The objective lens has a numerical aperture NA=0.6 when reproducing a DVD having a thickness of 0.6 mm and NA=0.42 when reproducing a CD having a thickness of 1.2 mm. At a boundary of NA 0.42, a slight stepped portion is formed so as to establish a phase difference. In this case, a designed wavelength is 0.635 .mu.m, and an optimum designed substrate thickness of a central portion is approximately 0.8 mm. While the DVD is reproduced, wave front aberration is on the order of 0.025.lambda., and jitter contained in the reproduction signal of the CD is equivalent to the present jitter. As a consequence, such an objective lens and an optical head with employment of this objective lens are provided, which precisely reproduce signals from the CD having the substrate thickness of 1.2 mm, and the DVD having the substrate thickness of 0.6 mm.

The present invention relates to an optical disk apparatus for optically reproducing information from an optical recording medium, and more specifically, to an optical head for reproducing signals from optical disks whose substrate thicknesses are different from each other, and also to an objective lens employed therein.
Very recently, optical disks have greatly advanced in use as large memory changeable information recording media. Accordingly, there are many different sorts of recording/reproducing systems using disks of differing recording densities and disk sizes. Compatibility among them can hardly be secured. In particular, CD-ROMs (Compact Disk-Read Only Memorys) have been largely utilized. Thus, a strong demand for compatibility with a CD-ROM is required when optical disks are newly developed. As a next generation ROM with high density subsequent to this CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM (Digital Video Disk Read Only Memory) has been proposed very recently.
To increase the recording density in a DVD-ROM, a numerical aperture (NA) of an objective lens is increased from 0.45 (namely, for a conventional CD) to 0.6. Assuming now that a wavelength of laser light in use is selected to be ".lambda.", a dimension of a focused spot on an optical disk is directly proportional to .lambda./NA. To this end, as the NA is increased, the light spot can be made small accordingly. Assuming that the light spot is small, information pits of high density can be reproduced with better quality, so that the recording density of the optical disk can be enhanced.
However, as the NA is made large, the coma aberration that occurs when the disk is inclined is rapidly increased, so that the collective spot on the optical disk is conversely deteriorated. Therefore, the NA cannot be made excessively large. As a consequence, in the DVD-ROM, such a proposal has been made that the substrate thickness of the disk is made thinner than that of the CD-ROM, namely from 1.2 mm to 0.6 mm. Since the coma aberration that occurs when the disk is inclined is directly proportional to the thickness of the disk substrate, a too thin substrate may cancel the increase in coma aberration caused when the NA is increased.
To the contrary, when the thickness of the substrate of the DVD-ROM is made different from that of the CD-ROM, the compatibility between the DVD-ROM and the CD-ROM can be hardly maintained. This is because when the light is collected through the substrate of the optical disk, spherical aberration may occur under this condition. Accordingly, the objective lens for the optical disk is previously designed in such a manner that the objective lens compensates for the spherical aberration in accordance with a specific substrate thickness. When, however, information on a CD having a substrate thickness of 1.2 mm is reproduced by employing an objective lens optimized based on a substrate thickness of 0.6 mm, for example, spherical aberration will occur due to a thickness shift in the substrate of 0.6 mm, so that the light spot may have blooming, and thus no signal can be reproduced.
The conventional means for solving this problem is described in, for instance, OPTICAL REVIEW vol. 1, No. 1 (1994), pages 27-29, and Mitsubishi Electric Company News Release, Kaihatsu No. 9507 (Jun. 21, 1995).
The former conventional means is realized with a hologram that is formed on the surface of the objective lens for 0.6 mm, whereby the information of a CD is reproduced by the diffraction light of this hologram, and the DVD is reproduced by the transmission light. In this conventional means, the pattern of the hologram is previously designed to compensate for the spherical aberration that occurs when the information of a CD is reproduced.
In the latter conventional means, both the objective lens for 0.6 mm and the objective lens for 1.2 mm are mounted on the optical head. The two objective lenses are switched by the movable actuator to use the selected lens.
The above-described conventional apparatus has the following problems.
In the former means, since the hologram is used, even when the CD is reproduced, the light spot for the DVD is produced, whereas even when the DVD is reproduced, the light spot for the CD is produced. Also, the light reflected from the disk is diffracted on the disk. These operations may cause the light amount to be lost. In particular, this may cause a great problem when a rewritable type DVD is developed in the future.
In the latter case, since the two lenses are switched, the employment of such two lenses may produce various problems, i.e., high cost, deterioration in the positional reproducibility of these lenses, and also deterioration in response characteristic caused by employing a heavy and large actuator.
In light of these problems, an object of the present invention is to precisely reproduce a signal of a CD having a substrate thickness of 1.2 mm, and also a signal of a DVD having a substrate thickness of 0.6 mm at a low cost without any loss in light amount.
To solve the above-described problems, in an optical head comprising: a light source; an objective lens for focusing light from the light source to an optical information recording medium; a light branching element for branching reflection light reflected from an optical recording medium from a light path returned to the light source; a photodetector; and means for positioning a focused spot onto an information pit array of the optical recording medium; root mean square wave front aberration Wrms, a wavelength .lambda..sub.2 of the light source, and a numerical aperture NA.sub.2 of the objective lens may satisfy; ##EQU1## where characters "n.sub.1 " and "n.sub.2 " shows refraction indices of information recording medium substrates with respect to wavelengths .lambda..sub.1 and .lambda..sub.2 ; symbol "d" denotes a depth of an information pit; a light source wavelength of an optical head for recording or reproducing information from the optical information recording medium under such a degree that aberration can be optically neglected; and a numerical aperture of the objective lens is NA.sub.1.
Also, in an objective lens for focusing laser light onto an information recording film surface for recording, or reproducing information via a transparent parallel plate substrate on, or from an optical information recording medium for optically recording/reproducing the information, a thickness of said substrate for focusing the laser light and independently having aberration of the same conditions is different at a central portion and a peripheral portion.
Also, in an objective lens for focusing laser light having a wavelength of .lambda..sub.2 on the information recording film surface in order to record, or reproduce the information from two sorts of optical information recording mediums having different substrate thicknesses, different information pit hole depths, and different recording density; a peripheral portion develops no aberration when the laser light is focused through a substrate thickness of a first optical information recording medium with large recording density; a central portion develops no aberration when the laser light is focused through a substrate thickness between two sorts of substrate thicknesses; a focused spot root mean square wave front aberration of incident light in combination with light passing through the central portion is lower than, or equal to approximately 0.04.lambda. (".lambda." is a wavelength of laser light in use) with respect to the substrate of the first optical information recording medium; and while recording, or reproducing a second optical information recording medium having low recording density by way of light passing only through the central portion, a numerical aperture NA.sub.2 only about the central portion, a substrate thickness by which the light of the center portion is collected without any aberration, and also wave front aberration W.sub.rms caused by an error in the substrate thickness of the second optical information recording medium may substantially satisfy the above-described formula 1 (note that "n.sub.1 " and "n.sub.2 " indicate refraction indices of information recording substrates with respect to wavelengths .lambda..sub.1 and .lambda..sub.2) in comparison with an optical head having a light source wavelength .lambda..sub.1 under which information is optically recorded, or reproduced on, or from the second optical information recording medium without any aberration under better conditions, and a normal objective lens of a numerical aperture NA.sub.1.
Actually, in the case that the substrate thickness of the second optical information recording medium is approximately 1.2 mm, the objective lens may substantially satisfy the following expression: ##EQU2## In these objective lenses, the Abbe's sine condition as an overall objective lens, may be substantially satisfied.
Also, in these objective lenses, a shape of a boundary portion between the peripheral portion and the central portion is smoothly connected.
In these objective lenses, an optimum substrate thickness of the central portion is continuously variable in a coaxial shape from a lens center.
Also, in these objective lenses, a thin film is loaded on either the peripheral portion or the central portion, so that the optimum substrate thickness of the central portion is different from that of the peripheral portion.
Also, these object lenses are arranged by a lens whose substrate thickness is optimized over an entire surface, and a parallel plate arranged on the side of an object, a hole being formed in a central portion of the parallel plate.
An optical head capable of reproducing a signal from an optical recording medium having a substrate thickness of 1.2 mm and also a signal from an optical recording medium having a substrate thickness different from 1.2 mm is constituted by employing these objective lenses.
Also, signals can be reproduced from the optical disk having the substrate thickness of 1.2 mm and from the optical disk having the substrate thickness different from 1.2 mm without replacing the objective lens. While the optical disk having the substrate thickness different from 1.2 mm is reproduced, a ratio of the incident light amount of the lens portion to the total light amount of the reproducing spot is made higher than, or equal to 90%.
While the information recorded on the substrate having the thickness of 1.2 mm is reproduced by employing these objective lenses,. the light amount of the light entered into the peripheral portion is reduced or interrupted.
Furthermore, either this light amount reducing means or light interrupting means is moved in conjunction with the tracking operation of the objective lens to the information pit.
Also, the objective lens is made with either the light amount reducing means or light interrupting means in an integral form.
In the case that the information recorded on the substrate having the thickness of 1.2 mm is reproduced, a dimension of a photodetector and a dimension of an optical system are optimized as other means for reducing the light in the peripheral portion.
An optical head capable of reproducing signals from optical recording mediums has substrate thicknesses of 1.2 mm and 0.6 mm by employing these objective lenses.
Also, in the optical head, in order to optically record/reproduce the information pit through a transparent parallel plane substrate, a paraxial focus of the objective lens for focusing laser light onto an information recording film surface on the side of the light source is separated from a surface of the objective lens on the side of the light source by at least 2 mm; the optical head further comprises means for reducing a light amount of light or for interrupting the light incident to a peripheral portion of the objective lens; a galvanometer mirror is employed as an actuator for tracking the light spot to the information pit array on the optical recording medium; and a rotary shaft of the galvanometer mirror is arranged near the paraxial focus of the objective lens on the side of the laser light source.
Also, in the above-described objective lens, the paraxial focus of the objective lens on the side of the light source is separated from a surface of the objective lens on the side of the light source by at least 2 mm.
Further, while using this objective lens, in order to reproduce information recorded on a substrate having a thickness of 1.2 mm, the optical head further comprises means for reducing a light amount of light or for interrupting the light entered into a peripheral portion of the objective lens; a galvanometer mirror is employed as an actuator for tracking the light spot to the information pit array on the optical recording medium; and a rotary shaft of the galvanometer mirror is arranged near the paraxial focus of the objective lens on the side of the laser light source.
When two sets of optical disks having different substrate thickness from each other are reproduced by employing a single objective lens, it is not necessarily avoidable that aberration may occur at least in one of these optical disks. Thus, a description will now be made as to what degree a focused light spot is deteriorated in case that aberration exists, and what degree a signal quality of an optical disk is lowered with respect to no aberration. Conventionally, as the evaluation index of the focused spot, there are root mean square wave front aberration, and the Strehl intensity related to one-to-one correspondence as follows: ##EQU3##
