A grinding mechanism for a food waste disposer includes a grinding ring defining a plurality of window openings therethrough. A backing member receives the grinding ring and defines a plurality of cavities therein corresponding to the window openings. A plurality of stacked disks form a rotatable shredder plate that is situated to rotate relative to the grinding plate.

The present disclosure relates generally to food waste disposers, and more particularly, to grinding mechanisms for food waste disposers.
Food waste disposers are used to comminute food scraps into particles small enough to safely pass through household drain plumbing. A conventional disposer includes a food conveying section, a motor section, and a grinding mechanism disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section. The food conveying section includes a housing that forms an inlet for receiving food waste and water. The food conveying section conveys the food waste to the grinding mechanism, and the motor section includes a motor imparting rotational movement to a motor shaft to operate the grinding mechanism.
The grind mechanism that accomplishes the comminution is typically composed of a rotating shredder plate with lugs and a stationary grind ring. The motor turns the rotating shredder plate and the lugs force the food waste against the grind ring where it is broken down into small pieces. Once the particles are small enough to pass out of the grinding mechanism, they are flushed out into the household plumbing.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical grinding mechanism 10. The illustrated grinding mechanism 10 includes a grinding plate 12 with swivel lugs 14 and a stationary grind ring 16. The grinding plate 12 is mounted to the motor shaft 18. The grind ring 16, which includes a plurality of notches 20 defining spaced teeth 21, is fixedly attached to an inner surface of a housing 22.
In the operation of the food waste disposer, the food waste delivered by the food conveying section to the grinding mechanism 10 is forced by the swivel lugs 14 against the teeth 21 of the grind ring 16. The edges of the teeth 21 grind the food waste into particulate matter sufficiently small to pass from above the grinding plate 12 to below the grinding plate 12 via gaps between the rotating and stationary members. Due to gravity, the particulate matter that passes through the gaps between the teeth 21 drops onto the upper end frame 24 and, along with water injected into the disposer, is discharged through a threaded discharge outlet 26. Size control is primarily achieved through controlling the size of the gap through which the food particles must pass.
This type of grinding, however, is much more effective on friable materials than on fibrous materials. Long fibrous and leafy food waste particulates often have escaped the grinding and cutting process in known disposer designs, resulting in longer and larger particulates escaping to the sink trap. This creates problems such as plugged traps and plugged plumbing. Known designs that may be more effective on these types of food wastes are often too costly to mass-produce.
The present application addresses these shortcomings associated with the prior art.


A system for separating a composite fluid into component parts thereof, including: a centrifuge having a rotor with a separation space and at least two valve members disposed thereon and a container set having a separation container adapted to be disposed in the separation space of the rotor and first and second collection containers connected to the separation container by a first and a second tubes. The tubes are adapted to be disposed in operative relationship with the valve members so that flow through the tubes may be controlled thereby. Three components of the composite fluid may be separated therefrom by the present system and two components may be moved to the collection containers. The container set may further include a third collection container connected to the separation container by a tube, and a third component may thus be moved to this third container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fluid separation systems and/or methods. Particular examples include separation systems and/or methods for blood component processing and/or preparation. Such separation systems and/or methods may take place in a centrifuge of a type, which may generally have a rotor with an annular separation compartment and a substantially open central compartment that may be arranged generally concentrically about the axis of rotation of the rotor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's blood centers face formidable challenges. Doctors, hospitals and blood banks demand greater quantities and more specific and higher quality blood component products for the patients they serve. An optimal general solution is to maximize the quantity and the quality of blood components processed from each collection.
A review of conventional blood processing reveals that in the preparation of blood component products, blood is often separated into one or more components such as plasma, a buffy coat and/or platelets and red blood cells by centrifugation. Conventional so-called manual and apheresis (automated separation) processes are both used. However, since the present invention is generally directed to processing manually collected discrete portions or units of whole blood, and since apheresis has taken on the general meaning that it avoids this initial step of manual collection of one or more discrete units of whole blood, conventional apheresis as a general process will not be discussed further here.
In conventional manual collection processes, a sterile set of interconnected flexible containers or bags is typically used. The presently most common mode of operation is to use a sterile set of interconnected substantially rectangular blood bags, one bag being the initial collection container and often also the separation container, into which whole blood is collected. The other interconnected bags are then the resulting processed blood component containers, to which the separated components are transferred after processing/separation. The entire set is typically centrifuged in a swing-out centrifuge bucket or cup and, during centrifugation, the separating and separated blood components form layers in the separation container according to the respective increasing specific weights. A plasma layer, a buffy coat layer and a layer of red blood cells are thus formed, and these usually remain stratified even after centrifugation is complete. Then in this conventional process, the set of bags is typically manually removed from the centrifuge and moved to a pressing or expressor device for expressing or pressing out the plasma layer and/or the red blood cell layer to associated interconnected component containers. This would then usually leave the buffy coat layer in the original bag or, the buffy coat could also be expressed to its own interconnected container or otherwise to a pooling container. Great care must be used during the manual handling of the bags when the layers are separated/stratified in this manner, yet still in contact with each other in the original separation bag, because such manual handling often results in some undesirable re-mixing of the components which would then result in a lower quality product or an inefficiency in the overall process by necessitating a re-centrifugation of that unit of blood.
Moreover, it is generally inevitable in conventional centrifugation and expression operations that a certain amount of interfacing components will remain incompletely separated, at least in so far as being incapable of complete separation and pure collection after a single centrifugal process, as for example when a quantity of red blood cells will remain with the buffy coat after expression. Thus, conventional whole blood to buffy coat to platelet processing usually includes further processing steps after the initial whole blood separation process. This often includes at least four post-donation, post-initial separation processes/steps; namely; pooling of a plurality of buffy coats, then centrifugation of these pooled buffy coats, then expressing of the plasma and/or platelets therefrom and usually also a leukoreduction step. These tasks are generally carried out with manual, labor-intensive steps and blood centers are challenged with time-consuming, error-prone manual operations for such buffy coat processing, and these processes with their associated risks are in addition to the initial manual processing problems such as the inadvertent re-mixing as suggested above.
Still further, successful modern blood component therapy is dependent on high purity blood component fractions, i.e. these components should be contaminated as little as possible by each other. Particularly troublesome is contamination of any component product by the intermediate buffy coat fraction which contains the potentially contaminated white blood cells that would or could in turn contaminate the other interfacing component product or products. Controlled expression of the various fractions from the separation container to thereby reduce any re-mixing of the buffy coat with any other product has thus presented a fairly important, if not critical operation with respect to the achievement of pure or substantially pure end component products.
Thus, different techniques of achieving high purity separated fractions have been contemplated. Some suggestions have involved the use of a centrifuge rotor having an annular separation area for holding a generally annularly or ring-shaped separation container. Such a centrifuge may have provided for subjecting such a separation container to compression forces in the separation compartment of the rotor during centrifugal rotation to force fluids disposed therein to flow generally out of the ring container, and thus one or more of the separated layers may then have been pressed out and toward a central compartment of the rotor and into one or more secondary containers disposed therein even while they remain subjected to the prevailing centrifugal force field. Even so, success with such ring-shaped separation containers and centrally disposed secondary containers has heretofore been limited.

Methods and apparatus for blood component separation


Disclosed is an inkjet print apparatus in which a printhead capable of printing utilizing ink of at least one color is mounted on a carriage and the carriage is caused to move across a printing medium to print an image on the printing medium, comprising: a head temperature detector for detecting temperature of the printhead; a dot counter for counting number of dots, which are formed in divided areas, per each divided area obtained by dividing an area of the printing medium into a plurality of areas in prescribed units; a comparator for comparing a threshold value, which corresponds to printhead temperature information that has been detected by the head temperature detector, and a count value representing the number of dots counted by the dot counter; and a decision unit for deciding, based upon result of the comparison performed by the comparator, a drive frequency for driving the printhead and a moving speed of the carriage; wherein printing of an image on the printing medium is performed at the drive frequency and moving speed decided by the decision unit.

In an inkjet print apparatus equipped with a serial-type inkjet printhead, the inkjet printhead is caused to scan in a primary scan direction and the printhead is driven in sync with the scanning thereof based upon a head drive signal obtained from image data to thereby discharge ink from the printhead nozzles and form an image on the printing medium, such as printing paper.
The inkjet head used in such an inkjet print apparatus will be described. Printing methods that are available for use with an inkjet printer include a method that utilizes electrothermal transducers (heaters), and another that utilizes piezoelectric elements, as discharge-energy generating elements that apply discharge energy for discharging ink droplets.
Both methods make it possible to discharge ink by applying electric signals to the discharge-energy generating elements. The former is advantageous in that little space is required for arraying the heaters constituted by the discharge-energy generating elements, the inkjet head is simple in structure and is capable of being made small in size, and a higher density can be achieved comparatively easily. A drawback, however, is that the heat produced by the heaters accumulates inside the head.
Accordingly, when printing is performed continuously at a high duty, the volume of the discharged ink droplets increases owing to a rise in the temperature of the head, refilling of the ink is not performed soon enough and discharge failure such as deviation from a normal direction or insufficient amount of ink occur.
A method that has been disclosed in order to solve this problem is to acquire printhead temperature information at a prescribed timing and lower the drive frequency of the printhead if the acquired temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature.
With the method described above, however, the amount of increase in printhead temperature subsequent to the prescribed timing cannot be estimated. For this reason, a value that attempts to take into account the maximum rise in temperature recorded after the prescribed timing is set as a threshold temperature. In this case, the threshold temperature is set low to an extent that takes the temperature rise into consideration. However, the actual rise in temperature depends upon printing duty subsequent to the prescribed timing. Consequently, even in a case where printing duty following the prescribed timing is low and a rise in temperature of the expected level does not occur, the drive frequency declines and, as a result, it is difficult to hold the decline in printing speed to the minimum.
Thus, in the prior art, it is difficult to minimize a decline in throughput while suppressing ink discharge failure due to a rise in temperature at the time of continuous printing.

