a monolithic structure. Any thermal expansion mismatch would contribute to instability in the optical alignment of the structure—especially when the mechanical holder absorbs high power. Etching the fiber to cause cladding modes to be stripped as disclosed renders it susceptible to cleaving, especially if it is mechanically stressed in any way. The mechanical housing makes the device bulky in practice, and difficult and expensive to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,752,537 and 6,883,975 disclose a fused silica ferrule bound to an optical fiber via a layer between the two and having a softening temperature lower than the ferrule and fiber, or having a greater absorption of radiation than the ferrule and fiber. This creates a sealed region between the ferrule and fiber, but it is not of strictly monolithic composition because the disclosed layer needs to be doped heavily enough relative to the fiber and ferrule to substantially change its thermal properties. Importantly, they also provide no means for mode stripping.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,602 discloses a silica rod of larger diameter than the optical fiber fused to the end of the fiber. This rod is intended to direct rays entering outside the fiber onto an annular reflector which surrounds the fiber, the reflector deflecting the rays onto an absorbing, heat sinking metallic housing surrounding the assembly. A temperature sensor on the reflector protects the assembly from damaging levels of radiation. A capillary tube in optical contact with the fiber cladding also strips cladding modes between the silica rod and the annular reflector onto the housing inner wall. This invention appears difficult to practice with small diameter fiber due to difficult and fragile assembly and evident susceptibility to vibration modes of the mode stripper capillary. Although the invention can, with detailed engineering, perform all of the desired optical fiber termination functions, it is realized in a long, bulky and expensive device, rendering it impractical in many applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,177 discloses water cooling of an optical fiber termination. A bare end of optical fiber is in optical contact with a transmissive window. The window and fiber are surrounded by a sealed, absorbing housing. In one embodiment, water flows in the space between the optical fiber and the housing. Laser radiation is coupled into the fiber through the window. Radiation that does not couple into the fiber in any way is absorbed in the water and at the water cooled housing surface. Cladding modes can be stripped by using an additional optically contacted capillary tube that is suspended within the structure by the fiber itself or by roughening the cladding surface of the fiber by diamond grinding or chemical etching means. It may be observed that either method of mode stripping is problematic with regard to reliability. Both mode stripping means have bare fiber in contact with water, potentially allowing spontaneous cleavage at defect sites, especially for the disclosed roughened surface approach. Additionally suspending the capillary mode stripper by the fiber itself does not appear robust with respect to shock and vibration modes—at least for small diameter fibers. An alternative embodiment surrounds the fiber with a transparent tube sealing and protecting the fiber from contact with the cooling water. However, since an air gap exists between the transparent tube and the fiber no mode stripping function is performed.
It is thus seen that all known prior art techniques, devices and inventions have specific and general disadvantages for which solutions have not been suggested by the prior art.

Monolithic mode stripping fiber ferrule/collimator and method of making same


Methods, devices, and systems for building system commissioning using mixed reality are described herein. One system includes a computing device comprising computer readable instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to retrieve configuration data for a physical controller from a remote distributed database in response to receiving a query, display the configuration data for the physical controller in a mixed reality display on a mixed reality device, and install the configuration data on the physical controller.

One or more building systems can be installed in a building to manage aspects of the building. Building systems can include, for example, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, access control systems, security systems, lighting systems, and fire systems, among others. A building system can refer a single building system (e.g., an HVAC system) and/or a system that manages a number of building systems (e.g., a building management system (BMS)).
Each building system typically includes a plurality of devices. When a building system is commissioned (e.g., at installation), specific devices may need a specific type of installation and commissioning based on an ontology model. The information of the ontology may be present in the form of documents and diagrams that an engineer may have to carry along with him in the field. This may be a time consuming job to understand the mapping of the ontology that needs to be done by referring to these documents and diagrams on a computing device or physical papers while performing the installation and commissioning of modules and controllers.
A certain level of expertise and experience may be required of the engineers in commissioning the devices. Additionally, there is no event driven checklist or run-time validation available towards the commissioning activities or the deployment and configuration of the devices. Furthermore, issues occurring during the commissioning process may result in unrecoverable damages and productivity issues.

