A control system for a chassis dynamometer for bench testing vehicular performance, comprises at least one roller rotatably coupled with a vehicular wheel said roller to be driven by driving torque transmitted from said vehicular wheel therefrom, at least one dynamometer coupled with the roller to be driven by driving torque transmitted through the roller, a first monitor for monitoring preselected control parameters for providing first chassis dynamometer control data, a second monitor for monitoring rotary components in a system associated with the dynamometer including the dynamometer per se, for providing second chassis dynamometer control data, and a control signal generator for receiving the first and second chassis dynamometer control parameters for deriving a dynamometer control signal generating a control signal to said dynamometer for providing a rolling resistance to said vehicular wheel at said roller simulating a predetermined vehicular driving condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a chassis dynamometer for performing a bench test of performance of an automotive vehicle. More specifically, the invention relates to a control system for a chassis dynamometer which is particularly applicable for a road test simulating bench test for a four wheel drive type automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the Background Art
Japanese Patent First (Unexamined) Publication (Tokkai) Showa 63-55433 discloses a chassis dynamometer for a four wheel drive type automotive vehicle. The disclosed chassis dynamometer employs rollers for four respective vehicular wheels, a power absorber device and a mechanical inertia device. Clutches are provided for connecting left and right rollers for synchronizing two front rollers and two rear rollers respectively by engagement of clutches. Namely, the chassis dynamometer disclosed in the above-identified publication is operable in two distinct modes. When the clutches are disconnected, the left and right wheels operates independently of each other for independent operation of the four respective rollers. When the clutches are engaged, synchronous operation between respective left and right rollers is achieved. In such case, front and rear pairs of rollers are operative independently of each other. In the disclosed system, distribution of the driving torque for respective rollers is controlled as a function of acceleration of the overall unit of the chassis dynamometer. In derivation of a torque different between front and rear rollers, specific inertia, i.e. mechanical inertia, of front and rear wheels is not taken into consideration.
A similar type of chassis dynamometer has been proposed in Japanese Patent First (Unexamined) Publication (Tokkai) shows 61-734 and Japanese Patent First (Unexamined) Publication (Tokkai) Heisei 2-46891. In the latter two publications, a component of mechanical inertia is not taken into account. Since a vehicle is always subject to mechanical inertia, failure to monitor mechanical inertia may cause test accuracy to be degraded. In other words, the systems set forth above cannot precisely simulate a road test because distribution of driving torque to respective rollers may be differentiated from actual road test data due to lack of the mechanical inertia factor.
On the other hand, in order to simulate behavior of the four wheel vehicle, it becomes necessary to simulate load distribution between front and rear axles. That is, during actual driving of the vehicle, the vehicular attitude can be changed by shifting of the center of gravity affected by inertia moment. Typical attitude change are known as winding up or squatting and nose diving, which are caused by axial shifting of the center of gravity. Conventionally, such vehicular attitude changes have not been possible to simulate. The aforementioned Japanese Patent First Publication Showa 63-55433 provides a certain gain in simulating vehicular pitching motion by providing the capability of operating the front rollers and rear rollers independently of each other. However, even by utilizing such a chassis dynamometer, it has not yet been possible to successfully simulate nose diving caused by an inertial moment of a vehicular body.
On the other hand, in modern automotive technologies, it has been becoming important to simulate vehicular body attitude change for testing performance of an attitude control system to be installed in the vehicle. For instance, capability of simulating nose diving will permit testing and evaluation of performance of the anti-skid brake control systems. In the current technology, nose dives may be simulated by providing a load distribution control system for the vehicle or otherwise by utilizing special arrangements of a chassis dynamometer which is specifically designed for simulating nose dives.
There are two types of four wheel drive power train arrangements to be employed in the vehicle. One of those is a full-time four wheel drive power train layout, in which driving torque generated by an automotive engine is always distributed to all four wheels. The other is a part-time four wheel drive power train layout, in which the power train normally operates as a two wheel drive power train, and switches to four wheel drive under predetermined conditions, such as excessive wheel slippage of the primary drive wheels. In case of the part-time four wheel power train layout, since the vehicle is normally driven by a two wheel drive power train layout, simulation is substantially the same as that for a two wheel drive vehicle. Also, even when the part-time four wheel power train is switched into four wheel mode due to excessive wheel slippage at the primary driving wheels, since the wheel slippage may easily be caused even in the four wheel drive mode power train layout both on the primary and auxiliary driving wheels, the simulation will not be significantly different from conventional two wheel drive vehicles. However, on the other hand, in the modern full-time four wheel power train layout, distribution of driving torque is variable depending upon vehicular driving conditions. Typically, torque distribution is adjusted in proportion to acceleration and deceleration. When bench testing is to be performed on a chassis dynamometer for such a vehicle having a variable torque split full-time four wheel drive power train layout, for simulating straight acceleration and deceleration on a smooth road, wheel speeds at front and rear wheels will become different. At the same time, the rotation speed of the roller as an imaginary road surface is required to be equal for all rollers. Particularly for performing a 10 mode test or an LA-4 mode test for testing fuel consumption and exhaust gas composition, uniformity of roller speed becomes essential for providing satisfactory testing accuracy.
Namely, in case of a four wheel drive vehicle having a passive differential mechanism, such as a center differential gear unit, wheel speed at the front and rear wheels should be different because ground speed at all wheels are equal to each other. Naturally, increasing of the wheel speed difference between the front and rear wheels may increase internal loss of driving torque in the center differential gear unit and may influence exhaust gas composition and fuel consumption. On a chassis dynamometer, there also exists wheel slippage characteristics similar to those occurring on an actual road surface. Therefore, it is considered that, by adjusting the peripheral speed, that is, the rotational speed of the outer surfaces of the rollers to be consistent with each other, torque distribution similar to that on an actual road can be simulated.
In an actual road test, overall driving torque at four wheels can be expressed by the following equation: EQU F=A+Bv.sup.2 +Mg.times.(dv/dt)+Mgsin .theta. (1)
wherein
F: vehicular driving force; in case of four wheel drive vehicle, total driving force of driving forces at respective of four wheels; PA1 A: rolling resistance of the wheel; PA1 B: coefficient of air resistance; PA1 v: vehicular speed (m/sec.) PA1 M: vehicular inertia weight (kg) PA1 g: gravitational acceleration; and PA1 .theta.: inclination angle of the road surface in the longitudinal direction. PA1 at least one roller rotatably coupled with a vehicular wheel, said roller to be driven by driving torque transmitted from said vehicular wheel; PA1 at least one dynamometer coupled with the roller to be driven by driving torque transmitted through the roller; PA1 first monitoring means for monitoring preselected control parameters for providing first chassis dynamometer control data; PA1 second monitoring means for monitoring rotary components in a system associated with the dynamometer including the dynamometer per se, for providing second chassis dynamometer control data; PA1 control signal generator means for receiving the first and second chassis dynamometer control parameters for deriving a dynamometer control signal for generating a control signal to said dynamometer providing a rolling resistance to said vehicular wheel at said roller simulating a predetermined vehicular driving condition. PA1 at least first and second rollers rotatably coupled with first and second vehicular wheels oriented at axially different position on a vehicular body, said rollers being driven by driving torque transmitted from said vehicular wheels; PA1 at least first and second dynamometers respectively coupled with the first and second rollers to be driven by driving torque transmitted through an associated one of said first and second rollers; PA1 first monitoring means for monitoring preselected control parameters associated with the first roller, for providing first chassis dynamometer control data; PA1 second monitoring means for monitoring preselected control parameters associated with the second roller, for providing second chassis dynamometer control data; PA1 third monitoring means for monitoring rotary components in a system associated with the first dynamometer including the first dynamometer per se, for providing third chassis dynamometer control data; PA1 fourth monitoring means for monitoring inertial force of rotary components in a system associated with the second dynamometer including the second dynamometer per se, for providing fourth chassis dynamometer control data; PA1 control signal generator means for receiving the first and third chassis dynamometer control data for deriving a first dynamometer control signal for generating a control signal to said first dynamometer providing a rolling resistance to said vehicular wheels of said first roller simulating predetermined vehicular driving condition and for receiving the second and fourth chassis dynamometer control data for deriving a second dynamometer control signal for generating a control signal to said second dynamometer providing a rolling resistance to said vehicular wheels at said second roller simulating predetermined vehicular driving condition. PA1 a first roller rotatably coupled with the primary driving wheel to be driven by driving torque transmitted therefrom; PA1 a second roller rotatably coupled with the auxiliary driving wheel to be driven by driving torque transmitted therefrom; PA1 at least first and second dynamometers respectively coupled with the first and second rollers to be driven by driving torque transmitted through an associated one of said first and second rollers; PA1 first monitoring means for monitoring preselected control parameters associated with the first roller, for providing first chassis dynamometer control data; PA1 second monitoring means for monitoring preselected control parameters associated with the second roller, for providing second chassis dynamometer control data; PA1 third monitoring means for monitoring inertial force of rotary components in a system associated with the first dynamometer, including the first dynamometer per se, for providing third chassis dynamometer control data; PA1 fourth monitoring means for monitoring inertial force of rotary components in a system associated with the second dynamometer including the second dynamometer per se, for providing fourth chassis dynamometer control data; PA1 control signal generator means for receiving the first and third chassis dynamometer control data for deriving a first dynamometer control signal for generating a signal to said first dynamometer providing rolling resistance to said vehicular wheel associated with said first roller simulating predetermined vehicular driving condition and for receiving the second and fourth chassis dynamometer control data for deriving a second dynamometer control signal for generating a signal to said second dynamometer providing rolling resistance to said vehicular wheel associated with said second roller simulating a predetermined vehicular driving condition.
Normally, if the testing is performed simulating a flat road, the element (mgsin .theta.) can be neglected. The element (A) and element (Bv.sup.2) are absorbed by the dynamometer or by a power absorbing device. On the other hand, the element (mg(dv/dt)) is absorbed by a mechanical inertia control device, such as a flywheel or electrical inertia control means as disclosed in the above-identified publications. Especially, as illustrated in the aforementioned publication, electrical inertia control means is frequently employed. This is because the mechanical inertia of the roller and power absorbing device becomes approximately double that of a two wheel drive vehicle. For instance, in case of a chassis dynamometer having rollers of 1591 mm in diameter, the mechanical inertia of the roller and a power absorbing device will be in a range of 400 kg to 500 kg in case of a two wheel drive vehicle and in a range of 800 kg to 1000 kg in the case of a four wheel drive vehicle. Since the overall weight of a general small size vehicle is in a range of 800 kg to 1300 kg, it is almost equal to the mechanical inertia of the mechanical inertia absorbing device. Since the mechanical inertia in the electrical inertia absorbing means has much smaller mechanical inertia, the electric inertia absorbing means are advantageously employed.
On the other hand, concerning a composite ratio of traveling resistance, the elements (A) and (Bv.sup.2) which are called as constant speed traveling resistance will not exceed 500N at vehicle speeds lower than or equal to 80 km/h. On the other hand, the traveling resistance of the element (Mg(dv/dt) at accelerating state in a magnitude of 0.1 g and at 1000 kg of the overall vehicular weight, becomes approximately 980N and therefore greater than that of the constant speed traveling resistance.
Accordingly, in such testing including testing for acceleration and deceleration, the technologies disclosed in the aforementioned publications are applicable only for a 50:50 torque split ratio. For this reason, the speed difference control disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent First Publication Showa 63-55433, becomes substantially low in response for the vehicle having torque split ratio far different from even distribution (50:50).

