The present invention relates to frame elements for monopolar fuel cell stacks, permitting a simplified electrical wiring and/or a simplified and improved assembly of monopolar fuel cell stacks. They permit a significant miniaturization of monopolar arrangements.

With the advent of bipolar plates, monopolar fuel cell stack assemblies considerably fell behind because of their complicated wiring in comparison with bipolar assemblies. This shall now be explained with reference to FIG. 1 on the basis of fundamental differences between a bipolar arrangement and a monopolar arrangement.
FIG. 1 shows schematic equivalent circuit diagrams of two equivalent series connections of individual voltage cells, the upper part of the figure representing a bipolar arrangement and the lower part of the figure a monopolar arrangement. In the bipolar arrangement the voltage cells are oriented such that a plus pole is opposite to a minus pole each time, which permits an easy wiring of the voltage cells. By contrast, in the monopolar arrangement the cells are oriented such that two plus poles or two minus poles are opposite in pairs each time. To connect the individual voltage cells in series, a comparatively troublesome wiring is needed, which partly explains why the bipolar arrangement has often been preferred considerably.
Irrespective of this, the monopolar arrangement certainly offers advantages over the bipolar arrangement. These shall now be explained hereinafter:
In bipolar stacks the cathode region of an individual cell is separated from the anode region of the directly neighboring individual cell by a separation plate (bipolar plate). In the stack said separation plates account for a large portion of the total stack volume which, based on the stack volume, deteriorates typical characteristics such as performance, etc. This drawback does not arise in a monopolar stack because two neighboring individual cells can here comprise a joint anode portion or cathode portion. Although the two anodes or cathodes of such a joint anode or cathode portion must be electrically isolated from one another, the fluid portions themselves need not be separated as long as the electrical conductivity of the cathode and anode fluids remains negligible, which (despite a certain conductivity, especially of the anode fluid) is normally the case.
The electrical wiring of monopolar stacks is carried out in the prior art either via direct contacting of the current discharging means by soldering ("direct adjoining soldering") or by mounted contact terminals. The stack is clamped via the end plates by means of screws, tightening bands, or the like. As a consequence, current discharging means of different geometries or of a complicated wiring are required for a stack in the prior art. This is very disadvantageous in terms of assembly and proneness to assembling mistakes and is cost-intensive (e.g. several stamping tools are needed for different current discharging means). In addition, the former types are not suited for miniaturized fuel cell systems because they require a lot of constructional space. The usual clamping of the stack by means of screws requires a large minimum thickness of the end plates for realizing appropriately deep threaded bores. In other techniques, too, e.g. clamping by way of tightening bands, the end plates must absorb very great forces and therefore require a certain thickness for reasons of stability. On the whole, former clamping techniques are difficult and require a large volume and are thus hardly suited for miniaturized fuel cell systems.

Frame elements for monopolar fuel cell stacks


A cooling system for a water cooled engine provides increased heating capacity on cold starts and prevents icing of the throttle body. This is achieved by preheating the cooling water delivered to the throttle body and a heater core with a heating device. The heating device includes a first housing for passing the cooling water from the engine to the throttle body and the heater core, and a second housing disposed around the first housing to form an exhaust passage between the first and second housings. An exhaust gas control device selectively passes exhaust from the engine to the exhaust passage of the heating device to heat the cooling water. The exhaust from the engine is passed to the heating device as a function of when the cooling water temperature.

The present invention relates to a cooling system for a water cooling type engine having both an improved heating characteristic upon starting a cold automobile engine and a function for preventing icing of a throttle body.
In general, the cooling system of a water cooling type engine is constructed, as shown in FIG. 3, to cool the engine 100 by circulating cooling water by means of a pumping operation of a water pump 104 mounted to the inlet side of a water jacket 103 formed with a cylinder block 101 and a cylinder head 102 of an engine 100. Since the cooling water circulating in the water jacket 103 is not heated to a predetermined temperature (approximately 80.degree. C.) when initially starting the engine, a thermostat 106 in a water temperature controlling device 105 induces the flow of cooling water to a throttle body 107 and a heater core 108 so as to preheat the throttle body and the heater core. After a predetermined time elapses from the starting of the engine, the cooling water becomes heated to the predetermined temperature, and the thermostat 106 causes the cooling water to flow to a radiator 109 so that the heated cooling water is cooled by a heat exchanging operation and recirculated to the engine.
However, with the conventional technique, since the preheating of the throttle body and heater core depends on the heat source of the cooling water, the preheating effect, when the engine is cold, cannot be achieved because the cooling water is not heated. Since the throttle body is not preheated when the engine is started, cold air is supplied to the engine, which causes deterioration of combustion efficiency and lowers the heating characteristic. These problems are greatest in severe cold seasons.

Cooling system for water cooling type engine


A stereoscopic imaging system to prevent deterioration in brightness and optical characteristics due to deviation of an optical axis upon formation of a stereoscopic image is provided. The stereoscopic imaging system includes a stereoscopic image display device to output linearly polarized light, a phase difference plate provided at a front surface of the stereoscopic image display device and which converts the linearly polarized light output from the stereoscopic image display device into circularly polarized light, and liquid crystal shutter glasses having a phase difference plate attached to a front surface thereof and which restores the circularly polarized light having passed through the phase difference plate into the linearly polarized light. Upon formation of a stereoscopic image, the liquid crystal shutter glasses may restore light output from the stereoscopic image display device without loss.

1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to a stereoscopic imaging system to form a three-dimensional stereoscopic image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, stereoscopic imaging systems are designed to display an image via digital sampling and a series of signal processing operations of image signals transmitted from a video card. Image signal scanning methods of the stereoscopic imaging systems are broadly classified into progressive scanning methods, non-interlaced scanning methods, and interlaced scanning methods. The progressive scanning methods provide one image frame made up of one field image, whereas the interlaced scanning methods provide one image frame made up of two field images.
Three-dimensional stereoscopic imaging technologies generally realize a three-dimensional effect using binocular parallax. Binocular parallax is the primary way in which depth perception is achieved. Methods of viewing stereoscopic images are broadly divided into methods employing glasses and methods that do not employ glasses. Examples of the methods employing glasses include an anaglyph method in which a blue lens is placed over one eye and a red lens is placed over the other eye, a polarized glasses method using polarized lenses having different polarizing directions, and a liquid-crystal shutter glasses method in which a liquid crystal shutter is synchronized with a repetition period of time-sharing screens.
Representative examples of the methods not employing glasses include a lenticular method in which a lenticular lens plate in the form of an array of vertically arranged cylindrical lenses is installed in front of an imaging panel, and a parallax barrier method.

Stereoscopic imaging system for forming three-dimensional stereoscopic images


A voltage balance circuit including first and second semiconductor devices connected in series with each other is provided with a first transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a second transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding. A pair of capacitors connected in series with each other and connected between the output terminals of the plurality of semiconductor devices. A first control signal is applied to the control electrode of the first semiconductor device via the primary winding of the first transformer. A second control signal is applied to the control electrode of the second semiconductor device via the primary winding of the second transformer, with one end of each secondary winding connected to each other.

By connecting, for example, a plurality of semiconductor devices that are switch elements in series with each other, and switching on and off the semiconductor devices in synchronization as one element, a switching circuit that obtains a high-withstand voltage property is achievable by using low-withstand voltage devices. In this case, low-withstand voltage semiconductor devices are remarkably cheaper in price and smaller in on-resistance than high-withstand voltage semiconductor devices. This can lead to lower cost and higher operation efficiency. However, once the voltage balance is lost due to variations in electrical characteristics of the semiconductor devices, the voltage design standard may be exceeded. In particular, such a situation may occur when there are variations in output capacities of the semiconductor devices.
In order to address such an issue, for example, in Patent Document 1, in a known example circuit in which a plurality of semiconductor devices are connected in series with each other, the gate currents (Ig1, Ig2) of the respective semiconductor devices are balanced by using one transformer in each drive circuit, so as to balance the drain-source voltages (Vds) among the respective semiconductor devices when switching. In this case, a switching control signal from a first drive circuit is used for driving a first semiconductor device through primary winding of the above-described transformer. On the other hand, a switching control signal from a second drive circuit is used for driving a second semiconductor device through secondary winding of the above-described transformer. It is to be noted that the first and second drive circuits and the gates of the semiconductor devices are connected with each other, so that the induced voltage across the primary winding of the above-described transformer due to the switching control signal and the induced voltage across the secondary winding due to the switching control signal are directed in opposite directions to each other.

