A power converter for converting input AC power comprising N phase-to-phase input AC waveforms at a first frequency into overall output DC power, where N is an integer greater than two, includes N phase-to-phase AC/DC converters each receiving a phase-to-phase waveform and having outputs connected in series whereby the converter outputs are combined to develop the overall output DC power. The AC/DC converters are operated such that a parameter of the input AC power and a parameter of the overall output DC power are controlled.

Often, there is a need to convert polyphase AC power into DC power for one or more loads. For example, in an aircraft, provision is often made to convert polyphase 400 Hz AC power supplied by a ground power cart into DC power for on-board loads while the aircraft is on the ground. This AC/DC power conversion may be accomplished by multiple rectifiers connected together in a bridge configuration. However, the currents drawn by such rectifiers are non-sinusoidal and contain high levels of low order harmonics. These harmonic currents can cause high levels of voltage distortion in the waveforms produced by the AC source and hence it has been found necessary to limit the magnitudes of these currents in some fashion.
In the past, AC input harmonic filters have been used to reduce the harmonic currents on the input side of the converter. Alternatively, a rectifier topology employing multiple bridge rectifiers and isolation transformers has been used. This latter approach has been found to be particularly desirable owing to the need to isolate the input of the converter from the output for safety reasons. However, in both approaches, the added components have significantly increased the size and weight of the overall converter, and hence have limited the usefulness of these approaches in applications where size and weight must be kept to a minimum, such as in aircraft.
A different approach is to rectify the polyphase AC power utilizing controllable switching devices instead of uncontrolled diodes. A phase controlled rectifier bridge is one example of a converter that adopts this approach.
A rectifier bridge utilizing a plurality of naturally commutated controlled thyristors, however, can present poor input power factor to the AC source, and hence the AC input source must have a greater capacity than if the bridge could present a unity power factor load thereto.
A further example of an AC/DC converter using controllable switching devices is disclosed in Brewster et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,414. In this patent, three separate single-phase AC/DC converters receive phase-to-phase voltages developed by a three-phase voltage source. Each AC/DC converter includes a first full-wave rectifier which converts the phase-to-phase AC voltage into a DC voltage and an H-bridge converter coupled to the first full-wave rectifier. The H-bridge converter includes first and second pairs of thyristors which are alternately operated and which are coupled to a primary winding of an isolation transformer. A secondary winding of the isolation transformer is coupled to a second full-wave rectifier bridge. The second full-wave rectifier bridges of the AC/DC converters are connected together in parallel to form an output of the overall converter. One disadvantage with the converter shown in the Brewster et al. patent is that the thyristors are not self-commutating and therefore require a resonant commutation circuit for proper operation. This resonant commutation circuit undesirably increases the size and weight of the overall converter. Also, the independent operation of the three converters does not guarantee matching of the supply currents to each, and therefore the triplen harmonics may not cancel perfectly.
A paper by Manias, et al. entitled "Novel Sinewave in AC to DC Converter With High-Frequency Transformer Isolation", appearing in IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, Vol. IE-32, No. 4, November 1985, discloses an AC/DC converter utilizing a cycloconverter connected between an AC power source and a high-frequency transformer and a full bridge rectifier coupled between the high frequency transformer and an output of the converter.
A paper by Manias, et al. entitled "A 3-Phase Inductor Fed SMR Converter With High Frequency Isolation, High Power Density and Improved Power Factor", pp 253-263, copyright 1987, IEEE, discloses a two-stage, inductor fed switch mode rectifier (SMR) topology wherein a three-phase AC power source is coupled to a PWM rectifier, a high frequency inverter, an isolation transformer and a diode rectifier. A phase comparator is responsive to the voltage and current in one of the phases of the AC power source and provides a command signal to a PWM gate control logic circuit which in turn operates switches in the PWM rectifier to control the power factor of the converter and regulate the DC output voltage. The PWM gate control logic circuit also operates switches in the high frequency inverter at a fixed duty cycle of 50%.
A paper by Diego, et al. entitled "A Novel Load Current Control Method for a Leading Power Factor Voltage Source PWM Rectifier", pp 383-388, copyright 1992, IEEE, discloses a PWM voltage source rectifier including an input transformer coupled to an AC source, an input filter coupled to the transformer and a switching rectifier. The switches of the rectifier are controlled in accordance with a fixed PWM pattern based upon the detected DC current and AC voltage to control the power angle and hence the amount of power flow transferred from the AC/DC side.
Other patents and publications disclosing AC/DC converters include: Hombu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,685; Wilkinson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,366; Glennon et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,466; Severinsky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,982; Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,929; Severinsky et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,029; Ampo, Japanese Patent Publication 58-179168; Fujii, Japanese Patent Publication 2-36765; and an article by Wernekinck, et al. entitled "A High Frequency AC/DC Converter With Unity Power Factor and Minimum Harmonic Distortion", pp 264-270, copyright 1987, IEEE.


Provided is an automotive windshield cover structure for removably covering a windshield of a vehicle. The automotive windshield cover structure includes a windshield cover, a first extension portion and a second extension portion. Or, the automotive windshield cover structure includes a windshield cover, at least one air vent portion and at least one add-on portion. The automotive windshield cover structure covers the windshield of the vehicle effectively and blocks rain, snow or sunlight, such that the windshield cover cannot be removed from the windshield by wind or lifted by wind. The first extension portion and the second extension portion are adhered to and engaged smoothly and tightly with door receiving grooves at the left front and right front portions of the vehicle, respectively, when a door of the vehicle shuts, to prevent water droplets from being guided across the automotive windshield cover structure to flow into or seep into the vehicle.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to automotive windshield cover structures, and more particularly, to an automotive windshield cover structure with a plurality of first magnetic strips.
2. Description of Related Art
As the demand for transport is on the rise, use of vehicles is ever-increasing, and thus automotive accessories and apparatuses are also in increasingly wide use. The aforesaid trend brings about the emergence of the shielding apparatuses for protecting vehicles or automotive windshields, for example, by preventing damage otherwise caused by rain or snow.
Although the protective or shielding apparatuses for use with automotive windshield have been there for a long while, their conventional design remains unchanged, that is, a fabric that covers and is held with rods. The prior art goes without careful evaluation of reality. In practice, snow, water droplets or foreign bodies, which are initially intercepted by the fabric, are guided across or ooze through the fabric to enter the vehicle, not to mention that the fabric is often removed or lifted by gusts of wind, thereby failing to protect or cover the vehicle.
Accordingly, it is important for automotive accessory manufacturers to invent an automotive windshield cover structure that prevents snow, water droplets, or foreign bodies from flowing into or seeping into a vehicle, blocks sunlight to protect meters, parts and components inside the vehicle and keep the vehicle cool on sunny days, and is suitable for mass production at low costs.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Disclosed is a method for performing a liquid processing on a substrate using an aqueous solution of a chemical agent at a predetermined concentration as a processing liquid. The method includes: storing the processing liquid in a processing liquid storage unit; and supplying an aqueous solution of the chemical agent at a different concentration from the concentration of the processing liquid to the processing liquid storage unit, discharging the processing liquid from the processing liquid storage unit so as to update the processing liquid stored in the processing liquid storage unit. The aqueous solution in a predetermined amount is supplied to the processing liquid storage unit, and the processing liquid is discharged from the processing liquid storage unit, the processing liquid containing the chemical agent in the same amount as the amount of the chemical agent contained in the aqueous solution supplied to the processing liquid storage unit.

In manufacturing, for example, semiconductor parts or a flat panel display, a substrate liquid processing apparatus has conventionally been used for performing a processing such as etching or cleaning on substrates such as, for example, semiconductor wafers or liquid crystal substrates using a processing liquid such as, for example, an etching liquid or a cleaning liquid.
In the substrate liquid processing apparatus, an aqueous solution of a chemical agent at a predetermined concentration is used as a processing liquid. The substrates are processed with the processing liquid by being immersed in a processing bath which stores the processing liquid or ejecting the processing liquid from a processing liquid storage bath toward the surfaces of the substrates.
In a conventional substrate liquid processing apparatus, when the substrates are repeatedly processed by the processing liquid, the concentration of, for example, impurities increases, the impurities being included in the processing liquid by the processing of the substrates. Thus, the substrates may not be satisfactorily processed. For example, when the substrates are processed by a phosphoric acid aqueous solution (an etching liquid), the capability (etching rate) of the processing liquid depends on the silicon concentration in the processing liquid. Thus, the silicon concentration in the processing liquid needs to be maintained in a predetermined range. However, the repetition of the processing of the substrates increases the silicon concentration in the etching liquid and decreases the capability of the processing liquid. Thus, the substrates may not be satisfactorily etched (See, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-74060).
Accordingly, in the conventional substrate liquid processing apparatus, an exchange of the processing liquid is periodically performed such that all of the stored processing liquid is wasted, and a new processing liquid is fully replenished. Especially, when the substrates are etched, the concentration of silicon contained in the processing liquid needs to be maintained in a predetermined range. Thus, after a total amount of the processing liquid is exchanged, dummy substrates are immersed in the processing liquid to adjust the concentration of silicon contained in the processing liquid.

