Embodiments of the present invention enable a user to acquire an item (e.g., a digital song, digital video, etc.) using one device (e.g., a portable device) and to easily move a copy of the acquired item from the one device to another device so that a user of the other device can play the item.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the distribution of digital content (e.g., digital music, videos, photographs, and other digital content) to portable devices (e.g., mobile phones, portable digital audio/video players, and other portable devices) and other devices.
2. Discussion of the Background
Digital content downloading systems have been deployed and designed to allow a registered user to download copyrighted content to the user's personal computer (PC). These systems restrict the user's usage of the content using what is called digital rights management (DRM) technology. While the usage restrictions vary by service, there is typically a restriction on the number and/or type of devices on which the downloaded content may be placed. For example, DRM technology may be used to prevent the user from transferring copies of content that have been legally downloaded to the user's PC onto more than five portable devices, but may allow the user to place the content on any networked device within a subnet or behind a router in the user's home media system (e.g., windows Media extender technology or windows media connect). These devices onto which the user may place DRM protected downloaded content are sometimes called "trusted machines."
Portable DRM strategies exist that allow a portable player, such as a music or video player or a cell phone, to associate itself with a single primary host computer that can transfer content and licenses to the portable device. In an effort to reduce piracy, some DRM technologies make it very difficult or even impossible to transfer into a portable device's content library content stored on a particular computer, unless the particular computer is the primary computer with which the portable device is associated. Thus, if a user wants to place into a content library of a portable device content that is stored on a computer other than the primary computer with which the portable device is associated, such as a computer in a retail store, some DRM systems would prohibit doing so as the retail store computer would not be a trusted device.
Most protected digital content services employ a license server that keeps track of the content purchased (or rented) from the content service so that in the case of a local data storage failure (hard drive crash—loss of portable player) the purchased content can be restored to the owner. The license server may track all purchases by user account, which may be accessed remotely by way of a data link and which may be protected by a user name and password.
Typically, these license servers also keep the unique ID's of the physical computers on which the licensed material is placed. The unique ID's are registered so that if there is a limit placed on the number of physical computers on which the content can be placed, there is a way to verify that the limit is not being exceeded.
In short, to be able to sell digital content at retail location and transfer the content directly onto a customer's portable device so that the content is included in the device's content library, the portable device must connect to a host computer at the retail location, which computer may not be within the "trusted list" of computers for the owner of the portable device. Thus, in some cases, it is not an easy task for an owner of a retail store to place digital content on a customer's portable device when the portable device is part of a DRM system that restricts the content that can be placed on the portable device and included in the content library of the portable device.
In addition, there are numerous different DRM schemes, and each portable device may have its own properties and capabilities. Thus, if the owner of a portable device were to take his or her portable device into a retail environment, the process of loading content onto that device would be extremely complex, forcing the user to go through many steps of identifying themselves, logging onto their account, choosing an encoding format for the content (e.g., WMA, AAC, Real audio etc.) selecting a DRM system (e.g. Windows Media DRM, Fairplay, etc.), etc.
Furthermore, once the purchased content is placed into the customer's portable device, the customer will most likely want to transfer a copy of the protected content onto the customer's home PC and obtain the necessary license so that he customer can "play" (e.g., listen to, view, read, interact with, or the like) the content on the home PC. Accordingly, there is a need to make such a transfer as easily as possible for the customer.
Other problems associated with placing content on a portable device also exist. The present invention aims to simplify the placing of content on portable devices and other devices.

Digital content distribution systems and methods


A method of configuring a lower layer data block in a protocol layer of a transmitting side of a wireless communication system comprises receiving upper layer data from an upper layer, and configuring a second lower layer data block to include a first upper layer data block comprising at least part of the upper layer data, and a size change indictor indicating whether a size of the first upper layer data block is identical with a size of a second upper layer data block included in a first lower layer data block.

FIG. 1 illustrates a network structure of an E-UMTS (Evolved-Universal Mobile Telecommunications System). An E-UMTS is a system evolving from the conventional WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access) UMTS and its basic standardization is currently handled by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project). The E-UMTS can also be called an LTE (Long Term Evolution) system.
Referring to FIG. 1, an E-UTRAN (UMTS terrestrial radio access network) includes base stations (hereinafter, referred to as 'eNode B' or 'eNB'), wherein the respective eNBs are connected with each other through X2 interface. Also, each of eNBs is connected with a user equipment (UE) through a radio interface and connected with an EPC (Evolved Packet Core) through S1 interface. The EPC includes MME/SAE gateway (Mobility Management Entity/System Architecture Evolution gateway).
Layers of a radio interface protocol between a UE and a network can be classified into a first layer L1, a second layer L2 and a third layer L3 based on three lower layers of OSI (open system interconnection) standard model widely known in communication systems. A physical layer belonging to the first layer L1 provides an information transfer service using a physical channel. A radio resource control (hereinafter, abbreviated as 'RRC') layer located at the third layer plays a role in controlling radio resources between the UE and the network. For this, the RRC layer enables RRC messages to be exchanged between the UE and the network. The RRC layer may distributively be located at network nodes including Node B, an AG and the like, or may independently be located at either the Node B or the AG.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an E-UTRAN (UMTS terrestrial radio access network). In FIG. 2, a hatching part represents functional entities of a user plane and a non-hatching part represents functional entities of a control plane.
FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B illustrate a structure of a radio interface protocol between the user equipment (UE) and the E-UTRAN, in which FIG. 3A is a schematic view of a control plane protocol and FIG. 3B is a schematic view of a user plane protocol. Referring to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, a radio interface protocol horizontally includes a physical layer, a data link layer, and a network layer and vertically includes a user plane for data information transfer and a control plane for signaling transfer. The protocol layers in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B can be classified into L1 (first layer), L2 (second layer), and L3 (third layer) based on three lower layers of the open system interconnection (OSI) standard model widely known in the communications systems.
The physical layer as the first layer provides information transfer service to an upper layer using physical channels. The physical layer (PHY) is connected to a medium access control (hereinafter, abbreviated as 'MAC') layer above the physical layer via a transport channel. Data are transferred between the medium access control layer and the physical layer via the transport channel. Moreover, data are transferred between different physical layers, and more particularly, between one physical layer of a transmitting side and the other physical layer of a receiving side via the physical channel. The physical channel of the E-UMTS is modulated according to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) scheme, and time and frequency are used as radio resources.
The medium access control (hereinafter, abbreviated as 'MAC') layer of the second layer provides a service to a radio link control (hereinafter, abbreviated as 'RLC') layer above the MAC layer via a logical channel. The RLC layer of the second layer supports reliable data transfer. In order to effectively transmit IP packets (e.g., IPv4 or IPv6) within a radio-communication period having a relatively narrow bandwidth, a PDCP layer of the second layer (L2) performs header compression to reduce unnecessary control information.
A radio resource control (hereinafter, abbreviated as 'RRC') layer located on a lowest part of the third layer is defined in the control plane only and is associated with configuration, reconfiguration and release of radio bearers (hereinafter, abbreviated as 'RBs') to be in charge of controlling the logical, transport and physical channels. In this case, the RB means a service provided by the second layer for the data transfer between the UE and the UTRAN.
In the aforementioned protocol layer structure, a data processing method in a specific layer, for example, MAC layer will be described below. The MAC layer receives an upper layer data block (i.e., RLC PDU: RLC protocol data unit) from its upper layer, i.e., RLC layer through the logical channel to configure a lower layer data block (i.e., MAC PDU) according to MAC layer protocol. The lower layer data block includes at least one MAC SDU (Service Data Unit) and header, which include a part or all of the data upper layer blocks. The header means control information related to at least one MAC SDU included in the MAC PDU, and includes information (LCID: Logical Channel Identifier) indicating a logical channel to which a corresponding MAC SDU is transferred, and a length field indicating a length of the corresponding MAC SDU.
The length field included in the header can be comprised of 7 bits or 15 bits. For example, considering that one length field is allocated per MAC SDU having a size of 100 bits to 200 bits, voice packets occupy a considerable part in one MAC PDU, thereby causing channel resources to be wasted in the overall system. In particular, if data of a constant size are generated at a constant time interval, such as voice packets or MBMS (Multicast and Broadcasting Multimedia Service) packets, a length field of 7 bits or 15 bits is allocated per MAC SDU. In this case, a problem occurs in that overhead may be caused in the system.

Method of transmitting data in a wireless communication system


Provided are an input device and an image processing method thereof. The image processing method of the input device having a scan function includes acquiring a first image frame and a second image frame to detect coordinates of the acquired first image frame and coordinates of the acquired second image frame; dividing an overlap region between the first image frame and the second image frame into a plurality of sub overlap regions by using the detected coordinates of the first and second image frames; dividing each of the sub overlap regions into unit regions; setting a reference feature point of a plurality of feature points within the divided unit regions; and extracting corresponding points by using the set reference feature point.

