A data packet which contains time information is time compressed and the time information is extracted from the time compressed data packet. A system clock is synchronized with the extracted time information and is multiplied by a predetermined compression ratio to produce replacement time information which replaces the time information in the time compressed data packet. The time compressed data packet that now contains the replacement time information is modulated and transmitted or recorded.

The present invention relates to a transmitting apparatus and to a digital video tape recorder and, more particularly, to apparatus and method for recording and reproducing MPEG2 transport packets to and from a magnetic tape.
As is known, digital video tape recorders compress a digital video signal using discrete cosine transformation (DCT) and variable length encoding prior to recording the digital video signal on a magnetic tape. NTSC video signals generally are recorded in a standard (SD) mode and high definition television (HDTV) signals generally are recorded in a high definition (HD) mode. Typical recording rates in the SD and HD modes are 25 Mbps (megabits per second) and 50 Mbps, respectively.
Currently, a format known as MPEG2 (Moving Pictures Expert Group) for video signals has been developed. In MPEG2 systems, plural programs generally are time division multiplexed prior to being transmitted, and time information, which is included in those video signals, identify the real time transmissions of each of the programs. MPEG2 transmissions are time compressed and thus transmitted in a shorter time than the real "play" time of each of the programs contained therein.
As previously stated, digital video signals are recorded in an SD mode at the rate of 25 Mbps. At this recording rate, 5 of the 25 Mbps are utilized for "trick-play" data which is stored in a trick-play area of a track and which is reproduced in a high speed reproducing mode, and 20 of the 25 Mbps are utilized for "normal" data that is reproduced in a standard speed reproducing mode. Furthermore, if one of the programs in the MPEG2 signal has a data rate of, for example, 5 Mbps and the length of that program is, for example, two hours, then the two-hour program can be transmitted in only one half of an hour (i.e., 30 minutes) if the data rate of the program is converted to 20 Mbps.
Digital video tape recorders currently can record up to 41/2 hours' worth of programs on a standard cassette in the SD mode. If each program to be recorded is time compressed in the manner described above, and assuming the data rate and length of each program is 5 Mbps and two hours, respectively, then nine two-hour programs can be recorded on a standard cassette.
An MPEG2 signal includes a plurality of programs which have been encoded and time divisionally multiplexed and which are transmitted in data units called transport packets. Timing data (DTS), which is used to extract reproduced data from a buffer, and other timing data (PTS), which is necessary for displaying the video image, are included in a header of each of the transport packets (PES). PTS/DTS data also are included with audio data.
A 27 MHz system clock is used to encode an MPEG2 video signal and the values of the PTS/DTS data are derived from the system clock. When a transmitted MPEG2 signal is decoded, the decoder's system clock is synchronized to the transmitted MPEG2 signal using time data (i.e., PCR data) that represents the value of the system clock during encoding of the video signal and which is included in each of the transport packets of the MPEG2 signal. PCR data is added to each transport packet of each program in the signal.
FIG. 1 illustrates the data structure of a transport packet in an MPEG2 signal. Each transport packet has a fixed data length of 188 bytes and includes a header, further described below, and a payload which includes the encoded video and audio data. The header of a transport packet includes data that identifies the contents of the transport packet, for example, the particular program to which the transport packet pertains.
FIG. 1A illustrates three successive transport packets, each of which includes a header and a payload. The header, as shown in FIG. 1B, includes 8 sync bytes, a 1-byte transport error indicator which indicates whether the transport packet contains errors, a payload indicator byte which identifies the beginning of the payload section, a transport priority byte which identifies the assigned priority of the transport packet, 13 bytes of packet identification data (PID) which identifies various attributes of each data stream of the transport packet, 2 bytes of transport scrambling control data which identify whether the payload data is scrambled and the type of scrambling used, 2 bytes of adaptation field control data which indicates whether an adaptation field is present, a cyclic (or continuity) counter which indicates whether the transport packet is complete or is only partially generated, and adaptation field data, which is illustrated in FIG. 1C.
As shown in FIG. 1C, the adaptation field includes 8 bytes of adaptation field length data which indicates the length of this field, a discontinuity indicator which indicates whether the system clock has been reset and whether the header contents are new, random access indicator data which indicates the random access entry point, a priority stream elementary indicator which indicates whether the payload includes an important high-priority section, an optional field flag, an optional field which is illustrated in FIG. 1D, and 1 byte of stuffing data.
The optional field is shown in FIG. 1D and includes PCR data (previously discussed), OPCR data, splice countdown data, a transport private data length, transport private data, an adaptation field extension length, and an optional field which is identified by the 3-byte flag. As is known, PCR data is a time stamp which synchronizes a system clock in an MPEG2 decoding system.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary MPEG2 system which time divisionally multiplexes plural television programs and which transmits and records those television programs on a magnetic tape. Three digitally-compressed programs P11, P12 and P13 are supplied to input terminals 201A, 201B, and 201C, respectively. The three programs can have different data rates, for example, program P11 can have a data rate of 5 Mbps, program P12 can have a data rate of 4 Mbps, and program P13 can have a data rate of 3 Mbps. Prior to being supplied to terminals 201A, 201B and 201C, programs P11, P12 and P13 each are divided into 188-byte transport packets which include PCR time data indicative of when each transport packet is formed. Programs P11, P12 and P13 each are supplied to PCR capture circuits 202A, 202B and 202C, respectively, which detect the respective PCR values contained therein. Programs P11, P12 and P13 then are supplied at predetermined bit rates to FIFO circuits 203A, 203B and 203C, respectively, which transmit the programs to a multiplexer 205 which time divisionally multiplexes the programs and supplies the time divisionally multiplexed signal at a data rate of 30 Mbps to a PCRI restamping circuit 209.
Multiplexer 205 further time divisionally multiplexes "stuffing" bits which have been supplied to input terminal 206 so that the data rate of the time divisionally multiplexed programs is matched to the 30 Mbps data output rate. However, upon stuffing (i.e., inserting) of "stuffing" bits to the multiplexed three programs, time data included in the transport packets are "shifted" which causes a "jitter" of the PCR data.
A captured PCR value is supplied to a PLL circuit 204 which includes a PCR recovery circuit 207 which compares the captured PCR value and a counter value which is used to synchronize the system clock, and a counter circuit 208 which generates the 27 MHz system clock. PLL circuit 204 supplies the system clock to PCRI restamping circuit 209 which replaces the PCR value contained in the multiplexed signal (from multiplexer 205) with the value supplied from circuit 204. The output of PCRI restamping circuit 209 is supplied to a channel coder/modulator circuit 210 which modulates the multiplexed signal using a transfer clock signal TCK supplied thereto and transmits the modulated signal.
The transmitted signal is received by a front-end circuit 221 of a transmission receiving circuit (which may be part of a digital video tape recorder). Front-end circuit 221 supplies the transmitted signal to a demultiplexer/descrambler circuit 222 which demultiplexes and descrambles (if necessary) one of the programs contained in the time divisionally multiplexed transmitted signal. The demultiplexed signal is supplied to a decoder 224 and to a PCR capture circuit 231 of a digital video tape recorder. Front-end circuit 221 also supplies the transmitted signal to a transfer clock recovery circuit 223 which recovers the transfer clock signal TCK therefrom. Signal TCK is supplied to demultiplexer circuit 222 and to a buffer memory 236, to be described.
The demultiplexed signal (shown as transfer stream TS) is supplied to PCR capture circuit 231 which extracts the PCR value from the header of the transport packet and supplies the PCR value to a PLL circuit 232 which compares the system clock value (of the digital video tape recorder) with the extracted PCR value in order to synchronize the 27 MHz system clock. PLL circuit 232 includes a PCR recovery circuit 233 which compares the extracted PCR value and the system clock and a counter circuit 234 which supplies a count value synchronized with the system clock to an ATS inserting circuit 235.
PCR capture circuit 231 supplies the demultiplexed signal to ATS inserting circuit 235 which inserts the output of the counter 234 into the demultiplexed signal. As is known, the inserted time data allows a reproducing device to reconstruct the burst shape upon recording. The demultiplexed signal is supplied to buffer memory 236 which at the transfer clock rate TCK supplied thereto buffers the signal for subsequent recording.
The MPEG2 video signal is reproduced from a magnetic tape in a reproducing digital video tape recorder and the reproduced signal is supplied to a buffer memory 241 and to an ATS capture circuit 242. ATS capture circuit 242 extracts the ATS data value from the reproduced signal and supplies the ATS value to a memory controller 243. Buffer memory 241 receives a control signal from memory controller 243 and a transfer clock signal TCK which control the writing and the reading of the reproduced video signal to and from buffer memory 241. A system clock generator 250 generates the 27 MHz system clock from the ATS value extracted and a rotating drum (not shown) of the digital video tape recorder is rotated in synchronization with the system clock.
Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a schematic diagram illustrating the demultiplexing of a selected program A from a time divisionally multiplexed signal containing programs A, B and C is shown. As previously indicated, the data rate of the time divisionally multiplexed signal is 30 Mbps, and the data rate of a selected program A is equal to, for example, 10 Mbps. A rate converting buffer 302, shown in FIG. 4, converts the data rate of the demultiplexed signal (which now contains only program A) supplied to an input terminal 301 by one-third from 30 Mbps to 10 Mbps. The rate converted signal is supplied at terminal 303 and subsequently recorded on a magnetic tape.
One problem encountered in the above-described system is that time data changes when the data rate of a transport packet changes. This change causes the PCR value in each time-compressed transport packet to represent incorrect time information, and thus, results in the inability to properly reproduce the recorded MPEG2 signal.
Another difficulty encountered in the above-described system is the general inability to ensure that no errors occur in the PCR value and that the PCR value is properly and accurately maintained throughout the entire transmitting, recording and reproducing system.
Furthermore, MPEG2 formatted video data includes I-frames which are intraframe-encoded, P-frames which are forward-prediction encoded, and B-frames which are bidirectionally-prediction encoded. During variable or high-speed reproduction of MPEG2 video data, P- and B-frames cannot be properly decoded since only part of each frame is reproduced. And although reproduced I-frames can be decoded without P- and B-frame data in high-speed reproducing modes, I-frames still cannot properly be encoded because their positions on the recorded tracks are unknown due to the fact that considerable header information are not reproduced in such high-speed reproducing modes.