Substrate liquid processing apparatus, substrate liquid processing method and computer readable recording medium having substrate liquid processing program recorded therein


A method and system for registering external telephone numbers and associating such external telephone numbers with an extension in a voice mail system. When a call is received from a telephone which is not registered in the called systems database, after the caller has identified an extension and entered an appropriate password, the user is given an opportunity to register the external telephone with the system and to associate the telephone with and extension in the called system.

Voice mail systems are in widespread use. Voice mail systems can be used with conventional POTS telephone systems (Plain Old Telephone Service) and/or with the more modern VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) systems.
Some older voice mail systems merely function as a telephone answering machine. That is, they answer calls and record messages when an extension is not answered. Many more modern voice mail systems are closely integrated with, and they form an integral part of a PBX system (Private Branch Exchange). Such voice mail systems can provide many more functions than do the older type of voice mail systems. For example, in many modern voice mail systems when a user calls into voicemail from a telephone extension attached to the PBX, the number of the extension from which the call was placed is automatically recognized by the voice mail system.
A modern voice mail system can be associated with a single PBX or with a number of interconnected PBX systems, and the PBX systems can be either POTS systems, VoIP systems or a combination of such systems. Modern voice mail systems can also facilitate the interconnection of telephones not directly connected to a PBX system. Such systems can provide both the conventional functions of an answering machine along with a wide variety of related functions. For example, in many such systems when a voice mail message is left for one person from another person connected to the same system, the system automatically identifies the message as being from the person assigned to the extension that placed the call.
Many modern telephone handsets include a display. The display can be used to identify the calling party, that is, a caller ID function, and to display other text messages. Typically, for extensions connected to the system, a caller's name is displayed on the called party's handset.
Modern voice mail systems typically include a database that stores subscriber information. If a call originates from a telephone number that is identified in the database, the call is said to originate from an "identified caller" and the caller's name is displayed on the called handset. Furthermore the identified callers name is automatically associated with any messages the caller leaves. If a call is made from a telephone number that is not identified in the system's database, the call is said to originate from an "unidentified caller" and the caller's name cannot be displayed or associated with any messages that are left.
In modern voice mail systems, users and the system administrator have access to the system's database by means of a web based interface. That is, using a conventional browser and conventional web page access methods, users and the administrator can add or delete information from the system's database.
Using the web based interface a user can identify external telephone numbers (those not directly connected to the PBX) so that calls from such telephones are thereafter treated as calls from an "identified" party. For example, a user could enter into the database the telephone number of his cell phone, mobile phone, etc. Calls from such telephones would then be calls from an identified party. Once the number of such a telephone has been entered into the database, if a caller from such a telephone places a call to an extension connected to the system and leaves a message, the messages is automatically marked as originating from the caller in the same way that it would be identified if it originated from the callers extension on the system.
In many existing system, there are also additional benefits that can be achieved by users who have registered non PBX associated telephone devices. For example, the recipient of a message can reply to the message without entering the caller's number. Another benefit is that a user may be able to group all messages from a particular caller together for achieving or searching even though they originated from different devices.
The retrieval of messages from an external telephone is also facilitated if the external telephone has been registered in the system's database. If a user is using a PBX associated telephone, recorded messages are typically retrieved by pressing a message button and entering a password. The voice mail system knows which messages to retrieve because it identifies the user by the extension being used. Furthermore, the user need only enter a password. The user does not have to identify the extension since the system knows the extension from which the call originated.
In order to retrieve messages from a telephone that is not associated with a particular PBX voice mail system, a user generally calls a message retrieval telephone number, and the voice messaging system prompts for the user's extension and the user's password. If the external telephone number has been registered in the system's database, the system recognizes the user who is calling and the system merely needs prompt for the user's password, and not for the user's extension.
There are many different types of voice mail systems that are commercially available, each of which has a particular set of available features. Some commercially available systems have some but not all the functions described above. A commercially available system that implements all of the above features (and others) is the voice mail system available from Cisco Systems Inc. under the trademark Unity™.
The present invention is directed to a feature for a voice mail system that facilitates registering external telephones with a voice mail system so that the system can recognize calls from such telephones and eliminate the need to prompt for an extension number.

Adding an identified caller's other devices to a voice mail system


A device and method for detecting and recording the snoring of a patient. The device comprises a piezoelectric sensor, placed below a sleeping patient on a mattress, which generates signals representative of the sub-audible vibrations of the patient's airway which are present during a snore. The signals generated by the sensor can be amplified by an amplifier and processed by a signal processing circuit. The sensor can also generate signals representative of the patient's breathing cycle and general movement of the patient. The signal processing circuit can be adapted to discriminate the signals generated by the sensor and then output these signals for analysis. The output can be used to determine the presence of snoring by the patient and the snoring pattern can also be used to detect episodes of obstructive sleep apnea.

There are a number of diseases and disorders which only manifest their presence in sleep or at least markedly worsen during sleep. One sleep linked disorder is obstructive sleep apnea. A patient suffering this disorder undergoes while asleep repeated episodes of obstruction of their upper airway. During these episodes of obstruction there is a period, which can typically range between 10-40 seconds, when there is no airflow through the airway into the lungs of a patient. This state usually terminates due to arousal of the patient.
In mild cases of sleep apnea, a sufferer may only undergo a few episodes of obstruction over a night of 6-8 hours of sleep. In more severe cases, the episodes can occur repeatedly with tests showing that some sufferers undergo 400-500 episodes of obstruction in a single night's sleep. Such high levels of obstruction and the resulting repeated falls in oxygen level to the brain can lead to major health problems, and sufferers are known to have increased mortality, probably because of increased morbidity due to cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Sufferers also exhibit high levels of daytime sleepiness which increases the risk of a sufferer being involved in a traffic or industrial accident. It is now recognised that at any one time about 10% of males and about 5% of females suffer from some form of sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea is now widely recognized by its array of daytime symptoms including daytime sleepiness and also by witnessed episodes of "stop breathing" by a bed partner. Heavy snoring is, however, the most common and characteristic sign of sleep apnea.
Snoring is almost universally known and is characterised by noise generated in the throat of a sleeping individual. Snoring is in fact so tightly coupled with sleep that its presence is a positive and diagnostic indication that an individual is asleep.
Snoring is a noise which is typically generated by vibration of the air conduction tube at the level of the throat. It usually occurs during inspiration (breathing in) but sometimes occurs during expiration (breathing out) and sometimes during both phases of the sleeping cycle. Snoring occurs when, with sleep, there is a loss of muscle tone in the muscles of the throat which are needed to keep the throat open. This loss in muscle tone narrows the air passages leading to inadequate levels of airflow into the lungs. This drop in airflow is detected and the body's reflexes automatically produce increased efforts to breathe. These increased efforts produce greater degrees of suction pressure in the air passages which then in turn cause the walls of the throat to vibrate and flutter. Snoring commonly originates in the oropharyngeal area of the throat. This is the region where the cavity of the mouth and a cavity from the nasal airway join to form one tube at the oral region of the pharynx. In this region, the soft palate which is a mobile structure which hangs down from the roof of the mouth in the back of the throat, acts to determine which of the two pathways are connected to the breathing tube. Most commonly, snoring is generated when the soft palate flutters. This fluttering leads to pressure oscillations within the airway and sounds are then generated when other structures in and around the airway are vibrated producing harmonics which can be heard.
The underlying physical properties of snoring start, therefore, when the airway flutters at a critical location resulting in the suction pressure in the airway also oscillating. This pressure oscillation radiates in all directions, including both outwards through the nose and mouth, and inwards back into the lungs and chest wall. The pressure oscillation causes other tissues to oscillate and vibrate and harmonics are formed causing audible sound.
The audible sound which is widely known a snoring is the result of vibration of a range of tissues and the harmonics which are then formed. The sound is the result of complex movements end various filtering by nasal structures. In contrast, the underlying pressure oscillations of the airway which leads to these sounds are inaudible. The easiest way to demonstrate the existence of the underlying pressure oscillation is for an individual to voluntarily snore. This can be done with a little training; the throat is relaxed, the mouth opened, and then strong inspiratory efforts are made. Doing this, most people can make their soft palate flutter and thus generate snoring sounds. When the nose is observed during this action, the walls of the nasal entry can be seen to oscillate as a result of the low frequency inaudible pressure wave being transmitted along the airway.
While snoring is the most common and characteristic symptom of sleep apnea it does not necessarily follow that if a person is a heavy snorer they will also suffer sleep apnea. A report an heavy snoring can, therefore, alone not provide enough information to positively diagnose or exclude the existence of sleep apnea. When a subject develops sleep apnea, however, the pattern of snoring typically changes. Instead of the sound of regular rhythmical snoring occurring at a time sequence identical to the breathing cycle there are typically bursts of a few loud snoring breaths, separated by a longer period of silence of 15-50 seconds indicative of obstruction. This sequence usually occurs in a regularly occurring pattern over many minutes or even hours.
The recognition of this characteristic pattern of snoring has been used to diagnose the presence of adult sleep apnea. There are many devices which are based on the recording of sound and many of these are used as diagnostic devices to identify snoring. These devices range from microphones being placed in a room of a sufferer or on the throat or even in a hearing aid placed in the ear of a sufferer. Some devices use sound analysis systems to characterise the sound signature and then to count the number of snores or the number of apneas in a night of recording. Many doctors also ask their patients to record their own snoring and then return the tapes so that they may listen for the characteristic pattern of sounds. This method is very good as it utilizes the physician's car as the analysis system which can readily detect the typical sound of snoring and then the typical pattern of broken snoring indicative of sleep apnea. It is, however, an impractical method as the audio recordings have to be replayed and to date there has been no efficient way of providing quantitative analysis.
A particular problem with recording sound alone is that it is also difficult to separate other sounds such as someone talking, a door slamming, the radio or television in the background, a car or truck passing outside, or even someone else's snoring in the room. To counter this problem, an independent measure of respiration is typically used to timelock the sound of snoring to the breathing cycle. Typical devices for measuring respiration are thermistors and pressure transducers that are attached to the patient and measure airflow at the mouth or nose or other devices also attached to the patient which monitor chest movement.

