Systems and methods for compatibility in European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) Cooperative Intelligent Transport System (C-ITS) station communications are disclosed. Embodiments of a method performed by a C-ITS station are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method comprises receiving a message, determining whether the message was received via an external interface of the C-ITS station or a short range interface of the C-ITS station, and upon determining that the message was received via the external interface of the C-ITS station, treating the message differently as compared to if the message was received via the short range interface of the C-ITS station.

There is a lot of effort ongoing to increase traffic safety, one initiative being to equip vehicles and roadside equipment (e.g., road side units) with short range radio and exchange information that could mitigate accidents, optimize traffic flows, etc. This is also known as Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS). These types of solutions are being specified and tested in many places. At the moment, there are two short range Vehicle to Everything (V2X) communication technologies specified and discussed to support the ITS safety services in the spectrum allocated for ITS, e.g., 5875 Megahertz (MHz) to 5905 MHz. The two short range technologies are the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Cellular-ITS Sidelink (also known as PC5) based on Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology and IEEE 802.11p, also known as Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC).
The 3GPP based technology that includes both cellular long range (i.e., the Uu interface) and short range (i.e., sidelink or PC5) is also known as Cellular-V2X (C-V2X) or LTE Vehicle (LTE-V).
These C-ITS messages are specified according to European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) European Standard (EN) 302 665 and referenced standards. In Europe, C-ITS is referred to as ITS-G5. In the United States (US) and other parts of the world, C-ITS is referred to as DSRC or Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments (WAVE).
At the same time, there are ongoing discussions about how to exchange this information between backend systems, e.g., between a vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) backed system and a road traffic authority in a interoperable way, i.e., using cellular (long range) to/from client/vehicles to application/OEM backends and use internet connectivity between different backends.
There currently exist certain challenges. The ETSI message format is tied to the use of short range technology. That is, there are protocol layers in the ITS station reference architecture that are specific to the use of, e.g., ITS-G5. The protocol layers are illustrated in FIG. 1. Management of the ETSI message employs software including ITS Applications, ITS Facilities (CAM/DENM/IVI etc.), ITS Networking and Transport, and Access.
As can be seen in FIG. 1, the security interaction (Security Entity-Networking and transport layer SAP (SN-SAP)), e.g., the signing of the message, is performed at the ITS networking and transport layer (Basic Transport Protocol (BTP)/GeoNetwork). This means that the networking and transport layer (BTP/GeoNetwork) needs to be included in the message to be standard compliant. The security software includes Security Services and Security Management layers.
The networking and transport layer (BTP/GeoNetwork) is not needed when the message is sent via cellular (long range) mobile networks, since this layer gives information about how to treat and distribute the message in the local area in which it is received, i.e., in the range of the short range radio (e.g., a couple of 100 meters (m)). When using cellular mobile networks, the range is theoretically unlimited, and the information about how to treat and distribute the message locally may not apply. Therefore, other means are required to determine how to distribute the message/information in cellular mobile networks.
There are intense discussions in the industry and among road authorities about how to transport these messages using ordinary cellular mobile networks on the radio interface (i.e., the 3GPP specified Uu interface). One issue is how to populate the information in the networking and transport layer (BTP/GeoNetwork). For example, when a vehicle is to send these ETSI ITS-G5 messages, or PC5 (C-V2X) messages, what should the vehicle send in this layer. Similarly, if a road authority or road operator is to send this information, then it would need to use one setting for distributing via their Roadside Units (RSUs) and another setting if sending the message using the cellular network (Uu).
The current discussion is to write a new standard that describes this, which will take years, or make a so-called "Uu profile" that specifies how to set the information in the networking and transport layer (BTP/GeoNetwork).
If no new standard is made and if no common Uu profile is made, vehicles of different brands will set the networking and transport layer (BTP/GeoNetwork) differently, i.e., the receiver side will have a hard time understanding what to do with this information otherwise, i.e., it will be difficult to achieve interoperability.
Similar problems exist for the DSRC technology when those messages are sent via the cellular network (Uu).
Summary
Systems and methods for compatibility in European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) Cooperative Intelligent Transport System (C-ITS) station communications are disclosed. Embodiments of a method performed by a C-ITS station are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method comprises receiving a message, determining whether the message was received via an external interface of the C-ITS station or a short range interface of the C-ITS station, and upon determining that the message was received via the external interface of the C-ITS station, treating the message differently as compared to if the message was received via the short range interface of the C-ITS station.
In some embodiments, the message comprises networking and transport layer information, and treating the message differently comprises treating the networking and transport layer information differently as compared to if the message was received via the short range interface of the C-ITS station. In some embodiments, treating the networking and transport layer information differently as compared to if the message was received via the short range interface of the C-ITS station comprises ignoring the networking and transport layer information.
In some embodiments of the method, the message is an ETSI C-ITS message. In some embodiments, the C-ITS station is a personal C-ITS station, a central C-ITS station, a vehicular C-ITS station, or a roadside C-ITS station.
Embodiments of a system that implements a C-ITS station is disclosed. In some embodiments, the system is adapted to, in order to implement the C-ITS station receive a message, determine whether the message was received via an external interface of the C-ITS station or a short range interface of the C-ITS station, and upon determining that the message was received via the external interface of the C-ITS station, treat the message differently as compared to if the message was received via the short range interface of the C-ITS station.
In some embodiments, the message comprises networking and transport layer information and, in order to treat the message differently, the system is adapted to treat the networking and transport layer information differently as compared to if the message was received via the short range interface of the C-ITS station. In some embodiments, in order to treat the networking and transport layer information differently as compared to if the message was received via the short range interface of the C-ITS station, the system is adapted to ignore the networking and transport layer information.
In some embodiments of the system, the message is an ETSI C-ITS message. In some embodiments of the system, the C-ITS station is a personal C-ITS station, a central C-ITS station, a vehicular C-ITS station, or a roadside C-ITS station.
In some embodiments, the system comprises an external interface, a short range interface, and processing circuitry associated with the external interface and the short range interface, the processing circuitry being adapted to, in order for the system to implement the C-ITS station, cause the system to receive a message, determine whether the message was received via an external interface of the C-ITS station or a short range interface of the C-ITS station, and upon determining that the message was received via the external interface of the C-ITS station, treat the message differently as compared to if the message was received via the short range interface of the C-ITS station.
In some embodiments of the system, the message comprises networking and transport layer information and, in order to treat the message differently, the processing circuitry is adapted to cause the system to treat the networking and transport layer information differently as compared to if the message was received via the short range interface of the C-ITS station. In some embodiments of the system, in order to treat the networking and transport layer information differently as compared to if the message was received via the short range interface of the C-ITS station, the processing circuitry is adapted to cause the system to ignore the networking and transport layer information. In some embodiments of the system, the message is an ETSI C-ITS message. In some embodiments, the C-ITS station is a personal C-ITS station, a central C-ITS station, a vehicular C-ITS station, or a roadside C-ITS station.
Herein, the terms Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) may be used interchangeably.

European telecommunications standards institute (ETSI) cooperative intelligent transport system (C-ITS) communication compatibility


An SCSI controller LSI comprising a CPU, command FIFO memories, a sequencer and a status register. The command FIFO memories store two commands issued consecutively by the CPU. The sequencer initially processes the first command, places a normal end code in the status register upon normal end of the command execution, and outputs a normal end interrupt set signal. At this point, a command indication bit for indicating the presence of an unexecuted bit is set. Then an AND gate inhibits the normal end interrupt set signal, and no interrupt signal is output. After the processing of the second command, the command indication bit is reset. This causes an interrupt signal to be output to the CPU. Thus when the first of the two consecutively issued commands ends normally, a normal end report to the CPU is omitted, and the interrupt signal for notifying the CPU of the normal end of command execution is inhibited.

