There is provided a signal processing device for remedying an error in reading bar-codes derived from a defect of the bar-code printed on a label, a way to hold the bar-code reader's sensor to the bar-code and so forth. The signal processing device comprises: a variable amplifier configured to output a signal, as an output signal thereof, corresponding to an input signal, an offset and a gain of the variable amplifier being able to be adjusted; a comparing means configured to compare a level of the output signal of the variable amplifier with a plurality of thresholds; a detecting means configured to detect either or both of a shift of the offset of the variable amplifier and an excess or deficiency of the gain of the variable amplifier based on the result of the comparison executed in the comparing means; and an adjusting means configured to adjust either or both of the offset and the gain of the variable amplifier based on the result of the detection executed in the detecting means.

Meanwhile, "codes" as referred to in the present application includes a code printed on a label, an exterior surface of a case and so forth, especially a bar-code and a code in a magnetic stripe of a magnetic card.
With respect to a reader for codes, for example, a conventional bar-code reader for bar-codes printed on labels and so forth, there are cases where decode fails because of unevenness of printing of a bar-code and so forth.
Against this problem, PTL 1 discloses a bar-code reading device and a bar-code reading method comprising a counting means for counting the number of data of a light reception signal belonging to each section of a plurality of sections obtained by dividing an amplitude of the light reception signal at a light reception element by predetermined intervals, an integration means for successively integrating the number of data belonging to the sections which are equal to or larger than, in number, a plurality of predetermined amplitudes to set a count value based on the number counted by the counting means of data, and a determination means for determining whether or not any section in which the count value integrated by the integrating means is larger than a predetermined value exists in said sections which are equal to or larger than, in number, the plurality of predetermined amplitudes, and thereby determining that there is not an effective reception signal within a range of large amplitude by an assumed value although there is an extremely large amplitude by regular reflection and so forth and being able to read exactly bar-codes without being effected by background environment such as regular reflection.
Further, PTL 2 discloses a signal processing device comprising a circuit arrangement with an automatic gain control system into which a gain adjustment element as controlled on the basis of an output from a luminescence element is built and thereby performing adequate gain control and solving restriction of resolution of bar-codes and a readable range by effect to reflection light quantity on the basis of a difference between a bar-code reading device to a bar-code.

Signal processing device for reader targeted to codes, signal processing method, and signal processing program


A core barrel having an inner tube for coring and, alternately, a center plug assembly for closing the throat of the core bit at the bottom of the assembly for drilling in lieu of coring. The inner tube assembly and plug assembly are disposable and retrievable through the drill string on a wireline using an overshot. The core bit is of a stabilized, preferably anti-whirl, design and may be a low-invasion core bit used in cooperation with a low-invasion coring shoe. A logging tool and data transmission assembly may be incorporated in the plug assembly for logging while drilling. Alternatively, sensors for logging borehole parameters and a data transmission assembly may be incorporated in the inner tube assembly, in the wall of the core barrel, above the core barrel, or in a combination of such locations. A significant feature of the apparatus and its operation is the ability to concurrently sense one or more characteristics of the formation surrounding the core barrel in combination with the sensing of one or more such parameters of the core being cut as it proceeds into the inner tube assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to wireline coring of subterranean formations and, more specifically, to a combination coring and drilling system offering interchangeable placement and retrieval of coring inner tube assemblies and drilling plug assemblies for drilling ahead, the latter also being optionally provided with logging capabilities for evaluation of borehole parameters and, specifically, the capability to concurrently log a formation being cored as well as the core sample being cut from the formation.
2. State of the Art
Wireline coring has been known for many years. The basic concept of wireline coring involves the use of a core barrel including an outer barrel assembly disposed at the end of a drill string and having a core bit or crown at the bottom thereof. An inner tube assembly for receiving a core cut by the core bit is releasably latched into the outer barrel assembly. This arrangement permits placement of the inner tube assembly in the outer barrel assembly by wireline, gravity, or hydraulic flow, and retrieval thereof from the outer barrel assembly via wireline. Examples of such prior art wireline coring systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,127,943 and 5,020,612, incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.
One problem with many such prior art systems is the necessity of using a special drill string having an enlarged diameter to accommodate running and retrieval of an inner tube assembly used to cut relatively large cores in excess of two inches in diameter.
While coring systems cutting small or "slim-hole" cores of 13/4" or less in diameter are known, it will be appreciated that such cores are extremely fragile and conventional coring systems are limited in the length that such cores can be reasonably cut without fracturing. This limitation appears to be primarily due to instability of the entire core barrel initiated by lateral and vertical bit movement in the borehole, which produces vibration. A major phenomenon resulting from such bit movement and vibration is so-called bit "whirl", although vibration without whirl is still detrimental. The phenomenon of bit "whirl" is exhibited in bits having unbalanced cutter side forces, which forces cause the bit to rotate or "whirl" in the borehole about a center point offset from the geometric center of the bit in such a manner that the bit tends to whirl backwards about the borehole. The whirl phenomenon has been observed to be aggravated by the presence of gage cutters or trimmers at certain locations on the outer gage of the bit, such cutters also generating frictional forces during drilling. Whirl is a dynamic and self-sustaining phenomenon and, in many instances, is highly destructive to the drill bit cutters. The whirl phenomenon also causes spiraling of the borehole during drilling which results, in core bits, in a non-cylindrical, spiraled core which is more susceptible to fracture and jamming in the core barrel inner tube.
Given the relatively small clearances between the core and the pilot shoe, core catcher and inner tube components of the inner barrel, slight lateral and vertical movements of the core barrel easily result in fracture of small-diameter cores with attendant core jamming and degradation of the core sample. As a result, small diameter core barrels have been traditionally limited in length due to the short (for example, ten to thirteen foot) core samples which could be cut without experiencing the aforementioned core fracture, jamming and degradation. Attempts have been made to cut longer cores, as long as twenty-six feet, but the apparatus employed has never been deemed successful due, again, to the aforementioned problems.
It has been recognized that certain recent improvements in bit design, including but not limited to the so-called "anti-whirl" polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutter bits initiated by Amoco and improved by the assignee of the present invention, could be applied to core bits to enhance the reliability of a coring operation and the quality of the cores. Patents disclosing anti-whirl bits include, without limitation, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,982,802; 5,010,789; 5,042,596; 5,099,934; 5,109,935; 5,111,892; 5,119,892; 5,131,478; 5,165,494; and 5,178,222, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by this reference. SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Paper No. 24587 by L. A. Sinor et al of Amoco Production Co., entitled "Development of an Anti-Whirl Core Bit", discusses improvements and potential improvements in coring capability thought to be offered through the use of anti-whirl core bits.
Other approaches to bit stabilization have been taken by Amoco as well as others. One approach is to attempt to perfectly balance a bit, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,342, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Another approach is to mechanically "lock" the projections on the bit face into circular grooves cut by the cutters on the face, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,492, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
All of the foregoing developments in bit stabilization have been focused on discrete elements of the drilling operation, either drilling a full-gage wellbore or in coring.
Some years ago, Eastman Christensen Company, a predecessor to the assignee of the present invention, developed a combination drilling and coring system having a "Drill-Core System" option, which allowed for alternate coring and drilling operations without tripping the drill string. In the Drill-Core System, both the inner barrel assembly for coring and a substitute center plug assembly with a crowsfoot and cutters for converting the core bit to a drill bit were deployable and retrievable via wireline. The Drill-Core System employed natural diamond core bits and was only marginally successful for several reasons. First, the maximum core length which could be cut at one time was only thirteen feet, providing an extremely short interval for analysis without multiple trips of the inner tube assembly, and requiring combination with odd-length tubulars to drill the kelly down to the rotary table like a pipe joint. In addition, the advent of more accurate electric well logs and analysis techniques for logging data reduced the demand for core analysis. Finally, the industry was not accepting of the relatively small diameter cores (2" ) taken by the system, which was required in order to deploy and retrieve the inner barrel assembly and center plug assembly through standard tubular goods.
In recent years, however, the development and industry acceptance of punch-and rotary-type sidewall coring techniques which result in 1" diameter cores from the side of the borehole being drilled, as well as the increased use of slim-hole drilling for exploratory wells has eliminated the prior hesitancy to accept and rely upon small-diameter cores. These changes in industry practices have resulted in a renewed interest in coring, but to date, state of the art coring systems have not offered an acceptable slim-hole coring and drilling system which can cut pristine, undamaged cores of a desirable length (for example, thirty feet), substantially avoid core jamming, and also provide a capability for drilling ahead between intervals to be cored without tripping the drill string. Moreover, no state of the art coring system offers performance capabilities and operating characteristics similar to those of PDC drill bits.
Another disadvantage of state of the art coring approaches is the tendency to treat taking (cutting) of the core and evaluation of borehole parameters as separate, only peripherally related operations instead of two interrelated segments of the overall formation evaluation process. While U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,438, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference, discloses taking "measured values" of the borehole characteristics during a coring operation and retrieving such data from the coring apparatus physically, by wireline or by mud-pulse telemetry, the inventors herein are not aware of the existence of any such system suitable for use in oil and gas exploratory wells. Further, while it would be desirable to log certain characteristics of a core while it is being cut and concurrently with logging directional parameters as well as characteristics of the formation exterior to the coring apparatus, no coring system with such capabilities is known to exist.

