An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for detecting the formation of a short between a magnetoresistive (“MR”) head and a head substrate. The apparatus is presented with a logic unit containing a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute the necessary steps of generating a baseline electric potential level between a head substrate and ground, monitoring the level of the electric potential between the head substrate and ground, and detecting the formation of a short circuit between the MR head and the head substrate by detecting a change in the electric potential level monitored by the monitoring module from the baseline level to a predetermined threshold level. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would reduce read errors on the magnetic tape storage system, the time and resources required to recover from such errors, and allow for preventative measures to obviate contamination short related failures of tape drive systems.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to magnetic tape drives and more particularly relates to detecting the formation of a short between a magnetoresistive ("MR") head and a head substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior to the advent of automation technology for linear tape drives, large, open tape reels were manually loaded by operators of tape storage systems. As advances in tape cassette and other technologies were adapted to magnetic tapes drives, large automated tape systems became possible. In such a system, magnetic tape cassettes are automatically selected from a library of tape cassettes, and loaded to and unloaded from magnetic tape drives by a robotic arm or other similar automation technology.
The use of tape cassettes coincided with the introduction of magnetoresistive (MR) thin film heads, which are fabricated using processes similar to those used for hard disk drive heads. Both tape and hard disk drive heads are fabricated on ceramic wafer substrates. The preferred wafer material is aluminum oxide-titanium carbide, which is very hard and also happens to be electrically conductive. In a tape drive, tape contacts the conductive substrate. To avoid adverse tribological process, the substrate may be biased to a preferred voltage level, generally between 0 and 3 volts. Debris from the tape or the environment may collect on the head and electrically bridge the insulation gap between the conductive wafer substrate and the MR heads. The resulting shorting can disrupt the flow of bias current in the MR heads, which is necessary for their proper functioning. The shorting can also disrupt the substrate voltage biasing, leading to further degradation on the surface of the head.
Thus, debris or contamination of the MR heads may result in a short circuit between the MR head element and the head substrate. A typical short will result in increased read errors, or complete failure to read data to the tape. Because of the rubbing of tape on the heads, shorting related errors are generally more likely to occur in tape drives than in hard disk drives and other types of data storage devices.
Current magnetic tape storage systems do not provide a proactive method for identifying substrate-sensor related shorts. Typically, the formation of the short goes unnoticed until either read error rates become excessive or the tape drive fails to read data. Substrate-sensor shorts may be correctable at the time of discovery, but the required head cleaning process is often time consuming and disruptive to normal operation of the tape drive system.
For example, in an automated tape drive system, a short may be detected by an increased error rate while writing data to a tape cassette. In such an example, the automated system must dedicate resources to remove the magnetic tape cassette from the tape drive, insert a head cleaning cassette, allow the cleaning cassette to clean the MR heads, remove the head cleaning cassette, and replace the magnetic tape cassette. This process is often repeated until data can be accurately read or written to the tape.
As a consequence of the cumbersome head cleaning process, data reliability can be negatively impacted, time and system resources are wasted, and system down time is not efficiently used. It would be useful to provide a solution for early detection of shorts between MR heads and the head substrate. Such a solution would reduce error rates, increase efficiency, and better utilize system down time.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus, system, and method for detecting the formation of a short between a MR head and a head substrate. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would reduce read errors on the magnetic tape storage system, the time and resources required to recover from such errors, and allow for preventative measures to obviate short related failures of tape drive systems.

Apparatus, system, and method for detecting the formation of a short between a magnetoresistive head and a head substrate

International Business Machines Corporation


In one embodiment, the present invention includes a test signal generator capable of producing an impedance test signal comprising of a sine wave having a known frequency. The test signal generator may include a crystal oscillator, a counter, and a lookup table. The lookup table output is applied to a digital to analog converter and is then low pass filtered using a conventional analog filter to produce a sine wave of a known frequency and voltage amplitude. The test signal flows through the electrode and combines with an electrophysiological signal to form a combined signal. A signal processor is used to isolate the combined signal into the test signal component and the electrophysiological component. The signal processor digitally low pass filters the combined signal and the output of the low pass filter is the electrophysiological signal. The signal processor then digitally bandpass filters the combined signal using a filter with a center frequency which is the same as the test frequency. The output of this filter is then used to calculate the electrode impedance.

Physiological monitors will often have a testing procedure to check whether the interface between a sensor and the patient being monitored is adequate to acquire a physiological reading. This is especially true with regards to the acquisition of an electrophysiological signal. Typically, an electrophysiological signal is acquired through an electrode which is attached to the patient. The contact between an electrode and a patient's skin can significantly affect the results of an electrophysiological signal. High contact impedance generally causes poor quality recordings due to power interference.
It is a common practice to measure the electrode to skin contact impedance before the start of an electrophysiological recording session. This is done by injecting a small alternating current, Ie, into the electrode and measuring the voltage, Ve, produced across the electrode. The electrode impedance, Ze, may be calculated from the equation Ze=Ve/Ie.
However, most physiological monitors cannot monitor physiological signals during an impedance test because the contact impedance test interferes with the acquisition of the electrophysiological signal. Electrophysiological signals such as EEG, ECG, EOG and EMG are often distorted by the test current utilized during the test. Consequently, the prior art devices have been unable to continuously monitor the contact impedance between the electrode and the patient.
It is not uncommon for electrodes to partially or fully detach from a patient during monitoring, and such an occurrence can seriously distort the electrophysiological signal acquired from the patient. Furthermore, it is often too difficult to visually monitor each electrode on a patient. Consequently, there is a need for an apparatus and a method to continuously monitor the contact impedance between an electrode and a patient without preventing the acquisition of an electrophysiological signal.

Method and apparatus for continuous electrode impedance monitoring


A computer-implemented method technique can intercept, at a server including one or more processors, a first request for a source document representing a web page, the first request being transmitted from a computing device to a web server. The first request can include web browser information indicating web browser software executing on the computing device. The technique can intercept the source document being transmitted from the web server to the computing device in response to the first request. The source document can specify one or more fonts in which to display text in the source document. The technique can generate the web page, determine unique characters displayed at the web page, and obtain one or more font subsets. The technique can then transmit information to the computing device based on whether the web browser software is capable of displaying a font family having a plurality of fonts.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventor, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
As a user browses a network, e.g., the Internet, at a computing device (client-side), the computing device can transmit a request via the network to a server (server-side). In response to the request, the server can provide a source document indicative of a web page to the computing device. The source document can specify text, formatting, hyperlinks, and the like. Web browser software executing on the computing device can display the web page using the source document. The source document can also specify a font in which to display the text. When the computing device has the specified font, e.g., in memory, the computing device can quickly display the web page. When the computing device does not have the specified font, the computing device can either locate and download the font via the network, e.g., from the server or another server, or the computing device can use another font in a font stack specified by the source document.

Techniques for analyzing web pages to determine font subsets


A tubular case into which a drive shaft configured to transmit a driving force from a transmission T of an engine to a rear wheel of a motorcycle is accommodated, the case including a case body which has an opening portion extending in an axial direction of the drive shaft and is configured to accommodate the drive shaft therein through the opening portion, and a cover removably attached to the case body so as to close the opening portion.

In motorcycles, a driving force is typically transmitted from a transmission of an engine to a rear wheel through a chain. In contrast, in shaft drive type motorcycles, the driving force is transmitted through a drive shaft extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body instead of a chain (see e.g., Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 9-109981 or German Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 10232892). The shaft drive type motorcycles have the advantages that there is no need to adjust a stretch of the chain because of long-time use, or to frequently feed oil to the chain, and thus driving efficiency increases.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged view showing main parts of a drive shaft mounted in a conventional shaft drive type motorcycle. As shown in FIG. 9, a drive shaft 1 includes a first shaft member 2 having, at a front end thereof, a first bevel gear 2a which meshes with an output gear of a transmission of an engine. The first shaft member 2 is coupled to a second shaft member 4 via a first universal joint 3. The second shaft member 4 is coupled to a third shaft member 6 via a spline coupling portion 8 and a second universal joint 5. The spline coupling portion 8 has an engagement pin 10 at a spline on the second shaft member 4 side which is subjected to a radially outward force applied by a leaf spring 9 and is fitted into and engaged with an engagement hole 11 formed on a spline on the second universal joint 5 side. In a state where a second bevel gear 7 at a rear end of the third shaft member 6 is in mesh with a bevel gear mounted on a rear wheel not shown, the driving force is transmitted to the rear wheel.
The second shaft member 4 is inserted into a tubular drive shaft case 12 and is thus protected. A front end portion of the drive shaft case 12 is coupled to a transmission case 13 via a first rubber bellows-like tube 14, and a rear end portion thereof is coupled to a rear gear case 16 of the rear wheel via a second rubber bellows-like tube 15. The drive shaft case 12 has a small-diameter portion 12a with a diameter smaller than that of the universal joints 3 and 5. So, the second shaft member 4 is divided at the spline coupling portion 8 between the first universal joint 3 and the second universal joint 5 so that the second shaft member 4 is insertable into the drive shaft case 12 from forward.
However, since the drive shaft case 12 shown in FIG. 9 is a tubular unitary component, an operator needs to insert the drive shaft 1 into the drive shaft case 12 from an opening at one end of the drive shaft case 12, through an inside thereof, to an opening at an opposite end thereof. That is, the operator must move the drive shaft 1 over a large distance and therefore, operation is not easy. In addition, in order to insert the drive shaft 1 into the drive shaft case 12, it is necessary to provide the spline coupling portion 8 between the front universal joint 3 and the rear universal joint 5 to divide the drive shaft 1, increasing components of and assembly steps for the drive shaft 1. In order to couple the spline coupling portion 8 in an assembly process, it is necessary to make the second shaft member 4 and the second universal joint 5 to be coaxial with each other and to align the engagement pin 10 with the engagement hole 11. However, since the spline coupling portion 8 is covered with the case 12 and the bellows-like tube 15 and thus is invisible, the operator must remove the bellows-like tube 15 and see an inside of the bellows-like tube 15 to couple the universal joint 5 and the second shaft member 4. Therefore, the operation is not easy.

