An information attaching unit attaches either one of carrier density information of initial developer and loose apparent density information of toner in the initial developer to a housing of a developing device. A density-information storage unit stores therein either one of the carrier density information and the loose apparent density information as electronic data. At least one of the information attaching unit and the density-information storage unit is provided before shipment of the developing device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for detecting toner concentration in initial developer contained in a developing device by a toner-concentration detecting unit and consuming toner in developer in the developing device based on a detected result, to decrease the toner concentration in the initial developer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there are known image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, and facsimiles that develop a latent image on a latent-image carrier using developer containing toner and magnetic carrier. In this type of image forming apparatuses, toner concentration in a developer is generally maintained to a certain level by supplying toner into a developing device based on a result of detecting a decrease in the toner concentration in the developer due to development by a toner-concentration detecting sensor.
As for the image forming apparatus that maintains the toner concentration to the certain level in the above manner, a device that calibrates a toner-concentration detecting sensor in the following manner is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-225813.
More specifically, an initial developer with toner concentration controlled to a predetermined toner concentration is set in a developing device when it is shipped from a factory. When the image forming apparatus is delivered to a user and power is initially turned on, the toner concentration in the initial developer is detected by the toner-concentration detecting sensor. A control voltage to be input to the toner-concentration detecting sensor is controlled so that an output voltage from the toner-concentration detecting sensor at this time is set to a predetermined value. In this manner, the toner-concentration detecting sensor is calibrated so that a voltage of a predetermined value with respect to the predetermined toner concentration is output.
A sensor formed of a magnetic permeability sensor that detects a magnetic permeability is generally used as the toner-concentration detecting sensor. FIG. 11 is a graph representing an example of a relationship between an output voltage Vt of the toner-concentration detecting sensor formed of the magnetic permeability sensor and toner concentration in developer. As shown in FIG. 11, the output voltage Vt of the toner-concentration detecting sensor decreases with an increase in the toner concentration in the developer. This is because the density of magnetic carrier per unit volume decreases with an increase in the toner concentration in the developer and the magnetic permeability of the developer thereby decreases. Because the slope of the graph or the sensitivity of the toner-concentration detecting sensor varies depending on products, the sensitivity is measured before shipping and the measured sensitivity is stored in an integrated circuit (IC) chip incorporated in a recent toner-concentration detecting sensor.
A case of using an initial developer in which toner concentration is controlled to 7% by weight will be explained below. The measurement of the sensitivity of the toner-concentration detecting sensor is implemented by measuring output voltages Vt when magnetic samples are detected, the magnetic samples obtaining magnetic permeabilities the same as respective magnetic permeabilities of developers containing three types of toners with standard loose apparent density at the rate of 4%, 7%, and 10% respectively.
By calibrating the toner-concentration detecting sensor in the above manner, for example, a graph with the sensitivity as shown in FIG. 12 stored in the built-in IC chip in the toner-concentration detecting sensor can be used. An output voltage Vt corresponding to 7 wt % being the toner concentration in the initial developer is determined, and 2.7 volts is obtained. This value coincides with the value when it is calibrated.
In the developing device right after the toner-concentration detecting sensor is calibrated, the developer corresponds an initial developer which means no toner is consumed, however, the toner concentration in the initial developer is not always a value suitable for subsequent development. Because even if the toner concentration in the developer is the predetermined value, the environment causes the image density to be different. Specifically, even if the developer is stirred in the developing device, a frictional charge amount of the toner cannot be increased satisfactorily under high-temperature and high-humidity environment. The charge amount (Q/M) per unit weight of toner thereby decreases more than an ordinary value, and a toner adhesion amount per predetermined unit area of a latent image that has a predetermined voltage increases.
Consequently, development of a latent image using the developer without changing the toner concentration in the initial developer may cause a large amount of toner to adhere to the latent image and the image density to be therefore higher than a target density. Conversely, the toner is excessively frictionally charged with stirring of the developer under low-temperature low-humidity environment, and only a small amount of toner is thereby caused to adhere to the latent image, so that the image density may be lower than the target density.
There is known an image forming apparatus that controls toner concentration in the initial developer in the following manner after the toner-concentration detecting sensor is calibrated. Specifically, first, a preset reference toner patch image is formed, and a toner adhesion amount (image density) per unit area of the reference toner patch image is detected by a reflective photosensor or the like. If the result of detection is lower than a target value (low image density), then toner is supplied into a developing device, and then a reference toner patch image is again formed. Thereafter, toner supply, formation of a reference toner patch image, and detection of a toner adhesion amount are repeated until the toner adhesion amount of the reference toner patch image reaches the target value.
On the other hand, if the toner adhesion amount of the reference toner patch image is higher than the target value (high image density), a solid toner image for forcible consumption of toner is formed and the toner in the initial developer is forcibly consumed, and then a reference toner patch image is formed again. Thereafter, formation of a solid toner image, formation of a reference toner patch image, and detection of a toner adhesion amount are repeated until the toner adhesion amount of the reference toner patch image reaches the target value.
By controlling the toner concentration in the initial developer in the above manner, development can be preformed using the developer with the toner concentration matching the environment, from a first sheet of initial prints.
The control of the toner concentration in the developer is generally performed in such a range that an output voltage Vt from the toner-concentration detecting sensor after being calibrated is not increased higher than a predetermined upper limit nor decreased lower than a predetermined lower limit. This is based on the reason as explained below. If the toner concentration is increased too high, a phenomenon called "background stains" is caused by the fact that toner is made to adhere to a background portion of a latent-image carrier. If the toner concentration is decreased too low, a phenomenon called "carrier adhesion" is caused by the fact that magnetic carrier of the developer in the developing device is made to adhere to the latent-image carrier. To prevent the background stains and the carrier adhesion, the output voltage Vt is maintained in the range from the lower limit to the upper limit. When the toner concentration in the initial developer is controlled in the above manner, the toner concentration is also controlled by maintaining the output voltage Vt in the range from the lower limit to the upper limit.
Referring to FIG. 12, "7-β" represents the lower limit of the toner concentration in the developer, and if the toner concentration decreases more than this, the carrier adhesion may be caused. A voltage corresponding to the lower limit of the toner concentration is an upper limit Vt1 of the output voltage Vt. Further, "7+α" represents the upper limit of the toner concentration in the initial developer, and if the toner concentration increases more than this, the background stains may be caused. A voltage corresponding to the upper limit of the toner concentration is a lower limit Vt2 of the output voltage Vt. The upper limit Vt1 and the lower limit Vt2 are stored in the built-in IC chip in the toner-concentration detecting sensor, together with the graph of FIG. 12 representing the sensitivity of the toner-concentration detecting sensor. By using the upper limit Vt1 and the lower limit Vt2 for controlling the toner concentration, it is possible to prevent the background stains and the carrier adhesion.
However, it is found that even if the upper limit Vt1 is used, the carrier adhesion may be caused upon initial printing due to variation in a loose apparent density of toner contained in the initial developer, and that the carrier adhesion may damage the latent-image carrier such as a photosensitive element.
The reason is explained below.
Generally, even if toner is manufactured in the same method and under the same environment, a loose apparent density (volume per unit mass) of the toner varies with each product. Meanwhile, the toner-concentration detecting sensor formed of the magnetic permeability sensor does not detect the toner concentration itself in the developer but detects carrier density in the developer (bulk density of developer). Even if the toner concentration in the developer (a weight ratio of toner to magnetic carrier) is constant, the carrier density in the developer may become different if the loose apparent density of toner is different. Therefore, even if the developer with the same toner concentration is used, an output value from the toner-concentration detecting sensor becomes different if the loose apparent density of toner is different.
The slope of the graph for sensitivity shown in FIG. 12 represents a case where toner with a standard loose apparent density is used, and thus the loose apparent density of toner actually contained in the initial developer is not always a standard value. If the loose apparent density of toner in the initial developer is higher than the standard value, or if the volume of toner per unit mass is comparatively small, a more gentle slope indicated by the solid line as shown in FIG. 13 is formed in the graph of the output voltage Vt of the toner-concentration detecting sensor that uses the initial developer as an object to be detected. When the loose apparent density of the toner is high, a change in the volume of the toner in the developer becomes comparatively small caused by a change in toner concentration, and a rate of change of the magnetic permeability with respect to the change in the toner concentration becomes thereby comparatively small.
In this case, the upper limit Vt1 of the output voltage Vt stored in the toner-concentration detecting sensor is "7-β-γ" lower than "7-β" which is the lower limit of the toner concentration in the graph indicated by the solid line of FIG. 13. Specifically, despite setting the output voltage Vt to be lower than the upper limit Vt1, the toner concentration becomes lower than the lower limit. This causes the carrier adhesion.
When a two-component developer is used to repeatedly develop an electrostatic latent image, toner in the developer is consumed and the toner concentration thereby fluctuates. Therefore, to obtain stable images upon printing, it is necessary to supply toner as required and minimize the fluctuation. Generally, when a toner supply amount is controlled, an image forming apparatus such as a copier includes a permeability detecting sensor, a flowability detecting sensor, an image-density detecting sensor, a bulk-density detecting sensor, and a like. A recent mainstream of these sensors is to use the image-density detecting sensor or a combination of the image-density detecting sensor and the magnetic permeability sensor (a type of bulk-density sensor). The control of the toner concentration using the image-density detecting sensor is performed by a system of controlling a toner supply amount by developing a fixed image pattern on the image carrier and detecting an image density from the reflected light. The control of the toner concentration using the combination of the image-density detecting sensor and the magnetic permeability sensor is performed by a system of controlling a toner supply amount by changing a target value of the magnetic permeability sensor based on the density of an image pattern.
An invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-346102 has less fluctuation in the bulk density of developer and can thereby stably control the toner concentration even when the developer is used under high stress, and, therefore, has solved such a defect that the toner concentration is unstably controlled caused by fluctuation in the bulk density of the developer when the developer is used under high stress.
However, there are some problems as follows in controlling an output of the initial developer of the magnetic permeability sensor.
An output of the magnetic permeability sensor for the initial developer is generally controlled based on reference toner concentration. Therefore, in a case of other toner concentrations, an output is calculated from a relationship between an output of the magnetic permeability sensor based on the reference toner concentration and toner concentration. However, the output of the magnetic permeability sensor has such a property that the output decreases as carrier being a magnetic body is far from the magnetic permeability sensor or as carrier particles are sparsely distributed. Consequently, if the carrier particles separate from the upper portion of the toner-concentration detecting sensor due to the decrease in the bulk density of the developer or are sparsely distributed, this results in an erroneous detection that the output decreases and the toner concentration increases, although the toner concentration is not changed. Conversely, if the carrier particles become dense in the upper portion of the toner-concentration detecting sensor because of an increase in the bulk density of the developer, this results in an erroneous detection that the output increases and the toner concentration decreases, although the toner concentration is not changed.
This is because the bulk density of carrier in the developer is different depending on variation due to its manufacture and the bulk density in the developer varies to make different the state of the carrier particles in the upper portion of the toner-concentration detecting sensor. To minimize the variation, the output of the toner-concentration detecting sensor is controlled and corrected using the initial developer based on the same toner concentration. As a factor that the erroneous detection occurs with the magnetic permeability sensor, a relationship between the output of the magnetic permeability sensor and the toner concentration is the same when the reference toner concentration is used, but the relationship between the two is different when the toner concentration changes.
Because the toner concentration changes due to the environment and the use pattern, appropriate toner concentration needs to be provided for the developing device. This is because toner scattering or background stains may occur if the toner concentration becomes too high while an image is formed abnormally due to insufficient supply of the developer if the toner concentration becomes too low. The upper limit and the lower limit of the toner concentration are controlled by an output value of the toner-concentration detecting sensor not to cause these defects.
However, the variation cannot be suppressed satisfactorily only by controlling the output of the toner-concentration detecting sensor when the initial developer is used because the upper and lower limits of the toner concentration to be controlled are different depending on the bulk density of the carrier in the initial developer. Because of this, if the upper limit of the toner concentration becomes high, toner scattering or background stains may occur, or the image density may be insufficient if the upper limit thereof becomes low.
If the lower limit of the toner concentration becomes high, the toner concentration cannot be decreased, so that the image density may be too high. If the lower limit of the toner concentration becomes low, the bulk of the developer becomes too low, so that the developer is unstably sucked up to a developing element to cause an image to be abnormal.
Besides, the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-346102 does not mention about defects that the upper and lower limits of the toner concentration are unstably controlled caused by fluctuation in the bulk density of the developer due to a difference in bulk density of carriers in initial developers.

