A multi-functional metal shield case and a method for making the same are provided. The multi-functional metal shield case includes a metal main body and an electrically non-conductive and heat conductive silicon layer. The metal main body includes a base and sidewalls integrally bent along edges of the base, and the electrically non-conductive and heat conductive silicon layer is formed on inner sides of the base and the sidewalls. Accordingly, heat can be rapidly transferred to the metal main body and emitted to an outside. Since the heat conductive silicon layer is non-conductive, an electric shock does not occur between the electronic component and the metal shield case. Further, since the heat conductive silicon layer is in contact with the electronic component, heat can be transferred more rapidly.

As an electronic device and an information communication device are down-scaled and integrated more highly, they are greatly affected by heat, static electricity and electromagnetic wave. For example, a microprocessor that is one of electronic components processes data at higher speed and a storage capacity of a semiconductor memory increases larger, it generates a large amount of heat and electromagnetic wave, such that it is greatly affected by heat, static electricity and electromagnetic wave.
According to the prior art, a metal shield case is used to shield an electromagnetic wave generated from an electronic component or an electronic component module mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). In the manufacturing process of the metal shield case, a metal shield case is made by continuously pressing a metal sheet and is soldered on a PCB where electronic components or electronic component modules are mounted. In this manner, an electromagnetic wave is shielded.
When such a metal shield case is used, heat is generated from the electronic components or the electronic component modules. To solve this problem, a vent hole is formed in a predetermined portion of the shield case. That is, air inside the metal shield case is circulated by convection or is forcibly circulated by a fan through the vent hole, thereby emitting the heat to an outside.
However, if a large number of vent holes are formed in consideration of the heat emission, it is difficult to shield an electromagnetic wave. Meanwhile, if a small number of vent holes are formed, it is difficult to circulate an air. Accordingly, an optimum number of vent holes must be formed so as to rapidly transfer the heat to the outside and effectively shield the electromagnetic wave.
Meanwhile, the electronic components or the electronic component modules received in the metal shield case must be electrically insulated from the metal shield case. Therefore, the metal shield case must be made in a sufficient size.
However, if the metal shield case is made in a large size, a wide gap exists between the metal shield case and the electronic component, and an air space therein causes the heat conductivity to decrease. Also, due to the air space, there is a limit in protecting the electronic component from an external impact. Further, it is reverse to the down-scale and the high integration and a manufacturing cost also increases.
Regarding the electric insulation, a method for attaching an insulated tape to an inner side of a metal shield case has been proposed. However, this method has following problems. Since a heat conductivity of the insulated tape is low and an elastic force of the insulated tape is low, the electronic component cannot be protected from an external impact. Also, due to the additional process, a manufacturing cost may increase and the vent hole may be closed due to the insulated tape.

Multi-functional metal shield case and method for making the same


A method of functionality testing system circuitry on an integrated circuit chip, the system circuitry comprising a plurality of sub-circuits and the integrated circuit chip further comprising debugging circuitry, the debugging circuitry comprising variability circuitry. The method comprises: at the system circuitry, performing a function by the sub-circuits performing concurrent actions; at the variability circuitry, altering relative timing of the concurrent actions so as to increase the likelihood of one or more errors in the system circuitry's performance of the function; and at the debugging circuitry, recording one or more errors in the system circuitry's performance of the function.

This disclosure relates to debugging circuitry on an integrated circuit chip. The disclosure is particularly relevant to functionally testing circuitry on an operational integrated circuit chip.
In the past, an embedded system which had multiple core devices (processors, memories etc.) would have been incorporated onto a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and connected on the PCB via buses. Traffic in the embedded system was conveyed over these buses. This arrangement was convenient for debugging the core devices, because debugging tools such as oscilloscopes and logic analyzers could be attached to the PCB's buses allowing direct access to the core devices.
Market demand for smaller products coupled with advances in semiconductor technology has led to the development of System-on-Chip (SoC) devices. In a SoC, the multiple core devices of an embedded system are integrated onto a single chip. In a SoC, the traffic in the embedded system is conveyed over internal buses, thus connection of debugging tools directly to the system bus is no longer possible. The resulting reduced access coupled with an increasing quantity of data being transported around the chip (due to developments of SoC technology leading to integration of multiple processing cores and higher internal clocking frequencies), has reduced the ability of external debugging tools to find and solve bugs within the system in the timescales demanded by the industry.
These days, two types of testing are commonly performed to identify problems with a SoC device prior to it being placed on the market. The first type of test is known as Design for Test (DfT). DfT is implemented on a chip which is operating in a dedicated test mode. This dedicated test mode is mutually exclusive to the end-use functional mode which the chip operates in the final application product. The purpose of the DfT is to determine if the chip hardware has been manufactured correctly, and to identify any problems if it has not. DfT does not, and is not capable of, testing the operational functionality of the chip. In other words, DfT does not, and is not capable of, testing the functionality of the chip whilst the chip is operating in its end-use functional mode.
The second type of test is known as functional testing. Due to the problems outlined above, functional testing of an embedded system is generally done in a simulation environment. A function is simulated and functional coverage software used to record the outcome. The outcome is then reviewed to determine if the system correctly carried out the function. A problem with simulation environments for hardware circuits is that they are extremely slow compared to the SoC hardware operating in normal conditions (about 1/10,000,000). Thus, functional testing run in simulation environments does not detect timing-related bugs which surface when the SoC is operating at full speed. Additionally, simulation environments tend to simulate each function in isolation. This does not reflect the system's operation of the function in the final application product, where the system will be performing other functions at the same time. Thus, in the final product, the system resource available to the tested function will be less. For example, the system may have to wait to access a bus or memory in order to carry out part of the function. Thus, functional testing run in simulation environments does not detect system resource-related bugs which surface when the SoC is operating in normal conditions in the final application product.
Consequently, once a SoC is released to the market, and being operated at full-speed under normal conditions, bugs surface which were not detected during the functional testing process.
Thus, there is a need for improved functional testing of SoC devices.