The present invention relates to an SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) system and an SCSI controller LSI for controlling the SCSI system.
Heretofore, SCSI controllers have been used extensively to interface devices constituting a small-scale information processing system. FIG. 8 shows a typical system configuration utilizing an SCSI setup. The SCSI (ANSI X3T131-1986) is a collection of interface standards stipulated by the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) to interface personal computers, workstations and their peripherals. What is shown in FIG. 8 is a parallel interface system for data interchange using an SCSI bus 820 comprising nine control buses and nine data buses. Up to eight SCSI-based devices may be configured. Data are exchanged between initiators (host computers) 801 through 803 on the one hand, and targets (peripherals) 804 through 808 on the other.
SCSI controllers 811 through 818 control the SCSI-based transmission of data between the devices connected to the SCSI bus. In many cases, the SCSI controllers 811 through 808 are furnished in the IC form such as LSI's.
FIG. 3 depicts a conventional SCSI controller LSI setup. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a CPU-side internal bus; 2 is an SCSI-side internal data bus; 3 is a CPU connection bus; 4-1 is an SCSI data bus single end input signal; 4-2 is an SCSI data bus single end output signal; 4-3 is an SCSI control bus single end input signal; and 4-4 is an SCSI control bus single end output signal. A data FIFO (first-in, first out) memory 5 temporarily stores data transferred between the CPU and the SCSI controller to adjust the rate of data transfer therebetween. An internal register 6 accommodates the data provided by the CPU. A parity detector 7 checks for parity data that are input from the SCSI controller or from the MPU (microprocessor unit). Reference numerals 9-1 and 9-3 are SCSI bus receivers, and 9-2 and 9-4 are SCSI bus drivers. A sequencer 8 receives as its input signals the outputs from the internal register 6, parity detector 7 and receiver 9-3, and controls the SCSI bus operation according to the commands placed in command FIFO memories 13 and 14. Reference numeral 11 is an SCSI bus status signal which is output by the receiver 9-3 and which is input to the sequencer 8; 12 is a driver control signal which is output by the sequencer 8 for control over the driver 9-4; and 10 is an interrupt signal sent to the CPU. The command FIFO memories 13 and 14 hold up to two SCSI control commands that are set by the CPU. The FIFO memory 13 is a first-stage FIFO memory that accommodates the currently executing command; the FIFO memory 14 is a second-stage FIFO memory that stores a command waiting to be executed. Status FIFO memories 15 and 16 accommodate up to two results from command execution by the sequencer 8. The status FIFO memory 15 is a first-stage FIFO memory, and the FIFO memory 16 is a second-stage FIFO memory. Interrupt bits 17 and 18 are included in the status FIFO memories 15 and 16, respectively.
FIG. 11 illustrates operation timings of a typical conventional SCSI controller LSI. In FIG. 11, a command 1 is written to the first-stage command FIFO memory 13 by the CPU. A second command 2 from the CPU is written to the second-stage command FIFO memory 14. The sequencer 8 processes the command 1 held in the first-stage command FIFO memory 13. After processing, the sequencer 8 places the end status of the command 1 to the first-stage status FIFO memory 15, and loads the command 2 from the second-stage command FIFO memory 14 to the first-stage command FIFO memory 13. The sequencer 8 then starts processing the command 2 written in the first-stage command FIFO memory 13.
Once the sequencer 8 has placed the end status of the command 1 in the first-stage status FIFO memory 15, an interrupt signal 10 is output to the CPU. On completing the processing of the command 2, the sequencer 8 places the end status of the command 2 into the second-stage status FIFO memory 16. Upon receipt of the interrupt signal 10, the CPU reads the end status of the command 1 from the first-stage status FIFO memory 15, thereby knowing the result of execution of the previously issued command 1. This prompts the end status of the command 2 held in the second-stage status FIFO memory 16 to be loaded into the first-stage status FIFO memory 15. With the end status of the command 2 loaded into the first-stage status FIFO memory 15, another interrupt signal 10 is output to the CPU. On receiving the second interrupt signal 10, the CPU reads the end status of the command 2 held in the first-stage status FIFO 15, thereby knowing the result of execution of the previously issued command 2. If the command 1 ends abnormally, the sequencer 8 generates an abnormal end interruption to the CPU and automatically clears the command 2.
Table 1 below lists typical commands that the CPU issues to the SCSI controller LSI. In the cable, the second column from left contains the commands and the rightmost column describes the operation specified by each command.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ No. Command Name Operation ______________________________________ 1 Select With ATN Execute the sequence "arbitration Sequence phase .fwdarw. selection phase .fwdarw. message-out phase .fwdarw. command phase." 2 Transfer Exchange data in the phase Information indicated by the target upon initiation (or end with ACK/ asserted in the message-in phase). 3 Message Accepted Negate ACK/. ______________________________________
Below is an example of what takes place when an initiator issues a "Read" command to a target and disconnects for waiting to seek therefrom, with an SCSI controller LSI used as an SCSI adapter for the initiator. In the sequence of FIG. 12, phase transition starts in a bus-free phase, followed by an arbitration phase, a selection phase, a message-out phase, a command phase, a message-in phase and a bus-free phase, in that order. First, the CPU writes to the data FIFO memory 5 transmit data such as "Read" command data for transmission to the target. The CPU then issues a "Select With ATN Sequence" command and a "Transfer Information" command (see Table 1) to the SCSI controller LSI. In turn, the sequencer 8 of the SCSI controller LSI executes the "Select With ATN Sequence" command to control the SCSI bus and run the arbitration phase, selection phase, message-out phase and command phase, in that order. After completing the command phase and negating an ACK/ signal 1201, the sequencer 8 outputs to the first-stage status FIFO memory 15 a code indicating a normal end, sets "1" to the interrupt bit 17, and outputs an interrupt signal 10 to the CPU.
The sequencer 8 then executes the "Transfer Information" command 200, receives one byte of data in the message-in phase, outputs to the second-stage status FIFO memory 16 a code indicating a normal end while asserting the ACK/ signal, and sets "1" to the interrupt bit 18. When the CPU reads the normal end status of the "Select With ATN Sequence" command, the normal status of the "Transfer Information" command held in the second-stage status FIFO memory 16 is loaded into the first-stage status FIFO memory 15. The value of the interrupt bit 18 is loaded into the interrupt bit 17, and another interrupt signal 10 is output to the CPU. When the CPU reads the normal status of the "Transfer Information" command, both the first-stage status FIFO memory 15 and the interrupt bit 17 are cleared, and the interrupt signal 10 is negated.
Next, the CPU reads the input data from the data FIFO memory 5. The CPU issues a "Message Accepted" command to clear the ACK/ signal 1201 in the message-in phase, and issues a "Transfer Information" command 2000 to receive the next one byte. The sequencer 8 executes the "Message Accepted" command, negates the ACK/ signal 1201, outputs to the first-stage status FIFO memory 15 a code indicating a normal end when a REQ/1202 signal is asserted by the target, sets "1" to the interrupt bit 17, and outputs an interrupt signal 10 to the CPU. The sequencer 8 executes the "Transfer Information" command, receives one byte of data in the message-in phase, outputs to the second-stage status FIFO memory 16 a code indicating a normal end while asserting the ACK/ signal 1201, and sets "1" to the interrupt bit 18.
When the CPU starts reading the normal end status of the "Message Accepted" command, the normal status of the "Transfer Information" command stored in the second-stage status FIFO memory 16 is loaded into the first-stage status FIFO memory 15. The value of the interrupt bit 18 is loaded into the interrupt bit 17, and another interrupt signal 10 is output to the CPU. When the CPU reads the normal status of the "Transfer Information" command, both the first-stage status FIFO memory 15 and the interrupt bit 17 are cleared, and the interrupt signal 10 is negated. In addition, the CPU issues a "Message Accepted" command to clear the ACK/ signal 1201 in the message-in phase.
The sequencer 8 executes the "Message Accepted" command, negates the ACK/ signal, outputs to the first-stage status FIFO memory 15 a code indicating a normal end when the target negates a BSY/ signal, sets "1" to the interrupt bit 17, and outputs an interrupt signal 10 to the CPU. When the CPU reads the normal end status of the "Message Accepted" command to verify the normal end thereof, both the first-stage status FIFO memory 15 and the interrupt bit 17 are cleared, and the interrupt signal 10 is negated.
As described, SCSI control sequences of the SCSI controller LSI are generally controlled by the CPU using combinations of general-purpose commands. Individual operation sequences are specified using combinations of a small number of general-purpose commands because using a different command for each SCSI operation sequence will amount to a very large number of commands as a whole. The commands listed in Table 1 are used in combination with other commands in implementing a plurality of SCSI control sequences.
Where conventional SCSI controllers are used, executing a sequence of issuing a "Read" command and receiving data from a target will require the CPU to effect five interruptions in response to five interrupt signals. Under control of conventional SCSI controllers, the CPU is notified of the end status of each and every command by interruption. This is because combinations of commands are used to specify the SCSI control sequences. The result is a large overhead stemming from the interruptions effected during SCSI protocol processing by the CPU.
On the other hand, specifying each SCSI control sequence with a single command will require using a large number of commands in total. The numerous commands will have to be processed by a sequencer of highly complex constitution.
Below is a description of how the conventional SCSI bus and the CPU operate in a sequence of receiving a two-byte message in the message-in phase stipulated by the SCSI protocol. In the message-in phase, if received data are not correct, the SCSI protocol stipulates that an ATN/ signal be asserted before the ACK/ signal is negated. It follows that the SCSI control command must end while the ACK/ signal is being asserted. It also means that the CPU must issue a command to negate the ACK/ signal after reading and verifying the data from the data FIFO memory 5. All this generally amounts to a large overhead in the message-in phase under the SCSI protocol.
FIG. 2 depicts operation sequences of SCSI bus control commands (10h, 12h). FIG. 5 shows a typical SCSI protocol sequence highlighting a portion of the timing chart of FIG. 12. Upon receipt of an interrupt signal 10 indicating the end of the preceding phase, the CPU reads the internal register 6 to verify a normal end, ascertains that the SCSI bus status is in the message-in phase, and issues an SCSI bus control command (10h). When no SCSI bus control command is input, the sequencer 8 waits for an SCSI bus control command to be input while on a path (21) in a state <12>. When the SCSI bus control command (10h) is issued, the sequencer 8 travels a path (22) to reach a state <13>. The sequencer 8 then checks an SCSI bus status signal 11. If, as a result of this check, an IO/ signal is found to be Low and the message-in phase to be in effect, the sequencer 8 travels a path (23) to reach a state <14>, receives a single transfer byte, and asserts the ACK/ signal. The sequencer 8 checks the parity detector 7 next to see if the parity code is normal. If the parity code is found to be normal, the sequencer 8 travels a path (24) to reach a state <15> in which to place a termination interrupt signal in the internal register 6, travels a path (25) to reach a state <16> in which to output an interrupt signal 10 to the CPU, and travels a path (26) to return to the state <12>.
On receiving the interrupt signal 10, the CPU reads the internal register 6 to verify a normal end, reads the message byte from the FIFO memory 5 to ascertain the normal value thereof, and issues an SCSI bus control command (12h). The sequence 8 travels a path (27) to reach a state <17> in which to negate the ACK/ signal. The sequencer 8 then travels a path (28) to reach a state <18> in which to check to see if the REQ/ signal is asserted. Passing through a path (29), the sequencer 8 stays in the state <18> until the REQ/ signal is asserted. Once the REQ/ signal is asserted, the sequencer 8 travels a path (30) to reach a state <19> in which to place a bus service interrupt signal in the internal register 6, and travels a path (31) to reach the state <16> in which to output an interrupt signal 10 to the CPU. The sequencer 8 then travels the path (26) to reach the state <12> again. Upon receipt of the interrupt signal 10, the CPU reads the internal register 6 to verify a normal end, checks to see if the SCSI bus is in the message-in phase, and issues an SCSI bus control command (10h). With the SCSI bus control command (10h) issued, the sequencer 8 travels the path (22) to reach the state <13>. The sequencer 8 then checks the SCSI bus status signal 11. If, as a result of the check, the IO/ signal is found to be Low and the message-in phase to be in effect, the sequencer 8 travels the path (23) to reach the state <14>, receives one-byte transfer data, and asserts the ACK/ signal. Next, the sequencer 8 checks the parity detector 7 to see if the parity code is normal. If the parity code is found to be normal, the sequencer 8 travels the path (24) to reach the state <15>, places a termination interrupt signal in the internal register 6, and travels the path (25) to reach the state <16> in which to output an interrupt signal 10 to the CPU. The sequencer 8 then travels the path (26) to return to the state <12>.
On receiving the interrupt signal 10, the CPU reads the internal register 6 to verify a normal end, reads the message byte from the FIFO memory 5 to ascertain the normal value thereof, and issues an SCSI bus control command (12h). The sequencer 8 travels the path (27) to reach the state <17> in which to negate the ACK/ signal. The sequencer 8 then travels the path (28) to reach the state <18> in which to check to see if the REQ/ signal is asserted. Passing through the path (29), the sequencer 8 stays in the state <18> until the REQ/ signal is asserted. Once the REQ/ signal is asserted, the sequencer 8 travels the path (30) to reach the state <19> in which to place a bus service interrupt signal in the internal register 6, and travels the path (31) to reach the state <16> in which to output an interrupt signal 10 to the CPU. The sequencer 8 then travels the path (26) to return to the state <12>.
As described, a conventional SCSI sequence requires carrying out four interruptions. The interrupt processing has thus turned out to be a major overhead in terms of SCSI protocol processing execution time. In addition, because command execution is terminated by negating the ACK/ signal in other than the message-in phase, it is impossible to generate an attention condition in a desired information transfer phase in order to request a message-out phase.

