An electronically controlled micro-dispensing apparatus (10) is described. The apparatus includes a container (12), an adaptor (18), a nozzle (28) and a control circuit (34 or 42). The container is filled with the chemical (104) and propellant (102). The adaptor, nozzle and control circuit are removable from the container and are reusable. The control circuits controls the length of pulse and the time duration between each pulse. By controlling these factors, the apparatus dispenses a precise amount of liquid over a set time period. The ejector allows for controlled dispensing and allows the liquid to be sprayed a greater distance. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus are used to dispense a pheromone in an outdoor setting, such as an orchard (100), to control insects.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for periodically dispensing a fluid over an area by spraying. The present invention particularly relates to an electronic micro-dispensing apparatus for spraying pheromones in controlled amounts for a short duration in timed intervals to control insects in an outdoor setting such as an orchard.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Disruption of intraspecific chemical communication in insects can be accomplished by controlled release of synthetic pheromone to permeate the air within a crop (Carde and Minks, Control of moth pests by mating disruption: successes and constraints, "Annu. Rev. Entomol." 40:559-585 (1995). Commercial application of this principle for control of crop pests has led to the development of various devices that provide a pheromone reservoir and controlled release of the contents into the crop. A common method of pheromone release relies upon evaporation from small pieces of polymer impregnated or filled with pheromone. These devices can be relatively simple to construct and apply, but a high density of devices is required per unit area (McDonough et al, Performance characteristics of a commercial controlled-release dispenser of sex pheromone for control of codling moth (Cydia pomonella) by mating disruption, "J. Chem. Ecol." 18:2177-2189 (1992). Because the pheromones of some insect species are prone to oxidative and photodegradation (Millar, J. G., Degradation and stabilization of E8-E10-dodecadienol, the major component of the sex pheromone of the codling moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) "J. Econ. Entomol." 88:1425-1432 (1995), precautions must be taken to shield labile pheromones to maintain behavioral activity throughout a full growing season. Pheromone also can be encapsulated in semipermeable polymeric membranes to produce a formulation that is applied directly onto the crop using standard agricultural technology (Vickers, R. A. and Rothschild, G. H. L., Use of sex pheromones for control of codling moth, pp. 339-354. In L. P. S. van der Geest and H. H. Evenhuis [eds.], Tortricid moths: their biology, natural enemies and control, Elsevier, Amsterdam (1991). These systems are usually characterized by first-order decay release rates, making long-term disruption with a single application problematic. Application from a high density of sources is conducted to uniformly permeate a crop with pheromone.
A more recently developed approach is to release the same total amount of pheromone per unit area, but from far fewer point sources, thus relying on wind movement to disperse the pheromone throughout the crop. The super-low density approach to dispensing pheromones has been tested with devices that provide intermittent release, to provide predetermined release rates and a stable environment for a large reservoir of pheromone prior to its release. Reduction of insect pest populations and crop damage has been reported in studies of the efficacy of this approach in field crops (Shorey et al, Widely separated pheromone release sites for disruption of sex pheromone communication in two species of Lepidoptera, "Environ. Entomol." 25:446-451 (1996); (Shorey et al, Disruption of pheromone communication in Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in tomatoes, alfalfa, and cotton, "Environ. Entomol." 23:1529-1533 (1994); (Baker et al, Disruption of sex pheromone communication in the blackheaded fireworm in Wisconsin cranberry marshes by using MSTRS.TM. devices, "J. Agric. Entomol." 14:449-457 (1997), tree crops (Shorey, H. H. and Gerber, R. G., Use of puffers for disruption of sex pheromone communication among navel orangeworm moths (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in almonds, pistachios, and walnuts, "Environ. Entomol." 25:1154-1157 (1996); (Shorey et al, "Use of puffers for disruption of sex pheromone communication of codling moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in walnut orchards, "Environ. Entomol." 25:1398-1400 (1996), stored products (Mafra-Neto, A. and Baker, T. C., Timed, metered sprays of pheromone disrupt mating of Cauda cautella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) "J. Agric. Entomol." 13:149-168 (1996) and cranberry marshes (Baker et al, Ibid.); Fadamiro et al, Suppression of mating by blackheaded fireworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Wisconsin cranberry marshes using MSTRS.TM. devices "J. Agric. Entomol." 15:377-386 (1998). The release devices have been referred to as "puffers" (Shorey et al, Ibid.) and "misters" (MSTRS.TM.) (Baker et al, Ibid), and though these studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach, the devices are modifications of preexisting technology designed for indoor use. Hardware reliability is critical with this approach because at the low density of deployment, any failure to release pheromone has a large impact on the total release rate per unit area. This requirement may exceed the design limits of current technologies for super-low density release of pheromone, and for commercial use the grower would expect season-long operation.
In the past, pheromones for disruption of insect chemical communication have been released from impregnated solids like rubber and plastic in sizes ranging from sprayed microcapsules to foot-long strips hung on trees, open-ended hollow fibers where evaporation rate is controlled by size of the openings, and hollow polyethylene tubes having their lumen filled with chemical and heat-sealed at the end. Release rate from these "ropes" or other such releasers having an undiluted chemical reservoir is most preferably constant until the reservoir is exhausted.
A disadvantage of the above-mentioned dispersers is that they are perpetually "on" once deployed and cannot retain their chemical during periods when, due to pest life cycle, there may be no need to dispense the chemical. Dispensing the chemical only when needed is something that is economically desirable. Within the past two years, applied entomologists have adapted automatic aerosol dispensers to surmount this problem of wasting precious volatile chemicals by dispensing them indiscriminately over time. Automatic aerosol dispensers are used to dispense room deodorants or sometimes fumigants for insect pest control at timed intervals. At the intervals (e.g., 30 min. interval) a battery-powered motor turns gears attached to a lever that depresses the valve of an aerosol can, emitting a short pulse of can contents. Because many moth pests mate only at night, some automatic aerosol dispensers used for insect sex attractant release employ a photocell that precludes release in daylight. For this application, pheromone must be formulated with a propellant and packaged in a conventional spray can, which protects chemicals from exposure to the degradative factors of light and oxygen. The aerosol sprays onto a cloth pad from which it evaporates at a decreasing rate between pulses of spray.
Currently available are automatic aerosol dispensers which require a substantial amount of force (about 4 kg) to depress the aerosol can control valve. In addition, the mechanics and circuitry used to depress the aerosol control can valve on existing models are not maximally efficient and hence are more expensive than necessary. Furthermore, expensive and specialized equipment is required to charge or recharge an aerosol can. The currently available aerosol dispensers also have limited flexibility in control of their release of chemicals.
The related art has shown various types of automatic dispensing systems and apparatus. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. No. 3,305,134 to Carmichael et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,646 to Waldrum; U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,019 to Halaby, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,186 to Alperin and U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,435 to Stout et al.
Carmichael et al describes an automatic spray device which will automatically and periodically dispense a compressed fluid. The device is used in connection with a pressure pack or aerosol container. The device comprises regulator valve mechanics connected to the pressure pack for regulating the exit flow of the propellant contained in the pressure pack and a diaphragm type valve in a chamber. The diaphragm type valve controls the flow of the fluid. When the propellant from the pressure pack accumulates and provides a proper pressure on the diaphragm valve, the valve will open, thus spraying the fluid. The device can be constructed with a separate container for the propellant or the fluid and propellant can be combined in the same container.
Waldrum describes a liquid sprayer which discharges the liquid in a direction opposite the direction of movement of the nozzle. The movement and direction of flow causes the uniform formation of droplets, which reduces the problem of drift.
Halaby, Jr. describes a programmable fluid sprayer apparatus for intermittent automatic delivery of an atomized fluid into the atmosphere for a selected duration of time at a selected frequency of delivery from at least one (1) adjustable fluid atomizing spray head. This apparatus is a complex system which permits only approved fluid to be dispensed for use in a particular area. Further, the spray nozzle means are spaced apart from the container of fluid to be atomized.
Aplerin describes a method and apparatus for spraying aerosols comprising small liquid or solid particles as fine mist over large distances while using minimal amounts of energy. The method and apparatus utilize the property of the ejector normally employed for momentum or thrust augmentation for dispersement of the liquid and solid aerosols over large distances with large divergence angles. The apparatus and method cause the substance to be sprayed to mix with a high velocity jet, thus causing an acceleration of the substance in the desired direction utilizing the drag force for projection over large distances rather than for deceleration and small spray distances.
Stout et al describes a solenoid operated valve. However, the nozzle and the valve are not joined together as in a fuel injector. The result is that there is less precision in the metering of the fluid to be sprayed.
The related art has also shown the use of solenoids to control the flow of liquids. U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,755 Dodds describes an irrigation system having a plurality of control valves for controlling the flow of water. The control valves can be individually controlled and can be solenoids. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,443 to Fujii et al shows controlled dispensing of liquid through a syringe outlet by supplying constant air pressure to the interior of the syringe through an inlet and selectively retracting a valve shaft from a valve seat located at the syringe outlet to enable the pressurized liquid to be ejected through the outlet and out of the syringe. The valve shaft is retracted by a solenoid located in a housing assembly at the inlet of the syringe. U.S. Pat. No. 2,289,310 to Steel describes a paint gun having a double acting plunger activated by a solenoid coil. When the coil is activated, the plunger is retracted which opens the outlet port while at the same time closing the inlet port. The dual action of the plunger acts to limit the amount of paint sprayed during the activation time. U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,944 to Leighton et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,813 to Clark, II show controlled, fluid delivery systems. However, none of the systems use a fuel injector.
Leighton et al describes a method and apparatus for metering liquid fuel for delivering to an engine. The patent also includes a method of metering fluids for cyclic delivery in variable discrete quantities comprising filling a fixed volume control chamber with the fluid each cycle, the control chamber being in direct communication with a dispensing chamber charged with a compressed gas, and then delivering a predetermined quantity of the fluid to the control chamber to displace fluid therefrom into the dispensing chamber and removing fluid from the control chamber to adjust the quantity of fluid displaced from the control chamber to the dispensing chamber.
Clark, II describes a delivery and management system for dispensing viscous material. Due to the type of material dispensed by this system it would not be obvious to use a fuel injector nozzle. In fact, the system would not operate correctly, if at all, using a fuel injector nozzle.
Only of some interest is EPO Patent No. 0220332 to Goudy which describes timing circuit for controlling the dispensing of a pelletized material and U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,802 to Iggulden et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,522 to Marian which show a method for remotely controlling an irrigation system using a remote signal.
Only of minimal interest are U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,439 to Fu; U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,167 to McCormick et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,180 to Wakeman et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,627 to Cerny et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,226 to Tomiita et al which show various types of solenoid valves used as fuel injectors.
There remains the need for an electronically controlled micro-dispensing apparatus which allows for controlling the duration and amount of the spray, as well as, the time interval between spraying and which is economical to manufacture and operate and portable and which allows for replacement of an empty container without replacing the entire apparatus.