Functional testing of an integrated circuit chip


A plate mounted state confirming apparatus includes reference pins, a transmitting coupler, and a receiving coupler. The reference pins detect contact of an insertion end of a plate inserted in a gripper portion of a plate lockup device provided in a gap formed in an outer circumferential surface of a plate cylinder in an axial direction thereof. The transmitting coupler outputs a detection signal obtained by the reference pins as an electrical signal from a plate cylinder. The receiving coupler receives the electrical signal from the transmitting coupler outside the plate cylinder in a non-contact manner.

The present invention relates to a plate mounted state confirming apparatus for a printing press, which confirms whether or not a plate is mounted on a plate cylinder with a high precision.
In each of various types of printing presses, leading- and trailing-side plate lockup devices are provided in a gap formed in the outer circumferential surface of a plate cylinder. When the leading end of a plate is gripped by the leading-side plate lockup device, the plate cylinder is rotated by almost one revolution, thereby winding the plate on the circumferential surface of the plate cylinder. Thereafter, the trailing end of the plate is gripped by the trailing-side plate lockup device, and the plate is mounted on the plate cylinder.
In the printing operation, an ink and water are supplied to the surface of the mounted plate to form an image, and the image is transferred to paper being transported directly or through a blanket cylinder, thereby printing the image.
In this printing operation, when the plate is distortedly mounted, the image is distortedly printed, degrading the quality of the printed matter. Especially, in multicolor printing, the different colors are misregistered to largely degrade the quality of the printed matter.
For this reason, conventionally, U-shaped reference pin holes are formed in the leading end face of the plate with reference to reference holes formed in the plate during plate making. The plate is mounted while engaging the reference pin holes with reference pins provided on the gripper portion of the leading-side plate lockup device.
More specifically, the gripper plate of the leading-side plate lockup device is opened, the leading end of the plate is inserted in the gripper portion of the gripper plate, the U-shaped bottom portions (insertion end) of the reference pin holes are abutted against the reference pins, this abutted state is confirmed according to the visual observation of the operator, and the gripper plate is closed.
However, with this plate mounting method, since abutment of the reference pin holes with the reference pins is confirmed according to the visual observation of the operator, variations are caused depending on different operators, and satisfactory positioning precision cannot always be obtained.
Therefore, recently, the present applicant proposed a method of confirming abutment of the reference pin holes against the reference pins. According to this method, the reference pins serve as electrodes. Contact of the insertion end with the reference pins is detected, and a detection result is obtained in the form of an electrical signal. This electrical signal is received outside the plate cylinder (at an external portion of the plate cylinder) through a signal transmitting means having a contact type contact structure employing, e.g., a brush scheme. A display is turned on based on the received electrical signal.
With this method, however, since the signal transmitting means for receiving the electrical signal has the contact type contact structure, incomplete contact tends to occur due to a degradation in conductivity or the like caused by an oxide formed by electric spark.

Plate mounted state confirming apparatus


A high-reliability electronic packaging structure includes a plurality of packaging layers and mechanical support layers. An electrically functional solder joint is provided in a first area of each of the packaging layers, and any two adjacent packaging layers are coupled using electrically functional solder joints. A mechanical support layer is disposed in a second area of each of the packaging layers, and the mechanical support layer is configured to support the two adjacent packaging layers. The first area is provided on a periphery of the second area. Hence, a problem that an internal silicon chip at an upper packaging layer or a lower packaging layer fractures and fails when the upper packaging layer or the lower packaging layer is subject to a mechanical load can be resolved.

To meet a requirement of a portable and wearable device for a small, light, and thin electronic packaging component, an application processor (Application Processor, AP) and a memory are stacked together by using a package on package (Package on Package, PoP). The solution is more widely applied. The POP, as an electronic element having a largest size in terminal products, is confronted with a severe mechanical and environmental reliability risk, such as a fracture or a failure of an intermetallic compound (Intermetallic Compound, IMC) or a lead of a board-level solder joint (between the POP and a main board) during a dropping shock and with a cyclic temperature load (as shown in FIG. 2).
In the prior art, to improve reliability of the POP with a dropping load, a bending load, a cyclic temperature load, and the like, an underfill (underfill) material is widely used to protect a board-level solder joint. The underfill may be used to relatively evenly distribute, to all solder joints, mechanical stress and thermal stress originally concentrated on a solder joint in a corner of an element, thereby improving overall reliability of the POP. To improve a filling speed of and reworkability of the underfill, a low-viscosity underfill without a filler (filler) is usually selected for a current board-level underfill. Consequently, when the underfill is used between a POP lower packaging layer and a printed circuit board (Printed circuit board, PCB), the underfill overflows from an edge of dispensed glue to a local area between the POP lower layer and an upper packaging layer. In this case, when the POP is subject to a mechanical load, concentrated stress is generated at an edge position of overflowing glue. Consequently, a fracture of a silicon chip at the upper packaging layer is finally caused.

