A rolling device comprises a wheel pair, consisting of two wheels (3a, 3b)affixed to wheel-holders (4a, 4b), which are interconnected by two cross-guides (5, 6) thus forming a parallelogram link chain. One cross-guide (5) is rotatably secured to extension of the platform providing an acute angle between a rotation axis (9a) and the pivot axes (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) of the four links which constitute the parallelogram link chain. The second cross-guide (6) is secured at the platform extension using a universal joint. One such tilt-steering wheel pair mechanism together with at least one fixed wheel is attached at opposite ends of the rolling device to make it work.

This invention relates to rolling devices such as roller skates, inline skates, skateboards, scooters, skis on wheels, wheel chairs, tricycles etc. Roller skates and skateboards are known which provide two non-tiltable wheel pair mechanisms, named trucks, one at each end, wherein the platform can be tilted sideways and the wheels steer responding to the tilt by making the trucks rotate, comprising inclined rotation axes, thereby influencing the direction in which the wheels are rolling. Usually cylindrical wheels are used that cause undesirably high friction. Upon tilting, the mass acceleration forces are directed off the midline of the wheels"" tracks, loading the wheels unequally and finally limiting the maximum tilt angle. In line skates, however, tilt as a whole. They are equipped with the known narrow wheels, which have little friction, but they cannot be steered by tilt.
DE19803412A1 discloses tiltable and tilt-steered wheel supports, wherein the wheels are fixed to longitudinal guides, the latter functioning as a compound guide system based on two sets of longitudinal fourfold linked chains. Any such solution using longitudinal guides is technically complex. Another problem is that such a solution causes unequal loading on the wheels of each pair.
This disadvantage has been overcome by using cross-guides. WO85/03644A1 describes wheels affixed to holders, which are guided using cross-guides in order to form a parallelogram chain having four links each. The entire system is pivotally secured to a base plate, where the pivot axis is vertically oriented with respect to this base plate, like a bogie. Steering is coupled to the tilt by using two gear wheels where one gear wheel is attached to the base plate. This solution still requires many parts and is complex.
A principal objective of the present invention is to provide a novel steering mechanism to be used in wholly tiltable rolling devices wherein the steering angle is coupled to the tilt angle in a simple and kinematically well defined manner. Another major objective of this invention is to provide a steering mechanism which distributes the radial load equally on the wheels. A further important objective of this invention is to provide a steering mechanism which uses only a few simple parts or standard components.
These advantages are attained as follows. A multi-tracked tilt-steered rolling device which incorporates pairs of tiltable wheels wherein the wheels are guided in form of a parallelogram is modified so that it comprises two cross-guides 5, 6 which are rotatably affixed to extensions 8a, 8b of the platform, their rotation axes 9a, 9b being at an angle a to the pivot axes 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, of the parallelogram link chain. These two cross-guides 5, 6 attach pivotably to two separate wheel holders 4a, 4b where the pivot axes 7a, 7b of the first cross-guide 5 and the pivot axes 7c, 7d of the second cross-guide 6 are preferably oriented longitudinally and parallel, so that the known parallelogram link chain is formed. One wheel 3a is rotatably affixed to one wheel holder 4a and the other wheel 3b is rotatably affixed to the other wheel holder 4b. Alternatively the second cross-guide 6 is universally joined to the extension of the platform 2 using a universal joint 12. The angle xcex1 makes the rolling device capable to be steered by tilt.


Various embodiments provide methods, apparatus, and electronic devices for information obtaining, information management and 2D barcode generation. In an exemplary method implemented by an electronic device, a first two-dimensional (2D) barcode can be obtained. An image transformation can be performed on the first 2D barcode to obtain a virtual 2D barcode. Further, according to validity of the virtual 2D barcode, relationship information of the first 2D barcode can be obtained based on a mapping relationship of the virtual 2D barcode in a database.

With the rapid development of the Internet, the Internet of Things has emerged. Identification marking is the first chain in the development of the Internet of Things. By providing tremendous advantages, two-dimensional code, also referred to as 2D barcode, has become a key technology in identification marking 2D barcode is a readable barcode extended from one-dimensional barcode. One example of 2D barcode is Quick Response Code (or QR code).
When a device scans a 2D barcode, by identifying the binary data recorded within the length and width of the barcode, the device can obtain information contained in the barcode. Compared with one-dimensional barcode, 2D barcode has obvious advantages. 2D barcode goes beyond the alphanumeric limitations and can record more complex data with large data capacity. In addition, 2D barcode has relatively small size, and has anti-damage ability. 2D barcode technology has started to be widely applied in fields including object identification, ticket anti-forgery, product promotion, etc. with great advantages.
A 2D barcode records information of data and/or symbols using images of black and white patterns, which are formed by the planar (two-dimensional) distribution of certain geometric shapes according to certain rules. The "0", "1" bit stream concept, which is the basis of computer internal logic, is niftily used in coding. Geometric shapes corresponding to binary codes are used to represent textual and/or numerical information. 2D barcodes can be read automatically by image inputting devices or optoelectronic scanning devices to achieve automatic information processing.
Based on the error-correction function of 2D barcodes, even if a part of (e.g., less than 50% of) the area of a 2D barcode is damaged (e.g., covered or removed), a scanning device may still be able to identify the complete information recorded by the 2D barcode. Currently there are many tools for generating "personalized 2D barcode". That is, some personalized patterns are combined with 2D barcodes to obtain 2D barcodes that are personalized and can be recognized by scanning devices. For example, main elements of a corporate logo or a personal head portrait can be added into a 2D barcode pattern. Personalized 2D barcodes can increase the identifiability of 2D barcodes. 2D barcodes that are visually similar can have different characteristics. In addition, personalized 2D barcodes can also convey business or personal information to a person who receives the information.
Nowadays, 2D barcodes are applied to social business cards, mainly as a method for fast storing electronic business cards. By scanning 2D barcode business cards (i.e., business cards having 2D barcode) using a mobile phone, a person can add friends or open corresponding electronic business cards. However, existing 2D barcode business cards are all characterized as one card corresponding to one user. Relationships between users cannot be obtained through the 2D barcodes.

Information obtaining method and apparatus

TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED


The present invention is a data query and analysis tool useful for identifying patterns in experimental data. The methods and systems of the current invention provide context for biological data, including metabolic, gene expression and proteomic data, by applying the data to a network representation of biological processes. In doing so, Nodewalker moves beyond the traditional linear pathway view of biology to a network view, and uses the network as a data integration tool to seamlessly merge disparate data streams.

Systems biology is an important and relatively new research field that is generating massive quantities of oftentimes disparate data. Interest in studying biology from a systems perspective has grown as the assumption of a linear relationship between gene and function has been recognized to be overly simplistic, at best. A "cause-and-effect" relationship between a single gene, its product, and a phenotype (or disease state) is the exception, not the rule. Some highly successful biopharmaceutical products, including insulin and erythropoietin, operate through their ability to modulate such linear relationships. However, problems such as ligand redundancies and cell-type specificities obfuscate the development of a pharmaceutical or agricultural product. To further complicate matters, many systems operate through nonlinear dose dependencies. In other words, at one concentration a compound may have one effect (such as an anti-inflammatory effect), while at a different concentration in the same cell type the compound may have an opposite effect (such as a pro-inflammatory effect). Issues of ligand redundancy, cell-type specificity, and nonlinear dose dependency are difficult to reconcile in a product development environment, even in cases where gene function is known or predictable. To further complicate matters, many diseases are polygenic, so not only do multiple gene products require identification, but alternate treatment compounds are likely required to address the role each gene product plays in a disease process. M. Khodadoust and T. Klein (2001) Nature Biotech. 19:707.
For years it was assumed that gene function was determinable by obtaining a gene sequence and performing a homology-based comparison. The central dogma is that similar sequence equals similar structure that equals similar function. Gene annotations found in public databases are far from infallible and over-reliance on them may misdirect research efforts. In many cases, only a very small percentage of any given genome is actually experimentally annotated. Homology sequence comparisons and blanket application of the central dogma supply the remaining annotation. While amino acid identity greater than 40 percent of two complete protein sequences infers structural similarity, it does not necessarily infer functional similarity. Additional sequence conservation in an active site region is required for accurate prediction of function. Wilson et al. (2000) J. Mol. Biol. 297:233-249. Proteins are typically organized into families based on the similarity of three-dimensional structures. In some cases, members of the same protein family may have no detectable sequence similarity, illustrating that structural similarities do not necessarily impute sequence similarities, and vice versa. Current annotation available from public sources is largely incomplete, and as a result, sequence comparison is not a viable approach to determining the relative roles of genes sequenced in genomics projects.
To meet the challenge of understanding complex biological systems, scientists require the ability to analyze complex data sets. As noted above, the sequencing of entire genomes has not led to an industry pipeline bulging with new life sciences products, nor has it led to an understanding of the function of all the sequenced genes. Currently, less than 5 percent of genes with annotation available from a public database are sufficiently well annotated for the information to be used directly in the development of products. As a result, a number of research technologies, such as gene expression profiling, metabolite analysis, phenotypic profiling, proteomics, 3-D protein structural analysis, protein expression, identification of biochemical pathways or networks, genotyping (including polymorphisms) and scientific literature tools are under development to help identify gene function. Each technology has its strengths and weaknesses but all are necessary, as no single existing technology is sufficient to identify the function of all genes.
To meet the challenge of analyzing large, complex data sets, researchers require tools that organize, analyze and present data in a meaningful way. Especially helpful are pattern recognition tools, and tools that place data in a biological context. Presented herein are computational methods and systems for identifying, from data, network patterns in complex biological systems.

