An interface 1 between a tool carrier 5 and a clamping shaft 3 of a machine tool holding the tool carrier is proposed comprising a hollow fitting pivot 7 which is provided at the tool carrier and is provided with a first clamping surface 19 on its inner wall, comprising a recess 9 provided at the front wall 73 of the clamping shaft for receiving the fitting pivot, a clamping member 37 is arranged in this recess 9 and is axially displaceable inside the clamping pivot, the clamping member 37 is provided on its outer side with a second clamping surface 71 cooperating with the first clamping surface via clamping elements 69 which are arranged on the outside of the clamping member, can be swiveled out radially by the clamping member against a resilient restoring force, and can be made to engage with the first and second clamping surfaces, characterized in that the clamping elements 69 are arranged at the circumference of the clamping member constructed as clamping pin 37 so as to be freely movable in the axial direction and are pressed between the second clamping surface of the clamping pin and the first clamping surface in the fitting pivot during a displacement of the clamping member in the clamping direction, so that the two parts 3; 5 assigned to the interface 1 are securely clamped together.

The invention is directed to an interface between a tool carrier and a clamping shaft of a machine tool holding the tool carrier, which interface includes a hollow fitting pivot provided at the tool carrier and having an inner wall and a first clamping surface provided on the inner wall; an opening provided in a front portion of the clamping shaft for receiving the hollow fitting pivot, a clamping pin located in the opening, axially displaceable therein, and having a second clamping surface, and a plurality of clamping elements arranged outside the clamping pin and adapted to move radially against a biasing force into engagement with the first and second clamping surfaces for clamping the tool holder and the clamping shaft together.
As used here, interface refers generally to a connection point between an element of a tool system and a machine tool, but also to the connection point between individual elements of a tool system. As used here, elements of the tool system refer to adapters and receptacle elements of all types, i.e. rotary, drilling, milling or special tools, in addition to reducing and extension pieces. Workpiece carriers of every type can also be used.
It is known to couple elements of a tool system together by means of optional connection points. In so doing, it is essential that previously adjusted dimensions be maintained accurately after exchanging a tool or workpiece carrier. Moreover, sufficient coupling forces should be built up at the connection points in order to ensure a secure grip. It is also important that the interface be constructed in such a way that all movable parts are in the clamping shaft and not in the tool carrier. Efficiency is substantially increased thereby because a large number of tool carriers are used for a clamping shaft. The known systems do not take these requirements into account.
It is the object of the present invention therefore to provided a connection point, designated as interface, by which great precision can be achieved also after exchanging one of the clamped in elements so as to ensure a secure grip of the clamped in elements.

APAL Fabrik fur Prazisionswerkzeuge Dr. Kress KG


Disclosed herein are curable solid inks which are solid at room temperature and molten at an elevated temperature at which the molten ink is applied to a substrate. In particular, the curable solid ink of the present embodiments comprises a cyclohexyl-based crystalline gellant that impart self-leveling capabilities to the inks, where the cyclohexyl-based crystalline gellant have a structure of Formula I:

The present embodiments relate to phase change ink compositions that can be used for ink jet printing in a variety of applications. A relatively new type of phase change ink is an ultraviolet (UV) curable solid ink. A UV curable solid ink is characterized by being a gel-like consistency at room temperature and a low viscosity liquid at an elevated temperature for jetting on a substrate. When the ejected ink hits the substrate, it changes phase from the liquid back to its more viscous gel consistency. Because these gel inks solidify rapidly upon cooling, these inks have advantages over water or solvent-based inks that may de-wet from many surfaces, such as plastics, cardboard, and the like. Once the gel ink is exposed to UV radiation, the ink is cured to form a cross-linked polymer matrix resulting in a very hard and durable mark on the substrate.
There remains a desire to level or spread the ink to reduce the so-called "corduroy" effect and achieve more uniform gloss, mask missing jets, and thinner layers required for applications such as packaging. Conventional leveling methods and devices, however, cannot be used with the gel inks due to their unique properties. Since these inks have a paste-like consistency, the inks have very little cohesive strength prior to curing. In addition, the inks are designed such that they have good affinity to many materials. As a result, conventional methods for flattening a layer of ink tend to fail when used with the UV gel ink because the ink will stick to the leveling device and undergo cohesive failure (i.e. splits) leaving residual ink behind on the leveling device. It is not possible to flatten the ink after it has cured either because the polymerized material is extremely tough and non-yielding.
Ampo, K. et al. "Leveling Viscous Fluids Using Ultrasonic Waves", JJAPS, (2004), vol 43, pp 2857-2861 describes a method for leveling viscous fluids, in this case a photoresist material, on substrates using ultrasound techniques. In this paper, it has been proposed that such a method may be advantageous over traditional coating methods such as slit nozzle methods (due to unevenness and orientation dependence), and spin-coating (challenging for large substrates and wasteful, due to spilling off of the edges). The paper describes experiments done to level a photoresist material with a viscosity of 10 cps coated onto a non-porous substrate. However, this paper does not address how one could level a viscous gel ink (with viscosity of 106 cps). Moreover, there are no teachings in this publication on how one would level a viscous gel ink on a substrate such a paper.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,402 which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes, in embodiments, an ultrasonically assisted coating method for applying a smooth layer of coating material on a surface of a moving web. In this patent, the coating material is deposited using a die onto a moving web, where the ultrasonic energy generator is applying ultrasonic energy in a variety of modes, directly to the web, to the die itself, and through the air. However, this patent only describes materials deposited by 'contact' approaches, such as slot-fed knife coating, roll-coating, and extrusion coating. Furthermore in the single example cited in the patent, the highest viscosity material tested was a solvent-based rubber coating with a viscosity of 5,000 cps, at a thickness of 63.5 um. Thus, this reference does not address how one would level a viscous gel ink on a substrate.
Thus, there exists a need for a non-contact approach to level the images printed with gelled UV inks prior to curing. The present embodiments are thus directed to curable gel inks, and more particularly, UV curable gel inks and methods specially adapted for leveling these inks on substrates.

Curable solid inks containing cyclohexyl-based crystalline gellants

Abstract: wherein each X, Y, p, q, R1, R2, R3, and R4 are as defined herein.


A monolithic solar cell includes a first solar cell that is a sequential stack of an electrode, a silicon substrate, and an n-type emitter layer; a recombination layer disposed on the n-type emitter layer; an interfacial layer that is a double layer constituted of PEDOT:PSS and poly-TPD or PEDOT:PSS and PCDTBT, and that is disposed on the recombination layer; and a second solar cell that includes a p-type hole selective layer and a perovskite layer disposed on the p-type hole selective layer, the a p-type hole selective layer contacting and being integrated onto the interfacial layer of the first solar cell in a heat treatment during which the interfacial layer is partially decomposed, wherein the presence of the interfacial layer prevents a reduction in photoelectric conversion efficiency that occurs if the first solar cell and the second solar cell are combined without the presence of the interfacial layer.

