A fully automated package identification and measuring system, in which an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel. Mathematical models are created on a real-time basis for the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol thereon. The mathematical models are analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to an automated tunnel-type laser scanning package identification and measuring system arranged about a high-speed conveyor structure used in diverse package routing and transport applications, and also a method of identifying and measuring packages having bar code symbols on surfaces facing any direction with a 3-D scanning volume.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In many environments, there is a great need to automatically identify and measure objects (e.g. packages, parcels, products, luggage, etc.) as they are transported along a conveyor structure. While over-the-head laser scanning systems are effective in scanning upwardly-facing bar codes on conveyed objects, there are many applications where it is not practical or otherwise feasible to ensure that bar code labels are upwardly-facing during transportation under the scanning station.
Various types of xe2x80x9ctunnelxe2x80x9d scanning systems have been proposed so that bar codes can be scanned independently of their orientation within the scanning volume of the system. One such prior art tunnel scanning system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,714 to Knowles. In this prior art scanning system, a plurality of single scanline scanners are orientated about a conveyor structure in order to provide a limited degree of omni-directional scanning within the xe2x80x9ctunnel-likexe2x80x9d scanning environment. Notably, however, prior art tunnel scanning systems, including the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,714, are incapable of scanning bar code systems in a true omni-directional sense, i.e. independent of the direction that the bar code faces as it is transported along the conveyor structure. At best, prior art scanning systems provide omni-directional scanning in the plane of the conveyor belt or in portions of planes orthogonal thereto. However, true omnidirectional scanning along the principal planes of a large 3-D scanning volume has not been hitherto possible.
Also, while numerous systems have been proposed for automatically identifying and measuring the dimensions and weight of packages along a high-speed conveyor, prior art systems have been very difficult to manufacture, maintain, and operate in a reliable manner without the use of human supervision.
Thus, there is a great need in the art for an improved tunnel-type automated laser scanning package identification/measuring system and a method of identifying and measuring packages transported along a high-speed conveyor system, while avoiding the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art scanning systems and methodologies.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel tunnel-type automated package identification and measuring system that is free of the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art tunnel-type laser scanning systems and methodologies.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fully automated package identification and measuring system, wherein an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fully automated package identification and measuring system, wherein mathematical models are created on a real-time basis for both the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol thereon. Another object of the present invention is to provide a fully automated package identification and measuring system, wherein the mathematical models are analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, in which a plurality of holographic laser scanning subsystems are mounted on a scanner support framework, arranged about a high-speed conveyor belt, and arranged so that each scanning subsystem projects a highly-defined 3-D omni-directional scanning volume with a large depth-of-field, above the conveyor structure so as to collectively provide omni-directional scanning within each of the three principal scanning planes of the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, in which each holographic laser scanning subsystem projects a highly-defined 3-D omni-directional scanning volume that has a large depth-of-field and is substantially free of spatially and temporally coincident scanning planes, to ensure substantially zero crosstalk among the numerous laser scanning channels provided within each holographic laser scanning subsystem employed in the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, in which a split-type conveyor is used with a gap disposed between its first and second conveyor platforms, for mounting of an omni-directional projection-type laser scanning subsystem that is below the conveyor platforms and ends substantially the entire width of the conveyor platform.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a plurality of holographic laser scanners are arranged about the conveyor system so as to produce a bi-directional scanning pattern along the principal axes of a three-dimensional laser scanning volume.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a system, in which each holographic laser scanner employed in the system projects a three-dimensional laser scanning volume having multiple focal planes and a highly confined geometry extending about a projection axis extending from the scanning window of the holographic scanner and above the conveyor belt of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system, wherein singulated packages can be detected, dimensioned, weighed, and identified in a fully automated manner without human intervention, while being transported through a laser scanning tunnel subsystem using a package conveyor subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package detection and dimensioning subsystem is provided on the input side of its scanning tunnel subsystem, for detecting and dimensioning singulated packages passing through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem is provided for queuing, handling and processing data elements representative of package identification, dimensions and/or weight, and wherein a moving package tracking queue is maintained so that data elements comprising objects, representative of detected packages entering the scanning tunnel, can be tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package detection subsystem is provided on the output side of its scanning tunnel subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the tunnel scanning subsystem provided therein comprises a plurality of laser scanning subsystems, and each such laser scanning subsystem is capable of automatically generating, for each bar code symbol read by the subsystem, accurate information indicative of the precise point of origin of the laser scanning beam and its optical path to the read bar code symbol, as well as produce symbol character data representative of the read bar code symbol.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the plurality of laser scanning subsystems generates an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern within a 3-D scanning volume, wherein a bar code symbol applied to any one side of a six-sided package (e.g. box) will be automatically scanned and decoded when passed through the 3-D scanning volume using the conveyor subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the laser scanning subsystems comprise holographic laser scanning subsystems, and also polygonal-type laser scanning subsystems for reading bar code symbols facing the conveyor surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein each holographic laser scanning subsystem employed in the tunnel scanning subsystem comprises a device for generating information specifying which holographic scanning facet or holographic facet sector (or segment) produced the laser scan data used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein each non-holographic (e.g. polygonal-type) laser scanning subsystem employed in the tunnel scanning subsystem comprises a device for generating information specifying which mirror facet or mirror sector produced the laser scan data used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a scan beam geometry modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol for which symbol character data has been produced by the laser scanning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a first homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a package surface modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each surface on each package detected by the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a second homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each surface on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a laser scan beam and package surface intersection determination subsystem is provided for determining which detected package was scanned by the laser scanning beam that read a particular bar code symbol, and for linking (i.e. correlating) package measurement data associated with the detected package with package identification data associated with the laser scanning beam that read a bar code symbol on a detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system with a package velocity measurement subsystem for measuring the velocity of the package as it moves from the package detection and dimensioning subsystem through the laser scanning tunnel subsystem of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package velocity measurement subsystem is realized using a pair of spaced-apart laser beams projected over the conveyor so that when a package interrupts these laser beams, electrical pulses are automatically generated and processed using a clock in order to compute the instantaneous velocity of each and every package transported along the conveyor belt subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a first pair of light transmitting and receiving structures arranged to transmit a plurality of light beams along a direction parallel to the conveyor belt in order to collect data and measure the height of each singulated package passing through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and a second pair of light transmitting and receiving structures arranged to transmit a plurality of light beams along a direction perpendicular to the conveyor belt in order to collect data and measure the width of each singulated package passing through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem further comprises a height data processor for processing arrays of height profile data collected from the first pair of light transmitting and receiving structures in order to detect stacked arrangements of packages transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and width data processor for processing arrays of width profile data collected from the second pair of light transmitting and receiving structures in order to detect side-by-side arrangements of packages transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and upon detecting either a stacked configuration of packages or a side-by-side configuration of packages, automatically generating an unique data element indicative of such multiple package arrangements along the conveyor belt, and placing this unique data element in the moving package tracking queue in the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem so that this subsystem can cause an auxiliary subsystem to reroute such multiple packages through a singulation unit and then return to pass once again through the system of the present invention.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package weighing-in-motion subsystem is provided for weighing singulated packages moving through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and producing weight measurement information for assignment to each detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system, wherein multiple packages can b e detected, dimensioned, weighed, and identified in a fully automated manner without human intervention, while being transported through a laser scanning tunnel subsystem using a package conveyor subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package detection and dimensioning subsystem is provided on the input side of its scanning tunnel subsystem, for detecting and dimensioning multiple packages passing through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem is provided for queuing, handling and processing data elements representative of package identification, dimensions and/or weight, and wherein a moving package tracking queue is maintained so that data elements comprising objects, representative of detected packages entering the scanning tunnel, can be tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package detection subsystem is provided on the output side of its scanning tunnel subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the tunnel scanning subsystem provided therein comprises a plurality of laser scanning subsystems, and each such laser scanning subsystem is capable of automatically generating, for each bar code symbol read by the subsystem, accurate information indicative of the precise point of origin of the laser scanning beam and its optical path to the read bar code symbol, as well as produce symbol character data representative of the read bar code symbol.