Computational method and system for identifying network patterns in complex biological systems data


A lens evaluation method for calculating resolution evaluation value based on a detected luminance value in order to evaluate resolution of lens has a background luminance value acquiring step for acquiring a luminance value at a background part having no test pattern formed thereon, a maximum luminance value acquiring step for acquiring maximum luminance value in the test pattern image, a minimum luminance value acquiring step for acquiring minimum luminance value and an evaluation value calculating step for calculating a resolution evaluation value based on the luminance values obtained in the respective steps.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens evaluation method for evaluating resolution of a lens used for a projector, where an image light including test pattern for measuring resolution is irradiated on a screen through a projection lens to display the image of the resolution-measuring test pattern on the screen and the luminance of the displayed test pattern image is detected by an image import device using an image sensor to calculate a resolution evaluation value based on the detected luminance value, and a lens-evaluating apparatus for implementing the evaluation method.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a projector including a plurality of liquid crystal panels for modulating a plurality of colors of light in accordance with image information, a cross dichroic prism for combining the color light modulated by the respective liquid crystal panels, and a projection lens for enlarging and projecting the light combined by the prism has been used.
The projection lens used in the projector may have diverse properties such as image resolution, flare and chromatic aberration on account of variation in production process thereof. Since the diversity of the properties of the projection lens exerts influence on the image displayed by the projector, the properties of image resolution, flare and chromatic aberration are evaluated before the lens manufacturer forward the lens and before the lens is assembled into a projector.
Specifically, in order to evaluate, for instance, the resolution of the projection lens, a resolution-measuring test pattern is formed on an evaluation sheet, light is irradiated on the test pattern to introduce an image light including the test pattern into the projection lens, and the image light irradiated by the projection lens is projected on the screen. The image of the test pattern displayed on the screen is detected by an image import device using an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). The image detected by the device is image-processed by a computer etc. to evaluate the resolution of the projection lens.
In the above, MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) value is generally used as a resolution evaluation value for evaluating the resolution of the lens, which can be obtained according to following formula, where the maximum value of the detected luminance value of the test-pattern image is Imax and the minimum value thereof is Imin.
MTF=(Imaxxe2x88x92Imin)/(Imax+Imin)
However, in the above arrangement, since measured luminance used for calculating the MTF value calculated by the above formula is a relative value, the MTF value may be varied according to brightness of the image.
Further, in evaluating the resolution of the projection lens, since the image light irradiated from the projection lens to be projected on the screen tends to have the strongest intensity at the central portion to be grown weaker toward the peripheral portion thereof, even when the luminance value is obtained on a plurality of portions of the image projected on the screen, the MTF value cannot be evaluated according to the same standard.
Furthermore, when the brightness of the projected image differ according to the type of the projector, the MTF value of the respective projectors cannot be compared according to the same standard.
An object of the present invention is to provide a lens evaluation method and lens-evaluating device capable of appropriately evaluating the resolution of the lens without being influenced by the type of projector and measured position.
In order to achieve an object of the present invention, a lens evaluation method according to an aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: irradiating an image light including a resolution-measuring test pattern onto a screen through a lens to display an image of the resolution-measuring test pattern on the screen; detecting a luminance of the image of the displayed test pattern by an image import device using an image sensor, a resolution evaluation value being calculated based on the detected luminance value; acquiring a background luminance value of a background part without the test pattern being formed by the image import device using the image sensor; acquiring a maximum luminance value in the test pattern image by the image import device using the image sensor; acquiring a minimum luminance value in the test pattern image by the image import device using the image sensor; and calculating the resolution evaluation value based on the background luminance value, the maximum luminance value and the minimum luminance value obtained through the respective steps.
A resolution chart measuring test pattern having a bright part and a dark part at a predetermined spatial frequency used in evaluating general optical system can be used as the resolution-measuring test pattern. The spatial frequency may be a plurality of spatial frequencies between 20 line/mm to 80 line/mm. Specifically, a parallel-line resolution chart may be used as the resolution-measuring test pattern, the spatial frequency being set as 20 line/mm, 25 line/mm, 30 line/mm, 50 line/mm and 80 line/mm, where two types of mutually orthogonal parallel-line resolution charts are used as one set to form the test pattern.
The above maximum luminance value refers to the luminance value at the brightest part in the test pattern image, the minimum luminance value refers to the luminance value at the darkest part, which can be obtained by conducting image processing for detecting luminance of an image such as pattern matching on the test pattern image taken by the image sensor.
The evaluation method of the present invention is suitably applied in an arrangement using an image import device with an image sensor having divergence between level-zero value on the output side and level-zero value on the input side so that level-zero light is not outputted from the output side even when the level-zero light is introduced into the input side thereby generating offset value. The image sensor may be CCD, MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor etc. The image import device may be an image data generator such as a video capturing board for converting an output of the image sensors into an image signal for computer.
According to the above arrangement, since the resolution evaluation value is calculated based on the background luminance value, the maximum luminance value and the minimum luminance value, even when the brightness of the image projected on the screen differs, the resolution evaluation value calculated based on the background luminance value, the maximum luminance value and the minimum luminance value taken at a plurality of positions can be evaluated according to the same standard by conducting correction processing by adding the background luminance value, so that the resolution of the lens can be appropriately evaluated without being influenced by the type of projector and location on the displayed image.
In the above, the resolution evaluation value (MTF) calculated by the evaluation value calculating step is represented according to following formula [1] where the background luminance value is represented as Io, the maximum luminance value is represented as Imax and the minimum luminance value is represented as Imin.
MTF=(Imaxxe2x88x92Imin)/(Io*2xe2x88x92Imaxxe2x88x92Imin)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83[1]
The formula [1] can be obtained according to the following process.
When the image of the parallel-line resolution-measuring pattern C1 as shown in FIG. 1 is detected using an image sensor and the resolution is evaluated on the luminance value of the bright part and dark part of the pattern C1 detected by the image sensor, the resolution evaluation value MTF can be given as a ratio between an input level as an input contrast ratio of the image light incident on the projection lens and an output level as an output contrast ratio of the image detected by the image sensor such as CCD camera, which can be calculated by the following formula [2].
MTF=(output level)/(input level)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83[2]
The output level in the formula [2] can be substituted by (Imaxxe2x88x92Imin), so the formula [2] can be replaced with following formula [3].
MTF=(Imaxxe2x88x92Imin)/(input level)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83[3]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, when the value of (I100%xe2x88x92Imax) is equal to the value of (Iminxe2x88x92I0%), the input level can be calculated according to the following formula [4] under the condition that the input-side I0% is the same value as the value of the output-side.
xe2x80x83(Input level)=Imax+(I100%xe2x88x92Imax)=Imax+(Iminxe2x88x92I0%)=Imax+Iminxe2x80x83xe2x80x83[4]
Accordingly, the resolution evaluation value MTF can be calculated according to following formula [5] as described in the related art section.
MTF=(Imaxxe2x88x92Imin)/(Imax+Imin)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83[5]
However, when the relationship between the input level and the output level is examined from the image acquired by the image import device using the image sensor such as CCD, offset value (I0%xe2x88x92ICCD%) is generated on the output level side as shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, when the input level is calculated based on the formula [5], twice as much value as the offset value is added, so that the calculated input level becomes greater than an actual input level value. Further, the offset value of the image sensor such as CCD may change in accordance with the change in the background luminance value. For instance, the offset value becomes greater as the background luminance value is decreased (darkened), so that, as a result, the calculated resolution evaluation value MTF becomes smaller than the actual value, which becomes further smaller as the background luminance is decreased (darkened).
Accordingly, in order to obtain an accurate resolution evaluation value MTF, a correction processing for removing offset amount of the image import device using the image sensor such as CCD is required.
In order to remove the offset amount, the input level can be obtained according to the following formula [6] when the output-side maximum luminance value Imax, minimum luminance value Imin shown in FIG. 3, and a read value Io of the luminance on the output-side at the maximum luminance value I100% on the input-side can be determined.
(Input level)=Imaxxe2x88x92Imin+(Ioxe2x88x92Imax)*2=Io*2xe2x88x92Imaxxe2x88x92Iminxe2x80x83xe2x80x83[6]
Since the resolution evaluation value MTF becomes 1 when the spatial frequency=0, i.e. when there is no pattern, the brightness of the part having no test pattern, i.e. the luminance value of the background part should be measured. Further, the formula [6] is calculated by adding difference of the luminance value detected by the image sensor such as CCD, so that the offset amount is canceled and the obtained input level becomes a value removed with the offset amount. According to the above, the appropriate resolution evaluation value MTF removing the offset amount of the image import device using the image sensor such as CCD can be obtained according to following formula [7].
MTF=(Imaxxe2x88x92Imin)/(Io*2xe2x88x92Imaxxe2x88x92Imin)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83[7]
According to the present invention, since the resolution evaluation value MTF can be calculated according to the formula represented as [7], accurate resolution evaluation value can be obtained and the resolution of the projection lens can be appropriately evaluated without being influenced by the type of projector and location on the displayed image.
When the above-described image sensor is a charge coupled device, the background luminance value acquiring step, the maximum luminance value acquiring step and the minimum luminance value acquiring step may preferably be conducted at a part where an output of the charge coupled device in response to the luminance value is in proportional relationship.