Automated electronically controlled microsprayer

Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University


A selectorized dumbbell has nested stacks of left and right weight plates, a handle that can be disposed between the two stacks of weight plates, and a selector that couples selected numbers of the left and right weight plates to left and right planar ends of the handle. The handle has at least one loop type hand grip located above the ends of the handle and above the weight plates to allow the dumbbell to be used as a kettlebell. This loop type hand grip can be replaced with a bar type hand grip if the dumbbell is to be used like a standard dumbbell, or the handle can be provided in kettlebell or standard versions thereof. Alternatively, the loop type hand grip can be movably disposed on the handle for movement between operative and non-operative positions.

Adjustable weight dumbbells are known that use an elongated, cylindrical bar as the handle. An inner collar is inset inwardly from each end of the bar with the collar being releasably fixed to the bar by some type of fastener or holding device. The inset provides a space on each end of the bar that is used to support one or more weight plates on the ends of the bar outboard of the inner collars. After the user stacks a desired number of weight plates on the ends of the bar, the user installs an outer collar on each end of the bar to hold the stacked weight plates on the ends of the bar to prevent the weight plates from sliding off the bar during exercise. The user adjusts the exercise mass of the dumbbell by changing the number of weight plates that are held between the inner and outer collars on each end of the bar. Typically, the weight plates are flat, circular plates having a central bore for slipping the weight plates onto the bar.
To use the dumbbell described above, the user merely grabs the center of the bar between the stacks of weight plates on the ends of the bar. Inherently, the user's hand is positioned centrally between the stacks of weight plates along a centerline of the bar, which is also a centerline of the stacked weight plates. The user can then lift and manipulate the dumbbell in any of the known ways to perform various weight training exercises, such as arm curls, arm presses, etc.
In the past, one manufacturer of dumbbells of the type described above has offered an optional U-shaped handle for converting this type of dumbbell to a kettlebell style. The bottoms of the spaced legs of the U-shaped handle were formed with circular bores that were designed to slide onto the bar that formed the usual handle for the dumbbell. The user would remove weight plates and the inner and outer collars from one end of the bar to provide access to the center of the bar. The user would then slip the U-shaped handle onto the bar from this end of the bar, namely the end of the bar from which the weight plates and collars had been removed, simply by telescoping or inserting the bores in the legs of the U-shape onto the bar and by then sliding the U-shaped handle inwardly to the center of the bar. The removed weight plates and collars could then be replaced onto the end of the bar from which they had been taken.
When so installed as described above, the U-shaped handle was captured between the inner collars on the bar. In addition, the legs of the U-shaped handle were long enough so that the base of the U-shaped handle, namely the connecting piece between the two legs of the handle, was positioned to be parallel to the bar but to be vertically displaced above the weight plates. Thus, the user could now grab the base of the U-shaped handle and swing or manipulate the dumbbell in the manner of a kettlebell. Thus, a standard adjustable weight dumbbell could be converted in this manner to a kettlebell type of exercise device.
Other adjustable weight dumbbells are known which are referred to as selectorized dumbbells, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,034 as also shown in FIG. 1 of this application. In such a dumbbell, the handle is no longer a simple, cylindrical bar, but has a more complex shape. The handle of this type of dumbbell has a pair of planar ends that are spaced apart from one another but are rigidly joined to one another at least by a central hand grip that extends between the ends and is affixed thereto. In addition to the hand grip, there may be one or more cross tubes that also extend between and unite the spaced planar ends of the handle together. Some type of movable selector is used which coacts with the handle and with a desired number of weight plates disposed in left and right stacks of weight plates. When the selector is moved between different positions relative to the handle, different numbers of weight plates are coupled to the left and right ends of the handle to adjust the exercise mass of the selectorized dumbbell.
In a selectorized dumbbell of the type described above and as shown in FIG. 1 of this application, there is no way to use the U-shaped handle of prior dumbbells with the selectorized dumbbell to provide a kettlebell style of exercise. The U-shaped handle of the prior dumbbell is designed to slip onto a bar from which access can be had from one end of the bar. In the selectorized dumbbell, even if one considers the hand grip a bar, the ends of the hand grip are united to planar left and right ends of the handle thereby blocking access to the hand grip. There is simply no way to slide an auxiliary U-shaped handle onto the hand grip of the handle of the selectorized dumbbell as one is blocked from doing so by either the planar left end of the handle or the planar right end of the handle. It would be an advance in the art to provide some way of converting this type of selectorized dumbbell into a kettlebell type of exercise device.

Selectorized dumbbell having or convertible into kettlebell configuration


The invention discloses a method for identifying full parameters of an electric element by a fault recording data, comprising steps: inputting fault recording data related to an electric element; conducting data processing on the fault recording data; identifying full parameters of the element by intercepted data and a differential equation of the full parameters of the element; and outputting an identified result. Further proposed are a system for identifying full parameters of a power generator by fault recording data and a method for locating a line fault point with fault recording data. With the implementation of the invention, a fault resistance and full parameters of an element such as an electric line and a transformer, etc. can be identified. The invention can obtain full parameters of a fault element and also a non-fault element, and the parameters precision would be increased from the current 20% to less than 1%.

A lot of fault recording devices are installed in a power grid, once a fault occurs, the fault recording devices would start and record fault data including voltage and current instantaneous values of the three-phase a, b, c and the zero sequence, tens to hundreds of values are recorded in each cycle, and hundreds of fault occur in each province power grid every year thereby generating massive fault recording data.
On the other hand, as parameters error of an electric element is relatively large, it is necessary to extract parameters from the fault recording data. However, problems due to that the fault current contains direct current (DC) decay component, the three-phase parameters are inconsistent and the recording data is not synchronized, etc. cause large errors of the fault recording data, the decomposed sine component and the extracted line positive or negative zero sequence parameters, and requirements for the power grid computing or analyzing cannot be satisfied.

