The present invention relates to a surface processing apparatus which performs heating processing of an object of heating which is mounted on a mounting device provided inside a process container, and which includes a plural number of lamps provided so as to oppose a rear surface of a processing surface of an object of processing, a rotating unit which has the plural number of lamps mounted to it in a ring shape, and a drive unit which drives the rotating unit. Also, the present invention relates to a processing apparatus for leading a process gas from a gas supply tube to a gas chamber partitioned inside a process container, and which blows process gas from an outlet of the gas chamber and onto an object of processing which is mounted on a mounting device provided inside the process container, and which includes a plural number of partition plates each provided with a plural number of through holes, being provided at required intervals in a direction of gas flow and inside the gas chamber.

The present invention relates to a planar object (single wafer) processing apparatus process which semiconductor wafers or some other singular object for processing, and in particular, relates to a heating and surface processing apparatus using lamp heating.
When semiconductor devices such as IC and LSI are manufactured, a semiconductor substrate of silicon or the like is repeatedly processed to form a required semiconductor on the wafer.
In such semiconductor wafer processing, processing such as the CVD method or the like is used to form a thin film on the wafer. With such processing, it is necessary to heat the entire surface of the wafer uniformly and to a required temperature so as to suitably grow a thin film on the wafer.
With such a wafer heating method, the methods of heating can be broadly divided into those by heaters and those by lamps. Lamp heating is widely used because it supplies heat energy as radiant waves in a vacuum and so the speed of temperature increase is not dependent upon the medium for heat transmission.
FIG. 16 shows an example of a wafer being heated by a conventional lamp.
A wafer 1 of silicon or the like is arranged in a vacuum container 2 (such as a CVD processing chamber), and a reactive gas such as silane or the like is supplied to the chamber 2. A lamp 8 having a reflector mirror 16 is fixed to the outside of the vacuum container 2 and irradiates parallel rays through a glass window 5 in a configuration where the wafer 1 is heated from underneath.
With heating by rays from such a lamp 8, the temperature of places where there are many incident rays is higher than other places and so it is difficult to have uniform heating for the entire wafer.
In order to solve this problem, it has been proposed that a susceptor 20 of silica glass, silica carbonate, carbon or the like be placed between the wafer 1 and the lamp 8. More specifically, the susceptor 20 is irradiated with and heated by the rays from the lamp 8 and the applied energy is converted into uniform heat energy which is then radiated to the wafer 1 to uniformly heat its entire surface.
According to a heating method using the radiant heat from such a susceptor 20, it is possible to have uniform heating for the entire surface of the susceptor 20 but it is necessary to have lamps having a large output capacity in order to heat the susceptor 20 and so there is a drop in the energy efficiency. In addition, the coefficient of heat transmission for the radiant heat differs according pressure of the reactive gas inside the vacuum container 2 and so the heating speed of the wafer 1 differs according to the reactive gas, and there is the problem that control of the temperature becomes difficult. In addition, since minute amounts of impurities such alkali metals are included in the susceptor 20, irradiation and heating by the rays from the lamp 8 causes the impurities inside the susceptor 20 to separate and float inside the vacuum container 2 to contaminate the wafer 1 which is being processed.
Furthermore, in CVD and other such processes, when there is a large change in the process, the heat escape from the wafer 1 differs according to the process and so there are instances where the pattern of irradiation has to be changed. However, the conventional method cannot correspond to such changes. In addition, the wafer 1 is supported inside the vacuum container 2 at the periphery of the wafer 1 by a pushpin, and is fixed by a clamp ring from above the peripheral of the wafer 1. However, the heat which is supplied from beneath escapes via this clamp ring and although the heat may be uniformly supplied to the entire surface of the wafer 1, there is the disadvantage that the temperature of the peripheral edge portion of the wafer 1 drops. In addition, the speed of heating at the peripheral edge portion of the wafer 1 becomes different from the speed of heating at a portion close to the center and so there is the danger that there will be differences in the amount of rays.
Not only this, performing uniform thin film growth on a wafer and using a CVD process requires that the source gas have a uniform distribution across the entire surface of the surface of the object of processing.
As shown in FIG. 17, a conventional sheet type (single wafer) CVD apparatus has a semiconductor wafer 104 or some other object of processing arranged under the central portion of a processing chamber 102 inside a process container 100, and this semiconductor wafer 104 is heated from underneath by a heater 106 while the source gas is blown onto the front surface of the semiconductor wafer 104 from many holes 108 above.
These holes 108 are provided as a large number of many through holes 108a provided to a circular plate having a diameter larger than the diameter of the semiconductor wafer 104 and so are part of a gas outlet 110a of a lower portion of a gas chamber 110 partitioned off from the processing chamber 102. The gas introduction chamber 112 which connects with the upper portion of this gas chamber 110 supplies a source gas which is to become an element of the composition of the film grown to the semiconductor wafer 104, from a gas supply source (not shown) and via the gas supply pipes 114, 116.
In the case when a tungsten film is to be grown on a wafer for example, WF.sub.6 gas which has been diluted to a required concentration by a carrier gas such as N.sub.2 gas is supplied from one gas supply pipe 114 at a required flow rate, while H.sub.2 gas to a required concentration is supplied at a required flow rate from the other gas supply pipe 116.
The WF.sub.6 gas, N.sub.2 gas and the H.sub.2 gas supplied from the gas supply pipe 114, 116 to the gas introduction chamber 112 having a comparatively small flow area is led to the gas chamber 110 having a relatively large flow path area and the gases mix together in this chamber. Then, the mixed source gases (WF.sub.6, N.sub.2, H.sub.2) are discharged from each of the holes 108a of the small hole plate 108 of the gas outlet 110a and are blown in the direction of the processing surface (upper surface) of the semiconductor wafer 104 immediately beneath them.
Moreover, even in the case of a conventional sheet type of plasma etching apparatus, a small hole plate and a gas chamber the same as those for the sheet-type CVD apparatus described above are used to blow an etching gas such as CF.sub.4 or the like onto an object of processing.
However, as described above, with a conventional type of plasma etching apparatus or sheet-type CVD apparatus, the process gas is blown from the gas chamber 110 via the small hole plate 108 so that the process gas is distributed uniformly across the entire surface of the surface of the object of processing.
However, with the conventional apparatus, when the process gas enters the gas chamber 110 having a large flow path area from the gas introduction chamber 112 having a comparatively small flow path area, the flow of the process gas is diffused in the horizontal direction and is disturbed, and gas eddies occur when the process gas is discharged from each of the through holes 108a of the small hole plate 108. In addition, the process gas flows into the gas introduction chamber with considerable force from the gas supply pipe but with a conventional apparatus, the process gas which flows into the gas introduction chamber 112 is immediately blown from the small hole plate 108 in that state and so this is another cause of gas eddies. Yet another cause of gas eddies is that the plural number of process gases are not properly mixed.
In this manner, in a conventional apparatus, it is difficult for a plural number of process gases which have been completely mixed to be blown uniformly onto an entire surface of a surface of an object of processing, and therefore it is difficult for there to be uniform film formation on a wafer.


