A control system for providing an assist torque is provided. The control system includes a control algorithm module and a comfort limit module. The control algorithm module calculates a corrective steering torque based on a target vehicle state and an estimated vehicle state. The comfort limit module receives a handwheel torque. The comfort limit module calculates a limited corrective steering torque based on the corrective steering torque and the handwheel torque. The limited steering torque represents an allowable amount of the assist torque provided by the control system.

A number of approaches are available to assist a vehicle in maintaining a central position within a driving lane. One such approach is generally referred to as a lane keeping system that includes a camera for gathering information regarding the position of the vehicle within the driving lane. For example, in one approach the lane keeping system may calculate a corrective steering torque that is a function of error between a target lane keeping position and an estimated position of the vehicle within the driving lane. The corrective steering torque is superimposed with a steering assist torque that is provided to a handwheel.
The current approach of calculating the corrective steering torque may have several limitations. For example, the application of the corrective steering torque may result in either an under-correction or an over-correction of the handwheel, depending on the amount of torque the driver is applying to the handwheel and the steering assist torque. Thus, a sensor or command switch may be provided for detecting whether a driver's hands are present on the handwheel. However, drivers tend to have varying grip levels on the handwheel.
Another limitation is that there are challenges in determining the appropriate limit of the corrective steering torque that may be applied to the handwheel. For example, if the corrective steering torque is applied to an input of an assist algorithm, then performance variations may occur. If the corrective steering torque is applied to an output of an assist algorithm, then variation in the handwheel torque may be less predictable. As a result, the corrective steering torque limits may be exceeded. Also, the constant application of the corrective steering torque may negatively impact the overall steering feel of the handwheel. This is because the corrective steering torque is generally applied even as a driver is steering through maneuvers.

System for providing assist torque based on a vehicle state

Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation


Provided is a method of processing a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) signal timing offset for a signal analyzer. The method includes estimating an integer multiple timing offset of WCDMA baseband sample data corresponding to an amount of at least one frame; generating a frequency domain signal which is time delayed corresponding to a fractional timing offset estimation resolution after generating the frequency domain signal by performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) calculation on an already-known reference signal; converting each time-delayed frequency domain signal into a time domain signal by performing an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) calculation on each time-delayed frequency domain signal and calculating a correlation between an input signal from a position of the integer multiple timing offset and the time domain signal; and estimating a delay time leading to a maximum correlation as a fractional timing offset.

The embodiment relates to a method of processing a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) signal timing offset for a signal analyzer, and more particularly, to a method of processing a WCDMA signal timing offset for a signal analyzer, which is capable of estimating and compensating for a timing offset at a high accuracy within 1% EVM (0.1 sample) by using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) or Inverse Fourier Transform (IFFT) and a fractional RRC filter even while using a low sampling frequency of twice the WCDMA chip rate.
As well known in the art, WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) defined in 3GPP TS.25 standard, which is one of 3rd generation wireless communication systems, is an asynchronous mobile communication scheme having a chip rate of Fc=3.84 Mcps.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a radio frame structure of the WCDMA system including a synchronous channel. As shown in FIG. 1, according to the radio frame structure of the WCDMA system, chips are transmitted within a TTI (Transmission Time Interval) and each TTI includes one radio frame to 8 radio frames. Each radio frame is a duration of 10 ms and is divided into 15 slots. The slot includes 2560 chips. Thus, the TTI may include 15 to 120 slots.
Meanwhile, the primary synchronization channel includes a modulation code of 256 chips. The same modulation code is transmitted through primary synchronization channel at the same location in each slot. Since the secondary synchronization channel is a code sequence formed by combining modulation codes each having 256 chips, which correspond to 15 slots of one radio frame, the modulation codes of the secondary synchronization channel each is transmitted in parallel with the codes of the first synchronization channel every slot and are configured to be different from each other every slot.
The WCDMA system having the frame structure described above performs the cell search and physical layer synchronization to detect a downlink WCDMA signal through following three steps.
First step: The slot synchronization is obtained by synchronizing a sample/chip boundary through PSCH.
Second step: The frame synchronization and scrambling code are obtained through SSCH.
Third step: Fractional sample/chip boundary synchronization, scrambling code index synchronization and channel estimation through CPICH (Common Pilot Channel).
Until the CPICH is decoded, it is impossible to estimate the channel and exactly detect a remaining DPxCH signal such as s DPDCH (Dedicated Physical Data Channel) signal or a DPCCH (Dedicated Physical Control Channel) signal. The frequency, timing and phase offsets are estimated and compensated by using the detected CPICH signal so that the channel is estimated.
The WCDMA communication technique uses a symbol modulation scheme of a chip rate very higher than a data rate. In this case, since the sampling timing offset must be very smaller that the data sampling timing offset, the demodulation performance is very sensitive to the timing offset (error).
According to the related art, a maximum correlation value search scheme has been mainly used to estimate a timing offset. Thus, a signal analyzer according to the related art is required to perform an over sampling, which is 40 to 80 times the chip rate of 3.84 MHz of the WCDMA system, to maintain the condition of 1% EVM at the sampling frequency of 30.72 (=3.84*8) MHz, that is, the timing synchronization within 0.1 sample, so that too much resource is inefficiently consumed.

Method of processing WCDMA signal timing offset for signal analyzing equipment


An oil field pump is installed within a pipe that connects to an oil field, and feeds accumulated extraction oil in a predetermined direction, the oil filed pump including a rotor with an internal flow path for the extraction oil, a stator installed on the outer circumference of the rotor, a thrust bearing that supports the axial weight of the rotor and the stator, a supply pipe that supplies a portion of the extraction oil in the flow path to the thrust bearing, and a filter that is installed at further upstream on the flow path than the supply pipe along the flow direction of the extraction oil, and traps foreign matter.

Oil fields extract oil by way of oil field equipment including pipes connecting to positions where oil can be extracted and pumps installed within the pipes to feed the oil within the pipes. The pumps are installed within the fluid in the pipes and feed the oil within the pipes to the oil extraction port. The pumps feed oil extracted from oil fields and the fluid therefore sometimes contains foreign matter. The foreign matter mixes in between rotating parts and stationary parts and causes breakdown if the foreign matter accumulates as deposits.
For example, although it is a structure for a sliding bearing, patent literature 1 discloses a vertical pump including a rotating member capable of rotating in water and in air that includes a first slider part on an outer circumferential surface and a second slider part on an inner circumferential surface, a first sliding bearing that supports the first slider part on the inner circumferential surface, a second sliding bearing that supports the second slider part on the outer circumferential surface, and a dust cover that reduces the inflow of foreign matter to the first slider part and the second slider part.


A corona discharge device includes a corona discharge electrode, and a control electrode interposed between the corona discharge electrode and a target object to be corona discharged for controlling a surface potential of the target object. The control electrode includes a film coating processed portion with a conductive dry film coating and an unprocessed portion with no film coating formed in at least one of two end portions of the control electrode in a longitudinal direction of the control electrode. The unprocessed portion of the control electrode has an opening ratio smaller than that of the film coating processed portion.