Since these items are such an index used to compare the magnitudes of aberration under a certain single numerical aperture and a certain single wavelength, these items do not constitute such an index used to judge the degree to which collective spots having different wavelengths and different numerical apertures, containing aberration, are reduced. Accordingly, the concept of the Strehl intensity is expanded in order that this comparison can be made for definition purposes. As is well known in the field, in case of no aberration, a dimension of a light spot is directly proportional to .lambda./NA. As a consequent, assuming now that a light amount of light entered into an incident pupil of an objective lens, it is conceivable that a central intensity of the light spot is inversely proportional to an area of the collective spot. Thus, this must be directly proportional to a square value of NA/.lambda.. In consideration of influences caused by the aberration, a central intensity in case of having aberration with respect to the central intensity of no aberration corresponds to the Strehl intensity. As a consequence, in the case that there is an index for judging focusing conditions of the light spot containing certain aberration and different wavelengths and also different numerical apertures, such a value found by multiplying the Strehl intensity by the square of NA/.lambda. is acceptable. This is referred to as an "expanded Strehl intensity", which will be defined as follows: ##EQU4##
When a wavelength and a depth "d" of an information pit of a CD are virtually changed, the amplitude of a reproduction signal is also varied. Assuming now that a refractive index of a substrate is "n" and a depth of an information pit is "d", it is known that the amplitude of the reproduction signal is changed in proportion to approximately sin.sup.2 (2.pi.nd/.lambda.). As a consequence, such a value obtained by multiplying the expanded Strehl intensity by this value is referred to a "performance factor". This performance factor is expressed as follows: ##EQU5## As a consequence, reproduction signals for optical heads containing aberration, different numerical apertures, and different wavelengths can be estimated. In other words, even when there is aberration, there are probabilities that such conditions can be found, namely the same signal qualities as those of no aberration with the different wavelengths and the different numerical apertures.
In such a case that an objective lens is subdivided into a central portion and a peripheral portion, and optimum thickness of this substrates for optimally collecting this laser light are different from each other, the light in the peripheral portion becomes no aberration when the laser light is focused through a predetermined and optimized substrate thickness of this peripheral portion. However, since spherical aberration will occur in the central portion whose substrate thickness is optimized and different from the substrate thickness, the aberration over the entire lens pupil containing the central portion and the peripheral portion does not become zero.
Generally speaking, in order that the root mean square wave front aberration is minimized with respect to the Seidel's spherical aberration, i.e., EQU W=W.sub.40p.sup.4 (6),
both defocusing and a phase shift may be applied in such a manner that the expression for the Zernike's spherical aberration has the following shape: ##EQU6## In this expression characters "W.sub.40 " indicates the Seidel's aberration coefficient of the spherical aberration, and ".rho." shows a radius coordinate when a pupil radius is selected as 1. At this time, the root mean square wave front aberration is given as follows: ##EQU7##
Also, in order that root mean square wave front aberration is minimized when spherical aberration only given to the central portion is viewed as the entire pupil, in such a case that both defocusing and a phase shift are applied in such a manner that the above-described wave front aberration defined by the expression 7 becomes only in the central portion, the aberration at the peripheral portion makes 0. Assuming now that a divisional radius of a central portion and a peripheral portion is set to "R", and the W.sub.40 is newly set as a Seidel's aberration coefficient of the spherical aberration at the radius "R", this aberration function is given as follows: ##EQU8##
At this time, root mean square wave front aberration as the entire pupil is given in a similar manner as follows: ##EQU9##
In accordance with the present invention, this root mean square wave front aberration is made less than or equal to approximately 0.04.
The reason why this value is selected is given as follows: In general, the Marechal's criterion such that the root mean square wave front aberration is less than or equal to 0.07.lambda. is widely utilized as a dimension of aberration. However, in an optical head, it is required to be suppressed to this value involving various factors other than an objective lens. These factors are, for instance, defocusing; spherical aberration caused by head adjusting shifts; astigmatism of a semiconductor laser; coma aberration caused by a disk inclination; spherical aberration caused by a disk substrate thickness shift; and also spherical aberration, coma aberration, and astigmatism caused by an objective lens forming error. There are 11 items in total by including the aberration according to the present invention. Assuming now that all of these contributions are equal to each other, since it is conceivable that the entire variance caused by the errors of the various factors is equal to a summation of variance, approximately 0.021.lambda. is acceptable as the root mean square wave front aberration allowable to the errors, according to the present invention, based upon the following expression: ##EQU10## As a consequence, the aberration owned by the objective lens is defined as follows. If the spherical aberration, the coma aberration, and the astigmatism caused by the forming errors are involved with the aberration according to the present invention, then the variance becomes 4 times. In other words, as the root mean square wave front aberration, it must be less than or equal to 0.042.lambda., i.e., two times.
In such a case that information is reproduced through a substrate having a thickness of 1.2 mm, light passing through only a central portion is used. At this time, the thickness of the substrate at which the light passing through only the central portion becomes no aberration is not always equal to 1.2 mm as an optimum thickness. As previously explained, this is because the root mean square wave front aberration must be less than or equal to approximately 0.04.lambda., involving the lens forming error, when the signal is reproduced through such a substrate thickness that no aberration results at the peripheral portion by way of the light of the overall pupil combining the central portion with the peripheral portion. However, if the substrate thickness is excessively deviated from 1.2 mm, then the spherical aberration will be increased when the signal is reproduced through the substrate having the thickness of 1.2 mm by employing only the central portion.
An allowable value of spherical aberration for the light passing through this central portion may be determined based upon such a condition that a reproduction signal similar to that of the conventional CD is obtained. First of all, since the wavelength of the light used in the conventional CD is 0.78 .mu.m and the numerical aperture is 0.45, it can be understood that such spherical aberration is allowable within a range that the performance factor is obtained under this condition. The performance factor of the CD without any aberration is equal to PF=(0.45/0.78).sup.2 sin.sup.2 (.pi./3)=0.250(.mu.m.sup.-2), since the above-described wavelength, numerical aperture, and pit depth "nd" is about .lambda./6. Also, in the case of aberration existing, it is conceivable to obtain a performance factor having the same or larger value under a shorter wavelength or a larger numerical aperture. Normally, also in the CD, if it is conceivable that the Strehl intensity becomes 0.8 at minimum obtained from 10 items, i.e., 7 items of the defocusing; spherical aberration; coma; astigmatism caused by shift of head adjustment; astigmatism of the laser; coma aberration caused by the disk inclination; and the spherical aberration caused by the disk substrate thickness deviation, and other than the object lens, and 3 items caused by the spherical aberration caused by shift of forming the object lens; astigmatism; and coma aberration, the Strehl intensity is 1-(1-0.8)/10.times.3=0.94 taking account of the influences of the aberration caused by only the objective lens. In this case, the performance factor becomes 0.250.times.0.94=0.235(.mu.m.sup.-2). As a result, it can be expected that if the performance factor is greater than or equal to approximately 0.235, then the reproduction signal performance equivalent to that of the CD can be achieved.
As explained above, even when the spherical aberration is left in the central portion, it could be represented that if the DVD is reproduced with either the shorter wavelength or the larger NA than that for the CD, then the reproduction signal equivalent to that of the CD can be obtained. As a consequence, since the spot diameter of .lambda./NA must be less than or equal to the value of CD, i.e., 0.78/0.45=1.733 .mu.m, the numerical number only for the central portion must be larger or equal to 0.57.lambda. (".lambda." is indicated in unit of .mu.m), depending upon the magnitude of the aberration.
Since all of the above descriptions are related to the performance of the light on the axis, this objective lens should be designed so as to substantially satisfy the Abbe's sine condition as the entire lens in order that the performance of the light outside the axis is assured to some extent.
Normally, since an objective lens is processed by way of molding, if the objective lens contains a stepped portion, then such objective lens can be hardly processed for the sake of molding. As a consequence, also as to the objective lens according to the present invention, shapes of boundary portions between peripheral portions and central portions must be connected in a smooth manner within a range where the above-explained performance is not deteriorated.
The above description describes that the region of the objective lens is subdivided into two regions. The larger the dividing number is increased, the more the free degree of designing is increased, so that more suitable designs are available. As a consequence, the optimum substrate thickness of the central portion may be eventually, continuously variable from the lens center in a coaxial shape.
Also, in order to form a stepped portion of a boundary portion between a peripheral portion and a central portion, after a lens having no stepped portion has been formed, a thin film is loaded on this lens, so that a desirable phase shift may be applied.
As another method, for such an objective lens, all surfaces which are optimized as to the optimum substrate thickness of the above-described central portion, a parallel plate having a thickness equal to a difference between the optimum substrate thickness of the central portion and the optimum substrate thickness of the peripheral portion may also be employed, into which a hole is formed at a center portion thereof on the side of this disk.
In an optical head with employment of these objective lenses, when information recorded on the substrate having the thickness of 1.2 mm is reproduced, it cannot be avoided that aberration of light in a peripheral portion is considerably increased. As a consequence, there are some possibilities that the adverse influences of this region should be removed. At this time, it is required to employ such a means for reducing a light amount of light, or for interrupting the light entered into the peripheral portion.
This may be used to design a dimension of a photodetector and an optical system. It should be noted that since there is actually an adverse influence of diffraction light by an optical disk, strictly speaking, the peripheral light cannot be completely eliminated only by the limiting aperture employed in the detection optical system. However, this peripheral light may be reduced to some degrees.
Also, there is the following conventional problem. That is, while a rotation center of an optical disk is deviated from a rotation center when a guide groove of the optical disk is cut, if the objective lens is moved in response to this decentering for the tracking purpose, then the intensity distribution of the reflection returning light is shifted. Accordingly, an offset may be produced in a push-pull tracking signal. This problem becomes serious in such a case that the above-described means for interrupting the light in the peripheral portion is not moved in conjunction with the objective lens. If the double servo system is introduced, then this decentering does not make up a serious problem, because the course actuator substantially may trace, and the objective lens does not substantially move. This double servo system has been widely utilized in, especially, magnetooptical disk units marketed as computer external storage units. However, since low cost is required for music CDs, the double servo system is not employed in the present models, resulting in a problem.
As to this problem, the light interrupting means may be moved in conjunction with the objective lens. Alternatively, the light interrupting means may be moved in the integral form with the objective lens.
As another method, this problem may be solved not by moving the lens, but by employing such an actuator that a moveable mirror called as a "galvanometer mirror" so as to vary the inclination of the light entered into the objective lens, and thus the light spot is moved. To this end, a rotation center of the galvanometer mirror is positioned on a focal point of an objective lens on the side of the light source. When this galvanometer mirror is positioned in the above-described manner, since the light on the optical axis is necessarily entered into the optical disk unless this optical disk is inclined, there is no shift in the intensity distribution of the light again reflected from the galvanometer mirror and then returned. To this end, in order that the galvanometer mirror is arranged at a paraxial focus of the objective mirror on the side of the light source, this paraxial focus on the side of the light source must be separated from the surface of the objective lens on the side of the light source more than 2 mm on the side of the light source. This is useful not only for the above-described objective lens according to the present invention, but also for such an objective lens. That is, an overall surface of this objective lens is optimized to become a substrate thickness other than 1.2 mm, and a numerical aperture thereof is greater than that for the CD, and also a CD reproduction is carried out only in the central portion of this objective lens. This is, of course, useful for such a case that the objective lens according to the present invention is employed.

