Provided is a bearing state diagnostic apparatus in which a sound generated from a bearing is detected by a sound sensor, a detected value of the sound sensor is compared with data which was previously formed, thereby diagnosing a state of the bearing, wherein at least one sound sensor is disposed at a position separated away from an outer surface of a cylindrical support body in which at least one bearing is accommodated, the corresponding bearing and sound sensor are in communication with each other through a detection sound propagation path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bearing state diagnostic apparatus which detects a sound generated from a ball bearing which supports a main shaft of a machine tool, and diagnoses a state of the ball bearing based on a detected value.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR §§1.97 and 1.98
The bearings are used in rotation devices of many machines. Among the bearings, generally, the ball bearing includes an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements, and a holder which holds the rolling elements at equal distances from one another, the inner ring rotates together with a shaft, and the outer ring is incorporated in a housing and is fixed. Lubricant oil is charged or supplied into the bearing, and while the main shaft is rotating, an oil film is formed between the inner ring, the outer ring and the rolling elements.
There is no problem when the bearing is normally rotating, but, in the bearing, if rotation failure or seizing occurs due to lubrication failure, invasion of foreign matter, wearing or overload, the machine cannot be operated normally in some cases. To avoid such a problem, it is necessary to pick up and diagnose the state of the bearing.
As an apparatus which picks up and diagnoses a state of the bearing, there are known an apparatus which uses a vibration sensor (see JP-A-2007-10415 for example), an apparatus which uses an ultrasound sensor or a microphone (see JP-A-2005-164314 for example) and an apparatus which uses an AE sensor (see JP-A-2005-62154 for example).
To pick up a state of a bearing, since an S/N ratio is increased, it is preferable that a sensor is mounted directly on the bearing or in the vicinity of the bearing as close as possible. In the apparatus shown in JP-A-2007-10415 in which a state of the bearing is diagnosed using a sensor capable of detecting acceleration, to increase the S/N ration, it is necessary that the sensor is mounted directly on the bearing or incorporated at a position where the sensor is closer to the bearing in the vicinity such as a housing or a spacer which is a part near the bearing. In this case, as compared with a similar constitution machine in which no sensor is incorporated at the time of machine assembling, it is necessary to carryout the wiring processing and to fix the sensor, and the number of assembling steps is generally increased. When the sensor is out of order and it is necessary to replace the sensor by another sensor, there is a possibility that much time must be consumed. Since it is necessary to select a smaller sensor depending on the size or structure of the machine, there are problems that the sensor becomes expensive, satisfactory performance cannot be obtained, the number of kinds of selectable sensors is small. Further, when the machine includes a plurality of bearings, since the same number of sensors as that of the bearings is required, there is a problem that the apparatus becomes expensive, and the constituent parts of the apparatus and machine become complicated. However, if the position where the sensor is mounted is separated from the bearing or from a position near the bearing, and if the sensor is incorporated on an outer periphery or an end surface of the housing, the S/N ratio is reduced although it is easy to exchange the sensor or the constituent parts can be simplified. In this case, it naturally becomes difficult to mount a sensor on each of the bearings, a plurality of bearings are diagnosed using one sensor, and when a machine is constituted by a plurality of bearings having the same or similar specifications, there is a problem that it is difficult to determine which bearing has a problem.
In JP-A-2005-164314, even the apparatus which diagnoses a state of a bearing using a sensor capable of detecting a sound measures variation in a pressure transmitted in the air. Therefore, the position of the sensor is separated away from the bearing, the sensor receives influence of a sound around the machine, a sound generated from other than bearing and an air temperature around the machine, and there is a possibility that the S/N ratio is reduced. Especially in a case of a supersonic sensor whose measurable frequency range is high (20 kHz or higher), many sensors has high directivity, and as the measurable frequency sensitivity becomes higher, the propagation distance of sound becomes shorter. Therefore, it is necessary to mount a sensor near a rolling surface of the bearing.


The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of new energy utilization, and provides an offshore oscillating water column wave energy conversion device with an external permeable structure. The offshore oscillating water column wave energy conversion device with the external permeable structure comprises an oscillating water column system, an anchoring fixing system and a permeable structure. According to the offshore oscillating water column wave energy conversion device with the external permeable structure provided by the present disclosure, the offshore oscillating water column wave energy conversion device and the permeable structure are effectively combined. Using an offshore floating structure, the offshore oscillating water column wave energy conversion device with the external permeable structure can be applied to deep and far sea areas with higher wave energy density, and the output power of the device can be effectively improved.

With the development of social economy, the global demand for energy is increasing day by day, while the traditional non-renewable fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas is decreasing day by day. At the same time, the pollutants discharged by consuming fossil fuels have caused great pollution to the environment. Therefore, the development and utilization of renewable energy has become the focus of attention of all countries in the world. The ocean contains huge energy, among which wave energy is a very important renewable energy. Up to now, people have invented various wave energy conversion devices to extract energy from waves, in which the oscillating water column wave energy conversion device has become one of the most widely studied and applied wave energy devices device in the world due to its mechanical and structural simplicity.
The efficiency of wave energy conversion device is low due to the low density of wave energy flow in nearshore shallow water area, which is not conducive to the large-scale development of wave energy and brings limited economic benefits. Therefore, at present, countries around the world have shifted their research and development focus to offshore wave energy conversion devices. The oscillating water column wave energy device mainly consists of an air chamber with an opening at the bottom, a bidirectional air turbine at the top and a generator. During operation, the water column in the air chamber vibrates up and down under the action of waves, forcing the air in the air chamber to generate reciprocating airflow at the vent, driving the air turbine to rotate, and further driving the generator to generate electricity.
Due to the complexity of the working environment of wave energy devices and the increasing frequent occurrence of extreme sea conditions, accidents of wave energy conversion devices damaged by waves frequently occur in recent years, and the survivability of the devices is facing great challenges. The water column in the chamber of the oscillating water column wave energy device mainly has two kinds of motion, piston and sloshing, and the energy conversion of the device is mainly contributed by the piston motion of the oscillating water column. The water column in the device mainly produces piston motion under the action of long wave. Under the action of shortwave, most of wave energy is reflected by the air chamber due to the weak transmission ability of short wave, resulting in low energy conversion efficiency and large wave load of the device. The permeable structure has a good effect of wave elimination, and is widely used in ocean engineering structures that need wave elimination. Therefore, the present disclosure proposes to add the permeable structure around the device to weaken the damage effect of short wave on the device, so as to improve the survivability of the device.

Offshore oscillating water column wave energy conversion device with external permeable structure


A shutter 3 which can be momentarily held open and immediately closed, is disposed adjacent to an aperture stop 4 in an optical system, and a temperature sensor 5 is provided for measuring the temperature of the shutter 3. The blades of the shutter 3 can be utilized as a reference heat source. With the shutter 3 disposed adjacent to the aperture stop 4, the optical equivalence in the case when a reference heat source is inserted and in the other case, is not spoiled. A shutter 202 which can be readily momentarily held open and immediately closed under control of a shutter controller 203, is disposed at the optical pupil position of a combination lens 201. When the shutter 202 is closed, thermal image data is stored in a shading memory 208. The shading data stored in the shading memory 8 is subtracted for each image element in a subtracter 207 from thermal image data, which is obtained by picking up external infrared image in the open state of the shutter, and the resultant difference data is outputted to a frame memory 209.