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the plurality of laser scanning subsystems generates an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern within a 3-D scanning volume, wherein a bar code symbol applied to any one side of a six-sided package (e.g. box) will be automatically scanned and decoded when passed through the 3-D scanning volume using the conveyor subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the laser scanning subsystems comprise holographic laser scanning subsystems, and also polygonal-type laser scanning subsystems for reading bar code symbols facing the conveyor surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein each holographic laser scanning subsystem employed in the tunnel scanning subsystem comprises a device for generating information specifying which holographic scanning facet or holographic facet sector (or segment) produced the laser scan data used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein each non-holographic (e.g. polygonal-type) laser scanning subsystem employed in the tunnel scanning subsystem comprises a device for generating information specifying which mirror facet or mirror sector produced the laser scan data used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a scan beam geometry modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol for which symbol character data has been produced by the laser scanning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a first homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a package surface modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each surface on each package detected by the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a second homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each surface on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a laser scan beam and package surface intersection determination subsystem is provided for determining which detected package was scanned by the laser scanning beam that read a particular bar code symbol, and for linking (i.e. correlating) package measurement data associated with the detected package with package identification data associated with the laser scanning beam that read a bar code symbol on a detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system with a package velocity measurement subsystem for measuring the velocity of the package as it moves from the package detection and dimensioning subsystem through the laser scanning tunnel subsystem of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package velocity measurement subsystem is realized using an roller wheel engaged in direct contact with the conveyor belt as it moves, generating electrical pulses as an optical encoder attached to the shaft of the roller wheel is caused to complete one revolution, during which the conveyor belt traveled one linear foot, and counting these generated electrical pulses with reference to a clock in order to compute the instantaneous velocity of the conveyor belt, and thus each and every package transported therealong without slippage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a laser scanning mechanism that generates an amplitude modulated laser scanning beam that is scanned across the width of the conveyor structure in the package conveyor subsystem while the scanning beam is disposed substantially perpendicular to the surface of the conveyor structure, and light reflected from scanned packages is collected, detected and processed to produce information representative of the package height profile across the width of the conveyor structure for each timing sampling instant carried out by the package detection and dimension subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem further comprises a height data processor for processing arrays of height profile data collected from the first pair of light transmitting and receiving structures in order to detect stacked arrangements of packages transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and width data processor for processing arrays of width profile data collected from the second pair of light transmitting and receiving structures in order to detect side-by-side arrangements of packages transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, an d upon detecting either a stacked configuration of packages or a side-by-side configuration of packages, automatically generating a unique data element indicative of such multiple package arrangements along the conveyor belt, and placing this unique data element in the moving package tracking queue in the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem so that this subsystem can cause an auxiliary subsystem to reroute such multiple packages through a singulation unit and then returned to pass once again through the system of the present invention.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package weighing-in-motion subsystem is provided for weighing multiple packages moving through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and producing weight measurement information for assignment to each detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system, wherein multiple packages, arranged in a side-by-side, stacked and/or singulated configuration, can be simultaneously detected, dimensioned, weighed, and identified in a fully automated manner without human intervention, while being transported through a laser scanning tunnel subsystem using a package conveyor subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package detection and dimensioning subsystem is provided on the input side of its scanning tunnel subsystem, for simultaneously detecting and dimensioning multiple packages passing through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem employs multiple moving package tracking queues simultaneously maintained therein for spatially different regions above the conveyor belt so order that data objects, representative of packages detected in such spatially different regions, can be produced and tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem is provided for queuing, handling and processing data elements representative of package identification, dimensions and/or weight, and wherein multiple moving package tracking queues are simultaneously maintained for spatially different regions above the conveyor belt so that data elements comprising objects, representative of detected packages entering the scanning tunnel, can be tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a multiple package detection and dimensioning subsystem is provided on the output side of its scanning tunnel subsystem, and multiple moving package tracking queues are simultaneously maintained therein for spatially different regions above the conveyor belt in order that data elements comprising objects, representative of detected packages exiting the scanning tunnel, can be tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the tunnel scanning subsystem provided therein comprises a plurality of laser scanning subsystems, and each such laser scanning subsystem is capable of automatically generating, for each bar code symbol read by the subsystem, accurate information indicative of the precise point of origin of the laser scanning beam and its optical path to the read the bar code symbol, as well as symbol character data representative of the read bar code symbol.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a scan beam geometry modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol for which symbol character data has been produced by the laser scanning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a first homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a package surface modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each surface on each package detected by the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a second homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each surface on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a laser scan beam and package surface intersection determination subsystem is provided for determining which detected package was scanned by the laser scanning beam that read a particular bar code symbol, and for linking (i.e. correlating) package measurement data associated with the detected package with package identification data associated with the laser scanning beam that read a bar code symbol on a detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system with a package velocity measurement subsystem for measuring the velocity of the package as it moves from the package detection and dimensioning subsystem through the laser scanning tunnel subsystem of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package velocity measurement subsystem is realized using an roller wheel engaged in direct contact with the conveyor belt as it moves, generating electrical pulses as an optical encoder attached to the shaft of the roller wheel is caused to complete one revolution, during which the conveyor belt traveled one linear foot, and counting these generated electrical pulses with reference to a clock in order to compute the instantaneous velocity of the conveyor belt, and this each and every package transported therealong without slippage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a laser scanning mechanism that generates an amplitude modulated laser scanning beam that is scanned across the width of the conveyor structure in the package conveyor subsystem while the scanning beam is disposed substantially perpendicular to the surface of the conveyor structure, and light reflected from scanned packages is collected, detected and processed to produce information representative of the package height profile across the width of the conveyor structure for each timing sampling instant carried out by the package detection and dimension subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a stereoscopic camera subsystem which captures stereoscopic image pairs of packages being transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and also a real-time stereoscopic image processor which is programmed to detect multiple images present in the field of view of stereoscopic imaging subsystem, and compute the vertices and dimensions of each such detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package weighing-in-motion subsystem is provided for weighing simultaneously weighing each package, or arrangement of side-by-side and/or stacked packages moving through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and producing weight measurement information for assignment to each detected package, or apportioned to each arrangement of side-by-side and/or stacked packages, based on relative volumetric measurements.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved tunnel-type scanning system, wherein bar code symbols downwardly facing the conveyor belt can be automatically scanned as they are transported through the system in a high-speed manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of identifying and measuring packages within a tunnel-scanning environment through which objects of various types can be conveyed at high transport speeds.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system characterized by: lower labor costs; higher load efficiency; perfect destination accuracy; extremely fast ID throughput; more accurate shipping charges; fast, accurate tracking and sorting; and precision package weights, shapes, and measurements.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system which can read bar codes anywhere on a parcel moving down a fast conveyor line: top; sides; front; rear; and bottom.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system which enables fully automated package handling on real world-sized bar codes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system which does not require any human intervention during handling.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system which can sort the package after bar code data on the package has been read and captured by the system software.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system which can measure and weigh the package, eliminating the xe2x80x9cguesstimatingxe2x80x9d often required by human operators.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system which enables exact weighing an d measuring of packages, and thus minimizes wasted cargo space and more carrying capacity on every shipment, thereby allowing shippers to bill customers with greater precision, with fees keyed to package volume, shape, weight, and destination.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated method of automated identifying and measuring packages arranged in either a singulated, side-by-side or stacked configuration on a conveyor structure.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel way of and means for digitizing digital scan data while correlating laser scanning information.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel way of and means for decoding digital scan count data while correlating laser scanning information for use in various types of object tracking operations.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent hereinafter and in the Claims to Invention.