Voltage balance circuit for semiconductor devices connected in series with each other, switching circuit, and power converter apparatus


Methods and systems are provided for redundancy management of a fly-by-wire avionics system. A control module for producing a control signal is provided comprising a common processing partition for receiving a flight input signal and at least one first mode input signal, a first processing partition coupled to the common processing partition and configured to receive the first mode input signals and flight input signal from the common processing partition, and a second processing partition coupled to the common processing partition. The first processing partition produces a first mode output signal in response to one of the first mode input signals and flight input signal. The second processing partition generates a second mode signal in response to the flight input signal when the first processing partition fails. The common processing partition produces the control signal in response to one of the first mode output signal and second mode signal.

Modern aircraft are increasingly equipped with fly-by-wire (FBW) systems that replace many mechanical flight control systems. Complex mechanical assemblies were commonly incorporated in older aircraft to transmit pilot inputs/commands to various flight control surfaces, e.g., the rudder, elevator, and ailerons, of the aircraft. FBW systems were designed to convert the pilot inputs/commands into electrical signals (e.g., via transducers) that when combined with other data control the flight control surfaces. For example, electronic sensors are attached to the pilot's controls. These sensors transmit electronic data to actuator control modules (ACEs), as an intermediate destination, and this sensor data is then sent to various flight control modules (FCMs). The FCMs combine this sensor data with other sensors that monitor the state of the aircraft in flight (e.g., inertial sensors and air-data sensors) and transmit computed commands back to the various ACEs. The ACEs receive the computed commands from the FCMs and generate output commands that move hydraulic actuators based on the received computed commands. Each hydraulic actuator is coupled to a moveable surface such that movement of the actuator moves the primary control surface.
FBW systems typically employ a digital processor that accepts control inputs from the cockpit controls, combines this with aircraft state information from other sensors (e.g., inertial and air-data sensors), and translates the control inputs into digital control signals for actuator controller units (i.e., ACEs). The output commands from the actuator controller units produce signals to physically move flight control surfaces. The actuator controller units may also obtain feedback data by monitoring various output parameters indicative of the operation and position of the flight control surfaces. In one example, the FBW system uses three computers, each with three or two computing lanes, to achieve a three-way or a two-way redundancy comparison. A computing lane is referred to as an independent avionics control system having a computing system that communicates electronically with sensors on the aircraft, communicates with sensors which process the pilot's commands or actions, and also communicates with and controls the aircraft's actuators. Each flight control computer (FCC), having multiple computing lanes, is capable of controlling the aircraft in its entirety.
One reason that FBW systems use more than one computing lane is to meet different requirements for verification rigor, for example, to detect a computing lane electronic failure by comparing one computing lane with another computing lane of dissimilar design. Various electronic systems used in airborne environments may be subject to different requirements for verification rigor based on the criticality of the system. Criticality may be characterized by integrity and availability. Most modern aircraft are equipped with an automatic flight control system (AFCS) that can maintain the heading, altitude, and airspeed of the aircraft, couple with various guidance sources, and in many cases, perform automatic landings. In addition, the most sophisticated aircraft today include a flight management system (FMS) that can navigate the aircraft along a pilot entered route or one of a plurality of pre-programmed routes from an origination point to a predetermined destination and can deliver the aircraft to a point at which an automatic approach and landing sequence can be commenced, with minimal intervention required from the pilot once the FMS is programmed and activated. Each of these systems has an associated criticality and is generally subject to verification rigor based on such criticality.
Redundancy is commonly used to augment verification rigor. For example, several redundant elements (e.g., multiple computing lanes) may be used in a critical system, and these redundant elements typically cross-compare outputs to determine any errors in one of the redundant elements and by-pass the redundant element having such error. One concern is with the occurrence of a generic fault, particularly for a highly critical functionality, such as FBW where the system is full-time (e.g., from "wheels-up" until "wheels-down"), in which an error or loss of function has significant consequences. A generic fault refers to a fault fundamental to all of the redundant elements for a particular aspect of function in a system.
Dissimilar redundancy, such as using similar functioning components from different manufacturers, is one technique for designing systems to meet a desired criticality and mitigate generic faults in systems incorporating hardware devices that are "complex" as defined by DO-254. The functionalities associated with complex hardware devices, such as programmable logic devices (PLDs) and application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), add difficulty to the implementation of dissimilar redundancy and require specific architectural treatment in the design and/or application of dissimilar redundancy. Additionally, dissimilar redundancy may be difficult to implement for complex communications paths within the FBW electronic system thereby necessitating architectural treatment to limit the potential fault effects and mitigate what would otherwise be a full-time exposure to critical fault scenarios in complex devices.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an FBW system that mitigates generic fault effects either architecturally or through dissimilarity of complex components. In addition, it is desirable to provide a method for mitigating generic fault effects in airborne electronic systems. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.

System and method of redundancy management for fault effect mitigation


A child resistant lighter comprising a standard lighter construction having a main body, a fuel reservoir, valve release means, and a spark wheel assembly, the improvement comprising a pair of slip guards, a plurality of contact wheels, and a strike wheel in which the slip guards have a greater radius than that of the contact wheels and strike wheel whereby the slip guards hinder a child's access to the contact wheels needed to operate the lighter.

Various prior art cigarette lighters incorporating safety features are known. Safety features are generally provided to reduce the risk of injury to an operator or bystanders. Safety features for cigarette lighters can be divided into several general categories. Some safety mechanisms prevent ignition of a fuel source unless the lighter is properly oriented. Other mechanisms have been designed to automatically turn off a fuel supply valve. More recently, attention has been directed toward preventing ignition of the lighters by children and other persons normally not able to appreciate the danger of fire. Individuals usually considered in these efforts are young children, age five years and younger.
Child tamper-resistant mechanisms have focused on preventing depression of the thumb pad or thumb actuator found in most lighters by incorporating a locking mechanism that physically blocks the downward movement of the thumb pad unless a safety latch or other button is first engaged to unlock the lighter. There has also been development of guards that cover the spark wheel.
However, none of the prior inventions have incorporated safety guards as part of the support arms holding the spark wheel assembly. The guards prevent a child from effectively turning the spark wheel assembly. The guards incorporated into the support arms of the present invention, called slip guards, are larger in radius and smoother than the prior art spark wheels. The slip guards act as a mechanical barrier preventing a child's thumb access to the strike wheels. The slip guards frustrate young children attempting to operate the ignition mechanism of the lighter.

Unit 1, 11/F, Wah Lai Ind. Centre, 10-14 Kwei Tei Street


Ecological cleaning fabric comprising polyester-based microfiber comprising a warp-bent fabric having polyester-based yarn in the base with multi-filter loops, preferably including polyester textile fiber.

Various different types of fabric are currently known for manufacturing cleaning cloths.
Traditionally, people have used cloths made from different cotton fabrics or other natural fibres that soak up water very well, but which require the use of detergents and other products in order to efficiently clean incrusted dirt such as grease and other contaminants. These cloths made from natural fibres take the form of loop fabric to increase the water absorption capacity, or a smoother, thinner fabric for use in drying.
Lately, new synthetic fibres have emerged, which allow common cleaning using fewer detergent products. These fibres are preferably polyester-based microfibre and their microfibre makeup means that a fabric or cloth made with a yarn of this type can collect more dirt and dust in a single wipe of the surface to be cleaned. Such is the efficiency of these synthetic fibres that cloths made from these fibres are usually called "ecological cloths", because in many cases they do not require the use of detergents and cleaning substances, as they can be used dry or simply with water.
However, the polyester microfibre fabrics with which these cloths are made are manufactured as fine warps to make them lighter and they do not present such a great level of absorption as cloths made from natural fibres.