Developing device, image forming apparatus, and process unit


A head stack assembly for use in a disk drive is provided that includes an actuator body, a rotary bearing, a sleeve, and a cam member. The actuator body is pivotable about an axis of rotation. The actuator body has an actuator bore that extends along the axis of rotation. The actuator bore includes an actuator bore surface. The sleeve is disposed between the rotary bearing and the actuator body and comprises a first surface that engages the actuator bore surface. The cam member has a second surface eccentric to said first surface. The second surface engages the actuator bore surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This application is directed to methods and apparatuses for mechanically coupling a disk drive actuator body and a rotary bearing cartridge of a head stack assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Considerable markets exist for hard disk drives for mass-market host computer systems such as servers, desktop computers, and laptop computers. To be competitive in these markets, a hard disk drive must be relatively inexpensive, and must accordingly embody a design that is adapted for low-cost mass production. Low-cost mass production is facilitated by designs that can be easily assembled and re-worked if necessary. In addition, the drive must provide substantial capacity, rapid access to data, and reliable performance.
Satisfying competing constraints of low-cost, small size, high capacity, and rapid access requires innovation in each of numerous components and methods of assembly including methods of assembly of various components into certain subassemblies. A head disk assembly and a printed circuit board assembly are typical subassemblies of a hard disk drive. The head disk assembly includes an enclosure including a base and a cover, at least one disk having at least one recording surface, a spindle motor for causing each disk to rotate, and an actuator arrangement.
One conventional actuator arrangement is a rotary actuator, which consists of an arm that extends a head over the disk. The arm is pivoted about an axis by a pivot bearing assembly. Conventional pivot assemblies-to-actuator arm connections include press-fit engagement, coupling with set screws and other conventional fasteners. In some cases, an adhesive is located in the interface between the pivot bearing assembly and the actuator arm.
The foregoing techniques for interconnecting an actuator arm with a pivot bearing assembly may have significant drawbacks. For example, adhesives can emit gas into the enclosure, which can result in residue on the disk and damage to the heads, the disks, or the head-disk interface. Press-fit engagement involves application of a force between the pivot assembly and the actuator that can vary across the distribution of these components and can be excessive in some cases. In some cases, the force of the press-fit can result in scoring of the actuator bore and generation of particles within the enclosure. Fasteners such as set screws also can produce undesirable strain or particle generation, which can damage to the heads and the disks.

Disk drive actuator rotary bearing attachment with cam member


An FM signal receiver for use in receiving a burst signals as in a Bluetooth system includes a BPF and a frequency-demodulation circuit, each having, for example, a phase shifter, which is constructed from similar or related circuitry so as to enable adjustment of the frequency characteristics of the BPF and frequency-demodulation circuit through an identical control signal. A short-circuit switch is disposed linking the input and output terminals of an amplifier. A control circuit opens the switch in a receiving operation and closes the switch in an adjusting operation. Thus, adjustment is carried out without using the amplifier. Therefore, an amplifier offset does not affect the frequency-to-voltage conversion by the frequency-demodulation circuit in the adjusting of the frequency-demodulation circuit and similar adjusting of the BPF. Thus, the BPF is prevented from being incorrectly adjusted due to the offset. The BPF characteristics are suitably adjusted.