The present invention relates to an infrared sensor device with temperature correction function, and an infrared thermography for measuring the temperature of an object under measurement by detecting infrared rays emitted from the object with a two-dimensional infrared sensor. More particularly, the present invention concerns a method and an apparatus for removing adverse effects of various infrared rays attributable to the optical system on accurate temperature measurement and correcting a shading (temperature gradient) in infrared cameras using two-dimensional infrared sensors.
In the conventional infrared thermography, in order that only infrared rays emitted from the object under measurement are incident on the infrared sensor, a point sensor (i.e., a point-like infrared sensor) with a field-of-view aperture stop, which is also called cold shield and cooled to a low temperature, is used as means for detecting infrared rays. A two-dimensional thermal image is obtained by optically scanning infrared rays incident on the point sensor in the field of view with a mechanical scanner. With this mechanical scan system, it is possible to refer to a reference heat source by utilizing an ineffective period of scanning. The system corrects the output of the infrared sensor by comparing the infrared energy from the reference heat source and that from the object under measurement. By adopting this infrared sensor temperature correction method, it is possible to accurately measure the temperature of the object under measurement.
In this infrared sensor temperature correction method, the output of the infrared sensor is corrected such that the temperature represented by the output of the infrared sensor approaches the temperature of the object under measurement. Specifically, the output Q.sub.R of the infrared sensor, which is obtained when infrared rays emitted from the reference heat source at a known temperature is incident on the infrared sensor in lieu of the infrared rays emitted from the object under measurement, and the output Q.sub.W obtained when the infrared rays from the object under measurement are led through the optical system, are compared. Thereby the output component Q.sub.E of the infrared sensor which is attributable to infrared rays emitted from the other objects than the object under measurement is removed such as the optical system from the output Q.sub.W to generate an output a of the infrared sensor, which is attributable to sole infrared rays from the object under measurement.
The output a is processed in a signal processing unit to generate a thermal image signal to be displayed as a thermal image on a display. In this way, the thermal image which accurately represents the temperature of the object under measurement can be obtained.
However, in the case where a two-dimensional infrared sensor is used as infrared detecting means in the infrared thermophotograpy, the two-dimensional infrared sensor always receives infrared rays from the object under measurement. Although high accuracy can be ensured, it is impossible to refer to the reference heat source without image interruption. Besides, it is practically impossible to mount a cold shield on each of an enormous number of sensor elements. Therefore, infrared rays from objects other than the object under measurement (i.e., unnecessary infrared rays) are also received. For the above two reasons, the temperature measurement accuracy of the infrared thermographic system using the two-dimensional infrared sensor, is considerably low compared to the mechanical scan type system.
In order to improve the temperature measurement accuracy of the two-dimensional infrared sensor system, some infrared sensor temperature correction methods have been proposed. Among these methods, an estimation method, a table method and a heat source insertion method are well known in the art.
In the estimation method, a plurality of temperature sensors are disposed in an optical system to estimate by computation the unnecessary infrared energy, which is subject to variations in dependence on conditions, from the outputs of the temperature sensors. The infrared sensor temperature is corrected by subtracting the estimated unnecessary infrared energy from the infrared sensor output.
In the table method, the unnecessary infrared energy is actually measured by holding the camera part of the infrared thermographic system at various ambient temperatures, and a table showing the correspondence relation between the ambient temperature and the unnecessary infrared energy is produced for each system. When measuring the temperature of the object under measurement, the infrared sensor temperature is corrected by referring to the table in dependence on the ambient temperature.
The heat source insertion method is a temperature correction method similar to the method described before, which is adopted in the infrared thermography using a point sensor as infrared detecting means. In this system for the infrared sensor temperature correction a method is provided, which can insert a suitable reference heat source by motor driving or the like to a position right before the two-dimensional infrared sensor.
In the infrared thermography using the two-dimensional infrared sensor as infrared detecting means, some infrared sensor temperature correction methods have been proposed to improve low accuracy of temperature measurement, for example, disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 63-163126.
In this temperature correction method, when making temperature correction, a shutter is inserted between a focusing lens and the two-dimensional infrared sensor, and also a thermistor is disposed near the shutter. For correction, the ambient temperature of the neighborhood of the shutter is measured by measuring the resistance of the thermistor, whereby the incident infrared dose from the shutter at a temperature substantially equal to the ambient temperature noted above can be known. The temperature of the object under measurement can be measured with reference to amplifier output at this time.
The above well-known methods of infrared sensor output correction, however, have respective drawbacks. In the estimation method, fluctuations with individual systems (such as sensitivity characteristics of the sensor, heat distribution in optical system and temperature measurement error of temperature sensor) cannot be absorbed. In addition, the optical system temperature distribution varies greatly with the rate of change even at the same ambient temperature. Furthermore, in the estimation method and the table method, a temperature measurement error is generated, which cannot be ignored.
Moreover, in the estimation method and the table method, it is impossible to refer to the reference heat source. Therefore, the infrared sensor is affected by electric temperature characteristics of the infrared sensor, secular changes of the optical system and so forth, and it is difficult to remove these adverse effects.
The table method has further problems that the system should be exposed to various ambient temperature conditions to obtain data, and that adjustment of the infrared thermographic system requires long time and temperature controlled vessel running expenditures.
The heat source insertion method permits referring to the reference heat source. However, the thermal image of the object under measurement cannot be obtained while the heat source is inserted. Besides, the operation of inserting the heat source with a mechanism based on a motor or the like takes long time, resulting in long thermal image interruption time. A further problem is that insertion of the heat source to be right before the infrared sensor, leads to spoiling of the equivalence of the optical system in the case when the heat source is inserted and in the other case. Therefore, even when the reference heat source is referred to, like the previous two methods, the infrared sensor output is affected by the optical system temperature distribution, and it is necessary to provide similar correction of the infrared sensor output by using a temperature sensor.
In the method disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 63-163126, since the shutter is inserted between the focusing lens and the two-dimensional infrared sensor, the diameter of the shutter aperture in the open state of the shutter is greater than the diameter of the conical light flux connecting the lens aperture and the focal point of the lens. This is so because the two-dimensional infrared sensor has a predetermined area (i.e., light-receiving area) so that it is necessary to cause the infrared rays from the object under measurement to be incident on the sensor area up to the edge thereof.
Therefore, in the open state of the shutter, an unnecessary infrared flux is incident from the difference area, which corresponds to the difference between the shutter aperture in the open state of the shutter and the diameter of the conical light flux noted above at the shutter position (i.e., a doughnut-like area) in addition to the infrared flux from the object under measurement on the two-dimensional infrared sensor. In the closed state of the shutter, the infrared flux from the shutter in the same field of view as when the shutter is open, is incident on the two-dimensional infrared sensor. It will be seen that the optical equivalence in the open and closed shutter states is lacking, giving rise to an error in the temperature measurement.
In an infrared camera, a phenomenon called shading (temperature gradient) arises, which has nothing to do so the object under measurement but stems from stray light in the camera casing. The shading is such that the infrared energy that is incident on a two-dimensional infrared sensor is increased as one goes from the center toward the edge of the sensor when the ambient temperature is high and reduced as one gores from the center toward the edge of the sensor when the ambient temperature is low, and it is particularly pronounced in non-cooled infrared cameras.
When such a temperature gradient is generated in spite of the fact that intrinsically it should not be present, accurate temperature measurement from infrared image cannot be obtained. Accordingly, the infrared sensor temperature is corrected by removing the effect of the shading.
In one method of such shading correction, a planar heat source at a uniform temperature is manually disposed in front of a lens, or a cap is fitted on the lens, and correction is made to make the outputs of individual image elements of the two-dimensional infrared sensor to be uniform.
In another method of shading correction, the correction is made by inserting a mechanically driven plate serving as a uniform temperature planar heat source between the lens and the two-dimensional infrared sensor.
However, the former method has a problem that a long time is required for the correction because of the manual setting of the planar heat source. The latter method has a problem that it is impossible to remove the effect of shading which is attributable to the presence of the lens.

Infrared sensor device with temperature correction function


In a method of reading off the cross-section of the bezel of an eyeglass frame rim or surround at one point at least on the latter, a mobile feeler the position of which can be defined in a given system of coordinates is moved into line with the bezel. The head of the feeler successively sights at least two different points of at least one of the flanks of the bezel in order to deduce the coordinates of these points. The cross-section of the bezel read off in this way is used in trimming the lens to be mounted in the bezel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally concerned with reading off the contour of the rims or surrounds of an eyeglass frame as usually carried out in order to match to the latter the eyeglass lenses to be mounted therein.
The contour is usually read off by means of a device equipped with an appropriate sensor or feeler.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A contour reading device of this kind is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,548, for example.
In the above patent the eyeglass frame from which the contour is to be read off is held fixed and the feeler includes a head to be inserted into the bezel of the rim or surround concerned at the end of a rod. This head is mobile and its position is systematically defined in a particular system of coordinates.
This example uses polar coordinates in a plane perpendicular to the rod of the feeler plus an altitude in the direction perpendicular to this plane to allow for the menisci of the more usual eyeglass frame rims or surrounds.
At present, as in the patent mentioned above, contour reading is essentially concerned with the circumferential contour of the rim or surround of the eyeglass frame being measured.
However, no account is taken of the actual profile of the bezel of this rim or surround, i.e. the cross-section of the bezel.
This cross-section can be dihedral or of any other kind, for example half-round; moreover, there is in practise a great diversity of bezel cross-sections from one eyeglass frame to another, depending on the manufacturer.
Given the inevitable manufacturing tolerances of the grinding wheels used to cut the corresponding bead on the edge of an eyeglass lens, which is traditionally called a bevel even when its cross-section is not dihedral, and the wear to which such grinding wheels are inevitably subject in time, it is by no means rare to observe discrepancies between the cross-section of the bevel of an eyeglass lens and that of the bezel of the eyeglass frame rim or surround in which the latter is to be mounted that are sufficiently great to compromise the proper retention of the eyeglass lens in the rims or surrounds of the eyeglass frame.
When cutting a bevel on the edge of an eyeglass lens it is therefore desirable to make the maximum allowance for the actual cross-section of the bezel of the eyeglass frame rim or surround in which the eyeglass lens is to be mounted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,335 it is assumed that the angle of the cross-section, which is dihedral in this example, is known.
The present invention consists in a method for effectively reading of this cross-section; the invention also consists in a feeler for implementing this method.