Automated system and method for identifying and measuring packages transported through a laser scanning tunnel


A transportation device includes a transportation unit that transports continuous paper, and an image capturing unit that has a light irradiator capable of irradiating the continuous paper which is transported by the transportation unit with light and detects a transportation amount of the continuous paper based on reflected light of the light irradiated onto the continuous paper by the light irradiator. The light irradiator is arranged so as to irradiate the continuous paper with light obliquely with respect to the detection region of the continuous paper from the width direction side of the continuous paper, which is orthogonal to the transportation direction of the continuous paper.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a transportation device that transports a transportation target material such as paper that is used for printing or the like, for example, and a recording apparatus including the transportation device.
2. Related Art
There has been known an existing ink jet printer that ejects ink onto recording paper (transportation target material) from a recording head (recording unit) so as to form an image, as one type of recording apparatuses (for example, JP-A-2007-217176).
In the printer as disclosed in JP-A-2007-217176, surface character of the recording paper that is transported is captured as continuous images by a camera and captured two adjacent before and after (hereinafter "adjacent") images are compared in the chronological order. Then, movement amounts of a focused pattern in the respective images are figured out and integrated so as to calculate an actual transportation amount of the recording paper.
In this case, images in accordance with relief of the surface of the recording paper illuminated by a light emitting element appear on the two captured images by the camera. Based on this, illuminating an image capturing region by the camera on the surface of the recording paper as even as possible contributes to improvement of calculation accuracy of an actual transportation amount of the recording paper.
Also, there has been known an image forming apparatus (recording apparatus) including an illumination device that is configured to reduce luminance unevenness of a light irradiation surface of a document (transportation target material) that is irradiated with light by the light emitting element such as a light emitting diode (LED) (for example, JP-A-2010-183497). That is to say, in the image forming apparatus as disclosed in JP-A-2010-183497, a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged at both sides of the recording paper that is transported in the sub-scanning direction (transportation direction) of the recording paper such that optical axes thereof are inclined with respect to the sub-scanning direction of the recording paper when seen from the above. With this, the luminance unevenness of the light irradiation surface of the recording paper is made to be reduced.
When the illumination device as disclosed in JP-A-2010-183497 is mounted on the printer as disclosed in JP-A-2007-217176, luminance unevenness of the image capturing region by the camera on the surface of the recording paper is reduced. However, the image capturing region of the recording paper is irradiated with light by the light emitting elements arranged at the transportation direction side of the recording paper. Therefore, a distance between the light emitting elements and the image capturing region is different between adjacent two images that are captured by the camera.
Therefore, an appearing shadow shape based on the relief of the image capturing region on the surface of the recording paper is different between the adjacent two images that are captured by the camera. Due to this, error of the movement amounts of the focused pattern in the respective images is increased, resulting in a problem that the detection accuracy of the actual transportation amount of the recording paper is lowered.

Transportation device and recording apparatus


A clutch device which can perform the plural functions required in an automatic transmission is provided. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of clutch devices required to obtain the desired gear ratios and shift operations. The clutch device, according to the present invention, comprises a pair of members spaced on a common axis and relatively rotating around the common axis, a variable length coupling member disposed on the common axis between the relatively rotating members and having a pair of cam members, and a piston member selectively pushing the variable length coupling member toward one of the relatively rotating members. The piston member causes frictional engagement between one end of the variable length coupling member and one of the relatively rotating members so that the cam members relatively rotate and cooperatingly generate a cam force, in an axial direction, which elongates the variable length coupling member and couples the relatively rotating members. The piston member pushes the variable length coupling member even when the direction of the relative rotation of the relatively rotating members is reversed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clutch device used in an automatic transmission for an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an automatic transmission used in an automobile, plural planetary gearsets are used. In this type of automatic transmission, plural clutch devices are used to perform gear shifting by changing the connections between the elements of the planetary gearsets.
To change from one gear ratio to the next gear ratio, for example, operations to rotate elements which were stationary before the shift, or to lock elements which were rotating before the shift, or to reverse the direction of the rotation of an element are required.
Therefore, a one-way clutch has been used to synchronize the engaging time of one clutch device with the disengaging time of another clutch device to carry out smooth shifting from the first gear to the second gear, a brake for locking the free-running function of the one-way clutch to attain engine braking in the first gear, another one-way clutch to synchronize the engaging time of one clutch device and the disengaging time of another clutch device to carry out smooth shifting from the second gear to the third gear, and another brake for locking the free running function of the latter one-way clutch to attain engine braking in the second gear (New Car Features of domestic TOYOTA CORONA FF Coupe, 4 Door Sedan, 5 Door, August 1985).
Thus, one-way clutches are required only for synchronizing the engaging time of one clutch device with the disengaging time of another clutch device, and it caused an increase of axial length, weight and cost.

Clutch device for an automatic transmission


A device for the stepless alteration of the seat depth of a seat cushion of a car seat, has a variable-pressure air cushion which is arranged, on the front side of the seat cushion, between a padded rest and a supporting surface. An extremely high degree of support is achieved if the air cushion is configured approximately in the form of a U and its legs, oriented in the direction of the rear edge of the seat cushion, bear on a side support which terminates towards the front side of the seat cushion and is formed by the extremely dimensionally stable supporting surface.

The present invention relates to a device for stepless alteration of the seat depth of a car seat cushion, and more particularly to a device comprising a variable-pressure air cushion which is arranged, on the front side of the seat cushion, between a padded rest and a supporting surface. As a result of a pressure increase in the air cushion, the associated region of the padded rest is deployed. The seat surface is lengthened in the process, and a cover which covers over the padded rest consequently is lengthened by expansion of its fixed end region.
A device for altering the seat depth is described in EP 0 204 443 A2. The rectangular air cushion underside rests on a supporting surface which, when the air cushion unfolds, bends downwardly about a defined pivot axis, so that a relatively large volume of air is necessary for inflating the air cushion. An encircling fastening border encloses the air cushion which, with the unfolding of the air cushion, results in a hump-like elevation which falls away towards the side borders of the seat cushion. A side support which has considerable influence on the seat comfort is thus not provided.
An object of the present invention is to configure the air cushion and to integrate it into the seat structure such that, with a small inflation volume, in addition to the increase in the seat depth, there is also comfortable side support in the lengthening region.
This object has been achieved according to the present invention by providing that the air cushion is approximately U-shaped with legs thereof, oriented in a direction of a rear edge of the seat cushion, bearing on a side support which terminates towards the front side of the seat cushion and is formed by dimensionally stable supporting surface.
The extremely dimensionally stable supporting surface hardly yields at all when there is a build-up of pressure in the air cushion. As a result, the change in volume of the air cushion is virtually fully converted into an alteration of the seat depth. The air volume which is necessary to produce the maximum possible lengthening of the seat depth is thus relatively small and can be achieved in an extremely short period of time. The changeable-volume legs of the air cushion are assigned to the supporting surface such that they only appear at the beginning of the inflation operation. That is, the legs bring about a stepless transition from the unalterable side support to the changeable-height side support.
A reduction of pressure in the air cushion rapidly results in a reduction in volume if, on its base sides, the air cushion has lugs which are integrally formed on at least in certain areas, are connected, on the upper side, to the supporting surface by retaining means penetrating into the supporting surface, and are fixed, on the underside, on the substructure of the supporting surface with the interposition of at least one elastic strip.
In a currently preferred embodiment of the present invention, the supporting surface is formed by the upper side of a mat which covers over the spring arrangement and consists, for example, of rubberized hair.