Print apparatus, method of controlling same and therefor


In the event of displaying only increase (or disappearance) of shadows in a difference image generated based on a display mode selected by a user, a difference image is subjected to gradient conversion so that only the luminance of the region(s) where a shadow has increased (or disappeared) differs from the luminance of other regions, and the difference image thus subjected to gradient conversion is displayed, thereby displaying the states of shadow change independently. Also, negative/positive information in a past image and a current image is extracted, and further, correlation of the diagnostic judgment reference of shadows on the difference image is input. Definition of the shadow stipulates whether the parts of the affected portion improving or deteriorating are to correspond to high concentration (high luminance level) or low concentration (low luminance level) on the difference image. This facilitates observation of changes in shadows.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing method, and particularly refers to an image processing method suitably used for displaying change of a subject over time in medical images.
2. Description of the Related Art
As of recent, JIRA (Japan Industries Association of Radiological Systems) has set the MIPS (Medical Image Processing Systems) standards in accordance with DICOM (Digital Information and Communication in Medicine) which is an international standard regarding digitizing medical images, and accordingly, digitizing of medical images is making progress.
In the medical image field, there is increased use of CAD (Computer Aided Diagnosis) for analyzing medical X-ray images, CT scan images, MRI images, and so forth, using computers. Especially noteworthy is time-difference CAD which yields the difference over time of images taken of the same portion.
With CAD which handles the difference over time, image analysis is performed for a pair of plain orbital radiography images of the chest taken at different points in time, for example. Portions in the images which are anatomically the same are found, either the current or the past image is deformed, and difference processing is performed on each pixel.
The luminance value of the difference image obtained by such difference processing corresponds to the change in image signals in the current and past images. That is, in the event that there is no difference between the past image and current image, the difference value is 0, but in the event that there is some sort of change, there is a change in the luminance level corresponding to the change thereof.
FIGS. 22A through 22D illustrate an example of change in images signals for images taken of the same portion at different points in time. Signals of the past image and signals of the current image, and signals of the difference image obtained from these, are shown one-dimensionally.
FIG. 22A shows past image signals with a generally smooth profile. On the other hand, the region A in FIG. 22B which is a current image shows signals indicating a shadow which has appeared since. Subtracting the signals of the current image from the past image and generating difference image signals of the difference yields the profile shown in FIG. 22C.
FIG. 22D is an example of a difference image of a chest X-ray image wherein such a change has occurred, with the region A having a low luminance corresponding to the newly-appeared shadow being shown. Displaying a difference image in this way allows changes which have occurred between the two images to be observed more readily, which is advantageous, since change over time can be more readily observed from the two images.
However, it would be entirely mistaken to assume that shadows only increase or disappear from one image to another, and there are cases wherein one shadow will have increased while another has disappeared. That is to say, both appearance (or growth) and disappearance (or shrinking) of shadows may be consecutively ongoing processes, so with the above-described technique, there is the problem that the interpreter of the radiograms, i.e., the physician, must carefully observe any change in any of the images displayed in the difference image.
Also, there is the problem that in the event that there is a great number of shadows displayed in the difference image, change in the shadows is more readily overlooked, and moreover, with a great number of shadows, judging the overall progress becomes difficult.
With radiograms, there are cases wherein whether high pixel values are displayed corresponding to high luminance or corresponding to low luminance, depending on the image generating apparatus. For example, with apparatuses wherein digital images are generated by directly or indirectly converting X-rays which have passed through the subject into electric signals, as with FPDs (Flat Panel Detectors) which have come into practical use in recent years, image data is generated as a positive image wherein the pixel values of regions with high X-ray transmissivity such as in the lung field are high, and the high pixel values are displayed corresponding to high luminance on the display. Thus, the values of the corresponding pixels in the lung field are great for chest X-rays, for example. On the other hand, normal radiograms are observed as negative images, so with image data wherein the X-ray film is digitized using a film scanner or the like, the values of the corresponding pixels in the lung field are small. Accordingly, performing difference processing with both negatives and positives together means that the way the shadow is displayed is not always the same, and judgment becomes extremely difficult.

Image processing apparatus, image processing method, program, and recording medium for generating a difference image from a first radiographic image and second radiographic image


A solid-state imaging device comprises photodiodes arranged in columns on a light receiving region, and CCDs arranged in alternations with the columns of the photodiodes; wherein, when charges are stored, a potential barrier of an isolation area between CCDs formed between the photodiodes and the CCDs is formed higher with respect to signal charges than a potential barrier of an isolation area between photodiodes formed between the photodiodes. By this solid-state imaging device, signal charges generated by the incident light on this isolation area between photodiodes can appropriately be stored in the photodiodes. Therefore, it is not necessary to form a metal shielding film on the isolation area between photodiodes, and the efficient area of the photodiodes is increased by taking the area of the photodiodes at maximum. Thus, high sensitivity is obtained.

Recently, miniaturization and high quality of solid-state imaging elements constituting a solid-state imaging device have been developed, and the technique for manufacturing solid-state imaging devices has also been made finer. Accordingly, improving the sensitivity and reducing smear have been required.
An example of a solid-state imaging device of the prior art is hereby explained with reference to the drawings (FIGS. 11 to 14).
FIG. 11 is an enlarged plan view of a part of a light receiving region of a solid-state imaging device of the prior art. FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view taken along line X--X of FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line Y--Y of FIG. 11. FIG. 14 shows a potential distribution at a cross section taken along line A"-A-B-A' of FIG. 11 when charges are stored.
As is apparent from the above figures, the solid-state imaging device of the prior art comprises a semiconductor substrate 1, a photodiode 2, a vertical charge coupled device (CCD) 3, an isolation area 4 between CCDs, an isolation area 5 between photodiodes, a polysilicon electrode 6, an oxide film 7, a metal shielding film 8, an aperture 10 of the shielding film, and an insulating film 11. Moreover, each figure illustrates the motion of signal charges 12 generated by incident light 9.
Next, specific structure of the above mentioned solid-state imaging device is explained.
The semiconductor substrate 1 is a silicon mono-crystal. A p-type well is formed on a part forming the light receiving region by implantation of ions. The photodiode 2 is formed in the p-type well by implantation of n-type arsenic, phosphorus, or the like. Similarly, the vertical CCD 3 is formed in the p-type well by implantation of n-type arsenic, phosphorus, or the like.
The isolation area 4 between CCDs is formed between the photodiode 2 and the vertical CCD 3, which forms a potential barrier by implantation of p-type boron, etc. Similarly, the isolation area 5 between photodiodes is formed between neighboring photodiodes 2, which forms a potential barrier by implantation of p-type boron, etc.
The polysilicon electrode 6 is formed on the vertical CCD 3. By this polysilicon electrode 6, the potential of the vertical CCD 3 is controlled. The oxide film 7 is formed on the polysilicon electrode 6 in such a manner that it covers a surface of the polysilicon electrode 6. The metal shielding film 8 is formed on the oxide film 7 and shields the vertical CCD 3 from incident light 9 to prevent smearing. The aperture 10 of the shielding film for receiving incident light 9 is formed on the photodiode 2. The insulating film 11 is formed on the metal shielding film 8. This insulating film 11 protects the solid-state imaging device.
In the solid-state imaging device according to the prior art having the above mentioned structure, signal charges are generated through photoelectric conversion of the incident light 9 by the photodiode 2 formed on the semiconductor substrate 1. Then, these signal charges are read out to the vertical CCD 3.
However, in the solid-state imaging device according to the prior art, if the p-type concentration of the isolation area between photodiodes is compared with the p-type concentration of the isolation area between CCDs, then the dose of implanted ions to the isolation area between photodiodes is greater than that to the isolation area between CCDs. Consequently, when charges are stored, the potential barrier of the isolation area 5 between photodiodes is higher than the potential barrier of the isolation area between CCDs (see FIG. 14). Thus, since the potential barrier of the isolation area between CCDs (point B) is low, signal charges generated by incident light to the isolation area between photodiodes (point A) are not stored in the photodiode but directly enter (spill over into) the vertical CCD. As a result, the problem of smearing occurs due to these signal charges spilling over into the vertical CCDs.
In order to avoid the above problems, a shielding film is usually formed on the isolation area between photodiodes so as to shield the incident light. However, if a shielding film is formed on the isolation area between photodiodes in consideration of a process margin for preventing dislocation when a mask of the aperture for the photodiode is aligned, or a coverage of the step difference of a base with the shielding film, then the width of the aperture of the shielding film is considerably limited and the effective area of the photodiode is reduced, thus causing a problem that hindered improvement of sensitivity.
Moreover, even if the shielding film is formed on the isolation area between photodiodes, there arises a problem that signal charges generated by a part of the incident light passing through the aperture are directly taken into the vertical CCD due to drift, and smear occurs. One way of avoiding this problem is to reduce the area of the aperture of the shielding film. Reducing the area of the aperture of the shielding film deteriorates the sensitivity of the solid-state imaging device.