High-reliability electronic packaging structure, circuit board, and device


The invention relates to a printing form (19) to be used in a printing unit of a printing press. Said printing form (19) is embodied as a panoramic printing form (19) and supports side by side printed images of a specific number n (n>1) of printed pages having a specific format (F1, F2). The printing form (19) has a width that substantially corresponds to a number of n=3 vertical printed pages in newspaper format (F1, F2) and supports side by side printed images of n=3 pages in newspaper format (F1, F2).

DE 25 28 008 A1 shows a printing press for use in a direct printing process, and having forme cylinders which can be equipped with six printing plates in the axial direction and with two printing plates in the circumferential direction, and also having counter-pressure cylinders, on which three printing blankets can be arranged in the axial direction and one printing blanket can be arranged in the circumferential direction. Both the printing plates, which are arranged side-by-side, as well as the printing blankets, which are also arranged side-by-side, are each offset, with respect to each other, in the circumferential direction.
DE 24 22 696 C2 shows a satellite printing unit of a width of six plates with offset printing groups, and having nine or ten cylinders. The two center ones of six printing forms, which are arranged side-by-side in the axial direction, are arranged offset, in the circumferential direction, with respect to the outer ones of the printing formes on the forme cylinder.
A triple-wide web-fed rotary printing press, with two formers arranged on two different levels placed on top of each other, is known from DE 41 28 797 A1.
A folding structure is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,501. Two formers are arranged on top of each other, in which formers, following their passage through winding rollers, the webs are longitudinally cut upstream of a third former. The partial webs are turned by 90° by a third former and, after having been combined into two continuous webs, are subsequently fed to the two formers which are arranged on top of each other.
A folding structure with two groups of three formers each, which two groups of formers are vertically offset with respect to each other, is known from EP 1 072 551 A2.
A folding structure is known from WO 97/17 200 A2, in which cut partial webs, which are transversely offset with respect to each other, are fed to different formers. The formers, which are arranged horizontally side-by-side, are arranged partially offset with respect to each other.
A longitudinal cutting arrangement for variably cut widths is known from EP 1 238 395 A2. This cutting arrangement has upper cutters which are movable in the axial direction, and a lower cutter shaft with a number of grooves exceeding the number of the upper cutters.
DE 42 04 254 A1 discloses a folding structure of a printing press which is four newspaper pages wide. Two formers, which can be shifted transversely with respect to the web running direction, are arranged on a lower former level, and a single stationary former is arranged on a level above the lower former level. In one mode of operation, a newspaper with four pages is produced using the two lower formers. In another mode of a operation six pages of a telephone directory are provided side-by-side by the three formers. In the latter case, the two lower formers are moved apart.
EP 1 072 551 A2 shows a former arrangement with two groups of three cylinders each. The formers of one group are located on one level and overlap each other, at least viewed in their horizontal direction, in the vertical extension.
It is known from DE 196 28 647 A1 to imprint a web with panorama printed pages, which panorama printed pages have printing extending over two adjacent newspaper pages, without interruption.
In connection with double-width printing groups, DE 100 16 409 A1 discloses a transfer cylinder having two printing blankets situated side-by-side. Triple-width cylinders are also mentioned, in addition to single-width and double-width cylinders.

Printing formes of a printing press, and web-fed rotary presses


When a current frame of a video expresses only grayscales less than a reference grayscale, a sustain pulse applying period and a holding period are alternately provided in a sustain period of at least one subfield having a weight greater than a reference weight in all of the discharge cells of a plasma display panel, thereby reducing power consumption in the plasma display panel. In the sustain pulse applying period, sustain pulses alternately having a first voltage and a second voltage less than the first voltage are applied in opposite phases to first electrodes and second electrodes of the plasma display panel. In the holding period, the first electrodes and/or the second electrodes are maintained at the first voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the invention relate to a plasma display device and a driving method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plasma display device is a flat panel display using a plasma display panel (PDP) that displays characters or images using plasma generated by a gas discharge. The plasma display panel includes, depending on its size, tens to millions of pixels arranged in a matrix.
The plasma display device divides each of a plurality of frames of a video signal into a plurality of subfields each having a grayscale weight for driving the plasma display panel to display grayscales. The grayscale of a discharge cell is determined by the sum of the grayscale weights of the subfields in which the discharge cell is driven to emit light. Each subfield has a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period. The reset period is for initializing the state of each discharge cell to facilitate performing an addressing operation in the discharge cell. The address period is for applying an address voltage to cells that are to be turned on (addressed cells) to generate an address discharge and store wall charges to select cells that are turned on and cells that are not turned on in the panel. The sustain period is for applying sustain pulses to perform a sustain discharge to display an image with the addressed cells.
In general, sustain pulses are applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode in the sustain period of each subfield, and a sustain discharge is accordingly generated in the discharge cells that were selected to be cells to be turned on in the address period. That is, sustain pulses alternately having a high level voltage (in general, a Vs voltage) and a low level voltage (in general, a 0V voltage) in opposite phases are applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode. A sustain discharge is then generated in discharge cells that have a voltage greater than a discharge firing voltage, i.e., that have a voltage that is the sum of the voltage due to the wall charges formed in the discharge cells that were selected to be cells to be turned on in the address period and the sustain pulse voltage difference. Respective grayscales can be expressed by a combination of grayscale weights of the subfields. Much power is consumed when there are many switching operations for applying a sustain pulse voltage to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, that is, when many sustain pulses are applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode in a subfield.
Also, the plasma display panel (PDP) has a capacitance since the discharge space between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode of the plasma display panel functions as a capacitor. Therefore, reactive power must be supplied to charge the capacitance up to a predetermined voltage each time a sustain pulse is applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, in addition to power that is consumed by the sustain discharge generated by the sustain pulses.
Furthermore, when one frame of the video expresses low grayscales over the entire display screen, or expresses a completely black image in which all of the discharge cells of the entire display screen express a 0 grayscale, undesired sustain pulses are applied in the sustain period of each subfield, further increasing power consumption.
The above information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and is not to be construed in any way as an admission that this information is prior art that was known by others in this country before the invention was made.