The disclosure discloses an elongated cloth medium to be recorded made with a satin weave that ranges from six-harness satin to ten-harness satin by using a warp in a medium longitudinal direction and a weft in a direction orthogonal to the medium longitudinal direction. The cloth medium includes one surface and another surface. The warp has a weaving density that ranges from 300 [yarns/inch] to 540 [yarns/inch]. The weft has a weaving density that ranges from 80 [yarns/inch] to 540 [yarns/inch]. The one surface is a surface with the warp more exposed than the weft in accordance with the satin weave. The cloth medium further includes on the one surface a print-receiving surface that calendering is executed.

Field
The present disclosure relates to a cloth medium to be recorded for forming a print, a recorded cloth medium having a formed print, and a cloth medium cartridge comprising a cloth medium to be recorded.
Description of the Related Art
A technique of performing a print on a cloth medium to be recorded (cloth tape) by transfer of ink of an ink ribbon (dye-containing heat transfer printing ribbon) is already known.
Generally, a cloth medium includes woven warp and weft and consequently has unevenness due to weaving on a surface. Since the significant unevenness impedes smooth print formation by the heat transfer printing of the ink as described above, some measures must be taken to ensure a high print quality. Particularly when a high-speed print is performed, a sufficient time cannot be taken for melting and transferring of the ink, so that sufficient measures are required. In the prior art, it cannot be said that sufficient considerations are given to ensuring such an improvement in print quality.

Cloth medium to be recorded, recorded cloth medium, and cloth medium cartridge


A clean room which uses a perforated floor upon which equipment can be directly placed is presented. The perforated floor includes a regular array of openings through which air can pass to an underlying facility room. The openings are covered by a grate through which the air can pass. In combination the perforated floor and the grates are able to support equipment in any location thereon.

This invention relates generally to a clean room, and more specifically to a floor for a clean room and to a method for establishing a clean room.
Clean rooms are used extensively in the electronics industry and in other industries in which a clean, particle free environment is necessary during the fabrication or testing of a product. Clean rooms are rated by the number of particles of a given standard size that are detected in a standard volume of air within the clean room. According to this rating system a xe2x80x9cClass 10xe2x80x9d clean room has only one-tenth the particle count of a xe2x80x9cClass 100xe2x80x9d clean room. Similarly, a xe2x80x9cClass 1xe2x80x9d clean room has only one-tenth the particle count of a xe2x80x9cClass 10xe2x80x9d clean room. The low particle count in a clean room is achieved by a large number of distributed air changes in the room. Air flows through the room, usually in a laminar fashion and usually downwardly from the ceiling to the floor or to vents located near the floor. The air changes wash the particulate matter from the room. Other things being equal, the greater the number of air changes, the lower the particle count in the room. For example, a xe2x80x9cClass 1xe2x80x9d clean room usually requires more than 450 air changes per hour.
Typically the air in a clean room enters the room through filters located in the ceiling, passes through the room, washing over the contents of the room, and exits the room through openings or vents in a raised clean room floor to a plenum formed between the raised floor and the structural floor of the building. The air is then recirculated and again passes through the ceiling filters and into the room.
Prior art clean rooms have all used a raised clean room floor. The raised and usually perforated clean room floor is supported on a pedestal or plurality of pedestals. The pedestals are usually specially constructed structures designed specifically for the equipment that is to be placed on the raised floor. The raised floor itself is inadequate to support the weight of the equipment. The necessary pedestal is often very expensive, sometimes having a cost equaling a large percentage of the total equipment cost. The raised floor is necessary to form the return air plenum and to provide a way to facilitate the equipment. Power lines, chemical lines, exhausts, drains, and the like pass through the raised floor and run under the raised floor to a facilities area. In addition, another reason for the widespread use of raised clean room floors, it is the desire, and often necessity, of suppressing vibrations caused by the equipment located in the clean room. Much of the processing that is done in the clean room requires a vibration free environment as well as a particle free environment. The raised floor and the platform upon which the raised floor is supported dampen vibrations that otherwise might be propagated by the underlying structural floor. A concrete slab floor has not been found satisfactory for a clean room environment because the slab tends to be a conduit for vibration.
In addition to the expense of the customized pedestal that must be used to support a raised clean room floor, there are a number of other significant drawbacks to such a floor. Because the raised floor, by itself, is unable to support the weight of equipment that might be placed in the clean room, the raised floor also cannot support the weight of that equipment as it is moved into a clean room. This results in the necessity for disassembling the raised floor when equipment is moved into a clean room or is moved about the clean room. The floor is disassembled, equipment is moved into the clean room, placed on the portion of the raised floor in substantially its final location, and then the remaining portion of the raised floor is reassembled. This activity compromises the cleanliness of the clean room every time a piece of equipment is moved into or is moved about the clean room. In addition, any facilities lines that would be located under the portion of the raised floor that has to be removed will also be disturbed by the moving of equipment. Because of these difficulties, it is commonplace to build relatively small or compartmentalized clean rooms so that only a small area is contaminated by any moving process. This, of course, leads to disadvantages in terms of material flow because materials being processed must be moved into and out of these individual compartmentalized clean rooms.
In view of these and other problems with conventional clean room designs, it has been recognized that a need exists for a clean room that is less expensive than a raised floor clean room. There is also a need for a clean room that allows for non-intrusive clean room practices for facilitizing equipment located in the clean room. The need also exists for a clean room that does not require an expensive and customized pedestal for equipment, but rather allows the placement of equipment anywhere within a clean room. There is also a need for a clean room into which equipment can be moved and relocated without compromising the integrity of the clean room. A need also exists for a clean room that can be large in area and arbitrarily expandable in area.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a clean room is provided having a bearing floor capable of supporting equipment in any location thereon. The bearing floor is positioned over a facilities room which, in effect, is an extension of the clean room. The bearing floor has a regular array of openings through the floor which permit air to flow from the clean room into the underlying facilities room. A wall structure is positioned on the bearing floor to surround a selected area of the bearing floor. A ceiling having a plurality of filtered air inlets is provided above the bearing floor and in contact with the top of the wall structure. A plurality of grates are positioned in those floor openings of the regular array that are located within the selected area bounded by the walls and solid, air impervious members are positioned in those floor openings of the regular array that are located outside the selected area. By changing air impervious members for grates, or vice versa, the area of the clean room can be expanded or reduced. Preferably the location and number of filtered air inlets is also adjusted to correspond to the number of grated openings in the clean room floor.
FIG. 1 illustrates, in plan view, a perforated clean room floor in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates, in cross-section, a clean room floor in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates, in cross-section, a portion of a clean room facility;
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a grate and its method for installation in a perforated floor in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 6 illustrates schematically, in cross-section, a clean room facility in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 7 illustrates a facilities line extending between clean room equipment and facilities equipment.


Methods are disclosed for dividing a pattern in a segmented reticle such as used in charged-particle-beam microlithography. In the methods, the reticle pattern is divided among multiple subfields delineated by respective initial subfield-boundary lines. In an exemplary embodiment, initial subfield-boundary lines are determined by determining respective extensions of pattern elements in each of the X and Y directions. For example, if the extension in the Y direction is longer than in the X direction, then an initial pattern division (including into complementary subfields as required) is made using the initial subfield-boundary extending in the X direction. If the pattern exhibits a period repeat in the Y direction, then the initial subfield-boundary lines are established at an integer multiple of half the period repeat. The initial subfield-boundary lines are then corrected by shifting the initial subfield-boundary lines as required such that the subfield-boundary lines extend through nearby xe2x80x9csignificant pointsxe2x80x9d (bend points meeting certain predetermined criteria) of adjacent pattern elements.