The present disclosure relates to an input device and an image processing method thereof.
In general, complex machines having a scan function read document data from each of pages of a document to be scanned to print the read document data or transmit the read document data to the outside by using a communication device such as a modem. Thus, complex machines having the scan function according to a related art are insufficient to scan a document having a volume greater than a predetermined volume. Also, since complex machines having the scan function according to the related art have low mobility, an object to be scanned should move to the fixed complex machines to scan simple images such as card-sized photographs.
With the development of digital technologies, input devices, e.g., input devices such as mouse and the like have various additional functions in addition to their original functions. Thus, consumers utilize the additional functions to satisfy a variety of needs by using only one device.
However, input devices having existing scan function may take a loge delay time to merge and process images when feature points variously exist on the object to be scanned.
There is disclosed Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1027306 (Title: Handy scanner apparatus and control method thereof) as prior art documents.

Input device and image processing method thereof


Composition of waterproofing membrane suitable for being applied by means of hot bitumen both on a new covering and on a previous waterproofing layer based on blown bitumen, which is characterized in that it comprises 50 to 80% by weight of distilled bitumen, 8 to 20% by weight of amorphous ethylene-propylene and/or ethylene-propylene-butene 1 copolymer, and 5 to 15% by weight of amorphous polypropylene homopolymer, and optionally up to 40% by weight of a filler and/or up to 1% by weight of an antioxidant.

The present invention relates to a waterproofing membrane based on bitumen modified with polyolefins which can be applied on-site by using oxidized or air-blown bitumen.
As is well-known to the experts in the field, bitumen is generally modified by using polymers in order to produce mixtures which, when hot, are suitable for impregnating and coating supporting frames of various kinds for coverings, in order to obtain membranes which can ensure the waterproofing of the coverings of buildings and structures in general.
A distinction is often made between membranes based on bitumen modified with elastomers and those based on bitumen modified with polymer plastics. In the former, the waterproofing mass is essentially constituted by a mixture of bitumen and elastomers of the SBS (styrene-butadiene-styrene) block copolymer type, whereas in the latter if is constituted by mixtures of thermoplastic polyolefins and distilled bitumens. The most used polyolefins are atactic polypropylene, a by-product which is generally obtained from the production of isotactic polypropylene, and the ethylene-propylene copolymer, which also has an amorphous nature.
Waterproofing membranes are generally obtained in sheets of 3,4 or 5 mm thickness and, if total or partial adhesion to the support is required, they can be applied either by means of a propane-gas torch, which by liquefying the bituminous mass makes it adhere to said support, or by using hot air-blown bitumen which acts as an adhesive.
However, while membranes based on bitumen modified with SBS yield good results with both methods (with preference for the air-blown bitumen method, due to some limitations of the SBS membrane with the torch method, such as excessive softening which almost always prevents rapid and easy application of the membrane, especially in summer), polyolefin-based membranes generally yield the best results only with the flame method; this especially because otherwise, in the course of time, adhesion tends to decrease due to the forming of an oily layer between the air-blown bitumen and the membrane which causes its separation in the course of time.
This fact constitutes a limitation to the use of polyolefin-based membranes (especially in some countries, where the use of hot bitumen is still very common), which instead intrinsically have, with respect to membranes based on SBS elastomer, some distinct advantages, such as greater resistance to aging (both thermal aging and aging due to the action of UV rays) and a better seal at high temperatures.
It is also well-known to add, as already mentioned, polyolefins to the bitumen, and to use polyolefins together with their copolymers and rubbers Generally, these products are added in order to improve some mechanical characteristics of the mixtures, such as flexibility at low temperatures, elasticity or ultimate elongation.
This is taught for example by U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,759, in which an elastomeric component (an ethylene-propylene copolymer) is added to the bitumen in order to improve its properties at high and low temperatures. European patent no. 0009432 provides for the addition of SBS (styrene-butadiene-styrene) to a mixture of bitumen +polyolefins in order to improve its characteristics in terms of resistance to low temperatures as well as the ultimate elongation of the mixture.
From this point of view, an exception is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,090, which provides for the use of an amorphous copolymer of ethylene-propylene-butadiene (EPDM) in order to obtain a waterproofing membrane which can be flame-applied onto a previous waterproofing layer produced with material based on air-blown bitumen.
However, said patent expressly states that the presence of a particular EPDM elastomer in the composition of the waterproofing mass is indispensable in order to achieve good adhesion to the product based on air-blown bitumen; as is known, this is a relatively very expensive elastomer. All this is supported by numerous examples which demonstrate the validity of this statement

Waterproofing membrane applicable by heating with air-blown bitumen


The systems and methods described herein are generally directed to altering experience attributes. According to one aspect, a computer-implemented method for altering experience attributes based on a comparison of an estimated arrival time to a desired arrival time is provided. The method includes receiving logistical data for a trip of the vehicle occupant. The method also includes estimating an estimated arrival time based on navigation data. The method further includes determining that the estimated arrival time will occur at least a threshold amount of time after a desired arrival time. The method also includes identifying an experience attribute based on the determination that the estimated arrival time will occur at least the threshold amount of time after the desired arrival time. The method further includes altering a vehicle system based on the experience attribute.

Navigation systems are increasingly integrated with vehicles. The navigation systems provide real-time traffic information to the vehicle occupant regarding driving conditions ahead, such as average roadway speeds, accidents, road construction, road closures, and the like. The real-time traffic information gives the vehicle occupant a better sense of what to expect on the trip. However, when the occupant is provided with an expectation that does not comport with the vehicle occupant's desired outcome, the vehicle occupant may become anxious, which can have a negative effect on the vehicle occupant's operation of the vehicle.

