An apparatus and process for producing reduced and low-fat, high-quality pasta filata cheese incorporates a rice-based cheese substitute into freshly manufactured pasta filata cheese through a kneading, spraying process that preserves the integrity of the cheese's fiber structure.

The invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for the production of reduced and low-fat pasta filata cheeses such as mozzarella cheese, and in particular, to an apparatus and process for incorporating a rice-based, reduced and low-fat cheese substitute into pasta filata cheese without adversely affecting the texture of the cheese.
Pasta filata (plastic curd) cheeses are Italian-type cheeses in which the curd is worked to develop a fiber or string-like texture providing an elasticity in the finished cheese desired by consumers.
Pasta filata cheeses are kneaded while the curd is still in the plastic state to develop the desired texture. This kneading was originally performed by hand, but now may be performed by motor driven stretchers. In such a stretcher, augers fitting loosely within a trough, stretch and compress cheese curd as it is conveyed along the extent of the trough. The stretching develops the fiber or string-like quality for which pasta filata cheeses are valued. The kneading process is conducted at approximately 140 degrees Fahrenheit sufficient to provide plasticity to the cheese but below the melting point of the cheese where the fiber structure of the cheese would be lost through melting.
Once the structure of the cheese has been developed, the cheese curd is transferred to a molder/chiller system which divides the curd into blocks and cools it. Stretchers and molder/chillers suitable for this purpose are also commercially available from the JOHNSON/Nelles Corporation of Windsor, Wis.
The cheese blocks may then be transferred to a brining pit in which cold brine chills and floats the blocks to prevent deformation during the remaining cooling process. The chilling in cold brine also adds some salt to the cheese. When the cheese block center core has reached approximately 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and has the desired salt content requested by the industry of 1.2-1.7%, it may be packaged.
Interest in reduced and low-fat foods has lead to the development of pasta filata cheeses incorporating reduced and low-fat cheese substitutes. Such substitutes are mixed into the milk used to generate the curd for the pasta filata cheese prior to its fermentation or maybe blended into finished pasta filata by grinding the pasta filata and blending it with the substitute, then melting the blended ingredients together. While these products are frequently referred to as pasta filata type cheeses, their texture and quality make them readily distinguishable from true pasta filata cheese.

Apparatus for the manufacture of reduced and low-fat pasta filata cheese


The invention concerns a particle having a code from a library of codes embedded in its physical structure by refractive index changes between different regions of the particle. In preferred embodiments, a thin film possesses porosity that varies in a manner to produce a code detectable in the reflectivity spectrum. An assay detection method uses such a particle and detects a spectral shift in the presence of an analyte. Additional embodiments are disclosed including additional features.

A well-appreciated need for labeling exists in society. Labeling is a fundamental basis for tracking and identifying. Encoding can be used as a form of labeling understood by persons or equipment, as in the case of bar coding. At the microscale, however, labeling/encoding itself becomes difficult.
Strategies to encode microscale materials have accordingly received increased attention for such uses as high-throughput screening in the fields of drug discovery, genetics screening, biomedical research, and biological and chemical sensing. Concurrent research strategies for measuring an increased number of analytes while minimizing the necessary sample volume have focused on either on-chip spatially differentiated arrays or encoded beads. Large arrays have been developed for biological and/or chemical sensing purposes by making use of positional encoding to register specific analyte responses. The main advantage of using an array over a conventional single analyte sensor is the ability to process and analyze a large number of analytes simultaneously. Positional arrays, however, can suffer from slow diffusion rates and limits on the concentration ranges of analytes being sensed. An alternative approach is to use individually encoded beads.
Early attempts to encode particles used fluorescent or infrared-active molecules as binary markers. More recently, cadmium selenide quantum dots have been demonstrated as viable candidates for particle encoding based on their unique fluorescent properties. Quantum dots have the advantage over organic molecules of increased stability towards photobleaching, sharper fluorescence peaks, improved solubility characteristics, and large excitation frequency ranges. With six colors (limited to the peak width of the fluorescence in the visible range) and ten intensity levels, 106 particles could theoretically be encoded. In practice, this number is difficult to obtain because of spectral overlap and sample inhomogeneities. Also, despite the increased photostability of quantum dots, fluorescence quenching is still possible, casting uncertainty on using relative intensity measurements as a reliable encoding method.
Another encoding strategy has used sub-micron metallic rods. The sub-micron metallic rods are prepared by electrodeposition of metals on a porous membrane in alternating strips of controlled thickness. Different reflection characteristics of the various metals are used as a barcode for identification purposes. Reflection spectroscopy does not have the disadvantage of photobleaching inherent with fluorophores. Additionally, fluorescent analytes do not interfere with the particle signal. Deposition of rods is a relatively complex process, however, and may be difficult to apply as an encoding strategy where, for example, a large number of codes is desirable because each rod must be brought into focus in an optical reader (such as a microscope) in order to read out the codes.
Fluorescent molecule encoding, core-shell quantum dot encoding, and photonic crystal encoding using Rugate and Bragg reflectivity theory rely upon creating spectral lines that act as bits. The number of possible codes is limited to 2n, where n is the number of spectral lines or bits that are discernable from other lines in a spectrum. There remains a need for encoding strategies at the microscale.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Optically encoded particles through porosity variation

The Regents of the University of California


A starwheel assembly for use with a carcass dehairing machine comprising a starwheel having a central hub and at least one paddle deflection limiting member, as well as a scraper paddle. The central hub includes an arcuate body having an outer surface and an inner surface. Each paddle deflection limiting member includes a proximal end coupled to the outer surface of the body of the central hub and a distal end opposing the proximal end. A paddle attachment assembly facilitates attachment of the scraper paddle thereto. The configuration of the starwheel apparatus provides support for the scraper paddle and limits the movement thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to carcass dehairing equipment, and more particularly, to a starwheel assembly for use with carcass dehairing machines.
2. Background Art
The use of automated carcass dehairing equipment is well known in the art. For decades, the primary dehairing equipment has employed starwheels having scraper paddles that rotate and impact the carcass. The scraper paddles include blades which contact the skin and dislodge and remove hair follicles from the carcass. Examples of starwheels and various scraper paddle configurations are shown in the following U.S. patents, namely, U.S. Pat. No. 1,502,749 issued to Schmidt, U.S. Pat. No. 1,460,863 issued to Pratt, U.S. Pat. No. 2,029,064 issued to Edwards, U.S. Pat. No. 2,296,873 issued to Rachford, U.S. Pat. No. 2,604,656 issued to Anderson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,334 issued to Adams, Jr., et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,297 issued to Nijhuis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,109 issued to Radovic et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,066 issued to Meier et al.
Over the last few decades, many meat processing plants have been utilizing starwheels 10′ of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Such starwheels include paddle attachment members 22′ that include an arcuate region to provide a soft edge about which the paddle member can bend. Moreover, the arcuate region of the paddle attachment members typically have a relatively small radius of curvature, rs′ (FIG. 3). As such, certain problems and drawbacks have emerged.
In particular, due to the relatively small radius of curvature, the scraper paddles are exposed to large rotational moments and rotational stresses about a central region of the body. Such extensive bending and rotation exposes the scraper paddles to large and damaging strain forces. Moreover, much of the scraper paddle remains unsupported as the scraper paddle rotates relative to the arcuate region even in a fully displaced configuration. Accordingly, the usable life of the scraper paddles is limited and the scraper paddles degrade relatively quickly.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to enhance the usable life of scraper paddles attached to starwheels.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a starwheel which has an improved support structure for a scraper paddle.
It is another object of the invention to provide a starwheel which limits the rotational displacement of a scraper paddle coupled thereto.
These objects as well as other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims, and drawings.

Starwheel assembly for use with carcass dehairing machines


3D display device, 3D display system and method for displaying 3D images are disclosed in the present invention. The 3D display device comprises: a display screen; a backlight means including a pulse light source; and a drive means used to receive video signals which are based on a standard video transmission protocol, so as to control the display screen to display 3D images according to the video signals, and control the pulse light source to emit a backlight pulse in the form of pulse during a vertical blank of each frame period of the video signals, wherein the duration of the backlight pulse is shorter than that of the vertical blank. The degrading of light is avoided in the 3D display device and the efficiency of the backlight can achieve almost 100%.

