A system and method for movement of self-propelled vehicles in-line along a rail under external control is intended to ensure safe spacing between vehicles to avoid collisions. Each vehicle is driven by its own variable speed motor. The speed of the vehicles is controlled by a stationary cam extending beside the rail. The edge of the cam rises and falls in a predetermined manner and is sensed by a cam follower on each vehicle. The cam follower is coupled to a transducer which produces a control signal for varying the vehicle speed in response to the rise or fall of the cam edge. Each vehicle pulls along a tail which extends behind the vehicle and is guided for motion alongside the edge of the cam. If a rear vehicle approaches a forward vehicle sufficiently closely for the cam follower of the rear vehicle to be raised from the cam edge by contact with the tail of the forward vehicle, the transducer of the rear vehicle is thereby caused to signal its drive motor to move the rear vehicle at a speed no faster than the forward vehicle, to avoid collision with it.

In amusement rides, it has long been known to use self-propelled vehicles guided by a track or rail along a predetermined path in which passengers are exposed to a variety of entertaining views or sensations. Typically, passengers (sometimes referred to as guests) will enter and leave the vehicles while they are standing still, or travelling very slowly, and then be transported at speeds which are varied along the length of the ride. With these ride systems, it is an important consideration to maintain a safe spacing between the vehicles to avoid collisions which could frighten or injure the passengers.
Accordingly, in amusement ride systems such as those operated by the assignee of the present invention, The Walt Disney Company, a control system is necessary to control the timing intervals between the loading of vehicles, the speeds of the vehicles along the ride, and most importantly, to prevent collisions between vehicles. Since the widespread availability of computers, control systems have typically involved dividing the ride path into predetermined zones, mounting sensors and stationary brakes in association with the guide rail or track, and using a computer system to monitor the locations of all vehicles, and prevent vehicles from entering zones until preceding vehicles are clear. Because passenger safety is involved, a vehicle control system based upon external vehicle tracking sensors and a computer, must be extremely reliable. This requires redundant sensors, redundant computers, and complex failure-detecting software, all of which is very expensive to install and maintain. For example, in smaller rides, the control system can often be more expensive than the track and the vehicles.
In earlier times, before the availability of computers, there were systems for control of self-propelled vehicles moving around a track in which a mechanical arrangement was used to reduce the risk of collision between vehicles. One such system is disclosed in a 1923 patent to Lalle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,450,669, which discloses a plurality of vehicles moving in-line along a track, each powered by its own electric motor. In the Lalle system, each vehicle was provided with a longitudinally extending control arm, mounted for pivoting motion in a vertical plane, extending forwardly beyond the front of the vehicle. The forward end of the control arm could contact an inclined skid secured to the rear frame of the preceding vehicle, if the vehicles approached each other too closely, to pivot the control arm upwardly and thereby break the electrical circuit to the rear vehicle and cause it to stop. The control arm, at its rear end, also had a horizontal lateral branch which extended vertically down at its free end. The free end would contact a vertically movable brake rail positioned alongside the track. A ride attendant, who watched all the vehicles in motion, could elevate the brake rail, if he saw that one vehicle was approaching another with likelihood of rear end collision, thereby pivoting the control arm to disconnect power from the vehicle.
While the system disclosed in the Lalle patent may have been satisfactory for its intended purpose half a century ago, present day ride operators have demands which would not be satisfied by such a system. Reliance on visual observation of the vehicles by the ride attendant and operation of a brake rail if the attendant observed that collision was imminent would not be satisfactory for present day rides due to the large number of vehicles that may be on a single ride, the circumstance that portions of the track may pass through areas hidden from visibility of the ride attendant, and the risk that the ride attendant's attention might become distracted at a time when collision avoidance was required. Moreover, the use of a brake rail to completely stop the approaching rear vehicle would involve sequential stopping of all vehicles following the arrested vehicle to avoid sequential collisions, thus bringing the ride to a temporary halt for all vehicles following the arrested vehicle. Under current ride operation practice, it is desired to slow the rearwardly approaching vehicle down relatively to the speed of the preceding vehicle instead of bringing it to a halt, in order to keep both vehicles travelling at the speed of the forward vehicle so that the track and vehicles can handle the maximum throughput at peak periods capable of being safely achieved without collision.
The other aspect of the Lalle system, its automatic anticollision system based on the pivoted control arm contacting the skid on the preceding vehicle, would also suffer from the same problem. Namely, it depended upon disconnecting the motor of the approaching rear vehicle entirely from power rather than slowing the rear vehicle down enough to prevent collision with the preceding vehicle but allowing it to maintain its travel without coming to a halt or unduly slowing down following vehicles. Furthermore, in the Lalle system, the rearwardly facing skid on each vehicle was short and sharply inclined so that the system had no capability for varying the safe spacing between vehicles dependent upon the speed at which the forward vehicle was traveling.
As well as the complexity and cost of modern day computer dependent ride control systems and the mechanical systems such as the Lalle patent, both types of prior system are time-consuming to install on-site. This can render them unsuitable for ride systems requiring rapidity and ease of assembly and disassembly such as travelling amusement fairs.

System and method for externally controlled spacing of self propelled vehicles along a rail


The present invention relates to novel heterocyclic compounds, to methods for their preparation, to compositions containing them, and to methods and use for clinical treatment of medical conditions which may benefit from immunomodulation, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, asthma, transplantation, systemic lupus erythematosis and psoriasis. More particularly the present invention relates to novel heterocyclic compounds, which are CD80 antagonists capable of inhibiting the interactions between CD80 and CD28.

The immune system possesses the ability to control the homeostasis between the activation and inactivation of lymphocytes through various regulatory mechanisms during and after an immune response. Among these are mechanisms that specifically inhibit and/or turn off an immune response. Thus, when an antigen is presented by MHC molecules to the T-cell receptor, the T-cells become properly activated only in the presence of additional co-stimulatory signals. In the absence of accessory signals there is no lymphocyte activation and either a state of functional inactivation termed anergy or tolerance is induced, or the T-cell is specifically deleted by apoptosis. One such co-stimulatory signal involves interaction of CD80 on specialised antigen-presenting cells with CD28 on T-cells, which has been demonstrated to be essential for full T-cell activation. (Lenschow et al. (1996) Annu. Rev. Immunol., 14, 233-258)
A paper by Erbe et al, in J. Biol. Chem. Vol. 277, No. 9, pp 7363-7368 (2002), describes three small molecule ligands which bind to CD80, and inhibit binding of CD80 to CD28 and CTLA4. Two of the disclosed ligands are fused pyrazolones of structures A and B:


A display apparatus comprises a display panel 18 in which scan signal electrodes and information signal electrodes are arranged in a matrix form and a liquid crystal having a memory performance is sandwiched between them, a drive circuit 15 and 17 for applying scan signals to the scan signal electrodes and for applying information signals to the information signal electrodes, image information memory 9 for storing image information to be displayed by the display panel, a detector for detecting that the image information to be stored into the image information memory is changed, a determination circuit for determining a period of time to detect that the image information has been changed and a drive controller 12 for controlling the drive circuit in accordance with the result of the detection.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a control method of a display apparatus and, more particularly, to a control method suitable to display video information by using a display apparatus with a liquid crystal having a memory performance in a liquid crystal display apparatus in which scan signal lines and information signal lines are arranged in a matrix form and are driven by applying scan signals and information signals to those signal lines, respectively.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, as a computer terminal display apparatus, a CRT of the refresh scan type has mainly been used. A frame frequency of 60 Hz or higher is used in order to prevent flickering (of the screen). A non-interlacing method is used in order to improve visibility of a moving display (movement of a mouse, an icon, or the like) of information on the screen. Therefore, as display resolution rises, a high power is required and a drive control unit also increases in size and cost. For instance, in case of a television, an interlacing method is used for convenience of the display of a moving image and a drive control system, a field frequency is set to 60 Hz, and a frame frequency is set to 30 Hz.
In recent years, as a computer terminal display apparatus, attention has been paid to a flat panel display in consideration of the inconvenience such as large size and high power of the CRT mentioned above.
At present, as a flat panel display, there are several methods such as a high time-division method (STN) of twisted nematic liquid crystal, a black and white display method (NTN) as a modification of the STN method, a plasma display method, and the like. However, the flat panel display of each of the above methods uses the same image data transfer method as the CRT and also uses the non-interlacing method having a frame frequency of 60 Hz or more as a picture plane updating method. This is because each of those display panels does not have the memory performance on the display principle, so that a refresh cycle of the frame frequency of 60 Hz or higher is needed from a viewpoint of prevention of flickering. On the other hand, even in a method (TFT, MIN, TFD, or the like) in which a switching transistor or a non-linear element is formed in each pixel of the twisted nematic liquid crystal, the image information can be held within at most one frame. Therefore, a refresh cycle of 60 Hz or more is necessary in a manner similar to the above methods.
On the other hand, since a ferroelectric liquid crystal display apparatus has a feature such that the image information which has once been displayed can be held (memory performance), it is possible to display a fairly larger screen at a higher precision than those of the various kinds of display apparatuses mentioned above. However, since the frame frequency at which the apparatus can be driven is low, in order to cope with the display apparatus of the main-machine interface, a partial rewriting scanning (only the scan lines whose image information is changed are scanned (driven)) method using the memory performance is necessary. As such a partial rewriting scanning method, a method such as "the low frame frequency driving (multi interlace scan) +the partial rewriting scan" to display at a high resolution in a display apparatus having the memory performance has been realized as proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,058,994 and 5,091,723 by Mihara et al., and the like on the basis of the method proposed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,561 by Kanbe et al., or the like.
In the conventional control method of the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device, when there is a change in image information, the partial rewriting scan is executed, and when there is no change, the whole screen refresh scan by the multi interlace or the like is executed. Therefore, for example, even in a state in which the operator leaves his seat or the like and a key input or an operation by the mouse is not performed for a long time, the display panel continuously executes the refresh scan by the multi interlace or the like.
As mentioned above, as one of the major features, the ferroelectric liquid crystal display apparatus has the memory performance and, fundamentally, when there is no change in image information, the display state can be held without performing the refresh scan (driving). According to the conventional drive control method, however, even in a state such that the key input or the mouse operation is not executed for a long time, it is impossible to perform a control such as to keep the display content by stopping the scan (driving) of the display panel, that is, by setting the display panel into the memory state.