SCSI controller and method for use on an information processing system


An image processing device includes a difference image generation unit which generates a difference image by obtaining a difference between frames of a cutout image which is obtained by cutting out a predetermined region on a photographed image; a feature amount extracting unit which extracts a feature amount from the difference image; and a recognition unit which recognizes a specific movement of an object on the photographed image based on the feature amount which is obtained from the plurality of difference images which are aligned in time sequence.

The present technology relates to an image processing device, a method thereof, and a program, and in particular, to an image processing device, a method thereof, and a program in which a gesture can be recognized with higher precision.
In the related art, gesture recognition has been known in which, when a user makes a specific gesture by moving a hand or the like, the gesture is recognized.
For example, in the gesture recognition, a trace of a hand is obtained by aligning information of positions of a user's hand in time sequence, and whether or not a gesture has been made is determined by comparing the trace to traces of the hand which are registered in advance.
In addition, a technology in which the direction of a movement of a user's hand is set as an observation signal, and a gesture is recognized based on some rows of the observation signal has also been proposed (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-87089).

Image processing device, method and program for moving gesture recognition using difference images


Compositions and a method are described which possess utility for the application of a corrosion-resistant surface to an object of interest. The composition of the subject invention includes a polymeric solution, emulsion or dispersion, and a compatible dispersion which are combined with water to form a bath. The objects of interest to be coated are thereafter quenched in the bath.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composition and method for coating an object of interest, and more particularly to a composition which may be applied to metal or other heat resistant substrates; the composition when properly applied providing a durable and attractive finish, while simultaneously imparting improved corrosion resistance to the object of interest, and further having no deleterious environmental impact.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with numerous compositions and methods for coating objects of interest such as steel, or aluminum assemblies, and wherein the coating composition is applied to the object of interest to substantially impede corrosion which acts at the surface of the object, following its exposure to various corrosive substances which are present in the ambient environment--such as atmospheric gases, water, and the like. For example, and in the production of steel, and in particular steel which has a predetermined hardness, the surface of the steel may often become so reduced by the processing steps that the surface of the steel will corrode rapidly (often in minutes) when exposed to ambient water vapor. To address this particular problem, manufacturers of steel often apply a coating of soluble oil to the steel being processed thereby providing a surface which will impede, at least for some period of time, the onset of corrosion.
Additionally, among the various metallic coatings applied to iron and steel which provide protection against corrosion, zinc has played a very important role. In this regard, the process of applying a zinc coating is considered to be the technique of galvanizing. Galvanizing is used extensively for such products as bar, tube, strip wire, and sheet stock, and for all manner of articles and utensils such as buckets, watering cans, garbage cans, etc.
The most commonly applied process of galvanizing is "hot dip" galvanizing whereby the zinc coating is obtained by the immersion of the object of interest in a bath of molten zinc. In this process, the zinc combines with, for example, iron so that iron and zinc alloy crystals are formed, which provide a firmly adhered coating.
To employ a successful hot dip galvanizing method, the object to be exposed, such as steel must be substantially free of all oil, grease, dirt, scale, and corrosion products. The preparatory treatment may include degreasing with a suitable solvent, pickling with acid, rinsing the object, treating it with a flux, and drying. The purpose behind the step of pickling is to remove any oxide films which are present at the surface by the action of hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. The flux, which is usually a mixture of zinc chloride and ammonium chloride, serves to remove any remaining traces of impurities and increases the wetability of the steel surface.
In "wet galvanizing", the flux is deposited in molten form in the zinc bath, and the metal to be galvanized is introduced into the bath through the layer of flux. In "dry galvanizing", the metal components are first dipped in a solution of the flux and are then dried so that they become precoated with a thin film of flux which melts in the zinc bath.
Another commonly employed method for applying protective coatings to metal surfaces includes metal spraying. In this particular process, molten metal is applied on the surface of the object to be coated. Normally the coating metal, which is in the form of a wire, is fed into a spray gun or similar device whereby it is melted by the combustion of a fuel gas such as, for example, a mixture of oxygen and acetylene. Normally, the spray gun, or other spray assembly, includes two rollers which are powered by an air turbine, and which feeds the wire through the central portion of a special nozzle. In this nozzle the gas is ignited, and the wire is melted and thereby emerges from the nozzle in a particulate form. The molten metal is thereafter atomized by compressed air and is projected at high velocity against the surface to be coated. Coatings of lead, aluminum, silver or stainless steel are often used for providing protection against corrosion for special apparatuses employed in the chemical and food stuff industries. Steel or hard-alloy coatings are also used as wear surfaces on various objects. For instance, light alloy pistons can be coated with a sprayed steel coating. In the electronics and telecommunications industries, metallic coatings are applied to nonmetallic materials to make them electrically conductive.
Another common method employed for coating surfaces to inhibit corrosion includes the process of electroplating. Electroplating is the process of producing a metallic coating on a surface by electro-deposition, that is, by the action of an electric current. Such coatings may perform a mainly protective function, that is, to prevent corrosion as for example plating with zinc, or electro-galvanizing with tin; or further, a decorative function such as applying gold or silver plating. The principle surrounding electroplating is that the coating metal is deposited from an electrolyte, that is, from an aqueous acid or alkaline solution onto the object.
To obtain an acceptable and firmly adhering electroplated coating, it is necessary to subject the objects to be coated to a thorough cleaning. This may be achieved by a mechanical treatment, that is, sandblasting, grinding, wire brushing, scraping or the like, or by physical methods such as degreasing with organic solvents or by chemical methods such as pickling with acid or degreasing by the action of alkalines (this is often termed "saponification"), or by electrocleaning which is a method of cleaning by electrolytic action. In this regard, electrolytic action is often described as the scrubbing action which is expressed by the evolution of gas at the surface of the metal. Additionally, wetting agents and emulsifiers may be added and are useful to the process.
While the several processes noted above operate with some degree of success, they have a number of shortcomings which have detracted from their usefulness. For example, many of the processes noted above include the use of compositions which are not environmentally friendly, that is, they include compositions having heavy metals or VOC's (volatile organic compounds) which have been identified as being harmful to the environment or which are otherwise prohibited or regulated by various state and federal laws such as California Proposition 65. Additionally, common methods such as the zinc electroplating method, discussed earlier, and which will normally produce an object which has a level of corrosion resistance equal to approximately 250 hours when exposed to a salt spray, are often further enhanced by other compositions which are applied thereto and which extend their corrosion resistance. For example, a second coating termed an "E coating" (electrolytic coating) is often applied to zinc electroplated objects in order to enhance their corrosion resistance. Normally, it is expected that an E coating may add approximately another 100 hours of corrosion resistance to these objects. Additionally, a zinc-nickel coating may also be applied to an object by the same method, and this process may increase the corrosion resistance of this same part to a period of approximately 900 to 1,000 hours when exposed to the same corrosive conditions.
Another shortcoming attendant to the prior art processes is that each of these processes require that the object be thoroughly cleaned prior to the plating process, thereby ensuring that a uniform surface be applied to same. The extra steps required to clean the object, for example, are often time consuming, costly, and further include the use of various solvents and other materials which are, as discussed above, prohibited or regulated by public law, or alternatively, are difficult to dispose of in an environmentally safe manner.
In addition to the foregoing, and while these various methods, as earlier discussed, have produced various laudable benefits, they have a further shortcoming inasmuch as they cannot be readily retrofitted or introduced into a manufacturing process without substantially interfering or delaying the process, and further cannot normally be introduced without substantial expense.
Therefore, it has long been known that it would be desirable to have a composition and method for coating an object of interest and which has particular utility when applied to objects of interest which corrode when exposed to water vapor and other corrosive substances in the ambient environment, and which further, can be readily introduced into the manufacturing process, and which produces a corrosion-resistant surface which is durable, and attractive, and which substantially avoids the shortcomings attendant with the prior art practices.

