A successive approximation register analog to digital converter (SAR ADC) receives an input voltage and a plurality of reference voltages. The SAR ADC includes a charge sharing DAC. The charge sharing DAC includes an array of MSB (most significant bit) capacitors and an array of LSB (least significant bit) capacitors. A zero crossing detector is coupled to the charge sharing DAC. The zero crossing detector generates a digital output. A coarse ADC (analog to digital converter) receives the input voltage and generates a coarse output. A predefined offset is added to a residue of the coarse ADC. A successive approximation register (SAR) state machine is coupled to the coarse ADC and the zero crossing detector and, generates a plurality of control signals. The plurality of control signals operates the charge sharing DAC in a sampling mode, an error-correction mode and a conversion mode.

A pipeline ADC (analog to digital converter) is generally preferred to achieve a speed of 100 MSPS (mega samples per second) in high speed applications. However in recent years, with the advent of UDSM (ultra deep sub micron) technologies and improved capacitor matching techniques, Successive approximation register analog to digital converter (SAR ADC) is a fast emerging alternative to the pipeline ADCs. The fact that pipelined ADCs require active amplifiers which comes at the cost of high power makes SAR ADCs a good architectural choice as its static power requirement is limited to a comparator which consumes a low power. The other type of power consumption in SAR ADCs is switching power consumption or dynamic power consumption. The switching power consumption is directly proportional to voltage, frequency and capacitance of the SAR ADC. If the frequency of the SAR ADC is reduced, it proportionately reduces the switching power consumption in the SAR ADC. A digital value stored in an n-bit successive approximation register (SAR) is input to a digital-to-analog converter, and a decision is made as to whether the value in the SAR represents an analog voltage that is higher or lower than an input analog value.
In an N-bit SAR ADC, the analog to digital conversion is done serially and hence requires N steps. Thus, a SAR ADC seeking to produce a 10 bit output has to perform 10 bit trials. Therefore, the SAR ADCs are inherently slow. In high speed applications, for example application at 100 MSPS throughput with 10 bit resolution, the SAR ADC is required to operate at 1 GHz. The SAR ADCs require one to two error correction cycles which further pushes the speed of operation and hence increase the dynamic power consumption in the SAR ADC. To resolve this issue, a coarse ADC or a flash ADC is used to resolve first few bits corresponding to the input analog value and then a SAR ADC is used to further resolve an output of the coarse ADC to a fine level. The resolution of first few bits by a coarse ADC relaxes the high speed requirements of a SAR ADC thereby reducing the dynamic power consumption. The coarse ADC is a fast ADC as it includes a plurality of comparators which are used to quickly resolve few bits of the N bit SAR ADC. However, a coarse ADC cannot be used for higher resolution as it would directly increase the number of comparators which will impact the area and power margins severely. Therefore, a combination of coarse ADC and SAR ADC is used for effective analog to digital conversion. For example, in a 10 bit SAR ADC, a coarse ADC is used to resolve first 2 bits (4 comparators) or first 3 bits (8 comparators). However, there are inherent problems in combining the coarse ADC and the SAR ADC.

Adding predefined offset to coarse ADC residue output to SAR


A semiconductor switch, is provided that comprises a semiconductor element having a control terminal and two load terminals forming switching contacts of the semiconductor switch, a temperature measuring device for measuring the temperatures of the semiconductor element at two measurement locations spaced apart from one another, and also a control circuit connected between the temperature measuring device and the control terminal of the semiconductor element and having a control input forming the control contact of the semiconductor element, wherein provision is made for: measuring the temperatures of the semiconductor element at two measurement locations spaced apart from one another; providing a signal representing the difference between the two temperatures; driving a driving current of specific intensity into the control terminal of the semiconductor element if a corresponding signal is present at the control input in order to control the semiconductor element in the conducting state between its load terminals; increasing the intensity of the driving current if the semiconductor element is controlled in the conducting state and the temperature difference exceeds a first limit value.

Particularly in motor vehicles, but also in other areas, mechanical relays are increasingly being replaced by semiconductor switches such as, for example, transistors. This involves the application primarily of semiconductor switches that are additionally equipped with a logic that makes it possible to diagnose undesirable operating states such as, for example, short circuit, overload, overtemperature and/or open-load. One conventional application of such "intelligent" electronic switches is, e.g., modules for automobile lighting systems, wherein, for example, incandescent and similar lamps represent a problematic load for electronic switches.
In order firstly to minimize the losses in the conducting state of the electronic switches and secondly to prevent the area of the transistor from increasing significantly, the area-specific resistances of the transistors are minimized. At the present time they are for example already at values of between 150 mohm·mm2 to 75 mohm·mm2 at 150°. On account of the PTC (positive temperature coefficient) behavior of the incandescent lamps, high switch-on currents initially occur since the incandescent lamp resistance is initially low and only increases as the operating duration increases. The high switch-on currents in conjunction with the low area-specific on resistances bring about high power loss densities and, as a result, large temperature swings in the transistor.
Modern electronic switches generally have a short-circuit protection that causes the lamp to be switched off at excessively high currents. Particularly in the case of short-circuit concepts with temperature measurement, but also in the case of such concepts with current measurement, during the lamp switch-on process in a short time it is then possible for the switch-off to occur again owing to relatively large temperature swings on account of the large switch-on currents of the lamps. The switched-off state persists until the switch has cooled down again sufficiently. A renewed switch-on is thereupon effected with subsequent temperature-dictated (or current-dictated) switch-off. Consequently, the lamp is continuously switched on and off, such that it cannot be permanently switched on and hence cannot be operated properly. Consequently, the maximum switchable loads are reduced.
One procedure that has been practiced heretofore for avoiding this so-called "switch-on cycling" is based on the fact that the switching power loss can be decreased by increasing the switching speed. However, this concept is disadvantageous in practice in particular with regard to the electromagnetic emission and the associated EMC problem (EMC=electromagnetic compatibility).

Semiconductor switch and method for operating a semiconductor switch


High-speed serial interface (“HSSI”) transceiver circuitry (e.g., on a programmable logic device (“PLD”) integrated circuit) includes input buffer circuitry with adaptive equalization capability. The transceiver circuitry also includes an output driver, which may include pre-emphasis capability (preferably controllably settable). Selectively usable loop-back circuitry is provided for allowing the output signal of the input buffer to be applied substantially directly to the output driver. The loop-back circuitry may include a loop-back driver, which may be turned on substantially only when needed for loop-back operations.

This invention relates to programmable logic device ("PLD") integrated circuits, and more particularly to high-speed serial interface ("HSSI") circuitry for use on PLDs.
It is increasingly common for PLDs to include HSSI circuitry for use in enabling the PLD to receive and/or transmit high-speed serial data signals from or to other devices in a system that includes the PLD. On the receiver side, such HSSI circuitry may begin with (or include at an early point or stage) some automatic or adaptive equalization capability or circuitry. Such "front end" equalization capability helps to improve the condition of the received serial data signal so that it can be more accurately interpreted by subsequent circuitry on the PLD. Among the possible objectives of such equalization circuitry may be to sharpen the distinction between the two binary states of the received signal. This may include attempting to make transitions in the received signal steeper and/or stronger, and/or increasing the fraction of time that the received signal is in one or the other of its two binary states (i.e., not in transition between those states). Improving the condition of the received signal in respects such as these can improve the ability of downstream circuitry on the PLD to correctly recover clock and/or data information from the received signal, especially from received signals having high data rates and relatively low voltage swing between high and low states. Such downstream circuitry can include clock and data recovery ("CDR") circuitry, and it is important for such circuitry to avoid inter-symbol interference ("ISI") (i.e., inability of the circuitry to correctly distinguish each successive data bit from the adjacent bits, especially an immediately adjacent bit having a different value).
Because PLDs are typically designed to be relatively general-purpose devices, it is often not known in advance exactly what will be the characteristics of the various systems in which the PLD may be used. Signal transmission characteristics can be different in different types of systems. To enable the PLD to provide the best possible performance in any of several different systems, the PLD may be equipped with equalization circuitry of the type mentioned above that can automatically adapt its performance to best equalize the signal it receives in a particular system. The sophistication of such adaptive or automatic equalization circuitry may lead to a need or desire to test the performance of that circuitry separate from other circuitry on the PLD.

High-speed serial interface circuitry for programmable logic device integrated circuits


An aircraft cockpit comprises a head-up display device comprising a projector and a screen, the screen being placed facing a pilot along a theoretical line of sight of the pilot. The projector is fixed to a side wall of the cockpit, the screen forming a non-zero angle of inclination relative to a plane perpendicular to the theoretical line of sight of the pilot.

