A hydraulic tensioning device (1) for a flexible drive element, particularly for a chain or a belt, is provided, and includes a housing (2) that has a cylindrical inner surface (3) at least in some regions, a piston (4) is arranged in the housing (2) in an axially displaceable manner, and an inner chamber (5) is formed by the housing (2) and the piston (4) for receiving hydraulic fluid. At least one vent hole (6) is integrated in the housing (2) and/or in the piston (4) is in contact with the surroundings (U). In order to provide a reliably ventilated system that has a simple design and that can be implemented in a cost-effective manner, a sealing element (7) is arranged in a region of the vent hole (6), and the sealing element is permeable to gas but not to hydraulic fluid.

Hydraulic tensioning devices for chain or belt drives are known in the prior art. A tensioning device according to the class is described in DE 198 28 309 A1. In that document, a piston is arranged so that it can move in the axial direction in an element functioning as a hydraulic cylinder, wherein hydraulic fluid is located in the resulting inner space. The problem-free functioning of the desired hydraulic damping effect requires the ventilation of the system. To this end, the housing of the known tensioner carrying the cylinder has a ventilation opening.
DE 20 2007 002 456 U1 exhibits a similar solution. Also here, in a piston-cylinder system, a ventilation device is arranged that is sealed here with a valve body in the form of a ball.
The production of the ventilation possibility requires relatively high production-related expenses in the known solutions. This results in corresponding costs, not only costs concerning the production of the required parts, but also with respect to the assembly of the tensioner.

Hydraulic tensioning device for a flexible drive means


A wireless communication system includes a transmitter that discretely inserts null subcarriers into an OFDM-demodulated signal in time and frequency domains, and a receiver that receive signals by a first and second antennas. The receiver calculates a complex coefficient wherein a result of multiplying a first reception vector for each of the null subcarriers received by the first antenna by the complex coefficient is equal to an amplitude of a second reception vector of the corresponding null subcarrier received by the second antenna and is opposite in phase thereto, calculates a fourth reception vector by multiplying a third reception vector of any data subcarrier received by the first antenna by a coefficient that is obtained by interpolating the complex coefficient, and adds the fourth reception vector to a fifth reception vector of the any data subcarrier received by the second antenna.

In a wireless communication system, a technique of reducing multi-user interference in the same system or interference waves with different modulation methods in the outside of the same system is required to improve a system capacity or to stabilize a system operation. A system which uses multiple antennas is proposed as a method of realizing an interference wave suppression technique.
In order to suppress the multi-user interference in the same system, various methods such as, spatial division multiple access (SDMA) as a multiple access method, a method of performing beamforming by a transmitter, and successive interference canceller (SIC) on a reception side are researched and put into practical use. Among the methods, a technique which uses multiple antennas is a mainstream, and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique can also transmit and receive multiple streams using the same frequency at the same time. That is, since path separation is possible, such technique is a technique of suppressing interference in a broad sense. Since it is possible to get a location of a user, to manage resource block allocation, or to insert a known signal such as a pilot signal into a radio frame of a transmission signal in advance in the same system, it is possible to easily suppress the interference wave.
Meanwhile, it is not easy to suppress interference waves in the outside of the same system. In a frequency band such as an industry science medical (ISM) band in which an interference wave such as an illegal radio wave and a plurality of communication systems exist together, a modulation method, a bandwidth, and the like are different from each other, and thus, it is impossible to grasp and manage other systems. Under such a circumstance, there is a null control technique of using multiple antennas as illustrated in FIG. 1 as an interference wave suppression technique. FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which the number of antennas is two, and an interval between the antennas is set to a half wavelength of a system of the antennas. By synthesizing amplitudes of two received signals to be equal and phases thereof to be opposite in order to cancel an interference wave, it is possible to extract only a desirable wave from which the interference wave is removed. Various algorithms are proposed as a method of suppressing an interference wave and extracting a desirable wave from two received signals, that is, a method of increasing a desired to undesired (D/U) signal ratio.


A plurality of power amplifiers are integrated into a semiconductor substrate and coupled to a corresponding first plurality of antennas on an adjacent first microwave substrate. A second microwave substrate carries a second plurality of antennas coupled to a combining network. The second microwave substrate is separated from the first microwave substrate to allow a free space combination of RF energy propagated by the first plurality of antennas.

Integrated millimeter wave power amplifiers are typically limited to the hundreds of milliwatt output power range even when formed in wide bandgap (III-V) substrates. If greater output powers are desired, a circuit designer must then combine the output signals from multiple integrated power amplifiers using a suitable power combiner. Common power combiner architectures may be broadly classified into two main categories: 1) waveguide-based power combining; and 2) on-wafer/on-board power combining.
In a waveguide-based approach, a metallic waveguide network produces a power combiner having a low insertion loss since the enclosed metallic waveguides do not have any dielectric loss with the underlying substrate. However, even if MEMS micromachining techniques are used to form the metallic waveguides, design and production of suitable metallic waveguide-based power combiners is expensive and challenging.
A Wilkinson power combiner is an example of an on-board alternative to a waveguide-based architecture and is low cost in comparison to waveguide approaches. However, since the power combiner and divider network is integrated on the same wafer (or in lamination on a circuit board), thermal management is difficult.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved power combiner architectures that provide the cost advantages of on-board solution yet achieve the low loss advantages of a waveguide-based approach.


A pre-grinder or pre-shredder apparatus, essentially made up of at least one drive unit (1) including a hydraulically or electrically driven motor (2), a reduction gear (3) and at least one shredding element (4) connected thereto and mounted on a frame (5), a wall, a feeder chute or any other mounting. The reduction gear (3) of the drive unit (1) of the pre-grinder or pre-shredder forms an element for attaching and supporting at least one shredder element (4) and is made up of a stationary portion (3′), attached directly to the frame (5) of the pre-grinder or pre-shredder or on a mounting or a wall of the latter, and by a mobile portion (3″), the shredder element (4) being inserted on the mobile portion of the reduction gear. The apparatus is useful in treating materials from any source, in particular by shredding using grinders, hammer mills or similar devices.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of processing materials of all origins, in particular by shredding by means of crushers or of hammer mills, or the like, and has as its object a pre-grinder or pre-shredder.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recovery of metal products from objects that are unserviceable, in particular motor vehicles, by means of crushers or grinders, is generally performed by introducing the objects in a hammer mill, via an introduction ramp equipped with a crushing drum; said hammer mill pulls and shreds the material entering there, by interaction with one or more anvils, which eject and/or evacuate, through screening walls, the mechanical scraps obtained that exhibit a determined size. These scraps are then processed for the purpose of eliminating materials that are unsuitable for reuse and for the purpose of sorting the remaining materials as a function of their metallurgical characteristics.
The processing of very bulky objects or materials necessitates the use of grinders or crushers of large size and high power and therefore with a very high production cost as well as a very high cost of use.
Thus, it has been proposed to use pre-grinders or pre-shredders that make possible a size reduction and fractionation of the very bulky objects and materials, so as to increase the density thereof for the purpose of transporting them, storing them, or burying them, or else processing them in more compact grinders, crushers or granulating machines whose feed openings are of a smaller cross-section.
The pre-grinders or pre-shredders that exist today are, nevertheless, also of large size and high power, generally consisting of one or more slow rotation rotors, which turn in the same or opposite direction.
These rotors shred the material under the interaction of the tools that equip them, and the speed of rotation of the rotors can be identical or different from one rotor to the next. The shafts of these rotors are driven by electric or hydraulic motors, either directly or by means of reducing gears.
In the particular case of pre-shredders or of pre-grinders of automobile bodies, the pre-shredding shafts most often number two, exhibit a large diameter, namely on the order of 500 to 600 millimeters, each weigh nearly 10 tons, and each require a power on the order of 250 Kw to drive them. The length of the line of shafts of such machines is generally between 4 meters and 5 meters, and even more, for a useful working width on the order of 2 meters.
Furthermore, the shredding tools are mounted generally by welding on the large cross-section drive shaft and are therefore not interchangeable. The driving of these shafts, which are mounted at their ends in large cross-section roller bearings, which rest on the lateral walls of the shredder, is performed by motor and reduction gear assemblies, which are fastened laterally on both sides of the housing of these machines or of their feeding chute.
The mounting of these large-sized pieces of equipment, namely reducing gears and motors, outside of these machines has as a result a considerable space requirement of the latter, which is incompatible with a small-capacity processing unit, which must, in essence, be mobile for its possible use on different sites.
Moreover, the motors used are most often hydraulic motors, which are slow, very heavy and mounted freely on the ends of the shafts, or even electric or hydraulic motors connected to said shafts by ordinary reducing gears or planetary gears. Furthermore, in all cases, the drive shafts must be held by bearings equipped with rings or roller bearings, the power or drive elements not being carriers and resting on the ends of these shafts or being fastened to a frame or walls of the machine.
The making of such grinders or pre-shredders is very expensive, and the machines made in this way are very bulky and very heavy.
Furthermore, by WO-A-0185346, a grinding device is known that consists, on the one hand, of a drive assembly and, on the other hand, of a grinding chamber connected in a removable way to the drive assembly, the rotors of the grinding chamber being connected to the drive assembly by means of end-plates or collars. Of course, such a device makes it possible to solve partially the problem of service actions, but necessitates the use of complete sub-assemblies, any action on a grinding chamber entailing the complete disassembly of the latter and its replacement with an identical chamber, no element of the drive sub-assembly making it possible to ensure a direct function for guiding or support of a rotor shaft, for example.
In effect, the shafts of the rotors are mounted on specific roller bearings, their guiding being ensured in a totally autonomous way by their drive assembly. Consequently, using such a device is very expensive necessitating, in fact, the provision of complete, interchangeable grinding chambers, the service actions then being performed in idle time.
By FR-A-2 431 326, a grinder rotor mounting is also known in which the cylinder forming the rotor is integral with the rotor of an electric motor, whose stator is fastened to a through shaft that simultaneously forms the bearing of the cylinder forming the rotor. Such an embodiment obviously makes it possible to reduce the bulk of the rotor assembly of the grinder and drive motor, but necessitates significant and costly disassembly work that is incompatible with the making of low-cost grinders or pre-grinders that are quick and simple to use.