Bluetooth systems and other wireless device-to-device communications electronics are integrated onto a single chip for reduced cost and package volume. Integration of a frequency-demodulation circuit and filter circuit results in rather poor absolute precision in, for example, resistance and capacitance values, in the integrated circuit. Therefore, demodulation sensitivity and frequency characteristics, among others, may differ from one integrated circuit to the other. This is because the frequency characteristics of the phase shifter, the filter circuit, and other components for use in a frequency-demodulation circuit are typically dictated by the product of the resistance value of the resistor and the capacitance value of the capacitor constituting those components. The discrepancy changes primarily depending on irregularities in the resistance and capacitance values and to a much lesser degree, on temperature, power supply voltage, and other operating conditions.
Accordingly, Bluetooth systems and like wireless communications devices supposed to receive burst signals are automatically adapted to adjust operation of the bandpass filter and frequency-demodulation circuit immediately before reception and maintain the resultant state during the reception, in order to achieve stable reception performance without adjustment. The reception lasts for a short period of time (a single packet is received in a few hundred microseconds), and it is safely assumed that during that period, the characteristics do not change substantially.
A well known technique to eliminate the characteristics discrepancy between integrated circuits is disclosed in Japanese published unexamined patent application 7-115328/1995 (Tokukaihei 7-115328; published on May 2, 1995). According to this prior art, there is provided a control circuit to a frequency-demodulation circuit composed of a phase shifter and a phase comparator, the control circuit controlling the characteristics of the phase shifter to stabilize demodulation sensitivity.
Although capable of eliminating characteristics discrepancy caused by the absolute precision of elements in the integrated circuit, the prior art is short of eliminating those caused by the relative precision of the elements. Also, the control circuit requires a reference circuit for adjustment which is structured similarly to the phase shifter and the phase comparator. This adds to circuit complexity, raising new problems.
In the same context, U.S. patent application US-2002-0135418 published on Sep. 26, 2002, which constitutes prior art, proposes a technique to eliminate the characteristics discrepancy caused by the relative precision without significantly adding circuit complexity. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an electrical construction of an FM signal receiver 1 according to the prior art document. An FM signal received at an antenna (not shown) enters the receiver 1 through an input terminal 2 and travels past a switch 3. The signal is then filtered off by the bandpass filter (BPF) 4 to produce a signal composed of only components in the bandwidth targeted in reception. The resultant signal is fed to a frequency-demodulation circuit 5. The frequency-demodulation circuit 5 is constructed from a F-V converter circuit. The demodulated signal is filtered by a low pass filter (LPF) 6 and amplified by an amplifier 7. The signal is then converted to digital in an analog-to-digital converter circuit 8 and supplied out from an output terminal 9 to, for example, a subsequent decoder circuit (not shown).
Attention should be paid to the provision of a reference signal generator circuit 10 and a control circuit 11 in the FM signal receiver 1 for the purposes of, as mentioned above, eliminating characteristics discrepancy due to relative precision without significantly adding circuit complexity. The circuit 10 is coupled with the switch 3. The control circuit 11 adjusts the characteristics of the BPF 4 and frequency-demodulation circuit 5. A phase shifter in the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 is constructed from circuitry similar or related to the BPF 4.
On every reception of a burst signal, the control circuit 11 operates the switch 3 to connect the reference signal generator circuit 10 and controls the phase shifter in the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 so that the output of the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 has a specified value. The circuit 11 controls the BPF 4 similarly. The switch 3 is then connected back to the input terminal 2, while the control circuit 11 maintains the characteristics of the BPF 4 and frequency-demodulation circuit 5 in the same controlled state. Thus, the control circuit 11 stabilizes the characteristics of the BPF 4 and frequency-demodulation circuit 5 in reception. By automatically adjusting the characteristics of the BPF 4 and frequency-demodulation circuit 5 in response to every reception of a burst signal in this manner, the integrated circuit becomes stable without adjustment.
However, problems do exist with the FM signal receiver 1 constructed as above: when the BPF 4 is adjusted in response to the automatic adjustment of the characteristics of the frequency-demodulation circuit 5, an offset error of the amplifier 7 between the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 and the control circuit 11 keeps the characteristics of the BPF 4 from being suitably adjusted even if the characteristics of the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 are appropriately adjusted. This in turn develops frequency characteristics discrepancy in the BPF 4, degrading the characteristics of the entire receiver system.
To be more specific, the amplifier 7 is provided to render the amplitude of the output signal from the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 to such a level that is suited to the input dynamic range for the analog-to-digital converter circuit 8. Suppose that when the amplifier 7 is free from offset, the characteristics of the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 and amplifier 7 connected in series are such that represented in FIG. 9(a). If so, when the amplifier 7 has a ΔV offset, the characteristics are such that represented in FIG. 9(b). As mentioned earlier, the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 is constructed from a F-V converter circuit. Let f0 be a reference signal frequency and V0 be a specified value, which serves as a reference, when the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 is controlled by the control circuit 11. When the amplifier 7 has no offset, the characteristics of the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 are controlled by the control circuit 11 so that they are represented by the solid line in FIG. 9(a). The BPF 4 is accordingly controlled as shown by the solid line in FIG. 10(a).
In contrast, when the amplifier 7 has an offset, the ideal characteristics of the frequency-demodulation circuit should be controlled as represented by the dash-dot line in FIG. 9(b), and those of the BPF 4 by the dash-dot line in FIG. 10(b). However, in actuality, the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 is controlled to have characteristics as represented by the solid line in FIG. 9(b), and the BPF 4 is accordingly controlled to have characteristics as represented by the solid line in FIG. 10(b).
Controlling the characteristics of the frequency-demodulation circuit 5 so that they are represented by the solid line in FIG. 9(b) does not cause serious problems. Meanwhile, controlling the BPF 4 so that they are represented by the solid line in FIG. 10(b) results in degradation in reception characteristics which is due to degradation of the reception signal and insufficient damping of signals in the adjacent channel. These are serious problems.

FM signal receiver and wireless communications device using same


A Geiger-Mueller charge particle rate measurement system includes a clock management unit in combination with multiple oscillators and rate feedback controller to allow for reactive switching between the different oscillator frequencies to optimize system use. Controlling the clock management unit to send the appropriate frequency (clock signal) to the timers in response to measured rate date from the rate feedback controller facilitates operation at different clock speeds, which helps reduce power consumption when operated at lower speeds.

Field of the Embodiments
The present invention relates to a radiation measuring system and methods. More particularly, the present invention relates to radiation measuring apparatus and methods utilizing a single Geiger Mueller tube (GMT) that provides a count range extending from background dose rates on the order of 20×10-6 rads (R) per hour (20 μR/h) to high dose rates on the order of 1000 R/h.
Summary of the Existing Art
One of the most common and well-known radiation measuring apparatus is the geiger counter, sometimes called a Geiger-Mueller counter. The geiger counter detects ionizing radiation, including gamma rays and x-rays, and beta particles. At the heart of a geiger counter is a Geiger Mueller tube (GMT), which typically comprises a glass tube about 2 cm in diameter enclosing a metal cylinder, often of copper, about 10 cm long. (Other dimensions are, of course, also commonly used.) A thin metal wire, e.g. of tungsten, passes along the axis of the metal tube. The cylinder and wire are connected through an end wall of the glass tube to a source of electrical voltage. The tube is filled with a gas, usually a mixture of an inert gas, such as argon or neon, and a halogen, such as chlorine or bromine, at a low pressure, e.g., a few centimeters of mercury. A high voltage, e.g. 550 volts, is set up between the cylinder (which functions as the negative electrode or cathode) and the wire (which functions as the positive electrode or anode). This voltage is just a little less than that needed to create an electrical discharge between the two electrodes.
When a charged particle of sufficient energy enters the GMT, it knocks electrons out of the atoms of the gas. These electrons, being negatively charged, are attracted towards the wire anode, and the atoms from which the electrons originated (which become positively charged ions) are attracted towards the cathode. The high voltage established between the anode and cathode creates a high voltage gradient that accelerates the liberated electrons sufficiently to knock further electrons out of atoms, which in turn are accelerated by the high voltage gradient to knock still further electrons out of other atoms, creating an "avalanche" of electrons. As the avalanche of electrons continues, the positive ions are also accelerated towards the cathode wall. These positive ions strike the cathode wall with sufficient energy to release still additional electrons. All of these electrons descend on the anode wire and are detected as a pulse of electric current. The occurrence of this pulse thus indicates that a charged particle has passed through the tube. The electrical pulses can then be amplified and counted, using appropriate electronic counting circuitry, and/or converted to audible sound, to provide a user of the geiger counter a quantitative and/or qualitative measure of the number of charged particles encountered by the GMT.
Unfortunately, the rate at which charged particles can be detected by the GMT is limited. This is because during a discharge, i.e., during that time during which the electron avalanche is occurring, the GMT is insensitive to further charged particles arriving at the detector. Thus, some means must be employed to stop the electron avalanche, and to prepare the GMT to detect the next arriving charged particle.
One common technique used to help stop the avalanche is to reduce the voltage potential between the anode and cathode. Some reduction of this voltage occurs naturally as the electrical pulse developed on the anode effectively discharges the charged GMT (which may be considered prior to discharge as a charged capacitor). However, it is also known in the art to deliberately decrease the applied voltage potential for a sufficient time to allow the electron avalanche to sweep out of the GMT, at which time the voltage is again raised to a value just a little less than needed to create an electrical discharge. This process is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,605,859 and 4,631,411. Using this prior art "sweep out" process, conventional GMT counters have a recovery time on the order of 10 μsec. Thus, conventional geiger counters are able to detect charged particles or radiation at a rate that is limited to no more than about 100,000 pulses per second. This recovery time significantly limits the high dosage rate at which radiation can be detected.
Using the "sweep out" process dosage rate is determined by measuring the period of the time between raising the anode voltage to its operating level and receiving the next Geiger pulse, i.e., time-to-count algorithm (or mode). This is a reciprocal rate measurement technique. The statistical accuracy of such measurement is improved by averaging successive measurements, but can only be as accurate as the starting point for measuring the Geiger period. Unfortunately, this starting point, when the anode voltage is precisely at its proper operating value, is not known with a great deal of certainty. Hence, as the Geiger period becomes shorter and shorter (higher and higher dosage rates), the uncertainty of the starting point of the period contributes a larger and larger error to the measurement. Because the measurement thus becomes increasingly inaccurate for short time intervals, reciprocal rate measurement instruments of the early prior art employed multiple GMTs; a relatively sensitive GMT to span the lower part of the dynamic range and a less sensitive GMT to span the upper decades.
Using the time-to-count algorithm, the rate, r, is calculated as follows. First, calculate the total time, tActive, the GMT is active:
      t    Active    =            N      t              f      osc      where Nt is number of clock ticks and fosc is oscillator frequency. Next, calculate the mean time to count, μtime to count:
            μ              time                                                  to                                                  count              =                  t        Active                    N        p                  r    =          1              μ                  time                                                              to                                                              count                    where Np is number of clock ticks to pulse measurement and rate, r, may be calculated as:
      ∴    r    =            f      osc        *          (                        N          p                          N          t                    )
U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,513, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, addresses the limitations of the conventional GMT counters summarized above and describes a portable radiation measurement device using a single GMT that has an operating range from background radiation levels on the order of 20 μR/h to high radiation levels on the order of 1000 R/h. U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,513 extends the measurement range of a single Geiger Mueller tube (GMT) using a system that may be operated in one of two modes; either a conventional mode, used to measure low radiation levels, e.g. background radiation, or an extended range geiger (ERG) mode, used to measure high radiation levels. Both modes utilize the same GMT and basic operating circuitry, including a power supply for generating a GMT anode voltage, a GMT anode voltage control circuit, a GMT trigger circuit, a clock circuit, and a GMT pulse counter circuit. In the conventional mode, the radiation rate is determined as a function of the number of GMT pulses counted over a prescribed time period, i.e., conventional pulse counting. In the ERG mode, an additional counter is employed to count trial intervals of a prescribed duration. The radiation rate is determined in the ERG mode statistically as a function of the ratio of the GMT pulse count and the trial interval count, with a prescribed number of trial interval counts being rejected after each GMT pulse in order to assure known initial conditions.
Using the conventional pulse count algorithm, the number of pulses Np is measured over a period of time and rate, r, is determined using:
  r  =            f      osc        *          (                        N          p                          N          clk                    )      Using the ERG algorithm, first calculate the probability of a non-event as follows:
      P              (              >        0            )        =                              N          p                          N          t                    ⇒              P                          (          0          )                      =          1      -                        N          p                          N          t                    Apply Poisson arrival statistics:
            P                    (                  x          ,          λ                )              =                            λ          x                                  e                      -            λ                                      x        !                  λ    =          r              f        osc                        P                    (        0        )              =                                                                      (                                  r                                      f                    osc                                                  )                            0                                                  e                              -                                  r                                      f                    osc                                                                                0            !                          ⇒                  P                                (            0            )                              =              e                  -                      r                          f              osc                                          And calculate rate as follows:
      ∴    r    =            f      osc        *          ln                    (                              N            t                                              N              t                        -                          N              p                        +            ɛ                          )            For each rate measurement algorithm described herein, the field strength, Rgamma, may be determined as follows:
      R    gamma    =      r          Tube                                      Sensitivity
The prior art systems described above face a common challenge and trade-off in implementation with respect to power consumption. More particularly, the upper limit of the radiation measurement algorithms (or modes) is a function of the GMT sensitivity to radiation and the frequency of the clock oscillator. Since power consumption increases linearly with clock frequency, the multiple GMT systems with single measurement mode, varying sensitivities are used to obtain a large dynamic range and maintain a low clock speed. This multiple GMT system reduces the clock speed required to measure high radiation fields but increases the size, weight and complexity of the device since multiple GMTs are required. The single GMT based, multiple measurement mode systems such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,513 have lower size and weight but require more power to drive a higher clock rate to meet the full dynamic range requirement.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a GMT-based radiation detection system which uses a single GMT to reduce size and weight while also reducing power.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Switching frequency extended range geiger detection system and method