As the depletion of fossil reserves and the global warming phenomenon become more and more widespread, interest in solar energy, which is an environmentally friendly and infinite energy source, is increasing. Photovoltaic energy can be utilized as a distributed power source in areas where external power supply is difficult as well as large-scale power generation because it has few geographical constraints and is safe in terms of utilization. In recent years, demand for photovoltaic energy technology is expected to increase sharply in line with the trend toward CO2 reduction under a new climate convention. The European Commission for Renewable Energy estimates that about 25% of global electricity demand by 2040 and about 70% of global electricity demand by 2070 will be met by solar energy.
As a representative example of a solar cell collecting electrons generated by receiving sunlight to generate electricity, there is a silicon solar cell manufactured by joining two semiconductors respectively having p-type and n-type semiconducting properties to each other such that electrons/holes generated by receiving light energy are spontaneously separated/collected in a space charge region around a p-n junction.
Depending on the materials of semiconductor light absorbing layer, solar cells can be classified into a silicon solar cell, a compound thin-film solar cell, and an organic or hybrid solar cell. Thereamong, a crystalline silicon solar cell, which is manufactured using a silicon wafer, has already been commercialized, accounts for more than 90% of the global solar cell market, and a utilization range thereof is ever increasing. A compound thin-film solar cell is manufactured by forming a semiconducting compound thin-film on a glass or metal substrate, instead of a silicon wafer, by vacuum or non-vacuum processes. While for the production of a silicon solar cell, ingot, wafer, cell and module manufacturing companies are involved in a separate manner, a thin-film solar cell has advantages in reducing manufacturing costs because cells and modules can be manufactured in a batch process due to the development of thin-film process technology.
However, the theoretical photoelectric conversion efficiency (hereinafter referred to as efficiency) of a single-junction solar cell is limited to a maximum of about 33% (Shockley-Queisser limit) because surplus energy of electrons-holes generated due to the absorption of photons having energy larger than a band gap by the semiconductor is inevitably lost as heat (thermalization loss), whereas photons having energy lower than the band gap pass through the semiconductor without being absorbed thereby.
Tandem solar cells have been proposed to overcome the efficiency limit of a single-junction solar cell. A tandem solar cell is manufactured by vertically stacking light absorption layers with different bandgaps to minimize the thermalization loss by effectively utilizing the photon energy in a wide wavelength range. In particular, a tandem solar cell has a structure wherein a solar cell with a large bandgap is formed on an upper part where sunlight is first absorbed, and then a solar cell with a smaller bandgap is formed under the upper part. By constituting a tandem solar cell in this manner such that photons with high energy (short wavelength) are absorbed by an upper part and photons with relatively small energy (long wavelength) are absorbed by a lower part, first, sunlight in a wider wavelength range, compared to a single-junction solar cell, can be effectively utilized and, second, thermalization loss of photon energy can be minimized by allowing light absorbing layers having different band gaps to separately absorb sunlight according to the wavelength region.
As constituents of a tandem solar cell, group III-V compound semiconductors and amorphous/polycrystalline silicon (a-Si/m-Si) have been the most widely used. With regard to group III-V compound-based tandem solar cells, the Fraunhofer Institute reported a quadruple junction solar cell with a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 46.0% in 2014. However, group III-V compound-based tandem solar cells are used in extremely limited fields such as a spacecraft due to the complexity of the epitaxial deposition technique used in manufacture thereof and high manufacturing costs due to the use of expensive equipment. On the other hand, with regard to amorphous/polycrystalline silicon tandem solar cells having relatively high price competitiveness, LG Electronics reported a triple junction solar cell with an efficiency of 13.4% in 2012, but the efficiency is still too low to allow commercialization.
Recently, a perovskite solar cell capable of achieving excellent performance, such as a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 22% or more, by a low-cost solution process has rapidly received attention, and attention is paid to the possibility of band gap control of this material. Thus, attempts to apply a perovskite solar cell to a tandem architecture are under intense competition around the world. In theory, double junction tandem solar cells have been known to achieve an efficiency of up to 46% when an upper cell has a band gap of 1.6 to 1.7 eV and a lower cell has a band gap of 1.0 to 1.1 eV. A perovskite solar cell exhibits the best photoelectric characteristics among solar cells with a bandgap suitable for an upper cell of a double junction tandem solar cell, so that if it can be successfully tandemized with a silicon solar cell which dominates the market to date, the efficiency limit of a silicon solar cell can be overcome without a significant increase in the manufacturing costs of a single junction silicon solar cell, which can evoke major changes in the existing market.
Tandem solar cells can be classified into a mechanical tandem cell, manufactured by vertically stacking completed single junction solar cells (subcells) and connecting each of the subcells to an external wire, and a monolithic tandem cell manufactured by stacking a lower cell and an upper cell on a substrate in a batch process. Thereamong, a monolithic tandem solar cell is advantageous in terms of manufacturing costs because a substrate formed between subcells, a transparent electrode material, and manufacturing processes thereof can be omitted. Furthermore, a monolithic tandem cell has an important technical merit, compared to mechanical tandem cells, because optical absorption loss due to a substrate, formed between subcells, and a transparent electrode material can be reduced. Accordingly, the monolithic tandem solar cell is considered as having superior economic and technical value compared to a mechanical tandem cell.
To realize a highly efficient monolithic tandem solar cell, it is important to form an interfacial layer, a tunnel junction layer, or a recombination layer between subcells so as not to encounter efficiency loss due to tandemization. In the case of a monolithic tandem solar cell composed of a silicon solar cell and a perovskite solar cell, the performance thereof can vary greatly depending on the combination of materials forming an interfacial layer between two subcells. In particular, when applying a silicon solar cell as a lower cell of a monolithic tandem, thin transparent electrode forms on an n-type emitter and a perovskite subcell is stacked thereon. If the properties of the thin transparent electrode are different from those of a transparent electrode substrate used to manufacture a single-junction perovskite solar cell, charge transfer or recombination between the two subcells may not be smoothly performed.

Korea Institute of Science and Technology


An oscillator for use within an implantable medical device is provided. The oscillator includes a resonator and a first switch coupled to a first resistive network. The first resistive network provides a first electrical path through the first switch and a second electrical path not going through the switch. The oscillator additionally includes a second switch coupled to a second resistive network. The second resistive network provides a third electrical path through the second switch and a fourth electrical path not going through the switch. Furthermore, the oscillator includes a transistor, the base terminal coupled with the first resistive network and the resonator and the emitter terminal coupled to the fourth resistor. The second electrical path with the first switch opened has a substantially higher resistance than the first electrical path when the first switch is closed. In addition, the fourth electrical path with the second switch opened has a substantially higher resistance than the third electrical path when the second switch is closed.

The present invention is directed to implantable medical devices and their use in monitoring physiological parameters within a patient's body. More particularly, the invention provides a high stability fast start-up oscillator for implantable medical devices. The oscillator is maintained in a first current mode using a low current and switched to a second current mode utilizing a higher current. The transition between current modes provides for a reduced startup time without consuming significantly more power. However, it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability.
The use of implantable medical devices has become increasingly commonplace as an effective method of monitoring the state and condition of a living body. An implantable medical device can be implanted within a human or an animal to monitor physiological parameters about the patient's wellbeing. By being implanted directly within the body, implantable medical devices can provide continuous monitoring of the patient's condition without requiring continuous onsite care by a caregiver or a physician. Implantable medical devices can also provide therapy within the body to change or improve the patient's physical state based on the physiological parameters received from sensors or the like. Implantable devices have been used to help treat a variety of physical disorders, such as heart disease, deafness, and diabetes with a large degree of success.
As implantable medical devices are powered on and off, they can consume a significant amount of power during its operation. Implantable medical devices typically use an internal battery to power the device. The battery life or operational time that the implantable medical device can be used is an important factor in the design of the devices as a shortened battery life may require additional surgery to replace or recharge the device at an unwanted time for the patient. For this reason, it is desirable to reduce the power consumption within the implantable medical device to increase its time duration of operation.
Because of the power requirements needed to continuously sustain an implantable medical device, the implantable medical device may use a sleep state where the device is kept in a low-current usage state. The implantable medical device periodically looks or "sniffs" for a wake-up signal from an external device. Upon receiving the wake-up signal, the implantable medical device can be powered on to normal operation which utilizes significantly more current than during the sleep state. Alternatively, a duty cycle mode can be used by an implantable medical device to achieve lower power consumption, where the device is turned on during operation for a short time period and turned off following operation. Power savings can be achieved by duty cycling in that the implantable device is not continuously on.
One example of a device that can be included within an implantable medical device is a resonator oscillator that can be used for wireless communications. For example, resonator oscillators often utilize a quartz crystal as a resonance element to assist in starting up and shutting down the implant. The oscillator is maintained at an OFF state during the time when the implant is not operating to conserve power and is turned ON when the implant is in use. However, the transition from the OFF state to an on state can be quite long. For example, the start up time for a 10 MHz crystal, for instance, can be about 1-10 ms, which results in a slow duty cycle. The longer the start up time of the device, the higher duty cycle percentage that is needed to operate the implant.
A new oscillator and method of use could be developed which reduces the start up time of the device while not consuming significantly more current than before.

High stability fast start up oscillator for implants


A hook strip is provided having a backing with a first surface and a length in a first direction; multiple rows of hook elements aligned in the first direction and projecting from the first surface of the backing; and slits in the backing between at least some pairs of adjacent rows of the hook elements. The slits may be interrupted by a bridging region of the backing, or the slits may be partial slits that penetrate the thickness of the backing in a range from 40 to 90 percent. A fastening laminate that includes a carrier and the hook strip described above joined to the carrier is also provided. In some embodiments, the fastening laminate includes slits that form separate, abutting portions of the backing on the carrier. An absorbent article containing the hook strip and a method of making the hook strip are also disclosed.

Hook and loop fastening systems, where the hook member typically includes a plurality of closely spaced upstanding projections with loop-engaging heads, and the loop member typically includes a plurality of woven, nonwoven, or knitted loops, are useful for providing releasable attachment in numerous applications. For example, hook and loop fastening systems are widely used in wearable disposable absorbent articles to fasten such articles around the body of a person. In typical configurations, a hook strip or patch on a fastening tab attached to the rear waist portion of a diaper or incontinence garment, for example, can fasten to a landing zone of loop material on the front waist region, or the hook strip or patch can fasten to the backsheet (e.g., nonwoven backsheet) of the diaper or incontinence garment in the front waist region.
Hook and loop fastening systems can include at least two engagement strength characteristics: peel strength and shear strength. Peel strength corresponds to the force required to disengage the fastening members from one another by peeling one fastening member upward and away from the other fastening member. Shear strength corresponds to the force required to disengage the fastening members from one another by pulling at least one of the fastening members away from the other in a plane that is parallel to the fastening members. Typically, the engagement strength of the fastening members is higher in shear than in peel.
When a user wishes to separate the hook and loop fastening members (e.g., on an absorbent article such as a diaper), typically the user peels the fastening members apart. The ease with which the fastening members can peel apart affects the user's perception of the reliability of the attachment between the fastening members. For example, when a caregiver removes a diaper from a baby, if the hook strip feels like it peels too easily from the loop landing zone or backsheet of the diaper, the caregiver may question how well the fastening members can keep the diaper closed when it is in use. And in some instances low peel strength can result in inadvertent separation of the fastening members while the diaper is being worn.
Despite the progress in hook and loop fastening technology, an enhancement in the reliability of the attachment between the fastening members, whether actual or perceived, would be desirable.