A polylactic acid composition is produced with an MI value of 0.05 or more and 5 or less, the MI value being measured at 190° C. under a load of 21.6 kg in accordance with JIS K7210 (ISO 1133). A polylactic acid is crosslinked with a polyisocyanate to generate a cross-linked polylactic acid, including a large cross-linked polylactic acid molecule which inhibits foaming. The cross-linked polylactic acid is mechanically grinded-by applying a shear force to decrease a molecular weight of the large cross-linked polylactic acid molecule. The amount of the polyisocyanate combined is 0.4 to 5% by weight based on the polylactic acid. The grinding is conducted in supercritical condition of an inert gas. A foam molded article is made from the polylactic acid composition.

Polylactic acid is produced from starch which is a recycled material and is an environmentally friendly resin because of the biodegradability. Products produced using polylactic acid can be disposed of by landfill as compost because of the biodegradability.
Although polystyrene foam molded articles are frequently used as e.g. food containers and cushioning packaging materials, they are needed to be collected for disposal or be recycled by reason of the non-biodegradability.
Patent document 1 describes a method of producing a foam molded article by adding polyalcohols such as glycerin, erythritol and pentaerythritol or polycarboxylic acids such as trimellitic acid and pyromellitic acid to polylactic acid which is substantially amorphous, and cross-linking by polyisocyanate to increase the molecular weight.
In order to obtain a polylactic acid composition having stable melt viscosity, a condition to satisfy the following formula is thought to be good.(0.5×n−100EMi)Mc/10NMi≦W≦(0.5×n−100EMi)Mc/NMi (wherein E: the number of terminal carboxyl groups of polylactic acid (eq/gr)x: the amount of an isocyanate compound to be added (wt %)n: the number of functional groups of the isocyanate compound (eq/gr)Mi: the molecular weight of the isocyanate compound (gr)W: the amount of a polyalcohol or a polycarboxylic acid to be added (wt %)N: the number of functional groups of the polyalcohol or polycarboxylic acid (eq/mol)Mc: the molecular weight of the polyalcohol or polycarboxylic acid (gr))
It is thought that when only polylactic acid is used, a stable composition with high melt viscosity which is appropriate for foam moldings is hard to be obtained.
Also, it is thought to be appropriate when the compounding amount of polyisocyanate is 0.3 to 3% by weight and preferably 0.7 to 2% by weight. When polyisocyanate is insufficient, since a molecular weight of polylactic acid after reactions is too low, only foam molded products with a low expansion ratio can be obtained. On the other hand, it is thought that when polyisocyanate is excessive, good foam molded products cannot be obtained because gelation occurs.
A foam molded article is foam-molded as follows: after impregnated with a foaming agent, pre-expanded beads are transferred and poured into a mold, and the beads are heated with steam to foam. As foaming agents, hydrocarbons such as propane, n-butane, iso-butane, n-pentane, iso-pentane, neopentane, cyclopentane and hexane; halogenated hydrocarbons such as chloromethane, methylene chloride and dichlorodifluoromethane; and ethers such as dimethylether and methylethylether are used, and as auxiliary foaming agents, alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, ketones, ethers, benzene, toluene and the like are used.
Patent Document 2 describes that a foam nucleating agent is preferably combined to form uniform and fine foam cells, and the foam nucleating agents to be used are preferably particulate solids e.g. inorganic particles such as talc, silica, kaoline, zeolite, mica and alumina; carbonate or bicarbonate; salts such as alkali metal salts of carboxylic acids.
In the production method described in Patent Document 1 in which polyalcohols such as glycerin, erythritol and pentaerythritol or polycarboxylic acids such as trimellitic acid and pyromellitic acid are added, polyisocyanate and polylactic acid are mixed to react in the first step and polyalcohols or polycarboxylic acids are necessarily mixed to react in the second step. It is thought that if the order of the reactions is reversed or the reactions are carried out simultaneously, gelation occurs.
In order that the polyalcohols and polycarboxylic acids are added to react in the second step of the above-described production method, additional equipment investment is required and the production process takes longer, thus this is an economic disadvantage.
Also, there is a serious drawback in that heat-resistance of the foam molded article is insufficient because amorphous polylactic acid is used.

Polylactic acid composition, foam molded article thereof and method of producing the same


The present invention discloses a circuit for controlling operation of a functional circuit in a device based on a test result during testing. The circuit comprises a first storage element configured to be in one of a first state and a second state according to the test result, and a first sensing element coupled to the first storage element for generating a first signal used to control the operation of the functional circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to testing circuit. In particular, the present invention relates to a circuit to control operation of a functional circuit based on a test result.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor fabricated integrated circuits (IC) typically undergo three separate test cycles before die separation: (1) in process testing, such as continuous monitoring of sheet resistivities, junction depths, and other pertinent device parameters, such as current gain and voltage breakdown; (2) a preliminary electrical testing called the wafer-probe or the wafer-sort test performed prior to the scribing and the die-separation steps; and (3) a detailed testing of all pertinent circuit parameters after the completion of the assembly and the packaging operations.
The wafer-probe test, also called the wafer-sort operation, takes place after the wafer processing is completed. It is then followed by the die-separation (scribing) where the water is cut apart and each die is physically separated. These tests are usually made with multi-probe instruments which have adjustable probes to contact the bonding pads of the die to be tested. Each individual die undergoes a number of basic electrical tests. If found defective, it is marked with an ink marker for identification, to be discarded after the die-separation step. In this manner, each and every die on the wafer gets tested prior to the start of the assembly operation.
The wafer-sort testing step and the assembly step may or may not take place at the same manufacturing facility Customers may purchase wafers after the wafer-sort testing and performs the assembly operations to build the separated dice into their products. In the assembly process, failed dice may be erroneously introduced into the product either as a result of the non-inking or assembly process or any other reason. As a result, dice that failed operational specifications may be used in a product resulting in a high product failure rate. A high product failure rate increases the costs associated with returned products.
Accordingly, there is a need in the technology of IC testing to prevent a bad die from being used when integrated into a product.

Non-volatile circuit that disables failed devices


Provided is an optical head that includes a base substrate and a line head. The line head includes a plurality of sub-line heads electrically independent of one another and arranged on the base substrate in parallel with a first direction. Each of the plurality of sub-line heads includes a circuit substrate unit that constitutes a portion of the base substrate, and an optical-element array that includes a plurality of optical elements each arranged on the circuit substrate unit at least in parallel with a second direction that is a direction of a length of each of the plurality of sub-line heads.

The modeling apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes, for example, a rotatable work plate, an exposure head unit, and a drum. This modeling apparatus uses a transparent drum having a curved surface as a mechanism that regulates a liquid level of a light-curable resin during modeling. The exposure head unit (an irradiation unit) includes a one-dimensional LED (light-emitting diode) array as a plurality of solid-state light-emitting elements (for example, refer to paragraph [0037] of the specification and FIG. 2).
The optical scanning device disclosed in Patent Literature 2 includes a semiconductor laser in which a surface light-emitting VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser-diode) that includes a plurality of laser light-emitting sections, is adopted as the semiconductor laser (for example, refer to paragraph [0058] of the specification, and FIGS. 1, 3, and 4).

Optical head, optical head scanning device, and method for driving optical head scanning device

SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION


An liquid crystal unit, and a novel method of us to project a liquid crystal image with substantially no keystoning effects. A low profile projector optics arrangement directs high intensity light within the housing along an irregularly shaped light path extending angularly through an angularly inclined liquid crystal display panel offset by an angle .lambda. relative to the normal axis plane of the display panel to help reduce image keystoning. An output mirror mounted above the housing is inclined angularly opposite to the liquid crystal display panel and cooperates with a lens set for projecting reflectively a liquid crystal image, formed by the display panel, onto a remote surface. The output mirror is mounted to reflect the liquid crystal image upwardly at an angle .theta. to the normal axis plane of the remote viewing surface, where the angle .lambda. and the angle .theta. are substantially equal to help reduce image keystoning. The inventive method of using the liquid crystal projector includes, passing light along an irregularly shaped light path extending angularly through the liquid crystal panel offset by an angle .lambda. relative to the normal axis plane of the display panel and projecting reflectively upwardly at an angle .theta. relative to the normal axis plane of the remote viewing surface, where the angle .lambda. and the angle .theta. are substantially equal.