In the image sensor such as CCD, the relationship between the image light and the luminance value lacks proportionality where the output is too bright or too dark, thus failing to obtain an appropriate luminance value. Accordingly, by providing a light adjuster such as diaphragm for adjusting brightness of the image light incident on the image sensor such as CCD, the measurement can be conducted at a portion where the linearity of the image sensor can be maintained, so that the accurate resolution evaluation value can be calculated in the evaluation calculating step.
The lens may preferably be arranged as a lens set including a plurality of light condensers disposed along an optical axis direction and has a zooming function for enlarging and contracting a projected image by changing relative position of the respective light condensers, and the background luminance value acquiring step, the maximum luminance value acquiring step and the minimum luminance value acquiring step may preferably be conducted at least for the minimum magnification and maximum magnification of the lens respectively.
When the projected image is enlarged and contracted by changing relative position of the respective light condensers of a lens set having a plurality of light-condensers disposed along an optical axis direction, the resolution evaluation value MTF may sometimes show a different value according to the enlarged projected image and the contracted projected image. Accordingly, in order to evaluate the resolution, the resolution evaluation value MTF is calculated at the minimum magnification and the maximum magnification of the lens set for evaluating the lens. By conducting such evaluation, when the lens set is installed in a projector, divergence of the resolution evaluation value MTF caused when the projected image is enlarged and contracted can be reduced in the projector.
When the image sensor is movable along the screen, the method may preferably further include the steps of: moving the image sensor along an outer periphery of the projected image projected on the screen; acquiring the peripheral image of the projected image at a predetermined position by the image import device using the image sensor while moving the image sensor; and calculating a distortion aberration of the projected image based on the peripheral image of the projected image acquired during the peripheral image acquiring step.
According to the above arrangement, since the image sensor is movable along the surface of the screen and the image sensor moving step, the peripheral image acquiring step and the distortion aberration calculating step are provided, the image sensor can be moved along the outer periphery of the projected image projected on the screen and the peripheral image can be acquired at the predetermined position by the image import device using the image sensor. Therefore, the peripheral image can be acquired at any position on the projected image and can be compared with a designed image projecting position to calculate the distortion aberration, so that the ambiguity of evaluation accuracy of conventional visual check can be eliminated and the distortion aberration can be accurately evaluated.
A check sheet formed with the test pattern may preferably include a frame portion formed adjacent to an outer periphery of a formation area of the projected image, and the image of the frame portion may preferably be acquired during the peripheral image acquiring step.
According to the above arrangement, when the check sheet includes the frame portion formed adjacent to the outer periphery of the formation area of the projected image, the profile of the frame portion can be easily and highly accurately identified from the peripheral image of the obtained frame portion by obtaining the peripheral image along the outer periphery of the frame portion formed on the screen during the peripheral image acquiring step, thereby further accurately evaluating distortion aberration.
The above method may preferably further include the steps of: calculating an input level value based on the background luminance value, the maximum luminance value and the minimum luminance value, where the background luminance value acquiring step, the maximum luminance value acquiring step, the minimum luminance value acquiring step and the input level value calculating step are conducted at a plurality of positions in the projected image; acquiring an illumination at a predetermined first position of the projected image where the background luminance value acquiring step, the maximum luminance value acquiring step, the minimum luminance value acquiring step and the input level value calculating step are conducted; and calculating an in-plane illumination of the entire projected image by calculating the illumination of a second position other than the first position based on the input level value and illumination at the first position and the input level value at the second position.
According to the above arrangement, the input level value as a relative value can be obtained by conducting the background luminance value acquiring step, the maximum luminance value acquiring step, the minimum luminance value acquiring step and the input level value calculating step at a plurality of positions in the projected image.
Further, by conducting the illumination acquiring step at the predetermined first position and the in-plane illumination calculating step, the in-plane illumination distribution can be evaluated based on the illumination at the predetermined position and the input level value.
The input level value is calculated based on the background luminance value, the maximum luminance value and the minimum luminance value and, therefore, is an evaluation value canceling the offset value generated in the image import device using an image sensor, so that the illumination at the predetermined position and the in-plane illumination of the projected image calculated based on the input level value can be evaluated in accordance with the same standard. Accordingly, the ambiguity of accuracy in conventional visual check can be eliminated and accurate in-plane illumination distribution can be evaluated.
In the above, the illumination (Le) at the second position may preferably be represented as
Le=Lo*Iie/Iioxe2x80x83xe2x80x83[8]
where the input level value at the second position is represented as lie, the input level value at the first position is represented as Iio and the illumination at the first position is represented as Lo.
According to the above arrangement, since the illumination of the second position can be obtained as a product of ratio of input level value as a relative value calculated according to the above formula [8] and the illumination of the first position as an absolute value, accurate illumination can be obtained and the in-plane illumination distribution can be evaluated by comparing the plurality of illuminations. Accordingly, more accurate in-plane illumination distribution of the projected image can be evaluated.
A lens-evaluating apparatus for evaluating a resolution of a lens according to another aspect of the present invention includes: a check sheet formed with a resolution-measuring test pattern; a light source for irradiating light on the check sheet to introduce an image light including the test pattern to the lens; a screen to which the image light irradiated by the lens is projected; an image sensor for taking an image of the test pattern displayed on the screen; an image import device for importing the image taken by the image sensor to generate an image signal; and a signal processor including a resolution evaluation value calculator that arithmetically operates the resolution evaluation value based on the image signal outputted by the image import device, in which the image sensor is provided with a light adjuster for adjusting an amount of light incident on the image sensor, the light adjuster being controlled based on a control signal from the signal processor.
The light adjuster may be an automatic diaphragm adjusting mechanism capable of being remotely operated from the signal processor.
According to the present aspect of the invention, since the light adjuster is provided, the amount of light incident on the image sensor such as CCD can be adjusted in accordance with dispersion of luminance of the image light on the screen, so that the amount of light inputted into the image sensor can be kept always constant, so that the resolution evaluation value calculated by the light-amount-adjusted image can be evaluated according to the same standard.
Further, the resolution evaluation value of the resolution evaluation value calculator can be calculated in the same manner as the lens evaluation method, by which the same function and advantages can be obtained. The resolution evaluation value calculator can be arranged as a program extended on an OS (operating system) for controlling the operation of the computer, which may include a background luminance value acquiring portion, a maximum luminance value acquiring portion, a minimum luminance value acquiring portion and an evaluation value calculating portion.
The lens evaluation apparatus according to the present invention may preferably further include an image sensor moving mechanism that moves the image sensor along a surface of the screen, the signal processor may further include: an image sensor controller for controlling movement of the image sensor along an outer periphery of the projected image projected on the screen; a peripheral image sensor for acquiring a peripheral image of the projected image at a predetermined position with the image import device using the image sensor while moving the image sensor by the image sensor controller; and a distortion aberration calculator for calculating a distortion aberration of the projected image based on the peripheral image of the projected image acquired by the peripheral image sensor.
According to the above arrangement, since the apparatus has the image sensor moving mechanism for moving the image sensor along the screen surface and the signal processor includes the image sensor controller, the peripheral image sensor and the distortion aberration calculator, the distortion aberration of the lens can be calculated by the distortion aberration calculator in the same manner as in the lens evaluation method, whereby the same function and advantage as in the above can be obtained.
In the lens-evaluating apparatus of the present invention, the check sheet may further include a frame portion formed adjacent to an outer periphery of a formation area of the projected image projected on the screen.
According to the above arrangement, since the check sheet includes a frame portion formed adjacent to the outer periphery of the formation area of the projected image projected on the screen, the image sensor controller can move the image sensor along the outer periphery of the frame portion, the peripheral image sensor can acquire the peripheral image of the frame portion at a predetermined position and the distortion aberration calculator can calculate the distortion aberration of the projected image based on the obtained peripheral image. Accordingly, the signal processor can easily obtain the peripheral image of the frame portion to calculate the distortion aberration, so that the distortion aberration can be rapidly and highly accurately evaluated.
The lens-evaluating apparatus according to the above aspect of the present invention may preferably include an illumination sensor for detecting an illumination at a predetermined first position in the projected image.
According to the above arrangement, since the illumination sensor for detecting illumination at the predetermined position in the projected image is provided, the difference of the illumination resulted by the nature of the lens can be evaluated by comparing the detected illumination for respective lens to be checked.
In the lens-evaluating apparatus, the resolution evaluation value calculator arithmetically may preferably operate an input level value based on the background luminance value, the maximum luminance value and the minimum luminance value and the input level value is acquired by the resolution evaluation value calculator at a plurality of positions in the projected image including the first position where the illumination is detected, and the signal processor may preferably include an in-plane illumination calculator for calculating an in-plane illumination of the entire projected image by calculating the illumination of a second position other than the first position based on the illumination at the first position detected by the illumination sensor, the input level value at the first position calculated by the resolution evaluation value calculator and the input level value at the second position.
According to the above arrangement, since the signal processor includes the in-plane illumination calculator, the in-plane illumination can be calculated by the in-plane illumination calculator in the same manner as in the above-described lens evaluation method, whereby the same function and advantages can be obtained.