Drive shaft case for motorcycle and motorcycle


A transducer for a storage medium has a supporting element positioned over the storage medium with a first head configured to interact with the storage medium and a second head operatively connected to the first head to interact with the storage medium. The second head is carried by the supporting element in a position adjacent to the first head, and the first head and the second head are aligned in a scanning direction. The first head performs the reading of a data item stored in a portion of the storage medium, the reading entailing the deletion of the data item, and the second head performs the rewriting of the data item in the same portion of the storage medium.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure concerns a read/write transducer for a storage medium, in particular of a ferroelectric material, and an associated storage device and method, in particular for "probe storage" applications, to which the following description will make explicit reference without this implying any loss of generality.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, storage systems using a technology based on magnetism, such as hard disks, suffer from severe limitations regarding increases in data storage capacity and read/write speed, and size reduction. In particular, there is a physical limit, the so-called "superparamagnetic limit," which prevents the reduction in size of magnetic storage domains under a critical threshold, below which the stored information can be lost.
Alternative storage systems have thus been proposed in recent years, amongst which the so-called "probe storage" systems (also known as "atomic storage" systems) have assumed particular significance. These systems allow high data storage capacity to be achieved with reduced size and low manufacturing costs. In brief, these storage systems comprise a two-dimensional array of transducers (or probes), each provided with a respective read/write head, located above a storage medium and movable with respect to the storage medium. Each transducer is configured to locally interact with a portion of the storage medium (corresponding to a memory track), for reading/writing individual bits of information ("1" or "0").
In particular, in known storage systems of the "probe storage" type using a storage medium of ferroelectric material, the reading/writing of the individual bits is carried out by interacting with the ferroelectric domains of the ferroelectric material.
As is known, a ferroelectric material has a spontaneous polarization, which can be inverted by an applied electric field; furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, this material has a hysteresis cycle. When a positive voltage V greater than a positive threshold Vth is applied to the medium of ferroelectric material, a positive charge Q is stored in the material; conversely, a negative charge −Q is stored in the material when the applied voltage drops below a negative threshold −Vth. Any intermediate voltage value between the negative and positive thresholds does not cause any change in the stored charge.
In detail, during the write operation, the ferroelectric storage medium is polarized at a reference potential (e.g., ground). Then, a write voltage Vs (FIG. 2a) having a substantially square waveform between a maximum positive value Vmax, higher than the positive threshold Vth, and a minimum negative value Vmin, lower than the negative threshold −Vth, is applied to a write head that moves above the medium. In this way, a charge sequence Qi is stored inside the storage medium, the polarity of which substantially replicates the polarity of the applied write voltage Vs (FIG. 2b). In particular, for each specified interval Tbit of this square waveform, there is the corresponding polarization of a ferroelectric domain located along a memory track, and consequently a memory cell having a high ("1") or low ("0") binary value according to the polarity of the stored charge.
During the read operation of previously stored information, a read head moves above the ferroelectric storage medium along the track, in contact with the ferroelectric material. The read head is polarized, for example, with a voltage greater than the positive threshold Vth. When the read head is over a domain with a negative charge, it causes the polarity inversion of the stored charge. This inversion implies an exchange of charge between the read head and the storage medium and the presence of a current I emitted by the head (FIG. 2c). The value of the current I depends on the quantity of charge stored in the cell (in turn dependent on the type of ferroelectric material) and is directly proportional to the head scanning speed. Conversely, when the read head is over a domain with a positive charge, the head does not exchange charges with the medium and therefore no appreciable current flows through the head. The read operations can therefore be carried out by a suitable circuit configured to detect the current (particularly the presence or absence of an appreciable amount of current) flowing between the read head and the storage medium. In an altogether similar manner, a polarization voltage lower than the negative threshold −Vth can be applied to the read head, such as to cause polarity inversion in the domains with a positive charge.
The main problem of this read/write scheme is tied to the fact that the read operations are destructive, i.e., they entail the removal of the stored information and therefore the impossibility of making a subsequent reading of the same data. In fact, the reading of a portion of the memory (or track) corresponds to the writing of a sequence of charges that are all positive (or all negative, if a negative polarization voltage is used for the read head) in that portion of memory. Consequently, during reading the flow of read data must be stored in a memory buffer, the dimensions of which must be at least equal to the size of the track read. Furthermore, the contents of the memory buffer must be successively rewritten to the previously read track, so that the head must be repositioned at the start of the track, must rewrite the entire track and only afterwards can it undertake a new read operation. Thus, not only is the presence of a memory buffer of large dimensions necessary, but the rate of transferring data (data rate) is greatly limited as well, in particular being at least halved (as every read operation entails a successive write operation).

Read/write transducer for a ferroelectric storage medium, and corresponding storage device and method


An electrical machine (10) for driving a vehicle comprises: a stator (14) having stator grooves (34) running axially and running uniformly around an axis of the electrical machine (10), through which grooves a stator winding (42) runs; and a rotor (12) with axially running poles (16), which rotor is mounted inside the stator (14) for rotation around the axis of the electrical machine (10), wherein two pole magnets (20) with rectangular cross-section are arranged in each pole (16) of the rotor (12) in an axially running pole opening (18) forming a V in respect of one another. The electrical machine (10) is optimized with respect to a plurality of geometrical parameters which have been optimized by optimization of optimization parameters which are determined from the geometric parameters.

The invention relates to an electrical machine, such as an electric motor or a generator.
The use of permanent magnet excited synchronous machines in non-chargeable and chargeable hybrid vehicles is widespread. In the case of synchronous machines which are integrated in a combustion engine, rotors are frequently employed having two magnets in a v-shaped arrangement per pole.
The optimization of electrical machines of this type involves conflicting optimization objectives. For traction drive systems in the electromobility sector, high torque or power densities are required. At the same time, it is necessary for costs, structural space, losses, torque ripple and noise to be minimized.
DE 10 2012 219 174 A1 indicates that, for example, for an electrical machine having a slot number q=2, torque ripple can be minimized if the magnetic aperture angle lies between 76.2% and 81.6%.
EP 2 498 375 A1 describes an electrical machine having a pole coverage factor between 0.45 and 0.55.
WO 2006 095 887 A1 describes an electrical machine with a rotor, having pole openings with a central web, and wherein the pole coverage factor lies between 127° el and 140° el.
It is further known, in synchronous machines which are integrated in a combustion engine, for a stator with a single-tooth winding to be employed, said winding having a slot number q=0.5. This type of winding generally minimizes the length of the winding overhang, and permits the configuration of synchronous machines with a short axial length. At q=0.5, however, the electromagnetic field in the air gap between the rotor and the stator contains a high proportion of harmonics. This results in increased rotor losses and an increase in the temperature of the magnets. For longer machines which are integrated in a combustion engine, an integer-slot winding, for example having a slot number q=2 can be employed, thereby resulting in an electromagnetic field in the air gap containing a lower proportion of harmonics. Reduced eddy current losses will then occur in the magnets, as a result of which, in turn, the temperature of the magnets remains lower, thus permitting the use of magnets with a more cost-effective class rating.