Ordinary 2D display system mainly comprises a display device and a control means connected to the display device (e.g. the host of a computer, cell phone, etc.). The drive means in the display device (e.g. the graphic card) receives video signals from the control means, and control image-displaying on the display screen of the display device according to the video signals. A standard video transmission protocol is used between the control means and the drive means in the display device. In the video signals based on a standard video transmission protocol from the control means, the vertical blank of each frame period constitutes a pretty short portion of each frame period, e.g. the vertical blank of each frame period constitutes 1%-2% of each frame period in the case of video signals based on a standard DVI (Digital Video Interface) protocol.
Like the 2D display system, a 3D display system also comprises a display device and a control means connected to the display device. And the drive means in the display device (e.g. the graphic card) receives video signals from the control means, and control image-displaying on the display screen of the display device according to the video signals. The difference is that images for left eye are different from the images for right eye in the principle of the 3D display system, what left eye sees are images corresponding to the left eye, and what right eye sees are images corresponding to the right eye, so that the 3D display system also comprise 3D glasses which are controlled. Specifically, two sets of images, one set for left eye and one set for right eye are actually displayed on the display device. Each of frame period in the video signals corresponds to image for left eye and image for right eye in turn. Correspondingly, images for left eye and images for right eye appear on the display screen in turn. When showing one frame of image for one eye, the other eye which is not supposed to see that frame of image is blocked by controlling the 3D glasses.
In addition, each frame of image is seen by one eye, but during the scan stage of that frame image (the transmission stage of the image), the image should not be seen by the eye. Only in the stage when the scan of the image is completed (the vertical blank stage) should light be passed (i.e. light are allowed to enter the eye). And the level of feeling about the frame of image that the eye experiences is the integral of brightness of the image and time of feeling. So that in the present art of 3D display, both lenses of the 3D glasses are blocked via control (in general the lenses are turned to black by switching on current). The vertical blank of each frame of video signals constitutes a longer portion of each frame period, in order to ensure that the viewers see the video images with enough brightness and clarity. However, the duration of the vertical blank of each frame of video signals cannot be extended without limitation as the phenomenon of ghosting has to be avoid. Furthermore, the backlight of the backlight means in the 3D display device is continuously in a state of being turned on.
For example, when the video signals are based on a DVI protocol, the vertical blank constitutes at most 32% of each frame of video signals, otherwise there will be a problem of ghosting in the present art, as shown in FIG. 1. Also, corresponding to each frame of video signals, only one of the lenses of the 3D glasses is pervious to light during the vertical blank of that frame of video signal. In FIG. 1, in the coordinate of video signals, '1' represents that the frame of video signals is being transmitted while '0' represents that the transmission of the frame of video signals is completed, i.e. the vertical blank. In the coordinate of the state of lenses, '0' represents that both of the lenses are blocked, '1' represents that the left lens is pervious to light and '−1' represents that the right lens is pervious to light. The backlight of the backlight means is continuously in a state of being turned on.
Thus, only a portion of the brightness (corresponding to the vertical blank) provided by the backlight means enters the eyes of the viewer(s). Besides, longer vertical blanks constitute a larger portion of bandwidth of digital link of the video signals. And the longer vertical blanks also demand anon-standard video transmission protocol between the control means and the drive means. So that the ordinary drive means has to be altered (i.e. a non-standard drive means is used). However, the non-standard drive means is non beneficial for further update of the product.
Therefore, there is a need of providing a 3D display device, a 3D display system and a method for displaying 3D image to solve the above problems.


An image display optical system according to the present invention has an illumination optical system, a plurality of image display elements, a color separation/combination optical system, and a projection optical system. The image display optical system also has a light guide element which reflects illumination light from the illumination optical system with a reflectivity of substantially 100% to guide the reflected light to the color separation/combination optical system and transmits image light from the color separation/combination optical system to the projection optical system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display optical system which uses image display elements for modulating light and has an illumination optical system for illuminating the image display elements and a projection optical system for enlargedly projecting image light from the image display elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
A projection type image display apparatus has been conventionally used which uses an illumination optical system for illuminating an image display element and the image display element such as a liquid crystal display for modulating polarization of the illumination light to produce image light such that the image light from the image display element is enlargedly projected.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-319344 proposes an image display apparatus using a so-called reflection type image display element in which illumination light from the illumination optical system is incident on one side of the image display element and image light modulated by the image display element emits from the same side.
FIG. 21 shows the configuration of a conventional projection type image display apparatus. In FIG. 21, reference numeral 301 shows a light source, 302 a reflector, 303 a filter, 304 and 306 fly eye lenses. Reference numeral 305 shows a mirror, 307 a polarization beam splitter, 308 a color separation/combination prism, 309r, 309g, 309b image display elements, and 310 a projection lens.
An optical path IL of an illumination optical system and an optical path PL of a projection optical system are combined by the polarization beam splitter 307 to pass through the single color separation/combination prism 308.
The polarization beam splitter for combining the optical paths, however, is made from multilayer film, and if the angle of light incident on the multilayer film varies and thus deviates from a design angle (for example, 45 degrees), the efficiency is changed in separating the light into a P-polarized light component and an S-polarized light component to result in loss of light, thereby presenting a problem that the image display apparatus can only project dark images.
In addition, in the aforementioned image display apparatus, all the three image display elements 309r, 309g, and 309b are disposed in a plane including the reference axes of the illumination optical system and the projection optical system, that is, lines (axes) obtained by tracing a light ray along the center line of an illumination light flux in the illumination optical system, which presents a problem that the whole image display apparatus is likely to be increased in size in the direction of that plane.
Furthermore, when part of the illumination light is reflected on any transmission surface of a component such as the color separation/combination prism for directing the illumination light to the image display elements, the reflection may produce flare and cause a problem of the inability to obtain projected images of high quality.

Image display optical system and projection type image display apparatus

Abstract: Each optical path of the illumination light and each optical path of the image light are different from each other in the light guide element and the color separation/combination optical system. The projection optical system is an eccentric optical system.

Abstract: With the configuration, the use efficiency of light can be enhanced to obtain bright and high-definition display images.


Computer for a bicycle includes a speed change with a chain transmission, including a plurality of front crown wheels (16) which can be driven in rotation by a pair of pedal cranks (18) and a plurality of rear sprockets (20), a first sensor (30) for providing an electric signal indicating the speed of rotation of one wheel of the bicycle, a second sensor (32) for providing an electric signal indicating the speed of rotation of the pedal cranks (18), and a third sensor (38) for providing an electric signal indicating which is the selected front crown wheel. The computer has a display (24) for displaying riding information of the bicycle, and an electronic control programmed so as to determine the number of teeth (Zp) of the selected rear sprocket as a function of said signals and as a function of stored data indicating the number of teeth (Zc) of the front crown wheels (16).

The present invention relates to a computer for bicycles and to a method for obtaining riding information of a bicycle.
Computers for bicycles are known which calculate and display a plurality of riding information which are useful for the rider, such as instant speed, riding distance, speed of rotation of pedal cranks, etc. There are also known computers for bicycles programmed for displaying which are the selected sprocket and crown wheel, on the basis of information received from sensors placed on speed change control units.
A particularly useful information for the riders is the selected transmission ratio. Riders are normally used to express the transmission ratio by indicating the number of teeth of the selected crown wheel and sprocket, for instance 52/14 or 42/24. With known computers for bicycles, for displaying the transmission ratio in this way it would be necessary to store in the computer the number of teeth of crown wheels and sprockets. This operation would be quite long, especially because of the great number of rear sprockets which in the most recent solutions reaches 9 or 10. In addition, it is quite frequent that the user periodically replaces the rear wheel and the respective group of sprockets, in order to better adapt the bicycle transmission ratios to the characteristics of the ride. With known computers for bicycles, the step of storing the number of teeth of the sprockets should be repeated each time the rear wheel is replaced.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the above drawbacks.
In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved by a computer for bicycles and by a method for detecting riding information of a bicycle, having the features forming the subject of the claims.
The invention now will be disclosed with reference to the attached drawings, given purely by way of non-limiting example, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic lateral view of a race bicycle provided with a computer according to the present invention, and
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing schematically the main operating elements of the computer for bicycles according to the invention.

Computer for bicycles and method for obtaining riding information


A luggage case is provided with a removable protective covering for wrapping a first length of plastic sheeting from a dispenser (80) in one direction and a further length in a direction at 90 degrees to the first direction. The sheeting covering the case handle and wheels is cut away to enable manual use of the case. Apparatus for use in providing the protective covering includes a rotatable pedestal on which the case rests and clamping plate assembly vertically positionable to releasably secure the case to the pedestal during wrapping.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the provision of a disposable protective covering for luggage in a relatively simple and inexpensive manner.
2. Related Art
It is common experience in air and train travel to find that luggage has its outer surface scratched, scarred, or otherwise damaged, during transit. This comes about in that the luggage is usually, except for a few smaller items, retained by the transportation facilities for common shipment in which the luggage is moved along conveyor belts and onto special motorized carts for transportation from a reception facility to a plane or train and back, all of which, of course, exposes the luggage to contact with other luggage and the environment so that there is a high risk of damage resulting to the luggage outer surface. It is a desideratum, therefore, to provide an inexpensive throw-away or disposable outer covering for luggage items which can be easily and quickly applied, and which will protect it from damage during transit or storage.