A steering wheel is provided with at least one device for the fastening of build-on parts, the steering wheel having a steering wheel skeleton surrounded by foam. A holding part is substantially fixed by the steering wheel foam surround and projects out of the steering wheel foam surround for the fastening of at least one build-on part.

It is known to fasten build-on parts of various types, for example different switches, to steering wheels. In this context, in practice, each vehicle manufacturer has his own ideas regarding the type and mounting location of the build-on parts. Since a steering wheel manufacturer will as far as possible like to satisfy the various requirements by means of existing steering wheel skeleton structures for reasons of cost, he has two possibilities for making these structures practicable.
One possibility is to mount domes, straps and other devices for the fastening of build-on parts to a steering wheel onto the existing skeleton structure at a later stage by means of die changes. The disadvantage of this procedure is that changes are possible only via a 3-D model. The original skeleton die, that is to say the mold for producing the skeleton, has to be dismantled for the change and the mold has to be modified by erosion, for which purpose a new electrode has to be made. Furthermore, it is necessary, after the change has been concluded, once again to carry out a free-testing method. This procedure results, overall, in high additional costs. A further disadvantage is that, as a result of the accumulation of material at the spokes due to domes and straps, the bending strength of the steering wheel skeleton is adversely influenced.
The second possibility is to drill into the steering wheel skeleton, for example in the region of the spokes, in order to screw on build-on parts there. The disadvantage, here, is that the strength characteristics of the aluminum or magnesium skeleton are impaired, above all, during drilling into the spokes. This increases the risk that a spoke fracture will occur in the event of a crash.

Steering wheel with at least one device for the fastening of build-on parts


A wheel position indication system for a vehicle comprising a steerable wheel, a wheel position indicator and a controller. The wheel position indicator has an on state and an off state. The wheel position indicator provides a visual indication of the position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the on state. The wheel position indicator does not provide a visual indication of the position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the off state. The controller selectively alters the wheel position indicator between the on state and the off state. The controller places the wheel position indicator into the on state when the vehicle is in a predetermined driving condition and places the wheel position indicator into the off state when the vehicle is not in the predetermined driving condition.

The present invention relates to an indicator, and in particular to a wheel position indicator for a motor vehicle.
When driving off road, on a slippery surface, in a deep rut, etc., the driver of the motor vehicle may have turned the front wheels of the vehicle in a direction different than the direction of travel of the vehicle. For example, the front wheels may experience wheel slip if the driver is driving on a slippery surface or may be in a rut that forces the vehicle to travel along the length of the rut. However, when the road friction of the road surface increases or the depth of the rut is reduced, the vehicle may rapidly yaw when the vehicle begins to follow the direction of the wheels. In some situations, the driver of the vehicle may not know the direction of the wheels and may be unprepared for the rapid yaw of the vehicle when the vehicle leaves the slippery surface or the deep rut. Accordingly, an apparatus for notifying the driver of the angle of the front wheels is desired.


Engine inlet air/fuel ratio compensation is applied to an internal combustion engine having pneumatic fuel injection, wherein the difference between a value proportional to inlet air pressure and a value proportional to inlet fuel pressure is monitored and a commanded fuel or air quantity adjusted as a predetermined function of the difference.

It is known that internal combustion engines may be fueled by injecting a pressurized fuel stream to a high pressure air stream and metering the combination to an internal combustion engine. Fuel is injected to the air stream for a duration controlled by the width of a fuel pulse, and the fuel air combination is injected to the engine for a duration controlled by the width of an air pulse. The combination may be metered to a single air intake manifold for distribution to the cylinders of the engine or may be directly metered to each of the cylinders.
In such pneumatic fuel injection systems, the pressure of the air is regulated to a predetermined pressure above atmospheric pressure and the pressure of the fuel is regulated to a predetermined pressure above the air pressure. The difference between the air pressure and the fuel pressure may be used in a computation of the desired fuel pulse duration and the desired air pulse duration in accord with generally known engine air/fuel ratio control principles. For precise engine air/fuel ratio control, the pressure difference must remain substantially static or must be compensated, for example by sensing any significant perturbations in the pressure difference and adjusting the pulse duration as necessary.
Perturbations in the pressure difference have been attributed to several sources. Practical sources of the pressurized air, such as conventional air compressors provide an air stream having periodic pressure undulations around the desired compressor output air pressure. Likewise, conventional fuel pumps provide a fuel stream having periodic pressure undulations around the desired output fuel pressure. Other sources of pressure perturbations include changes in the load across the compressor or fuel pump supply voltage, such as from other electrical devices driven by the supply voltage. A temporary perturbation from a desired compressor or fuel pump drive rate may result from the load changes, at least temporarily affecting output pressure. Yet another perturbation source is the periodic opening and closing of fuel and air injectors in the system, which temporarily relieve pressure in the system.
To maintain a substantially constant air and fuel pressure despite these perturbations, air and fuel pressure regulators may be provided in the air and fuel paths, as described. However, practical regulators are incapable of rapidly responding to the described transient perturbations. Accordingly, further attempts have been made to minimize the pressure perturbations. These include providing a large damping orifice at the air compressor output, moving the air and fuel pressure regulators close to the injection points to improve regulator response, and providing diaphragm interfaces between the air and fuel paths wherein the diaphragms are deflected in response to pressure perturbations to minimize the difference in pressure. While these further attempts have reduced the pressure perturbations, a significant degradation in engine air/fuel ratio remains. Furthermore, these further attempts have added significant cost and complexity to the fuel delivery system.
Accordingly, what is needed is an approach to air and fuel pressure disturbance compensation that maintains an acceptable air/fuel ratio to the engine despite such disturbances, and does not materially increase system cost or complexity.