Disclosed are methods for detecting a presence or absence of an antimicrobial surface coating including applying at least one detectable fluorophoric dye compound to a substrate, irradiating the surface of the substrate with ultraviolet radiation in the 100-415 nm wavelength range to excite the detectable fluorophoric dye compound, observing fluorescence of the excited fluorophoric dye compound, and determining the presence or absence of the antimicrobial surface coating based on the observed fluorescence. Further disclosed are antimicrobial surface coating solutions, methods for their application, and methods for confirming the presence and coverage of antimicrobial surface coatings.

It is well known that various surfaces can harbor microbes. It is also well known that contact with contaminated surfaces can spread infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses. For example, high-contact interior surfaces in a conveyance such as a passenger aircraft have a high potential to transfer microbes between passengers. While these high-contact surfaces can be disinfected during regular cleanings, comprehensive cleaning and sterilization solutions can be time-consuming. Further, there remains the potential for microbe transfer between cleanings. This potential can be alleviated using antimicrobial surface coatings. While effective, antimicrobial surface coatings can degrade and wear away over time and therefore must be checked to ensure their continued presence and reapplied, as necessary.
Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are commonly used in antimicrobial surface coatings due to their ability to neutralize microbes. That same ability can also be used to bond anionic dyes, for instance bromophenol blue (BPB), to detect the presence of antimicrobial coatings via dye bonding and visual inspection. While effective, the process of bonding visible dyes to surface coatings can permanently stain the surface under test and are reliant on absorbance, which is not inherently sensitive.
Therefore, what is needed are methods for detecting the presence or absence of antimicrobial surface coatings without the need for complicated procedures and without any negative effect on the cosmetic appearance of the coated surface, while having the sensitivity to detect even monolayers of coating.

Methods for detecting antimicrobial surface coatings using fluorescent indicators


A piezoelectric power generator that includes a first elastic body, which deforms along a first direction x upon receiving a stress, and a piezoelectric power-generating element. A second elastic body is arranged on a y1 side of the first elastic body and a piezoelectric element is fixed to a y1-side surface of the second elastic body. When the first elastic body bends into a shape that is concave toward the y1 side, the second elastic body receives a stress from the first elastic body. When the first elastic body bends into a shape that is convex toward the y1 side, the second elastic body does not receive a stress from the first elastic body. The piezoelectric power generator further includes a vibration suppressing member that is arranged between the first elastic body and the second elastic body and suppresses bending mode vibration of the second elastic body.

In the related art, known examples of systems that detect the air pressure of for example the tires of an automobile include a tire air pressure monitoring system (Tire Pressure Monitoring System: TPMS). In general, a TPMS is attached to the inside of a tire and includes a sensor that detects the air pressure and temperature of the tire and a transmitter that wirelessly transmits data to a transceiver arranged in the vehicle. Accordingly, in a TPMS, it is necessary that there be a power source for supplying power to the sensor and the transmitter, for example.
In the related art, a variety of power generators have been proposed as power sources that can be used in TPMS's and the like. Among these generators, piezoelectric power generators that utilize the piezoelectric effect have particularly been the focus of attention, since this kind of generator can be easily reduced in size.
For example, the piezoelectric power generator illustrated in FIG. 18 is described in below-cited Patent Document 1. As illustrated in FIG. 18, a piezoelectric power generator 100 includes an elastic body 102. One end portion of the elastic body 102 is fixed in place and a weight 101 is attached to the other end portion of the elastic body 102. Contacts 103 and 104 are provided on main surfaces 102a and 102b of the elastic body 102. In addition, piezoelectric elements 105 and 106 are fixed above the main surfaces 102a and 102b.
In the piezoelectric power generator 100, when the elastic body 102 is displaced in the upward direction due to application of a stress to the weight 101, the contact 103 applies a pressure to the piezoelectric element 105. As a result, the piezoelectric element 105 is deformed and power is generated in the piezoelectric element 105. In addition, when the elastic body 102 is displaced in the downward direction due to a stress being applied to the weight 101, the contact 104 applies a pressure to the piezoelectric element 106. As a result, the piezoelectric element 106 is deformed and power is generated in the piezoelectric element 106.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-312269


A vehicle body lower structure may comprise: a rocker arranged at a lower lateral part of a vehicle body; a power supply package arranged under a floor panel of the vehicle; a first energy absorbing member fixed to a lateral side of the power supply package; and a second energy absorbing member being adjacent to the first energy absorbing member in a vehicle-width direction of the vehicle body, the second energy absorbing member being located outside the first energy absorbing member in the vehicle-width direction of the vehicle body. The first energy absorbing member may include a first protrusion protruding outward in the vehicle-width direction, the second energy absorbing member may include a second protrusion protruding inward in the vehicle-width direction, and the first protrusion and the second protrusion may overlap each other as seen along an up-down direction and are fixed together to the rocker by a bolt.

In some electric vehicles, a power supply package configured to supply power to a traction motor is arranged under a floor panel. The power supply package is arranged between a pair of rockers. Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2018-75939 (Literature 1), 2019-6303 (Literature 2), and 2013-256265 (Literature 3) describe examples of such an electric vehicle. The pair of rockers is a frame extending along a front-rear direction of a vehicle body at lateral sides of a lower part of each vehicle body. The rockers may be sometimes referred to as "side sills". The power supply package may include a battery, a fuel cell, and the like.
In order to protect the power supply package from an impact of lateral collision from a lateral side of a vehicle body, there may be a case where a member configured to absorb impact energy (energy absorbing member) by the shock is arranged along each of the rockers. Literatures 1 and 3 describe examples of such an energy absorbing member.
Further, Literature 2 describes art of providing a structure configured to absorb energy inside the rocker.


A narrow wrap of colorful cloth is helically wound end-to-end over a hanger body, including its upstanding central and downwardly sloping shoulder regions, but not covering the hanger swivel hook at the central region. A decorative yarn holds the wrap in place, being first secured near one end to the hanger swivel hook, and then being helically wound over one end shoulder region and out to proximate one hanger end and then being wound back over the shoulder and central regions substantially out to the other hanger end and back then to the central region. The yarn is then tied to the swivel hook. A thin padding preferably covers the hanger to underlie the wrap, but the swivel hook extends through a slit therein to be exposed. The ends of the tubular wrap are folded over and secured by the yarn to hide the hanger ends.

FIG. 1 shows in a front elevation view a conventional molded plastic garment hanger 10 suited for making the subject invention. The hanger has a thin profile body 12 formed with an upstanding central region 14 and downwardly sloping end or shoulder regions 16, 17. An upstanding swivel hook 18 is secured to the central body region 14, having a downwardly open contour 20 suited for overlying a conventional closet rod or the like for holding the hanger.
The upper and lower edges of the hanger end shoulder regions can have cut-outs 22 and 24 respectively, suited to hook garment straps or the like onto and prevent them from falling off of the otherwise smooth and quite slippery hanger surfaces.
While such hangers can function well to hold garments, they typically are molded of a single color plastic, and thus need not be overly attractive.

Decorative hanger and method of making same


A high-power light system includes a lamp for producing light within a designated wavelength range, a chiller for maintaining the lamp below a defined temperature threshold, and a control module for regulating operation of both the lamp and the chiller. The lamp includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged into independently-operable modules. In use, the control module selectively overdrives the LEDs to yield high-power light within the designated wavelength range. To prevent overheating within the lamp, the control module restricts the lamp to a pulse-based operational cycle, whereby each period of LED activation is of limited duration and is immediately followed by a period of deactivation at least three times as long in duration as the period of activation. Additionally, one or more temperature sensors are disposed within the lamp and enable the control module to temporarily suspend LED activation when measured temperature levels exceed the defined threshold.