Method and apparatus for simultaneous coring and formation evaluation


Disclosed herein is a process for dehydrogenating a saturated cyclic hydrocarbon and/or 5-membered ring compound with a dehydrogenation catalyst. The dehydrogenation catalyst comprises: (i) 0.05 wt % to 5 wt % of a metal selected from Group 14 of the Periodic Table of Elements; and (ii) 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % of a metal selected from Groups 6 to 10 of the Periodic Table of Elements. The process is conducted under dehydrogenation conditions effective to dehydrogenate at least a portion saturated cyclic hydrocarbon and/or 5-membered ring compound.

Cyclohexylbenzene can be produced from benzene by the process of hydroalkylation or reductive alkylation. In this process, benzene is heated with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst such that the benzene undergoes partial hydrogenation to produce a reaction intermediate such as cyclohexene which then alkylates the benzene starting material. Thus, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,094,918 and 4,177,165 disclose hydroalkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons over catalysts which comprise nickel- and rare earth-treated zeolites and a palladium promoter. Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,122,125 and 4,206,082 disclose the use of ruthenium and nickel compounds supported on rare earth-treated zeolites as aromatic hydroalkylation catalysts. The zeolites employed in these prior art processes are zeolites X and Y. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,571 proposes the use of ruthenium and nickel supported on zeolite beta as the aromatic hydroalkylation catalyst. However, these earlier proposals for the hydroalkylation of benzene suffered from the problems that the selectivity to cyclohexylbenzene was low, particularly at economically viable benzene conversion rates, and that large quantities of unwanted by-products, particularly cyclohexane and methylcyclopentane, were produced.
More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,513 has disclosed that cyclohexylbenzene selectivity in the hydroalkylation of benzene can be improved by contacting the benzene and hydrogen with a bifunctional catalyst comprising at least one hydrogenation metal and a molecular sieve of the MCM-22 family. The hydrogenation metal is preferably selected from palladium, ruthenium, nickel, cobalt and mixtures thereof, and the contacting step is conducted at a temperature of 50 to 350° C., a pressure of 100 to 7000 kPa, a benzene to hydrogen molar ratio of 0.01 to 100 and a weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 0.01 to 100 hr−1. The '513 patent discloses that the resultant cyclohexylbenzene can then be oxidized to the corresponding hydroperoxide and the peroxide decomposed to the desired phenol and cyclohexanone.
One disadvantage of this process is that it produces impurities such as cyclohexane and methylcyclopentane. These impurities represent loss of valuable benzene feed. Moreover, unless removed, these impurities will tend to build up in the system, thereby displacing increasing the production of undesirable by-products. Thus, a significant problem facing the commercial application of cyclohexylbenzene as a phenol precursor is removing the cyclohexane and methylcyclopentane impurities.
One solution to this problem is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,579,511 which describes a process for making cyclohexylbenzene in which benzene undergoes hydroalkylation in the presence of a first catalyst to form a first effluent composition containing cyclohexylbenzene, cyclohexane, methylcyclopentane, and unreacted benzene. The first effluent composition is then separated into a cyclohexane/methylcyclopentane-rich composition, a benzene-rich composition, and a cyclohexylbenzene-rich composition and the cyclohexane/methylcyclopentane-rich composition is contacted with a second, low acidity, dehydrogenation catalyst to convert at least a portion of the cyclohexane to benzene and at least a portion of the methylcyclopentane to linear and/or branched paraffins and form a second effluent composition. The benzene-rich composition and the second effluent composition can then be recycled to the hydroalkylation step. However, one problem with this process is that cyclohexane and methylcyclopentane have similar boiling points to that of benzene so that their separation by conventional distillation is difficult.
Another solution is proposed in International Patent Publication No. WO2009/131769, in which benzene undergoes hydroalkylation in the presence of a first catalyst to produce a first effluent composition containing cyclohexylbenzene, cyclohexane, and unreacted benzene. The first effluent composition is then divided into a cyclohexylbenzene-rich composition and a C6 product composition comprising cyclohexane and benzene. At least part of the C6 product composition is then contacted with a second catalyst under dehydrogenation conditions to convert at least part of the cyclohexane to benzene and produce a second effluent composition which comprises benzene and hydrogen and which can be recycled to the hydroalkylation step.
Both of the processes disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,579,511 and WO2009/131769 rely on the use of a dehydrogenation catalyst comprising a Group VIII metal on a porous inorganic support such as aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, activated carbon and combinations thereof. However, in practice, such a dehydrogenation catalyst has only limited activity for the conversion of cyclohexane and/or methylcyclopentane and in some instances can undergo rapid aging. There is therefore a need for an improved catalyst for removing cyclohexane and methylcyclopentane from the benzene recycle compositions employed in benzene hydroalkylation processes. Conversion of cyclohexane is especially important since its boiling point is within 1° C. of that of benzene. Conversion of methylcyclopentane is also desired but less important than cyclohexane since there is a difference of nearly 9° C. in the boiling point of methylcyclopentane and benzene.
More recently, it was discovered that catalyst containing at least one dehydrogenation metal (e.g., platinum or palladium) and a Group 1 or Group 2 metal promoter (i.e., alkali metal or alkaline earth metals) can be used to dehydrogenate cyclohexane and/or methylcyclopentane. This process is described, for example, in PCT Application No. PCT/US2010/061041, which was filed on Dec. 17, 2010. However, dehydrogenation catalysts having further improved cyclohexane conversion and selectivity are needed.
That said, it has now been found that catalyst containing at least one dehydrogenation metal and a Group 14 metal (e.g., tin) have improved cyclohexane conversion and selectivity to benzene compared to dehydrogenation catalysts known in the art.


An intelligent portable communications device and its operation method according to a user's schedule are provided. The operation method is formed of the steps of recording the schedule, continuously determining if it is necessary to alert the user, determining if the user has a scheduled event if alerting the user is necessary, determining if the user can be called during a scheduled event, automatically performing a response corresponding to the recorded schedule for the call if the user cannot be alerted, and alerting the user if the user can be alerted, or if the user does not have the scheduled event. Therefore, even though the user has not manipulated the portable communications device before a scheduled event, the user is not disturbed, a noise interruption can be prevented, and the caller can be led to conform to the user's schedule through the automatic response function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable communications device, such as a cellular phone, and more particularly, to an intelligent portable communications device and an operation method for the same according to a user's schedule. The present application is based on Korean Patent Application No. 2000-82755 filed on Dec. 27, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
The operation method of a conventional portable communications device will now be explained with reference to an attached drawing.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart explaining the operation method of a conventional portable communications device. The operation method is formed of steps 10–18 for alerting a user according to preset user conditions.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional portable communications device determines whether or not it is necessary to alert a user in step 10. If alerting the user is necessary, the device determines how to alert the user in step 12. Here, if an outside caller calls the user or an alarm is desired, it is considered necessary to alert the user.
If it is desired to alert the user by sound, the user is alerted by a sound such as a ring in step 14. If it is desired to alert the user by vibration instead of sound, the user is alerted by a vibration in step 16. Likewise, if it is desired to alert the user by lamp, the user is alerted by a light in step 18.
In steps 14 through 18 of the operation method of a conventional portable communications device shown in FIG. 1, the user is called by using a mode preset by the user. Specifically, the user is alerted by the calling mode preset by the user regardless of whether the user is in a conference or absent, that is, regardless of the user's schedule. Therefore, the user has to laboriously manipulate the portable communications device when he has a scheduled event so that the scheduled event is not disturbed. If the user does not prevent a portable communications device from alerting the user using sound prior to a scheduled event, an incoming call during the scheduled event can cause a disruption.

Intelligent portable communications device and operation method for the same according to user's schedule


A system and method for detecting and/or determining the existence of displacement of a substrate with respect to a surrounding object uses a laser line that is free of contact with the object and that is received by an image sensor. A processor reads the line information in a series of image frames, and generates a range image with height information. The height information is provided to a 2D map. Differences between adjacent height measurements, and averages, are computed. Vision system tools are used to accurately locate features in the image and these are aligned with the height information. The height differences are interpreted, with missing height data due, for example, to specularity in the image being approximated. The height differences are compared to predetermined height parameters relative to identified locations, for example, wells, in the object to determine whether a substrate is displaced.