An information processing apparatus in which an OS is executed that provides a first UI environment (touchscreen UI) and a second UI environment different from the first UI environment, is provided in which, if identification information of a peripheral device connected to a communication network has been obtained when the first UI environment is provided, a device control application for controlling the peripheral device is obtained from a service that manages applications operable in the first UI environment, using the identification information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques of installing a suitable device driver, device control application, etc. in order to use a peripheral device, such as a printer etc. that is connected to, for example, a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plug and Play is well known as a technique of incorporating into a computer a device driver for enabling use of a peripheral device such as a printer etc. when the device is connected to a computer.
By employing the Plug-and-Play technology, users are freed from having to install a device driver or adjusting the settings for use of a peripheral device, which it takes a lot of time and effort to do, resulting in a significant improvement in convenience.
Plug and Play for printers that is performed by Windows (trademark), which is an operating system (OS) of Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), obtains identification information from a printer through an interface, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) or Web Services on Devices (WSD). The OS retrieves an optimum device driver based on the obtained identification information, installs the device driver, and sets the output port to a connection port at which the printer has been detected.
The Windows OS's Plug and Play provides the function of obtaining the model identification information (MDL) of a printer from the printer, searching for a printer driver corresponding to the model identification information (MDL), installing the printer driver, and adjusting settings for the output port. If no printer driver corresponding to the model identification information (MDL) is found, the compatible identification information (CID) of the printer is obtained, a printer driver corresponding to the compatible identification information (CID) is searched for, the printer driver is installed, and the settings for the output port are adjusted.
Thus, a printer driver suitable for a model corresponding to a printer's model identification information (MDL) can be installed with a higher priority. If no printer driver suitable for a model is found, a printer driver common to printers of a family or a class corresponding to a printer's compatible identification information (CID) is introduced.
Note that a related-art technique of using a Plug-and-Play system provided by an operating system, such as that described above is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-013816. In this document, a printer searches for another printer. In this case, if a printer having a device ID for a shared printer driver is found, the device ID for the shared printer driver is returned in response to a request for a device ID in Plug and Play. In this example related-art technique, the printer rewrites the device ID returned in response to the Plug-and-Play request with the device ID for the shared printer driver, whereby the printer to be installed is controlled.
In recent years, there have been many small-screen devices having only a touchscreen, such as a mobile device (e.g., a mobile telephone etc.), a tablet computer, and the like. Therefore, some operating systems have been equipped with a new user interface (UI) environment that is optimized for operation of touchscreens (hereinafter referred to as a "touchscreen UI"). The touchscreen UI optimum for touchscreens provides a button arrangement that can be easily operated using the user's finger. On the other hand, the traditional UI environment in which a mouse or a keyboard is used for selection, instruction, etc., is referred to as a "desktop UI." There have also been some operating systems that allow the user to manually switch a display from the touchscreen UI to the desktop UI. In order to produce an application that operates on such an operation system, it is necessary to prepare different packages for the different UIs.
On the other hand, the OS imparts compatibility to a printer driver designed for the desktop UI so that the printer driver can be used even when there is a print request from an application for the touchscreen UI. As a result, the user can print using an original printer driver produced for the desktop UI, which is a traditional UI environment, even in an environment of another OS having the touchscreen UI.
A printer driver that is linked to model identification information (MDL) and is provided for each printer model is herein referred to as a "specific driver." A printer driver that is linked to compatible identification information (CID) and is common to a printer family or class is herein referred to as a "class driver." An application for using or controlling a peripheral device having a printing, scanning, or faxing function, that is produced as an application operable in the touchscreen UI, is herein referred to as a "device control app." As described in the "Field of the Invention" section, a Plug-and-Play system in which if no specific driver corresponding to model identification information (MDL) is found, a class driver corresponding to compatible identification information (CID) is introduced, has already been provided. By using this system, even if no specific driver is found in Plug and Play, a suitable class driver can be installed. Also, a necessary printer driver can be installed by the user's simple operation.
However, the specific and class drivers that are introduced by the Plug-and-Play system are not optimum for the touchscreen UI described in the "Field of the Invention" section. For example, to date, the touchscreen UI does not have the function of checking user information when printing is performed using a function, such as the secure print function, the department management function, etc., that is possessed by a printer driver. A pop-up UI that causes a dialog to pop up during printing to prompt the user to enter an input, has a functional limitation, such as necessity of displaying on the desktop UI, that is a traditional UI environment, etc.
The above limitation is not put on device control apps that are produced for the touchscreen UI. However, there is no simple system, such as Plug-and-Play, for introducing a device control app. Therefore, it is disadvantageously necessary for the user to install a device control app corresponding to each printer model by himself or herself.

Information processing apparatus and control method


A circuit component group of a high frequency circuit is mounted on an upper surface of a circuit board. The circuit board contains a multilayered dielectric board having a ground conductor therein. An antenna element 6 made of a metal plate is mounted so as to cover a portion of the circuit component group. The antenna element contains a radiating conductive plate arranged opposite to and parallel to the circuit board, a feeding terminal piece bent from a peripheral portion of the radiating conductive plate, a ground terminal piece, and three leg pieces. The feeding terminal piece is connected to a feeding line of a wiring pattern, the ground terminal piece is connected to the ground conductor, and the leg pieces are soldered to the connecting lands formed on an upper surface of the circuit board, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna-coupled module which is suitable to be used as a small transmission and reception unit for communication or broadcasting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, accompanying with developments of wireless communication technologies, various electronic equipments or wireless cards into each of which a small transmission and reception unit is incorporated are suggested. As the transmission and reception unit, conventionally, an antenna-coupled high frequency module having an antenna element provided on a circuit board on which a high frequency circuit is provided is known. In the conventional antenna-coupled module, it is common that a predetermined area on the circuit board on which main parts of the high frequency circuit are provided is covered with a shield case made of a metal plate and the antenna element such as a chip antenna or a pattern antenna is provided at another area on the circuit board.
In such a conventional antenna-coupled module, the high frequency circuit comprises a wiring pattern formed on an upper surface of the circuit board, various circuit components, such as chip components or ICs, connected to the wiring pattern, and a ground conductor formed on a bottom surface or an inner layer of the circuit board, in which a portion of the wiring pattern extends outside the shield case to be connected to a feeding portion of the antenna element. Further, the ground conductor is connected to a ground portion of the antenna element through a via hole formed in the circuit board. Simultaneously, the ground conductor is also connected to the shield case. The shield case is mounted to the circuit board while covering the main parts of the high frequency circuit, such that the high frequency circuit is almost electromagnetically shielded (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-232221 (FIG. 1, p. 4–6)).
As described above, in the conventional antenna-coupled module, the antenna element and the shield case are provided on the circuit board in parallel and the shield case covers the main parts of the high frequency circuit. Thus, even if the shield case and the antenna element are arranged as nearly as possible, the size of the module increases somewhat as a whole in a plan view, which results in a problem in that it is difficult to achieve miniaturization. Further, in the conventional antenna-coupled module, since the space for the antenna element is narrow, there may be many cases in which an additional antenna element such as a chip antenna is needed to be mounted on the circuit board so as to a desired electric field in a radiating conductive portion.
Therefore, there is a problem in that the number of the components increases, which consequently increases the manufacturing cost of the module.


The image shooting apparatus 10 provided not only with the image shooting function but also the communications function is, for example, a camera portable telephone. The apparatus includes a call incoming notifying section, a camera section and an LCD monitor. LEDs in the call incoming notifying section emit a normal light for notifying a user of call incoming when an incoming call is detected and emit a high-luminance electronic flash light when the camera section is operated to take a photograph.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to image shooting apparatuses provided with light emitting elements and, more particularly, to an image shooting apparatus provided with a control circuit for controlling the light emission of light emitting elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital camera picks up images of a subject by a photo detector such as a charge-coupled device (CCD). The CCD is provided with photo diodes and converts outdoor daylight into electric charges by the photoelectric effect. Image information is registered by charges generated according to the intensity of light. In other words, imaging is performed. Each CCD element is provided with a color filter corresponding to, for example, a primary color such as red, green and blue (RGB). The color filter has the property of transmitting only the color it corresponds to. A digital camera acquires color information of a subject as well as the intensity of light by combining CCDs and color filters. Conventionally, it was common to use a xenon tube as a light source for an electronic flash apparatus of a camera. It has been suggested to use a light emitting diode as a source of light instead of a xenon tube (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-116481).
In recent years, as the pixel resolution of a CCD is improved, many of battery-driven portable appliances such as portable telephones and personal data assistants (PDA) now have built-in digital camera function. The camera function of portable telephones is a feature that sets them apart from other portable telephones provided only with the communications function. Recently, some of these portable appliances, small as they are, have a megapixel resolution and are growing in popularity as a handy tool to take photographs.
When the camera function is to be pursued, it is desirable for a portable telephone to be provided with an electronic flash function so that it can use flash when taking a photograph in dark places. While it is possible to provide an electronic flash function in a portable telephone in addition to the existing functions, such an approach is unfavorable in view of requirements for downsizing and light weight.