Method and system for identifying full parameters of element by fault recording and fault locating method


This disclosure relates generally to multi-factor authentication, and more particularly to method and system for multi-factor authentication. In one embodiment, the method includes receipt of an audio input at a device, and a plurality of authentication parameters from at least one of the device and a server communicably coupled to the device. The plurality of authentication parameters are encrypted to generate a plurality of encrypted authentication parameters. The plurality of encrypted authentication parameters are embedded as watermarks into the audio input to generate a watermarked audio signal. The watermarked audio signal are encrypted to generate an authentication audio signal. The authentication audio signal is transmitted to an authentication server over an audio communication channel to authenticate the access at the device.

With the growth of the Internet and communication technology, more and more information is being exchanged over the Internet. The information includes, but is not limited to, services, applications, and content. Said information includes personal as well as public information associated with a user. In the scenarios where the information communicated over the Internet is personal information, additional care has to be taken for maintaining trustworthiness of users accessing the information and user devices utilized for communication. For communicating the information in a secure environment, various authentication schemes are utilized for authentication of the users accessing such information. For example, in order to access an online banking application, users have to authenticate themselves so as to be able to log-in to the application.
In order to authenticate a user access, applications and services utilize more than one authentication techniques. For instance, various multi-factor authentication techniques are available that may utilize a challenge-response authentication approach. The challenge-response authentication approach refers to a family of protocols wherein one of the parties (also known as a challenger) presents a query, and another party (also known as a respondent) responds to the query. In case the response to the query matches with the 'expected response', authentication is assumed to be successful, and the user gets an access to the service/application. An example of challenge-response protocol includes a Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA) code authentication, where the challenge includes identifying a distorted CAPTCHA code and a valid response includes identifying the text included in the CAPTHCHA code. In certain scenarios, more than one factors for authentication are utilized for authentication. For example, in addition to CAPTCHA, a password authentication, a voice based authentication, and some other factors/forms of authentication can be employed for providing a robust information transmission over the internet. Such authentications involving multiple factors are termed as 'multi-factor authentication'.
Typically, systems incorporating multi-factor authentication utilize different communication channels to exchange authentication information between the challenger and the respondent. For example, a 3-factor authentication system may make use of an audio or video communication channel for biometric data, a wired or wireless communication channel for passphrase and a wired or wireless communication channel for exchanging tokens. However, the use of multiple communication channels makes the deployment of such multi-factor systems expensive.

Methods and systems for multi-factor authentication


A communication terminal device including a first switch provided between a button and an intermediate member, and a second switch provided below the intermediate member such that when the button is depressed, both the first and second switches are surely switched on. Both the switches are electrically insulated from each other. Wiring is made such that one of those switches may operate a telephone circuit connected directly to a telephone line while the other switch may operate a main communication unit operating with a commercial power source. Even when the commercial power source is interrupted due to a power stoppage, at least the telephone circuit is operable, so that the terminal device is capable of fulfilling at least the function of a telephone set and ensuring insulation between the telephone unit and the main communication unit.

The present invention relates to a communication terminal device which is driven normally by a commercial power source and capable of making telephone communication, using a power supply provided on the side of communication lines at a power stoppage, and a dialing key.
A communication terminal device such as a facsimile device, using a commercial power source, have become widespread. The terminal device of some type is provided with both the function of using a commercial power source (facsimile communication, message record/reproduction, etc.) and the function of a normal telephone set.
Among these terminal devices, there is provided a type of terminal device in which both of the functions as mentioned above are not operated during power failure, and a type of terminal device in which the function of using a commercial power source is not available but the function of a normal telephone set is available. In the latter type of terminal device, it is necessary to provide a safety circuit and to separate the commercial power source electrically, and upon power failure, a telephone set circuit is separated for example through a relay to supply power to the telephone set circuit from the communication line. A ten-key unit of the terminal device which dials a telephone number has a switch which sends a signal to a microcomputer which operates with the commercial power source and a switch which sends a signal to a circuit operating with the communication lines. Depression of one button of the ten-key unit operates those two switches to switch the circuit concerned, depending on whether power supply to the terminal device has now been stopped or not in order to cope with the power stoppage.
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a conventional dial section is provided with a panel 1 and buttons 2 attached to the panel 1 so as to protrude partially from the panel. When a button 2 is depressed, a contact 3 made of an elastic material such as rubber is collapsed to come into contact with a printed wiring board 4. The contact 3 has two circular electrodes 5 printed with electroconductive ink on a lower surface thereof such that an electric current can flow across those electrodes. The electrodes 5 come into contact with a switch 6 formed in a pattern on the board 4 to switch on the switch 6.
For the printing process for the formation of the switches, that system as just mentioned above is capable of forming both the first and second switches simultaneously, so that the cost taken for carrying out that process is very low, advantageously.
However, the telephone dial requires 12 switches and a double-sided printed wiring board 4 is required for forming wiring patterns one on each of both the surfaces thereof to thereby form 12 switches independent of a circuit involving the 12 dial switches because wiring for the individual switches is difficult if the wiring pattern is formed on only one surface of the printed board. This would increase the cost of the device manufacture.
When the button 2 is depressed at one edge, it would be pushed obliquely. Thus, the phenomenon is likely to occur that only one of the two switches is switched on while the other is not switched on. In order to avoid such situation, limitations to design of the device would occur. For example, the finish of the panel 1 which guides the sliding movement of the button 2 would require high accuracy, undesirably.
Further, it is necessary to provide sufficient length intervals for electrical insulation of conductive patterns from patterns used for power failure. In a large sized switch, particularly the problem as mentioned above often happens. There also arises a problem of restriction on design.

Communication terminal device and dialing key

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


In a method and apparatus for acquiring magnetic resonance (MR) data, comprising an MR data acquisition scanner is operated, while a subject is situated therein, to acquire calibration data, and raw data for conversion into image data, by executing an accelerated echo planar imaging data acquisition sequence. The calibration data are acquired by executing a simultaneous echo refocusing sequence in which multiple slices of the examination subject are simultaneously excited. The calibration data and the acquired raw data are entered into an electronic memory during operation of said MR data acquisition scanner, and made available from a processor in electronic form, as at least one data file.

Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns methods and apparatuses for magnetic resonance imaging, and in particular to a method and a magnetic resonance apparatus for acquiring calibration data or reference data for use in reconstructing a magnetic resonance image from raw data acquired from an examination subject.
Description of the Prior Art
MR imaging is a widely used imaging modality for medical diagnosis as well as for material inspection.
In a magnetic resonance apparatus, the examination object (a patient, in the case of medical magnetic resonance imaging) is exposed to a strong and constant basic magnetic field (called the B0 field), by the operation of a basic field magnet of an MR scanner, in which the examination object is situated. The MR scanner also has a gradient coil arrangement that is operated in order to activate gradient fields that spatially encode the magnetic resonance signals. The magnetic resonance signals are produced by the radiation of radio-frequency (RF) pulses from an RF radiator, such as one or more antennas, in the MR scanner. These RF pulses excite nuclear spins in the examination object, and are therefore often called excitation pulses. The excitation of the nuclear spins at an appropriate frequency causes the nuclear spins to deviate, by an amount called the flip angle, from the alignment of the nuclear spins that was produced by the basic magnetic field. As the nuclear spins relax, while returning to alignment in the basic magnetic field, they emit MR signals (which are also RF signals), which are received by suitable RF reception antennas in the MR scanner, which may be the same or different from the RF radiator used to emit the excitation pulse.
The acquired MR signals are digitized and entered into an electronic memory, organized as k-space, as k-space data. The k-space data are also referred to as raw MR data. The k-space memory has a number of individual locations that are available for entering the digitized signal thereat (data entry points), and the path of data entry points along which the digitized data are entered is called the k-space trajectory. The acquired data can be entered into k-space linearly (line-by-line of data entry points) or radially, along a straight or curved path proceeding from the center of k-space toward the periphery of k-space.
Many reconstruction algorithms are known for operating on the k-space data to convert the k-space data into image data representing an image of the volume of the examination object from which the raw MR data were acquired. This reconstruction algorithm is executed in an image reconstruction computer, resulting in an image data file from the computer that can be shown at the display screen of a monitor, or archived for storage.
After the nuclear spins have been flipped by the RF excitation pulse, the resulting MR signal exhibits an exponential decay in strength as the excited nuclear spins relax. This decaying signal is referred to as an echo signal, or simply as an echo. A commonly used data acquisition sequence of appropriately timed RF excitations and gradient pulse activations (switchings) is the echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence. In an EPI sequence, instead of measuring only one echo after each excitation pulse, multiple echoes are detected by multiple activations of the readout gradient after a single excitation pulse. In an EPI sequence, therefore, the total echo time of the decaying MR signal that follows the excitation of the nuclear spins is divided into a number of individual echo times, corresponding to the number of activated readout gradients.
The activation of sufficient magnetic resonance data (raw data) from an examination subject in order to be able to reconstruct an image of sufficient quality for most diagnostic purposes can be time consuming. Many patients find the amount of time that is necessary for the patient to be in the magnetic resonance data acquisition scanner, while the raw data are being acquired, to be an unpleasant experience because most magnetic resonance data acquisition procedures have, to varying degrees, a certain amount of noise, heat generation and claustrophobia associated therewith. It is also usually necessary for the patient to remain as motionless as possible for the duration of the data acquisition.
Additionally, from the point of view of the hospital or clinic that operates the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, it is desirable to shorten the amount of time associated with each individual examination, so that patient throughput can be increased in order to facilitate recovery of the high cost of such a magnetic resonance apparatus.
Therefore, there is a continuing effort to decrease the amount of time that is necessary to conduct at least certain types of magnetic resonance imaging examinations.
Among the various techniques for shortening the duration of magnetic resonance data acquisition procedures are the GRAPPA (GeneRalized Autocalibration Partial Parallel Acquisition) and the simultaneous multislice (SMS) technique. These techniques, among others, can be generically called accelerated echo planar imaging, and require calibration data or reference data to be acquired prior to the imaging scan (i.e., the scan in which the actual raw data are acquired) in order to then be able to reconstruct an image from the acquired raw data. In the GRAPPA sequence, raw data are acquire simultaneously with a number of individual local coils. None of the individual local coils acquires enough raw data in order to reconstruct a complete image of the examination region therefrom, and so the respective individual sets of raw data acquired with the local coils must be combined in the reconstruction algorithm. In order to do so, it is necessary to acquire calibration data that identifies the sensitivity or the geometry or the location of the individual local coils.
In the SMS technique, raw data are acquired simultaneously from multiple slices of an examination subject, the multiple slices collectively forming the entirety of the region of interest of which an image is to be reconstructed. This is also a parallel acquisition technique, wherein the respective sensitivities of the multiple coils that acquire the raw data must be known, and this information therefore must be obtained in a calibration scan conducted prior to the imaging scan.
The reduction in the amount of time that is necessary to acquire a complete set of raw data, in order to then be able to reconstruct an image that does not exhibit aliasing, is quantified as the acceleration factor. For in-plane GRAPPA, fully sampled, low resolution datasets of each slice are acquired. As soon as the acceleration factor exceeds two, the data must be acquired in interleaved fashion in order to provide similar geometric distortion properties as will occur in the subsequent accelerated imaging scan.
An earlier conventional version of this data acquisition technique is shown in FIG. 1, designated "conventional." As shown in FIG. 1, the first segment (Seg. A) is acquired for the entire stack (composed in this example of Slice 1, Slice 2 and Slice 3). Afterwards the second segment (Seg. B) is acquired for the entire stack, and so on. For SMS imaging, the entire slice stack must be acquired in single-band fashion. The reconstruction kernels for the collapsed slices in the subsequent accelerated imaging scan are then calculated based on this reference or calibration scan.
Both gross patient motion and physiological motion (such as respiration) can severely corrupt this calibration scan, which might lead to artifacts in the reconstruction of the subsequent image data. This is particularly problematic for BOLD (Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent) imaging and diffusion acquisitions with multiple diffusion directions and averages, because every subsequently acquired imaging volume relies on the same separately acquired calibration data. calibration data acquired pre-movement may no longer be accurate after a movement has occurred.
Several ways to address these drawbacks have been proposed. One approach is the FLEET reference scan for GRAPPA calibration with high acceleration factors, as described by Polimeni et al., "Reducing Sensitivity Losses Due to Respiration and Motion in Accelerated Echo Planar Imaging by Reordering the Autocalibration Data Acquisition" Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 75 (2016) pp. 665-679. The basis of this reference scan is to acquire all segments within one slice first, before proceeding to the next slice, as schematically illustrated in the FLEET sequence shown in the bottom portion of FIG. 1. This is achieved by utilizing special flip angle combinations.
Another approach extends the FLEET reference scan to multislice imaging, as proposed by Bhat et al., "Motion Insensitivity ACS Acquisition Method for In-Plane and Simultaneous-Multi-Slice Accelerated EPI," Proc. Intl. Soc. Mag. Reson. Med. 22 (2014), 644. In this extension of the FLEET reference scan, calibration data for slices that are to be acquired simultaneously in the subsequent imaging scan are acquired closer in time, in order to minimize the change of corrupted data acquisition. This approach is schematically illustrated in FIG. 2 for a two-segment acquisition and a stack of four slices wherein slices 1 and 3 are acquired simultaneously later one. The RF excitation pulses for the two segments are respectively designated α1, α2 and the subsequent echo signals (ADC signals) are also shown, with the associated readout and phase encoding gradients.
As can be seen from the bottom timeline in FIG. 2, the imaging readout for each slice takes place immediately after each block excitation.

Method and magnetic resonance apparatus for the acquisition of calibration data using simultaneous echo refocusing


An electrical receptacle is provided and includes an insulative housing defining a first receiving space and a second space in communication with the first receiving space and a plurality of contacts comprising audio contacts, power contacts and at least one grounding contact. The audio contacts and the at least one grounding contact are received in the first receiving space and establish a path for transmitting audio signals, while the power contacts are received in the second receiving space and corporate with the at least one grounding contact to establish a path for power supply.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to a receptacle connector transmitting not only signals, but also power.
2. Description of the Related Art
Communication devices, such as mobile phones, are being developed to be quickly interconnected to other devices while continuing to be portable with compact dimensions and reduced weight. Therefore, mobile phone manufacturers are squeezing their every once of ingenuity and stretching their utmost to design such that every component of the mobile phone can meet the grail: compact and light-weighted. At the same time manufacturers must ensure that all the electrical connections are good and reliable to maintain the quality and capability of signal transmission. The basic function of the mobile phone is to receive and transmit voice, and, more recently, images are also frequently transmitted after mobile phone is built-in with a camera, and the mobile phone has been used for surfacing through the Internet, however, no matter how many function may perform, it is limited by the capacity of the battery. As is well known, the mobile phone has an audio connector which receives a plug from an earphone, and also has a power connector which charges the battery. The mobile phone has to provide at least two real estates for incorporating those two connectors therein.
The mobile phone also is provided with an audio plug which is in a distal end of the ear phone for mating with the audio connector, and a power plug which mates with the power connector for power supply. That is to say, the manufacturers need provide two cable assemblies together with the mobile phone when the mobile phone is sold, which is not advantageous for reducing the cost. Hence, an improved electrical connector and an electrical plug are highly desired to overcome the aforementioned problem.


Activator applying device including a receiving pan that stores an activator for activation of a transfer film, and a spreading roller that rotates while being dipped in the activator in the receiving pan and applies the activator that has adhered to the surface thereof in a dip section of the activator applying device to the transfer pattern in a different section of the activator applying device. The activator is fed to the receiving pan in an amount greater than the amount of the activator applied to the transfer pattern, and an excessive activator is discharged through a discharge port of the receiving pan. The activator is applied to the transfer pattern with the discharge port being located on the side where the activator is drawn up from the dip section, and the discharge port being located at the position of a streak caused by uneven dispersion of the additive pigment.