Transmission, recording and reproduction of digital data and time information in transport packets using a compression ratio


An apparatus for cleaning a surface includes first and second reaction containers, a holding apparatus for holding, in the second reaction container, a substance to be processed on the surface of which foreign matter is present, an apparatus for supplying helium gas into the first reaction container, an apparatus for generating helium ions, electrons, and metastable helium by exciting helium gas in the first reaction container, and an apparatus for separating the metastable helium generated in the first reaction container and for introducing the metastable helium into the second reaction container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for and method of cleaning a surface, and particularly to an apparatus for and method of removing foreign matter deposited on a semiconductor substrate in the process of manufacturing semiconductor devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the process of manufacturing semiconductor devices such as memory devices, foreign matter composed of polymers or the like is sometimes deposited on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. If semiconductor devices are manufactured with such foreign matter deposited on the semiconductor substrate, a problem arises in that the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device obtained as a product deteriorate. Hence, after foreign matter deposited on a semiconductor substrate is removed, the next process is performed.
For example, the process of manufacturing semiconductor memory includes a process in which a silicon oxide film 2 is formed on a silicon substrate 1, as shown in FIG. 3A. Then the film 2 is subjected to patterning with a photoresist 3, as shown in FIG. 3B, and with this photoresist 3 as a mask, the silicon oxide film 2 is selectively etched, as shown in FIG. 3C. Usually, the silicon oxide film 2 is etched in an etching chamber using CHF.sub.3, CmFn+H.sub.2 or the like as an etching gas. CxFy type polymers are formed in the etching chamber during this etching. These polymers are deposited on the surface of the silicon substrate 1 that is exposed as a result of etching, thereby forming a foreign matter layer 4, as shown in FIG. 3C. If this foreign matter layer 4 is allowed to stay, it will be difficult to manufacture a semiconductor memory device which exhibits excellent electrical characteristics.
For this reason, in the prior art, SF.sub.6, O.sub.2 or the like is used as a reactive gas and plasma etching is performed. After the foreign matter layer 4 accumulated on the silicon substrate 1, as shown in FIG. 3D, is removed, the next process is performed.
However, if plasma etching is performed, since the surface of the silicon substrate 1 is exposed to a plasma, damage may be caused due to the impact of electrons and charged particles such as ions and variations in the potential on the surface. As a result, a problem exists in that the electrical characteristics of manufactured semiconductor devices deteriorate.

Apparatus for cleaning a substrate with metastable helium


Methods and systems for allowing a contents list of a video camera recorder to be smoothly displayed on a television receiver and improve the performance of a selecting operation on video content by a user. A video camera recorder (source device) 10A and a television receiver (sink device) 30A are connected through an HDMI cable 1. The video camera recorder 10A is provided with an HDMI transmission unit (HDMI TX) 28 and a high-speed data line I/F 28A. The television receiver 30A is provided with an HDMI reception unit (HDMI RX) 32 and a high-speed data line I/F 32A. In response to a transmission request from the television receiver 30A side, the video camera recorder 10A transmits, at high speed, additional information (contents list and thumbnail data) to the television receiver 30A by using a high-speed data line constituted by specific lines of the HDMI cable 1.

In recent years, for example, HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) has been gaining popularity as a communication interface through which digital video signals, that is, uncompressed (baseband) video signals (hereinafter, referred to as "image data"), and digital audio signals associated with the video signals (hereinafter, referred to as "audio data") are transmitted at high speed from a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) recorder, a set-top box, and other AV sources (Audio Visual sources) to a television receiver, a projector, and other displays. The details of the HDMI standards are described, for example, in Patent Document 1.    Patent Document 1: WO2002/078336

Transmission device, video signal transmission method for transmission device, reception device, and video signal reception method for reception device


The technology may include: a first error detection operation unit configured to perform a serial error detection operation on a data signal which is inputted in sequence through each of multiple input/output pads, and to generate multiple pieces of preliminary information; and a second error detection operation unit configured to perform a parallel error detection operation on the multiple pieces of preliminary information, and to generate an error detection code.

1. Technical Field
Various embodiments generally relate to a semiconductor circuit, and more particularly, to an error detection circuit and a semiconductor integrated circuit using the same.
2. Related Art
In a data processing device, an error detection circuit for detecting whether or not an error occurs through a series of data operations is used for an error possibility in the input/output of data.
Such an error detection circuit may use a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) as an error detection operation scheme.

Error detection circuit and semiconductor integrated circuit using the same


A server maintains a gallery of ephemeral messages. Each ephemeral message is posted to the gallery by a user for viewing by recipients via recipient devices. In response to a gallery view request from any of the recipient devices, the ephemeral messages in the gallery are displayed on the requesting device in automated sequence, each message being displayed for a respective display duration before display of the next message in the gallery. A user interface via which the gallery is viewable includes indicia with respect to the number of screenshots taken with respect to messages in the gallery during online viewing.

Messages (e.g., text, photo or video) delivered over computer networks are well known. However, one problem associated with such messages is that they require an affirmative act on the part of a user to delete or remove messages from their devices once the messages have been viewed or read. As a result, in some instances, users refrain from spontaneously sending many messages for fear of filling or cluttering a recipient's in-box.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to maintain spontaneity and expand communicative content of messaging activity, while reducing the device management burdens imposed upon a message recipient.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Ephemeral message gallery user interface with screenshot messages


Advantageously, certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system that allows easy replacement of one or more worn rotor teeth and/or rotor tooth mount(s) mounted on a waste fragmenting machine. The present invention may further provide a system that allows minimization of stress during fragmentation on the attachment mechanisms between the mount and the rotor.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to an improved replaceable tooth mount rotor system for material fragmenting machines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fragmenting machines or waste recycling machines are designed to splinter and fragment wastes under tremendous impacting forces. Waste is defined herein to comprise any material that requires fragmentation prior to utilization, including, inter alia, wood, biofuel and the like. Operationally, waste materials are fed to a fragmenting zone or grinding chamber by power feeding means. Once the waste materials are within the fragmenting zone or grinding chamber, a powered fragmenting rotor that is rotating at high speed and comprising impacting and shearing teeth is encountered. The resulting impact results in the fragmentation and/or comminution of the waste materials to a desired particle size. Generally, one embodiment of a comminuting or fragmenting machine of the present invention may comprise a rotor rotating at about 1800-2500 r.p.m. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that other r.p.m. ranges are common, e.g., between about 500 and 2500 r.p.m. The invention described herein is not meant to be limited by r.p.m. ranges and, as a result, applies to any comminuting or fragmenting machine using a powered fragmenting rotor with teeth designed to comminute material to a desired particle size. In all cases, a tremendous force is generated at the point of impact between the waste material and the impacting rotor teeth.
Wear on the rotor teeth is a concern that results in, inter alia, reductions in fragmenting efficiency and increases in costs related to maintenance and service to replace worn rotor teeth and tooth mounts. Known waste fragmenting machines may require heavy solid steel shafts and/or lock collars to hold tooth mounts and mounted teeth in position on the rotor. Such waste fragmenting machines require disassembly to replace the worn tooth mounts which is particularly labor intensive and costly. Others fail to minimize the stress experienced by the bolts used to hold the tooth mounts in place.
Tooth mounts in such systems may become chipped, warped, or gouged, resulting in rotor imbalance and/or inability to properly secure teeth. Further, tooth mounts may break as a result of an impact.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved mechanism for securing rotor teeth that allows for rapid and easy replacement of worn rotor teeth and tooth mounts, as well as a mechanism to minimize stresses experienced by the attachment of the mount to the rotor during fragmentation.
The present invention addresses these needs.