Slit hook strips and laminates and articles containing the same


A method and system, for reducing the temperature of a hydrogeothermal fluid, entails directly or indirectly contacting a self-rising, heated hydrogeothermal fluid with a cooling fluid to cool the hydrogeothermal fluid before it enters and/or as it rises in the production tube.

The present invention relates to procedures and systems for producing hydrogeothermal fluids.
Hydrogeothermal fluids can adversely affect hardware (e.g., tubing) which contact and/or convey the fluids during their production. The severity of the problem increases as the temperature, salinity, and corrosive ingredient content of the fluid increase. Various techniques (e.g., use of expensive alloy tubing, frequent tubing changes) have been developed over a long period of time in an attempt to solve this problem in a safe and cost effective manner.

Method and apparatus for producing excessively hot hydrogeothermal fluids


According to one aspect of the present invention, an input device includes: a substrate; first detection electrodes; second detection electrodes; a first connection electrode; an insulator; and a second connection electrode. The first detection electrodes are provided on or above the substrate and arrayed along a first direction. The second detection electrodes are provided on or above the substrate and arrayed along a second direction. The first connection electrode is provided on or above the substrate and connecting adjacent first detection electrodes. The insulator is provided on or above the substrate so as to cover the first connection electrode. The second connection electrode is provided on or above the insulator so as to straddle over the insulator, and connecting adjacent second detection electrodes. The portion of the first detection electrodes covers a portion of the insulator.

As an input device, for example, there is known a capacitive-sensing-type touch panel, which captures changes in electrostatic capacity between a finger and a detection electrode to detect the input location (for example, see Patent Literatures 1 and 2).
Such an input device includes a substrate, first detection electrodes arranged in a first direction, and second detection electrodes arranged in a second direction. The input device further includes: a first connection electrode connecting adjacent first detection electrodes; an insulator covering the first connection electrode; and a second connection electrode provided on or above the insulator, straddling over the insulator and connecting adjacent second detection electrodes.
When the user repeatedly pushes the above input device for input operations, a stress is given on the insulator in response to the input operation. When the stress is given on the insulator, there is a possibility that the insulator is peeled off of the substrate. If the insulator is peeled off of the substrate, there is a possibility that the second connection electrode is disconnected, which reduces the reliability of the input device.    Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2008-97283    Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2008-310551

Input device, display device and portable terminal


A Bragg grating device (10) is provided including a semiconductive optical waveguide (12) with a Bragg grating structure (14) formed along its length. A first plurality of electrodes (16) are disposed on a first surface (18) of the optical waveguide (12) and individually communicate with select members of the Bragg grating structure (14). A second plurality of electrodes (20) are disposed on a second surface (22) of the optical waveguide (12) and individually communicate with select members of the Bragg grating structure (14) such that individual electrodes of the second plurality of electrodes (20) are electrically coupled to individual electrodes of the first plurality of electrodes (16) via the Bragg grating structure (14). As such, a plurality of addressable portions (30) of the Bragg grating device (6) are defined. A plurality of electrical leads (32) are electrically coupled between individual electrodes of the second plurality of electrodes (20) and a power source (38) such that a refractive index of each portion (30) along the Bragg grating structure (14) may be selectively varied along the length of the optical waveguide (12). As a further feature of the present invention, a controller (36) is disposed between the plurality of electrical leads (32) and the power source (38) for varying a magnitude and distribution of current among the individual portions (30) of the Bragg grating structure (14) to effectuate different optical applications.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to Bragg gratings and, more particularly, to an addressable, adaptable, semiconductive Bragg grating device.
2. Discussion
Fiber optic Bragg gratings lack a mechanism for enabling rapid modification of their characteristics such as center wavelength and spectral shape. Semiconductive Bragg gratings offer more control over center wavelength and spectral shape. A typical single mode semiconductor waveguide has a core thickness of several thousand angstroms, and an electrode placed on the top and bottom of the waveguide using a conducting substrate. A contact layer is placed on top with an interconnect metal. To vary the refractive index of the semiconductor, current is injected across the electrodes.
Although single mode semiconductive waveguides provide an advantage over fiber optic waveguides, they lack variability. As such, it is desirable to provide a semiconductive Bragg grating having a plurality of individual addressable portions along its length such that an adaption rate of several hundred MHz can be achieved.

Addressable, semiconductor adaptable Bragg gratings (ASABG)


A resistance-capacitance oscillation circuit comprises an amplifier and a phase shifting circuit. The phase shifting circuit comprises at least three resistance-capacitance circuit elements, each of which comprises a resistance and a capacitor. At least one of the resistance-capacitance circuit elements comprises a variable resistance and a variable capacitor. The variable resistance is formed of a first electrode, a second electrode, a part of a semiconductor film, a part of a ferroelectric film, and a fourth electrode. The variable capacitor is formed of the second electrode, a third electrode, a fifth electrode, another part of the ferroelectric film, another part of the semiconductor film, and a paraelectric film.

FIG. 5 shows a conventional resistance-capacitance oscillation circuit (hereinafter, referred to as an "RC oscillation circuit") as disclosed in Patent Literature 1 (particularly, FIG. 2(b)). This conventional RC oscillation circuit comprises an amplifier 1 and a phase shifting circuit 2. The phase shifting circuit 2 comprises at least three RC circuit elements 31 each composed of one resistance and one capacitor. In FIG. 5, a first RC circuit element 31a, a second RC circuit element 31b, and a third RC circuit element 31c are provided. As shown in FIG. 5, the first to third RC circuit elements 31a to 31c comprise first to third resistances 41a to 41c and first to third capacitors 51a to 51c.
The output terminal of the amplifier 1 is connected to one terminal of the first resistance 41a. The other terminal of the first resistance 41a is connected to one terminal of the second resistance 41b through a first node 61a. One terminal of the first capacitor 51a is connected to the first node 61a. The other terminal of the first capacitor 51a is grounded.
The other terminal of the second resistance 41b is connected to one terminal of the third resistance 41c through a second node 61b. One terminal of the second capacitor 51b is connected to the second node 61b. The other terminal of the second capacitor 51b is grounded.
The other terminal of the third resistance 41c is connected to an input terminal of the amplifier 1 through a third node 61c. One terminal of the third capacitor 51c is connected to the third node 61c. The other terminal of the third capacitor 51c is grounded.
When the amplifier 1 is turned on, the RC oscillation circuit oscillates at a predetermined oscillation frequency according to the resistance value of each of resistances 41a to 41c and on the capacitance value of each of capacitors 51a to 51c.
Patent Literature 2 (which corresponds to US Pre-Grant Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0150646) discloses an RC oscillator using a variable resistance and a variable capacitor.


An ejector type refrigerating cycle comprises a compressor, a heat radiating device, an ejector, and a first vaporizing device, which are connected in a circuit to form a refrigerating cycle. A bypass passage is provided between an inlet port and a suction port of the ejector, so that a part of the refrigerant is bifurcated to flow through the bypass passage. A second vaporizing device is provided in the bypass passage. An internal heat exchanger is further provided between an outlet side of the heat radiating device and the inlet side of the ejector, so that the enthalpy of the high-pressure refrigerant from the heat radiating device is reduced, to thereby increase an enthalpy difference between the inlet side and outlet side of the first and second vaporizing devices. As a result, the cooling capability by the both vaporizing devices can be improved.