Object lens and optical head for reproducing data from optical disks in different thickness of substrate


This invention provides for a continuous PTFE fiber having on its surface a substantially round profile and a single spiralling seam formed from a continuous sheet of polytetrafluoroethylene which is helically rolled and self-adhered. The PTFE sheet may include microporous PTFE as well as expanded microporous PTFE. The PTFE sheet may be filled with particulate fillers or coated with polymeric coatings prior to the formation of the inventive fiber. The PTFE sheet may be used to contain various filamentary or sheet-like elements with the inventive fiber.. The method for producing the inventive fiber is also disclosed.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber is a desirable commercial form of PTFE, however, manufacture of continuous strong fibers from PTFE resin is a difficult process. Conventional fiber forming techniques used in production of fibers from other polymeric materials are of little use in producing PTFE fibers.
Direct extrusion of a PTFE melt through spinnerets or multiple fine holes in a die is impractical due to the extremely high melt viscosity of the polymer. Similarly, a PTFE coagulated dispersion or fine powder in which an extrusion aid has been mixed also exhibits extremely high viscosity upon direct extrusion.
To overcome the difficulties of extruding high viscosity PTFE resin in a fiber form, a process was developed as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,772,444 to Burrows, et al. In this process, an aqueous dispersion of PTFE resin is mixed with cellulose xanthate and extruded by conventional fiber forming techniques used to make viscose fibers. The extruded PTFE/cellulose xanthate mix is subsequently heated to high temperatures so to thermally decompose the cellulose xanthate while at the same time heating the residual PTFE above its crystalline melt point thereby forming coherent PTFE fibers. The product of this process is a multiple filament fiber of low tenacity and having a brown color. The brown color can be removed and the multiple filament fiber returned to the usual white color of other unpigmented PTFE products though the use of a bleaching process; however, bleached fibers exhibit approximately 50% of the tenacity of unbleached fibers.
Later, as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,953,566, 3,962,153 and 4,187,390 all to Gore, a form of PTFE combining high strength and high porosity was made by expanding PTFE shapes. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,153, a PTFE fiber is produced through the rapid expansion of a shaped PTFE rod. This process is not desirable for the commercial production of fibers since fibers produced by this process are not made in continuous lengths but rather are limited by the length of the rod and the ability to expand the rod.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,953,566 and 4,187,390, a continuous sheet of expanded microporous PTFE has been made by expanding PTFE in tape or sheet form. This sheet of expanded microporous PTFE is subsequently slit to form a slit film fiber in continuous length as shown in FIG. 1. Slit film fibers of expanded microporous PTFE are much stronger, with tenacities 21/2 to 5 times or more than those fibers of the same denier made by the process of U.S. Pat. No. 2,772,444. Furthermore, slit film fibers of expanded microporous PTFE exhibit low shrinkage and high modulus of elasticity at elevated temperatures.
However, slit film fibers of expanded microporous PTFE have a tendency to fibrillate or fray at the slit edges of the fiber. Also slit film fibers of expanded microporous PTFE are not round but are rectangular in cross-section. Therefore, to obtain a more uniform appearance in slit film fibers of expanded microporous PTFE slit film fibers of expanded microporous PTFE are twisted along their longitudinal axis producing twisted fibers. Twisted fibers give the illusion of appearing more round in cross-section than untwisted fibers by presenting a mixture of sides of the rectangular cross-section of the fibers to the viewer which is especially desirable when slit film fibers of expanded microporous PTFE are used in the production of knitted or woven fabrics. The fibers may be twisted to the extent that tubular structures are produced. It is desirable that fibers have uniform cross-sections along their lengths so that fabrics produced from these fibers contain interstices of an uniform and predictable nature. Fabrics containing interstices of a uniform and predictable nature when used as a filter element exhibit a constant filtration efficiency across the surface of the fabric. However, slit film fibers of expanded microporous PTFE are difficult to produce with a consistent twist along the length of the fibers, thereby resulting in fibers with non-uniform cross sections along their length. Fibers having inconsistent twists, as well as fabrics produced from these fibers, are considered flawed when visually inspected, and are of limited utility as a filter element.
It is to the provision of continuous PTFE fibers with substantially round profiles that this invention is directed.