Device and method for detecting and recording snoring


As outermost coating-like layer(s) of charging roller(s) is or are made to contact and/or slide against photosensitive drum(s), charge is applied from the outermost coating-like layer(s) to the photosensitive drum(s), charging the photosensitive drum(s). This being the case, resistance of the outermost coating-like layer(s) of the charging roller(s) fluctuates, and surface(s) thereof become scratched and so forth, and gradually deteriorate. Moreover, if remedial action is not taken, charging capability of the charging roller(s) may decrease, leading to nonuniformity in charging of the photosensitive drum(s) and causing lowering of image quality and/or reduction in service life of the photosensitive drum(s). The outermost coating-like layer(s) of the charging roller(s) is or are therefore periodically stripped off therefrom to rejuvenate the charging roller surface(s).

This application claims priority under 35 USC 119(a) to Patent Application No. 2004-95914 filed in Japan on 29 Mar. 2004, the content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The technology disclosed herein pertains to rotatable roller(s) rotating with an outer circumferential surface(s) thereof contacting and/or sliding against at least one electrostatic latent image carrier(s), and pertains to image forming apparatus(es) employing same, and pertains to image forming apparatus cartridge(s) employing same.
As is known, in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, as a photosensitive drum (electrostatic latent image carrier) is made to rotate, a charging apparatus causes the surface of the photosensitive drum to become uniformly charged; a beam of light is scanned across the surface of the photosensitive drum, forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum; developer is made to adhere to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum, forming a development image on the photosensitive drum; the development image is transferred from the photosensitive drum to recording paper; and heat and pressure are applied to the development image on the recording paper to fuse it thereon.
Here, the charging apparatus may be a device using corona discharge to generate/apply charge, a device using contact with roller(s) to generate/apply charge, and so forth. The former, i.e., corona-discharge-type charging apparatuses, are advantageous in that they apply charge to the photosensitive drum in noncontact fashion and in that they cause the surface of the photosensitive drum to become uniformly charged. However, they have the disadvantage that they produce a large amount of ozone.
Furthermore, the latter, i.e., charging apparatuses making use of contact with roller(s), have the advantage that they produce almost no ozone, charging of the photosensitive drum being accomplished as a result of causing the photosensitive drum surface to be contacted by roller(s) to which bias voltage(s) has or have been applied. However, as there is a tendency for roller surface(s) to deteriorate, it will be necessary to periodically carry out replacement of roller(s).
Art has therefore been disclosed, e.g. at Japanese Patent Application Publication Kokai No. 2000-235294 (hereinafter "Patent Reference No. 1"), in which an electrically conductive elastic roller is inserted within an electrically conductive tube, the electrically conductive tube and the electrically conductive elastic roller being made to rotate in idler fashion by the photosensitive body as the electrically conductive elastic roller is pressed against the photosensitive body. Because the inside diameter of the electrically conductive tube is greater than the outside diameter of the electrically conductive elastic roller, replacement thereof is simple, and it is possible to easily rejuvenate the electrically conductive tube surface when this has deteriorated due to contact with the photosensitive drum.
However, with Patent Reference No. 1, because there is a gap between the electrically conductive tube and the electrically conductive elastic roller, when the electrically conductive tube and the electrically conductive elastic roller are made to rotate in idler fashion by the photosensitive body, the locus at which the electrically conductive elastic roller contacts the electrically conductive tube is always changing in unstable fashion. This being the case, it is possible that resistance between the electrically conductive elastic roller and the photosensitive drum will be unstable, and that charging of the photosensitive drum by the electrically conductive elastic roller and the electrically conductive tube will also be unstable.
Accordingly, for stable charging of the photosensitive drum, there being no alternative but to employ a roller in which an electrically conductive film is in intimate contact with the roller surface, roller replacement has been unavoidable.
Furthermore, this sort of problem which has been described with respect to charging rollers has also been shared by charge removal rollers coming in contact with photosensitive drum(s) or the like and removing charge therefrom, cleaning rollers coming in contact with photosensitive drum(s) or the like and carrying out cleaning thereof, transfer rollers transferring development image(s) from photosensitive drum surface(s) to recording paper, and so forth, where it has also been necessary to carry out roller replacement in the event of deterioration of the roller surface.
The technology disclosed herein was therefore conceived in light of the foregoing conventional issues, it being an object thereof to provide a rotatable roller capable of imparting electric potential(s) in stable fashion and having outer circumferential surface(s) capable of being easily rejuvenated in the event of deterioration thereof.
Furthermore, it is an object of the technology disclosed herein to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus cartridge employing the aforementioned rotatable roller(s) in accordance with the technology disclosed herein.

Rotatable roller, image forming apparatus employing same, and image forming apparatus cartridge employing same


Sight glass assemblies, pipe assemblies including the same, and methods for assembling pipe assemblies are disclosed. Sight glass assemblies may include an annular body of a transparent material. The annular body may include a peripheral surface, an interior surface defining at least a portion of a fluid path, first and second parallel planar annular surfaces spaced a first distance apart, and at least one passage extending through the annular body from the first planar annular surface to the second planar annular surface between the peripheral and interior surfaces. In some examples, a sight glass assembly may include at least one spacing element, which may include first and second bearing surfaces. The first and second bearing surfaces may be spaced a second distance at least as large as the first distance. In some examples, the interior surface may be chemically resistant to at least one predetermined fluid.

Liquids, such as petroleum or other fuels are often transported in metal tanks and/or through metal pipes. For example, petroleum fuels may be transported in metal tanker trucks and transferred to and/or from other tanks through a suitable passage or tube such as a pipe or hose. The use of tubes fabricated from opaque materials, such as metals or rubbers, often precludes direct observation of the flow and/or type of fluid through the tube. Inclusion of a transparent region in the tube may permit a direct observation of fluid flow through the tube. Further, in the case of fuels, the type of which may sometimes be distinguished by color, such a transparent region in the tube may permit a direct observation of the type and/or color of the fuel present in and/or flowing through the tube.
Examples of sight glasses and pipes incorporating the same are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,125,269; 5,628,231; 4,888,990; 1,886,444; and 1,042,730. The disclosures of these and all other publications referenced herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

Sight glasses and pipes incorporating the same


There is provided an image processing device for controlling a display device to display a plurality of unit images making up a moving image at predetermined intervals, the image processing device including: 4×N (N: an arbitrary integer) quadrant memories; a separation section; a memory output control section; an assignment section; and an output control section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device, method and program, and more particularly to an image processing device, method and program which provide memory control for a 4K signal at almost the same band (sample clock) as for a 2K signal so as to ensure reduced power consumption and easy handling of devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a result of the ever-increasing resolution of liquid crystal panels, those panels compatible with the video signal having an effective pixel count of 2048×1080 or so (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-348597 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-285876 (Patent Document 2)), namely, the so-called high definition signal (referred to, however, as the "2K signal" in the present specification) are now becoming prevalent. Further, new liquid crystal panels are coming along which are compatible with the video signal having an effective pixel count of 4096×2160 or so, namely, the video signal with roughly four times the resolution of the 2K signal (hereinafter referred to as the "4K signal").
For this reason, the present inventor and applicant have been engaged in the development of projectors incorporating a 4K liquid crystal panel and their peripheral equipment as digital cinema projectors.