Replaceable tooth mount rotor system for waste fragmenting machines


A medical sensor may be adapted to account for factors that cause irregularities in pulse oximetry measurements or other spectrophotemetric measurements. Sensors are provided with surface features that reduce the amount of outside light or shunted light that impinge the detecting elements of the sensor. The sensor is adapted to reduce the effect of outside light or shunted light on pulse oximetry measurements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical devices and, more particularly, to sensors used for sensing physiological parameters of a patient.
2. Description of the Related Art
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to certain aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In the field of medicine, doctors often desire to monitor certain physiological characteristics of their patients. Accordingly, a wide variety of devices have been developed for monitoring many such characteristics of a patient. Such devices provide doctors and other healthcare personnel with the information they need to provide the best possible healthcare for their patients. As a result, such monitoring devices have become an indispensable part of modern medicine.
One technique for monitoring certain physiological characteristics of a patient is commonly referred to as pulse oximetry, and the devices built based upon pulse oximetry techniques are commonly referred to as pulse oximeters. Pulse oximetry measures various blood flow characteristics, such as the blood-oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in arterial blood, the volume of individual blood pulsations supplying the tissue, and/or the rate of blood pulsations corresponding to each heartbeat of a patient. In fact, the "pulse" in pulse oximetry refers to the time varying amount of arterial blood in the tissue during each cardiac cycle.
Pulse oximeters typically utilize a non-invasive sensor that emits light into a patient's tissue and that photoelectrically detects the absorption and/or scattering of the transmitted light in such tissue. One or more of the above physiological characteristics may then be calculated based upon the amount of light absorbed or scattered. More specifically, the light passed through the tissue is typically selected to be of one or more wavelengths that may be absorbed or scattered by the blood in an amount related to the amount of a blood constituent present in the blood. The amount of light absorbed and/or scattered may then be used to estimate the amount of the blood constituent in the tissue using various algorithms.
The pulse oximetry measurement depends in part on the assumption that the contribution of light that has not passed through a patient's tissue is negligible. However, outside light may leak into a sensor, causing detection of light that is not related to the amount of blood constituent present in the blood. Additionally, light from a sensor's emitter may be reflected around the exterior of the tissue and may impinge the detector without traveling first through the tissue. These light sources may cause measurement variations that do not relate to amount of the blood constituent.
Some outside light infiltration into the sensor may be avoided by fitting the sensor snugly against the patient's tissue. However, such a conforming fit may be difficult to achieve over a range of patient physiologies without adjustment or excessive attention on the part of medical personnel. Additionally, an overly tight fit may cause local exsanguination of the tissue around the sensor. Exsanguinated tissue, which is devoid of blood, may shunt the sensor light through the tissue, which may also result in increased measurement errors.

Medical sensor and technique for using the same


The invention relates to a ceramic hip joint prosthesis head for use with a trunnion, the trunnion having a frustoconical end comprising a first section having a diameter of about 12 mm which expands inward at a total angle of about 6 degrees to form a second section having a diameter of about 14 mm, wherein each head comprises:. a) a substantially spherical outer diameter of about 22.22 mm, PA1 b) a centerpoint, and PA1 c) a recess which forms a taper wall extending inward from the outer diameter of the head,. wherein the taper wall has a shape suitable for taper fitting upon the frustoconical end of the trunnion to produce contact between the taper wall and the first section of the frustoconical end of the trunnion, a perimeter being defined by the deepest contact between the taper wall and the first section of the frustoconical end of the trunnion, the perimeter having a centerpoint,and. wherein each head, when taper fit upon the frustoconical end of the trunnion, has a rupture load of at least 46 kN and is characterized by a distance D between a) the centerpoint of the head and b) the centerpoint of the perimeter defined by the deepest contact between the taper wall and the first section of the frustoconical end of the trunnion first section of the frustoconical end of the trunnion, wherein D has an absolute value of less than 3 mm.

In surgeries requiring a total hip joint replacement, the upper portion of the femur must be replaced and an appropriate material must be selected for each modular replacement component. Over the past 25 years, a number of replacement materials have been identified for use as the femoral head component. In particular, modular metallic and alumina head components have been extensively studied. However, the metallic components are highly susceptible to corrosion and the alumina components typically have a flexural strength of only about 600 MPa. The low strength of alumina heads is particularly problematic for 22.22 mm diameter designs, as they historically have failed to safely exceed the FDA goal that the head be able to withstand a rupture load of 46 kN.
Because of its superior flexural strength of at least 900 MPa, yttria stabilized zirconia polycrystal ("YTZP") has been selected by the medical community for use in artificial hip joint prosthesis heads, and has even been used in 22.22 mm heads to attain rupture load of at least 60 kN.
Although 22.22 mm YTZP heads have attained the rupture load desired by the FDA, they have generally only done so when fitted with metallic stems having diameters of only 8 mm to 10 mm. Unfortunately, the medical community routinely uses much larger diameter stems (e.g., the Euro-cone having a "12/14" diameter stem) during hip joint surgery. One very popular stem is the "Euro-cone", whose frustoconical portion has a 12 mm end which enlarges to a 14 mm end at a total angle of about 6 degrees (typically between about 5 37'37" and 5 43'30"). Since modularity and interchangeability are valued attributes in hip joint replacement surgery, and the 22.22 mm zirconia head binds the surgeon to an unconventionally small diameter stem, surgeons have been reluctant to adopt these heads. Accordingly, widespread use of the 22.22 mm zirconia head has been limited.
Another concern in designing hip joint prosthesis heads is the ability to tailor the overall length of the head-trunnion combination to the needs of the particular patient which can only be determined at the time of surgery. In modern prosthesis systems, flexibility in length is provided by holding the trunnion length constant and designing a set of same diameter ceramic heads to slide upon the trunnion stem with varying degrees of recess penetration. The heads within a particular set often produce differences in overall head-trunnion length of at least 3 mm, and are typically identified as "short neck", "medium neck" or "long neck" heads. The "short neck" head of a set has a deep, wide cavity designed for deep stem penetration and takes its name from the short length of trunnion neck 84 visible after stem penetration. See FIG. 1a. Conversely, the "long neck" head of a set has a shallow, narrow cavity for shallow stem penetration and takes its name from the long length of trunnion neck visible after stem penetration. See FIG. 1c.
Therefore, there is a great need to develop a kit of short, medium and long neck 22.22 mm zirconia heads differing by at least 3 mm in neck length which can fit on a standard 12/14 stem and attain rupture loads of at least 46 kN.
The strength of a volume of material is typically determined by the size and frequency of its intrinsic and extrinsic flaws.
Intrinsic flaws are those found throughout the microstructure of the material and typically include agglomerates, inclusions and porosity. Intrinsic flaws may be in the volume of the material or on its surface. Extrinsic flaws are typically introduced by machining and grinding damage, and so are found only at or near the surface of the material.
The tensile strength of YTZP zirconia is known to be a function of flaw size and the degree of yttria stabilization. Noguchi et al., J. Am. Cer. Soc. 73 (9) 2667-76 (1990), found the mean tensile strengths of pressureless sintered YTZP's to range from 430 MPa to 550 MPa and hot isostatically pressed ("hipped") YTZP's to range from 570-745 MPa.
When the stress upon a particular volume of ceramic material exceeds the tensile strength of that volume, the material ruptures. Therefore, in designing a ceramic hip joint prosthesis head, it is helpful to understand the stresses which act upon the head and the factors which determine the strength of the head. When the recess of a head is press fit onto the metallic stem, the metallic stem undergoes a plastic deformation and pushes laterally against the taper wall of the recess. Two types of tensile stresses develop in the ceramic material from this action. The first is a hoop stress which acts outwardly upon ceramic material ringing the stem. The second is a crown stress which acts upon the upper corners of the recess and is caused by the directionally opposing hoop stresses on opposing sides of the taper wall. Hoop stresses are also present at the upper corners of the head recess, often reaching over 80% of the associated crown stress.
Fessler, Proc. Instn. Mech. Engrs. Vol 203 Part H, 1989, pp.15-31, extensively studied the stresses in conventional heads and found it reasonable to expect that the maximum tensile stress values would occur in the inner crown surface and not elsewhere.
Fessler characterized each head by outer radius Ro 87 and a centerline recess radius ro 86, and found that conventional heads typically possess ro/Ro values of between 0.30 and 0.47. See FIG. 1a. Fessler also taught an optimum ro/Ro value of about 0.37.

Hip joint prosthesis having a 22.22 mm zirconia femoral head and a 12/14 size stem


In one embodiment, a secondary-side controller is configured to detect a burst-mode of operation and responsively block or prevent sending drive pulses to a power transistor that is coupled in the secondary side.

The present invention relates, in general, to electronics, and more particularly, to methods of forming semiconductor devices and structure.
In the past, various circuits and methods were utilized to control synchronous rectifiers in power supply systems. Usually, the control methods depended on the operating mode and the type of power supply system. Flyback type power supply systems usually required complex control circuits. In a flyback converter, the current through a primary coil of a transformer was terminated in order to cause the magnetic field to collapse and couple power to a secondary inductor of the transformer. In the flyback converter, the synchronous rectifier typically was in the secondary side of the power supply system and the switching power supply controller was in the primary side of the power supply system. One method of operating a flyback converter system utilized a fixed frequency clock to predict the time in which the synchronous rectifier should be enabled or disabled. An example of such a flyback system was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,039 issued to Franco Lentini et al on Jul. 9, 2002. Complicated circuitry was required to implement the control. The complicated circuitry increased the system cost. Additionally, some flyback systems also included burst-mode operation to reduce power dissipation during light load conditions. It was difficult to accurately predict the proper time to enable and disable the synchronous rectifier, thus, the operation was inefficient.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a control method and circuit that accurately controls a secondary side synchronous rectifier, that does not require complicated circuitry, and that has a low cost.
For simplicity and clarity of the illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily to scale, and the same reference numbers in different figures denote the same elements. Additionally, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description. As used herein current carrying electrode means an element of a device that carries current through the device such as a source or a drain of an MOS transistor or an emitter or a collector of a bipolar transistor or a cathode or anode of a diode, and a control electrode means an element of the device that controls current through the device such as a gate of an MOS transistor or a base of a bipolar transistor. Although the devices are explained herein as certain N-channel or P-Channel devices, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that complementary devices are also possible in accordance with the present invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the words during, while, and when as used herein are not exact terms that mean an action takes place instantly upon an initiating action but that there may be some small but reasonable delay, such as a propagation delay, between the reaction that is initiated by the initial action.