Plasma display device and driving method thereof


In a multi-range, continuously variable transmission, input engine power is split between a belt-type, continuously variable transmission unit and a system of interconnected planetary gears. This gear system then combines the split power received from the engine and the transmission unit output to produce a transmission output for propelling a vehicle in multiple forward ranges and one reverse range, each range of continuously variable speed produced by stroking the transmission unit. Synchronous shifting between ranges is achieved by selectively clutching or braking elements of the planetary gear sets at appropriate stroke settings of the transmission unit, such that the vehicle may be smoothly accelerated from rest to maximum speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-range, belt-type, continuously variable transmission. More particularly, the invention relates to a multi-range, belt-type, continuously variable transmission suitable for application in automotive drivetrains.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the years, many vehicle transmission systems have been designed to utilize a belt-type continuously variable transmission (belt-type CVT) for multiplying engine torque to accelerate a vehicle from a standing start to a maximum cruising speed. Belt-type CVTs originated with the segmented metal compression belt invention conceived years ago by Dr. Hub Van Doorne of the Netherlands and are currently being applied in light-weight automotive applications. However, most of the belt-type CVTs are single-ratio range transmissions, which are adequate only for vehicles of about 100 kW capacity.
Moreover, belt-type CVTs have other limitations that require added complexity for their adaptation in automotive transmission applications. First, belt-type CVTs cannot provide a transmission neutral, i.e., 0:1 speed ratio, due to their minimum sheave requirements. Therefore, a disconnect device, such as a clutch, must be installed between the engine and the transmission in order to achieve a neutral state. The clutch is then gradually engaged to smoothly accelerate the vehicle from a standing start. Also, a fluid coupling device may be installed between the engine and the belt-type CVT to ensure starting acceleration and, if a torque converter is utilized to increase starting torque.
Secondly, belt-type CVTs have no reverse output capability. Thus, a compound planetary gear set with a ring gear brake is often installed between the engine and the CVT to reverse the input rotation direction to the CVT, thus reversing the CVT output rotation direction. Furthermore, belt-type CVTs generally have a high output speed ratio capability. For example, the output speed ratio of belt-type CVTs can range approximately from 1:0.4 to 1:2.5. However, the maximum speed ratio of transmission output for automobiles rarely exceeds 1:1.5, which is a 0.66:1 overdrive speed ratio. In order to both accommodate and utilize the full output speed ratio potential of belt-type CVTs, an additional speed reduction needs to be applied to the transmission output or to the vehicle final drive for optimum performance.

Multi-range, belt-type, continuously variable transmission


An image forming apparatus includes a storage chamber configured to store developer, a plurality of sheet members disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode and disposed in the storage chamber, and a detecting portion configured to detect an output value relating to the capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode. The amount of the developer is detected on the basis of the degree of deterioration of any one of the plurality of sheet members and the output value.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction apparatus.
An image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming process. Examples of image forming apparatuses include an electrophotographic copying machine and an electrophotographic printer.
A developing unit means a unit that integrates developer, a developer storage portion, a developer bearing member, and the like disposed in an image forming apparatus and develops a developer image from an electrostatic image.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-242690 discloses an image forming apparatus that detects abnormalities of a toner agitation unit on the basis of the range of fluctuation of the capacitance between a plurality of electrodes that periodically fluctuates owing to the rotation of the toner agitation unit.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-233103 discloses an image forming apparatus in which, in the process in which toner in a toner storage chamber decreases, a case where the range of fluctuation of capacitance changes from small to large and then to small is a case where the toner remaining amount is small, and that resets the reference value for calculating the remaining amount of toner when this phenomenon is detected.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-292634 discloses a toner cartridge in which a sealing sheet sealing an opening between a toner storage chamber and a developing chamber is attached to an agitating member, and, after the sealing sheet is torn from the opening when a developing unit is used, the sealing sheet rotates together with the agitating member. It can be thought that, after that, this sealing sheet can also agitate developer as with the agitating sheet by rotating together with the agitating sheet.
In a situation in which there are such technologies, problems still remain in a configuration for detecting the remaining amount of developer by detecting capacitance. In the case of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-292634, the sealing sheet in the toner storage chamber attached to the main body of the apparatus may deteriorate under a severe usage environment such as an environment in which the image forming apparatus performs printing operation continuously for a long period under a high-temperature environment.
The Young's modulus of the sealing sheet (sheet member) decreases due to deterioration (the sealing sheet loses stiffness), and the sealing sheet plastically deforms so as to wrap itself around the agitating shaft (this deteriorated state will be hereinafter referred to as settling). In this case, the sealing sheet covers the agitating shaft and agitating member, and toner is less likely to enter the inside of the sealing sheet, and the bulk density of toner decreases accordingly. As a result, the capacitance of developer may be detected low compared to the actual toner amount.