Camera portable telephone including LEDs used for both a camera flash and call notification of an incoming call


A vehicle lamp includes a lamp body having a front opening, a transparent cover covering the front opening to form a lamp chamber, and a lamp unit, which forwardly irradiates light, disposed in the lamp chamber. The vehicle lamp includes an aiming device having an output shaft coupled to one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the lamp unit, and a fulcrum portion coupled to the other of the upper surface and the lower surface of the lamp unit. The output shaft is movable in a front-and-rear direction with respect to the lamp body, and is rotatable around an axis extending in a vertical direction. The fulcrum portion supports the lamp unit by a single fulcrum allowing the lamp unit to be tilted in the vertical direction and in a horizontal direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp. Specifically, the present invention relates to a technique for reducing the number of components in a vehicle lamp to reduce size and cost.
2. Background Art
In a vehicle lamp (e.g., a vehicle headlamp), it is necessary to adjust an irradiating direction in vertical and horizontal directions. This is required for precisely irradiating a forward area of a road on which a vehicle is traveling to ensure driving safety and for preventing dazzling light against a pedestrian or a driver of a vehicle running on an opposite lane.
Accordingly, in some vehicle lamps, a bracket is disposed inside a lamp chamber formed by a lamp body and a transparent cover such that the bracket is tiltable in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a lamp unit for irradiating light is supported on the bracket (see, e.g., JP 2004-227933 A and JP 2005-119463 A). The irradiating direction is adjusted by titling the bracket in the vertical and/or horizontal direction(s) to tilt the lamp unit.
However, because the bracket is supported on the lamp body at three points, an assembly work is onerous. Thus, there is a problem that productivity is low.


Embodiments herein receive a set of content quality threshold values, a search string, and a content data stream at a content quality metric (CQM) apparatus. Content segments associated with the content data stream are scored and/or graded according to a set of content relevance scales. The content data stream is then filtered to include only passing content segments and intermediate calculation values used to determine whether a content segment is passing. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

The term "market intelligence" refers generally to information that is relevant to a company's markets. Market intelligence may include information about competitors, customers, prospects, investment targets, products, people, industries, regulatory areas, events, and market themes that impact entire sets of companies.
Market intelligence may be gathered and analyzed by companies to support a range of strategic and operational decision-making. Market intelligence may, for example, include the identification of market opportunities and competitive threats as well as the definition of market penetration strategies and market development metrics. Market intelligence may also be gathered and analyzed by financial investors and/or by financial investment advisors to aid with investment decisions relating to securities and to market sectors.
With the explosion of the Internet as a means of reporting and disseminating information, the ability to obtain timely, relevant, hard-to-find market intelligence from the World-wide Web ("Web") has become central to many market intelligence initiatives. This ability may be particularly important to financial services investment professionals because of government-mandated restrictions on the preferential sharing of information by company management. These issues have resulted in an increased interest in applying technology to provide differentiated data and insights from web-based sources in order to yield trading advantages for investors.
However, efforts to provide timely market intelligence from internet sources have been limited by the scale, complexity, diversity and dynamic nature of the Web and its information sources. The Web is vast, dynamically changing, noisy (containing irrelevant data), and chaotic. These characteristics may confound analytical methods that are successful with structured data and even methods that may be successfully with unstructured content found on enterprise intranets.
Unlike structured data in a database, web information tends not to conform to a fixed semantic structure or schema. As a result, such information may not readily lend itself to precise querying or to directed navigation. And unlike most unstructured content on corporate intranets, data on the Web may be far more vast and volatile, may be authored by a larger and more varied set of individuals as compared to structured data, may be published in a variety of media sources ranging from mainstream news agencies to highly specialized trade publications, and in general may contain less descriptive metadata (or tags) capable of exploitation for the purpose of retrieving and classifying information.
Existing approaches to internet search are generally designed to support a wide cross-section of users seeking content across the breadth of all human knowledge generally. Assumptions associated with existing approaches may include an assumption that nothing is known a priori about a user's interests and preferences beyond what can be concluded from the entered search string. These approaches may not support the specialized needs of market intelligence users.
Interests and preferences associated with market intelligence users may be different from those of the general populace, as previously mentioned, and may be known or acquired. For example, a financial services investment manager may be interested in a company's recent commercial success in the marketplace. From a typical consumer internet search engine the financial services manager may readily retrieve a list of major new "customer wins" announced in sources that are popular as measured by links to and from these sources. However, such a user may already routinely receive similar information from existing market data channels. The financial services manager may be particularly interested in new "customer wins" that have not been widely reported online because that information may provide a securities trading advantage.
Taking another example, a financial services manager examining a company's acquisition plans may be interested in receiving articles about actual or rumored acquisitions from obscure sources. Such sources should be credible, however, given the high level of incorrect or misleading information to be found on this topic. Such personalized relevance that may derive from existing knowledge about an end user's particular interests and preferences may not be obtainable from currently available internet search engines.

Content quality apparatus, systems, and methods


In a wire bonding apparatus in which images of workpieces placed on a heating block so as to be bonded are taken by a camera through an optical path housing in which an optical path from the workpiece to the camera is established, heaters are installed on the optical path housing so as to heat the optical path housing at a constant temperature which is higher than the temperature that is affected by the heating block.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bonding apparatus such as a wire bonding apparatus, die bonding apparatus or tape bonding apparatus and more particularly to a bonding apparatus that includes a means which takes images of a workpiece to be bonded.
2. Prior Art
A bonding apparatus is generally equipped with a heating block which heats the semiconductor workpieces and a bonding tool which performs bonding on the semiconductor workpieces along with a camera and an optical path housing which are used to obtain the images of the semiconductor workpieces.
In order to perform high precision bonding with such a bonding apparatus, it is necessary to specifically recognize the positions of the semiconductor workpieces. Meanwhile, in order to shorten the time which the bonding tool takes to move to perform bonding, it is necessary to shorten the distance between the bonding point for each semiconductor workpiece and the recognition point where the semiconductor workpiece is recognized.
Accordingly, the bonding tool and the optical path housing are installed in close proximity to each other. However, this means that the optical path housing is installed in close proximity to the semiconductor workpiece. As a result, the optical path housing is in an environment of radiant heat or a high-temperature atmosphere, etc. generated in the vicinity of the semiconductor workpiece, which is heated to a high temperature by the heating block.
Since the camera is generally designed so as to work at room temperatures, when the optical path housing is exposed to such a heated environment, thermal expansion occurs therein, and a positional deviation tends to occur in the optical path housing during the object recognition or image obtaining process.
One example of a conventional means for preventing thermal expansion of the optical path housing is to blow cooling air onto the optical path housing, and this is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (Kokai) No. H7-147297.
Generally, the optical path housing, which is connected to the camera, is installed on an XY table, and it may be positioned above the heating block during the process of recognizing the semiconductor workpiece. On the other hand, the optical path housing may be positioned away from the heating block when the type of workpiece to be handled is changed.
Accordingly, in the prior art described above, periodic or irregular heat changes inevitably occur in the optical path housing as a result of repeated heating, which is when the optical path housing is moved near the heat source, and as a result of cooling, which when the optical path housing is moved away from the heat source and when cooling air is blown thereon. As a result, an unexpected positional shift in the recognition position occurs due to the deformation of the optical path housing. In addition, deterioration in the parts of the optical path housing progresses rapidly. Furthermore, even if cooled by the cooling air, if automatic operation is initiated while the optical path housing is at room temperature, thermal expansion of the optical path housing gradually proceeds, so that the recognition results obtained after several hours of automatic operation differ from those obtained immediately after the initiation of automatic operation.


A system for determining the relative space heating energy contribution of different tenant spaces in a multiple tenant building that is heated via a central steam piping distribution system. A steam piping distribution system is connected to a central heat source such as a steam boiler plant or a local utility district steam service. The steam distribution system includes terminal units located throughout the building which deliver heat to different spaces. Data collected at regular intervals from sensors located throughout the building are analyzed by a computer in order to calculate the fraction of the overall building's steam use that is delivered to particular tenant spaces over a given interval in time.