Method of reading off the cross-section of the bezel of an eyeglass frame, corresponding feeler, and application of this method to trimming the lens to be fitted

Essilor International Compagnie Generale d'Optique


A method is for driving an output buffer for outputting a datum of a certain voltage level with a certain slew-rate as a function of an input datum and a first enabling signal. The first enabling signal commands the buffer to a normal functioning state or to a high impedance state. The output buffer has an output stage controlled at least by a pull-up driving circuit and a pull-down driving circuit, and an enabling circuit input with the input datum and a second enabling signal and generating control signals. The control signals may be in phase or in phase opposition depending on whether the second enabling signal is active or disabled, and they are input into the respective driving circuits.

The present invention relates to electronic circuits, and, more particularly, to output buffers such as integrated output buffers with slew-rate regulation.
Output buffers are used in many devices for producing an output signal with a desired slew-rate at a certain time and with a certain output voltage-current characteristic. They essentially include a pull-up device and a pull-down device driven by a circuit, and they output a datum with a certain slew-rate and voltage level characteristic when an externally generated enabling signal is active.
A basic diagram of an output buffer is shown in FIG. 3, where an input datum DATO is output (DQ_PAD) with a desired voltage and slew-rate if an enabling signal EN is active. The control circuit (FIG. 4) substantially includes a logic circuit that turns on or forces the buffer into a high impedance state by producing two pull-up and pull down control signals P and N for the pull-up and pull down driving circuits, respectively.
A simple embodiment of the tristate circuit for placing the buffer in a high impedance state is illustrated in FIG. 5. The circuit produces a pair of control signals P and N both equal to the inverted logic signal of the input signal DATO if the enabling signal EN is active or different from each other. This is done independently of the value of the input signal DATO.
Such circuits, the basic diagram of which is shown in FIG. 6, produce driving signals PGATE and NGATE that switch with a certain variable speed to regulate the slew-rate of the final stage as desired. The slew-rate of the output DQ_PAD depends in general on the load and on the charge/discharge current, which depends upon the size of the transistor of the final stage and from the gate-source voltage applied to the transistors thereof. The slew-rate may be regulated by regulating the gate-source voltage. This is because the load is generally constant and the sizes of the transistors of the final stage are established to have a desired output voltage-current characteristic.
For better comprehension of the technical problem being addressed, a case in which the output of the final stage switches from high to low will now be considered. On the pull-up transistors a voltage PGATE is applied that rapidly reaches the supply value, as illustrated in FIG. 7, and remains at this value indefinitely while the voltage NGATE increases with a certain slope.
The pull-up transistor is immediately turned off while the pull-down transistor turns on slowly. This is so that the output voltage remains at a high value minus a small voltage drop due to the below-threshold current for as long as the pull-down does not leave the below-threshold region.
After a time interval TON (turn-on time) has elapsed, the voltage NGATE overcomes the threshold voltage VTN and the output voltage drops more rapidly. In this phase the output capacitance discharges through a pull-down transistor, as illustrated in FIG. 8, but in a time that depends on the current I flowing therethrough. For this reason, the faster the switching of the signal NGATE is, the faster the current I increases. Thus, the greater the slew-rate of the output DQ_PAD will be and the shorter the response time T_val. With such prior art buffers it is not possible to produce an output datum with a relatively small slew-rate in relatively short response times.
Generally, the buffer should be able to function in different modes depending on the environment in which it works, both in terms of the voltage-current characteristic (e.g., the allowed functioning zones of the voltage-current characteristic for both transitions are shown in FIG. 1, for the case of a PCI 3.3V environment) as well as in terms of output slew-rate (e.g., in a PCI environment the slew-rate must be smaller than that normally required in a TTL environment). The pull-up graph of FIG. 1 corresponds to the equation Ioh+(98.0/Vcc)*(Voutxe2x88x92Vcc)*(Vout+0.4Vcc), where Vcc greater than Vout greater than 0. 7Vcc, and the pull down graph of FIG. 1 corresponds to the equation Iol=(256/Vcc*Vout)*(Vccxe2x88x92Vout), where OV less than Vout less than 0.18Vcc.
Typical values of the slew-rate for a PCI environment under standard load conditions and defined by the specifications are indicated in the following table:
To make the slew-rate of the output compatible with a PCI or TTL environment, the buffer may be designed in a way such that the slew-rate is always equal to the minimum that is ever required. Unfortunately, despite its simplicity, this approach is not convenient because it unduly increases the response time T_VAL of the buffer.
Referring to FIG. 2, the response time T_VAL is the time that elapses from the edge of the clock signal CLK, which determines the instant in which the input datum DATO is read, to the edge of the output DQ_PAD. The response time of prior art buffers is generally the sum of the delay introduced by the logic circuits that form the buffer, of the turn-on time TON of the pull-up or pull-down transistor, and of the time required by the output DQ_PAD for switching from one value to another value with a certain slew-rate.
Because the delay caused by the logic circuits is constant, with the circuit of FIG. 3 the build-up time T_VAL may be reduced only by increasing the speed of variation of the signal that drives the transistor to be turned on. Consequently, a transition of the output DQ_PAD with a slew-rate that may be excessively large for a PCI environment must be determined.
There is a need for an output buffer capable of producing an output datum with a relatively small slew-rate while ensuring an acceptable fast response. Moreover, it would be highly desirable to have an output buffer producing a datum in a certain mode of operation with a slew-rate that may be adjusted at least between two different values, though with response times practically equal or even shorter than the response times of comparable known buffers.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of driving an output buffer that provides shorter response times than those of prior art buffers with comparable slew-rates.
Another object of the invention is a to provide a method of driving an output buffer that improves response time.
A further object of the invention is to provide an output buffer capable of outputting a datum with a reduced slew-rate and without penalizing the response time.
In contrast to prior art buffers, according to the present invention the slew-rate is controlled by regulating the turn-off and not the turn-on of the pull-up or the pull-down transistors. Considering, for example, a transition from the high state to the low state of the output DQ_PAD, instead of immediately turning off the pull-up transistor and slowly turning on the pull-down transistor, the opposite is done. That is, the pull-down transistor is turned on quickly and the pull-up transistor is turned off slowly.
This approach, despite the increase of power consumption due to the temporary short-circuiting of the supply in the output stage, reduces the time of response for the same slew-rate. This is because T_VAL is no longer limited by the turn-on time TON. The increment of power absorption, due to the short-circuiting of the supply, remains within an acceptable range.
Moreover, it has been observed that the slew-rate of the output switchings may be less sensitive to temperature variations than in prior art buffers because both transistors are turned on during the output switchings. Indeed, temperature variations influence in an opposite manner the pull-up and the pull-down transistors. This is because the output is switched when both transistors are in a conduction state. Thus, the slew-rate becomes less dependent upon temperature.
By having a buffer that may have a faster response than known buffers with the same slew-rate, or a reduced slew-rate with the same response time, it is possible to implement, with few modifications, output buffers with different modes of operation. For example, buffers with a slew-rate that may be set at at least two different values, and a response time equal to or faster than that of comparable prior art buffers of similar fabrication technology may be implemented.
According to one embodiment of the invention, an IC selection signal of the functioning mode, which is applied to the tristate circuit, allows for the selection between at least two different modes of operation of the driving circuits of the pull-up and the pull-down transistors. This determines the switching of the buffer output with one or another slew-rate.


An electrical machine system includes at least one electrical machine, such as a switched reluctance machine, that produces a magnetic field. According to one embodiment, the machine is a rotary machine with a rotor, a stator, and a sensor for indicating their relative movement. The sensor of the controller is powered by a power supply unit, the power output of the power supply unit being derived from the magnetic field of the machine. The power supply preferably is isolated electrically from the current running in the machine, and from the power supply for the machine, reducing the risk of voltage transience, noise, and other undesirable interference. A corresponding method provides similar advantages.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of powering an electrical circuit. The invention particularly, but not exclusively, relates to a method of operating a circuit including sensing means for sensing the position of a rotor relative to a stator of an electric machine of the kind in which data concerning the position of the rotor relative to the stator is utilized by a motor controller to energize appropriately windings associated with the stator. The invention also relates to associated apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Particularly in switched reluctance and brushless types of machine, it is a requirement for the position of the rotor relative to the stator to be known so that the various windings of the stator can be energized at appropriate times, i.e. when respective poles of the stator and rotor are appropriately positioned.
A more detailed description of the switched reluctance machine can be found in the article "The Characteristics, Design and Applications of Switched Reluctance Motors and Drives" by Stephenson et al., PCIM '93, Jun. 21-24, 1993. It will be appreciated that the switched reluctance machine, for example, can be run equally well as a motor or a generator.
Conventionally, the rotor carries a timing disc. A sensor is able to sense the rotational position of the disc and provide an input to an electronic circuit which generates data for transmission to the motor controller where the data is processed. The motor controller energizes a respective winding of the stator in accordance with the position of the stator. The electronic circuit is conventionally powered from a power supply in the motor controller.
In some applications, e.g. where the motor is a compressor motor in an air ventilator and/or air conditioning/circulating system of a vehicle, such as a carriage of a train, it is a requirement for the motor controller to be positioned remote from the motor. Thus, long lengths of cabling are required from the controller to the motor, including cab ling necessary to provide a power supply to the electronic circuit of the sensing means. This introduces the risk of voltage transients and noise being induced in the power supply to the electronic circuit, particularly where the motor controller is located in a hostile electromagnetic environment, where transients may need to be suppressed at either or both ends of the power supply cabling. Both the cabling for the power supply to the electronic circuit and the apparatus required to achieve transient suppression impose a cost penalty.

