A device for restraining an energy store is provided that includes one or more cells disposed between a first side of the energy store and a second side of the energy store vertically opposite to the first side. The device has at least one first mounting device designed for transferring a first clamping force acting in the direction of the second side to the first side of the energy store, and at least one second mounting device designed for transferring a second clamping force acting in the direction of the first side to the second side o the energy store, and at least one elastic clamping device designed for providing the first and second clamping forces and further designed for adapting a distance between the at least one first mounting device and the at least one second mounting device to a permissible distance between the first and the second side.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for restraining an energy store, and to an energy store that may be used, for example, in vehicles.
2. Description of the Background Art
Powerful energy stores, such as lithium ion and NiHM batteries or "super caps," are used in modern hybrid electric vehicles or electric vehicles (HEV/EV vehicles). Resistances within and outside the cells cause these energy stores to heat up during rapid charging and discharging. Temperatures above 50° C. permanently damage the energy stores. To ensure the operation of the energy stores, the latter must be actively cooled. For this purpose, the energy stores are brought into thermal contact with a plate through which refrigerant flows and are cooled thereby.
When cooling the cells, it is important for all cells to be cooled uniformly. If cell cooling is not uniform, the cells age at different rates, which has a negative impact on the operation and performance of the energy stores. The described energy stores are furthermore to be mechanically connected to the vehicle in order to ensure secure attachment and to avoid damage to the energy store. In doing so, the forces and accelerations to be applied as well as those which occur must be absorbed and corresponding geometric tolerances of the energy stores bridged.
Modern energy stores usually have simple housings that do not provide an apparatus for attaching them in vehicles. They are therefore usually provided with separate housings or apparatuses that do no meet tolerance compensation requirements when multiple energy stores are used simultaneously, or they are able to do so only by using a comparatively large amount of installation space and/or complex assembly.
DE 27 01 780 B1 describes a battery mount for a motor vehicle battery that is covered by a cover, comprising a mounting apparatus for accommodating the battery and a U-shaped mount spanning the battery which is formed from a horizontal clip which rests at least partially on the upper side of the battery and has vertical clamping parts that are detachably connected to the mounting apparatus.
The commonly used clamping and attachment systems usually require a great deal of installation space and/or assembly work. In addition, compensating any geometrical tolerances that occur is not possible in these systems, or it is possible only to a limited extent, due to the manufacture, assembly, operation, etc. of the energy stores.

Apparatus for restraining an energy store


A bed rail assembly adapted to a bed having a box spring and a mattress, for securing both sides of a bed to prevent a bed occupant from rolling off either side, fits between the box spring and mattress and adjusts to any width mattress, having two side securing plates that maintain the assembly onto the sides of the mattress and box spring, the side securing plates attaching to side support rails within which vertically sliding bed rails are retained within a pair of rail locking mechanisms on each end of each side support rails, the vertically sliding bed rails being raised or lowered by releasing and locking open spring-loaded locking pins from mechanism housings within the rail locking mechanisms for each sliding bed rail to be raised or lowered.

1. Field of Invention
A bed rail assembly adapted to a bed having a box spring and a mattress, for securing both sides of a bed to prevent a bed occupant from rolling off either side, fits between the box spring and mattress and adjusts to any width mattress, having two side securing plates that maintain the assembly onto the sides of the mattress and box spring, the side securing plates attaching to side support rails within which vertically sliding bed rails are retained within a pair of rail locking mechanisms on each end of each side support rails, the vertically sliding bed rails being raised or lowered by releasing and locking open spring-loaded locking pins from mechanism housings within the rail locking mechanisms for each sliding bed rail to be raised or lowered.
2. Description of Prior Art
The following United States patents were discovered and are disclosed within this application for utility patent. All relate to bed railing systems either adapted to a bed or made part of a bed frame.
The first three U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,942 to Allevato, U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,171 to Einsele and U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,654 to Pivacek, disclose bed rail supports that are pivotal on a vertical and horizontal plane, which attach to a bed frame. Their bed rails are raised by pivotal means and store in a horizontal plane below the surface of the bed, each device having a stop to retain a raised position and a spring or brake member to assist in the lowering of the bed rail to prevent rapid lowering of the bed rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,490 to Cardinale discloses a bed safety guard which has a frame that is inserted between a box spring and a mattress, making it portable. However, the bed rail is a fixed bed rail which cannot be lowered. The guard rail can be removed by disengaging it from the slat, which runs across the width of the bed, but does not suggest raising and lowering the guard rail.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,559 to Bly, a telescoping bed side rail is adjustable for length and is connected to the bed frame. It features a spring-loaded quick release pin which allows for a quick attachment of the lower portion of the bed rail which is pivotally mounted to the bracket which is connected to the frame portion by a clamp assembly. It is intended for use on one side of the bed only, and its locking means attaches the bed rail to the pivotal bracket in only one position, which does not provide for the bed rail to be raised and lowered, only disengaged. It is also intended for a bed which raises, the telescoping portion of the bed rail becoming elongated when the bed is lowered, and retracted when the bed is raised.
Another bed rail mounting bracket attaching directly to the frame is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,340 to Shatz, and it discloses a spring loaded locking pin with a manual gripping know fitted to a sleeve attached to a mounting bracket, the sleeve receiving a lower end of a bed rail, which is not claimed as part of the invention. It is unknown if the bed rail has multiple holes in it or not, since it is not claimed as part of the invention, these unknown holes receiving the end of the pin.

Portable and adjustable dual bed rail assembly


Rebalancing as a result of re-encoding a code chunk in response to scaling out of a geographically diverse storage system employing erasure coding technology is disclosed. After a scaling out event, a new erasure coding scheme can be selected. An old coding chunk generated according to an old erasure coding scheme can be re-encoded into a new coding chunk according to the new erasure coding scheme and based on a data chunk not previously protected by the old coding chunk. The re-encoding can be selected to diversify distribution of chunks, resulting in rebalancing occurring as part of re-encoding. In an embodiment, the new coding chunk can be generated in a new zone from the scaling out event. In another embodiment, the data chunk can be moved to the new zone from the scaling out event.

Conventional data storage techniques can employ erasure coding technology to conserve storage space for protection of data. As an example, erasure coding can protect data by generating data fragments and erasure coding fragments according to an erasure coding scheme in a manner that uses less space than storing the original data and full copies of the original data. Erasure coding can allow for the recovery of a representation of the original data even where some of the original data or erasure coding fragments are lost, e.g., in a 10+2 erasure coding scheme providing two erasure coding fragments for every 10 data fragments, for a total of 12 fragments, the data can be accessible up to the loss of any two of the 12 fragments. This can make erasure coding an attractive protection mechanism, for example, in bulk data storage.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Rebalancing in a geographically diverse storage system employing erasure coding


An information distribution system obtains event information such as image data about an event in the past or future using a collection server or a creation server, and stores the obtained event information in a storage server. The event information such as the image data is obtained with association to a location of the event and stored. The vehicle includes an image display system. An occupant wears a wearable device which is a display unit. When the location of an event is within the field of view of the occupant, the event image is displayed through the wearable device based on the event information such as the image data.

Techniques are known to display various types of information within a field of view of a driver or other occupant of a vehicle.
For example, JP 2004-219664A discloses displaying navigation information to a destination, and facility information associated with roads, buildings, and the like on a transmissive display of a head mounted display unit which the driver of a vehicle wears on the head. It is further described that when a person or obstacle is detected in front of the vehicle, an alarm is displayed.