A common arrangement for providing heating for each of the units of multi-tenant buildings such as apartment houses or office structures employs steam distribution piping to transfer heat from a central heat source to terminal units located throughout a building. There are three main types of steam distribution systems: one-pipe, two-pipe, and metro systems.
In one-pipe steam systems, each terminal unit has a single piping connection, which directs steam to flow into the terminal unit and allows condensate to flow away from the terminal unit. Each terminal unit also has a connection for a vent, which provides a path for the air to exit the terminal unit, thereby allowing the steam to enter. The individual one-pipe terminal units are connected in parallel to an arrangement of mains and risers which carry the steam from the central heat source to the terminal units.
In two-pipe steam systems, each terminal unit has two piping connections: one that directs steam flow into the terminal unit and another that allows air and condensate to flow away from the terminal unit. As with one-pipe systems, the individual two-pipe terminal units are connected in parallel to an arrangement of mains and risers which carry the steam from the central heat source to the terminal units and the air and condensate away.
In Metro steam systems, each terminal unit has two piping connections; however, they are arranged in series, such that the outlet of one terminal unit within a particular riser serves as the inlet to the next. The risers themselves are connected in parallel to an arrangement of mains, which carry the steam from the central plant to the terminal units and the air and condensate away.
In one-pipe steam systems, valves can be installed at each terminal unit air vent to modulate the venting of air from the terminal unit in response to local space temperature. The venting of air out of the terminal unit regulates the flow of steam into, and heat output from, the terminal unit. These valves may be thermo-mechanical or electronic, the latter of which can communicate data on valve position (i.e., percentage open), time stamps on when the valve position is in particular positions and local space temperature to a local thermostat or computer at regular intervals.
In two-pipe steam systems, valves can be installed at the steam inlet of the terminal unit to modulate the heat output of the terminal unit in response to local space temperature. These valves may be thermo-mechanical or electronic, the latter of which can communicate data on valve position (i.e., percentage open), time stamps on when the valve position is in particular positions and local space temperature to a local thermostat or computer at regular intervals.
In Metro steam systems, valves at the terminal units are not viable given the series arrangement. In these systems, the terminal units can be fitted with an enclosure containing a fan or damper that is cycled to modulate the heat output of the terminal unit in response to local space temperature. In these cases, data on fan operation and/or speed as well as the temperature of the air supplied to the space can be communicated to a local thermostat or computer at regular intervals.
There are also systems where the terminal units in one-pipe and two-pipe systems have existing or can be retrofitted with enclosures and fans or dampers as described above. In these applications, data similar to that described above can be communicated.
In all systems, regardless of terminal unit type, the following data can be communicated to a local thermostat or computer at regular intervals: room temperatures of different tenant spaces, the position of windows (i.e. open, closed, or percentage open) in different tenant spaces, and steam pipe temperatures at the inlet or outlet of terminal units.
An alternative method of providing heating for all of the terminal units in a multi-tenant building employs hot water as the heat transfer medium instead of steam. Such hot water distribution systems transfer heat from a central heat source to terminal units in a multi-tenant building through a circulating water loop. In these systems, metering the heat delivered to each tenant space is relatively straightforward, since the heating medium remains a liquid, flows in a single direction, and is dependent on easily-measured sensible heat. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,441 describes a metering approach for hot water systems that employs a flow regulator valve at each terminal unit that maintains a known and constant flow. In this approach, data on the known flow rate is combined with temperature data sampled at regular intervals from the terminal unit inlet and outlet in order to calculate terminal unit heat output. Also, U.S. Pub. No US2014/0277764A1 describes a metering approach for hydronic systems that uses a valve actuator to "determine the volume of fluid flowing though the valve." This invention is only appropriate for liquid flow measurement.
Such an approach will not work for steam heating systems for a few reasons. Steam piping contains a continually varying mixture of three fluids: steam, water (i.e., condensate), and air, unlike hot water systems, which contain only water. Steam releases latent heat (i.e., energy due to phase change) to the space, which is very difficult to directly measure in a cost effective and compact manner, unlike hot water, which gives off sensible heat (i.e., temperature change). Additionally, most steam heating systems turn the central heat source on and off over the course of the day, which creates periods when the local terminal unit control valve may be open but there is no steam in the piping, resulting in no heat being provided. This is in contrast to hot water systems, which tend to be continuously circulated whenever the system is in operation, and employ control valves located at each terminal unit that open and close in order to vary the heat output in response to local space temperature. As a consequence of this frequent cycling, steam heating systems are more prone to issues of imbalance and air binding, which can inhibit the even distribution of heat throughout a building. One of the most common causes of this is broken steam traps, which allows steam into the return piping, throwing off the system's pressure regime.
There are, however, a few similarities between steam and hot water systems with respect to sub metering the heating energy. In both cases there are advantages to implementing enhanced controls and tenant metering at the same time since the same types of system upgrades, sensors and data that can be used to improve system control can also be used to meter tenant spaces, reducing installation costs and tenant inconvenience. Additionally, in both cases, the submetering of heating energy consumed in each tenant space can spur behavioral change by giving tenants direct feedback of their heating energy consumption.
Steam heating systems are more commonly found in older buildings. Deficiencies in the building envelopes more common in older buildings can have an impact on heat cost allocation. The best thermally performing building envelopes found in modern buildings utilize insulation and air leakage control strategies to minimize both the absolute winter heat loss through the enclosure and also to minimize erratic differences in enclosure heat loss between different tenant spaces. In such buildings, heat loss through the envelope is relatively uniform so comparable tenant spaces maintained at the same temperature will lose comparable amounts of heat through the respective portions of the building envelope that enclose them. Steam heating systems tend to be found in older buildings with building envelopes that all else being equal, do not necessarily result in perfectly uniform heat loss between tenant spaces. For instance, during the winter, as a result of the stack or "chimney" effect, cold outdoor air tends to enter buildings through gaps and cracks in lower portions of the building envelope and is heated to room temperature by lower floor terminal units. The infiltration of outdoor air into lower portions of a building causes conditioned air to exit buildings through gaps and cracks in the building envelope at upper floors. In this scenario, air that exfiltrates out of a building's upper floors typically is replaced with already conditioned "make-up air" drawn from lower floors. Entering cold air increases the heat loss of a tenant space. Existing conditioned air does not directly increase the heat loss of a tenant space if the make-up air is already conditioned. Therefore, as a result of envelope construction quality outside of a tenant's control, a lower floor tenant space may require significantly more heating energy then an upper floor tenant space.

Thermal energy usage metering system for steam-heated multiple unit building


An implantable cardioverter including apparatus for measuring the width of a patient's R-wave in order to determine whether or not to deliver an antitachycardia therapy. The means for measuring the width of the R-wave comprises a digitizing means for converting electrical signals from the ventricle to digital signals and means for analyzing the digitized signals to determine the end points of sensed R-waves. End points are identified in response to the occurrence of a series of sequential digitized signals which differ from proceeding signals by more than a predetermined amount, and the width of the R-wave is defined as the interval between the first such identified end point associated with a detected R-wave and the last such detected end point associated with the same detected R-wave.

This invention relates to implantable stimulators generally and more particularly to implantable cardioverters and defibrillators.
Early automatic tachycardia detection systems for automatic implantable cardioverter/defibrillators relied upon the presence or absence of electrical and mechanical heart activity (such as intramyocardial pressure, blood pressure, impedance, stroke volume or heart movement) and or the rate of the electrocardiogram to detect hemodynamically compromising ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation. For example, the 1961 publication by Dr. Fred Zacouto, Paris, France, entitled, "Traitement D'Urgence des Differents Types de Syncopes Cardiaques du Syndrome de Morgangni-Adams-Stokes" (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD) describes an automatic pacemaker and defibrillator responsive to the presence or absence of the patient's blood pressure in conjunction with the rate of the patient's electrocardiogram to diagnose and automatically treat brady and tachyarrhythmias.
Later detection algorithms proposed by Satinsky, "Heart Monitor Automatically Activates Defibrillator", Medical Tribune, 9, No. 91:3, Nov. 11, 1968, and Shuder et al. "Experimental Ventricular Defibrillation with an Automatic and Completely Implanted System", Transactions American Society for Artificial Internal Organs, 16:207, 1970, automatically detected and triggered defibrillation when the amplitude of the R-wave of the electrocardiogram fell below a predetermined threshold over a predetermined period of time. The initial system proposed by Mirowski et al. in U.S. Pat. No. Re 27,757, which similarly relied upon the decrease in the amplitude of a pulsatile right ventricular pressure signal below a threshold over a predetermined period of time, was abandoned by Mirowski et al. in favor of the rate and/or probability density function morphology discrimination as described in Mower et al., "Automatic Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Structural Characteristics", PACE, Vol. 7, November-December 1984, Part II, pp. 1331-1334.
More recently, others have suggested the use of high rate plus acceleration of rate or "onset" (U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,585) with sustained high rate and rate stability (U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,595). As stated in the article "Automatic Tachycardia Recognition", by R. Arzbaecher et al., PACE, May-June 1984, pp. 541-547, anti-tachycardia pacemakers that were undergoing clinical studies prior to the publication of that article detected tachycardia by sensing a high rate in the chamber to be paced. The specific criteria to be met before attempting tachyarrhythmia termination by pacing involved a comparison of the detected heart rate to a preset threshold, such as 150 beats per minute (400 millisecond cycle length) for a preselected number of beats. As stated above, other researchers had suggested the rate of change of rate or suddenness of onset, rate stability and sustained high rate as additional criteria to distinguish among various types of tachyarrhythmias.
In practical applications, a common approach has been to specify discrete rate zones for ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, each defined by minimum rates or minimum R--R intervals. However, in some patients, ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardias including sinus tachycardias may have similar rates that make them difficult to distinguish from one another. For this reason, a more detailed analysis of the electrical waveforms associated with depolarization of the ventricles has often been employed to differentiate among various tachycardias.