The present invention provides a receiving antenna coil capable of realizing both improvement in the reception characteristic and miniaturization. In a receiving antenna coil, at least one of an X-axis winding core part and a Y-axis winding core part is formed in a plurality of bars. While increasing occupancy of the winding core parts (the X-axis winding core part and the Y-axis winding core part) in a region in the XY plane surrounded by a Z-axis receiving coil, the length of the winding core parts can be assured long. Further, since the X-axis winding core part and the Y-axis winding core part are provided in the same plane, the height of the core is suppressed, and the dimension of the entire receiving antenna coil can be suppressed.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a receiving antenna coil in which coils are wound in X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions which cross one another.
2. Related Art
A receiving antenna coil is used, as an example, by being mounted on a remote controller for locking/unlocking a keyless entry system in a car or a house. To make transmission/reception of information between a control unit on a car or house side and the controller more reliable, in recent years, improvement in a reception characteristic of the receiving antenna coil is demanded. On the other hand, to improve portability for the user, a request for miniaturization of the receiving antenna coil is also increasing.
Techniques of this kind disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-92509 and WO 2007/116797 are known. FIGS. 1 and 10 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-92509 show an antenna coil in which an X-axis receiving coil and a Y-axis receiving coil are wound so as to overlap each other.
FIG. 4 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-92509 and FIG. 1 of WO 2007/116797 show an antenna coil in which a receiving coil is wound around each of cores in a cross shape.    [Patent document 1] Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2003-92509    [Patent document 2] International patent application publication No. WO 2007/116797
However, when coils are wound so as to overlap in the crossing direction, tension at the time of winding is concentratedly applied between coil wires, and there is the possibility that an insulating film on the surface of the coil is damaged. When the insulating film is damaged and the core wire of the coil wire is exposed, short-circuit of the coil occurs, the antenna characteristic deteriorates, and it becomes a problem. When X-axis and Y-axis receiving coils are wound so as to overlap each other like in the antenna coil described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-92509, it is difficult to reduce the height in the Z-axis direction, that is, the thickness dimension.
In the case of the cross-shaped core described in WO 2007/116797, it is difficult to wind a wire at the intersecting part of the cross, so that it is difficult to assure the sufficient number of turns of the coil. Since it is generally difficult to assure large volume of a cross-shaped core in a region in a Z-axis receiving coil disposed so as to surround X-axis and Y-axis receiving coils, it is difficult to sufficiently increase the reception characteristic of the X-axis and Y-axis receiving coils. When the winding core part is set long to increase the number of turns in one direction in the inner region in the Z-axis receiving coil whose dimensions are restricted, the width of the winding core part in the other direction has to be decreased. The winding length and the core volume have the trade-off relation.
The present invention is achieved in view of the problems and an object of the invention is to provide a receiving antenna coil capable of realizing both improvement in the reception characteristic and miniaturization.


An information processing device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to determine whether a first action is performed. The first action is defined as indicating an intention to contact an object displayed at a position that may not be contacted by a thumb approaching a display unit on which a screen image is displayed. The processor is configured to move, when it is determined that the first action is performed, the screen image in a direction in which the object approaches the thumb.

When the easiness of a one-hand operation is emphasized, a screen of a touch panel display of a tablet device (e.g., a smart phone) is required to have a size enabling the thumb to touch any point on the screen in a state where the tablet device is grasped by one hand. Meanwhile, when the easiness of a visual recognition of displayed contents is emphasized, the screen size is required to be large.
A technology exists, in which even when the screen size is large, in order to facilitate the one-hand operation, a screen image displayed on the screen is reduced overall, and the reduced screen image is displayed at a position where the operation by the thumb is easily performed. Also, a technology exists, which determines a region where the operation by the thumb may be performed, in order to determine a region where the reduced screen image is to be displayed.
Related techniques are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-030050 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2014-179877.
However, the technologies require a display change operation such as tapping a specific icon, in order to change between displaying and not displaying the reduced screen image. When the display change operation is frequently required, the user experience may be deteriorated. Further, the reduction of the screen image may cause an erroneous operation such as tapping an icon nearby an intended icon.