To provide an airbag apparatus in which the gas generator can be mounted quite easily to the gas generator mounting portion of the airbag without causing gas leakage at all. A curtain-like airbag having an elongated cylindrical gas generator mounting portion is provided on the upper side surface of the cabin for protecting the passenger of the automotive vehicle. A gas generator insertion port is provided at both ends of the gas generator mounting portion. A gas generator is inserted into the gas generator insertion port, and fastened tightly with a fastener from the outer periphery of the gas generator insertion port. The gas generator is constructed in such a manner that a casing is fitted on a hybrid inflator concentrically with a cylinder and a gas exhaust port is provided on the side peripheral surface of the casing.

The present invention relates to an airbag apparatus for protecting passengers in the high-speed movable body such as automotive vehicles in case of collision, and more specifically, an air bag apparatus in which the connecting portion between the airbag and the gas generator is improved. Especially, the present live invention relates to an airbag apparatus suitable for applying to the airbag that deploys like a curtain along the side surface of the cabin of the automotive vehicle.
This type of protection bag for the head of the passenger in the automotive vehicle is disclosed in WO96/26087, and specifically shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 9 therein. In this known bag, the air chamber comprises a duct portion extending along the upper edge of the bag from the end of the bag facing toward the front of the vehicle (front end) to the end facing toward the back of the vehicle (rear end), and a number of cells extending continuously downward from the duct portion. The gas generator is connected to the duct portion on the side facing toward the rear of the vehicle. The gas generator generates gas upon collision of the vehicle, and gas flows into the duct portion from the side facing toward the rear of the vehicle and deploys the cells from the cell at the rear end in a sequential order. Therefore, the cell on the front end is deployed significantly behind the cell on the rear side.
As a protection bag for the head of the passenger of the automotive vehicle in which the time difference of the deployment between the respective portions of the bag is small and is rapidly deployed as a whole, the one which is provided with a gas inlet port at the center of the bag when viewed in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is proposed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No.10-291457
FIGS. 5(a)-5(c) are a bag shown in the same publication, in which FIG. 5(a) is a perspective view showing a state in which gas in introduced in the bag and deployed, and FIG. 5(b) and FIG. 5(c) are cross sectional views taken along the lines 5(b)-5(b) and 5(c)-5(c) FIG.5(a) respectively.
The bag 10 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal air chambers 12 formed by overlapping two almost fan-shaped sheets and joining the entire peripheral margin and prescribed positions in the vertical direction. The upper portions of the air chambers 12 are in communication with the upper air chamber 14. An opening 16 for supplying gas into the upper air chamber 14 is provided at the longitudinal center thereof.
In the bag 10 constructed in a manner described above, gas is supplied into the upper air chamber 14 from the opening 16 when the automotive vehicle crashes or rolls over. The supplied gas deploys the upper air chamber 14 and the longitudinal air chambers 12, and thus the bag 10 is deployed along the door window or the like.
In the Japanese Patent Application Publication No.10-291457, how the gas generator is connected to the gas inlet port 16 is not disclosed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an airbag apparatus in which the gas generator is mounted to the gas inlet port easily and without causing gas leakage at all, and in which the airbag can be deployed smoothly as a whole.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
The airbag apparatus of the present invention comprises an airbag having a gas inlet port, and a gas generator for generating gas for deploying the airbag. The gas generator has a long cylindrical shape with a gas exhaust port on its side peripheral surface. The airbag has a gas generator mounting portion continuing to the gas inlet port and the gas generator mounting portion is provided with a pair of gas generator insertion ports at a prescribed distance. The gas exhaust port of the gas generator is arranged in the gas generator mounting portion in such a manner that both ends are inserted into the respective gas generator inserting ports, and the gas generator insertion port is fastened tightly from the outside by an annular fastener.
In such an airbag apparatus, the gas generator can easily be mounted by inserting the same into the gas generator insertion port and fastening tightly by an annular fastener, and no gas leakage happens at all.
Gas generated from the gas generator is supplied from the gas inlet port into the entire portion of the interior of the airbag smoothly, and thus the airbag is deployed quickly as a whole.
The pair of gas generator insertion ports are preferably formed into a cylindrical shape. The fastener is preferably formed of metal, and constructed to fasten tightly by caulking.


The present disclosure shows a crane controller for a crane which includes a hoisting gear for lifting a load hanging on a cable, with an active heave compensation which by actuating the hoisting gear at least partly compensates the movement of the cable suspension point and/or a load deposition point due to the heave, wherein the heave compensation takes account of at least one constraint of the hoisting gear when calculating the actuation of the hoisting gear.

