The present invention relates to an apparatus for rapidly analyzing frame(s) of digitized video data which may include objects of interest randomly distributed throughout the video data and wherein said objects are susceptible to detection, classification, and ultimately identification by filtering said video data for certain differentiable characteristics of said objects. The present invention may be practiced on pre-existing sequences of image data or may be integrated into an imaging device for real-time, dynamic, object identification, classification, logging/counting, cataloging, retention (with links to stored bitmaps of said object), retrieval, and the like. The present invention readily lends itself to the problem of automatic and semi-automatic cataloging of vast numbers of objects such as traffic control signs and utility poles disposed in myriad settings. When used in conjunction with navigational or positional inputs, such as GPS, an output from the inventative systems indicates the identity of each object, calculates object location, classifies each object by type, extracts legible text appearing on a surface of the object (if any), and stores a visual representation of the object in a form dictated by the end user/operator of the system. The output lends itself to examination and extraction of scene detail, which cannot practically be successfully accomplished with just human viewers operating video equipment, although human intervention can still be used to help judge and confirm a variety of classifications of certain instances and for types of identified objects.

Prior art devices described in the relevant patent literature for capturing one or more objects in a scene typically include a camera device of known location or trajectory, a scene including one or more calibrated target objects, and at least one object of interest (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,444 to Sythonics Incorporated). Most prior art devices are used for capture of video data regarding an object operate in a controlled setting, oftentimes in studios or sound stages, and are articulated along a known or pre-selected path (circular or linear). Thus, the information recorded by the device can be more easily interpreted and displayed given the strong correlation between the perspective of the camera and the known objects in the scene.
To capture data regarding objects present in a scene a number of techniques have been successfully practiced. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,944 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Automatic Optical Recognition of Road Signs" issued May 27, 1997 to Guibert et al. and assigned to Automobiles Peugeot, discloses a system wherein a laser beam, or other source of coherent radiation, is used to scan the roadside in an attempt to recognize the presence of signs.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,691 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Robust Shape Detection Using a Hit/Miss Transform" issued Aug. 4, 1998 to Narayanswarny et al. and assigned to the Regents of the University of Colorado (Boulder, Colo.), discloses a system for detecting abnormal cells in a cervical Pap-smear. In this system, a detection unit inspects a region of interest present in two-dimensional input images and morphologically detects structure elements preset by a system user. By further including a thresholding feature, the shapes and/or features recorded in the input images can deviate from structuring elements and still be detected as a region of interest. This reference clearly uses extremely controlled conditions, known presence of objects of interest, and continually fine-tuned filtering techniques to achieve reasonable performance. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,915 entitled "Pattern Recognition System Employing Unlike Templates to Detect Objects Having Distinctive Features in a Video Field," issued May 6, 1997 to Rosser et al. and assigned to Princeton Video Image, Inc. of Princeton, N.J., discloses a method for rapidly and efficiently identifying landmarks and objects using a plurality of templates that are sequentially created and inserted into live video fields and compared to a prior template(s) in order to successively identify possible distinctive feature candidates of a live video scene and also eliminate falsely identified features. The process disclosed by Rosser et al. is repeated in order to preliminarily identify two or three landmarks of the target object the locations of these "landmarks" of the target object and finally said landmarks are compared to a geometric model to further verify if the object has been correctly identified by process of elimination. The methodology lends itself to laboratory verification against pre-recorded videotape to ascertain accuracy before applying said system to actual targeting of said live objects. This system also requires specific templates of real world features and does not operate on unknown video data with its inherent variability of lighting, scene composition, weather effects, and placement variation from said templates to actual conditions in the field.
Further prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,308 entitled "Pattern Recognition System" issued Nov. 7, 1995 to Hutcheson et al. and assigned to Datron/Transoc, Inc. of Simi Valley, Calif., discloses a method and apparatus under software control that uses a neural network to recognize two dimensional input images which are sufficiently similar to a database of previously stored two dimensional images. The images are processed and subjected to a Fourier transform (which yields a power spectrum and then a in-class/out-of-class sort is performed). A feature vector consisting of the most discriminatory magnitude information from the power spectrum is then created and are input to a neural network preferably having two hidden layers, input dimensionality of elements of the feature vector and output dimensionality of the number of data elements stored in the database. Unique identifier numbers are preferably stored along with the feature vector. Applying a query feature vector to the neural network results in an output vector which is subjected to statistical analysis to determine whether a threshold level of confidence exists before indicating successful identification has occurred. Where a successful identification has occurred a unique identifier number for the identified object may be displayed to the end user to indicate. However, Fourier transforms are subject to large variations in frequency such as those brought on by shading, or other temporary or partial obscuring of objects, from things like leaves and branches from nearby trees, scratches, bullet holes (especially if used for recognizing road signs), commercial signage, windshields, and other reflecting surfaces (e.g., windows) all have very similar characteristics to road signs in the frequency domain.
In summary, the inventors have found that in the prior art related to the problem of accurately identifying and classifying objects appearing in a videodata most all efforts utilize complex processing, illuminated scenes, continual tuning of a single filter and/or systematic comparison of aspects of an unknown object with a variety of shapes stored in memory. The inventors propose a system that efficiently and accurately retrieves and catalogs information distilled from vast amounts of video data so that object classification type(s), locations, and bitmaps depicting the actual condition of the objects (when originally recorded) are available to an operator for review, comparison, or further processing to reveal even more detail about each object and relationships among objects.
The present invention thus finds utility over this variety of prior art methods and devices and solves a long-standing need in the art for a simple apparatus for quickly and accurately recognizing, classifying, and locating each of a variety of objects of interest appearing in a video stream. Determining that an object is the "same" object from a distinct image frame.
The present invention addresses an urgent need for virtually automatic processing of vast amounts of video data—that possibly depict one or more desired objects—and then precisely recognize, accurately locate, extract desired characteristics and, optionally, archive bitmap images of each said recognized object. Processing such video information via computer is preferred over all other forms of data interrogation, and the inventors suggest that such processing can accurately and efficiently complete a task such as identifying and cataloguing huge numbers of objects of interest to many public works departments and utilities; namely, traffic signs, traffic lights, man holes, power poles and the like disposed in urban, suburban, residential, and commercial settings among various types of natural terrain and changing lighting conditions (i.e., the sun).

Method and apparatus for identifying objects depicted in a videostream


A hydraulic system has a hydraulic actuator for moving a door leaf of a door installation between open and closed positions thereof. A reservoir has a volume for containing a hydraulic fluid. A fluid circuit provides fluid communication between the hydraulic actuator and the reservoir. The system also has a pump for pumping hydraulic fluid from the reservoir into the fluid circuit to operate the actuator. A fluid circuit flushing system of the hydraulic system operates to flush a volume of hydraulic fluid from the fluid circuit back to the reservoir without moving any door leaves of the door installation. The hydraulic system may be part of a mine door installation installed in a mine passageway and having at least one door leaf. The hydraulic actuator is connected to the door leaf for driving movement of the door leaf between its open and closed positions.

Mine doors operate under conditions not usually encountered by ordinary doors. A mine door leaf can be subjected to large forces due at least in part to air flow in the mine and consequent air pressure differentials on opposite sides of the door leaf. Mine door leaves can be as large as twenty feet wide and twenty feet high or even larger. Because of their large size, even small pressure differentials result in large forces acting on the door leaves. Mine door leaves have to be sufficiently robust in construction to withstand these large forces. This means that the door leaves tend to be fairly heavy. For example, a door leaf constructed for operation with a pressure differential of twenty inches water gauge may weigh up to two thousand pounds.
The weight of the door leaves in combination with the forces generated by air pressure differentials in the mine makes it difficult to control movement of the door leaves during opening and closing of the door. Likewise, it can be difficult to start the opening movement and complete closing movement of the door leaves. Thus, it is desirable for the opening and closing of the mine doors to be powered by one or more fluid-driven actuators. Hydraulic actuators offer some advantages over pneumatic actuators because the hydraulic fluid is substantially incompressible, making hydraulically-controlled mine doors less susceptible to door leaf runaway.
Mine doors are sometimes installed in relatively cold environments. For example, mines using forced air ventilation systems require doors to be positioned at openings from the surface into the mine to make sure that the air forced into the mine flows through the mine to the intended exhaust outlets rather than back out of the mine through an opening near the forced air inlet. Doors at the openings into the mine may be subjected to cold temperatures (e.g., as low as −50 degrees Fahrenheit) from time to time. Cold temperatures present a problem for operation of hydraulically powered mine doors because the hydraulic fluids used to operate the doors have substantially increased viscosities at these cold temperatures, making the hydraulic fluids too stiff to operate as desired. The lower limit of an acceptable temperature range for a hydraulic fluid varies depending on the characteristics of the particular fluid used in a hydraulic system. Fire-resistant hydraulic fluids, which are required for some mining environments, are particularly susceptible to this problem. However, non-fire resistant hydraulic fluids are also susceptible to cold temperatures.
One partial solution to the problem is to use a tank heater to heat the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir. Unfortunately, this solution does not adequately address all aspects of the problem because the fluid in the hydraulic fluid lines can also be cooled by exposure of the fluid lines to the cold. Further, some hydraulic mine door installations have long hydraulic fluid lines. For example, a single pump may be used to operate the hydraulic actuators for two (or more) different doors in an airlock, as described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,820, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Moreover, the doors in a mine airlock are often several hundred feet (or more) apart from one another to allow long trains and/or caravans of vehicles to pass through the air lock. Thus, long hydraulic fluid lines are needed to connect the pump to the various doors.
Because of the long fluid lines, a significant amount of hydraulic fluid is contained in the fluid lines (where it receives substantially no heating from the tank heater) rather than in the heated reservoir. Further, the difficulty of moving cold stiff hydraulic fluid through the fluid lines is exacerbated because the long lengths of the fluid lines are associated with a substantial resistance to flow that is independent of the increased viscosity of the hydraulic fluid therein.
Thus, there is a need for hydraulic door installations in general and hydraulic systems for operating doors that facilitate operation thereof in cold environments.