An ejector type refrigerating cycle is proposed, for example as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3322263, in which an ejector is used as a means for depressurizing and circulating refrigerant in the refrigerating cycle of a gas compression type.
According to the above prior art (JP Pat. No. 3322263), as shown in FIG. 20, a first vaporizing device 61 is arranged between a refrigerant outlet side of an ejector 14 and a gas-liquid separator 63, and a second vaporizing device 62 is arranged between a refrigerant outlet side of the gas-liquid separator 63 and a refrigerant suction port 14b of the ejector 14.
In the above ejector type refrigerating cycle, a gas phase refrigerant discharged from the second vaporizing device 62 is sucked into the ejector 14 by pressure decrease caused by jet flow at expansion of the refrigerant, and speed energy is converted into pressure energy by a defusing portion (a pressure increasing portion) 14d to increase the refrigerant pressure. As a result, a driving force of a compressor 11 can be reduced, to improve operational efficiency of the cycle.
Heat absorbing operation (cooling operation) can be carried out by the two vaporizing devices 61 and 62 for independent two spaces or one common space.
It is further disclosed in the above prior art that, according to the ejector type refrigerating cycle, only one vaporizing device 62 is arranged between the refrigerant outlet side of the gas-liquid separator 63 and the refrigerant suction port 14b of the ejector 14, and an internal heat exchanger is provided to perform heat exchange between the gas phase low-pressure refrigerant flowing out from the gas-liquid separator 63 and the high-pressure refrigerant at an outlet side of a heat radiating device 13.
It is, however, a problem in the ejector type refrigerating cycle of the above prior art that flow amounts of the refrigerant to the respective (first and second) vaporizing devices 61 and 62 are not easily adjusted, because the respective flow amounts of the refrigerant to the first and second vaporizing devices 61 and 62 must be adjusted by the one ejector 14, whereas the operation (function) of the ejector 14 for circulating the refrigerant (suck-in operation of the gas phase refrigerant) is performed at the same time.
Furthermore, in a low load operation, in which a thermal load for the cycle is small, pressure difference between high-pressure side and low pressure side of the refrigerant in the cycle becomes smaller, and input energy of the refrigerant to the ejector is correspondingly small. As a consequence, the refrigerant suck-in performance is decreased at the ejector 14, the flow amount of the refrigerant passing through the second vaporizing device 62 is thereby decreased. This results in another problem that the performance for the cooling operation at the second vaporizing device 62 is decreased.
This problem also occurs in the ejector type refrigerating cycle having the internal heat exchanger, which is disclosed in the drawings 34 to 38 of the above prior art (JP Pat. No. 3322263).


In a board production line having multiple work devices arranged to transfer a board from upstream to downstream and perform a predetermined operation on the board, the board production line comprising: a shared folder having storage areas configured to store board-related information, the storage areas being multiply divided according to the number of the work devices, and transferring the board-related information among the storage areas, in conjunction with transferring the board, with a first work device capable of accessing the storage areas among the multiple work devices, and a management proxy section configured to access the shared folder in place of a second work device which cannot access the storage areas, and configured to manage the board-related information so that the board-related information can be transferred among the storage areas.

Conventionally, there has been known a board production line in which multiple work devices for performing an operation of mounting a component on a board, and operations related to mounting the component on the board, are arranged along a board conveyance direction. For example, in the board production line of Patent Literature 1, a detection unit for detecting board types is provided in a work device upstream, and a transfer unit for transferring board type information to work devices downstream is provided in each work device, the board type information being made to correspond to the conveyance of boards. The transfer unit also transfers information on quality defects to the downstream work device.

Base board production line, information management device, and information management proxy device


A particulate glucomannan gel is produced by dissolving glucomannan-rich flour in water, precipitating glucomannan from the solution with ethanol, treating the precipitated glucomannan with an alkali to transform to water-insoluble, irreversible hydrogel particles, recovering and drying the hydrogel particles, and milling dried particles to a desired particle size. The resulting gel particles are incorporated into hygienic or cosmetic preparations as a deposit-cleaning agent.

This invention relates to a process for producing glucomannan gel particles which are useful as a deposit-cleaning agent to be formulated into hygienic and cosmetic preparations.
As is well-known, dental pastes generally contain a particulate material such as calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, aluminum hydroxide or silica for removing deposit from the tooth by a scrubbing or exfoliating effect. In order to minimize damages to the enamel and gingiva, synthetic polymer beads have also been used. A particulate material is also used in cosmetic preparations. JP-A-06033416 discloses a skin-cleansing preparation containing a cross-linked polymer bead having a certain degree of elasticity.
The known scrubbing agents are comprised of a hard particulate material which remains hard when incorporating into hygienic and cosmetic preparations. It would be desirable to have a particulate material which, in use in the hygienic or cosmetic preparation, has a relatively soft layer on at least surfaces thereof to minimize damages to the tissue to be cleaned while retaining physical properties as a whole sufficient to exhibit scrubbing or exfoliating effects.
Applicant has disclosed in JP 2000-344801A and U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,652 a process for producing glucomannan particles which are useful as a deposit-cleaning agent to be formulated into hygienic and cosmetic preparations. The process comprises the steps of adding a glucomannan-rich flour to an aqueous ethanol containing about 40 to 50% of ethanol, allowing the flour particles to swell in the aqueous ethanol, treating the swollen flour particles with an alkali to form gelled flour particles, separating the gelled flour particles from the liquid; and drying the gelled particles. The resulting gel particles are hard and insoluble in water but swell with water to form a soft skin layer surrounding a hard core portion.
It has been found that this process suffers from certain disadvantages. First, the particle size of the resulting gel particles depends on the particle size of the starting glucomannan-rich flour and not controllable arbitrarily to a particle size suitable for particular applications. Second, excessive swelling of the starting flour may cause the dried gel particles to be completely swellable with water to form soft swollen particles free from hard core portions.
A need exists for providing a process for producing glucomannan particles which can eliminate or ameliorate the above disadvantages.

Process for producing glucomannan gel particles


A fan assembly includes a mounting bracket, a fan mounted on the mounting bracket and a fixing bracket. The fixing bracket includes two sidewalls mounted on two sides of the fan and a connecting wall mounted on a top of the fan. Two first protrusions are located on each side of the fan; two second protrusions adjacent to the two first protrusions are located on each side of the fan; two first slots are defined in each of the two sidewalls corresponding to the first protrusions; a plurality of second slots are defined in the connecting wall corresponding to the second protrusions; the first protrusions are engaged with the first slots; the second protrusions are engaged with the second slots; and one of the two sidewalls is mounted to the mounting bracket to fix the fan and the fixing bracket on the mounting bracket.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a fan assembly for mounting a fan to an electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
Fans are used to dissipate heat from a computer system. A chassis is provided for mounting the fan. A plurality of through holes are defined in the chassis. The fan defines a plurality of screw holes. The through holes of the chassis are aligned with the screw holes of the fan. A plurality of screws extends through the through holes to screw into the screw holes. The fan is thereby secured to the chassis of the computer system. However, the screw mounting means in assembly and disassembly of the fans is very labor-intensive and inconvenient.
Therefore there is a need for improvement in the art.

HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.


A relatively compact easily portable photoprobe assembly is disclosed which includes an electric probe for locating acupuncture points and a light emitting diode to stimulate acupuncture points as well as injury sites. The probe and light emitting diode are controlled by an internal circuit which operates to provide a visual indication of the precise location of the desired treatment area via an impedance variation procedure as well as to pulse the light emitting diode at the desired frequency. A power supply is also contained within the assembly to render it completely portable.

This invention relates to an apparatus for first locating acupuncture points and then stimulating the points with light radiation for treatment purposes. Additionally, the apparatus can be used for applying light radiation directly to an injury to promote healing and relieve pain.
It is well known to stimulate acupuncture points by various means including applying needles, electric current, pressure, ultrasound, heat or light. It is also known that localization of acupuncture points can be accomplished by measuring the electrical impedance, which is considerably lower than the impedance of adjacent areas of skin.
A device is needed which can be used to both locate acupuncture points and to stimulate the points with light radiation. For convenient use, such a device should be portable and hand held.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a portable device for first locating acupuncture points by detecting a decrease in the impedance of the subject's skin and also to provide a light source for stimulating the acupuncture point once located. Additionally, studies have indicated that light radiation directed toward an injury can have beneficial results in alleviating pain and promoting healing.
The apparatus of this invention includes an electric probe at one end for placement against the subject's skin to determine the impedance of the skin. Location of acupuncture points is determined by first determining a base line impedance of the subject's skin. This is accomplished by having the operator hold the photoprobe in one hand and touching the subject with the other hand. While touching a ground plate on the photoprobe case, the operator contacts the subject's skin with the electric probe of the photoprobe assembly. In so doing, a circuit is completed comprising the subject, the operator and the photoprobe assembly. The impedance of this circuit is determined using an integrated circuit within the photoprobe assembly. As the electric probe is moved on the subject's skin, the integrated circuit will indicate the location of decreased impedance, thereby indicating an acupuncture point.
A light emitting diode (LED) on the opposite end of the photoprobe can then be used to provide pulsed light radiation to stimulate the acupuncture point. The light pulse has a frequency of approximately 292 hertz and the light wave length is approximately 660 nanometers.
An integrated circuit is used to determine the location of decreased impedance and another integrated circuit is used to provide a desired frequency to the LED light radiation source. The apparatus is of a size which can be conveniently held in the hand of the operator and also stored in a shirt pocket when not in use. The device is powered by two 11/2 volt AA batteries raking the device small, light weight, and convenient to use.
In addition to stimulating acupuncture points, the LED can also be used to directly stimulate various wounds and injuries to promote healing and alleviate pain. Examples of such injuries are contusions, scratches, and various open wounds. Treatment of these wounds can be accomplished by stimulating the wound with light radiation for a period of time ranging from one or two minutes to as many as ten minutes several times daily, or as needed, to relieve pain and promote healing. It should be noted that prior to receiving photo therapy, the subject should receive appropriate medical therapy for the condition. The photo therapy is used only for promotion of healing and alleviation of pain.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.