Method and apparatus for discrimination of ventricular tachycardia from supraventricular tachycardia and for treatment thereof


When systems controlled using a program logic, such as automation systems, are started up, it is necessary to observe individual program areas specifically. Program areas of this type are usually described by one or more modules of a program. This presents the problem that, in order to obtain an accurate analysis, the requests for these modules have to be identified in connection with the modules themselves, since they are ordinarily used multiple times. The present testing method and testing device are used to calculate and display a hierarchical request tree that shows the requests corresponding to a selected module. One or more requests for the selected module can be selected for observation by selecting individual lines of this request tree.

The invention relates to a testing method and a testing device for commencing operation of a system, preferably an automation system, which is controlled by means of a program logic. References describing the state of the art in this general field include U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,572, EP 0 483 368 A1, and JP 101 49 212, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
As a rule, automation systems are permanently running, open loop and/or closed-loop-controlled cybernetic systems. To control these processes, program logics are used, which are typically composed of program modules that can be requested repeatedly and as needed. The required programming technology is referred to as loop coding.
To create a solution for an open loop or closed loop task, the programmer must dissect the corresponding task as much as possible, divide it into partial tasks and program reusable modules to solve these partial tasks. In the case of graphic programming languages, e.g., ladder diagram or sequential function chart, the respective user programs are said to be composed of modules. These modules consist of networks. The networks represent operations that combine the operands used within the program logic. The networks are ultimately logic operations of the operands used.
Each module of an interface used within the described network can be called by other modules. In the program, the respective modules are called by a corresponding request. After the corresponding module has been executed, the program jumps back to a return address that identifies the location of the statement following the module request. Typically, the return addresses required for this purpose are stored on a so-called stack. With each request of a further module, an additional return address must be deposited on this stack. In other words, the stack grows with each module request. After the program returns to the indicated return address, the information of the return address no longer needs to be stored. The stack shrinks by this information. The return address consists of a module identifier, i.e., the identification of the requesting module, and the value of the address counter that identifies the location of the program statement that is to be executed after the requested module has been executed. The return address, or the information deposited on the stack for each module request, thus uniquely identifies the corresponding module request.
In connection with the startup of automation systems, it is often necessary to observe the program logic used for the open loop or closed loop control of the automation system in specific situations, i.e., under specific parameters. Observing the program under specific defined conditions often requires observing a specific module.

Testing method and testing device for starting up systems which are controlled by means of a program logic


A network device, such as a Network Interface Card (NIC), can have a receive queue (RxQ) that changes size based on whether the network device is in a normal operating mode or in a maintenance mode. In a normal operating mode, it is desirable that the receive queue has a smaller number of free buffers, to increase cache locality in a processor subsystem. However, there can be known periods when the receive queue can be overloaded. During a maintenance period, it is desirable that the receive queue absorbs a large burst of network packets while the processor subsystem is not processing the packets. A solution is to maintain a receive queue at a smaller percentage of its maximum during the normal operation mode, but then before or upon entering the maintenance mode, expand the receive queue to a larger size.

Cloud computing is the use of computing resources (hardware and software) which are available in a remote location and accessible over a network, such as the Internet. Users are able to consume these computing resources (including storage and computing power). Use of virtual computing resources can provide a number of advantages including cost advantages and/or ability to adapt rapidly to changing computing resource needs.
The cloud computing environment can include a plurality of host server computers coupled together through a network. To send and receive packets over the network, the host server computers can include one or more Network Interface Cards (NIC), also known as a network adapter or a physical network interface. The NIC can be a peripheral component (e.g., plug-in board) coupled to a host server computer, or can be built into a motherboard of the host server computer. The NIC can include one or more queues for transmitting and receiving packets. A common reason for frame loss to occur is a queue overrun. Generally, a queue size is fixed, and if the queue fills faster than it drains, frames can be dropped, leading to errors. The queue size can be adjusted to make it larger, but larger queues can be less efficient and consume resources if not generally needed.

Adjustable receive queue for processing packets in a network device


There is provided a method of predicting a noise component associated with a readback signal in a channel from a dedicated servo medium including a data recording layer and a dedicated servo layer. The method including: providing at least one noise prediction module for each of a plurality of types of servo patterns of the servo layer, and predicting the noise component by, for each of a plurality of segments of the readback signal of the data recording layer, using a selected one of the noise prediction modules. In particular, the selected one of the noise prediction module for a segment of the readback signal is selected based on the type of the servo pattern associated with the segment of the readback signal. There is also provided a corresponding noise predictor, a method of detecting data bits from the readback signal, and a hard disk drive system.

To support higher capacities in data storage, multi-level recording media has been proposed by adding a dedicated servo recording layer in between the conventional perpendicular data recording layer and the conventional soft-underlayer (SUL). The dedicated servo medium is proposed to achieve a much higher track density in hard disk drive (HDD) systems. This is because nearly the entire surface of the data recording layer can be dedicated for data recording, thus achieving a greater storage capacity.
In the servo layer of the dedicated servo medium, a servo pattern is used to generate position feedback signals, also known as position error signals (PES). However, the servo pattern introduces various distortions to the readback signal of the data recorded on the data recording layer, including linear and non-linear distortions. The two main sources of non-linear distortions are: 1) servo signal induced transition shift at the data recording layer, and 2) transitions of servo signal from one type of servo pattern to another type of servo pattern, causing a baseline jump in the readback signal of the data recording layer.
Regarding the transition shift at the data recording layer, a DC+ bit in the servo layer expands the bit length of a positively magnetized bit in the data recording layer. Similarly, a DC− bit in the servo layer expands the bit length of a negatively magnetized bit in the data recording layer. The result is a non-linear transition shift (NLTS) effect on the readback signal of the data recording layer. This NLTS effect also results in a non-zero mean on the overall noise affecting the readback signal of the data recording layer.
A data-dependent noise prediction (DDNP) detector has been proposed to combat media noise in magnetic recording channels. DDNP is a near maximum-likelihood sequence detection (MLSD) scheme for zero-mean, data-dependent, finite-memory Gauss-Markov noise. Mean-adjusted DDNP (MA-DDNP) was subsequently developed for use on channels affected by NLTS with non-zero mean noise.
However, it has been found that the above conventional techniques do not (or at least do not sufficiently) address the distortion in the readback signal due to transitions of the servo signal from one type of servo pattern to another type of servo pattern (which causes a baseline jump in the readback signal of the data recording layer).

Method of predicting a noise component associated with a readback signal from a dedicated servo medium, noise predictor thereof, and hard disk drive system