Hydraulically powered door and systems for operating same in low-temperature environments

Kennedy Metal Products & Buildings, Inc.


A method for forming a topographical image of the heterogeneous variations in a surface of a material has a first machining step and a second scanning step. The preferred machining step uses a preselected scribing tool to scribe a plurality of adjacent grooves in a selected material surface at a preselected constant force. This machining step produces a machined surface whose local elevations relative to a datum plane are dependent on the local hardness or wear resistance of the surface. Then the scanning step shifts the scribing tool across the surface in contact with the surface, and measures the elevation of the tool at a plurality of selected surface coordinates. The measured elevations allow formation of a topological map depicting sub-micron structural features of the surface.

Many types of devices for proper functioning depend on specialized characteristics of the materials from which the devices are made. Steel must be strong enough and hard enough to serve as a good drill bit material. A bearing material must be made of a material that is adequately hard and yet machinable to adequate smoothness. Electrical wire must have adequate conductive and ductility characteristics. The list is endless.
One particular set of characteristics that is often important in testing materials is the submicroscopic, or nanometer structure. In particular, designs of various types of devices depend on the submicroscopic surface structure of materials from which the devices are made. One example is in computer hard drives, where these characteristics of both the individual disks and the heads that read and write the data affect the allowable bit density and the bearing characteristics of the head and disk surfaces.
A number of devices now have the ability to measure various mechanical characteristics of a material surface on the nanometer level. For example, an atomic force microscope (AFM) or a scanning probe microscope (SPM) can perform scratch, indent, and wear tests using a tool such as a small stylus having a hard, typically diamond, tip. SPMs and AFMs typically use an actuator capable of precise positioning of a tool mounted on any of them. Such actuators will be referred to generally hereafter as precision positioners.
Revealing the near-surface internal structure of many types of engineering materials on a submicroscopic level is often very useful. The internal structure of interest may be the crystal grain shapes, orientations, boundaries and distributions; concentration of contaminants; inclusions; voids; or other features. One example of such conventional devices is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,807.
This has been done in the past by a process that relies in part on precision positioner imaging. The first step in this process is to highly polish the surface. Then lightly etching the material surface with an appropriate etchant alters the surface topography in a way that reveals internal structure. This surface topography may be very small and detailed, and quite impossible to see with a conventional optical microscope. Then a precision positioner is used to obtain data values from which an image of the surface topography can be formed. This image provides an indication of the material's internal structure.
Conventionally, force and motion oriented in the plane of a workpiece surface can be defined by reference to orthogonal X and Y-axes parallel to the nominal surface of the workpiece. A Z-axis normal to the X and Y-axes thus defines force and motion vectors normal to the nominal surface of the workpiece.
A precision positioner commonly has a three axis piezoelectric element that can precisely move a mounted tool along the X Y, and Z-axes under control of a positioning signal, and accurately measure the coordinates of the tool at any time. By forcing the tool toward the workpiece surface along the Z-axis, the precision positioner can cause the tool to scribe or dent the surface. Force measurements during such machining activity or analysis of the machined surface thereafter allow one to accurately determine material characteristics such as hardness and wear resistance. The commonly available precision positioners have ample force available to perform the scribing or denting required by the invention.
Precision positioners can accept and manipulate various types of auxiliary attachments. One type of auxiliary attachment that can be mounted on a precision positioner is a type of force transducer called a nanoindenter. A nanoindenter allows a tool carried by the nanoindenter to be pressed against the workpiece surface with an exact amount of force.
A nanoindenter typically carries as its tool, a small diamond-tipped stylus that the nanoindenter can use to scribe or dent a workpiece surface. This invention most often uses a nanoindenter carrying a stylus or tool having a conical or pyramidal tip with an effective radius of curvature ranging from 30 to 1000 nanometers (nm). Nanoindenters can be calibrated to accurately provide Z-axis force ranging from 100 nanonewton (nN) to perhaps 30 millinewton (mN).
An enterprise named Hysitron located in Eden Prairie, Minn. makes a version of a nanoindenter preferred for this invention. The Hysitron nanoindenter has a structure explained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,553,486 and 5,576,483.
The Hysitron nanoindenter carries the tool on a special spring. The Hysitron nanoindenter spring allows the tool to translate along the Z axis, and very strongly resists translation and rotation in the other five degrees of freedom. When the precision positioner forces the tool into a workpiece surface, the spring is deflected.
The Hysitron nanoindenter can operate in two modes, precise Z-axis positioning and precise measurement of Z-axis force. The latter function is of particular interest for this invention. In force measurement mode, the Hysitron nanoindenter provides a tip force signal indicating the Z-axis force that the tool tip applies to the workpiece surface. The Hysitron nanoindenter measures force from the deflection of the internal spring. The amount of spring deflection precisely indicates the Z-axis force currently applied to the tool.
The Hysitron nanoindenter includes components that allow the spring deflection to be measured. The moving element of the Hysitron spring carries a plate whose spacing from adjacent control surfaces can be precisely determined using changes in capacitance between the plate and adjacent control surfaces to alter an AC signal applied between the plate and the control surfaces. The technical aspects of measuring spring deflection are explained in the previously identified U.S. Pats.
A Hysitron nanoindenter can provide and measure a wide range of tip forces, from a large force that causes the tool tip to penetrate relatively deeply into a particular workpiece, to a low force that penetrates into the workpiece very little, if any.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional nanoindenter test unit 1 of which a precision positioner 13 forms a part. Test unit 1 has a frame 10 having a central opening in which the various elements of test unit 1 are mounted. Precision positioner 13 is mounted in the central opening above a stage or table 22 on which a workpiece 11 is mounted. Frame 10 has extreme rigidity and a large mass to prevent vibration and movement of frame 10 that may affect the accuracy with which positioner 13 is supported above stage 22. Positioner 13 carries a transducer 18 attachment having a tool tip 21 adjacent to a surface on workpiece 11 to be tested.
Precision positioner 13 is shown separately from frame 10 in FIG. 2. Preferably, transducer 18 is a nanoindenter of the type available from Hysitron mentioned earlier. Tool 21 has a tip 21 a that typically is formed of diamond having, as previously mentioned, a radius of curvature ranging from 30 to 1000 nanometers (nm). The tip 21a usually has a conical or a three or four-sided pyramidal shape.
A preferred type of positioner 13 comprises a piezoscanner unit for precision X, Y, and Z-axis positioning of nanoindenter 18 and the attached tool 21. Such a positioner 13 can, under the control of a tool positioning signal carried on signal path 17a, shift tool 21 with a precision on the order of nanometers to any desired X, Y, and Z-coordinates within the range of movement of positioner 13. Positioner 13 provides a tip coordinate signal on path 17b that specifies with excellent accuracy the current X, Y, and Z coordinates of tip 21a relative to some origin.
Transducer 18 provides a tip force signal on path 16. The tip force signal precisely specifies the force applied along the Z-axis to the tip 21a by the workpiece 11 surface. As previously mentioned, this force can be inferred from the amount of spring deflection experienced by transducer 18 along the Z-axis since the relationship between force and deflection of the spring along the Z-axis can be determined with high accuracy.
Controller 20 further provides the positioning signal to positioner 13 on path 17a. The positioning signal directs positioner 13 to move tool tip 21a to a specified set of X, Y, and Z coordinates. Thus, by holding say the Y and Z coordinates constant and changing the X coordinate incrementally, controller 20 can cause precision positioner 13 to shift tool tip 21a along a line parallel to the X-axis.
A stage actuator 19 carries stage 22. Actuator 19 can move stage 22 through at least several cm in the X, Y, and Z-axes for gross positioning of workpiece 11, and then lock at a desired position. Often, controller 20 operates actuator 19 when positioning stage 22. Controller 20 uses positioner 13 for precisely positioning the tool tip 21a carried by the transducer 18 at the X and Y coordinates specified by the positioning signal.