Hydraulic transfer is known in which a transfer film including a water-soluble film (carrier sheet) and an appropriate water-insoluble transfer pattern formed thereon in advance is placed on a transfer liquid (typically, water) in a transfer liquid tank to wet the transfer film (water-soluble film) with the transfer liquid, and a work piece is brought into contact with the transfer film and forced into the liquid in the transfer liquid tank to transfer the transfer pattern on the transfer film to the surface of the work piece by the action of the hydraulic pressure. The transfer film includes a water-soluble film and a transfer pattern of an ink formed (printed) thereon in advance as described above, and the ink of the transfer pattern is dry. Thus, in performing the transfer, a solvent or non-solvent activator needs to be applied to the transfer pattern on the transfer film to restore the transfer pattern into the same wet state as the transfer pattern immediately after printing, that is, a state where the transfer pattern has adhesion. This processing is called activation.
A known activation process is an activator applying process that involves using a spreading roller, such as a gravure roll coater or a kiss-touch roll coater. This process is to activate the ink before the transfer film is introduced (fed) into the transfer liquid tank.
Some hydraulic transfer techniques have been disclosed in which an additive pigment, such as a color pigment, is contained not only in the transfer pattern on the water-soluble film but also in the activator that dissolves the transfer ink, and the applicant has filed several patents for such techniques (see Patent Literatures 1 to 3, for example).
With such techniques, the additive pigment is disposed on the transfer ink of the transfer pattern (between the work piece and the transfer ink after transfer), while the shape of the transfer pattern is substantially unchanged, even though the transfer ink of the transfer pattern on the water-soluble film bulges out (expands) on the liquid surface because of the additive pigment contained in the activator. Thus, a wider variety of design elements (variations of color of the transfer pattern) can be imparted to the same transfer pattern.
An important advantage of this is that a wide variety of design elements can be provided by the color of the work piece itself or the color of the additive pigment in the activator without changing the transfer pattern on the water-soluble film (that is, without increasing the number of gravure printing plates).
However, the conventional techniques, that is, the techniques of imparting a wide variety of design elements by using the additive pigment contained in the activator can be used only when the additive pigment is uniformly added over the entire surface of the transfer pattern on the water-soluble film. In addition, those techniques have a problem that a difference or variation in color, grain size and blending of the additive pigment has a great effect on the desired design element (such an effect on the design element is referred to as a "streak", which will be described later) and therefore it is extremely difficult to handle the activator blended with the additive pigment.
In particular, if the additive pigment has a specific gravity different from that of a liquid constituent of the activator, it is necessary to maintain dispersion of the additive pigment in the activator from the viewpoint of design reproducibility. Even if dispersion of the additive pigment in the activator can be maintained, if a phenomenon called a streak occurs during application of the activator, a problem arises in that the streak has an effect on the design of the resulting article with a hydraulically transferred pattern, and the problem needs to be solved. This problem is marked if the additive pigment is a lustrous pigment that has a high luster.
More specifically, when the inventor performs hydraulic transfer using an activator containing a lustrous pigment having a high luster (a pigment containing many fine scale-shaped pieces of a metal) as an additive pigment, there arise problems in that the article with a hydraulically transferred pattern has a design element that provides unstable intense reflected light and that a pattern called a "streak" is accidentally formed.
In particular, in a mass production phase, the larger the scales of lustrous pigment is, or the greater the difference in specific gravity the pigment has, the more significantly the pigment settles down or the concentration of the pigment varies before activation, and the more marked the uncontrollable change in color design is.
Next, the "streak" will be described. The "streak" is a visible line of the additive pigment formed on the transfer film as a result of uneven dispersion of the additive pigment at a site where the content or concentration of the additive pigment in the activator adhering to the spreading roller significantly varies. The "streak" is a phenomenon that occurs irregularly and therefore has generally been handled as a defective design element.
A cause of occurrence of the "streak" is contact of the surface of the spreading roller with a liquid, for example. The occurrence probably involves various factors, such as the site of unevenness of the flow of the activator, the position of a bubble dwelling on the liquid surface or a bubble adhering to a part of the surface of the spreading roller, or the position where the excessive activator scrapped off by a doctor knife drops along the spreading roller.

Activator applying device, hydraulic transfer apparatus incorporating the same activator applying device, and article with hydraulically transferred pattern manufactured with the same hydraulic transfer apparatus


In a radio using a plurality of channels defined in a radio frequency (RF) spectrum, a rate of false packet detections may be calculated for each of the plurality of channels using a plurality of respective correlation thresholds. The rate of false packet detections for each channel may be compared to a range of acceptable rates of false packet detections. The same or different ranges of acceptable rates of false packet detections may be used for each channel or each channel plan. Different correlation thresholds may be adjusted based at least in part on the comparisons. For example, if a rate of false packet detections exceeds a range of acceptable rates of false packet detections, the correlation threshold may be raised, or the reverse. A packet may be detected on different channels based on different adjusted correlation thresholds.

An incoming radio signal may be correlated with an expected preamble/synchronization word to determine if the incoming signal is a packet. However, while a correlator in a decoder of a radio may indicate that the signal exceeds a threshold energy value indicating a match to the expected preamble, in some cases this may be coincidental. Accordingly, false packet detection is common. Such false packet detections waste time and battery power, and such poor allocation of processor resources may result in failure to recognize actual packets.

Radio with dynamically controlled correlation threshold


The headband unit includes two enlarged fabric pockets disposed to overlie and cover the ears of the person wearing the unit. Each pocket is formed between two layers of fabric and contains an audio speaker support in the form of a strip of flexible plastic secured around its edges to the layer of fabric that engages the ear of the person wearing the unit, and having therein a plurality of spaced openings or slots each of which is adapted to receive and removably support an audio speaker in any of a plurality of different positions in the associated pocket so as to be registrable selectively with the ear of the person wearing the unit.

This invention relates to headbands of the type which are worn by skiers and joggers, and more particularly to headbands having means for removably and adjustably supporting therein two audio signal speakers which are adapted to register with the ears of the wearer.
With the rise in popularity of leisure sports such as skiing and jogging, a variety of rather sophisticated headbands have been developed for the comfort and convenience of such athletes. As an added attraction many such headbands, or headgear generally, have been supplemented with stereo headsets having audio earphones or speakers which are mounted in or attached to the headbands to provide music or communication to the wearer while skiing or jogging. A variety of U.S. patents, such as for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,864,619, 5,421,037, 5,164,987, 4,683,587, 4,538,034, 4,776,044, 5,257,420, 4,654,898 and 5,265,165 show various combinations of headband or spectacle frame devices with associated audio signal speakers or headphones.
A major problem with each of the above-noted prior art devices, however, is that no satisfactory provision has been made for adjustably supporting the associated audio speakers on the headband, or the like so that the speakers can easily be placed in positions in which they will be held in exact registry with the ears of the wearer. In the above-noted U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,034, for example, the illustrated earphones or speakers are attached to bracket members each of which can be inserted beneath a person's headband in such manner that a lateral projection on the upper end of the member overlies the headband to support an earphone thereon. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,420 the headphones are mounted in earmuffs, each of which has therein one slot for accommodating the speaker associated with a respective ear. Again, there are no means for adjusting the speakers into any one of a number of different positions with respect to each ear.
It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a novel headband which can be utilized by athletes, such as joggers or skiers, in combination with a pair of audio signal speakers which can be adjustably mounted on the headband in any of a plurality of different positions with respect to the ears of the person wearing the headband.
A more specific object of this invention is to provide for an improved headband of the type described which has incorporated therein a pair of audio speaker or headphone supporting elements that are mounted on the headband to register generally with the ears of the associated wearer, and each of which elements has therein a plurality of spaced sockets or openings for accommodating an audio speaker, so that each speaker can be placed to register exactly with the adjacent ear of the person wearing the headband.
Other objects of this invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Headband with adjustable speaker supporting means


An apparatus capable of self power or being towed and specifically designed to distribute and/or apply cementitious material, and in particular, pervious concrete, over a given surface area such as a roadway or the like. A support frame has mounted thereon a distributor casing specifically configured to direct cementitious material in layer form along a transverse length relative to the direction of travel of the support frame. A delivery hopper moves transversely on the frame and along the length of the casing and serves to continuously feed cementitious material to the casing. Material such as pervious concrete is continuously discharged from the distributor casing by a percussive action imparted to it by forward motion of the frame. A blade element and compacting edge is adjustably positioned above the surface being treated and is attached to the casing to mechanically move therewith so as to compact the cementitious material as it is extruded from the casing upon mechanical actuation thereof. Finishing units comprising a plurality of finishing plates are activated into compressive engagement with the previously laid layer due to its down steam disposition relative to the outlet of the distributor casing. Thus the material can be distributed, applied and finished in a continuous sequence of operative steps employing the subject apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for distributing a cementitious material over a given surface area and incorporating components which serve to consolidate and finish the cementitious material being applied wherein application and distribution take place in a substantially continuous fashion. The material distributed is normally but not limited to a discontinuous cementitious or concrete material generally forming roadway type surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the construction industry particularly in the category of building roads and the like surface areas, concrete or similar material is widely used and is considered among other materials, generally favored for roadway type construction. In such industries the term "concrete" is used generally to define a collection or aggregation of materials which together form a reasonably continuous solid. Prior art products include both Portland cement concrete and a variety of synthetic concretes, such as asphaltic concrete in which inert aggregates are mixed with a bituminous binding component. In Portland cement concrete the object is to obtain a continuous monolithic material with substantially isotropic characteristics. In conventional and by far the majority of normal applications of concrete, voids and/or small discontinuities or inclusions of air are considered to be undesirable since these voids, etc. detract from the operating or performing characteristics of the end concrete product. In particular, the lack of such strength shortens the operable life when roadway surfaces are subjected to high speed heavy weight vehicular traffic. In the specialized category of pervious or similarly discontinuous concretes however, such voids are intentional in the production of the concrete, to produce other advantages. It is still accepted however that such concrete suffers from inherent problems which make the overall product relatively undesirable. In addition to the general lack of performance characteristics due to these derogatory effects on overall strength, prior art discontinuous concretes are generally considered of variable quality and indeterminant permeability. Reliability of such products is therefore questioned for control or specified construction applications.
In applying discontinuous pervious concrete therefore it is particularly important to utilize apparatus which will effectively and efficiently cause the regulated and controlled distribution and consolidation of such material.
Accordingly, there is a great need in the "paving" apparatus industry to develop assemblies, mechanisms, and devices capable of effectively, and efficiently distributing and applying discontinuous concrete type compositions. Such application and distribution should be done on a continuous and controlled basis so as to provide a quality cementitious material product thereby insuring the performance and operative characteristics intended and designed.