Overhead projectors for large audience presentations are well known in the prior art. Such systems typically utilize transparencies for carrying the information to be viewed by the audience.
With advances in modern liquid crystal technology, such transparencies have been replaced by full color liquid crystal display panels driven by video signal producing devices, such as personal computers. In this regard, the liquid crystal display panel is typically positioned on the stage of an overhead projector so the liquid crystal image may be projected for viewing purposes.
While the above described project system has been satisfactory for many applications, such a system is very bulky, heavy and awkward in size. Thus, such a system is not easily transportable by a business person who desires to travel from customer to customer for making sales presentations and the like.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved liquid crystal projector that is compact in size and easily transportable.
Another problem with the use of an overhead projector in a business conference meeting, is that the projector generally has a very long optics path. In this regard, for example, the typical overhead projector includes a large, tall, upright housing with a raised projection lens in order to eliminate keystoning effects. Thus, such a projector unit does not have a low profile and is not very compact.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have a projector unit, which is compact in size and which does not produce images with undesirable substantial keystoning effects.
Other attempts have been made to develop compact overhead projectors by adapting their various parts to be foldable or collapsible. It would be highly desirable to have a new and improved compact projector, which has substantially no moving parts, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and yet is small in size. In this regard, such a compact projector should have a very low profile to make it convenient to be transported.

Low profile liquid crystal projector and method of using same


An electronic apparatus including: a display unit; a communication unit which communicates with a server to which at least one emulating device is connected locally, through a network; a storage unit which stores therein a predetermined application; and a controller which is connected to the server and transmits the application stored in the storage unit to the emulating device, and receives from the emulating device an execution image of the application processed and executed by the emulating device and displays the execution image on the display unit.

1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to an electronic apparatus and a control method thereof and a system for inspecting an application used in a display apparatus and an upgrading apparatus for upgrading the display apparatus, and more particularly, to an electronic apparatus and a control method thereof and a system for inspecting an application which efficiently inspects whether an application developed by a developer normally operates in corresponding hardware.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display apparatus processes image signals/image data transmitted by various external image supply sources or stored in the display apparatus to display an image on a display panel provided in the display apparatus. For example, a display apparatus which is provided to general users includes a TV or a monitor. The display apparatus, such as a TV processes a broadcasting signal transmitted from the outside through various image processing operations such as decoding and scaling operations and provides an image of a desired broadcasting channel.
In a display apparatus, an image processing board, such as a circuit including various chipsets and memories perform the foregoing image processing operations. However, with the development of technology and for the purpose of meeting user's demands and improving convenience and due to other various factors, required functions of the display apparatus become complex. To improve the functions of the display apparatus, i.e., to upgrade the display apparatus, both hardware and software should be considered.
In the case of hardware, all or at least a part of the image processing board mounted in the display apparatus should be physically replaced to upgrade the display apparatus, and this is not efficient from the perspective of both manufacturing and use. To drive advanced software, hardware should be designed corresponding to such software and as a result a general user should purchase a new, upgraded display apparatus.

Electronic apparatus and control method thereof and system for inspecting application


Elongated extruded thermoplastic hollows structural components of rectilinear cross section formed for interlocking assembly for use in erecting a modular building on a supporting base, characterized in that each said component being a coextraction of a substrate including reprocessed plastic material and a thin smooth protecting thermoplastic skin covering wall surfaces of said component which are exposed when same is interlocking assembled with mating components, each said component being cored to provide a predetermined pattern of spaced holes along the length of the walls thereof which become internal walls when same in interlockingly assembled with mating components and the holes of mating components being in registration to provide internal flow passages therebetween with the corings providing a source of substrate reprocessed plastic feed stock.

There have been provided building elements which are principally limited to the construction of walls which when assembled together present hollow interiors intended to receive concrete or the like and the elements are provided with holes which afford internal communication between adjoining elements through which the concrete can flow. For example, German Specification DE C23003448 discloses the use of a large series of hollow square rectangular elements constructed from impregnated pressboard which are stood up side by side and then tied together by means of tie rods. The adjacent side walls of these blocks have holes therethrough so that when concrete is introduced therein it can flow therebetween to interconnect same. When such elements are used as ceilings, the holes therein are upwardly facing so that there is no provision for lateral concrete flow between adjoining elements. These hollow blocks or elements are awkward to assemble and require a great deal of handling of a large number of individual elements in their assembly into a wall formation. Moreover, their manufacture is relatively expensive requiring the assembly of the pressboard into square or rectangular form and the resulting wall does not present an impervious smooth aesthetic wall surface.
A similar brick-like building element is disclosed in German Specification DE C2324489 which also has similar disadvantages.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,863 discloses an elongated thin flexible walled cylinder-like shaped formwork elements with the elements being mutually interconnectable and when interconnected they provide a series of adjoining closed cylinders. These cylinders are internally connected through openings so that when concrete is poured therein it will flow therethrough to create a wall formed by a series of interconnected vertical concrete columns encompassed by the thin formwork walls which may be left in place or discarded.
The formwork walls may be formed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to give the columns an attractive surface coating.
Again, these individual formwork elements require a great deal of handling and, if they are formed of PVC, only virgin material can be used and the material cut out to provide the apertures becomes waste material.
These formwork elements do not have individual structural integrity but require mutual interconnection and their cylindrical form to give them any structural substance capable of withstanding the introduction therein of wet concrete.

Housing system with structural cored hollow components


A computer-implemented method includes providing certified financial data indicating financial risk about an individual. The method includes electronically collecting financial account data about the individual from at least one financial source. The method includes transforming the financial account data into a desired format. The method includes validating the financial account data by applying an algorithm engine to the financial account data to identify exceptions, wherein the exceptions indicate incorrect data or financial risk. The method includes marking the exceptions as valid exceptions when output of the algorithm engine validates the exceptions. The method includes confirming the exceptions by collecting additional data and applying the algorithm engine to the additional data.

With the increasing costs of credit defaults, financial institutions as a whole have become a highly risk adverse group. Indeed, studies have shown that the likelihood of a credit default or foreclosure is strongly correlated with the amount of financial disclosure and analysis required by a lender. Conventionally, credit lenders have computers running programs for processing credit applicant information and, in response thereto, may approve or decline applications. Computer programs enable faster response to applications. However, the primary data stimulating these credit authorizations is historical debt information reported by credit bureaus. Thus, conventional credit programs poorly manage credit risk by always reacting to non-current and incomplete information.
Given that financial institutions are a risk adverse group, it is not unusual to expect that financial institutions may require a higher rate of return on a loan in order to compensate for the increased credit risk caused by authorizing credit based on historical and incomplete credit report information. A customer with impeccable credit may still receive a higher interest rate from a financial institution, for example, where the financial institution adds "interest rate buffer" to the loan to cover increased credit risk caused by historical and incomplete credit reports. Customers could provide financial institutions access to real-time asset and income data which could be used by financial institutions to more effectively manage credit risk and, for example, provide better credit lending risk management and liquidity. However, in these situations, customers may attempt to manipulate the system. In such a case, rigorous certification rules may need to be applied to financial account data, which may be used to determine completeness, accuracy and compliance of a customer's financial accounts.
These different variables create tremendous complexity for financial institutions, as they must decide what type of loan they wish to make based on all these considerations. They also limit the applicability of online banking networks to provide real-time electronic account certification at different financial institutions, thus requiring continued utilization of historical and incomplete credit reports, further denying them access to real-time electronically certified asset and debt account information, for example.
This disclosure relate generally to credit lending, credit reporting, credit authorization, and financial account analysis and more particularly, to systems and methods for electronically certifying and reporting financial data.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for electronic account certification and enhanced credit reporting


Methods are provided for a rapid, low cost approach to monitoring an amplification reaction. This includes monitoring the progress of isothermal or PCR amplification reactions to completion using pH-sensitive dyes that are either colored or fluorescent. Compositions are described that include a mixture of a DNA polymerase, deoxyribonucleotide triphosphate and a weak buffer of less than 1 mM Tris or equivalent or no buffer.