An air blowing portion blows air toward an edge surface on a downstream side in a sheet feeding direction of a sheet. A presser portion presses an upper surface of the sheet at both side edge portions in a width direction of the sheet, thereby allowing, throughout an entire region of the sheets in a sheet feeding direction, a central portion in a width direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction of the sheet to blow up with the air blown by the air blowing portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a mechanism for loosening a sheet stack by blowing air on an edge portion of the sheet stack.
2. Description of the Related Art
Of conventional image forming apparatuses such as copying machines and printers, there is provided an image forming apparatuses including a sheet feeding apparatus for feeding sheets one by one, starting from an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets, toward an image forming portion while separating the sheets stacked on a sheet stacking portion.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H07-196187 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,274), for such the sheet feeding apparatus, there exists a system for feeding sheets by blowing air (gas) on an edge portion of a sheet stack on a sheet stacking portion to allow a plurality of sheets to float and allowing an uppermost sheet of the sheet stack to suck onto a suction conveyer belt.
FIG. 6 shows a structure of a sheet feeding apparatus for feeding sheets by allowing the sheets to float using air and allowing an uppermost sheet of the floating sheets to suck onto a suction conveyer belt.
In FIG. 6, a storage 11 is provided to an image forming apparatus main body (not shown) so as to be drawable and stores a sheet S. The storage 11 is provided with a sheet tray 12 on which a plurality of sheets S are stacked and capable of moving up and down, and a trailing edge regulating plate 13 for regulating a position of a sheet trailing edge which is an edge portion on an upstream side (rear side) in a sheet feeding direction of a sheet stack SA. Further, the storage 11 is provided with side edge regulating plates 14 and 16 for regulating positions of side edges, which are edge portions in a width direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction of the stacked sheet S. Further, the image forming apparatus main body (not shown) is provided with slide rails 15 for drawing the storage 11.
A suction conveyer belt 21 sucks and feeds the uppermost sheet of the floating sheets, and a suction fan 36 creates a negative pressure for allowing the sheet S to suck onto the suction conveyer belt 21. An air blowing portion 30 blows air on a sheet leading edge, which is an edge portion on a downstream side (i.e., front side) in the sheet feeding direction of the sheet stack SA. The air blowing portion 30 includes a separation fan 31, a separation duct 32, a loosening nozzle 33, and a separation nozzle 34.
Here, the trailing edge regulating plate 13 can move in a direction indicated by an arrow R and the side edge regulating plates 14 and 16 can move in a direction indicated by the arrows Q shown in FIG. 7 according to a size of a sheet stacked on the sheet tray 12. In FIG. 7, a chain double-dashed line indicates a position of a sheet SL of a maximum size and a long dashed dotted line indicates a position of a sheet SS of a minimum size when the sheet SL and the sheet SS are stacked on the sheet tray 12, respectively.
Note that, the side edge regulating plates 14 and 16 need to retain sheets ranging from the sheet SS of the minimum size to the sheet SL of the maximum size in a stable manner, so the side edge regulating plates 14 and 16 are provided in a state where the plates are divided into a plurality of pieces in the sheet feeding direction. The sheet tray 12 is partially cut away in portions in which the side edge regulating plates 14 and 16 move to thereby the sheet tray 12 assumes a shape of a hatched region of FIG. 7.
Here, in the sheet feeding apparatus having the above-mentioned structure, in a case where a user draws out the storage 11 from the image forming apparatus main body to set the sheet S therein and then stores the storage 11, the sheet tray 12 moves up in a direction indicated by the arrow A shown in FIG. 8 by drive means (not shown). The sheet tray 12 stops and waits at a position, where a distance between an upper surface of the sheet stack SA and a suction surface of the suction conveyer belt 21 corresponds to a dimension B, while being ready for a sheet feeding signal.
Next, when the feeding signal is input, the separation fan 31 operates to suck air in a direction indicated by the arrows C of FIG. 9. The air sucked by the separation fan 31 passes through the separation duct 32 and is blown from the loosening nozzle 33 and the separation nozzle 34 in directions indicated by the arrows D and E, respectively, toward a leading edge portion of the sheet stack SA. The air blown from the loosening nozzle 33 allows several sheets Sa on an upper portion of the sheet stack SA to float, and the air blown from the separation nozzle 34 separates a sheet next to an uppermost sheet Sb from the sheet Sb adhering onto the suction conveyer belt 21. Meanwhile, the suction fan 36 operates to discharge the air from a suction duct 38 in a direction indicated by the arrows F of FIG. 9. At this time, a suction shutter 37 provided in the suction duct 38 is closed.
Note that, the side edge regulating plates 14 and 16 are provided with auxiliary separation fans 17 and 18, respectively. The auxiliary separation fans 17 and 18 blow air on a side edge portion of the sheet stack SA from openings 14A and 16A, respectively. The auxiliary separation fans 17 and 18 are thus provided, thereby allowing the several upper sheets Sa to reliably float. Examples of a document describing such the structure include Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-182873.
Next, when the several upper sheets Sa stably float after a predetermined period of time has passed since the feeding signal is input, the suction shutter 37 is rotated in a direction indicated by the arrows G of FIG. 10. As a result, a suction force is generated by the suction fan 36 in a direction indicated by the arrows H from suction holes (not shown) formed in the suction conveyer belt 21, thereby allowing the uppermost sheet Sb of the several upper sheets Sa, which are allowed to float, to be sucked by the suction conveyer belt 21.
By rotating belt drive rollers 41 in a direction indicated by the arrows J of FIG. 11, the sheet Sb being sucked by the suction conveyer belt 21 is fed in a direction indicated by the arrow K. After that, the sheet Sb is sent to a conveying path by a drawing roller pair 42 including rollers rotating in directions indicated by the arrows M and P, respectively.
In the conventional sheet feeding apparatus having a structure in which sheets can be fed in a separated state by blowing air on the sheet stack SA, in a case of using a sheet which has a low strength and is long in the sheet feeding direction, as shown in FIG. 12, a portion is generated in which the several upper sheets Sa are not allowed to float.
As shown in FIG. 12, in a region where the sheets are brought into contact with one of the side edge regulating plates 14 on the side of the air blowing portion 30 of the sheet stack SA, owing to a floating force generated by air from the air blowing portion 30 and air from the auxiliary separation fan 17, the sheets in the sheet stack SA is equally loosened.
However, in a portion between the region where the sheets are allowed to float by the auxiliary separation fan 17 and a region where the sheets are allowed to float by the auxiliary separation fan 18, there is generated a region 35B of FIG. 12 in which no sheet S is allowed to float at all. Further, on the trailing edge side of the region in which the sheet is allowed to float by the auxiliary separation fan 18, there is generated a region 35C of FIG. 12 where no sheet S is allowed to float at all.
Still further, as shown in FIG. 12, a difference shown as a dimension C is generated in a portion between a height to which the uppermost sheet is allowed to float in the region where the side edge regulating plate 14 on the right side in FIG. 12 comes into contact with the sheets and a height to which the uppermost sheet is allowed to float in the region where the side edge regulating plate 16 on the left side in FIG. 12 comes into contact with the sheets. This is because while in the region where the side edge regulating plate 14 on the right side comes into contact with the sheets, both the air blowing portion 30 and the auxiliary separation fan 17 impart the floating force to the sheets, in the region where the side edge regulating plate 16 on the left side comes into contact with the sheets, only auxiliary separation fan 18 imparts the floating force. In this case, the region where no sheet S is allowed to float is a region where the sheets adhere to each other. If such the region exists, in feeding the sheets by the suction conveyer belt 21, it is impossible to prevent generation of a double feed due to the adhesion of the sheets.
FIG. 13 is a top view showing flows of air at this time. In FIG. 13, a hatched portion indicates an example of a portion where adhesion of the sheets is not eliminated. That is, the hatched portion corresponds to a portion where the sheets are adhered to each other. Further, in FIG. 13, portions indicated by circles are portions where air leaks laterally to outside. When air leaks laterally to the outside as shown in FIG. 13, air to be blown passes the sheets without allowing the sheets to float, so the sheets cannot be sufficiently loosened.
In particular, when the sheet S is a so-called coated paper having a surface coated with a coating material, which is used for printing in many cases, it is not uncommon that a suction force increases 10 N or more owing to temperature or humidity of the use environment. Thus, when using such the sheet, in the case where the sheets cannot be sufficiently loosened by blowing air, there arise not only a problem in that the sheets are adhered to each other to be double fed, but also sometimes a problem in that ten or more sheets are fed together, thereby causing a jam.

Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus


The present disclosure relates to a method of generating a surround view of a vehicle platoon and a device thereof. A surround view generating device for a vehicle in the vehicle platoon acquires a local surround view of the vehicle and at least one of a truncated local surround view associated with one or more preceding vehicles and a truncated local surround view associated with one or more following vehicles in the vehicle platoon. Further, the surround view generation device generates a surround view of the vehicle platoon using the local surround view of the vehicle, the truncated local surround view associated with the one or more preceding vehicles, and the truncated local surround view associated with the one or more following vehicles. Finally, the surround view generating device navigates the vehicle in the vehicle platoon based on the surround view of the vehicle platoon.

Vehicle platooning is a technique which allows two or more vehicles travelling along in a highway to run together in form of a road-train by maintaining a steady speed for long distances. A main idea behind the vehicle platooning is to increase road capacity by having one vehicle following another vehicle with minimum inter-vehicular distance so as to avoid air drag and increase fuel efficiency. This is more advantageous in case of autonomous vehicles which can communicate with other vehicles using vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. However, it is also important for the vehicles participating in the vehicle platooning to maintain the minimum inter-vehicular distance between two vehicles keeping in account type of vehicle and speed to run smoothly and safely.
The vehicle platooning involves cooperation and planning between companies and fleet owners to enable the vehicles to communicate with each other while booking, joining and leaving a vehicle platoon. Vehicle platooning includes further consideration of safety parameters, specific to road, weather, traffic and vehicle conditions. In most of the cases the vehicle platoon is managed by a cloud-based network operations centre that continuously connects with the vehicles through cellular and wireless networks.
In the vehicle platoon, a lead vehicle navigates other non-lead vehicles travelling behind it. Since the non-lead vehicle cannot have a view in front of a preceding vehicle, the lead vehicle takes decisions for the vehicle platoon. The lead vehicle transmits steering directions and braking signals to the non-lead vehicles. Thus, the non-lead vehicles are not capable of taking independent decisions in emergency situations, for instance sudden obstructions. For example, if a vehicle in front of the vehicle platoon is taking a turn and the lead vehicle does not have time to stop or to give proper directions to the non-lead vehicles in the vehicle platoon, this can cause a collision in the vehicle platoon. Also, there are multiple blind-spots for the lead vehicle which need to be addressed to avoid accidents.