In various manufacturing processes objects are moved from one production phase to another, often along a moving production line conveyor. In many processes, such as electronic circuit fabrication, the object-under-manufacture is carried by a "tray" or other carrier, into which the object, or "substrate", is seated. This tray serves to align the object and provide a base that allows manufacturing processes to be administered to the object. Often the tray includes a well with clamping structures that maintain the substrate securely on-level within the well. By way of example, an object in a tray can move along a production line from a high-pressure wash station to a finishing station.
In the example of processing substrates in carrying trays, it is possible for one production process to cause the substrate to become displaced in the tray (e.g. the pressure of the wash cycle forces one or more or the substrate corners out of the tray's clamping arrangement). This condition can be defined as a "substrate-out-of-pocket", or "SOOP". If a substrate becomes displaced, any subsequent processing steps will be inapplicable, as proper alignment of the substrate within the tray is generally required for the substrate to be properly processed. Thus, identifying substrates that are "out of pocket" is highly desirable.
An out-of-pocket substrate is often challenging to detect through conventional techniques. In many instances, the substrate must remain free of contact, and thus metrologies that directly measure to substrate surface may be unavailable. Techniques that employ visible or near-visible (e.g. IR) light are available where contact is to be avoided. One possible technique is the use of edge and/or feature finding with a machine vision system. However, when the substrate is potentially still aligned with the edges of the well, but no longer level within the well, machine vision edge-finding techniques may fail to determine the displacement of the substrate as they operate on a two dimensional image of a scene.
A variety of other light-based processes can be employed to accurately determine if a substrate (or other object) is displaced with respect to its surroundings. For example a plurality of laser displacement sensors can be arrayed over the inspection area. However this is an expensive solution, requiring a large array of sensors to accurately determine the substrate's orientation. This is because each sensor provides only a single-point absolute measurement. In addition, such a sensor arrangement would be subject to positioning errors and the mechanical tolerances of the surrounding tray.
Another possible technique is to employ laser profiling, where the substrate is moved through a laser line while a measurement of the profile is made. However, this technique is generally too slow when attempting to provide the required accuracy for determining displacement of the substrate. Yet another possible technique is to arrange a light curtain in the path of the substrate. However, light curtains are subject to tolerance errors in tray and/or variability in the conveyance system (e.g. variation in the height of the conveyor as it moves through the fixed-height curtain. Likewise, this approach only provides absolute measurements.
All of the non-contacting, light-based detection techniques described above are more particularly subject to error due to the high level of specular reflection from the substrate and/or surrounding tray (or other object), which causes certain regions of scene to provide unexpected results that can skew the analysis of the object.

System and method for determining a displaced substrate with a vision system


A tank overflow protection system and method for measuring process temperature and pressure utilizing one or more piezoresistive pressure transmitters. The piezoresistive pressure transmitter includes a differential pressure sensor and a temperature sensor. Data from the piezoresistive pressure transmitters can be digitally communicated via a cable. The pressure transmitters convert signals indicative of temperature and pressure to a digital value and transmit the signals to a main processor printed wire assembly for final compensation, diagnostics, and transmission to a distributed control system. A differential pressure can be calculated by subtracting two digital pressure measurement values. The temperature measurement can be employed to calculate any changes in density for a user-defined reference value.

Liquid level in a storage tank can be controlled by measuring pressure at two measurement points, for example, one point above the fluid and another near the bottom of the tank. The fluid level can be calculated utilizing differential pressure and fluid density data. As temperature increases, the fluid density decreases and the level rises without an accompanying increase in differential pressure which leads to an inaccurate level measurement and possibly overflow of the tank.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art tank overflow protection system 100 that includes a remote seal transmitter 110 connected to a storage tank 150 for measuring liquid level within the tank 150. The remote seal transmitter 110 generally includes a pair of seals 120 and 130 attached to the storage tank 150. The pair of seals 120 and 130 can be attached to the remote seal transmitter 110 by fluid-filled capillaries 140 to measure differential pressure. The variable H1 shown in FIG. 1 represents fluid level at time T1 and the variable H2 represents fluid level at a time T2. The remote seal transmitter 110 with the fluid filled capillaries 140 is capable of only measuring the differential pressure. The fluid height change due to density change and level change due to temperature is undetectable with the prior art system 100 shown in FIG. 1.
Based on the foregoing, it is believed that a need exists for an improved tank overflow protection apparatus and/or method. A need also exists for an improved pressure transmitter for measuring process temperature and pressure at two measurement points with respect to, for example, a fluid storage tank, as described in greater detailed herein.

Tank overflow protection system and method


A lens for viewing the anterior chamber of the eye includes a contact lens having a contact lens surface and an anterior surface. The anterior surface has an optical axis that intersects the optical axis of the contact lens surface. First and second mirror surfaces are positioned to redirect light rays from the periphery of the anterior chamber and reflect them in a direction parallel or nearly parallel to the optical axis of the contact lens surface.

A common lens utilized in connection with gonioscopy, i.e., the viewing of the periphery of the anterior chamber of the eye, is known as the Swan-Jacob Gonioprism (the "Swan") lens. The Swan lens comprises a contact lens having a posterior contact surface that conforms to the anterior surface of the cornea of an eye. The contact surface is generally spherical and has an optical axis that may be aligned with the optical axis of the eye. The contact lens also has an anterior surface that is offset in an anterior direction from the contact surface. More particularly, the anterior surface has an optical axis that intersects the optical axis of the contact surface. When the contact lens is positioned on the eye, the user may view the anterior chamber by looking into the anterior surface in a direction generally parallel to the optical axis of the anterior surface of the lens. The contact surface may be smaller than the cornea so that the lens can be moved around on the cornea to view various parts of the anterior chamber.
It is desirable to be able to view the periphery of the anterior chamber when the user's line of sight is along the optical axis of the eye. This is difficult or impossible to do with a Swan lens.


A camera driving apparatus includes a camera section including an imaging plane; a movable unit having the camera section built therein, having an attracting magnet therein, and having a convex partial spherical surface along an outer surface thereof; a fixed unit having a magnetic member therein and having a recess loosely fitted with the movable unit, wherein a magnetic attracting force of the attracting magnet with respect to the magnetic member puts the convex partial spherical surface of the movable unit into point or line contact with the recess and thus the movable unit is freely rotatable around a sphere center of the first convex partial spherical surface; a panning driving section; a tilting driving section; a rolling driving section; a first detector for detecting a tilt angle of the camera section in the panning and tilting directions with respect to the fixed unit; and a second detector for detecting a rotation angle of the camera section in the rolling direction. The second detector is provided in the vicinity of the sphere center of the first convex partial spherical surface.

Many of video cameras and digital cameras recently on the market include a camera-shake compensation device for compensating for blurring of a captured image caused by camera-shake. The camera-shake compensation device inclines a lens, a lens barrel, a reflective mirror, an imaging element or the like with respect to an optical axis of the camera, or moves such a component on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis two-dimensionally.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a shake compensation mechanism having a structure in which the lens barrel is elastically supported at one point and inclined with respect to the optical axis. Patent Document 2 discloses a camera-shake compensation device in which the mirror is supported by a pivot structure and inclined with respect to the optical axis. Patent Document 3 discloses an imaging lens unit in which a spherical lens barrel is supported at three points and inclined while being moved along the optical axis.

Camera drive device with a moveable unit that is freely rotatable relative to a fixed unit

Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America


An improved keyboard comprises a base, and a plurality of keys, and a grid surrounding some of the keys which can be projected onto a screen, and in which some of the keys control the functions of others of the keys.