Composition and method for coating an object of interest


This metal gasket comprises a beaded base plate, an intermediate plate and a thin plate, and secures a stable long-standing sealing performance with a face-to-face pressure balance kept properly. This metal gasket is provided with full beads on the beaded base plate, stopper beads on the intermediate plate, and folded portions, which hold the edge portions of bores of the intermediate plate, and full beads, which are laminated on the stopper beads on the intermediate plate, on the thin plate. The folded portions are formed so that they are not laminated on the stopper beads when the metal gasket is in practical use, i.e., when the folded portions are in a compressed condition. The folded portions and stopper beads display a stopper function of preventing the full compression of the full beads on the beaded base plate, and a sealing function of preventing the entry of a combustion gas into the clearances defined by the full beads. The face-to-face pressure occurring on the folded portions, stopper beads and full beads can be controlled properly, and the face-to-face pressure balance can be maintained properly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a metal gasket adapted to be interposed between opposed surfaces of parts of a multicylinder engine and seal a clearance between the parts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A metal gasket has heretofore been used to seal a clearance between opposed surfaces of a cylinder head and a cylinder block of an engine, and various kinds of metal gaskets have been developed. A recently used engine has demanded a higher output level and smaller weight, and, with the intention of meeting the demand, there is a tendency for a cylinder head and a cylinder block to be made of an aluminum material of a smaller specific gravity instead of conventionally used steel and a cast iron of a larger specific gravity. Since an aluminum structural member of an engine has smaller weight but a lower rigidity, the relative displacement of a cylinder head and a cylinder block tends to increase during an operation of the engine.
A metal gasket is provided with beads in the vicinity of circumferences of cylinder bores and passage holes for water and oil, which beads form annular elastic contact portions with respect to the opposed surfaces of a cylinder head and a cylinder block when the metal gasket is fixed by tightening the cylinder head and cylinder block by bolts, whereby a clearance between the opposed surfaces of the cylinder head and cylinder block is sealed.
In the case of a cylinder head metal gasket, repeated stress, i.e. mechanical stress and thermal stress are exerted thereon since a clearance between a cylinder head and a cylinder block increases and decreases repeatedly during a combustion cycle of the engine. The engine load fluctuation stress occurs at a high level in the portions of a cylinder block and a cylinder head which have the lowest rigidity. Consequently, permanent set in fatigue and cracks occur in the beads formed on a beaded base plate to cause the sealing performance of the metal gasket to be deteriorated.
A conventional cylinder head metal gasket disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61506/1996 is formed by laminating in order a beaded base plate comprising an elastic metal plate provided with beads, which extend along the circumferences of bores, a regulating plate comprising an elastic metal plate provided with beads, which extend along the circumferences of bores, and a grommet plate provided with holes. In this gasket, an inner circumferential edge of a bore of the regulating plate is held fixedly by the grommet plate, and the beads on the beaded base plate which extend between bores comprise full beads, the same beads which extend around the other portions of the bores comprising half beads. The beads on the regulating plate comprise full beads with respect to the portions thereof which are around the whole circumferences of the bores, and the portions of the beads on the beaded base plate which are between the bores are superposed on the corresponding portions of the beads on the regulating plate.
In a metal gasket, concentrating a surface pressure, that is, a face-to-face pressure properly on the regions around bores, and securing an average face-to-face pressure condition in which a required face-to-face pressure is secured around water holes and oil holes serve to improve the sealability of the gasket, and are desirable for balancing the face-to-face pressure.
However, in a conventional metal gasket, the face-to-face pressure is concentrated excessively on the grommet portions, and a required face-to-face pressure cannot be secured around the water holes and oil holes. Therefore, it becomes difficult to secure an average face-to-face pressure condition, so that an excellent sealed condition cannot be maintained. When a face-to-face pressure is concentrated on beaded portions of a metal gasket, the balance of a face-to-face pressure is deteriorated, and the sealability of the gasket lowers.
When a metal gasket having a beaded base plate with beads projected from an outer surface thereof is tightened between a cylinder head and a cylinder block, the projecting surfaces of the beads directly contact the cylinder head or cylinder block, and only the regions which the projecting surfaces of the beads contact generate a high linear face-to-face pressure. Consequently, impressions and breakage occur on and in the cylinder block or cylinder head which the projecting surfaces of the beads contact, and, moreover, the sealing performance is deteriorated.

Laminated metal gasket for a cylinder block of an engine


A squid-type marine oil containment device includes a track and four oil containment booms. A robotic arm is provided in an elliptic area formed by the track. Sliders are provided on the track. Ends of oil containment booms slide along the track through sliders. Each oil containment boom includes an oil suction pipe, propellers and a plastic separating layer. A middle of the oil suction pipe forms an oil channel. Booster pumps are spacedly provided inside the oil suction pipe and are respectively connected to a hose. Pairs of propellers are spacedly provided at a lower end of the oil suction pipe. Oil suction holes are provided on the oil suction pipe. The plastic separating layer is provided under the oil suction holes. A counterweight is provided at a bottom of the oil containment boom. The invention further provides a method of containing oil using the device.

Waste oil is conventionally recovered using boats in the assistance of oil containment booms, and the recovery principles are described as follows. A command boat and two tugboats arrive at an accident site and then are connected through treated oil containment booms to form a size-controllable V-shaped oil spill containment area. The two tugboats drive the oil containment booms to move on the oil spill sea surface to gradually gather oil spills dispersed on the sea surface. The three boats stop moving forward when the oil film in the oil containment booms has the desired thickness. Subsequently, the command boat is kept stationary and the two tugboats are allowed to gradually approach each other to move and squeeze the oil containment booms for continuously gathering the oil spills, which greatly increases the oil film thickness in the oil spill containment area, allowing an oil skimmer to efficiently perform the recovery in an ideal environment. The V-shaped containment is carried out mainly by running the two tugboats in parallel to drag the oil containment booms, and the size of the containment area is determined according to the length of the oil containment booms and the horsepower of the two tugboats. The two tugboats should follow the instructions of the command boat completely to adjust the course and speed in time while moving in parallel before the command boat, so that the three boats always form a V-shaped area during the movement to contain oil spills as many as possible. After the three boats stop advancing and the two tugboats gradually approach each other, a weir-type oil skimmer is placed and started in the containment area, and at this time, the oil film is thick, which can ensure high-efficiency recovery and less suction of seawater. In the case that there are oil spills large both in area and quantity, it is feasible to send multiple boats to the oil spill sea surface multiple times for the oil spill recovery, however, this method for recovering the marine oil spills generally involves high cost and complicated and burdensome operation due to the need of the cooperation of the three boats.

Squid-type marine oil containment device

Wuhan Yunzhou Technology Service Co., Ltd


The present invention provides a method for manufacturing massively and efficiently a minute device which can receive or send data in contact, preferably, out of contact by forming an integrated circuit which is formed by a thin film over a large glass substrate and by peeling the integrated circuit from the substrate. Especially, an integrated circuit which is formed by a thin film is extremely thin, and so there is a threat that the integrated circuit is flied when transporting, and so handling thereof is difficult. In accordance with the present invention, a separating layer (also referred to as a peeling layer) is damaged at a plurality of times by at least two different kinds of methods (a damage due to laser light irradiation, a damage due to etching, or a damage due to a physical means), subsequently, the layer to be peeled can be efficiently peeled from a substrate. Further, handling of individual devices becomes easy by arching the peeled device.