The present invention relates to an aircraft cockpit comprising a head-up display device.
It also relates to an aircraft comprising such a cockpit.
The present invention relates generally to the positioning of a head-up display device in a cockpit.
A head-up display device, known as an HUD device, comprises a projector and an associated screen, the projector being capable of projecting an image onto the screen (also known as a Combiner).
Said screen is placed facing a pilot along a theoretical line of sight of the pilot in order to reflect the image received towards the pilot's eye.
The projector is mainly composed of a light source and an optical assembly used to collimate the light and send an image towards the screen.
Conventionally, the projector is placed in an area of the cockpit located above the pilot, so that it is centered in the lateral direction of the cockpit with the pilot's gaze.
Thus, the projector is generally fixed to the ceiling of the cockpit so that its projection axis extends substantially in a vertical plane in which the pilot's theoretical line of sight also extends, i.e., the sight line defined as the axis passing through a theoretical eye of the pilot and through the projection center of the screen.
The screen is placed in a viewing area of the pilot in such a way that the image projected onto the screen is superimposed on the scene outside the cockpit, seen by the pilot through the screen and the glazed front of the cockpit.
Such a head-up display device is described in particular in FR 2 942 343.
However, a cockpit, particularly in an aircraft, is limited in terms of space so that the conventional positioning of a projector above the pilot's head is difficult to achieve. In particular, it is necessary to provide sufficient space above the pilot's head to prevent him from hitting himself on the projector, particularly in the event of turbulence.
This problem will worsen in future as the space available in aircraft cockpits is decreasing more and more.

Aircraft cockpit with head-up display device


A method for obtaining and applying a sealing gasket element on a slide-valve sliding in a cavity of an apparatus for the recirculation and mixing of chemically reactive polymeric components, comprises the steps of: obtaining from an elastic-plastic material a precursor element of the seal element, with a grid structure having a reticular shape; positioning the precursor element around the slide-valve; exerting on the precursor element, through temporary clamping elements, a radial compression and contraction action to insert it and couple it to one or more housing seats provided on the slide-valve so as to obtain the seal element well coupled to the latter; progressively removing the clamping elements to sequentially release successive parts of the gasket element and gradually free the slide-valve to gradually introduce the parts of the slide-valve—freed in succession—in the housing cavity allowing the sealing gasket element to gradually expand radially due to the elastic return by adhering tightly to the inner surface of the same housing cavity. The special equipment for fitting the sealing gasket element on the slide-valve and the so obtained recirculation and mixing apparatus is also described.

The present invention relates to a seal gasket element for a recirculating and mixing apparatus and a method for obtaining such a seal gasket element and applying it to the recirculation and mixing apparatus which, more specifically, comprises a high pressure mixing head for polymeric components suitable for forming a chemically reactive mixture.
In particular, the seal gasket element according to the invention has a grid geometric conformation, of a reticulated type and is intended to be applied to a valve element for mixing and recirculating the polymeric components, such a valve element being also referred to as slide-valve, which is slidingly movable in the mixing chamber of the head.

Seal gasket element for a mixing apparatus, method for obtaining and applying the same, and special equipment for fitting the same


A wireless communication system includes a plurality of communication devices, and a communication terminal that is a separate structure from the plurality of communication devices. Each of the communication devices includes a coupling portion to be coupled with the communication terminal, a power source, and a signal processing section arranged to process a signal received and a signal to be sent. The communication terminal includes neither a power source nor a signal processing section, and the communication terminal includes a coupling portion to be coupled with the coupling portion of each of the communication devices, an antenna arranged to send and receive radio waves, and a connector arranged to connect the coupling portion and the antenna to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a wireless communication system using devices in compliance with ZigBee (registered trademark), WiFi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark), for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a wireless close-range communication system, such as a wireless LAN, there are provided a plurality of terminal devices for a base unit. In such a communication system, an increase in the number of terminal devices may cause problems. As the number of terminal devices increases, the performance of the base unit deteriorates, thereby resulting in worsening of the quality of communication between the base unit and the terminal devices. Also, radio wave interference among the terminal devices may deteriorate the communication quality. In a communication system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-103570, the functions of the devices as a base unit and as terminal devices are changeable. However, this arrangement cannot solve the problems described above.


A computer implemented method for facilitating the root cause analysis of an event through spatial and pattern recognition. Alarms can be graphically represented in an alarm summary screen by individual colored rectangles with different luminance and patterns and are organized into categories, which are used to form logical alarm clusters that provide spatial advantage, wherein the size and color of the rectangle defines its priority and precedence. The summary screen also provides operators with strong visual cues, a play forward feature to project how alarms might evolve if particular actions are taken and a play backward feature that can replay the sequence of alarms.

Most industrial processes and systems usually contain alarm systems in which measured signals are monitored. Such industrial processes and systems can include, for example, conventional and nuclear power plants, pulp and paper plants, petroleum refineries, chemical and bio-chemical plants, and so forth. Examples of other industrial processes or systems include, for example, aerospace facilities, aircraft cockpits, medical intensive care units, and various government and military command locations. In these type of processes or systems, a large number of automated alarms are typically utilized, which are established to monitor a measured value, and to activate a warning signal if the value goes beyond an interval with a lower and an upper limit.
In process control environments, for example, operators frequently identify problems by monitoring an alarm summary screen. In large processes, it is a very complex task for the operators to obtain an overview of the failure situation since even a small fault may cause the supervision system to trigger several hundred alarms during a short interval. This stressful situation may cause the plant operators to make serious mistakes because they may be unable to sort out which alarms are important and which alarms that are not. Even a single fault may give rise to a complex alarm situation since the fault may have consequences that trigger other alarms. If, for example, a single alarm is utilized with several consequential faults, it is not a straightforward task for the operator to identify the root cause.
In general, an alarm summary screen is a text-based list of alarms. Several problems exist with this method of presentation. The operator must decipher a great deal of information by interpreting alarm data line by line. This is a time-consuming process and is not an optimal method for identifying a problem when time is critical. The number of visible alarms is limited to the size of the active display. That is, oftentimes, in an alarm flood, alarms are pushed off the screen and are no longer visible. Operators are required to scroll to find pertinent alarms and often will miss the alarm they are looking for. In fact, in the case of an alarm flood, this screen is often unmanageable and is considered an impediment to the problem.
A traditional alarm summary screen does not facilitate root cause analysis. When an alarm appears, operators are trained to look to their schematics to define the root cause. Thus, the traditional alarm summary provides only a notification that a problem has occurred and where it exists. Such alarm screens offer very little in terms of assisting the operator to define the initial cause of the problem, the consequences of the problem, and providing potential solutions.
In an effort to address the foregoing difficulties, it is believed that the use of a graphically implemented alarm map as discussed in greater detail herein can be implemented to address many of the problems with traditional alarm summary screens.

Alarm maps to facilitate root cause analysis through spatial and pattern recognition


In a computer system that includes processing, memory and I/O modules and ACPI for outputting an ONCTL signal to a power supply unit. The power supply is configured to output a power off signal indicative of power off state and power on signal indicative of power on state. There is provided an embedded controller coupled to the ACPI and to the power supply unit. The embedded controller includes input for receiving a shut off event and in response to the shut off event, feeding to the ACPI a controller power off signal as long as the power supply is in power on state.