Systems and methods for controlling vehicle systems using experience attributes


An apparatus and method for measuring a food temperature in a microwave oven makes it possible to precisely measure a temperature of food placed in a microwave oven by providing thereto a simple circuit composition in order to carry out the measurement without regard to kinds of food, cooking, heating device or temperature variation therearound. The apparatus and method realizes a simplified temperature measuring apparatus, thereby facilitating miniaturization thereof and reinforcing price competitiveness, wherein the compensation voltage variation with regard to an ambient temperature variation is adjusted to disclose a linear characteristic, and a new output voltage is generated using a final output voltage and a compensation voltage in a temperature range in which the compensation voltage is non-linearly disclosed in accordance with the variation of the ambient temperature, thereby precisely compensating the ambient temperature which is variable in a wide range thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven, and more particularly to an improved apparatus and method for measuring a food temperature in a microwave oven, which makes it possible to precisely measure a temperature of the food placed in a microwave oven by providing thereto a simple circuit composition in order to carry out the measurement without regard to kinds of food, cooking, heating device or temperature variation therearound.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a general microwave oven includes: a turntable 30 for receiving food 20 thereon in a heating chamber 10; a driving motor 40 for rotating the turntable 30; a magnetron 50 and a heater 60 for respectively serving to heat the food 20 in the form of microwave energy or heat; a temperature detecting circuit 70 for detecting infrared rays being emitted from the food 20 and measuring a temperature of the food 20; and a microcomputer 80 for controlling the operation of the magnetron 50 and the heater 60 in accordance with the temperature measured in the temperature detecting circuit 70.
As further shown in FIG. 2, the temperature detecting circuit 70 includes: a thermopile sensor 11 outputting a voltage Va corresponding to the infrared rays emitted from the food 20 and a voltage Vb corresponding to an ambient temperature; and a temperature amplifier 12 for compensating for a voltage Vd decreased or increased in conjunction with the ambient temperature under the output voltage Va of the thermopile sensor 11.
The temperature amplifier 12 includes: an amplifier 12a for amplifying the output voltage Va of the thermopile sensor 11; a temperature compensator 12b for amplifying the output voltage Vb of the thermopile sensor 11 and outputting the compensated voltage Vd, an adder 12c for adding an output voltage Vc of the amplifier 12a and the compensating voltage Vd of the temperature compensator 13; and an amplifier 12d for amplifying an output valve of the adder 12c and outputting a temperature detecting voltage V0. Here, Vc denotes a ground voltage in common.
The operation of the thusly constituted conventional microwave oven and the temperature measuring circuit 70 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
First, the food 20 for being cooked is placed on the turntable 30 by a user, and a cooking type is keyed in by using a menu setting board, so that the microcomputer 80 recognizes the input menu and accordingly serves to drive the turntable driving motor 40, and the magnetron 50 or the heater 60.
The food 20 placed on the turntable 30 is rotated in conformation with the driving of the turntable driving motor 40, and the rotating food 20 starts heated by microwave energy or heat in accordance with the driving of the magnetron 50 or the heater 60.
At this time, the thermopile sensor 11 in the temperature measuring circuit 70 outputs the voltage Va corresponding to the infrared rays reflected from the food 20 and received through an incidence window A.
Here, the output voltage Va in the thermopile sensor 11 becomes variable depending upon the ambient temperature, so that the effect resulting from the ambient temperature should be compensated for by using a temperature compensating device which may be a thermistor or a diode disposed inside or around the thermopile sensor 11. When the temperature compensating device serves as a thermistor, the output valve of the temperature compensating device becomes a resistance value, and when the temperature compensating device serves as a diode, the output valve of the temperature compensating device becomes a voltage value.
With reference to FIG. 2, a diode is employed as a temperature compensating device and disposed inside the thermopile sensor 11.
The thermopile sensor 11 outputs the voltage Va generated due to the infrared rays emitted from the food 20, and the voltage Vb measured in an internal temperature compensating device (not shown).
The amplifier 12a of the temperature amplifier 12 amplifies the output voltage Va of the thermopile sensor 11. The temperature compensator 12b amplifies the output voltage Vb of the temperature compensating device (not shown). The adder 14 adds the output voltage Vc of the amplifier 12a and the output voltage Vb of the temperature compensator 12b.
At this time, the output of the adder 12c becomes a voltage in accordance with the surface temperature of the food 20 which is obtained by removing the effect of the ambient temperature of the thermopile sensor 11 from the output voltage Va of the thermopile sensor 11. The amplifier 12d amplifies the output of the adder 12c and outputs the amplified resultant valve to the microcomputer 80 which detects the temperature of the food 20 in accordance with the output voltage V0 of the temperature amplifier 12, and in accordance with the detected temperature, the time required for thawing or cooking the food 20 is calculated, during which time the magnetron 50 or the heater 60 is driven to thereby carry out a thawing or cooking function.
Referring to FIG. 3 illustrating another example of the temperature amplifier 12, the thermistor 14 serving as the temperature compensating device is disposed adjacent to the thermopile sensor 11.
The temperature amplifier 13 includes: an amplifier 13a a non-inverting terminal of which is connected to the output voltage Va of the thermopile sensor 11, and an inverting terminal of which is connected through a resistance R1 to a reference voltage Vref and through a resistance R2 to an output terminal thereof; an amplifier 13b a non-inverting terminal of which is connected to the reference voltage Vref, and an inverting terminal of which is connected through a resistance R3 and the resistance Rth of the thermistor 14 to a ground voltage and at the same time through the resistance R4 to an output terminal thereof; an adder 13c for adding the respective voltage values outputted from the amplifiers 13a, 13b; and an amplifier 13d a non-inverting terminal of which is connected to the output terminal of the adder 13c, and an inverting terminal of which is connected through a resistance R7 to the reference voltage Vref and through a resistance R8 to an output terminal thereof.
The operation of the thusly constituted temperature measuring circuit 70 will now be described with reference to FIG. 3.
The thermopile sensor 11 receives the infrared rays emitted from the food surface via the incidence window A, and outputs voltage Va corresponding to the received infrared rays. The amplifier 13a compares the output voltage Va of the thermopile sensor 11 with the reference voltage Vref, amplifies and outputs to the adder 13c the resultant value, in accordance with Equation 1. ##EQU1##
The amplifier 13b of the temperature compensator 12b compares the voltage measured adjacent to the thermopile sensor 11 with the reference voltage Vref, amplifies the compared value and outputs the compensating voltage Vd to the adder 13c, according to Equation 2. ##EQU2##
Here, when the respective values of the resistance R5 and the resistance R6 are set identically to each other, the output value of the adder 12c becomes (Vc+Vd)/2, and the amplifier 13d compares the output valve of the adder 12c with the reference voltage Vref and amplifies and outputs to the microcomputer 80 the compared value, in accordance with Equation 3. ##EQU3##
That is, referring to Equation 3, when the ambient temperature of the thermopile sensor 11 is raised by 1C.degree., the output voltage Vc of the amplifier 13a is decreased by 10 mV, and when the resistance pair R3, R4 are set in order for voltage Vd to become increased by 10 mV, the effect by the ambient temperature of the thermopile sensor 11 can be excluded.
Therefore, the microcomputer 80 detects the temperature of the food 20 in accordance with the output voltage V0 of the temperature amplifier 12, and in accordance with the detected temperature, the time for thawing or cooking the food 20 is obtained, during which time the magnetron 50 or the heater 60 is driven for thereby carrying out the thawing or cooking operation.
In general, in the case in which a magnetron is employed as a heating member, the respective temperatures of the food 20 and the heating chamber 10 do not generally exceed 120.degree. C., and when no food is placed on the turntable 30, the temperature of the turntable 30 exceeds 150.degree. C.
When the heater 60 is employed to heat the food 20, the temperature of the heating chamber 10 comes to exceed 200.degree. C., and the temperature variation for thawing or cooking the food 20 ranges from -10.degree. C. to 200.degree. C.
Here, in case of thawing the food 20, the microcomputer 80 is required to measure the food temperature by 1.degree. C. unit.
At this time, although cost-effective types are applied to the amplifiers 13a, 13b, 13d in consideration of their prices, the output voltage of the amplifiers do not exceed 3.3 V at the worst, and it is difficult to lower the minimal voltage than 0.5 V due to a technical limit in design.
The microcomputer 80 is operated under 5 V to thereby process an 8-bit data set, the voltage disassembling capacity is referred to as 5 V/(2).sup.2 =5/256=0.0195 V.
As a result, the output voltage of the amplifier 12d becomes 2.8 V, and when the microcomputer 80 measures the temperature by 1.degree. C. unit, the temperature measurement is confined to a scope ranging from -10.degree. C. to 134.degree. C. (2.8 V/0.0195 V=144) instead of from -10.degree. C. to 200.degree. C.
Also, the temperature measurement of the microcomputer 80 is confined to a scope ranging from -10.degree. C. to 134.degree. C., so that when the magnetron is selected as a heating member, there is a possibility in which an over heating or fire may occur. Further, when employing the heater, the temperature variation of the food ranges from -10.degree. C. to 200.degree. C., for thereby disabling temperature measurement of the food.
Conclusively, in the conventional microwave oven, the temperature measurement range of food is confined by the limited measurement scope of the microcomputer 80, and therefore the conventional microwave oven does not appropriately respond to the temperature measurement range which is variable depending upon whether the food is placed on the turntable, and upon the kinds of cooking and heating member.
Further, the conventional microwave oven separately provides the temperature compensator 12b and the fourth amplifier for excluding influence resulting from the ambient temperature, and the temperature measurement circuit 70 is formed of a plurality of parts, for thereby deteriorating price competitiveness.

Apparatus and method for measuring food temperature in microwave oven


A data recording/reproducing apparatus wherein various data to be used for maintenance are measured, and parameters required for analysis of the maintenance data are prerecorded to realize prediction of the service life of a semiconductor laser and detection of occurrence of any trouble that may be derived therefrom. In this apparatus where data are recorded in and/or reproduced from a recording medium, the internal state of the apparatus is measured, then any abnormal state in the apparatus is detected on the basis of abnormal state decision data, and the detected state is transmitted to an external information processor. The apparatus comprises a means for measuring first data relative to the apparatus; a first memory means for storing second data to make a decision as to an abnormal state of the measured first data; a means for generating third data relative to maintenance of the apparatus on the basis of the first and second data; and an output means for delivering the third data as an output.

The present invention relates to a recording/reproducing apparatus and a method of detecting the state of such a apparatus by first measuring the internal state thereof, then detecting any fault or trouble state on the basis of trouble decision data, and transmitting the result of such detection to an external device.
There is known the technology of recording various data inclusive of music data in a removable disk and storing such data therein. For example, the removable disks may be a magnetic disk such as floppy disk, an optical disk such as CD (compact disk) or DVD (digital versatile disk), a magneto-optical disk such as MO (magneto-optical) disk or MD (mini disk), or a semiconductor memory.
An MD drive for recording data in and/or reproducing the same from an MD is incorporated in an MD component stereo, or is connected to a personal computer or the like for use, or is employed in a music distribution system or the like where the drive is supplied with contents data distributed from a host computer via a network.
Since a removable disk recording/reproducing apparatus such as an MD drive has a complicated internal structure, it is not furnished with technology of detecting any abnormal state or predicting the service life of its component part until occurrence of some trouble observable obviously from outside, and in most cases the cause of any induced trouble is not recognizable by a user.
In an MD drive, an optical block for recording contents data in an MD is equipped with a laser diode. It has been general heretofore that the service life of a laser diode in particular is hardly predictable as it is rendered remarkably different depending on the frequency of use or environment of installation. For this reason, it is customary in most cases that the user inquires of a maintenance center, for example, of the MD drive manufacturer after actual occurrence of any problem in the recording or reproduction of data upon expiration of the service life of the laser diode, and then the necessary action of replacing the part or the like is carried out.
Therefore, in order to prevent depreciation of the reliability in recording the contents data by a semiconductor laser, there is no other remedy, in view of ensuring safety in the present circumstances, than replacement of the semiconductor laser in a stage earlier than expiration of the actual service life thereof, hence raising another problem that increases the cost of the component parts.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Recording/reproducing apparatus, and method of detecting state thereof


There is provided a glass fiber comprising the SiO2 content is 57.0 to 63.0% by weight; the Al2O3 content is 19.0 to 23.0% by weight; the MgO content is 10.0 to 15.0% by weight; the CaO content is 4.0 to 11.0% by weight; and the total content of SiO2, Al2O3, MgO and CaO is 99.5% by weight or higher based on the total weight.