Method for observation of microstructural surface features in heterogeneous materials


A light emitting chip operating under a DC power supply is provided. The light emitting chip includes a substrate and a plurality of light emitting elements. The light emitting elements are arranged on the substrate, and have the same or different area sizes. The light emitting elements are driven by a single driving voltage or sectionally driven by a plurality of driving voltages.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a light emitting chip and a light emitting device having the same, and more particularly to a light emitting chip operating under a DC power supply and a light emitting device having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Applications of light emitting chips are prevalent in the daily life. As having features of being small in size, low in power consumption, low in temperature and long in life cycle, light emitting chips have gradually replaced conventional incandescent light bulbs having similar functions. In general, a light emitting chip is provided with a conductive terminal extended as a power contact. With electrical conduction of the conductive terminal, the light emitting chip generates a light source to offer light emitting effects.
As the market demand of light emitting chips continues to grow, light emitting chips are applied in diversified products. Therefore, it is a goal to develop a light emitting chip that more satisfies user needs and has enhanced light emitting efficiency.

Light emitting chip and light emitting device having the same


A power saving circuit is to save standby power of electronic devices. A capacitor (1) is connected to an AC power supply (6), and a phase-leading current component passing the capacitor is used to make a DC power supply (10), as a power supply when in standby. In case an infrared command is used, the capacitor is connected in parallel to another capacitor (3) to strengthen the current output capability of the DC power supply, having an AC switching element (4) maintained in on state.

The present invention relates to a power saving circuit for reducing standby power in electronic devices.
Power is needed in setting electronic devices to standby so that they can operate at any time.
For example, an infrared remote control device requires power to keep its light-receiving section active.
This standby power for electronic devices is obtained from a transformer or a switching regulator.
For this reason, many electronic devices consume power of, for example, approximately 2 W to 35 W without a break during the standby period.
The present invention aims to provide a power saving circuit for effectively reducing standby power of such electronic devices and maintaining a power saving state of, for example, approximately 2 mw to 40 mw.
The present invention aims to provide such a power saving circuit as a unit.
The present invention is a power saving circuit having a circuit constitution wherein a capacitor is connected with an AC power supply, a DC power supply is created from the charge moving between this capacitor and the AC power supply, and standby power for an electronic circuit is obtained from this DC power supply.
According to the present invention, the phase-leading current component flowing through the capacitor can be used as standby power. Furthermore, it also has a protective effect when excess voltage arrives.
The power saving circuit may be comprised as a power saving unit, and this unit may be a module type which is contained in the electronic device or an adaptor type which is externally connected to the electronic device.
In case of control such as by an infrared command,the circuit constitution may be one wherein the capacitor is connected in parallel with another capacitor to increase the current output capability of the DC power supply, and an AC switching element is turned on by the power from this supply.


A defect categorization method is described. Two or more regions are defined on a die. These regions can be repeated for other dies on the same wafer or corresponding regions on other dies on other wafers. The wafer(s) are scanned for defects. The location of each defect, along with any other desired defect data is stored. The stored defect data is then categorizing by region or regions within a die. As a result of the categorization, optional defect generation predictions can be made or optional yield or kill ratio predictions can be made. Also, specific regions(s) can be rescanned based on the result of the categorization.

The present invention relates generally to categorizing defect based on user defined regions, also called bins.
During fabrication process of solid state devices, such as a semiconductor devices, photomasks and reticles are used to form patterns of each layer of the devices on the wafer. Even an extremely small defect could greatly affect the production yield, circuits reliability or circuits functionality. For these reasons, wafers are inspected, often during the fabrication process upon completion of each step. A die, also called a chip, is a single square or rectangular piece of semiconductor material into which a specific electrical circuit has been fabricated. A single wafer normally has many dice. It may be desirable to have two or more different die patterns repeated on the same wafer.
Currently, defect in a die are detected, however, they are not categorized by user defined regions, nor are the defects analyzed based on those regions. A recognized problem, therefore, is detected defects are not automatically categorized by region to aid in defect analysis.
The aforementioned problems are solved by providing a method of categorizing detected defects based on user definable regions. Such user definable regions can be based on pattern density or other criteria.

Method for detecting and categorizing defects


An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a toner image forming unit, a transfer unit, a detector, and a controller. The toner image forming unit forms a plurality of types of density detection patterns on the surface of the image bearer in mutually-different positions in a surface-movement direction of the image bearer. The density detection patterns have mutually-different lengths in a direction orthogonal to the surface-movement direction of the image bearer. The transfer unit transfers the density detection patterns onto the surface of the transfer member. The detector detects image densities of the density detection patterns transferred on the surface of the transfer member. The controller calculates an image density difference between the density detection patterns on a basis of a detection result obtained by the detector, and corrects a transfer bias for transferring a toner image on a basis of a value of the image density difference.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, or the like and, more specifically, to a tandem image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In this type of image forming apparatus, a plurality of image bearers are arranged along the direction of a surface movement of a transfer member such as a recording member or an intermediate transfer member. An image is formed by forming toner images on the image bearers by using a developing agent (hereinafter, "developer") provided in a developing device and subsequently transferring the formed toner images onto the transfer member. In the image forming apparatus configured in this manner, the toner images formed on the image bearers are transferred onto the transfer member by applying a transfer bias thereto from a transfer unit. The percentage of the toner (hereinafter, "transfer rate") that is transferred onto the transfer member out of the toner structuring each of the toner images formed on the image bearers changes in relation to an electric charge amount (hereinafter, "charge amount") of the toner and the magnitude of the transfer bias.
While the developer deteriorates over the course of time, the toner charge amount (more specifically, a specific charge (Q/M) expressed as a charge amount per unit mass of the developer) changes. Thus, even if the transfer bias is set to an appropriate value in accordance with the toner charge amount at an initial point in time when the developer had not yet deteriorated, the transfer bias no longer has an appropriate value at a later time when the developer became deteriorated, because the toner charge amount has changed.
An image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3,172,557 is configured to count the number of sheets printed, to find out the degree of deterioration of the developer in accordance with the counted result, and to correct the transfer bias so as to obtain an optimal transfer current. When the image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3,172,557 is used, even if an overall toner charge amount has decreased due to deterioration of the developer over the course of time, because the transfer bias is corrected in accordance therewith, it is possible to inhibit degradation of image quality caused by the deterioration of the developer over the course of time.
It has been found out, however, that even if the number of sheets printed is the same, the degree of deterioration of a developer varies depending on output conditions of the image forming apparatus. For example, under a condition where a large number of sheets are output with images having a low image area ratio such as diagrams or text images, the developer tends to deteriorate faster than under a condition where a large number of sheets are output with images having a high image area ratio such as solid images, even if the numbers of sheets printed are the same. It is considered that the reason is that, when the large number of sheets are output with the images having a low image area ratio, because the consumption amount of the developer in the developing device is smaller, a larger amount of developer stays inside the developing device, so that a larger stress is applied to the developer, and the deterioration of the developer thus progresses faster.
Accordingly, when the transfer bias is corrected by finding out the degree of deterioration of the developer simply on the basis of only the number of image formed sheets, it is difficult to set the transfer bias to an appropriate value because the degree of deterioration of the developer varies depending on the output conditions that have so far been used by the image forming apparatus.
Thus, there is a need for an image forming apparatus capable of finding out the degree of deterioration of the developer more appropriately and setting the transfer bias to an appropriate value.