A display for a computer system, such as an LCD, is configured to consume less power when compared to conventional designs. The display includes a screen and at least one backlight configured to illuminate the screen. An input to the at least one backlight is adjustable to produce a desired level of brightness. The input may be computed based on a generated source image and a defined constraint. An input to the display is computed based on the input to the at least one backlight and the source image. The input to the display modifies the level of brightness provided by the at least one backlight to produce a viewable image.

1. Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the present invention generally relate to backlit displays and, more particularly, to reducing power consumption of backlit displays.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display (LCD) screens, such as the ones used in notebook computers or electronic handheld games, are commonly backlit to make them easier to read. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary backlit LCD 100 that includes a core of LCD material 102 between sheets of glass 104 and 106. A backlight source 108 produces light to illuminate the LCD material 102. As illustrated by the arrows, light produced by backlight source 108 is generally diffuse, with components traveling in different directions. The light from backlight source 108 typically passes through a polarizer 110 that blocks light that is not aligned with an axis of polarization of polarizer 110. The light that is aligned with the axis of polarization is allowed to pass through the polarizer 110 to reach the LCD material 102.
The LCD material 102 has electro-optic properties that causes the polarized light that passes through the LCD material 102 to twist. This twisting may be controlled by applying a voltage waveform to the LCD material 102 for each pixel in an array of pixels. Typically, an electronic circuit that controls the array of pixels operates by accepting a digital control value for each pixel in the array of pixels. The control circuit will apply a voltage waveform to the LCD material 102 for a pixel based on the digital control value for the pixel. Generally, the control circuit is configured so that smaller digital control values result in application of a voltage waveform that causes the LCD material 102 to twist the light in such a way that more of the light is blocked by the second polarizer 112, thereby causing the pixel to appear darker. Conversely, larger digital control values result in application of a voltage waveform which causes the LCD material 102 to twist the light in such a way that less of the light is blocked by the second polarizer 112, thereby causing the pixel to appear brighter.
From a power consumption standpoint, conventional LCD backlighting may be far from efficient. Typically, the backlight source 108 illuminates all the pixels in the LCD 100 simultaneously with a relatively constant brightness across all pixels. As previously described, to dim parts of the LCD, a voltage waveform is applied to rows and columns of electrodes supported on the glass substrates 104, 106 that causes the LCD material 102 to twist in a way that results in more of the light generated by the back light source 108 to be blocked. Dimming parts of the LCD in this fashion essentially "wastes" a certain amount of the illumination provided by the backlight source 108 since the backlight source 108 produces the same level of brightness regardless of how much dimming occurs on the screen from the voltage waveform. There are many circumstances where there is a combination of bright and dark images on the screen, and the dark images may be sustained for some period of time. Especially in such situations, the conventional way of illuminating the pixels in the LCD 100 may result in waste. In fact, the power consumption of a backlit LCD may account for a large portion of the overall power consumption of any computer. The inefficiencies due to LCD backlighting may lead to reduced battery life, which may be particularly problematic, for example, when playing video games or viewing DVD movies on long airline flights.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for a method and system for reducing the power consumption of backlit LCD displays.


A mechanism to produce projection images 40A-40G representing a model extraction region and an image sensing region is incorporated in an image sensing unit 1 of an image processing apparatus. A control unit 2 receives an image from image sensing unit 1 to calculate density deviation within the model extraction region. The calculated result is output to a level display unit 27. When the operator determines the position of image sensing unit 1 so that projection images 40A, 40B and 40C representing the model extraction region are projected distinctly on the pattern of the subject to be registered and a high level value is displayed by level display unit 27 and depresses a teach button switch 30, image data within the current model extraction region is registered as the model image.

The present invention relates to the technique of collating an image obtained by shooting a predetermined subject with a model image registered in advance to confirm the subject. Particularly, the present invention relates to a processing method and apparatus to register a model image in the apparatus prior to the confirmation process.
In the conventional registration process of a model image, the image obtained by shooting a model of an object to be confirmed is displayed on a monitor. The operator specifies an image region that is to be cut out as the model image on the display screen.
In the case where the object to be subjected to the confirmation process has a predetermined pattern, an image region including that pattern and the background area is set. Image data within that region is registered as the model image. In the confirmation process, a correlation operation of the density difference for each corresponding pixel is carried out between the image to be processed and the model image, and the similarity of the pattern found in the two images is obtained for the determination of whether there is a pattern or not and whether the pattern to be confirmed is good or not.
When an image that has small difference in density such as an image in which the ratio of the pattern to the background area is small or an image in which a pattern of uniform density (solid painted pattern) occupies the major area as the model image in this type of confirmation process, the qualification of obtaining a high correlation value for the model image is extremely milder than the case where an image having great difference in density is set as the model image. Therefore, there is a possibility of erroneous confirmation of the pattern even with a small noise on the image when difference in the density is small in the model image. The reliability of the confirmation result will be degraded significantly.
In order to obtain a confirmation result of high accuracy in this type of confirmation process, a model image that has the maximum difference in density should be set.
However, the model image set by the operator""s personal view does not necessarily have the appropriate condition. There are many cases where significant error has occurred in the confirmation process due to the improper setting of the model image.
The applicant has proposed a method including the steps of calculating an evaluation value representing the quality of the image in each of an image region to cut out a model image while modifying the size thereof and the like, and employing the image data in the image region corresponding to a desired evaluation value as the model image (Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-128536).
In the above method, a monitor is required for the operator to specify the image region to be cut out, as well as a display control mechanism to display the image and the specified result of the image region on the monitor. The cost for introducing the apparatus is increased and the apparatus scale will become larger. There was a problem that it is unsuitable to install at the testing line and the like of a factory.
The present invention is directed to the above problem. An object is to support the registration process of a model image, and registering an appropriate model image using that support method in order to allow an appropriate model image to be registered simply without having to display the image through a monitor.
An image processing apparatus of the present invention includes an image sensing apparatus generating image data including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including level data, by shooting a subject; an evaluation value calculator calculating an evaluation value representing the appropriateness of using image data included in a registration region defined as the entire or partial of an image sensed region represented by the image data generated by the image sensing apparatus as the test criterion; a casing accommodating at least the image sensing apparatus or the evaluation value calculator; a display provided at the casing to sequentially display a series of calculated evaluation values when the image sensing apparatus shoots a subject repeatedly; and a registration designator for entering designation by the operator that the image data included in the registration region is to be registered as the test criterion.
According to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the operator can alter the relative position between the image sensing apparatus and the subject to be shot while viewing the level of the evaluation value displayed at the display to input designation to the registration designator when the evaluation value attains a desired value (the appropriateness level is increased), so that image data with high appropriateness as the test criterion can be identified. The evaluation value may take a greater value or a smaller value as the appropriateness for the test criterion becomes greater depending upon the calculation method and the testing system. For example, in the case where the dispersion value of the level data of the pixel included in the registration region is set as the evaluation value, the appropriateness becomes greater as the evaluation value becomes larger when testing is carried out on the basis of the match of the pattern on the subject. In this case, the operator enters designation to the registration designator when the evaluation value takes a large value. In contrast, the appropriateness is greater as the evaluation value becomes smaller in the case where the test indicates xe2x80x9cpassxe2x80x9d when the region subjected to the test on the subject is plain. The magnitude relationship of the evaluation value can be inverted depending upon the equation for calculating the evaluation value.
The level data included by the pixel forming the image data may be a value representing the light received amount of that pixel. Also, the level data may be one of the parameters representing the color of that pixel. The level data of the pixel is also referred to as xe2x80x9cdensityxe2x80x9d.
When the registration region is a portion of the image sensed region, the registration region can be defined as the region on an image memory in which the image data generated by the image sensing apparatus is stored. Alternatively, the registration region can be defined at a timing region by the signal timing of the image data sequentially transmitted from the image sensing apparatus.
One or both of the image sensing apparatus and the evaluation value calculator can be accommodated in the casing. In the case where the image sensing apparatus is stored in the casing, the operator can easily adjust the relative position between the image sensing apparatus and the image sensed subject while viewing the display since the display is provided at the casing. In this case, the evaluation value calculator can be stored in the casing. Alternatively, the evaluation value can be obtained from an evaluation value calculator provided outside the casing for display. When the evaluation value calculator is stored in the casing and the image sensing apparatus is provided outside the casing, the adjustment operation is facilitated by installing the casing so that the operator that adjusts the position of the image sensing apparatus can visually confirm the display provided in the casing.
As to the sequential display of an evaluation value by the display, the evaluation value can be displayed for every image data generated by the image sensing apparatus. Alternatively, the evaluation value can be displayed corresponding to a portion of the image data such as displaying an evaluation value once for every several times of generation of the image data. The registration designator is preferably a switch such as a depression button that can be manipulated by the operator. Registration designation is also referred to as xe2x80x9cteachingxe2x80x9d. The input applied to the registration designator functions as the designation to register the current image data included in the registration region as the test criterion. The image data that becomes the subject of registration by this designation can be stored in the image processing apparatus. Alternatively, this designation and the image data set as the subject of registration by this designation can be provided outside the image processing apparatus and have the subsequent process carried out by another apparatus. The image data that is set as the subject of registration by this designation is stored inside or outside the image processing apparatus to be compared with another set of image data obtained by shooting a subject of testing.
The evaluation value indicating the appropriateness as the test criterion is preferably the level of variation of the level data belonging to the pixel included in the registration region. The evaluation value is typically the dispersion value of the level data.
The display can provide the evaluation value in numerics or in the form of a graph. The operator can identify the magnitude of the evaluation value more quickly when displayed in the graphical format. Particularly, display in the bar graph formed is preferable.
The image sensing apparatus further includes a projector for projecting an image indicating the range of the registration region on a subject. The operation of registering the test criterion is more facilitated since the operator can confirm the range of the registration region on the subject by the projected image. A projector that projects an image indicating the range of an image sensing region can be provided instead of the projector that projects an image indicating the range of the registration region. The operator can identify the rough range of the registration region on the subject by the projected image according to the relationship with the range of the image sensing region. It is needless to say that the operator can estimate the range of the registration region by the position relationship between the camera that functions as the image sensing apparatus and the subject even when an image is not projected on the subject.
The image processing apparatus of the present invention can include the function as a test apparatus by including a test criterion data memory storing image data included in the registration region when designation is input to the registration designator as the test criterion, a match level calculator calculating the match between the image data generated from the image sensing apparatus and the stored test criterion data, and a determinator providing the determination result of whether the match level is greater than a predetermined threshold value.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the display provides the evaluation value when image data is to be registered as the test criterion and the value indicating the match when the match level is calculated. Since the evaluation value and the match level will not be displayed at the same time, the apparatus can be reduced in size by switching between these displays with the same display.
A registration method of a test criterion image of the present invention includes the steps of repeatedly shooting a subject to obtain a series of image data by an image sensing apparatus that generates image data including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including level data, by shooting a subject; sequentially calculating, according to the repetitive shooting, an evaluation value representing the appropriateness of using the image data included in a registration region defined as the entire or a portion of the image sensing region represented by the image data generated by the image sensing apparatus as the test criterion; adjusting the relative position between the image sensing apparatus and the subject while referring to the evaluation value; and storing as the test criterion the image data included in the registration region when the evaluation value attains a desired value.
In the preferable embodiment of the present invention, the calculated evaluation value is sequentially displayed so that the operator can adjust the relative position between the image sensing apparatus and the subject while referring to the displayed evaluation value. Also, the image sensing apparatus or the subject can be attached to a moving device such as a robot arm to have the relative position between the image sensing apparatus and the subject adjusted by controlling the moving device according to the process of a computer program so that the evaluation value attains a desired value such as a value larger than or smaller than a predetermined threshold value, or a maximal value or minimum value.
In the preferable embodiment of the present invention, the image data included in the registration region can be stored as the test criterion in response to designation by the operator when the operator determines that the evaluation value has attained a desired value. In the determination of whether the evaluation value has attained the desired value or not, the operator does not necessarily have to carry out determination on the basis of comparison with a predetermined threshold value. The operator can provide designation when a relatively large or small evaluation value has been obtained in that state. The operator can also provide designation taking into account which portion on the subject the image is to be registered in addition to the magnitude of the evaluation value. The determination can be made, not by the operator, but by a computer program process. Designation can be provided when the evaluation value attains a desired value, for example, attains a value larger than or smaller than a predetermined threshold value, or attains the maximal value or the minimum value.