Sequence-specific isothermal and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) nucleic acid amplification techniques represent rapidly growing sectors of molecular diagnostics, offering rapid, sensitive detection of DNA samples.
Electrophoresis is a traditional method of detecting DNA products in a post-amplification step that utilizes labor intensive manual processing and instrumentation. Recent developments in isothermal amplification has provided alternative detection methods, for example, fluorescence detection of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) with an intercalating or magnesium-sensitive fluorophore (Notomi, et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 28:E63 (2000); Tomita, et al., Nat. Protoc., 3:877-82 (2008); Goto, et al., BioTechniques, 46:167-72, (2009)); bioluminescence through pyrophosphate conversion (Gandelman, et al., PLoS One, 5:e14155 (2010); or turbidity detection of precipitated magnesium pyrophosphate (Mori et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 289:150-4 (2001)). However, these visual methods typically require long incubation times (>60 minutes), require specific instruments for detection, or are too subtle in change for robust detection outside of the laboratory. Advances in real time PCR equipment and chemistries have allowed monitoring many samples simultaneously during the PCR reaction. The detecting principles are typically based on either using fluorescence detection of dsDNA with an intercalating dye or using sequence-specific fluorescent probes requiring costly instruments. Alternatively, instruments have been developed for detecting hydrogen ions released during polymerase dependent amplification. Detection of these hydrogen ions has been achieved using sophisticated electronic detection and microfluidic devices, for example as demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 7,888,015 for use in high-throughput Next Generation Sequencing (Ion Torrent™ Sequencing, Life Technologies, Grand Island, N.Y.).
Point-of-care and field diagnostics require rapid and simple tests, ideally detecting target nucleic acid in less than 30 minutes and without sophisticated and costly equipment.

Detection of an amplification reaction product using pH-sensitive dyes


Provide a sliding component that reduces the leakage rate of sealed fluid and significantly improves the lubrication characteristics at startup or stop, while being actuated by means of fluid lubrication in the rotation phase, thereby achieving the effects of sealing and lubrication at the same time. The sliding component is characterized in that: on one sealing face of a pair of sliding parts that slide relative to each other, multiple positive pressure-generating mechanisms that comprise extremely shallow parallel grooves running roughly in parallel with the sealing face and having submicron-level height differences are provided independently in the circumferential direction; the extremely shallow parallel grooves connect to the high-pressure fluid side, but are isolated from the low-pressure fluid side by a seal area; and extremely shallow thin grooves are formed at the bottom of the extremely shallow parallel grooves.

With a mechanical seal, which is an example of a sliding component, the mutually exclusive conditions of "seal" and "lubricate" must be satisfied simultaneously in order to maintain its sealing performance for an extended time. Particularly in recent years, to help protect the environment, etc., there is a growing need to lower friction further and thereby reduce mechanical loss, while still preventing leakage of the fluid being sealed. Friction can be lowered by creating a so-called fluid lubrication state, which represents a state of surfaces sliding against each other with a liquid film in between, achieved by generating dynamic pressure between the sealing faces by means of rotation. In this case, however, generation of positive pressure between the sealing faces causes the fluid to flow out of the sealing faces from the positive pressure area. This is so-called side leakage that occurs with a bearing, which corresponds to leakage in the case of a seal. When the fluid to be sealed is present on the outer periphery side of the seal area and atmosphere on the inner periphery side, and the fluid on the outer periphery side is sealed in this state (referred to as the "inside type"), the leakage rate on the inner periphery side is expressed by the formula below:
                    Q        =                  -                      ∫                                          (                                                                                h                        3                                                                    12                                                                                η                                                                                ∂                        p                                                                    ∂                        r                                                                                |                                          r                      =                                              r                        1                                                                                )                                                                            r                  1                                ·                                  ⅆ                  θ                                                                                {                  Mathematical                                                              Formula                                                              1                }
Q: Leakage rate on the inner periphery side at the inner diameter r1 of the sealing face (The negative sign indicates leakage).
h: Height of clearance
η: Viscosity of fluid
p: Pressure
From the above formula, it is clear that the pressure slope ∂p/∂r at the inner periphery side increases as fluid lubrication is promoted, dynamic pressure generates, and liquid film forms, and as a result of a larger h, the leakage rate Q increases.
In the case of a seal, therefore, the clearance h and pressure slope ∂p/∂r must be decreased in order to reduce the leakage rate Q.
As for the friction characteristics of a slide bearing, which are similar to those of a mechanical seal, the "Stribeck curve" shown in FIG. 4 is known (Reference Literature: "Tribology" by H. Czichos, Kodansha).
The horizontal axis in FIG. 4 represents "Viscosity η×Velocity v/Load FN," or simply the velocity if the viscosity and load are constant. If the viscosity and load are constant, the friction coefficient is small in the medium-speed region or mixed lubrication region "Second: h (clearance)≅R (roughness)" and the high-speed region or fluid lubrication region "First: h (clearance)>>R (roughness)," but the friction coefficient becomes extremely large at startup in the boundary lubrication region "Third: h (clearance) →0."
According to the numerical analysis conducted by the inventors named in the present application for patent, on the other hand, the groove depth on the sealing face and friction coefficient of the sealing face have the relationship shown in FIG. 5 in the case of a mechanical seal, and the relationship between the groove depth and friction coefficient of the sealing face varies depending on the sliding speed of the sealing face.
Also, generally dynamic pressure-generating grooves are provided on a mechanical seal to ensure the mechanical seal is effective in the normal rotational speed region and also to guide sufficient fluid to the sealing face, and these dynamic pressure-generating grooves are processed to a depth of several μm or more by means of machining, blasting, or laser. Because of this, low friction is achieved in the medium-speed region and high-speed region, but sufficient load capacity cannot be achieved in the low-speed region, which makes it difficult to achieve low friction in this speed region. Particularly at startup and stop where sufficient dynamic pressure does not generate, sufficient lubrication characteristics are not demonstrated and problems occur as a result, such as noise and excessive contact between the sealing faces at startup and stop.
Also in recent years, sliding materials for mechanical seals are proposed that can reduce the friction coefficient without generating excessive leakage by introducing the sealed fluid to the space between the sealing faces and holding it there in good condition, including one where multiple dynamic pressure-generating grooves are provided in the circumferential direction to generate dynamic pressure between the sealing faces as a result of one sealing face rotating relative to the mating sealing face, wherein the dynamic pressure-generating grooves comprise straight grooves or curved spiral grooves having an angle to the sliding direction and the dynamic pressure-generating grooves are processed to a depth of 1 μm or less by means of femtosecond laser (refer to Patent Literatures 1 and 2, for example).
However, the inventions described in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 aim to generate dynamic pressure between the sealing faces as a result of one sealing face rotating relative to the mating sealing face, and although low friction is achieved in the medium- and high-speed regions at high pressure, sufficient dynamic pressure is not generated and thus sufficient lubrication characteristics cannot be demonstrated in the medium- and high-speed regions at low pressure or at startup and stop, which presents a problem. In addition, the mechanism of introducing the sealed fluid into the space between the sealing faces by the dynamic pressure-generating grooves requires circular grooves or other means for preventing leakage to be provided on the low-pressure side of the sealing face, in order to reduce the leakage rate.


An improved system for the transmission of data over a cellular telephone channel is provided. The system is especially adapted to reduce the cost associated with cellular telephone calls by allowing data transmission only when the channel signal level is greater than a pre-defined value, so as maximize the probability that a transmission will be successful. In addition, the system provides for user transparent reconnection and reestablishment of a dropped link, allowing transmission to continue where dropped without the need to retransmit data already successfully received. As an additional benefit, the system provides a mechanism for call timing and billing so that an estimated bill may be generated based on connection time.

Recently, the availability of cellular telephone communication service has increased dramatically. All major metropolitan areas, and many less populated areas, are served by at least one cellular telephone company. The development of this cellular network has resulted in providing a widespread capability to communicate with a mobile telephone subscriber by the use of an RF cellular telephone channel and the existing public switched telephone network, almost anywhere in the country. As cellular telephone systems and equipment have proliferated, there has developed an increased demand for the transmission of not only voice information, but also data. Unfortunately, the transmission of data over a cellular telephone link presents additional problems not encountered with the transmission of simple analog voice information.
In particular, while the introduction of noise into voice communication may create some problems of intelligibility, in general, unless there is a complete loss of signal, the voice message will still be transmitted and recognized. On the other hand, when transmitting data in a digital form, any noise encountered on the communications channel will most likely corrupt the data being transmitted, thereby requiring the same data to be retransmitted. Similarly, a break in transmission while transmitting data, as is often the case in cellular transmissions, requires retransmission of all of the data. Retransmission of data results in a lower throughput bandwidth due to the extended time necessary to transmit data. In addition, since the cellular network is more expensive to use due to its associated higher tariffs (compared to comparable land lines), such retransmission can increase operating costs substantially.
While it has been known to interface common data terminal equipment and modems to a cellular telephone transceiver, such attempts have not been optimized for use in a cellular RF environment, and thus are large, expensive and inefficient.
Accordingly, it has been determined that the need exists for an improved apparatus for the transmission of data over an RF channel which will provide increased reliability of data transmission as well as a reduction of operating costs, thereby improving upon the above-noted limitations of the prior art.

Transmission of data over a radio frequency channel

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A panel assembly includes two frame members and a plurality of panels extending between the frame members. Each panel has fastening elements at either end. The fastening elements are arranged to clip onto mating portions of the frame members, and are also arranged to frictionally engage internal surfaces of the panels to thereby hold the panels relative to the frame members.