This disclosure pertains to microlithography (transfer of a pattern to a sensitive substrate), especially as performed using a charged particle beam. Microlithography is a key technology used in the fabrication of microelectronic devices such as integrated circuits, displays, and micromachines. More specifically, the disclosure pertains to charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithography performed using a pattern-defining segmented reticle on which the pattern is divided into multiple subfields each defining a respective portion of the pattern, and to methods by which respective images of the subfields are transferred from the reticle to the substrate.
With the relentless drive to progressively smaller feature sizes (now less than 0.10 xcexcm) the pattern-resolution limitations of optical microlithography have become a major limitation. To solve this problem, considerable effort currently is being expended to develop a practical xe2x80x9cnext generationxe2x80x9d microlithography technology. A major effort to such end involves using a charged particle beam (e.g., an electron beam) as the lithographic energy beam. Charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithography is expected to produce substantially better pattern resolution for reasons similar to the reasons for which electron microscopy yields better image resolution than optical microscopy.
Current CPB microlithography technology does not yet embody a solution to the problem of projecting an entire pattern in one shot from the reticle to the substrate. Rather, the pattern is divided into individual exposure units usually termed xe2x80x9csubfieldsxe2x80x9d that are defined on a xe2x80x9csegmentedxe2x80x9d reticle and exposed in a prescribed order subfield-by-subfield. This exposure scheme is termed xe2x80x9cdivided-reticle pattern transfer.xe2x80x9d As can be surmised, the optical field of CPB optics required to transfer a single subfield is much smaller than otherwise would be required to transfer the entire pattern in one shot. During transfer of each subfield, the respective subfield image is formed on the substrate in a manner such that, when exposure is complete, the subfield images collectively form the entire contiguous pattern. The subfields typically are arrayed on the reticle in rows and columns, wherein each row has a length substantially equal to the diameter of the optical field of the CPB optical system. During exposure of a row of subfields, the charged particle beam is deflected laterally as required to transfer the subfields in the row in sequential order. In progressing from one row to the next, the reticle and substrate typically are mechanically scanned in opposite lateral directions.
Whenever a pattern is being transferred from a segmented reticle, it is desirable to achieve the greatest possible pattern-transfer accuracy. To such end, the subfield images are formed at respective locations on the substrate that desirably result in proper xe2x80x9cstitchingxe2x80x9d together of the individual subfield images. Such stitching (i.e., positioning of respective subfield images) must be performed extremely accurately. However, in a practical sense, situations do arise in which adjacent subfield images are slightly misaligned with each other, resulting in a corresponding xe2x80x9cstitchingxe2x80x9d error. Stitching errors can be manifest, for example, as shorts between adjacent wiring traces caused by overlap of one wiring trace over another, and as breaks in wiring traces that should be contiguous with each other. With increases in the number of intersections of adjacent subfields as imaged on the substrate and/or increases in the number of patterns elements per subfield that are joined together, the number of such faults tends to increase commensurately. In addition, in conventional segmented reticles, subfield boundaries sometimes are situated between the source and gate or between the gate and drain of a transistor of the pattern. In such a situation, a stitching error at the subfield boundary can cause the respective transistor simply not to function or to function improperly.
Japan Kxc3x4kai Patent Document No. Hei 9-97759 discloses a conventional method by which a pattern as defined on the reticle is divided into subfields. A plotter diagram of the pattern is evaluated so as to place subfield-division lines in respective locations that reduce intersections of the lines with pattern elements as much as possible. Unfortunately, in this method, pattern evaluation requires that an operator handle very large amounts of data; hence, data processing requires a long time to complete.
Whenever a pattern is divided to form a segmented reticle, situations frequently arise in which certain pattern elements cannot be defined entirely in a single subfield. For example, certain pattern elements inevitably result in the presence of xe2x80x9cisland,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cdonut,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cpeninsular,xe2x80x9d or other reticle features that are not self-supporting. In such instances, at least two complementary subfields must be used to define the respective pattern portion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,888 discloses a conventional method for dividing a pattern portion into complementary subfields. In the disclosed method, a stability value is assigned to each inside corner of the pattern element. The stability value is a function of the length of the perimeter of all edges between adjacent outside corners of the pattern element and the length of the shortest distance between the adjacent outside corners. Based on such data, pattern elements having a sub-threshold stability value are divided into multiple rectangular sections. The resulting sections are distributed between two complementary subfields. Unfortunately, this method tends to result in the element being divided up more than actually necessary, which results in a higher than acceptable incidence of stitching errors between adjacent sections of the element as transferred to the substrate.
Also, the methods summarized above are directed to, and thus have been applied only to, abstract artificial patterns rather than actual LSI patterns. Hence, there is a need for pattern-element division methods that are more applicable to actual LSI patterns.
In view of the shortcomings of conventional methods as summarized above, this invention provides, inter alia, transfer-exposure methods for performing division of pattern elements that are more similar to actual LSI patterns, and that provide improved pattern-layering accuracy and reduced stitching errors.
To such end, and according to a first aspect of the invention, methods are provided for dividing a pattern to be defined on a segmented reticle for use in charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithography. The pattern is divided into multiple subfields each defining a respective portion of the pattern. In an embodiment of such a method, the reticle pattern is initially divided using initial subfield-boundary lines that are spaced apart from one another according to a subfield dimension determined in advance. Then, the initial subfield-boundary lines are corrected to produce corrected subfield-boundary lines so as to correct pattern-element stitching when the pattern is transfer-exposed to the sensitive substrate.
If the pattern elements as defined on the reticle are arranged at certain respective pitches in the X direction and Y direction, then the initial subfield-boundary lines can be established at respective integer multiples of the respective pitches without, thereby, defining subfields that are larger than a maximum subfield size that can be exposed without excessive aberrations. In addition to dividing the reticle into subfields each defining a respective portion of the pattern, certain subfields can be divided as required into respective complementary subfields so as to avoid the xe2x80x9cdonutxe2x80x9d problem and/or the xe2x80x9cpeninsulaxe2x80x9d problem. For example, in the reticle subfields that are divided into respective complementary subfields, each respective reticle subfield can be divided by at least one line extending in the X or Y direction at an interval of xc2xc of the respective pitch or an integer multiple of xc2xc of the respective pitch.
Typically, the reticle pattern has a minimum linewidth, wherein the respective integer multiples (between adjacent initial subfield-boundary lines) desirably are within a range of 50 to 500 times the minimum linewidth.
If the reticle pattern extends in X and Y directions along at least one of which the reticle pattern exhibits a cyclical period repeat, then the initial division step can include placing the initial subfield-boundary lines at an integer multiple of half the period repeat.
Typically, pattern elements in the reticle pattern include one or more respective xe2x80x9csignificant pointsxe2x80x9d as defined herein. With respect to such pattern elements, if the respective significant points are located within a predetermined distance from the respective initial subfield-boundary lines, then the initial subfield-boundary lines desirably are corrected by shifting the respective lines so as to intersect the significant points. Furthermore, an initial subfield-boundary line can be shifted to intersect a significant point of a respective adjacent pattern element if the respective significant point defines an interior angle of at least 180xc2x0. If the respective significant point does not define an interior angle of at least 180xc2x0, then the initial subfield-boundary line can be shifted to intersect a significant point of a respective adjacent pattern element if the respective significant point defines an interior angle of less than 180xc2x0.
If the reticle pattern extends in X and Y directions along at least one of which the reticle pattern exhibits a regular cyclical repeat having a respective pitch, then, in the X or Y direction in which the reticle pattern exhibits the regular cyclical repeat, the corrected subfield-boundary line can extend through significant points located, relative to the respective initial subfield-boundary line, within xc2xd the respective pitch.
Desirably, in the correcting step, the corrected subfield-boundary lines are configured so as to intersect as few adjacent pattern elements as possible while intersecting the respective significant points.
In the initial-division step the initial subfield-boundary lines can be configured to extend in the X and Y directions so as to extend along pattern elements extending in a similar manner. In such an instance, in the correcting step each corrected subfield line can be configured to extend, within a respective pattern element, in at least one of the X and Y directions as the corrected subfield line connects together respective significant points of the respective pattern element. Additionally, in the correcting step each corrected subfield line can be configured to extend, outside a respective pattern element, parallel to at least one of the X and Y directions or at a slope relative to at least one of the X and Y directions. The slope can be within a range of xc2x145xc2x0 or xc2x1135xc2x0 relative to the X or Y direction.
In any of the method variations summarized above, if the significant points are located within 20 times the minimum linewidth of the respective initial subfield-boundary lines, then the initial subfield-boundary lines can be corrected by shifting the respective lines so as to intersect the significant points.
In any of the method variations summarized above, if the significant points are located within a distance, determined in advance, no greater than 20 times the minimum linewidth of the respective initial subfield-boundary lines, then the initial subfield-boundary lines can be corrected by shifting the respective lines so as to intersect the significant points.
In any of the method variations summarized above, after the reticle pattern has been initially divided (using the initial subfield-boundary lines), calculations for determining the respective locations of the xe2x80x9ccorrectedxe2x80x9d subfield-boundary lines need only involve data pertaining to the vicinity of the initial subfield-boundary lines. Consequently, data-processing and calculation time is substantially reduced compared to conventional methods. In addition, human intervention is not necessary for dividing the pattern, and the pattern can be divided completely using automated equipment.
Furthermore, the pattern is not subdivided more than necessary, thereby substantially reducing stitching errors between adjacent subfields as projected onto the substrate, or between complementary subfields as projected onto the substrate. Moreover, the methods disclosed herein are readily applicable to actual LSI patterns. xe2x80x9cSignificant pointsxe2x80x9d are defined later below. In any event, the significant points are respective loci at which the consequences of a joining error (generally termed a xe2x80x9cstitching errorxe2x80x9d) are relatively minor. Thus, by dividing the pattern along lines extending through significant points of adjacent pattern elements, it is possible to improve layering accuracy between successive pattern layers applied to a substrate.
The foregoing and additional features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Methods for dividing a pattern in a segmented reticle for charged-particle-beam microlithography