A process for preparing a 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine derivative (I) which comprises reacting a 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexanone with a primary amine or ammonia in the presence of a Lewis acid, a process for preparing a 2,6-dihaloaniline derivative (II) which comprises subjecting the 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine derivative (I) to dehydrohalogenation in the presence or absence of a catalyst, and an N-phenyl-2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine. According to the process of the present invention, the 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine derivative (I) can be prepared from inexpensive starting materials in high yield through a few steps. Also, the 2,6-dihaloaniline derivative (II) can be prepared from inexpensive starting materials in high yield and high purity through a few steps. Further, the N-phenyl-2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine is very useful in the preparation of N-phenyl-2,6-dihaloaniline.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine derivatives having the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R is a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group, and each X is a halogen atom, which are starting materials of 2,6-dihaloaniline derivatives. The 2,6-dihaloaniline derivatives having the formula (II): ##STR2## wherein R and X are as defined above, are intermediates of substituted phenylacetic acids suitable for use of an antiphlogistic, analgesic or antipyretic, as shown in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 23418/1967. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for preparing 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine derivatives having the formula (I) which comprises subjecting to dehydration condensation of a 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexanone with a primary amine or ammonia.
Also, the present invention relates to a process for preparing 2,6-dihaloaniline derivatives having the formula (II), and more particularly to a process for preparing 2,6-dihaloaniline derivatives (II) which comprises subjecting to dehydrohalogenation of the 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine derivatives (I).
Further, the present invention relates to an N-phenyl-2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine having the formula (III): ##STR3## wherein each X ia a halogen atom. The novel compound (III) is a starting material of an N-phenyl-2,6-dihaloaniline which is one of intermediates of substituted phenylacetic acids suitable for use of antiphlogistic, analgesic, antipyretic, and the like.
The 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine derivative (I) is especially useful as a starting material of the 2,6-dihaloaniline derivative (II).
Also, the 2,6-dihaloaniline derivative (II) is useful as an intermediate of the substituted phenylacetic acid useful as drugs or agricultural chemicals. Particularly, as disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 23418/1967, the derivative (II) is useful as an intermediate of one of substituted phenylacetic acids, having the formula (IV): ##STR4## wherein R.sup.1 is a lower alkyl group, a lower alkoxyl group, a halogen atom of fluorine, chlorine or bromine, or a trifluoromethyl group, each R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a lower alkoxyl group or a halogen atom of fluorine, chlorine or bromine, R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a lower alkoxyl group, a halogen atom of fluorine, chlorine or bromine or a trifluoromethyl group, and each R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a benzyl group.
It has been known that a 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexanone is reacted with an alcoholate to give a 2-alkoxy-3-halophenol, and also it is dehydrohalogenated with an amine to give a 2,6-dihalophenol. However, it has not been known that the 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexanone is subjected to dehydration condensation with the amine, e.g. it is reacted with ammonia or a primary amine to produce a ketimine.
On the other hand, the 2,6-dihaloaniline derivative (II) can be prepared by various known processes. For example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 23418/1967 discloses a process for preparing the 2,6-dihaloaniline derivative and a process for preparing a substituted phenylacetic acid therefrom, as shown in the following reaction formulae: ##STR5## wherein X is bromine atom or iodine atom. In the above reaction formulae, a 2,6-dihaloaniline is produced by halogenating an N-acetylsulfanil chloride to give a 2,6-dihalo-N-acetylsulfanil chloride and hydrolyzing the obtained compound to eliminate acetyl group and chlorosulfonyl group therefrom. Then, the obtained 2,6-dihaloaniline is condensed with a halide such as iodobenzene or bromobenzene according to Ullmann reaction in the presence of copper powder and potassium carbonate at high temperature to give the 2,6-dihaloaniline derivatives.
In the above-mentioned process, for preparing the 2,6-dihaloaniline derivatives, there are some problems that the yield is low or wastes are produced in a large amount since several steps are required for obtaining the 2,6-dihaloaniline; in case of using the iodine compound as the halide for obtaining the 2,6-dihaloaniline derivatives, the cost of products becomes high because the iodine compounds are expensive; in case of using the bromo compound, 2-chloro-6-bromoaniline is generated as a by-product, consequently, very much time and labor are required in order to separate and purify the desired product.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for preparing the 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine derivative (I) from inexpensive starting materials in high yield through a few steps. The 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine derivatives (I) are very useful as starting materials for obtaining the 2,6-dihaloaniline derivatives (II) inexpensively in high purity.
It is a further object of the present invention is to provide a process for preparing the 2,6-dihaloaniline derivative (II) from inexpensive starting materials in high yield and high purity through a few steps. The 2,6-dihaloaniline derivatives (II) are very useful as intermediates of the substituted phenylacetic acid useful as drugs or agricultural chemicals.
The N-phenyl-2,6-dihaloaniline, for instance, N-phenyl-2,6-dichloroaniline is prepared by the following reaction formula, as disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 23418/1967. ##STR6## wherein X is bromine atom or iodine atom. The 2,6-dichloroaniline is condensed with iodobenzene or bromobenzene according to Ullmann reaction in the presence of a catalyst of potassium carbonate copper powder to give N-phenyl-2,6-dichloroaniline. However, the process have defects that the cost of products becomes high because 2,6-dichloroaniline and iodobenzene are expensive, when using the compounds. Also, when using bromobenzene, though bromobenzene is relatively cheap, N-phenyl-2.chloro-6-bromoaniline is generated as a by-product. Consequently, very much time and labor are required for purification of the desired products.
It is a still further object of the present invention is to provide an N-phenyl-2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine having the formula (III): ##STR7## wherein X is a halogen atom. There can be provided from the compound (III) an N-phenyl-2,6-dihaloaniline such as N-phenyl-2,6-dichloroaniline at a low cost in high purity.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.

N-phenyl-2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine and processes for preparing 2,2,6,6-tetrahalocyclohexaneimine derivative and 2,6-dihaloaniline derivative

Osaka Yuki Kaguku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


A broadband nonlinear drive control network for linear amplifiers with several amplifier channels has a first branch (Z1) with an adjustable amplitude limiter (A) connected to a signal source (S) through an impedance inverter (B), whereby an increasing impedance is produced at the signal source (S) when the limiter is activated. A variable resistor (C) is connected to the signal source (S) in a second branch (Z2). The resistor (C) begins to conduct only above an adjustable high frequency signal voltage. The amplitudes at the limiter (A) and at the resistor are tuned to each other so that the load impedance at the signal source (S) remains constant. Linear branch signal combinations provide the drive control voltages for the individual channels (K2 . . . Kn). A portion of the power output of the branch (Z1) directly drives the amplifier channel (K1).

Multi-channel, high gain linear amplifiers for transmitters are described, for example, in the above cross-referenced patent application corresponding to German Patent Publication P 3,733,374. Such amplifiers require a network which provides a drive control signal with the appropriate amplitude and phase characteristics for each individual channel. The amplifier channels require different input signals dependent on the momentary modulation signal. Therefore, the network must realize a nonlinear transfer function. Moreover, the network must have a sufficient broadband characteristic so that the band width of the entire system is not limited by the network. Furthermore, the losses in the network should not be too large. The feedback due to dynamic matching variations should be small, and costs should be as low as possible. There is room for improvement in these respects.
Previously, multi-channel transmitters have been realized only in conjunction with modulated transmitter amplifiers as described, for example,in H. Chireix High Power Outphasing Modulation Proc. I.R.E., Volume 23, No. 11, (November, 1935), pages 1370-1392, and W. H. Doherty: "A New High Efficiency Power Amplifier for Modulated Waves", Proc. I.R.E., Volume 24, No. 9, (September, 1936), pages 1163-1182. In connection with such modulated amplifiers, the envelope curve of the modulated signal is explicitly at hand, so that it is immediately possible to realize the necessary control voltages as a function of the envelope curve using suitable circuit components, for example, capacitive diodes. However, the conventional method cannot be used for broadband linear amplifiers because the envelope curve signal has a band width which is a multiple of the amplifier band width. Thus, in that case, an explicit processing of the envelope curve would unallowably limit the band width of the amplifier.
This problem led, early on, to attempts to solve it by synthesizing the drive control voltages without manipulating the envelope curve signal. The only known successful solution to that problem is described by J. Fagot and H. Chireix (French Radio Electric Society) German Patent (DRP) 759,851, Dec. 3, 1939. The described solution uses a high frequency (HF) negative feedback path for generating the drive control voltages.
However, in the typical modern multi-stage semiconductor amplifiers or in high gain microwave tubes, the known method is not practical because the transit time in the amplifiers leads to instabilities. Besides, the known method achieves an insufficient band width.

Broadband nonlinear drive control network for linear amplifiers arranged in several amplifier channels


A spatial light modulator for use in display applications. The spatial light modulator includes a support substrate and a flexible member coupled to the support substrate. The spatial light modulator also includes a mirror plate coupled to the flexible member and characterized by an activated position. The mirror plate is adapted to rotate in relation to the flexible member from the activated position to a second activated position in a time less than 6.0 μs.