Building system commissioning using mixed reality


An image forming apparatus has a charger; developing device; transferring device; and cleaning device which are positioned around a photoreceptor, the cleaning device and charger being integrally formed. The charger has a control unit for controlling the surface potential of the photoreceptor to be at a predetermined level in accordance with the number of rotations, or the rotating time of the photoreceptor, and/or is designed such that a predetermined voltage is applied to the cleaning device. With the above arrangement, reproduced images having constant quality can be provided for long even if the photoreceptor is repeatedly used and discharging by the charger toward the photoreceptor can be stabilized. The advantages contribute to producing small-sized and low-priced image forming apparatus.

In recent years, image forming apparatus wherein electrophotography is adapted, such as electrophotographic copying machines, electrophotographic laser printers and the like have become common in our society. In one well known form of electrophotographic copying machine, as shown in FIG. 9, a photoreceptor 24 disposed rotatably in the direction of the arrow A is first uniformly charged by a charger 25 and exposed to a reflected light 26 from the surface of an original, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image is formed into a visible image by applying toner stored in a developing device 27. This visible toner image is transferred onto a copy sheet 28 by a transferring device 29, to be fixed by a fixing device (not shown), and then the copying sheet 28 having the toner image thereon is discharged from the body of a copying machine. There remains on the surface of the photoreceptor 24, about twenty percent of toner used for toner image formation. The residual toner is scraped off and removed by a blade 30a of a cleaning device 30. Thereafter, the electric charge on the photoreceptor 24 is eliminated by a static eliminator 31 and the next cycle of copying operation is commenced. Generally, this static eliminator 31 comprises a static eliminating lamp or the like for eliminating the electric charge with light projected therefrom, or alternatively has the same structure as that of the charger 25. Such a static eliminator device 31 is essential to an electrophotographic copying machine, since if the copying machine is designed without the static eliminator 31, the surface potential at the photoreceptor 24 will continuously increase due to continuous charging by means of the charger 25. This causes troubles such as a dielectric breakdown in the photoreceptor or the like because of overcharging.
While the personalization of electrophotographic copying machines is expedited recently, a need for small-sized and low-priced copying machines is increasing. Conventional copying machines having such a static eliminator 31 can, however, no longer meet the above need.
A charger having a gird provided therein, i.e., a scorotron charger has been generally used for the purpose of overcoming the above problems. In the use of the scorotron charger, when the potential is lower at the photoreceptor 24 than at the gird, a charge applied the photoreceptor 24 by the scorotron charger is preferentially applied to the photoreceptor 24, while the charge preferentially flows to the grid in the case the potential of the photoreceptor 24 becomes close to the potential of the grid. Hence, the potential of the photoreceptor 24 can be maintained at a specified level without using the static eliminator 31. Specifically, in the use of the scorotron charger, the grid prevents overcharge caused by continuously charging the surface of the photoreceptor 24, and allows the photoreceptor 24 to be uniformly charged without using the static eliminator. This contributes to the miniaturization of copying machines.
Although the overcharge can be prevented by the above scorotron charger, there still remains such a drawback that the quality of reproduced images is deteriorated due to a change in the surface potential of the photoreceptor 24 occuring after the initial rotation period (several rotations) of the photoreceptor 24.
Furthermore, high processing and assembling accuracies are required for the cleaning device and charger, and therefore there is a difficulty in miniaturizing copying machines.
A charger 25 having a charging wire 25b for releasing a corona charge and stretched within a metal frame 25a, has been generally used as the charger 25. This type of charger is conventionally formed as a single unit, and the frame 25a is formed for the charger's exclusive use. Hence, there has been a strong need for parts which can be used for multiple purposes in order to produce small-sized and low-priced copying machines.


A laser detection system comprises a plurality of lasers wherein each laser is configured to produce a respective laser beam for excitation of one or more different compounds, a sample cell for containing a volume of sample gas, at least one directing device configured to direct the laser beams to the sample cell, wherein the at least one directing device is configured to direct the laser beams along a common optical path to the sample cell, and a detector apparatus for detecting light output from the cell.