High-power lamps are well-known in the art and are commonly used in connection with photolithography, nanoimprint lithography, and other similar processes related to the manufacture of miniature structures (e.g. semiconductors). For instance, one type of high-power lamp which is well known in the art is designed to produce light of a particular wavelength that, in turn, can be utilized to be selectively absorbed to cure photoresist which has been applied to a designated substrate, such as a silicon wafer. In this manner, high-power lamps allow for the precise patterning of miniature structures on the designated substrate.
One well-known type of high-power lamp is a high-pressure, mercury-vapor, arc-discharge lamp. A mercury-vapor lamp is capable of emitting energy within a broad emission spectrum which includes wavelengths of light required for curing various types of photoresists. More specifically, mercury-vapor lamps emit light at wavelengths capable of absorption by G-line photoresists, which cure upon absorption of light at 436 nm in wavelength, H-line photoresists, which cure upon absorption of light at 405 nm in wavelength, and I-line photoresists, which cure upon absorption of light at 365 nm in wavelengths.
Another well-known type of high-power lamp is a high-power, light emitting diode (LED) lamp. A high-power LED lamp commonly includes modules, or arrays, of individual LEDs that are electronically coupled to a central controller which regulates the light emitted by each LED in terms of time and power. More recently, high-power LED lamps have been designed to produce light with relatively narrower emission bands of about 10 nm either at the 365 nm or 405 nm nodes.
High-power, LED-based lamps, while relatively efficient, typically produce a significant amount of heat, with approximately 50-60% of the input energy generating heat during normal operation. This waste energy is generally emitted as infrared (IR) energy. Additionally, energy absorbed by the designated substrate during the curing process is often reemitted at longer wavelengths, including infrared energy. All of the heat generated by high-power, LED-based lamps has consequently been found to introduce certain notable shortcomings.
As a first shortcoming, the significant heat produced by high-power, LED-based lamps can transfer a considerable amount of infrared and non-reactive, or non-actinide, energy onto the substrate, which in turn can negatively affect its chemical and/or structural properties (e.g. resulting in thermal distortion due to locking in the shape at higher temperature or even actual burning or ignition of exposed surfaces). Furthermore, excessive curing of the photoresist, which is affected by heat and dosage control, can cause the substrate to bond onto the master stamper of a nanoimprint lithography system, resulting in considerable complexity, or even damage, when separating the stamp from the substrate which is being imprinted.
As a second shortcoming, the significant thermal energy produced by high-power, LED-based lamps can render the banks of LEDs prone to overheating. This generation of heat reduces the optical output of each LED due to its intrinsic operational properties (i.e. the power output of each LED decreases as temperature rises). As a result, the application of more current to each LED is required in order to maintain the requisite output yield. This additional current applied to each LED produces even more heat which further reduces output. As can be appreciated, if improperly treated, extended overheating of the LEDs can result in permanent damage, thereby necessitating costly replacement.
As a third shortcoming, the significant heat produced by high-power LED-based lamps broadens and shifts the spectrum of energy produced by the lamp. However, under ideal conditions, the presence of unnecessary energy is minimized to the greatest extent possible to produce only the type of energy that is most useful for creating the optimal chemical or phase transformation response.
In view of the shortcomings outlined above, the usage and the designated power output of high-power LED-based lamps are often restricted to limit the transfer of heat onto the designated substrate as well as prevent overheating of the individual LEDs. As can be appreciated, restricting the power output of LED-based lamps, in turn, significantly limits overall manufacturing productivity and resultant product yield.


A method and structure for depinning a domain wall that is in spatial confinement by a pinning potential to within a local region of a magnetic device. At least one current pulse applied to the domain has a pulse length sufficiently close to a precession period of the domain wall motion and the current pulses are separated by a pulse interval sufficiently close to the precession period such that: the at least one current pulse causes a depinning of the domain wall such that the domain wall escapes the spatial confinement; and each current pulse has an amplitude less than the minimum amplitude of a direct current that would cause the depinning if the direct current were applied to the domain wall instead of the at least one current pulse. The pulse length and pulse interval may be in a range of 25% to 75% of the precession period.

Semiconductor magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) stores data as direction of magnetic moment in a ferromagnetic material. Atoms in ferromagnetic materials respond to external magnetic fields, aligning their magnetic moments to the direction of the applied magnetic field. When the field is removed, the magnetic moments still remain aligned in the induced direction. A field applied in the opposite direction can cause the magnetic moments to realign themselves with the new direction if the field is large enough. Typically, the magnetic moments of the atoms within a volume of the ferromagnetic material are aligned parallel to one another by a magnetic exchange interaction. These magnetic moments then respond together, largely as one macro-magnetic moment, or magnetic domain, to the external magnetic field
A domain wall between magnetic domains may be spatially confined by a potential well such that a substantial amount of applied energy is required to move the domain wall away from the potential well to no longer be spatially confined by the potential well. Thus there is a need to provide a method and structure for moving the domain wall away from the potential well to no longer be spatially confined by the potential well, by using less applied energy than is presently used in the related art.

Sequence of current pulses for depinning magnetic domain walls

International Business Machines Corporation


An image recording apparatus includes a head for ejecting ink, a moving mechanism for moving a recording medium, and a control part for controlling these constituent elements. The control part includes an information storage part, a conversion part, and a correction part. The conversion part converts input image data into converted image data which is suitable for image recording. The information storage part stores an LUT indicating a relation between the input image data and the converted image data for each head and each type of recording medium. The correction part updates the LUT on a representative recording medium on the basis of correction amounts determined in accordance with reference images which are recorded onto the representative recording medium and further updates the LUT on another type of recording medium. By virtue of providing this correction part, it is possible to simplify a correcting operation of recording densities.

Conventionally, some of image recording apparatuses such as inkjet printers or the like have a function of correcting a displacement of recording position. For example, a recording system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Gazette No. 2008-1053 includes a transfer device for transferring a plurality of recording units and recording media, and each of the recording units has a plurality of recording heads for ejecting inks of respective colors of CMYK. For adjusting a recording displacement between recording heads in a longitudinal direction along a direction of transfer, a plurality of horizontal bars extending in a lateral direction orthogonal to the direction of transfer are recorded in the longitudinal direction by a reference head. At the same time, a comparison head records a plurality of horizontal bars adjacent to the above horizontal bars while shifting recording timing by a unit amount. By checking a position at which the horizontal bar recorded by the reference head and the horizontal bar recorded by the comparison head coincide with each other in the longitudinal direction, the recording timing of the comparison head is adjusted.
For adjusting a recording displacement between recording heads in the lateral direction, a plurality of vertical bars arranged in the lateral direction are recorded by the reference head. The comparison head records a plurality of vertical bars below the above vertical bars while shifting recording timing by a unit amount. By checking a position at which the vertical bar recorded by the reference head and the vertical bar recorded by the comparison head coincide with each other in the lateral direction, the recording timing of the comparison head is adjusted.
Incidentally, in a case of using a so-called one-pass inkjet printer which records an image by one pass of a recording medium below a head, it is necessary to correct a difference in the density of image and a difference in the ejection timing between heads with high precision.
Therefore, in such an image recording apparatus, when some of heads are changed due to a failure of the head or the like, it is necessary to correct recording densities and ejection timing of the changed head every time when an image is recorded onto a recording medium having different surface property or thickness. As a result, a correction operation becomes complicated.

Image recording apparatus with recording density and ejection timing correction


A wellbore isolation tool, e.g., a bridge plug, provides the ability to seal portions of a well from production or to temporarily seal zones of a well from treatment. A bridge plug may include a sealing element supported by one or more segmented barrier devices that operate to prohibit extrusion of the sealing element as the sealing element is subjected to an axial force. The segmented barrier device may operate passively as segments are driven radially outward by the radial expansion of the sealing element when subject to the axial force and driven radially inward by leaf springs when the axial force is removed. Segments of the segmented barrier device may circumferentially overlap and form a generally flat shoulder supporting the sealing element. The segmented barrier device may include a jacket covering the segments, and a sealing element may be supported by a segmented barrier device on each axial end.

The present disclosure relates generally to equipment and operations for use in a subterranean wellbore. Example embodiments described herein include an expandable barrier device operable to prevent extrusion of a sealing element beyond the barrier device when the sealing element is set in the wellbore.
Wellbore tools such as packers, bridge plugs, etc., include a sealing element that may be employed to fluidly isolate one portion of a wellbore from another. In a hydraulic fracturing operation, for example, a bridge plug may be set to isolate portions of the wellbore that have already been fractured from portions of the wellbore that remain to be fractured. Sealing elements may also be employed for workover, drilling, production or other wellbore operations in which high differential pressures are established across the sealing element.
The sealing elements are often constructed of an elastomeric material that is squeezed or compressed into sealing engagement with a surrounding structure by a compressive force generated or transmitted through the barrier device. Some barrier devices require up to 16,000 pounds of force to impart a compressive stress in the elastomer which causes sufficient radial expansion of the elastomer to form the necessary hydraulic seal in the wellbore. Under such high compressive forces, many elastomers may not remain static, but may ooze, squeeze or otherwise be extruded into gaps defined between the barrier device and the surrounding structure. This extrusion may compromise the sealing integrity provided by the wellbore tool.