Panel systems for are used for a variety of screening purposes, including fences, gates, balustrades and the like. Such panel systems generally incorporate a frame having an upper frame member and a lower frame member, with panels or slats extending between the frame members in order to complete the panel system.
Often, panels are fixed with fasteners such as screws or rivets. There are several problems associated with this. Generally, each panel must be independently fastened into position, which is a time consuming process. If there is any problem in alignment of panels with fixing holes then damage to the panel is likely. In addition, during the life of the panel system it is common for fasteners to become loose, leading to rattling of panels or even the loss of panels from the system.
Other known methods of fixing panels involve some sort of clamping or other frictional engagement with the outside of a panel. This fixing will often cause scratching or other damage to the outside of the panel, making the panel unable to be reused. Damage to visible portions of the outside of the panel can occur during a mistake in assembly, making it common for damage to be visible in the final assembled product.
It is against this background that the present invention has been developed.


A toner is provided which is excellent in development stability in both a low-temperature, low-humidity environment and a high-temperature, high-humidity environment over a long time period. The toner includes toner particles containing at least a binder resin and a colorant, and a fatty acid metal salt. The fatty acid metal salt has a volume-based median diameter (D50s) of 0.15 μm or more and 0.65 μm or less, and the liberation ratio of the fatty acid metal salt in the toner is 1.0% or more and 25.0% or less.

Requests from users for electrophotography to be employed in, for example, a receiving apparatus of a copying machine, printer, or facsimile machine have become more demanding year by year in association with the development of the apparatus. The recent trend is as follows: the electrophotography has been strongly requested to be capable of performing printing on a large number of sheets and providing stable image quality independent of an environment in association with the expansion of the variety of environments where the electrophotography is employed owing to the expansion of markets.
In order that the above requests may be satisfied, a need for toner having high durability and capable of providing high image quality has become even higher than before, and a large number of improvements have been made with a view to solving the foregoing problems.
For example, it has been known that a fatty acid metal salt is incorporated into toner so as to be used as a cleaning assistant or an agent for preventing filming on an electrostatic latent image-bearing member. On the other hand, however, an improvement in image quality cannot be achieved because the fatty acid metal salt causes fogging or a reduction in image density. In view of the foregoing, the following has been disclosed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-272132): the fatty acid metal salt and a titanate compound are used in combination so that fogging may be alleviated while filming on the electrostatic latent image-bearing member and voids are alleviated.
In addition, the following has been disclosed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-311499 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-296829): a relationship among the particle diameter of toner particles having a certain storage modulus or the grain size distribution of the toner particles, and the particle diameters and grain size distribution of the particles of a fatty acid metal salt is specified so that image quality may be improved, and fogging and filming on an electrostatic latent image-bearing member may be alleviated.
In addition, the following has been disclosed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-148198): fogging, toner scattering, and toner leakage are suppressed by incorporating additives (alumina and titanium oxide) having a specified relationship of a work function to base particles, and a fatty acid metal salt.
Further, the following has been disclosed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-108622): a toner particle is coated with a fatty acid metal salt, suppressing the liberation ratio of the fatty acid metal salt so that image stability may be improved while the fatty acid metal salt can serve as an agent for inhibiting filming on an electrostatic latent image-bearing member.
Indeed, such measures have allowed fogging, toner scattering and toner leakage to be reduced while suppressing the filming of toner on an electrostatic latent image-bearing member, and high durability and high image quality stability to be obtained. However, as a result of the extensive studies conducted by the inventors of the present invention, it has been found that the particle diameter of the particles of the fatty acid metal salt to be used in the toner described in each of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-272132 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-311499 is so large that a problem is raised in that although the fatty acid metal salt has a certain effect on initial fogging, a change in chargeability of the toner becomes large and fogging occurs when printing is performed on a large number of sheets. Additionally, it has been found that the toner described in each of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-296829 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-148198 involves the following problem: under a severe environment such as a low-temperature, low-humidity environment or a high-temperature, high-humidity environment, an increase in the number of sheets on which printing is performed leads to the occurrence of fogging due to deterioration in the chargeability of the toner.
In addition, it has been found that the toner described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-108622 involves the following problem: toner particles must be coated with the fatty acid metal salt, and hence, large mechanical damage is done to toner particles in the coating step, and a development stripe is apt to occur.
Moreover, it has been found that each of the measures still involves a problem in terms of the contamination of a member in which rubbing largely occurs, such as a toner bearing member or a toner-supplying member, with toner under a low-temperature, low-humidity environment in addition to the above-mentioned problems involved in the measures. It has also been found that, particularly when printing is performed on a large number of sheets, detrimental effects on an image resulting from the filming of the toner on the member occur. At present, improvements in various characteristics have still been needed in order that stable developability independent of environments in which the toner is used can be obtained even when printing is performed on a large number of sheets, as requested in the market.


A taximeter penalty device includes a cabin temperature sensor connected to a micro-controller of a taximeter through a time delay. When the cabin temperature of the taxi is within a preset range, the fare is based on a normal rate. When the temperature is outside the range, such as when the cabin is too hot or cold, a lower rate is used. An alternative fare calculation method includes subtracting a penalty from the normal rate. A grace period is provided by the time delay, so that the taxi driver can adjust the temperature to avoid the penalty. The taximeter penalty device thus induces the taxi driver to provide better service.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to taximeters.
2. Prior Art
A taximeter is a device for calculating and displaying a taxi fare based on one or more variables, such as distance traveled and waiting time. Various taximeters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,539,644 to Adams; 4,217,484 to Gerst; 4,001,560 to Larsen; 3,860,806 to Fichter; and 3,843,874 to Kelch. Some taxi drivers tend to not use the climate control system in their vehicles, so that their passengers have to suffer very hot or cold temperatures. However, these drivers are paid the same fare even when providing such poor service.


A cable transition device includes a support sleeve and a sealing member. The support sleeve is configured to be inserted between a structural overwrap and a compliant outer jacket of a coaxial cable, wherein the compliant outer jacket surrounds signal-carrying conductors and extends beyond a terminal end of a stepped transition. The sealing member is configured to be disposed over the stepped transition of the coaxial cable so as to seal the stepped transition portion of the coaxial cable during operation of the cable transition device.

Coaxial cable is known to be routed below ground, within conduits, or above ground, i.e., between utility poles and a mounting structure of the subscriber's home/office environment. When located under or below ground, a rigid, metal conduit often protects the cable from being damaged or severed by excavation equipment, e.g., heavy digging equipment such as a backhoe shovel. The cost of underground the cable can be significant, both in terms of the inventory requirements and the labor involved to bury the conduit/cable.
When located above ground, the coaxial cable extends between a support at each end and, as such, must be modified to address the environmental and structural differences influencing the coaxial cable. More specifically, the coaxial cable employed in aerial applications typically includes an anchor wire or "messenger" molded as part of the cable's jacket, extending along the cable's axis.
It is common for a service technician/installer to carry two types of cable, one for underground applications and the other for aerial applications. That is, the technician/installer typically carries cable without a messenger/anchor for underground applications and a cable with the messenger/anchor for aerial or above-ground applications. There is a significant burden of labor and cost related to storing, managing and installing these different types of cables.
Therefore, there is a need to overcome, or otherwise lessen the effects of, the disadvantages and shortcomings described above.


A band moiré image layout model enables predicting the band moiré image layer layout produced when superposing a base band grating and revealing line grating of given rectilinear or curvilinear layouts. Thanks to the band moiré image layout model, one can choose the layout of two layers selected from the set of base band grating, revealing line grating and band moiré image and obtain the layout of the third layer by computation, i.e. automatically. A composed layer made of a base band grating and of a revealing line grating separated by a small gap yields thanks to the parallax effect, when tilting the composed layer, dynamically moving moiré shapes. The presented methods can be used for protecting various categories of documents (banknotes, identity documents, checks, diploma, travel documents, tickets) and valuable products (optical disks, medical drugs, products with affixed labels, watches).