Continuous emission monitoring instruments are increasingly needed to monitor industrial pollution output in various industrial sites, for example at power plants, process industry factories and commercial shipping facilities. The need arises, for example, from efficiency improvements, health and safety considerations and legislative requirements. It can be desirable to obtain measurements on a range of emitted compounds, for example: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, water and oxygen.
Known gas analysis systems are sensitive to single compounds or a small number of compounds. To cover multiple compounds using known systems it can be necessary to install several different continuous emission monitoring instruments, which can be inefficient, complicated and take up significant amount of space.


A cam mechanism of a zoom lens which includes a front optical element and a rear optical element positioned behind the front optical element in an optical axis direction, the front optical element and the rear optical element being guided linearly in the optical axis direction, the cam mechanism including a cam ring having a first cam groove, for moving the front optical element in the optical axis direction, and a second cam groove, for moving the rear optical element in the optical axis direction, both the first cam groove and the second cam groove being formed on one of an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface of the cam ring. The first cam groove is positioned behind the second cam groove in the optical axis direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens, more particularly to a cam mechanism, incorporated in the zoom lens, for moving optical elements such as lens groups.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional zoom lenses, it is often the case that a single cam ring incorporated therein is provided on an inner peripheral surface or an outer peripheral surface of the cam ring with two sets of cam grooves for moving two linearly guided optical elements (a front optical element and a rear optical element), e.g., two lens groups, respectively. Miniaturization of this type of cam ring sometimes requires the two sets of cam grooves to be formed to intersect each other, and accordingly, measures need to be taken in a zoom lens having such a cam ring to prevent the associated two sets of cam followers that are respectively engaged in the two sets of cam grooves from being disengaged therefrom at points of intersection of the two sets of cam grooves. As an example of a mechanism for preventing the cam followers from being disengaged from the associated cam grooves, a mechanism which includes auxiliary partial cam grooves and associated sub-cam followers for preventing disengagement of the two sets of cam followers from the two sets of cam grooves is known in the art, wherein the auxiliary partial cam grooves are provided independently of the two sets of cam grooves (main cam grooves) for guiding the associated cam followers, and the sub-cam followers are made to be engaged in the auxiliary partial cam grooves when the two sets of cam followers pass through the aforementioned points of intersection of the two sets of cam grooves. This type of mechanism is disclosed in, e.g., Japanese unexamined patent publication H10-282394.
However, taking such measures for the prevention of disengagement of each cam follower is liable to complicate the cam mechanism and increase the size thereof. Additionally, if the aforementioned two sets of cam grooves are formed on the cam ring to be isolated from each other in the optical axis direction so as not to intersect each other, the length of the cam ring becomes great to thereby make it difficult to miniaturize the zoom lens.


Same-channel full-duplex communications can be adapted for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) processing in order to derive increased signal performance through the exploitation of spatial diversity. Strong interference components from transmissions over multiple local antennas can be removed from a received radio signal to allow array and diversity gain benefits of MIMO to be enjoyed in same-channel full-duplex communications. More specifically, baseband samples of two or more MIMO transmission signals may be used to perform channel estimation on a received radio signal by correlating the baseband signals with the radio signal to estimate interference channels associated with the MIMO transmission signals. The estimated interference channels are used to subtract corresponding interference components from the received radio signals.

The recent proliferation of wireless telecommunications has caused spectrum bandwidth to become increasingly valuable. Accordingly, wireless service providers are constantly searching for new techniques for increasing spectral efficiency. One proposed technique is known as same-channel full-duplex communication, where transmission and reception signals are communicated over common network resources, and the received signals are processed using interference-cancellation techniques. As an example, a cellular network adapted for same-channel full-duplex communication would communicate uplink and downlink signals over the same time-domain, frequency-domain, and coding-domain resources, and the base station would use knowledge of the downlink baseband signal to remove interference from the received uplink radio signal, while the mobile station would use knowledge of the uplink baseband signal to remove interference from the downlink radio signal. The primary challenge in same channel full-duplex communications is that interference components attributable to local transmitting antennas are typically orders of magnitude stronger than the received signal component. In practice, the presence of such strong interference components in the received radio signal can significantly increase bit-error rates and generally degrade the quality (and spectral efficiency) of the wireless link. Accordingly, techniques for improving wireless link performance in same channel full-duplex networks are desired.