Lens evaluation method and lens-evaluating apparatus


An example method includes analyzing rock from an image of a sample region of the rock. The example method includes accessing element maps of the sample region in a database, with each element map including an array of pixels, and with each pixel having a value that represents how closely the pixel correlates to a chemical element; accessing a database storing threshold values for multiple chemical elements including the chemical element; determining a presence of a substance in a portion of the sample region corresponding to the pixel by determining whether a value of the pixel in each of the element maps is greater than, or less than, a threshold value for a corresponding chemical element; labeling the pixel based on the presence of the substance in the pixel; and outputting data representing the substance map for rendering on a graphical interface.

Rock may contain hydrocarbons, such as oil or gas. Criteria used to estimate the existence and amount of hydrocarbons in rock include, for example, the types of chemical elements or minerals in the rock and the quantities of those chemical elements and minerals in the rock. To determine the existence and amount of organic material, such as hydrocarbons or kerogen, in rock, imaging techniques may be used to capture images of the rock. The resulting images can be analyzed to identify the existence, and amounts, of organic material in the rock.


The aim of the invention is to make it as easy as possible to change a spindle in a lifting device (2) for substrates, which device comprises a support (10). To this end the support is configured such that it can be made to engage the substrate holder (25) by rotation or by pivoting.

The present invention relates to a lifting device for substrates and has a holder.
Such lifting devices are used, for example, during the manufacture of disc-shaped substrates, such as CDs or DVDs, in order to guide the substrates on a spindle relative to their height. With such devices, generally a plurality of spindles are provided for receiving the substrates on a rotary table. Each of the spindles is provided with a so-called spacer that surrounds the spindle and upon which are placed the respective disc-shaped substrates. In an operating position of the spindle, the support of the lifting device is brought into engagement with the spacer by a lateral movement of the entire lifting device. In this position of engagement, the spacer can be raised and/or lowered by the lifting device, and in particular as a function of whether the substrates are to be stacked upon the spindle and the spacer or are to be removed therefrom.
In order to bring a new spindle into the operating position for the receipt or removal of substrates, the lifting device must first be moved away from the spindle or spacer that is in engagement with the support. A new spindle is subsequently moved into the operating position, and the lifting device is brought back into the engagement position. In this connection, not only is a device for the lateral movement of the lifting device necessary, but sensors that sense the lateral position of the lifting device are also necessary, thereby increasing the susceptibility of the lifting device to breaking down. Furthermore, due to the lateral movement of the lifting device, a larger installation space is required.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,010 discloses a lifting device where an arm that carries a support is moved by a drive into contact with a substrate that is to be received, for example by means of a piston. In so doing, the support directly engages the substrate, whereby in particular with sensitive substrates damage can occur to the substrate. In order to bring the substrates into the region of the lifting device, in addition to the drive for the pivoting movement a separate drive is provided for moving the substrates.
DE-A-196 06 763 discloses a transport mechanism having a grasping device for holding and transporting substrates, with the grasping device being rotatable about an axis of rotation. In order to come into engagement with substrates, the grasping device is first rotated over a substrate and is subsequently moved linearly. In so doing, the grasping device is actively not only rotatable but also is driven linearly.
DE-A-36 28 544 discloses a magnetic holding device having magnetizable elements that are displaceable relative to one another and that are in the position due to relative displacement to adapt to the surface of the work piece. To receive the work piece, the magnetizable elements are magnetized and are secured relative to one another in order, when a magnetic force is applied, to prevent a relative displacement of the elements relative to one another.
Proceeding from the above mentioned state of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an economical apparatus that enables a spindle change in a simple and reliable manner.
Pursuant to the present invention this object is realized in that the substrate support can be brought into engagement with the substrate or a substrate holder by rotating or pivoting the substrate support, whereby the rotation or pivoting of the support is effected by a movement of the substrate holder. In this way, a simple spindle exchange is made possible without a lateral movement of the lifting device. This eliminates the drive for the lateral movement of the lifting device, as well as the sensors for sensing the lateral position, thereby eliminating the cost for these devices. The device overall requires fewer parts, thereby increasing the reliability of the device. By means of the passive rotation or pivoting of the support, there results a particularly simple control of the device, since only the movement of the substrate holder has to be precisely controlled.
Pursuant to one preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, the support is rotatable about a central axis.
To ensure that the support is disposed in a predetermined position when it is not in engagement with a substrate holder, the support is biased in a rest position. In this way, a respectively uniform engagement is achieved between the support on the one hand and the substrate holder on the other hand.
The biasing is preferably achieved by at least one magnet. By using as least one magnet, a biasing is achieved in a simple and reliable manner, whereby the drawbacks of mechanical devices, such as fatigue and/or failure of the mechanical parts, are avoided. Pursuant to one preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, at least one magnet is provided on a supporting arm of the lifting device and/or a plurality of magnets, especially four magnets, are provided on the support.
In order to provide a good engagement between the support and the substrate holder, and to thereby effect the rotation or pivoting of the support, the support is provided with preferably essentially radially projecting legs.
Pursuant to the presently preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, the support has a star shape with four or five legs.
The lifting device is advantageously furthermore provided with sensor means for sensing the lifting height of the substrate holder.


A golf club head of a non-putter golf club comprising a crown and a sole located opposite the crown, a heel end and a toe end located opposite the heel end, a striking surface, and a design applied to the crown, which design comprises: a vertical line parallel to the striking surface, and a first set of diagonal lines consisting of one or more entirely straight lines, wherein: a) none of the lines of the first set of diagonal lines is parallel or perpendicular to the vertical line, b) no two lines of the first set of diagonal lines are parallel or perpendicular to each other, c) each line of the first set of diagonal lines forms an acute angle with a plane parallel to the striking surface, which plane passes through the endpoint of said line located nearer to the striking surface, and d) the lines of the first set of diagonal lines converge towards the heel end, and diverge towards the toe end.