Apparatus for providing luggage with a disposable protective cover


A method of setting up a medium current ribbon beam for ion implantation is provided. It includes providing an ion source fed with a process gas and a support gas. The process ion beam is separated from the support gas beam with a mass analyzing magnet, and the intensity of the process ion beam is controlled by varying the ratio of process gas to support gas in the ion source gas feed. Process beam intensity may also be controlled with one or more mechanical current limiting devices located downstream of the ion source. An ion beam system is also provided. This method may control the total ribbon beam intensity at the target between approximately 3 uA to about 3 mA.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ion implantation, and, more especially, to a method of setting up a medium current ribbon beam for ion implantation and an ion beam system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ion implantation is a process used to introduce into a target substrate atoms or molecules, generally referred to as dopants, to make materials with useful properties. In the field of processing materials with ion beams, various techniques have been developed for producing large, approximately-parallel ribbon ion beams with controlled current uniformity.
Use of a ribbon beam for high current implantation is well known (U.S. Pat. No. 7,326,941, U.S. Pat. No. 7,462,843, U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,926 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,834,786). Uniform application of ions extracted from an ion source to a target is achieved by making the ion intensity distribution highly uniform at the target in the long dimension, and by translating the target in a direction substantially parallel to the short dimension.
In practice, a common target of ion beams is a silicon wafer. For high current implantation of 300 mm wafers, the total current of ions extracted from the ion source is in the range from about 10 mA to about 100 mA. The total intensity of ions in the part of the ribbon beam which strikes the wafer varies from about 3 mA to about 30 mA. The desired ion dose delivered to the wafer is generally in the range from 1E14 to 5E15 ions/cm2. The energy of ions implanted into the wafer is in the range from 0.2 keV to about 20 keV, with ions being extracted from the ion source at 8 keV to 20 keV and subsequently decelerated as required.

Medium current ribbon beam for ion implantation


A receiving apparatus includes a receiving portion to receive a radio signal generated based on one baseband signal of a baseband signal having a prescribed frequency band and a baseband signal having a partial frequency band being a part of the prescribed frequency band, a signal processing portion to generate the baseband signal by converting a frequency of the radio signal, a filter portion to output a plurality of partial signals, each having a frequency component of each partial frequency band extracted from the baseband signal generated by the signal processing portion, and an analysis portion to analyze characteristics of each partial signal of the plurality of partial signals output from the filter portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a receiving apparatus, a program and a receiving method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wireless communication system based on the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 802.11 standards has been widespread. A wireless communication apparatus such as a transmitting apparatus and a receiving apparatus which constitute such a wireless communication system is more advantageous than a wired communication system in that it has a high degree of flexibility such as portability.
The IEEE 802.11n standard assumes, as a band mode to be used for wireless communication, a 20 MHz mode, a 40 MHz mode, a mode using 20 MHz in the upper half of the 40 MHz mode (40 MHz Upper mode), or a mode using 20 MHz in the lower half of the 40 MHz mode (40 MHz Lower mode) as described in International Patent Publication No. WO2006/020520.
Thus, when a receiving apparatus receives a radio signal, it is necessary to determine which band mode the received radio signal corresponds to and perform demodulation according to the relevant band mode. It is also necessary for the receiving apparatus to estimate demodulation information such as frequency offset and timing which are used for the demodulation based on the received radio signal.

Receiving apparatus, program and receiving method


The present invention addresses the problem of providing a method for producing purified methionine, the method being capable of preventing the caking of methionine. The present invention pertains to a method for producing purified methionine from crude methionine, the method comprising (1) a step for obtaining a wet cake of washed crude methionine, (2) a step for adjusting the pH of the wet cake, and (3) a step for drying the wet cake after the pH adjustment, wherein the pH of the wet cake after the pH adjustment is 5.2-6.1.

Methionine is obtained by a hydrolysis reaction of 5-(2-(methylthio)ethyl)imidazolidine-2,4-dione as shown in the following reaction formula (1), for example.

Methionine is useful as an animal feed additive. From the viewpoint of quality improvement, production cost reduction, etc., various studies have been conducted on a method for producing methionine (e.g., Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Method for producing purified methionine and method for preventing caking of methionine


A method for transmitting and receiving a source data block using hybrid automatic retransmission request protocol. At the transmitting side, the source data block that is not decoded correctly at the receiving side is divided into a plurality of data segments, each of which may be padded with known data to expand the data segments to be a predetermined lengthen. At the receiving side, when each of the received data packets includes a data segment and a redundancy information segment, decoding is performed based on the received data segment and redundancy information segment extracted from buffered data packets, with chances to restore the data segment that is not decoded correctly in previous decoding processing. The additional decoding chances improve the probability of correctly decoding the erroneous data segment.

Hybrid ARQ protocols combines a forward-error-correction (FEC) with a retransmission mechanism to provide reliable communication over noisy channels. A packet is only retransmitted if the error-correcting code is not able to correctly decode the packet. To lower the average transmitted amount of redundancy information, type-II hybrid ARQ protocols have been introduced. For the initial transmission, only a small amount of parity information is transmitted with the actual source data. If decoding fails, additional parity information is transmitted incrementally (incremental redundancy, IR) to form lower rate codes. To this end rate compatible codes are often used to allow the construction of a high rate code from a low rate codes by puncturing parts of the parity information. Different error-correcting-codes like Reed-solomon codes, convolutional codes turbo product codes or low-density parity-check (LDPC) code can be used in this scheme.
A general approach to construct rate compatible LDPC codes is disclosed in "A Data Puncturing IR-scheme for Type-II Hybrid ARQ Protocols Using LDPC Codes" in IEEE Communications Society Globecom 2004, page 3012 to 3016, by Uwe Dammer etc. According to the disclosed scheme, incremental redundancy is created from punctured versions of the original data using the same encoder/decoder hardware. If the initial redundancy is not sufficient, only additional parity packets rather than entire packets must be retransmitted and parts of the initially received data can be gradually improved until successful decoding of the entire code is possible. In this way, the data puncturing LDPC obtains a better throughput comparing with other candidate rate compatible codes.
However, data puncturing suffers great performance loss and its adverse impact is more evident as the puncturing rate increases, and in the worst cases, the large percentage of punctured bits may paralyze the iterative soft decision decoder. And furthermore, as other typical transmission schemes using HARQ type-II, the use of rate compatible codes makes the decoding scheme more complicated. All these reduce system transmission performance and thus make the decoder does not work efficiently as originally expected.
Thus there is a need for providing a more efficient transmission scheme for use in a wireless communication system using hybrid ARQ protocol.

Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a data block in a wireless communication system