The present invention relates to a corona discharge device which applies static charges uniformly to the surface of a sensitive (photosensitive) material and, in particular, to a corona discharge device having a control electrode.
In recent years, an organic photosensitive material has been developed remarkably and has been used in many electronic photographic apparatuses. Most of the organic photosensitive material are used in a negative charged manner. As a corona discharge device which applies charges to the surface of a photosensitive material, in general, there are used a corotron and a scorotron having a control electrode. It is known that, when the corotron and scorotron are used in a negative polarity, a large amount of NOx (nitrogen oxides), ozone and the like are produced. Such NOx, ozone and the like facilitate the oxidation of the surface of the photosensitive material, the reduction of the electric resistance thereof, and the leakage of the charges on the surface thereof and, therefore, in images formed by use of the corotron and scorotron, there are found defects such as unsharp images, running images, white removed images and the like. To avoid this, there is taken a measure to attract the NOx, ozone and the like, which are produced from the corona discharge device when it performs corona discharge, out of the corona discharge device or to ventilate the corona discharge device. In parallel with the measure, there is proposed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei 2-281274 a method of applying a substance into a case of a corona discharge device which can absorb or resolve the NOx, ozone and the like.
According to the method disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Publication, a thin conductive dry film (Electrodug (a trade mark) manufactured by Achison Corroid Co., U.S.A.), which is substantially continuous aluminum hydroxide film containing graphite particles and powder nickel, is coated to a shield, and the aluminum hydroxide of the coated film combines with nitrogen oxide or the like to form aluminum nitrate, thereby neutralizing the NOx.
However, the method or technology disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Publication has the following problems.
A control electrode can be produced, for example, by arranging grids each of 0.1 mm on a stainless steel frame having a thickness of 0.1 mm at an angle of 45.degree. and at intervals of 1 mm by etching, while the control electrode has an opening ratio of about 90%. In a scorotron with such control electrode mounted thereto, a direct current (DC) voltage of -5500V is applied to the discharge electrode thereof, while a DC voltage of -580V is applied to the control electrode. If this scorotron is mounted to an electronic copying machine, then the dark potential (V-DDP) of a sensitive material becomes -600V. The BKG potential (V-BKG) of the sensitive material is set as -150V by controlling the quantity of light used to radiate a manuscript. In our test, this electronic copying machine was installed under the environment with the temperature of 10.degree. C. and humidity of 30% and then a copying operation was carried out. After copying about 15,000 sheets and elaspe of one night, in a first copy, there occurred a white removal phenomenon which seemed to be caused by the discharge products of corotron. This phenomenon is caused in the following manner: That is, when a corona discharge device which has stopped discharge is laid in a rest condition for a long time, the NOx produced by corotron discharge and absorbed in the corotron is released to denature the surface of the photosensitive material being stopped opposed to the corona discharge device, and the denatured sensitive material surface portion causes the white removal phenomenon.
In view of this, when a coat (50 .mu.m) of Electrodug (JD-29080, trade mark) manufactured by Achison Corroid Co., U.S.A. was applied to the front and back surfaces of the above-mentioned control electrode having the opening ratio of 90%, the opening ratio was changed to about 87%. When a DC voltage of -593V was applied to the control electrode, then the dark potential (V-DDP) of the sensitive material was changed to -600V. By use of this discharge electrode, a copying test was carried out under the same conditions. In this copying test, even after copying 20,000 sheets, no white removal occurred. However, after copying about 8,000 sheets, the densities of the two end portions of an image began to be deepen (this phenomenon is called a fog) and, after 13,000 copies, the densities of the two end portions reached a problem level.
When checking the variations of the BKG potential (see FIG. 10) and the variations of the sensitive material dark potential (see FIG. 11) in the axial direction of the photosensitive material in this case, the BKG potential is increased in the two end portions of the photosensitive material in the axial direction thereof when a trouble occurs, when the control electrode is replaced, and when the sensitive material is replaced, while the dark potential is increased in the two end portions of the photosensitive material in the axial direction thereof when a trouble occurs, and when the control electrode is replaced. Also, referring to the control electrode corresponding to the photosensitive material, similarly, the potentials of the two end portions of the control electrode in the longitudinal direction thereof are increased and the coated films of the control electrode corresponding to the potential increased portions were found insulated. In other words, if the control electrode is insulated, then an amount of corona ions flowing into the control electrode is reduced and an amount of corona ions flowing into the sensitive material is increased, with the result that the charged potential is increased, which is the fog phenomenon. Also, as the charged potential is increased, the density of the image is deepened, which is also the fog phenomenon. In this test, the dark potential (V-DDP) of the sensitive material was increased by 120V up to -720V.
In view of the above, the inventors tried to solve the fog phenomenon of the image by increasing the thickness of the coated film of the control electrode.
Three coats (90 .mu.m) of Electrodug (JD-29080, trade mark) manufactured by Achison Corroid Co., U.S.A., were respectively coated onto the front and back surfaces of the control electrode having an opening ratio of 90%. The reason why the number of coatings is increased from 1 to 3 is that three coats are necessary to obtain a coat thickness of 90 .mu.m because the film thickness varies greatly by thick coating. After the two films each of 90 .mu.m were coated, the opening ratio of the control electrode was changed to about 85%. When a DC voltage of -610V was applied to the control electrode, then the dark potential (V-DDP) of the sensitive material was changed to -600V. Then, the discharge electrode was tested on the same conditions as above in copying. In this test, even after copying 50,000 sheets, no white removal phenomenon occurred. However, after about 25,000 copies, the two end portions of the formed image began to fog (that is, the densities of the two end portions thereof began to deepen) and, from 45,000 copies, the densities of the two end portions reached a problem level. In this case, the dark potential (V-DDP) of the sensitive material was -730V, which means that the dark potential was raised by 130V.
As described above, if the thickness of a coated film of the control electrode is increased, then the fogging of the two end portions of the image can be improved, but not yet perfect. Also, it is difficult to achieve the increase of the thickness of a coated film of the control electrode at a time and, in fact, there are necessary a plurality of coatings for this purpose, which incurs a problem of an increased cost.
As described above, in the conventional technology in which a film of a substance to absorb or resolve the NOx, ozone and the like is coated to the interior of a case of a corona discharge device, when the coated film of the control electrode is thin, then occurrence of a white removal phenomenon can be truly restricted but a greater secondary problem arises, that is, the two end portions of the image are fogged. To prevent the fogging phenomenon, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the coated film of the control electrode. However, our test shows that, even if the thickness of the coated film is increased, the fogging of the two end portions of the image occurs when the number of copies increases. Also, there arises another problem that the cost of the device is increased because it is necessary to increase the thickness of the coated material.


A display apparatus in which a monitor is firmly supported by a stand mounted with a hinge and is tilted at a predetermined angle. The display apparatus includes a monitor displaying a picture thereon, and a stand supporting the monitor. The stand includes a stand base, a hinge bracket placed on the stand base and formed with an opened hinge accommodating part at a side thereof, a hinge including a first part accommodated in and connected to the hinge accommodating part of the hinge bracket, a second part connected to a back of the monitor, and a tilt restrictor to restrict a tilt of the monitor; and a hinge bracket cover detachably coupled to the hinge accommodating part formed in the hinge bracket. The present invention provides a display apparatus improved in assembling efficiency and design.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus, and more particularly, to a display apparatus in which a monitor is firmly supported by a stand mounted with a hinge and is tilted at a predetermined angle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a display apparatus collectively refers to a device to visually provide information or graphics on a screen. As a kind of a flat-panel display apparatus, particularly, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) apparatus is widely used in a monitor for a computer, a television, etc., and this trend causes demand therefore to increase.
Further, the display apparatus is being variously developed in consideration of function and design to meet a user's various needs.
A conventional display apparatus comprises a monitor displaying a picture thereon, and a stand to support the monitor. Such a display apparatus has been disclosed in Korean Utility Model No. 20-292979, Korean Utility Model first Publication No. 2000-16049, Korean Patent No. 10-364732, and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-106542.
However, in the conventional display apparatus, the stand connected to a back of the monitor has a relatively complicated structure, so that the number of required elements is increased, thereby decreasing assembling efficiency and increasing an assembling time. Particularly, a hinge being is the most expensive feature in the stand, and this feature, among others, causes the production cost of the stand to be increased.


A light emitting device according to the embodiment includes a conductive support member having a step portion at an outer peripheral region thereof, a protective member for filling the step portion formed at the outer peripheral region of the conductive support member, a reflective layer over the conductive support member, and a light emitting structure over the reflective layer and the protective member.

The embodiment relates to a light emitting device, a light emitting device package and a method of manufacturing the light emitting device.
A light emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light emitting device that converts current into light. Recently, the brightness of the LED is increased, so that the LED has been employed as a light source for a display device, a vehicle, or a lighting device. In addition, the LED can represent a white color having superior light efficiency by employing luminescence materials or combining LEDs having various colors.
Meanwhile, the LED manufacturing process requires high precision, and the reliability and high product yield are very important in the LED manufacturing process. In this regard, various studies and research have been performed to ensure the reliability of the LED manufacturing process.