Method of forming a secondary-side controller and structure therefor

Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.


An heat treatment apparatus for a vehicle body component includes, a jig base, a lower fixed die fixedly installed on the jig base and supporting the vehicle body component that is press-molded into a predetermined shape, a heating unit installed on the lower fixed die and locally heating the vehicle body component, a plurality of side movable dies that can move reciprocally disposed at both sides of the lower fixed die, installed on the jig base, and selectively combinable with the lower fixed die, a cooling unit installed on each side movable die and cooling a heating portion of the vehicle body component, and an upper movable die that can move reciprocally in the up and down direction correspondingly to the lower fixed die, and configured to clamp the vehicle body component through the lower fixed die and at least one of the side movable dies combined together.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
In general, vehicle parts/components have been continuously increased in strength and reduced in weight in order to achieve high fuel economy. In addition, in some of the vehicle components, a local region is strengthened due to its structural characteristics.
Conventionally, a heat treatment apparatus has been disclosed, which promotes local reinforcement of a press panel while heating and cooling a local region of the press panel press-molded in a predetermined shape.
However, conventionally, as some regions of the press panel are clamped and heat treated, the size of the final product may be excessively deformed, and it is difficult to check the heating/cooling unit of the press panel and set the heat treatment condition.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Heat treatment apparatus for vehicle body component


A body structure for a customized van is enhanced by providing a roof support element which is light in weight, strong, and easily shaped to conform to curved roof lines. The body structure comprises a rafter having upper and lower extruded rails and a plurality of gussets connected between the rails to join the rails in a single member. The rails are T-shaped in cross section with the upright of the T providing a point for connection of the gussets.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to trailers, recreational vehicles, and custom van body structures and, in particular, to a roof support of light weight and possessing ease of fabrication which supports vehicle roofs of contoured shapes of variable radii.
2. Description of the Problem
Recreational vehicles and vacation trailers make frequent use of a raised roof, which allows the addition of ceiling mounted entertainment equipment and storage space, and the routing of air ducts. Fabrication of an aesthetically pleasing roof fit for these purposes, which also exhibits strength, is better served by providing designers the ability to incorporate curved sheet metal elements, rubber membranes, or fiber glass sections, rather than flat elements. Underside supports for such roofs should conform to the shape of the roof if possible. These supports should also limit or reduce the direct labor cost involved in construction of the vehicle.
Contemporary design has relied on square cross section extruded aluminum channels as structural elements. The channels are often joined using galvanized steel sheet metal gussets to fabricate roof support elements. Fabrication of roof support elements from these elements has required welding, adhesive joining or screws, adding greatly to direct labor required to construct the vehicles.

Recreational vehicle roof support rafter


A switch temporarily disconnects an alarm system from an external power source when a person activates an actuator in a false alarm situation. After a predetermined length of time, the switch is automatically changed to a position that allows power to resume flowing to the alarm system. The alarm system is formed of an alarm unit or a series of two or more alarm units electrically connected together.

Smoke alarms are desirable and even necessary to ensure the safety of every person in a household. At times, however, smoke alarms can be a nuisance. Often, cooking smoke or cigarette smoke will set off a smoke alarm. Also, water vapor from a shower can set off a smoke alarm.
To address such problems, smoke alarms have been retrofitted with a switch to temporarily deactivate the smoke alarms. These retrofitted smoke alarms require the use of a remote control, a switch, or a pull cord to turn off the smoke alarms. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,110, U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,651, U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,336, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,066.

Method and apparatus for temporary muting of smoke alarms


A knee replacement system provides a knee implant that may be used to more accurately replicate the diameter of a natural knee. In one embodiment, a patellofemoral component is connected to the posterior portion of a condylar component by screws that pass through the femur allowing the patellofemoral component and the condylar component to be torqued against opposing sides of the femur. Two additional screws are used to connect the patellofemoral component to an anterior portion of the condylar component. A gap may be left between the patellofemoral component and the anterior portion of the condylar component if needed to provide precise replication of the diameter of the natural knee from the patellofemoral component to the condylar component.

Total knee replacement (TKR) surgery and component systems for replacing compartments of a knee in total replacement surgery are well-known. Typically, the surgery involves resecting the distal end of a femur so a femoral component may be mounted to the femur. The femoral component replaces the lateral condyle, medial condyle, and patellofemoral portions of the femur because one or more of these areas of the knee are diseased and are no longer wearing well or providing an adequate range of motion for a patient.
In TKR surgery, the proximal end of the tibia is also resected so that a tibial component may be mounted to the tibia to receive the lateral and medial condyles of the femoral component. The tibial component may be comprised of a material having a low coefficient of friction to simulate the meniscus being replaced by the tibial component.
Thus, a TKR system includes components for use in three compartments: the medial tibial femoral compartment, the lateral tibial femoral compartment and the patella femoral compartment, for which the opposing areas of the femur, tibia and patella are prepared for mounting.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,816,855 discloses one such system. The '855 patent discloses a unitary femoral component in the form of a shell with two condylar portions. The outer surface of the shell is formed to conform to the natural shapings of the corresponding parts of the knee joint. The inner surface of the shell mirrors this shape, presenting a surface that is curved in the medial lateral direction as well as the anterior posterior direction. While providing a number of benefits, the device of the '855 patent suffers from several limitations.
The preparation of a subject for TKR surgery usually causes substantial trauma. A large incision is required for insertion of all of the components of a TKR system and the bone resection required for mounting of the components may require extensive recovery time. Thus, single piece replacement components such as the device of the '855 patent require a large incision.
In an effort to reduce this trauma, and accordingly, reduce the recovery time associated with such surgery, TKR systems have been developed that provide TKR components in parts that mate to form the larger TKR components.
U.S. patent application No. US 2003/0158606 discloses such a system of TKR components. As shown in that application, the femoral component may consist of two or three pieces. Each of these pieces is smaller than the femoral component that they form when they are assembled in the knee. As a result, the incision required for insertion of these pieces is smaller than an incision for a femoral component having all of these pieces in a single component. Likewise, the tibial component consists of two parts, each of which is smaller than the tibial component that they form when assembled in the knee.
U.S. patent application No. US2002/0138150 A1 discloses an alternative two-piece femoral component that allows a center part and a condyle part to be pushed onto a femur separately during implantation. The different parts are then joined according to conventional means. The device of the '150 application further describes guides that are intended to aid in tracking of the patella during extreme flexion.
However, both the '606 application and the '150 application use traditional methods of attaching the replacement components to the femur. Such methods are subject to problems as the replacement component is subjected to various stresses and impacts. One such problem is the eventual loosening of the components. When one component loosens, adjacent components may rub together, generating frictional debris and premature failure of the components..
Yet another limitation of implant systems is that as a commercial consideration, many replacement components are mass-produced. While beneficially lowering the cost of implants, these systems are generally provided in a limited number of discrete sizes that most likely will not be precisely the size needed for a patient. For example, a patient's femur may measure 75-mm in diameter. However, available implants for this patient may measure 70-mm and 80-mm. Thus, a surgeon must replace the natural femur with a component that is either too large or too small.
What is needed is a system and method for performing TKR surgery so that pieces of a compartment may be inserted through an incision independently.
What is needed is a system and method for implanting multi-piece components that provides increased stability of the components.
What is needed is a system and method that provides the ability to clamp multi-piece components to a bone.
What is needed is a system and method of implanting femoral components that more closely reflects the size of the natural femur.
What is needed is a system and a method of implanting femoral components that allow the size of the joined components to be customized.

Systems and methods for compartmental replacement in a knee


A sense amplifier circuit comprises (1) an isolation device comprising a control terminal and first and second terminals, the first terminal of the isolation device coupled to a signal line, (2) a gated diode comprising first and second terminals, the first terminal of the gated diode coupled to the second terminal of the isolation device, and the second terminal of the gated diode coupled to a set line; and (3) control circuitry coupled to the control terminal of the isolation device and adapted to control voltage on the control terminal of the isolation device in order to enable and disable the isolation device. A latch circuit further comprises a precharge device comprising a control terminal and first and second terminals, the first terminal of the precharge device coupled to a power supply voltage, and the second terminal of the precharge device coupled to the first terminal of the isolation device.

