A trochoidal oil pump which makes it possible to achieve an improved reduction in discharge pulsation and noise, and which makes it possible to realize such a reduction using an extremely simple structure. The trochoidal oil pump of the present invention comprises a rotor chamber 1 which has an intake port 2 and discharge port 3, an outer rotor 6 and an inner rotor 5. A plurality of inter-tooth spaces S, S, . . . that are formed by the tooth shapes 5a and 6a of the inner rotor 5 and outer rotor 6 comprise a maximum sealed space Smax that is positioned in the region of the partition part 4 between the intake port 2 and discharge port 3, a plurality of inter-tooth spaces S, S, . . . within the region of the intake port 2, and a plurality of inter-tooth spaces S, S, . . . within the region of the discharge port 3. The plurality of inter-tooth spaces S, S, . . . in the intake port 2 and discharge port 3 respectively communicate with each other

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trochoidal oil pump which makes it possible to improve the reduction of discharge vibration and noise, and which makes it possible to realize this improvement by means of an extremely simple structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A pump with a construction in which the addendum part and deddendum part of the inner rotor are formed by circular arcs, the addendum part and deddendum part of the outer rotor are formed by circular arcs that correspond to the circular arc tooth shape of said inner rotor, and the deddendum part of the outer rotor is formed with dimensions that are the same as or greater than the dimensions of the addendum part of said outer rotor, so that the space between the inner rotor and outer rotor is divided into only two spaces, i.e., a space that communicates with the intake port and a space that communicates with the discharge port, is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-47914.
Furthermore, a pump in which circular arc parts are formed in the centers of the top parts of the outward-facing engaging teeth of the drive gear, and rectilinear parts are formed which directly connect the end parts of these circular arc parts and the points of initiation of engagement, so that a large clearance is ensured between the top parts of the inward-facing engaging teeth and the top parts of the outward-facing engaging teeth is ensured in areas other than the area where sealing is require, is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-1397.
In Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-47914, since the tooth shapes of the inner rotor and outer rotor are formed by a combination of simple circular arcs, adjacent volume spaces (cells) between the inner rotor and outer rotor communicate with each other in regions other than the positions of the engagement maximum part and engagement minimum part. Consequently, when the volume space between the rotors in the partition part is at a maximum, this volume space communicates with the intake port in a state in which the volume space is not closed off; accordingly, the back flow of the fluid inside the volume space to the intake port cannot be prevented, so that it is difficult to increase the pump efficiency.
Next, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-1397, since sealing parts (P1) that contact the inward-facing engaging teeth of the driven gear, and non-contact rectilinear parts (30b, 30c), are formed in locations on the top parts of the outward-facing engaging teeth of the drive gear, it is actually extremely difficult to ensure a sufficient size of the sealing parts and size of the rectilinear parts in the limited range of these top parts; as a result, the rectilinear parts have an extremely limited small range.
This means that the sealing parts, rectilinear parts and engaging parts are formed in tooth surfaces comprising trochoidal curves, i.e., in tooth surfaces comprising a limited tooth shape silhouette, so that the portions that remain after the sealing parts and engaging parts that are required from the standpoint of function are ensured are formed as the rectilinear parts. Accordingly, the shape range of the rectilinear parts is small, and these parts are merely formed as a structure that eliminates contact of the respective top parts in the range where such contact is not required in the engagement of the drive gear and driven gear. These rectilinear parts are formed on the tooth surfaces of the respective top parts of the outward-facing engaging teeth, and the range of these parts is also small; accordingly, slight gaps are formed which constitute non-contact parts in the engagement of the drive gear and driven gear.
The formation of communicating passages that communicate between the adjacent volume spaces that are formed between the drive gear and driven gear by the rectilinear parts formed on the outward-facing engaging teeth is limited to an extremely small range; in actuality, therefore, the non-contact parts have an extremely small range, and it is difficult to vary the size range of these communicating passages or to ensure a sufficiently large size. Consequently, it is difficult to prevent the generation of noise.
Consequently, in cases where non-contact parts are formed on the outward-facing engaging teeth, if a sufficiently large size is ensured for the engaging parts, the non-contact parts have an extremely small range, so that it is difficult to cause these parts to play the role of communicating passages. Conversely, if the size of the non-contact parts is increased in an attempt to ensure communicating passages, the engaging parts are not sufficiently ensured, so that it becomes difficult to stabilize the rotational driving of the rotors. Thus, it is extremely difficult to simultaneously satisfy the requirements for both communicating passages and engagement, and the communicating passages can be installed in only an extremely limited range. Accordingly, even if the engaging parts are ensured, the communicating passages are narrow and the flow rate is small, so that it is difficult to suppress pump noise to a low level, and to reduce discharge pulsation. The task (technical task, object or the like) that the present invention attempts to accomplish is to improve the reduction of discharge pulsation and noise in a trochoidal oil pump, and the form an extremely simple structure.


A method and apparatus for allocating time slots in a communications network, comprising a headend, a plurality of outstations, and a shared medium connecting each outstation to the headend. The method involves scheduling timeslots for each outstation responsive to the measures of distance of each outstation from the headend. The method reduces the requirement for guard bands between timeslots, since it obviates allocation of a guard band between consecutive first and second timeslots where the outstation allocated the second timeslot is located no closer to the headend than the outstation allocated the first time slot. Ideally, the timeslots are allocated to outstations cyclically in ascending order of distance of the outstations from the headend, with the closest outstation following the farthest to complete the cycle, so that guard bands are rendered unnecessary between the majority of timeslots. In preferred embodiments distance may be round-trip delay, and the outstations and head end may be configured to form a ring network.

In a Passive Optical Network (PON) which relies on including a guard band between upstream transmissions from each outstation, the size of the guard band is related to the differential distance between the outstations. Assuming no measurement of the relative geographic distances from the head end to each of the outstations is made, the guard band increases according to the differential distance at around 10 microseconds per kilometer distance. For example, on a PON covering a 10 km distance with 32 outstations, 3200 microseconds must be allowed for guard band when interrogating all outstations. To maintain an upstream efficiency of 80%, the total active transmission time for all outstations then amounts to 12800 (4×3200) microseconds and the total time to interrogate all outstations is 16 milliseconds.
One problem arising from this is that many telecommunications services require a bounded transmission delay, typically no more than a few milliseconds for any given network element. A delay contribution of 16 milliseconds is therefore unacceptable. In many cases efficiency falls significantly as the total interrogation time is reduced.
The simplest known form of Gigabit Ethernet PON (GEPON) dispenses with ranging or marshalling of outstations and can nevertheless achieve useful performance within a limited set of parameters. One technique is to limit the differential distance from the splitter to each outstation. For example, the splitter may be placed 9 km from the headend, and the outstations all clustered within 1 km of this splitter. In such an arrangement, a GEPON with 80% upstream bandwidth efficiency for a 16-way split, a 1 km differential distance between outstations and a 4 ms latency can be achieved.
A problem with such an arrangement is that increasing the differential distance or split ratio leads to a reduction in bandwidth efficiency or an unacceptable latency, meaning that such a simple GEPON has limited applicability.
An alternative technique is to use a complex marshalling system, whereby a special messaging protocol is used between the headend and each outstation to measure the timing, and to marshal, or build out, the exact outstation transmit timing in order to reduce the inter-burst guard bands to an acceptable level. Problematically, this marshalling technique requires specialised silicon at both ends of the system. Such a system tends to be proprietary and difficult to standardise because it requires radical changes to long-established Ethernet-MAC designs.
The present invention achieves efficiency close to that of a fully ranged system, but without the need for outstation delay build out.

Time slot scheduling for shared-medium communications networks


A burner which is capable of producing zero NOx and zero CO by passing a thoroughly mixed stream of air and fuel at an appropriate air-to-fuel ratio to maintain a temperature below the NOx forming threshold through a radiant combustion zone. The radiant combustion zone provides the intense radiant energy required to initiate and to complete the combustion process. The burner comprises an Air-Fuel Ratio Attainment Means (AFRAM) and an Air-Fuel Mixing Means (AFMM) in fluid communication with the AFRAM to thoroughly mix the air and fuel to provide a readily combustible mixture, and one or more Radiant Combustion Zone (RCZ), and a Combustion Initiation Means (CIM) located in a combustion-initiation-contact position to initiate the combustion in the RCZ. A high velocity section or a porous flow permeable membrane is used as a combustion guard to prevent flameback from occurring. A second porous flow permeable membrane may be used as a flame trap for containing the infrared radiation within the radiant combustion zone. The burner can be used in commercial and domestic appliances and space heaters. At lower excess air the burner can be operated as an ultra low NOx burner.