Method and apparatus for powering an electrical circuit using an isolated winding


The geothermal energy generator system is a closed loop, binary cycle power generating plant that utilizes heat from a geothermal heat well to convert a working medium of gas, e.g., CO2, and liquid, e.g., H2O, into steam to produce energy. The geothermal energy generator system includes a medium preparation subsystem that cools recycled working medium to a predetermined temperature. The cooled working medium is selectively fed to a carbonation subsystem permitting the gas to dissolve into the liquid at the predetermined temperature. The carbonated working medium flows through a heat exchange pipe section in the geothermal heat well to produce high pressure steam and gas or hot medium. The hot medium passes through a power generating subsystem containing a primary power generating assembly, a secondary power generating assembly, and a tertiary power generating assembly arranged in series to maximize usage of heat from the working medium and produce energy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to power generator systems, and particularly to a geothermal energy generator system that provides maximal conversion of geothermal heat into useable power with minimal environmental impact.
2. Description of the Related Art
The need for power in the form of, e.g. electricity, is ever increasing due to increasing demands. Limited natural resources and potential environmental harm limits meeting of these demands. These concerns provide the impetus for other areas of energy or power production.
One area of alternative power production deals with geothermal power plants. Most conventional geothermal plants generally employ heat from a heated medium, such as steam, hot water, CO2 and other gases, of an underground, geothermal reservoir, to drive power generating turbines and/or provide additional heating for residences. While effective, these geothermal power plants tend to be inefficient. For example, many geothermal plants do not fully utilize the available potential energy of the hot medium. Use of the heated medium in these power plants, is generally not utilized for any other additional work. There is still much more work that can be obtained from the exiting medium.
In light of the above, there is still a need for a more efficient geothermal power plant that can more fully utilize the available heat for power production. Thus, a geothermal energy generator system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


A computer device for assisting a user to type from printed matter, which includes a crossbar provided with mounting posts that allow it to be positioned on a laptop screen. The present invention further includes a document grasping mechanism with clips secured to the crossbar. The power mechanism for automatically repositioning the printed matter along the width of the laptop screen includes an electric motor, an output shaft, and pulleys. A belt is caused to move in a direction corresponding to the shaft rotation and is powered by the motor. The power mechanism also includes a USB cable connected to the electric motor and a laptop USB port respectively. When a user types, the laptop communicates with the electric motor via the USB cable for causing the motor to rotate selectively position the document along the laptop screen so that a user can maintain a line of sight with the screen during operating conditions.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a typing aid and, more particularly, to a computer typing aid that cooperates with a PC during operating conditions so that a user can simultaneously view selected portions of the display screen and a printed document.
2. Prior Art
Many paper, book holders have been disclosed. Such desk-top holders are usually mounted on a table, particularly when a personal computer with its peripherals such as keyboard, printer, monitor, mouse pad, scanner etc., are occupying much of the table space. This is very inconvenient for the user during the operation of a P.C. when a mis-touch of the keyboard may cause serious errors or unexpected trouble.
Conventional reading stands are of the type having an inclined back member to support a book or other reading material. Such reading stands, of course, are convenient for those using typewriters, computers and musical instruments. Many of the devices for reading the content of each page of a book by scanning, such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device) are provided with a page turner. Such a page turner is provided with a book holder for placing thereon a book to be held open and a suction nozzle is provided so as to be rotatable by a drive force transmitted from a gear. The top page of the book held open on the book holder is air-sucked by a suction nozzle. In this state, by rotating the suction nozzle, the pages of the book are successively turned one by one.
In addition, a groove provided at the center of the book holder accommodates the spine of the book in order to set the book on the book holder. However, in the arrangement of the above conventional page turner, since the book is placed directly on the book holder, as the pages of the book are turned, one side of the opened page gets lower, and the other side of the opened page—gets higher, and thus the position of the top page of the book held open changes.
Moreover, the book holder is a fixed-type, and the book is set on the book holder only by fitting the spine of the book into the groove formed in the book holder. The buckling of the page of book may occur depending on the quality of the paper used for the pages of book. Therefore, when scanning the book by the page turner provided in the CCD, the scanning position must be adjusted according to the height position of the top page of the book. Furthermore, in order to prevent the occurrence of the buckling of the page, a complex device or mechanism structure is required.
The sliding-type of page turner is available as well. The sliding-type page turner is arranged as follows: The side of the page is buckled up, for example, by sliding a roller, and a pin is inserted into the buckled portion. Then, the book holder is moved, thereby turning the page. However, the sliding-type page turner also presents the following problem: The pages of the book are turned by moving the book holder only in one direction.
Therefore, when turning a plurality of pages in one direction, every time a page is turned, the book holder must be moved back to the original position, thereby presenting the problem of low operating speed. Moreover, page turning means are required separately for turning the pages on the left hand side of the book, and for turning the pages on the right hand side of the book. Because this makes the control system complicated, the compact-size page turner cannot be achieved.
While many of these paper holders can hold such papers in a position where they are readily visible by the operator of the computer, known paper holders of this type lack the degree of adjustability that may be desired particularly when the operator is reading from paper of different sizes.
Additionally, for those with physical defects, such reading stands and page turners are inconvenient to use. This is because a disabled person frequently cannot turn the pages of a book or some reading material themselves and must rely on the aid of another person.
Accordingly, a need remains for a computer typing aid electrically coupled to a PC and attached to a computer screen for allows a user to simultaneously read and type from a printed document. The present invention fulfills such a need by providing a servomotor that holds and automatically moves a piece of paper as needed by the typist while attached to a monitor or laptop screen. This eliminates the need to sit in an uncomfortable position to read a document that is lying on a desk or use an additional supporting apparatus to read a document.


A method, apparatus and system for employing an automatic data aligner for multiple serial receivers in serial link technologies is provided. In one embodiment, converting a transmission data path of a single bit into a parallel bit via a data aligner, wherein the data is being transmitted via one or more ports. Further, binding data transmission channels to reduce latency in transmission of the data, wherein the binding of the data transmission channels further includes inserting delay to match latency via the one or more ports.

Serial Port Memory Technology (SPMT) uses high speed serial link technology even in memory area. This serial link provides several benefits including low power and reduced pin counts and connects between host and memory. Although one serial link can support several Gbps of bandwidth, if memory bandwidth requirement gets higher than that supported by a single serial line, multiples serial links must be used to support the additional bandwidth requirement.
For example, referring now to FIG. 1A illustrating conventional frame aligning, a command 108 is encoded in multiple bits 110 and is sent bit by bit via a high speed link 102 as indicated by a second signal serial data 102. When this serialized data 102 arrive at the receiver side, these data bits 110 are parallelized again and stored in a bit packet, such as a 20-bit packet 112 as indicated by a third signal deserialized data 104. However, this "deserialized" 20-bit data 104 cannot be used to decode because the command 108 can start in the middle of this received data. For example, the deserialized data 104 at the receiver side is received as "fghabcde" 116 even though the host sent "abcdefgh" 118. In other words, the starting position (or header) of the command 108 is needed to be identified, while the host data 100 is sent by the host in a predefined pattern. For example, in this case, the predefined pattern is set to "abcdefgh" 118. After finding the starting position, the correct command 114 is obtained by shifting two adjacent deserialized data 104. This technique is referred to as "frame aligning", and the predefined pattern 118 used for this aligning is referred to as "SYNC" character.
If, however, a host has to send a large amount of data, the data is to be transferred via multiple serial links 152-162 as referenced in FIG. 1B that illustrates conventional frame and port aligning. Properties of multiple high speed links are different from each other. Usually a sampling front-end block (e.g., clock data recovery (CDR)) samples incoming serial data 102 and passes it to a deserializer block in a given clock. Also, flight times from the host to the receiver for each channel are not exactly the same. For example, the host sends a set of data at the same time, while one receiver samples data at a first clock and the other receiver samples it at a second clock. To compensate for this flight time difference or path difference, it is necessary to add one cycle delay 164 to the channels 158 where the data arrives earlier than the channels 162, respectively, where it arrives later. This process is referred to as "virtual lane alignment" 164 for computer expansion cards. Another alignment process 166 of seeking and aligning the header of each data segment is also performed along with the process of virtual lane alignment.
Now referring to FIG. 2, illustrating conventional process to measure and compensate path difference, to identify path differences, distinguishable predefined patterns are determined and communicated to various channels. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates a method to measure path differences and make the necessary data alignment with respect to various channels for computer expansion cards. For example, data is sent within a data stream at processing block 202, and the host inserts two COMMA patterns into the data stream at processing block 204 and sends the data at processing block 206. When a receiver probes this pattern at processing block 208, it checks the arrival time of the COMMA character on each channel or port at processing block 210. It further determines whether the same COMMA character appeared earlier at another channel at decision block 212. If yes, and there is a channel which does not yet have the COMMA character, the receiver inserts a one cycle delay for the data flowing through that channel at processing block 214. If not, the process continues with the delay.
FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional architecture 300 for providing virtual lane alignment (e.g. frame aligning and port aligning). When data is received via a serial link, it is sampled by a Clock Data Recovery (CDR) block that extracts clock (rck) from the incoming data to minimize the sampling error. Then, it passes the results of it to an aligner block with combining 4 bits. The first component of the aligner block is a deserializer 302 that combines five sequential incoming 4-bit data to 20-bit data using a depth of five shift registers 308. The second component is a frame aligner 304 to make the output start at a correct position. Since the deserializer 302 is running at a recovered clock (rck) and the frame aligner 304 is running at a system clock (clk), two registers of the five registers 308 are located to resolve the problem while crossing the clock domain. The combination may contain a register and a shifter. The third component is a port aligner 306. If a one cycle delay is required, the output from a register located in the port aligner 306 is selected instead of the data coming from the frame aligner 304.
The aligning of data (e.g., frame aligning, port aligning), or compensating skew between multiple channels, is commonly used in various serial link technologies, such as PCI-Express. However, SPMT has rather short interconnection between host and memory compared to other serial technologies, and it means that data skew on channels could be limited in relatively short amount. The difference comes out to be 0 or 1 in host clock cycle. It uses one kind of SYNC character to set up the outgoing and incoming channels and does not send distinguishable or special character to measure data skew. Thus, for example, the conventional bulky First In First Out (FIFO)-based technique cannot be applied to compensate data skew while a channel is in a setup period.