In the design of integrated circuits, the ability to detect small changes in voltage or current allows for realization of both high performance and low power consumption. This is possible because information indicating state of a signal can be detected and passed to subsequent stages of a circuit without having to wait for the signal to swing through its entire range, resulting in circuits with faster speed and lower power. Such technology is commonly used in memory arrays, which allow for high-speed access of individual memory elements. This technology can also be used to improve performance and power consumption when driving long wires and large capacitive loads, as well as for interfacing low voltage logic with regular logic operating under full supply voltage (e.g., Vdd). The enabling circuit for this technology typically is a sense amplifier circuit, which converts a small signal change (from the output of a low voltage circuit or from a signal source) into a relatively large signal that can be interfaced with the rest of the circuit.
In conventional single-ended, small signal sense amplifier circuits such as "class A" sense amplifier circuits, there are a number of items that are very difficult to control: biasing of the operating point; stability of the reference voltage; biasing current; sensitivity to threshold voltage; and process and temperature variations. This is especially true for circuits using future technology, due to increasing high leakage current and low supply voltage as transistors are scaled smaller, making such circuits very sensitive to voltage, temperature and process variations. For conventional differential-sense circuits, due to the increasing statistical variation between adjacent transistors in future technology, the advantage of differential mode small signal sensing is diminishing.
Another widely used circuit is a latch circuit. Latch circuits are used to hold data and logic states in large-scale integrated circuits. In a pipelined architecture, synchronous data flow is governed by a reference clock signal, which controls individual latches and latch-based registers, which are circuit blocks that either hold data or allow it to pass into the next pipeline stage. This technology significantly increases data throughput, which allows for high performance logic and memory circuits. By combining sense amplifier circuits and latch functionality into a single circuit block, high bandwidth signal amplification can be achieved.
Existing circuit techniques involve feeding the output of a sense amplifier circuit into a latch, which incurs the delay of two separate stages, thus making it difficult to attain high speed operation. Thus, there is a need to provide improved sense amplifier circuits, including circuits latching data, for uses such as signal sensing.

High speed latch circuits using gated diodes

International Business Machines Corporation


The present disclosure provides a device for cleaning a protective film to be attached to an outer surface of a laminate during a lamination process of heating and pressing the laminate of electrodes and a separator to produce an electrode assembly of a battery cell, including a feed roll configured to supply the protective film, at least one guide roll configured to guide a progress of the protective film supplied from the feed roll, a cleaning roll located between the feed roll and a winding roll and configured to remove foreign substances remaining on the protective film supplied from the feed roll, and the winding roll configured to wind the protective film from which foreign substances have been removed by the cleaning roll, wherein a nano thin film is formed on an outer surface of the cleaning roll to adsorb and remove the foreign substances remaining on the protective film.

Rechargeable secondary batteries are attracting attention as a power source for devices which require high output and large capacity such as electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid EVs (HEVs), plug-in HEVs, and the like, which have been proposed as a solution to the problem of air pollution generated by conventional gasoline vehicles and diesel vehicles using fossil fuel.
As described above, as the devices in which a secondary battery is applied are being diversified, lithium secondary batteries have been diversified to provide the output and capacity suitable for the devices, and there is additionally a strong demand for the miniaturization of lithium secondary batteries.
A lithium secondary battery includes a battery case, and an electrode assembly and an electrolytic solution incorporated in the battery case. Lithium secondary batteries are classified into cylindrical batteries, prismatic batteries, and pouch-type batteries according to an outer shape of the battery case.
The electrode assembly includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a plurality of positive electrodes and negative electrodes are alternately stacked.
In particular, the electrode assembly in which a plurality of positive electrodes, negative electrodes, and separators are stacked is subjected to a lamination process of bonding the positive electrodes, the negative electrodes, and the separators by heating and pressing.
While heating and pressing the electrode assembly, in order to prevent the outer surface of the electrode assembly from being damaged by a pressing plate, heating and pressing are performed in a state in which a protective film is attached to a portion where the electrode assembly faces the pressing plate.
In particular, since the protective film is only intended to protect the outer surface of the electrode assembly during the heating and pressing processes, a production cost can be reduced by reusing the film after the lamination process.
However, a protective film which has already been used for the lamination process may inevitably be contaminated with microscopic foreign substances during the heating and pressing processes.
When the protective film contaminated by the foreign substances is attached to the outer surface of the electrode assembly again and the lamination process is performed, the electrode assembly may become contaminated with foreign substances.
If the electrode assembly is contaminated by foreign substances, a fatal problem which leads to reduced battery capacity may occur.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view briefly showing a winding device for a protective film used in a conventional lamination process.
Referring to FIG. 1, a protective film winding device 10 includes a feed roll 11, a guide roll 15 and a winding roll 17.
More specifically, as the feed roll 11 rotates, a protective film 12 is moved in one direction, and the protective film 12 is wound around the winding roll 17 by the rotation of the winding roll 17 corresponding to the rotation of the feed roll 11.
In particular, there is a problem in that, since the protective film 12 wound around the winding roll 17 becomes contaminated by foreign substances 19 during the lamination process, the protective film 12 is wound around the winding roll 17 in a foreign substance contaminated state.
Therefore, there is a high need for a technique for preventing the electrode assembly from being contaminated in which the protective film used in the lamination process is rewound in a clean state in which all foreign substances have been removed, even if the protective film is reused after being used once.

Device comprising cleaning roll and for cleaning protective film for preparing battery cell


Various embodiments of corner-coupled backlights are described, where one or more white light LEDs are optically coupled to a truncated corner edge of a solid rectangular light guide backlight. The one or more LEDs are mounted in a small reflective cavity, whose output opening is coupled to the truncated corner of the light guide. The reflective cavity provides a more uniform light distribution at a wide variety of angles to the face of the truncated corner to better distribute light throughout the entire light guide volume. To enable a thinner light guide, the LED die is positioned in the reflective cavity so that the major light emitting surface of the LED is parallel to the top surface of the light guide. The reflective cavity reflects the upward LED light toward the edge of the light guide.

There are many type of backlights used for liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Generally, for full color backlights, the light used to illuminate the backlight has red, green, and blue components. Fluorescent lamps are most commonly used as the light source. With the development of high power LEDs, such LEDs have been replacing the fluorescent lamps in some applications. A combination of red, green, and blue LEDs may be used, or "white light" LEDs may be used. A white light LED uses a blue or UV LED coated with a wavelength-converting phosphor so that the resulting light appears white.
A typical backlight for a small or medium size LCD uses a solid, transparent light guide formed of a polymer. The light source, either a fluorescent bulb or LEDs, is optically coupled to one side edge of the rectangular light guide. The light guide may be in the shape of a wedge or have facets or other types of reflectors that uniformly leak light out of the face of the light guide onto the liquid crystal layers. The red, green, and blue pixel locations of the liquid crystal layer are controlled by electrical signals to effectively act as light shutters for the RGB pixels to create a color image on the LCD screen.
In backlights where only one or a small number of LEDs are used, it is known to form the light guide to have a flattened corner edge, such as a 45 degree angle corner, and mount the LED package in contact with the face of the truncated corner. This is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,058. A suitable LED package for mounting at the corner may be that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,953,952, which shows an LED package with a window having an area less than 3 mm2. Both patents are incorporated herein by reference. By coupling the LED to the flattened corner, rather than to a relatively long side of the light guide, the light more fully spreads throughout the light guide volume to provide a more uniform illumination of the liquid crystal layers. However, with such corner-coupled LEDs, there is still significant optical coupling inefficiency and nonuniformity, and such backlights have only been suitable for small backlights due to the small coupling area. The nonuniformity is partially a result of a point source of light being applied to a surface of the light guide, rather than a wide homogeneous light source, such as a fluorescent bulb, applied to the surface of the light guide. Further, there are variations in the light emitted by the LED, such as due to color variations across the LED due to uneven deposition of phosphor, or variations in the emission profile of the LED die itself, or varying properties in the LED package. Additionally, if high power LEDs are used, it is difficult to remove heat from the LED without incurring additional area requirements.

Backlight using LED parallel to light guide surface


An image acquisition unit 52 acquires images consecutively captured while an image capture range is moved in a predetermined direction. A face detection unit 53 detects same subject images from the images acquired. A facial expression determination unit 55 calculates evaluation values of each of the same subject images detected. A facial expression decision unit 56 decides, as a combination target, a specific subject image from the same subject images, based on the evaluation values calculated. A combination unit 58 generates a wide-range image by combining the subject image decided as the combination target with the images sequentially acquired by the image acquisition unit 52.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device capable of generating a wide-range image.
2. Related Art
In digital cameras, portable telephones having an image capture function, and the like, the limit of the image capture angle of view depends on the hardware specifications provided by the device main body, such as the focal distance of the lens and size of the imaging elements.
Therefore, conventionally, panoramic photography has been known as one technique for obtaining a wide-angle image exceeding the hardware specifications, e.g., a so-called panoramic image.
In order to realize the aforementioned panoramic photography, a user moves so as to cause the digital camera to rotate horizontally about their body while keeping substantially fixed in the vertical direction, while maintaining a state making a pressing operation on the shutter switch, for example.
Thereupon, the digital camera generates the image data of a panoramic image by executing image capture processing a plurality of times in this period, and transversely (horizontally) combining the image data of the plurality of images each obtained as a result of image capture processing this plurality of times (hereinafter referred to as "captured image").
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. H11-282100 discloses a method of generating the image data of a panoramic image by detecting a characteristic point in a captured image in each of a plurality of times of image capture processing, and transversely combining the image data of the plurality of captured images so that the characteristic points of two consecutively captured images match.