Interference cancellation in MIMO same channel full-duplex transceivers


An impact absorption apparatus includes a force transfer member including a base and a sidewall extending from the base, the base including an opening, a shock absorber disposed within the force transfer member and resting on the base, the shock absorber including a through hole, a plate disposed within the force transfer member and resting on the shock absorber, the plate including a through hole, and a fastener that extends through the base opening, the shock absorber through hole, and the plate through hole, the fastener including an end protruding from the base opening, the fastener end configured to secure the force transfer member to a support surface. The force transfer member is configured so that when an impact force is applied to the force transfer member, the force is transferred from force transfer member to the shock absorber.

This invention relates to a bollard and to a method of fixing the bollard to the ground.
In supermarkets and retail stores, objects such as freezers refrigerators, shelving and product displays are susceptible to damage due to collisions with items such as shopping trolleys, floor scrubbers and pallet jacks. For example, freezer and refrigerator cases typically include a glass or transparent plastic door for viewing the products inside without opening the door. The glass can be shattered or the plastic scratched, upon impact with shopping trolleys. Since the body of many of these floor fixtures is constructed of lightweight metals or hardened plastic it can be easily dented or cracked by such impacts. Likewise, in industrial locations such as warehouses and manufacturing facilities, both internally and externally, product storage, doorways and equipment are susceptible to damage due to collisions with heavy equipment, such as delivery vehicles and forklifts.
A bollard protects objects and fixtures from collisions with all types of vehicles. Bollards are commonly employed inside a store to protect store fixtures and outside a store to protect outdoor structures from collisions, to indicate parking areas, to block vehicle and heavy equipment access to a particular area, and to direct flow of traffic. Bollards can also be used to block vehicular access for security reasons.
There are two primary types of bollards; plate-mounted bollards and core-drilled bollards. Plate-mounted bollards conventionally involve a steel plate having three or four bolt holes and a bollard extending perpendicularly from one face of the plate. The plate sits on the floor and bolts are used to fasten the plate, and therefore the bollard, to the floor through the bolt holes. There is no significant disruption to the ground or floor, other than the bolt holes, which are in some instances pre-drilled. On the other hand, core-drilled bollards conventionally require a major disruption to the ground or floor with the creation of a hole two to four feet deep and having a larger diameter than the bollard itself, for example eight inches to two feet, or larger. Concrete is poured into the hole and the bollard is placed in the concrete and held vertically while the concrete cures. In some instances, concrete is also poured into the hollow bollard itself. Installation of a core-drilled bollard is significantly more expensive than with a plate-mounted bollard, and takes significantly more time to complete. However, there are locations where the core-drilled bollard is required due to its ability to absorb larger impacts than the plate-mounted bollard.
Plate-mounted bollards are conventionally utilised in areas where impacts are more likely to be less severe, and involve lighter objects, or where no significant impacts are likely and the bollard serves more as a marker. For example, inside a grocery store in front of a freezer case any impact would likely be from a shopping trolley or floor polisher. Such an impact would be considered to be low-energy, or relatively minor. Accordingly, a plate-mounted bollard would be appropriate for this type of installation. However, in a warehouse with heavy equipment, such as delivery vehicles and forklifts, impacts are more likely to be more severe, or high-energy. A vehicle backing up may accidentally collide with a bollard. Accordingly, a core-drilled bollard would be more appropriate in these types of settings.


The present invention is directed to a manganese tetrathiotungstate composition.