Method, apparatus, and system for automatic data aligner for multiple serial receivers


An over element line protector comprises a body having a first major surface including a first curvature of a first radius and a second major surface including a second curvature having a second smaller radius. The second radius is smaller than the first radius. The body has a longitudinal extent and a central region aligned with and along the longitudinal extent. The central region is of a first thickness. Wing regions extend laterally from the central region and have a second smaller thickness than the first thickness. A passageway is located in the central region extending along the longitudinal extent of the body configured to protect a line therein.

In the resource recovery industry packers are common devices that include elements designed to seal an annular space between two tubular shapes such as a tubing string and a casing or open hole. Lines such as control lines and electrical lines often need to extend past such elements. Traditional thinking required that the lines be disposed radially inwardly of or through the element at the time of manufacture to ensure sealing and protection thereof but that method also requires that line stubs extending from the element require splicing at the rig site. While the traditional method works well, it does require significant rig time and hence is a costly method. The art would well receive alternatives that save rig time and cost while maintaining functionality.


A method to electrochemically deposit semiconductors and for the electrochemical formation of epitaxial thin-film, single-crystalline compound semiconductors comprising alternating electrodeposition of atomic layers of selected pairs of elements using underpotential deposition.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed generally toward methods to electrochemically deposit semiconductors and for the electrochemical formation of epitaxial, thin-film, single-crystalline compound semiconductors. More specifically, this invention is directed toward a method for the electrochemical deposition of semiconductors by alternately depositing atomic layers of the component elements.
2. Prior Art
Presently, drawbacks to standard electrodeposition methods include the tendency to form amorphous or polycrystalline deposits, sometimes described as "cauliflower" deposits because of their convoluted morphology. The extensive grain boundary networks in polycrystalline materials increase their resistivity and provide recombination centers, and are thus detrimental to most applications. Improving the crystallinity of electrodeposited compound semiconductors is the next step in the evolution of electrodeposition as an important production technique for these compounds.
One example of the state of the art in the use of electrodeposition of elements to produce a compound semiconductor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,108 issued to Kapur et al. Kapur teaches the alternated electrodeposition of elements, and the subsequent heating of these elements to form an essentially homogeneous layer of semiconductive compound. As is readily apparent, Kapur deposits relatively thick layers of the first element, typically 500 to 1000 atomic layers, before changing over and depositing 500 to 1000 atomic layers of the second element. Additionally, the actual formation of the semiconductive material in Kapur is achieved through the subsequent annealing of the layers to 400.degree. C., allowing the elements to interdiffuse and combine. Until the annealing process, no compound formation takes place.
The disadvantages of this prior art electrodeposition process, such as that disclosed in Kapur, involve both the electrodeposition of bulk phases of the individual elements and the need for a subsequent anneal after the electrodepostion. The anneal is required for the combination of the elements to form the compound. Difficulties can arise in obtaining an ordered single-crystalline deposit homogeneously throughout the whole deposit, since compound formation relies on the interdiffusion of the two elements. The annealing step is especially disadvantageous if a heterojunction device, is fabricated with the art, since diffusion across junctions increases with temperature.
Another example of the state of the art in the electrodeposition of compound semiconductors is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,244 issued to Kroger et al. Kroger teaches that compound semiconductors can be electrodeposited through codeposition. In other words, by combining both elements in a single solution and selecting an optimum potential for deposition, a stoichiometric deposit can be achieved. This method utilizes the underpotential deposition (UPD) of one of the elements. UPD is the energy advantage afforded by formation of a compound on the surface. In order to limit the deposit composition to nearly a 1:1 stoichiometry, the potential for deposition is selected so that bulk Cd is not formed, and that Cd will only deposit onto previously deposited Te. The concentration of TeO.sub.2 is kept much lower than that of Cd.sup.+2 so that deposition of Te is the limiting step. All deposited Te is quantitatively reacted with the excess of Cd.sup.+2 ion.
The disadvantages of this prior art electrodepostion process lie in the resulting deposit structure. Although the stoichiometry is satisfactory, the structure of the deposits is usually polycrystalline, frequently having very convoluted morphologies. This generally results due to a lack of control over the rates of nucleation and growth of the deposits. Three-dimensional nuclei are formed and result in three-dimensional growth and polycrystallinity. Epitaxial electrodeposition is desired and necessitates suppression of these nuclei.
There are a wide variety of applications for compound semiconductors. For example, they are used in photovoltaics, luminescent displays, radiation detectors, lasers and laser windows, infrared detectors, and Vidicon imaging devices. Compound semiconductors are the central components in emerging electro-optical technologies based on layered structures. They display a variety of band gaps and some form solid solutions. The ability to control stoichiometry in these solid solutions results in the ability to vary the band gap as a function of its composition. The mercury-cadmium-telluride (MCT) system is an important example of band gap engineering.
Electrodeposition of semiconductors is a potential low cost, room temperature production technique. All previous work in compound semiconductor electrodeposition has resulted in polycrystalline deposits. There are four primary reasons for the formation of polycrystalline deposits: three-dimensional nuclei formation; the absence of an ordered substrate structure; the absence of a lattice match between substrate and deposit; and substrate, solvent, reactant and electrolyte contamination. To date, these problems have not been overcome.
Vacuum-based methods for compound semiconductor growth (e.g., molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) or vapor phase epitaxy (VPE)) involve some of the same problems encountered in electrodeposition, such as the need for careful control of reactant fluxes in order to obtain epitaxial deposits. Atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) represents a group of techniques currently under development which allow less stringent control of such growth parameters. An example of the state of the art of atomic layer epitaxy is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,430 issued to Suntola et al. Unique to ALE is compound growth one atomic layer at a time. These techniques rely on surface-specific, self-limiting reactions, which result in only an atomic layer of reactivity. If the reactant is an elemental vapor, the substrate temperature is adjusted so that bulk deposits sublime while the first atomic layer remains due to an enhanced stability resulting from compound formation. After evacuation of the first element, a similar procedure is performed with the second element. For a compound such as CdTe, an atomic layer of Cd is formed followed by an atomic layer of Te. Thin film growth is achieved by repeating this cycle.