Such crane controller is known from DE 10 2008 024513 A1. There is provided a prediction device which predicts a future movement of the cable suspension point with reference to the determined current heave movement and a model of the heave movement, wherein a path controller of the load at least partly compensates the predicted movement of the cable suspension point.
For actuating the hoisting gear, DE 10 2008 024513 A1 creates a dynamic model of the hydraulically operated winch and the load hanging on the cable and creates a sequence control unit therefrom by inversion. For realizing a state control, unknown states of the load are reconstructed form a force measurement via an observer.
It is the object of the present disclosure to provide an improved crane controller.
According to the present disclosure, this object is solved in a first aspect by a crane controller according to claim 1 and in a second aspect by a crane controller according to claim 4.
In a first aspect, the present disclosure shows a crane controller for a crane which includes a hoisting gear for lifting a load hanging on a cable. The crane controller includes an active heave compensation which by actuating the hoisting gear at least partly compensates the movement of the cable suspension point and/or a load deposition point due to the heave. According to the present disclosure, it is provided that the heave compensation takes account of at least one constraint of the hoisting gear when calculating the actuation of the hoisting gear. By taking account of the constraint of the hoisting gear it is ensured that the hoisting gear actually can follow the control commands calculated due to the heave compensation and/or that the hoisting gear or the crane is not damaged by the actuation.
According to the present disclosure, the heave compensation can take account of a maximum admissible jerk. It thereby is ensured that the hoisting gear or the structure of the crane is not damaged by the actuation of the hoisting gear due to the heave compensation. Beside a maximum admissible jerk, a steady course of the jerk furthermore can be requested.
Alternatively or in addition, the heave compensation can take account of a maximum available power.
Alternatively or in addition, the heave compensation can take account of a maximum available acceleration. Such maximum available acceleration for example can result from the maximum power of the drive of the hoisting gear and/or the length of the cable unwound already and the weight force of the cable thereby acting on the hoisting gear and/or due to the load of the hoisting gear caused by the weight force to be lifted.
Furthermore alternatively or in addition, the heave compensation can take account of a maximum available velocity. The maximum available velocity for the heave compensation also can be obtained as described above with regard to the maximum available acceleration.
Furthermore, the crane controller can include a calculation operation which calculates the at least one constraint of the hoisting gear. For this purpose, the calculation operation can evaluate in particular sensor data and/or actuation signals. By the calculation operation, the currently applicable constraints of the hoisting gear can each be communicated to the heave compensation.
In particular, the constraints of the hoisting gear can change during a lift, which can be taken into account by the heave compensation according to the present disclosure.
The calculation operation each can exactly calculate a currently available at least one kinematically constrained quantity of the hoisting gear, in particular the maximum available power and/or velocity and/or acceleration of the hoisting gear. Advantageously, the calculation operation takes account of the length of the unwound cable and/or the cable force and/or the power available for driving the hoisting gear.
According to the present disclosure, the crane controller can be used for actuating a hoisting gear whose drive is connected with an energy accumulator. The amount of energy stored in the energy accumulator influences the power available for driving the hoisting gear. Advantageously, the amount of energy stored in the energy accumulator or the power available for driving the hoisting gear therefore is included in the calculation operation according to the present disclosure.
In particular, the hoisting gear according to the present disclosure can be actuated hydraulically, wherein a hydraulic energy accumulator is provided in the hydraulic circuit for driving the hoisting winch of the hoisting gear.
Alternatively, an electric drive can be used. The same can also be connected with an energy accumulator.
Advantageously, the crane controller furthermore comprises a path planning module which determines a trajectory with reference to the predicted movement of the cable suspension point and/or a load deposition point and by taking account of the constraints of the hoisting gear. According to the present disclosure the drive constraints, in particular the drive constraints with regard to the power, the velocity, the acceleration and/or the jerk can explicitly be taken into account when planning the trajectories. The trajectory in particular can be a trajectory of the position and/or velocity and/or acceleration of the hoisting gear.
Advantageously, the path planning module includes an optimization operation which with reference to the predicted movement of the cable suspension point and/or a load deposition point and by taking account of the constraint of the hoisting gear determines a trajectory which minimizes the residual movement of the load due to the movement of the cable suspension point and/or the differential movement between the load and the load deposition point due to the movement of the load deposition point. According to the present disclosure, the at least one drive constraint thus can be taken into account within the optimal control problem. Within the optimal control problem, the constraint of the drive in particular is taken into account with regard to power and/or velocity and/or acceleration and/or jerk.
The optimization operation advantageously calculates an optimal path with reference to a predicted vertical position and/or vertical velocity of the cable suspension point and/or a load deposition point, which by taking account of the kinematic constraints minimizes the residual movement and/or differential movement of the load.
In a second aspect, the present disclosure comprises a crane controller for a crane which includes a hoisting gear for lifting a load hanging on a cable. The crane controller comprises an active heave compensation which by actuating the hoisting gear at least partly compensates the movement of the cable suspension point and/or a load deposition point due to the heave. According to the present disclosure, the heave compensation includes a path planning module which with reference to a predicted movement of the cable suspension point and/or a load deposition point calculates a trajectory of the position and/or velocity and/or acceleration of the hoisting gear, which is included in a setpoint value for a subsequent control of the hoisting gear. Due to this structure of the heave compensation a particularly stable and easily realizable actuation of the hoisting gear is obtained. In particular, the unknown load position no longer must be reconstructed with great effort.
According to the present disclosure, the controller of the hoisting gear can feed back measured values to position and/or velocity of the hoisting winch. The path planning module hence specifies a position and/or velocity of the hoisting winch as setpoint value, which in the subsequent controller is matched with actual values.
Furthermore, it can be provided that the controller of the hoisting gear takes account of the dynamics of the drive of the hoisting winch by a pilot control. In particular, the pilot control can be based on an inversion of a physical model which describes the dynamics of the drive of the hoisting winch. In particular, the hoisting winch can be a hydraulically operated hoisting winch.
The first and the second aspect of the present disclosure each are protected separately by the present application and can each be realized separately and without the respective other aspect.
Particularly, however, the two aspects according to the present disclosure are combined with each other. In particular, it can be provided that the path planning module according to the second aspect of the present disclosure takes account of at least one constraint of the hoisting gear when determining the trajectory.
The crane controller according to the present disclosure furthermore can include an operator control which actuates the hoisting gear with reference to specifications of the operator.
Advantageously, the controller therefore includes two separate path planning modules via which trajectories for the heave compensation and for the operator control are calculated separate from each other. In particular, these trajectories can be trajectories for the position and/or velocity and/or acceleration of the hoisting gear.
Furthermore, the trajectories specified by the two separate path planning modules can be added up and serve as setpoint values for the control and/or regulation of the hoisting gear.
Furthermore, it can be provided according to the present disclosure that the division of at least one kinematically constrained quantity between heave compensation and operator control is adjustable, wherein the adjustment for example can be effected by a weighting factor by which the maximum available power and/or velocity and/or acceleration of the hoisting gear is split up between the heave compensation and the operator control.
Such division is easily possible in the heave compensation according to the present disclosure, which anyway takes account of constraints of the hoisting gear. In particular, the division of the at least one kinematically constrained quantity is taken into account as constraint of the hoisting gear. Advantageously, the operator control also takes account of at least one constraint of the drive, and in particular of the maximum admissible jerk and/or a maximum available power and/or a maximum available acceleration and/or a maximum available velocity.
According to the present disclosure, the optimization operation of the heave compensation can determine a target trajectory which is included in the control and/or regulation of the hoisting gear. In particular, as described above, the optimization operation can calculate a target trajectory of the position and/or velocity and/or acceleration of the hoisting gear, which is included in a setpoint value for a subsequent control of the hoisting gear. The optimization can be effected via a discretization.
According to the present disclosure, the optimization can be effected at each time step on the basis of an updated prediction of the movement of the load lifting point.
According to the present disclosure, the first value of the target trajectory each can be used for controlling the hoisting gear. When an updated target trajectory then is available, only the first value thereof will in turn be used for the control.
According to the present disclosure, the optimization operation can work with a lower scan rate than the control. This provides for choosing greater scan times for the calculation-intensive optimization operation, for the less calculation-intensive control, on the other hand, a greater accuracy due to lower scan times.
Furthermore, it can be provided that the optimization operation makes use of an emergency trajectory planning when no valid solution can be found. In this way, a proper operation also is ensured when a valid solution cannot be found.
The crane controller according to the present disclosure can comprise a measuring device which determines a current heave movement from the sensor data. For example, gyroscopes and/or tilt angle sensors can be employed as sensors. The sensors can be arranged at the crane or at a pontoon on which the crane is arranged, for example on the crane base and/or on a pontoon on which the load deposition position is arranged.
The crane controller furthermore can comprise a prediction device which predicts a future movement of the cable suspension point and/or a load deposition point with reference to the determined current heave movement and a model of the heave movement.
Advantageously, the model of the heave movement as used in the prediction device is independent of the properties, and in particular independent of the dynamics of the pontoon. The crane controller thereby can be used independent of the pontoon on which the crane and/or the load deposition position is arranged.
The prediction device can determine the prevailing modes of the heave movement from the data of the measuring device. In particular, this can be effected via a frequency analysis.
Furthermore, the prediction device can create a model of the heave with reference to the determined prevailing modes. With reference to this model, the future heave movement then can be predicted.
Advantageously, the prediction device continuously parameterizes the model with reference to the data of the measuring device. In particular an observer can be used, which is parameterized continuously. Particularly, the amplitude and the phase of the modes can be parameterized.
Furthermore, it can be provided that in the case of a change of the prevailing modes of the heave the model is updated.
Particularly, the prediction device as well as the measuring device can be configured such as is described in DE 10 2008 024513 A1, whose contents are fully made the subject-matter of the present application.
In the control concept according to the present disclosure, the dynamics of the load furthermore advantageously can be neglected due to the extendability of the cable. This results in a distinctly simpler structure of the controller.
The present disclosure furthermore comprises a crane with a crane controller as it has been described above.
In particular, the crane can be arranged on a pontoon. In particular, the crane can be a deck crane. Alternatively, it can also be an offshore crane, a harbor crane or a cable excavator.
The present disclosure furthermore comprises a pontoon with a crane according to the present disclosure, in particular a ship with a crane according to the present disclosure.
Furthermore, the present disclosure comprises the use of a crane according to the present disclosure and a crane controller according to the present disclosure for lifting and/or lowering a load located in water and/or the use of a crane according to the present disclosure and a crane controller according to the present disclosure for lifting and/or lowering a load from and/or to a load deposition position located in water, for example on a ship. In particular, the present disclosure comprises the use of the crane according to the present disclosure and the crane controller according to the present disclosure for deep-sea lifts and/or for loading and/or unloading ships.
The present disclosure furthermore comprises a method for controlling a crane which includes a hoisting gear for lifting a load hanging on a cable. A heave compensation at least partly compensates the movement of the cable suspension point and/or a load deposition point due to the heave by an automatic actuation of the hoisting gear. According to the present disclosure, it is provided in accordance with a first aspect that the heave compensation takes account of at least one constraint of the hoisting gear when calculating the actuation of the hoisting gear. In accordance with a second aspect, on the other hand, it is provided that the heave compensation calculates a trajectory of the position and/or velocity and/or acceleration of the hoisting gear with reference to a predicted movement of the cable suspension point, which is included in a setpoint value for a subsequent control of the hoisting gear. The method according to the present disclosure has the same advantages which have already been described with regard to the crane controller.
Furthermore, the method can be carried out such as has also been described above. In particular, the two aspects according to the present disclosure also can be combined in the method.
Furthermore, the method according to the present disclosure can be effected by a crane controller as it has been described above.
The present disclosure furthermore comprises software with code for execution as method according to the present disclosure. In particular, the software can be stored on a machine-readable data carrier. Advantageously, a crane controller according to the present disclosure can be implemented by installing the software on a crane controller.
Advantageously, the crane controller according to the present disclosure is realized electronically, in particular by an electronic control computer. The control computer advantageously is connected with sensors. In particular, the control computer can be connected with the measuring device. Advantageously, the control computer generates control signals for actuating the hoisting gear.
The hoisting gear can be a hydraulically driven hoisting gear. In accordance with the present disclosure, the control computer of the crane controller according to the present disclosure can actuate the swivel angle of at least one hydraulic displacement machine of the hydraulic drive system and/or at least one valve of the hydraulic drive system.
In one example, a hydraulic accumulator is provided in the hydraulic drive system, via which energy can be stored when lowering the load, which then is available as additional power when lifting the load.
Advantageously, the actuation of the hydraulic accumulator is effected separate from the actuation of the hoisting gear according to the present disclosure.
Alternatively, an electric drive can also be used. The same can also comprise an energy accumulator.
The present disclosure will now be explained in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments and drawings.