Vehicle display system for displaying surrounding event information


A method for testing an integrated circuit (IC) that includes a step of mechanically turning on off an electrical connection to a test pin disposed on an electronic test head. The method further includes a step of rotating a driving rod to engage a switching wheel or other similar means for turning on-off of an electrical connection.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the method and system of testing the integrated circuits (ICs) and printed circuit board (PCB). More particularly, this invention relates to an electromechanically driven test head with miniaturized physical size with pin electronics in the test head such that the signal path from the pin electronics to the device under test (DUT) is less than ¼ wavelength of the highest frequency component of the driving signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the integrated circuits (ICs) and electronic components supported on a printed circuit board (PCB) become more complicate with higher level of integration and increasingly faster operational speed, the test heads implemented in conventional techniques of IC and PCB circuit testing are challenged by many technical difficulties. One particular difficulty is the large size of the test heads due to the use of relay to switch off and isolate the high speed pin electronics from the low speed parametric and analog test circuitry so that the high speed signal from the pin electronics will not be effected during high speed testing. The physical size and the parasitic capacitance of the relays thus become the major obstacle to the miniaturization of the test head.
The difficulty becomes even more pronounced now due to the increase of operational speed and pin count of an IC test system. In the conventional the IC test system design, the pin electronic signal driving and receiving path to the device under test is required to be a 50 ohm transmission line with matching termination impedance to avoid a problem of signal reflection when the length of the drive path exceeds ¼ wavelength of the driving and receiving signal. Due to the large size of the relays used in the conventional test head, the transmission line requirement for the IC test system's pin electronic presents a very difficult task for IC test system test head design and down grade the tester performance especially for DUT which has no transmission line driving capability In order to reduce the cost of IC testing operations and to increase the performance of the IC test systems there are ever-increased demand to miniaturize the test head to eliminate the transmission line requirement.
Therefore, a demand still exists in the art of IC testing to provide a new configuration and method to reduce the size of the test head such that the above-mentioned difficulties can be resolved.

High speed electromechanically driven test ahead


A ventilation system for a watercraft engine includes an improved construction that can inhibit oil in an oil container from flowing into an air induction system even if the watercraft capsizes. The engine includes an engine body and an air induction system that introduces air to combustion chambers. A lubrication system is arranged to lubricate at least a portion of the engine body with lubricant oil. The lubrication system includes an oil tank assembly out of the engine body. A ventilation system is arranged to separate a gaseous component from a liquid component. The ventilation system includes a separator configured to separate the gaseous component from the liquid component. A ventilation passage connects the separator with the air induction system. A return passage couples a bottom portion of the ventilation passage with inside of the engine body.

This application is based on and claims priority to Japanese Patent Applications No. 2000-284753, filed Sep. 20, 2000, No. 2001-108382, filed Apr. 6, 2001 and No. 2001-276355, filed Sep. 12, 2001, the entire contents of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an ventilation system for a watercraft engine, and more particularly to an improved induction system which includes a vapor return system.
2. Description of Related Art
Personal watercraft have become very popular in recent years. This type of watercraft is quite sporting in nature and carries one or more riders. A relatively small hull of the personal watercraft defines a rider""s area above an engine compartment. An internal combustion engine powers a jet propulsion unit which propels the watercraft. The engine lies within the engine compartment in front of a tunnel formed on the underside of the hull. A jet propulsion unit, which includes an impeller, is placed within the tunnel. The impeller has an impeller shaft driven by the engine. The impeller shaft extends between the engine and the jet propulsion device through a bulkhead of the hull tunnel.
Typically, two-cycle engines are used in personal watercraft because two-cycle engines have a fairly high power to weight ratio. One disadvantage of two-cycle engines, however, is that they produce relatively high emissions. In particular, large amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are produced during operation of the engine. When steps are taken to reduce these emissions, other undesirable consequences typically result, such as an increase in weight of the engine, the cost of manufacture, and/or the reduction of power.
It has been suggested that four-cycle engines replace two-cycle engines in personal watercraft. Four-cycle engines typically produce less hydrocarbon emissions an two-cycle engines while still producing a relatively high power output. However, adapting four-cycle engines for use in personal watercraft has its own engineering and technical challenges due to, at least in part, the limited space available within the hull of a personal watercraft.
A four-cycle engine utilizes a more complex lubrication system as compared with a two-cycle engine. One approach to enabling the use of a four-cycle engine in personal watercraft applications is to provide the engine with a dry sump lubrication system. A dry sump system utilizes a shallow reservoir of oil available for an oil pump as compared with the volume of oil in a wet sump system having an oil pan, thus reducing the overall height of the engine.
A four-cycle engine can also utilize a ventilation system through which blow-by gases are returned to an air induction system to be burned with an air/fuel charge in one or more combustion chambers. The blow-by gases are comprised of air/fuel mixture and/or oil leaking from a combustion chamber into the crankcase through a nominal space formed between a piston and an inner surface of a cylinder bore.
FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatic view of an exemplary arrangement that includes a combined lubrication and ventilation system. It should be noted that the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is not prior art and was developed by the inventors themselves. While the engine 28 is operating, lubricant oil that has lubricated engine portions and blow-by gases together drain downwardly to a shallow reservoir defined in the crankcase 30 of the engine 28. A scavenge pump 32 pressurizes the oil and the blow-by gases to an oil tank assembly 34 through a scavenge passage 36. A feed pump 38 pressurizes and thereby feeds the oil in the oil tank assembly 34 to the engine portions that need lubrication through a feed passage 40. If the oil in the oil tank assembly 34 exceeds a preset level, the excess oil moves to a cylinder head 42 through a spillway passage 44 and thus lubricates engine components therein.
A plenum chamber 46 is coupled with the combustion chamber defined within the cylinder head 42 through an intake passage. The blow-by gases collected in the oil tank assembly 34 are drawn into the plenum chamber 46 through a ventilation passage 50 and then to the combustion chamber with a fresh air/fuel charge to be burned therein. This cycle repeats as the engine 28 operates.
One aspect of the present invention includes the realization that the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1 can cause a problem if used with a personal watercraft. Typically, personal watercraft are capsized and readily returned to a normal upright position during operation. However, in the arrangement thus described, the oil in the oil tank assembly 34 can flow into the ventilation passage 50 and then to the plenum chamber 46 while the watercraft capsizing. If this occurs, an air induction system including the plenum chamber 46 and the intake passage 48 can be damaged by the oil flown thereinto. Additionally, such a flow of oil into the induction system can interfere with normal operation of the engine. A need thus exists for an improved ventilation system for a watercraft engine that can inhibit the oil from flowing into an air induction system even if the watercraft capsizes.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a watercraft comprises a hull. A propulsion device is configured to propel the hull. An internal combustion engine is configured to power the propulsion device. The engine includes an engine body and a moveable member moveable relative to the engine body. The engine body and the moveable member together define a combustion chamber. An air induction system is configured to guide air to the combustion chamber. A lubrication system is arranged to lubricate at least a portion of the engine body with lubricant oil. The lubrication system includes an oil container out of the engine body. A ventilation system is configured to separate a gaseous component from a liquid component. The ventilation system includes a separator configured to separate the gaseous component from the liquid component. A ventilation passage connects the separator with the air induction system. A return passage couples a bottom portion of the ventilation passage with inside of the engine body.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a watercraft comprises a hull. A propulsion device is arranged to propel the hull. An internal combustion engine is arranged to power the propulsion device. The engine includes an engine body and a moveable member moveable relative to the engine body. The engine body and the moveable member together define a combustion chamber. An air induction system is arranged to introduce air to the combustion chamber. A lubrication system is arranged to lubricate at least a portion of the engine body with lubricant oil. The lubrication system includes an oil container out of the engine body. A ventilation system is arranged to separate a gaseous component from a liquid component. The ventilation system includes a separator configured to separate the gaseous component from the liquid component. A ventilation passage connects the separator with the air induction system. An upstream end of the ventilation passages is disposed on one side of the hull. At least a portion of the ventilation passage is disposed on the other side of the hull.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a watercraft comprises a hull. A propulsion device is arranged to propel the hull. An internal combustion engine is arranged to power the propulsion device. The engine includes an engine body and a moveable member moveable relative to the engine body. The engine body and the moveable member together define a combustion chamber. An air induction system is arranged to introduce air to the combustion chamber. A lubrication system is arranged to lubricate at least a portion of the engine body with lubricant oil. The lubrication system includes an oil container out of the engine body. A ventilation system is arranged to separate a gaseous component from a liquid component. The ventilation system includes a separator configured to separate the gaseous component from the liquid component. A ventilation passage connects the separator with the air induction system. A check valve is disposed within the ventilation passage. The check valve is configured to open when the watercraft is in a normal upright position and to close when the watercraft is in a capsizing position.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a watercraft comprises a hull. A propulsion device is configured to propel the hull. An internal combustion engine is configured to power the propulsion device. The engine includes an engine body and a moveable member moveable relative to the engine body. The engine body and the moveable member together define a combustion chamber. An air induction system is configured to guide air to the combustion chamber. A lubrication system is configured to lubricate at least a portion of the engine body with lubricant oil. The engine body defines a space in which the oil that has lubricated the portion of the engine body temporarily collects. The lubrication system includes an oil container out of the engine body. A scavenge passage couples the space with the oil container. A ventilation system is configured to separate a gaseous component from a liquid component. The ventilation system includes a separator configured to separate the gaseous component from the liquid component. A ventilation passage connects the separator with the air induction system. A return passage couples the ventilation passage with inside of the engine body. The return passage is connected with the scavenge passage.
In accordance with a yet further aspect of the present invention, a watercraft comprises a hull. A propulsion device is configured to propel the hull. An internal combustion engine is configured to power the propulsion device. The engine includes an engine body and a moveable member moveable relative to the engine body. The engine body and the moveable member together define a combustion chamber. An air induction system is configured to introduce air to the combustion chamber. A lubrication system is configured to lubricate at least a portion of the engine body with lubricant oil. The lubrication system includes an oil container out of the engine body. A ventilation system is configured to separate a gaseous component from a liquid component. The ventilation system includes a plurality of separators configured to separate the gaseous component from the liquid component. A ventilation passage connects the separators with the air induction system. A return passage couples the ventilation passage with inside of the engine body.