Method to electrochemically deposit compound semiconductors

University of Georgia Research Foundation


The invention relates to a process for preparing a C3-6 (hydro)fluoroalkene comprising dehydrohalogenating a C3-6 hydro(halo)fluoroalkane in the presence of a zinc/chromia catalyst, wherein the C3-6 (hydro)fluoroalkene produced is isomerized in the presence of the zinc/chromia catalyst.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing (hydro)fluoroalkenes and particularly to a process for preparing C3-6 (hydro)fluoroalkenes by the dehydrohalogenation of a hydro(halo)fluoroalkane.
The known processes for preparing (hydro)fluoroalkenes typically suffer from disadvantages such as low yields, and/or the handling of toxic and/or expensive reagents, and/or the use of extreme conditions, and/or the production of toxic by-products. This is exemplified by considering the known methods for producing C3-6 (hydro)fluoroalkenes such as 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene. Methods for the preparation of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene have been described in, for example, Journal Fluorine Chemistry (82), 1997, 171-174. In this paper, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene is prepared by the reaction of sulphur tetrafluoride with trifluoroacetylacetone. However, this method is only of academic interest because of the hazards involved in handling the reagents and their expense. Another method for the preparation of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,840. In this case, pyrolysis of C1 chlorofluorocarbons with or without tetrafluoroethylene was purported to yield 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene. However, the yields described were very low and again it was necessary to handle hazardous chemicals under extreme conditions. It would also be expected that such a process would produce a variety of very toxic by-products. In addition to addressing the disadvantages of the known methods, it would be desirable to provide new methods for the preparation of (hydro)fluoroalkenes that use only readily available feedstocks.
It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,875 (Daikin) that 1,1,1,2,3-pentafluoropropene can be prepared by contacting and dehydrofluorinating 1,1,1,2,3,3-hexafluoropropane in the gaseous state with trivalent chromium oxide or partially fluorinated trivalent chromium oxide, optionally in the presence of oxygen.
The listing or discussion of a prior-published document in this specification should not necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that the document is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The quantity that a brake pedal 5 disposed inside a cab is stepped on is communicated to a link 10a through rods 9a and 9b, and rotates a shaft 23. The rotation of the shaft is communicated through a link 10b to a rod 9c, and a push rod 27 of a hydraulic booster 2 is pushed in by a link 10c. An adjuster 15 connecting the rod 9a and the rod 9b supports the rod 9a enabling a slide movement in the axial direction, and at the same time forces both rods in the direction to extend away from each other by a spring disposed inside. The relative displacement of the chassis frame and the cab is absorbed by the adjuster.

A hydraulic brake device for transmitting the operated quantity of the brake pedal to the spool of the hydraulic device through a link to increase the breaking power is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H5-124492.
A hydraulic booster generally has large weight, and a booster of a bonnet-type truck is positioned inside the engine room. The engine room can endure the weight of the booster since a chassis frame is positioned underneath the floor. Therefore, the booster is operated directly via a push rod from the pedal inside the cab room. In a forward control vehicle, the booster can't be mounted underneath the floor of the cab since the floor can't endure such weight. Considering the hydraulic piping from the hydraulic booster to the brake of each wheel, it is preferable that the hydraulic booster of a forward control vehicle be placed on the chassis frame of the vehicle.
In a forward control vehicle having a cab positioned on the chassis frame of the vehicle, the cab is mounted on the frame with a tilt structure so that the cab can tilt against the frame. Further, the cab is mounted on the frame through a suspension.
The brake pedal is positioned inside the cab, so a device for transmitting the operated quantity of the brake pedal accurately to the spool of the hydraulic booster is necessary.
In a forward control vehicle, the movement of the cab against the frame differs from the movement of the cab against the chassis at the time of driving, so the cab suspension is displaced relatively, and the cab may be tilted by the tilt structure.
The present invention provides a hydraulic brake device to be applied to a forward control vehicle described above comprising a device having a means for absorbing the relative displacement between the cab and the chassis.


A headlamp for a vehicle having a lengthwise direction, includes a front lens; a housing having a plurality of mounting bosses for mounting the housing to the vehicle and a lens fitting groove for mounting the front lens to the housing, the mounting bosses and the lens fitting groove extending in a direction in which the housing is removed from a mold and which is substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise direction when the housing is installed on the vehicle, and a lamp body encased in a chamber formed by the front lens and the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a headlamp mounted on an automobile, and to a method for constructing the headlamp.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 3 shows an example of a construction of a conventional headlamp 90. As shown, a lamp body 93 of a projector type is encased in a chamber defined by a housing 91 so that at the time of molding, a removing direction D of the housing from a mold is set in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle, indicated by arrow M in the figure and a front lens 92 is mounted so as to cover the housing 91. When the headlamp 90 is mounted on a vehicle body 10, it is normally mounted by screws or the like in the lengthwise direction M of the vehicle which provides a restriction in construction of the mold for forming the housing 91.
However, there are problems with the headlamp 90 having the aforementioned conventional construction, as follows:
(1) In response to recent automobile designs in which the front lens 92 is extended into the side of the vehicle, a lens fitting groove 91a which is provided in the housing 91 in order to mount the housing 91 and the front lens 92 together, is exposed to the side. In order to conceal this, the shapes of the housing 91 and the front lens 92 become complicated, which makes formation of the same difficult.
(2) At the same time, the side portion 92a of the front lens 92 which is extended to the side of the vehicle 92, assumes a state substantially parallel with the removing direction of the mold. Therefore, adjustment of the distribution of light to the side portion 92a or of the lens cutting for the purpose of ornamental appearance is difficult to perform. There are further limitations in terms of performance as well as design as a result thereof.
(3) The outside of the vehicle 10 provides a narrow space which makes it difficult to secure a mounting position of the headlamp 90 to the vehicle 10.

Headlamp and method for forming the same


A dynamic DC offset removal apparatus and a dynamic DC offset removal method capable of accurately estimating a change position of a dynamic DC offset and a DC offset value before the change and a DC offset value after the change, thereby carrying out equalization processing on a reception signal whose dynamic DC offsets are removed, and improving a bit error rate characteristic. In receiver 100 having a dynamic DC offset removal apparatus, dynamic DC offset detection section 109 calculates a DC offset value before the change and a DC offset value after the change, and DC offset change timing from the maximum value and minimum value calculated at maximum value search section 104 and minimum value search section 105 and the first-half mean value, second-half mean value and overall mean value calculated at first-half mean value calculation section 107, second-half mean value calculation section 108 and overall mean value calculation section 106, and compensation DC offset switching section 111 of DC offset removal section 110 switches between the DC offset value before the change and DC offset value after the change based on the DC offset change timing and removes dynamic DC offsets from the reception signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dynamic DC offset removal apparatus provided for a receiver in a radio communication and a dynamic DC offset removal method, and more particularly, to a dynamic DC offset removal apparatus and dynamic DC offset removal method mainly used for a receiver in a digital mobile communication mounted with a direct conversion scheme radio section.
2. Description of Related Art
Due to influences of multipath fading which may occur in a radio channel, a receiver in a digital mobile communication receives radio waves through a plurality of paths of different propagation times simultaneously. For this reason, delay distortion occurs in the reception signal and a bit error rate characteristic deteriorates. Since the delay distortion increases as a symbol rate increases, it will no longer be possible to ignore the influences of delay distortion in high-speed digital mobile communication devices in the future and it is becoming indispensable to remove the delay distortion.
An equalizer is a typical means for correcting the delay distortion. In a radio communication, equalizers are conventionally mounted in receivers which carry out high-speed transmission, and in recent years equalizers are also mounted, for example, in cellular phones of the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) which is the digital cellular phone standard in Europe. There are also a growing number of receivers which estimate a DC offset component which may occur mainly at a radio RF section by a mean value of reception signals and remove the DC offset component as pre-processing of the equalizer and thereby improve equalization accuracy and the bit error rate characteristic.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a receiver having a conventional DC offset removal apparatus and FIG. 8 illustrates the configuration of a DC offset compensation processing section therein. In FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, receiver 10 having a DC offset removal apparatus is configured with DC offset compensation processing section 11, equalization processing section 12 and decoding processing section 13. DC offset compensation processing section 11 is configured with mean value calculation section 14 and DC offset removal section 15. DC offset compensation processing section 11 estimates a DC offset component using a mean value of reception signals through mean value calculation section 14 and removes it through DC offset removal section 15.
In recent years, for the purpose of reducing the circuit scale (cost reduction) of a radio RF section, a direct conversion reception scheme is being adopted instead of a heterodyne reception scheme which converts a reception frequency to an intermediate frequency. However, with the introduction of the direct conversion reception scheme, in the narrowband digital modulation scheme used in the GSM or the like, a DC offset component remains in a receiver detection output (baseband reception signal) due to the fact that a reception signal frequency is equal to a local transmission frequency, in particular, a drastic increase (hereinafter referred to as "dynamic DC offset") of the DC offset occurs in the middle of a burst in the GSM, which is hardly removable by mean value estimation of the reception signals and may deteriorate the bit error rate characteristic.
To remove the dynamic DC offset, a conventional DC offset removal algorithm maps a digital baseband signal onto an IQ diagram, and determines I and Q coordinates of the center point by a two-dimensional fitting of geometric graphics using subsets of signal values. It is possible to capture a change of the dynamic DC offset by a change of the center point (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-278335).
However, such a conventional DC offset removal apparatus has a problem that performing such arithmetic operations to determine a center point for arbitrary continuous subsets of the digital baseband signal causes an increase in the amount of processing.

Dynamic DC offset removal apparatus and dynamic DC offset removal method


An electronic controller with a sensed ground speed input calculates appropriate cotton harvester row unit speed based on harvester ground speed and a preset ground speed versus a unit speed curve. The controller includes an automatic or manual ratio adjustment input. The ratio adjustment input allows the unit speed to be increased or decreased from the preset speed. The controller reads row unit speed via unit speed sensors and sends a signal to the unit speed actuator or electronic drive control (EDC) on a hydro, variable sheave, or other variable drive device to adjust unit speed to the calculated value. A detector or field vision device such as a camera responsive to cotton on the plants provides a signal to the automatic ratio adjustment input to change the ratio for increased productivity and reduced machine wear.