Numerous designs for application to a golf club had been proposed for facilitating and improving a player's golf game. Many such designs are specific to clubs designed for use in putting, which involve relatively short and low-speed strokes with the intention of rolling the ball into the hole from a short distance away. Putters are differentiated from non-putter clubs, the designs of which are the subject of the present invention, by a club head with a very flat, low-profile, low-loft striking face, and by other features which are only allowed on putters, such as bent shafts and non-circular grips. Designs specific to putters such as that described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,374,497, 7,399,233 and 8,246,481 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0238544, are outside the scope of the present invention.
Designs for application to crowns of non-putter clubs are discussed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,481,715, 8,235,830, 8,414,410, 8,545,340 and 8,556,742 as well as U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. US 2007/0004525, US 2009/0215547, US 2012/0270672 and US 2013/0012331.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,545,340 teaches use of directional based graphic on golf clubs, which can become invisible/visible depending on the angle from where the graphic is viewed. FIGS. 7-9 of the '340 Patent show the graphic applied to the crown of the club head. In paragraph [0046], it is stated that the directional based graphic display may be used to determine variations in lie angle or loft angle. In paragraph [0051], it is stated that the directional based graphic could relate generally to any sort of visual illustrations and can refer to " . . . an alignment line . . . ." However, there is no teaching regarding the specific configuration of such "an alignment line" nor that there could be a plurality of lines.
US 2009/0215547 relates to rectangular markers, which do not comprise diagonal, non-parallel and non-perpendicular lines, applied to the club head.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,481,715 teaches making the actual face angle of the golf club appear differently when the golf club is at address, by employing an alignment line located at the junction of the crown and the striking surface. This line is not applied to the crown, and is clearly not diagonal. In column 2 the patent further states that "[t]he golf head can also include a second line perpendicular to the alignment line". Clearly, the design of the '715 Patent also does not comprise diagonal, non-parallel and non-perpendicular lines, applied to the club head.
Other designs comprise only parallel diagonal lines. Such clubs include, e.g., a commercially available club known as "2013 TaylorMade R1 Driver" sold by the Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. and clubs described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,414,410 (see FIG. 4 of the '410 Patent).
US 2012/0270672, US 2007/0004525, US 2013/0012331 teach clubs with various markings applied to the crown of the club head, which markings include non-parallel diagonal lines. The most relevant figures are FIGS. 6b-6c of US 2007/0004525, FIGS. 11 and 12 of US 2013/0012331, and FIG. 4 of Patent US 2012/0270672. However, these designs do not contain a vertical line and/or entirely straight diagonal lines. Moreover, the lines are part of a design intended to direct a golfer's attention to a specific spot in on the striking surface so as facilitate repeated contact at the same desired location, rather than to allow the golfer to recognize and modify the alignment of clubface at each address, depending on the desired flight trajectory.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,235,830 also teaches markings applied to the crown of the club head, which include non-parallel diagonal lines. The most relevant markings are shown in FIGS. 4-9. However, these diagonals lines do not converge towards the heel end, and diverge towards the toe end. Moreover, the design of US 2010/0323806 is configured to signal the proper take-away ("visual swing indicator"), so as to facilitate backswing along the same desired path, rather than to allow the golfer to recognize and modify the alignment of clubface at each address, depending on the desired flight trajectory.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,556,742 updates the design of, and is by the same applicant/inventor as U.S. Pat. No. 8,235,830. Additional configuration of the "visual swing indicator" is shown in FIGS. 10-13. However, these lines do not appear to be entirely straight and again are part of a design configured to signal the proper take-away, so as to facilitate backswing along the same desired path, rather than to allow the golfer to recognize and modify the alignment of clubface at each address, depending on the desired flight trajectory.

Golf club crown alignment, aiming and shot shaping aid


A semiconductor chip is secured on a die-pad which has been depressed. One end of a tie-bar is combined with the die-pad. One of a lead is connected to the semiconductor chip by, for example, a bonding wire. A molded resin block covers up the die-pad, semiconductor chip and lead, and has an upper surface, a lower surface and sides. The other end of the tie-bar and the other end of the lead are exposed at the lower surface of the resin block. The surfaces of the tie-bar and lead, which are exposed, lie in substantially the same plane as at least the lower surface of the resin block. The lower surface of the die-pad may be exposed at the upper surface of the resin block, and the lower surface of the die-pad, which is exposed outside the resin block, may be set in substantially the same plane as the upper surface of the resin block.

The present invention relates to a resin-sealed semiconductor device.
A resin-sealed semiconductor device is a device having a semiconductor chip (IC) package made of molding resin. The resin-sealed semiconductor device is inexpensive and excels in mass-productivity. Therefore, it is most generally developed and manufactured in the field of semiconductor devices.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional resin-sealed semiconductor device. FIG. 2 is a sectional view, taken along line II--II in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a sectional view, taken along line III--III in FIG. 1.
A semiconductor chip 11 is mounted on a die-pad 10. The chip 11 is secured to the die-pad 10 with electrically conductive adhesive 12 such as silver paste. Tie-bars 17 tie the die-pad 10 to a lead frame in the course of manufacturing a resin-sealed semiconductor device. A plurality of leads 13 are arranged around the die-pad 10. Bonding wires 14 connect the leads 13 to the electrodes (pads) 15 of the semiconductor chip 11. Resin 16 covers the semiconductor chip 11. Those parts of the leads 13, which are in the resin 16, are called inner leads. Those parts of the leads 13, which are outside the resin 16, are called outer leads.
The die-pad 10, leads 13 and tie-bars 17 are made of metal such as copper, copper alloy or iron-nickel alloy (Fe--42Ni). The distal portion (bonding portion) of each lead (inner lead) 13 is plated with metal such as gold or tin. The bonding wires 14 are made of metal such as copper, copper alloy or gold. The electrodes 15 of the semiconductor chip 11 are made of metal such as aluminum.
The leads (outer leads) 13 are made in the form of a Gull-wing so as to easily contact the wires provided on a printed circuit board. The tie-bars 17 is used to tie the die-pad 10 to the lead frame in the course of manufacturing the resin-sealed semiconductor device. Those parts of the tie-bars, which are outside the resin 16, are therefore finally removed. Hence, the tie-bars 17 will exists in the resin 16 only.
The die-pad 10 is fixed at the ground potential in order to stabilize the operation of the integrated circuit provided within the semiconductor chip 11. A method of fixing the die-pad 10 at the ground potential is known, in which one of the leads 13 and the die-pad 10 are connected to each other and the ground potential is applied to this lead 13.
In this case, however, the ground potential is applied from the lead 13 to the die-pad 10. Due to the resistance components of the leads, bonding wires and die-pad, it is difficult to stabilize the entire lower surface of the semiconductor chip 11 at the ground potential.
Further, since one of the leads 13 must be used to set the die-pad 10 at a specific potential, the semiconductor device needs to have more pins (outer leads) than otherwise. Still further, since the lead (outer leads) are bent in Gull-wing form, there is limit to miniaturization and thickness reduction of the semiconductor device.


A scalable encoding device is capable of improving quality of a decoded signal without increasing an encoding amount and compensating data with a sufficient quality upon data loss. An extension layer bit distribution calculator calculates a bit distribution of a quality improving encoding data and compensation encoding data in the extension layer according to an audio mode of the input signal. An extension layer encoder generates quality improving encoding data according to the specified number of bits. A compensation information encoder extracts a part of core layer encoding data and makes it as compensation encoding data for the core layer. An extension layer encoded data generator multiplexes the extension layer bit distribution information, the compensation encoding data, and the quality improving encoding data so as to obtain extension layer encoding data.

In speech communications on an IP network, to realize network traffic control and multicast communication on the network, a scalable function, which enables a receiving apparatus to acquire decoded speech of certain quality even from part of encoded data, is anticipated.
In scalable coding (scalable speech coding) having this scalable function, by encoding an input speech signal into layers, encoded data with a plurality of layers including the lower layer to higher layers, are generated and transmitted. The receiving apparatus acquires decoded speech using encoded data with the lower layer to an arbitrary higher layer and thereupon acquires a decoded signal in varying quality, thereby decoding the speech in higher quality by decoding higher layers. Here, enhancement layer encoded data is directed to improving quality of the core layer.
By the way, when frame loss occurs in a channel, there is a technique of performing frame erasure concealment by extrapolating parameters received earlier in a speech decoding apparatus. However, for example, it is difficult to estimate a signal of speech onset using only the parameters received earlier. Consequently, it is not practical to realize robustness to packet loss using only the method of extrapolation-based concealment.
Therefore, besides extrapolation, there is a technique of adding in advance redundancy information for concealment processing upon transmission (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). By separately transmitting encoded data for concealment generated from this concealment information, it is possible to enhance error robustness.
Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of encoding the current frame by the first coding method, and, using its decoded signal, encoding a future signal by a second coding method (sub-codec), and outputting both encoded data at the same time. In this case, if the first encoded data is lost, high error robustness is realized by performing concealment using the second encoded data received earlier.
Patent Document 2 discloses a technique of encoding the current frame by the first coding method, extracting and encoding periodicity information such as the pitch of the future frame for packet loss concealment, and transmitting both data at the same time. As in Patent Document 1, if the encoded data of the current frame is lost, high error robustness is realized by performing concealment using the encoded data for concealment, which is received earlier.
Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose using encoded data from a sub-codec which targets other periods than the current frame as encoded data for concealment, and transmitting this encoded data and the encoded data of the current frame by the first coding scheme at the same time. By this means, even when the encoded data of the current frame is lost, error robustness is emphasized by performing concealment using the supplementary information.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-221994    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-268696

Scalable encoding device and scalable encoding method including quality improvement of a decoded signal


An endoscopic imaging catheter is configured for insertion, optionally via a longitudinal channel of an endoscopic insertion tube. The endoscopic imaging catheter includes reflecting and optical elements and an imaging element. The reflecting element reflects onto the imaging element through the optical element side and rear views of at least a portion, or the entire 360° view of a wall encircling an intrabody lumen around the axis of said the longitudinal channel.