High strength, high ductility aluminum base alloys containing from 3 to 18.5 atomic percent nickel and 3 to 14.0 atomic percent yttrium, said alloy being in the devitrified state and containing less than 40 percent intermetallic phases.

Glassy aluminum base alloys have been considered for structural applications in the aerospace industry. These alloys may involve the addition of rare earth and/or transition metal elements. Such alloys have high tensile strengths, often exceeding 200 ksi. However, disadvantageously these materials evidence little if any ductility in bulk form in the glassy state.
In an effort to impart ductility to these materials, various degrees of devitrification have been induced through heat treatment and it has been found that these materials still remain brittle. This appears to stem from the fact that these materials have a relatively high atomic percent of rare earth and/or transition metal elements for good glass formability; consequently, such alloys typically have a high volume fraction of an intermetallic phase or intermetallic phases in the devitrified state and this results in alloys that are dead brittle and useless as structural materials.
It is, therefore, a principal objective of the present invention to provide aluminum base alloys that overcome the foregoing disadvantages and are characterized by high strength and high ductility in the devitrified state.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.


An air barrier that prevents entrainment of surrounding air from the welding environment into the welding helmet is provided. The barrier for the welding helmet contains a flexible curtain, front and rear edges, and means for securing the front edge of the curtain adjacent to the rear edge of the helmet. The flexible curtain may be made of fire-resistant and flexible molded material. The air barrier may be permanently secured to or removable from the welding helmet. The invention may be used in conjunction with a variety of ventilation and cooling systems, including small units that mount on or in welding helmets, as well as more elaborate blowing systems partially carried by the welder.

The invention relates generally to welding helmets, and more particularly to arrangements for controlling the influx of air into a welding helmet.
Welding can be a heat intensive process, especially during the summer months in outdoor locations or in plants without air conditioning or good air circulation. Furthermore, welding environments contribute fumes and particulates to the locations in which welding is performed. While some industrial standards exist that require powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) systems, such standards may not apply to all situations in which improved air circulation may be desirable for operator comfort, particularly over extended periods of work. Moreover, when not required, PAPR systems represent a relatively costly approach to ventilation and cooling.
Certain relatively lower cost, lightweight airflow systems have been proposed that can be mounted to the welding helmet, and that offer a promising solution to this problem. However, these systems are often less than satisfactory, in particular due to the potential for entrainment of surrounding air from the welding environment into the welding helmet. Therefore, there exists a need for improvements in such systems that prohibit outside air from degrading the air quality in the helmet.


There is disclosed a converter for summing inputs includes first, second, third and fourth adders. Each of the adders is adapted to receive a carry-in and to provide as outputs a carry-out and a sum output. Each adder has an associated partial product generated in proximity thereto. The adders are interconnected such that the associated partial product of the first and second adders provide additional inputs to the first adder. The associated partial products of the third and fourth adder provide additional inputs to the second adder. The sum output of the first and second adders provide additional input to the third adder. A sum input to the converter and the sum output of the third adder provide additional inputs to the fourth adder. The output of the fourth adder is the output of the converter.

Several techniques arc known to speed-up reduction of an array of partial products in a multiplier. One well known technique is a Wallace tree. Another known technique to speed-up reduction of partial product terms in a multipler is described in "An Architecture For High Speed Array Multiplier" published by F. F. Islam and K. Tamaru in IEICE Transaction Fundamentals, Volume E76-A, No. 8, August 1993, pages 1326-1333. The speed-up technique disclosed by Islam and Tamaru provides the sum input to a linear array of adders as an input to the last adder in the the linear array, shifts the partial product input of each adder to the adder above (except the uppermost adder) but does not provide any speed-up in adding the partial products.
Another known technique to speed-up reduction of partial product terms in a multiplier is described in "Array Multiplication Scheme Using Counters and Pre-Addition" published by S. Vassiliadis, J. Hoekstra and H.-T. Chin in Electronic Letters, Volume 31, No. 8, Apr. 13, 1995, pages 619-620. The column-by-column reduction speed-up technique disclosed has three aspects. Firstly, all partial products are provided to adders early in the column addition sequence, three partial products per adder, until all of the adder inputs are utilized. Secondly, the sum input is provided as an input to the last adder in the column so as to minimize the delay to the sum output. Thirdly, to minimize the number of adders, inputs are provided to each of the adders until each adder, with the exception of at most one adder, has three inputs. Of course, each adder also has a carry output and a sum output. A shortcoming of the Vassiliadis et al technique is that partial products generated at one location must be added at another location which complicates routing of conductors, thereby enlarging the area of the multiplier.
What is needed is a technique for reducing partial product arrays that provides the advantage of speeding up adding the partial products while not complicating routing of conductors as in the Vassiliadis et al technique.

Reduction of partial product arrays using pre-propagate set-up


The disclosure relates to a processor for processing histological samples. The processor comprises an inlet for insertion of a closed fixing container having the samples present therein.

The purpose of treating a histological sample, for example one taken from a patient, is to bring that sample into a state that permits sectioning into thin layers using a microtome. This treatment takes place in multiple processing stations. Sectionability can be enabled, for example, by the fact that in multiple successive processing steps, a mechanically stabilizing medium is introduced (infiltrated) into the tissue. Alternatively, the tissue can also be frozen.
A plurality of processing stations for processing histological samples are already known from the existing art. For example, processing stations in the form of trimming stations, fixing stations, dehydration stations, clearing stations, infiltration stations, embedding stations, or microtomes (sectioning stations) are known in a wide variety of embodiments. Dehydration, clearing, and infiltration can occur in different treatment stations of a single device, which is referred to hereinafter as a "processor."
In a trimming station, the tissue (removed, for example, from the patient) is cut into individual samples. The samples are usually placed into cassettes and transported to a fixing station. Fixing of the samples is necessary because the supply of oxygen to the cells is suppressed after removal of the tissue from the patient, which results in cell death. Firstly a swelling of the cells can be observed; protein denaturing also occurs, and autolysis with subsequent bacterial digestion. In order to counteract this damage, the samples that have been removed are fixed in the fixing station with a fixative, for example formalin.
After treatment in the fixing station, dehydration of the samples occurs in a dehydration station. Dehydration of the samples is necessary in order to enable the subsequent process of infiltration and embedding.
Because the fixative (in particular formalin) is usually an aqueous medium, whereas the infiltration or embedding medium to be used (in particular paraffin) is usually a medium not miscible with water, the samples must be dehydrated before further treatment of the samples in the dehydration station. Dehydration of the samples is accomplished with the aid of a dehydration agent, for example ethanol.
Before the samples are transferred to the infiltration station, they are also cleared. Clearing is necessary because the alcohol in the tissue of the sample is not miscible with paraffin. The alcohol must therefore be removed from the tissue before infiltration, and replaced with a reagent miscible with paraffin, for example xylene.
After treatment of the sample in the clearing station, it is brought to an infiltration station. In the infiltration station an infiltration agent, which usually corresponds to the embedding agent used later, is introduced into cavities of the sample until it is saturated. Introduction of the infiltration agent allows the samples to be mechanically stabilized.
Following treatment of the sample in the infiltration station, it is processed in the embedding station. In the embedding station the histological sample is embedded into an embedding agent such as paraffin or wax. In practice, the term "embedding" is used in two ways. On the one hand it is a synonym for "infiltration," which occurs in the aforementioned infiltration station; on the other hand, it has the same meaning as "embedding" or "block embedding," which occurs in the embedding station.
For embedding, the samples are placed into molds and the mold is filled with the embedding agent. The histological sample is then cooled so that the embedding agent can harden. To cool the histological samples they are, for example, placed onto a cooling plate of the embedding station. The result is to create an embedded block in which the sample is immobilized in stationary fashion. After hardening of the embedding agent, the sample can be sectioned with the microtome into individual thin sample sections, which in a subsequent step can be stained and investigated with a microscope.
To ensure that the sectioning operation with the microtome can be carried out precisely, it is necessary for the embedded block to remain in a hard state. In practice, a laboratory worker transports the cassettes individually from the embedding station to the microtome. Alternatively, it is known that the laboratory worker does not transport the cassettes individually, but instead places them from the cooling plate of the embedding station into a transport basket. The transport basket is then transported to a microtome, with which the samples present in the transport basket are processed.
In embodiments known from the existing art, the fixed sample is removed from the fixing container by the user and put into the processor. In the processor, dehydration, clearing, and infiltration of the sample occur in the corresponding aforementioned treatment stations of the processor. The infiltrated sample is then delivered to an embedding station arranged physically separately from the processor.
The known embodiment is disadvantageous in that the fixing container must be manually opened in the laboratory in order to remove the samples. In addition, the user must manually take the samples out of the fixing container and introduce them into the processor. The result is that the user must perform a number of time-consuming working steps.
The object of the invention is therefore to make available a processor that decreases the number of time-consuming working steps carried out by the user of the processor.