A method and apparatus is provided which compensates for environmental factors which cause misdirection of ink drops ejected from an ink jet printhead. Ink drops are electrostatically accelerated in a direction perpendicular to a print substrate, decreasing the ink drop flight time from the printhead to print substrate. The decrease in flight time decreases the misdirecting effect of the environmental factors on the ink drops since the environmental factors act on the ink drops for a shorter amount of time. Accelerating the ink drops also increases the spot size created when the drop impacts the print substrate, decreasing the amount of ink needed to create an image on the print substrate. The decrease in ink use results in less cockle and curl in the print substrate. The device also provides electrostatic deflection of the ink drops in directions parallel to the print substrate, increasing the resolution of the printhead.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to electric-field manipulation of ink drops in printing. In particular, the invention relates to electric-field acceleration and steering of the ink drops to increase the placement accuracy of the ink drops and the resolution capability of a printer.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional ink drop printing systems use various different methods to produce ink drops directed toward a print substrate. Well-known devices for ink drop printing include thermal ink jet printheads, piezoelectric transducer-type ink jet printheads, and acoustic ink jet printheads. All of these technologies produce roughly spherical ink drops having a 15-100 micron diameter directed toward a print substrate at approximately 4 m/sec. The actuators in the printheads which produce the ink drops are controlled by a printer controller. The printer controller activates the actuators in conjunction with movement of the print substrate relative to the printhead. By controlling the activation of the actuators and the print substrate movement, the print controller directs the ink drops to impact the print substrate in a specific pattern, thus forming an image on the print substrate.
Ideally, all of the actuators in a printhead produce ink drops directed toward the print substrate in a direction perpendicular to the print substrate. In practice, however, some ink drops are not directed exactly perpendicular to the print substrate. The ink drops which deviate from the desired trajectory are undesirable since the misdirected drops impact the print substrate at a point not anticipated by the print controller. Therefore, misdirected drops affect the quality of the printed image by impacting the print substrate in unwanted positions.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,386,358 and 4,379,301 to Fischbeck disclose a method for electrostatically deflecting electrically charged ink drops ejected from an ink jet printhead. Charges placed on electrodes on the printhead disclosed by Fischbeck are controlled to steer the charged ink drops in desired directions to compensate for known printhead movement. By electrostatically steering the charged ink drops, the method disclosed in Fischbeck compensates for ink drop misdirection caused by the known printhead movement when the ink drop is ejected.
However, the electrostatic deflection method disclosed by Fischbeck does not compensate for unpredictable environmental factors which can affect ink drop trajectories. Such environmental factors include air currents and temperature gradients between the printhead and the print substrate. In acoustic ink jet printheads, unpredictable variations in the dynamics of ink drop creation also detrimentally affect ink drop trajectories. Some of the variations in ink drop creation are caused by aberrations in the lithography of the Fresnel lens which focusses the acoustic wave used to create the ink drops.

Electric-field manipulation of ejected ink drops in printing


A method includes generating, based on user images, a user 3-D model. The method proceeds with obtaining, via a user interface, a request to graphically represent an accessory on to a user graphical representation. This user graphical representation is generated using the user 3-D model. In response to this request, an accessory 3-D model is obtained. Further, the method includes positioning, via the user interface and based on parameters of the user 3-D model and of the accessory 3-D model, an accessory graphical representation on to the user graphical representation. The method further includes updating, in response to detecting user movement, the user 3-D model and the accessory 3-D model and presenting, via the user interface and based on these updated 3-D models, the accessory graphical representation and the user graphical representation in accordance with the user movement.

With the advent of augmented reality (AR) technologies, a user can superimpose computer-generated images of various accessories on to a graphical representation of the user's real-world environment. For instance, retailers often use AR technologies, implemented on an application and/or website, to create a realistic try-on experience for their customers. A customer, accessing the application and/or website, may superimpose a computer-generated image of an accessory over a real-world image of the customer to allow the customer to determine how the accessory would look on the customer without having to physically don the accessory in a physical store.
However, the appearance of these accessories during a virtual try-on session can be unrealistic. For instance, the size of an accessory, when represented in an AR environment during a virtual try-on session, can often be inaccurate. Further, the image of the accessory, as presented in the AR environment, can appear artificial and crudely pasted on to the user's image. Further, as the user moves in the real-world environment, the image of the accessory often remains stationary, which prevents the user from being able to discern how the accessory's position and look would change with the movement of the user. These concerns can worsen a user experience during a virtual try-on session.


A shape morphing fuselage and method of transitioning an aerocar from a land mode to a flight mode are disclosed. The fuselage includes a plurality of flexible frame members and tensile skin extending between the plurality of flexible frame members as well as an actuation system configured to bend the plurality of flexible frame members between a contracted configuration associated with a flight mode and an expanded configuration associated with a land mode. The fuselage can also include a hatch pivotable about an axis of one of the flexible frame members in the expanded configuration and configured to open for deployment and retraction of wings for the aerocar.

A roadable aircraft, or aerocar, is a vehicle that can be both driven on the road in a land mode and takeoff, fly, and land as an aircraft in a flight mode. Vehicles that demonstrate such capabilities provide operators with expanded private travel options. Such vehicles, however, can require physical tradeoffs in design in order to facilitate operations in both the land mode and the flight mode.
Typically, the body portion, or passenger compartment, of a land vehicle is shaped for passenger comfort and to facilitate maneuverability, whereas the fuselage of an aircraft is shaped to optimize aerodynamic lift, limit drag, and facilitate flight stability. Existing aerocars include wings used during the flight mode that are designed to fold against the fuselage in the land mode. Storing wings in such a manner can subject the wings to damage, reduce fuel economy, and limit operator aft and side views in the land mode.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A radar system is configured to predict future storm cell characteristics and display an indication of the characteristics on an electronic display. The system has an antenna configured to receive radar returns from radar scans of storm cells. The system includes processing electronics configured to determine a characteristic of a first storm cell from the radar returns and identify at least one second storm cell. The at least one second storm cell is in the same weather system as the first storm cell. The processing electronics are configured to determine the characteristic for the at least one identified second storm cell, compare the characteristic of the first storm cell with the characteristics of the at least one second storm cell, determine a growth rate of the first storm cell, and calculate a predicted height of the first storm cell at a future time based on the comparison and determined growth rate.

The present application relates generally to weather detection and prediction. More particularly, the present application relates to the detection of and the growth prediction of storm tops.
Thunderstorms are a violent example of atmospheric convection with the uplift and cooling of air and subsequent cloud formation. As the cloud forms, water vapour changes to liquid and/or to frozen cloud particles resulting in a large release of heat that becomes the principal source of energy for the developing cloud. The cloud particles grow by colliding and combining with each other, forming rain, snow, and/or hail. High level winds may shear the cloud top into an anvil shape. When the droplets become heavy enough to fall against the updraft created as the cloud forms, precipitation begins. Once precipitation begins the updraft which initiated the cloud's growth weakens and is joined by a downdraft generated by the precipitation. This updraft-downdraft couplet constitutes a single storm cell. A typical storm is composed of multiple cells that form, survive for about half an hour, and then weaken and disperse. In some circumstances, new cells may replace old ones making it possible for some storms to continue for up to several hours.
Storm tops are hazards to aircraft. Conventionally, pilots use weather radar to detect and then avoid hazardous weather. Effectively and efficiently identifying and predicting storm tops using a weather radar is very beneficial for pilots that need to fly over the storm cell to avoid the hazardous weather. Meteorological radars are capable of detecting precipitation and variations of the refractive index in the atmosphere that may be generated by local variations of temperature or of humidity. The returned signal from the transmitted pulse encountering a weather target has an amplitude, a phase, and a polarization. The amplitude is used to determine the reflectivity and to estimate the mass of precipitation per unit volume or the intensity of precipitation through the use of empirical relations.
In general, modern weather radars automatically perform a volume scan consisting of a series of full azimuth rotations of the antenna at several elevation angles. The raw polar data may be stored in a three-dimensional array for further data processing and archiving. Using application software, a wide variety of meteorological products may be generated and displayed as images on a display. Grid or pixel values and conversion to x-y coordinates are computed using three-dimensional interpolation techniques. Each image pixel represents a color-coded value of a selected variable such as the reflectivity, the rainfall rate, etc. Vertically-integrated liquid can be displayed for any specified layer of the atmosphere as an indicator of the intensity of severe storms.
Turbulence is the leading cause of in-flight injuries to passengers and cabin crews on aircraft. A high turbulence region exists above a storm cell, but is difficult to detect with radar due to the low reflectivity. However, if a weather radar system can detect and predict the location of the high turbulence region with sufficient response time, aircraft can successfully avoid storm system hazards. Thus, there is a need for a system and a method for efficiently detecting the height of a storm cell. What is further needed is a system and a method to predict the change in the height of the storm cell for a forecast time period so that the aircraft can better respond to the changing conditions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A switchgear housing assembly includes a first switchgear housing including a cable compartment portion and a circuit breaker portion, a busbar portion, and a second switchgear housing a cable compartment section, a busbar section, and a circuit breaker section. An exhaust duct is arranged between the first and second switchgear housings. The exhaust duct is selectively fluidically exposed to at least one of the cable compartment portion, cable compartment section, the circuit breaker portion, and the circuit breaker section. A floating flap assembly is operatively associated with at least one of the first and second switchgear housings. The floating flap assembly includes a floating flap member. The floating flap member is selectively slideable between a closed position and an open position in response to a pressure rise in one of the cable compartment portion, cable compartment section, circuit breaker portion, and circuit breaker section.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to the art of electrical enclosures and, more particularly, to a switchgear housing including a floating exhaust flap assembly.
In general, a switchgear serves as an interface between an electrical supply and an electrical load. The switchgear includes a line or busbar portion and a load or circuit breaker portion. The busbar portion includes one or more busbars that are connected to the electrical supply. The circuit breaker portion includes one or more circuit breakers that are electrically connected to the one or more busbars and an electrical load. The circuit breaker is configured to interrupt a flow of current from the one or more busbars to the electrical load in the event of an over-current condition, short circuit condition and/or an over/under voltage condition. The interruption of electrical current provides protection for conductors electrically connecting the circuit breaker and the electrical load.