Information processing device and display control method


A measuring unit converts a measuring signal into an intermediate frequency band of a predetermined bandwidth and detects the intermediate frequency band while a reception frequency is set variable by variably controlling a local oscillation frequency of a local oscillator. A waveform memory stores the magnitude of a detection signal output from the measuring unit in correspondence with the frequency. An analyzing unit analyzes a frequency component included in a signal to be measured, on the basis of a storage value of the waveform memory. An analysis target frequency data setting unit sets frequency data of a desired analysis target frequency or interval frequency data thereof. A sweep control unit changes the reception frequency of the measuring unit into the desired analysis target frequency corresponding to the frequency data set by the analysis target frequency data setting unit and outputs an address signal corresponding to the received analysis target frequency to the waveform memory every time a signal synchronized with an ON/OFF change of the signal to be measured is received.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a spectrum analyzing system for receiving and sweeping a measuring signal to analyze a spectrum thereof and, more particularly, to a spectrum analyzer for discretely selecting and receiving a frequency component included in a burst signal and measuring the frequency component.
2. Description or the Related Art
A conventional spectrum analyzer has an arrangement of FIG. 17 to display a frequency component included in a measuring signal as a series of spectral waveforms on a screen.
Referring to FIG. 17, reference numeral 1 denotes a measuring unit for sweeping and detecting a measuring signal. The measuring unit 1 is arranged to cause a mixer 3 to frequency-convert the input measuring signal in accordance with a local oscillation signal from a sweep oscillator 2 and cause a detector 5 to detect a signal passing through a band-pass filter 4.
Reference numeral 7 denotes a sweep control circuit for sweeping and controlling the frequency of the local oscillation signal in accordance with a sweep signal.
Reference numeral 8 denotes a display unit for displaying a detection output from the detector 5 on a frequency axis. A spectral waveform of the measuring signal falling within the frequency range determined by the sweep signal is displayed on the screen of the display unit 8.
For example, when a measuring signal having a frequency F.sub.1 shown in FIG. 18A is input, assuming that a sweep signal corresponding to the frequency range from a start frequency F.sub.0 lower than the frequency F.sub.1 to a frequency several times the frequency F.sub.1 is output, as shown in FIG. 18B, a spectral waveform shown in FIG. 18C is displayed on the screen of the display unit 8.
When a burst signal of the frequency F.sub.1 which is pulse-modulated with a period shorter than a sweep period of the sweep signal (as shown in (b) of FIG. 19) is, however, input, as shown in (a) of FIG. 19, the spectrum of a nonsignaling period T.sub.0 contains only noise components, as shown in (c) of FIG. 19. As a result, the spectrum of the measuring signal present within the range of the reception frequency swept during the non-signaling period T.sub.0 cannot be observed.
In order to eliminate the unobservable range, the sweep period may be shortened. However, since the band of the band-pass filter 4 and the response time of the detector 5 are limited, the conventional spectrum analyzer cannot cope with a high-speed burst modulated signal.
In summary, a general spectrum analyzer comprises a local oscillator and a mixer. The local oscillator is frequency-swept for a predetermined sweep period to sequentially convert signals in a frequency range to be measured into intermediate frequency (IF) signals. The bandwidth of the received IF signals are narrowed by a band-pass filter having a desired bandwidth. The frequency-analyzed signals are then detected. The swept and analyzed signal is displayed such that its frequency is plotted along the abscissa and the corresponding signal amplitude is plotted along the ordinate.
When the above general spectrum analyzer is used to perform spectrum analysis upon reception of a burst signal (e.g., a signal obtained such that a high-frequency signal F.sub.1 amplitude-modulated by a rectangular low-frequency signal F.sub.0 used as in a television system repeats ON and OFF intervals at a period of the low-frequency signal, as shown in FIG. 20), the sweep time of the spectrum analyzer is not sufficiently matched with the ON interval (or the OFF interval) of the burst signal. As a result, a satisfactory measurement result cannot be obtained.
The spectrum of the burst signal shown in FIG. 20 has a well-known distribution, as shown in FIG. 21. This distribution is measured and observed with the general spectrum analyzer for performing so-called continuous sweep for a sweep time long enough to render the ON/OFF intervals of the burst signal negligible.
When the sweep time is shortened in this general spectrum analyzer, the ON/OFF intervals of the burst signals pose a serious problem, as shown in FIG. 22.
That is to say, FIG. 22 is an example of a measurement of a harmonic wave of a signal F.sub.1 included in the burst signal, as shown in (a) of FIG. 22. As shown in (b) of FIG. 22, the frequency of a local oscillator is swept to receive signals of the measuring frequency F.sub.1 to frequency F.sub.4 by a sweep voltage (the frequency of the local oscillator is a frequency as a sum of the measuring frequency and an intermediate frequency F.sub.if). Since the burst signal of the input signal is set in a non-signaling state during the OFF interval T.sub.0, the measuring frequencies F.sub.1 and 3F.sub.1 received in this state cannot be measured. The measuring frequencies 2F.sub.1 and 4F.sub.1 can be measured because the burst signal is present during the reception time.
Strong demand has arisen for a spectrum analyzer compatible with a burst signal in accordance with recent developments in the field of communications.
Prior art for analyzing high-frequency signals included in burst signals by improving conventional spectrum analyzers are exemplified by Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 63-132178 (to be referred to as Reference 1 hereinafter), Published Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Application No. 62-189669 (to be referred to as Reference 2 hereinafter), and Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2-231576 (to be referred to as Reference 3 hereinafter). These references will be described below.

Burst signal spectrum measuring system with stepwise sweeping


An outerwear garment having a highly unique design and display feature. The outerwear garment of a particular fabric material includes a plurality of parallel slits which form a plurality of strips of fabric within a visual area. A display panel is secured to the inside of the fabric material such that a depiction is positioned to correspond to the visual area and partially visible through the slits. The slits may be cut generally horizontally, vertically, or at an inclined angle. When the fabric material is wetted, the strips become distorted in various ways to reveal increased portions of the respective depictions within the respective visual areas. Multiple visual areas can be created on the garment to provide an unlimited number of different designs, patterns, textures, and visual effects.

The fashion and clothing industry depends upon the constant creation of new designs and clothing products which will appeal to consumers. Various types of clothing including new designs, colors, and shapes are continually being designed and manufactured in an effort to discover a unique look that will be trend-setting in nature. A pioneering fashion design having tremendous consumer appeal comes about very infrequently.
Traditional items of outerwear clothing consist primarily of a piece of material constructed in a particular shape, size, style, color, and design pattern. Such traditional outerwear clothing is commonly constructed of a single layer of material. Traditional outerwear clothing has sometimes been designed to be worn in multiple layers and to cover different parts of the body.
Because of the difficulty in creating new, appealing clothing designs, the fashion industry sees much repetition with respect to the construction and design of outerwear clothing. A common occurrence in the fashion and clothing industry is that clothing styles popular in prior years resurface and become once again popular in a cyclical manner.
One type of traditional outerwear clothing design involves a ragged or worn look in which some of the material has been worn away to expose the skin or undergarment of the person wearing the worn piece of clothing. The worn areas can result from normal wear and tear, or garment can be manufactured to include worn areas. Such worn areas can be manufactured at any location on the garment.
Outerwear clothing manufactured to include worn areas suffer, however, from several drawbacks. First, the worn areas must be created by destroying the fabric material within the worn area. Second, the manufacturing process of destroying the fabric material within the worn area is time consuming, expensive, and labor-intensive. Finally, the structural integrity of the garment must often be compromised where the worn area is created, commonly at location where maximum structural support is required.
Accordingly, a need exists to provide a new type of outerwear clothing which involves a pioneering design and has a high degree of consumer appeal yet preserves, where necessary, the structural integrity of the garment. The present invention, described in detail below, involves a new type of outerwear clothing that differs dramatically from traditional clothing construction. Outerwear clothing constructed according to the present invention creates a dramatic first impression upon consumers because of its highly unique design characteristics. The outerwear clothing of the present invention maintains a high degree of structural integrity of the fabric material. Other advantages, features, and objects of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed disclosure of the invention as set forth below.


A beverage container holder provides for the holding of a champagne bucket or other similarly configured container, cantilevered from the edge of a table or other platform. The device thus does not require any space on the table, and further does not require a relatively costly and space consuming floor stand for the support of a champagne bucket or the like. The holder generally comprises a round ring adapted to hold a tapered cylindrical bucket or container therein, with a smoothly curved support leg extending therefrom and secured to the ring at a single point. The lower end of the support leg includes a single lower contact point, while the upper end of the leg includes a transverse member extending thereacross, in an approximate T configuration. The opposite ends of the transverse member form two upper contact points, with the single lower and two upper contact points defining a stable three point attachment for the holder. The device may be formed of round wire or rod, and may be plated in precious metals or otherwise as desired for corrosion resistance and an attractive appearance. Decorative patterns may be provided to enhance the appearance further, and to conceal joint reinforcements used to form a sturdy structure. The ends of the contact points may include pads thereon to preclude marring the surface to which the holder is attached.