Control system for chassis dynamometer for simulating road test of automotive vehicle


An alternate path selection structure is provided which reduces the effects of aborting an operation. The present invention comprises a structure and method that allows efficient retrieval of alternate paths to pursue in a microcode sequence. The present invention is useful in a computer system having a central processing unit, input/output units and a memory unit, each of which include means for generating condition signals indicative of the current status thereof, wherein the central processing unit includes a microsequencer comprising storage means for storing microinstructions for the central processing unit, the input/output units and the memory unit; means for storing the last microinstruction retrieved from the storage means; means for generating an alternate address to the storage means in response to the condition signals; means for producing an abort signal also in response to the condition signals; and, means for selecting either the microinstruction retrieved from the storage means or the last microinstruction in the means for storing in response to the state of the abort signal.

1. Field Of The Invention
The invention relates to control in a computer system and, more particularly, to a distributed pipeline microsequencer structure and method for controlling the computer.
2. Background Of The Invention
Pipelining an execution data path is one of several techniques to improve overall performance of a computer system. This results in a reduction of the amount of functionality that is required at any given stage in the computer, thus allowing higher clock speeds and therefore higher performance. A problem in pipelining is the latency that occurs when the pipeline flow is broken. The deeper the pipe, the greater the latency. Much effort is placed in assuring that pipeline breaks are minimized by proper structuring of microcode, but this technique is not always effective.
In a microcoded execution unit, the various functional structures, such as adders and data rotators, are controlled by specific control fields within the microcode word. A microcode word is used for controlling a single step of a complex computation algorithm such as an arithmetic divide. A complex algorithm may consist of many microcode words that are executed in some specific order to accomplish the algorithm. The execution of this algorithm requires both the serial execution of groups of microcode words and, in many cases, a choice of an alternate sequence as a function of some dynamic condition of the data. This change in sequencing creates the pipeline breaks and resultant latency delays.
An individual microcode word contains information in predefined fields that will cause certain operations to occur in the data path structures of the computer at the specific machine cycle time that the microcode word is executed. To specify the next microcode word to be executed, a defined field within a microcode word will contain the address of the location in the control store that contains the next sequential microcode word. As each microcode word is executed, its corresponding next address field provides the address within the control store that contains the next sequential microcode word to be executed. This field will automatically be utilized to access and provide the next microcode word for the next machine cycle.
A complex instruction-set microcoded computer executes the high level operators by executing a sequence of microcode words. This process is normally initiated by a code evaluation unit within the computer examining and providing an initial address of the microcode word sequence to the first stage of the microsequencer. At the termination of a microcode sequence, a mechanism is required to allow a request to be made for the initial address associated with the microcode word sequence of the next-to-be-executed high level operator.
The execution of an algorithm designed to execute a high level computer instruction utilizes both the sequential execution of microcode words and conditional execution of alternate sequences of microcode words as a function of dynamic data conditions. The penalty for aborting a pipeline can be quite severe and negate much of the performance improvement achieved by the pipeline.

Multiple alternate path pipelined microsequencer and method for controlling a computer


An automatic erasing and programming device for erasable programmable read-only memory chips includes a housing having a working surface with a plurality of receptacles for receiving the memory chips. A source of ultraviolet light is provide for erasing the memory chips by ultraviolet light irradiation. An ultraviolet light source for turning it on and off. A device for determining completion of erasure of all old data in the memory chips is connected to the light source control device for turning it off when all old data are erased. A programming device for programming the memory chips with new data is responsive to the erasure determining device for starting programming with the new data when the old data have been erased.

The erasing process of memories of this type typically takes from 10 to 30 minutes of ultraviolet irradiation. The exposure time is widely variable even for ROMs taken from the same production runs. According to the known art, a separate erasing device is used for mounting the ROM chips while they are being exposed to the UV radiation. After radiation the chips are taken to a programming device connected to a control circuit, usually a computer, which loads the new data into the ROM chips.
The process is slow and requires much handling of the chips with resulting loss of components, breakage, mistakes and exposure to static voltage damage to the chips.
The instant invention overcomes the problem of programming E.sup.2 ROM chips according to the known erasing and reprogramming method and apparatus.

Automatic programming and erasing device for electrically erasable programmable read-only memories


A quantum dot white light-emitting diode includes a cathode, an anode, and a light-emitting layer disposed therebetween. The light-emitting layer includes: a blue fluorescent organic layer, a spacer layer, and a quantum dot light-emitting layer. The blue fluorescent organic layer is disposed near the cathode side, the quantum dot light-emitting layer is disposed near the anode side, and the spacer layer is disposed between the blue fluorescent organic layer and the quantum dot light-emitting layer. A material of the quantum dot light-emitting layer contains quantum dots, a material of the blue fluorescent organic layer contains a blue fluorescent organic material, and a material of the spacer layer contains a spacer material. A triplet exciton energy of the spacer material is greater than a triplet exciton energy of the blue fluorescent organic material, and a triplet exciton energy of the spacer material is greater than a quantum dot exciton energy.