Image processing device, method and program


A method for generating a cardiac electrical instability assessment is disclosed herein. The method includes obtaining a short duration T-wave alternans (SDTWA) measurement, obtaining a long duration T-wave alternans (LDTWA) measurement, and obtaining a cardiac electrical instability assessment based on both the SDTWA measurement and the LDTWA measurement.

This disclosure relates to method and system for detecting T-wave alternans.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) of a single heartbeat is commonly referred to as a PQRST complex. The PQRST complex includes a P-wave that corresponds to activity in the atria, a QRS complex that represents the electrical activation of the ventricles, and a T-wave that represents the electrical recovery or recharge phase of the ventricles. The PQRST complex also includes an ST segment connecting the QRS complex and the T-wave. T-wave alternans (TWA) is an electrophysiological phenomenon that is evident in the ECG as an alternating pattern of ST segment and/or T-wave morphologies on successive beats.
Clinical studies have demonstrated that TWA is an indicator of cardiac electrical instability. One problem is that it is difficult to identify and measure the specific TWA morphological patterns that are most indicative of cardiac electrical instability.

Method and system for detecting T-wave alternans


An ice access and discharge apparatus for an ice bin including an access opening for access to ice in the bin and a slidably disposed ice baffle for baffling ice within the bin away from the access opening and metering ice flow to an ice discharge spout and to provide ice on a first in-first out basis. The ice discharge spout has a slidably disposed ice discharge gate for manually metering ice into an ice container.

Ice has long been provided to meet various commercial demands. Generally, sizable quantities of particulate ice are stored within a bin to facilitate the availability of ice so that an appropriate amount of ice needed in a given instance may be removed from the bin. Once ice has been made, whether as ice shavings, cubes, cylinders, or the like, such particles usually reside in the holding bin until dispensed.
Removal of ice from upright bins has traditionally been performed by either hand scooping or shoveling from the bin. It is preferable for ice to be delivered to containers on a first in, first out basis. This feature, however, typically requires that the ice access area be low, near the bottom of the ice bin, which yields a less than optimum removal height, particularly for scooping. When the bin is full and the ice access area is near the bottom of the ice bin, a baffle is required to keep the ice from pouring out of the ice access area when the ice bin is full.
A difficulty with such a baffle is that it limits access for shoveling and ice agitation, ice bridge breaking, and the like. To resolve this problem, one prior baffle means uses a hinged ice check door, which is hinged at the top of the ice access area, which swings from a locked position inside the ice bin, where baffling occurs, out such that additional ice access is achieved. If there is ice filling the ice access area, interference between the ice check door and the ice occurs, making returning the door to the locked position, where proper baffling is achieved, very difficult. An object of the present invention eliminates this difficulty by using a baffle that slides into place through the ice, rather than a baffle that rotates.
The present invention provides a new and improved ice bin, having an ice access and discharge apparatus in which ice is delivered via gravity from the ice bin through an ice discharge chute having a discharge gate. The baffle provides for metering of the ice to the ice discharge spout as well as providing for ice to be delivered on a first in-first out basis.
The principal object of the ice discharge apparatus of the present invention provides improved means for removing ice from a conventional up-right ice bin, a better method of maintaining and controlling ice flow in the bin, and a simple, cost effective means for transporting ice in confined areas.


In response to the issue of a request for processing long data from an application node to a server A, the server A sends a message requesting a server B for the processing of the long data. The server B requests the application node to transmit the long data to the server B by using a message, and receives the long data directly from the application node without passing through the server A. As a result, the overhead caused by transferring the long data from a server to a server of another node is eliminated, and the load of the network is reduced.

The present invention relates to a parallel computer, and a computer cluster system, and in particular, to a method of efficient data passing between nodes.
The parallel computer is a computer system configured for the purpose of obtaining a result in short time by coupling a plurality of computing nodes by a high speed network, and by dividing one problem and computing simultaneously on the plurality of nodes. In such a computation, since the performance of the system is affected to a great extent by the processing performance of each node as well as the performance of the network which connects between the nodes, the parallel computer is provided with an especially equipped high speed network.
On the other hand, there is another computer system called as a computer cluster which is configured to use independent computers as the computing nodes and to use a general purpose local area network (LAN) as the network, and to perform similar parallel computation. The computer system configured as mentioned above has a high capability of operation, and when the scale of the problem is small, practical parallel computation is possible even when the network operates more or less at low speed.
Hereinafter, "parallel computer" refers to the above-mentioned parallel computer, and computer cluster. The computing node is described simply as a node. When viewed from a certain node, this node itself is called as a local node. Also, when viewed from a certain node, nodes within the parallel computer other than the local node are called as the other nodes, or remote nodes.
The control of cooperation between the nodes in the parallel computer is called as message passing between the nodes. In the message passing, control information, data used for computation, data of computed result, or file data or the like is delivered and received between the nodes through the network. Accordingly, an operating system (OS) which controls each node has a message passing function as a basic function. The message passing can be utilized by an application or the OS itself.
The role performed by each node of the parallel computer is not necessarily uniform. For example, a device physically connected to a node differs sometimes for each node, and thus, the role of the node differs necessarily. Furthermore, it is usual to distinguish a node performing the control of the system from a node exclusively performing the computation.
An example of such a parallel computer is disclosed in a document by Zajcew, et al. entitled "An OSF/I Unix for Massively Parallel Multicomputers" (Proceedings of the Winter 1993 USENIX Conference, pp 449 to 468).
In this document, an OS called as a kernel operates on each node. The kernel abstracts the message passing by a concept called as a port. The port is one kind of a message queue, and when the kernel sends a message to the port, this message is enqueued in the port. Also, when the kernel assigns this port and requests for a reception of a message, it is possible to receive the message enqueued in this port. In this manner, the kernel on each node can indirectly specify a node of a receiving party by the port.
Moreover, in the document mentioned above, a control program called as a server is operated on the kernel. The server is activated by a specific node called as a server node, and performs control such as to activate an application on each node. Furthermore, for a node having a disk device connected thereto, a file server is activated, and a file access service is performed. Also, for a node provided with a device for an external network (not an internal network which connects between nodes) for communication with other systems, a communication server is activated, and takes charge of an external communication function.

Method of data passing in parallel computer


The invention provides processes for the preparation of puffed cereal cakes, in particular puffed rice cakes. The processes comprise molding puffed or unpuffed cereal grains under pressure with the application of ultrasound. The ultrasound assists bonding of the cereal grains to form a solid cake. The ultrasound reduces fouling of the mold and increases processing speed. In one aspect, the starting material is prepuffed cereal grains, and these grains are coated with a binder agent and then bonded together at low temperature using ultrasound energy. This permits the formation of puffed cereal cakes with edible inclusions of temperature-sensitive foodstuffs, and also the rapid formation of puffed cereal cakes with shaped or profiled top and/or bottom surfaces.