On spindle picking cotton harvesters, the synchronization between the ground speed and the picking unit drum speed is critical to achieve optimal picking efficiency and cotton quality. Current harvesters synchronize the ground speed to unit speed using mechanical methods such as gear drives through the ground drive transmission and mechanical linkages between hydro pumps. Mechanical systems typically provide a linear relationship between ground speed and unit speed, and synchronization can only occur in one gear range. Synchronization is lost when the transmission shifts gear or the harvester is turned from the forward direction. In addition, ground speed and unit speed synchronization is lost over time because of efficiency changes; tolerance stack-up, and part wear including tire tread wear. Improper synchronization adversely affects field efficiency and harvested cotton quality.
The mechanical drive systems do not allow easy adjustment of speed ratios to accommodate for variable field and plant conditions. For example, in heavy cotton conditions, the operator may wish to increase picker drum speed relative to row unit ground speed to increase the picker spindle density in the crop. In low yield cotton, the operator often increases harvester speed, but a proportional increase in drum speed may not be warranted since there is less cotton to engage in the row. Over-speed of the picking units increases component wear.
Current mechanical drive based systems allow the units to rotate in reverse when the machine is moved in reverse. Such operation in reverse can cause the slip clutch to activate and can drag cotton backwards against the moistener columns and doffers to adversely affect picking unit adjustment. To prevent this, the operator performs a complicated procedure which includes disengaging the units, backing up, stopping, engaging the units, and then proceeding in the forward direction.
Present mechanical drive systems require complex linkages and a relatively large number of moving parts. A direct linkage drive to the row units also allows the units to be driven when the hydro control handle is moved out of neutral position.

Cotton harvester row unit speed synchronization control


In some embodiments, a projection objective for lithography includes an optical arrangement of optical elements between an object plane and an image plane. The arrangement generally has at least one intermediate image plane, the arrangement further having at least two correction elements for correcting aberrations, of which a first correction element is arranged optically at least in the vicinity of a pupil plane and a second correction element is arranged in a region which is not optically near either a pupil plane or a field plane.

A projection objective is commonly used in the field of lithographic, in particular microlithographic production of semiconductors, during which an object provided with a structure, which is also denoted as a reticle, is imaged using the projection objective onto a substrate which is denoted as a wafer. The object provided with the structure is typically arranged in an object plane of the projection objective, and the substrate (wafer) is arranged in an image plane of the projection objective. The substrate is often provided with a photosensitive layer upon the exposure of which via light through the projection objective the structure of the object is transferred onto the photosensitive layer. The desired structure can arise on the substrate after development of the photosensitive layer, the exposure operation being multiply repeated, depending on circumstances.
Various designs of projection objectives are known and include dioptric projection objectives (refractive elements and no reflective elements), catoptric projection objectives (reflective elements and no refractive elements) and catadioptric projection objectives (refractive elements and reflective elements).


An improved binder-continuous, curable composition is disclosed. It comprises a pigment portion dispersed in a curable film-forming fluent portion, the pigment portion containing a tin oxide-rich electrically-conductive pigment in a pigment blend comprising an electrical conductivity-enhancing proportion of hard impalpable, achromatic filler mineral. Also disclosed are: an improvement in process for involving the plural coating a surface of a substrate, the topcoating being antistatic and containing an opacifying pigment mixture comprising an electrically-conductive tin oxide-rich pigment; and the resulting coated article. The process comprises applying at least one undercoat to said surface, the uppermost undercoat exhibiting objectionable coloration and having electrical resistance when alone and cured that is at least as low as that of said antistatic topcoating when alone and cured, applying said opacifying antistatic coating as the topcoat, and curing the said uppermost undercoat and said topcoating.

Pigment producers offer tin oxide-rich conductive pigments that are very light in color, usually slightly tawny, grayish or off-white colorations for a variety of antistatic uses. Light-colored pigments are desirable for formulating light-colored coatings.
Frequently the tin oxide is doped with a minor proportion of an antimony oxide, indium oxide, phosphoric anhydride, tellurium oxide, germanium oxide, lanthanum oxide, and/or titanium dioxide. U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,966 to Guillaumon et al. shows such white to off-white doped pigments and their incorporation into binders such as solvent-thinned epoxy resins, etc. to make paints.
Composite, desirably light-colored, tin oxide-rich conductive pigments also have taken the form of tin oxide (SnO.sub.2) deposited substantially uniformly on mica flake (e.g. "Meta-Mica", a trademark of Sanyo Color Works, Ltd., Japan), submicron spherical mixed metal oxide powders, e.g. ("Stanostat" powders, Stanostat being the trademark of Keeling & Walker, Ltd., of the U.K.), and antimony oxide-d oxide-coated titanium dioxide pigments such as that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,013.
One important use of antistatic coatings of the sort referred to is for floors. Antistatic floor coatings are particularly useful in settings such as factories, "clean" rooms, laboratories, hospital operating rooms, etc. Specifications defining resistance characteristics of antistatic floor coatings have been established over the years. For cured antistatic floor coatings earlier specifications often called for an electrical resistance as low as 25,000-100,000 ohms to an upper value of 1,000,000 ohms. More recently floor specifications have called for resistances from a million to a billion ohms. In this application non-conductive (insulating) surfaces of will be regarded, for simplicity, to be those having electrical surface resistance that is substantially above a billion ohms. The test method used to measure electrical surface resistance here is known as NFPA-99. Another method that may be used is the ASTM Test Method F150-89.
Durable opaque antistatic floor coatings present special challenges. These coatings are typically fairly thick, often 10 mils or more, thus demanding a comparatively large amount of coating per unit area. The coating must contain sufficient antistatic pigment to establish the necessary electrical pathways in the coating and the coating must be opaque. At the same time a glossy floor finish is quite frequently required. As the quantity of pigment and opacifier in a coating increases, the gloss of the cured coat decreases. Accordingly the demand for glossy finishes has tended to limit the amount of pigmentary solids, including antistatic pigment and opacifiers which can be employed.
Antistatic floor coatings have been proposed which contain conductive materials other than tin oxide pigments. For example, conductive carbon-filled or graphite-filled coatings have been proposed which are substantially less expensive than tin oxide pigment coatings for antistatic service. The carbon-filled coatings produce finishes having quite dark tones which have been often deemed undesirable and objectionable for floors.
The cost of desirably light-colored tin oxide-rich conductive pigments generally is quite high in comparison to common coating ingredients. Accordingly, there has been as yet limited acceptance of antistatic coatings containing that sort of conductive pigment, particularly for use on floors, where considerable amounts of the pigment are required. A tin oxide-rich conductive pigment can be regarded as one that has at least about 5% by weight tin oxide, including any doping oxides.
Hard, impalpable achromatic filler minerals have been used in floor coatings for producing hard finishes. These minerals are not characterized as being conductive and have not been used as pigments in the oxide-rich antistatic floor coatings. Accordingly hard, impalpable achromatic filler minerals have not been considered as pigmentary materials in antistatic floor coatings.
It has been discovered that an improved antistatic pigment is provided by blending tin oxide-rich pigment with a hard, impalpable achromatic filler mineral. When this is done the conductivity of the coating is increased substantially over what it would have been had the hard, impalpable achromatic filler mineral not been added. This enables use of reduced quantities of tin oxide pigment. Moreover, the degree of glossiness of the coating is increased over what it would have been had its conductivity level been created by unblended tin-oxide pigment. Advantages of using the instant invention over prior proposals thus include the opportunity for increased facility in formulating and for substantial cost saving while achieving like or better antistatic coating performance (lower surface resistance) with opaque coatings containing tin oxide-rich pigments, and that in a wide range of colors. Surprisingly, this is accomplished by the addition of filler that is a relatively poor conductor of electricity.
The invention also offers the ability to lay down a guide coat that will not increase and can even lower the electrical resistance of an antistatic topcoat that contains a comparatively expensive tin oxide-rich pigment while at the same time to guard against the leaving of inadvertent overly-thin patches or even skimping by the applier.

Antistatic coating comprising tin-oxide-rich pigments and process and coated substrate


A process and a device for producing hollow bodies of plastic by stretch-blow molding heated parisons, in which the parisons are inspected before being heated and at least some of the defective parisons are heated and are not separated out until after being heated. This method and the respective device can be implemented at low cost and with low space requirements and it has only a minor negative effect on output of finished hollow bodies.