This invention aims to provide an image recording apparatus capable of preventing deterioration in remaining toner detection accuracy and further to prevent toner from getting damages. To achieve the above described objects, the image recording apparatus according to this invention includes a developer supplying mechanism for supplying the developer from the developer container, a developer containing chamber for containing the developer supplied by the developer supplying mechanism, a developer amount detecting mechanism for detecting a developer amount inside the developer containing chamber, and a controller for controlling based on both a detected value detected with the developer amount detecting mechanism and a predetermined threshold value developer supplying operation using the developer supplying mechanism, in which the controller suspends the developer supplying operation using the developer supplying mechanism based on a shift in the detected values detected by the developer amount detecting mechanism in a state where the developer supplying mechanism supplies the developer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording images on prescribed recording media using a developer contained in a developer container.
2. Description of Related Art
In conventional image recording apparatuses, a photosensitive drum having a uniformly charged surface thereof is exposed to light to form an electrostatic latent image, thereby attaching toner on portions of the electrostatic latent images using electrostatic force to render the images visible. The visible image attached with the toner is transferred onto the recording medium, and subsequently the toner is fused onto the recording medium when conveyed through a fuser to complete the recording operation. The above described mechanism for attaching the toner to the photosensitive drum is formed as a united body, thereby being detachably attachable to the image recording apparatus, and in some apparatuses, the unused toner container may be provided in a detachably attachable manner. This mechanism is generally referred to as a developing device and serves as a main part for making image forming operation.
In the developing device for attaching the toner to the photosensitive drum, a toner supplying mechanism for supplying the toner from the developer container is installed in the developer container and supplies the toner where the toner inside the developing device is consumed. A roller having indentations, an elastic body, a spiral shaped member, and the like had been used as the supplying mechanism. The developer container also has an agitating mechanism for agitating the developer contained inside the container. The agitating mechanism, moreover, has an agitating member which can rotate upon reception of pushing force from such an electric driving means rotating at prescribed rate and can rotatably fall without reception of driving force from the electric driving means down to a bottom position when reaching at a topmost position. Where the amount of toner remaining in the developer container decreases, this agitating member rotates immediately from the topmost position to the bottom position and remains at the bottom position until pushed by a pushing section formed to a connecting member for connecting the agitating member to the driving means. If toner of a large amount remains, the agitating member rotates slowly from the topmost position to the bottom position due to resistance force of the toner, thereby rotating to the bottom position upon reception of the pushing force from the pushing section. Consequently, the amount of toner remaining inside the developer container can be detected upon measurement of period during which the agitating member remains at the bottom position.
More specifically, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-38,744 has been disclosed as an art for detecting the amount of remaining toner.
For more details, described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-38,744 is that an agitating shaft composed of a first rectangular convex shaped portion, a second rectangular convex shaped portion, and a rotating shaft is formed in a crank shape so that the first and second rectangular convex shaped portions have a 180-degree difference in phase with respect to the rotating shaft as a center, in which the first and second rectangular convex shaped portions are different from each other in weight and in which the remaining toner amount is detected according to a period during which either the first or second rectangular convex shaped portion is positioned at a bottom position.
However, there raises problem such that the amount of actually remaining toner and the remaining amount of toner detected based on a period during which the agitating member is positioned at the bottom position are not identical to each other due to deviation in the toner profile inside the developer container at a time of supplying operation. For example, the agitating member falls fast from the topmost position to the bottom position and remains at the bottom position for a longer time where the toner is distributed not uniformly despite the remaining toner of a greater amount than a certain ideal value. In such a case, there raises a problem that the supplying operation is undesirably started despite the remaining toner of a greater amount than a certain ideal value, immediately after a controller for controlling the supplying operation confirms that a period during which the agitating member is positioned at the bottom position is shorter than a threshold value. Furthermore, such a trouble such that the detection accuracy for the remaining toner amount deteriorates, is undesirably caused where a period serving as the threshold value is set longer than needed to prevent the above described situation from occurring.
Furthermore, in the above case, deviations may occur in the toner profile and the supplying toner amount, thereby resulting in deviations in the amount of toner remaining inside the developer container caused by the deviations in the amount of supplying toner, where the controller suspends the supplying operation immediately after making a judgment that a period during which the agitating member remains at the bottom position is less than the threshold value. Where the deviations occur in the amount of toner remaining inside the developer container, there raises a problem such that the calculation accuracy is impaired and such that the toner supplying operation is improperly resumed despite the remaining toner of a sufficient amount inside the developer container due to erroneous recognition of the controller with respect to the remaining toner amount.
This invention is made in consideration of the above described background, and it is an object of the invention to provide an image recording apparatus capable of avoiding deterioration in the remaining toner detection accuracy.


A new mandevilla plant particularly distinguished by red flowers, earliness to flower, a good branching habit, a compact plant habit, and a trailing growth habit, is disclosed.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of mandevilla, botanically known as Mandevilla sanderi and hereinafter referred to by the variety name 'KLEMS14012'. 'KLEMS14012' was derived as a selection from a hand-pollination conducted in Cobbity, New South Wales, Australia in January 2011 between the proprietary female parent '11.5.1' (unpatented) and the proprietary male parent '11.5.7'.
In October 2011, a single plant was selected in Cobbity, New South Wales, Australia from plants produced from the initial hand-pollination. In November 2011, 'KLEMS14012' was first asexually propagated by vegetative cuttings. 'KLEMS14012' was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings in Cobbity, New South Wales, Australia, Stuttgart, Germany, and Nairobi, Kenya.


A first communication apparatus for performing wireless communication with a second communication apparatus includes a memory storing a predetermined wireless setting and a confirmation unit confirming whether it is possible to perform wireless communication with the second communication apparatus using a current wireless setting in the first communication apparatus. The first communication apparatus includes a first change unit changing the current wireless setting to the predetermined wireless setting if it is not possible to perform wireless communication using the current wireless setting and specific information is received from the second communication apparatus, and holding the current wireless setting if it is not possible to perform wireless communication using the current wireless setting and the specific information is not received from the second communication apparatus. Further, the first communication apparatus includes a first communication execution unit receiving first target data from the second communication apparatus using the predetermined wireless setting.

The present disclosure relates to a communication apparatus performing wireless communication.
For example, a system is known in which enables a pair of devices to perform wireless communication through an access point. That is, a wireless communication technology of an infrastructure mode is known. In the meantime, a technology enabling a pair of devices to perform wireless communication without through an access point has been also known. That is, a wireless communication technology of an ad hoc mode has been also known.


A load-securing arrangement for a loading space of a motor vehicle, in particular of a station wagon. During normal travel, a restraining device is accommodated, in a not-in-use position, in the region of at least one loading-space boundary wall and assumes a position in which it does not restrict the loading space. The restraining device is connected to an actuable displacement device which can be activated via a signal of a crash sensor and, once activated, displaces the restraining device into a use position, in which any load is kept away from a passenger compartment. This load-securing arrangement functions automatically and may preferably be designed in the manner of a restraining barrier with belts and/or air bags.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a load-securing arrangement for a loading space of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a known load-securing system of the generic type (DE 44 26 882 C1), in particular for use in station wagons, compartments are formed by means of an elastic belt for the purpose of receiving a load. Provided for this purpose in a belt retractor fixed to the vehicle is a storable belt which, in order to form suitable compartment sizes, can be deflected via deflection fittings distributed in the loading space. The belt retractor is provided with an arresting means for arresting the tensioning-belt withdrawal in the event of rapid withdrawal movements.
Such a load-securing system requires a high degree of effort and expense as a result of the large number of deflection fittings, and is complicated to handle since a suitable tensioning-belt guide has to be found in each case for different loads or a number of load items.
In a load-lashing arrangement, in particular for trucks or delivery vans, which is also known, belts with fastening elements are fitted on the inner surfaces of the side walls of the loading space. A transverse belt can be connected to the side belts via tensioning buckles and can be used to tension the load which is to be secured against the front wall of the loading space. In trucks, the front wall of the loading space with respect to the driver's cab is of relatively rigid design, so that it may be expedient here to lash the load against the front wall with an abutment connection. In cars, by contrast, the front wall of the loading space cannot be subjected to such high loading. In particular in station wagons, the front wall is formed by rear-seat-bench backrests which can be swung over and cannot be subjected to high loading, so that a restraining barrier formed by this means is limited to only lightweight loads. This load-securing arrangement thus cannot be used here in practice.
In a known load-lashing arrangement (DE 295 00 366 U1) for motor vehicles, a belt retractor is provided with a belt which can be unrolled and retracted in a spring-assisted manner and can be guided to a fastening point via a multiplicity of deflection fittings in the loading space. Here too, a suitable lashing position for the load and a corresponding belt guide have to be established before the start of the journey, and this involves a high degree of effort. Nevertheless, the load can slip if the belt guidance is unsatisfactory, in which case the securing function is reduced or not performed at all. In a specific embodiment, the belt, once fastened, may, if required, be tensioned via a tensioning lever using physical strength, in addition to the spring force of the retractor. All in all, handling requires a high degree of outlay.
In station wagons, the rear loading space can routinely be enlarged in that the rear-seat bench can be swung up around a front spindle into a vertical position and the backrest can be swung horizontally into the resulting free space. In the event of such a vehicle being involved in a head-on collision, any non-lashed load can be flung against the rear-seat bench, which, with the loading space enlarged, has been swung up vertically and thereby acts as a barrier. In order to increase the stability of such a barrier and to relieve the rear-seat bench of loading, a safety locking means is known from German reference DE 42 39 492 A1. Additionally fitted for this purpose, at the top corners of the swung-over rear-seat bench, are belt buckles, which are each connected to the rear-seat belt which is provided anyway, so that the top part of the rear-seat bench is braced, and secured, in the rearward direction. It is not possible to use this arrangement to fix any load in the loading space. Rather, in the event of a collision, the load is allowed to shift up against the swung-up rear-seat bench. In addition, this safety locking means only functions when the loading space is enlarged, with the rear-seat bench swung over.
In a barrier arrangement, a so-called belt bar is fastened on the backrest of the rear-seat bench, extends over the entire width of the interior and is supported in strong anchoring means. Fastening points for headrests and three-point safety belts are arranged on this belt bar. In this case, the backrest is divided and the belt bar is fastened on a wider part of the backrest. When the smaller backrest part is swung over, the belt bar thus remains in position and, when the two backrest parts are swung over to the full extent, the bar is swung over with them. This belt bar thus blocks the passage when the smaller backrest part is swung over and loses much of its safety function when, for the purpose of enlarging the loading space, it is swung over forwards together with the wider backrest part.
Safety-belt systems are also known as restraining means for vehicle occupants, which, in addition to a belt retractor with withdrawal-arresting means, have a pretensioning device for eliminating the belt slack in the event of a collision. (see for example EP 0 599 810 A2). For this purpose, an acceleration sensor determines a triggering deceleration and triggers a pretensioning mechanism for retracting the belt slack. In a similar arrangement (taught by DE 43 26 198 A1), the retraction of the belt is terminated once the belt loading has reached a predetermined value. These arrangements serve only to retract the belt slack in the event of a collision, the safety belt, however, must be fastened beforehand. In order to transfer such an arrangement to a known load-securing arrangement with belts, the load would thus have to be lashed with belts from the outset.