Internal combustion engine air/fuel ratio compensation


The thermal transfer line printer is provided with tension roller position detection means having tension rollers, rotatable tension roller support frames that support the tension rollers rotatably and press the tension rollers toward an intermediate sheet, and a detector and a sensor for detecting a position of the tension rollers and is provided with a controller for controlling operation of an intermediate transfer sheet feeding motor that moves at least the intermediate transfer sheet, and the controller controls the intermediate transfer sheet feeding motor so as to position the detectors in a detection range of the sensors when the intermediate transfer sheet is moved.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a thermal transfer line printer that is suitably used for forming an intermediate transfer type image in which ink of a multi-color ink sheet is transferred on an intermediate transfer sheet by means of a line thermal head to form a primary image and the primary image is retransferred on a transfer medium to form an image on the transfer medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, the intermediate transfer type thermal transfer line printer for forming an image on a transfer medium by means of a method in which ink of a multi-color ink film is transferred on an intermediate transfer medium by use of a line thermal head to form a primary image and the primary image is retransferred on a transfer medium by use of a retransfer means has been used widely as an output apparatus of a computer or ward processor. The reasons are that a high quality printed image can be formed easily on various transfer media such as CD, CD-R, MO, DVD, and various cards in addition to regular paper and that the intermediate transfer type thermal transfer line printer is operated with low noise, available at low cost, and needs less maintenance.
A conventional thermal transfer line printer as described hereinabove operates as described hereunder. A line thermal head is brought into down-state in which the line thermal head is brought into contact with a platen roller with interposition of an ink sheet and an intermediate transfer sheet that are formed in the configuration of long sheet in this order in a primary image forming section. Heating elements of the line thermal head are heated selectively based on the printing information with feeding the ink sheet and the intermediate transfer sheet in this state to thereby melt or sublimate the ink carried on the ink sheet so that the ink is transferred on the intermediate transfer sheet, and a reverse image that is served as the intermediate image for one page, namely one picture, is formed on the intermediate transfer sheet. Thereafter, the intermediate transfer sheet is moved and the primary image formed on the intermediate transfer sheet is concomitantly moved to the position just before the retransfer section, and then the primary image is registered with a transfer medium with aid of the register mark formed on the intermediate transfer sheet. Then, the primary image formed on the intermediate transfer sheet is melted or sublimated by applying heat and pressure of retransfer means comprising a heating roller in a retransfer section, and the primary image is retransferred and fixed on the transfer medium to thereby form a desired image on the transfer medium.
At that time, in the case where a monochrome image of one color is formed on a transfer medium, one pass is enough for forming an image.
On the other hand, in the case where a multi-color image is formed on a transfer medium, a multi-color intermediate image is formed by means of so-called swing-back technique as described hereunder. A multi-color ink sheet on which a plurality of color ink regions are arranged so that different colors are repeated adjacently in the longitudinal direction issued as an ink sheet. At first, a reverse image of the first color ink that is carried on the multi-color ink sheet is formed on an intermediate transfer sheet. Then, a line thermal head is brought into head-up state in which the line thermal head is being separated from a platen, and the intermediate transfer sheet is moved reversely to the transfer preparation position in this state. The reverse image formed with the first color ink is returned to the transfer position for start alignment, and a reverse image of the next color is transferred on the reverse image of the first color one on the other.
In detail, in the case where a full-color image is formed, a multi-color ink sheet on which a plurality of ink regions, each of which consists of four colors, for example, K (black), Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) are arranged so that the different colors are repeated adjacently in the longitudinal direction and which has color-discrimination marks on the boundary between different ink regions is used as an ink sheet.
More in detail, at first, a K-color reverse image for one page picture is formed on an intermediate transfer sheet by use of a K-color ink region on the multi-color ink sheet. Next, the intermediate transfer sheet that has been moved during the primary image forming operation is moved in the reverse direction to the transfer preparation position to align the K-color reverse image formed on the intermediate transfer sheet, and a Y-color ink region that is positioned adjacent to the K-color ink region of the multi-color ink sheet is aligned. With the use of the Y-color ink region in the multi-color sheet, a Y-color reverse image for one page picture is formed over the K-color reverse image for one page picture that has been formed on the intermediate transfer sheet. Similarly, reverse images of an M-color ink region and a C-color ink region are formed on the intermediate transfer sheet in this order to thereby form a full-color intermediate image for one page picture on the intermediate transfer sheet.
The conventional register mark that has been formed on an intermediate transfer sheet previously or is formed simultaneously when a primary image is formed on an intermediate transfer sheet.
Furthermore, the intermediate transfer sheet is wound between the intermediate transfer sheet feeding roller and the intermediate transfer sheet winding roller. The intermediate transfer sheet winding roller is rotated by means of the driving force of the intermediate transfer sheet feeding motor when a reverse image is formed, and the intermediate transfer sheet is sent out from the intermediate transfer sheet feeding roller and wound on the intermediate transfer sheet winding roller. Furthermore, in the case where the intermediate transfer sheet is moved back to the printing preparation position to form a full-color image, the intermediate transfer sheet feeding roller is rotated reversely by means of the driving force of the intermediate transfer sheet feeding motor. Thereby, the intermediate transfer sheet is moved in the reverse direction toward the intermediate transfer sheet feeding roller side from the intermediate transfer sheet winding roller side.
As the result of the above operation, the length of the intermediate transfer sheet wound on the intermediate transfer sheet feeding roller decreases with consumption of the intermediate transfer sheet to result in the reduced outside diameter of the intermediate transfer sheet feeding roller, and on the other hand the length of the intermediate transfer sheet wound on the intermediate transfer sheet winding roller increases to result in the increased outside diameter of the intermediate transfer sheet winding roller.
However, in the case of the abovementioned conventional thermal transfer line printer, the intermediate transfer sheet tension changes due to the change of the outside diameter of the intermediate transfer sheet feeding roller and the intermediate transfer sheet winding roller that is caused concomitantly with consumption of the intermediate transfer sheet, and the change causes the problem.
The change of the intermediate transfer sheet tension causes the change of moving length of the intermediate transfer sheet when the intermediate transfer sheet is moved reversely to the printing preparation position for forming a full-color image, and the change of the moving length causes positional deviation when the reverse image is transferred on the intermediate transfer sheet to result in the poor picture quality of the image printed on a transfer medium.
To solve the abovementioned problem, a thermal transfer line printer that is capable of maintaining the intermediate transfer sheet tension constant has been expected to be developed.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the abovementioned problem, and it is the object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer line printer that is capable of maintaining the intermediate transfer sheet tension constant with the simple structure.
To achieve the abovementioned object, a thermal transfer line printer in accordance with the present invention is characterized in that the thermal transfer line printer has a tension roller disposed so as to face to a moving path of the intermediate transfer sheet, a rotatable tension roller support frame that supports the tension roller rotatably and presses the tension roller against the intermediate transfer sheet, tension roller position detection means that detects a position of the tension roller, and a controller that controls operation of an intermediate transfer sheet feeding motor for feeding at least the intermediate transfer sheet, the tension roller position detection means is provided with a detector disposed on the tension roller support frame and a sensor that detects the position of the detector, and the controller, when feeding the intermediate transfer sheet, controls the intermediate transfer sheet feeding motor so as to maintain the detector in a detection range of the sensor.
At that time, the tension roller is provided preferably on any one of both sides of the primary image forming section, and more preferably the tension roller is provided on both sides of the primary image forming section.
By employing the abovementioned structure, the intermediate transfer sheet tension can be maintained constant with the simple structure.

Thermal transfer printer that is capable of maintaining intermediate transfer sheet tension constant


An integrated circuit includes a first circuit component, a second circuit component, and an external terminal for making contact with the circuit. The first circuit component is connected to the external terminal via the second component. A bridging circuit connects the first circuit component to the external terminal and can be activated by a test mode signal. In the active state, the bridging circuit connects the external terminal to the first circuit component while bridging the second circuit component, while it is nonconducting in the deactivated state. Circuit components integrated in the semiconductor chip can be electrically measured nondestructively via activatable switches. Circuit components that lie between the external terminal and the device to be measured can be excluded from the measurement by bridging circuits. The method also makes it possible to measure a plurality of integrated devices in parallel or serially.

During and after the fabrication of integrated circuits in semiconductor chips such as, e.g., DRAM memory chips, these are generally subject to a functional test. This is intended to ensure that only defect-free and functional devices are supplied. In this case, a distinction is made between two types of tests, product data measurements and parameter data measurements.
Product data measurements are carried out on the finished end product. In this case, a number of different input signals are applied to the circuit integrated in the chip, which result in specific output signals. The combination of input signals are selected such that the tests do not take an excessively long time, but as many functional errors as possible are covered. Thus, in the course of product data measurement, the chip is checked in its entirety with regard to its correct functioning.
By contrast, parameter data measurements are intended to reflect as well as possible the electrical properties of the circuit components integrated in the semiconductor chip. These measurements take place during the process of fabricating the semiconductor chip. In the course of fabricating semiconductor chips, the latter are arranged on a semiconductor wafer. The kerf separates the individual chips from one another.
Test structures are provided in the kerf for the parameter data measurement. The test structures are intended to simulate the behavior of the devices that are integrated in the chip. The test structures of the kerf are externally accessible via contacts. In the course of parameter measurement, important characteristic quantities that are intended to provide information about correct or defective functioning of the devices in the chip are measured at the test structures. Typical characteristic quantities are, e.g., in the case of a memory chip, the threshold voltages of the selection transistors or the magnitude of the capacitance of the memory cell. If a drift of characteristic quantities is ascertained during the fabrication process it is possible to intervene in the production process, and to perform an adjustment of the devices by modifying relevant process variables.
In the further production steps, the semiconductor chips on the wafer are separated by being sawn apart along the kerf, i.e., dicing. In this case, the kerf is lost, and with it the test structures situated therein. This has the disadvantage that, in the event of the defect analysis of semiconductor chips that is generally carried out in the event of customer returns, it is often not possible to ascertain the exact cause of error. Thus, e.g., aging effects that result in the failure of the chips cannot be detected since the test structures at which the parameter data were measured during the production process are no longer available for a renewed measurement. A before/afterward comparison is not possible.
Furthermore, the problem arises that the actual behavior of the devices in the chip can never be determined by measuring parameter data in the kerf. Thus, it is not possible to detect effects due to mutual influencing on account of the small spatial distances between the circuit components in the chip (proximity), crosstalk, etc. Previous tests and defect analysis methods lead to delays in product introduction and difficult qualifications.
An integrated circuit and a method for testing integrated circuits of a semiconductor chip, which allow the functional checking and defect analysis to be configured effectively by nondestructively measuring characteristic electrical parameters of circuit components that are integrated in the semiconductor chip, is desirable.