The present invention relates generally to the field of anti-counterfeiting and authentication methods and devices and, more particularly, to methods, security devices and apparatuses for authenticating documents and valuable products by band moiré patterns.
Counterfeiting of documents such as banknotes is becoming now more than ever a serious problem, due to the availability of high-quality and low-priced color photocopiers and desk-top publishing systems. The same is also true for other valuable products such as CDs, DVDs, software packages, medical drugs, watches, etc., that are often marketed in easy to falsify packages.
The present invention is concerned with providing a novel security element and authentication means offering enhanced security for devices needing to be protected against counterfeits, such as banknotes, checks, credit cards, identity cards, travel documents, valuable business documents, industrial packages or any other valuable products.
The theory on which the present invention relies has been partly published at the beginning of August 2004, as a scientific contribution: "Band Moiré Images", by R: D. Hersch and S. Chosson, SIGGRAPH'2004, ACM Computer Graphics Proceedings, Vol. 23, No. 3. pp. 239-248.
Various sophisticated means have been introduced in the prior art for counterfeit prevention and for authentication of documents or valuable products. Some of these means are clearly visible to the naked eye and are intended for the general public, while other means are hidden and only detectable by the competent authorities, or by automatic devices. Some of the already used anti-counterfeit and authentication means include the use of special paper, special inks, watermarks, micro-letters, security threads, holograms, etc. Nevertheless, there is still an urgent need to introduce further security elements, which do not considerably increase the cost of the produced documents or goods.
Moiré effects have already been used in prior art for the authentication of documents. For example, United Kingdom Pat. No. 1,138,011 (Canadian Bank Note Company) discloses a method which relates to printing on the original document special elements which, when counterfeited by means of halftone reproduction, show a moiré pattern of high contrast. Similar methods are also applied to the prevention of digital photocopying or digital scanning of documents (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,767, inventor Wicker). In all these cases, the presence of moiré patterns indicates that the document in question is counterfeit.
Other prior art methods, on the contrary, take advantage of the intentional generation of a moiré pattern whose existence, and whose precise shape, are used as a means of authenticating the document. One known method in which a moiré effect is used to make visible a hidden pattern image encoded within a document (see background of U.S. Pat No. 5,396,559 to McGrew, background of U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,484 to Seder, U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,717 to Alasia and U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,280 to Huang) is based on the physical presence of that image on the document as a latent image, using the technique known as "phase modulation". In this technique, a line grating or a random screen of dots is printed on the document, but within the predefined borders of the latent image on the document the same line grating (or respectively, the same random dot-screen) is printed at a different phase, or possibly at a different orientation. For a layman, the latent image thus printed on the document is difficult to distinguish from its background; but when a revealing layer comprising an identical, but unmodulated, line grating or grating of lenticular lenses (respectively, random dot-screen) is superposed on the document, thereby generating a moiré effect, the latent image pre-designed on the document becomes clearly visible, since within its pre-defined borders the moiré effect appears in a different phase than in the background. Such a latent image may be recovered, since it is physically present on the document and only filled by lines at different phases or by a different texture. A second limitation of this technique resides in the fact that there is no enlargement effect: the pattern image revealed by the superposition of the base layer and of the revealing transparency has the same size as the latent pattern image. It should be stressed the disclosed band moire image synthesizing methods completely differ from the above mentioned technique of phase modulation since no latent image is present when generating a band moire image and since the band moiré image pattern shapes resulting from the superposition of a base band grating and a revealing line grating are a transformation of the original pattern shapes embedded within the base band grating. This transformation comprises always an enlargement, and possibly a rotation, a shearing, a mirroring, and/or a bending transformation. In addition, in the present invention, base band grating and revealing line grating layers can be created where translating respectively rotating the revealing layer on top of the base layer yields a displacement of the band moiré image patterns. Phase based modulation techniques allowing to hide latent images within a base layer are not capable of smoothly displacing and possibly transforming the revealed latent image when moving the revealing layer on top of the base layer. For example, they are unable to create a continuous displacement of the band moiré image patterns, such as for example the band moiré image patterns moving towards the center of a circular band moiré image layout. A further means of distinguishing phase modulation techniques from band moirés consists in verifying, once the revealing line grating is laid out on top of the base layer, if respectively a moiré pattern is produced by sampling only a single instance (i.e. one latent pattern image) or multiple instances of a base layer pattern (i.e. multiple base bands incorporating each one an instance of the base band pattern).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,280, Holographic Anti-Imitation Method and Device for preventing unauthorized reproduction, inventor P. P. Huang, issued Dec. 7, 1999, discloses a holographic anti-imitation method and device where the superposition of a viewing device on top of a hidden pattern merged on a background pattern allows to visualize that hidden pattern. This disclosure relies on a technique similar to the phase modulation technique presented in the background section of U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,559 to McGrew, implemented on a holographic device. In contrast to U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,280, our invention relies on a completely different principle: several instances of the base band patterns are sampled and produce band moire image patterns which are enlarged and transformed instances of these base band patterns. Furthermore, our invention allows to generate dynamic band moire images, i.e. animations with dynamically behaving band moire image pattern shapes, which are impossible to achieve with U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,280.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,731 (Drinkwater et al.) a moiré based method is disclosed which relies on a periodic 2D array of microlenses. This last disclosure has the disadvantage of being limited to the case where the superposed revealing structure is a microlens array and the periodic structure on the document is a constant 2D array of identical dot-shapes replicated horizontally and vertically. Thus, in contrast to the present invention, that invention excludes the use of gratings of lines as the revealing layer. A similar 2D array of microlenses is disclosed in patent application Ser. No. 10/995,859 to Steenblik et. al., filed Nov. 22, 2004. Both inventions also consider a fixed setup of microlens array and dot shape array separated by a gap, where changing the observation orientation has the effect of moving and changing the size of the resulting 2D moiré patterns.
Other moiré based methods disclosed by Amidror and Hersch in U.S. Pat. No. 6,249,588 and its continuation-in-part U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,638 rely on the superposition of 2D arrays of screen dots yielding a moiré intensity profile indicating the authenticity of the document. These inventions are based on specially designed 2D periodic structures, such as dot-screens (including variable intensity dot-screens such as those used in real, gray level or color half-toned images), pinhole-screens, or microlens arrays, which generate in their superposition periodic moiré intensity profiles of chosen colors and shapes (typographic characters, digits, the country emblem, etc.) whose size, location and orientation gradually vary as the superposed layers are rotated or shifted on top of each other. In a third invention, U.S. Pat. No. 6,819,775 (Amidror and Hersch), Amidror and Hersch disclose new methods improving their previously disclosed methods mentioned above. These new improvements make use of the theory developed in the paper "Fourier-based analysis and synthesis of moirés in the superposition of geometrically transformed periodic structures" by I. Amidror and R. D. Hersch, Journal of the Optical Society of America A, Vol. 15, 1998, pp. 1100-1113 (hereinafter, "[Amidror98]"), and in the book "The Theory of the Moiré Phenomenon" by I. Amidror, Kluwer, 2000. According to this theory, said invention discloses how it is possible to synthesize aperiodic, geometrically transformed dot screens which in spite of being aperiodic in themselves, still generate, when they are superposed on top of one another, periodic moiré intensity profiles with undistorted elements, just like in the periodic cases disclosed by Hersch and Amidror in their previous U.S. Pat. No. 6,249,588 and its continuation-in-part U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,638. U.S. Pat. No. 6,819,775 further disclosed how cases which do not yield periodic moirés can still be advantageously used for anticounterfeiting and authentication of documents and valuable products. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/183,550 "Authentication with build-in encryption by using moiré intensity profiles between random layers", inventor Amidror discloses how a moiré intensity profile is generated by the superposition of two specially designed random or pseudo-random dot screens. An advantage of that invention relies in its intrinsic encryption system offered by the random number generator used for synthesizing the specially designed random dot screens.
However, the disclosures above made by inventors Hersch and Amidror (U.S. Pat. No. 6,249,588, U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,638. U.S. Pat. No. 6,819,775) or Amidror (U.S. application Ser. No. 10/183,550) making use of the moiré intensity profile to authenticate documents have two limitations. The first limitation is due to the fact that the revealing layer is made of dot screens, i.e. of a set (2D array) of tiny dots laid out on a 2D surface. When dot screens are embodied by an opaque layer with tiny transparent dots or holes (e.g. a film with small transparent dots), only a limited amount of light is able to traverse the dot screen and the resulting moiré intensity profile is not easily visible. In these inventions, to make the moiré intensity profile clearly visible, one needs to work in transparent mode; both the revealing and the base layers need to be placed in front of a light source and the base layer should be preferably printed on a partly transparent support. In reflective mode, one needs to use a microlens array as master screen which, thanks to the light focussing capabilities of the lenses, make the moiré intensity profile clearly visible. The second limitation is due to the fact that the base layer is made of a two-dimensional array of similar dots (dot screen) where each dot has a very limited space within which only a few tiny shapes such as a few typographic characters or a single logo must be placed. This space is limited by the 2D frequency of the dot screen, i.e. by its two period vectors. The higher the 2D frequency, the less space there is for placing the tiny shapes which, when superposed with a 2D circular dot screen as revealing layer, produce as 2D moiré an enlargement of these tiny shapes.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/270,546 (filed 16 Oct. 2002, "Authentication of documents and articles by moiré patterns", inventors Hersch and Chosson), a significant improvement was made by the discovery that a rectilinear base band grating incorporating original shapes superposed with a revealing straight line grating yields rectilinear moiré bands comprising moiré shapes which are a linear transformation of the original shapes incorporated within the base band grating. These moiré bands form a band moiré image. Since band moiré have a much better light efficiency than moiré intensity profiles relying on dots screens, band moiré images can be advantageously used in all case where the previous disclosures relying on 2D screens fail to show strong enough moiré patterns. In particular, the base band grating incorporating the original pattern shapes may be printed on a reflective support and the revealing line screen may simply be a film with thin transparent lines. Due to the high light efficiency of the revealing line screen, the band moiré patterns representing the transformed original band patterns are clearly revealed. A further advantage of band moiré images resides in the fact that it may comprise a large number of patterns, for example one or several words, one or several sophisticated logos, one or several symbols, and one or several signs.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/270,546 (Hersch and Chosson), describes the layout of rectilinear band moiré images, when the layouts of base layer and the revealing layer are known. However it does not tell in which direction and at which speed the moiré shape moves when translating the rectilinear revealing layer on top of the rectilinear base layer. Furthermore, since it does not disclose a model for predicting the layout of the moiré image that can be produced when superposing a curvilinear base layer and a curvilinear revealing layer, band moirés image relying on curvilinear base or revealing layers need to be generated by a trial and error procedure. One tries first to generate examples of curvilinear line moirés produced by the superposition of line grating (according to the theory describing prior art line grating, see the article by I. Amidror and R. D. Hersch, Fourier-based analysis and synthesis of moirés in the superposition of geometrically transformed periodic structures, Journal of the Optical Society of America A, Vol. 15, 1998; pp. 1100-1113 or the book of I. Amidror, The Theory of the Moiré Phenomenon, Kluwer, 2000, pages 249-352). Then, one replaces curvilinear lines of the line grating by bands, yielding a band grating. And finally, one verifies if the result is visually pleasing or not, and if not modifies the parameters of the base and revealing transformations and visualize again the results. When one of the layers layout is curvilinear, this trial and error method does not allow to compute a base band grating layer layout given a reference band moiré image layout and a revealing line grating layout. In addition, since the method relies on trial and error, it does not support the derivation of complicated geometric transformations, such as computing a base layer, which in superposition with a revealing layer forming a spiral shaped line grating yields a meaningful, visually pleasant band moiré image. The only reference band moiré image available with the trial and error method is the band moiré image produced by superposing the base and revealing layer derived thanks to the trial and error procedure.
Furthermore, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/270,546 (Hersch and Chosson) does neither give a precise technique for generating a reference rectilinear band moiré image layout with curvilinear base and revealing layer layouts nor does it give a means of generating a desired reference curvilinear band moiré image layout with a predetermined rectilinear or curvilinear revealing layer layout. Furthermore, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/270,546 (Hersch and Chosson) teaches a method for creating variations of the appearing moiré patterns when moving the revealing layer on top of the base layer, however these variations rely only on modifications of the shapes embedded within the base band layer and do not rely, as in the present disclosure, on the geometric transformations of the base layer and/or the revealing layer.
The present disclosure provides a band moiré image layout model allowing to compute not only the layout of a rectilinear band moiré image produced by superposing a rectilinear base band layer and a rectilinear revealing layer, but also in which direction and at which speed the rectilinear moiré shapes move when translating a the rectilinear revealing layer on top of the rectilinear base layer. For a curvilinear base layer and a curvilinear or rectilinear revealing layer, that model computes exactly the layout of the resulting rectilinear or curvilinear band moiré image obtained by superposing the base and revealing layers. Furthermore, one may specify a desired rectilinear or curvilinear band moiré image as well as one of the layers and the model is able to compute the layout of the other layer.
Let us also note that the properties of the moiré produced by the superposition of two line gratings are well known (see for example K. Patorski, The moiré Fringe Technique, Elsevier 1993, pp. 14-16). Moiré fringes (moiré lines) produced by the superposition of two line gratings (i.e. set of lines) are exploited for example for the authentication of banknotes as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,473, Self-verifying security documents, inventors Taylor et al.
Curved moiré fringes (moiré lines) produced by the superposition of curvilinear gratings are also known (see for example Oster G., Wasserman M., Zwerling C. Theoretical Interpretation of Moiré Patterns. Journal of the Optical Society of America, Vol. 54, No. 2, 1964, 169-175) and have been exploited for the protection of documents by a holographic security device (U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,229, issued Dec. 2, 1997, K. J. Drinkwater, B. W. Holmes).
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/270,546 as well as in the present invention, instead of using a line grating as base layer, we use as base layer a band grating incorporating in each band an image made of one-dimensionally compressed original patterns of varying shapes, sizes, intensities and possibly colors. Instead of obtaining simple moiré fringes (moiré lines) when superposing the base layer and the revealing line grating, we obtain a band moiré image which is an enlarged and transformed instance of the original band image.
Joe Huck, a prepress professional, in his publication (2003) entitled "Mastering Moirés. Investigating Some of the Fascinating Properties of Interference Patterns, see also http://pages.sbcglobal.net/joehuck", created band moiré images, both for artistic purposes and for creating designs incorporating moiré shapes floating within different perceived depth planes thanks to parallax effects. His publication only reports about vertically replicated horizontal base bands and a revealing layer made of horizontal lines, thereby generating moiré shapes moving only in the vertical direction. In contrast to the present invention, he neither provided a general-purpose framework for predicting the geometry of band moiré images as a function of base and revealing layer layouts, nor did he consider geometric transformations of base and revealing layers. In addition, he didn't consider applying band moiré images for document authentication.
The well-known parallax effect has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,484 to R. B. Seder in the context of creating a display device for displaying a plurality of images. Parallax images and the parallax effect is also described in the book by R. L. Van Renesse, Optical Document Security, 2nd ed., 1998, Artech House, section 9.3.1 Parallax Images and section 9.3.2, Embossed Lens Patterns, pp. 207-210, hereinafter referenced as [VanRenesse98]. In section 9.3.2 of that book, FIG. 9.5 shows an example of embossed cylindrical microlenses (also called lenticular lenses), where the lenses have a diameter of 300 μm and are embossed on a visually transparent plastic sheet of about 400 μm thickness. Due to the focusing effect of the lenses, only small strips of the bottom layer are visible while the exact location of these strips depends on the viewing angle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,491, to Zeiter et. al. "Object with an optical effect", teaches a composed layer formed by two images separated by a gap, where due to the relative phase between the two images, a given overall image is perceived at a certain viewing angle and an altered image at other angles. This invention relies on different darkness levels generated by superposed aligned or respectively non-aligned mutually rotated strokes.