Image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of rotatable sheet members to determine amount of developer by capacitive means


A flat light source having a main region and an edge region around the main region is provided. The flat light source includes a first substrate, first electrodes, dielectric patterns, a phosphor layer, first phosphor patterns, a second substrate, and a sealant. The first electrodes are disposed on the first substrate and arranged within the main region and the edge region. The dielectric patterns cover the first electrodes. The phosphor layer is disposed between the dielectric patterns in the main region and the edge region. The first phosphor patterns are disposed on the phosphor layer within the edge region. The second substrate is disposed above the first substrate, and the sealant is formed out of the edge region between the first and second substrates so as to bond the two substrates.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a flat light source. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flat light source with high brightness and high illumination uniformity.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, liquid crystal display panels (LCD panels) have become the main stream for most display screens. However, since the LCD panel itself cannot emit lights, a back light module has to be provided under the LCD panel to be a light source, so as to display. The light source in the back light module is typically provided by one or more lamps, and the light emitted by the lamp passes through optical films in the back light module and is scattered, such that a surface light source suitable for irradiating the LCD panel is created.
However, if a flat light source can be directly employed, the utilization efficiency of the light can be improved and a more uniform surface light source can be provided, and besides, the flat light source can also be applied in many other fields than as the back light source of LCD panel. Therefore, the flat light source is advantageous in its development.
Generally, the flat light source is a plasma light-emitting element, which emits light through producing high energy electrons by a high voltage difference between the electrode pairs, and then the high energy electrons may bombard the inert gas so as to form the so-called plasma. After that, the excited atoms in the plasma release energy by way of emitting UV, which will then be used to further excite the phosphor in the flat light source, so as to emit visible light.
However, the current flat light source has distinctly lower brightness or presents a non-white color at its peripherals. This is because the light-emitting efficiency of phosphor in the edge of the flat light source is lower than that in the central area. Therefore, the brightness around the flat light source tends to be dimmer.

Flat light source having phosphor patterns in an edge region


A luggage apparatus includes a front shell and a rear shell which are connected by a zipper closure and a hinge. A cup bolder includes a body portion which projects into the interior of the front shell. The cup holder includes a rim which rests on the outer surface of the front shell. The rear shell includes a telescoping handle and lower surfaces of the front and rear shells each have caster-type wheels. The front shell includes a fabric liner which prevents damage to items stored in the apparatus in the event that there is an accidental spill from the cup holder.

Travelers in airports and other travel locations typically experience, difficulty managing their luggage and other travel items. Typically, travelers need to manage a suitcase, a knapsack or purse and a laptop computer. When travelers wish to purchase a beverage, the need to manage all of the travel items and the need to also carry the beverage leads to a degree of awkwardness which can result in spilling the beverage or misplacing some or the other items being carried.

Rolling luggage apparatus having an integral cup holder


A micromechanical component having a mounting support, at least one coil winding held by at least one coil brace and comprising conductor tracks made from at least one electrically conductive material, at least one first subsection of the at least one coil winding being anchored on the associated coil brace, and an adjustable part, the at least one coil brace and the adjustable part being connected to each other and via at least one spring element to the mounting support in such a way that the adjustable part is adjustable about at least one axis of rotation in relation to the mounting support, and, while the at least one first subsection of the at least one coil winding is anchored on the associated coil brace, at least one second subsection of the same coil winding spans at least one gap formed in the associated coil brace as a cantilever subsection.

German Patent Application No. DE 10 2010 064 218 A1 describes a magnetically movable micromirror. The micromirror comprises two coil windings each held by a coil brace and a mirror connected to the two coil windings, the coil windings and the mirror being connected via two springs to a mounting support in such a way that the mirror is adjusted about an axis of rotation relative to the mounting support by supplying the coil windings with current and creating an outer magnetic field.

Micromechanical component and method for producing a micromechanical component


A control device suitable for controlling the position of a cursor on a computer display. The device includes at least a pair of optical radiation sources irradiating a spaced away pair of optical radiation detectors. Interposed between the sources and detectors is an elongate member moveable transverse to the paths of radiation between sources and detectors. The member is opaque to the radiation and it obscures radiation detected by the detectors dependant upon its position. Thus the outputs of the detectors vary with the position of the member. By comparing the outputs of the detectors, typically subtracting one form the other, the sign of the result indicates the direction the member has been moved and the magnitude can give an indication of the extent of the movement. In a further form, a second pair of sources and a second pair of detectors are provide in similar manner to the first except that the radiation paths are co-planar but at ninety degrees to each other. Then one set of detectors can indicate X axis movement and the other Y axis movement. In one form the member is axially moveable and by comparing changes in outputs of respective detectors this axial movement can be detected and used to indicate Z axis movement or control button clicks. The device can be manufactured to be suitable for use in industrial environments where some previously known control devices could not be used.