Model registration method and image processing apparatus


A machine-implemented method and system for decoding and interpolating the pixel lines of a source image, the method comprising the steps of: storing the plurality of decoded pixel lines in a queue, determining whether the queue contains a sufficient number of decoded pixel lines to perform interpolation between at least two of the decoded pixel lines, and in a case that it is determined that the queue contains a sufficient number of decoded pixel lines to perform interpolation, interpolating at least two of the plurality of decoded pixel lines in the queue to form one or more scaled pixel lines and deleting one or more of the decoded pixel lines in the queue by performing a pop operation on the queue.

The subject disclosure relates generally to method and system for facilitating image scaling and, in particular, for improving image scaling performance for memory and processing power constrained devices.
In many computing applications it is necessary to downscale images for proper display on small devices. For example, images embedded in web content are frequently downscaled for display on devices having relatively small display screen sizes, such as mobile phones.
Traditionally, image downscaling algorithms function by first decoding an entire original image, then downscaling the entire decoded original image to the desired size. This process requires a memory allocation sufficient to store the decoded original image, in addition to the memory allocated for the downscaled image version. Furthermore, under a traditional downscaling approach, color mapping (e.g., from CMYK or YUV color-space into RGB) is first performed for the original decoded image before downscaling is performed in the RGB color space.


A sunroof apparatus for a vehicle includes a first side frame and a second side frame disposed at opposing ends of the sunroof apparatus in a vehicle width direction, a frame unit including a main frame, a first sub frame, and a second sub frame, the frame unit connecting an end portion of the first side frame and an end portion of the second side frame in the vehicle width direction, a fixed panel covering the opening portion of the main frame, and a joint layer covering a rim of the fixed panel and joining the main frame and the fixed panel. The first side frame and the second side frame are connected with the first sub frame and the second sub frame in the vehicle front-rear direction, respectively.

A known sunroof device including a sunroof panel, a center panel, and a drive portion is disclosed in JP2017-132423A (hereinafter referred to as Patent reference 1). The sunroof panel is provided at a roof of a vehicle. The center panel opens and closes an opening portion provided at the sunroof panel. The drive portion drives the center panel.
The sunroof panel disclosed in Patent reference 1 is made from a plate-shaped press material made of aluminum alloy. The sunroof panel includes a pair of side frames, a front frame, a middle frame, and a rear frame. The side frames each extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. The front frame connects front end portions of the pair of side frames in the vehicle width direction. The middle frame connects middle portions of the pair of side frames in the vehicle width direction. The rear frame connects rear end portions of the pair of side frames in the vehicle width direction. The sunroof panel includes a front panel and a rear panel. The front panel disclosed in Patent reference 1 covers the front frame. The rear panel covers the opening portion defined by the pair of side frames, the middle frame, and the rear frame. The front panel and the rear panel each corresponds to a fixed panel mounted on plural frames provided at the sunroof panel.
In a case where the front panel, the center panel, and the rear panel of the sunroof panel disclosed in Patent reference 1 are made of glass, rims of the glass panels may be covered with resin to protect the rims of the panels. In this case, the fixed panel is required to be mounted on the plural frames provided at the sunroof panel after the rims of the fixed panel are covered with resin in a manufacturing process of the sunroof panel.
A need thus exists for a sunroof panel for a vehicle and a manufacturing method thereof which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.

Sunroof panel for vehicle and manufacturing method thereof


A method of producing a motion filter for detecting point targets moving slowing within a sequence of readjusted binary images, these images corresponding to a history at the instant n-1, denoted Hist n-1 (1), including target trajectories and alarms. This method includes: A) an initializing step having a sub-step of accumulating results arising from an extractor and which consist of the coordinates hj of the start-points of trajectories and of the coordinates Ci in Hist(n-1) (1); B) a step for constructing the history at the following instant n, denoted Hist N (2), having two loops: B1) a first loop for producing either the lengthening or the initializing of the trajectories depending on the alarms received; B2) a second loop for producing either the lengthening or the destruction of the trajectories not depending on the alarms received; C) a step for detecting the targets from observation of Hist n (2).