The present invention relates to improved processes for the preparation of puffed cereal cakes or other products, such as rice cakes. The invention also relates to improved puffed cereal cakes, and to an apparatus suitable for use in the method of the invention. Rice is the most commonly, but not the only advantageously used cereal. Consequently, when the expression "rice" appears herein, the term is understood to be used in the illustrative rather than the limiting sense.
Rice cakes are commercially available products formed from puffed rice grains that are bonded together without a binding matrix. The rice cakes have low density, and low moisture content, and are typically the size and shape of a cookie or rusk. Similar puffed (also known as expanded) cereal cakes can be made with other cereal grains such as wheat, millet, buckwheat, barley or corn.
Rice cakes are currently made by a process comprising the steps of: (i) providing a mold comprising a plurality of mold elements including a reciprocally movable piston element for compressing rice grains inside the mold; (ii) introducing a predetermined quantity of unpuffed (i.e. plain parboiled or non-parboiled) rice into the mold, the average moisture content of this rice being typically about 16% by weight; (iii) compressing the rice grains in the mold to about 6 MPa (60 bar) pressure; (iv) heating the rice grains in the mold to a temperature of 230.degree.-280.degree. C.; (v) moving the piston element to expand the mold by a predetermined amount, whereupon the heated rice grains expand and bond together to form the rice cake, followed by (vi) removing the finished rice cake from the mold.
A first drawback of the above method is that it requires a pressure mold that can provide high pressures and temperatures, together with precisely controlled expansion of the mold in the puffing step. This involves considerable technical complexity. Various alternative mold designs are described, for example, in WO92/08375, WO90/08477, and EP-A-0359740.
A second drawback of the above-described existing methods of forming rice cakes is that the high temperature mold surfaces required to heat the rice quickly to the puffing temperature result in rapid build-up of carbon deposits on the mold. This necessitates frequent down time (typically 5-10 minutes every hour) for mold cleaning.
A further drawback of the above-described method is that each compression, heating, expansion and product removal cycle takes at least 6 seconds, and usually 10-12 seconds. The relatively lengthy heating and expansion cycle needed to produce each rice cake reduces the process throughput and increases the cost of the products.
A further drawback of the above-described existing methods of forming rice cakes is that the edible inclusions that can be incorporated into or onto the rice cakes are very limited. Most edible materials, such as vitamins or chocolate, are degraded by the high temperatures used to form rice cakes. In fact, existing rice cakes generally only contain rice and salt, with flavoring agents optionally applied to the surface of the rice cake after it has been formed. This contributes to the limited consumer acceptance of existing rice cakes.
Finally, the high pressure expansion used to form rice cakes according to the prior art means that only a limited range of rice cake shapes is available. In particular, the top and bottom faces of the rice cakes obtained by this method are substantially parallel and flat, i.e. free from patterns or shapes in relief.
In view of the above and other shortcomings of prior art methods and apparatus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved process for the preparation of puffed cereal cakes, in particular puffed rice cakes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for the preparation of puffed cereal cakes that is faster than existing methods.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process for the preparation of puffed cereal cakes that requires less equipment down-time than existing methods.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a process for the preparation of puffed cereal cakes that permits the inclusion of heat-sensitive edible materials into the puffed cereal cakes obtained by the method.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a process for the preparation of puffed cereal cakes having top and/or bottom surfaces that are patterned or shaped in relief.
A further object of the invention is to provide puffed cereal cakes, in particular puffed rice cakes, having incorporated therein heat-sensitive edible substances.
One more object of the present invention is to provide puffed cereal cakes, in particular, puffed rice cakes, having a top and/or a bottom surface that is patterned or shaped in relief.
Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for the preparation of a puffed cereal cake, specifically adapted for use in a process according to the present invention or for the production of a rice cake according to the present invention.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a process for the preparation of a puffed cereal cake comprising the steps of: providing a mold comprising a plurality of mold elements including a reciprocally movable piston element for compressing material inside said mold; introducing a predetermined quantity of unpuffed cereal grains into said mold; compressing the cereal grains in the mold; applying ultrasonic energy to the cereal grains in the mold; moving said piston element to expand the mold by a predetermined amount while applying said ultrasonic energy to the cereal grains to cause expansion and bonding of the cereal grains to form the puffed cereal cake; and removing the puffed cereal cake from the mold.
It has been found that the application of ultrasonic energy to heat the cereal grains during the heating and expansion steps results in a number of technical advantages. First, the time required to heat the cereal grains to their puffing temperature of 210.degree. C.-280.degree. C. is reduced, because the ultrasonic energy heats the cereal grains directly.
A further advantage of the application of ultrasonic energy is that the expansion and bonding of the cereal grains is accelerated. This means that the cycle of compression, heating and expanding the cereal grains can all be completed in less than 5 seconds, and preferably in 2.0 seconds or less. This compares with at least 6-8 seconds needed in the absence of ultrasonic energy.
Yet another advantage of the application of ultrasonic energy is greatly reduced carbonization of the mold. This is partly because of the reduced dwell time of the heated cereal grains in the mold, and partly because the ultrasonic apparatus is self-cleaning. The reduced carbonization of the mold results in reduced down-time and faster throughput.
Yet another advantage of the application of ultrasonic energy is that the ultrasound reduces sticking of the finished cereal cakes to the mold.
The starting material for this process can be brown or milled, parboiled or non-parboiled rice, preferably having a moisture content of 16-28% w/w.
It will be noted that the process according to the first aspect of the present invention retains certain disadvantages of the prior art, including the need for a high pressure expansion step and the need for high temperatures to puff the cereal grains. This means that shaped puffed cereal cakes, and/or puffed cereal cakes having heat-sensitive edible inclusions cannot readily be made by the process according to the first aspect of the present invention. In addition, a high pressure mold is required, as described above for the prior art methods. The mold should be capable of rapid, controlled expansion in order to take advantage of the faster puffing time provided by this aspect of the invention.
Accordingly, in a second aspect, the present invention provides a process for the preparation of a puffed cereal cake, comprising the steps of: providing a mold comprising a plurality of mold elements including a reciprocally movable piston element for compressing material inside the mold; coating prepuffed cereal grains with a binder material; introducing a predetermined quantity of the coated prepuffed cereal grains into the mold; compressing the coated prepuffed cereal grains in the mold; applying ultrasonic energy to the coated prepuffed cereal grains in the mold to bond the grains together to form the puffed cereal cake; followed by removing the puffed cereal cake from the mold.
In this context, the expression "prepuffed cereal grains" means cereal grains, such as rice grains, wheat grains or popcorn grains, that have been puffed by micronizing, gun-puffing, extrusion or other puffing methods conventionally known in the art. Such methods are described, for example, in "Rice Chemistry and Technology", Bienvenido O. Juliano ed., published by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, St. Paul, Minn. (1982).
The present inventors have found, surprisingly, that suitably coated prepuffed cereal grains can be bonded together by imbedding said prepuffed cereal grains in a substantially continuous matrix of an edible, heat-plasticizable material to form a puffed cereal cake by applying a moderate pressure and applying ultrasonic energy to the compressed prepuffed cereal grains. This simplified process provides a number of advantages, as follows.
A first advantage is that the puffed cereal cakes can be formed at much lower pressures, without a controlled expansion step as in the prior art methods. It is merely necessary to compress the prepuffed cereal grains at preferably 0.1-2.0 MPa (1-20 bar) before applying the ultrasonic energy. Thus, the cost and complexity of the cereal cake mold is greatly reduced.
A second advantage of this aspect of the invention is that little or no heating of the prepuffed cereal grains is required to achieve bonding. Preferably, the average temperature of the prepuffed cereal grains does not exceed 100.degree. C. during the process according to this aspect of the invention, and more preferably the average temperature of the prepuffed cereal grains does not exceed 70.degree. C. Preferably, all of the heating is due to absorption of the ultrasonic energy.
The relatively low temperature at which the process according to this aspect of the invention is carried out permits the introduction of heat-sensitive food inclusions into the puffed cereal cake simply by introducing a heat sensitive food product into the mold at the same time as the prepuffed cereal grains. Preferred heat-sensitive food products include vitamins, chocolate, fruits, candied fruits, dried fruits, nuts, sugars, edible gums, edible fats, caramel, flavorings in dry or liquid form, and colorants.
The relatively low temperature at which the cereal cake formation takes place also eliminates the problem of carbon deposition in the mold, thereby reducing down time and increasing throughput of the process.
A third advantage of the process according to the this aspect of the invention is that formation of the puffed cereal cake is extremely fast. Preferably, the step of bonding the prepuffed cereal grains together by means of the ultrasonic energy is completed in 2 seconds or less, more preferably 1 second or less, and most preferably 0.5 second or less. This greatly increases the throughput of the process.
A fourth advantage of the process according to the this aspect of the invention is that, because there is no expansion step, it is possible to use a shaped mold with non-parallel, non-planar top and bottom mold elements. This permits the formation of a shaped cereal cake product having a non-planar top or bottom surface. Preferably, the non-planar top or bottom mold element is patterned or shaped in relief, and the minimum feature width of the pattern or shape is less than 15 mm, more preferably less than 10 mm. It would be very difficult to use such a patterned or shaped mold element in puffed cereal cake manufacture by the high temperature, high pressure expansion method. Preferably, the depth of the pattern or shape in relief is at least 25%, and preferably at least 50% of the maximum depth of the mold cavity.
It will readily be appreciated that the process according to this aspect of the invention can be used to make a wide variety of shaped, puffed cereal cake products for different market niches. For example, puffed cereal cakes shaped like animals (e.g. turtle, elephant) would be appealing to children. Puffed cereal cakes in the shape of a bone would be a suitable snack food for dogs. Puffed cereal cakes in the shape of a mouse could be a suitable snack food for cats.
The binding of the puffed cereal grains to form the puffed cereal cake in the process according to the this aspect of the invention is assisted by the additional step of applying a coating of a suitable binder material in the form of an edible heat-plasticizable material to the prepuffed cereal grains prior to compression. The coating may, for example, comprise a cereal flour, a sugar or an edible gum. Suitable cereal flours include rice flour, wheat flour and corn flour. Suitable sugars include dextrans, maltodextrins, syrups of glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose or mixtures thereof, and caramels. Suitable edible gums include xantham gum, guar gum, carrageenan, locust beam gum and mixtures thereof. Other coatings may comprise starches, modified starches, or gelatins.
Preferably, the binder comprises an aqueous liquid. More preferably, the coating comprises at least 80% w/w of water, most preferably at least 95% of water. The aqueous liquid coating may contain dissolved vitamins, colorants or flavoring agents. Preferably, the aqueous liquid is sprayed onto the puffed cereal grains shortly before the compression step, preferably no more than 60 seconds before the compression step, and most preferably no more than 20 seconds before the compression step. It is thought that water assists the binding of the prepuffed cereal grains by softening and partially dissolving components at the surface of the grains, including local reactivation of the starch. In addition, water is a good susceptor for ultrasound and will tend to localize ultrasonic heating at the surfaces of the puffed grains, where bonding takes place.
Preferably, the binder coating is applied to the prepuffed cereal grains in an amount of from 0.1 to 100% by weight, more preferably 5 to 50% by weight, and most preferably 10 to 30% by weight based on the dry weight of the prepuffed cereal grains. The binder coating may also be applied to the edible inclusions, where these are added to the cereal grains. Preferably, the binder does not make up more than 10% by volume, more preferably not more than 2% by volume, and most preferably not more than 1% by volume of the puffed cereal.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing discussion that the preferred cereal grains for the processes according to either aspect of the present invention comprise rice grains. More preferably the cereal grains consist essentially of rice grains. However, the processes according to the present invention are also applicable to other puffable cereal grains, such as wheat, millet, buckwheat, barley or corn, such as popcorn, or mixtures thereof.
Preferably, the ultrasonic energy in the processes according to the present invention is applied at a frequency of from 10 kHz to 40 kHz. Preferably, the energy is applied by an ultrasonic actuator such as a piezoelectric actuator to one or more of the mold elements, and the surface of the mold element driven by the actuator moves through an amplitude of from 10 to 50 .mu.m.
The molding step may be followed by a drying step to dry the cereal cake preferably at 50.degree.-100.degree. C. to a moisture content of less than about 5% by weight, preferably to about 2-3% by weight.
In a third aspect, the present invention provides a puffed cereal cake having a non-planar top or bottom surface.
Preferably, the non-planar top or bottom surface is patterned or shaped in relief, and the minimum feature width of the pattern or shape is less than 15 mm, more preferably less than 10 mm. The depth of the pattern or shape in relief is preferably at least 25%, and more preferably at least 50% of the maximum thickness of the puffed cereal cake.
The puffed cereal cakes may be made in a range of consumer acceptable shapes and configurations, as discussed above.
In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a puffed cereal cake having a heat-sensitive food product, flavoring or colorant incorporated therein. Preferably, the heat-sensitive food product is selected from the group consisting of vitamins, chocolate, candied fruits, dried fruits, nuts, sugars, edible gums, edible fats, caramel, liquid and solid flavorings, and colorants.
The puffed cereal cake according to the fourth aspect of this invention may, of course, also be patterned or shaped in accordance with the third aspect recited above.
It will appreciated that the puffed cereal cake according to the third or fourth aspects of the present invention may itself be enrobed in an edible coating such as chocolate or otherwise incorporated into a compound edible structure.
In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for the manufacture of a puffed cereal cake, the apparatus comprising: a mold comprising a plurality of mold elements, including a reciprocally movable piston element for compressing cereal grains inside the mold; and an ultrasonic oscillator coupled to at least one of said mold elements to apply ultrasonic energy to the compressed cereal grains in the mold.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means for applying a coating of a binder to prepuffed cereal grains prior to introduction of the prepuffed cereal grains into the mold. More preferably, there are means adapted to apply a coating of an aqueous solution or suspension to the prepuffed cereal grains immediately before the grains are introduced into the mold.
Preferably, at least one of the mold elements is patterned or shaped in relief, and the minimum feature width of the pattern or shape is 50 mm or less, more preferably 10 mm or less.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means for introducing batches of puffed or unpuffed cereal grains of predetermined size into the mold for compression and molding of puffed cereal cakes.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises additional heating means, such as electrical resistive heating means, for heating the cereal in the mold.
Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.