Switchgear housing including a floating exhaust flap assembly


A reference speed signal approximating the vehicle speed is generated from the wheel speed signals. Wheel slippage signals are generated from the wheel speed signals and the reference speed signal, and used to produce control signals for brake pressure control devices at the wheels. The ABS is switched off when the vehicle is not braked and a wheel slippage signal exceeds a threshold for a predetermined period of time. In a preferred embodiment, the wheel slippage signal used for generating the control signal is reduced by a specified amount when the slippage signal exceeds a smaller threshold for a predetermined period of time.

When a vehicle is driven using its spare wheel, or with widely varying tyre pressures, it is possible that the message given to the antilocking control system is an erroneous message of brake slip which either does not exist at all or is not to the extent indicated, which can lead to an unnecessary reduction of braking pressure, i.e. to insufficiently braked wheels.


A semiconductor device includes a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells (1). Each of the nonvolatile memory cells comprises a MOS type first transistor section (3) used for information storage, and a MOS type second transistor section (4) which selects the first transistor section. The second transistor section has a bit line electrode (16) connected to a bit line, and a control gate electrode (18) connected to a control gate control line. The first transistor section has a source line electrode (10) connected to a source line, a memory gate electrode (14) connected to a memory gate control line, and a charge storage region (11) disposed directly below the memory gate electrode. A gate withstand voltage of the second transistor section is lower than that of the first transistor section. Assuming that the thickness of a gate insulating film of the second transistor section is defined as tc and the thickness of a gate insulating film of the first transistor section is defined as tm, they have a relationship of tc<tm.

As nonvolatile memory cells, may be mentioned, a split gate type memory cell and a stack gate type memory cell. The split gate type memory cell comprises two transistors of a memory MOS type transistor that constitutes a memory section, and a selection MOS type transistor for selecting its memory section to thereby fetch information therefrom. As a known document, there is known a technology described in 1994-Proceedings of IEEE, VLSI, Technology Symposium, pp 71-72. A structure and operation of a memory cell described therein will be explained in brief. This split gate type memory cell comprises a source, a drain, a floating gate and a control gate. As the injection of electrical charges into the floating gate, may be mentioned a source side injection system using the generation of hot electrons. The charges stored in the floating gate are ejected from a pointed end of the floating gate to the control gate. At this time, there is a need to apply a high voltage of 12 volts to the control gate. The control gate that functions as a charge ejection electrode, serves even as a gate electrode of a reading selection MOS type transistor. A gate oxide film for a selection MOS type transistor section is a deposited oxide film, which functions even as a film for electrically isolating the floating gate and a gate electrode of the selection MOS type transistor. As other known technologies related to the split gate type memory cell, there are known, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,659,828 and 5,408,115, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 5(1993)-136422, etc.
The stack gate type memory cell comprises a source, a drain, and a floating gate and a control gate stacked on a channel forming region. The generation of hot electrons is used for the injection of electrical charges into the floating gate. The electrical charges stored in the floating gate are ejected toward a substrate. At this time, there is a need to apply a negative high voltage of −10 volts to the control gate. Reading is performed by applying a read voltage like 3.3 volts to the control gate. The stack gate type memory cell has been described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 11(1999)-232886, etc.
In terms of the speeding up of data processing, the speeding up of a read operation of a nonvolatile memory device becomes important even to the nonvolatile memory device. In the split gate type memory cell, the gate electrode of the selection MOS transistor is configured so as to function even as an erase electrode. Therefore, a gate insulating film had no other choice but to set its thickness to the same thickness as that of a write/erase-voltage control high-voltage MOS transistor in order to ensure a withstand voltage therefor. Thus, Gm (mutual conductance defined as current supply capacity) of the selection MOS transistor becomes small, so the split gate type memory cell is hardly a structure wherein a read current can be obtained sufficiently. If nothing is done, then the split gate type memory cell is not fit for a high-speed operation under a low voltage. Since a thick gate oxide film for realizing a high withstand voltage is adopted for the control gate to which a high voltage is applied upon write/erase operations, it reduces Gm at a read operation, so the stack gate type cell is hardly a structure wherein a read current can be ensured sufficiently.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,659,828 and 5,408,115 of the known documents respectively describe the invention related to the write/erase operations but do not refer to an improvement in the performance of the read operation. Further, although Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 5(1993)-136422 of the known document discloses a shape most analogous to that of the present invention, it shows the invention related to a method of insulating two gate electrodes adjacent to each other, and does not disclose read performance. A nonvolatile memory device unprovided for the prior art is needed which is adapted to a logical operation device brought to high performance.
A structure has been adopted wherein bit lines are hierarchized into main and sub bit lines, only a sub bit line connected with a memory cell to be operated and selected is selected and connected to its corresponding main bit line, and the parasitic capacity of the bit line by the memory cell is apparently reduced, whereby a high-speed read operation is realized. However, it has been found out by the present inventors that there is a fear that where it is necessary to apply a high voltage even to a bit line upon writing as in the stack gate type memory cell, a MOS transistor for selectively connecting a sub bit line to its corresponding main bit line must be brought to high withstanding, whereby Gm of a read path is further reduced and the speeding up by a hierarchized bit line structure based on the main/sub bit lines will not function sufficiently.
An object of the present invention is to eliminate a thick-film high-voltage MOS transistor that impairs speeding up, from a memory information read path.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device capable of reading memory information from a nonvolatile memory cell at high speed.
The above, other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the present Specification and the accompanying drawings.


A system and method to tilt coaxial counter-rotating rotor hub assemblies relative to a fuselage. The system includes a first rotor hub assembly and a second rotor hub assembly spaced apart from the first hub assembly and carried by the fuselage. The method includes pivotally attaching the first rotor hub assembly and the second rotor hub assembly to a pivot joint and thereafter tilting the first rotor hub assembly and the second rotor hub assembly about the pivot joint with a driver.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates generally to aircraft rotor systems, and more specifically, to a helicopter rotor system having coaxial counter-rotating blades.
2. Description of Related Art
Rotor systems are well known in the art, and in some embodiments, utilize two or more coaxial counter-rotating rotor blades to create flight. These known embodiments maximize the available airflow for enhancing flight characteristics, for example, increasing lifting capacity and flight maneuverability.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,251 to Bertolotti et al. discloses a rotor system of the type described above and is generally indicative of a current state-of-the art coaxial counter-rotating rotor system. The Bertolotti et al. rotor system includes two rotor hub assemblies coaxially aligned and configured to rotate a plurality of rotor blades in an opposing direction relative to each other. It should be understood that the Bertolotti et al. rotor system is not configured to pivot relative to the aircraft fuselage.
Although the foregoing developments represent great strides in the area of rotor systems, many shortcomings remain.
While the system and method of the present application is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the process of the present application as defined by the appended claims.


An apparatus and method are provided for introducing at least one cable C connected with a connector 20 into or through a grommet 30 having openings provided therefor. The apparatus has a second element 12 for at least partly accommodating the cable C and the connector 20 and a first element 18 for at least partly accommodating the cable C and the grommet 30. The elements 12,18 surround the cable C over its entire length and are movable with respect to each other while holding the connector 20 and the grommet 30 in respective positions to introduce the cable C into or through the grommet 30.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the assembly of one or more cables with a part such as a connector or a grommet into or through which said one or more cables are to be inserted or passed through. In particular the invention is directed to the assembly of a wiring harness comprising at least one connector, one grommet, one cable and a sleeve or tube surrounding said cable. The invention provides an apparatus and method for inserting and/or passing at least one cable into and/or through a part having openings for accommodating said at least one cable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 6-88127 shows a device which enables a plurality of cables to be passed simultaneously through a grommet. This known device comprises a holding tool and a wire positioning portion, both of which are on a fixed base. The holding tool is operative for holding the grommet. The wire aligning table comprises a wire pressing portion for restraining the wires on the wire aligning table. The pressing portion is openable and closable. An operating lever enables the grommet holding tool to be pushed towards and away from the wire positioning portion.
This known device has some inherent problems, including: the risk of damaging the wires or cables, in particular the coating thereof surrounding the conductors making up the cables; the risk of scratching and/or deforming, in particular bending the cables as they are passed through the grommet; the susceptibility of the grommet to damage; the cumbersome operation; and no possibility for automation.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus and a method for inserting and/or passing at least one cable in and/or through a part having openings for accommodating said at least one cable, with which the risk of damage and/or deformation of said at least one cable is eliminated.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus and a method which protect the part such as a connector or grommet against damage.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus and a method which enable automation and realize enhanced ease of use, in particular simplified handling and shortened time requirements.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an apparatus and a method capable of inserting and/or passing said at least one cable in and/or through the part in one step or stroke.