At present, white light diodes are widely used in the field of display and lighting. They are mainly divided into inorganic white light diodes and organic or quantum dot white light-emitting diodes. The most significant difference between the two is that inorganic white light-emitting diodes emit light from luminous points, while organic or quantum-dot white light-emitting diodes emit light from luminous surface. This promotes the diversified development of display and lighting apparatus and application scenarios and brings imagination and convenience to life.
In surface luminescence technology, bright and delicate color of quantum dots and the easy adjustment are unique advantages of quantum dot white light-emitting diodes in the field of display and lighting. For example, they can realistically display or restore the original appearance of objects, which gives people a visual shock and pleasure.
After nearly thirty years of development, great progress has been made in red and green single-color quantum dot light-emitting diodes in terms of efficiency and life span, which has reached commercial standards. However, the life span of blue-light quantum dot light-emitting diodes is far behind. Therefore, in order to achieve efficient and stable long-life quantum dot white light-emitting diodes, it is urgent to find a suitable blue light alternative material.
Prior to this, the industry has proposed the use of blue organic materials combined with red and green quantum dots to achieve white light. However, phosphorescent materials or thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) materials have been widely used as blue substances in these cases. Despite high luminous efficiency of these substances, their life span still does not meet commercialization requirement thus making it difficult to achieve the goal of long life span. Often, the cases of combining blue organic fluorescent substances with red and green quantum dots are just a concept, yet no feasible implementation plans have been given.
For blue organic fluorescent light-emitting diodes, the advantages are the good stability and long life span, which meet commercialization requirements, but the shortcoming is the low luminous efficiency. This is because radiative recombination only occurs in singlet excitons in the organic fluorescent material to emit blue light, and triplet excitons return to the ground state in the form of non-radiative recombination, and the ratio of singlet excitons to triplet excitons is 1:3. Accordingly, a theoretical maximum internal quantum efficiency of blue organic fluorescent light-emitting diodes may be only 25%, which is far from the 100% internal quantum efficiency we are pursuing. Apparently, for white light diodes that combine blue organic phosphors with red and green quantum dots, such inefficient blue light emission severely restricts the internal quantum efficiency of white light diodes.
Therefore, the existing technology needs to be improved and further developed.


A device for measuring radioactivity for a machine for use in the extraction of radioactive ore and including at least one moving receptacle (18) suitable for containing a load of ore. The device comprises a rod (120) having its top end hinged to the machine in such a manner as to leave the rod free to swing in at least one vertical plane, the bottom end of the rod having a radioactive radiation detector (122) covering a determined solid angle, the device further including displacement means (140, 166) for bringing the rod and the receptacle in reproducible manner into a mutual disposition such that the load of ore contained in the receptacle occupies a substantial portion of the solid angle of the detector. An arm (110) is preferably provided between the rod and the machine.

On a site for working radioactive ores, it is common practice from time to time to measure abundance by measuring the radioactivity of the extracted ore. Such measurement is used mainly for sorting ore into grades of different abundances, and in order to eliminate ore which is considered as being sterile or too poor, while also making it possible to obtain an indication about the production from a site over a given period of time by summing all of the measurements performed. Overall, such measurements serve to optimize the working of a quarry.
In general, prior measurement devices comprise a radiation-measuring gate of such a size as to enable dumper trucks or other ore-conveying machinery to pass through the gate, with the gate including one or more top cross-members having various radioactivity detectors mounted thereon. The detectors may be Geiger-Muller tubes or monocrystal scintillation meters suitable for detecting the gamma rays given off by the load and related to an appropriate counter. After a predetermined exposure time, e.g. a few seconds, the counter gives an indication on the abundance of radioactive elements in the ore contained in the bin of the machine.
However, radioactivity measuring gates suffer from several drawbacks.
Firstly, the measurement of radioactivity as obtained is extremely inaccurate. For a mass of several tens of tons of ore in the bin of a truck, only those gamma rays coming from the top layer of the ore (over a thickness of about 60 cm) escape from the mass and reach the detectors at the top of the gate. It will be understood that in the specific case of the mass of ore in the bin being non-uniform, measurement errors can be considerable.
In addition, calibrating any type of device for measuring radioactivity requires sampling campaigns that are very burdensome and expensive. For example, with a radioactivity measuring gate, it is necessary to process about 30 bin loads each weighing 25 to 30 tons during one such campaign, thereby obtaining a statistical curve of radioactivity as a function of abundance in the ore which is good enough for the gate to be useful in practice.
Finally, radioactivity measuring gates are expensive, and as a result it is not uncommon for there to be too few gates provided in any one quarry. In practice, this gives rise to lines of waiting trucks or other machines queuing up to go through the gate, thereby reducing productivity.
Attempts have long been made in vain to fit the shovels or buckets of ore-extracting machines with devices for measuring the radioactivity of a load of ore contained therein. However these attempts have given rise to failures. More precisely, currently available gamma ray detectors are all relatively fragile in structure and they do not withstand the rough working conditions to which a hydraulically operated shovel or other comparable machine is subjected in operation.
Consequently, research directed towards this type of measurement has now been abandoned.
By going against this trend in the art, the Applicant has nevertheless sought to develop a machine-mounted measurement device which is effective in the difficult environment of a quarry. This research has lead to the present invention.

Device for measuring the radioactivity of a load of ore on an extraction machine such as a mechanical shovel or digger


An image capturing apparatus includes a housing, a processor module, a sheet feeder, an image capturing assembly, a display module and an operation interface. The image capturing assembly captures both of first and second images of a document sheet, past a scan region and transported by the sheet feeder, and produces first and second image data representative of the first and second images in either a single-sided or double-sided scanning mode. The display module displays representation images of the first and second images. The operation interface receives user input and outputs a selection signal comprising information of selecting at least one of the first and second images. The processor module processes at least one of the first and second image data into output image data according to the selection signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image capturing apparatus having a sheet feeder, and more particularly to a duplex image capturing apparatus which can adjust scanned image attributes before outputting the scanned images.
2. Related Art
In a conventional duplex scanner equipped with a sheet feeder, two modes may be entered when document images are being captured. First, in a single-sided scanning mode, after a user presses a start button, the scanner scans one side of a document sheet and then processes the captured image. On the other hand, in a double-sided scanning mode, after the user presses the start button, the scanner scans a first side and a second side of the document sheet and processes the captured images of the first and second sides of the document sheet in one single scanning operation.
When using the duplex scanner to scan a single side of a document sheet, the user has to know the location of the scanning head or which one of the two scanning heads is activated in the single-sided scanning mode, in order to correctly place the document sheet to get the desired result, or otherwise a page of a blank, black or unwanted image may be obtained.
Or, in the situation when the user wishes to scan or copy a stack of single-sided document sheets and the document sheets are not arranged in order and have some unwanted document sheets, the user may choose to rearrange the document sheets and remove the unwanted document sheets before placing the stack of document sheets on the paper feeding tray of the sheet feeder, or the user may decide to sort the scanned images or copies afterwards. In either way, it is wasteful with respect to paper, toner, time and electric power.

Image capturing apparatus for adjusting image attributes


The invention relates to propylene polymer compositions comprising 45-79 parts per weight of a propylene homo- or copolymer, 10-27 parts per weight of a first elastomeric ethylenepropylene copolymer, 5-22 parts per weight of a second elastomeric ethylene-propylene copolymer, 1-15 parts per weight of an elastomeric ethylene-1-octene copolymer and 5-15 parts per weight of inorganic filler. The propylene polymer compositions are suitable for injection molding of large articles, which do not show flow marks and which have a good impact strength/stiffness ratio.

The present invention relates to a propylene polymer composition which is suitable for injection moulding of large articles. More particularly the polypropylene composition can be injection moulded into shaped articles, for example for automotive applications, especially bumpers, which have improved surface properties, particularly a reduced occurrence of flow marks. The inventive propylene polymer compositions are especially suited for the automotive applications because they have excellent impact strength/stiffness balance, high flowability and are not susceptible to the occurrence of flow marks.
Polypropylene resins are normally crystalline arid have low impact resistance, especially at low temperatures. To improve the impact resistance, polypropylene can be blended with polyethylene or ethylene copolymers and rubber-like material, such as polyisobutylene, polybutadiene or ethylene-α-olefin based copolymers.
Normally the resins are then injection moulded into the desired articles. If the articles are relatively large, such as for example automobile bumpers, instrument panels or centre-consoles, the problem of optical irregularity arises, due to the necessary long flow paths of the resin.
Such surface defects, which are also known as flow marks, tiger stripes or flow lines, are deteriorating the surface aesthetics since they manifest, during injection moulding, as a series of alternating high and low gloss strips perpendicular to the direction of the melt flow.
Many attempts to avoid these surface defects, while keeping a good balance of other physical properties, have been made, e.g. DE 19754061. It has however been found, that either the occurrence of flow marks could not be entirely prevented, or the physical properties of the polymer compositions were unsatisfactory.
It is therefore the object of the invention, to provide a propylene polymer composition, which can be injection moulded into large articles, which articles show no flow marks and which composition simultaneously shows a good impact strength/stiffness balance.
The new compositions shall be used for injection moulding, therefore the MFR of the compositions is preferred to be ≧5 g/10 min. A Charpy notched impact strength according to ISO 179/1 eA at +23° C. of ≧10.0 kJ/m2, better of ≧12 kJ/m2 and, still better, of ≧13.0 kJ/m2 is considered as good impact strength. The minimum value for the Charpy notched impact strength according to ISO 179/1 eA at −20° C. is ≧4.0 kJ/m2. Stiffness is considered to be high with tensile moduli according to ISO 527-3 of ≧1200 MPa. Still higher values are of course more preferable. The surface quality of injection moulded parts, which is determined according to the procedure described in the experimental section, must be "excellent", i.e. only polymer compositions which can be injection moulded without showing any flow marks, solve the problem which is underlying the present invention.