An upconverter for mixing a single-ended RF signal with a differential local oscillator signal to generate a differential IF signal, that includes a source degenerated first differential pair comprising matched first and second transistors, each having source, gate and drain terminals, wherein the gate of the first transistor receives the input signal and the gate of the second transistor receives a ground potential, and a second differential pair comprising matched third and fourth transistors, each having source, gate and drain terminals, and a third differential pair comprising matched fifth and sixth transistors, each having source, gate and drain terminals, wherein the sources of the third and fourth transistors are coupled to the drain of the first transistor and the sources of the fifth and sixth transistors are coupled to the drain of the second transistor, the gate of the third transistor is coupled to the gate of the fifth transistor and the gate of the fourth transistor is coupled to the gate of the sixth transistor, the drain of the third transistor is coupled to the drain of the sixth transistor and the drain of the fourth transistor is coupled to the drain of the fifth transistor, the gates of the third and fourth transistors receive the differential local oscillator signal, the drains of the third and fourth transistors supply the differential IF signal, the gate of the first transistor is coupled to the single-ended RF signal, and the gate of the second transistor is coupled to a DC control signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains in general to a frequency conversion device, and more particularly, a single-ended upconverter.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,307, to Scheinberg entitled, "Low Cost Monolithic GaAs Upconverter Chip" ("Scheinberg") describes an improvement upon a known frequency upconverter employing a Gilbert type double-balanced mixer. Scheinberg is hereby incorporated by reference.
A frequency upconverter generally includes an RF amplifier to amplify a radio frequency ("RF") input signal, a local oscillator ("LO") to generate a LO signal, and a mixer to combine the RF input and LO signals to generate an intermediate frequency ("IF") signal. FIG. 1 is a general block diagram of a known upconverter for double-conversion 102. Referring to FIG. 1, upconverter 102 includes a low-noise amplifier ("LNA") 104, a Gilbert type image-rejecting mixer 106, a phase splitter 110, a voltage-controlled oscillator ("VCO") 112 and a DC bias circuit 108. Upconverter 102 also includes sixteen pins, #1 to #16. Pin #6 receives an input signal RF and couples input signal RF to LNA 104, which, in turn, provides a differential output signal to mixer 106 to generate differential IF signals at ports #1 and #16. Differential IF signals have frequencies higher than that of the input RF signal.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of LNA 104 and mixer 106 of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, input signal RF is transformed into a differential pair, RF+ and RF−, through an external capacitor-inductor-capacitor circuit 114. Differential pair RF+ and RF− may also be created through an alternative embodiment of a Balun circuit 114A. LNA 104 receives differential pair RF+ and RF− as input signals and provide output signals to mixer 106. Mixer 106 additionally receives differential signals LO to generate differential IF signals. Because LNA 104 requires differential-pair RF input signals, an external circuit, one such as Balun circuit 114, is always required. Such an external circuit is disadvantageous because it occupies additional chip area on a semiconductor wafer. FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of FIG. 2 as described in Scheinberg.
FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a conventional differential-pair input upconverter employing RF bypass networks. Referring to FIG. 4, an RF bypass network 116 is disposed between the input terminals of LNA 104 and differential-pair signals RF+ and RF−. RF bypass network 116 includes a first resistor 118, a second resistor 120, and a capacitor 122 connected in series. One end of capacitor 122 is coupled to resistor 120 and the other end of capacitor 122 is coupled to ground. RF bypass network 116 functions to dampen potential resonances of upconverter 102 created by bond wires (not shown) or the parasitic self-inductances of the package pins (not shown). However, RF bypass network 116 lacks preferred resistance matching at the input end of upconverter 102 and control of high-frequency image signals. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a conventional differential-pair input upconverter including source degeneration networks. Referring to FIG. 6, LNA of upconverter 102 includes a first transistor 138, a second transistor 140, and a source degeneration network 124. Source degeneration network 124 includes matched source-degenerating inductors 126 and 128 and resistors 142 and 144 to eliminate noise created by transistors 138 and 140 and control image noise. Another embodiment of a source degeneration network is shown as 124A, including only source degenerating inductors. Although source degeneration resistors 142 and 144 improve the linearity of transistors 138 and 140 of LNA 104, source degeneration resistors 142 and 144 also decrease the gain of LNA 104. Similarly, although source degeneration inductors 126 and 128 inhibit image noise, inductors 126 and 128 do not provide for the linearity, conversion gain, or noise figure characteristics of LNA 104 or mixer 106.
Scheinberg additionally describes a DC bias circuit to address long power-up latencies in the order of several seconds, which cause an increased testing time. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of Scheinberg including a DC bias circuit that includes resistors 130, 132, and 134. A passive voltage-dividing network is shown in FIG. 7. The gate of transistor 136, which functions as a current source, is biased by the voltage-dividing network comprising resistor 130, 132, and 134, which act to prevent power-up latency. However, this design complicates the overall circuit design of upconverter 102.
Furthermore, when a upconverter chip is packaged, an external resonator is coupled to an internal VCO. The external resonator is grounded directly to an internal ground node of the upconverter chip or a ground node of the Printed Circuit Board (PCB). As a result, noise generated by the external resonator may be coupled to the internal VCO or other internal components of the upconverter through the common ground connection.