Power on and off functions of computer systems, such as the stand-alone PC, is normally implemented through an external power switch, which controls the PC switching on and off functions by means of appropriate circuitry in a rather straight forward manner. In more complicated systems such as server computers, power on and off switching as well as a series of power off/power on operations (referred to as power cycling) are implemented in a more sophisticated manner, using a so-called Advanced Configuration and Power Interface Specification ACPI (see http://www.teleport.com/acpi), and a state machine circuitry that follows the ACPI state transition rules (for short ACPI state machine). The ACPI provides a standard way for managing computer systems specifically focused on items relating to power management of the computer system. ACPI defines various power states of the system as a whole and of sub-modules/functions in it, the rules of transition and the interface used for implementing it. Part of the power transition mechanism is the power switch. Server systems also utilize an embedded controller unit (e.g., the so-called BMC - Baseboard Management Controller -see IPMI specifications -http://developer.intel.com/design/servers/ipmi/spec.htm which, inter alia, reports to a remote console the status of the Server and enables the remote console to control designated functions in the server, such as remote power cycling and others. Modern server system combines the two functions of ACPI and remote manageability through BMC. A typical server system employing a remote power cycling mechanism is depicted in FIG. 1. Thus, FIG. 1, illustrates a system (100) CPU (2) coupled to North Bridge module (3), which, in turn, is coupled to system memory (4), Graphics controller (5) and South Bridge (6) which accommodates ACPI state machine unit (7). The architecture and operation of the various modules of the system (100) is generally known per se and therefore will not be further expounded upon herein. As is generally known per se, when the ACPI is in a state that signifies an internal state of the system (100) that requires the system to be powered on in response to one or more wake events (e.g., power button pushed, real-time clock wake, modem ring etc), the ACPI state machine asserts to a low level its power supply control output (ONCTL#). The ONCTL# signal (7) (having "0" logic level) is fed to OR gate (8) which has its other input being low (the usage of this other input is to be discussed later), and the resulting signal (9) is fed to the power supply module (10) which, in a known per se manner, will turn the system on by starting the main power rail of the system. When the assertion of power on all its outputs, the 'power-good' output of the power supply indicates that by becoming active a shut down of the system may be triggered for various reasons. The shut down operation is normally handled by the CPU to make all preparations for consistent system bring down and then, via a write operation, commands the ACPI state machine to switch to the appropriate power state (e.g., S5) and de-assert the ONCTL# signal to a '1' logic level. In response to the input '1' logic level, the OR gate output goes to high level that is fed to the power supply module which, in turn, removes power from the various power rails and de-asserts the 'power-good' output. Note that this shut down will work only if the CPU is active. In case of a fail that prevents the CPU to handle the shut down process, pushing the power button for a period of 4-seconds will cause the ACPI state machine to turn the system off (to S5) by de-asserting (1) the ONCTL# output.
The system has various fault detection-mechanisms such as the 'crow-bar' which checks that the ONCTL# command, the ACPI state machine output and the power supply response to it are all consistent. In case of a failure, a lockdown of the system may be initiated until an operator operation is done (e.g., unplug the machine from the wall power).
The self triggering power shut-down through the ACPI module has known important advantages, however, it does not satisfy a fundamental need, i.e. applying a power shut-down (or power cycling) through an external event such as a command received from a remote consol through a LAN or modem. Such an external triggering event is normally required in order to enable an operator to initiate a power shut down (or power cycling) w/o physical access to the computer. To this end, and as shown in FIG. 1, a power shutdown in system 100 may also be triggered by means of pressing the power button (11) and feeding the signal directly to the ACPI module through input (12′). The latter, in turn, will initiate the power shut-down in the manner described above.
There are circumstances where the operation of the external power shutdown (power cycling) function through the power button (11) should be selectively inhibited (to prevent accidental touch of the button) and/or the triggering shut down or power-on by a command received from a different source (e.g. remote command from a LAN (13) or external sensor (14)). By this mode of operation the power button input is fed to an embedded controller (say, BMC module (12)). Depending upon the desired mode of operation the BMC module will either degenerate the operation of so pressed power button switch, or in alternative mode, in response to activating the power button switch, an appropriate ("1") signal ('13') is generated and fed to OR gate (8) which, in turn, produces an ONCTL# signal that triggers the power shutdown. Later the signal is released ('1') for the system to turn on again. Using the BMC module has the following advantages: (i) it can selectively disable/enable the operation of the power button switch upon remote commands; (ii), other sources for initiation of the power off functions (such as remote command through LAN (13) or external sensors (14)) are supported.
Note, however, that this mode of operation (i.e. using an embedded controller to directly control ONCTL#) has an inherent limitation in that the ACPI module is not "aware" that a power shutdown has occurred leaving, thus, the system in an inconsistent state where, on the one hand, a power shutdown or power cycling has been initiated and, on the other hand, the system state, as reflected in the ACPI state machine, is not aware of the power cycling/power shutdown operation. Such an inconsistent situation may cause a system fault such as the craw bar described above. Also, it prevents the system from executing the proper shut-down sequence which may result in loss of data or corruption of file system state.
There is, thus, a need in the art to provide for a power cycling/power shutdown function which enables, whenever required, to selectively disable the operation of the external power button whilst maintaining a consistent system state as reflected by the state machine (such as the ACPI).

Using ACPI power button signal for remotely controlling the power of a PC


A method for connecting a mobile device with one of a plurality of wireless networks, involves initiating a registration of the mobile device with one of the plurality of wireless networks. A geographic position of the mobile device is determined with respect to at least one of the plurality of wireless networks. A connection is established to one of the plurality of wireless networks responsive to the determined geographic position of the mobile device.

A mobile device such as a mobile telephone, pager, PDA, or any wireless device has one or more home networks with which the mobile device will normally connect. Within a home network, the mobile device is able to obtain services based upon a monthly fee structure with or without a use-based fee structure. When leaving any of their home networks, the user loses the ability to make calls using their mobile device. In order to overcome this problem, the network providers have entered into various roaming agreements. Roaming agreements enable a user from one network to visit other networks and still obtain connectivity for their mobile device even when they are located outside of their home network (i.e., roaming). In order to provide connectivity over large areas of the country, outside of a user's home network, home network providers often have a number of roaming agreements with a variety of different networks over the entire country. This requires the implementation of a preferred roaming list (PRL) within a given system, or similar type of priority list within other types of wireless systems, within the mobile device that provides the mobile device with a priority order for connecting to various roaming partners of the home network provider.
When attempting to register with a network to provide connectivity to the mobile device, the mobile device initially determines the signal strength of all of the networks within the range of the mobile device. If the home network is providing sufficient signal strength, the mobile device will connect with the home network and provide calls and connectivity through the home network. However, in a situation wherein the home network is unable to provide sufficient signal strength to the mobile device, the mobile device determines the roaming partner of the home network to which the mobile device should connect. To do this, the mobile device will examine the preferred roaming list and select the roaming partner having the highest priority on the preferred roaming list that has sufficient signal strength for connecting with the mobile device.
One problem that may arise within a particular home network area is that various roaming partners with which the home network has a roaming agreement may have their own networks overlapping the home network. Thus, if for any reason the home network includes poor coverage areas or temporary decreases in signal quality, a situation may arise wherein the mobile device may connect with a roaming partner's network even though the mobile device is currently within its home network due to the poor signal strength of the home network. This causes the home network provider or the mobile device user to incur roaming charges even though the mobile device is located within its home network. Thus, it would be desirable to provide some manner for limiting the access to roaming partner networks when a mobile device is currently located within its home network. This will save money to the network provider or the mobile device user by limiting unnecessary roaming charges.

Location-based network selection method for a mobile device


An improved WATER DEFLECTOR is fitted into a glazing pocket of the vertical frame member so as to fully extend between the opposed marginal faces and be coplanar with the opposed marginal faces of the vertical frame member. When a horizontal frame member is assembled with the vertical frame member, the water deflector and the opposed marginal faces of the vertical frame member fully seal off the hollow horizontal frame member, the water deflector never interfering with the assembling operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water deflector mounted at a joint between a horizontal frame member and a vertical frame member of a wall framing for storefronts, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical example of water deflector of the type concerned is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,064 and is again indicated by Reference Numeral 301 in phantom lines in FIG. 8 of the drawings appended hereto. The conventional water deflector 301 comprises a resilient U-shaped plate-like deflector body 303 including a pair of upper and lower wings, the upper wing terminating in a slant tail 305 directed slantingly downward. The U-shaped deflector body 303 of the water deflector 301 is snap fit into the a hollow horizontal frame member 307 with its bent directed forward as indicated by a dotted-dash arrow. When the deflector body 303 of the water deflector 301 is resiliently retained there as shown in partly solid and partly broken lines in the same figure, the slant tail 305 of the water deflector 301 protrudes beyond the end of the horizontal frame member 307. Subsequently, a vertical frame member (not shown) is fastened on its side perpendicularly to the end of the horizontal frame member 307 with the glazing pocket of the former aligned with the glazing pocket 309 of the latter. When the vertical frame member is fastened to the horizontal frame member 307, the slant tail 305 of the water deflector 301 projects into the glazing pocket of the vertical frame member. With such construction, rain infiltrated into the glazing pocket 309 of the horizontal frame member 307 flows along the slant tail 305 of the water deflector 301, down the inner wall of the vertical frame member and eventually drains through a weep hole formed in the bottom of the vertical frame member.
This conventional water deflector 301 is satisfactory to some extent but suffers the following disadvantages.
Since the water deflector 301 does not completely seal off the hollow horizontal frame member 307; part of rain flowing down the upper surface of the slant tail 305 of the water deflector 301 is inclined to swerve through a gasket-fitting channel down to the lower surface thereof and flow back along the lower surface of the slant tail 305 into the hollow horizontal frame member 307. This is more so during heavy down pours.
Furthermore, when installed in the horizontal frame member 307, the conventional water deflector 301 has its slant tail 305 projecting far beyond the end of the horizontal frame member 307. This projecting slant tail 305 of the water deflector 301 constitutes a bar to the operation of attaching the horizontal frame member 307 to the side of the vertical frame member, thus rendering the assemblage of the window framing tedious and time-consuming.