The present invention concerns a way of compressing an initial data structure that defines an image as an array of pixel elements. The method includes generating a new data structure that defines contours at least some of which are contours having a constant color value to within a tolerance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image data compression. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technique of compressing image data and generating a new data structure that preferentially retains and enhances image data information important to human perception.
2. Description of Background Art
The storage and retrieval of digital image files is widespread. It finds applications in digital cameras, computer animations, etc. One challenge is file size and data transfer rates. As images have met and exceeded photo quality thresholds, the resultant image files have become large. This is most noticeable for someone with a slow connection to the internet who must download a long image based document such as a PDF document or an image file.
This is because the files are typically stored in pixel form, wherein each location or pixel on an image is stored as a five or more dimensional data point, including location (x, y, and perhaps z) and color (RGB). There are various compression techniques that deal with such images, but issues include reduction in image quality.
For example, two of the industry standard compression methods, JPEG and MPEG, have issues with level of compression and scaling. For example, when a photograph is compressed with JPEG, it tends to render a very good image below a certain zoom factor. When it is enlarged beyond a certain point, however, "stairstep" artifacts in the image begin to occur.
What is needed is a fast compression and rendering technique that preserves the visually important information for an image at varying zoom factors while providing a drastic decrease in required memory and processing requirements for storing, displaying, transmitting, zooming, and rotating an image.

System and method for compressing image files while preserving visually significant aspects


A novel multi-capacitor divider network in which two capacitors are fabricated in a single package, using a common dielectric material, is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multi-capacitor network comprises a high-voltage capacitor and a low-voltage capacitor fabricated in a single monolithic package, both fabricated from a class one dielectric material having a combined tolerance of plus or minus five percent. The use of the same class one dielectric material for both capacitors assures that the temperature coefficents are similar for both capacitors and, more importantly, that the tolerance of the ratio between the high-voltage capacitor and low-voltage capacitor is within a predetermined range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to backlighting systems for liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and more particularly to an integrated multi-capacitor divider network for use with a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) inverter controller for providing precise control of the voltage supplied to cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL)-based backlighting systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
LCDs are used in notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), automotive instrument panels, desktop displays, and other applications where size and performance are important. These LCDs are often illuminated in low ambient lighting conditions by a back- or edge-lighting system that uses one or more cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) positioned at the edges of the display. Power for the CCFLs is normally provided by either a Buck/Royer oscillator inverter or a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) inverter controller that includes a capacitor charge pump circuit. Both the Buck/Royer oscillator and the PWM inverter controller convert a low-voltage direct current (DC) source into a high-voltage, high-frequency, quasi-sine wave that is required to ignite and power the CCFL. A typical igniting voltage is 1,500 VAC (RMS) and a typical operating voltage is 800 VAC (RMS), and the average CCFL tube life is 10,000 to 20,000 hours.
The Buck/Royer oscillator inverter uses a ballast capacitor in the range of 12 to 22 picofarads connected to the secondary of a high-voltage transformer and in series with the CCFL, in order to drop excess transformer voltage after the CCFL has ignited. Given a CCFL with 10 picofarads of nominal parasitic capacitance, the ballast capacitor and CCFL form a voltage divider such that only about 70 percent of the transformer output voltage is transferred through the ballast capacitor to ignite the CCFL. Therefore, the Buck/Royer oscillator inverter must develop 30 percent more voltage to ignite the CCFL, thus requiring a larger, more expensive transformer and related circuitry.
The PWM inverter controller uses a much larger DC bypass capacitor in the range of 100 nanofarads connected in series with the CCFL, so that virtually 100 percent of the transformer voltage is available for CCFL ignition. A capacitor charge pump circuit comprises a pair of capacitors connected to form a voltage divider, connected in parallel with the CCFL. Typically, one of the capacitors is a high-voltage (e.g., 3 kilovolt) NPO-type with a nominal capacitance of 5 to 33 picofarads. The other capacitor is a low-voltage (e.g., 50 volt) X7R-type with a nominal capacitance of 10 nanofarads, with the exact value determined by the desired ratio between the capacitors. The ratio of the values of these capacitors further determines the steady-state drive voltage across the CCFL, thereby determining the brightness of the illumination. Active open circuit voltage regulation is provided by non-dissipative voltage feedback.
The capacitors used in the charge pump circuit of the PWM inverter controller typically have a tolerance of five to 10 percent of their nominal value. Stated differently, if the nominal capacitance of the high-voltage capacitor is 10 picofarads, the actual value may range from nine picofarads to 11 picofarads. Because the steady-state drive voltage depends directly on the ratio of the capacitances, if one capacitor has an actual value on the high side of its tolerance, and the other an actual value on the low side of its tolerance, the resulting steady-state voltage and corresponding illumination can vary by up to 22 percent. This will cause variations and non-uniformity in the amount of light generated by the CCFL.
Accordingly, there is a need for an integrated multi-capacitor network having tolerances and temperature coefficients that vary in the same amount and direction, thereby assuring a predictable CCFL illumination.


A flow diverter for diverting an initial flow stream of pressurized fluid from a source of pressurized fluid. The flow diverter comprises a housing having an upstream end, an inlet opening in the upstream end, a downstream end generally opposed to the upstream end, a top plate extending between the upstream end and the downstream end, a bottom plate generally opposed to the top plate and extending between the upstream end and the downstream end, and a pair of generally opposed lateral sides extending between the upstream end, the downstream end, the top plate and the bottom plate. The upstream end is adapted to be attached to the source of pressurized fluid and the inlet opening is adapted to receive the initial flow stream of pressurized fluid from the source of pressurized fluid. The downstream end is adapted to divert the initial flow stream of pressurized fluid toward the pair of generally opposed lateral sides. The pair of generally opposed lateral sides are adapted to permit the initial flow stream of pressurized fluid to exit the housing in a pair of generally opposed diverted flow streams of pressurized fluid that are substantially perpendicular to the initial flow stream of pressurized fluid. The pair of generally opposed lateral sides are also adapted to permit the measurement of the initial flow stream of pressurized fluid.

Water supply systems frequently require testing and purging to comply with local ordinances, operational requirements or safety codes. A perfect example is testing of fire hydrants. Regular testing and purging is required. Fire pumps installed in buildings for fire protection systems also require annual flow testing to meet with fire and safety code requirements.
To test a typical system, temporary hoses are attached to an available connection and the water is released. A playpipe or flow diverter is connected to the end of the hose to allow flow measurements at the exiting water stream. A measurement device, typically a Pitot tube, determines the flow of exiting water. The water is often discharged in the immediate vicinity of the building wall or hydrant. When water under high pressure is released to atmospheric pressure, considerable forces are in play on the discharge stream. Typically the playpipe or flow diverter needs to be restrained during testing. Care must be exercised with regard to where the water is discharged. Damage to the ground, surrounding landscaping, and harm to individuals in the path of the water can occur due to a misdirected water stream.
Fire pump capacities have increased over the years. Up to 12 flow streams may now be required to test a given fire sprinkler system. Stackable flow diverters are now needed to allow better management of the exiting flow streams.
Some tests are performed on building roofs where the device needs to be manually carried up stairs. The portability of the flow diverter is of concern to the operator that has to carry the device. Rooftop tests are seldom available with suitable anchoring positions.
As safety codes and standards have improved over the years, accuracy in testing is of an increasing importance. Accuracy of many current flow diverters has been sacrificed to accommodate for other features. Many currently employ a restricted-position Pitot tube feature which does not allow movement of the Pitot tap location once in use, which is accurate only if the discharge follows a perfect velocity profile. Flow streams however, seldom follow perfect velocity profiles. A fixed position Pitot tube device is never as accurate as an unrestricted access system allowing a qualified operator to seek the most representative velocity pressure reading to determine the flow. Accordingly, a device that provides unrestricted access to the flow stream for an operator will provide for more accurate results.
The difficulty of providing unrestricted access is that water back splash is difficult to control. The difficulty increases as the size of the device reduces. Needless to say, an unrestricted access flow diverter must allow the operator access without getting him wet in the process. The device should prevent any back splash of the fluid in the area where access is required.
Dechlorination is sometimes required by local authorities to remove the affects of chlorine dissolved in the water. An method of treating the water would be beneficial.
Accordingly, a need exits to provide a small, stackable, accessible, portable flow diverter that will dissipate the energy contained in fluid systems to allow for a safe discharge of the flow on any surface without requiring restraints while allowing an operator to obtain an undisturbed access for the highest accuracy flow measurement readings while not getting wet and provide for optional dechlorination. of the water stream.
It would be desirable, therefore, if an apparatus and method for a flow diverter could be provided that would provide accurate testing of high-pressure fluid systems and dissipate the energy produced by a flow stream so as to eliminate the need for anchoring. It would also be desirable if such a flow diverter would provide unrestricted access to a flow stream so as to allow the highest accuracy of flow measurements when using a hand held Pitot tube during the test. It would be further desirable if such a flow diverter would be adapted to minimize damage to the physical grounds and harm to persons in the area surrounding the device resulting from the discharged flow stream. It would be still further desirable if such a flow diverter would be a light-weight device adapted to be easily transported and stored. It would also be desirable if such a flow diverter could be provided that would be adapted to enable the dechlorination of an exiting flow stream. It would be further desirable if such a flow diverter could be provided that would be adapted to minimize back splash so as to allow the operator to take readings without getting wet. It would be still further desirable to provide a flow diverter that has an integrated, stackable design adapted to allow a plurality of units to be placed in a minimum of available space.