Increasingly, resources such as heavy crude oils, tar sands, shale oils, and coal are being utilized as hydrocarbon sources due to decreasing availability of easily accessed light sweet crude oil reservoirs. These resources are disadvantaged relative to light sweet crude oils, often containing significant amounts of sulfur, nitrogen, metals, and heavy hydrocarbon fractions including residue and asphaltenes. The disadvantaged crudes typically require a considerable amount of upgrading in order to obtain useful hydrocarbon products therefrom.
Numerous catalysts have been developed for catalytically hydrocracking and hydrotreating disadvantaged hydrocarbon feedstocks. Typically, these catalysts contain a Group VIB or Group VIII metal supported on a carrier formed of alumina, silica, or alumina-silica. Such catalysts are commonly sulfided to activate the catalyst, either before contacting the catalyst with a disadvantaged hydrocarbon feed or in situ with the disadvantaged hydrocarbon feed.
Applicants have discovered that bimetallic tetrathiometallate materials are exceptionally good catalysts for upgrading disadvantaged hydrocarbon feedstocks, particularly for converting all or substantially all heavy fractions such as residue and asphaltenes in the feedstock to lighter fractions while forming little or no coke. In particular, Applicants have discovered that bimetallic tetrathiomolybdate, bimetallic tetrathiotungstate, and bimetallic tetrathiovanadate materials are especially effective for hydrocracking disadvantaged hydrocarbon feedstocks to upgrade the feedstocks.
Ammonium and alkylammonium thiometallates have been used as precursors to produce metal sulfides. For example, tetralkylammonium thiomolybdate, tetralkylammonium thiotungstate, and ammonium thiomolybdate precursor compounds have been treated at temperatures of above 350° C. to thermally decompose the precursor compounds to produce MoS2 and WS2 disulfides having predicable stoichoimetry that have a high surface area and show substantial hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation catalytic activity in a hydrocarbon feedstock. Ammonium thiometallates have also been used as precursors to produce bimetallic compounds in an organic solvent. For example, copper thiometallates and copper selenometallates have been produced using a solvothermal method by reacting (NH4)2MoS4, (NH4)2WS4, (PPh4)2MoSe4, or (PPh4)2WSe4 with copper borofluoride salts in organic solvents at temperatures of 110° C. or above in an autoclave at autogenous pressures. Iron-molybdenum sulfide compounds have been produced by dissolving (NH4)2MoS4 in an organic chelating solution of diethylenetriamine (dien) and slowly adding an iron salt in a 10% aqueous dien solution to precipitate a hydrodenitrogenation catalyst precursor. The precursor is thermally decomposed to remove organic ligand constituents and sulfactivate the catalyst. Copper thiomolybdates containing oxygen have been produced from ammonium tetrathiomolybdates and a copper salt by mixing aqueous solutions of reactants CuSO45H2O and M2I-MoS4 (MI=NH4+, Et4N+, or Na+) and (NH4)2MoS4 in the presence of oxygen. Manganese tetrathiotungstates are not known and no methods of producing a manganese tetrathiotungstate material are known.
A manganese tetrathiotungstate material and a method for making such a material are desirable to provide a material useful as a catalyst for hydrocracking and/or hydrotreating a crude oil or a crude oil fraction.


A rotary rheometer is disclosed that includes improved control logic. This logic can provide continuously sampled force control logic, compliance control logic, adaptive control logic, anti-windup logic, and/or inertial correction logic.

Rheometers are used to study flow and deformation of materials. Rotary rheometers can typically hold a sample between a fixed base plate and a rotating upper plate. In one type of measurement, the gap between the base and rotating upper part is kept constant, and in another, the normal force on the sample is kept constant.
Normal force control has typically been implemented by a simple on-off modulation approach. Upper and lower pass bands are set around the desired normal force loop. A simple step size and update rate are set and the system moves and measures until the force is in the pass band. The control then switches off until the force is seen to move out of the pass bands.