A foldable bicycle is provided. One feature of the foldable bicycle is that the central portion of the frame that defines the bicycle's geometry is substantially rigid. That is, the down tube, seat tube, top tube and bearing tube are substantially fixed relative to each other. Another feature of the foldable bicycle is that the front wheel can be folded into a position between the down tube, which is comprised of two tubes. Yet another feature is a tandem bicycle configuration that does not extend the length of the frame or the wheelbase. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Bicycles that can be folded have an advantage of a relatively compact arrangement for storage or transport, making them popular with users wishing to reduce storage space, such as commuters, recreation enthusiasts, and campers, among others. Known folding bicycles have a myriad of shortcomings when compared with standard non-folding bicycles. For example, known folding bicycles have a frame of two or more pieces, which can be dismantled, folded or telescopically shortened. In some known folding bicycles, the folded dimensions can be further reduced via removal of their wheels.
In some conventional bicycle folding joints are situated in the central area of the frame, such as within one or more of the down tube, top tube, seat tube and head tube, or bearing tube. A disadvantage of such an arrangement is that the frame's rigidity is reduced, which can detrimentally affect pedaling efficiency, and overall stability.
Another disadvantage associated with such known folding bicycles is that the joints that enable folding can develop a gap, or "play" over a period of usage. This play results in a bicycle that flexes, reducing pedaling efficiency, as the force applied to propel the bicycle is partially absorbed by the flexing joints. In addition, the joints themselves can be weak points in the bicycle, and can cause structural failure, instability or other undesirable riding characteristics.
A further disadvantage is that known folding bicycles have frames that frequently are smaller than the frames of a comparable standard non-folding bicycle. This reduces the ergonomic suitability for a rider. A result of this for many riders is a decrease of the distance that can be ridden with comfort. Riding discomfort can decrease pedaling efficiency, and decrease riding characteristics are less favorable due to the different position of front wheel and smaller wheel size compared to the non-folding bicycles.
Therefore, there exists a need for a folding bicycle that is ergonomically comfortable when riding, optionally has a unitary central frame structure, optionally can be readily folded into a compact arrangement, and/or optionally can maintain its structural rigidity and integrity despite repeated folding and unfolding.


A device for measuring and calculating the geometrical parameters of an object includes a basic body, a movable and rotatable supporting apparatus for the object, two movable optical area measuring sensors, two illuminating devices allocated to the area measuring sensors, displacement and angle detectors allocated to the supporting apparatus and to the movable optical area measuring sensors, a monitor which is coupled to the area measuring sensors, a computer coupled to the displacement and angle detectors and to the optical area measurement sensors or the monitor, which computer includes a data input device and controllable displacement and rotation devices for the supporting apparatus as well as area measuring sensors being aligned at a right angle to each other and at a right angle or parallel to the axis of rotation of the supporting apparatus. A first area measuring sensor is arranged as a transmitted light measuring sensor and is arranged on a first slide which is movable perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the supporting apparatus. A second area measurement sensor is arranged as an incident light measuring sensor and is arranged on the second movable slide. The second slide is held on the first slide and is movable perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the supporting apparatus and to the direction of displacement of the first slide.