In recent years, a technique of constructing a thin film transistor (TFT) with a semiconductor thin film (with a thickness of approximately several to several hundreds nm) formed over a substrate having an insulating surface has attracted attention. The thin film transistor is widely used in an electronic device such as an IC or an electro-optical device, and is rushed to be developed especially as a switching element of an image display device.
Various applications using such the image display device have been expected. Especially, an application of a portable device has attracted attention. Currently, a glass substrate or a quartz substrate is often used; however, these substrates have defects of being fragile and heavy. The size of a glass substrate or a quartz substrate is difficult to be increased, and so these substrates are unsuitable for mass-production. Consequently, a TFT element is attempted to be formed over a substrate having flexibility, typically, a flexible plastic substrate.
However, the present situation is that maximum temperature of a process should be lowered since a plastic film has low heat resistance, as a result, a TFT having electric characteristics as favorable as those of the TFT formed over a glass substrate cannot be formed. Therefore, a high performance liquid crystal display device or light-emitting element using a plastic film has not been realized.
A technique of peeling an element formed over a glass substrate and transferring the peeled element to another base material, for example, a plastic film has been proposed.
This applicant proposes peeling and transferring techniques disclosed in patent documents 1 and 2. Further, this applicant proposes peeling and transferring techniques disclosed in a patent document 6.
In a minute device such as an IC, a semiconductor wafer pasted onto a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet is cut into each chip and the cut semiconductor element is picked up from the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet to be mounted to a circuit substrate which constructs an IC card or the like. However, the semiconductor element has defects of being easily damaged and fragile since a semiconductor wafer is used.
Further, a method for peeling a layer to be peeled formed over a substrate via a separating layer from the substrate has been already proposed. For example, patent documents 3 and 4 disclose the technique that a separating layer made from amorphous silicon (or polysilicon) is provided, hydrogen is released included in the amorphous silicon by emitting laser light through a substrate to produce space, and the substrate is separated from the separating layer. In addition, patent document 5 discloses that a liquid crystal display device is completed by pasting the layer to be peeled (which is referred to as a layer to be transferred) onto a plastic film by using the foregoing technique.
In the foregoing method, however, a substrate having a high light-transmitting property is used and energy which is sufficient to pass through the substrate to release hydrogen included in amorphous silicon is given, and so a whole surface is desirably irradiated with comparative large laser light. Accordingly, there arises a problem that the laser light damages the layer to be peeled. In the case that an element is manufactured over the separating layer in the foregoing method, hydrogen included in the separating layer is released to be reduced when heat treatment at high temperature is performed in a manufacturing process of the element. Subsequently, there is a threat that peeling cannot be sufficiently carried out even if laser light is emitted to the separating layer. Therefore, there is a problem that processes after forming the separating layer are limited in order to keep an amount of hydrogen included in the separating layer. In the foregoing patent publication, there is description that a light-shielding layer or a reflection layer is provided in order to prevent damages of a layer to be peeled, in that case, however, a transparent liquid crystal display device is difficult to be manufactured. In addition, it is difficult to peel a large layer to be peeled by the foregoing method.
Patent document 1: Unexamined patent publication No. 8-288522
Patent document 2: Unexamined patent publication No. 8-250745
Patent document 3: Unexamined patent publication No. 10-125929
Patent document 4: Unexamined patent publication No. 10-125931
Patent document 5: Unexamined patent publication No. 10-125930
Patent document 6: Unexamined patent publication No. 2003-174153

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A retractable foot binding devise comprising a base member (20) with a cavity (32) centrally defined therein attachable to the deck of a surfboard, and a pivotal member (22) having a front and back end, positioned within the base's cavity, pivotally coupled to the base member, and springably urged upward on the front end to a predetermined angle. As the surfer lays on his or her board to paddle, the pivotal member is completely retracted within the base member creating a flat, comfortable paddling surface with minimal or no elevation above the deck of the surfboard. As the surfer stands, the pivotal member is springably urged upward on the front end to a predetermined angle. The surfer inserts his or her foot under the inclined pivotal member in a quick, natural standing motion. The omission of any impeding elements in the foot engageable portion facilitates full engagement and does not hinder necessary foot adjustments. The binding devise provides the surfer support and attachment to his or her board. The pivotal member may be locked in the retracted position for preferential option to employ. The binding devise is completely removable and adjustable.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to surfboards, specifically an improved foot binding devise for a surfboard.
2. Description of Prior Art
With the convergence of advancing surfboard design and improving technical skills, surfers are attempting increasingly difficult maneuvers. In order for a surfer to complete modern technical maneuvers, his or her feet must remain attached to the deck of the surfboard. Related sports such as windsurfing, skiing, snowboarding, wakeboarding, and waterskiing have adopted binding devises or foot support apparatuses that successfully attach the user to his or her equipment. This binding action empowers athletes to perform maneuvers otherwise extremely difficult. As prior art notes, a practical, effective binding devise would be advantageous for the progression of surfing. The desire to provide an acceptable form of attachment has been strong. Numerous inventors have proposed and have received patents on an array of innovative devices. None, however, have proven acceptable in practice. The devices heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages:
a) Use of Hands. Some devices proposed, such as a strap (U.S. Pat. No. 4929208 to Corica, 1990) or handgrip (U.S. Pat. No. 4990113 to Morrison, 1991), require the use of a surfer's hand or hands while performing a maneuver. In the case of the strap, the surfer pulls his or her board against his or her feet using a strap attached to the deck of the board to perform maneuvers. For the handgrip, a grip is mounted onto the deck of a board and the surfer must bend over to grab the grip to hold onto the surfboard to perform maneuvers. Because surfers use their legs to maneuver their boards and their arms primarily for momentum and balance, apparatuses that incorporate the use of a surfer's hand or hands during maneuvers present great difficulties.
b) Lack of Attachment. Accordingly, devises that increase frictional traction for a surfer's feet (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5308271 to Foulke, 1994) and increase support for the surfer's feet (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5460558 to Woodstock, 1995) are more functional and are actually frequently used in practice. Although non-slip pads and foot saddles reduce slipping and add a degree of control, they are limited in that they do not provide attachment.
c) Impeded Engagement. Numerous foot loop or foot strap devises similar to those attached to sailboards have been proposed for surfboards (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5167553 to Wilson, 1992). Because there is a supporting element over the top of a surfer's foot or feet, these devises provide the desired attachment. However, because such devices have an impeding strap or loop element where the surfer would normally place his or her foot when standing, the devises create an obstacle for the surfer to stand. Once standing, the surfer must temporarily lift his or her foot off the board and slip it underneath the loop or strap. Some devices even require the surfer to use his/her hand or hands to strap in for attachment. As surfing requires a tremendous amount of balance, this unnatural foot engagement motion proves quite difficult and may cause the surfer to fall. This motion is also time consuming which is especially detrimental because waves often crash quickly or offer short rides; time spent haggling with engagement is time away from enjoying the ride. These complications are compounded when the surfer attempts to engage both feet in a pair of binding apparatuses. In sum, proposed foot loop or strap devises create an obstacle for standing, require awkward movements for engagement, and are time-consuming to operate--perhaps all factors that help explain why such devises are not widely implemented.
d) Discomfort in Paddling. Another great design obstacle for creating a functional foot binding devise is the issue of comfort while paddling, an obstacle not present with many other related sports. When paddling, the surfer lays in the prone position atop his board. The surfer's chest lays flat on the surfboard, where his or her front foot will be positioned when he or she stands. This factor alone renders much prior art unacceptable on account of the discomfort of paddling caused by a protruding devise. U.S. Pat. No. 5484312 to Zepeda, 1996 shows a support apparatus which is collapsible, yet as the surfer lays to paddle on his or her board, the collapsed foot piece creates a protrusion on the deck of the board. Even a slight protrusion can cause great discomfort.
e) Elevated Surface and Added Weight. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5544919 to Tinkler, 1996 and 5591060 to Forsyth, 1993 show similar collapsible apparatuses. Both have an upper portion that folds down on top of a lower portion. The drawback of having an upper and lower portion is that it requires an undesirable elevation off the deck of the surfboard. Again, this causes discomfort while paddling. To accomodate this protruding apparatus, Tinkler proposes surrounding padding elevated to an equal height. However, padding just over the apparatus causes an uncomfortable arch in the surfer's back when paddling. Padding covering the deck of the board adds weight, size and cost--distinct disadvantages. Further, there is an inverse relation between elevation off the deck of the surfboard and control. The higher off the deck of the surboard the surfer is during paddling and surfing, the less control he or she has over the board.
f) Impeded Adjustments. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5544919 to Tinkler, 1996 and 5591060 to Forsyth, 1993 also include a strap element in the foot engageable portion between the upper and lower portions. As the user enters his or her foot into the support, he/she presses his/her foot against the strap. The strap cinches closed the upper portion of the support on top of the user's foot. The problem with this mechanical cinching action is that if the user inserts an unintended portion of his or her foot into the apparatus, the devise may cinch closed, and readjustment into the proper location is difficult as the support is cinched down on the user's foot. Further, the strap in the foot engageable portion may hinder full engagement of the surfer's foot into the support or cause the surfer to get entangled. Also, the minor side-to-side rocking, lateral, and forward and backward foot adjustments required for maneuvering the surfboard are restricted when the devise is clinched closed.
g) Lack of Removability. Prior art discloses a variety of devises that protrude off the deck of a surfboard. Surfboards are often stacked for transport. A protruding devise increases space requirements for transport which increases costs (in the case of shipping and travel) and decreases convenience. Similarly, protruding devices increase space requirements for storage. No known binding devise which allows quick, easy engagement and comfortable paddling may be completely and easily removed from the deck of a surfboard for improved transport and storage.
h) Lack of Option to Employ. A major drawback for proposed apparatuses is the lack of an easy option for a surfer to decide whether or not to employ the support apparatuses from session to session or on a wave-by-wave basis during the same surfing session. As the size and form of waves continually change, there are conditions and waves where a foot support apparatus may not prove beneficial. No known devices enable surfers to preferentially decide whether or not to employ the support apparatuses based on the conditions or their whim.
i) Lack of Adjustability. Surfers either stand on their boards with their left foot forward (regular foot) or with their right foot forward (goofy foot). Some surfers have wide stances; some have narrow stances. Some place their feet perpendicular with the board; some more at an angle. Some surfers borrow boards; some rent boards. The size of the surf, which is in constant flux, also dictates where a surfer will stand. Apparatuses or devises that are securely attached to the surfboard fail to address the need for surfers to easily adjust their apparatuses or devises, often in the ocean, without tools. No known acceptable binding devise allows surfers complete adjustability after initial attachment.
j) Difficult Disengagement. Footwear has also been proposed to provide surfers attachment to their boards. Suction cups attached to a band under a surfer's foot to grip the board have been proposed (U.S. Pat. No. 4775345 to Gifford, 1988). So too have hook-and-loop footwear where the hook-bearing material on the surfer's footwear and the loop-bearing material on the surfboard deck unite to attach the surfer to his or her board (U.S. Pat. No. 4645466 to Ellis, 1985). These devises have some major drawbacks: They grip at a first connection point which is rarely the desired location of a surfer's feet. Furthermore, if they create a sufficiently strong attachment for technical maneuvers, they do not allow a surfer to easily adjust her/his feet once attached. Additionally, if they provide a sufficiently strong attachment, they do not allow for easy detachment from the surfboard which can prove quite hazardous.