Ventilation system for watercraft engine


A clamping device for mobile phones includes a fork-shaped link pivotally connected to a clamp seat at either end. Each clamp seat has a lateral side provided with slanting rack teeth. An elastic securing seat is disposed adjacent to the rack teeth and has stop elements for projecting into the rack teeth to force the clamp seats to displace only inwardly to be positioned in place. The securing seat further has slanting notches at its ends. A press rod provided with corresponding slanting notches is passed through the notches of the securing seat. By pressing the press rod, the securing seat is urged to displace rearwardly, bring the stop elements to disengage from the rack teeth. Due to the action of compression springs, the clamp seats are caused to instantly extend to clamp mobile phones of various sizes and types.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a clamping device for mobile phones, and more particularly to a clamping device which is adjustable to permit easy and convenient clamping for mobile phones.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Mobile phones have become very popular today. The placement of the mobile phones may however pose a problem in driving. It will be inconvenient to use the mobile phone if the mobile phone is hung from the driver's waist or placed in the handbag or briefcase. If it is randomly placed on the seat, the mobile phone may bump against hard objects, damaging the components. Therefore, there have been developed mobile phone holders for mounting in cars. As earlier types of such holders were mostly box type devices, they could hold mobile phones of a compatible size only. Besides, they could not effectively hold the mobile phones firmly in place and prevent them from bumping against or moving about inside the boxes. Although clamping devices were later provided in mobile phone holders for use in cars, their clamping effect was not satisfactory and it is inconvenient to remove or place the mobile phones from or on the holder. Besides, there are other disadvantages such as complicated construction, high costs, and low compatibility.


In the solid-state image sensor comprising 4-Tr-pixels, TG lines connecting the gate electrodes 28TG of the transfer transistors of the pixel units of the nth row, and select lines connecting the gate electrodes 28SEL of the select transistors of the pixel units of the n+1th row are formed of a common signal line, and the gate electrodes 28TG of the pixels of the nth row and the gate electrodes 28SEL of the pixel units of the n+1th row are formed in one continuous pattern of the same conducting layer. Whereby allowance can be given to layouts of the metal interconnection layers. Accordingly, the floating diffusions FD can be effectively shielded from light. Furthermore, allowance can be given to the area. Accordingly, the floating diffusions FD can have the area increased, whereby the junction leakage can be reduced.