A current mode trimming apparatus for trimming a desired current is provided. The trimming apparatus includes a first transistor, a first resistor, an operational amplifier, a first controlled current source, and a second controlled current source. The first and second controlled current sources adjust the output current thereof respectively in accordance with the trimming data. The desired current passing through the first transistor is trimmed in a manner of increasing or decreasing current. Therefore, the invention can linearly increase or decrease the desired current by controlling the controlled current sources with the trimming data to achieve the goal of trimming.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a trimming apparatus, and more particularly, to a current mode trimming apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
When manufacturing Integrated Circuits (ICs), electrical characteristics vary in the process of manufacturing for various reasons. This variance in electrical characteristics results in many uncertainties in circuit design. Therefore, in order to reduce the factor of electrical variance, besides continuously pursuing the development of the procedure for manufacturing ICs, another remedy for adjusting varied electrical characteristics is trimming.
Conventional trimming technologies comprise two approaches, i.e. poly fuse and laser cut. In poly fuse, a trimming circuit is coupled to the main IC circuit, and poly-silicon is used in the trimming circuit for connection. When the electrical characteristics of the IC are to be adjusted, the desired value of the electrical characteristics of the IC can be obtained by simply increasing the current to cut the poly-silicon in the trimming circuit and change the circuit structure. In laser cut, the method is similar, except that the poly-silicon is displaced by metal, and the metal is cut by means of a laser instead of current, which can also change the electrical characteristics of the IC.
Referring to FIG. 1A, it shows a block diagram of a conventional trimming circuit. An operational amplifier 110 has an positive input end for receiving a reference voltage VREF, and a negative input end and an output end respectively electrically connected to a drain and a gate of an N-type transistor 120. A source of the transistor 120 is electrically connected to a system voltage VCCA. Resistors 130, 141, 142, and 143 are connected in series between the drain of the N-type transistor 120 and a ground voltage GND. Resistors 141, 142, and 143 respectively have the resistance of 4RΩ, 2RΩ, and RΩ. Pads 151˜153 and fuses 161˜163 are also connected in series with each other between the drain of the N-type transistor 120 and the ground voltage GND. The pads 152 and 153 are further electrically connected to both ends of the resistor 142 respectively. Through the pads 151˜153, any fuse of the fuses 161˜163 is selected to be cut, thereby changing the connection state of the fuses 161˜163. By determining the connection state of the fuses 161˜163, the total resistance Rtot of the resistor strings 130, 141, 142, and 143 can thus be determined. Since desired current Itot=VREF/Rtot, the desired current Itot passing through the transistor 120 can be trimmed by trimming the total resistance Rtot of the resistor strings 130, 141, 142, and 143.
FIG. 1B shows the relation between the total resistance Rtot and the desired current Itot of the conventional trimming circuit in FIG. 1A. Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B together, the transverse axis of FIG. 1B represents the total resistance Rtot of resistor strings 130, 141, 142, and 143, while the longitudinal axis thereof represents the desired current Itot passing through the transistor 120. It can be clearly seen from FIG. 1B that the trimming result of the conventional trimming circuit in FIG. 1A is not linear, thus the accuracy of the trimming is affected. Furthermore, all fuses 161˜163 are not cut before trimming, and the total resistance Rtot of the resistor strings is at a minimum at this time, thus the conventional trimming circuit must start trimming from the maximum desired current Itot. Therefore, when the desired current Itot is smaller than the predetermined current, the conventional trimming circuit will become inapplicable since it cannot increase the desired current Itot.


An electric motor assembly for railway drive. The motor assembly comprises:                an electric drive motor;        a ventilation and cooling device for ventilating and cooling the electric drive motor through cooling air; and        a draining device to drain the ventilation and cooling air flow.

As it is known, environmental standards establish limits that are becoming stricter and stricter in terms of train sound emissions.
A significant source of these sound emissions is the electric drive motor, in particular the motor having a so-called "self-ventilated" ventilation system.
In the self-ventilated ventilation system, the motor cooling flow is generated by a fan, which is directly fitted onto the shaft of the motor.
Furthermore, it is known that in recent year there has been a shift from "locomotive-drive" systems, in which the sole locomotive at the head of the train was responsible for driving itself and the other wagons, to railway drive means, in which each carriage is self-moving and, therefore, is provided with autonomous moving means.
Therefore, this has led to a significant increase in the number of drive systems of each train.
According to noise measurements carried out according to the standards currently enforced, along the shafts of the motor the emission is greater than the one generated by the cooling fan.
The problem of noise damping in electric motors has been taken into account in the following documents:    JP-A-2002 233104    JP-A-2005 312242    WO-A1-97/37421    CH-A-495 651
each of which illustrates, if taken individually, the preamble portion of claim 1.
Hence, there is the need to find a simple and effective system to reduce the noise of electric drive motors used in the railway field.