The invention relates to a device for measuring and calculating geometrical parameters or an object.
Such a device and such a process are known from EP 0 403 908. The known device comprises a basic body with a table on which a supporting apparatus for an object is displaceable. Above the table there is arranged a tripod structure which consists of three legs attached to the edge of the table, which are supplemented upwardly into a T-like portal. The three legs are mutually displaced by 90.degree.. Cameras are arranged or the legs which are movable on tracks in the vertical direction. A further stationary camera is situated in the centre of the T-like portal. The three cameras which are arranged on the legs as well as the camera which is arranged in the portal are directed towards the longitudinal central axis of the table. Illuminating devices are directly arranged on the respective cameras, which are directed towards the object to be measured.
The cameras are connected to an image Processing system. The profiles of the object to be measured are recorded simultaneously under several different angles of view. The measured profiles are compared with set profiles and displayed as curve diagrams or tables.
The cameras are exclusively arranged as incident light cameras, so that the supporting apparatus has to be moved for the measurement of various measuring points of the object in such a way that the measuring point is formed sharply in the cameras. The acquisition of the measured values is complicated and requires continuous control by the operating staff, because in the case of unfocused imaging the magnitude relationship of the reproduced points with the original would be erroneous and would lead to measuring errors.
The invention is thus based on the object or improving the aforementioned device in such a way that the measuring points can be accessed in a purposeful way, thus rendering the performance of the measurement simpler, faster and preciser.
This object is achieved in a device pursuant to the present invention.
In a first optical area measuring sensor, which is arranged as a transmitted light measuring sensor, the profile outline of the object to be measured is reproduced as a shadow image. As the image plane of the shadow of the profile outline is independent of the diameter of the object to be measured, the necessity concerning a separate adjustment of the distance between the object to be measured and the transmitted light measuring sensor for the focussing can be omitted. The imaging relationship of the shadow image of the object on the transmitted light measurement sensor is always constant, so that a determined measuring point on the outer profile of the object to be measured can be accessed by a second area measuring sensor arranged as an incident light measuring sensor in such a purposeful manner that this point is reproduced in the calibration plane and thus in the correct imaging scale on the incident light measuring sensor. A check concerning the sharpness by the operating staff is thus not required.
If the incident light measuring sensor id situated on a second slide which is jointly movable with the slide on which the transmitted light measuring sensor is arranged, then a selected measuring point can be accessed, for example, by driving the first slide with the transmitted light measuring sensor in such a way that it coincides with a marking which is identical with the calibration plane of the incident light measuring sensor. On reaching the point on the outer profile, the incident light measuring sensor is precisely situated in the position in which the same point is reproduced sharply. The imaging relationship of several points situated in the same plane is thus correct.
Preferably, the first slide is exclusively movable in one axial direction relative to the basic body and the supporting apparatus is arranged on a third slide which is movable relative to the basic body in the direction of the axis of rotation.
By limiting the degrees of freedom by which the first slide on the one hand and the third slide on the other hand are movable, there is a direct relationship of the paths of travel to the basic body, so that the adjustment faults which cannot be fully excluded in practice only enter the measuring results directly, but do not multiply, as would be the case in the overlapping of movements in several degrees of freedom. The overall measuring precision is thus improved over the known device.
To detect a measuring point from a third perspective it is possible to arrange on the second slide a third area measuring sensor which is arranged as an incident light measuring sensor, whose optical axis is aligned perpendicularly to the optical axes of the other area measuring sensors, or a pentaprism can optionally be inserted in the path of the rays of the incident light measuring sensor, through which the measuring axis of the incident light measuring sensor is deflectable at a right angle to its optical axis and the optical axis of the transmitted light measuring sensor.
Although the first alternative requires a higher technical complexity owing to the presence of a third area measuring sensor, it nevertheless offers the advantage that the image reproduction of a measuring point can occur simultaneously under three directions of observation. In the second alternative the pentaprism has to be inserted into the path of the rays in order to change the directions or observation of the incident light sensor. The two directions of observation can occur, however, through one and the same incident light measuring sensor. In addition to saving a third area measuring sensor, this solution also avoids the otherwise required holding means for the further area measuring sensor, so that a reduction in weight can thus be gained and the bearing and the drive for the second slide can be arranged more simply. This also reduces the stress on the first slide and its drive. By using a pentaprism it is ensured that the direction of observation of the incident light sensor is deflected precisely at a right angle and the precision of the alignment of the pentaprism does not enter the measuring result as a measuring error.
An illuminating device allocated to the transmitted light measuring sensor is preferably arranged coaxially to the optical axis of the transmitted light measuring sensor on the first slide on the side of the rotational axis of the light measuring sensor and comprises a collimator optical system which emits a parallel luminous pencil. The transmitted light measuring sensor comprises a telecentric optical system. This arrangement ensures that an object projects in any position of the path of the rays between the illuminating device and the transmitted light measuring sensor a shadow image with a sharp profile on the transmitted light measuring sensor with a constant imaging scale. This enables precise measurements of the outer profile for each size and position of an object to be measured without having to take any adjustment measures.
The illuminating device allocated to the incident light measuring sensor is arranged as an annular light which is arranged coaxially to the optical axis of the incident light measuring sensor. This arrangement of the illuminating device provides a very even illumination of the surface of the object to be measured. This ensues that leaps in the brightness only occur at the edges and corners of the imaged object, but not from an uneven illumination.
The optical system of the incident light measuring sensor is preferably adjusted in such a way that the optical axis of the transmitted light measuring sensor is situated in the calibration plane of the incident light measuring sensor. The two surface measuring sensors are a mutually coupled by this measure, whereby on displacing the transmitted light measuring sensor to a selected measuring point the same measuring point is automatically reproduced sharply on the incident light measuring sensor in another direction of observation which is rotated by 90.degree..
pursuant to a further development, a light barrier with a parallel small-calibre light pencil is arranged on the first slide parallel and adjacent to the transmitted light measuring sensor as well as on the level of its optical axis, and a sensor of the light barrier is connected with the computer. With this light barrier it is possible to carry out automatically an initial positioning of the axis. On crossing the light barrier, the free end of the object to be measured is then reproduced automatically in the centre of the transmitted light measuring sensor. If the object to be measured concerns a processing tool for example in which the measuring points to be accessed for determining the geometric parameters are situated in the vicinity of the free end of the object, then these areas are simultaneously reproduced on the transmitted light measuring sensor and can be accessed in a purposeful manner over the shortest possible path.
A least one distance sensor, which is connected to the computer, can be arranged next to the incident light measuring sensor and on the level of its optical axis. The surface profile can be scanned with this distance sensor by rotating the object, so that at first a rough alignment of the rotating position is possible through the determination of the distance minima and maxima or maxima of the distance gradients, which can then be corrected following the changeover to the transmitted light measuring sensor and the incident light measuring sensor.
Preferably, the distance sensor is arranged as an optical sensor, e.g. as a laser triangulator or as a mechanical scanner. A very fast contactless acquisition of measured values is possible with the laser triangulator. The mechanical scanner is favourably used in cases where a contactless optical measurement would supply imprecise results owing to the surface structure of the object to be measured or is not accessible to an optical measurement in cases of areas disposed in the inside of the object.
In a practical embodiment the path of movement of the slide towards the object is limited by a safety distance from the object. This excludes collisions by improperly clamped bodies or by faulty operations during the movement of the slides.
Concerning the process for measuring and calculating geometrical parameters, the invention is based on the object of improving a method pursuant to the preamble of claim 12 in the respect that optionally all relevant geometrical parameters of an object to be measured can be determined with as few measuring steps as possible and with high precision.
this object is achieved with a method pursuant to the present invention.
The object is positioned at first in its axial and rotational position in such a way that the relevant measuring points are in the imaging zone of the area measuring sensors or are in their ultimate vicinity, so that the measuring points can be accessed in a purposeful manner over short paths of movement. Depending on the type of the geometrical parameters to be measured and calculated, one or several process steps are carried out thereafter in order to place the measuring points or to calculate their coordinates. The desired geometrical parameters of the object can then be calculated according to mathematical functions from individual measuring points of ones that are linked into groups. Several alternatives are possible for the evaluation of the geometrical parameters. The geometrical parameters can either be displayed or stored in order to obtain the characteristic parameters for an object. Furthermore, it is possible that the parameters are compared with an article database in order to separate defective products through quality control or to evaluate and sort them according to quality classes. In addition, there is also the possibility to provide follow-up control to a production machine on the basis of a statistical evaluation of the geometrical parameters so as to take influence on the quality already during production and to reduce the rejection rate of defective items.
To enable the measurement of coordinates of measuring points of the object which are disposed in lower regions than the outer profile of the object and thus cannot be reproduced on the transmitted light measuring sensor, it is provided that the coordinates are determined by moving the incident light measuring sensor from an initial position to a position in which the measuring point is reproduced sharply on the incident light measuring sensor and by measuring the path of movement. As an alternative this can also occur by contactless distance measurement with an optical distance sensor, e.g. a laser triangulator, or by moving a scanner up to the point of contact with the measuring point when a contactless optical measurement of the inner profile of a hollow object, for example, is not possible. A surface profile of such interior areas can also be obtained from a plurality of such coordinates gained.
The incident light measuring sensor is moved depending on the position of the transmitted light measuring sensor, with the incident light measuring sensor being focused on the optical axis of the transmitted light measuring sensor. This mandatorily results in a coupling of the two area measuring sensors, so that by accessing a point on the surface profile of the object by the transmitted light measuring sensor this point is automatically reproduced sharply on the incident light measuring sensor. Measuring points which are situated in the same imaging plane as the incident light measuring sensor can be measured by the incident light measuring sensor without any further displacing movements.
An initial axial positioning of the object can be carried out in such a way that the object and the transmitted light measuring sensor are moved relative to one another so far in the direction of the rotational axis until the maximum of the outer profile of the object extending in the direction of the rotational axis crosses the beam of a light barrier arranged on the level of the optical axis of the transmitted light measuring sensor. During this rough positioning the relevant measuring points are located in measuring sensor and can be accessed in a purposeful manner. This type of initial axial positioning is possible with fast speeds of travel and automatically, so that the total time required to access the individual measuring points can be reduced.
An initial rotational positioning of the object can be carried out in such a way that the object is turned and that a continuous measurement of the distance between the surface of the object and the distance sensor is carried out by means of the distance sensor and the object is finally placed in a rotational position in which one of the distance minima or the distance gradient maxima is in a predetermined rotational position towards the optical axis of the transmitted light measuring sensor. This process can also be carried out automatically at a high rotational speed, which contributes in reducing the entirely required time for accessing the measuring points.
A further increase in the precision can be obtained when a potential inclined position of the object is determined by forming the difference between different diameter or distance extreme values in at least one plane and a wobble cone is calculated from the difference of the diameter and distance extreme values, with the calculated coordinates being corrected by the distance of the envelope surface of the cone from the rotational axis. It is possible by such a correction to eliminate errors which may occur as a result of wear and tear, soiling or other faults in the supporting apparatus or during its operation.
several alternatives can be used in determining the measuring points. The measuring points can be predetermined manually for example in order to measure an object individually. Furthermore, search areas of the measuring points can be predetermined manually in a first step. In a second step the corners and/or edges of the object situated in these search areas are determined automatically in that the position of the corners and/or edges is determined by an image processing program from the evaluation of the changes in at least one characteristic of the image reproduction of the object on the area measuring sensors, such as changes in the course of the brightness or texture or colour of the image reproduction of the object on the area measuring sensors.
This measure only requires roughly accessing the measuring points and is thus faster than the aforementioned variant and, concerning its precision, is independent of the precision with which the operator accesses the measuring points.
It is furthermore possible to have search areas of the measuring points calculated in a first step by entering parameters for groups of bodies to be measured, to automatically predetermine the search areas in a second step and to automatically determine in a third step the corners and/or edges of the object situated if these search areas in such a way that the position of the corners and/or edges is determiner by an image processing program from the evaluation of the changes in at least one characteristic of the image reproduction of the object on the area measuring sensors, such as changes in the course of the brightness or texture or colour of the image reproduction of the object on the area measuring sensors.
This alternative places low requirements of the instructions for the operating staff and allows the automatic quality control of products. As the measuring points to be accessed need not be determined manually, this alternative allows a particularly fast determination of the desired geometrical parameters.
According to a third alternative, the measuring points can be determiner automatically by scanning a plurality of points on corners and/or edges of the object, with the position of the corners and/or edges being determined by an image processing program from the evaluation of the changes in at least one characteristic of the image reproduction of the object on the area measuring sensors, such as changes in the course of the brightness or texture or colour of the image reproduction of the object on the area measuring sensors. This measure allows a fully automatic determination of the geometrical parameters of bodied. As contrary to the aforementioned alternatives it is necessary in this case to access several measuring points, a higher measuring time must be expected here.
Pursuant to a further development, the geometrical parameters of a subject processed with the processing tool can be calculated from the geometrical parameters of an object arranged as a processing tool.
This measure allows, for example, on the basis of predetermined tolerances to determine the tolerances of a processing tool with which the subject can be produced under adherence to the predetermined tolerances.
It is further possible to calculate from the geometrical parameters of an object arranged as a subject the geometrical parameters of a processing tool which is used for its production.
In this way it is possible to obtain construction data for the construction of a suitable tool.

Device and process for measuring and calculating geometrical parameters of an object

Vialog Visuelle Automations Anlagen GmbH


A quick release musical instrument strap attachment device comprising a strap attachment unit which comprises a female receiving quick release portion having base portion and a hollow body portion for receiving and locking a male quick release portion and a first cord having both ends thereof attached to the base portion of the female quick release portion to form a loop and a musical instrument attachment unit comprising a male quick release insertion unit which comprises a base portion and an insertion means adapted for insertion and locking into the hollow body portion of the female receiving quick release portion and a second cord having both ends thereof attached to the base portion of the male receiving quick release portion to form a loop. The strap attachment unit being attachable to a strap and the musical instrument attachment unit being attachable to a musical instrument.