The present invention relates to a solid-state image sensor and an image reading method, more specifically a solid-state image sensor having 4-Tr-pixels and an image reading method for the solid-state image sensor.
Solid-state image sensors basically formed of CMOS generally use the structure called APS (Active Pixel Sensor), which comprises photodiodes for converting optical signals to electric signals, reset transistors for resetting the photodiodes, source follower transistors for converting signal charges of the photodiodes to voltages to output the signal charges in voltage, and select transistors for connecting/selecting pixels and signal lines. Solid-state image sensors formed of the above-described three kinds of transistors, the so-called 3-Tr-pixel solid-state image sensors are described in, e.g., Reference 1 (Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 2002-077731), etc.
It is said that the solid-state image sensors having 3-Tr-pixels are vulnerable to noises due to thermal noises (kTC noises). The structure called 4-Tr-pixel which can remove even the kTC noises has been proposed. The solid-state image sensor having 4-Tr-pixels has the structure further comprising transfer transistors (transfer gates) between the reset transistors and the photodiodes, and an n-type diffused layer (FD: Floating Diffusion) between the reset transistors and the transfer transistors is connected to the gates of the source follower transistors. The solid-state image sensors having the 4-Tr-pixels are described in, e.g., Reference 2 (Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 2000-201300), Reference 3 (Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 2000-260971), and Reference 4 (Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 2001-177765). Solid-state image sensors having other pixel structures are described in, e.g., Reference 5 (Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 2000-152086) and Reference 6 (Specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,619).
FIG. 62 is a circuit diagram of the solid-state image sensor having 4-Tr-pixels. In FIG. 62, a pixel array unit 100 is represented by 2×2 unit pixels.
Each pixel is formed of a photodiode PD, a transfer transistor TG, a reset transistor RST, a source follower transistor SF-Tr, and a select transistor SELECT.
The cathode terminal of the photodiode PD is connected to the source terminal of the transfer transistor TG. The anode terminal of the photodiode PD is grounded. The drain terminal of the transfer transistor TG is connected to the source terminal of the reset transistor RST and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor SF-Tr. An impurity diffused region which stores charges transferred from the photodiode PD is present in the region where the drain terminal of the transfer transistor TG is connected to the source terminal of the reset transistor RST and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor SF-Tr. The impurity diffused region will be hereinafter called a floating diffusion FD. The source terminal of the source follower transistor SF-Tr is connected to the drain terminal of the select transistor SELECT.
The respective pixels adjacent to each other in the row direction are connected to a transfer gate (TG) line which commonly connects the gate terminals of the transfer transistors TG, to a reset (RST) line which commonly connects the gate terminals of the reset transistors RST, and to a select line which commonly connects the gate terminals of the select transistor SELECT.
The respective pixels adjacent to each other in the column direction are connected to a signal read line which commonly connects the source terminals of the select transistors SELECT and to a VR (reset voltage) line which commonly connects the drain terminals of the reset transistors RST and the drain terminals of the source follower transistors SF-Tr.
The TG lines, the RST lines and the select lines are connected to a row selecting circuit 102. The signal read lines are connected to a signal read/noise canceller circuit 104. The signal read/noise canceller circuit 104 is connected to an output circuit 108 via an AD converter 106. The VR lines are connected to an electric power source whose voltage is substantially a source voltage or an electric power source whose voltage is decreased in the chip.
Then, the image reading method of the solid-state image sensor shown in FIG. 62 will be explained with reference to FIG. 63. FIG. 63 is a timing chart explaining the image reading method of the solid-state image sensor. Positive voltages are taken on the vertical axis, and time is taken on the horizontal axis.
In the reset state, the photodiode PD has a prescribed reference voltage reflecting a reset voltage VR. When light is incident on the photodiode PD, electrons are generated, and the voltage of the photodiode PD is gradually decreased.
Then, when the reset signal is applied to the RST line, the floating diffusions FD are reset, and voltage of the floating diffusions FD is stabilized at a prescribed value. This voltage is applied to the gate terminal of the source follower transistor SF-Tr. In this state, the select signal is applied to the select line, and a voltage corresponding to the reset voltage VR−the threshold voltage Vth is outputted to the signal read line (VR read).
Next, a signal is applied to the TG line to turn on the transfer transistor TG, and the electrons stored in the photodiode PD are transferred to the floating diffusion FD. Thus, the voltage of the floating diffusion FD is lowered while potential of the photodiode PD becomes said reference voltage.
The voltage of the floating diffusion FD is lowered to thereby lower voltage to be applied to the gate terminal of the source follower transistor SF-Tr. In this state, when a select signal is again applied to the select line, a voltage decreased by voltage change amounts ΔV corresponding to electron amounts stored in the photodiode PD, i.e., the reset voltage VR−the threshold voltage Vth−the voltage change amounts ΔV is outputted to the signal read line (Vsignal read).
Next, difference between the VR read voltage (VR−Vth) and the Vsignal read voltage (VR−Vth−ΔV) is given by the signal read/noise canceller circuit 102 to thereby give the voltage change amounts ΔV. Thus, output voltage variations of the source follower transistors SF-Tr of the respective pixels due to the threshold voltage variations are cancelled, and voltage variation amounts ΔV corresponding to the electron amounts stored in the photodiodes PD can be correctly read.
A string of the reading operations described above is made sequentially on the respective pixels, and optical signals detected by the photodiodes PD can be read.
The solid-state image sensor having 4-Tr-pixels, which has more constituent elements than the solid-state image sensor having 3-Tr-pixels has risks of lower yields, etc. An area occupied by the photodiode PD in a pixel is decreased. From these viewpoints, Reference 4 proposes that signal lines are commonly used by adjacent pixels. In Reference 4, the RST line and the select line, the RST line and the TG line, or the TG line and the select line are commonly used by adjacent pixels for a decreased number of lines and higher yields.
However, Reference 4 neither teaches nor suggests a specific layout of pixels. In the above-described image reading method, charges from the photodiode PD of each row are transferred to the floating diffusion FD and read. This operation is made sequentially for the other rows, which often causes "deflections" and "distortions" due to detection time lags among the rows.

Solid-state image sensor and image reading method


A method of collecting information related to manufacture of an implantable medical device, storing the information in a radio frequency identifier (RFID) unit, updating the information stored in the RFID unit during manufacturing of the implantable medical device, and transferring the information from the RFID unit to other devices.

Implantable medical devices (IMDs) are devices designed to be implanted into a patient. Some examples of these devices include cardiac rhythm management (CRM) devices such as implantable pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). The devices are used to treat patients using electrical therapy and to aid a physician or caregiver in patient diagnosis through internal monitoring of a patient's condition. Implantable devices may also include electrical leads that are either separate from, or connected to, a CRM. Electrical leads connected to a CRM are in communication with sense amplifiers of the CRM devices to monitor electrical heart activity within a patient. The CRM devices often include sensors to monitor other internal patient parameters. Other examples of implantable medical devices include implantable insulin pumps or devices implanted to administer drugs to a patient. Because the devices are implantable and often complex, manufacturing of IMDs requires management of a large quantity of information. This information often needs to track the device through the duration of its manufacture to the implant procedure and sometimes throughout the life of the device. It is desirable to streamline the management of the information and maintain information integrity.

System and method of managing information for an implantable medical device


An apparatus and a method for state detection, the apparatus for state detection includes one or more charge sensing elements arranged on a terminal, a charge collection circuit connected to the charge sensing element, and a state detection module connected to the charge collection circuit, the charge collection circuit is configured to generate charge and radiate the charge out through the charge sensing element, and collect reflected charge from each of the charge sensing elements to generate an induced charge value of the charge sensing element, and output the induced charge value of each of the charge sensing elements to the state detection module; the state detection module is configured to determine a state of the terminal according to the induced charge value.

Currently, the usage scenarios of mobile terminals are becoming more and more complicated, and the requirements of the industry and users on the intelligent performance of the terminals are also increasing. In the existing art, the state of the terminal is generally detected by an acceleration sensor, a gravity sensor, a gyroscope, and so on. Therefore, it is usually only feasible to detect the terminal in a moving state, but cannot detect the terminal in a stationary state.

Apparatus and method for state detection


An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a plurality of pixels provided on a substrate, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes: a first sub-pixel area for emitting light of a first color; a second sub-pixel area for emitting light of a second color different from the first color; a third sub-pixel area for emitting light of a third color different from the first and second colors; and a transmission area through which external light transmits, wherein the first through third sub-pixel areas and the transmission area are sequentially arranged on the substrate in a first direction.

1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to an organic light-emitting display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic light-emitting apparatus is a self-emitting display apparatus that includes an organic light-emitting device including a hole injection electrode, an electron injection electrode, and an organic emission layer formed therebetween. In the organic light-emitting apparatus, holes injected from the hole injection electrode and electrons injected from the electron injection electrode combine in the organic emission layer, thereby generating excitons, and when the excitons decay from an excited state to a ground state, light is emitted.
The organic light-emitting display apparatus does not use a separate light source. Therefore, the organic light-emitting display apparatus is driven with a low voltage and is light and thin. Also, as the organic light-emitting display apparatus has other excellent characteristics such as a broad viewing angle, high contrast, short response time, the application range of such an apparatus has been expanded from personal portable devices, such as MP3 players and portable terminals, televisions (TVs), etc.

Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same


Techniques are described for systematically and efficiently converting or otherwise accelerating latent defects in semiconductor devices into gross defects by applying appropriate defect acceleration stimulus to the semiconductor devices. Techniques are also described for evaluating test patterns to determine their effectiveness in accelerating the transition of latent defects to gross defects. This evaluation effectively allows various stress patterns to be graded or ranked, so that an optimal or high-confidence one can be selected. Such grading of possible stress patterns increases the probability that a given latent defect will escalate or otherwise manifest.

Some integrated circuit devices may be produced with latent defects that, unlike gross defects, do not immediately manifest when the device is tested for the first time. The type of latent defect can vary according to an architecture and performance parameters of a given device. For example, conductive structures that are spaced close to one another may be prone to electrical shorting from electromigration that occurs over a period of device operation and that causes the movement of conductive material through surrounding insulator material from one structure to another. Foreign material or a crystallographic defect can lead to the breakdown of a dielectric layer between conductive plates of a capacitor. Other types of defects and defect/device combinations will be appreciated. One technique for preventing defective integrated circuit devices from being installed in an end-user device is to expose the integrated circuit devices to stresses that accelerate the maturation of latent defects into gross defects. Once the defects complete formation, they can be detected by a test during the manufacturing process. The stresses are sometimes provided at elevated temperatures and supply voltages, and involve the application of voltage patterns that toggle some of the wires between standard cells between the binary values of 1 and 0. Toggling wires at elevated temperatures is sometimes referred to as burn-in. Unfortunately, a percentage of fabricated circuits invariably pass all such performance tests only to later fail during an application run at a customer site. Upon return to the manufacturer, the circuit fails the very same performance tests that it passed prior to shipment to the customer. To this end, there remain a number of non-trivial issues associated with achieving effective stress testing.
The figures depict various embodiments of the present disclosure for purposes of illustration only. Numerous variations, configurations, and other embodiments will be apparent from the following detailed discussion.