Integrated circuit for testing circuit components of a semiconductor chip


A tape drive extendable and retractable awning assembly wherein a sprocket driven apertured tape is connected to the leading end of an awning adjacent the opposite lateral edges of the awning. The apertured tapes are guided in channel members housed in frames positioned in proximity to the lateral edges of the awning, and each frame is provided with a weather seal to prevent dirt and dust from accumulating in the guide channels and apertured tapes.

Various support frame and drive assemblies have been proposed for moving fabric covers or the like as a covering, examples of which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,140,220 , dated Dec. 13, 1938; 2,668,586, dated Feb. 9, 1954; 4,424,685, dated Jan. 10, 1984; and 4,606,157, dated Aug. 19, 1986.
The support frame and drive assemblies disclosed in the first three mentioned patents for extending and retracting a cover or curtain, utilize endless loop sprocket chains, belts or cables connected to motor drives and to the cover for extending and retracting the covers. The drive systems in these patents are rather bulky, and the parallel flights of the endless drive chains, belts or cables are spaced apart a substantial distance from each other, thus requiring a substantial amount of space with support for the endless loop drive at opposite ends, thus making the arrangement bulky from an aesthetic standpoint for use in framing for an awning system over top of a patio, side walk restaurant, or attached over the top of a greenhouse, or the like. No support is provided for the endless loop drives throughout their lengths, and it is difficult to maintain the endless loops in tension at both sides of the awning member to evenly drive both sides of the awning member simultaneously to prevent cocking and binding of the leading edge of the awning member or covering, and the structures do not allow an awning to go around a curve.
The latter mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,157 discloses a curtain or shade for drawing across the inside of a greenhouse. In order to overcome the drawbacks of bulky endless loop drive systems, the opposite lateral edges of the shade are guided in track channels, which creates a substantial amount of friction drag. Cables are connected to the opposite front sides of the shade, and are guided in the same track channels as the shade edges, and extend forwardly from the shade and are wound onto respective constant torque spring loaded rollers at the far end of the shade support frame members. However, this system also has drawbacks, since as the shade is rolled from the roller, each lateral edge and forward cable has friction drag on it in the respective guide channels, which drag may be different for opposite edges due to dust, dirt, etc. built-up in the channels, and also the torque of the spring loaded rollers can change with age, thus giving a different pull to opposite front edges of the shade, causing the shade to bind in the guide channels.
While the support frame and drive assemblies shown in the prior art have generally been satisfactory for their intended purpose, for a certain length of time, none have solved the problem of how to provide a compact, strong support frame and compact drive assembly having a commonly driven drive assembly for opposite lateral edges of the awning, which stays in synchronization for constant even extension and retraction of the front edge of the awning, without cocking or binding, and which is substantially resistant to outside weather conditions.

Tape drive extendable and retractable awning assembly


A data communication method and apparatus are provided. The data communication method includes: receiving, by a station (STA), a wake-up packet sent by an access point (AP), where the wake-up packet includes basic service set (BSS) parameter indication information, the BSS parameter indication information includes BSS parameter change indication information or a target parameter of a primary BSS to which a primary transceiver of the STA currently belongs, and the BSS parameter change indication information is used to indicate whether a critical parameter of the primary BSS changes when the primary transceiver of the STA is in a sleep state; and communicating, by the primary transceiver of the STA, with the AP based on the BSS parameter indication information. The embodiments of the present application can be used to effectively ensure that the primary transceiver of the STA successfully communicates with the AP.

On a Wireless Fidelity (\ Wi-Fi) network, quite a part of energy of a device is wasted in idle listening. A related solution in current legacy 802.11 protocols (802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, and the like) focuses on optimizing a sleep policy of the device. In addition to optimizing the sleep policy, there is another technical approach for reducing an energy waste in idle listening of the device: using a low-power wake-up receiver (LP-WUR) (WUR for short herein). A core concept of the technical approach is: A receive-end device (for example, a STA) further includes a low-power wake-up receiver (WUR) part in addition to a legacy 802.11 transceiver end (or referred to as an 802.11 main radio, an 802.11 primary transceiver module, or a Wi-Fi primary transceiver module). As shown in FIG. 3, after the 802.11 primary transceiver module goes to deep sleep, the low-power WUR wakes up and starts to work. If another device (for example, an AP on the left of FIG. 3) needs to communicate with a device that has a WUR and an 802.11 primary transceiver module (for example, a STA on the right of FIG. 3), the AP first sends a WUR wake-up packet (WUP) to the WUR. After correctly receiving the WUP sent to the WUR, the WUR wakes up the 802.11 primary transceiver module of the STA, and then the WUR itself goes to sleep. In this case, the AP communicates with the 802.11 primary transceiver module that is awake. After finishing communicating with the AP, the 802.11 primary transceiver module goes to sleep. At the same time, the WUR wakes up and starts listening again to detect whether there is a WUP sent to the WUR, so as to wake up the 802.11 primary transceiver module.
In the technology, the low-power WUR is used to replace the 802.11 primary transceiver module to listen on a channel when a medium is idle (energy consumption of the WUR in a listening or receiving state is expected to be about 0.1% to 1% that of the 802.11 primary transceiver module, that is, less than 100 uW), so that an energy waste during idle listening of the device can be effectively reduced.
However, the primary transceiver of the STA that is equipped with the wake-up receiver usually has a relatively small duty cycle. In other words, the primary transceiver of the STA sleeps for a relatively long time, usually for several days and even several months. During sleep, a parameter of a primary BSS to which the primary transceiver of the STA belongs changes. For example, a transmission channel between the AP and the primary transceiver of the STA changes to another channel. In this case, after being woken up, the primary transceiver of the STA still uses the original channel to communicate with the AP. As a result, the communication fails.


In a vehicle seat (car seat 1) including a first seat portion (seat cushion 10) movable between a use position and a retracted position, and a second seat portion (seat back 20) movable between a use position and a retracted position, an actuator mechanism is configured to cause the second seat portion to start moving toward its retracted position at a time when the first seat portion passes a predetermined intermediate position that is on a way from the use position toward the retracted position. In one embodiment, the actuator mechanism includes a biasing member (torsion spring 13, 23) configured to bias each of the seat cushion 10 and the seat back 20 from the use position toward the retracted position, a lock member (lock arm 42) configured to lock the seat back 20 in the use position, and an unlock device (cable 44, 42A) configured to release the lock member to cause the seat back 20 to start moving toward the retracted position, at a time when the seat cushion 10 passes the predetermined intermediate position that is on the way from a posture in which the seat cushion is ready for use toward a posture in which the seat cushion 10 is tipped up.