This present invention relates generally to spatial light modulators. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and structure for fabricating and/or operating a spatial light modulator with a high stiffness torsion spring hinge. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to initializing the micro-mirrors of a spatial light modulator using a resonant activation process. Additionally, the invention has been applied to a method of operating a spatial light modulator in a display application using a dynamic switching mode. The method and structure can be applied to spatial light modulators as well as other devices, for example, micro-electromechanical sensors, detectors, and displays.
Spatial light modulators (SLMs) have numerous applications in the areas of optical information processing, projection displays, video and graphics monitors, televisions, and electrophotographic printing. Reflective SLMs are devices that modulate incident light in a spatial pattern to reflect an image corresponding to an electrical or optical input. The incident light may be modulated in phase, intensity, polarization, or deflection direction. A reflective SLM is typically comprised of an area or two-dimensional array of addressable picture elements (pixels) capable of reflecting incident light.
Stiction is a common problem encountered in contacting MEMS devices such as spatial light modulators. A micro-mirror light modulator is one example which in operation switches rapidly between two rotated position (on and off). The micro-mirror is typically supported by a torsion spring hinge and actuated by a bias voltage applied between the mirror and one of two electrodes (for a binary mirror). The electrode drive force is attractive and the micro-mirror is typically stopped by a landing pad or post. The force (torque) of the torsion spring will restore the mirror to its equilibrium (un-rotated) position when the bias voltage is removed or reduced.
An adhesion force occurs when the micro-mirror contacts the landing pad, know as the stiction force. The origin of the stiction force typically arises from capillary force, electrostatic force due to contact potential or dielectric, and Van Der Walls force. The relative contribution of these three components depends on the geometry of the contact as well as the materials of the contact and the environment the device is operating in. Thus stiction is a complex problem. When the stiction force equals and exceeds the restoring force of the torsion hinge, the micro-mirror will stick to the landing pad and causes failure of the device. When the stiction force varies in time (due to charging for example) it will affect the dynamic performance of the mirror, such as its switching speed.
A number of solutions have been applied to reduce the stiction of a MEMS device. A typical example is to apply a molecular layer on the interfaces to reduce the adhesion force between the contacting surfaces. Coating of some type of SAM molecules to convert the surface to be hydrophobic is one method that effectively reduces the capillary force between the contacting surfaces. In alternate methods of the prior art, a stiff landing spring is added as a landing pad, in addition to the torsion hinge of the mirror. An overdrive pulse is applied to actuate the landing spring (bending mode) which will then bounce the micro-mirror away from the contacting point (landing pad) and the torsion spring will restore the mirror to its non-rotated position. A combination of two or more anti-stiction solutions are often employed to improve the device performance as well as its reliability.
In principle, so long as the restoring force and the torsion spring force (Fhinge) is greater than the stiction force (Fstiction) then the device should function properly. To increase the stiffness of the torsion spring, one can increase its cross-section and reduce its length. This approach is particularly applicable for a torsion spring hinge made of materials with high Young's modulus and yield stress. A single crystalline silicon hinge is ideal for implementing this concept as its Young's modulus is more than twice that of aluminum and its yield stress, more than ten times that of aluminum.
Solving the stiction problem with high stiffness torsion spring might appear to be the simplest solution. In general it also improves performance (by increasing the resonant frequency) and the manufacturability of the device. However, there are undesirable consequences of a stiff hinge. First, it requires higher actuation voltage to pull down or switch the micro-mirror. Second, the high actuation voltage will lead to more acceleration of the micro-mirror during switching and hence more impact of the micro-mirror on the landing pad, which will accelerate the wear and increase the stiction.
Thus there is a need in the art for methods and systems to overcome these drawbacks and to allow a practical implementation for using stiff torsion springs to overcome stiction forces and improve long term reliability in a MEMS device.

Reflective spatial light modulator with high stiffness torsion spring hinge


A processor-implemented method and mobile device for tagging media with personalized information is disclosed. An input component of the mobile device receives selection for one or more first media and passes the selection to the processor. The input component receives a request to tag the selected first media with personalized information, where the personalized information includes second media, which may include images or textual information. The second media corresponding to the personalized information is displayed and an input selection is received. The processor in the mobile device processes copies of the selected first media and of the selected second media using a blending computer code, thereby creating a blended media. The copy of the selected first media is a background feature and the copy of the selected second media is a foreground feature. The blended media is stored and displayed on the mobile device.

A "mobile device," as disclosed herein, includes a smart phone, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital camera, an video player, and other similar devices. Some of these mobile devices may include a camera and storage, and are capable of capturing and storing various media, such as images and videos. Further, these mobile devices are configured for wireless or wired internet capability using 108.11 a/b/g/n standards, GSM/CDMA based data standards, RJ45 Cat5 Ethernet standards, Bluetooth shared Ethernet standards, and other internet-able standards. This allows one to transfer the captured media to one or more remote computers. Such transfer of media includes the capability of sharing the captured images and videos on social sharing websites; electronically mailing (e-mail) the images to one or more friends or contacts; posting the images to blogs or websites, and printing the images to a remote printer or a printed attached to a remote computer.
However, media recorded on a mobile device is typically not secured prior to transfer to the remote computer. The owner of the media may find it difficult to claim rights to the media, because the source may not be confirmed. Further, most mobile devices are not equipped with the hardware, software, or firmware capabilities to perform complex security functions on the captured media prior to transferring the media to a remote computer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Personalized tagging of media on mobile devices


An air-conditioning system includes two or more air-conditioning devices A, each of which in turn includes a fan adapted to adjust a volume of air blown out into a space to be air-conditioned, an airflow direction adjuster adapted to adjust an airflow direction of outlet air blown out by the fan, a human detection sensor adapted to detect human presence, an inlet air temperature sensor adapted to detect temperature of inlet air sucked in by the fan, a position setting device used to set an installation location of each of the air-conditioning devices, and a controller, in which a positional relationship with an adjacent air-conditioning device is calculated based on data from the position setting device and furthermore a human detection area overlap with the adjacent air-conditioning device is calculated.

Regarding conventional air-conditioning systems, human detection sensors are adopted in room-air conditioners and other devices. The human detection sensors detect persons and allow air conditioning to be done by taking human comfort into consideration and are adopted not only in room-air conditioners, but also in cassette type four-way airflow indoor units and cassette type two-way airflow indoor units, which are air-conditioning apparatuses for commercial use (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). The technique described in Patent Literature 1 relates to an air-conditioning device (indoor unit) that includes: a human detection sensor adapted to detect any human presence in each of a plurality of air-conditioning zones; an indoor air temperature sensor adapted to detect indoor temperature in a single air-conditioning zone or each of the plurality of air-conditioning zones; and a louver provided with a two-way or higher-order air outlet and configured to allow airflow directions to be changed individually, wherein when the indoor temperature detected in the single air-conditioning zone or any of the plurality of air-conditioning zones changes after a human is detected, control is performed to automatically change the airflow direction in the air-conditioning zone in which the human is detected.


A focal plane array for scanned imaging systems provides an increased dynamic range by encoding analog differences between scene pixel amplitudes at a detector unit cell. Charge Coupled Device (CCD) differentiators are utilized to encode the pixel deltas at the unit cell. These deltas are summed and transmitted in time delay and integration fashion with a CCD readout register. DC sense edge detector information is read out independently of the register AC signals, and thus provides a level from which to begin integration of the pixel deltas. The DC and AC scene information are contained in the reconstructed video.

The present invention relates generally to scanned imaging systems, and more particularly to a charge coupled device (CCD) focal plane array used to encode, time delay and integrate scene image deltas.
Video data acquisition systems typically store received video images in a computer memory, as well as present them on a display. The total image is digitally stored in terms of horizontal projection counts of the image pixels, and vertical projection counts of the image lines. Prior art scanned imaging systems are disclosed in the following U.S. patents, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,066 issued to A. Gasparri, Jr.; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,728, issued to D. Long; and PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,778, issued to S. White.
The Gasparri reference discloses a video data acquisition system which digitizes picture images of an article and selects signals within a predetermined amplitude range as representations of pixels of the picture image. The Long reference discloses a video process control system for identifying, inspecting, or measuring machined parts or the like in which each part is placed in the viewing field of a video camera. The White reference discloses an apparatus for determining the spatial coordinates of a workpiece within the field of view of the apparatus.
While the video systems of the above-cited references are exemplary in the art, they are subject to dynamic range limitations. The dynamic range of standard focal plane register arrays is typically from 50 dB to 70 dB. The present invention was intended to provide a video image signal processing system which uses charge coupled devices as the readout portion a focal plane array to increase the dynamic range of scanned imaging systems.
Charge coupled devices are used in electronic circuits to sample analog input signals to provide a series of analog bits to be stored in potential wells created at the surface of a semiconductor and transported along the surface by timing signals. More particularly, these charges constitute minority carriers stored at the silicon-silicon dioxide interface of non-memory capacitors and are transferred from the capacitor to a capacitor or well on the same substrate by manipulating the voltages applied across the capacitor. An excellent example of an electronic use of charge coupled devices is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,177 issued to Kenneth J. Petrosky, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
The use of CCD technology has been adapted to imaging systems as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,435 issued to R. Bate et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,533 issued to D. Lampe et al, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The Bate et al reference discloses a scanned image processing circuit using a charge coupled device and charge transfer device multiplexer. The Lampe et al reference discloses a focal plane processor for moving target imaging which takes two time-displaced snapshots of a scene and then differences the signal levels of corresponding elemental areas of the two snapshots to produce an output representative of the difference.
While the art cited above is instructive, the need remains for a signal processing system which reduces the dynamic range limitations of scanned imaging systems which may occur due to the analog differences between scene pixel amplitudes. The present invention is intended to satisfy that need.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A movement sensor for establishing a movement profile of a living being, in particular a human, is characterized in that the movement sensor has an arrangement for automatically changing between various operating modes.