A method and system for selectively allowing uplink wireless transmission from a wireless communication device (WCDs) to a base station without a resource block assignment. Certain resource blocks may be designated for this use but still available for assignment to particular WCDs. When the base station receives data in such a resource block without having assigned the resource block for use by any WCD, the base station may determine based on a class or other identity of the transmitting WCD whether to forward the received data for transmission onto a transport network or rather whether to discard the data. The base station may then act accordingly. This arrangement may help improve performance in a scenario where many WCDs in a coverage area, such as embedded WCDs, would tend to transmit small amounts of data often, but the disclosed arrangement is more generally applicable as well.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
A typical cellular wireless network includes a number of base stations that radiate to define wireless coverage areas, such as cells and cell sectors, in which wireless communication devices (WCDs) (also known as user equipment devices (UEs)), such as cell phones, tablet computers, tracking devices, embedded wireless modules, and other wirelessly equipped communication devices, can operate. In turn, each base station may be coupled with network infrastructure that provides connectivity with one or more transport networks, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and/or the Internet for instance. With this arrangement, a WCD within coverage of the network may engage in air interface communication with a base station and may thereby communicate via the base station with various remote network entities or with other WCDs served by the base station.
In general, a cellular wireless network may operate in accordance with a particular air interface protocol or "radio access technology," with communications from the base stations to WCDs defining a downlink or forward link and communications from the WCDs to the base stations defining an uplink or reverse link. Examples of existing air interface protocols include, without limitation, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE)), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) (e.g., 1xRTT and 1xEV-DO), Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), among others. Each protocol may define its own procedures for registration of WCDs, initiation of communications, handoff between coverage areas, and other functions.
In accordance with the air interface protocol, each coverage area may operate on particular frequency spectrum in the form of one or more ranges of radio frequency (RF) spectrum defining a frequency bandwidth of the coverage area. Depending on the air interface protocol, the coverage area may use different spectrum for its uplink and downlink or may use the same spectrum allocated over time or in another manner between its uplink and downlink. Further, various coverage areas of the network could use the same frequency spectrum as each other, with communications in adjacent coverage areas being modulated or otherwise encoded to distinguish one coverage area from another.
In each coverage area, the air interface may then be divided into a plurality of "resource blocks" for carrying communications wirelessly between the WCDs and the base station. These resource blocks may take various forms, depending on the air interface protocol. For instance, in a representative LTE system, the air interface may be divided over time into 0.5 millisecond timeslots, and in each timeslot the bandwidth of the coverage area may be divided into resource blocks each spanning 180 kHz. Thus, every 0.5 milliseconds, the air interface would define a number of 180 kHz resource blocks that would fit within the available bandwidth.
Further, the air interface may define various channels for communication between the WCDs and the base station. For instance, on the downlink, the air interface may define a pilot channel or reference channel on which the base station broadcast a signal that WCDs may monitor to evaluate coverage strength, an downlink control channel for carrying control signals from the base station to WCDs, and one or more downlink traffic channels for carrying communication traffic to WCDs And on the uplink, the air interface may define an uplink control channel for carrying control signals from WCDs to the base station, and one or more uplink traffic channels for carrying communication traffic from WCDs. These various channels may be defined in particular resource blocks or portions of resource blocks.
In general, when a WCD is served by a particular base station, the base station (alone or with the assistance of associated network infrastructure) may manage assignment of resource blocks to the WCD for use to carry uplink communication traffic from the WCD to the base station. In practice, for instance, when a WCD has data to communicate on the Internet, the WCD may transmit to the base station a service request message informing the base station that the WCD has data to communicate, and the base station may then assign one or more upcoming resource blocks on the uplink for use by the WCD to transmit that data and may send to the WCD a control signal specifying the assigned resource block(s). The WCD may then transmit its data to the base station in the assigned resource block(s), and the base station may forward the data for transmission on the Internet.

Selective allowance of uplink transmission without resource block assignment


A new and distinct plum variety that possesses heavy and consistent production of large, firm, black skinned, early-ripening fruit of excellent eating quality. The juicy flesh develops a red color upon ripening.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Prunus salicina.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Suplumtwentyeightxe2x80x99.
This invention relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new and distinct variety of plum tree, herein after referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Suplumtwentyeightxe2x80x99. The variety originated by hybridization performed by Bruce Mowrey. The new variety was first selected and evaluated by David Cain on Sun World Experimental Ranch 75 near Wasco, Calif. in Kern County. The new variety is characterized by heavy and consistent production of large (65 mm diameter), firm fruit that ripens early, during the middle of June in the Bakersfield, Calif. area. Fruit of xe2x80x98Suplumtwentyeightxe2x80x99 have smooth black-colored skin and flesh that develops red color as they ripen. Eating quality is excellent with 18xc2x0 brix, plentiful juice, and skin flavor that is neutral.
The parent varieties were first crossed in 1993, with the date of planting of February, 1994, and the date of first flowering being March, 1997. The new plum variety was first asexually propagated by Terry Bacon near Wasco, Kern County, Calif. in December, 2001, by grafting onto Nemaguard rootstock.
The seed parent is Sun World breeding selection, xe2x80x9891P-001xe2x80x99 (unpatented), which was selected from a progeny of Sun World breeding selection xe2x80x98232-205xe2x80x99 (unpatented) crossed with pollen from Sun World selection xe2x80x98275-136xe2x80x99 (unpatented). The new variety is distinguished from its seed parent by ripening 16 days later and having fruit that averages 65 mm as compared to xe2x80x9891P-001xe2x80x99 with 55 mm. Additionally, the new variety develops red flesh as it ripens while xe2x80x9891P-001xe2x80x99 has amber flesh. The pollen parent was an unknown Sun World breeding selection.
The new variety most nearly resembles xe2x80x98Suplumelevenxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,902). It may be distinguished from xe2x80x98Suplumelevenxe2x80x99 by ripening 20 days earlier. The new variety ripens approximately the same time as xe2x80x98Santa Rosaxe2x80x99 (unpatented) but develops red flesh while xe2x80x98Santa Rosaxe2x80x99 has amber-colored flesh, and is larger (65 mm compared to 55 mm diameter with xe2x80x98Santa Rosaxe2x80x99).
The new plum tree variety cv. xe2x80x98Suplumtwentyeightxe2x80x99 has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics.

Plum tree named xe2x80x98Suplumtwentyeightxe2x80x99


The physical therapy tools, systems, kits and methods described herein may be used to apply gentle, passive and progressive amounts of pressure (including numerous repetitions of small movements) to achieve therapeutic mobilization of a spinal joint. The tools described herein may include a plurality of pads and actuators, where the pressure within each actuator is controlled so that a continuously varying pressure may be applied to mimic the pressure applied by human hands. These tools may also include a controller and one or more user inputs. The physical therapy tools may be operated at different operating modes (e.g., continuously varying pressure modes, step-pulse high frequency modes, step-pulse low frequency modes) for treating a subject's spine, and may be part of a system or kit. Methods of treating a subject using these physical therapy tools are also described herein.