Accelerating latent defects in semiconductor devices


A method of manufacturing an array substrate for an IPS mode LCD device includes: forming a gate electrode, a gate line, a data line and a common line using a printing process; forming an active layer on the substrate including the gate electrode using a printing process; forming a source electrode, a drain electrode, a pixel electrode including a plurality of zigzag-shaped pixel electrode bars, and a common electrode including a plurality common electrode bars arranged in an alternating pattern with the pixel electrode bars using a photo process; forming at least one contact hole on the substrate including the thin film transistor using a printing process to expose a portion of the common electrode line and a portion of the common electrode; and forming a connecting metal using a printing process to electrically connect the common electrode line and the common electrode through the at least one contact hole. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce a cost and simplify manufacturing procedures using one photo process and four printing processes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an array substrate for an IPS mode LCD device and a method for manufacturing the same which are capable of simplifying a manufacturing process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display (LCD) devices have advantageous features such as low voltage operation, low power consumption, lightweight and slim profile, and full color realization. Because of these advantages, LCD devices are widely used as displays for watches and calculators, as a monitor of a computer, a monitor having television-receiving functions, television sets, and hand-held terminals.
The LCD devices make use of optical anisotropy and polarization properties of liquid crystal because the liquid crystals have a thin and long structure and a directionality to arrange liquid crystal molecules. Therefore, the arrangement direction of the liquid crystal molecules can be controlled by applying an electric field to the liquid crystals. If the arrangement direction of the liquid crystal molecules is arbitrarily adjusted, a polarized light may be arbitrarily modulated based upon the optical anisotropy. In this manner, predetermined images may be displayed on the LCD device.
The TN (Twisted Nematic) mode LCD device is widely used, but has a problem in that the viewing angle is narrow. The technologies for widening such a viewing angle are being studied and include an In Plane Switching (IPS) mode LCD device and a Vertical Alignment (VA) mode LCD device.
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a portion of a related art IPS mode LCD device. The LCD device includes an array substrate, an opposite substrate arranged opposite the array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the array substrate and the opposite substrate.
In FIG. 1, the related art IPS mode LCD device includes a plurality of gate lines 112 spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and arranged substantially parallel to a first direction, a plurality of common lines 116 formed in the same direction as the gate lines 112, and a plurality of data lines 124 arranged in a second direction that are substantially perpendicular to the gate lines 112 and the common lines 116. A pixel region P is defined by the gate line 112 and the data line 124.
A thin film transistor T is formed at a crossing point of the gate line 112 and the data line 124. The thin film transistor T includes a gate electrode 114, an active layer (not shown), a source electrode 126 and a drain electrode 128. The source electrode 126 is connected to the data line 124, and the gate electrode 114 is connected to the gate line 112. Also, the drain electrode 128 is connected to the pixel electrode 130.
The pixel electrode 130 includes a plurality of vertical pixel electrode bars 130b and horizontal pixel electrode bars 130a and 130c. The vertical pixel electrode bars 130b are arranged substantially parallel to the data line 124 and spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance. The horizontal pixel electrode bars 130a and 130c are connected to both ends of the vertical pixel electrode bars 130b and arranged substantially perpendicular to the data line 124. The horizontal pixel electrode bar 130c is connected to the drain electrode 128.
The common electrode 117 is connected to the common line 116. The common electrode 117 includes a plurality of vertical common electrode bars 117b and a horizontal common electrode bar 117a. The vertical common electrode bars 117b are arranged substantially parallel to the data line 124 and spaced apart from the vertical pixel electrode bar 130b by a predetermined distance. The horizontal common electrode bars 117a are connected to the vertical common electrode bars 117b and arranged substantially perpendicular to the data line 124. Each of the vertical common electrode bars 117b has one terminal connected to the common line 116 and the other terminal connected to the horizontal common electrode bar 117a. The horizontal pixel electrode bar 130a is arranged on a portion of the common line 116, with the gate insulating layer (not shown) interposed therebetween. Thus, a storage capacitor C is formed between the common line 116 and the horizontal pixel electrode bar 130a.
Accordingly, the plurality of vertical pixel electrode bars 130b and the plurality of vertical common electrode 117b are arranged in an alternating pattern and cross each other.
The array substrate for the related art IPS LCD device is generally manufactured using a five-mask process. In other words, the mask process used in the manufacture of the array substrate may include a cleaning, a deposition, a baking, a photo, a development, an etching, a peeling, etc.
A printing process may be used to form an active layer and a contact hole in the array substrate for the related art IPS mode LCD device of FIG. 1. A photo process is used to form the gate electrode, the source/drain electrodes, the channel, the pixel electrode and the common electrode. Generally, the photo process is complex and expensive. On the contrary, the printing process is simple and cheap.
However, the manufacture of the array substrate for the related art IPS mode LCD device requires a large number of mask processes. Also, because three photo processes are required, it costs a great deal and the manufacturing time increases due to the complexity of the process. Therefore, the manufacturing yield may be greatly reduced. When the mask process is reduced by simply one, the manufacturing time, the productivity and the manufacturing cost can be reduced considerably. For these reasons, efforts to reduce the processes have been actively made pursued.

Array substrate for in plane switching mode liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing the same


The present invention provides a transgenic maize plant having in its genome transgenic DNA including sequence for zein reduction and sequence for lysine biosynthesis, whereby expression of the transgenic DNA results in a synergistically increased lysine content of seed of the transgenic maize plant. The invention further provides a method for providing maize seed with synergistically increased lysine content.

Zea mays, commonly known as maize or corn, is a grain important both as human food and as animal feed. Maize seeds or kernels are naturally low in lysine content due to its protein composition. The majority of maize seed proteins are the zeins or prolamins, which are found in the endosperm and account for more than half of the total seed proteins. Zeins or prolamins are rich in proline, alanine and glutamine, but almost completely devoid of the essential amino acids, lysine and tryptophan. Due to the relative abundance of zeins, the contribution of lysine and tryptophan from other seed proteins is diluted. Exogenous lysine is often added to animal feed as a necessary supplement. It is therefore of interest to increase the level of lysine in maize seed.
Amino acid levels in transgenic plants can be manipulated by various genetic techniques, including, but not limited to, modification of endogenous gene expression and/or expression of exogenous recombinant DNA in the transgenic plant. Coordinated decrease and increase of gene expression of more than one gene using transgenic constructs is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0126845. Methods and recombinant DNA constructs useful for producing anti-sense-oriented RNA for gene suppression in transgenic organisms are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/057,062, published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0176670A1. U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/638,256, discloses DNA cassettes for suppressing at least one gene in a cell of a eukaryote, such DNA cassettes comprising a promoter operably linked to transcribable DNA including at least an intron, a polyadenylation signal, and a polyadenylation site, where there is embedded in the intron heterologous DNA which is derived from at least one gene targeted for suppression and which is transcribable to RNA capable of suppressing the at least one gene. All of these referenced patent applications and publications are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.