Electric motor assembly for railway drive

Abstract: The draining device is provided with a silencer device for the cooling air flow. The silencer device comprise at least one straight channel to reduce the turbulent flow into a substantially laminar flow of the out-flowing ventilation and cooling air. Furthermore, the draining device comprises a scroll, which consists of two separate arched channels in order to avoid the formation of stationary vortices. The two arched channels communicate with one another, from the fluidic point of view, only in a common outlet area for the ventilation and cooling air.


The present invention discloses a lighting system for monitoring human activity within an enclosed environment. The system comprises one or more light fixtures including a thermal sensor housed within a sensor housing coupled to each light fixture, wherein the thermal sensor is communicatively coupled to the light fixture and configured to capture a plurality of thermal images indicative of human activity surrounding a fixture within the enclosed environment, wherein each thermal image includes a grid having a plurality of pixels corresponding to a section of the enclosed environment, a processor configured to receive the plurality of thermal images from the thermal sensor, wherein the processor is in data communication with the thermal sensor and the light fixture and a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to the processor.

The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction as at the priority date of the application.
Effective management of the layout of an enclosed environment and the product placement within the enclosed environment is both an art and a science, requiring creativity, psychological insight, testing, and continuous monitoring. Common means for monitoring human activity include networked sensors and/or video cameras mounted within the enclosed environment. Frequently used sensors include motion sensors and infrared sensors. Use of infrared sensor data in detecting stationary presence of humans is disclosed, for instance, in the European Patent Application Publication No. EP3069076A1 entitled "Human Presence Detection Techniques" published on 21 Sep. 2016. Bluetooth brand beacons configured to interact with customer smart phones can also be used to monitor customer activity.
Video camera footage can be analysed manually by retail store staff or analysed automatically by computer-implemented systems. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2016/0253740A1, entitled "System and Methods for Generating and Using a Heat Map of a Retail Location to Reduce Overcrowding" published 1 Sep. 2016, for instance, discloses use of video cameras and/or motion sensors to generate heat maps of customer activity. A grouping of heat spots in the heat map can indicate a high level of customer interest in a specific product or a traffic choke point in the retail space layout.
With regards to US2016/0253740A1, the absence of a heat spot in an area of the enclosed environment can, alternatively, indicate a blockage in the enclosed environment layout or a lack of interest from customers in a group of product items displayed in that area of the retail space. Such feedback is useful in modifying the space layout and/or the product placement strategy. Video footage, however, requires significant image processing and memory during its computer-implemented analysis.
A challenge arises also with the use of video cameras and motion sensors in regard to their optimal placement within the enclosed environment. Full coverage of an enclosed environment can be prohibitively expensive and/or so obtrusive as to impact customer behavior. Additionally, while the use of conventional video cameras or closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras is required by owners to record and monitor activities remotely or for prevention of criminal activity or shaping positive behavioral traits, these conventional video monitoring poses significant privacy concerns. For example, privacy cannot be compromised in enclosed spaces such as bathrooms, changing rooms, hotel rooms, nursing homes, or healthcare facilities. Further, video cameras and sensors require a continuous power source for daily function. And a high degree of resolution in the heat map may be needed to distinguish the customer interest between different product item groupings located in adjacent fixtures.
Therefore what is needed in the art is a low cost yet accurate system and method for monitoring human traffic activity within an enclosed environment. Such a system and method would benefit from a proper vantage point from which to view human traffic activity at high resolution. Such a system and method would benefit also if unobtrusive, so as to not impact behavior of the human traffic during their perusal of product items in the enclosed environment. Preferably such a system and method would also enable robust heat mapping of human traffic activity for specific time windows and for specific product items without an excessive demand for data processing and memory during its computer-implemented analysis.
The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part some of the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a system and method for monitoring and tracking real-time activity within an enclosed environment as described herein.

System and method of monitoring activity in an enclosed environment