Model-based synthesis of band moire images for authentication purposes

Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)


An inkjet recording device includes a carriage including a print head for firing ink droplets onto a recording medium from a nozzle; a carriage driving unit configured to drive the carriage; an openable cover configured to cover a moving area of the carriage; a cover lock member configured to lock the cover to a housing; a lock control unit configured to control lock and release of the lock of the cover by the cover lock member; a lock releasing unit configured to request the lock control unit to release the lock; and a carriage power control unit configured to control opening and closing of a power supplying path to the carriage driving unit. The lock control unit causes the cover lock member to release the lock if the lock releasing unit is operated and the carriage power control unit opens the power supplying path to the carriage driving unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet recording device, and a method of releasing a cover lock of the inkjet recording device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a recording sheet gets jammed or a carriage operation error occurs in an inkjet recording device, an operator opens a cover and inserts a hand to remove the recording sheet, or moves a carriage to its home position. If the carriage is moved then, it can hit a hand of the operator or the operator can get his/her finger caught therein, which is significantly dangerous. If the carriage keeps printing operation when the cover is opened during printing, the operator may touch the carriage with his/her hand unintentionally, which is significantly dangerous.
Then, it is already known that the movement of a carriage is stopped in response to the detection of opening of a cover at the moment when the cover is opened, in order to avoid the danger.
Moreover, it is also already known that a cover and a housing are locked so that an operator cannot open the cover until printing is finished or an error is detected.
However, the conventional inkjet recording device does not necessarily guarantee the safety because there occurs a time difference between the detection of opening of a cover and the stop of a carriage, depending on detection timing, etc. There is a possibility of failure or malfunction, and the carriage is not necessarily stopped. Therefore, the safety is not sufficient. Even if the cover and the housing are locked, it is possible that when the lock is released and the cover is opened, the carriage is moved due to malfunction of the carriage. In the case where the carriage is stopped in the center of the housing when an error is detected, the carriage is possibly moved when the cover is opened and a hand is inserted in the housing, which can be a problem in terms of safety.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-142608 discloses a printer and a printing control method. The printer includes an openable cover that covers a moving area of a printing head, a cover state detecting unit that detects the opening and closing of the cover, a printing state detecting unit that detects a printing state, and a lock unit that locks the cover to a housing. For the safe operation of an operator, the cover is locked to the housing during printing operation so that the cover is prevented from being opened, and the lock is released when printing is finished or an error is detected so that the cover can be opened.
According to the conventional technique as described above, the cover is locked to the housing so that the cover cannot be opened during printing operation. However, in the conventional technique, the carriage is possibly moved due to malfunction of the carriage when the lock is released and the cover is opened. Moreover, in the case where the carriage is stopped in the center of the housing when an error is detected, the carriage is possibly moved when the cover is opened and a hand is inserted in the housing. Thus, the problems regarding the safety have not been solved sufficiently.
Therefore, there is a need to provide an inkjet recording device that is excellent in safety and allows an operator to use it safely without a risk of injury due to the movement of the carriage.

Inkjet recording device and method of releasing cover lock of inkjet recording device


Provided is an electrostatic charge dissipator for removing electrostatic charge inside a storage tank or other enclosed volume. The dissipator comprises yarns of electrically conductive polymeric fibers, such as carbon fiber. The yarns have broken fiber tips or stray fibers projecting away from the yarns, thereby functioning to concentrate electric fields and facilitate charge collection. The yarns are attached to a bracket for mechanical attachment to the tank, and are electrically connected to a feedthrough for providing an electrical path to ground potential. The present dissipator can also comprise a support, such as a rope, chain, or the like, and a weight for limiting the movement of the dissipator. The present dissipator is highly corrosion resistant and does not threaten pumps or valves with damaging metal debris.