Many players of stringed instruments such as banjos and guitars perform in a standing position and thus require additional means for supporting the instrument in a playing position because it readily becomes tiresome to support the instrument with one's hands while also playing the instrument. Most of these stringed instruments are provided with paired spaced anchor points so that it may be supported by a strap or sling mounted between the anchor points and extending over the player's shoulders and across the player's back.
Exemplary of devices which provide support for stringed instruments are shown in Jacombs, U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,367 (musical instrument harness); Thompson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,695 (FIG. 8 type harness strap); Hash, U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,320 (suspension strap); Mechem et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,127 (slotted locking attachment for guitar strap); Hoshino, U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,943 (ringed protected strap connection for a guitar); McIntosh, U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,901 (double shouldered guitar strap); Violette, U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,137 (adjustable guitar harness); and Silagy, U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,743 (shoulder pad for decorative guitar strap); among others.
Broadly, a guitar comprises a body and an elongated neck portion extending therefrom. The neck carries a fingerboard over a major portion thereof, and includes a head portion at a second end remote from the body. The strings extend along the elongate neck and are fastened to a suitable supporting structure on the body at one end and to a suitable tuning mechanism on the head portion. See, generally, Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,919.
On typical guitars, the first of the two anchor points for shoulder straps is located on the body generally in line with the neck on the side of the body opposite that where the neck joins on. Depending on the instrument, and to some extent upon user preference, the second of the two anchor points may be located on the instrument body generally proximate the heel.
Individual players typically have preferred locations of the instrument body and orientations of the instrument neck in which they find it most comfortable to play. For example, a relatively high position of the instrument makes the playing of high notes easier and more relaxing to the player's wrists. On the other hand, a low position may be more comfortable in other respects. Similarly, the angular orientation of the neck is subject to a wide range of player preferences.
However, the traditional method of supporting a guitar with both strap anchors located on the guitar body presents certain disadvantages which render its use less than ideal. For example, the traditional strap support requires the player to provide additional support to the instrument neck. This tends to put additional strain on the fretting hand, and can interfere with proper fretting technique. Depending on the degree of player movement, the problem of slippage with the fretting hand can be relatively acute. When the guitar is worn relatively high on the user's body in order to facilitate the playing of high notes, or relatively low to gain comfort in other respects, a greater tendency of the neck to drop is experienced.
It has therefore become common for players of stringed instruments as described hereinabove to cease use of the second body anchor to tie a piece of string under the strings on the tuning section of the head portion of the neck and tie the string to guitar strap through the hole in the strap which was previously employed for attaching to the anchor.
While this crude solution has helped to reduce strain on the fretting hand, it has caused a variety of other problems. For instance, the bow or knots made with the string are prone to becoming undone during playing, which increases the chance that the guitar may accidentally be dropped. The bows and/or knots can interfere with the tuning strings causing a loss of sound quality. Additionally, many guitarists enjoy playing both with and without the strap. When the guitarist wishes to remove the strap, it can become a struggle to untie the knots in the string going around the guitar headstock. This problem is especially exacerbated when the guitarist is performing on stage and needs to quickly release the strap.
Special mention is made of Brooks, U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,464 which discloses a guitar strap which is includes a means for securely fastening one end of the strap to the head of the guitar neck but is not a quick release connection.
Thus there is a need in the art for the development of a guitar strap attachment system which will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and will be adaptable for use with current guitar straps.

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A semiconductor device having a stressor is provided. A first trench and a second trench spaced apart from each other are formed in a substrate. A channel area is defined between the first trench and the second trench. A gate dielectric layer is formed on the channel area. A gate electrode is formed on the gate dielectric layer. The stressor includes a plurality of semiconductor layers formed in the first trench and the second trench and a plurality of interlayers formed between the semiconductor layers. Sidewalls of the first trench and the second trench are v-shaped (e.g., have a < or > shape).

Technical Field
Embodiments of the inventive concept relate to a semiconductor device having a stressor.
Discussion of Related Art
In a field-effect transistor (FET), the drain-to-source current flows via a conducting channel that connects the source region to the drain region. The conductivity is varied by the electric field that is produced when a voltage is applied between the gate and source terminals. A metal-oxide-semiconductor FET (MOSFET) is a type of FET used for amplifying or switching electronic signals.
Performance of a transistor may be improved by increasing a carrier mobility inside a channel area of the channel of the transistor. A technique of forming stressors at both sides of the channel area has been tried to increase mobility. However, the stressors are vulnerable to cracking or other defects due to differences in a thermal expansion coefficient and a lattice constant. The thermal expansion coefficient describes the relative change in length of a material per degree of temperature change. The lattice constant refers to the physical dimension of unit cells in a crystal lattice. Cracks in a stressor of a transistor may cause a decrease in the tensile strength of the stressor, and cause a leakage current in the transistor.

Semiconductor device having stressor and method of forming the same


A voltage regulator circuit is arranged to provide a regulated output voltage from an unregulated input voltage. Also, the voltage regulator circuit includes a capacitor that is coupled between output and feedback nodes of the voltage regulator circuit. The capacitor may improve transient responses, output noise, and the power supply rejection ratio of the voltage regulator circuit during normal operation. During a start-up of the voltage regulator circuit, the capacitance between the output and feedback nodes is substantially eliminated or substantially reduced in order to reduce the time that it takes for the output voltage to reach a stable voltage level.

A voltage regulator circuit may be arranged to provide a regulated output voltage from an unregulated input voltage. Typically, the regulated output voltage is provided from the unregulated output voltage by a pass transistor that is driven by an error voltage. The error voltage is typically provided from an error amplifier based on a reference voltage and a feedback voltage. The feedback voltage is typically provided from the output voltage by a voltage divider.


A signal detection circuit includes: a VCO that generates a reference signal; a complex signal generation circuit that generates a complex signal from an input signal and the reference signal; a vector operation circuit that calculates an argument of the complex signal by performing a vector operation; and a subtracting phase comparator that compares the argument with a phase of the reference signal by calculating a difference between the argument and the phase of the reference signal, wherein the complex signal generation circuit includes: a multiplication circuit that multiplies the input signal by the reference signal; and an HPF that removes a DC component from a signal output from the multiplication circuit.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a signal detection circuit that detects a signal according to an amplitude, a phase, and a frequency of an oscillation, and particularly, to a technique for detecting a signal according to an amplitude, a phase, and a frequency of an oscillation of a probe.
2. Description of the Related Art
Scanning probe microscopes or SPMs are microscopes that detect an interaction (for example, a tunnel current or a force of interaction) between a probe and a sample by bringing the probe closer to the sample to obtain information distribution, for example, on roughness on the surface of the sample and the electric potential distribution.
Atomic force microscopes or AFMs that are one kind of the SPMs are known. The AFMs detect a force of interaction between a probe and a sample to obtain a topographic image on the surface of the sample. More specifically, the AFMs perform feedback control on a distance between a probe and a sample to maintain a constant force of interaction between the probe and the sample. The AFMs include a cantilever with a sharp probe at its end as a force detector. By bringing the probe closer to the sample, the cantilever is displaced by the force of interaction between the probe and the sample. The force of interaction is detected using the amount of displacement. This type of AFMs is called contact mode AFMs or static mode AFMs.
On the other hand, AFMs in which a cantilever is mechanically excited at a frequency closer to the resonance frequency are called dynamic mode AFMs. The dynamic mode AFMs detect a force of interaction between a probe and a sample from change in amplitude, phase, or frequency of an oscillation that is caused by the force of interaction. The AFMs that detect a force of interaction using the amplitude, phase, and frequency are called an amplitude modulation AFM (AM-AFM), a phase modulation AFM (PM-AFM), and a frequency modulation AFM (FM-AFM), respectively.
The AFMs include, an amplitude/phase/frequency detection circuit (signal detection circuit) for detecting an amplitude, a phase, and a frequency. Conventional signal detection circuits include (i) a multiplying phase comparator including a low-pass filter (LPF) and (ii) a subtracting phase comparator including a delay circuit and a π/2 phase-shift circuit (see International Publication WO2010/023811).

Signal detection circuit and scanning probe microscope

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION KANAZAWA UNIVERSITY


The invention provides a system for generating guest-specific service suggestions for a guest within a facility such as a hospitality facility. The system comprises a location device carried or worn by the guest within the facility; one or more location detecting devices arranged at the facility, the location detecting devices being arranged to detect the location device carried or worn by the guest, and to communicate one or more location detection signals to a computer implemented analytic module; wherein the analytic module is configured to determine location data for the location device carried or worn by the guest and, based on said location data and/or data from a person attribute database, predict a behavior of the guest from at least said location data and communicate behavior information to one or more service devices.

It is known to be a growing challenge for the hospitality industry to manage guest expectations, as nowadays, hotel guests are demanding more than just basic hospitality needs such clean rooms and meals. To allow hotels, resorts, lodges, residences or the like to meet evolving guest needs and thus securing a more competitive position among the industry, managements are striving to provide more customized services tailored to the guests' needs thereby enhancing the experiences of guests during their stays. Particularly, guests are found to expect more personalized services from the hotel staff for a more "feel at home" experience. Hotel staff members are thus required to pay more attention to better understand the guests and their needs, in addition to their usual long-hour work and shift duties. The average staff turnover rates in the hotel industry remain high, and the gap between guest expectations and staff capacities continues to grow.
There are hotel management systems in the market. However, most of them facilitate the hotel by merely collecting and managing guests' personal data, which are generally provided by the guests during reservations and/or when the guests check-in to their rooms at the hotel reception. These systems require reviewing of the guests details by the hotel staff at the systems and may include manually deriving some service recommendations from the stored data. There are also hotel staff allocation systems which are designed to manage duties of the staff and/or to allocate available staff at the facility to provide services upon request by the guests. The services offered, as facilitated by these systems therefore lack flexibility and, especially, the "personal touch" in guest engagement which is otherwise highly favorable to hotel guests.