Cursor control devices are known to take a number of forms which include track balls, joy sticks and the well known computer mouse.
The cursor control device herein described is applicable to situations where other cursor control devices are difficult, inconvenient or in use are of limited value. Whilst not limiting the application of the invention, the situation of plant control in industrial environments will be used as an example to illustrate the problems experienced by prior known devices and the advantages or uses of the invention disclosed herein.
Computerised control of industrial plants is becoming more wide spread with the development of related technology. Such equipment can often provide for automation or semi-automation of industrial plants. Further, in other cases, and may be in conjunction with the last two mentioned applications, computerised control can provide alternative means to controlling machinery or permit robotics machinery to perform dangerous functions that were otherwise conducted by people.
Part of the advantages of computerisation is that many circumstances can be accommodated and complex functions can be performed. With this increased versatility and complexity goes the need for a simple, versatile and effective control of a computerised plant.
As in the case of general computer usage, cursor control and selection of functions by interactive action between an operator and displayed functions would be advantages in industrial application. Known control devices provide such simple, versatile and effective control in many situations but in many industrial applications there are problems.
A problem often encountered with industrial application of computerised equipment lies in the nature of the industrial environment. Often such environments are dusty, damp, and otherwise difficult environments for reliable use of known control devices. Often grime gets into the known control devices and prevents their efficient operation.
Another problem with mouse devices is that suitable space is need to operate them. This space is preferably flat and of sufficient size to allow easy and single movement of the mouse to effect full display transversion of the cursor. Obviously such a flat surface easily be covered with dust settling from the air. This exasperates the prior mentioned problem of ingress of grime.
A further requirement for cursor control device is that it needs to be convenient to use. In such difficult environments mouse devices may not be easy to use as an operator may have dirty hands which make the use difficult or have to wear safety gloves which reduce tactile control.
Some known cursor control devices are difficult or impossible to effectively seal or proof against some industrial environments. It is desirable in many industrial control applications to effective seal a cursor control devices and so permit the versatility and power of computerised plant to be controlled effectively.
It is a proposed object of this invention to provide a cursor control device to obviate or minimise at least one of the aforementioned problems, or at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Automation and Process Control Services Pty, Ltd.


An imaging lens includes first to sixth lens elements arranged from an object side to an image side in the given order. Through designs of surfaces of the lens elements and relevant lens parameters, a short system length of the imaging lens may be achieved while maintaining good optical performance.

In recent years, as portable electronic devices (e.g., mobile phones and digital cameras) become ubiquitous, much effort has been put into reducing dimensions of portable electronic devices. Moreover, as dimensions of charged coupled device (CCD) and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) based optical sensors are reduced, dimensions of imaging lenses for use with the optical sensors must be correspondingly reduced without significantly compromising optical performance. However, the most important characteristics of imaging lenses are imaging quality and size.
In view of the increasing demand for imaging quality, the structure of the traditional four-piece lens may no longer be able to meet the higher demand. Therefore, it is required to develop a more high-end imaging lens, for example, an imaging lens of six-piece lens, to achieve better imaging quality.
Each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,663,814 and 8,040,618 discloses a relatively long conventional imaging lens that includes six lens elements. Each of these conventional imaging lenses has a system length of over 21 mm, which disfavors reducing a thickness of portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones and digital cameras.
Therefore, producing an imaging lens that meets requirements of consumer electronic products while having satisfactory optical performance is always a goal in the industry.

Imaging lens, and electronic apparatus including the same


A surface acoustic wave substrate includes: a diamond layer; a piezoelectric layer of aluminum nitride; and a titanium nitride-based buffer layer sandwiched between the diamond layer and the piezoelectric layer. The titanium nitride-based buffer layer includes a graded structure or includes a first sub-layer of titanium and a second sub-layer of titanium nitride sandwiched between the first sub-layer and the piezoelectric layer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a surface acoustic wave substrate, more particularly to a surface acoustic wave substrate having a titanium nitride-based buffer layer sandwiched between a diamond layer and a piezoelectric layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since diamond exhibits a high acoustic velocity and thermal conductivity at room temperature, and since highly textured crystalline aluminum nitride (AlN) possesses piezoelectric characteristics, a high resistivity, a high breakdown voltage, and a high acoustic velocity, combination of aluminum nitride and diamond has been proposed for serving as a surface acoustic wave (SAW) substrate. Mortet, et al. (Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 81, (9), 1720, 2002), disclosed an approach in which a highly textured crystalline AlN film can be achieved by forming the AlN film on a smooth back side of a diamond film. Vogg, et al. (J. Appl. Phys, 96, (1), 895, 2004), disclosed another approach in which a highly textured AlN film can be achieved by forming the AlN film on a diamond film using Molecular Beam Epitaxy techniques. However, adhesion of the thus formed AlN film on the diamond film is relatively poor. As a consequence, delamination can easily occur for the AlN film, particularly when the layer thickness of the AlN film is greater than 2 μm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,858,969 discloses a surface acoustic wave device (SAW device) that includes a Si substrate, a nanocrystalline diamond film formed on the Si substrate, metal electrodes formed on the diamond film, and piezoelectric composition coatings formed on the diamond film and the metal electrodes. The SAW device suffers the aforesaid delamination drawback for the metal electrodes and the piezoelectric composition coatings.