To function correctly, the spine and vertebrae should be free to move throughout their normal range of motion. Spinal function decreases with age and medical condition. With function loss the spine stiffens, excessive wear and tear, stretched ligaments, joint degeneration and pain results. The restoration of function increases and improves spinal range of motion, flexibility and joint mobility.
To restore or improve spinal function, a physician, physical therapist, chiropractor or other health care professional may recommend spinal mobilization. Traditionally spinal mobilization is preformed manually and physical therapists currently employ a number of manual techniques. The most relevant is Maitland mobilization, where the thumbs and hands along with various movements and positioning of the patient effect a mobilizing force upon pairs of vertebrae. These techniques, however, fall far short of focused, precise, joint by joint, gentle, passive and progressive mobilization of the entire spine. As illustrated in FIG. 1, if a force or gentle pressure is applied over the points marked "A" and then over the points marked "B" the vertebral articulation or joint may be rocked or counter rotated back and forth through its normal range of motion successfully delivering mobilizing forces and effecting spinal mobilization. A physical therapist or other health care professional could attempt to apply this pressure with their thumbs or hands however, because the joints of the spine are much bigger and tougher than the therapist's fingers and hands, many therapists would find it difficult if not impossible to apply this technique manually.
Moreover, in addition to the spine's vertebral components, the musculature and reflex muscle activity of the spine is important to back function. Physical therapists believe that with aging and/or chronic back pain and the subsequent development of protective postural responses, guarding, back stiffness and loss of function, the paraspinal muscle groups loose their optimal reflex activity. Just as a patellar reflex will degrade if a leg is immobilized for a long period, so muscle reflexes associated with the stiff or immobile spinal joints degrade. The restoration of these reflexes through repeated and progressive stimulation also contributes to improving spinal function and back health.
Unassisted manual spinal mobilization is difficult, because the forces necessary for manual spinal mobilization requires the application of excessive and uncomfortable pressure from a practitioner's fingers or hands applied to the spinal joints, often for an extended treatment period. Thus, automatic devices have been suggested as a way to assist a practitioner (e.g., a physician, chiropractor, physical therapist, etc.) in mobilizing spinal joints. Unfortunately, most such devices lack the precise control that is beneficial to treatment of spinal joints and cannot adequately reproduce the touch of the practitioner's hand. For example, most known applicators do not allow sufficient control of the rate that the spinal joints are mobilized, or the force used to mobilize the spinal joints. Furthermore, most tools inhibit the practitioner's ability to sense the response of the back and spine to the treatment. Most currently available physical therapy tools provide only crude control (if any) of the rate of application of pressure and the manner in which pressure is applied.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,316 to Taylor et al. describes a physical therapy device for treating spinal disorders and represents the state of the art for such physiotherapy tools. This device has reciprocating actuators with feet that can be applied to a pair of vertebra for treatment. The device may include pneumatic logic controlled by an adjustable choke so that the rate at which the actuators are moved is controlled by manually adjusting the choke. U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,316 is essentially a percussion device with two pairs of pistons operating 180° out of phase. One pair of pistons delivers blows over the points marked "A" marked on FIG. 1. As this pair is retracted, the second pair delivers blows over the points marked "B". The blows must, of necessity, be very light. Heavy blows would be injurious. Other examples of existing physical therapy devices may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,653,733 and 5,262,615 to Keller et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,211 to Frye. All of the patents listed above are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Ideally, a physical therapy tool for use in treating a spine acts as a virtual extension of the practitioner's hands, allowing the practitioner to easily operate the tool when treating a subject (e.g., adjusting the way that the pressure is applied by the tool including the rate that pressure is applied), and to detect the response of the subject while using the tool. In contrast, most commercially available physical therapy tools permit only limited control, and also inhibit feedback between the subject and the practitioner using the tool.
Precise control is necessary because it allows the practitioner to control the application of treatment. For example, spinal treatment is often difficult to localize. Loss of flexibility may be difficult to correct because interactions between vertebrae are complex, and correction of a problem in one area may exacerbate a problem in another area, or may create a new problem. Further, correction of the new problem (or new problem area) can lead to the reappearance of the original problem. In many cases, effective treatment should be properly localized and scaled based on the nature of a particular subject's spine. A practitioner treating a subject's spine may therefore rely on his or her experience, as well as on feedback from the subject. Furthermore, manipulation applied to specific vertebra may also cause movement of adjacent vertebra. Thus, it is often difficult to increase the intravertebral mobility other than over a substantial period of treatments, using conventional manipulative techniques.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide tools, methods, procedures and kits that overcome many of the difficulties described above, and enable a practitioner to effectively treat the spine of a subject.


A throttle control system for an engine of a vehicle provided with an acceleration slip control system and a constant speed running hold system which includes an output member for driving the throttle valve and connected to the accelerator. An actuator connecting member controls the output member and a control system detects and discriminates the operational position, constant speed running mode and operation of the actuator, respectively. Opening of the throttle valve due to erroneous operation of the control system can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a throttle control system of an engine for use in the throttle opening control system for a vehicle, for example, such as acceleration slip control system, constant running hold system, idling control system, automatic speed control system and fuel cost control system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese patent laid open publication No. Sho-61-272423 discloses a throttle control system for a vehicle combining a constant running hold system and an acceleration slip control system. This system comprises an input member being reciprocated around a pivot axis by an accelerator control means. An output member drives a throttle valve by being reciprocated around a coaxial pivot axis by an actuator and includes an intermediate member for transmitting reciprocation of the input member to the output member by reciprocating around the coaxial pivot axis, and a spring arrangement for connecting the output member and the intermediate member. The throttle valve is manually operated by the accelerator operator, at the same time, the accelerator operator is driven by the actuator in constant speed running mode and acceleration slip control mode.
However, the aforementioned conventional throttle control system employs a complicated mechanism in order to restrict the throttle valve opening and closing operation for constant speed running control and throttle valve closing operation for acceleration slip control which may simultaneously function by operational error.
The aforementioned actuator is provided with two parallel operating arrangements with each set including speed reducing a mechanism and an electromagnetic clutch as well as a one way clutch. Each speed reducing mechanism is driven by a common motor, and a common output member is driven by each of the one way clutches It is constructed so as to connect the respective electromagnetic clutches during acceleration slip control and constant speed running control. Use of such complicated actuator mechanisms has increased the likelihood of failure in addition to the problem of manufacturing costs.


[Solution to Problem] The laminating adhesive of the present invention includes a polyisocyanate component (A) and a polyol component (B), wherein the polyisocyanate component (A) contains a polyisocyanate (A1) that does not contain an aromatic ring, and the polyol component (B) contains a macropolyol (B1) that does not contain an aromatic ring but contains a cyclohexane ring.

Composite sheets are manufactured by laminating a plurality of sheet materials using an adhesive: the sheet materials are selected from various plastic films, metal foils such as aluminum foils, metal deposited films, silica deposited films, and the like.
For the adhesive used for laminating composite sheets, a two component-type polyurethane adhesive in which a polyisocyanate component and a polyol component are mixed has been widely used, because of its superior adhesion performance.
As such a two component-type polyurethane adhesive, for example, there has been proposed a two component-curing laminating adhesive composition in which a polyol component is used as a main component, and a polyisocyanate component is used as a curing agent (for example, see Patent Document 1 below).
The composite sheets are used for outdoor sheets that are used under an outdoor environment, for example, leisure sheets, tents, plastic green houses, sheets for porch, rain coats, umbrellas, hoods, waterproof cloth, sheets for covering automobiles, sheets for covering building materials, and back sheets for solar batteries.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-129024


The present invention utilizes a gateway providing an open software interface to control in-home communications and to enable in-home devices of various divergent technologies to selectively access external communication features. An in-home communication network utilizes any one or more of several available in-home digital networking media to connect the gateway to device interfaces. The gateway comprises interfaces to a plurality of external communication networks, and one or more in-home communication media, a router coupled to the various interfaces and a controller. Each device specific accessing the in-home network connects to media through a device interface. There will be different interfaces for enabling access by different types of customer premises devices. Each device interface provides physical access to the media as well as functional interfacing, to enable operation with the particular type of customer premises device. All of the device specific interfaces implement a standard software referred to as a common application program interface (API) interface, to enable communication over the media and accessing of in-home and/or external communication services through the gateway.