As a glass for a glass fiber excellent in strength and elastic modulus, a glass (S glass) composed of a glass composition of SiO2, Al2O3 and MgO is conventionally known. However, with respect to the S glass, the production of the glass fiber is not always easy from the viewpoint of the 1,000-poise temperature and the liquid phase temperature. Here, the 1,000-poise temperature refers to a temperature at which the melt viscosity of a glass becomes 1,000 poises, and the liquid phase temperature refers to a temperature at which the crystal deposition takes place for the first time when the temperature of a molten glass is decreased. Generally since glass fibers can efficiently be produced in the case where glass is spun by making the melt viscosity of the glass nearly 1,000 poises, spinning is usually carried out in the temperature range (working temperature range) between the 1,000-poise temperature and the liquid phase temperature. With respect to the S glass, the working temperature range is narrow, and the molten glass is liable to crystallize (devitrify) even under an influence of only a slight temperature decrease. Therefore, in order to carry out stable spinning, in the production step of glass fibers, the spinning condition needs to be precisely controlled.
As an improved S glass, glass compositions containing SiO2, Al2O3, MgO and CaO are known (Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 shown below). Patent Literature 1 discloses a glass composition easily fiberized along with a decrease in the liquid phase temperature. Patent Literature 2 discloses a glass composition in which a difference is large between a temperature (fiberization temperature) corresponding to the viscosity of a near 1,000-poise temperature and a maximum temperature (liquidus) at which an equilibrium is present between a liquid glass and a primary crystal phase thereof.


A linear compressor, comprises a retaining member, a fixed member supported by said retaining member and formed with a hermetically sealed compression chamber to receive a working fluid therein, a pair of pistons axially movably received in said compression chamber to assume respective compression positions, a pair of piston rods each having an outer peripheral portion and slidably movably supported by said fixed member, said piston rods respectively connected to said pistons to have said pistons axially move in said compression chamber, a plurality of magnet units mounted on each of said outer peripheral portions of said piston rods, each of said magnet units having a plurality of magnet segments each made of a permanent magnet and circumferentially arranged with neighboring two magnet segments different in magnetic pole, a plurality of electromagnet units supported by said retaining member to be axially spaced apart from each other in predetermined relationship with said magnet units, respectively, and resilient means for resiliently urging said piston rods to cause said piston rods to assume respective neutral positions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linear compressor and more particularly to a moving magnet type of linear compressor that is of a high efficiency and used for a cooling machine. The present invention is concerned with an improved linear compressor so constructed as to ensure that the linear compressor effectively increases a density of magnetic flux passing through an electromagnet unit to impart an increased thrust force to a piston forming part of the linear compressor.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have so far been proposed a wide variety of prior-art linear compressors one of which is exemplified and shown in FIG. 8. The prior-art linear compressor 10 thus proposed comprises a fixed member 11 formed with a hermetically sealed compression chamber to receive a working fluid therein, a piston rod 12 slidably movably supported by the fixed member 11 and connected to the piston serving to compress the working fluid in the compression chamber, a magnet unit 13 including a plurality of yoke portions 14 and 15 accommodated in the piston rod 12 and a permanent magnet 16 in the form of a rectangular shape in cross-section and supported by the yoke portions 14 and 15 to be positioned in the center portion of the piston rod 12 and an electromagnetic unit 17 including a peripheral portion 18, a plurality of yoke portions 19 and 20 radially inwardly extending from the peripheral portion 18 and a plurality of magnetic coils 21 and 22 each wound around each of the yoke portions 19 and 20. The permanent magnet 16 of the magnet unit 13 is arranged in face-to-face relationship with the yoke portions 19 and 20 of the electromagnet units 17 in the longitudinal direction of the piston rod 12.
The prior-art linear compressor thus constructed encounters such a problem as failing to effectively increase the density of magnetic flux passing through the yoke portions 19 and 20 of the electromagnet units 17 by the reason that the permanent magnet 16 of the magnet unit 13 is embedded in the center portion of the piston rod 12 as shown in FIG. 8. The failure in effective increase of the density of magnetic flux makes it almost impossible to impart an increased thrust force to the piston forming part of the linear compressor.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a linear compressor that can effectively increase the density of magnetic flux passing through the electromagnet unit to impart an increased thrust force to the piston forming part of the linear compressor.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a linear compressor that can increase the operating efficiency.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a linear compressor that can be reduced in size.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a linear compressor that can reduce the electric consumption.
It is a yet still further object of the present invention to provide a linear compressor that can reduce the electric heat value.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a linear compressor, comprising: a retaining member; a fixed member supported by the retaining member and formed with a hermetically sealed compression chamber to receive a working fluid therein, the fixed member having a longitudinally central portion formed with a inlet-outlet port having the working fluid introduced therein and discharged therefrom; a pair of pistons axially movably received in the compression chamber to assume respective compression positions where the working fluid is compressed in and discharged out of the compression chamber through the inlet-outlet port and respective retraction positions where the working fluid is expanded and introduced in the compression chamber through the inlet-outlet port; a pair of piston rods each having an outer peripheral portion and slidably movably supported by the fixed member, the piston rods respectively connected to the pistons to have the pistons axially move in the compression chamber, each of the piston rods made of a ferromagnetic material; a plurality of magnet units mounted on each of the outer peripheral portions of the piston rods, each of the magnet units having a plurality of magnet segments each made of a permanent magnet and circumferentially arranged with neighboring two magnet segments different in magnetic pole; a plurality of electromagnet units supported by the retaining member to be axially spaced apart from each other in predetermined relationship with the magnet units, respectively; and resilient means for resiliently urging the piston rods to cause the piston rods to assume respective neutral positions between the compression positions and the retraction positions.
Each of the electromagnet units may include a peripheral portion, a plurality of yoke portions radially inwardly extending from the peripheral portion and integrally formed with the peripheral portion, the yoke portions being circumferentially equally spaced apart from each other, and a plurality of magnetic coils each wound around each of the yoke portions.
Each of the yoke portions of electromagnet units may have an axial length substantially equal to that of each of the magnet units.
The magnet units may include neighboring two magnet units having respective center planes each perpendicular to the center axis of each of the piston rods, and the yoke portions of the electromagnet units have respective center planes each perpendicular to the center axis of each of the piston rods, each of the center planes of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units being positioned between the center planes of the neighboring two magnet units when the piston rods assume their respective neutral positions.
Each of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units may be constituted by a plurality of piled plates each made of a ferromagnetic material and having a plane extending along the center axis of each of the piston rods.
The linear compressor may further comprise a pair of positioning members each mounted on the fixed member with respect to the magnet units, each of the positioning members formed with a plurality of annular grooves axially spaced apart from each other, each of the annular grooves functioning to facilitate positioning of each of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units with the magnet units.
Each of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units may have a radially outer end portion made of a ferromagnetic material and a radially inner end portion made of a ferromagnetic material having a saturated density of magnetic flux higher than that of the ferromagnetic material of each of the radially outer end portions of the yoke portions to ensure that the density of magnetic flux of each of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units is more increased than that of each of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units which are made of the same ferromagnetic materials.
The ferromagnetic material of each of the radially inner end portions may be made of Permendur.
Each of the magnet segments of the magnet units may be constituted by a plurality of piled plates each made of a permanent magnet and having a plane extending perpendicular to the center axis of each of the piston rods.
The resilient means may include a plurality of resilient members disposed along each of the piston rods, each of the resilient members constituted by a plurality of leaf springs each having a plane extending perpendicular to the center axis of each of the piston rods, each of the resilient members having a inner end portion fixedly connected to each of the piston rods and a outer end portion fixedly connected to the fixed member to ensure that each of the piston rods is resiliently urged and restored to the respective neutral positions when each of the piston rods is axially moved to the compression positions and the retraction positions.
The fixed member may have an inner peripheral portion held in sliding engagement with the pistons and made of a material substantially equal in thermal expansion coefficient to the material of each of the pistons.
The pair of pistons and the pair of piston rods may be located in symmetrical relationship with each other with respect to the inlet-outlet port.
The resilient members may be located in symmetrical relationship with each other with respect to the inlet-outlet port.
The working fluid may be made of a gas selected from the group consisting of helium, nitrogen, hydrogen, and neon-argon.
The permanent magnet of each of the magnet segments may be made of a ferroalloy containing nickel.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a linear compressor, comprising: a retaining member, a fixed member supported by the retaining member and formed with a hermetically sealed compression chamber to receive a working fluid therein, the fixed member having a longitudinally end portion formed with a inlet-outlet port having the working fluid introduced therein and discharged therefrom; a piston axially movably received in the compression chamber to assume a compression position where the working fluid is compressed in and discharged out of the compression chamber through the inlet-outlet port and a retraction position where the working fluid is expanded and introduced in the compression chamber through the inlet-outlet port; a piston rod having an outerperipheral portion and slidably movably supported by the fixed member, the piston rod connected to the piston to have the piston axially move in the compression chamber, the piston rod made of a ferromagnetic material; a plurality of magnet units mounted on the outer peripheral portion of the piston rod, each of the magnet units having a plurality of magnet segments each made of a permanent magnet and circumferentially arranged with neighboring two magnet segments different in magnetic pole; a plurality of electromagnet units supported by the retaining member to be axially spaced apart from each other in predetermined relationship with the magnet units, respectively; and resilient means for resiliently urging the piston rod to cause the piston rod to assume neutral position between the compression position and the retraction position.
Each of the electromagnet units may include a peripheral portion, a plurality of yoke portions radially inwardly extending from the peripheral portion and integrally formed with the peripheral portion, the yoke portions being circumferentially equally spaced apart from each other, and a plurality of magnetic coils each wound around each of the yoke portions.
Each of the yoke portions of electromagnet units may have an axial length substantially equal to that of each of the magnet units.
The magnet units may include neighboring two magnet units having respective center planes each perpendicular to the center axis of the piston rod, and the yoke portions of the electromagnet units have respective center planes each perpendicular to the center axis of the piston rod, each of the center planes of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units being positioned between the center planes of the neighboring two magnet units when the piston rod assumes its neutral position.
Each of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units may be constituted by a plurality of piled plates each made of a ferromagnetic material and having a plane extending along the center axis of the piston rod.
The linear compressor may further comprise a positioning member mounted on the fixed member with respect to the magnet units, the positioning member formed with a plurality of annular grooves axially spaced apart from each other, each of the annular grooves functioning to facilitate positioning of each of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units with the magnet units.
Each of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units may have a radially outer end portion made of a ferromagnetic material and a radially inner end portion made of a ferromagnetic material having a saturated density of magnetic flux higher than that of the ferromagnetic material of each of the radially outer end portions of the yoke portions to ensure that the density of magnetic flux of each of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units is more increased than that of each of the yoke portions of the electromagnet units which are made of the same ferromagnetic materials.
The ferromagnetic material of each of the radially inner end portions may be made of Permendur.
Each of the magnet segments of the magnet units may be constituted by a plurality of piled plates each made of a permanent magnet and having a plane extending perpendicular to the center axis of the piston rod.
The resilient means may include a plurality of resilient members disposed along the piston rod, each of the resilient members constituted by a plurality of leaf springs each having a plane extending perpendicular to the center axis of the piston rod, each of the resilient members having a inner end portion fixedly connected to the piston rod and a outer end portion fixedly connected to the fixed member to ensure that the piston rod is resiliently urged and restored to the neutral position when the piston rod is axially moved to the compression position and the retraction position.
The fixed member may have an inner peripheral portion held in sliding engagement with the piston and made of a material substantially equal in thermal expansion coefficient to the material of the piston.
The working fluid may be made of a gas selected from the group consisting of helium, nitrogen, hydrogen, and neon-argon.
The permanent magnet of each of the magnet segments may be made of a ferroalloy containing nickel.