Improved assistance is provided to an operator to balance an out-of-proof transaction at a balancing workstation of an image-based financial document processing system used to process transaction items including debit and credit items. A number of suspect tests are invoked. The suspect tests have been previously arranged in an order which is based upon at least one characteristic data collected over a previous time period. The invoked suspect tests are applied to the debit items and the credit items in the particular order to improve assistance to the operator to balance the out-of-proof transaction.

The present invention relates to balancing an out-of-proof transaction which includes a number of debit items and a number of credit items at a balancing workstation of an image-based check processing system, and is particularly directed to improving assistance to an operator to balance the out-of-proof transaction at the balancing workstation.
A typical image-based check processing system includes a number of balancing workstations at which out-of-proof transactions are balanced. Each transaction includes a number of debit items and a number of credit items. The total amount of the debit items is intended to equal the total amount of the credit items. When the total amounts are not equal, a particular transaction does not balance and an out-of-proof transaction exists.
To balance an out-of-proof transaction, a transaction item (debit item or credit item) causing the out-of-proof condition must be identified and then corrected. A known way of balancing the out-of-proof transaction is to apply a number of suspect tests to transaction items until the out-of-proof condition is identified and corrected. Typically, each suspect test is implemented via software and is invoked when the operator at one of the balancing workstations presses a "SUSPECT" key on a keyboard at the balancing workstation.
When a suspect test is invoked, a number of suspect transaction items is selected and presented on a display screen to the operator. The actual suspect transaction items selected and presented on the display screen to the operator depend upon the particular suspect test which has been invoked by the software. The operator then evaluates each suspect transaction item as it is presented on the display screen, and either verifies the solution to the out-of-proof problem or presses the "SUSPECT" key again to invoke another suspect test. The out-of-proof problem is solved when the correct solution is found.
The order in which the suspect tests are applied, and whether or not each suspect test is applied, usually affects the average time to solve the out-of-proof problem. It is desirable to apply suspect tests in an order which maximizes throughput of the check processing system.
A known method of prioritizing suspect tests is for the manufacturer of the check processing system to collect data from a customer, analyze this collected data, and then prioritize suspect tests in accordance with the results of this analysis. Each check processing system would have the same prioritization of suspect tests. A disadvantage in using this method is that a different customer will usually have a different prioritization of suspect tests because of different factors affecting the typical types of out-of-proof problems to be solved for that particular customer.
Another known method of prioritizing suspect tests is to provide a check processing system which allows each customer to define the order in which the suspect tests are prioritized. A disadvantage in using this method is that each customer must be studied and customized to produce optimal results. Another disadvantage is that typical out-of-proof problems may change over time and, therefore, may affect the prioritization of suspect tests.
In known check processing systems, the process of identifying and correcting a transaction item causing the out-of-proof condition may be relatively time-consuming. The process is especially relatively time consuming when there is a large number of transaction items in each transaction. When this occurs, the cost of operating the check processing system is usually relatively high.

Method of improving assistance to an operator to balance an out-of-proof transaction and an apparatus therefor


A monitoring apparatus for the use status of a car radio is disclosed. In addition to the function of identifying a radio station to which the car radio is tuned at any given time, the present apparatus is capable of identifying the individual actually in the driver's seat listening to that radio station, and of measuring the idle time during which the car radio could have been turned ON but actually was not. Also, the present apparatus has a rechargeable battery dedicated thereto, thereby to avoid overloading the vehicle-mounted storage battery used also for engine starter. Moreover, the present apparatus comprises a device for generating an excessive discharge alarm signal when the excessively discharged state of the rechargeable battery is detected. Furthermore, the present apparatus employs the radio station identification based on the detection of local oscillation frequency picked up at the tuner portion, which is in one to one correspondence with a radio station broadcast frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to surveying a radio audience to determine the audience rating indicative of the extent to which the audience is tuned at any given time to a particular radio station and, more particularly to an apparatus for monitoring the status of use of a car radio receiver mounted on an automobile for family or business use.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, radio audience survey, which has been conducted on the basis of radio sets installed at sample households, is required to also cover car radios mounted on various types of automobiles. This is because the number of people listening to radio programs over car radios has rapidly increased as a result of ever-expanding motorization.
A conventional apparatus for identifying a radio station to which a car radio is tuned employs, as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 7-327017, a monitoring unit having a reference radio receiver capable of being tuned to any radio stations to which the car radio is tunable. The loudspeaker output of the car radio is picked up by a microphone and supplied to the monitoring unit, where the microphone output, i.e., a reception audio signal, is compared with a reference audio signal supplied from the reference radio receiver. If the comparison result shows the coincidence between the two, the radio station is identified by the station name stored in advance in the monitoring unit. If not, the reference receiver is tuned to the next radio station, to which the car radio is possibly tuned. The procedure is repeated until the coincidence is achieved, thereby to identify the radio station to which the car radio is actually tuned. Data relating to the identified radio station and its associated time are sent periodically through a radio link to survey center.
While such a conventional apparatus can generate data on a certain sample car radio tuned to a particular radio station at a particular time, it cannot provide data on individuals, who were actually in the driver's seat listening to the programs of interest. More specifically, the conventional apparatus based on the vehicle-by-vehicle data collection is not adapted to provide data on individual members of a family, for example, who have equal access to the automobile carrying the sample car radio. This presents some problems because the audience rating survey often requires certain criteria such as age, income, sex and level of education, in order to generate more specific data for determining advertising rates and for adjusting programming.
Similarly, the conventional apparatus is not capable of measuring the length of idle time, in which the car radio could have been tuned to any one of the radio stations but was actually kept in OFF state. Data relating to such idle time, which reflects the potential demand for new programs, can be very important for broadcasters' program planning.
Furthermore, since the conventional monitoring apparatus relies for its power supply on the vehicle-mounted storage battery used also for engine starter, continued power-ON state of the monitoring apparatus can cause the discharge of the battery beyond the allowable limit, making it impossible to start the engine of the vehicle. Also, the lowered output voltage of the storage battery can cause the monitoring apparatus to cease the transmission of collected data to the survey center. Under such situation, the survey center cannot take any effective countermeasure, due to the lack of timely information from the monitoring apparatus.
Moreover, the use of microphone to provide the reception audio signal in the conventional monitoring apparatus tends to adversely affect the reliability of the radio station identifying function, because various background sounds and noises, the difference in antenna gain between the car radio and the reference receiver, unbalanced stereophonic audio outputs from loudspeakers, the unavoidable instantaneous reception interruption, and the like can make the proper comparison of the reception audio signal with the reference receiver output impossible.