Load-securing arrangement for a loading space of a motor vehicle


A truck bed camper shell and hard tonneau cover device is provided which is activated for movement between a raised truck bed camper shell position and a lowered hard tonneau cover position by remote activation of actuators such as pneumatics or hydraulic cylinders or a screw drive mechanism.

The present invention relates to pickup truck bed covers and, more particularly, to such a cover which is convertible between a camper type shell and a hard tonneau type cover.
The beds of pickup trucks enable a wide variety of items to be hauled by such trucks. One problem with pickup beds is their open nature which makes items carried vulnerable to weather damage, theft, or loss by falling or being blown out of the bed. Earlier soft tonneau covers snapped onto snap fasteners mounted on top of the side walls, a front end wall, and the tailgate and provided a cover for the bed which could be opened as needed to place articles into the bed or take them out. More recently, so-called hard tonneau covers have been developed which incorporate mechanisms that allow the cover to tilt up about the front end to provide access to the bed. Some hard tonneau covers are powered by electrical motors, hydraulic cylinders, or pneumatic cylinders to lift and lower the rear end of the cover.
In addition to tonneau covers, various types of shells have been provided for pickup truck beds. Full sized pickup bed camper units are often taller than the pickup cab and wider and longer than the pickup bed and are enclosed by walls on all sides. In contrast, shells, or camper shells, usually are formed of side walls, a front end wall, and a rear hatch, all with windows, and a roof. The rear hatch can be pivoted open or locked closed. Usually, shells have about the same height as the cab and about the same width and length as the pickup bed. Shells allow a person to climb completely into the covered bed and are sometimes used as sleeping quarters when camping. Mechanisms have been developed to tilt shells up about the front end in a manner similar to hard tonneau covers.
In order to combine the advantages of tonneau covers and shells, arrangements have been developed which provide for conversion between a tonneau configuration and a shell configuration. Such an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pub. No. 2004/0061351 A1.

Convertible camper shell and hard tonneau


Fiberboards and methods for making the same. The fiberboard can include two or more compressed fibers; less than 10 wt % of resin and wax, based on total weight of the fibers; and a coating comprising at least one colorant, wherein the colorant covers at least 70% of the fiberboard surface.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to wet processed fiberboard and methods for making same. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to wet processed fiberboard having improved moisture absorption and breakdown properties and methods for making same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fiberboards, such as hardboards, medium density fiberboards ("MDF"), and low density fiberboards ("LDF") are typically made using a wet process, a dry process, or a wet/dry process. Additives, including resins and waxes, are introduced to a slurry of fibers, which is pressed and dried to make a fiberboards. The additives improve the structural integrity, hardness, and durability of the fiberboards, but are environmentally unfriendly. Typical resins include urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde, among other resins and typical waxes are hydrocarbon based.
While currently available fiberboards exhibit relatively good hardness, rigidity, and durability properties, such fiberboards with resins and waxes are resistant to moisture absorption and breakdown, which is undesirable for some applications. For example, fiberboards used as bedding for animals require moisture absorption and must be discarded or recycled after a period of use. The resins and waxes make recycling an inefficient and difficult process by inhibiting the fiberboards ability to decompose.
There is a need, therefore, for improved wet processed fiberboards having improved moisture absorption and/or breakdown properties and methods for making same.


An image forming device and a color misregistration correction method allow for stable formation of excellent images with little color misregistration. A reference patch image is formed on a reference photosensitive drum 3, and transferred to a transfer belt 7. A correction patch image is formed on a correction-target photosensitive drum 3, and transferred onto the reference patch image by superimposition. A registration detecting sensor 21 detects a density average value of the reference patch image and the correction patch image. Based on the density average value, a correction value for controlling the correction-target photosensitive drum 3 is calculated, and rotational phase control is performed in accordance with the correction value.

This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on patent application No. 2003/208888 filed in Japan on Aug. 26, 2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming device and a color misregistration correction method for the image forming device. More specifically, the present invention relates to (i) an image forming device that automatically adjusts phases of unevenness in rotation of image supporting bodies (the unevenness in rotation of the image forming bodies results in a color misregistration of a multicolor image when the multicolor image is formed by superimposing color component images formed on the image supporting bodies or on a transfer supporting body), and relates to (ii) a color correction method for the image forming device, the method being for automatically correcting the color misregistration of the multicolor image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, image forming devices (e.g. digital color copying devices) form multicolor images by resolving inputted image data into color components, performing image processing on the color components, and superimposing images of the color components. With such image forming devices, the resultant multicolor images suffer from color misregistration if the images of the color components are not superimposed accurately. This often deteriorates image quality.
In conventionally known tandem-type image forming devices, an image forming section is provided for each color component, so as to form multicolor images more speedily. In the tandem-type image forming devices, image forming sections respectively form corresponding color component images. The corresponding color component images are then sequentially superimposed. In this way, multicolor images are formed. In such image forming devices, an image supporting body (photosensitive drum) in one image forming section differs from an image supporting body (photosensitive drum) in another image supporting body, in terms of rotational behavior. Therefore, the color component images are often transferred to different positions.
In the tandem-type image forming devices, a writing device is provided for each color, and each writing device forms an electrostatic latent image on an image supporting body provided for that color. By developing the electrostatic latent images, the color component images are formed. The color component images are then superimposed on a recording medium. Therefore, if the rotational axis (core) of the image supporting body is shifted, unevenness in rotation (a phenomenon that the surface velocity of the image supporting body is not constant) is caused. In such a case, color misregistration is likely to occur due to the unevenness in rotation. Thus, the color misregistration of multicolor images is a significant problem of the tandem-type image forming devices.
In view of this problem, some image forming devices perform adjustment for synchronizing rotational phases of image supporting bodies, so as to reduce the unevenness in rotation, and form excellent multicolor images with little color misregistration. The adjustment for synchronizing rotational phases is performed as follows. In each image forming station, an image for color misregistration correction is formed, and then outputted. An image formed by the outputs is checked visually. Based on the visual check, a correction value (value used for synchronizing the rotational phases of the image supporting bodies) that minimizes the color misregistration is calculated. Then, the correction value is inputted to an operating section. The adjustment is performed on the following occasions, for example: (i) before shipping the image forming devices after the image forming devices are manufactured, (ii) after parts of the image forming devices are manufactured and/or maintenance (e.g. replacement) of the parts of the image forming devices is performed, and/or (iii) before forming a multicolor image in the case where the image forming devices have not been used for a long time.
To prevent the color misregistration of multicolor images, some image forming devices detect the density of the pattern image after forming a pattern image, thereby controlling the rotation of the image supporting bodies. Other image forming devices control the timing of recording start signals. These image forming devices are disclosed in Patent Publications 1 to 3, for example.
In the image forming device disclosed in Patent Publication 1, an image pattern is formed by positioning a plurality of predetermined lines on each image supporting body at identical time intervals. Then, by using an optical sensor unit, the toner density of the image pattern is detected. Based on the result of detection, the unevenness in rotation in each of the plurality of image supporting bodies is detected. Based on the detected unevenness in rotation, the rotation of each of the plurality of image supporting bodies is controlled so as to synchronize the rotational phases of the plurality of image supporting bodies having the unevenness in rotation. In this way, the color misregistration is prevented.
In the image forming device disclosed in Patent Publication 2, the phase of each photosensitive drum is shifted in advance, so as to make it possible to shift the phase of driving unevenness. By shifting the phase, even if the distance between adjoining transfer positions corresponding to the image forming stations is set shorter than the circumference of the photosensitive drum, the variation of each photosensitive drum due to driving unevenness with respect to the printing medium passing through the transfer position can be congruent with the others. As a result, the color misregistration caused by the influence of the driving unevenness is prevented.
The image forming device disclosed in Patent Publication 3 performs color misregistration correction as follows. First, the density of an overlapping part of two pattern images (a pattern image formed on a photosensitive drum of the image forming section of a reference color component and transferred onto a transfer conveyer belt, and a pattern image formed and transferred by the image forming section of a color component to be adjusted) is measured. Then, an input of a recording start signal to a laser beam scanner for the color component to be adjusted is delayed or put forward, so that the measured value falls within an acceptable range around a density value at which the pattern images are superimposed at ideal accuracy.    (Patent Publication 1)     Japanese Publication for Unexamined Patent Application, Tokukai 2000-221749 (publication date: Aug. 11, 2000)    (Patent Publication 2)     Japanese Publication for Unexamined Patent Application, Tokukai 2000-137424 (publication date: May 16, 2000); U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,070    (Patent Publication 3)     Japanese Publication for Unexamined Patent Application, Tokukai 2000-81744 (publication date: Mar. 21, 2000); U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,168
However, the image forming device of Patent Publication 1 detects the unevenness in rotation of the image supporting body with respect to each image forming unit, and the rotational phase of each image supporting body is controlled in accordance with (i) a reference pattern provided for each color and (ii) detected information on the unevenness in rotation. Therefore, the phase of unevenness in rotation is obtained with respect to each image supporting body. As a result, there is a problem that a computing unit or the like device is required.
Moreover, even if there is unevenness in rotation, density does not vary significantly within a pattern image formed by a single image supporting body for the purpose of detecting the unevenness in rotation. Therefore, the detection is difficult in the case where the density variation within the pattern image formed by a single image supporting body is detected with respect to each image forming unit. In addition, because the pattern image needs to be formed in each image forming unit, there is a problem that it is necessary to form pattern images respectively at four places corresponding to four colors (C, M, Y, and K).
In the image forming device of Patent Publication 2, the phases of driving unevenness in the photosensitive drums are shifted in advance by about 60 degrees each. Therefore, the driving unevenness of the photosensitive drums is not detected by detecting the density variation within the pattern or the like formed with respect to each color component. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to control the rotational phases at high accuracy.
Moreover, in the image forming device of Patent Publication 3, a pattern formed on an image supporting body that is a target of correction (correction-target image supporting body) is superimposed on an image formed on an image supporting body that is to be a reference point (reference image supporting body), and this is performed while changing the formation timing of the pattern on the correction-target supporting body. That is to say, phase differences are not taken into consideration. Therefore, if there are phase differences among rotational movements of the image supporting bodies, there are problems that desired color misregistration correction cannot be performed, and/or that a long adjustment time is required due to errors occurring during adjustment.