Today, the typical home has a wide variety of electrical and electronic devices performing many diverse and unrelated functions. To the extent if any that these devices are interconnected or connect to the outside world, the connections at most form isolated islands of connection or communication.
For example, if the homeowner has a television and a video cassette recorder, these elements connect to each other, to the AC power grid and to a source of analog video signals, such as an antenna or a cable television link. The television set may also connect to an output from a video game. Typically, these connections are analog.
The home-owner also will have an audio system, often comprising interconnected components such as an amplifier, a compact disk (CD) player and a tape recorder. A tuner connects to an antenna or other RF source, and the amplifier provides connections to one or more sets of speakers. In most installations, the audio system is connected together by various analog wiring separate from that used to interconnect the video system components.
There have been some proposals for interconnecting in-house video systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,399 to Goodman et al. discloses a system for transmitting signals between video components over residential telephone wiring, to enable one VCR to supply television signals to multiple television receivers in different rooms. Control signals also are sent over the telephone wiring to control the VCR. The Goodman system provides communications mainly for video components. U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,793 to Bordry et al. discloses a tapping technique for such a system, to enable baseband transmission of audio and video signals over twisted-pair wiring. These in-house video communication systems utilize analog communications and provide only limited communications capabilities. They also do not provide communications to the outside world.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,961 to Hylton et al. discloses a digital video system, providing wireless distribution of selected broadband programs from a public network to individual terminals and associated TVs within the premises. There is a suggestion that one of the video terminals might provide an interface to a personal computer (PC), to enable the PC to communicate via the digital network.
Today, telephone station sets or other telephone equipment separately connects to an analog or integrated services digital network (ISDN) telephone line. Typically, the telephone line does not interconnect to the video or audio equipment.
Most appliances in the home stand alone. For example, the heating and air-conditioning system, the hot water heater, the stove, the microwave, the refrigerator, etc. all have connections to power, but not to any type of central control. Some homes do have alarm systems, and some such systems will monitor some internal conditions or appliances, like the temperature maintained by the heating and air-conditioning system; but these systems only provide internal alert signals and/or communications to some outside agency, typically over the telephone line. Again, the system entails wiring that is separate from that used for other purposes, such as audio and video entertainment.
Many individuals now have their own personal computers (PCs), and today, the typical PC includes some type of modem for communication. Typically, the modem provides a data link through either the telephone line or the cable television network to enable access to the public Internet. Although there have been some proposals to interconnect the PC to alarm systems, appliances and/or video and audio components, such interconnections have not been particularly successful. Often, the interconnection has been rather limited, for example, to just allow the PC to control an appliance or in-home lighting or just to allow the PC to monitor the alarm system. In other proposals, the PC interconnection provides more comprehensive communications, but the interconnection has been overly complex and expensive. Interconnection to a television, for example, typically requires a set-top terminal or adapter with almost as much hardware as in the PC itself.
Also, with the increasing popularity of PCs, many people now find that they have more than one PC in their homes. Many of these individuals also are finding reasons to interconnect their PCs, to share certain resources such as a high-speed Internet access link or a printer or to exchange data for various purposes. A number of products have recently reached the market to allow in-home networking. However, these products have focused entirely on the PC-to-PC communications. Most of these products essentially provide a local area network (LAN) in the home, which is some form of scaled down network similar to those used in commercial enterprises. For example, Tut Systems offers a line of home networking product under the name HomeRun. A network constructed from the products provides a 10 Mb/s LAN over a single pair of twisted wires. However, the LAN provides data connections only for computers and related peripheral equipment. As such, there is no communication with many of the other systems and appliances in the home. Other systems, such as the audio and video systems, remain as separate analog only systems with no communication over the in-house LAN. Also, existing home data network products provide little or no outside access, except possibly through a shared computer resource such as a modem or the like within one of the PCs.
As shown by the above discussion, the existing in-home systems have remained isolated, either as individual units or small collections of interconnected units. There has not been a unified interconnection strategy. Also, access by each system to wide area communications, external to the premises, has been dedicated to one external network. The video system components receive television programming from a cable or antenna carrying channels of a set of predetermined frequencies. Audio system components similarly receive radio programming from an antenna carrying channels of another set of predetermined frequencies. Alarm systems communicate via ISDN or POTS type telephone lines and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The PC may use a telephone line, ISDN, DSL or cable modem, but typically PC communications for one user access only one such external media.
A need therefore exists for a home network product that provides a simple common interface usable by a wide range of systems and appliances within the premises. Such a network should offer digital communication capabilities to the different devices coupled to the network. Also, the network should provide access to two or more communications media connected to public network facilities. Preferably, one or more of the outside network connections should provide broadband digital capabilities. It is desirable that the in-home network enables virtually all devices to selectively access any or all of the external communication resources.

Multi-service in-home network with an open interface


A photonic crystal substrate exhibiting resonant enhancement of multiple fluorophores has been demonstrated. The device, which can be fabricated uniformly from plastic materials over a ˜3×5 in2 surface area by nanoreplica molding, features a 1-D periodic grating structure which utilizes two distinct resonant modes to enhance electric field stimulation of a first dye excited by a first laser (e.g., λ=632.8 nm laser exciting cyanine-5) and a second dye excited by a second laser (e.g., λ=532 nm laser exciting cyanine-3). The first and second lasers could be replaced by a single variable wavelength (tunable) laser. Resonant coupling of the laser excitation to the photonic crystal surface is obtained for each wavelength at a distinct incident angle θ. The photonic crystal is capable of amplifying the output of any fluorescent dye with an excitation wavelength in a given wavelength range (e.g., the range 532 nm<λ<660 nm) by selection of an appropriate incident angle. The device can be used for biological assays that utilize multiple fluorescent dyes within a single imaged area, such as gene expression microarrays.

Fluorescence is one of the most sensitive detection and imaging tools available for life science research and diagnostic assays, [1] representing the most common method for determining the presence and concentration of analytes in a wide range of applications including DNA sequencing, DNA microarrays, immunoassays, and cell imaging. The ability to detect weak signals is essential for assays requiring the detection of analytes at low concentration. To address this challenge, researchers have developed many methods to enhance fluorescence emission, thereby improving detection sensitivity. A variety of nano-patterned surfaces have been studied for the purpose of enhancing fluorescence output [2-6]. Field enhancement in these structures arises from several effects which include locally intense optical fields, reduced fluorescence lifetimes, and directional emission [7-10].
Photonic crystal (PC) surfaces comprised of a periodic surface grating coated with a high refractive index dielectric have been demonstrated for fluorescence emission enhancement applications [11] through the use of narrowband resonant modes at specific wavelengths. PC-enhanced fluorescence (PCEF) takes advantage of the resonant evanescent field that has an increased local energy density compared to the excitation light source. The intensified evanescent field strongly excites fluorophores located within an evanescent decay length of the sensor surface, resulting in enhanced emission. Previous publications have demonstrated the use of PCEF with the resonant mode spectrally overlapping the laser wavelength, to excite fluorescent dyes [12] and, that at normal incidence illumination, a PC with a resonant mode at λ=632.8 nm can produce a 60-fold magnification of cyanine-5 (Cy-5) signal compared to an ordinary glass substrate [13].
Many biological fluorescence assays, such as gene expression microarrays [14-15], have been developed using multiple fluorescent dyes within a single imaged area. In order to enhance the emission from multiple fluorescent dyes, the PC surface must be designed with resonant wavelengths coinciding with the wavelength of multiple lasers that are used to excite the target fluorophores. The PC structure intrinsically supports resonant modes in a wavelength range as wide as 200 nm [16] because each wavelength couples resonantly with the structure for a distinct angle of incidence.
Further art of interest include the published patent applications U.S. 2008/0278722 and U.S. 2006/0216204 and PCT publication WO 2008/156550.

Multi-color fluorescence enhancement from a photonic crystal surface

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois


A container top comprising a container top member comprising tracks over an upper surface thereof and a sealer sealing an opening thereof; and a slidable member having a sealing mechanism, the slidable member being slidable through the tracks and positioned such that sliding of the slidable member over the tracks to one direction unseals the sealer, forming an opening over the container top member, in the initial opening thereof and wherein sliding the slidable member back to its original position over the opening formed thereby covers and seals the opening. The opening formed by the unsealing of the sealer can be re-sealed at will by the sealing mechanism of the slidable member. The sealing mechanism may be for example a sealing material coating strip located over a periphery of the slidable member or the physical configuration of the slidable member periphery edges.

Manufacturers of food and beverage cans typically use pull-tab sealing and opening mechanism or stay-on tabs, in which a tab is used to tear off the can top (full aperture end) or designated part thereof for leaving an opening at the can top. In the pull tab mechanism the tab is removed from the can whereas in the stay-on tab the tab remains after the opening is revealed.
Other solutions involve press button mechanisms, in which a designated opening in the can upper face is sealed by using soft connection of the sealer to the opening rim requiring pressing the softly connected seal downwards towards the inner space of the can for opening thereof.
These solutions are vulnerable to unauthorized penetration to the inner cavity of the containers after filling and sealing thereof by the manufacturer and enable insertion of materials into the containers while covering any trace of the penetration. For example, in the case of the pull-tab or stay-on tab sealing the tab connects to the top of the container usually through a connecting stud and can be easily rotated around the stud axis revealing some of the upper surface exposed for injecting a material into the can or even replacing the liquid in the can with a different liquid and covering the area of the penetration hole by rotating the tab back to its position again. In this way the user of the can cannot see that the can was "treated" and might innocently use it for drinking or for eating the food content thereof.