Apparatus and method for introducing cables into or through a part


Systems tune, control, or remediate the intrinsic Circadian clock. A light controller sets spectral distribution, intensity of a bioactive spectral band to shift or entrain circadian response to enhance performance and/or synchronize with local or expected conditions. The systems enhance performance under conditions that might be changing, disrupted, or otherwise present an irregular phase or unnatural change in the subject's circadian status, for example, due to geographically discontinuous activity or spectrally deficient workplace illumination, or due to divergent individual sleep/wake behaviors of subjects in a structured group activity. An illumination recipe that compensates for the deficiency of lighting or of participant sleep or behavior patterns, or age- or disease-related changes, to evoke, shift, or align circadian response and improve behaviors such as classroom alertness, relaxation, excitability, attention, or focus. Systems may receive sensed light values and automatically apply high- and/or low-CER illumination to effect the intended circadian phase.

This invention relates to workplace lighting and to enhancing focus, attention, sleep, mood and restfulness; it also relates to mitigating effects of schedule changes, travel and organization or tasks.
The economic burden of sleep loss has been estimated at $411 billion per year in the United States. Sleep and circadian rhythms influence human performance, impulsivity, decision-making, learning, memory, attention, alertness, and overall physical and mental health. The demand for humans to perform critical work-related tasks at adverse circadian phases (i.e., biological night) while lacking adequate sleep has played a role in some of the world's most devastating industrial and engineering disasters (such as Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, the Challenger explosion, Exxon Valdez, American Airlines Flight 1420, etc.). Where performance, alertness, and attention are critical for success military, professional sports, medical/health care, transportation, school/training etc. or other organizations operating with defined or changing schedules, may be impacted by effects on personnel of interactions between inadequate sleep and adverse circadian phase. Current knowledge of how sleep and circadian rhythms are regulated have allowed for experimental manipulation of sleep and circadian factors in order to improve performance outcomes. There also exist many specific or institutional situations in which individuals live or work in an artificial or institutional milieu, in which the lighting conditions, sleep/wake schedules, the activities of the occupants, and their circadian responses may differ in phase or degree, from the circadian processes that are generally accepted or empirically observed in the population at large. Depending upon circumstances and subject to confirmation, several specific examples might benefit from better-controlled lighting. Until now, however, circadian interventions have been developed for the laboratory and technology to bring these interventions out of the lab has not been available.
The present invention remedies this situation by providing light control and behavior- or illumination-sensing hardware to permit practical study and application of circadian effectors to aspects of training, lodging, industrial lighting, human activity and other systems.
By way of background understanding of relevant physiology, we begin with a description of sleep regulation.
The patterns of sleep/wake and the distribution of stages within sleep are understood using a theoretical framework termed the two-process model of sleep/wake regulation. At the heart of this model are two biological systems: a sleep-dependent homeostatic process (Process S) and a sleep-independent circadian process (Process C). Process S rises during waking and declines during sleep; Process C derives from the internal daily biological rhythm or oscillation. Under ideal circumstances, the result of the interaction between these processes is that sleep is favored after wakefulness accumulates across the day (Process S) and also at specific times in the 24-hour day (Process C); however, many occupations (i.e., military, professional sports, medicine) expect employees to perform critical operations following inadequate sleep or at adverse circadian phases (e.g., during biological night) or when inadequate sleep is combined with adverse circadian phase.
Systems of the present invention use knowledge of circadian biology to improve performance through either stabilizing circadian rhythms or aligning circadian peak of performance of a subject or of a group of subjects to performance schedule (e.g., military mission, professional sports game) or aligning circadian rhythms with scheduled performance in order to avoid the nadir of circadian performance. Circadian rhythms are ˜24-hour cycles in human physiology that cause events such as sleep, alertness, mood, hormone release, etc. to be favored at certain times of the day. A misalignment between these endogenous circadian rhythms and the environment results in unpleasant side effects similar to those seen in jet lag and shiftwork.
Light is the most potent stimulus to entrain and shift circadian rhythms, and several components of light are critical in order to effectively alter the circadian timing system. The components include the spectral characteristics, the intensity, and the timing of light. I think we should add something here about photic history. The history of timing and intensity of light exposure is also important. Several studies have shown that the mammalian circadian system is most sensitive to light with spectral content near 460 nm and the phase shifting effect of light occurs at eye-level illuminance levels starting at about 50 and plateauing at 550 lux using white light, with greater phase shifts at higher intensities. Finally, the timing of light is critical based on whether an advance (light in the late biological night/early morning) or a delay of the circadian timing system (light in the evening) is targeted. Thus, several lines of research demonstrate that the appropriately timed delivery of light with specific spectral characteristics and of an ideal illuminance/intensity is a powerful tool for aligning endogenous circadian rhythms to the external environment/shift circadian rhythms; conversely, inappropriate timing of light can be an equally powerful tool in disrupting human circadian rhythms. Therefore, it is critical for circadian-enhanced biophilic lighting to be designed with informed circadian rhythm/sleep and engineering expertise to ensure optimal delivery (e.g., circadian alignment to performance schedule).

Lighting system for circadian control and enhanced performance


An electro-optic modulator for high voltage applications exhibits reduced corona and arcing by utilizing dielectric-coated electrodes in conjunction with a non-centrosymmetric crystal. The inclusion of an insulative coating (i.e., a dielectric material) on at least a portion of the electrodes reduces the possibility of arcing or corona, without requiring the application of any type of coating material directly on the crystal itself. Thus, the birefringent response of the crystal is not impacted by this coated electrode configuration of the present invention. In one configuration, the exposed surfaces of the electrodes are coated with an insulative material, while maintaining a direct contact between the electrodes and the surface of the crystal.

It is well known in the art that a laser beam can be modulated using non-centrosymmetric electro-optic single crystal materials, such as CdTe (i.e., materials that exhibit a linear electro-optic effect). When an electric field is applied to the crystal, internal birefringence is created that causes a rotation of the polarization direction of the crystal material. When the crystal is positioned between a polarizing element and an optical analyzer, the amplitude of the exiting beam is proportional to the electric field applied to the crystal. Thus, modulation of the applied electric field (such as by pulsing the voltage applied across the crystal) provides a modulated optical output signal.
In practice, conductive layers are applied to the crystal, which are then contacted by the electrodes used to apply the voltage across the crystal. The conductive layers are utilized to out-couple heat and acoustic energy away from the crystal, while also providing the necessary electrical contact between the high voltage source and the surface of the crystal.
It is known that the voltages used to create the electric field within the crystal may exceed upwards of 3000V (depending on the design thickness of the crystal), which can produce undesirable arcing and corona that may ultimately destroy the crystal. For example, presuming that a crystal having a thickness of 5 mm is used as the modulator, an applied voltage on the order of 6000 volts (1200 volts/mm) is required to produce a full rotation of the polarization state within the crystal. Experience has shown that corona will form at this electric field intensity, eventually leading to arcing. Once the voltage exceeds about 7000 volts, arcing will occur instantly. Corona is known to be corrosive in nature, as a result of its high discharge temperature and formation of ozone and, therefore, a source of damage to the modulator structure.
While many "high voltage" electronic circuits may be fully immersed in a potting material to prevent corona formation and arcing, that is not possible when using birefringent elements such as crystal, material CdTe, since the various mechanical stresses associated with the potting process creates an unknown, amount of stress-induced birefringence within the crystal. This variable (and uncontrollable) amount of polarization shifting significantly degrades the ability of the configuration to operate as an optical modulator.
Thus, a need remains in the art for an electro-optic modulator that is protected from arcing and corona problems.