Fossil fuels are burned throughout the industrialized world to generate heat for heating homes and commercial buildings, for power generation, for use in industrial processes, and for many other applications.
In recent years there has been increasing concern over the NOx produced by burning fossil fuels in conventional type burners. In fact governments in many regions of the world are introducing and enforcing ever more restrictive regulation with regards to NOx production.
To reduce the NOx produced from burning fossil fuels, a special type of burner can be used. Such a burner is referred to generally as a low NOx burner. These special burners are effective in reducing the NOx produced from burning fossil fuels, but they still emit significant amounts of NOx. Furthermore, they are very complex and expensive.
There is therefore a pressing need for an inexpensive No-NOx burner which produces essentially zero (relative to ambient NOx) NOx during the combustion of natural gas or other fuel. Such No-NOx burners can be used in domestic, commercial, and industrial applications.
The reason conventional burners produce NOx is that temperatures within the flame far exceed the temperature required for NOx to be formed from atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen. Further, the peak temperatures of the flame change from well in excess of 3,000 degrees F. to much lower temperatures when combustion is complete. This rapid quenching assures that the unstable NOx compounds within the flame are frozen into metastable compounds of NOx.
To prevent the formation of NOx in the first place, a special burner is required which will promote complete combustion at a much lower temperature so that the adiabatic flame temperature is reduced.
Several approaches to achieving low NOx combustion currently exist. One approach is to use a catalytic burner; however, as is well known in the art, catalytic burners are very expensive and are prone to failure from numerous causes such as catalyst poisoning or particulate blinding, etc.
Another approach is to use surface combustion type burners. Low NOx burners using surface combustion technology are currently commercially available from manufacturers such as Alzeta Corporation which markets them under the Duratherm trademark (see http://www.alzeta.com/products/duratherm.asp). However the surface combustion technology is expensive and problematic and prone to failure and is limited to low capacity per sq. ft.
Still another approach to attaining low NOx combustion is Flue Gas Recirculation (FGR) technology. FGR technology is very expensive and complicated.
All of these technologies can attain low NOx performance; however none of these technologies can achieve zero-NOx performance. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a simple and inexpensive burner that can achieve low NOx performance and even zero NOx performance.
This application discloses a No-NOx burner which is capable of achieving low and even zero NOx from the flameless non-surface combustion of fossil fuel such as natural gas, propane, butane, etc.


The microprocessor-based control system selects the appropriate indoor airflow (fan speed) to place the system in an optimal efficiency range. The indoor fan speed is further controlled based on humidity measurements, to produce a slower airflow when conditions are humid. This helps remove a greater amount of moisture from the air. Occupant comfort is enhanced by microprocessor control of the indoor fan speed to stay within the boundaries of the cooling mode comfort envelope.

The present invention relates generally to electronic control systems for air conditioners, heat pumps and refrigeration equipment. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method using digital circuitry for controlling the speed of the indoor fan, based on environmental measurements, to optimize heating and cooling efficiencies and improve occupant comfort. The system modulates the indoor fan speed to stay within the comfort envelope defined by relative humidity and temperature measurements.
The heating and cooling industry has been striving for some time to improve the efficiency of air-conditioning and heat pump systems. System efficiency is a multifaceted concept, with a number of different ways of measuring and evaluating efficiency. Currently in the United States the parameters by which efficiency may be measured and evaluated are established by the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI). To allow different makes and models of air-conditioning and heat pump equipment to be compared for efficiency, ASHRAE has promulgated the efficiency measurement standard set forth in ARI 210-81. By those standards, for example, efficiency is measured at the unit's full rated output, i.e., with the unit operating at maximum heating or cooling effort. While this method of rating efficiency does allow units of different manufacturers to be compared on a somewhat common ground, in day to day operation, most heating and cooling equipment cannot be expected to operate continuously at full rated output. In fact, we have found that operating heating and cooling equipment at all times at full rated output actually degrades system efficiency. At many times during the day, and in some regions of the country at nearly all times, optimal efficiency is achieved at well below the maximum rated output. In these regions, energy could actually be saved if the heating and cooling equipment were scaled back to operate below peak output.
To do so, however, is not simply a matter of adjusting the thermostat up or down a few degrees, or scaling back the amount of refrigerant pumped through the system. Heating and cooling systems which have been designed to operate at optimum efficiency during full rated output will not necessarily operate at optimum efficiency when scaled back to less than full rated output. Optimal efficiency is ordinarily fine-tuned into the system during the design and manufacturing process, based on a wide variety of different physical and thermodynamic constraints which are not readily alterable after the system is built. Thus it has heretofore been impractical and uneconomical to provide heating and cooling systems with the ability to optimize efficiency over the normally encountered range of operating limits. Because ARI standards base efficiency ratings on full rated output, heating and cooling systems are understandably designed to provide optimum efficiency at full rated output. In this way the systems will compare favorably with their competition. The result, of course, is that systems, which rarely if ever need to operate at full rated output, rarely or never achieve optimal efficiency.
Compounding the efficiency problem is the issue of comfort. To a considerable extent, relative humidity affects comfort. When conditions are dry one feels comfortable at higher temperatures than when conditions are humid. In humid weather it is often necessary for the building occupant to lower the thermostat below the normal setting just to be comfortable. One benefit of air-conditioning systems is that they remove moisture from the air being cooled.
Surprisingly, however, many highly efficient air-conditioning systems remove less moisture from the air than older, less efficient ones do. This is due to the fact that a highly efficient air-conditioning system nominally operates at higher evaporator coil temperature, which removes less moisture from the air passing over it. The net effect is that sometimes a highly efficient air-condition system ends up consuming more power than an inefficient one, because the user may set the thermostat lower in order to feel comfortable. Present-day air-conditioning systems have not adequately addressed this problem.
The present invention addresses the above efficiency problem in a very effective and inexpensive way. The system employs a variable speed indoor fan which adjusts the airflow across the indoor coil or heat exchanger based on environmental measurements such as outdoor air temperature. The airflow rate across the indoor heat exchanger affects the rate at which heat is extracted (in the cooling mode) or injected (in the heating mode), which in turn affects the superheat within the refrigeration system. The microprocessor-based control system selects the appropriate indoor airflow (fan speed) to place the system in an optimal efficiency range.
The present invention addresses the humidity problem by controlling the speed of the indoor fan to cause a slower airflow when conditions are humid, in order to remove a greater amount of moisture from the air. More specifically, the microprocessor-based control system determines the indoor fan speed to stay within the boundaries of the cooling mode comfort envelope defined by the American Society of Heating and Refrigeration Engineers (ASHRAE), thereby correlating room temperature and humidity.
For a more complete understanding of the invention, its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings.

Control system for heat pump having humidity responsive variable speed fan


A double-sided printed wiring board includes a base plate having a copper foil laminated on each of the opposite sides thereof. The copper foil-laminated base plate has through-holes extending therethrough, and at least one of the through-holes is internally plated for providing a through-via-hole into which a resin filler is provided and solidified. A closed through-via-hole is thus obtained. The copper foil-laminated base plate including the closed through-via-hole is copper-plated, and a particular wiring pattern is formed thereon. A chip land is formed in alignment with the closed through-via-hole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to printed wiring boards, and more particularly it relates to a double-sided printed wiring board on which semiconductor-based integrated circuits (referred hereinafter to as "ICs") may be mounted, and a process of manufacturing such double-sided printed wiring boards.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typically, a conventional printed wiring board carries ICs as well as other discrete electronic components and circuit elements, which are interconnected to provide the particular electronic circuit functions. In the prior art, those ICs, discrete electronic components and circuit elements are usually bonded to the printed wiring board via holes formed in the printed wiring board through which lead wires may be inserted and soldered to the board. However, there have been advances in surface mounting technology widely employed in the printed wiring board manufacturing field. This technology permits an IC to be mounted together with its associated elements on the printed wiring board without forming any through-holes in the board. Thus, ICs and other on-chip elements may be mounted on a chip land directly without using the through-holes.
To provide for the interconnections between the on-chip elements on the chip land on one side and any circuit on the opposite side of the printed wiring board, the appropriate through-via-holes must be provided remotely from the chip land, and any wiring pattern required for interconnecting the elements via the through-via-holes must be formed on the surface of the base plate.
Thus, according to the prior art, the chip land and through-via-holes must be provided at different locations on the printed wiring board. As the size of each of the IC and other elements is reduced, a corresponding reduction in the size of the chip land is required so that they can be mounted on the chip land. The wiring pattern that includes leads drawn out from the chip land and distributed across different locations must be accordingly fine, but technically, this is practically difficult to achieve. It is also difficult to secure the space required for wiring the leads. In particular, for a double-sided high-density wiring pattern implementation, this space limitation poses a problem.
The through-via-holes formed in the printed wiring board are exposed on each of the opposite sides of the board. When leads are inserted through the corresponding through-via-holes, and the associated circuit components are fixed by the board in solder, surplus solder may flow through the through-via-holes, thereby reaching the components on the chip land.