The invention relates to a method of effecting a motion filtering for detecting point targets moving slowly within a time sequence of readjusted binary images, these images corresponding to a history at the instant n-1, denoted Hist n-1, including target trajectories and alarms.
The invention is applicable for example in the monitoring of road traffic.
There is already known from the state of the art a so-called Kalman filtering method based on the prediction of trajectories. However, in its current usage the Kalman method is very complicated since it generates a large number of paths in order to try to connect each trajectory with each one of the new alarms which appear. It is therefore very expensive in terms of computation time and in memory. On the other hand, it can be used for rapidly moving targets, that is to say assuming a movement greater than 10 pixels between two successive images.
One of the objects of the invention is to provide a method applicable to the detection of slow targets, and which gives results which are all the better the slower the targets.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a method which is inexpensive in terms of computation time and memory.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method which is easy and inexpensive to implement.
Now, the detection of slow targets presents a certain number of problems which the invention proposes to solve in order to achieve its objects.
It will be noted that the detection of motion in a sequence of images implies firstly determining a difference between two consecutive images, in such a way as to show up the moving portions and the stationary portions. However this difference, termed first order difference, does not provide sufficient elements to produce the detection of point targets in a sequence of images, when these targets have a slow motion. difference image there are contributions due to noise, which may give the impression of moving objects or of targets.
Secondly, the images must be readjusted. This is required because, in general, the camera which acquires the images to be treated is not sufficiently stable. It is itself mobile, either if it is mounted on a moving vehicle, or it is mounted on a structure which may oscillate for example in the wind. The images acquired are therefore readjusted relative to one another in such a way that the background, for example, appears stationary in the sequence of images. The readjustment is effected by a method known per se, and which does not, therefore form part of the invention. However, it appears that the readjustment is never perfect. It generally leads to readjustment errors of the order of a pixel, which means that between two consecutive images, there appear systematic errors of the order of a pixel where corresponding portions of the images coincide. As a result of this, in the difference image, the contribution is found from these readjustment errors which can likewise be mistaken for moving objects. On the other hand, in the method of readjustment, there may moreover appear occasional sizable errors extending over a not insignificant proportion of successive images in the sequence of images. The contribution from these occasional errors, which are due to the method of readjustment, are also a source of errors in the detection of slow moving targets.
Thirdly, among the objects which may appear in the images, there are a certain number of targets which it is not wished to detect. These are for example, trees or clouds in motion, or portions of the background subject to variations in lighting. On the contrary, one of the aims of the invention is the detection of moving bodies having relatively continuous and relatively uniform trajectories.

Method of effecting a motion filtering for slow targets, and an apparatus for executing the method


A vehicle trim assembly comprises a foam bun, an electrically insulative top finish layer above the foam bun, a thermal gradient assembly under the finish trim layer, and a thermal enhancement layer between the thermal gradient assembly and the finish trim layer. The thermal gradient assembly is adapted to generate a thermal gradient when receiving an electric current and has an electrically conductive top layer, an electrically conductive bottom layer, and a semiconductor layer having first and second semiconductor regions between the top and bottom layers. The thermal enhancement layer has a thermal conductivity adapted to direct thermal energy transfer between the thermal gradient assembly and the finish trim layer.

The present invention relates in general to vehicle trim assemblies and, more specifically, to a vehicle trim assembly for use with heating and cooling of a vehicle seat.
Seats in automotive vehicles increasingly have systems that provide heating and cooling for occupants of the vehicle seats. The vehicle seats typically comprise a foam bun wrapped or otherwise covered in a finish trim. The finish trim may be a synthetic material such as synthetic leather. Other seat materials may also be provided between the finish trim and the foam bun. The heating and cooling system typically includes a thermal device in the foam bun to provide the heating and cooling. However, the finish trim and other seat materials have a thermal insulating effect that reduces efficiency of the thermal device providing the heating or cooling to the occupants. The reduced efficiency results in added complexity, weight, and cost for the heating and cooling system. Thus, it would be desirable to provide more efficient heating and cooling of the vehicle seats.

Vehicle trim assembly for use with heating and cooling of a vehicle seat


A signal recovery system and methods to quickly acquire signal lock and maintain consistent performance of the signal recovery system for different signal input rates of an input signal is provided. The system includes a phase locked loop system and a parameter controller. The method includes monitoring an input signal, determining a signal input rate of the input signal, providing shift factors to a loop filter contained within the signal recovery system, and adjusting the phase locked loop system performance based on the shift factors. The performance factors that can be modified include the acquisition rate, loop bandwidth, and damping factor of the phase locked loop system within the signal recovery system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to phase locked loop systems, and more particularly, to automatically adjusting parameters within a phase locked loop system to enhance performance.
2. Background of the Invention
In the last several years distributed computing and communications systems that rely on or provide high speed data communications have become nearly ubiquitous. Such systems may include, but are not limited to, broadband communication systems using cable modems, satellite communication systems, fiber to the home (FTTH) communications networks, and board-to-board interconnections in a myriad of electronic devices.
In many of these systems, a remote electronic device must replicate a signal provided by another electronic device. One of the more common reasons an electronic device replicates a signal provided by another device is to provide clock synchronization between two or more electronic devices. There are many reasons why remotely distributed devices may need to have their clocks synchronized. In particular, in a digital communication system the receiving device must be properly synched to a sending device to enable the efficient processing and interpretation of an incoming data stream.
Phase locked loop (PLL) systems are typically used to facilitate synchronization of remotely located devices. A PLL system is a feedback system in which the feedback signal is used to lock the output frequency and phase to the frequency and phase of an input signal. FIG. 1 illustrates the basic architecture of a PLL system. As depicted in FIG. 1 the basic components include phase detector 110, loop filter 120 and voltage controlled oscillator 130. Phase locked loops can be analog or digital with the majority being composed of both analog and digital components.
In the basic PLL system illustrated in FIG. 1, input signal V(t) 140 is applied to one input of phase detector 110 while the output signal X(t) 170 is applied to the other input of phase detector 110. The output of phase detector 110, E(t) 150, is a function of the phase difference between V(t) 140 and X(t) 170. Loop filter 120 filters out undesirable components from E(t) 150 and provides further control over the loop""s frequency response. Thus, loop filter 120 produces an output signal, Y(t) 160, that is primarily a function of the phase difference between V(t) 140 and X(t) 170.
Voltage controlled oscillator 130 is an oscillator whose output frequency is a linear function of its input voltage over some range of input voltages. A positive voltage will cause the frequency of the output signal of voltage controlled oscillator 130 to be greater than its uncontrolled value, while a negative voltage will cause it to be less. When an input signal has a frequency and phase within a certain range, known as the capture range, the PLL system will go through a series of cycles in which the difference between V(t) 140 and X(t) 170 becomes smaller and smaller until the signals are substantially the same. The system is said to be xe2x80x9clockedxe2x80x9d,when the frequency and the phase of V(t) 140 and X(t) 170 are substantially the same. If the input signal has a frequency and phase outside the capture range, the system will not achieve lock and V(t) 140 and X(t) 170 may diverge, instead of converging.
Acquisition rate is a key performance characteristic of a PLL system. Acquisition rate refers to the rate at which a PLL system achieves lock, that is, to generate an output signal, such as X(t) 170 that has the same phase and frequency as an input signal, such as V(t) 140. Acquisition rate is a function of a variety of factors. Among these factors are the quality of the circuit components, the range of the input signal frequency and phase, and the characteristics of the input signal (e.g., digital or analog, noise levels, etc.).
As communication speeds have increased, there has been a need to improve acquisition rates. There are two basic situations when a PLL system needs to acquire lock to an input signal. These situations are upon system start-up and following the loss of lock during operation. When a PLL system is acquiring lock upon system start-up, the throughput degradation attributable to a slow acquisition rate may not be perceptible. However, when a system is operating and lock is lost, having a slow acquisition rate may significantly degrade performance. While start-up acquisition, by definition, only occurs once, re-acquisition during operation may occur many times. Because the re-acquisition occurs while data is likely being transmitted, data may be lost. The longer the re-acquisition, the more data is lost and the greater the time needed to recover the data. Thus, minimizing the acquisition time plays an important role in maximizing system throughput, particularly in environments where the signal or PLL lock may be lost frequently.
The damping factor is another key performance characteristics of a PLL system. The damping factor refers to the PLL system response to a change in the characteristics of the input signal. In particular, when there is a change in the input signal phase, the damping factor will determine the PLL system gain. If this gain is too large the PLL system will lose lock. Additionally, the damping factor determines how quickly ringing (i.e., a decaying sinusoidal variation in the output voltage of a loop filter) will cease following a change in the input signal phase. The sinusoidal variations will introduce undesirable jitter into the replicated signal. Thus, having a fast decay rate is often desirable.
The loop bandwidth is another key performance characteristics of a PLL system. The loop bandwidth refers to the range of operating frequencies where a PLL system has a predictable and desirable response. During initial signal acquisition, the loop bandwidth should be such that the frequency of the input signal lies within the loop bandwidth. Once signal acquisition has occurred, the loop bandwidth should include the frequency of the input signal, but ideally be as small as possible to reduce unwanted noise.
One type of communications system where PLL systems are commonly used is a cable modem-based broadband communications system. Within a cable modem-based broadband communication system the two principle devices are cable modems and cable modem termination systems. In a broadband communications network that uses cable modems, typically many cable modems are connected to a single cable modem termination system. Cable modems are located at customer premises and typically connected to personal computers through an Ethernet connection. Cable modem termination systems are typically located within a service provider""s network center, often known as a headend location. Cable modem termination systems exchange data with multiple cable modems at high speeds. Importantly, cable modem termination systems transmit clock signals to cable modems for synchronization that is critical to ensuring efficient operation and high throughput.
Cable modem networks transmit data at high speeds that require optimization of circuitry and procedures. In particular, in a cable modem network in the downstream direction (from the network to a user""s computer) network speeds can reach 40 Mbpsxe2x80x94an aggregate amount of bandwidth that is shared by multiple users. In some systems network speeds can reach speeds approaching 100 Mbs. Typically, the downstream speed per user is on the order of 1 to 3 Mbps. Thus, if acquisition of a clocking signal delays transmission of data by only a tenth of second, the cable modem termination system will be prevented from sending 4.0 Mb of data. Depending on how often clock synchronization is lost, this could result in a performance degradation of up to 10%. This is unlikely because clock synchronization is not typically lost once a second. Nonetheless, as service providers receive greater and greater pressure from consumers for higher speed transmission rates, it is critical for circuitry and procedures to be optimized.
Similarly, once an input signal has been acquired, being able to control the damping factor and loop bandwidth dynamically can enhance performance. Within a digital PLL system, for example, the damping factor and loop bandwidth will change as the input signal rate changes. Thus, to ensure that the desired damping factor and loop bandwidth is achieved, dynamic adjustments must be made. By controlling the damping factor and loop bandwidth, noise contained within the output signal of the PLL system and the probability of losing signal lock can be reduced.
When dealing with systems that are transmitting data at megabit speeds, such as current broadband cable modem communications systems, minimizing acquisition time, reducing noise and avoiding lose of signal is critical. While there currently are approaches to aid a PLL system to achieve lock and to reduce acquisition rates, these approaches are either relatively slow given current communication speeds or require complex circuitry. Likewise, adjusting the damping factor and loop bandwidth dynamically requires the use of an external processor that is not always cost effective.
The invention is directed to a signal recovery system and methods to quickly acquire signal lock and maintain consistent performance of the signal recovery system for different input rates of an input signal. The system includes a phase locked loop system and a parameter controller. The method includes monitoring an input signal, determining the signal input rate of the input signal, providing shift factors to a loop filter contained within the signal recovery system, and adjusting the PLL system performance based on the shift factors. The performance factors that can be modified include the acquisition rate, loop bandwidth, and damping factor of the PLL system within the signal recovery system.
In one embodiment of the invention, the invention is implemented within a cable modem. In this embodiment, the invention is used to enhance the ability of the cable modem to achieve and sustain synchronization to a clock signal received from a cable modem termination system. In this embodiment, a cable modem termination system transmits a clock signal to a cable modem, pursuant to requirements in DOCSIS 2.0. DOCSIS 2.0 is an industry standard describing the protocols required for use between cable modems and cable modem termination systems. The cable modem must lock onto the clock signal and replicate it locally for efficient operation. The invention is used to achieve signal lock quickly, and to enhance the ability of the cable modem to sustain signal lock.
Use of the invention provides three principal benefits. First, use of the invention provides a significant improvement in the time it takes for a remote electronic device to lock onto a signal from another electronic device. Second, use of the invention increases the likelihood that signal lock will not be lost when there are changes in the input signal phase or frequency. Third, use of the invention enables the loop bandwidth to be smaller and the damping factor to be more stable than if the invention was not used, thereby reducing unwanted noise and jitter in the output signal of the signal recovery system.
Collectively, the benefits of the invention improve the operational efficiency and enable data throughput rates to be higher than they would be without the use of the invention.
Further embodiments, features, and advantages of the invention, as well as the structure and operation of the various embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to accompanying drawings.