Processor for processing histological samples


An automotive wheel washer comprising a circular conduit having a diameter of approximately 12 to 20 inches and further provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced nozzles which direct cleaning fluid and chemicals laterally of the wheel washer and toward the adjacent wheel in an inwardly converging fashion. An additional 360° center nozzle produces an outwardly diverging spray pattern which, in combination with the plurality of spaced outer nozzles, is effective to cause direct application of cleaning chemicals to all surfaces of a wheel and reduce the shadowing effect caused by intricate wheel structure patterns. Foaming is created by a porous material in a foaming chamber serving as a common inlet to all nozzles and further having a high pressure air inlet. The circular conduit may be made of plastic or stainless steel or any of a number of essentially equivalent materials.

The retail washing of automotive vehicles is a high-dollar volume business in the United States and in many other countries where a high percentage of the population owns automotive vehicles. It is common for retail vehicle laundries to include one or more wheel washers on both sides of the washing area.
A problem associated with wheel washing is created by the intricate patterns found on the wheels which are either sold as original equipment or custom aftermarket purchase to make automobiles more attractive; i.e., such wheels often have intricate patterns of spokes, struts and openings which tend to "shadow" or block the spray pattern from conventional wheel washers from reaching many of the inside areas of the wheel. Unless such areas are substantially directly contacted by the wheel washer fluids and chemicals, these areas will not be cleaned and the customer may be less satisfied with the performance of the retail vehicle laundry.


A method and an apparatus for transmitting sensor data by using AER sensing and collaborative sensing in order to increase the energy efficiency in a wireless sensor network. The method includes calculating an AER for each of said at least one sensor using sensor data measured from said at least one sensor and sensor profile information corresponding to said at least one sensor, and determining sensor data to be transmitted to a higher node from among sensor data provided by the sensor module based on the AER.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and an apparatus for increasing energy efficiency in a wireless sensor network, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for transmitting sensor data using AER and collaborative sensing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various developments in communication technology have resulted in an environment in which users can freely access a network regardless of location and without taking a computer or network into consideration. This is commonly referred to as a "ubiquitous" environment.
The core technology of a ubiquitous environment includes a wireless sensor network system. In a wireless sensor network system, a sensor node independently operates by detecting information including geographical, environmental, and social changes. The detected information data is transmitted to a sink node of the sensor network. In the wireless sensor network system, each sensor node performs a routing function for transmitting sensor data. Each sensor node performs a routing function because the energy consumption rule in a wireless communication requires consumption of energy two to four times as much as that of the distance that a signal is to be transmitted. Accordingly, when a sensor node is not adjacent to a sink node in the network route, rather than transmit the sensor data directly to the sink node, the sensor node can reduce energy consumption by indirectly transmitting sensor data to the sink node via an adjacent node or through multi-hop.
The basic structure of a wireless sensor network includes multiple sensor nodes, each having an independent sensing capability and a computing capability, which are interconnected through a communication network, wherein each node has its own local battery for supplying power to itself. However, the battery supplying the power to each node has a limited power in comparison with general commercial electricity and is thus very limited in the use of energy.
In order to overcome this problem, research has been conducted for reducing power consumption in all fields of the sensor network. The main stream of this research is to reduce the times of wireless communication or the quantity of wireless communication between nodes, in order to extend the survival time of the network.
FIG. 1A schematically illustrates a typical wireless network system in which a sensor node transmits data to a sink node and the sink node performs a sensor data operation. In contrast, FIG. 1B schematically illustrates a wireless network system improved for increasing the energy efficiency of a sensor network, in which data aggregation (in-network aggregation) is used for transmitting data from a sensor node to a sink node.
More specifically, the in-network aggregation technology as illustrated in FIG. 1B has been studied as a solution for reducing the existing transmission message communication. As an example of a trial for more efficiently reducing the energy consumption by the communication message, it is possible to apply a threshold that changes according to the location of a node, i.e., to apply a threshold that increases as a node to which data is to be transmitted becomes farther from a node at which the data is to be finally collected. It is possible to reduce the message quantity by preventing transmission of sensor data to a higher node under the threshold. Here, an average value and a standard derivation are obtained from sensor data collected during a predetermined time from a predetermined group of nodes, and the obtained average value and standard derivation are compared with those obtained for a previous time, such that a predetermined threshold is obtained. Thereafter, data is transmitted only when a result of the comparison exceeds a predetermined threshold.
However, the threshold reflects the distance from the sensor node to the sink node, and a long distance increases the number of messages necessary for transmission to the sink node, thereby increasing the energy consumption. Therefore, the threshold causes allocation of less sensor data to a node located far from a sink node than to a node located near the sink node. Although the threshold is determined to have an optimum value either by a user or according to applicability, there is no indication of a specific solution for dynamic control. Further, although the transmission technology described above utilizes a distance factor, which implies that the technology discriminates the sensor data from a distanced node, it is not preferable because occurrences of events at the sensor node have no relation with the distance to the sink node.
Therefore, there is still a need for another solution, which increases energy efficiency of a sensor node by transmitting sensor data based on a category capable of properly selecting sensor data transmitted to a sink node.
The problems of a wireless sensor network system as described above can be summarized into the following two subjects: (1) prolonging the life of a sensor node by reducing energy consumption of the sensor node as much as possible; and (2) achieving economic and efficient use of an entire wireless network system through uniform energy consumption by multiple sensor nodes.

Method and apparatus for collaborative sensing based on an allowed error range of a sensor in a wireless sensor node


In a sintered oil impregnated bearing constructed of a bearing main body made of a porous type sintered alloy on which is formed a bearing hole for inserting a rotating shaft therethrough, the pores on the axially lying sliding face of the inner peripheral surface of the bearing hole on which the rotating shaft slides are crushed. The sintered oil impregnated bearing is manufactured, at the time of forming powder compact, by forming a through hole defining the bearing hole, by a rod having a roughening section formed thereon, thereby crushing the pores which are in contact with the roughening section, and afterward by sintering the powder compact. Because the pores on the sliding face are crushed, the lubricating oil on the sliding face does not leak, thereby forming a strong oil film having no oil pressure drop on the sliding face, and thus preventing the local contact between the rotating shaft and the sliding face. It is therefor is possible to lower the coefficient of friction of the bearing.

This invention relates to a sintered oil impregnated bearing and its manufacturing method, especially, a sintered oil impregnated bearing having superior frictional characteristics, and its manufacturing method.
Formed from a porous-type sintered alloy, and after being impregnated with oil, such sintered oil impregnated bearings can be used for extended periods of time without lubrication, therefore, they are widely used as bearings for rotating shafts of various machines.
This type of sintered oil impregnated bearing is constructed, as illustrated in FIG. 6, which shows a bearing hole 2 formed in a bearing main body 1 made of a porous-type sintered alloy, a rotating shaft of a smaller diameter than the hole 2 is inserted in the hole, and the lubricating oil drawn off from a large number of oil-containing holes (pores) in the bearing main body 1 due to the pumping action caused by the rotation of the rotating shaft 3, and the lubricating oil seeping out due to expansion caused by frictional heat form an oil film on the sliding face 4 of the bearing hole 2, thereby freely rotatably supporting the rotating shaft 3.
However, in the above noted sintered oil impregnated bearing, because there are a large number of pores formed on the sliding face 4 of the bearing hole 2 on which the rotating shaft 3 is sliding, even if the oil film is generated, a part of the lubricating oil leaks from the above noted pores causing a drop in the oil pressure, and as a result, local touching of the rotating shaft 3 with the sliding face 4 takes place. When such local touching occurs, the coefficient of friction of the oil impregnated bearing becomes large, and burning is easy to be generated, and this was a fault. Therefore, the present inventors considered that if the lubricating oil can be made not to leak out from the sliding face 4, a strong oil film without having an oil pressure drop can be formed, thus enabling the lowering of the coefficient of friction of the bearing.

Sintered oil impregnated bearing and its manufacturing method


A process for increasing the production of a glycolytic intermediate and/or an organic compound as defined herein by a cell that is able to express a nucleic acid molecule, wherein the expression of the nucleic acid molecule gives the cell the ability to increase the production of a glycolytic intermediate and/or the organic compound and wherein the carbon substrate is sugar and/or protein.