A hard coating film including: a polymer binder resin; first inorganic particles which are dispersed in the polymer binder resin and have an average particle size of 5 nm or more and less than 70 nm; and second inorganic particles which are dispersed in the polymer binder resin and have an average particle size of 70 nm to 150 nm, wherein a content of the second inorganic particles having an average particle size of 70 nm to 150 nm is 4% by weight to 12% by weight, and a maximum amplitude (A) based on an average friction force is 0.15 or less in a graph of measuring a friction force with a TAC film which is measured by applying a load of 400 g to the surface thereof, is provided.

An image display surface in an image display device such as a liquid crystal display, a CRT display, a projection display, a plasma display, an electroluminescent display, etc., is required to be provided with scratch resistance in order to prevent appearance of scratches during handling. Improvement of scratch resistance of the image display surface in the image display device is generally achieved by forming a hard coating film on a base film or by using a hard coating film (optical laminate) which is additionally provided with optical functions such as an anti-reflective property, an anti-glare property, etc.
During a winding process of the hard coating film using a roll, a distance between the hard coating films becomes small, and in an extreme case, a blocking phenomenon occurs in which the hard coating films adhere to each other. When the hard coating films that adhere to each other are fed to travel on a line, the films are scratched when the films are peeled from the wound roll, or the films are scratched due to fluttering while travelling on the line or at the time of being in contact with a guide roll. This may cause a large decrease in yield.
Previously, several methods were proposed to prevent hard coating films from being scratched by applying an anti-blocking function to the surface of the hard coating film. For example, in order to prevent blocking, a technique of forming unevenness on the surface of the hard coating film by phase separation of an oligomer and a monomer was proposed. A technique for forming unevenness by adding particles into the hard coating film was also proposed in order to secure an anti-blocking property. However, with these known methods of forming unevenness, it is difficult to control uniform formation of unevenness. Therefore, coarse unevenness may be provided to cause drawbacks on the appearance, or when the unevenness is insufficiently formed, anti-blocking performance may be insufficient.


A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices includes forming element isolation regions in a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulation film in an element region surrounded by the element isolation regions and an impurity doped metal silicide film on the gate insulation film; irradiating energy beams to heat the silicide film; forming a gate electrode film by patterning the silicide film; and forming source and drain regions by doping an impurity into said element region by using at least the gate electrode film as a mask.

Metal insulator semiconductor field effect transistor ("MISFET") devices are contained in an integrated circuit as basic devices. A miniaturization technique is applied to a MISFET device to shorten its channel length in order to make an operation speed of the integrated circuit high. Since gate insulation and electrode films are also made thinner with the miniaturization, their materials conventionally used for the high speed operation are reaching limits. Thus, new materials, and new device structures and manufacturing methods in which such new materials are applied have been developed.
Polycrystalline silicon, for example, generally used for a gate electrode material is high in resistivity. Metal or silicide is employed instead. When such a material is applied to an integrated circuit consisting of complementary metal oxide semiconductor ("CMOS") circuits, for example, gate electrodes of N-channel and P-channel MISFET devices are made from identical materials so that the work functions of both gate electrodes become equal. Thus, it is extremely difficult to control proper threshold voltages of the N-channel and P-channel MISFET devices required for circuit operations, respectively.
To avoid this difficulty, a method of controlling the work function has been proposed in Japanese Patent Disclosure 2001-20376, page 15, FIG. 1. In the method, TiN, for example, is used to form a gate electrode film and a composition rate of the TiN electrode for an N-channel MISFET is changed by implanting nitrogen ions into the electrode. The method can control properly threshold voltages of the N-channel and P-channel MISFET devices, respectively.
The proposed method, however, has unstable factors as a method of manufacturing semiconductor devices. Such unstable factors are that heating treatment required after forming the gate electrode film causes deterioration of a withstand voltage of the gate electrode and that the generation of interface states results in reduction of driving capability of the gate electrode.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor devices


A variable length instruction pipeline includes optional expansion stages that can be included in the variable length instruction pipeline to avoid pipeline stalls. The expansion stages are removed from the variable length instruction pipeline when not needed to reduce the length of the pipeline, which reduces latency and other problems associated with long pipelines. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, a variable length instruction pipeline includes a first pipeline stage, a first expansion stage, and a second pipeline stage. The second pipeline stage is configured to selectively receive instructions from the first pipeline stage or the first expansion stage if the first expansion stage holds an instruction.

Modern computer systems utilize a variety of different microprocessor architectures to perform program execution. Each microprocessor architecture is configured to execute programs made up of a number of macro instructions and micro instructions. Many macro instructions are translated or decoded into a sequence of micro instructions before processing. Micro instructions are simple machine instructions that can be executed directly by a microprocessor.
To increase processing power, most microprocessors use multiple pipelines, such as an integer pipeline and a load/store pipeline to process the macro and micro instructions. Typically, an integer pipeline consists of multiple stages. Each stage in an integer pipeline operates in parallel with the other stages. However, each stage operates on a different macro or micro instruction.
FIG. 1 shows an instruction fetch and issue unit, having an instruction fetch stage (I stage) 105 and a pre-decode stage (PD stage) 110, coupled to atypical four stage integer pipeline 120 for a microprocessor. Integer pipeline 120 comprises a decode stage (D stage) 130, an execute one stage (E1 stage) 140, an execute two stage (E2 stage) 150, and a write back stage (W stage) 160. Instruction fetch stage 105 fetches instructions to be processed. Pre-decode stage 110 groups and issues instructions to one or more pipelines. Ideally, instructions are issued into integer pipeline 120 every clock cycle. Each instruction passes through the pipeline and is processed by each stage as necessary. Thus, during ideal operating conditions integer pipeline 120 is simultaneously processing 4 instructions. However, many conditions as explained below may prevent the ideal operation of integer pipeline 120.
Decode stage 130 decodes the instruction and gathers the source operands needed by the instruction being processed in decode stage 130. Execute one stage 140 and execute two stage 150 performs the function of the instructions. Write back stage 160 writes the appropriate result value into the register file. Pipeline 120 can be enhanced by including forwarding paths between the various stages of integer pipeline 120 as well as forwarding paths between stages of other pipelines. For brevity and clarity, forwarding paths, which are well known in the art, are not described in detail herein.