Double-sided printed wiring board and method of manufacture thereof


An emulation enhancement method in a first video game platform for enhancing execution of video games written for a second video game platform includes receiving an input signal written for the second video game platform, analyzing the input signal written for the second video game platform, intercepting a control signal from the input signal based on a set criteria, enhancing the control signal to generate an enhanced control signal for the first video game platform, and outputting the enhanced control signal. The control signal carries an audio effect component, a video effect component and a haptic effect component that are outputted on a user output display. Enhancing the control signal augments the audio effect component and the video effect component of the control signal and generates the enhanced control signal that utilizes additional platform capabilities on the first video game platform.

The process of emulating the functionality on a first computer system (the "host system") of a second computer platform (the "target system") so that the host system can execute programs designed for the target system is known as "emulation." Emulation has commonly been achieved by creating software that converts program instructions designed for the target platform (target code instructions) into the native-language of a host platform (host instructions), thus achieving compatibility. More recently, emulation has also been realized through the creation of "virtual machines," in which the target platform's physical architecture—the design of the hardware itself—is replicated via a virtual model in software.
Emulation of a gaming platform on another platform has been available for some time. However, in the event of a subsequent development of a host system with technical capabilities different than those of the legacy target system, there is an opportunity in emulation to enhance and supplement the gaming experience in the host system by taking advantage of the additional capabilities present in the host system.
This disclosure sets forth techniques for enhancing emulators. By way of example, and not by way of limitation, a Playstation®2 emulator facilitates the execution of Playstation®2 games on other more advanced platforms, such as, for example, the Playstation®3 game platform. The Playstation®2 emulator running in the Playstation®3 game platform is operable to enhance and/or modify various aspects of the game play experience by intercepting events, commands, and/or instructions and modifying their effects to further enhance the user gaming experience of Playstation®2 games in the Playstation®3 game platform.

Method and apparatus for emulation enhancement


The present disclosure relates to an intervertebral disc prostheses or implant, and more particularly to an intervertebral disc prosthesis that can be surgically introduced between adjacent vertebral bodies and adjusted or expanded in situ to occupy an optimal or desired space between the vertebral bodies. The implant is preferably inserted into the evacuated disc space obliquely and then oriented so as to extend laterally across the anterior adjacent vertebrae bodies occupying the disc space with the outer ends of the implant being supported by the cortical rims on the opposite sides of the vertebrae bodies. The outer convex surfaces of the two body members conform anatomically to the shape of the disc space contacting the endplates. The implant has two body members that are movable relative to one another so as to vary the space between the members. With the implant so positioned and oriented, the disc space and the implant may be then distracted and a spacer of a desired, predetermined thickness may be inserted within the space between the body members so as to maintain a desired amount of distraction. A method of using an implant is also disclosed.

This disclosure relates to intervertebral disc prostheses, and more particularly to an intervertebral disc prosthesis that can be surgically introduced between adjacent vertebral bodies, preferably between lumbar vertebrae, and adjusted or expanded in situ to occupy an optimal or desired space between the vertebral bodies.
In recent years, surgical procedures have been developed in which two or more vertebrae are joined or fused together. Such procedures are now common in the treatment of spinal disorders such as spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, and disc degeneration. Certain of these fusion surgeries include Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF), Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF), Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF), and DLIF (Direct Lateral Interbody Fusion). These procedures are well known to spinal surgeons.
Interbody vertebral spacers are known that are inserted between the vertebrae bodies to replace a collapsed, degenerated, or unstable disc. However, these prior spacers were typically of a predetermined thickness and thus it was difficult to size the thickness of the spacer to result in the desired amount of distraction between the vertebrae bodies in order to achieve the desired amount of distraction between the adjacent vertebra bodies. Such prior spacers are commercially available from Stryker Spine of Mahwah, N.J., from Medtronic, Spinal and Biologics Business, Memphis, Tenn., from Spinal Concepts, Inc. of Austin Tex., and from NuVasive, Inc. of San Diego, Calif.
Certain adjustable height interbody fusion devices are known, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,193 that vary the distance between the portions of the spacer that engage the endplates of the adjacent vertebrae. However, these adjustable fusion devices rely on cam and other complicated mechanisms for adjustment purposes.


A method and system for fabricating solid-state energy-storage devices including fabrication films for devices without an anneal step. A film of an energy-storage device is fabricated by depositing a first material layer to a location on a substrate. Energy is supplied directly to the material forming the film. The energy can be in the form of energized ions of a second material. Supplying energy directly to the material and/or the film being deposited assists in controlling the growth and stoichiometry of the film. The method allows for the fabrication of ultrathin films such as electrolyte films and dielectric films.

Electronics have been incorporated into many portable devices such as computers, mobile phones, tracking systems, scanners, etc. One drawback to portable devices is the need to include the power supply with the device. Portable devices typically use batteries as power supplies. Batteries must have sufficient capacity to power the device for at least the length of time the device is in use. Sufficient battery capacity can result in a power supply that is quite heavy or large compared to the rest of the device. Accordingly, smaller and lighter batteries (i.e., power supplies) with sufficient energy storage are desired. Other energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors, and energy conversion devices, such as photovoltaics and fuel cells, are alternatives to batteries for use as power supplies in portable electronics and non-portable electrical applications.
Another drawback of conventional batteries is the fact that some are fabricated from potentially toxic materials that may leak and be subject to governmental regulation. Accordingly, it is desired to provide an electrical power source that is safe, solid-state and rechargeable over many charge/discharge life cycles.
One type of an energy-storage device is a solid-state, thin-film battery. Examples of thin-film batteries are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,314,765; 5,338,625; 5,445,126; 5,445,906; 5,512,147; 5,561,004; 5,567,210; 5,569,520; 5,597,660; 5,612,152; 5,654,084; and 5,705,293, each of which is herein incorporated by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,625 describes a thin-film battery, especially a thin-film microbattery, and a method for making same having application as a backup or first integrated power source for electronic devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,906 describes a method and system for manufacturing a thin-film battery structure formed with the method that utilizes a plurality of deposition stations at which thin battery component films are built up in sequence upon a web-like substrate as the substrate is automatically moved through the stations.
FIG. 1A shows a prior art thin-film battery 20 formed on substrate 22. The battery includes a cathode current collector 32 and an anode current collector 34 formed on the substrate 22. A cathode layer 38 is formed on the cathode current collector 32. An electrolyte layer 42 is formed on the cathode layer 38. An anode layer 44 is formed on the electrolyte layer 42, the substrate 22 and the anode current collector 34. The current collectors 32 and 34 are connected to external circuitry to provide electrical power to the same. In a discharge operation, ions in the anode layer 44 travel through the electrolyte layer 42 and are stored in the cathode layer 38. Thereby, creating current flowing from the anode current collector 34 to the cathode current collector 32. In a charge operation, an external electrical charge is applied to the current collectors 32 and 34. Thereby, ions in the cathode layer 38 are forced to travel through the electrolyte layer 42 and are stored in the anode layer 44.
FIG. 2A shows a prior art method for fabricating the thin-film battery 20. First, the substrate is prepared for deposition of the thin-film battery (step 215). The cathode current collector is deposited on the substrate using DC-magnetron sputtering (step 217). The cathode is deposited on the cathode current collector by RF-magnetron sputtering (step 219). In this method, the magnetron source provides sputtered material having energy of about 1-3 eV, which is insufficient to crystallize the cathode material to form desirable crystal structures that encourage ion movement into and out of the cathode material. The cathode must be annealed to produce a crystalline lattice structure in the cathode, which is necessary to produce an energy-storage device that has the required electrical performance characteristics. In some embodiments, a desired electrical characteristic of a battery is a discharge curve that has a relatively constant voltage (small delta) over a range of capacity and then the voltage decreases rapidly as remaining capacity is exhausted (large delta). Accordingly, the stack of the substrate, cathode current collector and the cathode are annealed at a temperature of 700 degrees Celsius (step 221 of FIG. 2A). The anneal step 221 complicates and adds cost to the fabrication of this type of solid-state battery. Further, the anneal step 221 precludes the use of any material as the substrate or other part of the battery thus formed that is unable to withstand the high anneal temperature. The anode current collector is deposited on the substrate by DC-magnetron sputtering (step 223). The electrolyte layer is deposited by RF-magnetron sputtering (step 225). The anode is deposited by thermal evaporation (step 227).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,660 describes a thin-film battery and method for making such a battery. The battery includes an electrolyte amorphous lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) which is electrochemically stable and does not react with the lithium anode and a vanadium oxide cathode.
One major factor limiting the efficiency of batteries is the internal resistance. A source of internal resistance is resistance created by the electrolyte film, which impedes the movement of ions from one electrode to the other electrode.
Accordingly, there is a need for solid-state energy-storage devices, e.g., thin-film batteries and capacitors, that can be rapidly fabricated and that have acceptable electrical properties for use in a variety of electrical devices. More specifically, there is a need for a fabrication method and system that does not require a high-temperature anneal to form a solid-state energy-storage device.