The present invention relates to a keyboard arrangement and control system for computers and similar equipment.
In normal use, computers can be controlled and operated by a combination of a conventional typewriter keyboard, the so-called QWERTY keyboard and a mouse together with optionally other input devices such as light pens for particular applications. For other functions the keyboard has other function and operational keys.
There have been many proposals to change and improve the keyboard in order to make it faster to use and more ergonomic; however, these proposals still require the use of a mouse. Although it is possible to use simultaneous combinations of keys to obviate the use of a mouse and to carry out most of the operations carried out by the mouse, this has not proved satisfactory in use.
I have now devised an improved keyboard which helps to overcome these difficulties with reference to a keyboard representation (KeyGuide) on the screen using the KeyGuidexe2x80x94and still leave other inputs available if necessary.
According to the invention there is provided a keyboard comprising a base on which are mounted a plurality of keys and in which there is a grid on the base which surrounds at least some of the keys, there being means to show on a display unit controlled by the keyboard, a representation of the grid and means to identify, on the display unit, at least some of the keys and their position relative to the grid.
The display unit can comprise any type of display unit for example video display unit, fixed layout on an instrument, paper display or any other display.
The grid, which is referred to herein as a KeyGuide preferably comprises a set of lines that fits the matrices, grid or layout of the keyboard to allow the keys to be represented in a diagram without having to show each key. Each key on the keyboard preferably is able to be located using this diagram, although optionally keys such as the PageSelect keys need not be able to be so located. In use part or all of the keyboard or KeyGuide need only be displayed.
The KeyGuide can be used in several ways, including as a representation of most or all of the keys overlaid on the user""s screen; as a KeyGuide icon which represents the key layout which can be described anywhere on the screen as controlled by the application, or as a KeyGuide icon displayed with text and/or icon of the operation to be performed. The KeyGuide can include the background colour and shape as part of the Grid and Icon and although the KeyGuide icon and the prompts on the screen need not be the exact same colour as the KeyGuide on the keyboard the colour is preferably close enough to easily recognised as equivalent. The KeyGuide is specifically adapted so as to be able to identify and locate the individual keys and the KeyGuide can be in the form of a raised line or groove on the keyboard to make location easier. The KeyGuide can be embossed as can be some or all of the keys, alternatively at least some of the keys can be at least partly surrounded by embossing so they can be identified easily by feel. In another embodiment the keyboard can be in the form of a flat keyboard with or without tactile feel which allows the operator""s fingers to slide easily over the keys to locate the correct key.
The representation of the KeyGuide can show only part of it where it is more convenient to have a smaller KeyGuide representation.
The KeyGuide can be any shape e.g. rectangular, semicircular etc. and can appear any shape on the screen e.g. rectangular, so that the representation on the screen is a diagrammatic representation of the KeyGuide with the relative position of the keys shown.
The keyboard preferably has an array or matrix of keys and can comprise a plurality of different groups or matrices of keys which can have different functions.
Preferably there is an array of keys substantially centrally positioned relative to the other keys and the KeyGuide surrounds and delineates a section or sections of these centrally positioned keys. The functions or operations controlled by these keys, herein called xe2x80x98KeyPagexe2x80x99 keys, can be changed by the operation of other keys as is described below.
The KeyPage keys are the general purpose keys which are used in conjunction with the PageSelect keys to form the KeyPage Set which is the full set of operations for a given application e.g. for text control this is letters (KeyPage0), digits (KeyPage1), punctuation and cursor control (KeyPage2), format and layout (KeyPage3) with a spare KeyPage for the user to define. (KeyPage4)
For example, the KeyPage keys can control the alphabet, numbers, punctuation, etc. as in a conventional keyboard and can be used for text control.
The KeyGuide will fit around some of the keys so that on the screen a representation of the Keyboard and KeyGuide will appear. It is then an easy matter for the screen to show what key is operated, or is to be operated by reference to the KeyGuide.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there are a plurality of key types in groups, each of which have a specific function or operation. Each group need not be physically located together but all the members of a group have a commonality of function.
The number of different key groups depends on the range of operations and can, for example, be up to 10, e.g. 5. When there are five key types they can optionally be classified as KeyPage, PageSelect, Action Key, Option and Function. In this embodiment the PageSelect keys comprise a group of keys which function in a way which is substantially the same as the shift key in a conventional keyboard and only apply to the KeyPage keys, although selecting a particular KeyPage key may change the xe2x80x9cfixed keysxe2x80x9d.
In practice the various types or groups of keys may have functions which overlap. The Action keys are a subset of the KeyPage keys, i.e. the action of the Action keys depends on which KeyPage they are on.
In general, the PageSelect keys only act on the KeyPage keys (which include the Action keys) but since all the keys are basically reprogrammable, it may be useful in certain circumstances to change the Option keys and optionally the Function keys when a particular KeyPage is selected.
These PageSelect keys can operate on the other key groups changing the operation of the other keys. There need not be a large number of PageSelect keys, as the PageSelect keys gives the KeyPage Sets different functions. The KeyPage keys are the main set of keys and there should be sufficient in number to cover the alphabet and other function keys. Preferably they are present in a matrix, e.g. 6xc3x975. By using a PageSelect key, the number of keys easily accessed is greatly increases as these keys will change the actions of most of the other keys and cause the display to be updated. For simple applications where there are only a few actions the KeyGuide display can be fixed (i.e. no display unit), or an overlay approach used with a different overlay for different tasks.
Using the Text KeyPage Set as an example, to change their function from xe2x80x98alphabetxe2x80x99 to another function, a PageSelect key is operated. Other functions which can be controlled from the KeyPage keys are, for example lists:- lists of files, tag list, windows list and options list. Using the unallocated KeyPage for a list of files (for instance) means that the KeyPage would then be able to display the list required.
Alternatively, an Option key may select a list of all the lists available and the user would select the list required from that list of lists.
The KeyPage keys can be used in place of a mouse; either by using an available KeyPage (e.g. PageSelect 4) or by selecting a mouse substitute KeyPage Set from an Option key or KeyPage key option. Using this KeyPage Set, each KeyPage allows the cursor or mouse pointer to be controlled in a different way.
For instance, using one KeyPage the screen is divided into a number of boxes defined as the same as the number of rows and columns on the keyboard""s main KeyPage keys (i.e. not the Action keys), then a key on the KeyPage moves the pointer to the relative box on the screen. The range then reduces in size to cover the smallest of the previous boxes; at each press the available area reduces until the box covers the smallest moves available. The user then has zoomed in on a point starting from a full screen (or document etc.).
Another KeyPage gives each key a direction and step size, and at each keypress of a KeyPage key moves the pointer by the relative amount. Another KeyPage does the same, but repeats until the key is released, or a limit is reached (e.g. the edge of the screen).
An example for text editing the first KeyPage is letters, the KeyPage using PageSelect is digits, the KeyPage using PageSelect 2 is punctuation and cursor control and KeyPage using PageSelect 3 is format control. For a KeyPage set to do that when text is being edited, the text KeyPage set is used. Similarly when a list (including a list of options) is being used or target control (which is equivalent to mouse control) their respective KeyPage Sets are used; particular applications will have their own KeyPage Sets.
The Option and Action keys operation will vary depending on the KeyPage set in use. In general it is convenient for the Option keys to apply to the Application and KeyPage Set in operation and the Action keys to apply only to the KeyPage currently selected (the Action keys are a subset of the KeyPage keys). However, there are certain operations which are common to many sets of operations and these are conveniently placed with the Action keys. Typical of these operations arexe2x80x94Escape, Delete, Enter, Return, Systems Options and Option Select. In some situations xe2x80x98Yesxe2x80x99 or xe2x80x98Noxe2x80x99 confirmations can be controlled from the Action keys or from separate Option keys. In general the Option keys are used change the way the KeyPages are set up rather than change individual actions of keys.
Systems Option is the key option which allows the user to select other operations and routines not accessible from particular KeyPage Sets. The other operations and routines for a specific application may not be accessed by other KeyPages or other Option keys or even Function keys. The Option key are fixed keys, not linked with the KeyPage group of keys or normally affected by the PageSelect keys. At least one should be fixed as a System key which is used to control the computer system e.g. to change applications, set system parameters (e.g. normal font type and size), the others may be set with a particular KeyPage Set, so for text an option key might be set to change the current KeyPage Setor one of the KeyPages. (e.g.change the character set or list commonly used words or access files).
The Function keys can operate in a similar way to Function keys in conventional keyboards and can be operated for regularly used functions, e.g. Help function. One of the KeyPage keys may be set up as a help key and used to give help on the KeyPage being valid at the time.
In practice there are three different types of keys, KeyPage keys which are keys with multiple uses and the different uses are controlled by the PageSelect keys; PageSelect keys which are the keys which change the actions of the KeyPage keys and static keys which are not affected by the PageSelect keys. Optionally the keys can be interchangeable. Generally the static keys do not change, particularly the ESCape and System option and are not affected by the PageSelect keys, but since all the keys are user and application programmable, they may not be changed by the PageSelect keys and their main use is to be used for tasks that are needed whatever the KeyPage Set.
The facility of the keys to be programmable enables simpler implementation of regular used tasks such as text entry etc. by having each keypress on the keyboard call up a routine or xe2x80x9cProcessxe2x80x9d which operates that task. The KeyGuide keyboard then in effect becomes a keyboard object. For example in the case of the text KeyPage Set the letter KeyPage uses the letter process which adds the valid character code to the current line and modifies the screen display to include the new letter. The cursor KeyPage control that moves the cursor to the beginning of the line changes the display of the cursor on the screen and adjusts the pointer within the string to the start.
In this way, a program can be broken down into a number of processes of which only a few are valid at anyone time (i.e. the number of keys on the keyboard ). Some of these processes will be to change the current processes (e.g. when a PageSelectKey is pressed they change to the new KeyPage Processes).
There are a number of tasks which the keyboard performs such as text control, drawing control, list or option control, window or panel move/scroll and pointer or cursor control and once these tasks have been designated and their Processes defined they become part of the keyboard object. The task then becomes available to all applications which then become simpler and smaller programs. If desired the application can be defined as a specialist text file and thus the KeyGuide keyboard can make an on board compiler feasible. The invention can lead to a new approach to programming where an action is broken down into small blocks which have a smaller number of options or processes and from which other tasks are selected as needed. This makes it possible to have control embedded in devices. It is accessed by the keyboard which displays the options using KeyGuide and selects the new state for the device.
Preferably in each representation of the keyboard on the screen there is an icon or other identifier for each key for ease of operation. Optionally the display can be indicated by e.g. placing a digit next to the icon or changing the background or other colour of the display or icon or having a menu or display bar along the bottom of the display.
As well as being used with a conventional computer the keyboard of the present invention can be used with a system control for use as a terminal for use e.g. with the xe2x80x9cInternetxe2x80x9d and can be used in conjunction with a television such as when it is part of an interactive service or with other equipment which is adapted or connected to a system into which instructions etc. are to be transmitted.