Electrode configuration for electro-optic modulators


A stretchable display device includes a stretchable substrate including a plurality of island areas that are separated from each other and a hinge area connecting the plurality of island areas, a plurality of display units respectively located in each of the plurality of island areas, a wiring part connecting the plurality of display units and located at the hinge area, and an insulating layer between the stretchable substrate and the plurality of display units. The insulating layer includes an opening overlapping the hinge area.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a stretchable display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, as examples of display devices, there are an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and a plasma display panel (PDP). Among them, the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a substrate and an organic light emitting diode provided on the substrate. Recently, a stretchable display device including a stretchable substrate and an organic light emitting element disposed on the stretchable substrate has been developed.

Stretchable display device with insulation layer disposed on stretchable substrate


A network of radio devices is managed by carrying out a radio device registration at a registering authentication server when it is possible to communicate with all the authentication servers, distributing registration information to the authentication servers, managing the registration information at each one of the authentication servers, carrying out a radio device deletion at a deleting authentication server, distributing deletion information to the authentication servers, and deleting the radio device from the registration information according to the deletion information at each one of the authentication servers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio network system, a radio network management method, and a radio network management program executable on a computer, and more particularly, to a technique to be used for managing devices in a radio network system in which communications are protected by authentication or encryption.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in conjunction with the advance of the LAN (Local Area Network) technique. The networking in the office environment has been developed mainly in forms of connections among PCs (Personal Computers). While such wired LANs are spreading, the use of the wireless LAN in which a part of the wired LAN is replaced by radio is also in progress. For example, a radio base station is connected to the wired LAN and a plurality of portable PCs are connected to this base station by radio. When a file of a desk-top PC connected to the wired LAN by Ethernet is edited from the portable PC, the radio access to the wired LAN is realized. Also, when portions of the base station and the portable PC are extracted, these portions form a wireless LAN. The advantages of such a wireless LAN are that there is no need to lay cables because radio waves or infrared rays are used as transmission paths, and that a new construction or a layout change of the network is easy.
The introduction of such a wireless LAN is becoming popular due to the standardization of IEEE 802.11. In IEEE 802.11, the 2.4 GHz band wireless LAN specification was completed in 1997, and the 5 GHz band wireless LAN specification was completed in 1999. The transmission rate of the 2.4 GHz band wireless LAN specification is either 1 to 2 Mbps or 11 Mbps, and the specification with the transmission rate over 20 Mbps is currently under the discussion. Recently, products compatible with this 2.4 GHz band specification have been released by many companies so that the base station and the radio PC card are now priced in an affordable range of general users. On the other hand, the 5 GHz band wireless LAN specification can realize the transmission rate of 20 to 30 Mbps. Also, unlike the 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band is currently almost unused frequency band in which faster transmission rates can be expected easily, so that it has a prospect of becoming the next generation wireless LAN specification. With the appearance of some venture company that plans to sell one chip at $35 in 2001, 5 GHz band is now becoming familiar.
In addition, there is a trend to install the Bluetooth on all kinds of devices in a variety of fields including those of portable telephones, home electronics and PCs. This Bluetooth is also a 2.4 GHz band radio system, and it is expected to spread worldwide due to its low cost of about $5 for one chip, its wide acceptance by approximately 2000 companies in a variety of fields and its standardization activity that has been made in direct connection with the product developments.
From the circumstances described above, as radio devices are spread, the range of application of these techniques is expected to cover not just the office environment but also the general homes as well. In particular, the fact that there is no need to lay cables in the home is even greater advantage than the case of the office environment.
However, despite of the fact that the operation by radio is easy, its feature that it does not use an explicit connection such as that used in the case of the cable connection or the like tends to give rise to the problem of security and privacy. There is a possibility for having the radio device controlled from outside the home without consent, or a possibility for having the personal information stolen or destroyed. The internet connection is now shifting from a part time basis to a tall time basis, but when it becomes popular to keep the power of the PC having a radio network interface constantly on as a result, there is also a possibility for allowing an intrusion into the PC via the radio network interface by evading the firewall.
Also, the general home users are likely to experience some vague anxiety because of the circumstances in which the hone users can learn some knowledge about the presence of threats related to the security such as eavesdropping and pretending, through news related to the computer virus from the PC industry or TV programs. Under the business environment, it is relatively easy to take measures against these threats by hiring a specialist, and it is possible to implement the IPSEC or firewall and continually updating such software. However, under the home environment, it is expected to be rather difficult for many users to take such measures in general.
In order to enable the users to use the network of radio devices in the home without anxiety, there are attempts to use a method for distributing secret information to be used for the authentication from an authentication server installed in the home. However, if a radio device that received the secret information once is allowed to use the same secret information indefinitely, the user cannot hand over the radio device to someone else or discard the radio device without anxiety. Also, when one radio device is stolen, there is a possibility for having all the radio communications in the home eavesdropped by using the secret information maintained by that device.
When the communications within the network are to be protected by the above described method, it is presupposed that there is only one authentication server. However, when there is only one authentication server, there arises a problem that all the information regarding the radio devices can be lost when this authentication server fails. It is possible to prevent the information from being lost even when one authentication server falls if two or more authentication servers are provided and the information regarding the radio devices is shared among them. However, in the radio communications, there are many cases where the communications become temporarily impossible due to various conditions, so that it is not necessarily always possible to synchronize the information among the authentication servers. For this reason, it is difficult to guarantee that the information is always the same among the authentication servers.

Radio network system using multiple authentication servers with consistently maintained information


The present invention provides an image forming apparatus comprising a recording material bearing member for bearing and conveying a recording material, an image forming means for forming an image on the recording material born on the recording material bewaring member, and a drive rotary member for driving the recording material bearing member to convey the recording material by means of the recording material bearing member. A rotational speed of the drive rotary member is controlled in accordance with information regarding a temperature of the image forming apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile, a copying machine and the like, using an electrophotographic system, an ink jet system or a heat transfer system.
2. Related Background Art
In conventional image forming apparatuses in which an image is formed with the above-mentioned system while a recording medium such as a recording sheet is being conveyed, the following arrangement is generally known.
An apparatus shown in FIG. 6 includes an image input portion 90R and an image output portion 90P. The image input portion 90R serves to receive image information for the recording and to output an image signal to the image output portion 90P after the image information was subjected to various treatments. The image output portion 90P comprises an image forming portion 91 for forming an image, a sheet supply unit 92 for containing stacked recording sheets P and for supplying the recording sheets one by one, a transfer convey unit 93 for convey the recording sheet P supplied from the sheet supply unit 92 to the image forming portion 91 and for transferring the image onto the recording sheet, a fixing unit 94 for fixing the image recorded on the recording sheet, and a control unit 95 for controlling the entire operation of the apparatus.
Now, a recording operation will be described in order. When the operation of the apparatus is started, first of all, the recording sheet P is supplied from the sheet supply unit 92 and is sent to a pair of regist rollers 96 (now stopped) disposed in front of the convey unit 93. Thereafter, in synchronous with an image record start signal, the regist rollers 96 are rotated to seat the recording sheet P onto the convey unit 93. With this operation, an image can be formed at a predetermined position on the recording sheet.
The recording sheet P sent from the pair of regist rollers 96 is conveyed to an image transfer area T while being held on the convey unit 93. At the image transfer area T, the image from the image forming portion 91 is transferred onto the recording sheet. The holding of the recording sheet P on the convey unit 93 is generally accomplished by electrostatically absorbing the recording sheet onto a convey belt of the convey unit formed from a thin dielectric film. After the image was formed on the recording sheet P, the convey unit 93 conveys the recording sheet P to a position proximity to a fixing unit 94, and then sends the recording sheet to the fixing unit 94 while separating a tip end of the recording sheet. The recording sheet is subjected to heat (and pressure) from a fixing nip of the fixing unit 94, to thereby fix the toner image to the recording sheet. Thereafter, the recording sheet P is discharged out of the apparatus through a discharge portion.
Further, in an image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming portions 91a, 91b, 91c and 91d as shown in FIG. 7, images formed in the image forming portions 91a to 91d by the image forming process substantially the same as described above are transferred onto the recording sheet P in a superimposed fashion at respective image transfer areas Ta, Tb, Tc and Td.
A convey drive roller 97 of the convey unit 93 is generally disposed at a downstream side of and in the vicinity of the last image transfer area. The reason is that, when the convey drive roller is disposed at the downstream side of the image transfer areas (Ta to Td), the convey belt is pulled toward a conveying direction at each image transfer area, to thereby prevent the poor image transferring and the transfer positional deviation. Further, in order to make the apparatus compact, a distance between the convey unit 93 and the fixing unit 94 should be reduced as much as possible. To this end, the convey drive roller 97 should be disposed in the vicinity of the fixing unit 94.
However, in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, the following problems will arise.
When the power source of the apparatus is turned ON, a heater of the fixing unit 94 is automatically operated to heat the fixing unit to a predetermined temperature. A part of the heat leaks out of the fixing unit, so that the temperature of the interior of the apparatus is increased to some extent. Particularly, since the convey drive roller 97 of the convey unit 93 is disposed in the vicinity of the fixing unit 94, the temperature increase of the convey drive roller becomes greater than those of the other elements. As a result, the convey drive roller 97 is expanded to change a convey speed of the convey belt of the convey unit 93. If the change in speed of the convey belt exceeds a certain value, contraction of the transferred image will occur.
Further, in the apparatus in which the different images formed in the plurality of image forming portions are successively transferred onto the same recording sheet in a superimposed fashion as shown in FIG. 7, positional deviation between the transferred images (transfer deviation) will occur. Particularly, in the latter case, the transfer deviation occurs even when the speed is changed by 0.1% or more, depending upon a path length between the image forming portions.
In order to drive the belt of the convey unit 93 without slip, the convey drive roller 97 has generally an outer layer having high coefficient of friction (for example, rubber layer). However, in general, since such material has a great coefficient of linear expansion, the expansion of the rubber layer cannot be negligible for the image deviation. More specifically, if the temperature of the roller is increased by about 20.degree. C., a diameter of the roller will be increased by about 0.1%, and, in other words, the convey speed will be increased by about 0.1%. Further, the apparatus itself is expanded due to the increased interior temperature to increase the distance between the image forming portions, which results in the transfer deviation.
In order to solve the above problems, there has been proposed a technique in which thermal insulating material is arranged around the fixing unit to prevent heat from leaking from the fixing unit as much as possible. However, since the inlet and outlet for the recording material cannot be covered by the heat insulating material, the heat cannot be prevented from leaking through the entrance and the outlet. Further, in consideration of the cost and space for the heat insulating material, such proposal is not said to be a best solution.
Further, it is considered that the fixing heater is de-energized when the apparatus is not operated to minimize the operation of the fixing heater. In this case, however, whenever the apparatus is operated, the fixing temperature must be increased to the predetermined fixing allowable temperature (meanwhile, the operator is merely waiting to reach the stand-by condition), to thereby worsen the operability.