Image forming device and color misregistration correction method for image forming device


An apparatus for compressing holographic data includes an image capture device for capturing an image of an interference pattern reconstructed by irradiating a reference beam and converting the image into m bits. In such an apparatus, a splitter removes least significant j bits from the m-bit data and divides m−j bits of the m-bit data into most significant k bits and remaining m−j−k bits. Thereafter, a compressor converts the most significant k bits into l bits, which is combined with the m−j−k bits to output n bits, wherein l<k and n=l+m−j−k. In this way, by compressing a certain number of most significant bits of the m-bit data and thus relatively increasing the number of the remaining least significant bits of the m-bit data, the BER of final reconstructed image data can be improved.

A holographic data storage and reconstruction system records an interference pattern in a storage medium, e.g., a photorefractive polymer, that is sensitively reactive to an amplitude of the interference pattern, and reconstructs the recorded interference pattern, wherein the interference pattern is produced by the interference of a reference beam and a signal beam that is generated from a target object. In such a holographic data storage and reconstruction system, the amplitude and phase of the signal beam are recorded therein by varying an incident angle of the reference beam, thereby reconstructing a three-dimensional shape of the object. Moreover, it is possible to store in the same storage medium a large quantity of page-based holographic data composed of binary data.
FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a conventional holographic storage and reconstruction system for storing in a holographic medium a three-dimensional hologram data (i.e., an interference pattern) produced by the interference of a signal beam with a reference beam and then reconstructing the three-dimensional hologram data stored in the holographic medium.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the conventional holographic data storage and reconstruction system includes a light source 100 for emitting a laser beam and a holographic medium 114 for storing therein hologram data. Formed between the light source 100 and the storage medium 114 are two paths, i.e., a signal beam processing path S1 and a reference beam processing path S2, each including a plurality of optical systems.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a beam splitter 102 for splitting an incident laser beam emitted from the light source 100 into a reference beam and a signal beam. The reference beam is reflected and then provided to the reference beam processing path S2 whereas the signal beam passes through the beam splitter 102 and then is provided to the signal beam processing path S1.
The reference beam provided to the reference beam processing path S2 is reflected by a mirror 108, and the reflected reference beam enters the holographic medium 114 via an optical system 112 composed of optical lenses.
Meantime, on the reference processing path S2, the mirror 108 operated by an actuator 110 deflects a reference beam at a predetermined angle, i.e., a recording angle or a reconstruction angle, and then provides the deflected reference beam to the storage medium 114. Herein, the reconstruction angle used for reconstructing the recorded data should be identical to the recording angle used for recording the data.
Provided on the signal beam processing path S1 are sequentially a spatial light modulator (SLM) 104, a mirror 106 and an optical lens 107 in a direction of the signal beam incident on the holographic medium 114.
On the signal beam processing path S1, the SLM 104 modulates the signal beam into a page-based data composed of a plurality of pixels representing binary data based on an externally inputted data. The modulated signal beam is then reflected by a mirror 106 and then provided to the holographic medium 114 via the optical lens 107.
In this way, the signal beam and the reference beam entering the holographic medium 114 respectively along the signal beam processing path S1 and the reference beam processing path S2 interfere with each other in the holographic medium 114. Depending on the amplitude of the interference pattern produced by the interference, a photo-induced transformation occurs in the holographic medium 114, thereby the interference pattern being recorded in the holographic medium 114.
The data recorded in the holographic medium 114 during the above-described holographic data recording process is reconstructed as follows.
That is, if the reference beam, i.e., the reconstructing reference beam, is illuminated on the holographic medium 114 in order to read out the data recorded in the holographic medium 114, the reconstructing reference beam is diffracted by the interference pattern recorded in the storage medium 114. As a result, the page-based data (signal beam) composed of a plurality of pixels representing binary data is restored, and an image of the restored signal beam is captured by a CCD 116.
The CCD 116 converts each pixel level of the captured image (page) into a series of m-bit binary data and then outputs the binary data to a splitter 118. The splitter 118 removes a least significant a (0≦a<m) bits from the m-bit data outputted from the CCD 116 and then outputs a remaining m−a bits. Herein, although the data outputted by the CCD 116 is assumed to be digital data, the output data can be an analog data. In case the output data is the analog data, an A/D converter can be additionally connected between an output of the CCD 116 and the splitter 118.
The m−a bit data outputted by the splitter 118 is converted into binary data '0' or '1', thereby ultimately restoring the page-based data composed of the binary data. For example, such conversion can be carried out by applying a modulation code to the m−a bit data. Further, by comparing the m−a bit data with a predetermined threshold, in case the m−a bit data is greater than the threshold, the data is converted into a binary data '1' whereas in case the m−a bit data is smaller than or equal to the threshold, the data is converted into a binary data '0'.
The data reconstructed by the conventional apparatus for storing and reconstructing the holographic data is an image data composed of 1K to 1M pixels included in hundreds to thousands of frames per second. However, the holographic data reconstruction system should restore the original page-based data by processing the outputted image data within a limited time.
The amount of data to be processed by the holographic data reconstruction system increases in proportion to the number (m) of bits of data outputted by the CCD 116. Therefore, it is preferable to reduce the amount of data to be processed by increasing the number of the least significant a bits removed from the m-bit data outputted by the CCD 116. However, the conventional holographic data reconstruction system has a drawback in that the bit error rate (BER) of binary data representing the outputted page-based data increases as the number (a) of the removed bits increases.