FIG. 2 shows a typical four stage load/store pipeline 200 for a microprocessor coupled to instruction fetch stage 105 and pre-decode stage 110. Load/store pipeline 200 includes a decode stage (D stage) 230, an execute one stage (E1 stage) 240, an execute two stage (E2 stage) 250, and a write back stage (W stage) 260. Load/store pipeline 200 is specifically tailored to perform load and store instructions. By including both a load/store pipeline and an integer pipeline, overall performance of a microprocessor is enhanced because the load/store pipeline and integer pipelines can perform in parallel. Decode stage 230 decodes the instruction and reads the register file for the needed information regarding the instruction. Execute one stage 240 calculates memory addresses for the load or store instructions. For store instructions, execute two stage 250 stores the appropriate value into memory. For load instructions, execute two stage 250 retrieves information from the appropriate location. For register load operations, write back stage 260 writes the appropriate value into a register file.
Ideally, integer pipeline 120 and load/store pipeline 200 can execute instructions every clock cycle. However, many situations may occur that cause parts of integer pipeline 120 or load/store pipeline 200 to stall, thereby degrading the performance of the microprocessor. FIGS. 3(a)-3(f) illustrate a load-use data dependency problem which causes parts of integer pipeline 120 to stall. Load-use data dependency problems are caused by the issuance of a load instruction followed by an instruction that requires that data being loaded by the load instruction. Specifically, FIGS. 3(a)-3(f) illustrate an instruction "LD D0, [A0]" followed by an instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1". "LD D0, [A0]" causes the value at address A0 to be loaded into data register D0. "ADD D1, D0, #1" adds one to the value in data register D0 and stores the result in data register D1. Thus, the add instruction requires the data (the new value of data register D0) from the load instruction to properly calculate the new value for data register D1. For clarity, FIGS. 3(a)-3(f) omit instruction fetch stage 105 and pre-decode stage 110. To avoid confusion, only two instructions are shown in FIGS. 3(a)-3(f). In actual use other instructions would usually be processed simultaneously in other stages of the pipelines. As shown in FIG. 3(a), instruction "LD D0, [A0]" is first processed in decode stage 230 of integer pipeline 200 and instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" is processed in decode stage 130 of integer pipeline 120. Then, as shown in FIG. 3(b), instruction "LD D0, [A0]" is processed in execute one stage 240 of load/store pipeline 200. If instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" were allowed to propagate through integer pipeline 120, the current value in data register D0 would be used in the add instruction rather than the new value to be loaded from address A0. Thus, decode stage 130, which is configured to detect load-use data dependency problems, holds instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" in decode stage 130. Because decode stage 130 is full, a pipeline stall at decode stage 130 of integer pipeline 120 occurs. Thus, pre-decode stage 110 could not issue additional instructions into integer pipeline 120.
Then, as shown in FIG. 3(c), instruction "LD D0, [A0]" is processed in execute two stage 250 of load/store pipeline 200. Because the new value of data register D0 is still not available, instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" remains in decode stage 130. As shown in FIG. 3(d), instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" proceeds to execute stage 140 when instruction "LD D0, [A0]" proceeds to write back stage 260, because load/store pipeline 200 can forward the new value for data register D0 from execute two stage 250 to decode stage 130. In some microprocessors, timing constraints prohibit forwarding from execute two stage 250. For these microprocessors, instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" would remain in decode stage 130 until instruction "LD D0, [A0]" is processed by write back stage 260. As shown in FIGS. 3(e) and 3(f), after the new data value for data register D0 is available, instruction "LD D0, [A0]" is processed through execute two stage 150 and write back stage 160.
As explained above, stalling a pipeline or parts of a pipeline degrades the overall processing power of a microprocessor. Because load-use data dependency problems are quite common, integer pipelines have been modified to process load-use instructions without stalling. FIG. 4 illustrates an integer pipeline 400 coupled to instruction fetch stage 105 and pre-decode stage 110. Integer pipeline 400 can be used with load/store pipeline 200 to avoid stalling on load-use instructions. Integer pipeline 400, which is similar to integer pipeline 120, includes all the stages of integer pipeline 120 and adds two buffer stages. Specifically, integer pipeline includes a buffer one stage (B1 stage) 425 and a buffer two stage (B2 stage) 427 preceding decode stage 130. Generally, no processing is performed in buffer one stage 425 and buffer two stage 427. However, in some microprocessors, some pre-decoding is performed in buffer one stage 425 and buffer two stage 427. For consistency similar parts performing similar functions in different figures are given the same reference numerals. Thus, decode stage 130 is used in both integer pipeline 120 of FIG. 1 and integer pipeline 400 of FIG. 4.
FIGS. 5(a)-(f) illustrate the processing of instruction "LD D0, [A0]" followed by the instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" using integer pipeline 400 and load/store pipeline 200. As shown in FIG. 5(a), instruction "LD D0, [A0]" is first processed in decode stage 230 of load/store pipeline 200 and instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" is stored in buffer one stage 425 of integer pipeline 400. Then, as shown in FIG. 5(b), instruction "LD D0, [A0]" is processed in execute one stage 240 of load/store pipeline 200 and instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" is stored in buffer two stage 427 of integer pipeline 400. Then, as shown in FIG. 5(c), instruction "LD D0, [A0]" is processed in execute two stage 250 of load/store pipeline 200 and instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" is processed in decode stage 130 of integer pipeline 400. As shown in FIG. 5(d), instruction "LD D0, [A0]" is next processed in write back stage 260. As explained above, load/store pipeline 200 can forward the new value for data register D0 from execute two stage 250 using a forwarding path (not shown). Thus, instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" can proceed to execute one stage 140 without stalling integer pipeline 400. As shown in FIGS. 5(e) and 5(f), after the new data value for data register D0 is available, instruction "ADD D1, D0, #1" is processed through execute two stage 150 and write back stage 160 of integer pipeline 400.
Thus, including buffer one stage 425 and buffer two stage 427 allows integer pipeline 400 to avoid stalling on load-use data dependency problems. However, using buffer one stage 425 and buffer two stage 427 increases the latency of integer pipeline 400 because an instruction must pass through six stages of integer pipeline 400 rather than the four stages of integer pipeline 120. Furthermore, longer integer pipelines suffer delays on several other types of pipeline stalls. For example, conditional branching instruction may cause processing of instructions that should not be processed. A typical conditional branch instructions has the form: If {branch condition is satisfied} then jump to the instruction at the {branch address}. For example the macro instruction "JZ 100" can be interpreted as: if {the operand of the preceding instruction was zero} then jump to the instruction at {address 100}. To avoid pipeline stalls, most processors select an outcome for the conditional branch instruction and process instructions as if the selected outcome is correct. Actual determination of the conditional branch condition does not occur until execute one stage 140 or execute two stage 150. Thus, in longer pipelines, determination of the result of the conditional branch instruction is delayed as compared to shorter pipelines. Specifically, each buffer stage delays determination of the conditional branch instruction by one clock cycle. Thus, the performance of integer pipeline 400 on conditional branch instruction is worse than the performance of integer pipeline 120. In addition, a mixed register instruction, which uses the data register file of the integer pipeline and the execution stages of the load/store pipeline, would cause stalls in parts of the load/store pipeline due to the delays caused by the buffer one stage and the buffer two stage. Thus, the conventional solution to avoid load-use data dependency problems degrades performance for other instruction types and may reduce the overall processing speed of the microprocessor. Hence there is a need for an integer pipeline that can avoid load-use data dependency problems while minimizing problems associated with long integer pipelines.