Zero extrusion gap barrier device used on packing elements


A shared spanning tree protocol (SSTP) creates a plurality of spanning trees (i.e., loop-free paths) which are shared among one or more virtual local area network (VLAN) designations for data transmission within a computer network. Each shared spanning tree includes and is defined by a primary VLAN and may be associated with one or more secondary VLANs. In order to associate VLAN designation(s) with a single shared spanning tree, network devices exchange novel shared spanning tree protocol data units (SST-PDUs). Each SST-PDU corresponds to a given primary VLAN and preferably includes one or more fields which list the secondary VLAN designations associated with the given primary VLAN. The association of VLAN designations to shared spanning trees, moreover, preferably depends on which path traffic is to follow as well as the anticipated load characteristics of the various VLANs. The association of VLAN designations to shared spanning trees thus provides a degree of load balancing within the network. Data messages tagged with a particular VLAN designation are then distributed by the devices only along the shared spanning tree to which that VLAN has been associated by SSTP.

Many organizations, including businesses, governments and educational institutions, utilize computer networks so that employees and others may share and exchange information and/or resources. A computer network typically comprises a plurality of entities interconnected by means of one or more communications media. An entity may consist of any device, such as a computer, that "sources" (i.e., transmits) or "sinks" (i.e., receives) data frames over the communications media. A common type of computer network is a local area network ("LAN") which typically refers to a privately owned network within a single building or campus. LANs typically employ a data communication protocol (LAN standard), such as Ethernet, FDDI or token ring, that defines the functions performed by data link and physical layers of a communications architecture (i.e., a protocol stack). In many instances, several LANs may be interconnected by point-to-point links, microwave transceivers, satellite hook-ups, etc. to form a wide area network ("WAN") or internet that may span an entire country or continent.
One or more intermediate devices is often used to couple LANs together and allow the corresponding entities to exchange information. For example, a switch may be utilized to provide a "switching" function for transferring information, such as data frames, among entities of a computer network. Typically, the switch is a computer and includes a plurality of ports that couple the switch to the other entities. The switching function includes receiving data at a source port from an entity and for transferring that data to at least one destination port for receipt by another entity.
In addition, most computer networks include redundant communications paths so that a failure of any given link does not isolate any portion of the network. Such networks are typically referred to as meshed or partially meshed networks. The existence of redundant links, however, may cause the formation of circuitous paths or "loops" within the network. Loops are highly undesirable because data frames may traverse the loops indefinitely.
Furthermore, some devices, such as bridges or switches, replicate frames whose destination is not known resulting in a proliferation of data frames along loops. The resulting traffic effectively overwhelms the network. Other intermediate devices, such as routers, that operate at higher hierarchical layers, such as the Internetwork Layer of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol ("TCP/IP") reference model within the protocol stack, deliver data frames and learn the addresses of entities on the network differently than most bridges or switches, such that routers are generally not susceptible to sustained looping problems.
Spanning Tree Algorithm
To avoid the formation of loops, intermediate devices, such as bridges or switches, execute what is known as a spanning tree algorithm. This algorithm effectively "severs" the redundant links within network segments. More specifically, switches exchange special messages called bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) frames that allow them to calculate a spanning tree, which is a subset of the network segment that is loop-free (i.e., a tree) and yet connects every pair of LANs within the segment (i.e., the tree is spanning). The BPDU frames contain sufficient information, such as the relative cost of transmitting data frames over the links and interconnecting LANs, for the switches to discover a loop-free tree. Using this information, the switches calculate the tree in accordance with the algorithm and typically elect to sever or block all but one of the redundant links or communications paths. The spanning tree algorithm and the BPDU messages are well-known and documented (see IEEE Standard 802.1D).
In particular, execution of the spanning tree algorithm typically causes the switches to elect a single switch, among all the switches within each network segment, to be the "root" switch. The root is the switch having the lowest identifier (switch ID) of all switches in the particular network segment. Switch IDs, moreover, typically include a fixed portion and a settable portion. Accordingly, by modifying the settable portion of the ID of a given switch, a network administrator may "force" the network to elect that switch as the root. In addition, for each LAN coupled to more than one switch, a "designated switch" is elected which will forward frames from the LAN toward the root. The designated switch is typically the closest switch to the root.
Each switch also chooses a port (e.g., the "root port") which gives the best path from the switch to the root and selects those ports that are to be included in the spanning tree (i.e., the root port and any port for which the switch has been elected as a designated switch). These ports are placed in a forwarding mode so that data frames may be forwarded to and from the ports and thus onto the corresponding paths or links. Ports not included within the spanning are placed in a blocking mode. When a port is in the blocking mode, the associated switch will not forward any data frames to or from that port.
As links fail or are repaired or as new links are added to a network, the spanning tree is re-calculated. In response, ports may transition from the blocking mode to the forwarding mode and vice versa. Rather than transition directly from the blocking mode to the forwarding mode, ports transition through two intermediate states: a listening state and a learning state. In the listening state, a port waits for information suggesting that it should return to the blocked mode. If, at the expiration of a timer, no such information has been received, the port transitions to the learning state. In the learning state, a port still blocks the forwarding of frames but received frames are examined and the location information contained therein, including the source of the frame, is stored. At the expiration of a second timer, the port finally transitions to the forwarding mode where frames may be forwarded from and received at the port.
Virtual Local Area Networks
A computer network may also be segregated into a series of network groups. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,402, issued on Feb. 28, 1995 to Floyd E. Ross (the "'402 patent") discloses an arrangement that is capable of associating any port of a switch with any particular segregated network group. Specifically, according to the '402 patent, any number of physical ports of a particular switch may be associated with any number of groups within the switch by using a virtual local area network (VLAN) arrangement that virtually associates the port with a particular VLAN designation. More specifically, Ross discloses a switch or hub for a segmented virtual local area network with shared media access that associates VLAN designations with at least one internal port and further associates those VLAN designations with messages transmitted from any of the ports to which the VLAN designation has been assigned.
The VLAN designation for each internal port is stored in a memory portion of the switch such that every time a message is received by the switch on an internal port the VLAN designation of that port is associated with the message. Association is accomplished by a flow processing element which looks up the VLAN designation in a memory based on the internal port where the message originated. In addition to the '402 patent, an IEEE standards committee is preparing a standard for Virtual Bridged Local Area Networks. See IEEE Standard 802.1Q (draft).
In many cases, it may be desirable to interconnect a plurality of these switches in order to extend the VLAN associations of ports in the a-network. Ross, in fact, states that an objective of his VLAN arrangement is to allow all ports and entities of the network having the same VLAN designation to interchange messages by associating a VLAN designation with each message. Thus, those entities having the same VLAN designation function as if they are all part of the same LAN. Message exchanges between parts of the network having different VLAN designations are specifically prevented in order to preserve the boundaries of each VLAN segment.
Having defined a segregated computer network, several "solutions" have been proposed for overlaying spanning trees on these virtually segregated network groups. The IEEE 802.1Q standards committee, for example, has proposed defining a single spanning tree for all VLAN designations in the computer network. That is, the switches exchange conventional BPDUs in the accustomed manner so as to define a single forwarding topology irrespective of the various VLAN designations that have been defined for the network. Thus, either all frames may be forwarded and received through a given port or no frames may be forwarded or received through the port. Since bridges and switches are typically pre-configured to exchange and process conventional BPDUs, this is a simple solution to implement.
Nonetheless, the IEEE solution has several drawbacks. For example, by defining a single spanning tree for a network having numerous VLAN designations, the IEEE solution does not allow for load balancing. That is, all data communication within the network follows the single forwarding topology defined by the one spanning tree. This may significantly degrade performance over certain, heavily utilized, portions of the network, severely limiting message throughput.
An alternative to the 802.1Q approach defines a separate spanning tree for each VLAN designation within the network and is currently being offered by Cisco Systems, Inc. See Cisco IOS VLAN Services document. With this approach, switches exchange BPDUs, each of which is tagged with a VLAN designation. That is, tagged BPDUs are formulated and exchanged for each VLAN designation within the network. These tagged BPDUs are then processed by the switches so as to define a separate forwarding topology or spanning tree for each VLAN designation. Thus, for a given port, messages associated with one VLAN designation may be forwarded and received whereas messages associated with a second VLAN designation may not.
By defining a separate forwarding topology for each VLAN designation which spans all entities associated with that designation, this solution supports load balancing throughout the network. It also avoids possible lost connectivity problems with portions of the network that may occur with the IEEE solution. There are, nonetheless, other drawbacks. First, this approach may not scale well to large networks. That is, as the number of VLAN designations increases, the number of tagged BPDUs being exchanged correspondingly increases. Accordingly, more communications bandwidth is consumed with BPDU traffic. Each BPDU, moreover, must be processed by the switches so as to calculate the corresponding spanning trees. Depending on the number of VLAN designations within the network, this may severely tax the processing and memory resources of the switches, degrading network efficiency.


Methods and systems for enabling content to be securely and conveniently distributed to authorized users are provided. More particularly, content is maintained in encrypted form on sending and receiving devices, and during transport. In addition, policies related to the use of, access to, and distribution of content can be enforced. Features are also provided for controlling the release of information related to users. The distribution and control of contents can be performed in association with a client application that presents content and that manages keys.