A screw auto-detection and selection device comprises a rotary machine table; a light source generating unit; a recording control unit; a camera detecting unit; and a time scale cam unit. The feature of device is that the camera detecting unit includes a press, an ejecting and a second camera detector. The press has a press arm extending above the notch of the dispatching disk and an elastic press installed at a predetermined position of the press arm. An ejecting has an ejecting pin and a movement limiting unit for ejecting a screw pressed by the press arm so that the screw is aligned to a radiating hole of the light source generating unit.

In the prior art, the screw selection device includes a machine table, a driving means, a material selection device, a pinhole depth selection device and a camera detector. The material selection device, pinhole depth selection device and camera detector are installed on the machine table for detecting and selecting screws passing through the machine table. Other than the camera detector, all the detecting units are mechanical controlled. For example, the pinhole depth detecting unit uses a probe to detect the pinhole depth of a screw nut to determine whether it matches to a standard value.
In above mentioned prior art technology, the screw image is captured from a lateral side of the machine table by the camera detector. In photograph, the nut of the screw is supported by a receiving hole at an edge of a material receiving ring. However, this is only suitable for larger or longer screws and is not suitable for small screws which is commonly used in electronic products. This is because the small screws can not protrude out of the receiving hole for image capture. As a result, auto-selection and detection can not be performed.

Screw auto-detection and selection device


A thrust section for use above a motor preferably includes a housing, a thrust shaft, a thrust runner connected to the thrust shaft, a thrust bearing connected to the housing, and a motor lead guard. The motor is preferably positioned above a pump assembly. The thrust runner and thrust bearing prevent upward movement of the shaft.

Submersible pumping systems are often deployed into wells to recover petroleum fluids from subterranean reservoirs. Typically, a submersible pumping system includes a number of components, including one or more electric motors coupled to one or more pump assemblies. The submersible pumping systems deliver the petroleum fluids from the subterranean reservoir to a storage facility on the surface. Each of the components in a submersible pumping system must be engineered to withstand the inhospitable downhole environment.
Submersible pumping systems can be attached to the end of production tubing or coiled tubing to deliver fluids to the surface. Various configurations of the components in the submersible pumping system may be used based on the type of delivery system and on various well conditions. For example, some submersible pumping systems that use production tubing through which to deliver fluids to the surface employ a pump above the motor (top intake). Conversely, some submersible pumping systems that employ coiled tubing and that utilize well casing to deliver fluids to the surface employ a pump below the motor (bottom intake).
Referring now to FIG. 1, shown therein is a prior art submersible pumping system 200 in a top intake configuration. The submersible pumping system 200 is disposed within a well annulus 202, and includes a motor assembly 204, a seal section 206 and a pump assembly 208. A power cable 210 extends from the surface through the annulus 202 and connects to the motor assembly 204.
During operation a shaft (not shown) in the motor assembly 204 rotates and drives a shaft (not shown) in the seal section 206, which in turn drives the pump assembly 208 to propel well fluid through the production tubing 212.
It is well known that during startup of a submersible pumping system, the motor shaft tends to rise, an effect known as "up thrust." In top intake applications this problem is diminished by use of the seal section 206 between the motor assembly 204 and the pump assembly 208, which not only facilitates motor lubricating oil expansion and contraction, but also prevents upward movement of the motor shaft. However, in bottom intake applications the seal section is positioned below the motor and therefore is unable to prevent the motor shaft from moving upward during startup. This problem is more pronounced in horizontal wells since the effect of gravity is virtually eliminated from holding down the motor shaft.
The rising motor shaft causes wear on various components of the motor and causes excessive wear on motor bearings. Motors are typically fitted with a radial bearing at the upper end of the motor, and these upper bearings frequently take the brunt of the up thrust generated during startup. Excessive wear on the upper bearings can cause the bearings to fail and can ultimately result in failure of the motor.
It is therefore desirable to control the effects of up thrust in a motor, especially in configurations of submersible pumping systems that are susceptible to excessive wear such as bottom intake systems in deviated wells. It is to these and other deficiencies in the prior art that the present invention is directed.


A display device includes a display panel, a display area, a non-display area, a substrate member attached to the display panel with an adhesive layer interposed therebetween and including a touch panel and an operation section formed in the non-display area and used for performing an input operation on the touch panel, a step portion formed at least by a side portion of the display panel and a side portion of the adhesive layer such that a void is generated in a part between the display panel and the substrate member, and a light source unit disposed in the void such that at least a part of the light source unit is superimposed on the display panel in the step portion and configured to supply illumination light to the operation section to light the operation section.

In recent years, there have been an increasing demand for flat display devices (flat panel displays), such as, for example, a liquid crystal display device and the like, and flat display devices have been widely used for mobile devices, such as smart phones, mobile phones, and the like.
For example, a liquid crystal display device includes a back light unit serving as a light device, and a liquid crystal display panel disposed so as to face the back light unit. In recent years, the function of display devices is improved by superimposing not only a back light unit but also, for example, a so-called touch panel, a parallax barrier panel for performing a stereoscopic image display, and the like, on a liquid crystal display panel.
As disclosed in Patent Document 1, a technique in which a display device including a display area in which main display is performed is configured such that a plurality of operation sections used for operating the display device in an area other than the display area has been known.
The plurality of operation sections in the Patent Document 1 are constituted by mechanical press buttons. In a display device including a touch panel, the plurality of operation sections may be constituted by parts of the touch panel.


A seat back tray table that includes an arm assembly attached to a seat having a seat back, and moveable between a stowed position and a deployed, use position, a first table segment carried by the arm assembly and moveable with the arm assembly between a stowed position against a stowage area of the seat back and a deployed position aft of the stowage area, and a second table segment carried by the first table segment and moveable between a stored position within the stowage area of the seat back and a deployed position laterally-extended from the first table segment to increase the total surface area of the tray table.