Liquid storage tanks are commonly used in petroleum production and at industrial facilities. These tanks are used to store petroleum products, contaminated wastewater, or process chemicals. These materials may contain flammable, volatile components that present an explosion hazard. If a tank contains flammable vapors and air, any source of electrostatic discharge can trigger a dangerous and costly explosion.
Consequently, electrostatic drain devices are sometimes employed inside storage tanks. The electrostatic drain device safely discharges electrostatic charges in the contained air and liquid to ground potential, thereby eliminating the possibility of an electrostatic explosion trigger.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional electrostatic drain and storage tank according to the prior art. The tank 10 contains a liquid and a mixture of air and explosive vapors. The explosive vapors may comprise low molecular weight hydrocarbon vapors such as butane for example. The liquid flows into and out of the tank 10 via a pipe connection 11. As the liquid moves through the pipe, electrostatic charge is created in the liquid via well known triboelectric effects. This electrostatic charge will become trapped in the tank if there is no conductive path to ground potential. The trapped electrostatic charge can trigger an explosion of the air and flammable vapor mixture.
Nonconductive tanks (e.g. made of polymers or fiberglass) are particularly problematic because they do not provide an electrically conductive path to ground potential. Metal tanks can also present a hazard if they are coated with an electrically insulating coating of epoxy or paint.
The prior art solution to this problem is to use a metal twisted wire brush 12 as an electrostatic drain. The metal wire brush device 12 is suspended inside the tank 10 and electrically connected to ground potential 13. The wire brush comprises a twisted cable 14 with embedded small diameter wires 15 (e.g. 0.001-0.020″ diameter). The small diameter wires have sharp tips that serve to concentrate an electric field, and thereby facilitate charge collection. The wire brush 12 is typically made entirely of stainless steel. In operation, the drain device accumulates electrostatic charge present in the liquid and air, and provides a path for this charge to flow to ground potential 13.
The conventional solution of FIG. 1 is effective for dissipating electrostatic charge. However it has several serious disadvantages, including high cost, susceptibility to corrosion, difficulty of installation (since the central twisted wire is rigid or semi-rigid), and tendency of the small wires to loosen and fall off over time. The small wires can loosen because they are held at only a single point where they pass through the twisted cable. Hence if corrosion causes one wire to dislodge, then all other wires in the same bundle will fall out as well. Small wires or corroded metal particles that fall into the liquid will damage downstream equipment Consequently, the wire brush 12 presents a significant hazard for liquid-handling equipment such as filters, valves and pumps.
Corrosion is a great concern at petroleum facilities because the liquids in the tank often contain combinations of salts, acids, hydrogen sulphide and other substances that corrode many types of metals, including stainless steel. This is one reason why non-metallic tanks are preferred for these applications.
There is an urgent need for a low-cost, reliable, corrosion-proof and easily installed electrostatic charge dissipator that does not present a hazard to liquid handling equipment. Such a charge dissipator could greatly improve safety for workers and decrease the cost of oil and chemical production.

Electrostatic charge dissipator for storage tanks


The system provides a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver in a vehicle. The GNSS receiver includes a radio frequency (RF) receiving circuit configured to receive GNSS signals from a plurality of GNSS satellites orbiting Earth at respective azimuth and elevation angles, a memory device storing an predetermined antenna pattern including initial signal to noise ratio (SNR) values for each of the respective azimuth and elevation angles, and a processor. The processor is configured to calculate SNR values of the received GNSS signals, iteratively calculate an updated antenna pattern by combining the calculated SNR values with the initial SNR values, compare further SNR values of further received GNSS signals to the SNR values in the updated antenna pattern to perform at least one of the following: 1) detection and mitigation of multipath signals, 2) estimation of vehicle heading, and 3) determination of a location of the antenna within the vehicle.

Conventional global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers placed in vehicles, are able to determine the position of the vehicle by receiving GNSS signals from GNSS satellites. These conventional GNSS receivers may also attempt to eliminate multipath signals using methods that may be less than effective due to insufficiency of measurement data.
Therefore, these conventional methods may not be able to properly eliminate multipath signals, and as a consequence, the GNSS navigation solution is negatively affected. For example, the computed position may be erroneous, the calibration of sensors may be erroneous, etc.

Antenna pattern data mining for automotive GNSS receivers


A method of tuning an ion beam in an ion implanter relative to, e.g., ion beam current, energy, size and shape, includes retrieving a set of parameters associated with operation of the ion implanter, at least some of which are stored in a dynamic database, configuring the ion implanter according to the retrieved set of parameters, to thereby provide an ion beam, optimizing the ion beam by varying one or more of the parameters, and updating the parameters stored in the dynamic database which changed during optimization.

A contemplated application of the present invention is in an ion implanter that may be used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices or other materials. In such an application, semiconductor wafers are modified by implanting atoms of desired species into the body of the wafer, for example to form regions of varying conductivity.
Ion implanters are well known and generally conform to a common design as follows. An ion source generally comprises an arc chamber in which a plasma is generated. The plasma will contain ions of a desired species to be implanted. The conditions under which the ion source operates affects the plasma produced. For example, varying the operational parameters affecting the ion source may change the number of ions in the plasma, the composition of the ions in the plasma (e.g. by promoting cracking of molecules), and the energy of ions in the plasma.
An extraction lens assembly produces an electric field that extracts ions from the ion source and forms a mixed beam of ions. Only ions of a particular species are usually required for implantation in a wafer or other substrate, for example a particular dopant for implantation in a semiconductor wafer. The required ions are selected from the mixed ion beam using a mass-analysing magnet in association with a mass-resolving slit. By setting appropriate operational parameters on the mass-analysing magnet and the ion optics associated therewith, an ion beam containing almost exclusively the required ion species emerges from the mass-resolving slit.
This ion beam is transported to a process chamber where the ion beam is incident on a substrate held in place in the ion beam path by a substrate holder. The ions may be accelerated or decelerated and focused prior to implantation. Other ion optics may be included along the ion beam path to steer and shape the ion beam, and prevent loss of ion current from the ion beam.
The various parts are operated under the management of a controller, typically a suitably-programmed personal computer or the like. A more detailed description of an ion implanter can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,200.
Accordingly, there are many operational parameters associated with the ion implanter that influence the ion beam that reaches the wafer. In particular, control of these parameters is required to ensure a desired ion beam current, energy, size and shape. Moreover, any of these ion beam attributes may vary from implant recipe to implant recipe.


A method and apparatus for controlling deployment of pedestrian head protection devices on a motor vehicle having a metal bumper is disclosed. The disclosed inventive concept involves strategic placement of accelerometer sensing devices and the derivation of a real time impact signal from the signals generated by the accelerometers. This real time impact signal is used along with thresholds and a time window to control deployment. The apparatus includes a metal bumper, two support brackets attaching the bumper to the vehicle and at least two accelerometers fitted to the bumper proximate the brackets. The derivation and use of a single impact signal from said first and second signal-generating accelerometers is achieved by taking the larger of two absolute values derived from the accelerometers.

Pedestrian-vehicle impact events are unfortunate but known occurrences. It is known that in a pedestrian collision, eighty percent of serious injuries occurred to the pedestrian's head while thirty-seven percent of moderate injuries were suffered by lower extremities. (Crandall et al., "Designing Road Vehicles for Pedestrian Protection," BMJ [formerly British Medical Journal], 324 [7346], pp. 1145-1148)
It is common for the pedestrian's body to be moved by the impacting vehicle such that the pedestrian's head impacts upon the vehicle's engine hood. In an effort to reduce or eliminate injury to the pedestrian's head in a pedestrian-vehicle impact event, automotive vehicle designers developed vehicle systems in which either the trailing edge of the vehicle engine hood is raised and, or alternatively, an airbag is deployed from beneath the trailing edge of the vehicle hood.
Both approaches to lessening the injuries to the pedestrian's head require a sensing system mounted in association with the vehicle bumper. Typically this sensing system is fitted to the bumper in an area adjacent to the energy absorber and behind the soft, polymerized fascia at the front of the vehicle. The fascia thus covers the components of the sensing system.
While the sensing system discussed above is suitable for most passenger cars or sport utility vehicles which incorporate fascias as part of their front end design, no similar arrangement is known for vehicles, typically trucks, that have metal bumpers. Without a pedestrian impact sensing system, it may not be possible to provide such vehicles with effective systems that can protect the head of the impacted pedestrian from serious injury.
Accordingly, there is a need for a practical and effective system to protect pedestrians in a pedestrian-vehicle impact event involving a vehicle having a metal bumper. As in so many areas of vehicle technology, there is always room for improvement related to the protection of pedestrians in a pedestrian-vehicle impact event.

Pedestrian protection sensing system for vehicle having metal bumpers