Image processing device, image processing method and recording medium capable of generating a wide-range image


A sensitivity switchable detection circuit includes a high gain circuit for outputting a first signal, a low gain circuit for outputting a second signal, and an output switching circuit for switching between the first signal and the second signal. When the first signal is smaller than a lower limit, the first signal determines a detected signal. When the second signal is larger than an upper limit, the second signal determines the detected signal. When the first signal is larger than the lower limit and the second signal is lower than the upper limit, a weighting function that uses the first signal and the second signal as input variables determines the detected signal.

Motor control apparatuses, for example, electric power steering (EPS) apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,303 (JP-A-2002-12157) or JP-A-2003-2222 uses feedback control to make a motor current converge to a desired current value (i.e., torque command). In a small current range such that the desired value is small, the feedback control is generally required to produce the motor current precisely in accordance with a small change in the desired value. In contrast, in a large current range such that the desired value is large, the feedback control may not be required to produce the motor current precisely in accordance with the small change in the desired value, because the absolute amount of a motor torque produced in the range is large.
Based on this requirement, a current detection circuit having switchable sensitivity has been proposed. The sensitivity switchable detection circuit detects a current with high accuracy in the small current range and with relatively low accuracy in the large current range, thus having a wide dynamic range. The sensitivity switchable detection circuit allows a current detection apparatus having high accuracy to be provided at low cost. Further, the sensitivity switchable detection circuit allows a communication bit rate between the sensitivity switchable detection apparatus and a signal processing device (e.g., microcomputer) to be reduced, thereby simplifying the signal processing operation performed by the signal processing device.
The sensitivity switchable detection circuit can be modified to detect various input quantities including the motor current and has advantage in terms of cost performance.
The sensitivity switchable detection circuit has a high gain region where a high amplification of an input quantity (e.g., electric current) is performed and a low gain region where a low amplification of the input quantity is performed. When the input quantity is small, the detection circuit uses the high gain region. In contrast, when the input quantity is large, the detection circuit uses the low gain region.
However, when the two gain regions are switched, a considerable change in a detected signal occurs between before and after the region switching operation, due to gain errors of amplifiers, circuit errors, or the like. Specifically, the detected signal shows step changes, i.e., sudden changes, even when the input quantity varies only a little between before and after the region switching operation.
If an output signal of a motor control apparatus suddenly changes, a motor torque suddenly changes. In the EPS control, the sudden change of the motor torque causes uncomfortable feelings in steering, for example.
Taking measures such as reducing differences in manufacturing tolerances and temperature variations between the high gain region and the low gain region of the detection circuit may prevent the above problem. However, such measures cause a reduction in yield and an increase in parts cost of the detection circuit, and therefore are not practical in most applications.

Sensitivity switchable detection circuit and method


A method for estimating the temperature of exhaust gases of a combustion engine at an output of an EGR circuit fitted on the engine, based on a model that takes into account thermal energy losses of the exhaust gases at an EGR cooler or EGR circuit, the model also taking into account thermal exchange between the exhaust gases and the walls of a duct conveying the exhaust gases to the EGR cooler. A vehicle can implement such an estimation.

The invention relates to an estimation of the exhaust gas temperature in an internal combustion engine at the outlet of an EGR circuit with which the engine is equipped.
In strategies developed in engine software as regards air management, it is necessary to know the exhaust gas temperature at the outlet of the EGR circuit.
The measurement of the exhaust gas temperature at the outlet of the EGR circuit may be found using a thermocouple measurement.
This solution is precise but expensive (especially due to the cost of the thermocouple and the cost of the acquisition chain). It also requires the provision in the engine compartment of the volume needed to integrate it.
This is why it is becoming increasingly preferable to replace the thermocouple with an estimate of the exhaust gas temperature at the outlet of the EGR circuit.
For this purpose, numerical models based on physics equations are used (e.g. conservation of mass equation and conservation of energy equation).
The major drawback is the lack of precision and reliability of the model.
Specifically, to achieve a high level of precision, it is necessary to solve complex equations involving complex calculation means.
Moreover, these calculation means must be simple enough to be integrated into the computer of the motor vehicle.
An "estimation precision/calculation simplicity" compromise must therefore be found.
Such an approach is conventionally used in calculation means by making assumptions about the physical phenomena governing the exhaust gas heat exchange in EGR circuits and by noting that the exhaust gas temperature drop in an EGR circuit is dependent on the thermal performance of the EGR cooler.
However, trials on vehicles, based on the actual thermal performance of the EGR cooler, have shown that there could be deviations of up to 200 to 300° C. between the estimated and measured gas temperature at the outlet of the EGR circuit.
By numerically adjusting the thermal performance of the cooler so as to attempt to correlate the measurements with the model, the average deviations will thus be reduced to around fifty degrees Celsius.
However, this inaccuracy remains considerable, and therefore unsatisfactory.

Estimation of exhaust gas temperature at the output of the EGR circuit of a combustion engine


A light-emitting element array includes light-emitting elements that emit light in a direction perpendicular to a substrate. Each light-emitting element includes the substrate, a first nitride semiconductor layer on the substrate and having a mesa portion, an active layer made of a nitride semiconductor disposed on the surface of the mesa portion of the first semiconductor layer opposite the substrate, a second nitride semiconductor layer on the active layer, and a heat radiation layer disposed so that the surface formed by projecting the heat radiation layer on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the light-emitting element does not overlap with the surface formed by projecting the mesa portion on the same plane when viewed in the optical axis direction. When the light-emitting element is projected on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis, the surface has an area in a specific range.

1. Field of the Invention
One disclosed aspect of the embodiments relates to a light-emitting element array including a plurality of surface light-emitting elements in an array.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (hereinafter referred to as VCSEL) is a laser that emits light in a direction perpendicular to the in-plane direction of the semiconductor substrate. The reflector used in a VCSEL is typically a distributed Bragg reflector (hereinafter referred to as DBR). The DBR generally has a multilayer structure including low-refractive-index layers and high-refractive-index layers alternately formed to an optical thickness of λ/4 each. λ used herein represents the wavelength of light emitted from a light-emitting element. The optical thickness of a layer is represented by the product of the thickness of the layer and the refractive index of the material of the layer.
For a VCSEL using nitride semiconductor materials, it is difficult to increase the difference in refractive index between the materials, and accordingly, reflection characteristics of the semiconductor DBR are limited. Also, the materials of the layers of the DBR have a large difference in lattice constant therebetween, and crystal growth of a semiconductor DBR is difficult. In generally used VCSELs, accordingly, the lower DBR (closer to the substrate) is a semiconductor DBR, whereas the upper DBR is a dielectric DBR.
In general, the output power of semiconductor lasers is limited due to a temperature increase caused by heat generated from working elements. One of the common measures to suppress such a temperature increase is to increase the heat radiation performance of the laser.
In a VCSEL using nitride semiconductors, unfortunately, a dielectric DBR having a low thermal conductivity lies at the upper side of the element. This makes it difficult to enhance heat radiation performance. In addition, if the semiconductor DBR at the lower side is made of binary alloy semiconductor materials, such as AlN and GaN, the thermal conductivity of the semiconductor DBR can be increased, whereas the materials have a large difference in lattice constant therebetween. Such a semiconductor DBR is difficult to make. On the other hand, if the semiconductor DBR is made of ternary alloy semiconductor materials, such as AlGaN and AlInN, the production process thereof can be easier than the process using binary alloy semiconductor materials. However, the thermal conductivity of such a semiconductor DBR is low, and heat dissipation therefore decreases.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-150300 discloses the technique of enhancing heat radiation performance by dissipating heat through a cathode disposed on an n-type nitride semiconductor layer.
High power nitride semiconductor lasers have recently been used as, for example, excitation light sources of titanium-sapphire (Ti:Sa) lasers, which are a type of solid-state laser. In this use, the excitation light source of the solid-state laser requires a high-power light source. Accordingly, the use of a VCSEL array including nitride semiconductor VCSELs in an array is effective. The optical output power of a VCSEL array is determined by multiplication of the optical output power of one VCSEL element of the VCSEL array and the number of VCSEL elements. By closely integrating VCSEL elements into a VCSEL array, high output power can be achieved.
However, if VCSEL elements are closely integrated into an array, the output power of each VCSEL element is reduced due to thermal cross-talk between the VCSEL elements, and the output power per unit area of the VCSEL array is reduced accordingly.
In the case of using a single element as in the case of the above-cited patent document, heat radiation performance can be enhanced by increasing the area of the electrode. In the case of the VCSEL array including a plurality of VCSEL elements, however, the increase of the area of the electrode leads to reduced integration in the VCSEL array and results in reduced optical power per unit area of the VCSEL array.
In order to increase the optical power per unit area of a VCSEL array produced by integrating VCSEL elements, both the heat radiation performance of each VCSEL element and the integration degree of the array must be improved.