A seat layout changeable configuration for a passenger car's rear seat or other vehicle seat is known in which a seat cushion is frontwardly tipped up and thereafter a seat back is frontwardly tilted down so that a storage space in a rear portion of the vehicle is enlarged. In such a vehicle seat, a configuration provided in order that a seat cushion, a seat back and a head rest can be moved into retracted positions with a simple operation is known in the art (see Patent literature 1), wherein a seat back reclining mechanism is unlocked by a first interlocking mechanism which operates in synchronization with a tip-up motion of the seat cushion, and a head rest is then unlocked by a second interlocking mechanism which operates in synchronization with a frontward tilt-down motion of the seat back to allow the head rest to be tilted down into its retracted position.
On the other hand, Patent literature 2 discloses a car seat configured to have a seat back frontwardly tilted down at the same time when the a seat cushion is raised, wherein a damper is provided in a rotatory motion mechanism of the seat back in order to avoid interference between the seat cushion and the seat back.


An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device can comprise a display and a controller. The display can display stereoscopic images. The controller can scale the stereoscopic image while moving the stereoscopic image along a virtual axis. At this time, the controller can change the scale factor of the scaled stereoscopic image in proportion to the depth in the direction of the virtual axis.

1. Field
This document relates to an electronic device and a method thereof for displaying stereoscopic images. More specifically, this document relates to an electronic device and a method thereof for displaying stereoscopic images capable of scaling stereoscopic images in response to a gesture of the user.
2. Related Art
As terminals such as personal computers, notebooks, and mobile phones are getting equipped with diversified functions, they are evolving into multimedia players with multi-functions of capturing images or videos, playing audio or video files, providing games, receiving broadcast programs, and so on.
A terminal can be classified into a mobile or a stationary terminal depending on mobility of the terminal. A display device can be classified into a handheld or a vehicle mounted terminal depending on whether the user can carry the display device or not. To support and extend the functions of a terminal, improving structural and/or software part of the terminal can be taken into account.
Recently, various electronic devices are being released to the market, the devices being capable of displaying three dimensional stereoscopic images or equipped with a gesture user interface accepting control inputs indicated by the user's gesture. At the same time, those devices are getting great attention from the public. Not only stationary devices such as televisions and personal computers but also mobile devices including handheld phones, smart phones, and navigation terminals are showing the same trend as described above.

Electronic device and method for displaying stereoscopic image


A lighting device includes a lighting source, e.g. a LED lighting source, arranged between a first and a second component with a coupling structure interposed between the first and the second component to sealingly couple them together.

In integrating the structure of a solid-state lighting device, for example in general lighting applications, some requirements are to be met, e.g.:                achieving steady and reliable protection conditions (for example as Ingress Protection, IP grade),        offering a simple assembling and fixation process,        efficiently adjusting the tolerances of the parts being assembled, also with reference to ambient conditions (e.g. in order to take into account the day-night temperature variations).
Various integrated solutions may employ, for example, rather complex mechanical connections and/or additional components/processes, such as for example screws (either self-threading or not), brackets, gaskets, additional mechanical fixation structures, that affect the overall performance due to the interaction of the various components.
Various solutions may create rather bulky and complex structures, which may affect the compactness of solid-state lighting sources (for example LED lighting sources) and which may not enable to reduce the complexity of the mounting system.

Lighting device and corresponding method of assembly

Abstract: The coupling structure includes at least one layer resiliently deformable to permit relative displacement of the first and second components.


A mopping sponge assembly including a sponge having one face adapted for mopping and a scrubbing element attached to the sponge in a position such that a face of the scrubbing element is recessed away from the face of the sponge when the sponge is used with a normal mopping pressure. The scrubbing element is driven into contact with a surface being mopped when pressure on the sponge is increased above the normal mopping pressure.

The present invention relates to multipurpose mopping sponges and, more particularly, to a sponge assembly which includes both a mopping element and a scrubbing element.
Sponges, either synthetic or natural, have long been used for mopping surfaces and absorbing liquid. Many of these sponges have been assembled with a synthetic scrubbing element bonded to one surface. For example, one such sponge is a rectangular shaped block with one of its major faces covered by a mesh type material. For normal mopping, an exposed sponge face is brought into contact with a surface but when scrubbing is necessary, the sponge is inverted and the mesh material brought to bear on the surface. Of course, whatever material is being cleaned from the surface is brought into contact with the user's hand through such inversion.
The user can be somewhat isolated from contact with surface material by attaching the sponge to a handle. A number of short-handle sponge assemblies are commercially available. With a longer handle, the assembly becomes a floor mop. In a typical floor mop, the sponge is attached to a backing plate which precludes being able to invert the sponge. The scrubbing element may be attached to the backing plate by a separate holding mechanism so that inverting the mop assembly lifts the sponge from the floor and places the scrubbing element in contact with the floor. An exemplary form of such a floor mop is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,750.
While use of the floor mop in an inverted position does not expose the user's hands to dirty material from the floor in the same manner as a hand-held sponge, having to invert the mop, scrub to remove material, revert back to the sponge to mop the removed material and determine if more scrubbing is necessary is both inconvenient and time consuming. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a sponge assembly useful as a hand-held cleaner or in a handled mop which overcomes the need to invert the assembly between scrubbing and mopping.

Integrated sponge mop and scrubbing element


The invention relates to a multi-chip computersystem with master-slave latches. It is known to provide all latches on all chips with two clock pulses, respectively. With the help of the latches the digital signals are pipelined through the logic gates on the chip. Due to tolerances, the edges which control the masters and the slaves have a skew. According to the invention, one of the two clock pulses is generated on the chip itself, respectively, by ANDing an auxiliary clock pulse with the other of the two clock pulses. This has the result, that the above mentioned edges of the two clock pulses occur almost at the same time with the consequence that the frequency of the clock pulses can be increased.