Proposed is a mobile automotive car system, and method thereof, for a dynamic, telematics-based connection search engine and telematics data aggregator, wherein risk-transfer profiles are captured and categorized in a results list from a plurality of first risk-transfer systems based on dynamically generated driving score parameters by means of appropriately triggered automotive data. As a variant, during a predefined trial period, the automotive and driving behavior data can be collected, which are transmitted together with the generated driving score parameters to multiple automated first risk-transfer systems for quotation. The user is able to dynamically select the best-fitting first risk-transfer system for risk-transfer by means of the results list, which is provided and updated in real-time for display to and selection by a user of a mobile telecommunication apparatus by means of a mobile telematics application of the mobile telecommunications apparatus.

Modern automotive engineered car driving (including completely manually controlled driving, partially autonomous car driving, driverless cars, self-driving cars, robotic cars) is associated with vehicles that are capable of sensing their environment and operational status or use. At the same time, the use of sensors in cellular mobile phones, in particular in so called "smart phones", has strongly increased in recent years, making it possible to monitor or time-dependent track the operation mode of the smart phone as well as surroundings, use or even behavior of the user. Modern, mobile smart phones comprise touchscreens, accelerometers, gyroscopes, GPS, cameras, microphones etc., allowing to capture a vast mixture of contextual parameters during the use of the mobile device. At the same time, modern automotive engineered vehicles are capable of detecting a wide variety of operational or surrounding parameters using for example radar, LIDAR (measuring device to measure distances by means of laser light), GPS (Global Positioning System), odometry (measuring device for measuring changings in position over time by means of using motion sensor data), and computer vision. In modern cars, advanced control systems often interpret sensory information to identify appropriate navigation paths, as well as obstacles and relevant signage. The sensors may comprise active and passive sensing devices, wherein sensors are physical converter devices measuring a physical quantity and converting the measured physical quantity into a signal that can be read by an observer or by another instrument, circuit or system. Commonly used sensors for automotive motor vehicle or mobile cell phones are for example infrared sensors containing an infrared emitter, and an infrared detector, for example used with touchless switches, passive infrared (PIR) sensors reacting and detecting only on ambient IR such as motion sensors, speed detectors e.g. radar guns such as microwave radars using the Doppler effect (the return echo from a moving object will be frequency shifted) or IR/Laser radars sending pulses of light for determining the difference in reflection time between consecutive pulses to determine speed, ultrasonic sensors emitting a sound and detecting the echo to determine range, accelerometers measuring the rate of change of the capacitance and translating it into an acceleration by means of a proof mass, gyroscopes measuring a mass oscillating back and forth along the first axis, and plates on either side of the mass in the third direction where the capacitance changes when a rotation is detected around the second direction, IMU-sensors (Inertial Measurement Unit) providing a sensor with a full 6-degrees of freedom by using a combination of accelerometer and gyroscope, force sensing resistor e.g. for contact sensing, touchscreens based on resistive, capacitive or surface acoustic wave sensing, location sensors such as GPS (Global Positioning System), triangulation or cell identification systems, visual sensors such as cameras and computer visions, SIM-based or RFID-based (Radio-Frequency Identification) sensors, or environment sensors as moisture sensors, humidity sensors, temperature sensors etc.
The development of device and user monitoring above outlined, also referred to telematics, is mirrored, in the electronic, telecommunication and insurance industries, by a fast technological development of similar or even consistent technical strategies and components to improve the effectiveness of interactions with customers. Social networking, telematics, service-oriented architectures (SOA) and usage-based services (UBS) are all interacting and pushing this development. Social platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, offer the ability to improve customer interactions and communicate product information. However, the field of telematics is larger still, as it introduces entirely new possibilities that align the technical input requirements and problem specifications of dynamic risk-transfer, technology and mobility. SOA and telematics are becoming key to manage the complexity of integrating known technologies and new applications. Technically, telematics being a composite of telecommunications and information technology, it is an interdisciplinary technical term encompassing telecommunications, vehicular technologies, road transportation, road safety, electrical engineering (sensors, instrumentation, wireless communications, etc.), and information technology (multimedia, Internet, etc.). Thus, the technical fields of mobile parameters detection, data aggregation or telematics are affected by a wide range of technologies such as the technology of sending, receiving and storing information via telecommunications devices in conjunction with controlling remote objects, the integrated use of telecommunications and informatics for application in vehicles and for example with control of moving vehicles, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) technology integrated with computers and mobile communications technology in automotive navigation systems. The use of such technology together with road vehicles is also called vehicle telematics. In particular, telematics triggers the integration of mobile communications, vehicle monitoring systems and location technology by allowing a new way of capturing and monitoring real-time data. Usage-based risk-transfer systems, as for example provided by the so-called Snapshot technology of the firm Progressive, link risk-transfer compensation or premiums to monitored driving behavior and usage information gathered by an in-car "telematics" device. In the past five years, telematics devices have shown expanded use by a factor of 10 to 100 in cars. On such a broadened platform, telematics devices and systems may help to increase safety and improve driving behavior.
Vehicle telematics refers to installing or embedding telecommunications devices mostly in mobile units, such as cars or other vehicles, to transmit real-time driving data, which for example can be used by third parties' system, such as automated risk-monitoring and risk-transfer systems, providing the needed input needed for instance to measure the quality and risks of individual drivers. The telematics instruments for such changes are available in the state of the art. Vehicle tracking and global positioning satellite system (GPS) technologies are becoming commonplace, as are the telecommunications devices that allow us to be connected from almost anywhere. In particular, dynamically monitored and adapted risk-transfer could be imaginable by interconnecting telematics with other real-time measuring systems. Advantages provided by such systems could for example mean that after being involved into a car accident, emergency and road services could be automatically activated, vehicle damage assessed, and the nearest repair shop contacted. In summary, the customer experience could be transformed beyond traditional operability of risk-transfer systems and insurance coverage to real-time navigation and monitoring, including the automated activation of concierge service, safe driving tips, video-on-demand for the kids in the backseat, in-car or online feedback, and real-time vehicle diagnostics.
In addition to real-time surveillance, it bears mentioning that an insurance agent may want to exchange information with a customer associated with the insurer for a number of different reasons. However, the information exchange between the customer and the insurer and/or the insurer and the reinsurer is still largely cumbersome and time-consuming, and the risk-transfers provided by such structures thus typically remain static within a fixed agreed upon time period. For example, an existing or potential consumer may access an insurance agent's web page to determine a yearly or monthly cost of an insurance policy (e.g., hoping to save money or increase a level of protection by selecting a new insurance company). The consumer may provide basic information to the insurance agent (e.g. name, business type, date of birth, occupation, etc.), and the insurance agent may use this information to request a premium quote from the insurer. In some cases, the insurer will simply respond to the insurance agent with a premium quote. In other cases, however, an underwriter associated with the insurer will ask the insurance agent to provide additional information so that an appropriate premium quote can be generated. For example, an underwriter might ask the insurance agent to indicate how often, where and at which time a motor vehicle is primarily used or other data such as the age of the motor vehicle and its indented use (transportation etc.). Only after such additional information is determined, may an appropriate risk analysis can be performed by the insurer to process an adapted underwriting decision, and/or premium pricing.
Integrated telematics technologies may offer new technological fields, in particular in monitoring and steering by means of centralized expert systems, in risk-transfer technology, for example, where this may take the form of far more accurate and profitable pricing models provided by such automated expert systems. This would create a huge advantage, in particular for real-time and/or usage-based and/or dynamically operated systems. The advantage of such telematics systems is not restricted to risk transfer but also includes advantages, for example, in fleets' management that monitor employees' driving behavior via telematics to improve asset utilization, reduce fuel consumption and improve safety, etc. Other fields may also benefit from such integrated telematics systems, as state and local governments strive striving to improve fuel consumption, emissions and highway safety. Some states, for example, recently issued dynamic pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) regulations, which also on the other side allows insurers to offer drivers insurance rates based on actual versus estimated miles driven. It is a financial incentive to drive less.
Telematics technology already provides the above-mentioned features such as an accelerometer making it possible to assess drivers' style and behavior, thus expanding the risk factors normally tracked from the current 40 to more than 100. As demand for accelerometers has increased, auto-makers and device manufacturers have been able to push down the unit cost. The need for increased connectivity and access (driven by the "always-connected" consumer) will allow additional device applications. It bears mentioning that most technologies in the telematics ecosystem are not unique to vehicle's insurance. Social listening, neighborhood protection portals and home monitoring have an impact on how home and property insurance risks are assessed. Further, monitoring systems are available to adjust home temperature controls or automatically dispatch service providers should there be a water, heat or air-conditioning issue in a home. Also, telematics technologies are being developed for healthcare and senior living products, including location-based alerts, health-monitoring, and family-tracking services that may be used for how individual risk is assessed, allowing optimized risk-transfer in the life risk-transfer field. Examples also include robotic nurse's aides designed to remind the elderly about routine activities, which also guides them through their homes and calls for help in case of emergencies. These sorts of applications will continue to evolve as technology becomes more reliable and cost effective and as the need for such solutions increases in the elderly and home care sectors.
Telematics technology, used according to the present invention, may also provide the basis technology for Service-oriented architectures (SOAs) or usage-based and/or user-based applications. Both are considered to be among the most promising of today's technologies. SOAs allow companies to make their applications and computing resources (such as customer databases and supplier catalogs) available on an as-needed basis, either via an intranet or the Internet. Based on a plug-and-play concept, SOA provides reusable software components across multiple technology platforms. It offers a new approach to software deployment while also tackling serious problems, such as complexity and ineffective data integration. This approach provides a consistent technology making it easier to access data and integrate both new and old content. Information and services are centralized and reusable, shortening development times and reducing maintenance costs. When a software service is needed (such as retrieving customer information) the user or system sends a request to a directory, which determines the proper service name, location and required format, and then sends back the desired output (in this case, customer information). Users and other applications do not need to know the internal workings of the data handling or processing, nor do organizations need to own and maintain software; they simply access the appropriate service over the Internet or network, or another data transmission network.
However, telematics technology, as used in the way of the present invention, may also provide the basis technology for other platforms, as e.g. IoT-platforms (Internet of Things), which provide the network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and/or other items embedded with electronics, software sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that enables these objects to collect and exchange data. In particular, IoT allows objects to be sensed and controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, also allowing for a more direct integration of the physical world into processor-driven systems and computer means. This integration results in improved efficiency, accuracy and economic benefit, When IoT comprises sensors and actuators, the technology becomes a more general system-class of cyber-physical systems, which may encompass technologies as smart grids, smart homes, intelligent transportations, and smart cities. In IoT, each thing is uniquely identifiable through its embedded computer system, and is also able to interoperate with the existing Internet infrastructure. IoT provides advanced connectivity of devices, systems, and services that goes beyond machine-to-machine (M2M) communications and covers a variety of protocols, domains, and applications. There are incorporated herein by reference. The interconnection of these embedded devices (including smart objects), is applicable in automation in nearly all fields, while also enabling advanced applications like a smart grid, and smart cities. Things in IoT refer to a wide variety of devices but in particular to automobiles with built-in sensors, analysis devices for environmental monitoring or field operation devices that can assist car drivers e.g. in search and rescue operations. Thus, things in IoT can comprise a mixture of hardware, software, data and/or service. Such devices collect useful data with the help of various existing technologies and then autonomously flow the data between other devices. Current examples include the numerous prototype autonomous or half-autonomous vehicles currently developed, including Mercedes-Benz, General Motors, Continental Automotive Systems, IAV, Autoliv Inc., Bosch, Nissan, Renault, Toyota, Audi, Volvo, Tesla Motors, Peugeot, AKKA Technologies, Vislab from University of Parma, Oxford University and Google, for example, using interconnected telematics devices with appropriate network technology for control, monitoring, operating and steering of the half or fully automated vehicles.

Apparatus for a dynamic, score-based, telematics connection search engine and aggregator and corresponding method thereof