System and method for automatic parameter adjustment within a phase locked loop system


A biosignal-computer-interface apparatus and method. The apparatus includes one or more devices for generating biosignals based on at least one physiological parameter of an individual, and a computer-interface device capable of performing multiple tasks, including converting the biosignals into at least one input signal, establishing a scale encompassing different levels of the input signal, multiplying the input signal into parallel control channels, dividing the scale into multiple zones for each of the parallel control channels, assigning computer commands to each individual zone of the multiple zones, and generating the computer command assigned to at least one of the individual zones if the level of the input signal is within the at least one individual zone. The individual zones can be the same or different among the parallel control channels.

The present invention generally relates to computer-related technology, and more particularly to the use of biosignals of a user wishing to control a computer-controllable activity or operation, including computer games.
Brain-computer interface (BCI) or Neural Interface (NI) devices that fall into the general category of Biosignal Interface (BI) technology are gaining increasing importance for controlling electronic systems, a notable example of which is computers. Applications include biomedical appliances such as wheelchair and sailboat controls, as well as communication devices allowing, for example, conversion of eye positions to keystrokes of a word processing device. Other applications include biofeedback devices aimed at the control of emotional states, and NI devices to control computer games. In the broadest sense, even voice recognition can be considered as a biosignal interface.
Biopotentials generally result from the activity-dependent change of ionic composition of any cell's cytoplasm. In an idle state, all living cells are at a resting potential, typically −20 to −80 mV across their membranes versus the extracellular space. Excitation of any cell results in opening of selective ion channels, starting with fast sodium channels and calcium channels, allowing extracellular Na+ to enter the cell's cytoplasm and thereby depolarize the cell to a typical range of about +100 to about +150 mV compared to the extracellular fluid. If this type of excitation happens in multiple cells simultaneously, extracellular electrodes can sense the difference in charge and the resulting electrode output signals can be recorded. This type of biopotential and changes thereof are the basis for a variety of diagnostic tools, such as electrokardiogram (EKG), electromyogram (EMG) and electroencephalogram (EMG). The exploitation of biopotentials beyond the diagnostic applications is emerging in prosthetic limbs, where nerve signals can be measured and converted into control signals for governing mechanical movement of artificial limbs. In addition, biofeedback has been used for the purpose of facilitating meditation or preparing athletes for sporting events. A relatively new use of biosignals includes their use in computer games as a novel contribution to virtual reality sensation.
In the general field of using brain-based measurements as the source of biopotentials for diagnostic purposes, three different principles have emerged based on the type of sensor used, namely, sensors or sensor arrays adapted for implantation into the brain (invasive sensors), implantation into the skull and against the gray matter of the brain (partially invasive), or non-invasive placement meaning that the electrodes are simply placed on the skin. Invasive sensors have been used to alleviate the lack of functionality in individuals that suffer from some type of disability, for example, as described by Hochberg et al., "Neuronal ensemble control of prosthetic devices by a human with tetraplegia," Nature 442: 164-171(13 Jul. 2006). Most invasive sensors are derivatives of the "Utah Array" developed by Richard A. Norman at the University of Utah, using approximately one hundred hair-thin electrodes to record extracellular potentials. In commercial applications, the Cyberkinetics "Braingate" is a device that uses invasively implanted electrodes to control wheelchairs and other devices. Likewise, partially invasive systems have already proven functional to play video games. In contrast, non-invasive electrodes have typically been limited to use for therapeutic purposes. As taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,795,724 and 7,035,686, biofeedback using color-based neurofeedback has been employed based on the assignment of different colors on a computer screen to different states of neuronal activity.
Non-invasive electrodes generally need greater spatial separation for de-convoluting spatial properties of recorded signals as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,582 or using near-field and far-field signals as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,072. U.S. Pat. No. 6,950,698 discloses a five or seven electrode array and the positioning of the array on the forehead of a patient to optimally separate EOG, EEG and EMG signals. U.S. Pat. No. 7,206,625 to Kutz et al. discloses a compact measuring apparatus wherein the amplifier is directly adjacent to the sensors to reduce antenna effects and improve the signal to noise ratio. U.S. Pat. No. 6,728,564 discloses a system configurable to use a classical one-channel approach or else to alternately switch between predefined parts of the sensor array to simulate a two-channel system for EEG and EMG measurements. The Emotiv EPOC system employs a sensor array integrated into a helmet-like structure to convert the amplitudes of EEG signals into levitation of given objects in computer games and rotating the objects using rotational signals created by a gyroscope built into the headset.
A recurring issue associated with the use of biosignals is that it can be relatively difficult for a given user to control his or her brain activity. Alpha, beta and gamma brain waves are readily accessible for sensing with EEG sensors or related devices and can be separated into subgroups based on frequency properties. However, for most individuals it is very difficult to arbitrarily influence activity of selected subgroups of brain waves, especially in a time-controlled fashion. Timing of signals however is critical for most control functions, regardless of whether they are used for navigation systems or within another computer-related application. A case in point is the use of biosignals in gaming applications to trigger, for example, shooting or jumping in first person shooter (FPS) games.
In contrast to true brain waves, muscle signals can be readily and arbitrarily triggered, regardless of whether they relate to facial movements or, for example, eye movements. On the other hand, electrical muscle signals are difficult to separate into different channels, and tend to propagate across the body making it difficult to distinguish their precise origin. Even if accomplished, the user is posed with a somewhat difficult task of acquiring the necessary skills to master the exercise of different muscles without crossing over between groups.

Method and apparatus for using biopotentials for simultaneous multiple control functions in computer systems