Light emitting device, method of manufacturing the same, and light emitting device package


A thin-film optical function element, including a substrate formed of a dielectric material, a first optical waveguide consisting of a thin film of a dielectric material formed on the substrate, and a second optical waveguide consisting of another thin film of another dielectric material formed on the substrate. The first optical waveguide has a substantially same propagation constant with respect to two different modes which have field patterns whose vibrating directions are perpendicular to each other. The second optical waveguide is optically coupled to the first optical waveguide, and is adapted to pass therethrough only one of the two different modes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a thin-film optical function element, and more particularly to such a thin-film optical function element adapted to separate two different optical modes which have field patterns whose vibrating directions are perpendicular to each other. This optical function element is suitably used for an optical head for a magnetooptical data storage disk, wherein a light beam produced by a light source is guided through a thin-film optical waveguide toward the magnetooptical disk, such that the light beam maintains a constant plane of polarization, and wherein one or both of the two transverse modes of the light beam reflected by the disk is/are converted into an electric signal or signals.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
There is shown in FIG. 9 a conventional optical head for writing and reading information on and from a magnetooptical memory or storage disk. This optical head is adapted such that a laser beam emitted from a semi-conductor laser element 41 is collimated by a collimator lens 42, transmitted through a half mirror 43, and focused by an objective or converging lens 44 on the surface of a magnetooptical disk 45. The laser beam reflected by the surface of the disk 45 is reflected by the half mirror 43 toward a polarizing beam splitter 46. A component P of the laser beam incident upon the beam splitter 46 is transmitted through the beam splitter 46, while a component S of the beam is reflected by the beam splitter 46. These two components P and S are received by respective two light-sensitive elements 47, 48. Information stored at a specific reading spot on the magnetooptical disk 45 which is irradiated with the laser beam is read by obtaining a difference between output levels of the two light-sensitive elements 47, 48. The principle of this information reading or retrieving operation is illustrated in FIG. 10. If the laser beam was reflected by the surface of the disk 45 without being influenced by the information stored thereon, the plane of polarization of the reflected laser beam incident upon the polarizing beam splitter 46 would be inclined at 45.degree. with respect to the axes of the beam splitter 46 along which components P and S are polarized. The plane of polarization of the reflected laser beam from the disk 45 is rotated by an angle of +.theta.k or -.theta.k with respect to the plane of polarization of the incident laser beam, depending upon the direction in which the irradiated reading spot is magnetized, i.e., depending upon the stored data "0" or "1". When the plane of polarization of the reflected laser beam is rotated by +.theta.k, a difference between the outputs of the two light-sensitive elements 47, 48 which receive the P and S components of the reflected laser beam is equal to (S.sub.+ -P.sub.+). When the plane of polarization is rotated by -.theta.k, the above difference is equal to (S.sub.- -P.sub.-)=-(S.sub.+ -P.sub.+). Thus, the differential outputs .+-.(S.sub.+ -P.sub.+) corresponding .+-..theta.k are obtained by a differential amplifier which receive the outputs of the light-sensitive elements 47, 48. When information is written on the disk 45, the intensity of the produced laser beam is increased to heat the relevant spot on the disk 45 to a temperature in the neighborhood of the Curie point or above the compensation temperature of the material of the disk. The heated spot is then magnetized in the appropriate direction corresponding to the information to be written, within an externally produced magnetic field. When the information on the disk is erased, the relevant spots on the disk are unidirectionally magnetized in the predetermined direction.
The conventionally available optical head as described above uses optical components made of glasses or other suitable materials, such as lenses, half mirror and prism. These optical components require fine adjustments of their optical axes. Further, the optical head using these optical components tends to be large-sized and heavy, and consequently the overall arrangement of the information reading and writing system tends to be large-sized. Moreover, the relatively heavy optical head leads to a comparatively long access time.

Thin-film optical function element, and optical head using the same


A method of testing computer software. A test computer has a base configuration, which is imaged to a removable hard drive. The base configuration is then stored in data storage of a master computer, as a master configuration image. The software is then tested on the test computer, and after the testing, a portable boot drive is used to acquire the master image and to restore the base configuration to the test computer.

Systems for testing computer software are widely used by quality control and human factors experts and by computing equipment developers, in their efforts to create and improve the use of computing equipment. A key element in such testing is ensuring that the testing is performed on a computer system of known configuration. It may be desired to test the same software repeatedly, with each test being performed on the same configuration. Or it may be desired to test the same software on a number of different known configurations, each new test beginning with a different, but known configuration.
The "configuration" of a computer system includes its hardware, operating system, drivers, and other software. Conventionally, maintaining a "base" configuration of a test computer system during repeated software testing may be achieved by various methods.
One conventional method for maintaining a base configuration is to install and test software on the test computer, then uninstall the software. A problem with this method is that hidden effects of the tested software can remain after the uninstall.
Another method is to partition the hard drive of the test computer. One partition stores a clean copy of the system configuration. The other partition is used during testing. After the testing, the clean configuration is copied onto the partition used during testing.
A third method is to store a clean copy of the system configuration of the test computer on removable media, such as a compact disk, prior to any testing. At the end of the test, the copy of the clean system is copied onto the hard drive of the test computer.

Restoring base configuration on software testing computer


A bipartite heat sink positioning device for computer chips incorporates a two-piece heat sink including a plurality of fins projecting from upper surfaces thereof and generally flat bottom surfaces adapted to engage a computer chip. Each of the sink bodies include inner and outer end portions with the inner end portions terminating in respective upstanding walls and the outer end portions being formed with respective elastic clamping parts. The outer end portions are also each formed with a pair of spaced fixing holes. The heat sink is adapted to be secured to a computer chip by positioning the first and second sink bodies upon the chip with the elastic clamping pans engaging respective opposing side shoulders of the chip and the inner end portions of the sink bodies being slightly spaced. The bipartite heat sink positioning device further includes a fan including a body provided with four tap holes positioned in spaced intervals about an outer peripheral portion of the body of the fan. The fan is adapted to be mounted upon the heat sink by means of a plurality of fasteners adapted to extend through the tap holes of the fan and to be secured within the fixing holes of the heat sink. According to a first embodiment, securing the fasteners causes the inner end portions of the sink bodies to come together thereby causing the clamping pans to firmly grasp the chip. In a second embodiment, a spring is used to bias the sink bodies together.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bipartite heat sink positioning device for computer chips. The heat sink actually consists of two sink bodies. A fan is adapted to be secured with the heat sink to a computer chip. Each of the sink bodies includes a clamping part extending downwardly from the heat sink at an angle of about 85.degree.. When the fan is secured to the heat sink, the sink bodies are shifted toward each other relative to the computer chip thus causing the clamping part at both ends of the sink to tighten inwardly on the chip.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Currently, the manner in which heat is expelled from a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer is to install a heat sink device directly on the CPU to thereby expel the high temperature generated during the operation. Ordinarily, a heat sink positioning device consists of a fan and a sink device with the heat sink being directly adhered to the CPU such that the heat generated by the CPU is conducted to the heat sink and then the fan is used to expel the high temperature of the heat sink. The structure and positioning methods of such heat sink positioning devices are known from R.O.C. Patents registered by the numbers of 144052, 166357, 186944, 188700, 198531 and 204035. Among which the most popularly applied heat sink positioning devices are of the gluing type and the circlip type. The gluing type is illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein glue K is used to directly adhere the heat sink device AM on top of the CPU; and the circlip type is shown in FIG. 7 wherein a C-type clip ring FM1 is used to lock the shoulders of heat sink FM and the CPU.
The above mentioned known types of heat sink positioning devices suffer from the following defects:
1. Glue is not a good conductor, and will interfere with the heat conducting effect. PA1 2. With the clip hook (or single C-type circlip) type arrangement, the heat sink might easily slide when the holding force is not strong enough. PA1 3. Bolts are used for assembling the heat sink and fan in such known devices with the bolts being fixed between fins (refer to FIG. 7) resulting in a poor fixing arrangement. PA1 4. The prior art heat sink devices are molded in one piece resulting in a larger surface area that can vary in flatness and therefore the bottom of the heat sink might often be concave so as to form point contacts, and seams can exists between the heat sink and the CPU such that the heat generated would not be completely conducted. PA1 5. The known heat sink devices enable the CPU to shift downward or vertically because the injection molding cannot readily compensate for chips which are not exactly square thereby resulting in a slight difference in the length ratio for the sides, so it is easier to hold the chip from one direction but difficult when arranged in another direction.

Bipartite heat sink positioning device for computer chips


A tree stand accommodates a range of tree trunk diameters. The stand includes four legs mounted to an L-shaped member. A tree holder also is mounted to the L-shaped member, and can be adjusted to accommodate trunks of different diameters. The stand can be mounted to a tree that has been laid on its side, and the stand and the tree can be righted as a unit.