The Internet increasingly provides the means by which content is distributed. However, the Internet is inherently insecure. As a result, it has been difficult for content providers to realize compensation for content distributed over the Internet, particularly using the applications and services running on the Internet collectively known as the World Wide Web, or simply "the Web". For example, although publishers, including traditional newspaper publishers, have constructed pay walls, which typically require payment of subscription fees to access content, such walls can usually be circumvented without great difficulty. Moreover, because authorized users can easily make and distribute content that is legitimately accessed, illicit copies made from legitimate copies are commonly available. Therefore, with some exceptions, traditional publishers have been largely unsuccessful at realizing compensation in connection with content that is made available over the Internet.
As alternatives to subscription arrangements, other mechanisms for monetizing the provision of content have been developed. For example, advertising supported content is commonly available on the Internet. One difficulty with advertising supported content has been assigning a value to advertisements associated with content. For example, advertisements are preferably directed to persons who are likely buyers of advertised goods and services. However, accurately targeting consumers of advertised goods and services requires information about their needs and desires. This information can be inferred from search terms entered by the user and/or from content viewed by the user. Internet service providers can also analyze subscriber emails to create profiles that can be sold to advertisers or otherwise used in targeting consumers. Moreover, search terms, viewed content, and other data indicative of a user's needs or wants can be accumulated over time by advertisers or associated entities. However, such use of private information is often considered objectionable.
In order to provide privacy and security for Internet activities, various security applications and procedures can be applied. However, the use of security applications is optional, and is not pervasive on the Web. In addition, security is typically implemented using an insufficient number of keys, with the result that cracking one key can often lead to access to large amounts of data. In addition, even when encryption has been applied, such encryption has been isolated. For example, data is frequently stored in unencrypted form both in the cloud and on the computers of end users. In addition, the application of security features, for example to prevent or limit the release of private information, can make many features of the Web inaccessible, because operation of such features is predicated on free access to information. Therefore, the relative lack of privacy and security on the Internet remains a problem, and has adversely affected the electronic distribution of content.

Method and apparatus for providing content


A communication system and an IoT system are provided. The IoT system is applicable to a wireless network system including an access point. The IoT system includes a WiFi module and a GPIO device. The WiFi module is configured to connect to the access point. The GPIO device is configured to provide a plurality of wake-up signals to the WiFi module through a GPIO pin. A predetermined time period between any two of wake-up signals is greater than an interval between two delivery traffic indication messages from the access point. The WiFi module includes a timer and a power management unit, the power management unit drains power to transfer the WiFi module from a sleep mode to a normal mode after the timer receives the wake-up signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication system, and more specifically to a communication system and an Internet of Things (IoT) system capable of reducing power consumption.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wireless networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as video, voice, broadcast, messaging, etc. These wireless networks may be capable of supporting communication for multiple users by sharing the available network resources. Examples of such networks include wireless local area networks (WLANs), wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs), wireless wide area networks (WWANs), and wireless personal area networks (WPANs).
A wireless network may include any number of access points (APs) and any number of stations. An access point may act as a coordinator for communication with the stations. A station may actively communicate with an access point, may be idle, or may be powered down at any given moment depending on the data requirements of the station.
Because most of current handheld stations, such as wireless handheld device, are powered by batteries, power saving has always been the primary issue concerned. There is therefore a need in the art for techniques to reduce the power consumption of a station in a wireless network.


Example gravity gradiometers are described that utilize high precision resonant optical cavities to measure changes in gravitational forces at high sensitivities. In one example, a sensing system includes a gravity gradiometer and a controller. The gravity gradiometer includes a first mirror and a second mirror arranged to form an optical cavity having an optical axis. The controller is configured to detect, responsive to displacement of at least one of the first mirror and the second mirror along the optical axis, a change in gravity gradient.

Gravity gradiometers are sensing systems designed to detect the gradient, or spatial derivative, of the gravitational field of an object. As one example, an object passing near a gravity gradiometer may exert a changing gravitational force on the gradiometer due to the movement of the object near the gradiometer. The gradiometer detects the temporal evolution of the spatial derivative of the gravitational field of the object as it passes by. This temporal evolution may be used to determine the mass, density, velocity, or other related properties of the object.
Conventional gravity gradiometers typically use one or more opposing pairs of accelerometers to detect the gradient of a gravitational field along an axis. In particular, a difference in sensed acceleration between each of the pairs of accelerometers is used as an indicator of the difference in the gravitational force between two points along the axis of the gradiometer. However, these types of gravity gradiometers are often incapable of detecting small gravity gradients, and surrounding noise often diminishes the quality of the signal from the gravity gradiometer.
Due to this low sensitivity, gravity gradiometer measurements using conventional systems are often limited to the detection of signals from very large masses for applications that permit low resolution measurements. To isolate the gravity gradiometer from surrounding noise and increase sensitivity of the unit, some conventional gravity gradiometers have attempted to use complex active isolation systems to stabilize the gravity gradiometer. In other gradiometers, temperature stabilization systems are applied to the pairs of accelerometers to try and achieve more accurate scale factor matching. For example, superconducting gravity gradiometers implement large cryogenic systems to stabilize the accelerometers at low temperatures, thereby trying to improve sensitivity. In this way, various conventional gravity gradiometers often achieve very low sensitivity or, in order to increase sensitivity, often become large, unwieldy, and expensive sensing systems.