Devices for detecting movements or physical activity have been available for some time from the field of sports. For example, watches are used, which allow the pulse to be monitored. A movement sensor in a shoe allows detection of the cadence during cycling. Comparable sensors are also available in the field of medicine, with the aid of which a movement or activity profile of the patient may be established. Such movement profiles may be helpful within the scope of a diagnosis or therapy, e.g., in the case of overweight patients or during rehabilitation measures.
It is often necessary to establish a movement profile of the patient over a long period of time, for example, over 24 hours or more, in order to be able to draw conclusions about his typical movements or activities.
To establish a movement profile, movement sensors, such as acceleration sensors, are typically attached to the body of the patient, for example, on a belt. It may be established via the sensors whether the patient stands, walks, or runs. A corresponding activity profile may be established over the day and optionally the night on the basis of these data. In order to be able to optimally detect the various activities, i.e., for example, standing or walking, cycling, swimming, or jogging, the sensor is typically fastened on various body positions, e.g., on the hip, on the foot, on the thigh, on the lower leg, on the chest, or on the arm. To be able to evaluate the various movement signals from the various body positions correctly, it is necessary to interpret the sensor signals, i.e., for example, the acceleration signals, differently depending on the particular position. For this purpose, it may be necessary to use various algorithms to analyze the signals or to employ various operating modes of the sensor or of a data processing unit. Thus, for example, in the case of triathlon watches, upon a change from running to cycling, the mode of an activity-detecting watch is manually changed over in order to be able to correctly establish the step count during running or the cadence during cycling. In the case of other applications, it is necessary to change the position of the movement sensor on the body during different activities, i.e., the sensor is initially worn on the hip and later on the lower leg, for example. A changeover of the operating mode is also necessary.
However, a changeover or a change of the operating mode is primarily problematic in the field of medicine and primarily represents an impediment in the case of older patients or patients who are restricted in any way. This may be because the particular patient is possibly not technically adept. The operation of a button or the operating selection via a menu may be difficult in the case of small buttons or a small display screen, in particular if the patient is restricted with respect to motor skills or vision. Above all, a changeover of the operating mode requires a certain attentiveness and concentration, which may not always be expected in particular in the case of longer-term establishment of a movement profile over multiple hours or over an entire day, so that deficient operation of corresponding sensors and therefore incorrect interpretation and classification of the sensor signals easily occur. Of course, such incorrectly established movement profiles are not very meaningful.

Movement sensor and system for establishing a movement profile


A mop bucket assembly is disclosed which allows for moving a bucket from one position to another while reducing spillage from the bucket by using an integrated lid to keep liquid from splashing out of the bucket. The disclosed mop bucket assembly also discloses a mop bucket assembly having a caution or warning sign formed integral with the mop bucket assembly that can be deployed when mopping is in progress.

Mop buckets have the problem that when they are moved from place to place, the water or liquid inside the mop bucket splashes around inside the bucket and often over the sides of the bucket, which has the tendency to dirty the area the was just mopped or to create a slipping hazard. Also, when someone using the bucket is mopping, they often need to put out a "caution" sign to warn others that the area is slippery. Typically, this sign is separate from the bucket and needs to be carried separately.
Accordingly, there is a need for a mop bucket that reduces side-spillage while the bucket is being moved and which also allows enough space for the mop to be inserted into the bucket unencumbered. Also, there is another need for a mop bucket that integrates a warning or caution sign into the bucket.


In a method of reversably storing hydrogen in a hydrogen reservoir including a hydrogen storage material disposed between an electrode and a counter electrode, the hydrogen storage material is charged with hydrogen and the hydrogen is recuperated from the hydrogen storage material by applying between the electrodes a voltage differential to generate a current flow across the electrolyte which is adjustable for controlling the rate of release of the hydrogen from the hydrogen storage material.

The invention relates to a method of reversably storing hydrogen and to a hydrogen reservoir.
The storage of hydrogen is a problem particularly when hydrogen is to be used as an energy source and energy transport medium. Hydrogen can easily be manufactured by the electrolysis of water for example using electricity generated by solar cells. The energy stored in the form of hydrogen can then be recuperated by combustion of the hydrogen, but it can also be converted directly into electrical energy by way of fuel cells. However, the problem of storing the hydrogen, especially small amounts and particularly for mobile applications (fuel cell cars), has not been satisfactorily solved so far.
Since the conventional storage materials for storing hydrogen are not satisfactory, particularly for future applications, improved concepts and materials are urgently needed. Many materials have already been manufactured for that purpose and have been tested in various temperature and pressure ranges. It is however desirable to have, in addition to the material composition, the pressure and the temperature, other variables which could change the hydrogen storage properties of a hydrogen reservoir or a hydrogen storage material.
Conventional storage arrangements require expensive auxiliary components such as compressors for operating the hydrogen pressure reservoirs. In cryo storage arrangements, the infrastructure requirements are particularly high since special cooling equipment for very low temperatures of −253° C. (20° K) is required. The storage system transfer lines and tank couplings must be super-insulated in order to avoid fast and premature evaporation of the liquid hydrogen. A disadvantage of the metal hydride storage devices is that, depending on the alloy, for the release of the hydrogen either high temperatures or additional pumps are required. Chemical storage devices require reformers, which must be heated and/or an expensive regeneration of the storage devices.
The construction and the operation of the auxiliary equipment requires energy, occupies space, which may be critical with mobile applications, and is expensive. In some cases, for example with reformers or apparatus, which must be heated to relatively high temperatures, the response time may present a problem.
Although electrolysis apparatus can be used for the production of hydrogen, they require large amounts of energy. They are therefore economically not feasible as hydrogen, that is, energy suppliers in the sense of a hydrogen economy.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for storing hydrogen for use as energy source wherein the hydrogen is released at relatively low temperatures.

Removable storage method for hydrogen and hydrogen reservoir


A semiconductor device includes a housing defining a cavity, a magnetic sensor chip disposed in the cavity, and mold material covering the magnetic sensor chip and substantially filling the cavity. One of the housing or the mold material is ferromagnetic, and the other one of the housing or the mold material is non-ferromagnetic.

Magnetic field sensors include a semiconductor chip and a magnet oriented to direct magnetic filed lines through a sensing portion of the chip. Magnetic field sensors are usefully employed as position sensors or rate-of-rotation sensors.
One example of a magnetic field sensor includes a chip sensor attached to a leadframe. The chip sensor is provided to a customer who positions the chip sensor between a permanent magnet and a movable component, such as a gear wheel. It is possible that the customer may bend the leadframe in order to position the chip sensor in a preferred orientation. Apart from the preferred orientation, during use it may nevertheless be difficult to realize perpendicular magnetic field penetration through the chip sensor. Both of the above noted aspects related to the use of conventional magnetic field sensors are undesirable.
Another example of a magnetic field sensor includes a chip sensor package that is positioned relative to a multi-pole magnetic gear wheel. In this case, the gear wheel provides the magnetic field. Such multi-pole magnetic gear wheels are complex and expensive, and the chip sensor package is still subject to the undesirable limitations noted above.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Semiconductor device including a magnetic sensor chip


A novel noise injection technique is presented to improve dynamic range with low resolution and low speed analog to digital converters. This technique combines incoming signal and noise signal with wave front de-multiplexer and split into several channels. Then low resolution and low speed analog to digital converters are used to sample each channels. All signals are recovered using wave front multiplexer. For advanced design, ground diagnostic signals with optimizing processor can be added to guarantee recovery quality.

1. Field
The present invention relates to architectures and designs of digital systems. More specifically, but without limitation thereto, the present invention pertains to an electronic signal conversion system that utilizes a noise injection system in order to maintain or increase signal resolution and increase the dynamic range. The present invention also offers a more time-efficient conversion as well as a more cost-effective conversion method.
2. Prior Art
The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant:
U.S. patentsU.S. Pat. No.Kind CodeIssue DatePatentee5,077,562Dec. 31, 1991 Chang et al.5,630,221May 13, 1997 Birleson6,049,251Apr. 11, 2000 Meyer6,526,139B1Feb. 25, 2003 Rousell et al.