System and a method for generating person-specific service suggestions for a person at a facility


An air bag support belt cover structure is suitable for an air bag attached to a motorcycle. A right air bag support belt cover covers the top of a storage space for a support belt connected to an air bag. The belt cover is fixed to the support belt by set plates and squeezed portions each formed by squeezing a boss on the rear face of the belt cover. Therefore, the belt cover does not fly off when the support belt deploys along with the expansion and deployment of the air bag. A plurality of engaging hooks provided in the outer edge of the belt cover come off engaging slots located in the vehicle body at the instant when the tension load of the support belt reaches a predetermined value. The support belt can be fixed to the belt cover by a fitting groove formed on the boss and a collar.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air bag support belt cover structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to an air bag support belt cover structure that is suitable for an air bag attached to a motorcycle.
2. Description of Background Art
Various methods have been considered in the background art to apply an air bag for effectively restraining an occupant to a motorcycle when a predetermined or greater impact is applied to a vehicle body. One large difference between a motorcycle and a four-wheeled vehicle is that the occupant is not restrained in the vehicle body by a seat belt or the like. Therefore, a method according to the background art includes supporting an air bag by a case in which the air bag has been stored and by a support belt. One end of the support bag is fixed to a vehicle body and the other end is connected to the air bag. Therefore, the air bag is pulled backward from the vehicle body by the support belt when the air bag expands and deploys in order to effectively restrain an occupant.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-327182 discloses an air bag apparatus for a scooter type motorcycle, wherein air bag support belts as described above are stored in a pair of right and left storage grooves, which are provided along a front cover, leg shields, footrests, and a rear cover.
When using the air bag support belts as described above, preferably storage sections therefor are provided with cover members for protection from influences caused by an external factor such as the weather. In the background art, there has been a system similar to this kind of cover member structure, in which hook protrusions are provided at several places on the rear face of each cover member and the cover member is connected to the storage section in such a way that the protrusions are fitted into fitting grooves provided on the storage section. In the fitting structure only with the hook protrusions or the structure disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-327182; however, consideration need be given to an arrangement for preventing the cover member from coming off due to some impact or for preventing the cover member from flying off in an unpredictable direction when the support belt is pulled out along with expansion and deployment of the air bag.


An inkjet recording apparatus includes a head assembly in which a plurality of head chips, each having multiple nozzles arranged therein for discharging ink, are disposed in the arrangement direction of the nozzles. The discharge of ink from the nozzles of each head chip in band-boundary regions in which bands recorded by the head chips overlap each other is adjusted in accordance with the detection result of the temperature of each head chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to inkjet recording techniques in which recording is performed by discharging ink toward a recording medium from a long recording head (hereafter called a head assembly) obtained by connecting a plurality of head chips, each having multiple nozzles. More specifically, the present invention relates to an inkjet recording technique in which an image is recorded on a recording medium with a single scan of a head assembly relative to the recording medium (single-path method). The head assembly is obtained by disposing a plurality of relatively short head chips, each having multiple nozzles arranged therein, in the arrangement direction of the nozzles with high accuracy.
2. Description of the Related Art
In printers, printing apparatuses used in copy machines or the like, and printing apparatuses used as output apparatuses in workstations or complex electronic systems including computers and word processors, images (including characters and symbols) are printed on printing media, such as paper or thin plastic plates, on the basis of print information. The printing methods of these printing apparatuses are classified into an inkjet method, a wire-dot method, a thermal method, a laser beam method, etc.
An inkjet recording apparatus using the inkjet method is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-300644.
Among various types of printing methods that are presently known, a typical printing apparatus using the inkjet printing method is a serial printing apparatus which performs printing by repeatedly moving a recording head having multiple nozzles arranged therein in a direction different from the arrangement direction of the nozzles. In the serial printing apparatus (also called a serial-scan printing apparatus), the entire region of a recording medium is printed on by repeating a main-scan recording step of forming an image by moving a print unit (recording head) along the recording medium in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning step of moving the recording medium by a predetermined distance each time a single scan is finished.
In such an inkjet printing apparatus (recording apparatus), normally, a band-shaped image region (hereafter called a band) is formed with a single scan, and ink spreads depending on the material and the surface state of the recording medium. Accordingly, irregular image regions called "connection lines" are formed in boundary regions between the bands.
As a recording method for eliminating the above-described irregular image regions, a multi-path method is known in which a single band is recorded with multiple scans. However, in the multi-path method, the number of times a recording head is moved relative to a recording medium is increased and the time required for recording the entire region of the recording medium is increased accordingly. As a result, the recording speed is reduced.
The connection lines between the bands can be eliminated without increasing the time for recording on the recording medium by using a recording apparatus including a long recording head in which nozzles are arranged over a distance longer than a dimension of the recording area. As an example of such an apparatus, a full-line (full multi) recording apparatus is known in which a recording head (full-line head or full multi head) having a length corresponding to the entire (or substantially entire) width of a recording medium is moved relative to the recording medium along the length of the recording medium. In the full-line recording apparatus, image printing is completed with a single scan, and the bands are not formed unlike the serial printing apparatus. Accordingly, in the full-line recording apparatuses, the above-described irregular image regions are not formed between the adjacent bands.
However, when the above-described long head is manufactured, it is extremely difficult to form the nozzles and print elements, such as piezoelectric elements and heating resistance elements, over the entire width of the recording area without any defects. For example, in full multi printers used in offices or the like to output photographic images on large paper, about 14,000 nozzles are required to print on A3-sized paper with a resolution of 1,200 dpi (recording width is about 280 mm). It is difficult to form inkjet print elements corresponding to such a large number of nozzles without any defects in view of the manufacturing process thereof. Even if it is possible to manufacture such a print head, the percentage of defects is high and extremely high costs are incurred.
Accordingly, inkjet recording apparatuses having the structure of line printers including full multi print heads have been suggested. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-54056 discloses a recording apparatus using a head obtained by connecting a plurality of head chips (also called nozzle chips).
FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams showing examples of heads obtained by connecting a plurality of head chips (also called nozzle chips). Multiple nozzles are arranged in each of the head chips. The head chips are linearly disposed in the arrangement direction of the nozzles in the example shown in FIG. 3, and are disposed in a staggered pattern in the example of FIG. 4.
The above-described head (hereafter called a head assembly) is obtained by arranging a plurality of short, relatively inexpensive head chips that are commonly used in serial recording apparatuses with high accuracy. The number of nozzles formed in a single head chip is smaller than that in a single long head, and therefore the percentage that defective nozzles are present in the head chip is low. Thus, the percentage of defects is lower than that in the case of manufacturing a head having an integral structure with a plurality of nozzles arranged therein. In addition, only the head chips having defects are treated as defective parts, and therefore the manufacturing cost of the head is reduced.
Accordingly, a full-line recording apparatus can be relatively easily manufactured when the head assembly structured as described above is used as a full-line head that records over the entire width of the recording medium. In addition, when the head assembly is used in a serial recording apparatus, the width of a band recorded with a single scan is increased and the number of boundaries between the bands appearing in the image recorded on a single recording medium is reduced accordingly. Therefore, the irregularity of the image is reduced and the recording speed is increased at the same time.
However, when the head assemblies structured as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are used, the amount of heat generation varies between the chips due to the structure thereof, and accordingly the temperature varies between the chips.
On the other hand, a bubble jet recording method in which ink is discharged using heat is known as an example of the inkjet method. In the bubble jet recording method, bubbles are generated in the ink by heating the ink, and the ink is discharged though the nozzles by the pressure applied when the bubbles are generated. The above-described problem of variation in heat generation is particularly crucial in the bubble jet recording method.
With respect to the temperature distribution in each head chip used in the above-described bubble jet method or the heat transfer method, the head chip is normally formed on a silicon substrate, which has very high thermal conductivity, by a semiconductor manufacturing process or photolithography. In addition, the size of each head chip (short chip) included in a full line head is about 0.5 inches. Under these conditions, the temperature distribution in each chip becomes uniform in a relatively short time. However, in the head assembly including a plurality of head chips, the head chips are formed independently of each other and are separated from each other in the example shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, heat is transmitted between the head chips via a base plate composed of, for example, alumina, carbon, aluminum metals, etc., to which the head chips are adhered, and the temperature variation between the head chips is too large to be ignored when the head assembly is used. This problem does not occur when the recording head having an integral structure with all of the nozzles formed therein is used.
In the inkjet recording head, the volume of a single ink drop discharged from a nozzle generally varies depending on the temperature, and the difference in the volume of the ink drop appears in the image on the recording medium as a density difference. Accordingly, the temperature variation between the head chips appears as the density variation between the image regions corresponding to the head chips, and is visualized as band-shaped regions in the image.
In the case in which recording is performed using a serial scan recording apparatus including the head assembly by a single-path method in which an image is recorded with a single scan, head chips that are most distant from each other in the head assembly form an image region at the boundary between the bands. Since the head chips are influenced by the distance therebetween with regard to the heat diffusion in the head, a large density difference is generated in the region between the bands.