The present invention relates to stands and, more particularly, to an adjustable tree stand that can position a cut tree in an upright position.
There are many occasions when it is desired to cut a tree and display it in, generally, an upright position. One of the most readily recognized occasions is the Christmas season, at which time cut evergreen trees are displayed both indoors and outdoors.
Tree stands, and particularly "Christmas tree" stands, are quite well known. One very common type of tree stand includes four legs, a watering pan or dish that also serves as a base or support for the tree and that bears the weight of the tree, four (usually) mounting bolts, and a ring that both connects and stabilizes the legs and positions the mounting bolts. The upper ends of each leg extend through the pan above the waterline, and are joined together by the ring. The legs extend below and outboard of the pan where their ends engage the supporting surface to support the stand on the surface. The ring also surrounds the tree trunk, which rests on the bottom of the pan. The four bolts are threaded into the side of the trunk through holes formed in the ring equidistantly around the circumference of the ring. The ring, the bolts, and the pan cooperate to secure the stand to the tree trunk.
Unfortunately, this type of stand has well-known drawbacks. The stand lacks stability for larger trees due to the relatively small size of the legs. Mounting the tree to the stand is difficult, since the tree must be first lifted and then lowered until the trunk passes through the ring and engages the bottom of the pan, the bolts must be tightened until they all engage the trunk, and the degree to which the bolts are threaded into the trunk must be adjusted until the tree is "straight." This is a difficult two person procedure, especially for a larger tree. The alternative is to mount the stand to the tree while the tree is lying on its side. This is also a difficult procedure, due to the need to tighten the four bolts against the tree trunk while the tree is on its side, and to right the tree after the tree is mounted without damaging the stand. Nonetheless, after the tree is righted, it still must be straightened. With either mounting method, the pan may be cracked or otherwise damaged by the pressure exerted against it by the trunk both during the mounting process and while the tree is being displayed, which will cause the liquid nutrient to leak from the pan. The location of the pan itself (which is fixed since the pan also must function as the primary support for the tree) makes it difficult to "water" the tree. Generally, it is necessary to maneuver a watering can, or some other vessel, full of water, under the branches of the tree to a point near the trunk, and pour the nutrient into the pan. Finally, the diameter of the ring itself imposes a limitation on the size of a trunk that can be accommodated by the stand.
There exists, therefore, a need for a stable, adjustable tree stand to which a cut tree can be mounted more easily, and that permits the tree to be watered with little difficulty.


A process for preparing a polymeric membrane for materials used in crop production comprising:                a) providing an aqueous dispersion of a polyurethane or polyurethane-urea elastomer comprising segments formed from the copolymer segment of Formula IA1-[Y1]n-L-[Y2]q-A2  Formula Iwherein        A1 is an end capping group;        A2 is hydrogen or an end capping group;        each [Y1]n and [Y2]q is independently selected from a polyether macrodiol, polycarbonate macrodiol, polyester macrodiol,        and wherein at least one of [Y1]n and [Y2]q is a polyester macrodiol;        L is a divalent linking compound independently selected from urethane, urea, carbonate, ester, and phosphonate;        n is an integer of 2 to 50;        q is an integer of 2 to 50; and        b) spraying the aqueous dispersion onto materials to be used in crop production to form a polymeric membrane on the materials.

The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other country as at the priority date of any one of the claims of this specification.
Plastic is widely used in agriculture to enhance crop production by modifying soil temperature, suppressing weeds and conserving water. The plastic which is most widely used is a preformed continuous non-biodegradable polyolefin film which is spread over the soil using specialist application equipment to shape and apply the plastic to prepared soil. Crops are planted through cuts or holes produced in the plastic. The plastic film must be deployed before use and removed after each growing season (or series of seasons) which contributes to a significant increase in cost through material and transport, additional associated labour, specialist equipment and end of life waste disposal. Complete recovery of the waste plastic is problematic as a portion of the plastic may be buried, may become torn and partly degraded and thus difficult to recover. Consequently, plastic that is not recovered presents not only a significant environmental problem, but can complicate the preparation and deployment of new plastic in successive growing seasons.
Attempts have been made to prepare a plastic film in situ by spraying latex to soil (e.g. polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylates, styrene butadiene (SBR)) but this alternative has received little practical use due to the difficulty of producing a film which provides the required film properties during the growing season and which can be readily applied with typical on farm spraying equipment.
Sprayable biodegradable films based on natural polysaccharides (Immirzi et al 2009, Mormile et al 2007, Schettini et al 2007), hydrolysed proteins from waste products of leather alone and/or blends with synthetic and natural polymers (Chiellinie et al 2001) have been reported as a coating on soils.
Natural polymers from renewable sources such as seaweeds and crustaceous shells containing natural polymers and reinforcing cellulosic fibres from waste materials such as seeds and peels from tomato, olive and hemp processing are being tested as waterborne sprayable films (www.ictmp.ct.cnr.it).
Liquid films comprising of a mixture of biomaterial kelp and polyvinyl alcohol (PA) have also been tested on soils (Advanced Materials Research Vols. 328-330, 1462-1466, 2011).
Commercially available sprayable polymer emulsions/dispersions are predominantly used for protective and/or decorative coating applications across a variety of industrial applications. Film forming polymers are used as spray adjuvants and anti-transpirant films for horticulture and agriculture to form an artificial film on plant surfaces (e.g. leaves) for disease and pest control. These include oils, waxes, silicones and a variety of plastics films including products such as Nu-Film-Pn Nu-Film-17 film, Vapo-Gard film forming composition (based on natural pinolene) from Agspec and Moisturin, a vinyl-acrylic film from WellPlant.
The present invention seeks to provide a process for preparing a polymeric membrane of a polyurethane or polyurethane-urea elastomer for spray application to soil materials used in crop production, which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

Sprayable polyurethane/urea elastomer for agriculture

COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION


At least one optical waveguide is supported on a substrate and has a plurality of key apertures formed in a complaint element thereof. An optoelectronic device such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) has a plurality of projections that register with corresponding key apertures to position the optoelectronic device in a predetermined alignment relative to the optical waveguide.

The bandwidth requirement of chip-to-chip interconnections within large computer systems and network switches continues to grow at a very rapid pace. Current electrical interconnection schemes are experiencing bottlenecks due to the physical constraints of large, massively parallel bundles of electrical cables, connector size and/or limits on electrical bandwidth due to power and speed considerations. This has led to the increasing utilization of fiber optic interconnections which are preferred for long haul telecommunications links. Fiber optic interconnections can also be advantageously employed to link computer racks or shelves.
As central processing unit (CPU) clock speed continues to increase, and integrated circuits continue to become increasingly miniaturized, optical connections can be employed on circuit board assemblies to accommodate increasing bandwidth requirements. In addition to conductive circuit traces, optical waveguides have been employed on circuit board assemblies in lieu of discrete optical fibers. It is possible to use batch fabrication methods to apply and pattern polymer materials to form the desired optical waveguides. Thus arrays of optical waveguides can be formed on circuit board assemblies to augment traditional conductive paths. Electrical connections between conductive paths and other electrical devices are typically made with solder or removable connectors that do not require a high degree of mechanical alignment in order to function properly. However, an optoelectronic device, such as vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), requires precision alignment with an optical waveguide or another optoelectronic device, such as an avalanche photo-diode (APD), to ensure integrity of the signal transmission with minimal optical losses. For example, optoelectronic devices typically require alignment accuracy on the order of a few microns depending upon the specific optical design and implementation. This is significantly greater alignment accuracy than needed for electrical interconnections. Thus, there is a need for an optical assembly that can simultaneously achieve electrical and optical interconnections with the latter being achieved with a high degree of accuracy.
An alignment maintenance problem that needs to be addressed in an optical assembly that provides simultaneous electrical and optical interconnections arises from the fact that the different materials in the assembly have different coefficients of thermal expansion. Thus it is difficult to maintain alignment of optoelectronic devices within a few microns over a full range of fabrication and operating temperatures. For example if the design of the optical assembly requires an elevated temperature during fabrication, and it thereafter cools to ambient temperature, the optoelectronic device may become misaligned relative to its waveguide. Thus the optical link may not achieve signal transfer integrity during subsequent operation. In addition, as the temperature within a computer or switch cabinet cycles over time during normal operation the optoelectronic device may also become misaligned and therefore fail to correctly perform its intended function.
An optical assembly that can simultaneously achieve electrical and optical interconnections must be designed so that any sensitive components such as lenses are not scratched during handling. Moreover, it should be capable of accommodating arrays of optoelectronic devices.

Optical assembly with optoelectronic device alignment


It is an object of the present invention to provide a driving assistance apparatus. The driving assistance apparatus according to the present invention includes: a subject vehicle information acquisition unit to acquire subject vehicle information; a non-subject vehicle information acquisition unit to acquire non-subject vehicle information; an object generation unit to generate, based on the subject vehicle information and the non-subject vehicle information, a travel location object indicating at least one of a location where the subject vehicle is currently to travel and a location where the subject vehicle is currently not to travel when the subject vehicle merges or changes lanes from a lane in which the subject vehicle travels to a lane in which the non-subject vehicle travels; and a display controller to perform control to display, in accordance with travel of the subject vehicle, the travel location object superimposed on scenery around the subject vehicle.