A hot stamping machine including a stamping member which presses a stamping foil against a peripheral surface of articles which are successively positioned in a stamping position and wherein stamping foil is removed from an unwinding mechanism for each stamping sequence and passes in succession into a suction box, along a braking surface and opposite the stamping member that urges the foil against an article, and wherein a reserve of foil is available in the suction box between the unwinding means and the braking surface, while the foil is tensioned between the stamping member and the article, during stamping of the article, and between the braking surface and a rewinding mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hot stamping machine of the type comprising a stamping member, which is intended to press hot stamping foil against the peripheral surface of individual articles in order to stamp the articles.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
In the field of stamping it is known to produce decorative patterns, for example metallic borders, on a plastic material article by means of a stamping machine, in which a stamping foil is pressed between a heated stamping member, which carries the patterns to be produced on the article, and the peripheral surface of the article. If the patterns to be produced are detailed, the width of the stamping foil used for stamping is selected to be as low as possible, in order to limit the stamping foil area which must be scrapped after each stamping and thus to reduce the costs associated with the stamping. However, the handling of a stamping foil of low width on a stamping machine is delicate.
In the case of stamping with a punch which is able to move in translation relative to the machine frame during stamping, or with a stamping wheel, the stamping member comes to press the stamping foil against the peripheral surface of the article to be stamped, which is driven in rotation. Conventionally the stamping foil is therefore moved opposite the stamping member, via unwinding from an unwinding reel which is fixed relative to the machine frame and rewinding onto a rewinding reel which is likewise fixed relative to the machine frame, an appropriate tension in the stamping foil being obtained between these two reels by means of a constant tension device, such as a spring-loaded beating arm. A suitable tension in the stamping foil is more important for a stamping foil of low width, which is particularly sensitive to vibrations or other disturbances which might alter its position relative to the stamping member. However, a constant tension device such as a beating arm generates, due to its inertia, and when the stamping foil is of a low width and the stamping rate is high, a jumping forwards motion of the stamping foil opposite the stamping element, along with a variation in the tension of the stamping foil. Such a variation in the tension of the stamping foil may lead to the appearance of stamping defects on the articles.
When stamping foil rewinding reel is moved with the punch which is able to move relative to the machine frame during stamping, or when the stamping is carried out with a stamping punch which is fixed relative to the frame during stamping, the stamping foil is conventionally fixed opposite the punch during stamping, the article which is to be marked being moved into contact with the punch in such a way as to squeeze the stamping foil between the punch and the peripheral surface of the article. The stamping foil thus undergoes strain when it is rewound, which may damage the stamping foil in the case of a low stamping foil width and a high stamping rate.
Besides, DE-U-94 20 707 discloses a hot embossing machine comprising an embossing cylinder and an underlying impression cylinder, between which an embossing gap is formed. The embossing cylinder is provided along its circumference with a heatable embossing die, which is intended to press a stamping foil against a material layer. In this machine, the speed of the stamping foil in the embossing gap is controlled by a suction rotative control roller, which is arranged upstream from the embossing gap. More precisely, the stamping foil cooperates without sliding with the upstream rotative control roller, whose rotation is controlled by a driving motor, the stamping foil being drawn at a constant speed by a pull device arranged downstream from the embossing gap. Depending on its rotation speed, the upstream rotative roller is thus able to decrease or increase the speed of the stamping foil in the embossing gap relative to the speed which results from the pulling of the downstream pull device. Such a control of the speed of the stamping foil performed by an upstream rotative control roller driven by a motor is satisfactory when the stamping foil continuously moves in the embossing gap, the speed of the stamping foil being simply decreased or increased. However, when the stamping foil is to be moved only sequentially, as it is the case for the stamping of individual articles, the use of a rotative control roller driven by a motor and arranged upstream from the embossing gap is not adapted. In this case, the stamping foil should be rapidly accelerated from a zero speed. In practice, the driving of the stamping foil, notably for a stamping foil of low width, by a rotative roller driven by a motor and arranged upstream from the embossing gap would lead either to the appearance of stamping defects on the articles, due to a too high stamping foil speed causing the stamping foil to accumulate at the stamping member during the stamping, or to the breaking of the stamping foil, due to a too low stamping foil speed causing stamping foil tension peaks. Indeed, in practice, it would be delicate and even impossible to get a perfect synchronisation of the rotation speed of the control roller relative to the movement of the articles being brought successively opposite the stamping member.


A puzzle device for teaching comprises a base where a slot is provided on one side for inserting at least one image card, and a plurality of rotatable turning parts are provided thereon. A plurality of indicator units is set on each turning part, and a plurality of groups of quiz and question units are set on recto of each image card. Each quiz unit includes a question-description unit and a sign unit of the same group. Besides, the turning parts are set next to the question units respectively. Thereby, a user can find the question-description unit according to the question unit on the image card, and then can turn the turning part according to the indication of the sign unit to match the indicator unit and the sign unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a puzzle device for teaching children, and more particularly, to a puzzle device for teaching, which can provide quizzes of different levels of difficulty for children to answer by using their hands. The purpose of these quizzes is to train a child hands-and-brain reaction by entertaining.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, more and more emphasis is placed on children education, especially on the improvement of the teaching method, which is also the focal subject where educationists intensively delve. Educationists believe that it is much better to adopt active and interesting teaching method rather than uninteresting one to improve the effect for teaching children. Thus, not only should the active teaching method be developed but also the teaching device should be designed for intellectual development and entertainment purpose.
It is necessary to provide quizzes of different levels of difficulty for children to learn effectively. However, it is obviously uninteresting when just giving children quizzes and telling them to write down answers on the answer sheets. They will feel boring after long-term learning of uninteresting method.
In order to improve the above-stated disadvantages to provide a puzzle device for teaching having quizzes of different levels of difficulty for children to answer the quizzes by using their hands while thinking over these quizzes, and also being able to train their hands-and-brain reaction while entertaining, the inventor had the motive to try and develop the present invention after hard research.


This invention provides a system, method and computer program product to allow a user to access administrative security features associated with the use of a security token. The administrative security features provide the user the ability to unlock a locked security token, diagnose a security token, activate and deactivate a security token, request a replacement security token or temporary password or report the loss of a security token. The invention comprises a client application which integrates into the standard user login dialog associated with an operating system. A portion of the user dialog is linked to a remote server to access the administrative services.

Security token and credential management systems track, monitor and control the state of authentication tokens and credentials assigned to users. Frequently, the security tokens managed by such systems become locked, lost, stolen, damaged, deactivated, or temporarily misplaced by the user. Many of these issues prevent the user from logging into an operating system. In other situations, it is useful for the user to obtain diagnostic information related to a security token prior to logging in. The user may also require temporary access to the operating system via some other means because his or her security token is not available or is non-operational.
In the relevant art, when a user is unable to gain access to the operating system due to unavailability of his or her security token, the options available to correct the situation usually involves a call to a support desk, logging into a restricted guest account or some combination of the two. Present solutions do not offer the user the capability to access the services of a security token management system while logged out or locked out of the operation system.
The support desk option is problematic in that the user may not be able to contact the support staff during non-working hours (e.g., nights and weekends) or during traditionally heavy demand periods (e.g., Monday mornings, following a system interruption, migration to another operating system or software application, etc.)
In certain circumstances, the user may be prevented from accessing an operating system or reporting a lost or stolen security token for an extended period of time (e.g., Christmas Holidays) which not only impacts worker productivity but may lead to future security compromises. Maintaining a full time support staff can be prohibitively expensive for smaller organizations.
Guest accounts provide only limited access to system resources and require that guest accounts be established and maintained on all computers where a potential user may need access to resources which increases the risk of introducing security vulnerabilities.
Thus, an automated mechanism which allows a user to restore access privileges without the intervention of a support organization is highly desirable.

Automated security token administrative services


Muffler (1) for portable working tools, preferably chain saws (2), whereby the muffler is mounted directly onto the cylinder's (16) exhaust gas outlet (3). The muffler's (1) exhaust gas outlet (4) is positioned on an upper side (5) of the muffler, i.e. a side which is turned in the same direction as the cylinder's (16) upper side, and the muffler's exhaust gas outlet (4) is equipped with a deflecting device (6), for instance a bent tube, which deflects the exhaust gas flow (7), so that this leaves the muffler in a plane which is parallel to the muffler's upper side (5). The figure shows the chain saw schematically, without protective covers, guide bar and chain. Its cooling fan (19) blows cooling air (20) over the cylinder and the muffler. The positioning and the design of the exhaust gas outlet facilitate a very favorable dilution of the exhaust gases with the cooling air.

The muffler for portable working tools is usually directly mounted to the cylinder's exhaust gas outlet as compactly as possible. For these tools there is a very strong demand for a low total weight and small size. This leads to a demand for a small and light muffler, which at the same time gives a satisfactory silencing function. It is also important that the user does not get injured if he comes into contact with the tool's muffler or its exhaust gases. Furthermore, it is obviously important that the exhaust gases do not set fire to adjacent objects, for example grass or twigs in the case of a chain saw. This has lead to the existence of special legal requirements concerning the muffler's surface contact temperature and the exhaust gas temperature in the vicinity. The working tool is usually supplied with a cooling fan and various safety covers around the cylinder and partly around the muffler. It is desirable to achieve a good mix of the exhaust gases in the cooling-air to reduce the temperature. However, in reality this is hard to achieve due to lack of space and with regard to weight.


Disclosed are dihydrazide compounds having formula (I) or (II), wherein R1-R4 are alkylene, substituted alkylene, aryl or polyether radical. The preparation and uses for producing medical hydrogel and medicine controlled releasing carrier of said dihydrazide compounds are provided.

Dihydrazides, those compounds containing two hydrazide functional groups, are widely used as chemical modifiers and cross-linking agents and play important roles in biomedicine, new material science and other fields. Dihydrazide containing disulfide bond, a new type of hydrazide developed in recent years, endows the cross-linked products with special properties by introducing disulfide bonds while being used for chemical modification and chemical crosslinking of materials. For example, Tesoro et al. in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,399 used dithiodipropionic acid dihydrazide to prepare epoxy resins having reversible crosslinks. Shu et al. in Biomacromolecules, 3, 1304, 2002 reported the synthesis of dithiodipropionic acid dihydrazide and dithiodibutanoic acid dihydrazide. So far, however, as for this type of dihydrazide, only above mentioned several aliphatic and aromatic dihydrazides containing disulfide bond is reported, which cannot meet the demand in new chemical modification and chemical cross-linking of materials.

Dihydrazide compounds, preparation and uses thereof