The invention relates to a computer system comprising a clock circuit for generating at least one clock pulse and at least one logic circuit being provided with said clock circuit generated clock pulse, said logic circuit comprising at least one master-slave-latch being provided with two clock pulses.
Such a computer system is known for example from main frame machines and is subsequently described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4B of the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a multi-chip computer system which contains a first chip with a clock circuit CLK (10) and further chips with logic circuits (12, 13, 14, 15, 16), respectively. All logic circuits (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) are connected with the clock circuit (10) via at least two lines and receive via these lines a first clock pulse (+C) and a second clock pulse (+B).
FIG. 2 shows a part of the logic circuit (14) which contains two master-slave-latches (30, 31, 35, 36) and a block (33) which stands for a number of logical gates etc. The masters (30, 35) of these two latches are provided with the first clock pulse (+C) via a first clock line (20) and the slaves (31, 36) are provided with the second clock pulse (+B) via a second clock line (21), respectively. Furthermore, an input line (23) is connected to the master (30), the slave (31) is connected with the master (35) via two lines (24, 25) and the slave (36) is provided with an output line (26).
With the help of the timing diagram of the first and second clock pulse (+C, +B) of FIG. 3 the operation of the circuit of FIG. 2 and thus the operation of the logic circuit (14}will now be described.
The lines (23, 24, 25, 26) are assigned to one digital signal which is propagated from one latch (30, 31) to the other (35, 36). Inbetween the two latches (30, 31, 35, 36) the digital signal is supplied to the logical gates of the block (33). Due to these gates the value of the digital signal can be changed on its way to the next latch. The logic circuit (14) is put together of a number of latches which are connected in series for every digital signal and which are arranged in parallel in regard to different digital signals. The logical gates inbetween the latches can be connected with each other and can be supplied with other digital signals, too.
The pipelining of the digital signals is carried out by the latches with the help of their masters (30, 35) and their slaves (31, 36). If, for example, the slave (31) stores a high value of the digital signal then this high value runs through the gates of the block (33) and arrives at the master (35), circumstances permitting a change of the value. The digital signal which has arrived at the master (35) is taken over into the master (35) and is then stored in the slave (36). Now, the digital signal stored in the slave (36) runs through the next following gates and arrives at the next following latch. At the same time, the subsequent digital signal in the pipeline runs through the above mentioned block (33) and arrives at the above mentioned master (35).
As a result, the digital signals are pipelined through all latches and all logical gates, thus carrying out the logic function of the logic circuit (14).
The timing of the pipelining is controlled by the first and the second clock pulse (+C, +B). The first clock pulse (+C) controls the masters (30, 35) and the second clock pulse (+B) controls the slaves (31, 36). The taking over of the arrived digital signal into the master (30, 35) is executed with the falling edge of the first clock pulse (+C). The storing of the digital signal from the master (30, 35) into the slave (31, 36) is executed with the raising edge of the second clock pulse (+B).
As it is shown in FIG. 3 (see 28), in theory it is planned that the falling and raising edge of the first and the second clock pulse (+C, +B) occur simultaneous. This would have the consequence, that the arrived digital signal is taken over into the master (30, 35) and stored in the slave (31, 36) at the same time. In this case, the duration of time (Teff) from the raising edge of the second clock pulse (+B) to the falling edge of the first clock pulse (+B) would be a maximum. As any digital signal needs a running time to run through the gates inbetween the latches this duration of time (Teff) determines the number of gates that can be arranged inbetween two latches. In the present theoretical case, this number of gates would be a maximum, too.
In practice, the falling and the raising edge of the first and the second clock pulse (+C, +B) do not occur simultaneous. This happens due to the tolerances of the different components on the clock circuit (10) which generate the clock pulses (+C, +B), due to different lengths that the clock pulses (+C, +B) have to run from the clock circuit (10) until they arrive at the latches (30, 31, 35, 36), etc. As a consequence and as it is shown in FIG. 3 (see 38), the falling edge of the first clock pulse (+C) and the raising edge of the second clock pulse (+B) can have a skew.
With the help of the timing diagrams of FIGS. 4A and 4B the problems that arise because of that skew will now be described.
FIG. 4A shows the so-called short path problem. In this case, the raising edge of the second clock pulse (+B) occurs prior to the falling edge of the first clock pulse (+C). This has the effect, that a digital signal is stored in the slave (31, 36) with the raising edge of the second clock pulse (+B) and begins to run through the gates of the block (33) at the same moment. With the falling edge of the first clock pulse (+C) the arrived digital signal is taken over into the master (30, 35). The duration of time (Teff') from the raising edge of the second clock pulse (+B) to the falling edge of the first clock pulse (+C) is very short, so that the number of gates can only be very small, too, to ensure a correct function. If the number of gates inbetween the latches is not as small as necessary, then the digital signal which began to run through the gates of the block (33) with the raising edge of the second clock pulse (+B) has not yet arrived at the master (31, 36) in the moment of the falling edge of the first clock pulse (+C), with the consequence, that a faulty signal is taken over into that master (31, 36).
FIG. 4B shows how this source of error is avoided. The falling edge of the first clock pulse (+C) and the raising edge of the second clock pulse (+B) are not generated for being simultaneous but with a gap. The raising edge of the second clock pulse (+B) is generated a duration of time (DT) later than the falling edge of the first clock pulse (+C). This duration of time (DT) is selected at least as great as the skew that can arise in theory in the worst case. As it is shown in FIG. 4B (see 48), due to the gap the raising edge of the second clock pulse (+B) is not prior to the falling edge of the first clock pulse (+C) in any case. The result is that the short path problem is avoided.
On the other hand, because of the gap the duration of time (Teff") from the raising edge of the second clock pulse (+B) to the falling edge of the first clock pulse (+C) is shorter than in the theoretical case shown in FIG. 3. This effect is called the long path problem. It has the consequence that the number of gates inbetween the latches has to be smaller or the frequency of the clock pulses (+C, +B) has to be decreased for the same number of gates. In any case, the performance of the computersystem is reduced.

Clock generation in a multi-chip computer system

International Business Machines Corporation


A wireless vehicle service system using addressable devices to avoid interference from similar devices within communications distance. The system includes a host and a plurality of devices that communicate with the host wirelessly. Each of the devices has a unique address, and stores information describing the device, such as the type of the device, a system to which the device is associated, a location of the device, etc. During an enumeration process, each device sends signals including its address and the information describing that device to a host of the vehicle service system. The host stores relationships between the addresses and associated information. For signals sent by the devices and received by the host, the host decodes an embedded address from the signals, and obtains information related to the device sending the signals based on the decoded address and the stored information associated to the decoded address. The host then processes the received signals by referring to the information describing the device sending the signals.

Wireless communications are widely used in various kinds of devices and/or systems for transmitting data. For example, a wireless alignment system provides alignment sensors with wireless transceivers for attaching to or contacting with vehicle wheels or vehicle body to obtain data related to alignment parameters thereof, such as toe angles, camber, caster, vehicle body centerline, wheelbase, etc. The data obtained by the sensors are transmitted by the transceiver associated with each sensor to a host for further processing. Examples of wireless alignment systems are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,383, titled "WHEEL ALIGNER CORDLESS COMMUNICATIONS UNIT," and U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,749, titled "VEHICLE WHEEL ALIGNMENT APPARATUS AND METHOD." Both of the above-referenced patents are commonly assigned to the assignee of this application, and incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
However, wireless communications between the host and sensors usually are susceptible to interference by signals sent to and from other hosts and/or sensors of the same type. Conventional wireless systems avoid interferences from other sensors and/or hosts by allocating different channels for each sensor using different frequency bands or hopping sequences. However, available frequency bands are limited. As the number of sensors increase, the number of sensors will exceed available channels.
Furthermore, wireless alignment sensors may be used with different vehicle wheels or parts. In other words, the sensors are swappable. For example, an alignment sensor may be used to measure parameters of the right front wheel of vehicle A in a first alignment service, but may be used to measure parameters of the left right wheel of vehicle B in a second alignment service. Thus, in order for a host to correctly calculate alignment parameters, the host needs to identify which wheel of the vehicle that the received signals are associated to.
In addition, in a vehicle service center, there are usually a plurality of alignment systems servicing numerous vehicles at the same time, which involves a large number of alignment sensors communicating with the same host or different hosts. As all the hosts and/or alignment sensors are located within effective communication distances, signals sent by alignment sensors of one alignment system can be received by a host of another alignment system in the service center, which will cause errors if the host calculates alignment parameters of a vehicle under service using positional parameters from other vehicles. Thus, the host also needs to identify whether a received signal indeed come from an alignment sensor of a specific alignment system.

Wireless vehicle service systems using addressable devices


An arrangement of memory-card accommodating portions in a recording and reproducing apparatus includes a plurality of card slots for respectively accommodating memory cards capable of recording and reproducing an audio or image signal disposed adjacent to each other in a mutually overlapping relation, and eject buttons for ejecting the memory cards disposed in individual correspondence with the card slots. A set of at least two of the card slots are arranged so that the memory cards are disposed in parallel with each other.