A method and apparatus for measuring ball launch conditions is disclosed. Specifically, the accuracy of the calculations used to determine the kinematic characteristics may be increased. A background image of a field of view, without a golf ball present, may be acquired. Two or more images of a golf ball in motion are then be acquired based on positive or negative imaging. The background image is subtracted from each of the two or more images of the golf ball. After subtracting the background image, the two or more images of the golf ball are analyzed to determine the location of the circular perimeter of the golf ball. Based on the location of the circular perimeter of the golf ball, the location of the center of the golf ball may be calculated. Knowing the location of the center of the golf ball increases the accuracy of measurements of kinematic characteristics such as sidespin, backspin, velocity, and launch angle.

Golf players are continuously searching for better equipment with the ultimate goal of using that equipment to improve their game by lowering their score. However, because the mechanics of swinging a golf club are complicated, there is significant room for error. In order for a golfer to improve their swing, they must be able to swing a club consistently in an appropriate manner. Often, golfers need the assistance of a coach in order to attain a consistent swing that strikes the golf ball in a desirable manner. The human eye, however, has its limits. In order to provide more information to golfers, golf equipment manufacturers have invented ball monitoring devices, commonly referred to as "launch monitors." Launch monitors are capable of providing golfers with a more detailed swing analysis than is capable with the naked eye. A launch monitor is capable of monitoring the motion of both golf clubs and golf balls shortly before, during, and after impact. By monitoring the golf ball shortly before and after impact, launch monitors are able to approximate the trajectory and other kinematic characteristics of the golf ball, such as its spin, launch angle, and velocity.
Launch monitors typically include one or two cameras that are capable of acquiring images of the ball, club, or both simultaneously. In order to more accurately calculate the kinematic characteristics of the golf ball, each golf club and/or ball has several markers placed on its surface. The markers are typically placed such that they are all visible to the one or more cameras. Once the images are acquired, the change in position of the markers may be analyzed in order to determine desired club and/or ball characteristics. The calculation of these characteristics is typically based on mathematical algorithms, which include several unknown variables.
A continuing need exists for a method and apparatus that is capable of reducing the number of unknown variables involved in the calculation of the kinematic characteristics of a golf ball during flight. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus that is capable of reducing the number of unknown variables in order to provide more accurate information about the flight of a golf ball.