The present invention provides a communication system comprising a host computer, control cabinets and peripheral devices, the control cabinets comprising serial ports used for communication among the peripheral devices and the host computer. The operating period of the communication system includes a polling phase and a free communication phase, in the polling phase the host computer sends query instructions to the control cabinets through the serial ports on each of the control cabinets, and in the free communication phase the control cabinets communicate with corresponding peripheral devices through the serial ports. The present invention also provides a communication method for the communication system. Using the communication system of the present invention, reliability of communication among the control cabinets, the host computer and the peripheral devices through a same serial port can be ensured without increasing hardware volume and costs of the communication system.

In the modern industry, typically a plurality of production equipments (i.e., peripheral devices) in charge of different production processes are included. In order to understand the production progress of the different equipments and the parameters of the equipments themselves, the equipments shall be monitored using a host computer. At present, the communication between the host computer and peripheral devices are usually realized via the serial ports of the control cabinet. That is, the control cabinet communicates with the peripheral devices via the serial ports to obtain data from the peripheral devices, and the control cabinet communicates with the host computer via the serial ports to transfer the data obtained from the peripheral devices to the host computer.
With diversity of the data transmission in industrial production, the amount of the serial ports in the control cabinet may not meet the requirement for data transfer among the control cabinet and the host computer and peripheral devices. There are two common solutions: firstly, increasing the amount of the serial ports in the control cabinet; secondly, using the transmission packet protocol analysis, i.e. one serial port in the control cabinet communicates with two or more serial port devices (including the host computer and the peripheral devices) at the same time, wherein the different serial port devices are distinguished through different packet protocol analysis.
The first solution leads to increased costs and hardware volume, the second one suffers from a case there the data from two serial port devices are mixed which causes unrecognizable code due to parse error.
Thus, a technical problem remains in the present field about how to conduct reliable communication among the control cabinets, the host computer and the peripheral devices without increasing the equipment costs and hardware volume.

Communication system and communication method

BEIJING BOE SPECIAL DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A dual range transducer is disclosed for accurately measuring loads in both low ranges and high ranges. The transducer includes an annular member having strain gauges mounted on side regions for measuring low loads applied between end regions of the annular member. When loads greater than the low ranges are applied to the end regions of the annular member, a gap closes and the loads are transferred through an anvil and a spindle which contains a second strain gauge for measuring the higher loads.

This invention relates to load sensing apparatus and more particularly to a dual range force transducer for measuring compressive or tensile loads.
In many laboratory and commercial applications, it is desirable or necessary to measure either compressive or tensile forces. These forces may vary over a wide range and it may be necessary to have accurate measurements at both ends of the range. For example, it is desirable to know the magnitude of the brake drag for a dynamometer. Under heavy braking, loads as great as 3,000 pounds or more may be exerted by the brake. In order to measure these forces, a 5,000 pound strain gauge might be used. However, when the brakes are allowed to only drag, a force of perhaps only 20 pounds may be exerted. In order to measure this force using a 5,000 pound strain gauge transducer, the output of the transducer must be highly amplified. In view of the high amplification, the system is subject to error due to electrical noise both from the amplifier and from other nearby electrical equipment such as motors, relays, switches, brushes, etc. A low capacity transducer, such as a 50 pound strain gauge transducer for measuring a 20 pound load, is not susceptible to electrical noise of this type since its output need not be highly amplified. However, the large capacity transducer is required to measure the stopping torques present in the dynamometer.