A large surface shaped structure having a smooth surface is formed by compression molding a charge (26) of reinforced molding material containing a thermoplastic material by placing a heated mold charge (26) in a mold (12, 14) which has its peripheral surfaces spaced apart to provide a shear gap (34). The width of the shear gap (34) is adjusted to accept a quantity of molding material sufficient to dissipate residual energy in the flow front of the charge to prevent rebound of the flow front as the structure solidifies.

Plastics continue to replace metals as materials of construction. The cost savings of plastics over metals combined with the ease of manufacturing and weight savings provide combined impetus for plastic's invasion into the metal field.
Plastics can be fabricated into a variety of geometric designs possessing a wide range of strengths. Indeed, plastics can now be fabricated as replacements for external, semistructural metal members such as automobile hoods, deck lids, roofs and fender extensions. Reinforced thermoplastic molding compounds have shown increased acceptance in recent years due to their lighter weight, lack of outgasing during painting and ease of recyclability. This is in contrast to thermosetting compounds which do not possess the aforementioned attributes.
Of the conventional methods of making plastic parts, including semistructural plastic parts, automatic and semiautomatic molding techniques have proven most popular because of their high production rates, lower manpower costs and improved product uniformity. One of the more popular semiautomatic molding processes is the method known as compression molding. The mold charge is molded upon closing of the mold members as the material flows into the open cavity. Smooth, aligned surfaces, about the perimeter of the male and female mold members, called shear edges, slide together and effect a "pinch off" around the perimeter of the mold to stop the major flow of molding compound from the mold cavity. The edge opening, or shear edge gap, located at the peripheral edges of the mold, is typically on the order of 0.0508 to 0.127 mm (0.002 to 0.005 inch) in width. The gap is purposely kept very small, i.e. just large enough to permit closing of the mold without binding and small enough to prevent any substantial escape of the molding charge from the molding cavity. Unfortunately, in using the small shear edge gap, the surface of such parts, as molded, have an unacceptable appearance and must be hand finished. Wrinkling of the surface is apparent.
During the mold filling step, pressure forces the molding compound to flow and fill out the cavity of the mold. When the molding compound reaches the shear edge, it is very close to the freezing or solidification point of the resin. As the flow impacts the shear edge "wall", the residual energy associated with the flow causes the molding compound to rebound and attempt to flow back into the oncoming flow front, in turn buckling reinforcing material in the molding compound. The buckled reinforcing material becomes frozen in the solidifying matrix resin. As the composition continues to solidify, the buckled reinforcing material begins to show through to the surface of the molded part. This "flow rippling" typically manifests itself as a series of waves with amplitudes as high as 25 microns and a frequency of 1500 to 3000 microns. It generally occurs at or near the shear edges in a compression molded part and is visible to the naked eye both before and after painting. Consequently, products with such surface deformations must be hand-finished prior to painting, which is expensive and time-consuming. Even with hand-finishing, the scrap rate for such molded parts may be as high as 50 percent.
Flow ripples have been documented in several different mold configurations, e.g. round, square and contoured parts. Attempts to solve this problem have been made by altering the resin used as well as changing the reinforcing materials. Statistical testing of the major processing variables showed no significant effect on the magnitude or occurrence of the flow ripples present in the final molded part.

Method for eliminating flow wrinkles in compression molded panels


A PEM fuel cell power plant system (10) has a process air pump (26), which may be a fan, a blower or a compressor, with an adiabatic efficiency of between 40% and 70%. The process air at the inlet 27 of the cathode reactant gas flow field 16 is between 1.07 atmospheres and 1.85 atmospheres, and may be at an optimal pressure for maximum overall system efficiencyP={0.45+2.6E−1.8E2} atms±0.2 atmswhere P is the air inlet pressure and E is the adiabatic efficiency of the process air pump.

Heretofore, one type of PEM fuel cell power plant utilizes compressors to pump the reactant air to the cathode reactant gas flow fields, and has typically been operated with air inlet pressures of two or three atmospheres. This takes advantage of the ability of a fuel cell to operate at higher average cell temperatures, exhaust dew point temperatures and coolant temperatures as a consequence of higher operating pressures. Another type of known fuel cell power plant may utilize a fan or blower to provide the reactant air, and consequently works near ambient pressure. While this type of fuel cell power plant cannot take advantage of the efficiencies that result from higher pressure and therefore higher temperature, the overall system efficiency is higher than that of the fuel cell power plants operating at two or three atmospheres with a compressor, due to the extremely low parasitic power required of the blower or fan compared to the parasitic power required by compressors.
It is known that water removal from a fuel cell power plant is controlled by the temperature, pressure and volume of the process exhaust streams leaving the fuel cell power plant. The volume of the process exhaust streams are related to the reactant utilizations and the composition of the fuel used to operate the fuel cell power plant. Process exhaust is defined to be the sum of any exhaust streams from the fuel or oxidant sides of the fuel cell power plant. The fuel stream may be burned prior to exhausting the power plant as is known. The process exhaust from a hydrogen-fueled fuel cell is primarily unreacted air since the fuel utilization approaches 100% to maximize power plant efficiency. The process exhaust from a gasoline-fueled fuel cell includes significant quantities of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, which are by-products of the fuel reforming process. For a partial oxidation reformer, the exhaust volume from the fuel side of the system is approximately equal to exhaust volume from the air side of the system. The greater volume of the process exhaust stream in a gasoline-fueled fuel cell power plant vs. a hydrogen-fueled fuel cell power plant requires a lower system exhaust dew point for the gasoline-fueled fuel cell power plant to maintain water balance.
It is known that the thermodynamic efficiency of PEM fuel cell power plants increases as the fuel and oxidant inlet pressures increase. One of the benefits of higher operating pressure is that it increases the exhaust dew point at which water balance can be maintained, as is illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the leftmost five traces 13 illustrate the exhaust dew point temperature as a function of process exhaust pressure of a gasoline-fueled fuel cell power plant for pressures between one atmosphere and two atmospheres. The rightmost five traces 14 illustrate the increase in system exhaust dew point with increases in process exhaust pressure of a hydrogen-fueled fuel cell power plant for pressures between one atmosphere and two atmospheres. At water balance, water removed in the process exhaust stream is just sufficient to balance the water created at the cathode by the fuel cell process, and leaves adequate water to maintain sufficient humidification of the membrane. Providing process exhaust with the proper dew point, so as to achieve water balance, eliminates the need for additional components such as condensers and enthalpy recovery devices which add weight, volume and complexity to the overall system. When a system is operated essentially at the water balance exhaust dew point, water is nonetheless cooled and returned to the water inlet channels to ensure adequate presence of water thereby permitting water removal to achieve balance. Provision of a higher process exhaust temperature permits operation at a higher cell temperature and coolant temperature, and utilization of a smaller radiator for removal of heat from the coolant to ensure that the water returning to the water flow fields is at a lower temperature than the process exhaust (or operation within higher ambient temperatures), typically reducing overall system cost and weight.
It is known that the overall system efficiency must take into account efficiency of electrical and mechanical components exterior of the fuel cell power plant. In particular, utilizing electricity generated by the fuel cell power plant to operate the pump (fan, blower or compressor) which provides the process air to the fuel cell power plant comprises a significant load of parasitic power consumption. It has heretofore been known that a fuel cell power plant operating at or near ambient pressure utilizing a relatively low power pump has an overall system efficiency which is greater than fuel cell power plants operating at two or three atmospheres, which have higher thermodynamic efficiency, but lower overall system efficiency, due to the increased parasitic power requirement of the required air pump.