Broadband single-ended input upconverter

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A process for producing an image uses an imaging medium comprising an acid-generating layer or phase comprising a mixture of a superacid precursor, a sensitizing dye and a secondary acid generator, and a color-change layer comprising an image dye. The sensitizing dye has first and second forms, the first form having substantially greater substantial absorption in a first wavelength range than the second form. The superacid precursor is not capable, in the absence of the first form of the sensitizing dye, of being decomposed by radiation in the first wavelength range. The secondary acid generator is capable of thermal decomposition, catalyzed by superacid, to form a secondary acid. While at least part of the sensitizing dye is in its first form, the medium is imagewise exposed to radiation in the first wavelength range, thereby causing, in the exposed areas of the acid-generating layer, the formation of superacid. The medium is then heated to cause, in the exposed areas, thermal decomposition of the secondary acid generator, catalyzed by the superacid, and formation of the secondary acid. The components of the acid-generating and color-change layers or phases are then mixed so that the secondary acid causes a change in color of the image dye, and the sensitizing dye is converted to its second form. The acid-generating layer or phase desirably includes a cosensitizer which is a reducing agent less basic than the secondary acid generator.

This invention relates to an imaging medium and to a process for producing an image.
Images can be generated by exposing a photosensitive medium to light in an imagewise fashion. Some conventional non-silver halide photosensitive compositions contain molecules which are inherently photosensitive, so that absorption of electromagnetic radiation brings about decomposition of, at most, as many molecules as photons absorbed. However, a dramatic increase in the sensitivity of such photosensitive compositions can be achieved if the absorption of each photon generates a catalyst for a secondary reaction which is not radiation-dependent and which effects conversion of a plurality of molecules for each photon absorbed. For example, systems are known in which the primary photochemical reaction produces an acid, and this acid is employed catalytically to eliminate acid-labile groups in a secondary, radiation-independent reaction. Such systems may be used as photoresists: see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,932,514 and 3,915,706; and Ito et al., "Chemical Amplification in the Design of Dry Developing Resist Materials", Polym. Sci. Eng., 23(18), 1012 (1983).
Among the known acid-generating materials for use in this type of process employing secondary, non-radiation dependent reactions are certain diazonium, phosphonium, sulfonium and iodonium salts. These salts, hereinafter referred to as superacid precursors, decompose to produce superacids, i.e., acids with a pKa less than about 0, upon exposure to electromagnetic radiation. Other materials decompose to produce superacids in a similar manner. However, in the absence of a spectral sensitizer, the known superacid precursors decompose to produce superacid only upon exposure to wavelengths which the precursors absorb, which are typically in the ultraviolet region (below about 330 nm). The use of such wavelengths is often inconvenient, not least because special optical systems must be used.
It is known that various dyes can sensitize the decomposition of superacid precursors upon absorption by the dye of radiation which is not significantly absorbed by the superacid precursor; see, for example, European Patent Application Publication No. 120,601. Unfortunately, however, due to the very low pKa of the superacid, many such dyes are protonated by the superacid, so that no unbuffered superacid is produced (i.e., the sensitizing dye buffers any superacid produced). Since no unbuffered superacid is released into the medium, decomposition of superacid precursors sensitized by these dyes cannot be used to trigger any secondary reaction which requires the presence of unbuffered superacid.
(The term "unbuffered superacid" is used herein to refer to superacid which is not buffered by the sensitizing dye, and which thus provides an acidic species stronger than that provided by the protonated sensitizing dye. Because of the extreme acidity of superacids and their consequent tendency to protonate even species which are not normally regarded as basic, it is possible, and indeed likely, that "unbuffered superacid" will in fact be present as a species buffered by some component of the imaging medium less basic than the sensitizing dye. However, such buffering by other species may be ignored for present purposes, so long as superacid is present as a species sufficiently acidic to trigger the generation of secondary acid.)
Crivello and Lam, "Dye-Sensitized Photoinitiated Cationic Polymerization", J. Polymer Sci., 16, 2441 (1978) and Ohe and Ichimura, "Positive-Working Photoresists Sensitive to Visible Light III, Poly(tetrahydropyranyl methacrylates) Activated by Dye-Sensitized Decomposition of Diphenyliodonium Salt", J. Imag. Sci., Technol., 37(3), 250 (1993) describe small sub-groups of sensitizing dyes which are sufficiently non-basic that the buffered superacids produced can effect certain acid-catalyzed reactions. However, the need to restrict the choice both of sensitizers and of acid-catalyzed reactions may make it difficult to design an efficient imaging system at a specific desired wavelength.
A variety of non-basic, polycyclic aromatic compounds sensitize decomposition of superacid precursors to produce unbuffered superacid upon exposure to longer wavelengths than the superacid precursors absorb themselves. Such materials are discussed in, for example, DeVoe et al., "Electron Transfer Sensitized Photolysis of 'Onium salts", Can. J. Chem., 66, 319 (1988); Saeva, U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,376; and Wallraff et al., "A Chemically Amplified Photoresist for Visible Laser Imaging", J. Imag. Sci. Technol., 36(5), 468-476 (1992).
U.S. application Ser. No. 08/141,852, filed Oct. 22, 1993 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,345) and its parent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,612 (both assigned to the same assignee as the present invention) describe a process by which a wider variety of dyes than those discussed above may be used together with a superacid precursor to generate free (unbuffered) superacid in a medium. In this process, acid is generated by exposing a mixture of a superacid precursor and a dye to actinic radiation of a first wavelength which does not, in the absence of the dye, cause decomposition of the superacid precursor to form the corresponding superacid, thereby causing absorption of the actinic radiation and decomposition of part of the superacid precursor, with formation of a protonated product derived from the dye; then irradiating the mixture with actinic radiation of a second wavelength, thereby causing decomposition of part of the remaining superacid precursor, with formation of free superacid. Generation of superacid by exposure to the second wavelength may be sensitized by one of the non-basic, polycyclic aromatic sensitizers mentioned above. (For convenience, the type of process disclosed in this patent will hereinafter be called the '612 process.)
However, the use of any of the methods described above for the sensitized decomposition of superacid precursors to generate unbuffered superacid poses a severe problem if the exposing wavelength for the imaging system falls within a wavelength range in which the resultant image is to be viewed, and the sensitizing dye is not removed. This problem will hereinafter be referred to as the "sensitizing/viewing problem," and is particularly apparent when one attempts to use one of the sensitizers described above to make an image, intended to be viewed by the eye, by means of an exposure to visible wavelengths. Absorption of visible light by the sensitizer leads to a large minimum optical density (D.sub.min) in the final image, lowering its contrast and making its appearance unacceptable (especially in regions intended to be white, that is diffusely reflective, and non-absorbing in the visible region). Even if the visible absorption of the sensitizer is bleached in the course of the sensitization reaction, this visible absorption will still remain in the originally non-exposed areas of the image. The sensitizing/viewing problem is not confined to visible wavelengths but applies to any system in which the exposing radiation absorbed by the sensitizer falls within a wavelength range in which the resultant image is to be viewed or used (in the case of a photomask or photographic negative). For example, in the graphic arts industry, it is conventional to expose contact and "dupe" films in the near ultra-violet to produce photomasks which display imagewise changes in absorption which are themselves in the near ultra-violet range. Such processes, if sensitized by one of the methods described above, may suffer from a sensitizing/viewing problem.
The sensitizing/viewing problem is especially severe if it is desired to construct a full-color imaging system, which requires exposure to at least three different wavelengths to produce images in three primary colors. A conventional approach to this problem would be to resort to "false sensitization", i.e., to expose the imaging medium at three wavelengths which are not visible to the eye. In practice, however, exclusion of visible wavelengths for exposure leads to great difficulty.
Efficient sensitization of superacid precursors at non-visible wave-lengths is limited to the near ultra-violet region (between about 330 nm and 420 nm) and the near infra-red region (between about 700 nm and 1200 nm). The non-basic, polycyclic aromatic compounds mentioned above may be used to sensitize decomposition of superacid precursors to make unbuffered superacid in the near ultra-violet region. However, it is difficult to find three near ultra-violet wavelengths which can be generated by a convenient source and which are sufficiently separated from each other to be absorbed by three sensitizers without cross-talk among three color-forming layers. (The practical near ultra-violet wavelength range for this type of imaging process extends only from about 330 nm to about 420 nm, since other components of the imaging medium, such as leuco image dyes if used, often absorb competitively with the sensitizer below about 330 nm, and wavelengths above about 420 nm will appear yellow to the human eye). It is difficult to find a lamp which emits three spaced wavelengths in the 330-420 nm range; a conventional mercury lamp emits only two usable wavelengths in this range. Moreover, a modulating device such as a liquid crystal cell (and polarizers, if required) may be damaged by lengthy exposure to near ultra-violet radiation. Although phosphors emitting in the near ultra-violet are known, cathode ray tubes using such phosphors must be custom-made, and the emission spectra of such phosphors are often broad, leading to possible cross-talk. Another available exposure source, the near ultra-violet laser, is expensive.
Although it may at first appear that sensitization at near infra-red wavelengths would solve the problems discussed above, infra-red sensitizers suffer from other problems. Some near infra-red dyes, and all non-basic polycyclic aromatic compounds which absorb in the near infra-red, have visible absorptions which contribute to the D.sub.min of the image. Equally importantly, the photon energy in the near infra-red is less than about 40 kcal/mole, and in practice this low photon energy appears to limit the quantum efficiency at which the sensitizing dye causes the decomposition of the superacid precursor. This limited quantum efficiency limits the overall sensitivity of the process.
The problems discussed above are alleviated if at least one of the exposing wavelengths is in the visible region. If at least one exposing wavelength is in the visible or near infra-red region, a maximum of only two exposing wavelengths must be found in the near ultra-violet. Furthermore, the higher photon energy available in the visible region, as compared with the near infra-red, is likely to lead to higher quantum efficiency, and therefore higher sensitivity, than can be expected from near infra-red exposure. There are also other reasons why exposure in the visible region is preferred. Conventional cameras are designed to use visible light, and thus any medium intended to replace conventional silver halide film in cameras must use visible light to produce a visible image. Likewise, any medium intended to produce a print from a photographic negative must be capable of exposure by visible light. Conventional photographic printers, also, are designed to use visible light. Much effort has been expended in developing sources (for example, light-emitting diodes, cathode ray tubes, lamps and lasers) and control devices (for example, liquid crystal light valves) optimized for visible radiation. Accordingly, using visible radiation rather than (say) infra-red or ultra-violet radiation in an imaging process often enables the cost of the imaging apparatus to be reduced, and may also make it possible to use a standard, commercially available light source or control device rather than a custom-made source or device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,489 and copending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/141,860 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,736; both these patents are assigned to the same assignee as the present application), and the corresponding International Application No. PCT/US93/10224 (Publication No. WO 94/10607), all describe processes for the photochemical generation of acid and for imaging using conventional ultra-violet sensitizers; these processes will hereinafter collectively be called the "'489 process." The aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,612 and copending application Ser. No. 08/141,852, and the corresponding International Application No. PCT/US93/10215 (Publication No. WO 94/10606), all describe an imaging process using an imaging medium comprising an acid-generating layer or phase and a color-change layer or phase. In this patent and these applications, the acid-generating layer or phase comprises a mixture of a superacid precursor, a sensitizer and a secondary acid generator. The secondary acid generator is capable of thermal decomposition, catalyzed by unbuffered superacid, to form a secondary acid. The color-change layer comprises an image dye which undergoes a change in its absorption of radiation upon contact with the secondary acid. After imagewise exposure and generation of unbuffered superacid in the exposed areas, the medium is heated; in exposed areas, the unbuffered superacid causes acid-catalyzed decomposition of the secondary acid generator, thereby causing the formation of a molar amount of secondary acid much larger than the molar amount of unbuffered superacid present before the heating. In the non-exposed areas, however, since no unbuffered superacid is present, no significant generation of secondary acid takes place during the heating. Thereafter, the medium is further heated (in practice the two heating steps can be combined) to cause the components present in the two layers to mix, so that, in exposed areas, the secondary acid brings about the absorption change in the image dye, thereby forming an image. Thus, the imaging medium is a single sheet which develops its image without any need for treatment with a developing composition and without requiring any waste material to be peeled from the medium to produce the final image.
In these processes, the sensitizer or sensitizers and the undecomposed superacid precursor remain present in at least the non-exposed areas of the medium after imaging (these non-exposed areas are the D.sub.min areas, i.e., the regions of minimum optical density, in the normal case where the image dye is colorless before imaging and develops color in the exposed areas during imaging). Accordingly, in practice it is necessary that the image be viewed in a wavelength range which does not include the wavelength used for the imagewise exposure, since otherwise the image will suffer from a sensitizing/viewing problem, with the contrast between the exposed and non-exposed areas reduced by the absorption, in the non-exposed areas, of the sensitizer or sensitizers used. For example, as discussed above, the preferred '612 process requires two exposures, one at a wavelength in the near infra-red region (700-1200) nm and the second at a wavelength in the near ultra-violet region, typically around 365 nm, to produce an image in the visible region (about 400-700 nm).
There is a need for a modified form of these imaging media and processes which removes the restriction that the wavelength used for the imagewise exposure be outside the wavelength range in which the final image is viewed.