Method and apparatus for thin-film battery having ultra-thin electrolyte


A microscope includes a digital imaging device. The digital imaging device comprises a processor which is configured to: obtain a number of digital grayscale images of an object at a number of different spectral sensitivities, each of the digital grayscale images including grayscale information based on a different one of the different spectral sensitivities, obtain a number of weighting factors for each of the digital grayscale images, the weighting factors being allocated to a number of color channels defining a predetermined color space, and synthesize a digital color image of the object from the digital grayscale images in the color space by distributing the grayscale information of each grayscale image over the color channels in accordance with the weighting factors.

In the field of microscopy, a color camera may be used to acquire images. Typically, such a color camera comprises an array of color filters arranged on a grid of photosensors. Specifically, a so-called Bayer filter mosaic may be used as filter array for color imaging. The Bayer filter mosaic comprises green (G), red (R) and blue (B) color filters in predetermined proportions, typically 50% G, 25% R and 25% B.
Using a color camera in microscopy allows to detect the real color of an object which has beneficial for evaluating samples e.g. in pathology and histology and to determine the staining of a sample prior to closer inspection. However, incorporating a color camera in a wide field or confocal microscope is often very costly. Therefore, monochrome imaging is still the preferred method in microscopy. Though it may be envisaged to provide both monochrome and color cameras in a microscope, it is difficult to achieve a precise time and spatial fit of the image data created in the different imaging modalities.
The article "Color image acquisition using monochrome camera and standard fluorescence filter cubes", G. F. Weber, A. S. Menko, Biotechniques, Vol. 38, No. 1, discloses a method in which monochrome images are combined by means of graphics software. However, this method is not suitable to automatically create color images based on monochrome imaging.

Digital imaging device and method for generating a digital color image


A scanner includes a first shaft, a second shaft, a photoelectric sensor for scanning a medium to produce an image, a movable carriage positioned on the first shaft for carrying the photoelectric sensor, a movable light source module positioned on the second shaft for generating a light beam for the medium, a driving module coupled to the carriage for driving the carriage to move a first offset along the first shaft, and a locking module coupled to the light source module and the carriage. As the carriage moves with the first offset, the carriage ensures the light source module moves a second offset along the second shaft through the locking module.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scanner, and more specifically, to a scanner comprising a locking module for moving a light source with a carriage simultaneously.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, scanners on the market are divided into three groups according to the media they scan, positive scanners, negative scanners (for photo films and projective films etc.), and scanners which support both positive and negative media. As a scanner scans a negative image, there are two types of light source modules can be selected; the first type is immovable and has a large lighting area, the second type is movable and has a small lighting area. For the immovable light source module, when the scanner scans a negative image, a uniform light source is provided for the whole region on the scanning platform. This ensures that the light passes through the transparent region of the negative image and is received by photoelectric sensors set on a carriage positioned below the scanning platform, but the light cannot pass through the opaque region of the negative image. Next, according to the received light, the photoelectric sensor produces an image corresponding to the negative image. Because this method requires a brighter and more uniform light source, the cost is high.
For the movable light source module, the negative image is divided into a plurality of small regions when the scanner is scanning. Next, a driving module drives the light source module and the carriage to move simultaneously for utilizing photoelectric sensors set on the carriage to scan these small regions continuously. Finally, all scanning images scanned at all small regions are combined to form a fully scanned image. It is unnecessary to provide a light source for lighting up all scanning regions, therefore resulting in a lower cost than the immovable light source module, but this method requires additional transmissions (like gears or belts) to form the driving module to drive the light source module. As mentioned above, the driving module has to drive the light source module and the carriage simultaneously for scanning completely.
In conclusion, taking the cost factor into consideration, traditional scanners usually select the second type of light source module discussed above for scanning media, but the disadvantage is that they require additional mechanical apparatus for driving the light source module to move with the carriage simultaneously.

Scanner with locking module formed by magnetic component


A pile driving device for driving in piles, with an axially-guided impact body movable in a hammer housing, an impact hood and a pile sleeve. So that the pile driving device can be transported by land without requiring surveys and preparation, the pile sleeve comprises two or more parts, with the pile sleeve being divided into radial or circular concentric partitions.

Pile driving devices of this kind are known from Patent Specifications DE 27 48 668 and DE 36 34 905 and have proved excellent for pile driving work on land and under water for the purpose of fixing structural bodies.
Such pile driving devices are designed for piles having a diameter of less than two and half meters and are no wider than this diameter. However, for other structures, such as, for example, wind generators, there is now an increasing need for pile driving devices which are suitable for driving in piles of a much larger diameter. These pile driving devices must have a point where they are set on the pile where they are of the same size greater than the pile to be driven. Special particularly wide pile driving devices are thereby required which are expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, a general rule of thumb applies where the pile sleeve should have a length which corresponds to at least twice the diameter of the pile which is to be driven in. This is necessary for securely guiding the pile sleeve in order to prevent tilting during operation. The structural length of the pile driving device thereby increases additionally because the pile sleeve has to be extended in proportion to the pile diameter in accordance with the above mentioned rule of thumb. Apart from the increased manufacturing costs a greater transport expense is also incurred. If pile driving devices are used in off-shore areas the pile driving devices can be conveyed for most of the journey length by ship. If however pile driving devices are used on land, such as when setting up wind generating plants, then the transport is often only, or for the most part, over land routes. Normal road transport of the load is only possible for widths of up to two and half meters. If the load is wider than this then the transport is only permissible on shut-off roads under special safety measures. Under such conditions extensive planning is required, possibly with structural measures on route being necessary. Conveyance by road is therefore time-consuming, complicated and expensive.


A light guide plate (10) includes a bottom surface (11), a light incident surface (12) adjacent to the bottom surface, a light emitting surface (13) opposite to the bottom surface, and a plurality of V-shaped grooves adjacent to the bottom surface, each of the V-shaped grooves defining two bottom angles (α, β) and a top line (101), the bottom angles being different. The top line of each V-shaped groove is configured so as to maximize the areas of the interfaces of the V-shaped groove, having regard to the top lines of all the V-shaped grooves also being configured to provide a desired distribution of intensity of light beams that emit from the emitting surface in a desired direction. For example, the configurations of the top lines can be such that a maximum luminance of the light guide plate is at a center region of the light emission surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light guide plate having V-shaped grooves and a backlight module using the same, the backlight module being typically applied in a liquid crystal display (LCD).
2. General Background
An LCD device has the advantages of portability, low power consumption, and low radiation, and has been widely used in various portable information products such as notebooks, personal digital assistants (PDAs), video cameras and the like. Furthermore, the LCD device is considered by many to have the potential to completely replace CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors and televisions.
A typical backlight module used in an LCD primarily includes a light source, a light guide plate, a prism sheet, and primary and secondary diffusers. The light guide plate is an important unit of the backlight module, for converting light emitting from the light source into substantially planar light. The evenness and intensity of luminance of the light guide plate are the most important optical characteristics influencing the performance of the LCD.
FIG. 9 is a schematic, side view of a typical light guide plate 90. The light guide plate 90 includes a bottom surface 91 having a plurality of V-shaped grooves 900, and a light emission surface 93. The V-shaped grooves 900 are parallel to each other, and a pitch between adjacent V-shaped grooves 900 is uniform. The heights of the V-shaped grooves 900 are the same.
FIG. 10 is a schematic, exploded side view of a backlight module using the light guide plate 90. The backlight module includes, in sequence, a first diffuser 95, a set of prism sheets 94, a second diffuser 97, the light guide plate 90, a plurality of light sources 99, and a reflector plate 96. Light beams emitting from the light source 99 enter the light guide plate 90 through the incident surface 92 in different directions. Thus, light beams reaching the V-shaped grooves 900 propagate therefrom in different directions. Some of the light beams reaching each V-shaped groove 900 are incident at the interface thereof at angles greater than a critical angle, and are reflected and then emit from the light emission surface 93. Other light beams reaching each V-shaped groove 900 are incident at the interface thereof at angles less than the critical angle, are refracted and emit from the bottom surface 91, and are then reflected by the reflector plate 96 back into the light guide plate 90. Because the V-shaped grooves 900 disposed on the light guide plate 90 have the same configuration, it is difficult to control the angles of incidence of light beams at all the interfaces such that as many light beams as possible are reflected at the interfaces. In particular, it is difficult to obtain maximum luminance of the light guide plate 90 at a center of the light emission surface 93. Thus the prism sheets 94 are generally a necessary part of the backlight module.
It is desired to provide an improved light guide plate and a backlight using the same which can overcome the above-described deficiencies including the need for prism sheets.