When a subject vehicle merges into an expressway and the like or changes lanes to an adjacent lane during travel, a driver of the subject vehicle is required to pay attention to movement of a non-subject vehicle traveling in a lane of a road into which the subject vehicle merges or in a lane to which the subject vehicle changes lanes.
Technology to identify a merging part to allow a subject vehicle to merge into a lane in which a non-subject vehicle travels, and present, to a driver, a location on a road surface at which steering is to be performed to allow the subject vehicle to merge into the merging part has been disclosed (see Patent Document 1, for example). Technology to present a merging point and time to reach the merging point to an occupant of a subject vehicle has also been disclosed (see Patent Document 2, for example).

Driving assistance apparatus and driving assistance method


A planar pressure bulkhead for an air- or spacecraft, including a first planar wall designed as a pressure seal for a fuselage structure, a second planar wall arranged opposite the first wall, and a reinforcing structure which is arranged between the first and the second wall and which includes at least one circumferential monolithic reinforcing element. Furthermore, the present disclosure provides an air- or spacecraft, including a fuselage structure and a planar pressure bulkhead that is coupled to the fuselage structure in a circumferentially continuous manner.

Existing pressure bulkhead concepts generally comprise a connection of a spherical or bubble-shaped membrane to the fuselage structure. For this purpose, construction principles involving tension elements, L- and Y-profiles for attachment to the main structure are often used. The membrane is designed such that the cabin is sealed in a pressure-tight manner, such that the excess pressure in the cabin is maintained at cruising altitude.
A spherical membrane of this kind is a relatively simple construction solution which, as intended, only produces little bending strain. The interface between the pressure bulkhead and the skin is typically accompanied by a rigid frame, which is used to equalize radial loads. The axial loads are then equalized by the tension elements, which ultimately divert the X loads into the skin and stringer.
Planar pressure bulkhead solutions have since been developed as well. For example, DE 10 2010 018 933 A1 describes a planar pressure bulkhead comprising a support structure, which comprises radial stiffeners. Moreover, DE 10 2006 029 231 A1 describes an approximately planar pressure bulkhead which is formed of a net-like component and radial reinforcements. Moreover, DE 10 2012 016 553 A1 describes a connection for a planar pressure bulkhead to a fuselage structure.

Planar pressure bulkhead for an air- or spacecraft and air- or spacecraft


An industrial controller module (13a) is provided with a routine of program instructions (29a) for storing a log of I/O table state changes (31) in a defined portion of memory (23). Upon the occurrence of a trigger event, a file of the state changes (37) is saved in the memory (23). Each entry (32) in the log of I/O table state changes (31) includes a timestamp (33) and values of each word of I/O state data (36) that changed at a time of the timestamp. Logs of state change data (16a), including timestamp data, can also be saved for intelligent sensors and actuators (16) and uploaded with the log of controller processor state data (31) to a computer (20) with a diagnostic program (21a) for playing back the state changes and synchronizing changes of the intelligent sensors and actuators (16) with changes of the controller processor module (13a).

The present invention relates to controllers for controlling a machine, a collection of devices on a production line or various types of industrial processes.
Industrial controllers are special purpose computers used for controlling industrial processes and manufacturing equipment on a real-time basis. These controllers include programmable logic controllers using ladder diagram programs and machine control I/O devices and process controllers using function chart symbolic language and complex analog/digital I/O or a combination of these.
Under the direction of a user-language application program, the industrial controller examines the state of inputs reflecting the state of the controlled process and sets the state of the outputs controlling the controlled process. During operation, those inputs and outputs can be graphically displayed using a human machine interface (HMI) in the form of process animation, logic ladder, data values, or similar construct to provide real-time or "live" monitoring of the industrial process. An operator, such as a process engineer, may then perform any diagnostic or debugging assessments on this "live" data.
Conventional HMI's are designed to process only real-time values that are received from the industrial controller processor. In order for a process engineer to assess the industrial process using the monitoring tools provided by the HMI, such as ladder logic and process animation, simulated data values for the industrial process must be created using a model of the industrial process and input to the HMI for processing. To debug the industrial process, or portion thereof, the process engineer must either debug a simulation of the industrial process or manually create values that are believed to be consistent with those provided during the industrial process. However, this modeled data may not reveal the problem with the actual industrial process which may deviate from the idealized model.
In contrast, historian services have been implemented in industrial control applications to acquire time-series data during cycles of the industrial process for retroactive analysis. Generally, historian services collect and store the data that is fed to the HMI. The data is stored in a database that arranges the data based on the time at which it was acquired. This time-ordered data thereby provides a historical perspective of the industrial process that can be used to generate trending reports, charts, graphs, and the like.
Industrial controller systems may be spread out in numerous devices such as controllers, HMIs, and intelligent actuators and sensors. The state of these I/O devices must be considered as well as the state of the central controller processor in determining the overall state of the controller. Errors in the operation of industrial controller systems can be caused by dynamic variables such as the speed of operation. Errors in the operation of industrial controller systems can also be intermittent and difficult to reproduce.
Capturing all of the I/O data associated with even a moderately complex industrial control system can be difficult or impractical both because of the large amount of data storage required and the necessary bandwidth of the data acquisition system needed to collect high resolution data samples with high precision.

Capturing data during operation of an industrial controller for the debugging of control programs


Systems and methods for protecting symmetric encryption keys when performing encryption are described. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes retrieving at least one real key from a secure area and executing, with a processor, a key transform instruction to generate at least one transformed key based on receiving the at least one real key. The at least one transformed key is an encrypted version of at least one round key that is encrypted by the processor using the at least one real key. The processor is able to decrypt the at least one transformed key and encrypt the at least one round key.

Advanced encryption standard (AES) encryption has become the industry standard for symmetric encryption and is used in a wide range of data protection applications and scenarios. Three primary mechanisms exist to implement AES encryption on a platform including generic software, hardware accelerators, and software that utilizes specialized instructions (e.g., AES instruction set with new instructions (AES-NI)). These implementation methods have various security, performance, and power implications. Power and performance characteristics will vary by the workload characteristic. One advantage of performing a cryptographic implementation in a hardware accelerator or IP block is that the underlying AES keys are not exposed outside the boundaries of the IP implementation. On software implementations including those based on AES-NI, the underlying encryption keys are subject to greater exposure and generally rely on the operating system protection and integrity to safeguard the keys from both software and hardware attacks.


An embodied mobile drilling rig is made of three sections, two substructures and a mast section, which are easily transported and installed at a drilling site. Each substructure includes a mast starting section; a floor side box connected to the mast starting section; a subbase side box; elevating legs connected to the floor side box and the subbase side box; and a raising cylinder. The mast section connects to the mast starting sections. The raising cylinders engage the mast in order to raise the mast into a vertical orientation and then raise the floor side boxes into an operating position. The embodied mobile drilling rigs are configurable to be transported by road with as little as three major loads, all within legal or permitable load and dimensional limits for most regions.