The degree of an influence from wiring crosstalk between signal lines of a data signal transmission line (video signal line) is decided on the basis of an input signal generated in display controlling unit (a timing controller) at a predetermined timing (at each frame period, at each clock pulse period, or at each horizontal period) and, based on a result of the decision, the voltage amplitude of a data signal is adjusted so that it may exceed an input amplitude specification value for data line driving circuits (data drivers) by a predetermined value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display device and a video signal processing method used in same and, more specifically to, an image display device and a video signal processing method used in the same that are well suited for applications in a case where a video signal is transmitted through a video signal line to a data driver by utilizing a differential transmission system, for example, in the case of a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a plasma display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The thin image display devices such as an LCD and a plasma display device have come to have a longer transmission distance of video signals therein owing to an increasing screen size in the recent years and also to have a larger amount of data transmitted by the video signal owing to an increasing resolution of a display panel, so that the image display devices are required to have more wirings and higher transmission rates. In such a case, the image display devices suffer from deterioration in electro-magnetic interference (EMI) properties and severer conditions for accurate transmission of the video signal and, on the other hand, need to save on power and space, specifically, on power consumed in internal circuitry and realize miniaturization and higher-density packaging of the circuit components. It has caused the recent image display devices to mainly employ a video signal transmission method referred to as the differential transmission system, by which the number of the required video signal lines will be reduced.
Further, this type of the image display device may receive a variety of video signals incoming thereto; therefore, on its substrate for transmitting the video signals directed to a display panel, if the video signals transmitted through mutually neighboring wirings and so susceptible to wiring crosstalk, such as those with mutually reversedpolarities (for example, polarities "1" and "0"), are received, effective voltage amplitudes of the video signals are reduced, and if the effective voltage amplitudes become less than an input amplitude specification to be used as a minimal reference amplitude below which a data driver cannot operate properly, display noise such as flicker occurs on a screen. To avoid such a situation, if a voltage amplitude output from a timing controller is set large beforehand so that the effective voltage amplitudes may be sufficiently large as compared to the input amplitude specification value for the data driver, dissipation power increases along with another bad effect of tradeoff in deterioration of the EMI properties. On the other hand, if inter-wiring spacing or a ground wiring is to be provided which is long enough to avoid the signals from interfering with each other even when exposed to wiring crosstalk, the substrate needs to be larger in area, leading to a bad effect of not only preventing miniaturization of the device as a whole but also increasing the costs.
As this kind of related art, there is provided an image display device shown in FIG. 7.
As shown in FIG. 7, the image display device includes a display panel 1, a scan driver 2, a data driver 3, a timing controller 4, and a video signal line 5. The timing controller 4 is fitted with a data signal output section 4a. The display panel 1 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) and has scanning lines along predetermined rows as well as data lines 1b along predetermined columns and pixels (not shown) each of which is positioned at an intersection of each of the scanning lines is and each of the data lines 1b. The data driver 3 drives the data lines 1b on the display panel 1. Based on a control signal ct1 received from the timing controller 4, the data driver 3 writes pixel data based on a supplied data signal vj to each of the data lines 1b.
Based on a control signal ct2 received from the timing controller 4, the scan driver 2 outputs a scanning line drive signal intended to drive the scanning lines 1a on the display panel in predetermined order (for example, in a line sequence). The timing controller 4 generates an input signal receivable by the data driver 3 based on an externally input video signal vi, provides the data driver 3 with the control signal ct1, sets a voltage amplitude of the input signal, and sends the signal as the data signal vj from the data signal output section 4a through a video signal line 5, while providing the scan driver 2 with the control signal ct2. The video signal line (data signal transmission line) 5 is used to send the data signal vj by utilizing a differential transmission system and has such a number of signal lines as to be needed when a binary representation of the maximum value of a gradation level of at least the video signal vi is applied to a reduced swing differential signaling (RSDS: one digital interface technology for use in LCD panels) transmission format, so that each of the mutually neighboring pairs of those signal lines may send the differential transmission system-complying data signals vj having the mutually reverse phases, as one pair of signal lines.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a transmission format for an RSDS signal.
As shown in FIG. 8, the transmission format of, for example, an eight-bit RSDS signal is made of four pairs of transmission signals in which a total of eight transmission signals are arranged because each of the four pairs include two differential signals of positive-polarity and negative-polarity ones, so that data may be latched at the trailing edge and the leading edge of a transmission clock signal CLK. If the transmission data signal vj is of, for example, 198 gradations, the 198-th gradation level is represented as "11000110" in binary number and has an actual waveform of "HHLLLHHL" in a bit string. If applied to the RSDS transmission format, the bit string may be given as shown in FIG. 8. It is to be noted a transmission signal D (0) indicates a least significant bit (LSB) and a transmission signal ID (7) indicates a most significant bit (MSB). If the video signal vi in FIG. 7 described above is, for example of eight bits, the maximum is the 255-th gradation level and represented as "11111111" in binary number, so that if applied to the RSDS transmission format, the maximum level requires four pairs of video signals because data is latched at the two edges of each pulse of the clock signal; further because the video signals are of the differential transmission system, a total of eight video signal lines 5 (=four positive-polarity signal lines 5 and four negative-polarity signal lines 5) will be required. It is to be noted that even in the case of any other differential transmission systems such as mini-LVDS, similarly, the number of the signal lines required is determined by applying the bit string to the transmission format.
In the image display device in FIG. 7, the video signal vi is input to the timing controller 4, where the vide signal vi is rearranged into a signal receivable by the data driver 3; then the data signal output section 4a in the timing controller 4 sets an amplitude of a transmission voltage of the signal and outputs it as the data signal vj, being accompanied by the generation of the corresponding generation timing signal, the horizontal reference signal (control signal ct1) directed to the data driver 3, and the vertical reference signal (control signal ct2) directed to the scan driver 2. The data signal vj whose transmission voltage amplitude is set in such a manner is sent to the data driver 3 via the video signal lines 5 that comply with the differential transmission system. Then, an image that corresponds to the video signal vj will be displayed on the panel 1.
It is to be noted that the video signal vi is rearranged by the timing controller 4 into a data signal vj intended to drive the data driver 3, in which case the data signal vj is transmitted through the video signal line 5 in accordance with a predetermined transmission format. The transmission format corresponds to, for example, an eight-bit RSDS signal. The data signal vj corresponding to the RSDS signal is a digital signal (whose high and low levels are indicated by "H" and "L" respectively, which are in turn indicated by "1" and "0" respectively) at the same time as being a differential signal. Two of the video signal lines 5 through which the differential data signals vj are transmitted are paired: one for the positive-polarity video signal and the other for the negative-polarity one. Those video signals come in the "H" signal if their respective polarities' potentials are higher than the reference voltage (potential) of the data signal vj and "L" signal if those potentials are lower than reference voltage (potential). Further, if a remainder is positive which is obtained by subtracting a potential of the negative polarity video signal from a potential of the positive-polarity video signal, those signals come in an "H" level differential signal; on the other hand, if the remainder is negative which is obtained by subtracting the potential of the negative polarity video signal from the potential of the positive-polarity video signal, those signals come in an "L" level differential signal. Additionally, in the differential transmission system, the clock signal for transmission of the data signal vj is also a differential signal.
FIG. 9 is a chart for showing an example of waveforms of the data signal vj transmitted through the video signal lines 5.
The RSDS signals are a differential signal and, as shown in FIG. 9, their polarity is determined to be "H" or "L" by a pair of a video signal DATA (+) along the positive-polarity video signal line and a video signal DATA (−) along the negative-polarity video signal line. For example, if the video signal has a reference potential of 1.1V and the video signals DATA (+) and DATA (−) have potentials of 1.2V and 1.0V respectively, the differential signal has a value of +200 mV and so comes in the "H" level. On the other hand, if the video signal has a reference potential of 1.1V and the video signals DATA (+) and DATA (−) have potentials of 1.0V and 1.2V respectively, the differential signal has a value of −200 mV and so comes in the "L" level. To recognize the "H" level in the data driver 3, the value of +200 mV of the differential signal needs to be higher than the "H" level threshold in the data driver 3; similarly, to recognize the "L" level, the value of −200 mV needs to be lower than the "L" level threshold in the data driver 3.
If the input video signal vi is of, for example, 179 gradations, the digital signal has a bit string of "HLHHLLHH" ("10110011"), which is arranged in accordance with the RSDS signal transmission format as shown in Gradation pattern [1] in FIG. 9. Further, if the input video signal vi is of, for example, 140 gradations, the digital signal has a bit string of "HLLLHHLL" ("10001100"), which is arranged in accordance with the RSDS transmission format as shown in Gradation pattern [2] in FIG. 9.
FIGS. 10 and 11 are a chart for showing an influence from wiring crosstalk received from the data signal vj transmitted through the neighboring video signal lines.
FIGS. 10 and 11 show how the amplitude of a voltage transmitted through one of the video signal lines is affected by a digital signal transmitted through its neighboring video signal line. The digital signal has shown pattern of "H" and "L". That is, FIG. 10 shows the influence on the DATA (+) signal of interest in the first pair extracted along with the second pair from the chart of the waveforms of the data signal vj in FIG. 9. On the other hand, FIG. 11 shows an example where the data signal vj has a different gradation pattern from that in FIG. 10. It is to be noted that in the Neighbor pattern [1] in FIG. 10, the video signal DATA (+) in the first pair of the video signal lines of interest is neighbored by the video signal DATA (−) which is in the second pair and has the "H" polarity, the same as that of the video signal DATA (+) having the "H" polarity. Further, similarly, in the Neighbor pattern [2], the video signal DATA (+) along the video signal line of interest has the "L" polarity, which is the same polarity as that of the signal DATA (+) in the second pair having the "L" polarity.