Method of generating a surround view of a vehicle platoon and a device thereof


The present invention relates to curing of polymers, particularly to self curing of polymers. The present invention provides a process for curing of copolymers of isoolefins and olefinic monomers. The process includes the step of reacting the copolymer with an azidation reagent to form an azidated copolymer and then heating the azidated copolymer at a suitable temperature to cure the polymer.

Butyl rubber and related polymers are generally derived from at least one isoolefin monomer and at least one copolymerizable monomer. Commercial butyl rubbers comprise a major portion of isoolefin and a minor amount of a conjugated multiolefin. One example of butyl rubber is poly(isobutylene-co-isoprene), or IIR, which has been prepared since the 1940's through random cationic copolymerization of isobutylene with small amounts of isoprene. The backbone structure of IIR, which is mostly comprised of polyisobutylene segments, imparts superior air impermeability, oxidative stability and excellent fatigue resistance to this material (see, for example, Chu, C. Y. and Vukov, R., Macromolecules, 18, 1423-1430, 1985).
In the production of articles made of rubber, curatives are used to toughen or harden the rubber. To achieve an appropriate mechanical property, curatives, often in the form of small molecules, metal oxides, or metal ions, are added to uncured rubbers (this process is also known as compounding) followed by compression molding at an elevated temperature. During the compression molding process, the curatives react to form crosslinks between the polymer chains of the rubber leading to a cured rubber article with meaningful mechanical properties. Such properties include good tensile strength combined with a high elongation and an appropriate compression set.
Conventional cure systems include a sulfur cure, a zinc oxide cure and a peroxide cure. In all three systems the curatives, or byproducts thereof, remain in the cured rubber article. The curatives, or byproducts thereof, could potentially leach out of the article and contaminate the user or the surroundings of the cured rubber article. For example, sulfur-cured rubber articles contain organic or inorganic sulfides and peroxide-cured rubber articles contain alcohols or ketones (and potentially unreacted coagents) that pose the risk of leaching and contaminating the adjacent media. This risk is particularly relevant to the variety of pharmaceutical and consumer goods applications of cured rubber articles (i.e. the sterile solution next to a pharmaceutical stopper or the stopper part of a syringe; the baby food next to the sealing ring of a jar lid).
Accordingly, there remains a need for a "clean" process for curing butyl rubber which reduces or eliminates the use of curatives in curing systems thereby reducing the potential for contaminant leaching.


A method for quantitative evaluation of an image and/or of an image sequence of tissue or tissue samples for the presence of pathological changes using a database in which there are stored pattern image data and/or pattern image data sequences of tissue patterns that have been identified as predominantly or definitely benign or malignant, and for each sample a weighting factor is stored which indicates whether the pattern occurs predominantly in benign or in malignant tissue changes; it is then analyzed whether any of the pattern images stored in the database are present, within predetermined tolerances, in the image and/or in the sequence of images; based on the sum of the weighting factors of the patterns present, an evaluation factor is formed and made available for further use or output.

In medicine, there is currently a multiplicity of different methods of examining tissue for the presence of benign or malignant changes, without having to remove tissue itself in connection with a biopsy that is often very unpleasant for a patient. One of the most frequently employed methods consists in recording and analyzing X-ray images, which usually requires the patient to be injected with a contrast medium. Although X-ray analysis is one of the safest methods, it does expose the patient to a high radiation dose, which may itself, under certain conditions, produce lesions in the tissue by ionization. Therefore, it has been attempted to keep the radiation exposure to a minimum. For example, the dosage of approximately 0.7 Millisievert used in classic mammography is relatively low.
Not least due to the fact that X-rays burden the human organism, other methods of examination have also been developed further over the last few decades, in addition to classic X-ray analysis, such as, for example, ultrasonic analysis, computer tomography, magnetic resonance examinations as well as, based upon the latter, the so-called Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which used to be referred to also as Magnetic Resonance Tomography (MRT) or Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). MRI, in particular, has been continuously developed further over the past few years and has proven to be a method excellently suited to represent living organisms. In medicine, MRI is preferably used to image pathological or other physiological changes in tissue.
The analysis of the images—be they X-ray images or MR images—is then usually the responsibility of the physicians in charge. Whether a benign or malignant tissue change is present is assessed by the presence or absence, respectively, of various kinetic or morphological signs or patterns, respectively. In a broader sense, clinical data—such as, for example, serological findings or fever values—can be additionally taken into consideration. Thus, the evaluation of the images and data is strongly dependent on the experience of the physician or physicians. To aggravate the situation, many of the signs or tissue patterns appear in variations, being more pronounced in some patients and less pronounced in others, sometimes not being present at all. This has lead to misdiagnoses time and time again, in particular when analyzing images obtained by the not yet generally established MRI method of examination. For example, in mammography approximately ten to twenty percent of malignant tissue changes are not identified as such. On the other hand, benign tumors are sometimes also mistaken for malignant ones, in the worst case resulting in unjustified removal of a breast in such patients.
Since breast cancer is the second-most frequent cancer-related cause of death in women, there is an ongoing search for ways to avoid such errors as far as possible and/or to reduce the risk of misdiagnoses. In this context, computer aided diagnosis (CAD) plays an important role. Digitized X-ray images, MR images, etc. of tissue are analyzed by image-processing algorithms as to whether certain features, i.e. patterns of signs, can be recognized in the image. If the image-processing software recognizes such features, it will mark them, for example, by highlighting them graphically, thus pointing out these specific regions in the image to the physician looking at the image. It is also the sole responsibility of the physician to decide how the sites found by the image-processing program will be evaluated. Thus, the risk of wrong decisions is not excluded here either, but merely somewhat reduced. Programs capable of learning—such as neuronal networks, for example—are used in an attempt to further reduce these sources of error. In addition, increasingly large databases, such as those of the European MammoGrid project, are being generated so that an ever-increasing set of data is available for CAD. However, the disadvantage still remains that, in the end, a subjective evaluation by the physician decides how the conspicuous phenomena observed by himself and those detected by the program are to be evaluated and whether further steps, such as a biopsy or an operation, are necessary.

Method and device for evaluation of an image and/or of a time sequence of images of tissue or tissue samples


A power generating apparatus has a frame, an engine disposed inwardly of the frame and configured to drive a generator, a fuel tank for storing fuel to be supplied to the engine, and a canister containing an adsorbent for adsorbing fuel vapor from the fuel tank. The canister includes a communicating tube, which places the canister in communication with the atmosphere. The canister is also in communication with an intake system. The canister is movably positioned in a space S between the frame and the intake system so as to prevent an increase in the size of the power generating apparatus when the canister is added to the power generating apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power generating apparatus and more particularly to an arrangement of a canister containing an adsorbent for adsorbing thereonto fuel that evaporates from an engine fuel tank of the power generating apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional power generating device having a canister containing the evaporative fuel adsorbent is described in Japanese Publication No. JP-7-34985. The device described in JP 7-34985 includes an engine, a fuel tank for storing fuel to be supplied to the engine, and a canister containing an adsorbent for adsorbing thereonto fuel that evaporates from the fuel tank. The canister includes a communicating tube, which places the canister in communication with the atmosphere. The canister is also in communication with an intake system of the engine.
The engine is driven by fuel supplied from the fuel tank and outputs a motive force of a predetermined magnitude. During the course of this operation, as described above, the adsorbent and the canister containing the adsorbent therein generally work as follows. Evaporative fuel (e.g., fuel vapor) is roughly constantly produced in the fuel tank. During a period in which the engine is stopped or in a low-speed range of operation (e.g., idling), most of the evaporative fuel is adsorbed by the adsorbent, thereby inhibiting release of the evaporative fuel into the atmosphere.
When the engine is in a medium-speed or high-speed range of operation, a negative pressure builds up inside the intake system of the engine. The negative pressure causes atmospheric air to be sucked into the canister through the communicating tube of the canister. The evaporative fuel that is evaporated from the fuel tank and is flowing toward the canister is sucked with the air, which is sucked into the canister through the communicating tube, into the intake system and supplied to the engine, where it is subjected to combustion. The evaporative fuel that has been adsorbed onto the adsorbent is purged from the adsorbent by the air sucked through the communicating tube into the canister, and subjected to combustion as described above.
The power generating apparatus has a frame and the engine is provided inside the frame to drive the generator. However, some power generating apparatuses do not include the adsorbent and a canister containing the adsorbent therein. When the canister containing the adsorbent therein is simply added to such a power generating apparatus, the power generating apparatus can be increased in size, which is undesirable, in particular, for a portable power generating apparatus.
To prevent the power generating apparatus from being increased in size, for example, positioning the canister adjacent to the air cleaner included in the intake system of the engine to thereby attain a compact arrangement is conceivable. However, such an arrangement can cause inconvenience in that the canister obstructs maintenance of an element or the like in the air cleaner.

Canister arrangement in power generating apparatus

Yamaha Motor Power Products Kabushiki Kaisha