Light guide plate having V-cut grooves and a liquid crystal display using the same


An intake manifold is for a marine engine having a throttle for controlling flow of intake air to the marine engine. The intake manifold has a plenum for receiving the intake air from the throttle, a plurality of intake runners which extends from upstream ends for receiving the intake air from the plenum to downstream ends for discharging the intake air to the marine engine, and a quarter wave resonator extending from an open end coupled to the plenum to a closed end, the quarter wave resonator having a tuned elongated cavity configured to attenuate sound emanating from the marine engine via the plurality of intake runners.

The following U.S. Patents are incorporated herein by reference in entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,122 discloses a tuned combustion air intake system for a rotary engine including a plenum chamber mounted on the engine block and receiving cooling air discharged therefrom. Air from the plenum chamber is directed into an elongated outlet conduit of an extended length determined to provide an optimum pulsed air flow to the combustion air inlet to the carburetor. The extended length outlet conduit is wrapped at least partially around the plenum chamber to provide a compact construction particularly suitable to adapting the engine for use in an outboard motor. A supplemental air outlet from the plenum chamber to a downstream portion of the outlet conduit may be utilized to bypass a portion of the conduit to provide a change in the tuned length thereof for optimizing performance at difference engine speeds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,778 discloses a tuned combustion air intake system for a rotary engine used in an outboard motor, including a plenum chamber mounted on the rear of the engine directly against the exhaust manifold. The plenum receives cooling air discharged from the engine. Air from the plenum chamber is directed into an elongated outlet conduit having an extended tuned length to provide an optimum pulsed air flow to the combustion air inlet of the engine. Direct attachment of the plenum chamber and integral outlet conduit to the rear of the engine eliminates extended length tubular connections of the prior art and allows the width of the engine to be kept to a minimum, thereby adapting the system to enclosure in a conventional cowl for an outboard motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,467 discloses a sound attenuation system for a compressor of a direct fuel injected engine of an outboard motor. The system comprises a discharge sound attenuator connected in fluid communication with an air distribution manifold outlet and a suction sound attenuator connected in fluid communication with the suction port of a compressor. In a typical application of the present invention, the air distribution manifold is connected in fluid communication with a discharge port of the compressor. Both the discharge sound attenuator and the suction sound attenuator can further include filter media disposed within their internal cavities.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,579 discloses an airflow control mechanism provided to control the flow of air through an opening formed in a portion of a cowl of an outboard motor. The airflow control mechanism is configured to be moveable between a first position and a second position to affect the magnitude of air flowing through an air passage defined as being the space between the opening formed in the cowl and an exit through which the air can leave the cavity of the cowl. The airflow control mechanism can control the flow of air as a function of an operating characteristic of the engine, such as its operating speed, the load on the engine, or the operating temperature of the engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,909,545 discloses an outboard motor including an internal combustion engine powering the outboard motor and a cowl covering the engine and having a vent allowing air under the cowl. A throttle body meters flow of the air into the engine and an intake structure downstream of the throttle body delivers the metered airflow to one or more combustion chambers in a cylinder block of the engine. A sound enhancement assembly in acoustic communication with the intake structure collects sounds emitted by the engine. The sound enhancement assembly is configured to amplify a subset of the collected sounds that have frequencies within a desired frequency range. A method for modifying sounds produced by an air intake system of an internal combustion engine powering an outboard motor is also disclosed. The method includes positioning a sound enhancement assembly in acoustic communication with an air intake passageway located downstream of the engine's throttle body.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,180,121 discloses an outboard motor including an internal combustion engine and a cowl covering the engine. An air vent allows intake air into the cowl, an air intake duct routes the intake air from the air vent to the engine, and a throttle body meters flow of the intake air from the air intake duct into the engine. A sound enhancement device is located proximate the throttle body. A sound duct is provided, and has an inlet end located proximate the sound enhancement device and an outlet end located proximate an outer surface of the cowl. The sound enhancement device is tuned to amplify a first subset of sounds having a desired frequency that are emitted from the throttle body, and the sound duct transmits the amplified sounds to an area outside the cowl. A method for modifying sounds produced by an air intake system of an outboard motor is also provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,344,719 discloses an intake system for a marine drive. The intake system comprises a throttle device that receives intake air for combustion; an intake conduit that conveys the intake air to the throttle device, wherein the intake conduit has an upstream inlet end, a downstream outlet end, and a radially outer surface that extends from the upstream inlet end to the downstream outlet end; and an intake silencer coupled to the radially outer surface and configured to attenuate sound emanating from the intake system.

Marine engine intake manifolds having noise attenuation


A groundwater radon reduction apparatus is provided. The groundwater radon reduction apparatus includes: a housing in which groundwater falls down; a rotating member installed in the housing and rotated by a falling force of the groundwater to form the groundwater into water drops; a plurality of power transmission members connected to both ends of the rotating member to transmit power, and receiving the rotating force of the rotating member; and a plurality of ventilation units coupled to one ends of the power transmission members inside the housing, respectively, and rotated together with the power transmission members by the rotation force of the rotating member to discharge radon gases within the water drops to the outside.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus capable of reducing radon in the groundwater.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, as an interest in radon (Rn-222) increases and the number of people who want to escape from crowded and polluted cities and enjoy a rural life increases, it has become important to measure whether or not groundwater used as drinking water is contaminated by radon.
Radon is a carcinogenic substance. When radon is introduced into the human body through respiratory organs, it may cause a lung cancer. When radon is introduced into the human body through a digestive organ, it may cause a stomach cancer. When contaminated groundwater is used as drinking water, it may increase the probability that the stomach cancer occurs. Furthermore, although contaminated groundwater is not used as drinking water but used as daily life water, a secondary contamination of indoor air may increase the occurrence probability of the lung cancer.
Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas, occurring naturally as the decay product of uranium (U-238). Radon is one of radioactive isotopes having a half-life of 3.8 days. Since radon emits alpha particles during the radioactive decay, it is known as a harmful substance for the human body. As described above, the lung cancer which is caused by inhaling radon in a gas state is most widely known as the harmfulness of radon for the human body. In accordance with the research material of the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA), radon exposure is thought to be the second major cause of lung cancer after smoking. Some countries have a radon concentration guideline. The US recommends that action should be taken starting from concentrations of 4,000 pCi/L (guideline), Finland recommends that action should be taken starting from concentrations of 8,100 pCi/L (based on drinking water), and Norway recommends that action should be taken starting from concentrations of 13,500 pCi/L (guide line).
In accordance with the information on measurement results of radon, about 10% of groundwater in Korea is thought to be contaminated by radon. Furthermore, it has been reported that a radon concentration of several thousands pCi/L is detected in groundwater of some regions. In this case, the groundwater cannot be used as drinking water.
In Korea, the actual conditions of natural radioactive substances contained in groundwater have been investigated by Ministry of Environment (MOE) since 1998. In 2008, 523 water supplies throughout the nation were investigated, which were expected to have a high natural radioactive substance content due to the geological characteristics. In accordance with the investigation result, it was checked that radon concentrations of 124 places exceeded the guideline of the US. The management of the places has been strengthened. Furthermore, MOE has operated radon reduction facilities for water supplies having a high radon concentration by way of showing an example. As a result, the effects of aeration and activated carbon and the possibility of reduction management were confirmed.

Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources


A luminaire includes a frame defining an opening, the frame having first and second frame edges on opposite sides of the opening. The luminaire also includes a carriage disposed within the opening, the carriage having a front face and first and second carriage edges on opposite sides of the front face, and one or more light sources arranged on the carriage. The luminaire further includes a tilting mechanism arranged such that the carriage is tiltable in at least two directions within the opening, and wherein when the carriage is tilted in a first direction from the central position, the first carriage edge remains proximate the first frame edge; and when the carriage is tilted in a second direction from the central position, the second carriage edge remains proximate the second frame edge.

FIG. 1 illustrates two luminaires 101 and 102 mounted in a ceiling 103. Luminaires of this type are often used to provide down lighting in residential or commercial spaces. Luminaire 101 is tiltable, so that the light it produces can be directed in a direction other than straight down, for example to illuminate artwork 104 on a wall 105, or for other purposes. Luminaire 102 may be fixed, so that its light is directed generally downward. The downward direction, shown as direction 107, is sometimes called "nadir" in the illumination arts.
In some prior luminaires, providing a tilt such as in luminaire 101 required leaving large gaps 106 at the sides of the luminaire, to provide clearance for the moving parts, to accommodate the rotation mechanism, for actuation access to the moving part of the luminaire, or for other purposes. However, in a fixed luminaire such as luminaire 102, no gaps are needed or provided. When both kinds of luminaires 101 and 102 are installed in the same ceiling, they do not present a unified appearance.
In some luminaires, gaps such as gaps 106 may be avoided, but the luminaires are tiltable in only one direction from nadir 107. If it is desired to redirect the light in another direction, the luminaire must be removed from the ceiling, rotated, and reinstalled—an inconvenient process for the user.