Maize seed with synergistically enhanced lysine content


An extensible platform gives app developers more control and granularity when developing apps and making them secure. App developers are able to use an app wrapping process to have more control over including non-security related features, such as managerial and administrative features, and more granularity with respect to security features included in the apps they develop. The app wrapping software is extended to be viewed more as a platform for the app developer to customize app security and administrative features without losing the efficiency and simplicity of the original app wrapping process of the present invention.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to software, mobile app, and mobile devices. More specifically, it relates to security for apps running on mobile devices and giving app developers more control over security and non-security features in their apps.
2. Description of the Related Art
Security wrapping software uses policies written and made available to the app developer by an app security software provider to wrap unsecured apps. In this scenario, an app developer, such as an individual, an ISV, or a company, develops an app that is initially unsecured. The app developer wants to make the app secure so it will not lose or leak data or harm device. In order to do this, the app developer uses the security wrapping software. This software provides pre-defined policies that can implement security-oriented features and are written by the app security provider. The app developer simply selects which policies, for example geo-fencing or jail break reporting, it wants to enforce in its app. Once selected, the app is wrapped, for example using a console, with those policies and the process is complete. The unsecured app is now secured.
In the scenario above, the app developer is somewhat limited in how their app is secured. Although it can select from a list of pre-defined security policies, the app developer cannot further modify the degree or granularity of security. The developer's input is essentially limited to selecting security policies. For example, a policy may dictate that if an app user leaves a building or employer's campus, the app shuts down. Or if the device executing the app is jail broken or rooted, then the app will not execute. These provide some basic security-oriented functions to ensure that an app is safe, that confidential data is not leaked, and that the device is not harmed, among other various security functions.
The app developer is not likely to view the app security wrapping software as a platform for performing other functions or as being extensible to achieve other functions. From the perspective of the app developer, the app security wrapping software provides an efficient, effective, and simple way of securing an unsecured app. However, some app developers may want more granularity and control over the app wrapping process and how this process effects the developer's environment. This maybe particularly relevant when the app developer is an employer and the app user is an employee. The developer may want to play a greater role or have more input in how their apps are wrapped. They may want a more integrated app wrapping process while preserving the simplicity of the app wrapping approach described above. For example, the developers may want certain customized functions to execute automatically when specific actions are taken by the app user. In addition, they may want to have some administrative and notice-oriented functions to execute, functions which are not directly related to security.

Extensible platform for securing apps on a mobile device using policies and customizable action points


A wakeup generator for generating an interrupt pulse to a microcontroller (10) of an electronics module in response to a switch position change of a multi-position resistance ladder switch (14) to awaken the microcontroller (10) from a low power sleep mode. The wakeup generator uses a low current constant current source (18) and a detector(12). The low current constant current source (18) provides sense current for the switch (14) with a voltage developing across the switch varying according to the switch position selected with each switch position developing a different voltage. The detector detects a change in the voltage across the switch due to a switch position change and generates the interrupt pulse to the microcontroller.

Automotive electrical systems provide a number of operating, safety and convenience functions using various control modules. These systems and control modules ultimately derive their electrical power from the vehicle battery. When the engine is not operating, the battery supplies power without simultaneously recharging thereby draining the battery making it ineffective to start the vehicle engine when required to do so. Many electronic modules have an inactive or sleep mode that reduces power consumption.
Typically, an automotive electronics module uses an input circuit employing a pull-up resistor and a voltage reference to form a voltage divider with the resistor in a multi-resistor function switch to generate a voltage representing the selected switch position. The module microcontroller periodically checks the voltage level on this circuit to determine whether any action is required. Unfortunately, this periodic checking along with the bias current provided to the switch's resistors consumes power that will drain the battery if it operates when the engine is off. Also, the amount of power consumed depends on the resistance selected by the multi-function switch.
Another method compares the voltage applied by the multi-resistor function switch with a fixed voltage reference. This method provides a wakeup signal only when the switch is placed in a certain position. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that it would be highly desirable to have a circuit to wakeup the microcontroller when the function switch is moved from any position to any other position that uses very little power.

Wakeup generator for use with a multi-position resistor ladder switch


Casing or other well tubulars that have failed are repaired in a manner that doesn't reduce the final inside diameter and doesn't further propagate the failure. The tubular needing repair is first expanded on at least one zone above and below the damaged area. This expansion in an undamaged area arrests failure propagation when the damaged area is then expanded. After the damaged area is expanded, the patch coupled preferably with exterior seals is positioned in the expanded zone of the damaged tubular and expanded. The procedure can also be accomplished in a single trip into the well.

Downhole well tubulars sometimes develop leaks and need to be repaired. On technique to make such a repair is called cement squeezing. In this technique, cement is pumped into an isolated zone and hopefully into the damaged portions and the cement is allowed to set up. After setup the excess cement is drilled out of the wellbore and the repair is pressure tested to see if it has been successful. If it still fails to hold pressure the process can be repeated as many times as necessary until pressure integrity is regained. This process can work but it is extremely time consuming and could get very expensive if ultimately it doesn't work in a particular application. The cement is brittle and can break over time. These types of patches are difficult to make in a short interval and progressively get more problematic with a longer interval.
Another technique is to place a patch in the area of the damaged tubular and expand the patch into a sealing relationship. This technique is well known and it will also reduce the inside diameter of the wellbore.
What is needed and provided by the present invention is a technique for patching a tubular downhole without reducing the inside resulting diameter and without aggravating the existing failure in the tubular that has brought the need to apply a patch. The details of the method will be more readily understood by those skilled in the art from a review of the description of the preferred embodiment and the claims that appear below.


A print job management apparatus which generates a print job to be transmitted to a printing apparatus according to an accepted print instruction includes a job interpretation unit configured to determine whether an operator processing the print job generated according to the print instruction is designated in the print instruction, a logon management unit configured to confirm a logon state of the printing apparatus if the job interpretation unit determines that the operator is not designated, a job generation unit configured to generate the print job, and a transmission control unit configured to transmit the print job generated by the job generation unit to the printing apparatus, wherein the transmission control unit waits to transmit the print job if the logon management unit determines that the printing apparatus is in a logoff state and transmits the print job to the printing apparatus if the logon management unit determines that the printing apparatus is in a logon state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a job management apparatus and a job management method of a digital printing system used for transmitting print data to a digital printing apparatus and printing the transmitted data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a commercial printing industry, where payment from a third person is made by accepting an order of creation of a print product (such as a magazine, a newspaper, a brochure, an advertisement, or a photogravure) from the third person (a customer or a client), creating the print product desired by the third person, and delivering it to the third person, there is mainly used a large scale printing apparatus such as an offset reproduction printing machine. In the commercial printing industry, printing operation is performed via various processes.
The processes include document receiving, designing, layout, comprehensive layout (presentation by printer output), proofing (layout correction or color correction), proof printing, artwork creation, printing, post-processing, and delivery. An artwork is necessary in using the printing machine described above.
Once the artwork is made, it is not easy to change it and high cost is required if it is to be corrected. This is because, careful proofing, in other words, careful layout checking and color confirmation is essential in changing the artwork. As described above, in the commercial printing industry, a large scale apparatus and a certain degree of time have been required to create a print product desired by a client.
Meanwhile, according to development of electrophotography printing apparatuses and ink jet printing apparatuses that perform printing at a higher speed with a higher quality, a type of printing business called Print On Demand (POD) is increasing its market share.
According to the POD services, content of a job of a printing apparatus is divided into a relatively small lot size. Accordingly, print processing can be performed in a shorter period without using a large scale apparatus or system. The POD systems maximize utilization of digital copying machines and digital image forming apparatuses of digital multifunctional peripherals in place of the above-described large scale printing machines and printing methods and produce digital prints using electronic data.
In the POD market, in recent years, a system that supports business plan and management work by collecting information about resources that are used in producing output product by using infrastructure of POD, in other words, digital input/output environment, has been discussed. In such a system, information about resources which are used when the output product is produced is necessary. Thus, actual data of operators (human resources), or consumables (material resources) needs to be collected. However, an optimum system capable for collecting data of operators (human resources) who are actually involved in the printing operation is not realized yet.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-285784 discusses a technique concerning an operation management of operators in a POD system such as the one described above. According to this operation management, optimum scheduling of the operators and devices (printing apparatuses) is performed according to an acceptance order of the print products. For example, in an operation system such as the POD system where operations (manual operations) of a plurality of devices are performed parallely, both the schedules of the operators (work shifts) and the print job schedules assigned to the devices are optimized. Thus, when a print job is accepted, optimum scheduling of the operator and digital multifunction peripheral (MFP) can be realized.
According to the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-285784, the operator needs to be defined in advance since the scheduling of the operator has to be performed in advance. However, according to the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-285784, if a print job whose operator is not defined is accepted, even if the print job is appropriately scheduled, the printing may be performed with the operator undetermined. In such a case, if an operator corrected an error or processed the print product in the print job whose operator is not defined, the operator cannot be determined. Accordingly, operation result of each operator cannot be accurately managed.