Method and apparatus for compressing holographic data


An organic light emitting display (OLED) device including a plurality of electroluminescent (EL) panels that are coupled with one another. In order to facilitate the coupling of the EL panels, respective data drivers are disposed at one side of pixels, and a scan driver and an emission control driver are formed in each of the EL panels. Thus, surfaces of the EL panels that are not connected to data drivers may be coupled with one another to form the OLED device. In the OLED device, a data driver is not formed at interfaces between the EL panels, and uniform pixels are arranged, so that non-uniformity in luminance may be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic light emitting display (OLED) device, and more particularly, to an OLED device in which a plurality of electroluminescent (EL) panels are coupled together.
2. Discussion of the Background
Flat panel display (FPD) devices are being actively researched. Organic light emitting display (OLED) devices have particularly attracted much attention as next-generation FPDs because of their high luminance and wide viewing angle.
Unlike liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, the OLED devices do not need an additional light source because they utilize self-emissive light emitting diodes. The intensity of light emitted from light emitting diodes corresponds to the amount of driving current supplied to an electrode of the diode.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional OLED device.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional OLED device may include a pixel portion 10, a scan driver 20, a data driver 30, and an emission control driver 40.
The scan driver 20 sequentially supplies scan signals to scan lines S1-Sn in response to scan control signals (i.e., a start pulse and a clock signal) output from a timing controller (not shown).
The data driver 30 applies data voltages corresponding to red (R), green (G), and blue (B) data to data lines D1-Dm in response to data control signals output from the timing controller.
The emission control driver 40 includes shift registers and it sequentially supplies emission control signals to emission control lines E1-En in response to the start pulse and the clock signal output from the timing controller.
The pixel portion 10 includes a plurality of pixels P11-Pnm, which are located in regions where a plurality of scan lines S1-Sn and a plurality of emission control lines E1-En cross with a plurality of data lines D1-Dm. The pixel portion 10 displays a predetermined image according to an applied data voltage.
Each pixel P11-Pnm includes a R, G, and B sub-pixel.
The R, G, and B sub-pixels have the same pixel circuit construction, and they emit R, G, and B light, respectively, that corresponds to the current supplied to each organic light emitting diode. Thus, each pixel P11-Pnm combines light emitted by the R, G, and B sub-pixels to display a specific color.
In such an OLED device, it is difficult to increase the panel's size because an IR drop occurs depending on the length of a line to which a power supply voltage is applied, and production equipment is affected by the panel's size. In order to solve these problems, an OLED device using a tiling technique was proposed to increase panel size by bonding a plurality of panels.
However, the conventional OLED device may be inadequate to the bonding of the panels since drivers, such as the data driver 30, the scan driver 20, and the emission control driver 40, are typically formed at multiple sides of the pixel portion 10. Also, the OLED device may have non-uniform luminance at interfaces between bonded panels.


A storage container for a plurality of flat objects is disclosed. The container has apparatus for successively displaying a surface portion of each stored object so as to enable rapid visual scanning. The apparatus rotates successive objects from a first display position to a second position which displays the next successive object.

Flat objects such as floppy diskettes, phonographic records and `compact discs` are often kept in generally rigid, closable storage containers. These storage containers prevent mechanical damage to the stored objects, reduce the exposure of the objects to dust, and, in general, provide a convenient means of storing and transporting floppy diskettes and compact discs. The objects are stored parallel to each other, inclined at a small angle to the base of the container. Due to the relatively large number of objects that may be stored in a single container, e.g. about 20 or 30, searching for a particular diskette or compact disc may be tedious and time-consuming.
Described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,231 is a container for storing planar objects. The container enables a selected object to be rapidly located by lifting successive stored planar objects so as to display a portion thereof. To achieve this there is provided a rotatable camshaft extending along the length of the container, and a plurality of cams corresponding to a plurality of support arms for stored planar objects. The cams are spaced along the camshaft and are also spaced radially thereabout so that axial rotation of the camshaft causes successive lifting engagement of a single support arm by its corresponding cam so as to lift and expose a portion of the object on each support arm.
It would be advantageous to provide a means of displaying an entire surface portion of a stored object so as to more readily permit identification thereof. It would also be advantageous to provide a means of successively displaying stored flat objects by less complex means than those described in the above-referenced U.S. Patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,975 describes phonograph record holding apparatus including a plurality of pivotal record holding members which are constructed and arranged such that the forward tilt of an end one of the members is operative to cause the automatic forward pivoting of the remainder of the members. U.S. Pat. No. Re. 27,462 describes a photograph record rack having a frame and a plurality of spaced parallel axially pivoted record holding members. The holding members are constructed and arranged such that the tilting of one member is operative to cause the automatic pivoting of an adjacent holding member.
Disadvantages inherent in both of the above-described U.S. patents is that they provide no means for controlling the automatic successive tilting of adjacent, hitherto non-tilted holding members, and that the construction of both devices is inherently complex and may result in jamming thereof.
The following patents are also noted as describing storage apparatus for flat objects and including features of either static display of stored objects or individual manual pivoting of compartments for storing a plurality of flat objects or of single object compartments: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,100,671; 3,556,620; 4,239,307; and 4,684,019.


An electrical scoring dart target, which provides a "soccer" competition, an "American football" competition, as well as other "sport" competitions effect, is disclosed. The dart target includes a target defining a plurality of target areas. The target areas are divided into a frustration region, an offense/defense interaction region, and an offensive gain region. The electrical scoring dart target further includes a control panel disposed below the target and a control circuit provided within the target. The control panel has two sets of score displays and function keys, as well as a clocking display and a pilot lamp indicating attack. The plurality of target areas are configured as a "soccer", "American football", "basketball" or some other "sports" competition ground.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical scoring dart target, and more particularly to an improved electrical scoring dart target which provides a "soccer" competition, an "American football" competition, as well as other exciting "sport" competition effects.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional darts generally is played in a manner of setting scores according to the hit position on the target. The used target generally has a certain pattern on the surface thereof and only can provided a single and simple game mode. With the need for improvement of enjoying indoor games, this kind of darts is neither satisfactory nor attractive. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a kind of more complex game to meet the needs of people.
The present invention provides an improved electrical scoring dart target to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly includes a PCB and a first integrated conductive bus structure extending from a first edge of the PCB. The PCB connects a plurality of electronic components and includes a plurality of conductive layers, each separated by a non-conductive layer. The first integrated conductive bus structure includes a first portion that extends from the first edge of the PCB and which forms a plurality of electrically separate contacts of a connector. A second portion of the bus structure is integrated within the PCB and couples each of the contacts to at least one conductive trace of the PCB through plated holes.

In a typical electronic assembly, a printed circuit board (PCB) is utilized to mount various electronic components, which are interconnected to perform desired functions. In such assemblies, a through hole or surface mounted connector has been utilized to connect the PCB of the assembly to an external system via, for example, a bus, such as an automotive bus. When a through hole connector is utilized, all layers of the PCB are consumed in the area in which the connector is located. In certain products that have a relatively small PCB total surface area, the connector may take up forty percent or more of the total surface area. When the PCB is a high density PCB, the cost of the PCB surface area consumed by the connector can be relatively expensive. In addition, traditional product connectors tend to increase the overall product size, mass and cost of such an electronic assembly. This is particularly true in the automotive industry, where the trend has been to miniaturize electronic control assemblies.
As is well known, miniaturization of electronic assemblies has been facilitated by flip chips and micro ball grid arrays (uBGAs), among other device packages. As is also well known, a typical traditional product connector consists of pins staked in a plastic shroud. The pins of such a connector may be through hole soldered to a PCB using a wave or selective soldering process. As discussed above, such a through hole or surface mounted connector may take up a relatively large area of a miniaturized electronic assembly, making such area unavailable for surface mounted components.
What is needed is a technique to connect a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly to an external bus that reduces the amount of PCB area required for the connection.

Printed circuit board assembly with integrated connector


An Impatiens cultivar particularly distinguished by large red-purple flowers, large foliage and a large plant size, good vigor and a trailing habit is disclosed.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens walleriana×Impatiens pseudoviola, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Butly Cher'. The new cultivar originated from a hybridization made in the year 2002 in Andijk, The Netherlands. The female parent was 'IMO-18-2' a red proprietary line (unpatented), while the male parent was 'SPZ-1-21', a lavender proprietary line (unpatented).
The new cultivar was created in 2002 in Andijk, The Netherlands and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissue culture in Gilroy, Calif. and Andijk, The Netherlands over a three-year period. The plant has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif., Litchfield, Mich. and Andijk, The Netherlands. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.


A method of constructing a billing statement for publishing industry advertising or the like starts with digitizing the advertisement and the publication page the advertisement is on and assigning a unique identifier to at least the advertisement in an information header associated with the published image of the advertisement copy. The publication page may also be uniquely identified apart from the advertisement and contain reference to the advertisements thereon in its information header. An invoice is generated which searches at least the publication page database to find both the advertisement and page documents. The advertisement and page documents are associated with the billing statement and linked so that they may be accessed by the client such that manual preparation of invoices with advertisement copy and tear sheets no longer needs to be done.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to means for creating a billing statement for a publishing business automatically and digitally with links to associated advertising copy and the published page containing such advertising copy.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Publishers of periodicals and dailies derive significant revenue from printing advertisements in their publications. Traditionally, the method of billing the advertiser, or customer, for the publication of the customer's advertisement is to send a billing sheet, or statement, listing the date of publication, an advertisement identifier, and the charge for the advertisement. Along with each billing line item is included a copy of the advertisement and a copy of the actual page or pages on which the advertisement was published. These hard copies of the advertisements and page are often called tearsheets. The tearsheets were, in the past, manually created by persons who gathered the physical tearsheets and attached them to the billing statements, resulting in a great expenditure of labor. Also, the billing statement created in this way can become physically bulky and unnecessarily hard to handle and expensive to deliver to the customer.
Therefore, there exists a need to automate this billing process and digitize it to make for easier storage, retrieval, and delivery.