Attaching a peptide extension to the C-terminal amino acid of a lipase reduces the tendency to form odor. This may lead to lipase variants with a reduced odor generation when washing textile soiled with fat which includes relatively short-chain fatty acyl groups (e.g., up to C8) such as dairy stains containing butter fat or tropical oils such as coconut oil or palm kernel oil.

Lipases are useful, e.g., as detergent enzymes to remove lipid or fatty stains from clothes and other textiles, as additives to dough for bread and other baked products. Thus, a lipase derived from Thermomyces lanuginosus (synonym Humicola lanuginosa, EP 258 068 and EP 305 216) is sold for detergent use under the tradename Lipolase® (product of Novo Nordisk A/S). WO 0060063 describes variants of the T. lanuginosus lipase with a particularly good first-wash performance in a detergent solution. WO 97/04079, WO 97/07202 and WO 00/32758 also disclose variants of the T. lanuginosus lipase.
In some applications, it is of interest to minimize the formation of odor-generating short-chain fatty acids. Thus, it is known that laundry detergents with lipases may sometimes leave residual odors attached to cloth soiled with milk (EP 430315).


A new method of constellation design based on combining repeating ground tracks with common ground tracks and/or sun-synchronous orbits is used for performing high-precision change detection imagery for longer periods of time while minimizing battery usage. By precisely prescribing the orbital parameters, sharpened change detection images may be taken without the need to process out blurring by any special image re-working software. The relationship between the orbital parameters of the satellites is precisely tuned to the earth's rotation rate for the altitude of the satellites. The unique set of earth orbits minimizes satellite battery requirement while optimizing the ability to perform coherent change detection (CCD).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to satellite constellation designs and more particularly to repeating common ground track constellations which are capable of being sun-synchronous.
2. Description of Related Art
Most of today's satellite constellations have an earth-centric inertial (celestial or geocentric inertial [GCI]) design. In other words, GCI constellations designs are organized into planes having multiple satellites that are fixed in inertial space. The GCI coordinate system is the most common coordinate system for describing a single satellite orbiting the earth.
A popular example of an earth-centric inertial designed constellation is the "Walker" constellation, named after John Walker a pioneer in satellite constellation design. Walker constellations consists of circular orbits of symmetric groups of satellites, uniquely identified by five parameters: (1) altitude, (2) inclination, and the integer triplet T/P/F, where (3) T is the total number of satellites in the constellations, (4) P is the number of planes, and (5) F is the phasing between adjacent planes.
The problem with most earth-centric, inertial constellations of satellites, and especially the Walker constellations, is that they consist of optimal configurations for high-precision earth-imagery applications.
High-precision earth-imagery, such as the successive synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) change detection technology, the coherent change detection (CCD) technology, and the high-level Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) mapping all require that the sensors onboard a satellite pass over an area to be imaged along the same path a multiple number of times. For instance, CCD even requires that two images to be perfectly registered at the pixel level.
Any satellite system designed to perform image collection, whether electro-optics (E/O) or radar based, can arguably detect slow moving objects by CCD. For example, during wartime and perhaps even during peacetime reconnaissance missions, high-precision imagery of a specified region, an area of interest, is often desired. However, the frequency of revisits to this particular target region must be maximized within a minimum period of time so as not to miss any pertinent data.
For instance, a conventional technique for detecting slow moving targets, which has been used by intelligence personnel for more than 50 years, is to search for changes in common images. Change detection, as this process might be referred, allows one to define slow moving targets by analyzing successive SAR or DTED or optical images. Also, areas where tunnels or underground bunkers are under construction have been located by comparing temporally displaced optical images.
However, most earth-centric inertial constellations fail to simultaneously exhibit both high revisit rates and movement along the same ground path. On the other hand, the most notable exceptions to this rule are the constellations known as geostationary satellite constellations, geosynchronous satellite constellations and the equatorial orbiting satellite constellations.
However, these exceptions either require that the satellites orbit at extremely high altitudes (near 35,786 km), the geostationary and geosynchrounous satellites for example, or limits coverage to a very narrow region near the equator, the equatorial orbiting satellites (inclination=0 degrees) for example. However, satellites with altitudes below 35,786 km or with inclinations other than 0 degrees have failed to exhibit high revisit rates for specific targets while showing movement along the same ground paths.
Another problem recognized is that satellite systems which have been used for reconnaissance have not been designed with the object of performing change detection imagery with minimal blurring and distortion.
As shown in FIG. 1, conventional satellite systems are generally organized into a single orbital plane, wherein such a plane is uniquely defined by (1) an inclination angle, i, relative to the earth's equator and (2) an angle of the Right Ascension of the Ascending Node, RAAN. Orbital parameters such as these are used to describe a satellite's orbit and a constellation's configuration. For example, the inclination, i, is a constant defining the angle at which the orbital plane intersects the equator. The RAAN defines an angle between a non-rotating celestial reference, i.e., the first point of Aries, and the line of nodes. The line of nodes is defined by a line formed using the intersection of an orbital plane and the plane of the equator. The line of nodes provides an orbit orientation. All satellites with common values for i and RAAN are said to be in the same orbital plane.
However, the problem with groups of satellites organized into the same orbital plane is that the ground tracks, i.e., the movement of beams across the surface of the earth or the path across the earth, are not common. For example, as described above, the Walker satellite constellation fails to have a common ground track for each of the satellites in the constellation.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, even when the satellites are organized into different planes, a common ground track is seldom achieved. For instance, the Walker constellation, which includes a globally symmetric collection of satellites, and is aimed at providing groups of satellites that are organized into planes having common values for inclination and the RAANs are equally spaced around the earth. However, such a Walker configuration is sub-optimal because of the restriction that the phasing parameter F must be an integer in the range of 0 and P−1, where P is the number of planes being used.
As previously pointed out, Walker orbits are the classical way for describing satellite orbital parameters. As further shown in FIG. 2, Walker constellations consist of a plurality of equally spaced circular orbits having the same orbital inclinations. The inclination angle, i, of all the orbital planes in a Walker constellation is relative to a reference plane, which is typically the equator of the earth.
In FIG. 2, the orbital planes in the Walker constellations all have an equal planar spacing, i.e., 360°/P, where P is equal to the number of orbital planes. In this way, all of the satellites are equally spaced along the respective orbital plane, e.g., orbital plane 1, by 360°P/T, where T is the number of satellites. The phasing difference between the satellites in adjacent planes 1 and 2 of FIG. 2, referenced against the equator, is 360° F./T, where again F is the phasing parameter, which consists of an integer, and T is the total number of satellites. With this Walker arrangement, the ground tracks of the collection of satellites are seldom common.
The above-noted uncommon ground tracks are clearly illustrated in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the ground tracks for a 2/1/0 Walker orbit is illustrated. The phrase 2/1/0 represents 2 satellites in one plane with zero phasing. The orbital altitude that was selected in FIG. 3 was 10,349.56 km, because at this altitude the ground tracks of any satellite in the constellation will retrace itself only once in a 24-hour period. In other words, in this example, the same path, i.e., a common ground track, can not be followed by any other satellite in less than a 24-hour period.
Furthermore, observe that there are six distinct ground traces in FIG. 3. Three ground traces carved out by satellite 1 and three ground traces carved out by satellite 2. The selection of the altitude of 10,349 Km causes the satellite ground traces to close upon themselves after three revolutions around the earth. Ground traces close upon themselves when the ground tracks start to literally follow on top of the previous ground trace. The closure of the ground traces upon themselves in a finite number of orbits is not a requirement for constellation design, but was merely chosen here to simplify the analysis of ground traces.
In FIG. 3, the ground track for satellite 1 has three distinctive ground traces before the ground tracks start to repeat. Likewise, satellite 2 has three other distinctive ground traces before the ground tracks start to repeat. The selection of the altitude helps to determine when a ground track will close upon itself. Satellite 1 and satellite 2 fail to have a common ground track/path across the earth. At the 10,349.56 km altitude example, each ground track consists of 3 ground traces covering 2π radians (360°) of longitude.
When images from two different satellites are taken of a common region of the earth, combining these images to arrive at a detection image will produce blurring and distortion if the two satellites follow different ground tracks. One technique which has been used to remove such defects in the detection images is the morphing technique. For example, "morphing" is used to stretch and twist the images to compensate for the defects. However, even when morphing is performed, there still remain errors in the change detection image due to the fact that the images are of three-dimensional regions, not two-dimensional regions. The stretching and twisting of images by using the morphing technique will compensate for blurring and distortion of two-dimensional images but does not adequately compensate for three-dimensional images.
Yet still another problem associated with conventional satellite constellation designs is that satellites orbiting at low earth orbits (LEO) are typically eclipsed from the sun at least once per orbit. In other words, in most low earth orbits (LEO), the satellites are eclipsed from the sun on the order of 40 minutes out of the nominal 90-minute orbital period. This creates a problem because the radar on most satellites must operate independently of whether or not it is in the sunlight. This means that any solar array on the satellite must be augmented by energy storage batteries in order to maintain power.
Most LEO satellite systems are designed to operate only a small fraction of the orbit so that the total weight of the power system is minimized. Under this scenario, the solar array is designed to trickle charge the batteries throughout the time it is in the sunlight and the batteries are sized to provide the power to the radar. Since batteries are very heavy in comparison to the solar array, the optimal solution under this scenario is that a small fraction of the orbital period is used for radar operation while leaving a larger fraction of the orbital period for charging the batteries. For long operational time period requirements, the satellite power system favors drawing the power from the solar arrays versus from the batteries because, for the same energy storage requirements, batteries weigh far more than the solar arrays. This means, for typical satellite orbits the amount of time that one operates while eclipsed would have to be sacrificed. It is desirable for the radar in the satellites to operate all of the time, but weight concerns tend to limit the ability to achieve this goal.
What is needed is a satellite constellation that provides high-precision imagery and high-level DTED mapping of specified regions on the earth at high revisit rates within a specified period while being capable of minimizing satellite battery requirements.