Compact and highly sensitive gravity gradiometer


A halftoning process section in an image processing apparatus includes a process switching section that switches a process of a signal from a color conversion process section. The process switching section executes switching in accordance with input tag data. In the case of a text, a text halftoning process section executes a halftoning process. In the case of graphics, a bit number increasing section increases a bit number for graphics, and a graphics halftoning process section executes a halftoning process. In the case of a photo, a bit number increasing section increases a bit number for a photo, and a photo halftoning process section executes a halftoning process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that executes an image process, such as a halftoning process, in an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an apparatus, which is typified by a digital multi-function peripheral (MFP), is steadily gaining in popularity. This apparatus totally handles a variety of digitized image data of, e.g. a copier, a printer, a scanner and a FAX, temporarily stores these data in a memory medium such as an HDD, and reuses the data. Very important development items in this type of system are the realization of an architecture that can handle various data easily and seamlessly, and the reduction in cost of the system itself.
On the other hand, within the MFP, practical use has widely been made of an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic process system such as a laser printer that drives a laser on the basis of image data and executes tone reproduction. In addition, color image forming apparatuses, which repeat the above process for three colors or four colors or reproduce a color image by a tandem process, have become increasing popular. With these developments, the resolution of these output apparatuses has been increasing in recent years. For example, resolutions of, e.g. 600 dpi and 1200 dpi are realized.
In general, when a color image is handled, a monitor or the like, which is a part of a computer, treats the image by an 8-bit RGB system for each color, and a printer or the like treats the image by an 8-bit CMY system or CMYK system for each color. In usual cases, the monitor purely displays 1 pixel with multi-value gray levels by brightness modulation for each of RGB. On the other hand, the output apparatus, which is typified by a printer, employs in a final stage a pseudo-tone (halftoning) process, such as a dither method or a density pattern method, which uses a threshold matrix. Basically, a binary output, which corresponds to ON/OFF of a dot in a pixel unit or a smaller divided pixel unit, is controlled in a predetermined small area. Thereby, the tone is expressed on the basis of the area. In the case of a color image, this process is applied to four colors of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow) and K (black), or three colors of C (cyan), M (magenta) and Y (yellow). On a final print surface, 3-color or 4-color micro-dots are overlaid, and a fine color tone image is reproduced. Actually, however, K that is produced by overlaying color materials of CMY has no ideal color characteristics of K. Thus, most of conventional color image output apparatuses are based on CMYK.
A document, graphic, photo, or the like, which is created and edited by a host computer or a personal computer, is converted to a PDL (e.g. Postscript or PCL) by a printer driver. The converted data is sent to an image output apparatus via relay means such as a LAN or a USB. On the image output apparatus side, a controller section in the image processing apparatus interprets the language of the data and develops it into raster data (RIP processing).
In general, a halftoning process is executed in the controller section. Image data that is output from the controller has a tone reproduction capability corresponding to the printing performance of the output apparatus, for example, 1 bit to 8 bits per pixel for each color. Basically, the number of bits of the output data is designed in consideration of the performance of the engine. Alternatively, the halftoning process may not be executed in the controller, and tone reproduction may be executed by applying an engine-side laser modulation technology (e.g. pulse width modulation technique or power modulation technique). In principle, from the standpoint of image quality, the possibility that a high-quality image is reproduced becomes higher as the number of bits in the RIP increases.
In the output apparatus such as an electrophotographic apparatus, output print characteristics (e.g. dot gain) have a large distortion relative to ideal linear characteristics due to the complexity of the process. In this respect, the halftoning process is very important, and the image quality varies to a great degree depending on design specifications including an algorithm and parameters. The halftoning process has a great influence on the image quality, and various algorithms have conventionally been proposed.
For simple description, algorithms for the halftoning process are classified into AM modulation (cyclic modulation) and FM modulation (frequency modulation). In the AM modulation, the size of a basic halftone dot is modulated at each gray level on the basis of a given cycle, angle and shape, and thus the tone is reproduced. In the FM modulation, a mean distance between fixed-sized halftone dots is varied at each gray level, and thus the tone is reproduced. In general, in some cases, an error diffusion process may be regarded as a kind of the FM modulation.
When these methods are applied to the output apparatus such as the electrophotographic apparatus, the following problems will arise. In the electrophotographic apparatus, it is difficult to form an independent 1 pixel (e.g. 1 pixel of 600 dpi) in a stable state with the same resolution as the printer (i.e. 1 dot of 600 dpi is reproduced by the printer of 2400 dpi). In general, if an FM modulation type dither matrix is used, a high-quality image cannot be obtained.
Thus, by using an AM modulation type dither matrix, the tone is reproduced on the basis of the area in units of a plurality of pixels combined. Thereby, a stable image is obtained. AM modulation type dither methods include various shape-type methods, such as a half-tone dot type, a line type and a chain type. These methods, however, are essentially the same in that a plurality of dots are gathered in a given direction, thereby reproducing tone.
In this case, in order to increase the number of pseudo-gray levels to such a level as to reproduce a visually satisfactory image, it should suffice if the basic size of each halftone-dot of a threshold matrix is increased. However, the resolution decreases as the basic size of each halftone-dot becomes greater. In the halftoning process, the resolution characteristics and the tone characteristics are contradictory. In the case where this halftoning process is executed, even if the tone is satisfactory, the image quality of an edge part of a gray-level character or line in the image, which represents resolution information, considerably deteriorates.
The electrophotographic apparatus does not have a resolution of several-thousand dpi, which is a resolution level of the printer. A currently dominant type of electrophotographic apparatuses have resolutions of about 600 dpi to 1200 dpi at most. There are too many geometrical restrictions in order to obtain satisfactory tone reproduction by creating halftone-dots with such a resolution and a given angle and line number (about 100 to 200 lines). It is not impossible to forcedly form a screen, ignoring a geometrical position error in digital arithmetic operations. However, if the halftoning process is executed using a threshold matrix that is formed in this way, an image that is formed on a final print surface includes, as a matter of course, geometrical errors of many halftone centers at locations on the two-dimensional plane. Consequently, textures, which are unsightly, occur at given gray levels, and graininess increases.
In order to solve these problems, there has been developed an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic apparatus, wherein a technique of PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), for instance, is used, and multi-value image data is generated by subjecting input image data to a multi-value dither process, etc. Using the multi-value image data, the output area within 1 pixel is modulated, and the inside of the 1 pixel is expressed with several gray levels.
In the image forming apparatus capable of printing multi-value image data, various image processes, such as a color conversion process, an UCR (under-color removal) process and a gamma correction process, are executed. Thereafter, in order to reproduce the prescribed number of gray levels, which is inherent to the printer engine, a multi-value pseudo-tone process is executed for each color. Thereby, multi-value image data of 1 pixel bit is obtained. The image reproducibility is enhanced by concentrating a more information amount in 1 pixel. However, the fact that the number of bits that are handled at 1 pixel means that the data amount to be handled increases accordingly. Even if the technology is constantly developing, the amount of multi-value data, which is treated with the resolution of the output apparatus such as the electrophotographic apparatus, is enormous, and a serious problem arises with the cost of, e.g. a memory load.
Under the circumstances, in modern output apparatuses, multi-value image data is not handled as such. In some cases, data is compressed by some compression process at a given point along the image path, and thus the performance of the entire system is improved.
It is necessary to treat various images, such as a text, graphic and photo, as print-out images. Each object has different important characteristics. For example, a text needs to have good resolution characteristics such as edge reproducibility, a photo needs to have good tone characteristics, and a photo needs to have both good characteristics. As mentioned above, a single halftoning process cannot meet the requirements for both characteristics. Thus, an optimal screen is individually used for each of objects, and the image quality is enhanced.
On the other hand, the functions of the MFP include, aside from the printer function, a PC-FAX function, a BOX function, etc. It is preferable to seamlessly use data between the functions. For example, an image to be handled in the FAX function is of 1 bit/pixel, according to the standard of the FAX function. In the PC-FAX function, too, it is necessary to treat a PIP-processed image with 1 bit/pixel. Images to be handled in the BOX function have different bit numbers, depending on uses, and there is a case in which a data format that is compressed by a general-purpose scheme, such as JPEG, is preferable.
For example, when the printer is used, the image quality can be greatly improved. For this purpose, it is preferable to treat an image with multi-bit/pixel. Depending on the functions, the proper bit number for 1 pixel differs. Some data conversion is needed in a case of reusing an image, which is stored in a hard disk drive or the like, for another function. There is a problem of complexity in data handling.
There are known U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,964 and Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-234900, which disclose techniques for solving the above problems.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,964, rasterized image data is encoded along with a discrimination signal for discriminating an object, and is temporarily stored in a memory device. The encoded image data and discrimination signal, which are retrieved from the memory device, are decoded, and the decoded image data is subjected to a halftoning process on the basis of the similarly decoded discriminating signal. Thus, an optimal halftone output for each object is obtained. In addition, since a data compression process is executed at a point along the image path, the capacity of the memory device or the like can be reduced.
In general, reversible compression is desirable as compression of image data that is exactly rasterized by a controller. The controller has to handle complex and various objects, and images that are formed by rasterizing these objects must essentially be reproduced with precision. Basically, except for some kinds of photo images, it is necessary to avoid occurrence of unexpectable noise due to compression of a given object, which may lead to serious degradation in image quality.
In a case where 8-bit multi-value image data is handled, for example, if the image data is compressed by irreversible compression such as JPEG, the reproduction performance for high-frequency image data is very low. Thus, such irreversible compression is not suited to objects such as texts and fine graphics. On the other hand, when reversible compression is executed, the code amount of a natural picture such as a photo cannot sufficiently be reduced, contrary to expectation, and a very large memory is needed. Thus, there is the problem that the advantageous effect of the system configuration is small, compared to its complexity.
It is possible to think of a method in which an optimal compression method is switched in accordance with the property of each object. This method, however, requires very complex processing, and the cost effectiveness of the system configuration is low.
Furthermore, the image data and the object discrimination signal have to be compressed in the path of the compression process. Consequently, there arises such a problem that the process tends to become complex and the data reduction effect by the compression is low.


A backflow capable ball check valve includes a valve body including a fluid flow passage and a ball seat within the fluid flow passage. A valve ball is within the fluid flow passage and is configured for seating on the ball seat. The valve ball is movable between a normal operation and backflow capable modes. A stem and saddle assembly is coupled with the valve body, and the stem and saddle assembly is configured to cup the valve ball. Movement of the stem and saddle assembly moves the valve ball from the normal operation mode to a backflow capable mode. In the backflow capable mode the stem and saddle assembly positions the valve ball away from the ball seat with the saddle cupping the valve ball in surface to surface contact, for instance according to pivoting at a movable joint.

Check valves are used in piping systems to allow uni-directional flow of fluids. Reverse or backflow of fluids (back flushing) is prevented by the check valve during normal operation. There are various types of check valve designs including 90 degree swing check valves and 45 degree flexible disc check valves. These valves include discs, shafts, stems, and seals located in some examples in the fluid path of the valve. These valves are used in some examples with fluids, such as wastewater, including viscous sludge, stringy material, wet strength paper products, and other debris that tend to foul the interior components of the valves thereby affecting their performance and requiring the valves to be taken out of the line of service. Swing check valves and flexible check valves are less suitable for applications involving fluids with solids and semi-solids therein (e.g., sludges, fluids with entrained solids such as fibrous or stringy material, brush and the like). The materials within the fluid accumulate and foul the discs and shafts of the valves and accordingly frustrate operation of the discs to fully open and also fully close the valves and prevent backflow. For example, the discs and shafts are prone to accumulate stringy material. As the valve mechanisms become fouled the valves require service and maintenance to remove the fouling materials, which involves the valves to be opened to provide access to internal parts. Such service and maintenance requires the valves be taken out of service and contaminated, offensive wastewater and sludge, located upstream of the valves in the pipeline must be drained and disposed of.
Another type of check valve, ball check valves, addresses these issues by providing a valve ball within the valve body. In a zero flow (backflow shutoff) configuration the valve ball returns to its seated position within a seat in the valve body to substantially prevent the backflow of fluid. During normal operation, the flow of fluid pushes the valve ball (e.g., a valve ball of about 2 inch diameter weighing about 0.5 pounds up to a valve ball of about 24 inch diameter weighing over 400 pounds) out of the seat and the fluid flows around the ball. Alternatively, the valve ball is pushed into a recessed area (e.g., a side track area) of the valve body that substantially opens the passage of the valve entirely to facilitate full flow without interference by the valve ball. Because the valve ball is freely movable within the valve body and has a spherical shape, the solids and semi-solids present in sludges, such as sewage and storm water, easily pass through the valve and are not trapped on mechanical components like the discs and shafts present in swing check valves and flexible disc check valves.
The mechanical components of some example swing check valves and flexible disc check valves do include a mechanical linkage that allows for movement of the discs from a seated shutoff position to a backflow position when backflow through the valves is desired. For instance, when backflushing of a pump or draining of a pipeline is needed, the discs of these valves are moved out of engagement with a disc seat to allow for reverse flow of fluids through the valves. Because ball check valves are freely movable within a valve body, the ball check valve is unsuitable for backflow operation.
One example of a ball check valve that allows for backflow is found in U.S. Pat. No. 187,373. The ball check valve in this example includes a valve seat at a 45 degree angle with respect to the main fluid passage (e.g., the seat extends into the fluid passage) that holds the valve ball therein and provides a discontinuity and obstruction to the main fluid passage. The valve includes a rod that engages with the valve ball to bias the valve ball upwardly along the valve seat (e.g., at the 45 degree angle) and accordingly allow at least partial backflow when desired.