System of generating billing statements for published advertising

Electronic Imaging Systems of America, Inc.


A support apparatus includes an optical element, a first support member that supports the optical element, and a second support member that contacts the optical element or the first support member and positions the optical element, wherein the optical element is removably attached to the second support member, or the optical element and the first support member are removably attached to the second support member.

The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus used for a semiconductor manufacturing process, and a projection exposure apparatus that projects and transfers a reticle pattern onto a silicon wafer. The present invention is suitable for an extreme ultraviolet ("EUV") exposure apparatus that uses EUV light with a wavelength of about 13 to 14 nm as exposure light and a mirror optical system for projection exposure in vacuum.
A prior art example will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. 101 uses a YAG solid laser etc., serving as an excitation laser for exciting gasified, liquefied or atomized-gasified light-source material atoms into plasma for light emissions by irradiating a laser beam onto the (light-source emission) point on the material.
102 is a light-source emitting part that maintains an internal vacuum. A light source A (or 102A) is an actual emitting point in an exposure light source.
103 is a vacuum chamber that contains an exposure apparatus, and can maintain the vacuum state using a vacuum pump 104.
105 is an exposure light introducing part (or an illumination optical system) for introducing exposure light (or illumination light) from the light-source emitting part 102. The exposure light introducing part 105 includes mirrors A (or 105A) to D (or 105D), makes uniform and shapes the exposure ray, and illuminates a reflective original form (or reticle) 106A, which will be described below.
106 is a reticle stage, and its movable part is mounted with a reflective original form 106A that forms a pattern to be exposed.
107 is a reduction projection mirror optical system that reduces and projects an exposure pattern reflected from the original sequentially form through mirrors A (or 107A) to E (or 107E) onto a wafer 108A at a predefined reduction ratio.
108 is a position-controlled wafer stage for positioning a wafer 108A, as a Si substrate, into a predetermined exposure position so that the wafer stage can be moved along six axes directions, i.e., moved in XYZ directions, tilted about the XY axes, and rotated about the Z axis.
109 is a reticle stage support for supporting the reticle stage 105 on an apparatus installation floor. 110 is a projection optical system body for supporting the reduction projection mirror optical system 107 on the apparatus installation floor. 111 is a wafer stage support for supporting the wafer stage 108 on the apparatus installation floor.
The reticle stage 105, the reduction projection mirror optical system 107, and the wafer stage 108 are supported by the reticle stage support 109, the projection optical system body 110 and the wafer stage support 111, respectively. These include means (not shown) for measuring relative positions so as to continuously maintain their predetermined configuration.
A mount (not shown) for violation isolation from the apparatus installation floor is provided on the reticle stage support 109, the projection system body 110, and the wafer stage 111.
112 is a reticle stocker that includes a storage container that temporarily stores, in an airtight condition, plural original forms supplied from the outside to the inside of the exposure apparatus and suitable for different exposure conditions and patterns.
113 is a reticle changer for selecting and feeding a reticle out of the reticle stocker 112.
114 is a reticle alignment unit that includes a rotary hand that can travel along the XYZ axis directions and can rotate about the Z axis. The reticle alignment unit 114 receives the original form 106A from the reticle changer 113, rotates it by 180°, and feeds it to a reticle alignment scope 115 provided at the end of the reticle stage 106 for fine movements of the original form 106A rotating about the XYZ-axes and aligns the original form 106A with an alignment mark 115A provided on the reduction projection mirror optical system 107. The aligned original form 106A is chucked on the reticle stage 106.
116 is a wafer stocker that includes a storage container for temporarily storing plural wafers 108A from the outside to the inside of the apparatus. 117 is a wafer feed robot for selecting a wafer 108A to be exposed, from the wafer stocker 116, and feeds it to a wafer mechanical pre-alignment temperature controller 118 that roughly adjusts feeding of the wafer in the rotational direction and controls the wafer temperature within controlled temperature in the exposure apparatus.
119 is a wafer feed hand that feeds the wafer 108A that has been aligned and temperature-controlled by the wafer mechanical pre-alignment temperature controller 118 to the wafer stage 108.
120 and 121 are gate valves.as mechanisms for opening and closing a gate for supplying the reticle and wafer from the outside of the apparatus. 122 is also a gate valve that uses a diaphragm to separate spaces among the wafer stocker 116, the wafer mechanical pre-alignment temperature controller 118, and the exposure in the apparatus. The gate valve 122 opens and closes only when feeding the wafer 108A in and out of the apparatus.
Such a separation using the diaphragm can minimize a capacity to be temporarily released to the air when the wafer 108A is fed in from the outside of and fed out of the apparatus, and quickly form a vacuum equilibrium state.
However, when the conventionally structured exposure apparatus positions and fixes the mirrors A (or 107A) to E (107E) relative to the mirror barrel 107F as shown in FIG. 13, carbon, such as the trace of CxHy (hydrocarbon), adheres to and clouds up a surface of the mirror.
When the mirror surface is clouded up, the mirror's reflectance to the EUV light disadvantageously lowers and becomes non-uniform according to (light-reflecting) locations on the mirrors.
When this problem occurs in the illumination optical system in the exposure apparatus, the exposure apparatus suffers from significant problems: The light for illuminating the reticle has lowered intensity or cannot illuminate the reticle uniformly (or has the non-uniform intensity).
When this problem occurs in the illumination optical system in the exposure apparatus, the exposure dose that reaches the wafer lowers, resulting in a long exposure time and lowered throughput. When hydrocarbon and the like adhere to the mirror surface, the mirror's surface shape changes and the imaging performance of the projection optical system deteriorates.
Thus, when hydrocarbon and the like adhere to the mirror surface, the mirror should be exchanged. However, it is not easy to exchange the mirror in the conventional exposure apparatus.

Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method


A process for production of l-alkylthiomethanediphosphonic acid compound or 1-arylthiomethanediphosphonic acid compound characterized by removing a thiolate byproduct as an insoluble salt, in the condensation represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein R'.sub.1 represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 represents an alkyl or aryl group, R.sub.1 represents a pharmaceutically allowable cation, hydrogen atom, or linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. The present invention significantly improves the yield compared with conventional methods, and simplifies the purification process at the same time, thus is extremely useful in an economical and industrial points of view.

A conventional process for synthesis of 1-alkylthio- or 1-arylthiomethanediphosphonic acid is described, for example, in Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 4-29676. In the process shown therein, tetraalkyl methanediphosphoniate is converted to a corresponding metal derivative by sodium hydride and the like, and then various disulfides are allowed to react with the derivative to synthesize the objective tetraalkyl 1-alkylthio- or 1-arylthiomethanediphosphonate. Since this synthetic process gives the product in a low yield, a large amount of the recovered disulfide and tetraalkyl methanediphosphonate as well as a byproduct of the reaction, thiol, exist with the objective compound in a crude product, and an industrially expensive purification process, such as silica gel column chromatography, is needed for removing these impurities. Considering the fact that the objective methanediphosphonic acid compounds are highly useful in pharmaceutical fields, the above-mentioned process is not satisfactory to provide a large amount of the compound, and therefore a simple, economical process is required.
The greatest problem in the synthetic process described in Japanese Examined Patent Publication (kokoku) No. 4-29676 is that a large amount of starting material, tetraalkyl methanediphosphonate, was recovered unchanged, resulting in significant labor-consumption for the separation and purification of the objective product from the starting material. If the remaining methanediphosphonate in the reaction mixture can be reduced, this process will be an excellent process for producing 1-alkylthio- or 1-arylthiomethanediphosphonic acid. As the result of detailed investigation of the condensation of tetraalkyl methanediphosphonate with disulfide, the present inventors found that the objective product, tetraalkyl 1-alkylthiomethanediphosphonate or tetraalkyl 1-arylthiomethanediphosphonate, can be obtained in an extremely high yield, by removing the byproduct, alkylthiolate or arylthiolate which is formed in amounts equimolar with the objective product. In addition, it is found that the addition of a metal oxide including magnesium oxide to the synthetic process also provides the objective tetraalkyl 1-alkylthiomethanediphosphonate or tetraalkyl 1-arylthiomethanediphosphonate in a high yield.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel process for production of a 1-alkylthiomehanediphosphonic acid compound or 1-arylthiomehanediphosphonic acid compound, which is extremely useful as pharmaceuticals.

Process for production of methanediphosphonic acid compound