This invention relates to a tray table of the type found on transportation seating products, such as railway and aircraft passenger seats. Prior art tray tables typically extend the width of a seat back, and are moveable between a stowed position flush with and latched to the seat back of a seat and a deployed position with the tray table extending away from the seat back in a generally horizontal position for use by an aft-seated occupant. Other prior art seats include bi-fold tray tables that are hinged in the middle and are typically stowed in a folded configuration in an armrest. To deploy the table, the arm cap is raised, the table pivoted out of a storage cavity in the armrest, pivoted laterally across the lap of the seat occupant, after which the table is unfolded at the hinge to form a full width tray table.
The invention presents an advance over the prior art because it allows configurations in the areas not occupied by the table when stowed that are not possible with a typical fore/aft expanding bifold table. In a typical prior art bifold table, the aspect ratio of the table and the space it occupies when stowed is short and wide, which dictates a similar form factor to the space adjacent to it for items such as connectivity ports, in-flight entertainment ("IFE") remote control devices, and the like. Additionally, the novel designs allow for multiple table sizes depending on how far the moving component is extended. This design also eases ingress and egress when the table is in its reduced-size configuration, while at the same time providing a usable table. Furthermore, the table gives the passenger more leg space when in the reduced size configuration, enabling the occupant to more easily and comfortably assume seating positions such as where the passenger has crossed his or her legs.
In embodiments of the invention disclosed in this application, tray tables are described and illustrated that can increase or decrease in size laterally in order to allow the table to reduce in size for stowage, provide increased passenger space and ease of ingress and egress. The novel features also enable different table configurations for components incorporated into in the seat back, enabling taller items to be stowed. Items such as personal electronic devices or IFE controllers can therefore more readily occupy this additional space.
The means of increasing size can be accomplished in a multitude of ways, however the core principle is that the tray table has a first table segment that remains stationary relative to a second, deployable and stowable table segment that moves to increase the size of the table. The tray table is adaptable to any type of passenger seat, particularly aircraft passenger seats of the type that include a base for attachment to an aircraft cabin deck, a frame mounting a seat bottom and seat back, including seat backs that have recline mechanisms that permit the seat back to move between a full upright taxi, take-off and landing position and a recline position. Such seats are typically constructed to permit movement of the seat back without moving the tray table carried by the seat.


This invention relates to a method for increasing the reproducibility of the start-up in the start-stop operation of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle with start optimization. The reproducibility of the start-up is increased by reducing a maximum speed gradient that can be achieved for different stop positions of the internal combustion engine to a set speed gradient.

In order to reduce the fuel consumption in motor vehicles, the internal combustion engine is paused or stopped when the motor vehicle is at a standstill and then restarted as soon as the motor vehicle is to drive on. This start-stop operation is used with a start optimization which allows the internal combustion engine to be started even before synchronization has occurred with the crankshaft. A prerequisite for the start optimization is that one knows the position of the engine after the internal combustion engine has stopped, so that, when a first tooth flank of the crankshaft sensor is detected, incrementation can be used to determine the current engine position up until synchronization. After synchronization, the start-up procedure is continued in the usual manner.
The different speed developments of an internal combustion engine with direct injection that is running up and which is operated with or without start optimization, are shown in FIG. 1. The curve with the broken line shows the speed development for an operation without start optimization, while the curve with the unbroken line represents the speed development for an operation with start optimization. The speed developments are entered on the same time axis, so that it is possible to make a direct chronological comparison of the two speed developments. One can see that at the point in time t=430 ms, the internal combustion engine with start optimization has already reached idling speed, whereas the internal combustion engine with the conventional start strategy fires for the first time at this point in time. The curve for the operation with start optimization shows marked fluctuations in speed while the engine is running up. These fluctuations occur because of the influence of the compression work that the cylinder has to perform, the influence of the friction and by an intermittent release of moments. A start-stop operation of this type is disclosed in DE 43 04 163 A1, the start optimization of which is shown in FIG. 2. One can see that the different cylinder charges of the initial combustion, for example in a four-cylinder internal combustion engine during the start optimization, i.e. before synchronization, depend on the stop position of the internal combustion engine. In the case of an internal combustion engine with more than four cylinders, it is also possible to have several initial combustions during the start optimization, which combustions influence the start behavior of the internal combustion engine. The dependence of the stop position occurs in particular for direct injection internal combustion engines. As only with direct injection after closing the inlet valve, fuel can still be inserted into the combustion chamber and thus combustion of a cylinder charge dependent on the stop position can be realized. In contrast, in the case of engines with inlet manifold fuel injection systems, the fuel injection is completed at the end of the inlet phase, so that there is always a maximum cylinder charge for the initial combustion for the start optimization of an engine with an inlet manifold fuel injection system.
As shown in FIG. 2, depending on the stop position of an internal combustion engine with four cylinders, it is possible to have one or several combustions during the start optimization. The stop positions and the positions discussed further here, are given respectively as crankshaft angles. Because of their cylinder charges these combustions form the varying speed development up to synchronization. Because of these varying initial conditions of the respective combustion during the start optimization, chemical energy is not reproducibly converted into kinetic energy. This is represented by way of example in FIG. 3, which shows and compares the speed developments and the rotary accelerations of the start up of the internal combustion engine starting from a stop position of 45° after the top dead centre and of 90° after the top dead centre. One can see that the rotary acceleration at approximately 4500 revs/min−1*s−1 at a stop position of 45° after the top dead centre is almost twice as great as the rotary acceleration of 2600 revs/min−1*s−1 at a stop position of 90° after the top dead centre. This varying dynamic during the start optimization results in a load moment which acts on the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, this is especially the case with vehicles with the internal combustion engine built in lengthwise because of the conservation of momentum. Subject to the stop position, this load moment varies in size and creates a corresponding tendency to roll in the motor vehicle. The driver of the motor vehicle will experience this tendency to roll as an "unrest" in the motor vehicle or as a disturbance in its "start experience". Therefore, for driver comfort, it is necessary for the start behavior of an internal combustion engine to be reproducible regardless of its stop position in the start-stop operation.

Method for increasing the reproducibility of the start-up during start-stop operation of an internal combustion engine


A broadband optical fiber tap for transferring optical energy out of an optical fiber having an optical fiber with a primary and secondary microbends for the purpose of coupling optical energy into the higher-order modes of the fiber, and a reflecting surface formed in the cladding of the fiber and positioned at an angle so as to reflect, by total internal reflection, higher-order mode energy away from the optical fiber. In the preferred embodiment, the two microbends are spaced apart by a distance approximately equal to one-half of the intermodal beat length for LP01 and LP11 modes of a single-mode fiber.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a component for coupling optical energy out of an optical fiber, and particularly to an optical fiber tap that efficiently couples optical energy out over a relatively broad wavelength range.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The ever-increasing complexity of fiber optic networks has created a need for devices that can measure the optical energy flowing through an optical fiber. Such devices are useful for network monitoring and control purposes, in many ways analogous to water gauges used to monitor the flow of water through pipes.
In order to measure the flow of optical energy in an optical fiber, a small fraction of the optical energy must be redirected out of the fiber and onto a detector. The detector converts the optical energy into an electrical signal that serves as a representation of the optical energy flowing in the fiber. A device commonly referred to as an "optical tap" performs the function of removing a fraction of optical energy from an optical fiber.
A variety of techniques for tapping light out of an optical fiber are well-known in the art. One such technique is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/390,398 ("the '398 application"), in which a CO2 laser beam is used to create a two-part structure in a fiber comprised of an annealed microbend and a reflecting surface formed in the cladding of the fiber for directing the light scattered by the microbend out of the side of the fiber.
While this technique offers many desirable features, such as small size, low insertion loss, and ease of manufacture, it suffers from inherent wavelength dependence owing to the guiding properties of the fiber.
One measure of this wavelength dependence is a variation with wavelength of tap efficiency. The tap efficiency is defined as a ratio of the optical power tapped out to the total optical power that is lost by introducing the tap into the optical path. Efficiency is reduced when light is scattered out of a fiber core but fails to exit the fiber at the tap and instead is lost at points downstream of the tap.
Unfortunately, in optical taps made in conventional telecommunications fiber according to the teachings of the '398 application, the tap efficiency may vary by as much as 400% over the wavelength band from 1310 nm to 1550 nm. While wavelength dependence may be of little, if any, concern for narrow-band applications, broadband applications require that the tap efficiency remain relatively constant over the 1310 nm to 1550 nm wavelength region.