Method and apparatus for measuring ball launch conditions


An apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid comprises a vessel containing a conductive liquid and ac electromagnetic force applying means provided around the vessels for generating the compression waves to achieve improvement after solidification of the liquid by enchancing strength of the compression waves by setting the ac frequency xe2x80x9cfxe2x80x9d of ac electromagnetic force applying means only within the range defined by the expression 2/(L2xcfx80xcexc"sgr")xe2x89xa6fxe2x89xa6(c2xcexc"sgr")/2xcfx80, wherein f is a major frequency when a waveform of an electromagnetic force is developed by the Fourier transform, for a non-sine waveform, L is a characteristic length of the system, such as a depth or a radius of the vessel, xcexc is the permeability of the conductive liquid, "sgr" is the electric conductivity of the conductive liquid, and c is the propagation velocity of the compression waves in the conductive liquid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, such as a molten metal.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been poured intensive efforts in developing a technique that generates compression waves in a molten metal contained in a container and aims at an improvement of the tissues after the solidification of the molten metal and an enhancement of refining capabilities. However, it is considered difficult, at the present stage, to efficiently achieve a higher strength of the compression waves, and satisfactory results have not yet been accomplished.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid contained in a vessel, which improves an ac electromagnetic force applying means that generates the compression waves directly in the conductive liquid contained in the vessel, and thereby enhances the strength of the compression waves sufficiently.
In order to accomplish the foregoing object, the invention discloses an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, which comprises a vessel containing a conductive liquid and an ac electromagnetic force applying means that generates the compression waves in the conductive liquid contained in the vessel, in which an ac frequency f of the ac electromagnetic force applying means is set within a range given by the following [expression 1]:       2                  L        2                  π                    xe2x80x83                  μ                    xe2x80x83                  σ        ≦  f  ≦                    c        2                  μ                    xe2x80x83                  σ              2                    xe2x80x83                  π
Here,
f: frequency (a major frequency when a wave-form of an electromagnetic force is developed by the Fourier transform, in case of the wave-form being a non-sine wave)
L: characteristic length of the system (for example, a depth, a radius of the vessel containing the conductive liquid)
xcexc: permeability of the conductive liquid
"sgr": electric conductivity of the conductive liquid
c: propagation velocity of the compression waves in the conductive liquid
Further, the invention discloses an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, in which the ac electromagnetic force applying means is an ac magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil, which is provided around the circumference of the vessel.
Further, the invention discloses an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, in which a dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil is provided around the circumference of the vessel.
Further, the invention discloses an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, in which the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil is a superconducting magnet, and the vessel and the ac magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil are inserted in the bore of the superconducting magnet.
Further, the invention discloses an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, in which the ac electromagnetic force applying means comprises a pair of electrodes that are installed at positions on the circumferential wall of the vessel facing to each other so as to energize the conductive liquid, and an ac power supply connected to the electrodes.
Further, the invention discloses an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, in which the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil is provided around the circumference of the vessel provided with the electrodes.
Further, the invention discloses an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, in which the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil is a superconducting magnet, and the vessel with a pair of the electrodes is inserted in the bore of the superconducting magnet.
Further, the invention discloses an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, in which the vessel is formed of ceramics and provided with a metal reinforcing material on the circumference thereof, and an ac magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil as the ac electromagnetic force applying means is provided overlying the vessel.
Further, the invention discloses an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, in which the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil is provided around the circumference of the vessel.
Further, the invention discloses an apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, in which the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil is a superconducting magnet, and the vessel is inserted in the bore of the superconducting magnet.
According to the present invention relating to the aforementioned apparatus for generating compression waves in a conductive liquid, since the ac frequency of the ac electromagnetic force applying means that generates the compression waves in a conductive liquid contained in a vessel is set within an appropriate range by the reason described later, the compression waves can be generated with a sufficient strength. Thereby, degassing of the conductive liquid and micro structuring of the tissues are effectively processed, and material improvement after the solidification of the conductive liquid will be brought about efficiently.
And, when the ac magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil as the ac electromagnetic force applying means is installed around the circumference of the vessel, the compression waves will be generated in the conductive liquid with a simplified construction and a low cost.
And, when, in addition to the ac magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil, a dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil is further installed around the circumference of the vessel, the superimposition of both the electromagnetic coils effects a stronger generation of the compression waves in the conductive liquid contained in the vessel. Thereby, enhancement of the refining capabilities after the solidification of the conductive liquid and improvement of the tissues will sufficiently be accomplished.
Further, when, while the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil is made up with a superconducting magnet, the foregoing vessel and the ac magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil are inserted in the bore of the superconducting magnet, the superimposition of both the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil as the superconducting magnet and the ac magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil effects a still stronger generation of the compression waves in the conductive liquid contained in the vessel, and material improvement after the solidification of the conductive liquid is achieved still more efficiently.
Further, when the ac electromagnetic force applying means is made up with a pair of electrodes that are installed at positions on a circumferential wall of the vessel facing to each other so as to energize the conductive liquid in the vessel, and the ac power supply connected to the electrodes, and furthermore the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil is installed around the circumference of the vessel, the ac magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil is not required. Accordingly, the total construction of the apparatus is simplified remarkably, and in addition, the compression waves are generated efficiently in the conductive liquid contained in the vessel so as to contribute to material improvement after the solidification of the liquid.
And, also in this case, when the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil is made up with a superconducting magnet, in the bore of which is inserted the vessel with the electrodes, the effect of a strong electromagnetic force by the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil as the superconducting magnet is superimposed on the effect by the ac electromagnetic force applying means by a pair of the electrodes, which generates the compression waves still more effectively in the conductive liquid contained in the vessel, thereby achieving material improvement after the solidification of the liquid.
Further, while the vessel maintains a sufficient strength reinforced by the metal reinforcing material, when it is provided with the ac magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil to overlie the vessel, the apparatus is able to generate intensified compression waves in the conductive liquid contained in the vessel without being influenced by the metal reinforcing material. Thus, degassing of the conductive liquid and micro structuring of the tissues are effectively processed, whereby material improvement after the solidification of the conductive liquid will be accomplished.
Further, when the superimposition effect by the ac magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil provided overlying the vessel and the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil provided around the circumference of the vessel is configured to generate intensified compression waves in the conductive liquid contained in the vessel, the material improvement after the solidification of the conductive liquid will be achieved more appropriately.
And, when the dc magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil provided around the circumference of the vessel is made up with a superconducting coil in pursuit for the superimposition effect by association with the ac magnetic field generating electromagnetic coil provided overlying the vessel, a still stronger generation of the compression waves in the conductive liquid contained in the vessel will be brought about, and a sufficient material improvement after the solidification of the liquid will be accomplished.

Apparatus for generating compression waves in conductive liquid


Methods and systems for displaying assistance messages to aircraft operators are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment includes receiving an input from an aircraft operator at an aircraft flight deck, comparing a characteristic of the input to at least one target value for the characteristic, and, if the characteristic of the input differs from the at least one target value for the characteristic by at least a threshold amount, displaying an assistance message to the aircraft operator. The assistance message can include a complying input and/or an instruction for creating a complying input. The input and the assistance message can be displayed simultaneously.

As modern aircraft have become increasingly complex, aircraft flight controls have made increasing use of computer systems to organize and simplify the pilot's workload. Accordingly, modern aircraft include computer keyboards, cursor control devices, displays and other input/output devices that accept commands and data entered by the pilots and display this information to the pilots. For example, FIG. 1A illustrates a conventional control display unit (CDU) 30 having input devices 31 (e.g., keyboard keys) and a display screen 35 for displaying data. The display screen 35 can include a preview field 32 that displays information as the pilot enters keystrokes with the input devices 31. For example, in response to a system request to input an airport identifier, the pilot has entered the character string "X34A," which appears in the preview field 32 shown in FIG. 1A.
When the pilot's entry is erroneous (as it is in FIG. 1A, because an airport identifier should not include any numbers), the pilot is notified in a manner shown in FIG. 1B. In particular, the pilot's entry at the preview field 32 is overwritten by the text "INVALID ENTRY." Overwriting the pilot's entry with a short message is necessitated by the fact that space available for pilot displays (and in particular, the space available at the display screen 35 of the CDU 30) is extremely limited. However, this approach suffers from at least two drawbacks. First, once the message "INVALID ENTRY" is displayed, the pilot can no longer see the input that prompted the error message. Accordingly, the pilot cannot review the input to determine what prompted the error message. Second, while the error message makes clear that the pilot made an invalid entry, it does not provide the pilot with any guidance for correcting the error. Accordingly, the pilot's attempts to correct the error may be conducted by trial and error, which can be time consuming.


Provided is a method of preparing a high-purity galactooligosaccharide composition by fermentation of a low-purity galactooligosaccharide mixture with a yeast strain, Kluyveromyces lactis ATCC 8585. The high-purity galactooligosaccharide composition includes at least 99% of galactooligosaccharides selected from the group consisting of galactotriose, galactotetrose, galactooligosaccharides with five or more sugar units, and combinations thereof and lower than 1% of monosaccharides and disaccharides. Also provided is a high-purity galactooligosaccharide composition and applications thereof in regulating blood glucose level and improving gut microbiota. For example, the high-purity galactooligosaccharide composition may be used to manufacture food products, beverages, health food products, nutritional supplements, and pharmaceutical compositions for patients or pets afflicted with diabetes mellitus or lactose intolerance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a galactooligosaccharide composition, preparation, and application thereof. Particularly, the present invention relates to a high-purity galactooligosaccharide composition and preparation thereof, and a method of regulating blood glucose level and improving gut microbiota with the high-purity galactooligosaccharide composition.
2. The Prior Art
Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are one type of non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDOs). They are oligosaccharides composed of two to ten galactose units and one terminal glucose moiety, and they are classified into galactobiose, galactotriose, galactotetraose, and galactooligosaccharide with five or more sugar units according to the number of monosaccharide units they contain. Commercial GOS products are mixtures of GOS with different molecular weight that have varied compositions. Due to differences in manufacture process, they contain various amounts of lactose, sucrose, glucose, and galactose. GOS products have a fairly wide application in industry, including food additives and pharmaceutical compositions, and their application fields vary depending on the sugar content of the products. For example, under an ideal condition, GOS products suitable for lactose intolerance patients should contain no lactose, and GOS products for reduced calories should lower monosaccharide content.
The well-known methods of GOS preparation are generally divided into enzymatic transformation and fermentation by microorganisms. However, the crude GOS products obtained by these methods contain residual monosaccharides such as glucose and disaccharides such as lactose. To meet the market requirement, studies in related fields have started to focus on improvement of GOS preparation processes to lower the content of monosaccharides and disaccharides. The proposed strategies include utilization of chromatography or membrane filtration methods such as ultrafiltration and nanofiltration for direct removal of monosaccharides and disaccharides from the crude GOS products, or enzymatic oxidation of monosaccharides and disaccharides to form sugar acids which are subsequently removed by ion exchange chromatography, or depletion of monosaccharides and disaccharides by microbial fermentation. Nevertheless, it is inefficient to remove lactose by chromatography or membrane filtration methods; the enzymatic oxidation process is too costly and difficult to scale-up for industrial production; and microbial fermentation requires two or more strains of bacteria or fungi to effectively remove monosaccharides and disaccharides, which complicates the manufacture process.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop a method for industrial production of a high-purity GOS composition with low cost and simplified process in order to provide a GOS composition free of monosaccharides and disaccharides.