Imaging medium and process for producing an image


An optical disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a carrier mechanism, an optical pickup apparatus, a shutter and a moving mechanism. The carrier mechanism carries a disc inside and outside the apparatus. The optical pickup apparatus radiates beams on a disc carried by the carrier mechanism. The optical pickup apparatus is provided with an objective lens. The shutter exposes or closes the upper surface of the objective lens. The shutter is provided to the optical pickup apparatus so that the shutter can be moved between a first position for exposing the upper surface of the objective lens and a second position for closing the upper surface of the objective lens. The moving mechanism moves the shutter between the first position and the second position according to recording and/or reproducing operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus and an optical pickup apparatus, particularly relates to a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus and an optical pickup apparatus provided with constitution for preventing an objective lens from being contaminated.
2. Background of the Invention
For example, in equipment (hereinafter, called an optical disc drive) for reading information recorded on an optical disc or recording information on an optical disc by radiating a laser beam on an optical disc of a compact disc (CD) player and others, an optical pickup apparatus provided with various optical components such as an objective lens, a beam splitter and a laser diode is used.
In the above optical pickup apparatus, the positional relationship among each optical component and optical characteristics are strictly adjusted so that a laser beam is a beam spot with desired size and irradiates the recording surface of an optical disc.
In an optical disc drive using the above optical pickup apparatus, a malfunction caused by the optical pickup apparatus occurs very frequently. That is, as information cannot be reproduced or recorded from/on an optical disc and an error occurs in reading information required for controlling the relative position of an optical pickup apparatus to an optical disc because dust and others which get into an optical disc drive adhere on the surface of an optical component such as an objective lens of an optical pickup apparatus and these deteriorate the optical characteristics of the optical component, most of such malfunctions are caused.
Therefore, to prevent such a malfunction, there is a method of preventing dust and others from adhering on an optical pickup apparatus or a method of constituting so that dust and others are difficult to adhere on an optical pickup apparatus by sealing an optical disc drive as much as possible to prevent dust and others from getting into the optical disc drive from outside. The above method may be used for equipment constituted by only an optical disc drive, however, some equipment in which an optical disc drive and another device are combined cannot be sealed because of heat release and the above method is not general.
There is also a method of covering optical components when an optical pickup apparatus is not used, for example when an optical pickup apparatus is moved outside the outermost position of an optical disc. However, in the above method, a drive mechanism and others for opening and closing a cover are required to be all newly designed, the cost is increased and the realization is difficult because a drive mechanism for opening and closing the above cover is required to be added and distance in which an optical pickup apparatus is moved is extended.

Disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus with a liftable optical pickup apparatus and coordinated lens shutter


A process for making crosslinked polymers of maleic anhydride and methyl vinyl ether is described. The process is characterized by precharging methyl vinyl ether, partially or totally, in isopropyl acetate, and a crosslinker, and then continuously feeding molten maleic anhydride and methyl vinyl ether into the thus-precharged reactor. The monomer mixture then is polymerized at a temperature of about 60.degree.-80.degree. C. The reaction product is a pumpable, homogeneous suspension of the crosslinked copolymer at a solids level of about 30-50%, which is recoverable in high yield upon removal of the solvent and filtering the suspension.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to crosslinked copolymers of maleic anhydride (MAN) and methyl vinyl ether (MVE), and, more particularly, to a process of making such crosslinked copolymers in high yield in the form of fine white powders, which, upon aqueous hydrolysis, can form clear gels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Goertz, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,558, described a method of making copolymers of ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic anhydrides, e.g. maleic anhydride (MAN) and alkyl vinyl ethers, e.g. methyl vinyl ether (MVE). The Goertz process consisted of precharging solid MAN in isopropyl acetate, metering in the MVE and initiator, heating to boiling and filtering the resultant slurry. The product obtained was coarse powders of uncrosslinked copolymers. However, no examples were presented therein for making crosslinked copolymers.
Tazi, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,488, described a method of making crosslinked copolymers of MAN and MVE in a solvent system of cyclohexane and ethyl acetate.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a process for making crosslinked copolymers of maleic anhydride and methyl vinyl ether in high yield in the form of fine white powders.
Another object herein is to provide such crosslinked copolymer powders which can be readily hydrolyzed to form clear aqueous gels.
A feature of the invention is the provision of a process for making crosslinked copolymer powders of MAN and MVE, wherein molten MAN monomer is continuously fed into the precharged mixture of MVE and a suitable crosslinker.
Another feature herein is the provision of a filterable suspension of a crosslinked copolymer of MAN and MVE, at about a 30-50% solids level, from which fine white powders of the copolymer can be readily obtained.

Process for making crosslinked copolymers of maleic anhydride and methyl vinyl ether