A multi-resonator-based system responsive to acoustic waves includes at least two resonators, each including a bottom plate, side walls secured to the bottom plate, and a top plate disposed on top of the side walls. The top plate includes an orifice so that a portion of an incident acoustical wave compresses gas in the resonators. The bottom plate or the side walls include at least one compliant portion. A reciprocal electromechanical transducer coupled to the compliant portion of each of the resonators forms a first and second transducer/compliant composite. An electrical network is disposed between the reciprocal electromechanical transducer of the first and second resonator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an acoustic combination responsive to a sound wave, and more particularly, to an acoustic energy reclamation device that extracts energy from the sound wave and an acoustic liner that has an adjustable compliance that can be adjusted to attenuate the sound wave.
2. Background
Passive Liner Technology
Sound-absorbing acoustic panels have been widely utilized in turbofan engines for noise suppression of engine duct noise. These acoustic panels line the engine duct surface and provide an impedance boundary condition for the acoustic modes propagating within the duct. A typical single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) acoustic liner or Helmholtz resonator 50, shown in FIG. 1(A), is composed of a face sheet 10 and honeycomb core 12 with a rigid backing sheet 14. FIG. 1(B) shows an alternative embodiment where Helmholtz resonator 100 is composed of a face sheet 20 and honeycomb core 22 with a rigid backing sheet 24. Face sheets are usually composed of a perforated plate 10 as shown in FIG. 1(A) or woven wire/perforated plate sandwich 20 as shown in FIG. 1(B). The perforated plate face sheet 10 has a flow resistance controlled by percent open area (i.e., number of holes and hole size) and face sheet thickness. Likewise, the woven wire/perforated plate sandwich 20 has a flow resistance (Rayl number) controlled by percent open area (i.e., number of holes and hole size), face sheet thickness, wire size and wire density. The honeycomb core 12 or 22 is composed of cells 16, 26, respectively, which, when bonded to the face sheet 10 or 20, create cavities behind the face sheet 10 or 20. The attachment of an impervious backing sheet 14 or 24 to the honeycomb core 12 or 22, respectively, seals the honeycomb core 12 or 22 so that each cavity is isolated from its neighbors, thereby creating a "locally reactive" liner. The impedance of a conventional, passive SDOF liner 50 or 100 in a given acoustic medium is a function of the device geometry and grazing flow conditions. The effective frequency range of existing passive SDOF acoustic liners is limited to one octave. Typically, these panels are tuned to the turbofan blade-passage frequency of interest.
Multiple degree-of-freedom (MDOF) systems, such as a double-layer liner 200 that is composed of a face sheet 120 and porous septum 122 with a rigid backing sheet 124 as shown in FIG. 2, and bulk (or "globally" reactive) absorbers offer a wider suppression bandwidth (2–3 octaves), but represent a tradeoff in terms of design complexity, structural integrity, size, weight, and cost. As is the case with SDOF liners, the impedance of MDOF liners is also a function of the device geometry and grazing flow conditions. Indeed, bulk-absorber materials do exist that exhibit desirable acoustic characteristics, although none were deemed usable in aircraft engines. This is because these materials showed a strong tendency to absorb hydrocarbons such as jet fuel and hydraulic fluid in fluid absorption tests.
The greatest limitation of passive liner technology is the constraint of fixed impedance for a given geometry. For a given aircraft propulsion system, there will be different optimum nacelle impedance distributions for the differing mean-flow and acoustic source conditions associated with take-off, cut-back, and landing conditions. Existing active liner technology offers the promise of in-situ adjustable liner impedance, but has the associated drawbacks in terms of cost, complexity, and weight.
Active Liner Technology
Active acoustic liners have been studied recently because of their potential to enhance the performance of the passive liners described above. A review of existing technology in this area is briefly summarized here, in which steady bias flow and/or variable-volume Helmholtz resonators are used to increase the effective suppression bandwidth of the liner.
One such study is described in De Bedout, J. M., Franchek, M. A., Bernhard, R. J., and Mongeau, L., "Adaptive-Passive Noise Control With Self-Tuning Helmholtz Resonators," J. Sound and Vibration, vol. 202(1), pp. 109–123, 1997, in which a tunable, variable-volume Helmholtz resonator is combined with a robust, simple control algorithm to achieve maximum noise suppression. The robust control algorithm developed for tuning the resonator is a combination of open-loop control for coarse tuning with closed-loop control for precise tuning. The coarse tuning adjusts the resonator volume based on a lumped parameter model, while the precise tuning algorithm uses a gradient-descent-based method to minimize the voltage output of the microphone. One disadvantage of the approach of De Bedout et al. is the difficulty associated with the mechanical implementation of variable-volume resonator (via a sliding wall) in an acoustic liner.
Howe, in "On the Theory of Unsteady High Reynolds Number Flow Through a Circular Cylinder," Proc. Royal Society of London A, vol. 366, pp. 205–223, 1979, theoretically modeled the Rayleigh conductivity of circular apertures in thin plates in the presence of mean bias flow through the holes. His work represented an extension of the work of Leppington and Levine as described in "Reflexion and Transmission at a Plane Screen with Periodically Arranged Circular or Elliptical Apertures," J. Fluid Mech., vol. 61, pp. 109–127, 1973, who examined the problem of reflection of sound by a rigid screen perforated by an array of circular or elliptical apertures. In Howe's model, the incident sound interacts with the mean bias flow to produce vorticity fluctuations, the magnitude of which is determined by the Kutta condition at the edge of the aperture to avoid a velocity singularity. The significance of Howe's work is that it showed the promise for noise attenuation via a small amount of mean bias flow through the apertures of an acoustic liner. Hughes and Dowling in "The Absorption of Sound by Perforated Linings," J. Fluid Mech., vol. 218, pp. 299–335, 1990, verified this concept via a series of experiments in a normal impedance tube.
Sun and his colleagues have conducted further experimental studies of perforated liners with bias flow as shown in "Experimental Investigations of Perforated Liners with Bias Flow," J. Acoust. Soc. Am., vol. 106(5), pp. 2436–2441, November 1999, and "Active Control of Wall Acoustic Impedance," AIAA J., 37, No. 7, 825–831, 1999. They found that a bias flow could markedly increase both the absorption coefficient and effective bandwidth of a perforated liner. The improvement is presumably due to the fact that the bias flow increases the acoustic resistance, although the change in the acoustic reactance is slight. Plate thickness is shown to have a major impact on the performance of the liner, changing the reactance and, hence, the natural frequency of the liner. Reasonable agreement is obtained between experimental data and theoretical values derived from the theory of Howe, adapted to account for finite plate thickness. They have also developed a feedback control system to vary liner cavity depth and bias flow rate in order to optimize the absorption coefficient or maintain the desired impedance in a normal impedance tube, independent of sound frequency. Note that their variable-depth cavity is essentially the same as the variable-volume resonator in De Bedout et al. (1997) and therefore has the same disadvantage mentioned above. It is also worth noting that the authors emphasize the need to find a practical way to vary the reactance of the liner in a real application (Zhao & Sun, 1999).
Walker et al. in "Active Resonators for Control of Multiple Spinning Modes in an Axial Flow Fan Inlet," AIAA paper 99–1853, 1999 demonstrated an active Helmholtz resonator with an improved absorption bandwidth by adding a controlled volume velocity via a secondary sound source. This was realized by driving a flexible backplate actuator as part of a feedback control system. While a promising technique, this configuration like all active systems as described above requires actuators, sensors, and a feedback controller. Each of these key components requires power and must be linked via a communication system, typically entailing electrical wiring. Depending on the actuation, sensing, and wiring schemes, such a distributed system is often complex and potentially expensive to implement from a power consumption standpoint.
Thus, there is a need to develop a self-powered, wireless, acoustic liner technology with the performance of an active system, yet with the simplicity and reliability of a passive system.