Status monitoring apparatus for car radio


Method and apparatus for selectively controlling interrupt latency in a data processing system (10). In one embodiment, the present invention uses an interrupt control register bit field (50) to determine whether or not execution of an instruction may be interrupted by an interrupt request before execution of the instruction has completed. In some embodiments of the present invention, a first set of instruction may be interrupted mid-execution, while a second set of instructions always complete execution. Which instructions belong to the first set of instructions may be user programmable (e.g. by register bit field 52) or may be fixed. It is advantageous in some data processing systems (10) to define the instructions having the longest execution times as being part of the first set of instructions in order to reduce interrupt latency.

Interrupts are commonly used today in data processing systems, especially in many real-time control applications. For example, a data processing system which is controlling an automobile engine may receive an interrupt request from the anti-lock braking system when the anti-lock braking system detects that the automobile has entered a skid. The maximum amount of time it will take the data processing system to respond to the interrupt is called the "maximum interrupt latency time". In most data processing systems, it is desirable to have the shortest possible interrupt latency time without reducing the normal operating performance of the data processing system.
In many real-time control applications, the maximum interrupt latency time is very important, and may even determine which data processing system is chosen for a particular application. In the example above, if a data processing system cannot respond fast enough to the interrupt from the anti-lock braking system, another data processing system with a shorter interrupt latency time will be chosen and used. It is thus very important in the data processing art to reduce the maximum interrupt latency time without significantly reducing the normal operating performance of the data processing system


In cases where the system which performs service provision includes plural kinds of OS, the plural kinds of OS are operated simultaneously on one standby server provided with the virtual control unit. When a failure etc. occurred in the operation system server necessitates the system switchover from the operation system server to the standby server, the virtual control unit of the standby server distinguishes an operation system server in which the failure has occurred, and takes over the processing to the switching control unit on a suitable OS on the standby server.

The present invention relates to information-processing equipment and an information-processing system, especially to the information-processing equipment and the information-processing system which can be switched over redundantly.
A general-purpose server is widely used for the service provision in an IP network. Especially in the service which is not allowed to halt, a service provision server is operated with redundancy in order to secure reliability. In a redundant operation, when the service provision server has a breakdown and falls in the state in which a further service provision is difficult to continue, the service provision is continued by switching over to a standby server which is prepared separately.
There is a virtualization technology as technology of operating plural operating systems (OSs) on one general-purpose server. Although there are various realization methods in virtualization of hardware, the invention described by Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication NO. H11-149385 discloses a multi-OS configuration method in which plural OSs are executed simultaneously on one computer, by realization of the divided management of hardware resources and suitable interruption processing.
The invention described by Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication NO. 2005-173751 discloses how to realize stable system operating management by performing a periodical switching processing between a master system and a standby system, with application of virtual machine system technology of a computer system installed in plural bases coupled via a network.
Conventionally, the service provision in an IP network is performed by the plural-OS-coexisting system from various reasons such as the versatility of a service content, maintenance and operation, etc., and the redundant configuration in such a system needed to be constructed for every OS. That is, when a general-purpose server using a certain OS (A) and another general-purpose server using a certain OS (B) provide respectively different services, a spare server (hereinafter called a standby server) to each of the general-purpose servers for OS (A) and OS (B) is needed. In this case, although not providing service, the standby server must be always operative in order to accept system switchover from the operation system server in shortest possible time when a failure occurs in the operation system server which is providing the service. It is indispensable to shorten the system switchover time as much as possible in recent days when voice communication has been performed in a network.
However, when service provision is carried out using the system in which plural kinds of OS are coexisting as mentioned above, many standby servers must coexist, leading to the waste of resources. Such as standby power expenses and personnel expenses for operating the standby servers will also push up extra costs.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication NO. H11-149385 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication NO. 2005-173751 have failed in describing about these problems.

Information-processing equipment and system therefor with switching control for switchover operation