A method of making an elongated filter system including the steps of forming an elongated alignment rod, an attachment device, a tubular filter element and a yoke, followed by the steps of attaching the elongated alignment rod to the attachment device and positioning the tubular filter element, upon and about the elongated alignment rod then securing the yoke so that an outer peripheral area of the yoke is in sealing engagement with the tubular filter element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elongated filter system, the elongated filter system having an elongated alignment means associated therewith, filter element assemblies for the elongated filter system, wherein the filter element assemblies are constructed solely of combustible materials thus allowing the filter element assemblies to be completely incinerable. One of the filter element assemblies is constructed without a center supporting tube and another of the filter element assemblies is constructed utilizing a center supporting tube, end pieces and filter element all constructed solely of combustible material.
2. Description of the Related Art
In industrial or automotive filtering applications, the material which is to be filtered often contains contaminants which must be removed and disposed of as hazardous waste. One of the acceptable ways of disposing of many types of hazardous waste is incineration performed by a licensed hazardous waste disposal facility.
One problem which previous filter systems present is that the filter element onto which the contaminates adhere has generally contained a metal or other rigid, non-combustible center support member. Therefore, it is known to manufacture a filter element having a rigid center support tube. For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,926 issued on Jan. 22, 1974 to John R. Wilhelm, or U.S. Pat. No. 2,843,269 issued on May 16, 1955 to Emery Dudinec. In order to incinerate these filter elements, the support member must either be manually removed from the filter element prior to the incineration and then separately disposed of as hazardous waste or, alternately, the entire filter element must be shredded prior to incineration.
It is also known to make a pleated paper filter element having the ends thereof captured in a thermoplastic material, such material being commonly known as "Plastisol". For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,031 issued on Jan. 24, 1956 to Milton Rabbitt and Carl Binder; U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,156 issued on Nov. 20, 1956 to Walter Kasten and Abbott Rohn; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,528 issued on Oct. 8, 1963 to Roland Burks.
Removal of the center support member prior to incineration presents safety problems to the workers performing the removal, adds to the cost of disposal, and increases the risk of liability to the company generating the waste. This increase in risk of liability is due to the fact that the removed support members are considered hazardous waste which must be disposed of in a licensed hazardous waste landfill. As a contributor to a hazardous waste landfill which may sometime be declared a Superfund site, the generating company, the disposal company and any transporting company which was employed to deliver the support members to the landfill, may all face future liability for the disposal. Thus, both the generating company and the disposal company would prefer to avoid this option since under current hazardous disposable waste laws, they remain liable for their hazardous waste from `cradle-to-grave`.
On the other hand, in order for the entire filter element to be incinerated, a disposal facility must first be located which has the capacity of shredding materials prior to incineration. Second, since the non-combustible elements of the filter element will pass through the hazardous waste incinerator and will exit as solid waste which is normally disposed of as hazardous waste in a hazardous waste landfill, the generating company retains the potential Superfund liability with this option also. This is true, despite the fact that the material is not hazardous waste, since all contributors to a landfill which later becomes a Superfund site are liable for ensuing cleanup costs regardless of the types of materials they contributed. For these reasons, shredding and incinerating the entire filter elements is also an unattractive option.
The only other viable option available for disposal of most filter elements is to bury the entire filter element in a hazardous waste landfill. This option is costly and increases the risk of Superfund liability since the containers in which the filter elements are sealed for burial will eventually be breached by the soil's natural chemical processes, thus, releasing the contaminants into the soil and, as described above, the contributor is still liable for cleanup costs. Under Title D of the Federal Code of Regulations, this liability extends to thirty years after the disposal site is closed. Thus, to avoid potential liability, it is desirable to have completely incinerable filters.
In the making of elongated filtering systems, such as used in the filtering of aviation fuels, the disposal problem becomes particularly acute because of the extended length of the filtering elements. An equally difficult problem with elongated filtering elements arises in the installation and removal of the elements from the filtering chamber. Due to the extended length, alignment of the filter elements with the outlet port proceeds slowly sometimes requiring rigorous and/or sophisticated means of assuring alignment.
Therefore, it is known to make a filter device having a filter element carried by an inner housing in axial alignment with a rod axially aligned with a chamber of the filter device. For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,062 issued on Mar. 8, 1966 to Nils Rosaen.
It is also known to provide an elongated, one-piece center tube assembly having expanded end portions with fine screen means disposed around an intermediate portion wherein the center tube assembly supports a soft filter cartridge comprised of a fabric bag filled with pulverulent filter medium. For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,846,074 issued on Aug. 5, 1958 to Alan Brundage.
Finally, it is known to provide an elongated, removable tubular filter liner which is disposed longitudinally in the interior of an elongated filter element comprising a tubular wall wherein the tubular wall further has a guide means for urging the annular end portions of the liner into embracing relationship with the interior surface of the wall. For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,891,673 issued on Jun. 23, 1959 to James Zievers.
The present invention addresses this problem by providing a filter system having a permanent center tube assembly onto which fully incinerable filter elements may be replaceably attached or by providing a filter having a center tube support, end caps and filter element all of which are capable of being reduced significantly in volume by crushing and are fully incinerable.

Method of making an elongated filter system


Provided is a measurement apparatus including a first timing detecting section that detects first change timings of a signal under measurement, a second timing detecting section that detects second change timings of the signal under measurement, a buffer section that buffers data indicating the first change timings detected by the first timing detecting section and data indicating the second change timings detected by the second timing detecting section, and a calculating section that acquires, from the buffer section, the data indicating the first change timings and the data indicating the second change timings, calculates a temporal relationship between the first change timings and the second change timings, and outputs the temporal relationship.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a measurement apparatus, a measurement method, and a test apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a measurement apparatus, a measurement method, and a test apparatus for measuring a time between change points, i.e. edges, of a signal under measurement.
2. Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-94853 discloses a time measurement circuit that measures the timings of pulse edges. This time measurement circuit includes a counter that counts a clock, a latch that latches a value of the counter, a triangular wave generating circuit that generates a triangular wave in synchronization with the clock, an AD converter, and an adding device.
The latch acquires the counter value at the edges of the pulse under measurement. The AD converter samples the level of the triangular wave the edges of the pulse under measurement. The adding device outputs the edge timing of the pulse under measurement obtained by adding together the count value acquired by the latch and the output data of the AD converter. This time measurement circuit can accurately measure the edge timing of the pulse under measurement in less than one cycle of the clock.
When measuring a short pulse width that is only a few nanoseconds, the time measurement circuit must be provided with a high-speed AD converter to continuously sample the pulse at short intervals. Such a high-speed AD converter, however, is expensive and has relatively low accuracy.

Measuring apparatus, measuring method and test apparatus


An internal combustion engine with variable valve opening characteristics includes an outer camshaft, an inner camshaft, an urging device, a cam phase changing device, and a locking device. The outer camshaft includes a first cam. The inner camshaft includes a second cam. The cam phase changing device includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member, an advance-angle-side oil hydraulic chamber, and a retard-angle-side oil hydraulic chamber. A cam phase of the one of the outer camshaft and the inner camshaft is changed by switching between oil hydraulic circuits that communicate with the advance-angle-side oil hydraulic chamber and the retard-angle-side oil hydraulic chamber. The locking device is provided to connect another of the outer camshaft and the inner camshaft to the first rotating member with a predetermined cam phase.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an internal combustion engine with variable valve opening characteristics.
2. Discussion of the Background
An increasing number of four cycle gasoline engines (hereinafter simply referred to as an engine) with various variable valve timing mechanisms have been proposed in order to achieve improvement in output and fuel consumption, and a reduction in the amount of toxic exhaust gas component. A variable valve timing mechanism which switches between a low-speed cam and a high-speed cam has been used to date, however, in recent years, a variable valve timing mechanism which achieves considerably improved transient characteristics, throttle-less operation, and the like by continuously and variably controlling a cam phase and a valve lift individually is becoming mainstream technology.
A Variable Timing Control Device (hereinafter referred to as a VTC) used for variable control of the cam phase includes a hydraulic actuator (hereinafter referred to as a VTC actuator) which is mounted near one end of a camshaft in a cylinder head, and a hydraulic pressure control valve which controls the oil pressure (engine oil pressure) supplied to the VTC actuator. A configuration is adopted in which the VTC actuator has a rotor with a plurality of vanes, and a housing which houses a rotor in a relatively rotatable manner, and the rotor and the housing are rotated relative to each other by supplying hydraulic fluid (engine oil) as needed to an advance angle chamber and a retard angle chamber which are formed in the housing. The rotor is fixed to the camshaft, while a cam sprocket is formed integrally with the housing (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-264133).
On the other hand, the present applicant has proposed an opening angle variable valve device which includes an intake camshaft in a double structure composed of a fixed outer camshaft, and a movable inner camshaft so as to allow an intake opening angle (a period between valve opening and valve closing) to be variably controlled by setting different phases of the outer camshaft and the inner camshaft using a phase change unit (a hydraulic actuator similar to the VTC actuator). In the device, a fixed intake cam formed in the outer camshaft, and a movable intake cam formed in the inner camshaft have the same cam profile, and when the phases of the outer camshaft and the inner camshaft are the same, the device operates similarly to a normal inlet cam, whereas when the phases of the outer camshaft and the inner camshaft are shifted with respect to each other (the inner camshaft is rotated relative to the outer camshaft), the high part of the fixed intake cam and the high part of the movable intake cam are arranged continuously in the circumferential direction, and thus the intake opening angle is increased (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-54410).