A good wine or champagne is frequently an enjoyable accessory with a high quality meal, either in a fine restaurant or in the home. Often, however, a meal which is accompanied by a chilled wine or champagne tends to be quite an elaborate affair, with numerous courses, dishes, utensils, and table decorations as a part of the meal. This can be a problem insofar as table space is concerned, as understandably, restaurants tend to provide the smallest tables reasonably possible, in order to seat the greatest number of patrons possible. Even in the home, table space may be limited at a festive occasion with numerous guests who do not normally dine in that home.
Accordingly, it has become a common practice at such elegant meals, to place any iced beverage bottles in a separate rack or stand, which is placed adjacent the table in order to save space on the table. However, this leads to another problem, with the stand taking up aisle space or restricting the movement of waiters or servers between tables, and/or restricting the movement of diners as they move their chairs away from their tables. At times, a person may trip over such a stand, spilling the contents and destroying the mood of the evening. At the very least, from time to time a waiter may find it necessary to move the stand away from the table for which it is providing service, thereby creating a problem for diners using the stand and beverage bottle therein. As diners in such circumstances correctly expect excellent service and a top quality experience, such inconvenience is normally not well accepted.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a beverage container holder which is readily accessible to diners at a dining table, but which neither takes up table space nor floor space adjacent to the table. The holder or rack is cantilevered from the table edge, thereby automatically placing any contents thereof readily to hand, yet freeing the table surface area and keeping the floor space clear.


The present disclosure relates to a 5G or a pre-5G communication system to be provided in order to support a higher data transmission rate than a 4G communication system such as LTE. The present invention provides a method for receiving, by a terminal, a mobile end service in a communication system, the method including: a step of ascertaining whether there exists a continuously available service among services which have been provided from a serving base station, on the basis of a list of supported services received from a target base station; and in the case that there exists a continuously available service, a step of transmitting a service area update request to the target base station via a connection layer if the continuously available service supports a mobile end service.

To satisfy demands for wireless data traffic having increased since commercialization of 4th-Generation (4G) communication systems, efforts have been made to develop improved 5th-Generation (5G) communication systems or pre-5G communication systems. For this reason, the 5G communication system or the pre-5G communication system is also called a beyond-4G-network communication system or a post-Long Term Evolution (LTE) system.
To achieve a high data rate, implementation of the 5G communication system in an ultra-high frequency (mmWave) band (e.g., a 60 GHz band) is under consideration. In the 5G communication system, beamforming, massive multi-input multi-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), an array antenna, analog beamforming, and large-scale antenna technologies have been discussed to alleviate a propagation path loss and to increase a propagation distance in the ultra-high frequency band.
For system network improvement, in the 5G communication system, techniques such as an evolved small cell, an advanced small cell, a cloud radio access network (RAN), an ultra-dense network, a device to device (D2D) communication, a wireless backhaul, a moving network, cooperative communication, coordinated multi-points (CoMPs), and interference cancellation have been developed.
In the 5G system, advanced coding modulation (ACM) schemes including hybrid frequency-shift keying (FSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC), and advanced access schemes including filter bank multi carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) have been developed. In a next-generation mobile communication system, communication technologies and services are under discussion, which support a data capacity that is about 1000 times larger than conventional communication systems, e.g., an LTE system, support a speed of 1 Gbps or higher per individual, and support high-density networking. In line with this, research has been conducted on techniques for providing ultra-realistic, participating, and customized contents that maximize immersion and realism by applying virtual reality, holograms, four-dimension (4D) techniques, etc. To provide such contents, minimization of latencies occurring in a communication system is a big issue, in which the latencies may vary with an air condition, a backhaul structure, a distance between servers, and so forth.
Thus, various schemes for satisfying a latency level required in the next-generation mobile communication system have been studied, one of which is a system where a server for providing a service to a terminal and a base station (BS) are directly connected to each other to reduce a connection latency, referred to as a delay or a latency, occurring between the terminal and the server.

Method and a base station for receiving a continuous mobile terminated service in a communication system


A method and system for detecting flame rollout is disclosed. The detection system includes a processor programmed to execute a furnace lockout when the flame proving signal is lost three times after successful burner ignition has been established on each of three heating cycles within a predetermined period of accumulated burner on-time. In one embodiment the period of accumulated burner on-time is 60 minutes. The program executed by the processor resides in firmware. The system and method of present invention mitigates the potentially harmful accumulation of flue gasses when flame sense is lost due to flame rollout.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to furnaces, and particularly to detecting flame rollout in furnaces.
2. Technical Background
Flame rollout is a phenomenon that occurs when a heat exchanger is blocked, the blower compartment is leaking into the heat exchanger, combustion air is deficient, or when flue gas re-circulates into the combustion air stream. When flame roll-out occurs, the flame generated by a gas burner does not emanate inwardly toward the furnace""s heat exchanger. Instead, the flame is pulled outwardly into the cabinet of the furnace. Flue gas is recirculated when the flue pipe is somehow removed.
Typically, furnaces include a manual reset temperature actuated flame rollout switch that detects unacceptably high bumer assembly temperatures. It will halt heating operations and will not allow the furnace to resume heating operations until the switch is reset. If a flame rollout condition causes a loss of flame sense before the normally closed manual reset temperature actuated flame rollout switch can open, the furnace will attempt to re-ignite the gas burners to continue heating operations. If repeated flame rollouts of this type occur within a short period of time, an undesirable build up of flue gasses may result.
What is needed is a system for tracking repeated occurrences of loss of flame sense due to flame rollout after successful burner ignition. An ignition is deemed to be a successful ignition if ignition continues to be proved and the gas valve continues to supply the burner with gas for a predetermined amount of time after the ignition of the gas burners. Most of the transient causes of flame loss occur within approximately 70 seconds of elapsed time from the moment of ignition. Thus, when flame sense is lost after 70 seconds of burner operation, it is highly probable that the cause is flame rollout. A method is needed to lockout the furnace after repeated occurrences of lost flame sense due to flame rollout. Lockout would continue for three hours to assure that the undesirable gas build-up dissipates.
The present invention addresses the above stated problem. The present invention is directed to a system and method for detecting loss of flame sense due to flame rollout in a furnace. The furnace of the present invention includes a flame proving sensor disposed near a gas burner. The flame proving sensor transmits a flame proving signal to a processor when it detects a flame emanating from the gas burner. The present invention tracks repeated incidents of lost flame sense due to flame rollout occurring after successful ignitions of the gas burners. The present invention performs a furnace lockout if three such incidents of flame rollout occur within a predetermined period of time, usually one-hour.
One aspect of the present invention is a method for controlling a furnace. The furnace includes a gas valve, at least one gas burner, and a flame proving sensor. The flame proving sensor is operative to supply the furnace with a flame proving signal when a flame is detected in the at least one gas burner. The method includes performing a furnace lockout when the flame proving signal is lost during each of a predetermined number of heating cycles within a predetermined period of accumulated gas burner on-time. A heating cycle is a period of gas burner flame detection time that is greater than or equal to a first predetermined period of time.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a method for controlling a furnace. The furnace includes a gas valve, at least one gas burner, and a flame proving sensor. The flame proving sensor is operative to supply the furnace with a flame proving signal when a flame is detected in the at least one gas burner. The method includes the steps of actuating the gas valve to an on-state to thereby provide gas to the at least one gas burner. The gas is ignited to thereby produce a flame emanating from the at least one gas burner. The flame proving sensor is checked after the gas valve has been in the on-state for a predetermined amount of time. The gas valve is actuated to an off-state when the flame proving sensor fails to detect a flame in the previous step. The previous steps are repeated twice. Finally, a furnace lockout is performed when all of the previous steps are performed within a second predetermined period of time. The furnace ignores requests for heat during the furnace lockout.
In yet another aspect, the present invention includes a system for detecting flame rollout in a furnace. The furnace includes a gas valve and at least one gas burner. The system includes a flame proving sensor disposed proximate the at least one gas burner, the flame proving sensor being operative to detect a flame emanating from the at least one gas burner. A processor is coupled to the flame proving sensor, the processor being programmed to execute a furnace lockout when the flame proving signal is lost during each of a predetermined number of heating cycles within a predetermined period of accumulated gas burner on-time.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary of the invention, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operation of the invention.

System and method for detecting flame rollout in a furnace


The present invention provides an OLED display device and a manufacture method thereof, and the OLED display device comprises a first substrate (100), a second substrate (200) spaced and oppositely located with the first substrate (100), a plurality of thin film transistors (101) located at an inner surface of the first substrate (100), a transparent anode (201) located at an inner surface of the second substrate (200), a plurality of partition walls (202) located on the transparent anode (201), transmission holes (203) formed among the partition walls (202), an organic layer (204) located on the transparent anode (201) and in the transmission holes (203), a metal cathode (205) located on the organic layer (204) and the partition walls (202), and the metal cathode (205) is electrically connected to a drain of the thin film transistor (101). The OLED display device possesses a high aperture ratio and high transmittance. The manufacture method of the OLED display device provided by the present invention can manufacture an OLED display device with a high aperture ratio and high transmittance, and promote the yield and the productivity.

The Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) is a flat panel display technology which has great prospects for development. It does not only possess extremely excellent display performance but also properties of self-illumination, simple structure, ultra thin, fast response speed, wide view angle, low power consumption and capability of realizing flexible display, and therefore is considered as "dream display". It has been favored by respective big display makers and has become the main selection of the third generation display element.
An OLED display generally comprises a substrate, an anode located on the substrate, an organic emitting layer located on the anodes, an electron transport layer located on the organic emitting layer, and a cathode located on the electron transport layer. As working, the Hole from the anode and the Electron from the cathode are injected to the organic emitting layer, these electrons and holes are combined to generate excited electron-hole pairs, and the excited electron-hole pairs are converted from the excited state to the ground state for achieving illumination.
The OLED can be categorized as Passive matrix OLED (PMOLED) and (Active matrix OLED) AMOLED according to their driving types. The power consumption of the PMOLED is high, and thus, it hinders the application in large scale display devices. Besides, in PMOLED, the aperture ratio is decreased along with the amount increase of the wirings. Therefore, the PMOLED is generally applied for the small scale display devices. The lighting efficiency of the AMOLED is high, and therefore, it is generally utilized for the large scale display devices of high resolution.
On the other hand, the AMOLEDs can be categorized into bottom emitting AMOLED display devices and top emitting AMOLED display devices according to the emitting direction of the light from the organic emitting layer.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a sectional diagram of a bottom emitting AMOLED display device according to prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, the AMOLED display device comprises a first substrate 10 and a second substrate 20, which are separated and oppositely faced. A plurality of thin film transistors T and a plurality of first electrodes 31 are formed on an inner surface of the first substrate 10, wherein each first electrode 31 is connected to one thin film transistor T, and an organic layer 32 is formed on the first electrodes 31 and the thin film transistors T, and second electrodes 33 are formed on the organic layer 32. The organic layer 32 in one pixel P emits lights of three colors: red light R, green light G and blue light B. The AMOLED display device further comprises: a dryer 21 formed on the inner surface of the second substrate 20, and employed to remove the water and the air which possibly invade in the spaced room between the first, the second substrates 10, 20. The seal 12 is formed between the first, the second substrates 10, 20, and surrounds elements like, the first, the second electrodes 31, 33, the organic layer 32, the thin film transistors T for protecting the aforesaid elements away from the foreign water and the air.
In the bottom emitting AMOLED display device shown in FIG. 1, the light emits passing through the bottom where the thin film transistors are formed, and it has descended aperture ratio by being compared with the top emitting AMOLED display device. On the other hands, the top emitting AMOLED display device possesses higher aperture ratio but the cathode is generally built on the organic layer. The selection of the material for manufacturing the cathode is restricted. Thus, the transmittance is restricted and display effect is degraded.

OLED display device and manufacture method thereof

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.


A vehicle slip control system for controlling a wheel slip based on a friction coefficient of a road surface measures an engine torque T.sub.E by applying an intake pipe negative pressure Pm and a number of engine revolutions Ne to an engine model. A drive torque T is measured by applying the engine torque T.sub.E to an A/T model, and a driving wheel acceleration d.omega. is obtained by finding a difference of a detected driving wheel speed .omega.. By filtering this driving wheel acceleration d.omega., a post-filter driving wheel acceleration d.omega..sub.0 is calculated. A squat force Ws is calculated from the drive-torque T and the post-filter driving wheel acceleration d.omega., and a friction coefficient .mu. of the road surface is estimated from the squat force Ws. The estimated friction coefficient .mu. is used to control a wheel slip.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicle slip control system for restraining an excessive slip of driving wheels of the vehicle which occurs during starting acceleration of the vehicle, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
In JP-A-62-121839, for example, there are shown types of systems for controlling a position of a blade of throttle valve so that the slip ratio S=(Va-Vb)/Va, determined by a vehicle speed Vb obtained from driving wheels and a driving wheel speed Va, stays within a predetermined range in the event of a slip of the driving wheels.
There are also known techniques for restraining a wheel slip by limiting an engine torque by stopping a fuel supply to an internal combustion engine on the vehicle or by delaying the ignition timing (JP-A-63-263243 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,176). Furthermore, there have been proposed techniques for adjusting the throttle position, for example, according to a steering angle or the like to prevent slippage during turning (JP-A-63-18144, JP-A-63-149236, and JP-A-63-32136).
In the arrangements disclosed in the above-mentioned patent publications, it is often impossible to provide a suitable control over the engine torque to be controlled in the event of slippage because the engine torque differs with different road conditions (e.g., snowy roads, icy roads) expressed by a friction coefficient .mu. between the road surface and the driving wheels and also differs with the kind of the tire.
In the so-called traction control to prevent a wheel slip, the optimum torque restraint rate (by throttle control, for example) at the time of slippage differs with the friction coefficient of the road surface, and therefore, in order to exert control with an adequate torque regardless of the road condition, it is necessary to know the friction coefficient .mu. and perform traction control according to this friction coefficient. In the prior arts, however, an adequate friction coefficient .mu. cannot be estimated.
To take an example, in a technique disclosed in JP-A-2-19622, the friction coefficient .mu. of the road surface is estimated from the acceleration of the driving wheels in the event of slippage. However, in this technique, since the drive wheel torque is deemed constant, it sometimes occurs that the variations of the actual drive wheel torque are reflected in the above estimated friction coefficient .mu. of road surface, making it impossible to estimate a correct friction coefficient .mu..
JP-A-1-122763 discloses a method for estimating the friction coefficient of a road surface which takes the drive torque of the driving wheels into account, but this method does not consider a road pressing force of the driving wheels, so that it is difficult to estimate an accurate friction coefficient of the road surface.

Vehicle wheel slip control system using predictive model to estimate friction coefficient


A continuous dry grinder for grinding particulate material with the assistance of grinding elements includes a comminuting vessel which contains the grinding elements and receives material to be ground through an upper feed chute and discharges the ground material through a radially mounted screen, valve and discharge chute. A motor driven agitator assembly is disposed within the vessel and includes alternating radially projected agitating arms and diverter discs mounted on a rotating agitator shaft. The agitating arms are L-shaped and have their short legs alternately projecting toward the top and bottom of the vessel.

This invention relates in general to the production of fine homogeneous powders with a very narrow particle size distribution from particulate solids in a stirred ball mill or agitated-media grinder and relates in particular to a high speed, continuous apparatus for processing particulate solids into such fine powder by a dry, continuous process with radial discharge.


The present invention provides an antioxidant, an ROS inhibitor, an antioxidant enzyme production promoter, an antioxidant cosmetic, a UV care cosmetic, a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for gastrointestinal tract inflammation, and an antioxidant food or beverage, each containing an enzymatically synthesized glycogen (ESG) or an α-amylase digest (RG) thereof, as well as use for enhancing an antioxidative effect in vivo.

Intake of a component with a high antioxidative effect, such as vitamins, polyphenols, and carotenoids, is a usual method for increasing antioxidative capacity in vivo. In recent years, a technique has been developed for enhancing antioxidative capacity in vivo by increasing the amount of an antioxidant enzyme produced in vivo. For example, the following methods have been proposed for this purpose: a method for treating immune system cells with Western dandelion-derived polysaccharide (Non-patent Literature (NPL) 1); a method for treating immune system cells with Nostoc commune-derived scytonemin (NPL 2); and a method for eating an isohumulone or an isomerized hop extract (Patent Literature (PTL) 1). Natural products may be extremely expensive and the effects achieved by natural products may vary depending on the production lot (PTL 2 to PTL 5). Further, such natural products are generally unstable under light or heat. When natural products are incorporated into foods or beverages and used, a stability problem arises. Further, natural products are poorly soluble in water and are thus difficult to use for beverages, etc., (PTL 6 to PTL 8). Furthermore, an extract of a natural product contains multiple compounds and the active principle of a natural product may not be clearly identified (PTL 1).
Glycogen is known as a reserve polysaccharide in animals. Glycogen is a highly-branched polymer in which many glucose molecules are polymerized by α-1,4 and 1,6 glycosidic linkages. Glycogen is mainly produced in the liver and skeletal muscles and functions as temporary storage of excess glucose.
Patent Literature (PTL) 9 discloses that enzymatically synthesized glycogen comprehensively improves the blood glucose level, visceral fat level, blood cholesterol level, neutral fat level, etc.
Further, Patent Literature (PTL) 10 discloses a method for producing enzymatically synthesized glycogen.
Further still, Patent Literature (PTL) 11 discloses an external preparation for the skin, comprising enzymatically synthesized glycogen. However, the antioxidative effect of enzymatically synthesized glycogen is not disclosed therein.