On the other hand, in the Neighbor pattern [3] in FIG. 11, the video signal DATA (+) along the video signal line of interest has the "H" polarity, whereas the video signal DATA (−) in the neighboring second pair has the "L" polarity, which is the reverse polarity. Similarly, in the Neighbor pattern [4] also, the video signal DATA (+) along the video signal line of interest has the "L" polarity, whereas the video signal DATA (−) in the neighboring second pair has the "H" polarity, which is the reverse polarity. In such a manner, in the case of differential signals, the video signals transmitted through the mutually neighboring two video signal lines have the four polarity patterns. That is, there are those four neighbor patterns because the differential video signals DATA (+) and DATA (−) in each of the pairs have the mutually reverse polarities always.
When the signals having those four neighbor patterns respectively are being transmitted through the video signal lines 5, a transmission voltage amplitude of the video signal DATA (+) transmitted through the video signal line of interest changes as it is affected by its neighbor patterns.
Hereinafter, in explanation, the amplitude of a voltage of the video signal as output from the timing controller 4 is referred to as "output voltage amplitude" and that of the video signal actually being transmitted through the video signal line 5 is referred to as "effective voltage amplitude".
In the Neighbor patterns [1] and [2] in FIG. 10, the video signal along the video signal line of interest has the same polarity as the video signal along the video signal line in the neighboring pair, so that those two video signals have little difference in potential; therefore, the effective voltage amplitude of the video signal along the video signal line of interest is not affected by the video signal line in the neighboring pair. Accordingly, its output voltage amplitude and effective voltage amplitude are almost the same as each other.
On the other hand, in the Neighbor patterns [3] and [4] in FIG. 11, the video signals along the paired video signal lines that neighbor the video signal line of interest have the mutually reverse polarities and so have a difference in potential therebetween, which difference interferes with the video signal along the video signal line of interest, that is, the signal DATA (+) in the first pair and the signal DATA (−) in the second pair, so that their effective voltage amplitudes become smaller than the output voltage amplitude. In such a manner, the effective voltage amplitude of the video signal transmitted through a given video signal line may become smaller than the output voltage amplitude owing to influence of the video signal transmitted through the neighboring video signal line, which phenomenon may be the wiring crosstalk.
The image display device shown in FIG. 7 has a problem in that display noise such as flicker occurs on a screen, because a transmission error occurs if the effective voltage amplitude of the data signal vj transmitted via the video signal line 5 becomes smaller than the input amplitude specification value for the data driver 4 owing to an influence from wiring crosstalk. For example, in the Neighbor patterns [3] and [4] in FIG. 11, due to the influence from wiring crosstalk, the effective voltage amplitude becomes smaller than the output voltage amplitude, so that there is a possibility that display noise may occur. The degree of the influence from the wiring crosstalk depends on the gradation in the incoming video signal vi; for example, the wiring crosstalk from the neighboring pair has no influence if the video signal vi is input which is of such a gradation that the video signal along the video signal line of interest may have the same polarity as that of the video signal along the video signal line in the neighboring pair as shown in FIG. 10.
In such an image display device that countermeasures are taken on the problem, an output voltage amplitude is set large by the timing controller beforehand so that even if a given video signal line is affected by wiring crosstalk from the neighboring video signal line, an effective voltage amplitude of the corresponding video signal may not become lower than an input amplitude specification value for the data driver. However, the output voltage amplitude is set large beforehand, so that a new problem occurs in an increase in dissipation power. That is, in a case where wiring crosstalk has a large degree of an influence so that an effective voltage amplitude may be decreased, when an output voltage amplitude is set beforehand so that the effective voltage amplitude may become slightly greater than an input amplitude specification value for the data driver and if a video signal is input which may be less affected by the neighboring video signal line as in the case of the Gradation pattern [1] or [2] in FIG. 10, for example, the effective voltage amplitude increases and exceeds the input amplitude specification value for the data driver more than necessary, thereby dissipating extra power. Further, in such a case, there occurs a problem in that EMI may increase due to the effective voltage amplitude in excess of the input amplitude specification value for the data driver more than necessary.
FIG. 12 is a block diagram for showing an electrical configuration of important components of the image display device that countermeasures are taken on the problem.
As shown in FIG. 12, the image display device includes data drivers 131, 132, . . . , 13M, and 13M+1, a timing controller 14, and video signal lines 15; it further includes a scan driver and a display panel which are not shown but similar to the scan driver 2 and the display panel 1 in FIG. 7 respectively. The video signal line is arranged similar to the video signal line 5 in FIG. 7. The timing controller 14 has a data signal output section 14a, a video signal processing section 14b, a transmission voltage amplitude controlling section 14c, and a resistor 14d. The video signal processing section 14b rearranges a video signal vi into a signal receivable by the data drivers 131, 132, . . . , 13M, and 13M+1. The transmission voltage amplitude controlling section 14c sets the amplitude of a transmission voltage based on a resistance value of the resistor 14d, to adjust the output voltage amplitude of a data signal vj which is output from the data signal output section 14a. The resistance value of the resistor 14d is determined by performing EMI evaluation. In the EMI evaluation, EMI properties are measured by changing the resistance value of the resistor 14d by trial and error, to determine such a resistance value that the EMI properties may be optimized.
In the present image display device, the video signal vi is input to the timing controller 14, in which it is processed using the video signal processing section 14b to generate an input signal va. The amplitude of the transmission voltage is set optimally in the transmission voltage amplitude controlling section 14c based on the resistance value of the resistor 14d, to give a data signal vj having the adjusted output voltage amplitude, which signal is then output from the data signal output section 14a. The data signal vj is transmitted via the video signal lines 15 to the data drivers 131, 132, . . . , 13M, and 13M+1 respectively. Then, an image corresponding to the video signal vi is displayed on the display panel.
However, the resistance value of the resistor 14d is determined on the basis of results of the EMI evaluation and the video signal line 15 transmits the data signal vj having an effective voltage amplitude that corresponds to the adjusted output voltage amplitude. That is, the ultimately adjusted output voltage amplitude becomes a fixed value irrespective of the input video signal vi. Despite this, the video signal vi input to the timing controller 14 comes in various types, so that as the video signal vi, that is, a display pattern varies, the degree of the influence from wiring crosstalk changes. That is, the video signal vi changes always and, correspondingly the effective voltage amplitude also changes momentarily. Therefore, if the output voltage amplitude is determined as a fixed value based on the resistance value of the resistor 14d beforehand, the effective voltage amplitude of the data signal vj transmitted via the video signal line 15 may not be an efficient value that responds to a change in video signal vi.
This causes the effective voltage amplitude in the present image display device to exceed the input amplitude specification value for the data drivers 131, 132, . . . , 13M, and 13M+1 more than necessary depending on the input video signal vi, thereby increasing dissipation power and EMI. Moreover, in the recent years, the size and the resolution of image display devices are ever-increasing. This progress in technology increases the number of video signal lines required and clearly swelling dissipation power and EMI, so that it is desirable to transmit the video signal having an efficient effective voltage amplitude through the video signal line.
Besides the present image display device, this type of related art may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei11-174406 (hereinafter, referred to as the related-art Patent Document 1).
In the LCD, a driver integrated circuit (IC) drives a liquid crystal panel so that an image may be displayed on the panel. The IC includes an output circuit, which output circuit controls the output of a transfer clock signal and a display signal, which is a logical signal, so that the logical signal may be supplied to the driver IC for the purpose of driving image display. In particular, in the present IC, the output current performance or the rising edge or trailing edge properties of the output voltage of the output circuit can be changed from the outside. In this case, the properties are made variable by applying a predetermined voltage from the outside. Alternatively, the properties are made variable by connecting a resistor externally.
Further, in a data drive device in an LCD described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-208134 (hereinafter, referred to as the related-art Patent Document 2), a timing controller is used to arrange pixel data pieces input from the outside, a voltage of which data is then stepped down with a resistance voltage divider and output to a plurality of data transmission lines. The data signal transmitted via the plurality of data transmission lines is stepped up to an original driving voltage with a level shift array and then converted into an analog pixel voltage signal with a data driver and supplied to a data line. This will reduce EMI.
However, the above-mentioned related arts have the following problems.
That is, the LCD described in the related-art Patent Document 1 cannot solve the above-mentioned problems because it does not take into account an influence from wiring crosstalk although the output current performance or the rising edge or trailing edge properties of the output voltage of the output circuit can be changed with an externally applied voltage or an externally connected resistor.
The data drive device described in the related-art Patent Document 2 has a problem in that its hardware configuration may be complicated because it needs level converting means such as a resistance voltage divider or a level shift array immediately on the upstream side of a data driver, which resistance voltage divider is used to step down a data voltage and which level shift array is used to step it up to its original driving voltage for the purpose of reducing EMI. Further, similar to the related-art Patent Document 1, it does not take into account a change in transmission voltage amplitude caused by wiring crosstalk and is considered to be easily affected by external noise.
In view of the above, the present invention has been developed, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image display device and a video signal processing method used in the same that can avoid a transmission error due to wiring crosstalk when a video signal is being transmitted via a video signal line by utilizing a differential transmission system.

Image display device and video signal processing method used in same