High-purity galactooligosaccharide compositions, preparations, and applications thereof

KING-PREBIOTICS BIOTECHNOLOGY (TW) CO., LTD.


A slide bead coating apparatus including a break and associated offset in the coating lip surface. Slide bead coating is employed in the manufacture of single- and multi-layered elements such as photographic film.

Slide-bead coating is a process well known in the art. It entails flowing a liquid layer or layers down an inclined slide surface to an efflux end, or lip, positioned a short distance from a moving substrate. The liquid forms a bridge, or bead, in the gap between the lip and the moving substrate. The moving substrate carries away liquid from the liquid inventory in the bead in the same layered structure established on the slide. See, for example, Russell, et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,761,791 and 2,761,419.
Customarily, the slide bead coating process is initiated through a sequence of steps. As depicted in FIG. 1, the flow of the coating solutions, 1 and 2, is established with the coating roll, 7, and coating head assembly, represented as 3 and 4, (and any associated attachments) far enough apart to allow the coating solution to flow as a moving film of liquid over the face of the coating plate 3 and into vacuum chamber, 14. It is drained from chamber 14 through tube 16 to sump 17. The coating head assembly, 3 and 4, and coating roll, 7, are then moved close enough to establish flow across the gap, 5, between the coating head and the substrate, 6, as depicted in FIG. 2.
At the instant of coating initiation and for a time thereafter, a residual liquid film, 20, covers the coater face, 21, from the base of the newly formed bead, 18, down into the vacuum chamber, 14, as illustrated in FIG. 3. In the vicinity of the bead, 18, strong bulk viscous and interfacial extensional forces tend to pull liquid up from the residual film, 20, into the bead, 18, and thereby onto the substrate surface, 6. Further down the coater face, 21, the liquid film continues to flow toward and into the chamber, 14, thinning the residual film, 20. This thinning occurs most rapidly in the vicinity of the bead, 18. Eventually, the liquid film at the thinnest point either ruptures or dries depending on whether or not the liquid wets the coater face, 21. In either case a stationary wetting line, or static contact line, 22, is formed as shown in FIG. 4.
In the time following coating initiation and before static contact line formation, the liquid from the residual film that is pulled up into the bead, 18, may contain particles or agglomerates from deposits originally located below the bead on the coater face, 21. These particles and agglomerates subsequently interact with the flow in the bead, either directly interfering with the bead internal flow pattern or indirectly interfering with the uniformity of the coating flow envelope by contacting the lower bead meniscus. Defects in the film such as a variation in the coated thickness across the substrate, are generated by these types of interference. Such coating defects, often called streaks by those practicing the coating art, may render the resulting material unusable for the intended application. In other cases, the transient liquid film flowing into the base of the meniscus may be irregular and can consequently cause nonuniformities in the coating during the liquid film transient.
The transient liquid film flow in which the coating is either immediately or subsequently vulnerable to streaks may last as long as ten seconds depending on the liquid viscosity, substrate speed, coating and pre-coating flow rates and coater face geometry. If the coater face, 21, diverges from the substrate by approximately 15 degrees or more, the transient duration will be long, typically greater than 5 seconds. If the coater face, 21, is approximately parallel with the substrate surface, 6, the transient will be terminated very quickly, typically in less than about one second. Unfortunately, such quick termination also leads to streak defects because the liquid film, 20, dries or ruptures thus forming an irregular static contact line prior to the bead lower meniscus terminus reaching its equilibrium position for steady-state operation.
Various technologies have been proposed to avoid the occurrence of the streak defects. The technology disclosed by Hitaka and Takemasa, U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,811, modifies the coater lip region to include a notch whereby the bead contact line is preferentially located along the notch tip. However, the proposed configuration is expensive to fabricate to the precision required, and in practice the notch promotes deposits and settling from the flowing material and is difficult to clean.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-4371 discloses use of a land inclined with respect to the substrate tangent so as to locate the wetting line at the sharp coating lip. This configuration allows the sharp lip region to be excessively vulnerable to mechanical damage in the form of a crack or scratch that would, in-turn, result in streaks. To avoid this problem Jackson, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,678, discloses the technology of rounding or bevelling the tip edge of the lip to increase the mechanical robustness of the lip tip. The configuration additionally positions the bead static contact line away from the lip. However, no dimensions or orientations are disclosed whereby the bead static contact line can be preferentially and advantageously positioned at the lower edge of the bevel. As stated by Hitaka et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,811 in reference to using such a bevel: ". . . it was difficult to hold the end of the beads at a fixed place or to restore the said end to the original state."
A more successful approach is disclosed in commonly assigned copending patent application Ser. No. 07/823,696 (filed concurrently herewith under Assignee's Case No. IM-0430). In that case, the lip region is configured with a short upper lip land that intersects a lower lip surface at an angle large enough to preferentially locate the wetting line at the line of intersection. Although this technology successfully avoids static contact line irregularities and subsequent streaks, it is still vulnerable to occasional streaks caused by particles occasionally washing into the intersection line region from residual film flow during start-up.

Lip surface geometry for slide bead coating


Provided is an electrochemical cell packaging material with excellent electrolyte resistance. An electrochemical cell packaging material includes the following in a laminated structure: a substrate layer that, at a minimum, includes resin film; a protective layer that is arranged as the outermost layer and protects the substrate layer; a thermal adhesion layer that is arranged as the innermost layer and which includes thermal adhesion resin; and a barrier layer that includes metal foil and is arranged between the substrate layer and the thermal adhesion layer. The protective layer is formed of an epoxy resin that has bisphenol A or bisphenol F as an element in the backbone.

A conventional electrochemical cell packaging material is disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed below. This packaging material is a laminated material composed of a base material layer as the outermost layer, a barrier layer, and a thermally adhesive layer as the innermost layer which are laminated successively. Putting the thermally adhesive layer against another and heat-sealing them together around the periphery produces a packaging member for an electrochemical cell. The packaging member encloses a space for housing cell elements, such as electrolyte liquid and separators, and the housing space is formed by press-forming the packaging material cut in a rectangular shape.
In recent years, electronic devices that incorporate electrochemical cells have been made increasingly compact and slim, and to allow electrochemical cells to be housed in narrow spaces, packaging members for electrochemical cells need to be formed in thin, sharp shapes. To achieve that, according to Patent Document 1, an oriented nylon film is used as the base material layer for its excellent formability.