An optical pickup for performing recording and/or playback of information by selectively irradiating the corresponding wavelength optical beam to first through third optical discs having a protection layer with different thickness, includes emission units for emitting first-wavelength through third-wavelength optical beams corresponding to the respective optical discs respectively, a condensing optical device for condensing each wavelength optical beam on an optical disc signal recording face, a divergence angle transformation device, which can be moved in the optical axis direction, for transforming the divergence angle of each wavelength optical beam according to the moved position in the optical axis direction so as to obtain a predetermined divergence angle, and a detector having a common light receiving unit for receiving each wavelength optical beam separated by an optical path separating unit and returned, with the condensing optical device condensing each wavelength optical beam on the corresponding optical disc signal recording face appropriately.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pickup for performing recording and/or playback of an information signal as to different three types of optical discs, and an optical disc device employing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an optical disc capable of high-density recording (hereafter, referred to as "high-density recording optical disc") wherein recording/playback of a signal is performed by employing an optical beam with a wavelength of 405 nm or so by a blue-violet semiconductor laser has been proposed as a next generation optical disc format. An example of this high-density recording optical disc has been proposed, which has a configuration wherein the thickness of a protection layer (cover layer) for protecting a signal recording layer is made thinner, for example, to 0.1 mm.
When providing an optical pickup compatible with these high-density recording discs, an optical disc having compatibility with optical discs having a different format such as a CD (Compact Disc) with a use wavelength of 785 nm or so, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) with a use wavelength of 655 nm or so, and so forth, according to the related art has been desired. Thus, there has been demand for an optical pickup and optical disc device having compatibility with optical discs having formats wherein the disc configuration and accordingly laser specifications thereof differ.
Incidentally, each of optical discs such as the above-mentioned high-density recording optical disc, DVD, CD, and so forth has a standard (format) for protecting the uniformity and compatibility of pervasive media and devices for recording/playing these. With these written standards (format books), various requirements are described regarding product technology, but in order to realize so-called three-wavelength compatibility for realizing recording or playback of an information signal as to different three types of optical discs such as described above, it is particularly important to satisfy requirements regarding servo signals for focus servo or the like, which is one of the described items thereof.
In the case of performing such three-wavelength compatibility, it is desirable to realize a system compatible with high-density recording optical discs in addition to an existing system compatible with optical discs such as DVD, CD, and so forth, and accordingly, it is desirable to satisfy the requirement specifications of a focus error signal suitable for focus servo compatible with multiple types of formats. According to the difference between optical disc specifications determined with such multiple types of formats, the requirement specifications of a focus error signal suitable for focus servo compatible with each optical disc format differ.
In particular, the waveform of a focus error signal has close ties to the optical system and electric system of an optical pickup, an indication such as a sigmoid pull-in range (hereafter, also referred to as "focus capture range") with the magnification of the return system of the optical system (hereafter, also referred to as "return magnification") is restricted. Subsequently, in a case wherein this focus capture range is not adapted to each optical disc format, there has been a possibility to cause a problem wherein the sensitivity of focus servo deteriorates, defocusing occurs to prevent suitable focus servo, and thus, recording/playback is prevented from being performed in an appropriate manner. In order to provide a suitable focus capture range with each of the three wavelengths as use wavelengths, it is desirable to set the optimal return magnification as to each. The return magnification is determined principally with the focal length of the objective lens, the incident magnification as to the objective lens, and the focal length of an optical component disposed in other return optical systems. In the light of the above description, heretofore, as shown in FIG. 12, there has been employed or studied a method for providing two or more objective lenses of which the focal lengths differ to provide a predetermined return magnification difference between the respective wavelengths, and as shown in FIG. 13, a method for individually disposing multi lenses serving as a coupling lens of which the curvatures differ on an optical path other than a common path of the return system by employing two or more light receiving elements, and so forth. Now, description will be made regarding the configurations of optical pickups shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 which have heretofore been studied.
An optical pickup 130 shown in FIG. 12 realizes recording and/or playback of different types of optical discs by providing two types of objective lenses 134A and 134B, and includes a light source unit 132 such as a laser diode or the like including an emission unit for emitting an optical beam with a wavelength of 785 nm or so as to an optical disc such as CD or the like, and an emission unit for emitting an optical beam with a wavelength of 655 nm or so as to an optical disc such as DVD or the like, a light source unit 131 such as a laser diode or the like including an emission unit for emitting an optical beam with a wavelength of 405 nm as to a high-density recording optical disc, an objective lens 134B for optical disc such as DVD, CD, or the like, and an objective lens 134A for high-density recording optical disc. Also, this optical pickup 130 includes collimator lenses 137A and 137B, ¼ wavelength plates 145A and 145B, redirecting mirrors 146A and 146B, beam splitters 138 and 139, gratings 143 and 144, detector 141, multi lens 142, and so forth.
An optical beam with a wavelength of 785 nm or so emitted from the light source unit 132 transmits the beam splitters 138 and 139, and is input to the objective lens 134B. The optical beam is condensed on a signal recording face of an optical disc having a protection layer (cover layer) with thickness of 1.1 mm by the objective lens 134B.
Similarly, an optical beam with a wavelength of 655 nm or so emitted from the light source unit 132 is input to the objective lens 134B through the same optical path, and is condensed on a signal recording face of an optical disc having a protection layer with thickness of 0.6 mm. The return light with a wavelength of 785 nm and the return light with a wavelength of 655 nm which are reflected at the signal recording faces of the optical discs are detected by the detector 141 including a photodetector or the like through the beam splitter 139.
An optical beam with a wavelength of 405 nm or so emitted from the light source unit 131 is reflected at the beam splitter 138, and is input to the objective lens 134A through the beam splitter 139. The optical beam is condensed on a signal recording face of an optical disc having a protection layer with thickness of 0.1 mm by the objective lens 134A. The return light with a wavelength of 405 nm reflected at the signal recording face of the optical disc is detected by the detector 141 through the beam splitter 139.
With the return system of the optical pickup 130, the focal lengths and so forth of the objective lens 134B for DVD/CD and the objective lens 134A for high-density recording optical disc are adjusted as appropriate, whereby the return magnifications of the optical beams with a wavelength of 785 nm and wavelength of 655 nm for optical disc such as DVD, CD, and so forth, and the return magnification of the optical beam with a wavelength 405 nm for high-density recording optical disc can be set, and a focus capture range suitable for each of the wavelengths can be provided.
With the optical pickup 130 such as shown in FIG. 12, the two types of objective lenses of the above-mentioned objective lens 134B for DVD/CD, and the objective lens 134A for high-density recording optical disc are provided, thereby realizing recording and/or playback of different three types of optical discs, and also setting a focus capture range suitable for each of the optical discs, i.e., realizing compatibility between multiple types of optical discs.
However, with the optical pickup 130 shown in FIG. 12, the number of components increases, and the two objective lenses 134A and 134B are implemented in an actuator for driving objective lenses, thereby causing a problem such as increase in the weight of the actuator, deterioration in the sensitivity, and so forth. On the other hand, in order to eliminate such a problem, there has been studied an optical pickup 160 shown in FIG. 13 having a common objective lens compatible with three-wavelength optical beams.
The optical pickup 160 shown in FIG. 13 includes a light source unit 163 such as a laser diode or the like including an emission unit for emitting an optical beam with a wavelength of 785 nm or so as to an optical disc such as CD or the like, a light source unit 162 such as a laser diode or the like including an emission unit for emitting an optical beam with a wavelength of 655 nm or so as to an optical disc such as DVD or the like, a light source unit 161 such as a laser diode or the like including an emission unit for emitting an optical beam with a wavelength of 405 nm as to a high-density recording optical disc, a common objective lens 164 for DVD and CD, and a diffraction optical device 165 for aberration correction.
Also, this optical pickup 160 includes a movable collimator lens 167, ¼ wavelength plate 175, redirecting mirror 176, beam splitters 168A, 168B, and 169A, gratings 173A, 173B, and 173C, and so forth.
Further, the optical pickup 160 includes a multi lens 172B and detector 171B as a return light detection system for optical disc such as DVD, CD, or the like, a multi lens 172A and detector 171A as a return light detection system for high-density recording optical disc, and a beam splitter 169B for introducing a predetermined optical beam to each of the return light detection systems, within an return optical path.
An optical beam with a wavelength of 785 nm or so emitted by the light source 163 is reflected at the beam splitter 168B, transmits the beam splitter 169A, and inputs to the objective lens 164. The optical beam is condensed on a signal recording face of an optical disc having a protection layer with thickness of 1.1 mm or so by the objective lens 164.
An optical beam with a wavelength of 655 nm emitted from the light source unit 162 is reflected at the beam splitter 168A, transmits the beam splitters 168B and 169A, and inputs to the objective lens 164. The optical beam is condensed on a signal recording face of an optical disc having a protection layer with thickness of 0.6 mm by the objective lens 164. The return light with a wavelength of 785 nm and the return light with a wavelength of 655 nm which are reflected at the signal recording faces of the optical discs are reflected at the beam splitter 169B through the beam splitter 169A, and are detected by the detector 171B including a photodetector or the like through the multi lens 172B.
An optical beam with a wavelength of 405 nm or so emitted from the light source unit 161 is transmitted through the beam splitters 168A, 168B, and 169A, and inputs to the objective lens 164. The optical beam is condensed on a signal recording face of an optical disc having a protection layer with thickness of around 0.1 mm by the objective lens 164. The return light with a wavelength of 405 nm reflected at the signal recording face of the optical disc is transmitted through the beam splitter 169B through the beam splitter 169A, and is detected by the detector 171A including a photodetector and so forth through the multi lens 172A.
With the return system of the optical pickup 160, the focal lengths and locations of the multi lens 172B for DVD/CD and the multi lens 172A for high-density recording optical disc are adjusted as appropriate, whereby the return magnifications of the optical beams with a wavelength of 785 nm and wavelength of 655 nm for optical disc such as DVD, CD, and so forth, and the return magnification of the optical beam with a wavelength 405 nm for high-density recording optical disc can be set, and a focus capture range suitable for each of the wavelengths can be provided.
With the optical pickup 160 such as shown in FIG. 13, the objective lens 164 compatible with three-wavelength optical beams, and diffraction optical device 165 for aberration correction are provided, thereby realizing recording and/or playback of different three types of optical discs, and also setting a focus capture range suitable for each of the optical discs, i.e., realizing compatibility between multiple types of optical discs.
However, with the optical pickup 160 shown in FIG. 13, the number of components is increased by providing two detectors including a light receiving element, thereby causing a problem from the perspective of reduction in costs, and reduction in size. That is to say, with such an optical disc 160, for example, employing the two detectors causes increase in costs, and also a device such as a beam splitter for separating and inputting optical beams corresponding to these detectors is used, also, multiple components such as a multi lens serving as a magnification transformation lens for condensing each optical beam on the light receiving element of each detector are used, and wiring is laid from two places, which causes the configuration to become complex, thereby leading a problem such that the configuration becomes complex as a whole, and also reduction in size of the device is prevented, or the like.
Thus, with the above-mentioned optical pickups shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, there has been a problem wherein the number of components increases, and the optical systems become complex. Also, providing multiple objective lenses or light receiving elements cause problems such as increase in processes for adjusting these, taking a great amount of time for manufacturing an optical pickup, the configuration of the device becoming complex, and impeding reduction in size.
Thus, it has been very difficult to satisfy both of that the return magnification corresponding to each format is optimized from the perspective of setting the focus capture range to a suitable range, and that a common objective lens and common light receiving element is employed as to each use wavelength corresponding to each optical disc, thereby enabling three-wavelength compatibility, reduction in size of the device, and simplification of the configuration thereof.

Optical pickup and optical device for three different types of optical discs


An umbrella opening mechanism adapted to open an umbrella comprising a shank having a central bore, a crown fixed to a top end of the shank, a runner movable along the shank and rib-stretcher sets connected between the crown and the runner for supporting an umbrella canopy is disclosed. The umbrella opening mechanism includes a winding device manually controlled by a crank arm. A first rope which has a first end fixed to the winding device and is capable to be wound onto the winding device extend through the central bore of the shank with a second end thereof attached to a movable connection element. Two pulleys are fixed to the shank and arranged in two radial holes defined in the shank proximate the crown and in communication with the central bore. A second rope has a center point fixed in the central bore and two half sections slidably extending through and supporting the connection element. Each half section has an end extending out of the shank through the corresponding radial hole and supported by the pulley to be fixed to the runner at two opposite sides. By actuating the winding device to wind the first rope, the connection element is moved and the second rope is pulled into the shank thereby driving the runner toward the crown and thus opening the umbrella.