Maximizing PEM fuel cell power plant system efficiency at optimum system pressure


A highly compressible stent is described. The stent includes a plurality of circumferentially offset and interconnected undulating rings having intermediate struts disposed between at least some of the undulating ring struts.

1. Technical Field
This application relates to a stent, and more particularly to a stent that is compressible to small diameters to enable access to small vessels or ducts within the body.
2. Background of Related Art
Stents are well known in the medical arts for the treatment of vascular disease (e.g., vascular stenosis, aneurysms, etc.). Stents are prostheses which are generally tubular in form and which typically expand radially in a vessel or lumen to maintain its patency or for other therapeutic purposes. For deployment within the body's vascular system, some stents are mounted onto a balloon angioplasty catheter for deployment by balloon expansion at the site of a stenosis, an aneurysm, or other duct in need of treatment. Balloon-expandable stents are typically crimped onto the outer surface of a balloon located near the distal end of a catheter. The stent is expanded by inflation of the balloon and maintains its expanded configuration by virtue of being plastically deformed during the expansion process. Self-expanding stents, on the contrary, need little or no external force to move them from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration. Self-expanding stents either self-expand due to exposure of environmental factors (e.g., body heat) and/or are radially constrained in a compressed/reduced diameter position on or within a delivery device and self-expand toward an original diameter when released from the delivery device so as to exert a radial force on the wall of the body lumen. Self-expanding stents are generally composed of shape memory alloys such as Nitinol, a nickel-titanium shape memory alloy, which can be formed and annealed, deformed at a low temperature, and recalled to its original shape with heating, such as when deployed at body temperature in the body.
Conventional percutaneous delivery of a stent to a treatment site generally includes introducing a guiding catheter having a preformed distal tip into the vascular system of a patient by way of, e.g., a conventional Seldinger technique, and advancing the guiding catheter within the vasculature until its distal tip is seated in the ostium of a desired artery. A guidewire is then advanced through an inner lumen of the guiding catheter until the distal end of the guidewire is placed across the treatment site. A stent delivery device carrying the stent is then advanced over the guidewire to properly position the stent across the treatment site. Once positioned, the stent is expanded for permanent placement at the treatment site.
Conventional stent delivery catheters share a common feature in that they are required to have a guidewire lumen to facilitate advancement of the catheter over the guidewire for placement of the stent. As a consequence, the guidewire lumen necessarily adds to the cross-sectional profile of the device and prohibits the use of these devices in the treatment of certain small diameter vessels and/or vessels located within tortuous regions of the vasculature (e.g., vessels located within the coronary and intracranial vasculature).
In commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,989,024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, for all they teach or suggest, are disclosed methods and systems for delivering a vascular prosthesis (e.g., stent) that is mounted on a distal segment of an elongate wire or hyptoube. A major advantage of the wire-based delivery devices described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,989,024 is that the delivery devices obviate the need of a guidewire lumen in the delivery devices, and hence, facilitate the delivery of stents and other vascular prosthesis to small diameter vessels located within the tortuous anatomy of the body. For example, in one embodiment the vascular prosthesis is mounted on a reduced diameter portion of a wire, resulting in an overall reduced profile. Proximal and distal radiopaque marker bands, functioning as proximal and distal stops for the stent, are also described for certain embodiments. Reduced profile delivery systems are also disclosed in commonly assigned co-pending application Ser. Nos. 11/703,341 and 11/703,342, both filed on Feb. 7, 2007. The entire contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference, for all they teach or suggest.
The present application provides a stent compressible to small diameters to provide access to small diameter vessels for use in neurovascular, cardiovascular as well as other clinical applications, and can be delivered via the wire-based devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,989,024, in the Ser. Nos. 11/703,341 and 11/703,342 applications, or other devices, such as catheters.


A power converter includes a transformer with a primary and a secondary winding and a switch. A controller of the power converter at the primary winding side of the transformer generates a control signal to turn on or turn off the switch, the switch being turned on responsive to the control signal being in a first state and the switch being turned off responsive to the control signal being in a second state. The controller determines current through the primary winding generated while the switch is turned on and indirectly detects an input voltage to the power converter based on the current through the primary winding generated while the switch is turned on. The controller in turn may detect conditions such as a loss of power or brown out at the input of the power converter based on the indirectly detected input voltage.

This invention relates generally to a power supply and more particularly to the detection and monitoring of the magnitude and shape of the input voltage waveform for a switching power converter.
Switching power converters are designed to receive unregulated alternating current (AC) input power and provide regulated outputs to loads such as electronic devices. Typically, a low frequency AC power source (e.g., 90-270 Volts AC (VAC) at 50-65 Hertz (Hz)) is rectified to provide an unregulated direct current (DC) power source, which is input to a power stage of a switching power converter. In turn, the power stage provides a regulated DC power source to the load.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional switching power converter 100 topology for delivering electrical power from an AC power source 104 to a load 107. The AC input source 104 is coupled to a rectifier 101 which converts the AC input into an unregulated DC output 102. The power conversion stage 105 is coupled to receive the unregulated DC output 102 from the rectifier 101 and, in turn, provide a regulated DC output 106 to the load 107. The rectifier 101 may be a bridge rectifier that provides full-wave rectification of the AC input source 104. Additionally, the unregulated DC output 102 may be filtered with a bulk capacitor 103 coupled to the output of the rectifier 101.
A conventional flyback power conversion stage 105 typically includes a transformer that provides galvanic isolation between the primary side and the secondary side, and a primary-side switch for electrically coupling or decoupling the load to the unregulated DC output 102, and a switch controller coupled to the switch for controlling the on-time and off-time of the switch. Energy from the unregulated DC output 102 may be stored in the gap of the transformer when a switch is on and is transferred to the load when the switch is off. The switch controller controls the switch to be turned on or off with on-times or off-times that are adjusted at the operating frequency of the power converter according to the adopted regulation scheme, such as pulse width modulation and/or pulse frequency modulation, in order to regulate the output voltage 106 provided to the load 107. In many cases, switching power converters 100 are required to operate over a "universal input range", allowing for the worldwide operation of the electronic devices. Variation in the AC input source 104 can lead to changes in the output 106 for a given on-time and off-time of the switch. Accordingly, the on-time and off-time of the switch may be modified by the controller based upon a feedback signal (e.g., reflecting the output voltage) to provide a regulated output 106 to the load 107.
FIG. 2A illustrates waveforms for an example universal AC input 104 operating range (V_IN_AC) that may fluctuate between 90 VAC to 270 VAC. As described above, the bridge rectifier 101 converts the V_IN_AC into an unregulated DC output 102 and the bulk capacitor 103 filters the unregulated DC output. FIG. 2B illustrates waveforms for an unregulated DC operating range (V_IN_DC) corresponding to the V_IN_AC range of FIG. 2A. The resulting DC input voltage of power conversion stage 105 effectively extends from a minimum value (V_IN_MIN), at the zero crossing of the AC input voltage while set at 90 VAC, to a maximum value (V_IN_MAX), at the peak of the AC input waveform while set at 270 VAC.
In order to insure proper operation, it is desirable for a switching power converter 100 to monitor the unregulated DC input 102 of the power stage 105. In conjunction with monitoring the unregulated DC input 102, additional protection and safety features may be included should the DC input voltage deviate from the specified operating range (e.g., exceed V_IN_MAX or drop below V_IN_MIN) and/or when the switching power converter 100 has become uncoupled from the AC input voltage source.
FIG. 3 illustrates an example block diagram of a flyback power supply 300 where the waveforms of the unregulated DC voltage 302 are consistent with those shown in FIG. 2B. As shown, a bridge rectifier 303 is coupled to the AC input (not shown) and input bulk capacitor 304 is coupled across the output of the bridge rectifier 303 to filter the unregulated DC voltage 302. The unregulated DC voltage 302 is input to the power stage 305, which includes power transformer 309, controller 301, and switch SW. Controller 301 is coupled to the switch SW and regulates the DC output 306 by controlling the on-time and off-time (e.g., the duty cycle) of the switch SW at an operating frequency of the switching power converter 300. Controller 301 may also sense DC voltage 302 at voltage sense pin V_IN. One commonly used technique is to sense the magnitude of the DC voltage 302 (or a scaled waveform thereof from a voltage divider) using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Monitoring of the magnitude of the DC voltage 302 at the V_IN pin of the controller 301 may enable detection of a brown-out condition and a loss of AC source condition (e.g., due to a decoupling of the AC source from the rectifier 303).
Brown-out conditions represent potentially damaging conditions for power supplies 300, especially when operating in areas where AC sources are unreliable. In brown-out conditions, the AC input voltage drops to a level that is below the specified operating range (e.g., 90-270 VAC) of the power converter 300. For example, in areas where the AC input voltage range is 90 VAC to 130 VAC, brown-out conditions exist when the AC input voltage drops below 90 VAC. As a result, the DC voltage 302 input to the power conversion stage may drop below the specified operating range of the power conversion stage 305. Continued operation in brown-out conditions can lead to a number of undesirable results, including increased thermal conditions of power converter 300 components, power converter component failure and damage, and damage to the load 107 due to loss of regulation of the output 306. Often times, a brown-out condition is brief, lasting only a few AC cycles. However, when brown-out conditions persist over longer periods of time, the power supply may suffer permanent damage.
FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate example waveforms for AC input voltage (V_AC_1) and the corresponding unregulated DC input voltage (V_DC_1) of a power stage during a brown-out condition. FIG. 4A shows the AC input voltage (V_AC_1) fall below the minimum specified Peak-Peak level (V_P-P_MIN) corresponding to a brown out condition. FIG. 4B illustrates the resulting DC voltage level (V_DC_1) dropping below the minimum DC input voltage level (V_IN_MIN) (i.e., as specified by a controller).
Loss of an AC source condition may occur when the switching power converter has been uncoupled or unplugged from the AC input voltage source. For example, many switching power converters are used to recharge the batteries of electronic devices such as cellular telephones and tablet computers. The switching power converter often remains connected to the AC input voltage source once the portable device has been detached from the power supply. In response, the power converter may enter into a "sleep-mode" in which internal power consumption is significantly reduced while the power converter maintains a regulated voltage output in anticipation of a device being reconnected. Often times, the power converter may be unplugged from the AC input voltage source while it is in a "sleep-mode". As a result of the reduced power consumption, the unregulated DC input voltage may remain within the operating range of the power stage due to a large bulk capacitance 304 for an extended period of time.
FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate example waveforms for AC input voltage (V_AC_2) and the corresponding unregulated DC input voltage (V_DC_2) of a power stage during a loss of an AC source condition at time t_1. Similar to the brown out condition, the persistence of unregulated DC input voltage (V_DC_2) below the V_IN_MIN threshold can cause damage to the power supply. Additionally, if the load has been decoupled from the regulated output, maintaining the regulated output after time t_1 by the controller may present a safety hazard for the end user or manufacturing personnel during the test and assembly of the power supply.