A method for relating a specific configuration of complex units constructed from components with standardized interfaces to the user characteristics of the complete unit. The invention provides a bidirectional mapping between a statement of value to the user through the computation of fitness for a particular purpose (or "use") and a technical configuration. The customer can be presented with a system optimized for a particular use at a particular price point. Through presenting a range of systems around the optimum point and presenting the strength of the system for a variety of uses as the customer varies components, a wide range of customer choice is presented within an understandable range of choices. Each component is characterized by a strength parameter, and the set of components is arranged as a vector. This configuration vector can then be projected on a vector representing a standard use. Particular configuration vectors are characterized by a direction and a magnitude. The magnitude represents an overall strength of a configuration related to the performance or capacity of its individual components. The direction of a general configuration vector can be compared to the direction of a configuration tuned for a particular purpose or use. Similarly, a configuration can be constructed by scaling its magnitude along the direction defined by a tuned configuration and varying the direction to optimize among various uses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to specifying customized complex device configurations for manufacture and, more particularly, to relating a specific configuration of complex units constructed with components with standardized interfaces to use characteristics of the complete unit.
2. Background Description
Determining the configuration of a mass customized unit to suit a particular customer can be divided into three steps. First is establishing what the customer wants and needs, then relating that to a specific configuration of the mass customized unit, and finally establishing that the configuration can be built. The problem solved by the subject invention is that of enabling the customers to work directly with terms and quantities of value to them while simultaneously producing a configuration of technical components suitable for manufacturing. The assumption of a mass customized unit implies that in the predominance of cases the actual customer derived configuration or one indistinguishably close to it can actually be built at no incremental cost.
Complex mass customized units can have a bewildering array of possible configurations. The number of distinct combinations for Motorola pager products is around 30 million and can be several billion for "simple" desk top personal computers (PCs). The configuration is the combination and arrangement of the standardized components that comprise the unit. In some cases, such as Burger King.RTM. Hamburgers, the components (pickles, lettuce, ketchup, etc.) represent choices based on customer evaluation of each component independently. More generally, the customer evaluation criteria will depend on combinations of the components making direct customer selection of the components problematic.
Customer criteria relate to a use or range of uses for which the unit must provide utility. These criteria are captured in the phrase "fitness for a particular use". For example, PCs are used as basic communication units (e-mail/browser functions), game units (audio, 3-D visual intensive), office productivity units, and shared units providing file, print, and application services. A configuration tuned for one of these uses would contain, to a large extent, a set of components similar in type to that for other uses. The variation is in the relative "strength", such as speed or capacity, of the individual components. The fitness for a particular use cannot be specified or determined through a single component, since it depends on all the components in the configuration.
Similar to the intuitive notion of "strength" for a particular component there will be an overall strength of a configuration ranging, for example, from "occasional home use" to "industrial strength" or from "economy" to "deluxe". Moving to a stronger or weaker configuration, with its impact on price, may mean making wholesale changes to the components in a configuration. Both the fitness for a particular purpose and strength of a configuration for that purpose are subjective criteria that will vary over time. New uses and new components appear regularly and either increase the strength of components or units, or decrease the cost for a given strength.
Historically, the method for dealing with various uses of a unit is to create separate brands targeted at a broadly associated range of uses (or market segment) with a range of specific products within the brand. The range within a brand may vary over a small range of related uses or by unit strength. Reducing the selection to a series of fixed, specific products for the customer to choose from relies on the observation that markets naturally segment around a few points so that competing products can be compared. The market segments for compact, midrange, and luxury cars are an example. More subtly, it is also predicated on the presumed high cost of engineering a working product and of the lead time associated with offering such a product. In this product centric method a primary task of a marketing organization is prediction of customer requirements as input for product development.
The product centric method has two significant drawbacks. First is the obvious limitation of customer choice to a limited set of configurations. Customer wants and needs that vary from these configurations are either unsatisfied or satisfied through a costly special bid process replicating much of the original product development cycle. The second drawback appears when a customer or market segment develops requirements that fall between the recognized brands. Such requirements may occur in a dynamic market where segment shifts driven by both new uses and new technology may emerge rapidly compared to the product development cycle time. These drawbacks highlight the fact that customer needs are being force fit to a small set of discrete points within fixed boundaries.
An adaptation of the product centric method to allow greater flexibility is definition of "product families" consisting of a base product with optional substitutions or additions. While this addresses the customers' specific technical configuration needs (such as a larger direct access storage device (DASD), e.g. hard drive, than in the base product) it does not address the core need to describe the value of the change for satisfying the needs of a particular use.

Specifying complex device configeration through use characteristics

International Business Machines Corporation


Apparatus, compositions, and systems for ultraviolet (UV) heat-activated laminating adhesives applied via an inkjet printing process are disclosed. A system includes a first inkjet mechanism configured to deposit ink in a particular pattern onto a surface of a rigid medium. A second inkjet mechanism is configured to deposit a laminating adhesive onto the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium. A pair of stainless steel plates is configured to receive an overlay film layer and the laminating adhesive deposited onto the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium. The overlay film layer is positioned such that a surface of the overlay film layer faces the laminating adhesive. Pressure and heat are applied to the overlay film layer and the laminating adhesive to laminate the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium.

Traditional heat-activated adhesives typically use water-based or solvent-based inks. Such adhesives are typically applied using analog methods, such as flexo, rotogravure, offset, or screen printing. Traditional ink-and-coating systems can require extensive post-setup efforts, thus increasing the production time and costs for the final product. In addition, traditional analog formulations typically use harsher solvents and chemicals, which can result in environmental health hazards. For example, rotogravure is a preferred method used for printing in the luxury vinyl tile (LVT) market. However, rotogravure printing can require significant investments in gravure cylinders, sleeves, and plates. Especially for shorter print runs, such methods can be cost prohibitive.

Ultraviolet (UV) heat-activated laminating adhesive for an inkjet printing process


A method and apparatus are disclosed for detecting and ejecting articles of different weights in a product and article stream, by varying the dwell and delay time in accordance with the color classification of the products and articles being sorted. The ejector dwell and delay times are determined by the weight of the products and articles, which can be identified by the percentage reflectivity of color wavelengths of interest.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to sorting machines that optically sort or separate acceptable homogeneous products from unacceptable homogeneous products and other, non-homogeneous articles as the products and articles flow past a viewing window of such a machine on the basis of color classifications and weights.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical sorting machine of the type with which the present invention is used is a high speed sorting machine typically used for sorting homogeneous products in the food industry or otherwise. For example, individual coffee beans are caused to flow by gravity feed down a steep channel or chute to be sorted by such a machine to separate "unacceptable" beans from "acceptable" ones. The term "unacceptable" applies to beans that are outside of a predetermined acceptable range of "color" hue in one or more wavelength bands of light, which bands are in some cases outside of the visible color spectrum. In the simplest case, the items are sorted for variation from a hue or shade of color, including a shade of black or white and thus a shade of gray, in a single spectrum. Such a sorting procedure is referred to as monochromatic sorting since only a single radiation spectrum is being observed. In a more complex optical color sorting operation, the flow of items is sorted to determine when an item is reflecting an unacceptable radiation amount in either of two wavelength bands. Such a sorting procedure is referred to as bichromatic sorting. It will be apparent that more than two radiation bands can be employed, if desired.
Optical sorting machines of the type generally described above employ optical sensors that include one or more photodetectors, such as photodiodes. The photodetectors are positioned to observe the illuminated product stream through a light admitting viewing window. The stream of product passes between an optical sensor and a background having a color or shade that matches the product stream in standard color or shade, so that only a variation in a product color or shade causes a detection event. The illumination is from one or more lamps directed at the product stream to cause standard reflectivity from acceptable products in the one or more wavelength bands being observed and to cause unacceptable reflectivity from unacceptable products and articles in those bands.
The machines also include an ejector mechanism located downstream from the sensor or sensors and actuated by an electrical signal originating from sensor detection. When a unacceptable product or article is detected, an electrical signal is produced and the ejector is actuated just as the unacceptable product or article and the mechanism are in alignment. Therefore, there is a very slight delay time from the time of sensing to the time of ejecting, which varies depending on the weight of the product. The typical ejector mechanism is usually an air ejector that has a variable "dwell time." The dwell time of an ejector is the length of time the ejector is fired, which varies depending on the weight of the product.
As mentioned above, the product stream flows in front of a background having a color or shade that is critical to the overall operation in that it must match the product under detection in the wavelength band or bands being observed by the sensors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,342 ("'342 patent"), commonly assigned to the assignee of the present invention, provides a description of a mechanism for correcting any color variation in the background due to common problems such as dust accumulation and/or background fading or clouding. The '342 patent is hereinafter incorporated by reference for all purposes.
As the '342 patent shows, the apparatus accurately utilizes a programmable classifier to classify the product in accordance with the percentage reflectivity of two predetermined color wavelengths. The programmable classifier includes an electrical signal generator adapted to generate first and second electrical signals respectively representative of the intensity of light energy reflected from the product being sorted at respective first and second color wavelengths and a programmable memory element having a matrix array of storage locations therein. Each point in the array is addressable by a combination of electrical signals corresponding to the reflected light intensities at the first and second color wavelengths from a product being sorted. At least one profile containing addresses corresponding to reflectivities of an acceptable product is used to program the memory with an electrical signal representation of the acceptability of a product having reflectivities defining the addressed location.
The system is ready to sort product as soon as the memory is programmed. When an individual unacceptable product passes in front of the viewing window, an ejector control arrangement exposes substantially the same portion of each unacceptable product to be ejected with the pressurized jet. The delay time from detection of the product in the viewing window to when the product is opposite the ejector is preset and based on the weight of the products being sorted. The time of the exposure of the ejecting force to the product, i.e., the dwell time, is also preset and based on the weight of the product. Once the delay and dwell times are pre-selected and set, they do not vary during a product sorting session.
Typically, dwell times are adjusted to be longer than necessary to assure ejection of unacceptable product, even though, shorter dwell times might seem desirable, because accidental ejection of acceptable product located near the unacceptable products may occur if the dwell time is to long. In the sorting industry, however, it is more important to eject some acceptable product than to miss unacceptable product.
The apparatus described in the '342 patent is very effective in removing unacceptable product from a stream of only homogeneous product, wherein some of the product are defective and, thus, unacceptable. However, in common practice, the stream of product includes not only homogeneous, but non-homogenous articles, such as white rocks, black rocks, and other foreign material, such as sticks or nubs (small, shriveled peanuts). In some instance, these non-homogeneous articles are identified as unacceptable as they pass in front of the viewing window, but are not removed from the product stream by the ejector because the non-homogeneous articles travel faster than homogeneous products, or are so heavy that the ejector force required to remove them would remove too much acceptable product if the system were set-up to accommodate removal of heavy non-homogeneous articles.
Likewise, there are occasion when light non-homogeneous articles tend to slide through the viewing element more slowly than the homogeneous products and thus, would not be positioned at such appropriate time in front of the ejector for removal of such article from the product stream.
It is therefore a feature of the present invention to provide a sorting machine capable of automatically removing unacceptable homogeneous product as well as unacceptable non-homogeneous articles from a product stream.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide an improved method and a sorting apparatus and for automatically removing both unacceptable light weight and unacceptable heavy weight articles from the product stream.