Print job management apparatus, print job management method, and storage medium for generating print job to be transmitted according to accepted print instruction


An image information processing system comprises a recording apparatus for recording an image having an arbitrary aspect ratio on a recording medium in the form of an image signal, and a reproducing apparatus for reading out the image signal from the recording medium, processing the image signal to form an image having an appropriate aspect ratio, and reproducing the image. The recording apparatus performs compression or expansion on the image having the arbitrary aspect ratio to convert the image into an image having a predetermined aspect ratio, and records the image having the predetermined aspect ratio in the form of the image signal. The recording apparatus also performs recording of compression/expansion information associated with the compression or the expansion. The reproducing apparatus reproduces an image having an aspect ratio equal to the aforesaid arbitrary aspect ratio from the image signal on the basis of the compression/expansion information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image information processing apparatus and an image information processing system and, more particularly, to conversion of the aspect ratio of an image. In such conversion, during recording, the aspect ratio of image information to be recorded and reproduced is compressed or expanded through optical means and the resultant image having a different aspect ratio is recorded, and during reproduction, the different aspect ratio is converted into the original aspect ratio.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the aspect ratio of an image carried by a television video signal which is transmitted according to a conventional television system (for example, the NTSC system) is 4:3, and this 4:3 aspect ratio is widely adopted in the field of standard television systems.
In recent years, the image quality of a television signal has been further improved and the size of a screen has become larger and larger. However, since the television video signal itself still conforms to such a standard television system, the aspect ratio of an image remains the conventional 4:3.
As is known to those skilled in the art, if an image is to be displayed on a large screen of 100 inches or above, such as the projection screen of a projection display apparatus (hereinafter referred to as the "projector"), it is desirable to adopt a screen wider than a screen having the conventional 4:3 aspect ratio (for example, a screen having an aspect ratio of 16:9) if the visual characteristics of human beings are taken into account.
On the basis of the above-described concept, in the field of high-definition television systems or other similar systems which can handle high-quality images, a system has been proposed which employs an enlarged screen and which enables an image to be photographed and/or displayed at the 16:9 aspect ratio or another aspect ratio which is different from the conventional 4:3 aspect ratio.
However, in such a high-definition television system which greatly differs from the existing standard television system, to attain a wide screen, it is necessary to employ exclusive apparatuses for recording and reproduction, respectively. This arrangement compels users to pay great expenses.
If an image of different aspect ratio is to be recorded and/or reproduced by mean s of an apparatus conforming to the existing standard television system, only a portion of the effective screen of an image sensor or a reproducing apparatus is utilized and the number of effective pixels per image is reduced. This reduction in the number of effective pixels is undesirable in that the degradation of image quality is involved.
To cope with the above problems, an apparatus is proposed which utilizes a linear compression optical system (anamorphic lens) to achieve a wide screen while making the best use of a conventional apparatus without reducing the number of effective pixels. In such an apparatus, during photography, the aspect ratio of an image is optically converted by means of one anamorphic lens and the resultant image having a different aspect ratio is recorded. During reproduction, another anamorphic lens having substantially identical characteristics is employed to convert optically the different aspect ratio into the original aspect ratio, thereby reproducing the original image. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 2-170790 discloses a magnetic image-information recording and reproducing apparatus provided with a plurality of anamorphic lenses and arranged to record an image and a plurality of kinds of detection codes for discrimination between image compression ratios in a control track on a video tape which is a recording medium for recording of the image. During reproduction, an anamorphic lens used for recording is replaced with a different anamorphic lens on the basis of the detection code and the image is reproduced by means of the different anamorphic lens.
However, the ratio at which such an apparatus converts the aspect ratio of an image is fixed.
In other words, in the case of a system which records an image having an aspect ratio of 16:9 and reproduces it as a display image having the 16:9 aspect ratio by means of an apparatus capable of recording and reproducing an image having the conventional 4:3 aspect ratio, if an image having an aspect ratio of 2:1 is to be recorded and reproduced by means of such a system, it is necessary to replace a converting optical system exclusive for recording with that exclusive for reproduction. This replacement is extremely time-consuming.

Image information recording and reproducing system with aspect ration discrimination