Antioxidant agent, and antioxidant cosmetic and UV care cosmetic


Processes and apparatus for fabricating belts are disclosed comprising conveying a first mandrel to a wrapping station, supplying the leading edge of a web from a web supply roll to the first mandrel at the wrapping station, retaining the leading edge of the web on the first mandrel by means of a partial vacuum, wrapping the web around the first mandrel by rotating the first mandrel for about one revolution, severing the web at the wrapping station to form a trailing edge which overlaps the leading edge of the web to form a first belt having a seam, substantially simultaneously conveying the first mandrel to a welding station and conveying a second mandrel to the wrapping station, and substantially simultaneously wrapping the second mandrel with fresh web material from the web supply roll and welding the seam on the first belt on the first mandrel to form a unitary belt. These welded belts may be automatically removed from the mandrels at a belt discharge station.

This invention relates in general to apparatus and processes for fabricating flexible belts.
Various techniques have been devised to form belts from webs. Thermoplastic webs may be joined by overlapping the edge of one web over another and placing the overlapped or seam portion of the webs over a base beneath a vibrating welding element. The vibrating welding element may be a horn vibrating at an ultrasonic frequency while it is brought into forced contact with one side of the overlapped webs while the other side of the overlapped web seam is supported on an anvil surface. Transfer of vibratory energy from the horn to the web material is effected upon impact of a suitably shaped surface of the horn on the seam of the web material. The vibrating energy causes surface heat to be generated between the overlapping webs along the area of contiguous contact between the webs. The horn normally resonates toward and away from the seam at a frequency of about 16 kHz or higher. The weld may be in the form of a chain of spots along the seam or a continuous weld. The technique of ultrasonic welding of thermoplastic material is well known and illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,166, U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,256, U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,033, U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,307 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,610, all incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
Unfortunately, batch processes for cutting and welding webs into belts require considerable time, duplicate manual handling, occupy excessive floor space and also require extensive equipment for alignment, cutting, welding trimming and other processing steps.
Further, excessive manual handling increases the likelihood of damage to sensitive substrates or coatings, particularly for coated substrates that must meet precise tolerance requirements such as flexible electrostatographic imaging members including photoreceptors for high speed electrostatographic copiers, duplicators, printers and the like. Scratches and even fingerprints on the vulnerable surfaces of a sensitive, flexible photoreceptor renders the photoreceptor unacceptable for most electrostatographic copiers, duplicators and printers.
When multiple batch handling techniques are utilized to to fabricate belts, it is also often difficult to achieve uniform belt conicity and uniform quality. Moreover, because of differences in belt size requirements for different electrostatographic copiers, duplicators, printers and the like, a machine suitable for fabricating a belt of one diameter or width cannot be readily used to prepare a belt of a different diameter or width.
Thus the characteristics of belt fabrication systems exhibit deficiencies for rapidly manufacturing belts having precise tolerance requirements.

Apparatus and process for preparing belts


The present disclosure provides a display drive circuit for driving a display panel having a plurality of pixels. The display drive circuit comprises a stepping unit, configured to shape a gate voltage signal to compensate for pixel-to-pixel charging variations to thereby reduce luminance variations on the display panel. The display drive circuit can further include a time sequence control unit and a modulation unit. The time sequence control unit can be coupled to the modulation unit, and can be configured to generate a first control signal; and the modulation unit can be configured to utilize the first control signal to modulate a preset signal to thereby generate a second control signal; and the stepping unit can be coupled to the modulation unit, and can be configured to shape the gate voltage signal based on the second control signal prior to outputting the gate voltage signal.

Consumers have an increasingly higher demand for better display effects of display devices. With the technological advances in the modern era, liquid crystal displays (LCD), and organic light emitting diode (OLED) have been widely employed in electronic display products, such as televisions, computers, cellular phones, and personal digital assistants.
For example, an LCD comprises source drivers, gate drivers, and an LCD panel, etc. The LCD panel comprises a pixel array. The gate drivers are employed to sequentially turn on corresponding pixel rows in the pixel array, so as to transmit the pixel data output from the source drivers to pixels to display images.

Display apparatus and drive circuit thereof

CHONGQING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A vehicle lamp has a housing and a transparent cover formed of a transparent resin having a flexural modulus of 2000 MPa or more, and joined to the housing by beam welding. The transparent cover has a first surface and a second surface. The second surface faces the housing, and a welding surface is formed along a circumference of the second surface. The welding surface is formed such that the welding surface has a three-dimensional curved surface in a closed-curve form, and such that each continuing surface of the welding surface is formed as a flat surface with respect to a direction of a normal line thereto or as a curved surface having a curvature radius of 30 mm or more with respect to a direction of a normal line thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vehicle lamp. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to an art for surely performing welding in a vehicle lamp in which a housing and a transparent cover provided in front thereof are joined by beam welding.
2. Description of the Related Art
For vehicle lamps, there exists an art of beam welding in which a transparent cover provided in front of a housing is welded onto the housing by irradiation of a beam, such as a laser beam. In joining the housing and the transparent cover by use of beam welding, there are many advantages that cannot be obtained in other joining techniques such as heat plate welding, ultrasonic welding, or bonding.
Meanwhile, in order to surely perform beam welding, the housing and the transparent cover must be placed in close contact at their welding surfaces, and a gap between the welding surfaces must be held within 0.1 mm.
In an effort to place the housing and the transparent cover in proximity with a gap of 0.1 mm or smaller or in close contact at their welding surfaces, it is a common practice to precisely perform a die cutting, an injection condition setting, etc. upon injection-molding of the housing and the transparent cover.
However, it is difficult to actually eliminate post-injection-mold shrink, deflection, deformation, etc., and it is inevitable to encounter regions having a gap of 0.1 mm or greater. Therefore, poor welding results in such regions.
For this reason, there has been an attempt to fix the housing and push the transparent cover toward the housing by a jig so that a forcible deformation can be caused by an external force upon irradiation with a beam, thereby placing both welding surfaces in close contact together at the time of beam welding.
As mentioned above, the housing and the transparent cover can be placed within a gap of 0.1 mm at their welding surfaces in most of the regions by pushing the transparent cover toward the housing with a jig and causing a forcible deformation to the transparent cover by an external force. However, when the transparent cover 70 has a region 75 where a direction of a normal line n1, n2 to the welding surface 73 changes sharply as shown in FIG. 5, structural rigidity in that region increases. In such regions, it is not easy to place the welding surfaces of the transparent cover 70 and the housing 60 within a gap of 0.1 mm even if pushed by a jig.

Vehicle lamp housing and cover with welding surface structure


The present disclosure relates to system(s) and device for assisting a visually impaired user to grip objects. The system may receive an image of an object in real-time and identify a reference image corresponding to the image by comparing the image with reference images. Further, the system may identify a reference tactile image corresponding to the reference image and generate a first set of audio instructions for assisting the visually impaired user to grip the object based on the reference tactile image. Further, the system may receive a tactile image from a tactile glove of the visually impaired user and compare the tactile image with the reference tactile image to identify pressure variation data. Furthermore, the system may generate a second set of audio instructions for guiding the visually impaired user to grip the object base on a second set of audio instructions generated using the pressure variation data.

Visually Impaired people not only need help in seeking direction, but also need help in handling things they use daily or encounter during day to day activities. The Visually Impaired people need to grip objects in the right way, apply adequate pressure and grip the objects/tools such as a can opener or opening the door or lifting an object. In some situations, if the visually impaired user encounters objects for first time and they need to be told the right pressure to be applied on the object. Once they are familiar with the object, they need no external assistance since they would have already experienced operating the equipment and would remember to use the right force.
Similarly, in a manufacturing environment, quality control of assembly line products can be done by visually impaired where they are repeatedly required to check for uniformity of the shape of objects and need to do it without errors. In such a quality control process, the visually impaired user should be able to detect even minor variations in shape on all inspected assembled material.
The systems available in the art are only configured to assist the users in determining the object in front of them. However, this information is not sufficient enough for the visually impaired user to grip the object.

Assisting a visually impaired user to grip an object


A ball joint link includes a center tube and a ball stud. A one-piece, thermoplastic, molded housing extends around the ball to form a ball joint and is secured to the tube. The tube and the ball of the ball stud are both insert molded in the housing in a single molding operation, and the housing is formed of a glass-filled nylon that forms the bearing surface for the ball joint.

This invention relates to an improved ball joint link that is unusually light in weight and inexpensive to manufacture, and to a method for forming such a link.
Molding techniques in the past have been used in the fabrication of various ball joint components. For example, Duncan U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,495 teaches a method for molding a ball around a stud to form a ball stud.
Sinclair U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,860 discloses an all plastic rod end in which opposed raceways are mated to form a socket around a ball. The raceways are then over-molded to complete fabrication of the rod end.
Memory U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,669 discloses a plastic universal bearing which is molded in place in a link. In this case, the plastic that forms the socket of the ball joint is integral with the plastic that forms the center section of the link.