Automatic variable ejector delay time and dwell type mechanism in a sorting apparatus


Multi-dimensional symbology codes that use plural characteristic features encoded in a data cell and related methods. Such methods include methods of encoding, methods of creating and methods of reading multi-dimensional symbology codes that use such plural characteristic features. The features, for example, include colors, grey scale levels, cell shape, patterns within a cell or any grouping discernable by an area array camera or similar device.

Modern bar code work began in 1948. On Oct. 20, 1949, Woodland and Silver filed a patent application entitled "Classifying Apparatus and Method." The inventors described their invention as relating "to the art of article classification . . . through the medium of identifying patterns." Woodland and Silver bar code was a bull's eye symbol, a symbol made up of a series of concentric circles. Woodland and Silver also described a straight-line pattern quite similar to present day one-dimensional bar codes. The symbology was made up of a pattern of four white lines on a dark background. The first line was a datum line and the positions of the remaining three lines were fixed with respect to the first line. The information was coded by the presence or absence of one or more of the lines. This allowed 7 different classifications of articles. However, the inventors noted that if more lines were added, more classifications could be coded. For example, with 10 lines, 1023 classifications could be coded. The Woodland and Silver patent application was issued Oct. 7, 1952 as U.S. Pat. No. 2,612,994, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
Bar codes were not commercialized until 1966. The first commercialized product codes were represented by bull's-eye barcodes, and included a set of concentric circular bars and spaces of varying widths. It was soon recognized that the industry would have to agree on a standard coding scheme open to all equipment manufacturers to use and adopted by all food producers and dealers. In 1969, the NAFC asked Logicon, Inc. to develop a proposal for an industry-wide bar code system. The result was Parts 1 and 2 of the Universal Grocery Products Identification Code (UGPIC) in the summer of 1970. Based on the recommendations of the Logicon report, the U.S. Supermarket Ad Hoc Committee on a Uniform Grocery Product Code was formed. Three years later, the Committee recommended the adoption of the UPC symbol set still used in the USA today.
The first attempt at an industrial application of automatic identification was begun in the late 1950's by the Association of American Railroad. In 1967, the Association adopted an optical bar code. Car labeling and scanner installation began on Oct. 10, 1967. It took seven years before 95% of the fleet was labeled. For many reasons, the system simply did not work and was abandoned in the late 1970's. An important event that really got the bar code into industrial applications occurred Sep. 1, 1981 when the United States Department of Defense adopted the use of Code 39 for marking all products sold to the United States military. This system was called LOGMARS.
A linear bar code is a binary code. The lines and spaces are of varying thicknesses and printed in different combinations. To be scanned, there must be accurate printing and adequate contrast between the bars and spaces. Scanners employ various technologies to read codes. The two most common are lasers and cameras. Scanners may be fixed position, like most supermarket checkout scanners, or hand-held devices, often used for the taking of inventories. There should be (but typically is not) a distinction drawn between the code, which is a structure for the conveyance of data, and the symbol, the machine-readable representation of the code. The code is text, which can be translated into a multiplicity of languages such as English, French, Japanese, or symbol.
Notwithstanding its inauspicious beginning, the bar code has become a remarkable success, a workhorse in many and varied applications. One of the first successful bar codes, Code 39 developed by Dr. David Allais, is widely used in logistical and defense applications. Code 39 is still in use today, although it is less sophisticated than some of the newer bar codes. Code 128 and Interleaved 2 of 5 are other codes that attained some success in niche markets.
The mapping between messages and barcodes is called a symbology. The specification of a symbology includes the encoding of the single digits/characters of the message, as well as, the start and stop markers into bars and spaces, the size of the quiet zone required to be before and after the barcode as well as the computation of a checksum or error correction.
Linear symbologies can be classified generally according to two properties: (1) continuous or discrete and (2) two-width or multiple-width. Characters in continuous symbologies abut, with one character ending with a space and the next beginning with a bar, or vice versa. Characters in discrete symbologies begin and end with bars; the intercharacter space is ignored, as long as it is not wide enough to look like the code ends. Bars and spaces in two-width symbologies are wide or narrow; how wide a wide bar is exactly has no significance as long as the symbology requirements for wide bars are adhered to (usually two to three times more wide than a narrow bar). Bars and spaces in multiple-width symbologies are all multiples of a basic width called the module; most such codes use four widths of 1, 2, 3 and 4 modules. Stacked symbologies consist of a given linear symbology repeated vertically in multiple.
There are various two-dimensional symbologies. The most common are matrix codes, which feature square or dot-shaped modules arranged on a grid pattern. Two-dimensional symbologies also come in a variety of other visual formats. Aside from circular patterns, there are several two-dimensional symbologies which employ steganography by hiding an array of different-sized or shaped modules within a user-specified image such as DataGlyph, for example. Steganography is the art and science of writing hidden messages in such a way that no one apart from the intended recipient knows of the existence of the message; this is in contrast to cryptography, where the existence of the message itself is not disguised, but the content is obscured.
Linear symbologies are optimized to be read by a laser scanner, which sweeps a beam of light across the barcode in a straight line, reading a slice of the barcode light-dark patterns. Stacked symbologies are also optimized for laser scanning, with the laser making multiple passes across the barcode. Laser scanners uses a polygonal mirror or galvanometer-mounted mirror to scan a laser across the barcode, initially only in a straight line, but eventually in complicated patterns so the reader can read barcodes at any angle. Two-dimensional symbologies cannot be read by a laser as there is typically no sweep pattern that can encompass the entire symbol. Accordingly, two-dimensional symbols are typically scanned by a camera capture device.
In the 1990's some barcode reader manufacturers began working with digital cameras to capture barcodes, both linear and two-dimensional. That technology has since been perfected and now often surpasses laser scanners in performance and reliability. More recently, off-the-shelf digital cameras have enough resolution to capture both one-dimensional and two-dimensional barcodes. Increasingly companies are looking to incorporate barcode scanning software into camera phones. However, the camera phone optics are not well suited for standard codes that were designed for industrial dedicated scanners. As a result, new codes are being designed for mobile phones.
Bar codes and particularly two-dimensional symbology codes are designed to hold data. Code users continue to require increased data and the codes holding that data need to provide an increase in the volume of data held in the code. This need drives those who supply these codes to increase data capacity. There are fundamental technical problems that make the increased code data both difficult to create and print and difficult to read and extract the information. Increased levels of data normally requires an increased quantity of symbol cells within the code to hold that data. This increase can be accomplished by creating a code that uses a larger area or by making the symbol cells within the code smaller.
One method of providing increased levels of data normally requires an increased area to hold that data. Most bar/dot codes are printed on a substrate. Some are also read from an LCD or other data monitors such as mobile phone screens. The issues of printing or writing a larger code to the readable media are well known. For example, the media may be small such as a driver's license where no additional area is available for a larger code. Also, the code user typically does not want the media marketing appeal lessened by a large sometime obtrusive code. The physical size of electronic media may not be large enough to hold a larger code. A mobile phone is an example of a small area screen that may not be able to hold a larger code.
Other methods to increase data capacity also have issues in adding symbols by decreasing the size of each symbol's cell. In particular, the printed media may not be capable of accepting the increased resolution required for displaying smaller symbols that are readable. Most printed media has limited DPI (Dots Per Inch) or resolution and smaller symbols may not be formed well enough to be readable. Also, LCD and other electronic media are even more limited in DPI and have a fixed number of pixels to display elements. Smaller codes cells are often hard to correctly image in the reader camera.
The two-dimensional codes are typically read by area array camera devices that have light sensitive elements organized in an array that contains elements in orthogonal X and Y axes or, a drive motor that moves the code under a single row of elements. Reading higher density two-dimensional symbology codes can be challenging. Where you use a larger area code or smaller but more dense symbols, the number of camera elements that fall on any particular cell is less than for a smaller or less dense code. The more elements that image any particular cell, the more likely the cell binary code will be read correctly. The larger code will necessitate filling more of the camera array in order to read the code. As you fill more of the imager and move away from the center of the array the camera lens has more distortion and therefore the image will not be as accurate on the outside edges. As the code has more cells to read the total data being analyzed becomes larger and takes more time based on the increased number of elements that will be analyzed.
One commonly used area array camera has an array of 640×480 (307,200) elements and typically can be used to read a code with up to 800 bytes of data. The code of choice for high data content is the currently commercially available two-dimensional VSCode™ symbology by Veritec Inc. VSCode™ symbols of 1200 byte capacity generally do not read as well as other lower data codes using a camera with the above noted characteristics. A 1.3 mega-element camera can be used for the 1200 byte code but increased work load/read time from using quadruple the elements, a more costly camera and less image stability all contribute to challenges in reading larger codes. The large data two-dimensional codes are reaching the practical maximum data capacity for current technology when cost, complexity and read speed are also considered. Moreover, a code two-dimensional code is still limited by the fact that each cell within a symbology is limited by the binary function of having only black and white cells that provides only 2 bits of data per cell.