Solar dominated satellite constellations capable of having repeating common ground tracks


The present invention relates to a laser beam emitting apparatus using a semiconductor laser or the like and a method of driving a laser light source. An object of the present invention is particularly to provide a laser beam emitting apparatus capable of controlling a laser output with efficiency and a method of driving a laser light source. The laser beam emitting apparatus comprises an optical resonator, the laser light source and pulse driving means. The optical resonator comprises at least a laser crystal and an output mirror. The laser light source pumps the optical resonator and the pulse driving means drives the laser light source. The pulse driving means can change the period and the duty ratio or the like of a drive pulse or pumping pulse so as to control a laser output produced from the laser beam emitting apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser beam emitting apparatus using a semiconductor laser or the like and a method of driving a laser light source, and particularly to a laser beam emitting apparatus capable of controlling a laser output with efficiency and a method of driving a laser light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
A laser beam emitting apparatus using a semiconductor laser has been increasing in place of a large laser beam emitting device in recent years.
As light for a point indication or irradiating light for measurement, which is employed in surveying equipment, for example, a semiconductor laser has been used in place of a helium-neon laser emitting device and widely adopted as a battery-operable small and energy-saving light source.
In recent years in particular, a resonator-type laser beam emitting apparatus with a semiconductor laser as a pumping light source has come into being and has been employed even in a surveying device or the like.
The laser beam emitting apparatus, which has been used as the point indication light of the surveying equipment, has heretofore used a red laser beam in terms of its life, stability and economy. However, a resonator-type laser beam emitting apparatus, which emits a green laser beam with a semiconductor laser as a pumping light source, has come on the stage to further improve visibility.
The conventional laser beam emitting apparatus needs to adjust the quantity of laser light for irradiation according to surrounding light and darkness or the distance to an object or the like to be measured. The laser beam emitting apparatus has changed a current inputted to the semiconductor laser used as the pumping light source so as to adjust the quantity of the laser light to be applied.
FIG. 12 shows the relationship between an input current of a semiconductor laser and a laser output thereof. No laser beam is emitted until the input current of the semiconductor laser reaches a threshold current. When the input current of the semiconductor laser exceeds the threshold current, the laser output of the semiconductor laser rises rapidly. Thus, the light emission of the semiconductor laser needs to pass a current exceeding the threshold current in amp.
Even when the laser output is reduced, the passage of the current exceeding the threshold current in amp. through the semiconductor laser is required and the efficiency of the semiconductor laser is reduced.
In the resonator-type laser beam emitting apparatus with the semiconductor laser as the pumping light source, the current used up by the semiconductor laser increases in proportion to the square of a second harmonic generation output as shown in FIG. 13 when the current exceeding the threshold current in amp. is supplied to the semiconductor laser.
Thus, an increase or decrease in current supplied to the semiconductor laser has direct bearing on the operational efficiency of the laser beam emitting apparatus and is of extreme importance for the purpose of providing less power consumption.
Therefore, there has been a strong demand for the appearance of a laser beam emitting apparatus capable of controlling a laser beam output with high efficiency, reducing power consumption and greatly increasing a continuous service time or the like.

Laser beam emitting apparatus and method of driving laser light source


Aligned gate structures for field emitter display devices are formed by overlaying a substrate, having at least one emitter tip thereon, successively with an insulating layer, a conductive layer, and a photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is then exposed to create fixed and unfixed regions. The unfixed regions are developed and etched to remove the conductive layer under the unfixed regions. The insulating layer is then etched to expose the emitter tips and the photoresist layer removed.

The present invention pertains to a method and system using photolithography to produce aligned emitter tips in field emission display devices.
Field emission display (FED) technology utilizes a matrix addressable array of pointed, thin film, cold field emission cathodes in combination with a phosphor luminescent screen, as represented by for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,472, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. An emission flat panel display operates on the principle of cathodoluminescent phosphors excited by cold cathode field emission electrons. A faceplate having a cathodoluminescent phosphor coating receives patterned electron bombardment from an opposing cathode member thereby providing a light image which can be seen by a viewer. The faceplate is separated from the cathode member by a vacuum gap and the two plates, in some embodiments, are prevented from collapsing together by physical standoffs or spacers fixed between them. In some embodiments, the cathode member is integrally formed with a baseplate, while in others, the cathode member is connected to the faceplate and a backplate surrounding the cathode member is sealed to the faceplate, and the vacuum exists between the faceplate and the backplate.
The cathode member of a field emission display is comprised of arrays of emission sites (emitters) which are typically sharp cones that produce electron emission in the presence of an intense electric field, an extraction grid disposed relative to the sharp emitters to provide the intense positive voltage for the electric field, and a means for addressing and activating the generation of electron beams from those sites. Varying the charge, which is delivered to the phosphor in a given pixel from an emission array, will vary the light output (brightness) of the pixel associated with it. The duration of the persistence is a material property which can be varied and controlled by the selection and syntheses of the phosphor materials used. Two techniques for varying the charge delivered by an emission array are either to vary the time period that the site is activated or alternatively to vary the emission current.
Fabrication of FEDs utilizes high resolution lithography and etching to create openings in a metal-dielectric sandwich. The extraction grids have been formed by a combination of deposition, polishing and wet etching. A silicon dioxide dielectric layer is deposited superadjacent to the emitter tips with a thickness such that the sum of the conductive layers with the previously deposited dielectric thickness is greater than tip height. The surface of the deposited conductive material is removed by a wet polishing process using an aqueous based slurry and a conforming polishing pad, known as the "CMP" or chemical-mechanical-planarizer process. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,331, incorporated herein by reference. Such a CMP process produces self-aligned emitters due to the use of the tip itself as the reference from which subsequent steps are carried out. However, this process provides low yield due to the rough treatment inherent in the CMP process. Therefore, there is a need for a process for manufacturing emitter tips that results in a higher yield than the traditional CMP process, while still giving acceptable yields.
To illustrate this process, FIG. 1 shows a CMP process of forming an emitter tip and grid structure wherein the tip 10 is formed by placing a photoresist mask or cap 12 over the substrate 14 which is then etched, according to processes known in the art, to removed the portion shown in broken lines to form emitter tip 10. The etching occurs more slowly under the mask or cap, thus generating the tip 10. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,259, incorporated herein by reference. Next the mask or cap 12 is removed and the tip 10 is further sharpened by known processes (not shown).
Referring now to FIG. 2, after the tip 10 has been sharpened, a layer of insulator (for example silicon dioxide) 16 is laid over the tip 10 and a grid layer 18 of, for example, alpha silicon is also laid over the tip. Next, chemical-mechanical-planarization is performed at the level of dashed line 20.
Referring now to FIG. 3, an etch that is selective for the silicon dioxide layer 16 is used to expose emitter tip 10. Thus an aligned gate-emitter structure is generated. However, as discussed above, the disadvantage in the above mentioned chemical mechanical planarization method is that it is a very rugged and destructive process. An alternative prior art method of forming a gate structure uses a nitride cap (not shown) throughout the process of forming the grid. For example see U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,520, incorporated herein by reference. The disadvantage of using a nitride cap is that the cap must be balanced on an emitter tip. Should the cap fall during formation of the gate, it cannot be easily removed and the entire structure may have to be abandoned and scrapped. According to the present invention these disadvantages are avoided.

Photolithographic technique of emitter tip exposure in FEDS


In a system and method for a web based system using events and pushed web content to interact with remote users for notifications and data collections operations may be performed including receiving, from a computing device, event data concerning a job being performed by a piece of agricultural equipment wherein the event data includes an identifier associated with the agricultural equipment. A database may be queried to determine a subscriber associated with the identifier. The event data may be transmitted to a network address associated with the subscriber. A response message may be received from the subscriber and forwarded to the computing device. The computing device may connect with the subscriber via a web application address included in the response message.