The invention is directed to bioengineered tubular graft prostheses prepared from cleaned tissue material derived from animal sources. The bioengineered graft prostheses of the invention are prepared using methods that preserve cell compatibility, strength, and bioremodelability of the processed tissue matrix. The bioengineered graft prostheses are used for implantation, repair, or for use in a mammalian host.

The field of tissue engineering combines the methods of engineering with the principles of life science to understand the structural and functional relationships in normal and pathological mammalian tissues. The goal of tissue engineering is the development and ultimate application of biological substitutes to restore, maintain, and improve tissue functions.
Collagen is the principal structural protein in the body and constitutes approximately one-third of the total body protein. It comprises most of the organic matter of the skin, tendons, bones, and teeth and occurs as fibrous inclusions in most other body structures. Some of the properties of collagen are its high tensile strength; its ion exchanging ability; its low antigenicity, due in part to masking of potential antigenic determinants by the helical structure; and its low extensibility, semipermeability, and solubility. Furthermore, collagen is a natural substance for cell adhesion. These properties and others make collagen a suitable material for tissue engineering and manufacture of implantable biological substitutes and bioremodelable prostheses.
Methods for obtaining collagenous tissue and tissue structures from explanted mammalian tissues and processes for constructing prosthesis from the tissue, have been widely investigated for surgical repair or for tissue or organ replacement. It is still a continuing goal of researchers to develop prostheses that can successfully be used to replace or repair mammalian tissue.


A resilient cushioning grip for use on various handles which is readily applied, removable, or transferable to another handle without disassembly of connected parts integral with the handles. The grip provides a firm, safe surface for the user's hands eliminating the need for gloves or resin powder. The grip preferably comprises an extruded resilient pad, rectangular in shape having a hook and loop fastener system. The grip is wrapped around and securely attached to the handle, such as the bar of weight lifting equipment and handles of bicycles, health care equipment, lawn and garden tools, hand tools and other items.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a removable and transferable resilient grip for use on handles and bars of various types, such as bars used by weight lifters to hold weights which bars are of various sizes so that progressive resistance exercising can be performed. The grip wraps around the bar or handle and is held in place by an adhesively attached hook and loop fastener such as the type sold under the trademark VELCRO.RTM. fasteners. The use of grips according to the invention obviates the need for gloves to maintain a safe and firm grasp. Gloves may typically become slick during use and wet from the user's perspiration, making maintenance of a firm grasp on the bar or handle difficult.
Grips according to the present invention may also be used on various other sports-related and household products and tools to provide a firm grip on the handle and to reduce the formation of callouses and blisters. When the grips are brightly colored, they enhance visibility and increase safety when used on bicycles and all-terrain vehicles. Bright coloration also lessens the chance of losing items such as small tools such as trowels, picks, hoes and other garden tools when they are lying in the grass.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Weight-lifting bars are frequently knurled in the area where the user grips the bar in order to reduce slippage between the hands and the bar. When exercising in warm weather or in heated gymnasiums, the user's hands may rapidly become damp due to perspiration and knurling becomes ineffective to reduce slippage. Gloves have been and are being used to increase gripping power, but they tend to become slick with use and further encourage perspiration and prevent evaporation of moisture from the skin.
Other devices designed to make the gripping of a bar safer and more secure are known in the art. Specifically, Troutman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,731, teaches a grip system that moves axially on the bar to facilitate gripping while performing lifts that require movement of the hands relative to each other during the exercise, but does not address maintaining a firm grip during use.
Oren, U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,405, teaches a grip assembly which enables free movement of the wrists and hands in order to meet requirements of a specific exercise, but does not address maintaining a firm grip as the user perspires during repeated lifts. With respect to prior art grips for bicycle handles and handles on all-terrain vehicles, these grips are usually provided on the vehicle when purchased and slip over the ends of the handles. The material of these grips is generally a semi-hard rubber or plastic or in the case of sport bikes, may consist of long narrow strips of plastic which are wound in overlapping fashion along the entire length of the handlebar to provide a gripping surface. Household and garden tools having bar-shaped handles are usually made of hardwoods or for kitchen use may be of hard plastic.

Transferable replaceable resilient cushioning grip for use on handles


In a rotor of a magneto generator in which permanent magnets are attached to the inner circumference of a peripheral wall of a cup-shaped formed flywheel, and a plurality of trigger poles are arranged on the outer circumference of the flywheel; the plurality of trigger poles are simultaneously punched out by press working to form a protrusion ring which is formed of a separate member from the flywheel, and the protrusion ring is integrally incorporated to the flywheel to configure the rotor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotor of a magneto generator for generating electricity under the action of electromagnetic induction produced between magnets and an armature winding by rotation of a flywheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an internal combustion engine, engine crank angle information and engine rotational speed information are required when controlling an ignition timing, a fuel injection time, and the like. Therefore, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-274601, when a flywheel magnet rotor is used as a rotor of a magneto generator, there is known a configuration in which an inductor magnetic pole portion made of protrusions is provided on the outer circumference of a peripheral wall of the flywheel so that the inductor magnetic pole portion is used to generate pulses including crank angle information and rotational speed information by a pulser (signal generator). In addition, the same publication discloses that the inductor magnetic pole portion is formed by punching out a part of the peripheral wall of the flywheel from the inner side to the outer side; and in order to correct an imbalance in mass due to protrusions of the inductor magnetic pole portion on the outside, a concave portion is formed on the inside of the inductor magnetic pole portion and a correction weight for the imbalance in mass is provided.
FIGS. 3A to 3C and FIGS. 4A to 4C are views showing other known examples, in each of which a protrusion portion (inductor magnetic pole portion) is formed on a peripheral wall of such a flywheel, for showing a known magneto generator to be objected in the present invention. First, FIG. 3A shows a front view; FIG. 3B shows a partial cross-sectional side view; and FIG. 3C shows a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3B. Referring to FIGS. 3A to 3C, reference numeral 1 denotes a bowl-shaped (cup-shaped) formed flywheel; 2 denotes a plurality of magnets circumferentially arranged on the inner circumference of a peripheral wall of the flywheel 1; 3 denotes a magnet cover serving as a cylindrical guard ring closely fitted to the inner circumferential side of the circularly arranged magnets 2; and 4 denotes resin or molding material filled in gaps between the magnets 2, for integrally securing the magnets 2 and the magnet cover 3 to the flywheel 1.
A plurality of protrusions (also referred to as trigger pole hereinafter) 5 arranged at equally spaced intervals are formed on an outer circumferential surface of the flywheel 1; and, there is formed a toothless portion NT that is a place where a trigger pole 5 is partly lacked. The place where the trigger pole is lacked, that is, the toothless portion NT is a reference position; and, since the flywheel 1 is directly connected to a crankshaft of an engine, the rotation state of the flywheel 1 is the same as that of the engine. Therefore, the rotation state of the flywheel 1, that is, the rotation state of the engine can be confirmed by detecting the toothless portion NT with a signal sensor S.
In addition, presence of the toothless portion NT means that the flywheel is not kept in balance; and, in order to correct the imbalance, a balance correction hole is provided at a symmetrical position of the toothless portion NT on the outer circumferential surface of the flywheel 1.
Furthermore, there exists a boss 6 which is attached to a rotation shaft at the center in a sidewall of the flywheel 1; a key groove 7 is formed on the boss 6; and the key groove 7 and the toothless portion NT serving as the reference position of the trigger poles 5 are arranged to form a predetermined angle.
A stator 8 having an armature winding which is for generating electricity under the action of electromagnetic induction produced with the magnets 2 by the rotation of the flywheel 1 is formed on the inner circumferential side of the flywheel 1. The stator 8 includes a magneto coil (armature winding) 8c wound to a laminated core made of a plurality of thin steel sheets. Insulating material (for example, resin mold and epoxy system powder coating) which is for ensuring insulation with respect to the magneto coil 8c is applied to the laminated core; and an armoring process (varnish, epoxy resin, and the like) which is for ensuring rigidity and insulation quality is applied to the magneto coil 8c.
In addition, FIG. 4A to 4C are views showing a known example in which a plurality of trigger poles 5 are punched out in an axial direction of the magneto generator.
In such known flywheel magneto generators, the trigger poles 5 are protrusions, each of the trigger poles being formed by punching out from an inner circumferential surface to an outer circumferential surface of the flywheel 1; and therefore, a good deal of process and time are required for manufacturing the trigger poles. In addition, there exists a place (toothless portion NT) where one protrusion is lacked with respect to the protrusions 5 arranged at equally spaced intervals, and the balance correction hole is formed at the symmetrical place with respect to the toothless portion NT; however, as for a forming process of the balance correction hole, a process different from a protrusion punching-out process is required.
Furthermore, in the method which punches out the protrusions 5 from the inner circumferential surface to the outer circumferential surface of such flywheel 1, roundness of the inner circumferential surface of the flywheel 1 is degraded and it is difficult to ensure inner diameter accuracy of the flywheel 1.
Besides, formation of the trigger poles 5 of the flywheel 1 can be performed by a cutting-out method different from the punching-out method; however, in the cutting-out method, cutting-out is necessary for each protrusion; and accordingly, longer time in manufacturing time is required.
Further, in the structure in which the trigger poles 5 are punched out in the axial direction, there arise drawbacks in that it is large in the number of components; an air gap g between the signal sensor S and the trigger pole 5 is unstable by summation tolerances of the respective components; and a variation in signal is concerned.