An endoscope is a medical or industrial device comprising a flexible or rigid tube and a camera or fiber optics mounted on the distal end of the tube. The endoscope is insertable into an internal body cavity through a body orifice or a surgical incision to examine the body cavity and tissues as part of a diagnosis or therapeutic procedure. The tube of the endoscope has one or more longitudinal channels, which may be used for irrigation, or suction, or through which an instrument can reach the body cavity to take samples of suspicious tissues or to perform other surgical procedures such as polypectomy, tissue ablation or localized drag delivery.
There are many types of endoscopes, and they are named in relation to the organs or areas with which they are used. For example, gastroscopes are used for examination and treatment of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum; colonoscopes are used for examination and treatment of the colon; bronchoscopes are used for examination and treatment of the lungs and bronchi; laparoscopes are used for examination and treatment of the peritoneal cavity; sigmoidoscopes are used for examination and treatment of the rectum and the sigmoid colon; arthroscopes are used for examination and treatment of joints; cystoscopes are used for examination and treatment of the urinary bladder; ureteroscopes are used for examination and treatment of the ureters and kidneys; and angioscopes are used for examination and treatment of blood vessels.
Many conventional endoscopes include a single forward-viewing fiber bundle or a camera mounted at the distal end of the endoscope that captures and transmits an image to an eyepiece, in the case of fiber bundle, or to a video display monitor at the proximal end. The image is used to assist a medical professional in advancing the endoscope into a body cavity and looking for abnormalities. The camera provides the medical professional with a two-dimensional view from the distal end of the endoscope. To capture an image from a different angle or in a different portion of the endoscope, the endoscope must be maneuvered, repositioned, articulated, or moved back and forth. All these maneuvers of the endoscope prolong the procedure and cause added discomfort, complications, and risks to the patient. Additionally, in an environment such as the lower gastro-intestinal tract, flexures, tissue folds, and unusual geometries of the organ may prevent the endoscope's forward-looking camera from viewing behind tissue folds, flexures, and other "hidden" areas of the lumen. The inability to view behind the folds, flexures, and other "hidden" areas may cause a potential polyp to be missed during colonoscopy.

Method and device for imaging an interior surface of a corporeal cavity


An air bag assembly is mounted in a vehicle instrument panel recess located below an opening in the instrument panel upper surface which has a removable cover door normally closing the opening. The air bag assembly comprises an inflator, an air bag, a container mounting the inflator at its bottom and housing the folded air bag atop the inflator, and an air bag deployment chute. The deployment chute is a fabric rectangular tube having one end attached to the container around its deployment opening. The deployment chute is folded atop the air bag. A fabric tether connects the lower edge of the chute outer end to the container and is shorter than the tube. Upon actuation of the inflator, the deployment chute forces open the instrument panel door and extends outwardly of the instrument panel opening. The tether forces the chute to arch rearwardly and downwardly of the instrument panel opening. The inflating air bag forces its way through the narrow deployment chute until it emerges from the chute downwardly and rearwardly of the instrument panel and fully inflates. Upon emerging, the inflating air bag forces the chute to retract to a gathered position about the instrument panel opening, thus allowing full inflation of the air bag.

This invention relates generally to vehicle air bag installations and, more particularly, to a device for controlling deployment of an air bag.
Inflatable occupant restraint systems for passengers of vehicles conventionally comprise an air bag assembly having an inflatable air bag, an inflator and a container for housing the inflator and the air bag. The air bag is folded atop the inflator beneath the open top of the container. This assembly is mounted in a recess in the instrument panel for deployment of the air bag through a deployment opening in the instrument panel. This opening is closed by a cover door.
The instrument panel deployment opening can be located in the front face of the instrument panel or in the upper surface of the panel. Positioning of this opening in the front face of the instrument panel complicates location of the glove box. Consequently, to provide a convenient glove box location, the air bag deployment opening is frequently mounted in the upper surface of the instrument panel.
In some vehicles the air bag cover door comprises a foam pad and skin which are an integral portion of the panel.
The skin includes a tear seam line of weakened panel material along the substrate cutout on three sides to define the door. This tear seam is fractured by the inflating air bag so that the door swings open about its fourth side, which functions as a hinge, to enable the air bag to properly deploy.
In yet other vehicles this cover door is a separate rectangular panel that is flush mounted in a rectangular opening in the surrounding panel area so that it can be opened and completely removed by the deploying air bag upon inflation. This type of door is usually attached to the instrument panel at its forward edge by a hinge or by a tethering device to cause the door to swing open about this attachment out of the path of the deploying air bag.
Upon actuation of the inflator, the air bag begins inflating and exerts an increasing force on the cover door, bursting it open with considerable force. The bag then unfolds and inflates in a manner partially determined by how the bag was originally folded, by the location of the instrument panel deployment opening and by the location of the cover door when open.
With the opening located in the upper surface of the instrument panel, the inflating air bag must deploy initially upwardly and must then deploy rearwardly. Many different methods of folding the air bag have been devised to tailor air bag deployment to a particular vehicle environment. Also, devices have been developed which locate the cover door in a desired position when opened. One of these includes front and side tethers which locate the cover door in a position spaced above the instrument panel and spaced from the windshield. These tethers and the door create a chute which directs deployment of the inflating air bag from the initial vertical movement to rearward movement. These tethers must be quite strong to resist the force exerted continuously by the inflating air bag.
It would be desirable to provide an air bag assembly which provides for deployment of an air bag initially downwardly.
It would also be desirable to provide an air bag assembly which provides a deployment chute to direct air bag deployment rearward that does not require that the cover door have side tethers.
It would be further desirable to provide an air bag assembly which quickly deploys an air bag through an opening in the top of an instrument panel initially downwardly.


The present invention provides a network data recording system particularly adapted for use in transportation systems. Cameras, microphones and a variety of sensors and existing vehicle systems are networked to a central controller, which receives and processes audiovisual and other data from the cameras and sensors. Raw and processed information is stored in a removable memory which may be mirrored to a fixed local memory. The fixed local memory can also be used to store programs and other system data. The controller may be ruggedized to meet disaster recovery requirements. Control panels can be placed throughout the vehicle for use by the crew to monitor conditions and respond to them. Information can be sent to a ground station, and the ground station may also exhibit control over the network data recording system. The system is suitable for use in all manner of transportation systems, such as aircraft, trains, and ships.

The present invention relates generally to network information recording systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to network video recording systems and methods for use with public or private transportation systems, such airplanes, trains, subways, ships and the like.
In the past, flight recorders have been used in airplanes and other aircraft to record specific parameters related to flight conditions, such as heading, altitude, and airspeed. Flight recorders are commonly referred to as "black boxes." The information contained in the black boxes may be essential to determine the cause of a fault or a failure in an airplane. Thus, over time, the sophistication and ruggedness of black boxes has greatly increased.
For example, early black boxes used magnetic tape to record cockpit voice communications. However, the magnetic tapes used to record analog or digital information can require complex fire and crash protection measures. Solid state flight data recorders were introduced to minimize this problem. Also, solid state components often permit easier and faster data retrieval than magnetic tape systems.
Newer black box systems have attempted to record and store video images based upon data received from externally or internally placed cameras. However, it is difficult to handle data input from a number of different sources and to enable real time control or processing of the data in a mobile environment.
Another problem that arises with the use of video cameras on airplanes and the like is that it is difficult to provide secure, real time video information to ground controllers while traveling. Furthermore, black box systems are often highly customized configurations set up for a specific type of airplane. It is thus desirable to provide a more flexible approach that can be used with different types of aircraft, as well as with trains, ships and other transportation systems. Therefore, a need exists for improved data recording and processing systems to address these and other problems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A granulating die B is provided with a resin discharge surface 5a to which a flow of water is contacted; and a plurality of nozzles 8 which communicate to a cylinder of an extruder are provided in this resin discharge surface 5a. Upon the resin discharge surface 5a, these nozzles 8 are not formed in at least one of its regions P which are in the direction of inflow of the flow of water and in the direction of outflow of the flow of water, and its regions R which are in directions orthogonal to this direction of inflow of said flow of water and this direction of outflow of said flow of water, but are only formed in the other regions Q thereof.