In the current art, drilling rigs or workover rigs with a hook capacity between 450 kips and 500 kips represent the upper limit for rigs with a mast and drawworks package that can be transported on a single trailer within legal or permit able road transportation limitations. Above this capacity, single trailer packaging is not achievable with a full-height mast with traveling equipment and a top drive pre-strung with wireline without grossly exceeding practical road weight limitations.
Although single trailer packaging of a mast is expected for smaller capacity operations for efficient mobilization, this upper limit capacity with the single trailer packaging presents compromises to design that distinguish the limited rig from a "full blown drilling rig". Adherence to this type of packaging results in limitations of drawworks design, of working space on the floor, of mast flexibility, of mast durability, of mast stability, of floor height, of BOP height, and of allowable accessories. Extensive use of high-strength steel and extremely light design for components make the structural integrity inherently more critical or prone to and sensitive to damage that inevitably occurs in normal operations. Commonly, the mast or other components are removed and separately transported for legal road transport in many regions.
Many of the current single trailer or carrier rig designs treat the substructure somewhat as an afterthought. The packaging of the substructure for road transport, assembly, and erection is rarely given adequate attention.
In a fully capable, modern drilling package with a mud system with tanks, engine power and control modules, well control equipment, as well as other significant packages to complete, the mast and substructure represent only a portion of the total. Overall efficient packaging of the entire rig does not end with the mast and substructure.
One of the most notable deficiencies in mobile or "fast moving" rig packaging is the inability to move efficiently between wells a short distance apart. This major shortcoming is critical in some drilling operations that have wells in a cluster or single row. In these installations, the operator needs a rig to move very quickly (a few hours or less) between wells that are typically thirty meters or less apart from each other.
Most rig substructures are configured so that the rig must be completely rigged down to make these short moves. Other substructures have openings that allow skidding without rigging down, but have the disadvantage that the mast must be installed and laid down along the direction of the well row. This configuration is not acceptable because of the danger of the mast falling on a completed wellhead.
Current methods for modifying existing drilling rigs to allow them to move efficiently from well-to-well are very costly. The single trailer packaging does not lend itself to efficient well-to-well moves. The current art does not teach of any mobile or "fast moving" rigs that adequately address short well-to-well moves.
Some rig packages compromise on the mast height. Limitations to doubles or singles compromise on tripping efficiency and are not acceptable to many operators if a treble mast is available as an alternative.
A need, therefore, exists for a drilling rig that does not go beyond legal transportation limits, but also provides efficient installation and assembly, minimum rig up site requirement, scalability of rig capacity, mobility, well-to-well skidding, and winterization possibilities not found in the current art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A wire bonding method for ultrasonically joining two connecting electrodes with a wire includes the steps of forming at least one of the connecting electrodes with tantalum and forming the wire of one of a metallic wire having a fracture load of about 21 g or greater and a metallic wire having a fracture stress of 290 N/mm2 or greater.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire boding method for connecting two electrodes together with a wire, a surface acoustic wave apparatus and a method for producing a surface acoustic wave apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wire bonding method has been widely used for electrically connecting electrodes that are separated from each other. Since the surface of a bonding electrode is covered with an oxidized film, in order to attach a bonding wire thereon, the oxidized film must be removed. In an ultrasonic wire bonding method, ultrasonic oscillations are applied to a boding wire so that an oxidized film on the surface thereof is destroyed by sliding of the boding wire, thereby revealing an activated metallic surface. Then, a temperature increases due to frictional heat and a plastic flow causes localized melting, diffusion, and so forth, so that the junction is achieved by metallic bonding.
When such a wire bonding method is applied to surface acoustic wave elements which include an electrode made of a material such as tantalum having a larger specific weight than that of a piezoelectric substrate to excite a Shear Horizontal (xe2x80x9cSH-typexe2x80x9d) surface acoustic wave (Love wave, etc.), as disclosed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,433, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,847,486, there arises a problem that a bonding wire is not connected firmly to an electrode of the surface acoustic wave element.
In order to overcome the problems described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a wire bonding method by which a bonding wire is strongly connected to a tantalum electrode of a surface acoustic wave element, and provide a surface acoustic wave apparatus formed by using the above-described wire bonding method to have high junction strength and high electrical reliability and a method for producing a surface acoustic wave apparatus.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a wire bonding method for ultrasonically joining two connecting electrodes with a wire includes the steps of forming at least one of the connecting electrodes with tantalum and forming the wire of one of a metallic wire having a fracture load of about 21 g or greater and a metallic wire having a fracture stress of 290 N/mm2 or greater.
According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, by using a wire having large strength (breaking stress is large), plastic deformation is minimized and ultrasonic energy is effectively applied to the junction surface at the tantalum layer. Thereby, the strong junction due to the metallic bonding between the bonding wire and the tantalum layer is achieved, so that the bonding wire can be directly and reliably joined to the tantalum layer.
Furthermore, it is not necessary to form an additional electrode made from a material such as Au or Al on the tantalum layer, so that the number of manufacturing steps is greatly reduced, resulting in reduced cost.
For the fracture load, it is preferable that the bonding wire use an aluminum alloy wire, in particular use an Alxe2x80x94Si wire. By adding a very small amount of Si to the aluminum, the fracture load is greatly improved.
The wire bonding method according to preferred embodiments of the present invention may be preferably applied to a surface acoustic wave apparatus. That is, the method may be applied to a surface acoustic wave apparatus including a package having an element-mounting surface and a surface acoustic wave element fixed on the element-mounting surface of the package, the surface acoustic wave element including a piezoelectric substrate and IDTs and bonding electrodes disposed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric substrate, the bonding electrode of the surface acoustic wave element and an external connecting electrode of the package are connected together by an ultrasonic bonding wire method according to other preferred embodiments of the present invention. Thus, such a surface acoustic wave apparatus is prepared by a process including the steps of using tantalum for the IDT and bonding electrodes of the surface acoustic wave element, and using one of a bonding wire having a fracture load of about 21 g or greater and a bonding wire having a fracture stress of about 290 N/mm2 or greater for a bonding wire. Thereby, the large junction strength between the bonding wire and the bonding electrode formed by a tantalum layer can be obtained, so that even when a dropping impact is applied thereto, the bonding wire can be prevented from being removed from the bonding electrode.
For the purpose of illustrating the present invention, there is shown in the drawings several forms that are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
Other features, elements, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of preferred embodiments below with reference to the attached drawings.