The method is based on consensus analysis of classifications at the object level carried out by learning Systems. To determine persons or groups of persons ability to analyze details, e.g. in visual objects, digitized images of the objects are feed into a computer, where each image is assigned a number of characteristics, N out of Q possible. Some of the characteristics in the images are being selected, after which a person is set to identify the images by determination of the characteristics. The same image in a series of images is presented for the person several times, and if the person is capable to distinguish the images from each other, and furthermore reach the same results with the same images, then the person possess good abilities for type determination of reference signals, e.g. in form of images. The invention is suitable to identify persons, who are gifted for analysis of e.g. biological samples, such as images of semen samples, cancer cells, etc.

The invention relates to a method for determination by consensus analysis the capability for learning systems to classify digitised signals, for instance digitised images of objects. In addition, the invention includes the utilisation of this method in networking as illustrated in FIG. 1 for improvement of standardisation, education and certification in classifying digitised signals.
The method is applicable to determine all type of human, recognition capabilities. Moreover, as described in claim 1, the method is useful for any type of biological or technological, learning systems. The classifying systems may be separated units, organised as group of units, or constituting a centre of several groups of units. For exemplification, the invention is explained in relation to determination of the human capability for visual recognition of objects in digitised images.
Thus, within the healthcare sectors, large numbers of visual inspections are carried out, in particular for diagnostically and scientifically purpose. Many of these visual analyses are carried out on biological samples, which are analysed automatically by image analysis for instance digitised images recorded by videomicroscopy or scanning techniques. In many cases, the image analysis can be carried out by rule-based, digital image analysis. However, visual inspections are often necessary to be carried out on a complex, knowledge-basis by technicians, medical doctors, or other trained personnel. Obviously, it is mandatory, that a visual inspection will be carried out carefully and with sufficient experience to determine details in an image. Often, these types of images are very complex, such as images of sperm cells, cancer cells, or similar objects.
So far, more experienced personnel have educated less trained persons, who then had to carry out the visual inspection analysis on their own. Moreover, by use of known methods to determine the reproducibility in visual perception, objects in samples are classified by e.g. microscopy and morphological classification by e.g. manual count of different types of human spermatozoa. Thereby, any mistaking between different types of objects can statistically not be resolved.
As mentioned, it is extremely important, that e.g. interpretation of medical images is carried out with the greatest care. It is however well known that visual interpretations of complex objects often vary considerable between persons as reflected in high intra-person and inter-person variations.
Until now, no method has yet been developed to analyse the capabilities of persons to interpret digitised images of objects, i.e. at the object level. In particular, no method has yet been practised to determine to which extent some persons or groups of persons are special gifted for recognising special types of objects.
More specifically, the invention relates to a statistical, consensus method, to identify e.g. persons or groups of persons, who are particular, qualified to classify different types of specified objects in digitised images as defined by the classification criteria. This method is embodied by implementation of a database and a statistical software system in a computer environment. Thereby, the method is enabled both by displaying objects in digitised images, by a user-interface unambiguous to connect selected object with determined classification type, and by the simultaneous displaying of the objects and the determined types of classifications. By classifying objects in the reference images several times, thereby constructing several classification sets, these sets can then be used for calculating a consensus set.
For standardisation, education and quality assurance in classifying objects in digitised images it is therefore necessary to identify and employ persons or groups of persons, who posses a reproducible high visual perception classify objects.
A reproducible, visual perception then implies that every time, e.g. a person or groups of persons are classifying the same objects in the same reference image, the objects are classified as the same types.
The invention provides by statistical, consensus analysis so-called type-specific performance profiles, in which the percentages of recognition capability are histogram functions of the percentage of repeated classifications for each defined type of object, as described in claim 1. Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, the areas in percentage under each histogram represent the type-specific object recognition, and the weighted average of all the type-specific performance profiles (WAR) represent the person""s performance to recognise the specified types of objects.
As shown in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 3, the method of the invention, as described in claim 1 is based upon procurement and use of three main resources, which are:
Procurement of the external signals, including selection of type of objects, selection and digitalisation of reference images and marking of the objects in the reference images (2A, 3A).
Procurement of the computer hardware environment and the operative system to execute the developed software for providing the information about the intellectual recognition otherwise not determinable (2B, 3B).
Procurement and use of human, intellectual resources. These resources are necessary for defining classification criteria for each type of object, for selecting the learning and classifying systems, and for educating and training learning systems in use of the classification criteria (2C, 3C).
To improve the determination of the visual recognition capability, the type recognising capability is further complemented by calculating the area recognising capability, as described in claim 1. This capability to recognise object is determined by calculating for each object, the ratio of the area between the intersection and the union of the outlined objects, which is one for a perfect, outlined localisation capability (FIG. 3 (334).
Provided, the same classification criteria are being practised, comparison of any combinations of classification sets can be carried out between different pairs of sets that may be between single sets, between consensus sets, or between single sets against consensus sets. This comparison can then be shown as two-dimensional histograms or so-called scatter plots as shown in FIG. 7. Thereby, any combinations of agreements in the diagonal of the scatter plot and disagreements outside the diagonal can be visualised and located, both quantitatively and qualitatively, as described in claim 2. In case, comparison of consensus sets are being carried out, set operations on the consensus sets like AND, OR, XOR, (A NOT B) and (B NOT A) can be carried out.
Further, using the same classification criteria, the classification performance of each person can now be ranked within the group in an individual ranking analysis by use of the individual consensus sets. This individual ranking analysis is carried out by multiplying the Sum of Performance Profiles (claim 1) with the total Classification Agreement (claim 2) for each individual and the group of individuals, as described in claim 3. Thus, the classification agreements between each person and the group are calculated.
By constructing group consensus classification sets from consensus sets of individual persons, it is possible to carry out a ranking analysis of several groups. This group ranking analysis is carried out by multiplying consensus of the classification sets for each group with the consensus set of all the groups, as described in claim 4.
An expert classification set may then be selected by the ranking procedure, as described in claim 5.
As described in claim 6, expert classification set may then function as filtration sets to retain all similar classified objects in the source set. Thereby, all matches of classifications between the expert sets and the filtrating set will be shown with a high reproducibility.
Single pass classifications of substructures or attributes of objects can be used to define new types of objects, by calculating the most common combination of classified substructures, as described in claim 7.
Visual comparison between pairs of classification sets can be displayed directly as symbols as an non-destructive overlay upon the objects. Thereby, both the objects and the pairs of classification sets are displayed simultaneously, as described in claim 8.
Education and training in visual classification can then be carried interactively and recursively by use of either selected or constructed expert classification sets, as described in claim 9.
Finally, any time-dependent changes by physical or chemical influences on the signals, represented by classified objects can be followed by use of expert, consensus classification sets, as described in claim 10.

Methods for objectification of subjective classifications


A device for cleaving an optical fibre includes a fixing mechanism to fix a fixing element to the optical fibre, and a cleaving mechanism to cleave the optical fibre. The fixing element may be a ferrule, and the fixing element may be fixed to the fibre such that the fibre extends through the fixing element. The cleaving mechanism cleaves the fibre preferably when the fixing element has been fixed to the fibre. The cleaving device may be a hand-held, and hand-operated, tool. The device may enable the possibility of automatic preset positioning and/or orienting of the cleaved fibre end face (which may be angled to the axis of the fibre) with respect to the fixing element. Attachments may be provided for holding the fibre and fixing element during the cleaving operation and for holding a connector body while the fixing element with the cleaved fibre is inserted into the connector.

When splicing optical fibres mechanically, for example by means of a permanent optical fibre connector, it is generally necessary to prepare the end faces of the fibres to ensure that a satisfactory splice, having low optical losses, is formed.
Co-pending United Kingdom Patent Application No. 0216435.8 (B429) filed by the present applicant discloses an optical fibre connector in which a splice between two optical fibres is formed by means of two ferrules inserted into a connector body, each of which is pre-fixed to a respective optical fibre in a preset orientation with respect to an angled end face of the optical fibre. (By "angled end face" is meant an end face of the optical fibre that is not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fibre.) The ferrules can be inserted into the connector body only in a preset orientation about their axes, and therefore the relative orientations of the two fibre end faces are predetermined to ensure an intimate and low-loss contact between the end faces.
International Patent Application WO 98/54608 discloses a tool for the angled cleaving of optical fibres. The tool cleaves an optical fibre by clamping the fibre under tension by means of two clamping blocks, displacing the fibre between the clamping blocks by means of an anvil so that the displaced part of the fibre experiences a localised shear force, and scoring the fibre. Because the scored part of the fibre is under both tension and shear, the fibre cleaves at an angle away from the perpendicular to the fibre axis. The cleaving tool may be used to cleave an optical fibre that has a ferrule attached to it prior to the insertion of the fibre into the tool. In addition, for polarisation-maintaining (PM) optical fibres, a ferrule that has been pre-attached to such a fibre may be placed in the cleaving tool in a fixed orientation so that the angle of cleave is in the correct orientation with respect to the polarisation axis of the PM optical fibre.