Multi-dimensional symbologies and related methods


The sheet loading magazine of the present invention is characterized in that when loading sheets into the magazine, the end portion of a bag packing the recording sheets therein is cut and unsealed in a state in which light interception is kept with the end portion of the bag being nipped by a guide portion and a keep portion provided in the magazine, whereafter in a state in which the above-mentioned members are completely shielded from external light with a magazine lid closed, the other end of the bag is taken up onto a take-up shaft in the magazine and the sheets in the bag are loaded into the magazine.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sheet loading magazine used in a recording apparatus such as a laser beam printer and containing therein unused sheets packed for light interception, with the sheets being unsealed under roomlight.
2. Related Background Art
When an unexposed film is to be loaded into a sheet loading magazine used in a recording apparatus such as a laser beam printer, it is necessary to bring the film and the magazine into a dark room so that the film may not be sensitized and load the film into the magazine, but such operation must be purposely performed in a dark room, and in order to avoid this, use has heretofore been made of a sheet loading magazine as shown in FIG. 8 of the accompanying drawings into which films can be loaded under roomlight. In FIG. 8, the reference numeral 1 designates a housing which is shown in its initial loading state in which films 3 packed for light interception in an opaque and flexible bag 2 are contained. One end 2f bag 2 is held between a sliding shutter 4 provided in the magazine body and a side plate portion of the magazine 1, and protrudes outwardly by a predetermined amount. The operator cuts this end portion 2a as by means of scissors 5, and pulls the opposite end 2b of the bag through an opening 6 formed in the magazine body. At that time, the bag 2 is pulled out while being squeezed by squeeze rollers 7 and 7', and only the films are loaded into the magazine body. When the bag 2 is pulled out, a shutter 8 provided in the opening closes the opening so as to maintain the light interception within the magazine.
However, in the prior-art sheet loading magazine as shown in FIG. 8, although the bag 2 is hermetically sealed by the sliding shutter 4, between the side plates of the magazine 1 in the opening where the shutter 8 is provided. There is at least a necessary gap corresponding to the thickness of the bag 2 and light may enter through the gap to cause fog to the unused sheet films. Particularly, in the work of pulling out the bag 2, a load and vibration may be exerted on the sliding shutter 4 and the opening 6 and the possibility of the gap being widened is great.


The invention is a system for use in automobiles for preventing and frustrating carjacking attempts. The system includes a Radio Frequency Identification Tag (RFIT) kept by the user and an interrogating system on the car that periodically reads the RFIT in order to confirm that the driver does have permission of the owner to continue to drive the car. The system on the car includes a microprocessor driven transceiver controller printed circuit board. The circuit board is hard wired into a number of different control systems including the fuel delivery system, emergency lights and horn. In the event that the user has been forced out of the car, the RFIT will no longer be in proximity to the interrogating system and the proper code will no longer respond to the interrogating signal. The control system will then take steps to shut down the operation of the vehicle engine and send out audible and visual emergency signals.

The invention relates to the field of automobiles and in particular to an automobile system that interrogates a card kept by the user on a periodic basis in order to confirm that the driver has permission to continue to drive the car.
While there are input devices used on cars that require the user to input a code or other identifying means, these devices are not in use once the car has been started. The system described herein uses an inputted code in order to start the car but also continues to the interrogate the user (or more precisely, his ID card) on a periodic basis after the car has been started.
This in turn discourages carjackings because should the interrogating means fail to receive the correct ID in response to its signal, the controller will disable the car after a certain time period. The controller will fail to receive the correct ID signal when the user""s ID card is no longer within a certain range of the car. The time period may be changed but should be long enough so that the carjacker will have traveled far enough so that the owner is a safe distance away from the carjacker and car.
The invention is a system for use in automobiles for preventing and frustrating carjacking attempts. The system includes a Radio Frequency Identification Tag (RFIT) kept by the user and an interrogating system on the car that periodically sends out interrogating signals. The RFIT responds to the signals by emitting an authorized code that confirms that the driver does have authorization to drive the car.
The system on the car includes a microprocessor driven transceiver controller printed circuit board. The circuit board is hard wired into a number of different control systems including the fuel delivery system, emergency lights; horn; invisible ink emitter, and homing devices. In the event that the user has been forced out of the car, the RFIT will no longer be in proximity to the interrogating system and the proper code will no longer respond to the interrogating signal. The control system will then take steps to shut down the operation of the vehicle engine and send out audible and visual emergency signals.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vehicle system that will prevent a vehicle from being operated in the event that an unauthorized person is operating the vehicle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle control system that periodically sends out interrogating signals that require an authorization signal in response in order to insure that an authorized person remains in the vehicle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle operating system that will shut down the operation of the vehicle in the event of unauthorized and will permit the vehicle to be driven for a short distance after the unauthorized use has begun for safety purposes.
Other objectives of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the invention has been shown and described.

Automotive system to prevent car jacking


An electric hydraulic motor system for large vehicles. An electric motor and standard fuel engine of the vehicle together create hydraulic pressure via hydraulic pumps. Hydraulic pumps supply the hydraulic motor with hydraulic pressure to drive the wheels of the vehicle in drive mode by reversing the hydraulic flow from the wheels of the vehicle. The standard fuel engine creates hydraulic pressure via hydraulic pumps, both of which supply the hydraulic motor with hydraulic pressure to drive an electric generator and charge the batteries in braking mode. In some embodiments, this alternative system works at low speed than switches to internal combustion engine at high speed.

The country's high consumption on oil causes high levels of emissions and pollutants to be released into the atmosphere and leads to a high dependence on foreign oil. The present invention features an electric hydraulic motor system with reduced fuel consumption. The electric hydraulic motor system of the present invention reduces gas emissions and decreases pollution and also operates with less noise and reduces wear on brakes. The system of the present invention may be used in large vehicles, for example semi-trucks and buses or any heavy hauler.
Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims.

Electric hydraulic motor system for large vehicles


A universal handle which can quickly and easily be attached to substantially any desired article and which is ergonomically designed to be comfortable to carry and which fold into itself for convenient storage when not in use.

Many articles are bulky and difficult to move from place to place, such as infant seats, coolers and the like. Other articles are provided with handles which tend to cut into a person's hand, such as plastic grocery bags and the like. Unfortunately little or nothing has been done to alleviate these problems.


Phase-locked loop structures are provided that facilitate enhanced stability of loop-generated signals. They include an oscillator network, a feedback loop and a controller. The oscillator network generates a loop output signal with a frequency that varies in response to a control voltage and to a frequency-determining parameter, the feedback loop generates the control voltage in response to the loop output signal and a reference signal and the controller increments the frequency-determining parameter to maintain the control voltage within a predetermined control-voltage range. These structures enhance signal stability by facilitating the use of low-gain oscillator structures and they simplify and shorten loop operations because the structures operate in a closed-loop condition at all times.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to phase-locked loop structures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Phase-locked loop structures are used in a wide variety of modern electronic systems (e.g., signal-conditioning systems, signal-generating systems and communication systems) that require stable signals whose frequencies can be easily selected (i.e., synthesized) and whose close-in spectrum approximates that of a stable reference oscillator (e.g., a crystal oscillator).
The phase-locked loop of these structures is generally completed around a voltage-controlled oscillator that generates an oscillator signal whose oscillator frequency varies in response to a control voltage. The frequency of this oscillator can be substantially greater than that of the reference oscillator and yet its close-in jitter (signal instability) will be controlled by the feedback loop to be a function of the low jitter of the stable reference oscillator. Because the jitter outside the bandwidth of the feedback loop remains that of the oscillator itself and because jitter generally reduces as oscillator frequency increases, the loop structure is often configured to facilitate higher oscillator frequencies.
The loop-reduced jitter will, however, be degraded by increases of the oscillator's gain (the ratio of oscillator frequency to control voltage). The oscillator gain itself is a function of operating conditions (e.g., temperature and voltage supply differences) and, in production, will also vary between upper and lower process corners that are determined by a number of process variables.
Accordingly, conventional phase-locked loop structures generally compromise signal stability because they increase the oscillator gain sufficiently to insure that, under all operating and process variations, the phase-locked loop can drive the oscillator's frequency to where it is phase locked to the reference signal. That is, this locking insurance is gained at the cost of degraded stability of the loop's output signal.
In order to maintain a desired loop bandwidth, the increased oscillator gain is generally offset by altering loop compensation elements. In particular, it is typically offset by increasing loop compensation capacitors which subtracts from circuit area which is always a limited resource in integrated-circuit realizations of phase-locked loops.