Setting device for sawblades, where a saw tooth (10) to be set is bent by contact with a ridge (17) on one among two conical detting rollers (14, 15), while the sawable is squeezed between two cydrical pressure rollers (12, 13) with axes which are parallel to the setting rollers but controllably displaceable, and the rotation of the setting rollers is adapted to the velocity of the sawblade by measuring the passage of the saw teeth past a measuring device and comparing with the angular position of the setting rollers.

Sawblades for wood or metal are commonly made with individually set teeth, where the teeth have been shaped by plunging, grinding or milling, followed by pressing to the right or left by impact devices while the sawblade is stationary. The motion of the impact devices may be rectilinear or arcuate. If each impact device presses a single tooth, the same impact device may be used for sawblades with different pitch distances, but that requires a long time since the sawblade must be moved and stopped for every tooth. It is also possible to make the impact devices such that each impact device will press a group of teeth at each impact, as described in the publication EP 0 742 067. This allows a faster setting operation since the displacement will be as long as the group of teeth, and the setting to the right and to the left may occur simultaneously, but the impact devices must be powerful, and a change of the number of teeth in the group will require a change of impact device, and it may be difficult to control the precision in setting angle within a group. The time will generally be longer for such sawblades for metal that have small and many teeth. Therefore, such sawblades are often made with wave setting as described in the publication GB 1,123,426, where the sawblade is pulled with a constant velocity between two rollers with undulating conical periphery without stopping during the setting operation. Such sawblades have a low production cost and less risk of deformation of the corners of the teeth than if they had been set with impact devices, but they will be less efficient since in general only one corner of each tooth will be able to cut chips.
The present invention concerns a new setting device for a method which combines the short production time of the wave setting with the precision of the individual setting, and which allows a simple adaptation to sawblades with different thicknesses and different spring-back after setting. The method allows different setting patterns, also with a systematic variation of the setting width or with a variable pitch distance.


In an active magnetic bearing system employing radial or thrust bearings, rotor shaft position is determined without requiring air gap position sensors, resulting in a high reliability system. The flux paths for each respective electromagnetic force actuator of the active magnetic bearing are isolated in order to minimize the magnetic coupling therebetween. The active magnetic bearing system is controlled for mutually exclusive excitation of each of the two actuators (e.g., stator pole pairs) per control axis. A sequence of test voltage pulses is applied to the unexcited one of each actuator pole-pair. At the peak of an applied test voltage pulse, after a predetermined time interval, the pole flux linkage is estimated using either an analog or software integrator. The integrator is reset at zero current, and hence zero flux, thereby avoiding accumulation of errors. The effective air gap length is determined from the inherent magnetization characteristic of the magnetic bearing using the measured current and the estimated flux linkage. Effectively, each magnetic pole is used alternately for force actuation and for inductive feedback sensing, eliminating the need for separate position sensors.

Active magnetic bearings have great potential for improving the efficiency of rotating machinery by: reducing or eliminating the complexity of bearing lubrication systems; enabling high rotational speeds; and providing active means of controlling vibrations in complex rotating masses. Recent advances in power electronics and control microprocessors have made active magnetic bearing systems feasible in, for example, gas turbine engine applications.
Presently, however, active magnetic bearings are unsuitable for high-reliability applications, such as aircraft engine rotor support and vibration control. A major problem is lack of accuracy and reliability of air gap position sensors used for determining rotor shaft position. Hence, it is desirable to provide a method for determining rotor gap position in an active magnetic bearing system, without requiring separate air gap position sensors.

Flux/current air gap estimation method for active magnetic bearings


Provided is an optical pickup apparatus which has a function for correcting spherical aberration caused by a thickness error of a transparent substrate and which is sufficiently compact, wherein a collimator lens used in the apparatus is composed of two lens groups, an interval between the two lens groups is changeable, and therefore spherical aberration caused by the thickness error of the transparent substrate is corrected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical system of an optical pickup apparatus, and more particularly to an optical system for correcting spherical aberration.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, in order to realize a high recording density of an optical disk apparatus, techniques for shortening a wavelength of a light source and increasing the NA of an objective lens have been actively researched. Commercialization of an apparatus using a 405 nm semiconductor laser and an objective lens having the NA of 0.85 is started.
When the short-wavelength light source and the high-NA objective lens are employed, there are the following fundamental problems:
(1) The optical disk apparatus is easily affected by the tilt of the disk;
(2) The optical disk apparatus is easily affected by a thickness error of a transparent substrate; and
(3) The optical disk apparatus is easily affected by wavelength hop of the light source.
Among those, the problem (1) is solved by thinning the transparent substrate. For example, a thickness of the transparent substrate is set to about 100 μm.
In order to solve the problems (2) and (3), an attempt has been made to devise an optical system. For example, in order to prevent the wavelength hop of the light source in (3), there has been made an attempt to provide an additional chromatic aberration correction lens for producing chromatic aberration to cancel chromatic aberration caused in the objective lens.
With respect to the problem (2), there have been studied the following methods of canceling spherical aberration caused when the transparent substrate has a thickness error, for example, (a) a method of providing an additional beam expander composed of lenses and changing an interval between the lenses to produce spherical aberration for canceling the spherical aberration caused when the transparent substrate has a thickness error, and (b) a method of shifting a position of a collimator lens in an optical axis direction to produce spherical aberration for canceling the spherical aberration caused when the transparent substrate has a thickness error.
The above-mentioned techniques have been disclosed by, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-236252.
FIG. 4A shows the case where the beam expander is used. To explain it briefly, as shown in FIG. 4A, an expander 33 composed of a negative power lens 31 and a positive power lens 32 is provided on an optical path of a parallel light flux on the light incident side of the objective lens 35. An interval between the lens 31 and the lens 32 is changed according to a thickness error of a transparent substrate 36 of an optical disk to produce the spherical aberration.
FIG. 4B shows the case where the position of the collimator lens is shifted. A system as shown in FIG. 4B is used and a collimator lens 34 is moved along an optical axis according to the thickness error of the transparent substrate 36 of the optical disk to produce the spherical aberration.
However, the above-mentioned conventional cases have the following problems. That is, when an additional beam expander is employed, a size of an optical pickup apparatus is likely to increase because an additional optical element is provided.
When the position of the collimator lens is shifted, it is necessary to move the collimator lens over a given movable distance, which is about 10 times a focal depth thereof. For example, when the NA of the collimator lens is about 0.1 and the thickness error of the transparent substrate is nearly equal to ±7 μm, it is necessary to set a movable range of about ±1 mm. As a result, the size of the optical pickup apparatus is likely to increase.

Optical pickup apparatus including collimator lens with first lens group having negative power and being fixed and second lens group having positive power and being movable