A device for forming pellets of thermoplastic resin is well known from the past, and, generally, such a device has an extruder, a die which is fitted to the end of this extruder, and a cutter; a resin material which has been melted and mulled is extruded from the die by the extruder, and is cut by the cutter, thus manufacturing pellets of the desired size. As methods for cutting the resin material which is extruded from the nozzle of the die, there are known the cold cut method and the hot cut method. The cold cut method is a method in which the resin material which has been extruded from the nozzle of the die is conducted to a water tank and is cooled, and is cut up after having thus been formed into the shape of strands. On the other hand, the hot cut method is a method in which the end face of a die in which a plurality of nozzles are opened is contacted with a flow of water, and the high temperature resin is cut with the cutter directly after having been extruded in the flow of water.
In granulation by the hot cut method, since the resin is cut while in the state of not yet having fully hardened, accordingly there is no powdering of the resin, which is the disadvantage of the cold cut method. Furthermore, with granulation by the hot cut method, there are the beneficial aspects that it is possible to obtain spherical granules, and so on.
FIGS. 4 to 6 are figures showing an example of a granulating die which is used in a prior art type hot cut method; FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a granulating die A which has been fitted to the end of an extruder not shown in the figures and of a portion of a chamber 12 (a cutter chamber), FIG. 5 is a sectional view thereof taken along the line I-I in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a tubular flow conduit portion, showing the arrangement of the tubular flow conduit.
This die A for granulation has a die holder 1 which is fixed to the tip of the extruder, and a die body 5 which is fixed to the end of this die holder 1. The interior of this die holder 1, which is formed in a tubular shape, is connected to the end of the extruder, thus constituting a melted resin flow conduit 2. Furthermore, the reference symbol 3 denotes a heater for the die holder portion, while 4 denotes bolts which attach the die main body 5. Within the die main body 5 there are provided a plurality of tubular flow conduits 7 which, with connecting to the melted resin flow conduit 2, also connect to a plurality of nozzles 8 which open to a resin discharge surface 5a formed of the die main body 5, with the nozzles 8 being provided around a circle defined upon the resin discharge surface 5a. A plurality of rod shaped heaters 6 are inserted into the die main body 5. With this granulating die A, resin passes from the end of the extruder along the melted resin flow conduit 2 and the tubular flow conduits 7, and is extruded from the plurality of nozzles 8 which are provided upon the resin discharge surface 5a. With this prior art type granulating die A, as shown in FIG. 6, the nozzles 8 and the tubular flow conduits 7 are provided at equal intervals along the circle which is defined upon the resin discharge surface 5a.
The chamber 12 which is communicated to the resin discharge surface 5a of this granulating die A houses a cutter which has a cutter rotation shaft 9, a cutter blade support member 10, and a blade for cutting 11, and is provided with a process water inlet 13 and a process water outlet 14. In this chamber 12, while the cutter is being rotationally driven within the flow of water, the resin which has been discharged from the resin discharge surface 5a is cut immediately in the flow of water, and the granules which have been obtained are carried out with the outflow of water through the process water outlet 14 from the chamber 12.
However, since in this hot cut method the resin discharge surface of the die is in contact with the flow of water, heat is taken out from the resin discharge surface into the flow of water, so that it may happen that the temperature of the interior of the die, at least locally, may drop below the melting point of the resin. As a result, there is a danger that the holes in the nozzles may clog up, so that the productivity of the device is seriously deteriorated. Moreover, even if such clogging does not occur, it may also happen that the diameters of one or more of the nozzles may become narrowed down, so that the diameter of the pellets or granules produced may become irregular, and in this case the quality of the product granules is seriously negatively affected. Even further, if a large amount of clogging takes place, along with it becoming impossible to extrude the resin from the die, the pressure upstream of the die may become abnormally high, and this may exert a negative influence upon an upstream device, such as for example an extruder or the like.
In relation to a granulating die for use in granulation by the hot cut method there has heretofore been proposed a granulating die which has a rod shaped heater in the center of each of a plurality of flow conduits within the die and a plurality of nozzles which is provided corresponding to each of these flow conduits so as to heat up the nozzles uniformly (in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H07-178726) as a technique for preventing clogging of the nozzles.
Furthermore, a granulating die has been proposed (in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H11-58374) in which, in order to prevent dropping of the temperature in the interior of the granulating die, the vicinity in which the nozzles of the granulating die open is covered over with a porous metallic material which has a low thermal conductivity.
However, even if the above described prior art techniques are utilized in order to prevent clogging of the nozzles of the granulating die, the beneficial effect of preventing nozzle clogging has been insufficient. In particular, when pelletizing the expandable resin granules for manufacturing a foamed product by adding a blowing agent to the thermoplastic resin in the hot cut method, since the extruded resin should be formed in the water of which the temperature for manufacturing usual non-expandable resin granules (normally 60° C. to 80° C.), then it is necessary to set the temperature of the process water to a lower temperature than the normally temperature, so that as a result clogging of the nozzles may occur particularly easily, and accordingly problems arise in that the productivity is low, and the diameter of the granules which are produced becomes unstable.
As a result of assiduous investigations with regard to the problem of nozzle clogging with a granulating die to be used in the hot cut method, the present inventors have realized that there is a relationship between those of the nozzles which may easily become clogged and the direction of the flow of the water, and furthermore that, in order to prevent clogging of the nozzles, it is effective to replenish the heat energy which is lost by contact with the water by flowing a heating medium within the die main body; and, based thereupon, the present inventors have conceived the present invention.
Thus, the present invention has been elaborated in the light of the above described problems, and it takes as its objective to provide a granulating die for the hot cut method, which is capable of producing granules of uniform diameter at good efficiency while preventing clogging of the nozzles.

Granulating die, granulation device and method of manufacturing expandable thermoplastic resin granules


A hopper dryer for drying pelletized or granular resin material comprising a heat source at its center and double concentric cylinders which comprises an inner and an outer cylinder with many apertures to permit passing of heated gas respectively so as to form a doughnut-like material storing space therebetween. The gas is fed into the heat source to be heated, then passes through the apertures of the inner cylinder and discharged through the apertures of the outer cylinder so that the pelletized or granular resin material stored in the doughnut-like space formed between the inner and outer cylinder are preheated and dried.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved hopper dryer for use in preheating and drying pelletized or granular resin.
II. Prior Art
In a conventional method for drying resin materials, such as pelletized resin, the pelletized resin materials are preheated to promote of softening and dissolving, and simultaneously heated air is blown into a hopper for drying in which pelletized resin materials are stored before the resin materials are fed into a molding machine.
However, according to such a conventional method, a large hopper tank is needed and the space required apt to be large. As a result, the sizes of the drying equipment becomes large as a whole, since the hopper is designed such that heated air is blown therein to dry the materials with the hopper filled with resin materials.
Further, since the conventional hopper is designed such that heated air is blown therein for drying from the underside thereof with the hopper filled with resin materials, it takes a long time to dry the resin materials, and what is worse a uniform drying condition can not be expected. In addition to the above mentioned drawbacks, dispersion in drying would arise depending on the up and down position in the hopper dryer in which resin materials are stored.
A hopper dryer comprising double concentric cylinders has been proposed to solve the above mentioned problems.
FIG. 4 illustrates the conventional type of hopper dryer having double cylinders. The main body 100 of the hopper dryer is constructed such that an inner wall 102 having a plurality of apertures 102a for the suction of heated air is disposed concentrically in an outer wall 101 having a plurality of apertures 101a for the suction of heated air. At the top portion of the inner wall 102 an air suction source such as a vacuum pump (not shown) is connected and a heater band 103 is provided around the external circumference of the outer wall 101. Resin materials 106 are stored in a hopper 105, disposed at the upper portion of the hopper dryer, and are fed into the space between the outer wall 101 and the inner wall 102 of the main body 100 and dried by the air heated by the heater band 103.
However, since the heater band 103 is provided at the periphery of the outer wall 101 in the above mentioned dryer, the space between the outer wall 101 and the inner wall 102 which forms a storage space for pelletized resin would be reduced if the equipment, as a whole is reduced in size.
Furthermore according to such a hopper dryer, it has disassembly and cleaning of the hopper presents troubles, especially when resin materials to be stored are exchanged frequently, since the dryer is constructed such that the heater band 103 is disposed outside of the outer wall 101.


Systems and methods for embedding and tracking revenue from fully operational games into third party websites are disclosed.

Currently, it is possible to embed various objects and elements created by content providers and developers into the websites of third party online content providers. Objects such as movies, pictures and advertisements, backed by various web analytics, can be embedded into many web pages to facilitate and promote strategic cooperation between various online services and content providers. The cooperative agreements developed by the various participating entities can be significant revenue generators when the proper model is used for charging and sharing fees for a particular embedded object.
A typical goal of embedding objects into a third party website is to drive online traffic to one or more other websites. On the side of the entity offering the object to be embedded, the goal is to draw users to another website or display advertising material for goods or services. On the side of the website in which the object is embedded, the goal is to generate advertising revenue, increase content value or co-brand content with another provider in an effort to increase online visibility. Contemporary systems that embed objects either embed a) static text links, b) linear visual content (e.g., an audio or video player) or c) at most, a simple single player games. These types of embedded objects have various levels of success that content providers and website operator try to quantify to help price their advertising space.
The effectiveness or commercial success of an object embedded in a particular website is often measured in terms of click-through rate. Click-through rate or CTR is a way of measuring the success of an embedded object or online advertising campaign. A CTR is obtained by dividing the number of users who clicked on an ad or other object embedded on a website by the number of times the ad or other embedded object was delivered (impressions). For example, if a banner ad was delivered 100 times (impressions delivered) and one person clicked on it (clicks recorded), then the resulting CTR would be 1 percent. In addition to knowing the CTR for a particular embedded object on a particular website, it is also useful to know the identity or location of users who click through for purposes of tracking online behavior. Such information can be used to target particular users or groups of users with ads and objects containing ads for goods and services they are most likely to use or purchase. However, most methods of tracking online behavior require saving a unique "cookie" on users' computers. In many cases, this requires users to log onto a particular website, which some users may be reluctant to do for security or privacy concerns. In addition, many users disable or delete cookies from their computer to hide their identity to reduce the perceived risk associated with being online. This type of online user behavior can easily thwart the ability of an online advertiser to evaluate the effectiveness of or target an online campaign.