Large-sized umbrellas, such as beach umbrella and garden umbrella, are well known. A conventional large-sized umbrella is shown in FIG. 1 of the attached drawings, comprising a shank 10 having a crown 11 fixed to a top end thereof. A runner 12 is fit over and axially movable along the shank 10. A plurality of rib-stretcher sets 13 are connected between the crown 11 and the runner 12 for supporting a canopy (not shown) of the umbrella. The shank 10 is separated into an upper and lower sections between which a joint 15 is formed for allowing the upper section to rotate with respect to the lower section in order to change the direction of the umbrella canopy as shown in FIG. 2 for tracking the sun.
A rope-winding device 14 is fixed to the lower section of the shank 10 proximate a lower end thereof winding/unwinding a rope 16. The rope 16 is partially received in an axially-extending central bore (not shown) of the shank 10. The rope 16 extends from the rope-winding device 14, through the joint 15 and a roller or pulley (not shown) rotatably fixed to the shank 10 proximate the crown 11, and is connected to the runner 12 whereby by actuating the rope-winding device 14 by means of a crank arm 17 to wind/unwind the rope 16 onto/from the rope-winding device 14, the runner 12 is moved toward/away from the crown 11 for opening/closing the umbrella.
Such a conventional umbrella opening mechanism, however, has disadvantages. For example, since the runner 12 is driven by a single rope 16 that is attached to the runner 12 at one side thereof thereby leading to a force unbalanced condition which causes a frictional engagement between one side of the runner 12 and the shank 10. A smooth movement of the runner 12 is thus prohibited.
Attaching two ropes to two opposite sides of the runner is an idea solution for the force-unbalancing problem. However, since the joint 15 which provides only a very limited space for the two ropes to simultaneously extend therethrough, it is not possible to connect two ropes between the runner 12 and the rope-winding device 14.
It is thus desirable to have an umbrella opening mechanism that overcomes the problems encountered in the prior art designs of the large-sized umbrellas.


A medical apparatus (300, 400, 500) includes a magnetic resonance imaging system (306); magnetic compensation coils (334, 335) for compensating for magnetic inhomogeneities within the imaging zone; a gantry (308) operable for rotating about the imaging zone; a position sensor (312) for measuring the angular position and the angular velocity of the gantry; at least one magnetic field distorting component (310, 510, 512) in the gantry; and a memory (362) storing machine executable instructions (380, 382, 410, 530, 532) and field correction data (372). The instructions cause a processor to: receive (100, 200) the position and angular velocity data from the position sensor; determine (102, 202) coil control commands (374) for controlling the magnetic compensation coils using the field correction data, the position data and the angular velocity data; control (104, 204) the magnetic compensation coils to compensate for magnetic inhomogeneities within the imaging zone using the coil control commands; and acquire (106, 212) the magnetic resonance data.

Integration of Magnetic Resonance (MR) and Linear Accelerators (LINAC) or
Magnetic Resonance and other modalities of radiotherapy opens new horizons in Radiotherapy by improved lesion targeting, especially for moving organs. In a practical implementation proposal, the LINAC rotates around the patient to hit the gross target volume (GTV) and clinical target volume (CTV) from multiple angles while minimizing the radiation exposure for surrounding tissues. A difficulty is that as the radiation source is moved around the magnet, active and/or passive components of the radiotherapy system may cause magnetic field distortions.
An example of a magnetic resonance imaging system combined with a LINAC is described in WO 2012/063158 A1.
In El-Sharkawy et al., MAGMA. 2006 November; 19(5): 223-236, doi: 10.1007/s10334-006-0050-2 discusses the homogeneity and stability of the static magnetic field in magnetic resonance imaging. Serial field mapping and phased difference imaging correction is used to correct for spatial and temporal field drifting during phase sensitive MR protocols.

Active compensation for field distorting components in a magnetic resonance imaging system with a gantry


A video system having a plurality of video cameras mounted on a utility pole a distance above the ground, a box mounted on the utility pole below the video cameras, a screen splitter contained inside the box and configured to receive a plurality of video images from the video cameras and to combine the plurality of images into a single video image and a video recorder, also inside the box, configured to record the single video image from the screen splitter. A time and date stamp is recorded on each frame of the single video image. Cables from the plurality of video cameras pass through a conduit extending down from the cameras and into the box to the screen splitter. The top of the conduit is formed of interlocking segments, which can be stored in a rack located inside a door of the box.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of video surveillance, and in particular to equipment for use in applications where the need for video surveillance is temporary.
2. Description of the Related Art
As traffic in urban environs increases, the need for improvements to infrastructure also increases. This need is not always matched by available resources for road improvements; thus, a way to prioritize expenditures of resources is needed. One way to do this is to conduct traffic studies that monitor and analyze motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic at locations identified as requiring improvement.
Traffic studies may examine one or more of several components of traffic operation. For example, an intersection might be monitored for traffic density, i.e., how many vehicles pass through the intersection at any given time, and in which directions? The intersection might be monitored for compliance, i.e., how many traffic infractions occur and at what times? A cross walk might be a safety concern for school children crossing a heavily traveled street, so a study might monitor vehicle speed and density as well as pedestrian crossing at that location at critical times. Railroad grade crossings are often a concern, and a study might examine traffic patterns and behavior of motorists with respect to a grade crossing.
Any one of these studies might need to be conducted repeatedly at different times and locations in order to accurately determine where improvements or increased patrols by police are justified or will be most effective.
A common method of conducting such studies is to place one or more human observers at the particular location. There are several drawbacks to this method. First, the expense of paying observers to watch traffic, especially for extended periods, can be significant. Second, an observer may miss one event while recording another. Accuracy of recording is also an issue. For example, will an observer be able to accurately determine whether a light changed just before or just after a car enters an intersection. As the amount of data required from a single observer increases, the accuracy of the data collected will decrease. The danger also exists that an observer will falsify data, either to achieve a desired result or out of an unwillingness to persevere in the study.
While other methods and devices exist for performing such studies, these also have particular drawbacks. For example, temporary sensors placed across a road record numbers of vehicles and times of passing, but they do not record other factors, such as traffic signals or pedestrian traffic. In addition, such sensors become less effective in multi-lane roadways, and their accuracy can be compromised by multi-axel vehicles, which can be miscounted. Conventional video systems are expensive to supply and expensive to install and monitor.


A digital copying machine provided with both a scanner function and a printer function is used. The use of this type of machine enables a scanner apparatus to have a printout function as well. An input image can be transmitted to a final registration destination or a transfer destination and printed by operating only the scanner apparatus. Owing to this feature, the user need not check the image output to the final registration destination, the user is only required to confirm the printed image. Hence, the burden imposed on the user by the confirmation of captured images is significantly reduced.

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that is provided with an image capturing function of creating an electronic image from a printed sheet document. The image processing apparatus is, for example, a scanner apparatus or a digital copying machine. The present invention also relates to an image processing method used in the image processing apparatus.
According to the prior art, where a scanner apparatus is used by a specific user or with a particular device, a single document is supplied to the scanner apparatus each time image capture is required. Where the scanner apparatus is used as such, images are registered in a fixed area (a fixed storage area), and the user checks the input images registered in the predetermined registration area of a file system to confirm the input image the user enters.
Large-capacity storage devices and networks are in common use in recent years, and the use of electronic-form documents is general in business. In offices, however, printed sheet documents still play an important role. In accordance with the computerization taking place in the environments of the user, there is an increasing demand for efficiently capturing printed sheet documents so that they can be used as electronic information.
With an increase in the necessity for image capture, it is necessary to process a large number of documents provided by different users. For enhancing the efficiency of image capturing operation, a high-speed and sophisticated scanner apparatus, an example of which is a digital copying machine, is connected to a network and is used in common by different users.
Although the sophisticated scanner provides remarkable advantages to the user, its processing is inevitably complex. For example, images input from the scanner are automatically transferred to external systems and registered there in accordance with the kind of processing designated by the user.
As can be seen from this, the sophisticated scanner apparatus does not necessarily have fixed destinations for registration. For this reason, the user has to access the external systems where the images are registered, so as to confirm whether the images have been input without any problems. This operation has been very troublesome to the user.