Internal combustion engine with variable valve opening characteristics


A fixed constant velocity universal joint of a structure, which easily allows incorporation of an inner ring into a cage without impairing a function of the joint, is provided. The fixed constant velocity universal joint has an outer ring having in an inner spherical surface thereof a plurality of track grooves arranged at equal circumferential intervals and extending axially toward an open end, an inner ring having in an outer spherical surface thereof a plurality of axially extending track grooves paired with the track grooves of the outer ring and arranged at equal circumferential intervals, a plurality of balls interposed between the track grooves of the outer ring and the track grooves of the inner ring, for transmitting torque, and a cage interposed between the inner spherical surface of the outer ring and the outer spherical surface of the inner ring, for holding the balls, in which an outer ring open end side of the outer spherical surface of the inner ring is cut off, with a boundary portion between a cutoff portion thereby obtained and the outer spherical surface being rounded.

I. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a fixed constant velocity universal joint, and more specifically, to a fixed constant velocity universal joint which is used in the power transmitting system of automobiles and various industrial machines and which solely allows angular displacement between two shafts on the driving side and the driven side.
II. Description of the Related Art
A fixed constant velocity universal joint is an example of a constant velocity universal joint used as a means for transmitting torque from the engine of an automobile to the wheels at constant velocity. The fixed constant velocity universal joint connects two shafts on the driving side and the driven side and is equipped with a structure allowing constant-velocity transmission of rotational torque even when the two shafts assume an operating angle.
Generally speaking, a fixed constant velocity universal joint is equipped with an outer ring serving as an outer member having a plurality of track grooves formed in an inner spherical surface thereof at equal circumferential intervals so as to extend in the axial direction, an inner ring serving as an inner member having a plurality of track grooves paired with the track grooves of the outer ring and formed in an outer spherical surface thereof at equal circumferential intervals so as to extend in the axial direction, a plurality of balls interposed between the track grooves of the outer ring and the track grooves of the inner ring, for transmitting torque, and a cage interposed between the inner spherical surface of the outer ring and the outer spherical surface of the inner ring, for holding the balls. The plurality of balls are accommodated in a pocket formed in the cage and are arranged at equal circumferential intervals (see, for example, JP 53-48150 A, DE 19514868, JP 08-6758 B, and JP 09-177810 A).
When a constant velocity universal joint of this type is used, for example, for an automotive drive shaft, the outer ring is connected to a driven shaft, and a drive shaft extending from a slide type constant velocity universal joint mounted to a differential on the vehicle body side is connected to the inner ring through spline fit-engagement. In this constant velocity universal joint, when an operating angle is assumed between the outer ring and the inner ring, each of the balls accommodated in the cage is always maintained within the bisector plane of any operating angle, thereby securing the constant velocity property of the joint.
In such a fixed constant velocity universal joint, when incorporating the inner ring into the cage, it is general practice to insert the inner ring into the cage while rotating the inner ring by 90° around the Y-axis, and fit the outer spherical surface of the inner ring into the pocket of the cage; then, the inner ring is rotated by 90° around the Y-axis and the axis of the inner ring is matched with the axis of the cage to arrange the inner ring in normal attitude.
As shown in FIG. 9a and FIG. 9b, a method is available according to which a distance d between a boundary portion between one track groove 7 and the outer spherical surface 6 of an inner ring 8 and a boundary portion between the opposing track groove 7 and the outer spherical surface 6 is previously set smaller than a socket diameter D of a cage 10; when incorporating the inner ring 8 into the cage 10, the inner ring 8 is inserted straight into the cage 10 via a socket portion 15 while rotated by 90° around the Y-axis, and then the inner ring 8 is rotated by 90° around the Y-axis to match the axis of the inner ring 8 with the axis of the cage 10, thereby arranging the inner ring in a normal attitude.
JP 53-48150 A discloses a method in which the joint opening side portion of the outer spherical surface of the inner ring is cut off, and in which the inner ring is inserted into the cage while being rotated by 90° around the Y-axis to fit the outer spherical surface of the inner ring into the pocket of the cage; then, the inner ring is rotated by 90° around the Y-axis to match the axis of the inner ring with the axis of the cage, thus arranging the inner ring in normal attitude.
DE 19514868 discloses a method in which the joint opening side portion of the outer spherical surface of the inner ring is cut off with respect to a part of the phases, and in which the inner ring is inserted into the cage while being rotated by 90° around the Y-axis to fit the outer spherical surface of the inner ring into the pocket of the cage; then, the inner ring is rotated by 90° around the Y-axis to match the axis of the inner ring with the axis of the cage, thereby arranging the inner ring in a normal attitude. Here, the term phase means a circumferential position of any of a plurality of outer spherical surface portions defined by the track grooves.
JP 08-6758 B discloses a method in which the boundary portions between the outer spherical surface of the inner ring and the track grooves thereof are chamfered, and in which the chamfered portions of a part of the phases are made larger than the chamfered portions of the other phases, whereby, after inserting the inner ring into the cage straight via the socket portion of the cage while rotating the inner ring by 90° around the Y-axis, the inner ring is rotated by 90° around the Y-axis to match the axis of the inner ring with the axis of the cage, thereby arranging the inner ring in a normal attitude.
JP 09-177810 A discloses a method in which the distance d between a boundary portion between one track groove 7 and the outer spherical surface 6 of the inner ring 8 and the boundary portion between the opposing track groove 7 and the outer spherical surface 6 is previously set smaller than the socket diameter D of the cage 10 (see FIGS. 9a and 9b): when incorporating the inner ring 8 into the cage 10, the inner ring 8 is inserted straight into the cage 10 via the socket portion 15 while being rotated by 90° around the Y-axis, and then the inner ring 8 is rotated by 90° around the Y-axis to match the axis of the inner ring 8 with the axis of the cage 10, thereby arranging the inner ring in normal attitude.


A deformable mirror has a first deforming portion that has a reflection surface, a second deforming portion surrounding the first deforming portion and has lower mechanical stiffness than that of the first deforming portion, a fixing portion fixing a peripheral portion of the second deforming portion, deformer for acting on the first deforming portion to deform the first deforming portion and second deforming portion, and restrictor for restricting deformation in a main deforming direction of a portion of the first deforming portion that is outside an operation region of the deformer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a deformable mirror the curvature of which can be changed continuously and, more particularly, to a compact deformable mirror to which the semiconductor technique is applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a deformable mirror, which uses the Micro Electro-mechanical Systems technique, attracts attention. For example, a deformable mirror disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Applin. KOKAI Publication No. 2-101402 is an example of a deformable mirror. In this deformable mirror, as shown in FIG. 32, an electrode layer 3 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 1 through an insulating thin film 2. The semiconductor substrate 1 has a cavity 4 that allows central portions 5 of the insulating thin film 2 and electrode layer 3 to displace in the direction of thickness. An electrode layer 7 is formed on the bottom surface of the cavity 4 through an insulating thin film 6. The electrode layers 3 and 7 constitute a pair of opposing electrodes. The electrode layer 3 also serves as a reflection surface. The reflection surface is deformed into a concave by an electro-static force generated upon application of a voltage to the electrode layers 3 and 7.
The application range of the deformable mirror that uses the Micro Electro-mechanical Systems technique is widening, so the deformable mirror will be employed in various types of optical systems. According to one application, a reflection mirror portion is to be largely deformed to a degree that is not available conventionally.


An eyeglass framework has a respective first and second folding leg mounting at opposed ends thereof, with at least one leg having a clip member formed with a fixed jaw and movable jaw biased towards the fixed jaw to permit securement of the eyeglass assembly within a pocket structure in a secure relationship during transport and storage of the organization. The invention is further arranged to permit a plurality of tether lines arranged for securement thereto to permit remote mounting of the eyeglass structure. A further cable is arranged of a fiber optic cable construction in operative communication with an illumination member to direct illumination through the fiber optic cable to project illumination forwardly of the eyeglass framework.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to eyeglass construction, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved eyeglass holder clip and accessory kit for accommodating storage of the eyeglass assembly during periods of non-use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various accessory structure is arranged for use in combination with eyeglass members and such is exemplified in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,375 having a pocket clip for eyeglasses mounted to a leg portion of an eyeglass assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,224 to Allen sets forth an example of an eyeglass member having pocket clips mounted thereto as part of the forward framework of the eyeglass assembly.
Accordingly, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved eyeglass holder clip and accessory kit as set forth by the instant invention which addresses both the problems of ease of use as well as effectiveness in construction in accommodating storage and accessory mounting of the eyeglass assembly and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.