University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


To simplify incidental operations relating to setting of an earth plate for discharging static electricity of a disk drive for driving an optical disk, reduce the processing cost accompanying assembling of a bezel, and improve the versatility of the disk drive so that the bezel can be manufactured with a simple configuration at a low cost in order to set the bezel to the front end face of the disk drive through post-mount processing, and moreover to make it possible to supply a disk drive to unspecified users at a stable quality without lacking in specifications required to a disk tray for keeping a desired performance. In the case of a disk drive for loading or unloading a disk tray 1 to which a recording medium is set by moving the disk tray 1 forward or backward in a chassis case 10, an earth plate 9 for discharging static electricity generated at a bezel portion 8 is set so as to cover an essential portion of the front end face of the disk tray 1 at the disk tray 1 side. Moreover, in the case of a disk drive for loading or unloading a disk tray to which a recording medium D is set by moving the disk tray forward or backward in a chassis case, it is made possible to fix an inner bezel in which element components are mounted on the front end face of the disk tray and moreover integrate an outer bezel with the inner bezel by setting the outer bezel to the outside of the inner bezel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk drive for driving an optical disk such as a CD (Compact Disk) or DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) generally used as a recording medium, particularly to a configuration for protecting electronic components in the disk drive from static electricity generated due to an external cause and moreover to improvement of a bezel to be mounted to the front end face of the disk tray.
2. Detailed Description of the Related Art
In general, a disk drive for driving an optical disk is integrally built in a device body such as a personal computer (hereafter referred to as PC), in which information is recorded in or reproduced from the optical disk (for example, refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2). FIG. 18 shows the appearance of a notebook PC having the built-in disk drive described above. Normally, in such disk drive, a disk tray 101 pops out in accordance with a switch operation or a command from a PC body and a PC user then takes out the disk tray 101 so as to Bet an optical disk D.
FIG. 19 shows the appearance of a disk drive frequently used for notebook PCs in particular. As shown in the figure, a center hole of the optical disk D is clamped at the center of the disk tray 101 by a clamp mechanism 102a of a turntable 102 fixed to a driving shaft of a spindle motor set just below the disk tray 101 to transfer torque. Moreover, a head unit 103 mainly constituted by an optical pickup moves in the radial direction in a slit 101a formed on the disk tray 101 to record or reproduce information in or from the optical disk D. Furthermore, the disk tray 101 thus constituted is supported by a guide rail 104 so as to be housed in a chassis case 105.
FIG. 30 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of the front end face of the disk tray 101, in which a printed wiring sheet P is adhered to the center of the front end face of the body of the disk tray 101, and a microswitch 109 for receiving an activation signal for controlling forward and backward movements of the disk tray 101 and an LED chip 100 serving as an indicator are soldered to the printed wiring sheet P. Moreover, a bezel 111 screwed so as to cover the front end face of the disk tray 101 to outfit the front face of the disk drive is provided with a push button 120 for operating the microswitch 109 LED chip 100. Symbol 140 denotes a through-hole for forcibly canceling an unexpected locked state of the disk tray 101 by inserting a thin pin from the through-hole 140.
FIG. 31 is an illustration showing a back face of the conventional bezel 111, in which an earth plate 150 is fixed to the center through thermal caulking or the like. The earth plate 150 is set so that when the disk tray 101 is loaded, the end 150a of the plate 150 contacts with the opening of the chassis case 105 and a discharge channel is formed. Thereby, static electricity flows from a human body to the discharge channel to prevent an electrical component or the like from damaging. Moreover, a flexible spacer 160 serving as a buffering body is set to the upper edge part and a screwed tongue 110a to be fixed to the body of the disk tray 101 is formed at an essential portion of the body of the bezel 111. An end 150b of the earth plate 150 is extended to the back of the push button 120 and a protrusion 120a of the push button 120 exposed from a window hole formed on the end 150b operates the microswitch 109.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-97122
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-97056
The bezel decorates the front face of the disk drive, which usually uses a bezel designed in accordance with a PC. Therefore, in many cases, a supplier delivers a finished disk drive alone with no bezel mounted on it, a PC manufacturer receiving the disk drive then manufactures an original bezel and fixes the bezel to the front face of the disk tray. However, because an earth plate is conventionally integrated with a bezel through thermal caulking the caulking cost is an obstacle to lower the production cost of the disk tray.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to simplify the above incidental processing to the utmost so that the processing cost for the assembling of the bezel can be decreased and the versatility of the disk drive is improved. Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, the bezel of the disk tray of the conventional disk drive has element components necessary for the bezel, namely, the push button 120, transparent lens 130, earth plate 150, and spacer 160 to serve the bezel as an outfit body. Accordingly, the bezel is usually designed to be match with the PC body and it is desirable that the bezel is formed by the same color and same material with the PC body.
However, in the case of a manufacture and supply system for manufacturing a disk drive alone and supplying it to unspecified users such as many manufacturers of PCs, because manufacturers of PC bodies are completely different from those of disk drives, it is difficult to realize a bezel whose design, color tone, and texture coincide with those of the PC body which is built in by a supplied destination of the disk drive, by the difference between manufactures of PC body and the disk drive. As a solution for such problem, an user received a finished disk drive prepares only a bezel and replace the bezel already set by the disk drive manufacturer with the one prepared by the user, or the user receives a disk drive with no bezel mounted and sets an original bezel to the disk drive, namely manage the problem with so-called post-mount processing.
When using the above method, the user received the disk drive needs to originally design the bezel and element components to be built in the bezel and prepare a molding die or the like to manufacture the bezel. Consequently, the user must shoulder a great deal of economic burden. In addition, despite of the effort made by the user to manufacture the original bezel, a design including errors compared to the finished bezel may be done and the initial performance may be deteriorated. For example, the shape of an earth plate which is an element component differs or when the earth plate is not built in, the resistance of the disk drive to static electricity is deteriorated and therefore, the risk of damage on the electronic components rises. Moreover, the structural consistency with the disk tray is deteriorated because the bezel was originally designed, so the bezel may vibrate and generate noises or the operation feeling of the disk tray may be deteriorated.

Disk drive with protection from static electricity


Motion of a device is sensed using image data, and a gesture corresponding to the sensed motion of the device is recognized. Functionality of the device corresponding to the recognized gesture is determined and invoked.

Mobile devices, such as cell phones or PDAs, have several functions each of which may be activated through pressing a unique sequence of keys or through provided menus. As mobile devices get more and more features, accessing all of the features may become more complex given a limited number of buttons on the devices.


Dynamization tabs and methods of use are provided. Dynamization tabs may be used with an external fixation ring or other fixator device as part of a therapeutic treatment of bone fractures or malformations. The device forms a connection between one or more fixation struts and an external fixation ring so as to introduce controllable amounts of movement or dynamization to the arrangement of the struts and the fixator. By introducing controlled amounts of dynamization, therapeutic benefits can be derived in the enhanced, accelerated bone formation, mineralization and remodeling of the underlying bone. Dynamization tabs may comprise a strut connector, a mechanical biasing or dynamizing device, and a ring connector. Many different forms for introducing controlled amounts of dynamization are disclosed.

Without limiting the scope of the disclosure, this background is described in connection with external fixation devices and specifically in connection with dynamization tabs which are an advantageous means of connecting struts and/or rods to external fixation rings. Generally speaking, external fixation devices are commonly used devices in a variety of surgical procedures, e.g. limb lengthening, deformity correction, fracture reduction, etc., and in the treatment of non-unions, mal-unions, and bone defects. The process involves placing a rigid framework, made up of several rings, externally around a limb and attaching sections of the framework to relative bone segments using wires and half pins which are inserted into the bone. Opposite rings of the rigid framework are interconnected by either threaded or telescopic rods directly, or in conjunction with uniplanar or multi-planar hinges, allowing a surgeon to connect opposite rings that are not parallel to each other after manipulation with bone segments either rapidly or gradually over a period of time.
For example, in bone fracture reduction or non-union treatment, the wires and half pins are inserted into each bone segment and attached to the rings of the rigid framework. The rigid framework is used to acutely reduce a displacement and restore alignment between the bone segments. During this realignment, the orientations of opposite rings are often not parallel. The opposite rings of the rigid framework are connected together by threaded or telescopic rods with attached uniplanar or multi-planar hinges, allowing the opposite bone segment to be rigidly fixed until complete fracture healing or bone consolidation is complete.
For many bone treatments, the introduction of controlled destabilization can accelerate bone healing and significantly improve the strength of the fracture and distraction bone regenerate. The gradual increase of load is an important part of the healing process. In order to achieve this controlled destabilization, the external fixation devices may be dynamized. There are many ways of achieving dynamization. For a unilateral fixator, these include removing its bars, sliding the bars further away from the bone, removing some of its pins, and/or releasing tension or compression from the system. For a circular frame, these include removing some of its wires, releasing tension from the wires, partially removing its connection rods between rings, partially removing rings from a ring block, and/or releasing tension or compression from the system. These techniques may be problematic, however, because they often result in wide variations in the level of instability and may not effectively limit the dynamization to a desired direction or axis of movement.
One solution to this problem has been the introduction of dynamization modules into the threaded rods, i.e. struts, which connect the opposite rings of the rigid framework. This solution provides for a convenient method of introducing a desired amount of dynamization into the system in a manner which may be controlled in both intensity and direction. This solution, however, requires orientation of all dynamization modules parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the bone or other desired direction of axial dynamization. This requirement can be achieved in traditional circular external fixation devices with external rings interconnected by 3-4 threaded or telescopic rods oriented parallel to each other. In hexapod-type external fixation devices, with 6 (six) telescopic struts oriented not parallel to each other and to the desired direction of dynamization, introduction of dynamization modules to the struts will result in reduction of overall stability of the system without possibility of controlled dynamization. This may result in undesirable translation of bone segments and problems with bone healing. In order to provide controlled dynamization in those cases, axial micromotion should be applied directly to the ring tabs.