Inkjet recording apparatus and method for controlling same


A fastening arrangement for detachably fastening a component (2) to a frame part (4). The arrangement comprises a handle means (6) pivoted to the frame part (4) and an arranged to turn about its pivoting axis (12) between a normal position and a release position, and locking means (14, 16) arranged such that when the handle means (6) is in its normal position, inserting the component (2) into its position arranged in the frame part (4) causes the component (2) to be locked into the frame part (4). The arrangement also comprises means (18, 20) for opening the locking and arranged such that turning the handle means (6) to its release position releases the locking of the component (2) in relation to the frame part (4).

The invention relates to an arrangement for detachably fastening a component to a frame part.
Many devices comprise an interface unit or another corresponding component that is to be detachably fastened to said device for service and repair, for example. In the plug-in units of plug-in unit assemblies, for example, it is known to use an interface unit fastened to the front surface of the plug-in unit, the interface unit comprising a liquid crystal display and switches required for controlling components comprised by the plug-in unit. It is known to fasten the interface unit to the front surface of the plug-in unit with screws or fixing clips, for example.
It is relatively time consuming to fasten an interface unit to a plug-in unit by screwing or with fixing clips. A further problem is caused by lost screws and damage to quick-release locks, for example, depending on the fastening method used.

Arrangement for detachably fastening a component to a frame part


The present invention provides an image display device which includes the heat radiation structure with a high radiation effect without increasing the number of parts and requiring additional steps in the manufacture of the display device. A metal foil having a large area is formed on a COF film provided for mounting a driver chip on a display panel, and heat generated by the driver chip is led to the metal foil and is radiated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display device, and more particularly to a planar image display device which can suppress a malfunction of a driver attributed to the elevation of temperature.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a planar image display device, a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display device or an organic EL display device has been well-known. In addition to these display devices, display devices which adopt various other display methods have been put into practice, have been studied or are on their way to practical use. With respect to driving of these image display devices, the explanation is made hereinafter by taking the liquid crystal display device as an example. In general, the liquid crystal display device is constituted of a liquid crystal display module formed by assembling a printed circuit board such as a display control circuit, a backlight, and a power source printed circuit board of the backlight to a liquid crystal panel (hereinafter, also referred to as a liquid crystal panel or a panel simply), and a casing which houses the liquid crystal display module therein. The liquid crystal panel is constituted of two insulation substrates basically made of glass and liquid crystal sealed therebetween, wherein the liquid crystal forms a display region constituted of a large number of pixel arrays. As a typical example of an active-matrix-type liquid crystal panel popularly used in the display device, there has been known a so-called TN-type liquid crystal panel which mounts thin film transistors (TFT) constituting pixel circuits and various lines on one substrate and mounts color filters and a common electrode on another substrate, or a so-called IPS-type liquid crystal panel which mounts pixel electrodes and counter electrodes on one substrate. Further, on a periphery of the substrate constituting such a liquid crystal panel, a source driver for supplying display signals to the pixels and a gate driver for scanning the pixel arrays are mounted.
Along with the realization of an image display device with high definition or with super-high definition in recent years, a drive frequency at which a display signal is supplied to a large number of pixels formed on a panel rises and hence, self-heating of a source driver becomes too large to be ignored. Some image display devices adopt the front-surface closed structure which mounts an acrylic plate on a front surface of the panel. In such image display devices, heat generated by the panel itself is increased. When the image display device is a liquid crystal display device, an environmental temperature of the panel rises due to the radiation of heat from a backlight of the liquid crystal display device or the like and hence, there exists a possibility that a temperature of the source driver exceeds a use-limit temperature. Under such circumstances, it is urgently necessary to take measures to cope with the radiation of heat from drivers of the panel including the source driver.
As documents which disclose the related art relating to such measures to cope with the heat radiation, Japanese patent No. 3656455 (patent document 1) and JP-A-2000-268735 (patent document 2) are named. Patent document 1 discloses the heat radiation structure of an IC chip mounted on a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) on which a wiring pattern is formed, wherein a heat radiation body formed of an aluminum plate or the like is adhered to a back surface of the IC chip (a surface of the IC chip on a side opposite to the FPC). Further, patent document 2 discloses the heat radiation structure of an IC chip in which an FPC which mounts a driver thereon by way of a heat-radiation-use conductive pattern is fixed to a substrate of a panel.


A liner discharge structure, and associated liner and container system are disclosed. The liner discharge structure includes: a collar fabricated from a liner material, wherein the collar encapsulates an O-ring in the liner material; a substantially rigid section having an opening, wherein the substantially rigid section is fabricated from the liner material; and a neck fabricated from the liner material, wherein the neck provides a passageway extending between the opening in the substantially rigid section and the collar; wherein the liner material used to fabricate the substantially rigid section has a cross-sectional thickness greater than the liner material used to fabricate the neck.

Bulk containers, including tanks and totes, are used in many applications to hold and ship fluids. Illustrative fluids may for example include industrial liquids, such as chemicals and paints, as well as consumer products such as lotions and other beauty products. Regardless, in many applications, a key challenge is the need to avoid or eliminate contamination within the container. For instance, introduction of a foreign substance into a high performance chemical can ruin the entire contents of the container. In other cases, the FDA may have extremely stringent standards for liquid products stored in containers that are to be consumed or applied to people.
One way to eliminate contamination in a container is to utilize a liner that can be disposed of after each use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,657, entitled "Container Liners and Methods of Lining Containers," issued on Jan. 14, 2003, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference, teaches a liner system for use with tanks, such as an intermediate bulk container (IBC). In such an application, the liner is adapted to conform to the inner surface of the container, so as to not interfere with any product contained therein.
While the use of liners greatly enhances the performance, lifespan and usability of a container, liners present various challenges. One such challenge is the need to ensure that the liner is easy to install and does not interfere with the operation of the container. For example, a typical container may have a discharge opening at the bottom for discharging fluids through a valve. Under certain circumstances, the liner can slip within the tank and interfere with the opening. Another challenge is the need to ensure that the liner material is compatible with whatever fluid is being held therein. This greatly limits the use of liners having sections made of different materials to achieve performance requirements.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a container liner that can be easily manufactured to meet the performance demands required for many of today's applications.

Container liner with rigid discharge structure


A modular photonic waveguide distribution system is disclosed which enables multi-directional and simultaneous communication within a multitude of coherent data processing units. The basic structure of an optical distributor element or module 1 is described and it is shown how the extension to complex data distribution structures can be achieved by respective combinations of the modules. Modes of operation and data selection are demonstrated.

Modern data processing systems commonly consist of a plurality of separate components such as processors, memory boards, input/output controllers, data storage devices and peripheral devices or terminals. Signals are transmitted between these components via a common bus. As computer systems become more complex, there is a continuing requirement for driving signals at faster clock rates while at the same time minimizing power, noise, and electro-magnetic interference. In order to avoid the inherent problems of electrically coupling data processing components, attention has shifted to optical techniques for data transmission.
Representative is U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,466, which employs a circuit board having an optical data bus. In this system each component includes an optical fiber network which in a composite sense forms an optical bus to interconnect computer components on the same board. The intensity of light emitted by a component is divided among various receivers so that the optical energy arriving at each receiver is reduced. If components are interconnected consecutively in a chain-like manner, each linked component receives significantly less intensity than the preceding one. Consequently this optical bus does not assure optical power uniformity, which is an essential requirement in digital data transmission.
Other techniques have been proposed in the art for using optical couplers for data transmission. U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,054 relates to an optical coupler used to transmit data from any one of N small optical channels by funneling to a single "large" optical channel. This technique does not provide an optical interconnection scheme for purposes of computer bus applications where all optical ports must be interconnected to allow bidirectional communication between any two devices.
A specific system for optical signal transmission is described in U.S. application Ser. No. 654,472 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,061. Modular fiber optic couplers are combined to form a bus structure in a fiber optic environment. Each coupler unit comprises optical and electrical input and output ports. Optical receivers and transmitters are connected to the optical ports and linked with the respective electrical ports by means of electronic logic control elements which are an integral part of each coupler unit. By interconnecting the electrical ports of several couplers in a network like structure, individual components linked by the optical bus can be addressed. During data receiving periods, however, no data can be sent from the same device simultaneously. Another disadvantage is the need of additional supply power and the respective interconnection parts as there are active electronic elements integrated on each coupler unit.
The present invention is intended to provide a new and advanced optical data distribution system using specific couplers or modules to realize complex optical bus structures or networks which allow selective and parallel data transfer among a plurality of devices.

Modular photonic waveguide distribution system

International Business Machines Corporation