A generic device is already known, in which both the inspection station and the sorting station connected to it are arranged at a considerable distance upstream from the heating station, so that all the defective parisons can be sorted out before being heated (German Patent 197 37 527 A1). The inspection station has its own drive motor, which ensures—through a special recovery control—that the gaps formed due to sorting out all the defective parisons are closed again before reaching the heating station. The heating station and the blow molding station are thus filled with parisons with no gaps between them and both stations operate at maximum output and maximum efficiency. However, the structural complexity and the space required with the known device are not insignificant and it is often difficult to integrate them, which is why this design with a separate parison inspector is not suitable for all applications, despite its advantages.
On the other hand, it is already known that a mechanical inspection station with a sorting function may be integrated into the intake star wheel of the heating station (U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,375). Here again, all the parisons which are rejects are sorted out before the heating station, but the gaps that result from this sorting continue all the way through the heating station and the blow molding station. Depending on how many defective parisons must be sorted out, this has a more or less negative effect on efficiency and output. In addition, heating of the parisons in front of and following such gaps is disturbed as a result of the gaps between the parisons in the heating station, which therefore also results in defects in the completely blow-molded hollow bodies, e.g., beverage bottles.

Method and device for producing hollow bodies of plastic


The present invention relates to the technical field of devices for reading/authenticating banknotes. The invention also concerns handheld devices, particularly those which may be used by visually impaired persons, to identify different banknote denominations. The present invention is aimed at providing a banknote validator that avoids the drawbacks of the prior art. The validator according to the invention may as well be used for validating a security document including a marking (like luminescent ink or pattern printed on said document, luminescent security thread or strip, for example) operable to glow with a specific color luminescence under appropriate UV light illumination. The invention further describes a method for identifying a denomination of a banknote having a test zone including a marking operable to glow with a specific color luminescence according to the denomination under appropriate UV light illumination.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the technical field of devices for reading/authenticating banknotes. The invention also concerns handheld devices, particularly those which may be used by visually impaired persons, to identify different banknote denominations.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Optical properties of specific marking on currencies, or of the paper itself, are often used for discouraging forgery. For example, it is well known that high-quality non-fluorescent paper (not commonly available to the general public) is used for many currencies. This feature allows simply detecting forgery obtained by photocopying a banknote using conventional photocopier paper, as said paper fluoresces under UV light illumination due to the presence of optical brightner agent (which absorbs UV light to emit light at a higher wavelength in the visible region). Many other types of marking are known in the art: for example, luminescent ink or pattern printed on the banknote, a strip or a (possibly luminescent) security thread, marking with IR absorbing ink etc.
Other illustrative and non-limiting examples are the Canadian currency, which includes random points having bright secondary emission when exposed to UV light, or the Peruvian currency, which too has specific small features having bright secondary emission when exposed to UV light.
Banknote validators are of common use for scanning a banknote and determining its denomination and/or authenticating it, as illustrated, for example, with the banknote validators disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,463, U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,103, U.S. Pat. No. 7,378,665 B2, U.S. Pat. No. 7,550,736 B2 and EP 1 471 472 B1, or the patent application GB 2 355 522 A.
Typically, these banknote validators use reflectance and/or transmittance properties of the banknotes relating to certain currencies, under illumination by appropriate light (for example, UV, white or IR light), to determine a denomination or check authenticity by comparing intensities, intensity thresholds, or intensity ratios, of light reflected and/or transmitted by said banknotes with some corresponding reference values for authentic banknotes.
Some banknotes validators can further detect the presence of fluorescent and/or phosphorescent material (i.e. luminescent material) on or within the banknotes, or even measure the corresponding luminescence intensity.
However, using reflectance or transmittance intensities, or luminescence intensity, necessitates having separate intense pulsed light sources (such as high-intensity emitting diodes), and adapted lenses to focalize reflected/transmitted light and obtain measurement data with a good signal/noise ratio. This makes miniaturization of the scanning head of a validator more difficult and increases its cost, particularly in case of a handheld validator. Moreover, using mere reflectance or transmittance intensities, cannot always allow discriminating certain denominations or discriminating counterfeit banknote. For example, for genuine US currency reflecting a high level of UV light without overall fluorescence, it is not possible to discriminate a counterfeit currency having these characteristics.
Some banknote validators, for better discriminating various denominations, use imaging of a specific marking of a banknote, or detection of marking with magnetic ink or conductivity properties, at a given place on the banknote (for example, a specific pattern printed on the banknote, a strip or a security thread, or a portion free of printed matter). However, as the position of the marking generally changes between denominations and series, these validators necessitates using a further means for distinguishing width from length and transporting the banknotes along a path through a banknote passageway, which includes control means and sensors for measuring a position of the banknote in said passageway during a scanning operation, so as to correctly find and detect properties of the marking. This is even more complex in case said checking must be performed whatever is an insertion sense and/or side of the banknote in the passageway. Besides being detrimental to miniaturization of the scanning head of the validator, this further means for transporting the banknote is not appropriate for a handheld equipment to be used by users (like visually impaired persons, for example). Indeed, said users would prefer inserting the banknote and simply passing it through the validator for scanning operation, while still holding the banknote.
Thus, there is clearly a need for a robust banknote validator capable to fully discriminate the denominations of a currency and reliably authenticate these denominations, which could even be a handheld device. Particularly, there is a need for such an handheld banknote validator adapted to visually impaired persons, as it is clear from a recently published report of ARINC Engineering services, LLC, for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), which is a bureau within the United States Department of Treasury (Final Report, "Study to Address Options for Enabling the Blind and Visually Impaired Community to Denominate US Currency, contract S08-00156, July 2009).


The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a user of an electronic device with an Automatic Upgrade Functionality (AUF), the ability to automatically upgrade software installations with a configurable amount of user interaction and interruption.

Computer software is constantly updated to keep pace with new features, prevent problems from arising, or fix known or recurrent problems. Users exploit several mechanisms, each requiring a certain amount of computer resources, involvement and decision-making on the part of the user, to keep up with available updates. Various methods for updating software include patching and hardware and software upgrades.
Providers typically determine when, how, at what cost, and under what circumstances upgrades are made available. Inevitably, upgrading requires the time and energy of the user device, and some level of user involvement. As a general matter, any increase in time or effort required by the user, or any annoyance experienced due to reduced device functionality while an upgrade occurs, reduces the likelihood that the user actively chooses to upgrade their software, especially if they are not experiencing a problem.
Providers are increasingly providing upgrades via a patch, a discreet portion of computer code downloaded via a network, such as the Internet, as opposed to upgrading via hardware and software upgrades. This is because the process of upgrading via hardware and software upgrades often requires more time than that of a patch as it requires the user to physically load the update onto their user device. The possibility of user error is also increased as greater activity is required on the part of the user to implement upgrades. Alternatively, the process of upgrading via a patch does not require any physical loading of software or hardware by the user. However, upgrading a user's system via the patch does require consideration of the network connection quality, processing capacity of the user device, and user's ability and willingness to properly download and implement the patch.
A patch can be an upgrade, a bug fix, a new hardware driver or update to address new issues such as security, stability or other end-user problems. Most patches are free to download, but ultimately the provider determines which versions of their software are updated for free. In some cases, only registered users may get certain upgrades. At other times the only way to upgrade is to purchase the newer version at a discounted price, which requires reinstallation of the program. Typically, a patch can be installed concurrent with an existing program depending on the supplier and the nature of the patch.
Providers often force, or push, upgrades to the user device and users are typically denied access to the device until upgrades are installed. Alternatively, a provider may prevent a user from closing out of an application until the upgrade is downloaded. When the provider forces downloads of upgrades the user's device typically functions more slowly or not at all until upgrades are downloaded. Alternatively, users may request, or pull, upgrades by accepting them upon notification provided by the provider that upgrades are available. The download of the upgrade is typically contemporaneous with the user's request and consumes computer resources causing delay in the device's utility to the user.
Generally, users must conform to parameters set by the providers if they are to obtain upgrades. The prior art method of receiving upgrades is problematic for several reasons. The provider typically does not take into account that the user's device is slowed while the download takes place and that the user's experience while using their device is negatively impacted by a delay caused by downloading an upgrade. Alternatively, when upgrades are pulled, users are required to make decisions about when to suffer a delay on the user device on a case-by-case basis. Further, users pulling upgrades are often required to determine the correct upgrade for their system with no or little knowledge or guidance. In either case, the provider may limit the size of the upgrade to be downloaded or provide the upgrade in serial form to reduce the delay experienced by the download.
In situations where the provider forces the user to accept updates, the user typically has no choice as to when or how such upgrades occur. The user experiences interruption in the functionality of the user device and, worse still, the delay may be unexpected and/or frustrate the user's use of their device. In situations where the upgrade is requested by the user, they typically have limited options to refuse a download. In the event that the user chooses to download the upgrade, the upgrade starts downloading to the user device immediately and, during the time of the upgrade, the user experiences reduced functionality of the user device. Some users have developed a habit of choosing not to upgrade due to the temporary interruption in the use of the device. The burden of upgrading to resolve problems often exacerbates the frustration of the user experiencing an underlying problem and makes finding a less intrusive means of providing upgrades to clients and users desirable. In the long term, failure to voluntarily upgrade acts as a detriment to providers, clients and users, as upgrades allow users to experience the best product the provider has to offer, resolve problems, and prevent problems from arising.
There exists a need to provide users with a less burdensome means of upgrading their devices by providing users with the means to select when and in what manner downloading can occur that reduces the interruption of their use of their device.

System and method for automatically uploading updates