Embedding of games into third party websites


An image generating apparatus, which generates monitor image data from camera image data through a viewpoint transformation, includes a rear camera 1, an image processing controller 2, and a monitor 3. The image processing controller 2 sets a first virtual camera by viewpoint shift to have a downward viewpoint from a higher position than that of the rear camera 1, and sets a second virtual camera by rotating a viewpoint thereof upward or downward from the viewpoint of the rear camera 1, and generates the monitor image data of a close view viewed from the first virtual camera, and of an intermediate-to-distant view viewed from the second virtual camera, from the single camera image data captured by the rear camera 1. The monitor 3 displays a synthesis image in which a downward view of the close view and a perspective image of the intermediate-to-distant view are synthesized.

The present invention relates to an image generating apparatus which generates monitor image data from camera image data through a viewpoint transformation using a virtual camera and a virtual projection plane, and to an image generating method.
As driving assistance devices, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-236493 has been heretofore known. The disclosed driving assistance device aims to provide a driver with an easy-to-understand image while changing a screen configuration and a viewpoint position in response to a move of a vehicle. To this end, the disclosed driving assistance device switches a single viewpoint image and a multi-viewpoint image in response to every move of the vehicle. The single viewpoint image is displayed as a downward view in which multiple camera images shot by multiple imaging devices are viewed from a single viewpoint, and the multi-viewpoint image is an image in which multiple camera images are respectively displayed on divided screens.
In addition, as conventional image generating apparatuses, one disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3286306 has been known. This disclosed image generating apparatus synthesized multiple images shot by several cameras into a single image, and displays the single image instead of displaying the multiple images independently, so that a situation of the entire area shot by the several cameras can be intuitively grasped.
However, the driving assistance device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-236493 described above has a problem that a user is required to perform a selecting operation between the single viewpoint image and the multi-viewpoint image in order to grasp a situation around the vehicle. This operation is necessary because, the single viewpoint image shows only a close view by displaying a downward image, while the multi-viewpoint image shows only distant views by displaying camera images. In addition, since both of the single viewpoint image and the multi-viewpoint image are displayed by using multiple camera images, both types of images have problems that no continuity exists in a synthesis image and divided images, and that double shooting of the same image or image missing occurs.
The image generating apparatus described in Japanese Patent No. 3286306 is intended for displaying, as a single synthesis image, a situation of the entire area shot by the several cameras. Accordingly, in order to provide continuity to the synthesis image, the image generating apparatus needs to be provided with: a discriminative point extraction means for extracting discriminative points from multiple camera images, and a calibration means for calibrating a display image by using the multiple discriminative points. Consequently, the calculation processes for generating monitor image data become complicated. On the other hand, an absence of the discriminative point extraction means and the calibration means causes the problems of no continuity in a synthesis image, double shooting of the same image, and image missing.

Image generating apparatus and image generating method


A railway vehicle drawbar slackless rotary dump arrangement having one end fixed against rotation to one railway vehicle and the other end connected to be rotatable in a second adjoining railway vehicle. Slack elimination is provided by a wedge at each connection. The rotatable connection includes a drawbar ball end held between concentric pulling blocks and follower block with a shim and cradle arrangement to maintain alignment of the concentric parts. Appurtenances are provided to the drawbar shank to simulate striker castings and interlocked E and F type couplers so as to accommodate the drawbar for use with indexing apparatus at the unloading site. Means are also incorporated to move cars in case of failure of system components.

Drawbars are used in integral or unit trains to permanently connect rail cars together. The drawbars replace the conventional E and F couplers used heretofore to detachably couple the cars. Preferably the drawbar connections are made slackless, as by gravity wedges, so as to minimize impact forces.
Drawbars are used in transporting unit trains for bulk commodities, such as ore, taconite, coal, grain, phosphate and the like. Rotary drawbars permit commodities to be discharged or emptied by rotating each car individually while still permanently connected to an adjacent car. The connecting structure is incorporated in the cars as a slackless drawbar having a rotary connection at one end of one car and a fixed or non-rotatable connection at the opposite end. However, where the rotary slackless connection includes a gravity wedge, car rotation may displace the wedge.
As explained above, the loaded cars of the trains may be individually rotated and emptied at an unloading or discharge station. In the unloading procedure, the cars are spotted or located at the entrance to the discharge station. To this end there is provided an on site car indexer or positioner system which serves to move the train and sequentially spot or individually index each car into the discharge station.
The car positioner system includes a power driven carriage which travels on a runway parallel and adjacent to the railway track on which the unit train to be unloaded is located. A pusher arm is mounted on the carriage and is movable to a position for engagement with the car coupling devices located between the cars for moving the cars into a discharge station.
Pusher arm heads on the positioner systems currently in use are designed for use with railcars interconnected with articulated couplers by either engaging both coupler heads at the coupled connection or engaging a striker casting fixed to the end of the center sill of one car from which a coupler extends.
In one type the pusher arm head is designed to embrace or encompass the coupled heads about the knuckle and guard arm sides of E or F couplers to move the railway cars. Another design utilizes the pusher arm head to interengage between the striker casting and the E or F coupler heads extending therefrom to move and position the car into the dumping or unloading station.
Both of these pusher arm designs require structural features peculiar to the E and F coupler heads which features normally are not present on the shank of a drawbar. Moreover striker castings are not required when a drawbar connects two railcars and recent railway car design for drawbar connection has eliminated the striker casting to reduce the car weight.
The slackless rotary dump drawbar structure as heretofore mentioned may be permanently connected between railway cars. Examples of slackless drawbar systems, including car connections, are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,133. As shown and described the slackless drawbar system is constructed in a manner to provide zero slack to eliminate impact forces which occur during run-in and run-out of slack. Essentially the slackless construction includes a wedge located so as to drop by gravity to occupy the space caused by any longitudinal wear which may occur at the connected ends of the drawbar. Ultimately, the wedge, drawbar and associated component surfaces may wear to such an extent such that the wedge does not take up the slack and the connections must be adjusted to regain the slackless relationship.

Railway vehicle rotary drawbar arrangement


A transverse fixation device is disclosed. The device includes one or more connecting bodies disposed substantially between two elongate rods. Each connecting body includes a receptacle that is capable of engaging with the two elongate rods. A c-ring comprising an outer surface having a spherical curvature is also included. A third rod may be inserted into the c-ring. A clamp included in the connecting bodies may then be disposed about the c-ring and third rod to allow the connecting bodies to slidingly engage with the third rod.

The human spine is particularly important because it protects the spinal cord, which is responsible for relaying electrical impulses from the brain to the rest of the body. Occasionally, an accident or other outside force may cause the vertebrae which make up the spine to be broken, cracked, or chipped. Each of these situations are dangerous, and are handled by the most skilled physicians and surgeons. The remedy for a broken, cracked, or chipped bone may be different for every individual, and may change according to the situation under which the injury occurred.
One situation that commonly arises occurs is when vertebrae or portions of vertebrae or spine are broken, cracked, or are beginning to fail to function normally. One treatment technique used by doctors to remedy this situation involves using a pair of rods that are connected to several vertebrae. The rods may be aligned along the periphery of the vertebrae, and are typically used to maintain the alignment of the bones. This may allow the vertebrae to re-grow bony tissue or cartilage. In addition, aligning the vertebrae allows them to heal properly, and prevents movement of the spine from injuring the spinal cord.
In order to prevent the movement of the spine, a fixation system is often used to hold the two rods together. The fixation system allows the rods to be fixed in place under normal conditions. Many fixation devices are currently available. They vary in shape, size, and their approach to preventing the rods from moving. One type of device that has been used involves a single connection body that lies in between the two rods, over the body of the vertebrae. Though this device serves the purpose of preventing the rods from moving, it also has several disadvantages. For example, many of these devices are unable to move, rendering them unable to adapt to the contour of the spine. Another limitation of these devices is that they typically do not allow for clearance of the body of the vertebrae, which can cause damage to the vertebrae or cause the device to protrude from underneath a person's skin.
Many devices hold the rods in place by gripping them from the outer portion of the bars. These devices also achieve the purpose of holding the bars in place, but have several limitations. For instance, these devices often man not be capable of achieving the same degree of grip on the rods as compared to a configuration that grips the bars from the inner area, between the bars.
Other devices have aimed to eliminate the limitations of their predecessors by providing two connecting bodies that have a small degree of adjustability. However, many of these devices are unable to translate axially, which prevents them from adjusting to the spacing between the rods. Other devices are unable to rotate to adjust for rods that aren't coplanar. Additionally, these devices often do not have the ability to rotate freely, preventing them from adjusting to the contours of the spine. Devices such as these may provide greater adjustability at the expense of increased complexity, number of components, increased overall height, or other limitations and disadvantages.
A continuing need exists for a spinal fixation system that is able to adjust the contours of the spine.

Transverse fixation device for spinal fixation systems