A direct current restoration circuit in a digital VTR restores a low frequency component as a cut off in an input digital signal. The direct current restoration circuit has a feedback loop having variable gain. This gain is controlled according to a level of the signal obtained by adding an input signal and a signal as feed back. Therefore, the gain of the feedback loop can be precisely controlled irrespectively of wandering of the base line of the input signal. In addition, the feedback loop is cut off over a predetermined period including the time of switching of a magnetic head, so that waveform distortion at the time of switching can be prevented from being enlarged by the direct current restoration circuit. Additionally, the gain of the feedback loop is changed according to switching of the magnetic head, so that the low frequency component can be suitably compensated for each respective reproducing channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a DC (direct current) restoration circuit, and more particularly, to a DC restoration circuit for restoring and compensating a low frequency component of a digital signal if the low frequency component is lost in a digital signal transmission, recording or reproducing system such as a digital video tape recorder (referred to as digital VTR hereinafter).
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, a digital signal such as a non-return-to-zero (referred to as NRZ hereinafter) signal comprises a low frequency region including a DC component. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing frequency characteristics of such a digital signal, where the abscissa represents a relative frequency and the ordinate represents a relative level. In FIG. 1, a solid line represents frequency characteristics of the above described digital signal comprising low frequency component. In transmitting the digital signal, a signal component in the low frequency region, which is represented by a broken line may be cut off.
More specifically, for signal transmission through, for example, a transmission path, the transmission of a digital signal and the supply of power may be simultaneously made using a pair of signal lines. In such a case, a low frequency component in the digital signal may be cut off to transmit only a signal having a frequency component which is higher than a given value, and a low frequency region including a DC region may be allocated to the supply of power.
Additionally, for recording and reproducing of the digital signal in, for example, a digital VTR, the low frequency component in the digital signal is lost due to differential response characteristics of a magnetic head.
As described in the foregoing, when the low frequency component in the digital signal is cut off, the base line of the digital signal wanders. FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram showing the digital signal having its base line wandering, where a solid line represents a waveform of the digital signal and a dot and dash line represents the base line thereof. If and when the base line wanders as shown in FIG. 2, it becomes difficult to precisely determine whether the digital signal is at a high level or a low level on a receiving or reproducing side of the digital signal. As a result, there is an increased possibility that a code error occurs.
Therefore, conventionally, on the receiving or reproducing side of the digital signal, a DC restoration circuit, using a so-called quantized feedback method, is utilized in order to compensate for the low frequency component which is lost in the digital signal. Such a DC restoration circuit is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open Gazette No. 129975/1985.
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing one example of such a conventional DC restoration circuit, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing frequency characteristics of the circuit shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 4, the abscissa represents a relative frequency and the ordinate represents a relative level, as in FIG. 1.
In FIG. 3, a digital signal having a frequency component represented by a solid line in FIG. 4 is input to an input terminal 1 from a predetermined transmission or reproducing system. This digital signal corresponds to a signal having its low frequency region represented by the broken line in FIG. 1 out of the inherent frequency component represented by the solid line shown in FIG. 1 cut off by the above described various causes. This digital signal is applied to one input terminal 3 of an adder 2. In addition, an output terminal 4 of the adder 2 is connected to an input of a determination circuit 5. This determination circuit 5 performs processing such as retiming and data regeneration with respect to an input signal. A data signal "1" or "0" is outputted from an output terminal 8. A low frequency component extracted by a low-pass filter (LPF) 6 in this data signal is applied to another input terminal 7 of the adder 2 as a feedback signal. It is assumed that pass characteristics of the LPF 6 are set to be approximately equal to low frequency cut-off characteristics of the digital signal applied to the input terminal 1. As a result, a low frequency component as represented by a broken line in FIG. 4 is extracted from the LPF 6 and added to the input signal by the adder 2, so that the lost low frequency component in the input digital signal is restored.
Meanwhile, in the conventional DC restoration circuit as shown in FIG. 3, the feedback value from the LPF 6 is always constant. Thus, in the case of recording and reproducing of the digital signal in, for example, the digital VTR, if the amplitude of the input digital signal is wanders due to spacing loss, drop out or the like, a balance between a compensation signal from the LPF 6 and a signal to be compensated for from the input terminal 1 is destroyed because the feedback value is constant as described above, so that stable compensation for a low frequency component can not be made.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing one example of a DC restoration circuit proposed to solve such a problem, which is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open Gazette No. 123064/1986. The DC restoration circuit shown in FIG. 5 is the same as the DC restoration circuit shown in FIG. 3 except for the following. More specifically, a variable gain amplifier 9 is provided between an LPF 6 and an input terminal 7 of an adder 2. In addition, there is provided a level detector 10 for detecting a level of a signal input to an input terminal 1. More specifically, this level detector 10 has a function of rectifying and further smoothing the input signal. The gain of the variable gain amplifier 9, i.e., the feedback value from the LPF 6 is controlled by a control signal from the level detector 10. More specifically, in the DC restoration circuit shown in FIG. 5, the feedback value is controlled according to the level of the input digital signal, so that stable compensation for a low frequency component can be made.
However, the level detector 10 in the DC restoration circuit shown in FIG. 5 also detects a level of a low frequency component including a DC component, in the input digital signal. Thus, considering a case in which the base line of the input digital signal wanders by an extremely large amount, even if the amplitude itself of the input digital signal does not significantly wander, the wandering of the base line appears at an output of the level detector 10.
FIGS. 6(a) and (b) are waveform diagrams for explaining the principle on which such a phenomenon occurs. More specifically, when a digital signal (represented by a solid line) having a base line (represented by a dot and dash line) which greatly wanders, as shown in FIG. 6(a), is input to the level detector 10, this signal is rectified with respect to a reference level represented by an arrow A in the figure, as represented by a solid line in FIG. 6(b) and then, smoothed. As a result, an output as represented by a broken line in FIG. 6(b) is obtained from the level detector 10. Thus, even if the amplitude of the input digital signal (solid line) itself is approximately constant as shown in FIG. 6(a), the output of the level detector 10 (represented by a broken line in FIG. 6(b)) wanders due to the wandering of the base line (dot and dash line). As a result, the gain of the variable gain amplifier 9 is changed. More specifically, the feedback value from the LPF 6 wanders almost independently of the level of the input signal itself due to the wandering of the base line of the input signal, so that a balance between a compensation signal from the LPF 6 and the signal to be compensated for from the input terminal 1 is destroyed. As a result, the lost low frequency component in the digital signal is not fully compensated for, so that the possibility is increased that an error occurs in determinating data.
The following measures to solve such a problem, are considered: (1) to increase the smoothing time constant of the level detector 10, and (2) to obtain an input to the level detector 10 from an output terminal 4 of the adder 2. However, in the above described method (1), a control signal is delayed as the smoothing time constant is increased, for example. In addition, in the method (2), a feedback ratio must be restrained low so as to prevent oscillation of a system, so that compensation of a low frequency component is not fully made.
Meanwhile, as a supply source to the DC restoration circuit of the above described digital signal having its low frequency component lost, a recording/reproducing apparatus of the digital signal is known as described above. A typical recording/reproducing apparatus is a digital VTR for recording/reproducing a PCM (Pulse-Code Modulation) video signal utilizing a plurality of rotary heads.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a reproducing system in such a conventional digital VTR, and FIG. 8 is a waveform diagram for explaining an operation of the digital VTR shown in FIG. 7.
In FIG. 7, recording/reproducing heads 13A and 13B are provided opposed to each other by 180.degree. on a guide cylinder 11. In addition, a magnetic tape 12 serving as a recording media is wound around the guide cylinder 11. Windings 14A and 14A' and 14B and 14B' respectively constitute rotary transformers, which are connected to pre-amplifiers 15A and 15B respectively provided corresponding to heads 13A and 13B. Outputs from the pre-amplifiers 15A and 15B shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b), i.e., reproduced outputs of the heads 13A and 13B are alternately selected by a switch 18. A PG head 22 for detecting rotation of a cylinder detects magnetic flux of each of magnets 21A and 21B provided on the guide cylinder 11. The magnets 21A and 21B are reversed in polarity. Thus, a signal having its polarity alternately reversed as shown in FIG. 8(c) is obtained from the PG head 22. An output signal of this PG head 22 is amplified by a amplifier 23 and then, separated for each polarity by comparators 24A and 24B. Outputs of the comparators 24A and 24B are respectively delayed by a predetermined time by delay circuits 25A and 25B, to be applied to a set input and a reset input of an R-S flip-flop 26. More specifically, the R-S flip-flop 26 is alternately set and reset by outputs of the delay circuits 25A and 25B. An output of the R-S flip-flop 26 shown in FIG. 8(d) is used for switching control of the switch 18 as an RF switching pulse. For example, a terminal 16A is selected and connected to a terminal 17 when the output of the R-S flip-flop 26 is at an "H" level, while a terminal 16B is selected and connected to the terminal 17 when the output is at an 37 L" level. By such a switching operation of the switch 18, the outputs of the pre-amplifiers 15A and 15B come to be continuous as shown in FIG. 8(e ), i.e., combined, to be applied to a waveform equalizer 19. A reproduced digital signal from the wave form equalizer 19 is output through an output terminal 20.
Meanwhile, in the digital VTR shown in FIG. 7, a signal recorded on a magnetic tape 12 serving as a recording media comprises an effective signal section and a preamble portion and a postamble portion before and after the section, as shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b). These preamble portions and postamble portion comprise a signal having a Nyquist frequency of data in the effective signal section, i.e., a signal having a frequency corresponding to the highest frequency of the recorded signal, in which portions there inherently exists no low frequency component unlike a data signal. A signal (in FIG. 8(e)) reproduced from the magnetic tape 12 by the reproducing system shown in FIG. 7 and output from the output terminal 20 is applied to a PLL (Phase-Locked Loop) circuit (not shown) after a DC component thereof is restored by the DC restoration circuit shown in FIG. 3 or 5. This PLL circuit causes a capturing operation to be completed during periods of the above described preamble portion and postamble portion in the input signal, to generate a clock signal synchronized with the signal having the above described Nyquist frequency. Determination whether data is at a high level or a low level in the effective signal section is made based on this clock signal. More specifically, as described above, if the preamble portion and the postamble portion are provided before and after the effective signal section so that the capturing operation of the PLL circuit is completed during the period thereof, a data determining operation in the effective signal section can be quickly performed.
However, in the digital VTR using rotary heads as shown in FIG. 7, intermittent signals as shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) must be made continuous by switching the switch 18, to be combined into an output signal as shown in FIG. 8(e). At the time point of switching of this switch 18, waveform distortion may be caused in the combined signal. As causes of such waveform distortion, the following are considered: (1) the difference in amplitute between reproduced outputs based on the respective differences in characteristics between magnetic heads and between respective transmission systems thereof, (2) discontinuity of phases of signals in the preamble portion and the postamble portion at the time of combination, and (3) spike-shaped switching noises in the preamble portion and the postamble portion.
FIGS. 9A and 9B are waveform diagrams for explaining a state in which such waveform distortion is caused. In FIGS. 9A and 9B, (a) shows a signal having a Nyquist frequency in the preamble portion and the postamble portion in the reproduced signal shown in FIG. 8(e) in an enlarged manner, and (b) shows a DC component extracted from the output signal of the reproducing system by the LPF 6 in the DC restoration circuit. In addition, in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a broken line represents timings for switching of the switch 18. For FIG. 9A, a signal cycle is continuous at the point in time of switching, so that an unnecessary low frequency component is not generated in an output of the LPF 6. However, for FIG. 9B, when reproduced signals from the heads are combined, a signal cycle becomes discontinuous at the point in time of switching due to the relative time difference. In this case, this discontinuous portion is extracted by the LPF 6 as a low frequency component, to be enlarged by the action of a feedback loop. The signal having a Nyquist frequency in the preamble portion is significantly lost due to such a low frequency component. Thus, the clock signal is not reproduced by the PLL circuit, so that it may be impossible to determine digital data. Furthermore, in order to prevent such a situation, it is necessary to set a longer period for the preamble portion. Consequently, the effective signal section must be shortened, so that a considerable amount of data can not be recorded. On the other hand, the measures to prevent a malfunction caused by drop out of a input signal is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open Gazette Nos. 16275/1987 and 129975/1985.
Additionally, in the reproducing system in the digital VTR shown in FIG. 7, the rotary transformers 14A and 14A' and 14B and 14B' are respectively provided corresponding to the heads 13A and 13B. Thus, there exist differences in frequency characteristics, amplitude level and the like between the respective output signals (in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b)) (such a difference is referred to as a characteristic difference between channels hereinafter). Thus, in the DC restoration circuit shown in FIGS. 3 or 5, if a constant, i.e, feedback loop characteristics of the DC restoration circuit are set corresponding to characteristics of one channel, i.e., a system corresponding to any one of the magnetic heads, a compensation error occurs with respect to the other channel, so that the possibility becomes large that an error occurs in discriminating date.