The present invention relates to an arrangement of memory-card accommodating portions in a recording and reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to an arrangement of memory-card accommodating portions having a plurality of card slots for accommodating the memory cards.
An electronic apparatus such as audio equipment mounted in a console panel of a vehicle has a card slot for accommodating a memory card, and there is a type of this apparatus in which audio information and image information in the memory card are recordable and reproducible. In another type of this apparatus, a plurality of card slots are provided to allow desired information to be recordable and reproducible from among a greater number of items of information.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the arrangement of card entrance sides of memory-card accommodating portions in the above-described conventional recording and reproducing apparatus, FIG. 4A illustrates in a perspective view one example of arrangement of the memory cards including the aforementioned card slots and eject buttons, and FIG. 4B schematically illustrates another example of arrangement of the memory cards.
Referring to FIG. 4A, reference numeral 1 denotes a card receiving frame. A card slot 2 for receiving the memory card (not shown) is formed in the card receiving frame 1, and is mounted on each printed circuit board 3 provided in this recording and reproducing apparatus. A plurality of card slots 2 are provided in the recording and reproducing apparatus, are disposed adjacent to each other in a vertically aligned state, and are arranged so that the memory cards can be accommodated therein with their entire surface areas opposing each other. To eject the memory cards, eject buttons 4 which are operated by being pressed are provided in individual correspondence with the respective card slots. The eject buttons 4 are disposed adjacent to each other in a vertically aligned state in the vicinities of the respective ends of the mutually opposing sides of the card slots 2.
In FIG. 4B, to eject the card in a card slot 2A, one eject button 5A is disposed in the vicinity of one end side of each of card receiving frames 1A (card slot 2A) and 1B (card slot 2B) so as to commonly correspond to each of these card slots. Meanwhile, another eject button 5B is disposed in the vicinity of the other end side to eject the card in the card slot 2B.
In the apparatus in which, as shown in FIG. 4A, the card slots are arranged in a vertically aligned state, and the eject buttons are arranged in a vertically aligned state in the vicinity of each end in the vicinities of the respective ends of the mutually opposing sides of the card slots, since the eject buttons are located at positions which are close to each other, there has been a possibility of another eject button being pressed erroneously at the same time when a desired ejecting operation is performed, so that this arrangement has not been desirable.
In addition, in the apparatus in which, as shown in FIG. 4B, the card slots are arranged in the same way as described above, but the eject buttons are respectively disposed in the vicinities of one end side and the other end side of the card slots and one eject button is positioned so as to commonly correspond to the card slots, since the correspondence with the individual card slots is not necessarily clear, there has been a possibility of erroneous operation, so that this arrangement has not been desirable, either.
To overcome the above-described problems, an object of the invention is to render the operational efficiency of memory cards satisfactory by improving the arrangement o the memory-card accommodating portions in the recording and reproducing apparatus.
To attain the above object, in accordance with aspect 1 of the invention, there is provided an arrangement of memory-card accommodating portions in a recording and reproducing apparatus in which a plurality of card slots for respectively accommodating memory cards are disposed adjacent to each other in a mutually overlapping relation, and eject. buttons for ejecting the memory cards are disposed in individual correspondence with the card slots, characterized in that a set of at least two of the card slots are arranged such that the memory cards are disposed in parallel with each other and are accommodated in a state in which at least partial areas of surfaces of the memory cards oppose each other, and the eject buttons are arranged at positions which are respectively adjacent to the plurality of card slots in a unique manner and which do not overlap in a direction parallel to the surface of the inserted memory card, in order to prevent the eject buttons from being disposed close to each other.
In the invention according to aspect 2, the card slots according to aspect 1 for forming the set are arranged such that the memory cards are accommodated in a state in which only partial areas of the surfaces of the memory cards oppose each other, in order to prevent the eject buttons from being disposed close to each other.
In the invention according to aspect 3, the card slots according to aspect 1 for forming the set are arranged such that the memory cards are accommodated in a state in which entire areas of the surfaces of the memory cards oppose each other, and the eject buttons are respectively disposed in vicinities of one end side and another other end side of the card slots in a uniquely adjacent fashion, in order to prevent the eject buttons from being disposed close to each other.
In the invention according to aspect 4, the eject buttons according to aspect 3 are respectively disposed on sides which are away from mutually opposing sides of the card slots in correspondence with the card slots which form the set, in order to prevent the eject buttons from being disposed close to each other.

Arrangement of memory-card accomodating portions in a recording and reproducing apparatus


A heat conductive plate structure includes a base metal plate having a seating portion; a coupling layer disposed above the base metal plate around the seating portion; an electric conduction layer disposed above the coupling layer around the seating portion to define a clearance therebetween; a coupling film disposed above the electric conduction layer and the seating portion to define an inner clearance in communication with the clearance of the electric conduction layer and an outer clearance surrounding the inner clearance; a non-weldable material for inserting into the inner clearance and the outer clearance in the coupling film; a heat conduction member disposed on a central portion of the coupling film; an electric conduction member disposed above the coupling film to surround the heat conduction member from an exterior thereof; and a high power element mounted above so as to be in direct contact with the heat conduction member and the electric conduction member simultaneously.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat conductive plate structure, more particularly to a high heat conductive plate structure used within an LED assembly for carrying high power elements thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
According to the prior art technology, a heat conductive plate structure includes a base metal plate, upon which an insulated layer and a circuit layer are fabricated by thermo process technology for carrying high power elements. However, the thermal or heat conduction ability of high power elements is restricted by the insulated layer in the perpendicular direction with respect to the circuit layer. Thus, it is relatively difficult to increase the power of the electronic elements within the LED assembly.


A separator tank assembly comprising a cast hollow tank and a cast lid. The cast hollow tank has a closed end and an open end having a first opening and a second opening. The cast lid has a first passage configured for fluid communication with the tank first opening and a second passage configured for sealed fluid communication with the second opening. The first passage is formed with an integral port configured to receive a pressure control valve and the second passage is formed with an integral port configured to receive an oil filter and wherein the tank is configured such that air having undergone primary separation flows through the first opening and oil within the tank flows through the second opening.

The present invention relates generally to an air compressor system and more particularly to an air/oil separator tank for use with an oil-flooded air compressor.
In conventional air compressor systems which utilize an oil-flooded compressor, air is compressed in a compression chamber or airend by a set of rotary screws, and a lubricant, such as oil, is injected into the compression chamber and mixes with the compressed air. The oil is generally injected into the compression chamber for a number of reasons including cooling the air compressor system, lubricating bearings, balancing axial forces and sealing the rotary screws. Although using oil is essential for operating these types of air compressor systems, the oil must be removed from the stream of compressed air before the compressed air may be used downstream for pneumatic equipment and/or other tools.
Thus, in such conventional air compressor systems, the compressed air and oil mixture discharged from the airend of the compressor flows with a high velocity into a separator tank where the air and oil of the air/oil mixture are caused to separate. Separator tanks are usually cylindrical tanks mounted either vertically or horizontally. In vertically mounted separator tanks, the air/oil mixture is directed tangentially around an inner wall of a separation chamber. The combination of the centrifugal forces acting on the air/oil mixture and contact between the air/oil mixture and the inner wall of the separation chamber causes much of the oil to separate from the air/oil mixture, thereby allowing gravity to draw the oil downwardly into a lower portion of the separation chamber and also allowing the air to separate from the oil and flow upwardly in the separation chamber. In horizontally mounted separator tanks, the air/oil mixture enters at high speed and collides with the end wall of the tank. The air/oil mixture then flows in the opposite direction at a slower velocity due to an increase in diameter. The impingement followed by a slowed velocity allows gravity to draw the oil downwardly into a lower portion of the separation chamber. Both of these types of separation effects are known in the art as primary separation.
As generally known, an air/oil separator tank for an oil-flooded air compressor system generally provides two functions. The separator tank provides a means to separate oil from the air/oil mixture introduced into the separation chamber as described above and it also functions as an oil sump for the compressor system.
Conventional air compressor systems as described above include multiple hoses, tubes, pipes or the like and associated fittings connecting a compressor to a separator tank. Hoses and associated fittings provide potential leak paths which, if developed, could adversely affect the overall operation of the compressor system. Using hoses and associated fittings also requires additional assembly time. Thus, there is a need for an air compressor system which eliminates or at least reduces the number of hoses and associated fittings used to connect a compressor to a separator tank.
As commonly understood, conventional air compressor systems as described above include a motor or drivetrain to operate the compressor. Since conventional air compressor systems use a hose, typically a flexible hose, to connect the compressor to a separator tank, the drivetrain, the compressor and the separator tank are not securely attached as a single unit, thereby making it virtually impossible to maneuver the entire compressor system as one. In addition, since the compressor and the separator tank are individual units, each is provided with its own isolation or supporting mounts, thereby adding undesirable cost to the overall compressor system. Thus, there is a need for an air compressor system which is easier to handle and which is assembled together in such a way that the entire compressor system can be handled or moved as a single unit, and which is also mountable to an associated subbase, so as to provide a more cost effective compressor system.