Dynamization tabs providing component interconnectivity for external fixation devices

Texas Scottish Right Hospital for Children


A method and apparatus for enabling low power idle (LPI) signaling for Ethernet transceivers operating in legacy modes are disclosed that allow a high speed transceiver to retain energy efficient Ethernet (EEE) functionality even when the transceiver is operating in a slower speed mode. In some embodiments, an Ethernet device may enter an LPI mode upon receiving a regular LPI signal when its media independent interface (MII) is operating at a first transmission rate, and may enter the LPI mode upon receiving a modified LPI signal when the MII is operating at a first speed operating at a second transmission rate that is slower than the first transmission rate.

Among the technologies that allow computers and/or other network devices to form a local area network (LAN), Ethernet has become the dominant networking technology and is standardized in the IEEE 802.3 family of standards. The Ethernet standard has evolved over time so that different variants of the Ethernet protocol now exist to support higher bandwidth, improved media access controls, different physical media channels, and/or other functionalities. For example, IEEE 802.3 now has variants covering speeds (or transmission rates) ranging from 10 Mbit/s, 100 Mbit/s, 1 Gbit/s, to 10 Gbit/s and even higher, and has variants that govern physical channels such as coaxial cables, fiber-optics, and unshielded/shielded twisted-pair cables.
One concern associated with Ethernet devices is power consumption. Because of the simultaneous bidirectional (e.g., full duplex) nature of Ethernet communications, transceivers employed in Ethernet devices and/or networks may consume significant power when operating at very high speeds (e.g., 1 Gbit/s or 10 Gbit/s). Thus, if there is little or no data being transmitted over an associated data link, the transceivers may be instructed to enter a low power mode to reduce power consumption. For example, the Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE), which is described in the IEEE 802.3az standard, employs a low power idle (LPI) signal that may place the transmitter portions of such transceivers into a "sleep" mode when there is no data to be transmitted. Although assertion of the LPI signal may disable the transmitter portions during the sleep mode, the receiver portions of the transceivers typically remain operational, thereby allowing the transceiver to receive data even though the transmitter portions are in sleep mode. The sleep mode may be terminated by de-asserting the LPI signal (or providing a "normal idle" signal) to "wake-up" the transmitter portions of the transceivers, thereby allowing the transceivers to resume data transmissions.
Typically, a newer Ethernet variant is required to operate at slower speeds to provide backwards compatibility with legacy devices and/or with older Ethernet standards. It is common for the transceivers to repeat the data being sent when operating at slower speeds. For example, a transceiver capable of 1 Gbit/s speeds may simply repeat the transmission of data 10 times when operating in a 100 Mbit/s mode, and repeat the transmission of data 100 times when operating in a 10 Mbit/s mode. However, because many variants of the Ethernet standards were developed before the EEE (e.g., IEEE 802.3az) standards were implemented, the LPI signal designed to trigger sleep mode for high-speed transceivers (e.g., capable of 1 Gbit/s) may not work properly when such transceivers are operating at slower speeds (e.g., at 100 Mbit/s). Similarly, the LPI signal may not work properly when such transceivers perform data repetition and/or combination techniques for any other applicable reasons including, for example, combining several channels to create a higher bandwidth, and/or transmitting data using a dedicated 8 bit/10 bit serializer/deserializer (8 B/10 B SerDes).
Accordingly, there is a need to enable LPI signaling for high-speed Ethernet transceivers that operate in legacy modes (e.g., at slower speeds).
Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the drawing figures.

Low power idle signaling for gigabit media independent interfaces operating in legacy modes


Methods and corresponding systems for amplifying an input signal include inputting first and second differential input signals into first and second circuit legs, respectively, wherein the first circuit leg includes a first transistor coupled in series with a first variable current source, and wherein the second circuit leg includes a second transistor coupled in series with a second variable current source. The first and second variable current sources are dynamically set to provide first and second bias currents in response to the first and second differential input signals, wherein the first bias current is set inversely proportional to the second bias current. The first and second bias currents are sunk in the first and second circuit legs, respectively. First and second differential output signals are output from the first and second circuit legs, respectively.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to an amplifier circuit, and more specifically to a differential amplifier circuit having a dynamically biased configuration.
2. Related Art
An amplifier circuit (or a buffer circuit (buffer)) can be used to adapt the output characteristics of one circuit to the input characteristics of another circuit. A buffer circuit can be considered an amplifier circuit with unity gain. In one example, a voltage buffer circuit can be used to transfer a voltage from a first circuit that has a high output impedance level, to a second circuit with a low input impedance level. Thus, the buffer prevents the second circuit from loading the first circuit unacceptably (e.g., with a large current load) and thus interfering with the desired operation of the first circuit.
Preferably, a buffer would not be needed between portions (e.g., first and second circuits) of a system. However, when a buffer circuit is needed, it is a goal for the design of the buffer circuit to minimize current consumption. By reducing current consumption, power consumption can be reduced, which is particularly important for portable battery powered devices that need extended operating time.
The inputs and outputs of cooperating circuits can be connected with differential signals or differential signaling. Differential signaling is a method of transmitting information electrically by means of two complementary signals sent on two separate wires or signal paths. At the receiving end of the transmission, the information is read or interpreted as the difference between the two complementary signals. Differential signaling increases noise immunity by rejecting common-mode interference, which is the interference that exists on, or is common to, both signal paths.
In amplifier circuits, or buffer circuits (e.g., a unity gain amplifier circuit), a current source (or a current sink, which may be thought of as a negative current source) can be used to bias transistor circuits. In an ideal current source, the current through the source remains constant as the voltage across the source changes. It is frequently desirable to increase the output resistance of the current source in order to make the current source more ideal. One way of increasing the output resistance of a current source is to add a cascode transistor, where the cascode transistor typically has a fixed voltage applied to the control input (e.g. the base or gate terminal) of the transistor.

Amplifier circuit having dynamically biased configuration


The invention relates to systems and method for inhibiting or causing automated actions based on estimated person locations comprising multiple video sources configured to detect the location of one or more persons wherein at least one video source is calibrated for a known location and pose. The invention further comprises at least one processor operably connected to a calibrated video source wherein said processor aggregates possible person locations. These systems and method may be useful for initiating or interrupting the automated activity of equipment in the presence of personnel.

Modern drilling involves scores of people and multiple inter-connecting activities. Obtaining real-time information about ongoing operations is of paramount importance for safe, efficient drilling. As a result, modern rigs often have thousands of sensors actively measuring numerous parameters related to vessel operation, in addition to information about the down-hole drilling environment.
Despite the multitude of sensors on today's rigs, a significant portion of rig activities and sensing problems remain difficult to measure with classical instrumentation, and person-in-the-loop sensing is often utilized in place of automated sensing.
By applying automated, computer-based video interpretation, continuous, robust, and accurate assessment of many different phenomena can be achieved through pre-existing video data without requiring a person-in-the-loop. Automated interpretation of video data is known as computer vision, and recent advances in computer vision technologies have led to significantly improved performance across a wide range of video-based sensing tasks. Computer vision can be used to improve safety, reduce costs and improve efficiency.
A long standing goal in many industrial settings is the automation of machinery to improve speed and efficiency. However, automated machinery motion and other automated actions in industrial settings can pose significant risks to personnel in these environments. Accurate information about the locations of persons could help to prohibit certain actions at certain times when people may be in harm's way.
Current technologies for detecting person location (e.g., RFID, manual person location reporting, lock-out keys) all require personnel to take specific actions to ensure their locations are known. These actions (e.g., wearing the RFID, reporting your location, using your key) represent an unnecessary failure point, which results in preventable injuries. In contrast to these approaches, video data from multiple cameras can provide accurate person location information without requiring any actions on the part of the people in the scene, and in an unobtrusive manner. Therefore, there is a need for a video-based technique for tracking person locations in an industrial environment and the incorporation of that information into automated system controls to prohibit certain activities when personnel might be in danger.

System and method for inhibiting or causing automated actions based on person locations estimated from multiple video sources