Computers on modern precision agricultural equipment may monitor multiple readings of the equipment while completing a job. For example, the fuel-level of the equipment and the rate of chemical being applied may both be monitored by the computer. When a job is completed, an equipment operator may then contact someone to obtain the next job. However, this creates a disjointed process in which the information being collected by the computer is not easily accessible to third-parties that may have an interest in how the equipment is doing while on the job as well as provide information to the operators before, during, or after a job.

Web based system using events and pushed web content to interact with remote users for notifications and data collections


A conferencing assembly for use with at least one computer, the assembly including a table top forming a table top opening, a leg support structure, a display screen supported adjacent the top surface, a switcher for controlling input to the display screen, a plurality of handsets, each hand set including a selector button usable to send a signal to the switcher thereby causing the switcher to link a computer associated with the selector button to the display, a plurality of handset cables, each handset cable having first and second ends linked to the switcher and an associated selector button, respectively, for passing signals from the selector buttons to the switcher, a take up assembly including a separate weight for each of the handset cables, the take up assembly disposed below the top member and aligned with the top opening, each handset cable linked to an associated weight, each weight applying a force tending to pull the second end of the associated handset cable into the opening.

The present invention relates to conferencing furniture and more specifically to conferencing tables for use with one or more display screens where multiple conference attendees can provide content for driving images presented via the display screen(s).
Small group (e.g., up to 8 attendees) conference tables have been designed that include one or more large display screens adjacent a table top edge or wall mounted or ceiling hung display or projection screens offset a distance from a table top edge. Here, the idea has been to provide information at or near a table edge for attendees to refer to during discussions and presentations. In many cases attendees use laptops or other digital information sources to drive the information presented via the display. To enable laptops to be powered and to access network data, power and data receptacles are often provided within conference tables (e.g., below grommet doors or covers that are flush with the top surface of a table top). A laptop user typically uses her own power and data cables to link to the receptacles. In addition, conference rooms are often equipped with audio and video cables to link a laptop to a display or to a projector for controlling presented information.
In many cases it is desirable to allow several attendees to control displayed information at different times during a conference. One way to allow several attendees to present information via a display is to sequentially have each presenter link to the display or projector via the audio and video cables. Here, transitions between presenters take time and are extremely disruptive.
One other way to allow several attendees to present is to provide separate audio and video cables for each presenter and a switcher device that enables each of the attendees to take control of the display screen via selection of a button associated with the presenters audio and video cables. One such switcher/cable/button assembly of this type is the DTS-TS8 switcher assembly by Elecom that provides eight separate audio/video cable assemblies and eight associated buttons along with a switcher that has eight input ports and one screen output port.
While a switcher and associated cables enable relatively quick transitions between presenters, these solutions typically require a large number of cables to be strewn across the top surface of a conference table. To this end, in addition to audio and video cables, power and data cables are often disposed on the top surface of the conference table and the garble of cables is unsightly and impedes use of the table top for other purposes (e.g., laying out of papers, etc.).
In addition, because the source selection buttons and associated audio and video cables are needed to interface with the switcher, these cables are typically kept with the switcher. For instance, where a switcher is to be used in a specific conference room, the audio/video/control cables (e.g., eight) are typically kept in the specific conference room and usually will be left linked to the switcher device for subsequent use. Thus, when audio/video/control cables are not being used (e.g., after a conference has been completed), the cables often remain strewn across a table top and the overall scene is unsightly.
Some conference table power and data/communication cable management solutions have been developed. To this end, cable systems have been developed that include spring loaded cable dispensers for dispensing network communication types cables (e.g., CAT-5 cables) for use at a conference table. Here, a dispenser housing is provided that mounts to the top surface of a table top or the like and a plurality (e.g., 8) of cable dispensers are mounted within the housing. One end of each cable can be pulled against the force or the spring out of each dispenser and plugged into a laptop. When a cable is not in use, the cable can be retracted via the spring force back into the dispenser and housing. While this solution works well for relatively thin communication type cables, this solution has several shortcomings. First, because the dispenser housing is located on top of the table top, the housing is always observable and reduces the elegance of an associated conference table and space. Second, where larger diameter cables such as audio and video cables are used, a simple spring loaded dispenser may need to be relatively large and the spring force would have to be relatively high to accomplish the retracting activity and therefore the overall size of the dispensing system would have to be increased appreciably. Thus, a spring loaded table top mounted dispensing system is not practical for many applications and, at best, solves the data cable management problem in a relatively unsightly manner.
In addition, conference tables are known that include power and data receptacles mounted below a table top member where the top member forms openings for passing cables for receptacle hookup and where cable receiving and retaining cavities have been formed adjacent the receptacles for receiving and storing excess power and data cable lengths. Thus, for instance, where a data cable is ten feet long but a laptop is positioned on a table top surface three feet from a data port/receptacle, the seven additional feet of cable can be tucked away in the cable receiving cavity under the top member.
After a conference has been completed, power and data cables often are removed from the conference space. To this end, currently most laptop computers come with their own power and data cables and therefore attendees plug in to receptacles using their own power and data cables which are removed after use. Thus, in most cases power and data cables do not pose an aesthetic problem when a conference is not being conducted within a conference space.
Thus, while solutions for managing power and data cables have been developed, similar solutions have not been developed for audio/video/control cables that form part of a switcher system and that typically remain within a conference space along with a switcher device after a conference has been completed.


The present invention relates to a jack stand. The jack stand includes a base. A post, including composite material, extends from the base. The jack stand also includes a top for topping the post and for engaging with a load. Advantageously, the post may be lightweight (typically less than 12 kg) enabling the jack stand to be conveniently moved by a single person without exposing the person to significant risk of injury. The jack stand may be moved as a whole, or in parts.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.
Jack stands are commonly used to safely support heavy mining trucks that have been raised by a jack, or other means, for maintenance.
Known jack stands are formed from metal parts such as steel to sustain the weight of the trucks. In turn, the jack stands themselves are very heavy which makes them cumbersome to move around. In practice, multiple persons are required to safely lift and position the jack stands in place which undesirably presents an injury risk. Alternatively, forklifts or loaders are used to lift and position the jack stands which is safer, but often less convenient, more expensive, slower and less productive.
There is a need for a light weight jack stand that can be manually moved in a safe and convenient manner, but which can still safely support the required applied loads.