The energy-producing organisms such as plants, some algae, and cyanobacteria produce energy not only for themselves but also for almost all other organisms on Earth. The product of photosynthesis is glucose, the immediate energy source of cells. Once photosynthesized, glucose can be used either to make energy for cellular work or converted into complex molecules of starch, oil, and proteins as stored energy, structural components, or molecular machineries. Proteins in cells serve critical functions such as structural components, enzymes, transport proteins, and cellular energy source. The structural components of plant cell wall are made up of 2-10% proteins, and the cell membrane contains 50% proteins. The breakdown of proteins and mobilization of amino acids depend on the physiologic needs of plants under various conditions such as oxidative stress, salinity, seasonal change, and developmental stages.
Plants grown in a medium with high salt concentrations have lower energy levels, are shorter, have smaller biomass, and have a lower protein content in comparison with plants grown in low salt concentrations (Maria et al. 2001). As a case in point, Asish et al. (2005) showed that a salt-sensitive protein SSP-23 degrades at high salt concentration in the mangrove plant species Bruguiera parviflora, and the phenomenon is suggestive of a salt tolerance mechanism, which adjusts for the osmolarity difference by releasing the protein's amino acid content. High-salt medium seems to be a catalyst for protein breakdown like the SSP-23 degradation and its amino acid mobilization.
Plants adjust the level of energy utilization according to their developmental needs. During the winter, energy is reserved in the form of starch, proteins, and amino acids, which are derived from glucose photosynthesized during late summer. In the fresh pith of tobacco plant species Nicotiana tabacum, which represents a slow-growing tissue much like plants in winter months, 88% of the total cellular amino acids are present in a soluble pool with only 12% incorporated into proteins. Conversely the plant's callus, a rapid outgrowth tissue from growing the pith tissue in an artificial nutrient-rich medium, has only 8% of total amino acids in the soluble pool and 92% in proteins. Further, the most abundant amino acids in the soluble pool are glutamine, asparagine, glutamine, and aspartic acid (Kemp et al. 1972). The amino acid reserve of alanine, arginine, and asparagine comes from the nitrogen fixation of ammonia, probably via glutamine (Menegus et al., 1993). These reserve sources of energy and nitrogen-rich compounds are tapped in the spring when apical growth begins.
During the metabolically-dormant winter, plants do not produce much photosynthesized oxygen that can breakdown cell membrane and, thus, release its protein content. For example, some rhizomes (creeping rootstalks) such as P. australis, A. calamus, and S. lacustris keep their membranes intact during the winter. The growth condition that begins in the spring provides a sudden surge in oxygen that can damage cell membrane though the process called lipid peroxidation. Then, membrane-bound proteins are released, which provide an amino acid pool as a source for both energy and for making other proteins needed for growth. However, the rootstalk plant species Iris pseudocorus produces the anti-oxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) during the anoxic winter season for stabilizing the oxidant surge in the spring. For those species that do not produce SOD just before spring, the change in season provides a burst of protein pool as a source of energy for the growth requirement.
Under the oxygen deprivation condition called anoxia, plants arrest oxidative phosphorylation and produce only 2 molecules of ATP during fermentation rather 36 ATP under oxygen-using metabolism. In response to anoxic stress, plants adapt by increasing the ATP production rate (Pasteur Effect) although not totally making up for the energy deficit. Under anoxia, the synthesis of plant proteins is inhibited by the destabilization of the protein-producing machineries of polysomes (Baily-Serres, 1990). Some genes turned on by anoxia are metabolism-specific and include alcohol dehydrogenase, pyruvate decarboxylase, enolase, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, and sucrose synthase (Sachs et al. 1996), and these enzymes speed up the conversion of energy substrates into energy molecules to compensate for the lack of an energetic state during anoxia. With limited protein synthesis during anoxia, growth is impeded in most plant tissues except for the seed leaf (coleoptile) of germinating rice seedlings, which is unique in its fast growing rate under anoxia while other organs of the seedlings are inhibited from growing (Vartapetian et al., 1978). The energy for the coleoptile growth may come from the rice seed covering layer aleurone, which increases its soluble protein pool in addition to its protease concentrations during germination (Miyuki et al., 2002). With the intact rice seed containing 7-9% protein content, the significant pool of amino acids can provide the initial substrates for conversion into sugar by gluconeogenesis.
The growth-inhibiting stress factors mentioned above ultimately deprive plants' ability to make new sources of energy by inhibiting access to either water, sunlight, or oxygen, all necessary components of photosynthesis. If the immediate energy source is not supplied, plants resort to stored sources of energy locked in starch, oil, and proteins as seen under stress conditions. All 18 of the 20 naturally-occurring amino acids are precursors of substrates for gluconeogenesis to make glucose. If plants were engineered to be more efficient at performing gluconeogenesis, specific substrates along the metabolic pathways should be targeted for manipulation. Pyruvate, a substrate situated at a metabolic crossroad, can feed it into fermentation under anaerobic condition or cell respiration under aerobic condition. To divert pyruvate from entering anaerobic or aerobic respiration and, thus, depleting a viable source for glucose synthesis, pyruvate can be induce-metabolized into oxaloacetate by the over production of pyruvate carboxylase, the enzyme for the conversion. The abundance of oxaloacetate, a precursor for gluconeogenesis, may push the reactions forward. Pyruvate-oxaloacetate conversion also may stimulate the conversions of alanine, cysteine, glycine, serine, and threonine amino acids into pyruvate. The remaining 13 amino acids in FIG. 1 also may be stimulated to enter the cycle for the production of oxaloacetate if the accumulated substrate pool were used for phosphoenolpyruvate synthesis by PEPCK (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase).
When plants are subjected to various stress and growth-limiting conditions, metabolism is switched from energy storing (anabolism) to energy usage (catabolism). During periods of energy abundance, plants have evolved to store the excess energy in starch, oil, and proteins. When energy input is limited, the stored sources of energy can undergo metabolic interconversion into glucose via gluconeogenesis. Proteins are a major category of biomolecules in plants (corn kernels contain 9-10% proteins), and tapping into methods to convert proteins to sugars provide an added source of accessible substrates for ethanol production. Stress factors can mobilize the stored energy, and plants also can be engineered to actively take the gluconeogenic pathway. However, biomass buildup depends on the constant energy input without excessive external stress. To harvest the most possible sugars, plants may be allowed to build up biomass under nutrient-rich conditions then be subjected to stress just before harvesting, or plants can be engineered to grow normally while metabolizing sugars. How much economically-viable products we can extract from algal biomass depend on the available forms. A major hurdle in biofuel production is yield, and efforts to increase yield has focused on genetic engineering.
The current standard ethanol fermentation uses glucose sugar as feedstock, thus, limiting yield. The U.S. ethanol industry uses mostly corn as a feedstock, which contains 72% starch sugar that must be processed into glucose sugar for ethanol fermentation. Another source of glucose comes from cellulosic materials, which also have to be processed into glucose. Therefore, there still is a need for an alternative and improved production process of ethanol, which does not have all the drawbacks of existing processes. The engineered organisms herein described can use proteins in addition to sugars as carbon sources, therefore, increasing ethanol fermentation yield. Although the sugar glucose is the immediate energy source for cells, they can convert other nutrients like proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into glucose by the metabolic process called gluconeogenesis. The engineered organisms as described herein have enhanced gluconeogenesis pathways that can build up glucose, the feedstock for ethanol fermentation. This system has several advantages over the current ethanol fermentation system including increasing ethanol yield, using proteins and carbohydrates as sources of carbon, and making the clean biofuel production more economical.

Efficient production of biofuels from cells carrying a metabolic-bypass gene cassette


An auto-focusing method and device are presented for determining an in-focus position of a sample supported on a substrate plate made of a material transparent with respect to incident electromagnetic radiation. The method utilizes an optical system capable of directing incident electromagnetic radiation towards the sample and collecting reflections of the incident electromagnetic radiation that are to be detected. A focal plane of an objective lens arrangement is located at a predetermined distance from a surface of the substrate, which is opposite to the sample-supporting surface of the substrate. A continuous displacement of the focal plane relative to the substrate along the optical axis of the objective lens arrangement is provided, while concurrently directing the incident radiation towards the sample through the objective lens arrangement to thereby focus the incident radiation to a location at the focal plane of the objective lens arrangement. Reflected components of the electromagnetic radiation to a location objective lens arrangement are continuously detected. The detected reflected components are characterized by a first intensity peak corresponding to an in-focus position of said opposite surface of the substrate, and a second intensity peak spaced in time from the first intensity peak and corresponding to an in-focus position of said sample-supporting surface of the substrate. This technique enables imaging of the sample when in the in-focus position of the sample-supporting surface of the substrate.