DC restoration circuit for restoring and compensating a low frequency component lost in a digital signal


A measuring device for providing a portable and easy-to-use electronic measuring device. The measuring device generally includes a housing which includes a locking member, a reel member, a sensing assembly and control unit. A length of string is wound around the reel member, which is secured within the housing in a manner which allows the string to be retracted around the reel member absent outside force. As the string is dispensed through a string opening on the housing, a sensor wheel having a plurality of counting indicia will be rotated underneath one or more sensing members, which act to calculate the distance of string which has been dispensed. This data is communicated to a control unit, which causes the relevant information to be shown on a display on the housing. The locking member may be utilized to stop the string from being dispensed after the requisite length has been dispensed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a measuring device and more specifically it relates to a measuring device for providing a portable, cost-efficient and easy-to-use electronic measuring device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Measuring devices such as tape measures have been in use for years. In the past, such measuring devices have generally included a tape or string which includes indicia thereon for indicating the length of tape or string which has been dispensed. Existing electronic tape measures are often very difficult to use, bulky and expensive. Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved measuring device for providing a portable, cost-efficient and easy-to-use electronic measuring device.


A base slat pry stopper, such as a base slat locking bracket, for locking a rolling shutter curtain covering an opening of a structure is disclosed. The base slat pry stopper may include a bracket base plate mounted to an opening bottom wall on an interior side of the shutter curtain, and a base slat engagement portion extending upward from the bracket base plate and above a top surface of the opening bottom wall. When the shutter curtain is unrolled to cover the opening, the base slat engagement portion engages the base slat to prevent the base slat from deflecting upward away from the opening bottom wall when a force applied from an exterior side of the shutter curtain causes the base slat to deflect toward the interior side of the structure and the shutter curtain. The base slat pry stopper may be permanently or removably installed.

Rolling protective shutters are conventional and are used to provide protection against extreme weather conditions and to deter theft, for example. One such rolling protective shutter assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,224 to Miller (hereinafter "the Miller '224 patent"). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the Miller '224 patent, a rolling shutter assembly is composed of a shutter support member, a shutter curtain formed by a plurality of elongate slats interconnected by a plurality of elongate hinges, and side tracks mounted on either side of an opening. When not in use, the shutter curtain may be rolled up onto the shutter support member within a housing disposed mounted above the opening. When the shutter curtain is unrolled to its protective position, each of the slats is disposed vertically with ends of the slats disposed within the side tracks on either side of the opening. The ends of the slats can include extension members attached thereto that are engaged by fins within the side tracks to prevent the ends of the slats from being pulled out of the side tracks. A bottommost or base slat of the shutter curtain has an extendable lock arm at either end that can be extended when the shutter curtain is in the protective position and received by corresponding openings within the side tracks to prevent the shutter curtain from being lifted and allowing ingress through the opening.
The base slat can typically only be attached to the side tracks with similar locking mechanisms that slide from the base slat into the side tracks and are received by openings therein. In such arrangements, the engagement of the lock arms within the side track openings provides the only two points of contact for locking or securing the base slat. Due to the flexibility of the base slat, especially as the width of the shutter curtain increases, the shutter security can be compromised in some installations by a pry bar or crow bar being inserted under the base slate, and the base slat being pried up to allow a breach of the security of the shutter curtain. Once the security is breached, access into the structure can be gained through the opening, leaving property therein susceptible to vandalism and theft.


A method of making a composite material in which a porous preform is produced by spray casting. An appropriate metal or alloy is caused to infiltrate the interconnected pores. This may be accomplished by infiltrating the porous preform with a liquid metal of a melting point lower than the melting point of the porous preform and thereafter solidifying the infiltrated material or the material can be infiltrated by the use of a slurry containing the desired particles and the liquid carrier driven off by baking the infiltrated preform. Alternatively, infiltration may be accomplished by plating of a desired metal or alloy from an appropriate infiltrate electroplating or electro-less plating solution.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method for making a composite material. More particularly, this invention relates to the method of making a composite material with three dimensional interconnectivity.
2. Background Information
In the past, various composite materials have been made consisting of two different metals or alloys in order to enhance the properties of each of the two ingredients.
One way of making such a composite in which a second material is dispersed throughout a first material as a discrete phase is by powder metallurgy techniques. In powder metallurgy, the two materials are first formed into powders. The powders are then mixed together and consolidated into a discrete shape. The consolidated shape is then sintered to obtain structural integrity.

Method for producing a composite material


A first frame member has an accommodating section adapted to accommodate a rolled sheet at a rear side of the first frame member. A print head is operable to perform printing with respect to a part drawn out from the rolled sheet. A second frame member is provided with the print head and supported on a front side of the first frame member so as to be movable between a first position and a second position. A locking mechanism locks the second frame member at the first position. A release lever releases the locked state of the second frame member when the release lever is pulled toward the second frame member. User access with respect to at least the accommodating section is allowed when the second frame member is placed in the second position.

The present invention relates to a printing unit that is incorporated in an installation type information terminal such as a kiosk terminal or an automatic teller machine (ATM).
There are various kinds of installation type information terminals, such as a kiosk terminal that is installed in a railroad station, airport, a convenience store, or the like, an ATM, a counting and recording terminal that is installed in a parking lot, a gas station, or the like, that print prescribed information on recording paper and issue a resulting sheet, or a ticket reservation and issuance machine for a theater ticket or the like. To print prescribed information such as details of a deal or purchase or ticket reservation information on prescribed paper and issue a resulting sheet, such installation type information terminals incorporate a printing unit that accommodates a roll of recording paper (rolled sheet).
In many cases, such installation type information terminals are installed in a limited business space such as a store. Therefore, they are required to occupy as small an installation area as possible. As a result, printing units that are incorporated in such information terminals are also required to be small and occupy a small installation space. In particular, in convenience stores etc. in which a kiosk terminal is installed, it is important to utilize the floor space effectively. To utilize the floor space effectively, the kiosk terminal is usually installed in front of a wall or a wall face of a goods display stand.
The back side and the right and left sides of the kiosk terminal are also parts of the important floor space, and it is not appropriate to keep these spaces unoccupied as dead spaces for maintenance. In the above circumstances, to perform rolled sheet replacement or maintenance work from the right, left, or back side of the kiosk terminal, it is necessary to move the kiosk terminal or move the goods that are located on the right or left of or behind the kiosk terminal. As a result, even such maintenance work as rolled sheet replacement, which is simple in itself, becomes very complicated. This is not preferable in terms of the store management.
In view of the above, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-11917A proposes a printer unit (printing unit) that facilitates maintenance work by exposing components of a printing device to the front side. In this printing unit, rolled sheet replacement and maintenance work can be performed from the front side of an information terminal by tilting a movable frame that is mounted with almost all components, such as a printing section and a rolled sheet container, toward the front side and exposing almost all internal structures of the printing unit to the front side. The workability is thus improved.
However, in the printing unit disclosed in the above publication, a locking mechanism is provided to prevent an unintended movable frame tilting operation. In addition, the locking mechanism and tilting mechanism are of independent functions. Therefore, to access the inside of the printer unit, it is necessary to effect releasing before a tilting manipulation and then expose the inside of the printing unit by tilting the movable frame. Manipulations by both hands are necessary; that is, a releasing manipulation is performed by one hand and a tilting manipulation is performed by the other hand. It is therefore required to replace the rolled sheet after opening the printer unit with both hands, and the efficiency of rolled sheet replacement work is thus low. Further, the configuration that causes exposure of the inside of the printing unit is not appropriate for daily work such as rolled sheet replacement because the inside of the printer unit is subjected to a risk of being damaged by, for example, a drop of goods. It is also desired to increase the efficiency of setting a recording portion of a rolled sheet in a transport path after mounting the rolled sheet.

Printing unit with frame locking mechanism and release lever