A check sample of a deep-frozen product or a product is provided, whose keeping, conserving or preserving temperature, which is below ambient temperature, must be controlled or checked. The sample includes a case or envelope, which is sealed in an inviolable manner and, in the case or envelope, a meltable object having a predetermined shape different from the internal shape of the case. This object has a melting point below or equal to the thawing or keeping temperature of the product and the initial shape of the object is impossible to reconstitute following thawing or reheating, even of a partial nature, of the product. According to the invention, the case comprises a first part made invisible and integral with the product or a pack containing the latter by insertion into the pack or the case a second part, which is visible and integral with the first part. The object has a first portion at least partly filling the first invisible part of the case and a second portion having a shape which is at least partly different from the internal shape of the second visible part of the case. This second portion of the object has at least one transparent window for rendering the object visible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a check sample of a deep-frozen product or a product whose keeping temperature or point, which is below ambient temperature, has to be checked.
It is used for checking the maintaining of the deep-frozen state of deep-frozen or frozen products, more particularly intended for human consumption and which must only be defrozen or thawed at the time of their consumption. It can also apply to the checking of the maintaining of the temperature of an unfrozen product, but whose keeping temperature, which is below ambient temperature, has to be carefully respected (e.g. medicaments, photographic films, etc.).
2. Discussion of the Background
It is known that it is dangerous to consume products which, when they have been partly or completely thawed, have undergone refreezing, no matter under what conditions this was carried out.
It is generally the manufacturer of deep-frozen products who packs them and who has the main responsibility with respect to the consumer. However, the forwarding agent or retailer are also responsible for maintaining the deep-frozen state of the products.
It is absolutely indispensable to check maintaining of the deep-frozen state of products supplied by a manufacturer or retailer form the time of their manufacture or packing up to the delivery to a purchaser. Each product generally undergoes, from its manufacture and up to its consumption, a number of different handling, storage and manipulation operations. All these stages are generally referred to as the "cold chain". This expression means that when one of the meshes of this chain is defective, the product must be looked upon as damaged and consequently unsuitable for consumption.
As the manufacturer is mainly responsible for respecting the integrity of the "cold chain", not only when the product has left the place of manufacture, but even when it is stored by the retailer, it is necessary for the said manufacturer to ensure that in no case, even outside his direct supervision, the temperature of the deep-frozen product, no matter whether or not it is in a pack, never exceeds a critical temperature threshold generally corresponding to the thawing temperature until it is received by the consumer. This temperature can vary as a function of the nature of the product. It is generally well below 0.degree. C. and is not necessarily constant.
The checking function exercised by the manufacturer can also be exercised by the retailer, but also and more particularly by the consumer, who must thus be able to refuse any product unsuitable for consumption.
During the manufacture of the frozen product and during the first stages of its distribution, e.g. in cold stores, the means for checking and maintaining the ambient temperature provide adequate guarantees for its being maintained in the deep-frozen state. However, during the final distribution stages, which will bring the product to the consumer, the diversity of the handling operations, the quantity of deep-frozen products, which may or may not be conditioned, can lead to thawing risks, although they may be only of a very short duration.
The putting into place of an effective infrastructure in distribution circuits makes it possible to check the temperature of the products therein. However, this infrastructure is not sufficient and it can advantageously be completed by check samples of the deep-frozen products located in the immediate vicinity of the latter or within a pack or packing surrounding the same. A check sample of this type is e.g. described in Swiss patent 416 148. This check sample comprises a case or envelope sealed in an inviolable manner and having a predetermined internal shape and within the said case a meltable object having a predetermined shape, which is at least partly different form the internal shape of the case and having a volume smaller than the internal volume of the latter. This object has a melting point equal to or slightly below the thawing temperature of the product. It is not possible to reconstitute the initial shape of the object following an even partial thawing of the product, which has led to an even partial melting of said object in the case and no matter what the subsequent refreezing conditions are for the product.
The major disadvantage of such a check sample is that it cannot provide information as to the extent of the possible thawing of the product and in particular the depth to which said product has been partly or completely thawed below the surface thereof. However, such information is particularly useful, because it may make it possible to establish the causes of the thawing and the duration thereof, as well as the thermal energy received by the product during thawing.
Thus, the thawing depth makes it possible to calculate the unfrozen product volume and therefore deduce therefrom the thawing period and the thermal energy received.
The thawing threshold temperatures are subject to risks which are not solely dependent on said temperature, but more specifically on said temperature and the time during which the said thawing threshold has been exceeded, or the said temperature and the thermal energy stored above the threshold temperature. It is not possible to determine these pairs of values with the known check sample.
The object of the invention is to obviate these disadvantages and in particular to provide a check sample of a deep-frozen product making it possible to indicate, not only the surface thawed state thereof, but also the depth therein to which the thawing has taken place, while providing much more precise information as to the time during which the thawed state temperature has been exceeded and as to the thermal energy stored by the product during said thawing. The check sample according to the invention also makes it possible to obtain much more precise information on the thawing, as a result of a better thermal conductivity between the product to be checked and the check sample. The invention also makes it possible to check that a keeping limit temperature has not been exceeded, even when it e.g. exceeds zero.
The invention relates to a check sample for a deep-frozen product comprising a case sealed in an inviolable manner, which is at least partly transparent, which has a predetermined internal shape and, within the said case, a meltable object having a predetermined shape, which is at least partly different from the internal shape of the case and having a volume smaller than the internal volume of the case, said object having a melting point equal to or below the thawing temperature or the temperature at which product is maintained, the initial shape of said object being impossible to reconstitute following an thawing state or even partial reheating of the product having led to an even partial melting of the object in the case, no matter what the subsequent product refreezing or cooling conditions, characterized in that said case comprises a first part made invisible and integral with the product or a pack containing the said product by packaging therein, a second visible part, which is integral with the first part, the object comprising a first portion at least partly filling the first invisible part of the case and a second portion having a shape which is at least partly different from the internal shape of the second visible part of the case, said second portion of the object having at least one transparent window for rendering visible the said object.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, the surface of the second part of the case projects beyond said pack or product.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, the second part of the case is at least partly contained in a recess belonging to the pack or product, extending towards the interior of said pack or product, said transparent window being visible from the outside of said pack or product.
According to a variant of each embodiment of the invention, the first and second portion of the object are separate and made from the same meltable material.
According to another variant of the embodiments of the invention, the first and second portions of the object are integral and made from the same meltable material.

Control sample of a deep-frozen product or a product, whose keeping temperature must be checked


A mobile device for authenticating a device accessory is disclosed. The mobile device receives a unique identifier from a device accessory, sends the received unique identifier to a server via a communication network, and receives information from the server relating to the unique identifier.

With the increase in popularity of mobile devices, consumer appetite for device accessories have increased dramatically over the years. Device accessories may range from providing essential functionalities, such as charging a battery, to non-essential features, such as enabling hands-free communication. Because of this popularity, there are many third party companies developing device accessories for use with mobile devices. However, one of the shortcomings of third party device accessories is that quality of such accessories cannot be controlled by the manufacturers of the mobile devices. Thus, user experience of the device accessory and the mobile device may be diminished.
A mobile device that is able to authenticate a device accessory would thus be highly desirable.

Mobile device for authenticating a device accessory


A manufacturing device of an optical fiber grating to write a grating in a core of an optical fiber by irradiating the optical fiber with laser light includes: a fixing device that fixes the optical fiber to at least one of a first position located more on an upstream side and a second position located more on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the optical fiber than a laser light irradiating position of the optical fiber in a case of writing the grating; and a feeder having a structure capable of linearly reciprocating in the conveyance direction and adapted to feed a predetermined length of the optical fiber in the conveyance direction in a case where a fixed state of the optical fiber by the fixing device is released.

An optical fiber grating has a periodic refractive index variation (grating) written in a core of an optical fiber and is also called fiber Bragg grating (FBG). Such an optical fiber grating has a characteristic of reflecting only light having a wavelength (Bragg wavelength) according to a grating period, and is widely used in various fields such as a sensing field, a machining field, a communication field, and others.
As typical examples of a manufacturing method of an optical fiber grating, a phase mask method and a two-beam interference method can be exemplified. The phase mask method is a method in which a phase mask is arranged on a side of an optical fiber, and a grating is written in a core of the optical fiber by irradiating the core of the optical fiber with interference light of diffraction light (±1st order diffraction light) obtained by irradiating the phase mask with laser light in an ultraviolet region. Additionally, the two-beam interference method is a method in which a grating is written in a core of an optical fiber by branching laser light in an ultraviolet region into two beams and causing the branched beams of the laser light to interfere at a position of the core of the optical fiber.
Patent Document 1 to 6 below discloses a manufacturing device and a manufacturing method of an optical fiber grating in the related art. For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a manufacturing device in which laser light is emitted onto a coating of an optical fiber without removing the coating, and a grating is written by the laser light having passed through the coating. Additionally, the following Patent Document 2 discloses a manufacturing method in which laser light is emitted onto a coating of an optical fiber without removing the coating, and a grating is written by removing the coating by using the emitted laser light.

Manufacturing device and manufacturing method of optical fiber grating


An arc ignition device of a plasma welding gun includes an igniter and a fixture. The igniter includes an arc ignition block (5), a spring (6) and a tungsten needle (3), and the fixture includes a fastening member (4), a tungsten needle clamp (7), a base (2) and a magnet (1). The arc ignition block and the tungsten needle are conductors. And the tungsten needle is clamped by the fixture with the fastening member cooperated with an arc surface of the tungsten needle clamp. Additionally, the magnet is embedded in the base, by means of which the arc ignition device can be attached to any position. Through the precise relative motion of the spring, the arc ignition device implements a high-requirement arc ignition function.

Generally, in plasma welding machines, as a plasma welding gun is provided with an arc ignition device therein, thus the plasma welding has an oversize bulk which is not applicable to use in a small space and, in turns reduce its usage in the plasma welding field. The present invention aims at developing an individual arc ignition device which is cooperated with the plasma welding gun, so as to broaden the usage of the plasma welding machine in the welding field, by which a new energy revolution will be achieved in the plasma welding field.