In order to supply a bias voltage to the base terminals of heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) Q1 to Q3 connected in parallel to one another, resistors RB1 to RB3 and heterojunction bipolar transistors QB1 to QB3 whose base terminals are connected to the collector terminal thereof are provided. The amplifier transistors Q1 to Q3 have the same temperature characteristics as those of the bias-producing transistors QB1 to QB3. With the bias circuit, it is possible to compensate for the temperature characteristics of the amplifier transistors Q1 to Q3. Since the resistance values of the resistors RB1 to RB3 can be decreased, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the output power and to prevent the occurrence of the collapse phenomenon. Thus, it is possible to obtain a power amplifier capable of preventing the thermal runaway and compensating for the temperature characteristics without deteriorating the output characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power amplifier, and more particularly to a power amplifier having an amplifier circuit including a plurality of heterojunction bipolar transistors connected in parallel to one another.
2. Description of the Background Art
Along with the recent advancements in communications devices, there is a significantly growing demand for high-frequency, high-power devices. Particularly, mobile telephones require high-power devices that operate with high efficiencies in order to realize both a high-power operation and a long talk time using a battery. Thus, there is needed a high-power device capable of efficiently converting an input DC power to a high-frequency power while suppressing the internal power loss as much as possible.
Field effect transistors using a GaAs semiconductor are widely employed in high-power devices meeting such demands. An approach that has been attracting public attention in recent years is to use heterojunction bipolar transistors (hereinafter referred to also as "HBTs") in high-power devices. An HBT is a bipolar transistor using a heterojunction of a compound semiconductor, and has desirable high-frequency characteristics and a high current-driving capability.
A high-frequency, high-power device includes a plurality of transistors connected in parallel to one another on a semiconductor substrate in order to output a high-frequency high power. FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a power amplifier including a plurality of HBTs as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,353. Referring to FIG. 7, a power amplifier 9 includes three amplifier transistors Q1 to Q3, each being a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT). The base terminals of the amplifier transistors Q1 to Q3 are connected to an input terminal PIN via capacitors CB1 to CB3, respectively.
A predetermined bias voltage is supplied to the base terminals of the amplifier transistors Q1 to Q3. The bias voltage is produced by resistively dividing the voltage applied to a bias power supply terminal VB with a resistor RB0 and a bias-producing transistor QB0. The bias-producing transistor QB0 is a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT), as are the amplifier transistors Q1 to Q3. The collector terminal and the base terminal of the bias-producing transistor QB0 are connected to each other. Thus, the bias-producing transistor QB0 functions as a diode.
In a power amplifier, a portion of a DC power provided as the power supply or a portion of a high-frequency power outputted as a signal is converted to heat, thus resulting in a power loss. In a power amplifier including a plurality of HBTs, heat from each HBT interferes with heat from other HBTs, and heat is localized at a particular HBT, thereby causing a phenomenon in which the collector current increases in the HBT at which heat is localized (hereinafter referred to as the "collapse phenomenon"). With such a collapse phenomenon, the HBTs no longer operate uniformly, thus reducing the gain and the power efficiency thereof, and possibly deteriorating or breaking the device.
In the power amplifier 9, resistors RB1 to RB3 are provided, for preventing thermal runaway, between the bias circuit (including the resistor RB0 and the bias-producing transistor QB0) and the base terminals of the amplifier transistors Q1 to Q3, respectively. The bias-producing transistor QB0 is an HBT having the same temperature characteristics as those of the amplifier transistors Q1 to Q3. Therefore, even if the characteristics of the amplifier transistors Q1 to Q3 change, the change can be canceled out by the change in the characteristics of the bias circuit. Thus, with the power amplifier 9, all HBTs can operate uniformly, thereby preventing the occurrence of the collapse phenomenon.
However, the conventional power amplifier described above includes a resistor provided in series with the base terminal of each HBT. If the base current increases during a high-power operation, the base potential is decreased due to the resistor, thereby decreasing the output power.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A sound recording apparatus for use in video tape recorders, for equalizing a sound signal before the sound signal is recorded onto a recording medium includes an operational amplifier where the sound signal is inputted to its first input terminal, a feedback resistor connected to an output terminal and a second input terminal of the operational amplifier, and a simulated inductor circuit connected to the second input terminal of the operational amplifier. The simulated inductor circuit has a buffer where a predetermined bias is provided to its input. Between an output of the buffer and the second input terminal of the operational amplifier is connected an impedance network whose circuit constant is switched by a switch which operates according to a recording speed mode of the video tape recorder. This switching changes an equalizing characteristic of the amplifier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound recording apparatus, and more particularly, to a standard (normal) sound signal recording apparatus for use in video tape recorders (VTRs).
2. Description of the Prior Art
In VTRs, a standard sound signal is equalized before being recorded onto a sound track of a magnetic tape. The equalization is performed in accordance with a recording speed mode such as an extended play (EP) mode or a standard play (SP) mode.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional circuit where the equalization is performed in accordance with the recording speed mode. Numeral 1 is an operational amplifier. To a non-inverting input terminal (+) thereof, a sound signal is supplied. To an inverting input terminal (-) thereof, a negative feedback is applied from an output terminal thereof via resistors R3 and R4. A first series circuit 2 consisting of an inductance coil L, a capacitor C1 and a resistor R1 which are discrete parts is connected to the inverting input terminal (-) of the operational amplifier 1 and to ground. A second series circuit 4 consisting of a capacitor C2, a resistor R2 and a switch 3 is connected to the inverting input terminal (-) via a node (a) between the inductance coil L and the capacitor C1, and to ground.
In the SP mode, the switch 3 is OFF, so that the capacitor C2 and the resistor R2 constituting the second series circuit 4 are disabled and only the first series circuit 2 is activated. Under this condition, the resonant frequency takes a relatively high value f1 in middle and high bands as shown in FIG. 2. The gain (voltage gain) of the operational amplifier 1 is boosted in such manner that the frequency f1 is the center frequency.
That is, the resonant frequency f1 is ##EQU1## A gain Gv1 in the vicinity of the frequency f1 (i.e. in the boosted band) is ##EQU2##
In the EP mode, the switch 3 is ON, so that the second series circuit 4 is activated as well as the first series circuit 2. Under this condition, the resonant frequency takes a relatively low value f2 in the middle and high bands. The gain of the operational amplifier 1 is boosted in such manner that the frequency f2 is the center frequency.
That is, the resonant frequency f2 is ##EQU3## A gain Gv2 in the vicinity of the frequency f2 is ##EQU4##
Thus, in each recording speed mode, the sound signal is equalized in such manner that the predetermined band is boosted. Then, the equalized sound signal is directed to a succeeding circuit (not shown), where it is recorded onto a sound track of a magnetic tape through a magnetic head.
In FIG. 2, the portion of the band which is still higher than the middle and high bands is not boosted. This is because no standard sound signals for VTRs are present in that portion.
In the conventional circuit where the discrete inductance coil L is used on the negative feedback side of the operational amplifier 1, it is highly probable that electromagnetic induction with an external environment (e.g. a television receiver) occurs through the inductance coil L. Further, the cost of the inductance coil L which is comparatively high compared to those of capacitors and resistors increases the cost of the entire apparatus. Moreover, an additional work is required to connect the coil L.


Memory devices and methods of forming memory devices are described. The memory devices comprise two work-function metal layers, where one work-function layer has a lower work-function than the other work-function layer. The low work-function layer may reduce gate-induced drain leakage current losses. Methods of forming memory devices are also described.

Electronic devices, such as personal computers, workstations, computer servers, mainframes and other computer related equipment such as printers, scanners and hard disk drives use memory devices that provide substantial data storage capability, while incurring low power consumption. There are two major types of random-access memory cells, dynamic and static, which are well-suite for use in electronic devices. Dynamic random-access memories (DRAMs) can be programmed to store a voltage which represents one of two binary values, but require periodic reprogramming or "refreshing" to maintain this voltage for more than very short periods of time. Static random-access memories (SRAM) are so named because they do not require periodic refreshing.
DRAM memory circuits are manufactured by replicating millions of identical circuit elements, known as DRAM cells, on a single semiconductor wafer. Each DRAM cell is an addressable location that can store one bit (binary digit) of data. In its most common form, a DRAM cell consists of two circuit components: a field effect transistor (FET) and a capacitor.
The manufacturing of a DRAM cell includes the fabrication of a transistor, a capacitor, and three contacts: one each to the bit line, the word line, and the reference voltage. DRAM manufacturing is a highly competitive business. There is continuous pressure to decrease the size of individual cells and to increase memory cell density to allow more memory to be squeezed onto a single memory chip, especially for densities greater than 256 Megabits. Limitations on cell size reduction include the passage of both active and passive word lines through the cell, the size of the cell capacitor, and the compatibility of array devices with nonarray devices.
Traditionally, DRAM word line utilize high work-function materials as a gate electrode in order to reduce channel impurities. An important leakage component in DRAM devices is gate-induced drain leakage (GIDL), which is caused by trap assisted band-to-band tunneling at the surface of the drain of the transistor, where the gate overlaps the drain. During fabrication, interface states in the substrate are created. These surface states increase the rate of generation of electron-hole pairs, enhancing GIDL. High work-function materials, used in DRAM word line, can increase gate induced drain leakage near the source/drain area due to band-to-band-tunneling. Thus, there is a need for a DRAM cell that can keep resistance low while also keeping gate induced drain leakage low.

Reducing gate induced drain leakage in DRAM wordline


A system and method for skeletal muscle stimulation is provided for increasing muscle mass by stimulating a muscle in an optimal condition through a stimulus signal from an electrical stimulation device disposed at a stimulation position.

1. Field
The following description relates to a system and method for skeletal muscle stimulation.
2. Description of Related Art
Sarcopenia is the degenerative loss of muscle mass due to aging. This disease is commonly seen in the elderly, and about 40% of people over the age of 65 are afflicted by this disease. When muscle mass is reduced by sarcopenia or other muscle degenerative diseases, basal metabolism typically decreases. A person with decreased basal metabolism typically gains weight easily and becomes susceptible to chronic diseases such as hypertension, and the like. When a muscle of the lower body is weakened by a loss of muscle mass, an everyday activity such as walking may be made difficult, and a person typically becomes more vulnerable to injuries related to the weakened muscular abilities. For example, injuries related to falling while walking may become more frequent.
A muscle has a combination of slow twitch muscle fibers and fast twitch muscle fibers. Slow twitch muscle fibers are characterized by high endurance and slow contraction speeds. For example, slow twitch muscle fibers are typically more common in muscles of marathon athletes. Fast twitch muscle fibers have faster contraction speeds and are typically used during high agility exercises. For example, fast twitch muscle fibers are used for everyday activities such as lifting an object. Activities such as lifting an object typically require an application of an instant high intensity force. Dynamic activities of the slow twitch muscle fibers and the fast twitch muscle fibers are most frequently found in people in their twenties.
However, as humans age, the slow twitch muscle fibers and the fast twitch muscle fibers gradually start to degenerate. Slow twitch muscle fibers exhibit a gradual atrophy whereas atrophy of fast twitch muscle fibers is much less gradual. For example, slow twitch muscle fibers may be maintained in people having seventy years of age in order to facilitate walking for long periods of time. On the other hand, statistics have found that all fast twitch muscle fibers may degenerate at once when humans enter their thirties.
One way of suppressing atrophy of fast twitch muscle fibers and reduction in muscle mass is through routine and frequent exercise. However, studies have shown that finding sufficient time for routine exercise is difficult. Accordingly, routine exercise is typically not a feasible model for suppressing muscle atrophy.

System and method for skeletal muscle stimulation