Auto focusing is an essential feature in many automated inspection fields such as the chip industry, biomedical research, data reading/recording in optical information carriers, etc.
Auto-focusing techniques used in the inspection/measurement of such structures as semiconductor wafers typically utilize an optical system separated from an imaging optics, which projects a light pattern (e.g., spots, lines, etc.) on the wafer and optimizes the image of this pattern (by using intensity contrast or displacement). Such techniques are applicable only for long working distance microscopes, i.e., with small numerical apertures. These techniques require calibrations and adjustments to match auto-focusing and imaging optical systems, and are hard to implement, especially when the imaging optics has variable magnification. U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,874 describes a solution to the variable magnification problem based on projecting a focusing pattern through a magnifying imaging optics.
Other common methods for auto-focusing in the chip industry inspection are based on the detection of light reflected from a specimen, wherein incident light is focused either on the outer surface of the specimen, or on inner interfaces of the specimen (as in the case of infrared light).
A recently developed auto-focusing technique for use with measurement/inspection on semiconductor wafers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,349. This technique is useful in both conventional microscopy and interferometry. According to this technique, an operator designates the area within each field of view where the measurement has to be taken, and, for each area of interest (where the microscope is to be focused), translates the microscope along its optical axis (Z-axis) while measuring the image intensities at discrete sub-areas within the area of interest. These image intensities are then evaluated, and those having the greatest signal-to-noise ratio and occurring at a common point along the Z-axis are selected, and the corresponding sub-areas are identified. During subsequent inspections of the area of interest, only light reflected from the identified sub-areas is used to focus the microscope.
Numerous publications (e.g., Born M. and Wolf, E. Principles of optics Cambridge University Press, 1997; T. Wilson and C. Sheppard, "Theory and practice of scanning optical microscopy", Academic Press, 1984) disclose optical principles, based on detecting the intensity variation above and below a focal plane (z-profile) for a point-like source, which are the basis for many auto-focusing systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,829 discloses a technique for use with reflected light microscopes. This technique utilizes the production of a measuring point on the surface of an object by an eccentric measuring beam formed by blocking a portion of the path of a full beam, and imaging the measuring point onto a photoelectric device by reflecting the measuring beam along the blocked-out path.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,617 discloses an auto-focusing technique for use in the inspection of semiconductor wafers. Here, a confocal microscope utilizes auto-focusing based on maximal intensity evaluated through an aperture larger than the diffraction limited size.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,987 describes a focusing technique for stereo microscopy, utilizing the imaging of an incident beam through a cylindrical lens projecting a thin bar-shaped marking on a viewed object surface. In this technique, imaging and focusing are not carried out via the same optics. confocal microscope on the most reflecting layer by an iterative z-scanning of the intensity profile.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,129 discloses an auto-focusing technique for a microscope based on the optical path difference to a front focused position and to a back position that are conjugate with respect to the image forming point of the image forming optical system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,948 describes an auto-focusing arrangement for use with incident light microscopes of dark field illumination. According to this technique, an incident light beam is comprised of several (at least two) partial beams which coincide in at least a central region of the incident light beam and which are of different wavelengths. An auto-focus measurement beam is presented by one of these partial beams. A lens element is inserted into the central region of the incident beam so as to change the beam cross-section (converging and diverging).
Some auto-focusing techniques (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,995,143 and 5,790,710; and Geusebroek et al., Cytometry, 39:1–9 (2000) and references cited therein) are based on the analysis of image contrast and local intensity distributions. These techniques typically require the acquisition and analysis of many images to reach the best focus. The application of these techniques for fluorescence microscopy of biological samples is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,080, where the maximal signal to background value criterion is used. Here, a shutter is added to block the excitation illumination between image acquisition periods, thus minimizing the sample bleaching. The focusing technique of U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,710 is intended for use in a scanning microscope for inspecting fluorescently stained biological samples. This technique is aimed at avoiding bleach and phototoxicity utilizing the phase-contrast microscope image.
Auto-focusing techniques utilizing an increase of the depth of focus of a focusing optics by digital combination of series of images taken at many close focal planes are disclosed, for example, in the following publications: Haeusler, G. and Koemer, E., "Imaging with Expanded Depth of Focus", Zeiss Inform., Oberkochen, 29:9–13, No.98E., (1986/87); Schormann, T. and Jovin, T. M., "Contrast Enhancement and depth perception in three-dimensional representation if differential interference contrast and confocal scanning laser microscope images.", J. Microscopy 166:155–168, (1992). According to these techniques, a plurality of images is taken and processed three-dimensionally to find the sharpest features of all focal planes which are presented in the single "deep focus" image. Additionally, these techniques are not preserving intensities, and therefore are not applicable for quantitative fluorescence microscopy applications.
Present automated high-resolution (high-content) high-throughput applications of light microscopy in biology require scanning a large number of samples, such as cell yeast or bacteria, typically inside multi-well micro-plates, and acquiring images in each well which resolve intracellular details at the utmost resolution possible by the optics. In order to resolve such details, setting the focus within the vertical focal resolution of the objective is mandatory. This means 0.3–0.5 μm for immersed objectives, and 0.6–0.9 μm for high-numerical aperture long-working-distance air objectives. Such accuracy is far beyond the tolerance of the bottom surfaces of multi-well dishes, and even typical high-performance XYZ stages cannot scan distances of about 10 cm in the XY plane while keeping the Z coordinate within the above tolerances.
A practical solution for the existing instruments is to find the focus for a given sample, based on the optimization of image sharpness. Different algorithms, employing Fourier frequency space and real space image analysis, have been used, and Z scan, in a range that is expected to include the optimal focus, can guarantee that the best focal plane will be found (Geusebrock et al., Cytometry 39:1–9 (2000) and references 1–8,10–11,25–26 cited therein). To accelerate the process, the scan is first made in large steps, and refined till the required focus accuracy is reached. However, this approach has several inherent problems:
1. The process is slow. Even if processing is performed in real time, at least an order of magnitude slower throughput is expected as compared to maximum possible image acquisition rate.
2. A focus search algorithm could be based on efficient optimization. For example, Fibonacci minimization can reduce the range of the minimum search from 0.3 mm to 0.3 μm in 12 steps. Yet, there is no scheme that will map the distance from the focus into any evaluation parameter with smooth dependence displaying a single minimum over three orders of magnitude range of defocusing. Scans must therefore start close to the focus (typically within 20 μm) to refine its position
3. Sharpness criteria are very sensitive to dirt, scratches and fingerprints on surfaces. Glass slides or plastic well bottoms are a fraction of a millimeter thick and may often cause auto-focus devices based on maximal sharpness to focus at the wrong side of the sample substrate.
4. Sharpness algorithms are context-dependent, and there is no global focus criterion that can equally apply to a wide variety of image types. Fluorescently tagged cells may be found by the virtue of the cell-specific staining. However, image-based focusing is not applicable to fluorescent microscopy, where repeated imaging may cause bleach and phototoxicity. Fluorescence is localized also to specialized sub-volumes, thus the intensity varies greatly and is sample dependent. Typical biological screens based on fluorescent labels need to report intensities over a widely distributed range, as well as their absence. Focusing methods that evaluate fluorescence are therefore not applicable for such screens.
5. Biological specimens (such as live cells) are basically transparent, and have very low reflectivity, usually from structures (such as organelles) dispersed through their whole volume. Transmitted light microscopy can acquire images by optical contrasting methods (such as DIC or phase contrast) that avoid photo-toxic fluorescence excitation. Yet, even if the focus reaches a plane somewhere within the extent of the cell height, typically 4–10 μm, some sub-cellular details may still be out-of-focus. To assure the covering of the whole cell height by three-dimensional (3D) optical sectioning methods, one needs to over-scan a focal range about twice as high as the cell, since the initial plane may be close to the bottom or the top of the cell. Phase images may have the best contrast at focal heights that depend on irregular structures within or above the sample, and hence, cellular details may still be blurred for high resolution imaging. Phase images may also produce the best contrast at under- or over-focus conditions due to the nature of phase-optics and due to the misalignment of the phase ring optics.

Auto-focusing method and device for use with optical microscopy

Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd.


A graphical processing system comprising a computational unit and a shadow processing unit coupled to the computational unit through a communication bus. The computational unit is configured to transfer coordinates C1 of a point P with respect to a first space to the shadow processing unit. In response to receiving the coordinates C1, the shadow processing unit is configured to: (a) transform the coordinate C1 to determine map coordinates s and t and a depth value Dp for the point P, (b) access a neighborhood of depth values from a memory using the map coordinates s and t, (c) compare the depth value DP to the depth values of the neighborhood, (d) filter binary results of the comparisons to determine a shadow fraction, and (e) transfer the shadow fraction to the computational unit through the communication bus.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of computer graphics and, more particularly, to a system and method for rendering scenes including the effects of shadowing with respect to one or more light sources.
2. Description of the Related Art
Shadow mapping is a technique for generating shadows on three-dimensional graphics hardware. It involves computing a first image (i.e., the shadow depth image) from the point of view of a light source that is to cast shadows. Each pixel in the first image indicates a distance between the light source and an object visible along a ray emanating from the light source. The scene is then re-rendered from the viewer's location to generate a second image (i.e., the rendered image) as follows. At each visible point P of an object its distance DP to the light source is computed. If the distance between the object point and the light source is less than or equal to the distance of the closest object to the light source along the same directional ray, the object point is illuminated. If not, the object point is in shadow. Standard matrix transformations may be used to compute the required distances and to identify the point in the shadow depth image that corresponds with a screen pixel in the rendered image. This technique is prone to jagged shadow edges, since each pixel is determined to be entirely in or out of shadow.
In order to smooth the shadow edges, a neighborhood of several pixels is examined in the shadow depth image, and the distance of each pixel in the neighborhood is compared to the object-light distance DP. The proportion of nearby shadow pixels that are smaller than the object-light distance DP is used to determine the degree of shadow. This is known in the literature as "percentage closer" filtering. Rather than simply counting how many pixels are closer, which may lead to stairstep artifacts, it is conventional to apply a set of weights to each shadow pixel in the neighborhood, so that more central shadow pixels are given greater influence in the result.
Because filtered shadow mapping improves the appearance of rendered shadows, it would be very desirable to provide support for this feature in graphics rendering hardware, especially in real-time graphics rendering hardware.

System and method for computing filtered shadow estimates using reduced bandwidth