Phase-locked loop structures with enhanced signal stability


A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a first power wiring that is formed on a semiconductor substrate and that extends in a first direction, a second power wiring that extends in the first direction such that the second power wiring is separated from the first power wiring, a first diffusion layer that is used for a p-channel type MOSFET and that is formed in a region between the first power wiring and the second power wiring, a second diffusion layer that is used for an n-channel type MOSFET and that is formed on a side of the second power wiring with respect to the first diffusion layer in the region between the first power wiring and the second power wiring, a first gate electrode that extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and that straddles the first diffusion layer, a second gate electrode that extends in the second direction and that straddles the second diffusion layer, and a third diffusion layer for backgates that is formed below at least one of the first power wiring and the second power wiring and that is placed in a dotted manner along the first direction.

A gate array is configured by orderly arranging basic cells in an LSI, and has the advantage of being capable of shortening the manufacturing man-hour, the advantage of being capable of easily amending a circuit at the metal wiring layer level, and so on.
For example, Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-103488) discloses a semiconductor integrated circuit device that includes basic cells each of which is composed of a pair of p type and n type MOSFETs in which gates are separated. This semiconductor integrated circuit device has a gate array in which basic cells are orderly arranged.


An image forming apparatus includes a translation cam having a cam surface configured to move a developing roller from a contact position contacting a photosensitive member to a retracted position retracted from the photosensitive member and further having a holding surface configured to hold the developing roller at the retracted position. The image forming apparatus further includes a first engaging portion. The translation cam includes a second engaging portion. The first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are configured to engage each other before a functioning surface of the translation cam is switched from the holding surface to the cam surface.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with a translation cam configured to cause a developing roller to come into contact with and to be retracted from a photosensitive drum.
2. Related Art
An image forming apparatus including a plurality of photosensitive drums, a plurality of developing rollers provided corresponding to the respective photosensitive drums, a translation cam configured to be movable in a linear direction so as to cause the respective developing rollers to come into contact with and to be retracted from the respective photosensitive drums, and a stepping motor configured to drive the translation cam is known. In this technology, since the translation cam can be stopped at a desired position by the stepping motor, the translation cam can be located reliably at respective positions for a color mode (a mode in which all the developing rollers are brought into contact with the photosensitive drums) or a monochrome mode (a mode in which only a developing roller for monochrome is brought into contact with the photosensitive drums), whereby operations in the respective modes can be performed satisfactorily.
In the technology described above, since the stepping motor specific for driving the translation cam is provided, there is a problem of cost increase. In contrast, driving of the translation cam using a different motor in the image forming apparatus (for example, a motor configured to drive the photosensitive drum) is contemplated.
However, in this case, if the motor is a motor having a weak holding power such as a DC motor, when the motor being driven is stopped, the motor rotates by its inertia. Consequently, the translation cam may pass over the desired position.

Image forming apparatus with translation cam


A first set of device authentication parameters for a to-be-authenticated Bluetooth device in a Bluetooth mesh network is determined based at least in part on device identification information associated with the to-be-authenticated Bluetooth device. First authentication information is generated based at least in part on the first set of device authentication parameters and a first random number. The first authentication information and the first random number are forwarded to the to-be-authenticated Bluetooth device. Second authentication information and a second random number associated with the to-be-authenticated Bluetooth device are received, wherein the second authentication information is generated based at least in part on a second set of device authentication parameters and the second random number. The to-be-authenticated Bluetooth device is authenticated based at least in part on the second authentication information and the second random number.

Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard used for transmitting and receiving data over relatively short distances. Example uses of Bluetooth wireless technology include communication between a mobile device (e.g., phone) and a handsfree headset, communication between a mobile device (e.g., phone) and a car stereo system, wireless networking when relatively little bandwidth is needed, communication between a computer and input and output devices (e.g., mouse, keyboard, printer, etc.), communication between a game console and a game controller, and other short-range communication among a plurality of devices. Bluetooth wireless technology typically uses short-wavelength radio waves (e.g., in the 2.4 gigahertz to 2.485 gigahertz range). Because radio waves are used, devices using Bluetooth wireless technology do not have to be in visual line of sight of one another in order to communicate. Devices in Bluetooth wireless networks typically need to be authenticated. Authentication can consume network resources. Thus, authentication methods that are efficient and not resource-intensive would be useful.

Bluetooth mesh network provisioning authentication


An ion source section of ion implantation equipment for ionizing reaction gas in an ion implantation process of semiconductor manufacturing processes is disclosed. The ion source section includes a source aperture member separable from an arc chamber and having an ion-discharging hole through which the ion beam discharges. The source aperture member consists of a first plate, a second plate adjacent to the first plate and facing the arc chamber, and a third plate to protect the exposed second plate from the ionized reaction gas.

The present invention relates to ion implantation equipment used for semiconductor manufacturing processes, and more particularly, to an ion source section of ion implantation equipment for ionizing impurities used in an ion implantation process during semiconductor manufacturing processes to implant the ionized impurities into a substrate.
As well known, the ion implantation equipment is utilized for generating ion plasma in an arc chamber and extracting the plasma from the arc chamber by the difference in electrical potential energies to implant the extracted plasma into a wafer.
The ion implantation equipment provides a wide beam (or referred to as a ribbon beam) larger than the size of a wafer, e.g., 300 mm, generated in a horizontal direction. A wafer is scanned in a vertical direction to uniformly implant ions into the wafer.
Beam uniformity is very important and the slit of a plate of the arc chamber has the greatest influence on the beam uniformity. An ion beam is generated and initially discharged through the slit of the plate in the form of a beam line. The shape of the slit determines a beam profile.
However, since the slit of the plate is physically shocked by the ion beam and can easily deteriorate, the slit of the plate does not maintain its initial shape. The ion beam deforms to a shape corresponding to the deteriorated slit. Thus, with a deformed slit it is not possible to obtain desired beam uniformity.
In particular, the thickness of the slit of the plate is typically only 0.15 mm and can be easily deformed.
Therefore, to obtain excellent beam uniformity the plate must be periodically exchanged before the slit is excessively deformed. However, since the plate is formed of tungsten, having a high manufacturing cost, the frequent exchange of the plate undesirably increases maintenance and repair expenses.

Ion source section for ion implantation equipment


An apparatus and method for testing a circuit board included in a battery management system. The circuit board includes a first test point connected in common to one end of a first resistor, one end of a first capacitor and one end of a second resistor; a second test point connected in common to the other end of the second resistor and one end of a second capacitor; a third test point connected to the other end of the first resistor; and a fourth test point connected in common to the other end of the first capacitor and the other end of the second capacitor. The apparatus determines an open-circuit fault of at least one of the first capacitor and the second capacitor based on a first diagnosis voltage between the first and fourth test points and a second diagnosis voltage between the second and fourth test points.

Recently, there is dramatically growing demand for portable electronic products such as laptop computers, video cameras and mobile phones, and with the extensive development of electric vehicles, accumulators for energy storage, robots and satellites, many studies are being made on high performance batteries that can be recharged repeatedly.
Currently, commercially available batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium batteries and the like, and among them, lithium batteries have little or no memory effect, and thus they are gaining more attention than nickel-based batteries for their advantages of free charging and discharging, a very low self-discharge rate and high energy density.
A battery management system includes a circuit board on which components necessary to control and protect batteries, such as passive elements or active elements, are mounted. Typically, the passive elements include a resistor and a capacitor. The resistor is primarily used to interrupt an overcurrent to the batteries or peripheral circuitry according to the Ohm's law, and the capacitor is primarily used to smooth the voltage applied to the batteries or peripheral circuitry.
Automated optical inspection (AOI) can inspect the mounted condition of the components mounted on the circuit board in a short time using images of the circuit board    collected in 2 or 3 dimensions, and is widely used due to its advantage, but cannot perfectly detect an open-circuit fault of the capacitor.

Apparatus and method for testing circuit board included in battery management system