A composite resilient mount for rolling element bearings, comprising a composite hoop portion, and including a plurality of circumferentially dispersed inner pads and outer pads defining a plurality of arcuate beam portions disposed circumferentially between adjacent pads. The hoop portion and the inner and outer pads, may comprise a circumferentially wound fiber, such as a carbon fiber, and a resin. The inner and outer pads may be rounded, feathered or otherwise configured to eliminate edges from the inner and outer pads, thereby preventing damage to adjacent components. A method for providing damping to a rolling element bearing is also disclosed.

The present invention generally relates to a bearing mount, and in particular to a composite resilient mount for rolling element bearings.
Rotating machinery is subject to vibration during operation at various speeds. Such vibration may be due to: (1) approaching and/or traversing rotor critical speeds or (2) misalignment between the rotor itself and one or more bearings for the rotor. Machinery operated at high rotational speeds, for example, at speeds greater than 30,000 rpm, is particularly prone to both types of vibration. Vibration of the rotor and other rotating parts increases the radial load on the bearings and may lead to premature failure of the bearings.
Attempts to decrease vibrations in high speed rotors have included the use of resilient mounts arranged external to the outer raceway of the bearing. As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,903 to Eccles et al. discloses a ram air turbine power system, including a bearing mount ring disposed between a thrust liner and a bearing carrier, wherein the mount ring includes a first set of radially outwardly extending pads, a second set of radially inwardly extending pads, and flexible beams between the radially outwardly extending pads radially inwardly extending pads. The mount ring of Eccles et al. may further include axial pads extending axially at opposite ends of the mount ring, wherein the axial pads respectively engage thrust shoulders on the housing and on the bearing race.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,784 to Lisowsky discloses a bearing isolator for absorbing vibration and acoustic energy, wherein the bearing isolator comprises an inner spoked metal ring for registration with the outer raceway, an outer spoked metal ring for attachment to a mounting structure, and an annular member disposed between the inner metal ring and the outer metal ring. The annular member may comprise a resinous material, such as polyimide or epoxy, and a minor fractional fill of graphite, glass particles, or glass fibers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,407 to Van Dine et al. discloses a rolling element bearing arrangement comprising an inner race facing in one lateral direction, and an outer race facing in a second, opposite lateral direction. A vibration inhibiting outer ring member, which may comprise a heavy metal or a resilient material, is disposed against the outer surface of the outer race. The vibration inhibiting outer ring member may be retained against the outer race by a composite wrap.
Although prior art mounts may decrease vibration of rotating machinery, nevertheless, vibration remains a potential problem at certain speeds. For example, the vibration inhibiting outer ring member of the '407, even when combined with the composite wrap, is unlikely to provide sufficient damping or stiffness to a bearing to prevent vibration of a high speed rotor. In addition, the heavy metal construction of the vibration inhibiting outer ring member adds excessive weight to the machinery, which is of particular concern in aerospace applications.
As can be seen, there is a need for a single-component, resilient mount for rolling element bearings that provides radial damping to prevent vibration of high speed rotating machinery. There is a further need for a resilient mount that is light in weight, and which will not damage bearing housings or other components of rotating machinery.


A servomotor velocity control apparatus constructs a digital servo system including a compensating circuit (2) having a variable gain. The integration gain of the compensating circuit (2) is set and controlled by a gain setting unit (5) so as to be inversely proportional to estimated servomotor velocity computed from a velocity signal fed back in discrete fashion. It is possible to perform high-speed positioning based on an actual velocity signal which prevails when velocity is low.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a servomotor velocity control apparatus forming a digital servo system, the gain of which is capable of being varied.
2. Background Art
In an ordinary digital servo system, the torque command of a servomotor is set based on an error signal between a commanded velocity and an actual velocity, and a pulse coder generally is used as velocity detecting means for detecting the actual velocity.
To accurately control the velocity and position of the servomotor based on the error signal, a PI compensating circuit is usually required for performing a proportional operation and an integrating operation. In order to minimize the influence of frictional resistance in a servo system which includes such a compensating circuit, consideration has been given to altering the proportional gain and integration gain of the compensating circuit in dependence upon the velocity of the servomotor.
With this conventional servo system, it becomes necessary to suitably alter the integration gain when it is attempted to maintain positional accuracy by removing the influence of external disturbances. However, when the motor is operating at a low velocity, stabilized operation of the feedback system is lost. The reason for this is that the actual velocity signal from the velocity detecting means such as the pulse coder is fed back in discrete fashion; hence, velocity detection resolution declines at low rotational speeds.
More specifically, when the resolution of detected velocity declines, an offset due to static frictional resistance develops in the servo system when it is operating at very low velocity. Consequently, even if an attempt is made to raise positioning accuracy by changing the integration gain based on the actual velocity signal fed back from the pulse coder, the gain cannot be altered by making a proper evaluation of the amount of offset. An irregularity develops in the rotational velocity of the servomotor as a result.


A window control system includes a switch and a motor controller. The switch is manipulated by an operator and transmits signals based on the manipulation. The motor controller receives signals from the switch, determines a preset position from the signals, and commands a motor to move a window to the preset position. The preset position is one of at least three preset positions either programmed by a manufacturer or customized by the operator.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Power windows often include an automatic, or "auto," function which allows the window to fully close or open in the vehicle. The driver activates the auto function by pressing the window control switch once to open or close the window. Despite the ease or convenience of the auto function, the auto function is rigid in the "open" and "closed" functions, not allowing the window to be opened or closed in a fraction of the full open or full closed position.


In a device (1) for rapid pressure-freezing an aqueous sample (3), such as a biological specimen, a pressurized cooling medium can be fed into a high-pressure chamber (11) into which a sample holder (30) containing a sample (3) is inserted and which is sealed with a pressure-tight seal, to the location of the sample holder (30) held therein. The high-pressure chamber (11) comprises a viewing window structure (2) with a pressure-tight window (20), through which light can be directed from the outside onto the sample (3) located in the sample holder (30). The window (20) can comprise a transparent window element made of a high-pressure-resistant material, wherein the window element (20) is held by a pressure- and temperature-resistant window bearing provided in the high-pressure chamber.

A high-pressure freezing device of the above-stated type is described in DE 100 25 512 A1, in which additionally a particularly rapid pressure increase is achieved using a prestressed pneumatic cylinder.
A device produced by the applicant for the high-pressure freezing of biological and industrial samples is currently being successfully marketed under the name "Leica EM HPM100". With the "Leica EM HPM100", samples can be cooled to low temperatures, such as below −100° C., within only a few ms using liquid nitrogen under a pressure of up to 2100 bar (cryopreservation). In this case, sample have a thickness of up to 200 μm and are vitrified during cryopreservation as a result of the rapid cooling process, i.e., the formation of crystalline ice is largely prevented, since crystallization could deteriorate or even destroy the microstructure of the sample.
In the "Leica EM HPM100", a sample cartridge is used for holding the sample under high pressure conditions during the freezing process. The sample cartridge is made of high-strength plastic and comprises three components, specifically two semicylinders with a channel, which can be used to conduct cooling fluid, and a support plate having an opening designed to receive the sample. The pressure at the location of the sample is generated by the cooling fluid, which is brought to a pressure of 2100 bar for this purpose.
FIG. 8 shows the principal structure of the high-pressure freezing system 9, which is based upon the "Leica EM HPM100" and can also be used for freezing systems according to the invention. The sample cartridge 89 is introduced into the high-pressure chamber 90 by means of a loading device 95. The high-pressure chamber 90 is sealed for the freezing process by locking the loading device 95 with locking pins 94. The freezing process is implemented by introducing pressurized liquid nitrogen (LN2), which is fed rapidly into the space inside the cartridge 89. For this purpose, the system 9 is equipped with a supply 8 of a cooling medium. In the cooling medium supply 8, LN2 is conducted from a cooling medium tank 81 via a cooling medium pump 82, downstream of which a flow check valve 83 is located, to a pressure intensifier 84 operated with compressed air. Here, the cooling medium LN2 that is used is brought to a target pressure of, e.g., 2100 bar. The outlet of the pressure intensifier 84 is connected to the high-pressure chamber 90 by a supply line via a high-pressure valve 85. The high-pressure valve 85 is designed to rapidly supply pressurized LN2 to the interior of the high-pressure chamber 90 when opened, so that the sample held in the cartridge 89 is high-pressure frozen within a very short time interval. A pressure sensor 91 and a temperature sensor 92 monitor the freezing process. Pressure in the chamber 90 can be released via an outlet opening 93 (outlet with noise damper), to allow the cryopreserved sample to be removed.
The high-pressure chamber also offers the option of supplying an additional liquid ("fill liquid"), e.g., an alcohol (particularly ethanol), wherein said fill liquid is supplied to the high-pressure chamber 90 from a tank 86 via a pump/metering system 87, downstream of which a flow check valve 88 is located. In some applications the alcohol can be used to fill the chamber prior to the freezing process, for example; when the freezing process starts, LN2 displaces the alcohol. In many cases, use of the alcohol offers the advantage of a faster build-up of pressure when the LN2 is fed in. However, use of the fill liquid is not mandatory, especially since various types of samples should not come into contact with alcohol. With the apparatus described here, good cooling results can be achieved even without the use of a fill liquid such as alcohol, in particular.
For specific areas of research and development, it is worthwhile to analyze the behavior of a sample following stimulation with light, particularly from the visible region, particularly by analyzing the state achieved through photostimulation. Analyses of this type are conducted, for example, on biological specimens such as plant cells and cyanobacteria. However, under normal conditions (i.e., under the normal living conditions of the biological parent material, generally at ambient temperature and pressure) the photostimulated state is short-lived, and therefore, additional measures are required to fix the transient stimulated state of the sample. The cryopreservation described in the introductory part is suitable for this purpose; rapidly freezing the sample under high pressure is desirable because it allows biological samples to be vitrified without the formation of ice crystals. With known high-pressure freezing devices, however, irradiation of the sample is possible only outside of the high-pressure chamber, since the interior of the high-pressure chamber is inaccessible or inadequately accessible to light. However, since the process for loading a sample into the high-pressure chamber takes several seconds and is difficult to shorten due to limitations of the equipment, the amount of time required to load a sample is far greater than the lifespan of the light-stimulated state to be analyzed, which is why with known devices it is difficult to impossible to implement cryopreservation fast enough following optical stimulation of the sample.

Device for the light stimulation and cryopreservation of biological samples


The method of computerized grading of formula-based multi-step problems includes the steps of providing a memory for storing problems and data to enable and facilitate assessment of correctness of problems, storing at least one formula-based multi-step problem in the memory, a complete solution to the problem requiring calculation of at least one intermediate answer and a subsequent calculation using said intermediate answer to arrive at said complete solution, providing a computer program that can grade submitted answers to the steps of said problem, providing a user interface with selective access to the memory and the computer program, and providing a global computer network with which the user interface can be connected to the memory and grading program.

The present invention relates to a process for computerized grading of formula-based multi-step problems via a web-interface. At present, it is generally known to grade math, science, engineering and/or technology problems via the use of a global computer network through access to websites. Such services are currently being rendered by distance education providers such as Blackboard, Brownstone, WebCT, ecollege and ANGEL. Major textbook publishers have created websites for the same purpose. Applicant is aware of publishers John Wiley and Sons, Brooks/Cole, Addison Wesley, and Prentice Hall establishing websites for this purpose. Additionally, academic institutions have been offering computerized grading of problems, both alone and in partnership with distance education providers or computer algebra system (CAS) vendors. Applicant is aware that two major such vendors, Maple and Mathematica, have developed working relationships with distance education providers, academic institutions, and publishers.
Systems developed by Maple and Mathematica can manipulate mathematical formulas and can recognize any numerical or symbolic expression that is likely to be an answer to any problem in any course one may encounter at the pre-college, undergraduate, or graduate level. As a result, the most intense current activity in computer-grading of math-type problems involves grading answers that are symbolic rather than multiple choice type answers, fill-in-a-blank type answers or purely numeric answers. The significant features employed by known symbolic answer graders are the following:
(1) A variety of methods for free-form entry of symbolic-expression answers;
(2) Gradable problems have parameters that can be used to change numerical values in the problem statement. Assignment of parameters can be random;
(3) The use of computer algebra systems to grade problems by comparing a submitted answer to a pre-programmed correct answer, with checks to ensure that an answer is of the correct type, for example, algebraic category, and that students submit an answer rather than computer-algebra-system instructions to achieve the answer;
(4) Intelligent hints to permit algorithmic, interactive self-grading of an answer;
(5) Sub-questions employed as hints to the student if the student wishes to use them;
(6) The ability to resubmit incorrect answers repeatedly until a correct answer is achieved with provision for penalties for multiple tries to correctly answer a problem;
(7) Use of predefined answer types such as, for example, algebraic, matrix, constant, multiple choice, or string;
(8) Systems are known that permit both students and instructors to obtain detailed progress reports.
Distance education providers emphasize customization of problems to meet the desires and needs of an individual instructor.
The problems that typically appear in course textbooks for algebra, calculus, and other mathematical and technical subjects are formula-based multi-step problems for which answers to earlier steps are used to obtain subsequent intermediate and final answers. Moreover, a particular intermediate answer may be obtainable from prior answers in several different ways, each of which may involve an equally valid methodology. Many, if not most, problems assigned for homework or given on a quiz or exam in such courses are typically adapted from a textbook and hence are of this multi-step form.
As should be understood from the above explanation, current web-based systems grade only one answer at a time. Related answers are requested diagnostically, for example, as a hint or sub-problem, only after a single answer is recognized as incorrect. As such, in such systems, the student must submit all correct answers, one at a time, to obtain full credit.
By contrast, effective hand-grading of formula-based multi-step problems uses two shortcut-type strategies, referred to herein as the Prior-Answer Strategy and the Later-Answer Strategy:                (1) The Prior-Answer Strategy looks for correct intermediate or final answers, which when found give full credit for all relevant prior answers used to get it.If an incorrect intermediate answer is found, an experienced hand-grader will use the second strategy;        (2) The second strategy is the Later-Answer Strategy in which subsequent steps are examined and subjective credit is given for answers that are incorrect, but which appear to have been obtained correctly based upon incorrect but reasonable answers to earlier steps.
When hand-graders apply these two strategies combined with the innate human ability to recognize and accept more than one correct formula for using prior answers to obtain later answers, the student obtains the maximum credit deserved for problem steps that were correctly performed. The prior art fails to teach or suggest any computerized system that incorporates these grading strategies used by effective hand-graders to fairly and fully grade problems. It is with this thought in mind, among others, that the present invention was developed.

Process for computerized grading of formula-based multi-step problems via a web-interface


A first single-action input is received indicating a start tracking request and including information identifying a first current location of a user-controlled object on a user display device. A second single-action input is received indicating a movement of the object across the display device to a first different location and including a stop tracking request. A first display object associated with the first current location and a second display object associated with the first different location are determined. A group of selected display objects is determined including the first and second display objects. Display objects associated with locations displayed in an area spanning a first region located between the first current location and the first different location are determined, where a selection of the selected display objects is based on the first start tracking request and the first stop tracking request, with no input associated with a modifier input.

Many computer user interfaces support selection and de-selection of objects for processing by applications. For example, a mail order business may provide a browser application that displays boxes or buttons that may be selected for ordering various products, or for selecting options for billing and shipment. As another example, a user of a calendar or scheduler may select one or more groups of hours or days that may cover several different time intervals for scheduling various events or activities. Further, a user of a file system may select groups of files for further processing.
One example technique for selecting objects includes using a mouse such that the mouse may be clicked on an object to select an object. A user interface may thus receive an indication that the mouse has been depressed and released while a cursor is over the object on a display device such as a screen. For example, an object displayed to the user may appear as a box on a screen. When the user depresses and releases a button on the mouse while a cursor is over the box displayed on the screen, the interface may change a state of the object associated with the displayed box, and may display a check mark in the box to indicate to the user that the object has been toggled on. Similarly, if the user repeats the action of depressing and releasing the mouse button while the cursor is over the displayed box, the box may appear without the check mark, and the state of the associated object may be toggled to an off state.
An extension of the toggling technique discussed above may include depressing the mouse button while the cursor is over a first object on the screen, and dragging the mouse while also depressing a modifier key such as a "shift" key, a "control" key (i.e., a Ctrl key), or an "Alt" key on a keyboard, and releasing the mouse button when the cursor is over a different object on the screen. This action may allow the user to select and toggle multiple objects that appear as contiguous objects on the screen that include the first object, the different object, and any objects that may appear between these objects on the screen. It may also be possible to de-select (and toggle to a different state) some of the multiple selected objects, for example, by depressing a modifier key such as the "control" key while clicking the mouse on individual ones of the previously selected objects. This type of operation may be used to select and toggle discontinuous sets of objects as they appear on the display device for the user.
In the examples discussed above, it may be possible to de-select all selected objects, removing the toggle, by clicking (i.e., depressing and releasing the mouse button, with no modifier key depressed) in an area of the screen that is external to the selected area. In some environments, such as a web browser, it may not be feasible to rely on a modifier key or the operation of clicking on an area "outside" the selected area, as use of modifier keys or other modifier inputs may be an unexpected interaction for many applications, or the use of modifier keys may not be available across all platforms supported by the interface. Further, registering a mouse click "outside" the boundaries of object selection sets as a deselect command may conflict with other intended consequences of clicking (e.g., clicking a mouse to submit a form to a server).