AC-DC power supply input voltage detection and monitoring


An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member; a charger for charging the image bearing member; a light irradiating device for irradiating the charged image bearing member to form an electrostatic image; a developing device for developing the electrostatic image to form a toner image; a primary transfer device for transferring the toner image to an intermediate transfer medium; a secondary transfer device for transferring the toner image to a receiver; a first cleaning device for cleaning the image bearing member; a second cleaning device for cleaning the intermediate transfer medium; a first lubricant applicator for applying a first lubricant to the image bearing member; and a second lubricant applicator for applying a second lubricant to the intermediate transfer medium such that the surface has a second static friction coefficient higher than the first static friction coefficient.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and an electrophotographic image forming method, and more particularly to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and an electrophotographic image forming method, which produce images using an intermediate transfer medium.
2. Discussion of the Background
Recently, electrophotographic image forming apparatuses (such as copiers, printers and facsimile machines) capable of forming multi color images or full color images have been commercialized. These color image forming apparatuses typically include the following processes:    (1) cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (Bk) toner images are formed on an image bearing member or respective image bearing members such as photoreceptors (toner image forming process);    (2) the color toner images are transferred one by one on an intermediate transfer medium to form a full color toner image on the intermediate transfer medium (primary transfer process);    (3) the full color image is then transferred to a receiving material such as papers (secondary transfer process); and    (4) the full color image is fixed to the receiving material (fixing process); and    (5) the surfaces of the image bearing member and the intermediate transfer medium are cleaned with cleaners (cleaning process)
Recently, tandem-type full color image forming apparatuses, which use four image bearing members for forming C, M, Y and Bk color images, respectively, and an intermediate transfer medium, are widely used because of having image productivity.
In addition, in order to produce high quality images and reduce consumption of energy used for producing toner, polymerization toners, in which toner particles are produced by a polymerization method, are widely used for such color image forming apparatuses.
When images are produced using a toner, a problem in that a toner image on an image bearing member is non-electrostatically (i.e., physically) adhered thereto if a relatively high pressure is applied to the toner image in the primary transfer process occurs, and the toner image remains on the image bearing member without being transferred by an electrostatic force formed by applying a transfer bias. Particularly, since a relatively high pressure is applied to center portions of character images and line images compared to the edge portions thereof, an image omission problem in that the center portions character or line images are omitted is easily caused.
In order to solve this image omission problem on the toner side, it is preferable to reduce the adhesiveness of the toner to the surfaces of the photoreceptor and the intermediate transfer medium used and/or to reduce adhesiveness among toner particles. Specifically, it is preferable to use one or more of the following techniques.    (1) A round toner is used;    (2) A toner including a hard resin is used;    (3) A toner including a large amount of external additive is used; and    (4) A toner including a large external additive is used.
However, when such toners are used, other problems such that the toners have poor cleanability and fixability tend to be caused. In other words, it is difficult to provide a toner which does not cause the image omission problem and has a good combination of cleanability and fixability. Specifically, the content of an external additive in a toner has to be decreased to improve the fixability of the toner, and the content has to be increased to improve the transferability of the toner.
In order to solve the image omission problem on the image forming apparatus side, the following techniques are used.    (1) The pressure (i.e., transfer pressure) applied to a toner image is decreased in the primary transfer process;    (2) The linear velocity of the image bearing member is controlled so as to be differentiated from that of the intermediate transfer medium;    (3) A lubricant is applied to the surface of the image bearing member to decrease the static friction coefficient thereof while no lubricant is applied to the intermediate transfer medium;    (4) An intermediate transfer medium having an adhesive layer thereon is used to improve the toner image transfer efficiency of from an image bearing member to the intermediate transfer medium and the toner image transfer efficiencies in the primary and secondary transfer processes (published unexamined Japanese patent application No. (hereinafter referred to as JP-A) 59-50475);    (5) A friction coefficient decreasing material is included in an intermediate transfer medium to decrease the surface thereof, which results in prevention of occurrence of the image omission problem (JP-A 09-34276);    (6) An elastic layer is formed in an intermediate transfer medium while a lubricant is applied to the surface of the intermediate transfer medium (JP-A 2003-29550); and    (7) A protective layer including a material having good lubricity is formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer medium to improve the toner image transfer efficiencies in the primary and secondary transfer processes (JP-A 02-213881).
When the technique (1) in that the transfer pressure is decreased is used, a transfer nip cannot be stably formed and thereby a uniform transfer bias cannot be applied to the image bearing member and intermediate transfer medium, resulting in occurrence of an undesired image transfer problem in that a toner image cannot be transferred to a predetermined position. Therefore, the transfer pressure cannot be largely decreased, and thereby the image omission problem cannot be perfectly solved by this technique.
When the technique (2) in that the linear velocity of the image bearing member is differentiated from that of the intermediate transfer medium is used, an undesired image transfer problem in that a toner image cannot be transferred to a predetermined position and/or the transferred image is rubbed, resulting in formation of a damaged image occurs. As a result of the present inventor's study, the linear velocity can be differentiated only by about 1%. In this case, the image omission problem cannot be perfectly solved.
When the friction coefficient of the surface of the image bearing member is high, toner particles remaining on the image bearing member cannot be well removed therefrom with a cleaning blade. This cleaning problem is dominantly caused when the toner is a polymerized toner which typically has a high circularity.
In attempting to solve the problems, various techniques have been proposed. However, there is no technique by which occurrence of the problems can be stably prevented for a long period of time.
Because of these reasons, a need exists for an image forming apparatus which can produce high quality images without causing image omission problem in that toner images on an intermediate transfer medium are not well transferred to a receiving material and the cleaning problem in that toner particles remaining on the intermediate transfer medium are not well removed therefrom with a cleaning blade.

Electrophotographic image forming method and apparatus


In one example, a method may include configuring sensors to respectively collect information, into groups of sensors based on relative distances of the sensors to other sensors; configuring sensors in a first group of sensors within a threshold distance from a receiver to transmit the respectively collected information directly to the receiver; configuring sensors in a second group of sensors within the threshold distance to receive information from at least one sensor in a third group of sensors that is located further away from the receiver than the second group of sensors; cumulatively transmit respectively collected information and the received further information directly to the receiver; configuring sensors in the third group of sensors not within the threshold distance to transmit respectively collected information to a closest one of the sensors in the second group of sensors; and updating the threshold distance after a set duration of time.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Wireless sensor networks include sensor nodes having a plurality of sensors and a receiver. The sensors are typically linked by a wireless medium to perform distributed sensing operations. The wireless sensor network applications require energy efficiency. As energy consumption in a wireless sensor network may be a problem, wireless sensor networks are typically formed in low power consumption clusters, where a cluster head node is typically selected at a remote end of the wireless sensor network. Since there is a difference between a distance from the cluster head node to a base station and other clusters to the base station, energy consumption of the clusters is unbalanced. Alternatively, data collection may be performed based on node-distributed control. In either case, performance of a network-clock synchronization operation may be necessary.

Data collection in wireless sensor network

HUA ZHONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY