A liquid crystal panel of the present invention includes in the following order toward a viewer side: a first polarizer; a first optical compensation layer having a refractive index ellipsoid of nx>ny>nz and an in-plane retardation Re1 of 90 to 300 nm; a liquid crystal cell; a second optical compensation layer having a refractive index ellipsoid of nx>ny>nz and an in-plane retardation Re2 of 90 to 300 nm; and a second polarizer, wherein a total thickness direction retardation ΣRth1 to n of all the optical compensation layers and a thickness direction retardation Rthc of the liquid crystal cell satisfy the following Expression (1):−160 nm<(ΣRth1 to n−Rthc)<50 nm  (1).

As a liquid crystal display apparatus of a VA mode, a semi-transmission reflection-type liquid crystal display apparatus has been proposed in addition to a transmission-type liquid crystal display apparatus and a reflection-type liquid crystal display apparatus (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). The semi-transmission reflection-type liquid crystal display apparatus enables a display to be recognized visually by using ambient light in a light place in the same way as in the reflection-type liquid crystal display apparatus, and using an internal light source such as a backlight in a dark place. In other words, the semi-transmission reflection-type liquid crystal display apparatus employs a display system that has both a reflection-type system and a transmission-type system, and switches a display mode between a reflection mode and a transmission mode depending upon the ambient brightness. As a result, the semi-transmission reflection-type liquid crystal display apparatus can perform a clear display even in a dark place with the reduction of the power consumption. Therefore, the semi-transmission reflection-type liquid crystal display apparatus may be used preferably for a display part of mobile equipment.
A specific example of such a semi-transmission reflection-type liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal display apparatus that includes a reflective film, which is obtained by forming a window portion for transmitting light on a film made of metal such as aluminum, on an inner side of a lower substrate, and allows the reflective film to function as a semi-transmission reflection plate. In the liquid crystal display apparatus described above, in the case of the reflection mode, ambient light entered from an upper substrate side passes through a liquid crystal layer, is reflected by the reflective film on the inner side of the lower substrate, passes through the liquid crystal layer again, and outgoes from an upper substrate side, thereby contributing to a display. On the other hand, in the case of transmission mode, light which is emitted from the backlight and entered from the lower substrate side passes through the window portion of the reflective film and the liquid crystal layer, and outgoes from the upper substrate side, thereby contributing to a display. Thus, in a region where the reflective film is formed, a region in which the window portion is formed functions as a transmission display region, and the other region functions as a reflection display region.
However, in the conventional liquid crystal display apparatus of a VA mode (in particular, reflection-type or semi-transmission reflection-type liquid crystal display apparatus), there is a problem in that light leakage occurs in a black display to cause degradation of a contrast, which has not been overcome for a long time.    Patent Document 1: JP 11-242226 A    Patent Document 2: JP 2001-209065 A

Liquid crystal panel and liquid crystal display apparatus using the same


A thin-film magnetic head that the protrusion of the head end surface due to heat generated from the heating means becomes large enough to set the magnetic spacing dMS to the smaller value efficiently is provided. The head comprises: a substrate having an element-formed surface on which at least one concave portion is formed and an ABS; at least one magnetic head element formed above or on the element-formed surface; at least one thermal expansion layer embedded in the at least one concave portion; and at least one heating means positioned directly above the at least one thermal expansion layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin-film magnetic head with a heating means, a head gimbal assembly (HGA) with the thin-film magnetic head and a magnetic disk drive apparatus with the HGA.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a magnetic disk drive apparatus, when writing or reading signals, a thin-film magnetic head (slider) hydrodynamically flies with a predetermined spacing (flying height) on a rotating magnetic disk. While flying on the magnetic disk, the thin-film magnetic head writes signals to the magnetic disk using magnetic fields generated from an inductive write head element, and reads signals by sensing magnetic fields corresponding to the signals from the magnetic disk with the use of an magnetoresistive (MR) effect read head element. On these cases, a magnetic spacing dMS is defined as an effective magnetic distance between ends of these head elements and the surface of the magnetic disk.
With higher recording density due to increasing data storage capacity and miniaturization of the magnetic disk drive apparatus in recent years, a track width of the thin-film magnetic head is becoming smaller. In order to avoid the degradation of writing and reading performance due to the smaller track width, latest magnetic disk drive apparatuses actually have the magnetic spacing dMS reduced down to the order of 10 nm. In the case, some techniques are proposed, which control the smaller dMS with some accuracy by positively utilizing a thermal pole tip protrusion (TPTP) phenomenon with the use of a heater provided near or inside the magnetic head element, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,113, US Patent Publications Nos. 2003/0174430 A1 and 2003/0099054 A1, and Japanese Patent Publication No. 05-020635A.
However, in the thin-film magnetic head with the above-mentioned heater, the amount of protrusion of a trailing portion of an overcoat layer covering the head elements toward the magnetic disk surface due to heat generated from the heater, becomes larger than that of the head end surface adjacent to the end of the head elements. In addition, an air bearing surface (ABS) of the slider is usually inclined so that the trailing portion is closer to the magnetic disk surface. Therefore, the difference between the amounts of these protrusions is likely to cause the protruded trailing portion to contact the magnetic disk surface. As the result, a thermal asperity that is a problem such that the MR read head element outputs abnormal signals due to heat generated by the contact has possibilities to occur. Further, the contact has a risk of causing physical damage or crash of the magnetic head element and the magnetic disk. Moreover, because of the existence of the protruded trailing portion, the head end surface adjacent to the end of the magnetic head element needs to be separated from the magnetic disk surface by a required amount, and therefore, the magnetic spacing dMS can not be efficiently set to an adequately small value.
Furthermore, the thin-film magnetic head with the above-mentioned conventional heater can not adapt to lower electric power consumption of the device mounting the magnetic disk drive apparatus.
Currently, some mobile devices such as a mobile phone are encouraged to mount the magnetic disk drive apparatus because the devices need to deal with large volumes of video data, music data and so on. However, the electric power consumption of the devices must be reduced inevitably, and then, the power supply of the preamplifier for driving the mounted magnetic disk drive apparatus is limited more than ever. Therefore, in the thin-film magnetic head with the above-mentioned conventional heater, the power required for reducing the magnetic spacing dMS to the predetermined value can not be surely supplied to the heater. As the result, the head end surface adjacent to the end of the magnetic head element is not protruded to the required extent, and therefore, sufficient writing and reading performances can not be obtained.

Thin-film magnetic head with heating means for adjusting magnetic spacing


An internal combustion engine coolant extractor/injector with coupling comprises a tank assembly, an air pressure control assembly and a hose assembly. The air pressure control assembly creates a vacuum in the tank assembly by using the venturi effect. The air pressure control assembly does this by connecting to a compressed air hose. The air from the air hose flows through a venturi chamber creating a vacuum. The vacuum forces air out of the tank, creating a vacuum in the tank. The vacuum is maintained in the tank by means of a valve.. A transfer hose is also connected to the tank. The transfer hose is inserted into an automobile radiator; in the alternative, the transfer hose is connected to an automobile radiator by means of a coupling. The valve is then opened. The vacuum in the tank pulls coolant out of the radiator through the transfer hose and into the tank.. Coolant is injected or reinjected into the radiator by increasing the air pressure inside of the tank. A Schraeder valve on the tank is connected to a compressed air hose. Air flows into the tank through the Schraeder valve until the inside of the tank reaches the necessary air pressure. When the desired air pressure level is reached, as determined by an air pressure gauge connected to the tank, the compressed air hose is removed from the Schraeder valve which maintains this pressure. The open end of the transfer hose is then inserted into an automobile radiator or connected to it by means of the coupling, and the valve is opened. The increased pressure inside of the tank forces coolant out of the tank, through the transfer hose, and into the radiator.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for removing a fluid from or injecting a fluid into a container, and more particularly to a new method and apparatus for removing coolant from and installing coolant into an internal combustion engine.
II. Prior Art and Other Considerations
Over-heating is a major cause of vehicle breakdowns on highways. Engine cooling systems must operate efficiently to avoid costly repairs that result from excessive temperature. Cooling systems contaminated by rust, scale build-up and sludge cannot provide adequate heat transfer and cooling system efficiency; in addition, thermostats fail to open, hoses deteriorate, impellers bind or break-off and engine blocks can become distorted or cracked.
An effective cooling system is not only important for engine performance and life, but in many automobiles the transmission fluid is also cooled by circulation through the radiator. Further, the abrasive nature of the suspended corrosive materials increases the wear on water pump, hoses, thermostat, and heater core. And malfunction of cooling system components is a frequent cause of highway breakdowns.
To prevent the accumulation of deposits it is known to drain and flush the water circulation system from time to time. Flushing generally takes place by opening the system at a low point to allow drainage of water through the engine block or heater, and the pressure of the flushing water is low. Flushing agents which tend to remove deposits from the walls of the passages making up the system are sometimes used to enhance the effectiveness of flushing.
A further complication is the presence of the customary thermostat in one of the conduits connecting the engine to the radiator. At the temperature of water for flushing supplied from the mains, the thermostat will normally be closed and will impede effective flushing. Removal of the thermostat may assist flushing, but substantially increases the laboriousness of the flushing operation.
Accordingly, there for, the vehicle maker's recommendation that the old coolant be flushed out and replaced with fresh coolant every two years, should be followed. However, most (about 78%) of the antifreeze sold every year is sold to do-it-yourselfers. And, only 30% of these buyers change their antifreeze regularly, instead of just adding more when needed. Moreover, it is likely that many within this 30% who change their antifreeze are, in fact, only removing the old coolant and corrosion materials from the radiator, and not from the whole system.
There is a need for efficient engine cooling system flushing methods and apparatus; however, flushing of such systems in the past required draining of the removed liquid to sewer or waste lines, which was environmentally objectionable.
Thus need has developed for apparatus and method to clean engine coolant systems without such drainage. No way was known for accomplishing this objective in the usually advantageous manner as is now provided by this Invention.
There are presently three general approaches an individual vehicle owner may follow to drain and flush old coolant and corrosion from the entire cooling system--not just the radiator. All have their drawbacks.
Consider first the continuous flushing technique utilized by some professional equipment and some kits sold for do-it-yourself use. With this technique, a sealed connection must be made by installing a garden hose-coupled inlet tee ("T") in the cooling system. This is accomplished by cutting into a heater hose and installing the inlet "T" between the severed hose ends. With the radiator drain cock open, the radiator cap off, and the engine running to keep the thermostat open, water is continuously admitted through the inlet "T" and circulated by the water pump, displacing old coolant which discharges through the radiator drain and the radiator cap neck. After a sufficient period of time, drainage clarity indicates that old coolant and corrosion have been displaced by clean water.
For someone who is not an automotive service technician, utilizing this continuous flushing approach is complicated and generates a large volume of waste liquid.
A second method which may be used involves opening up the cooling system at multiple points. With this approach the thermostat, heater hose and the lower engine-to-radiator hose are removed, and the drain cocks on the engine and the radiator are opened. It is then possible to flush water through the various parts of the system without the need to install a permanent inlet "T" or run the engine to keep the thermostat open. However, there are also problems of complexity and waste liquid.
The third method of draining and flushing the entire cooling system involves repeatedly draining the radiator, refilling it with water, and running the engine at normal operating temperature. This causes the thermostat to open and permits the coolant previously trapped in the engine, heater and hoses to mix with the clean water added to the radiator. Because in a typical cooling system the water pump has the capacity to turn over many times the total system capacity every minute, and the thermostat, when open, will likewise permit many times the system capacity to circulate to the radiator each minute, the fresh water is quickly and thoroughly mixed with the remaining used coolant.
By repeating the sequence of steps, the amount of old coolant and corrosion remaining in the system can be reduced by approximately one-half each time the radiator is emptied. Thus, the first time the radiator is emptied, approximately one-half of the used coolant in the system is removed. After running the engine to mix the remaining used coolant with the fresh water, draining of the radiator reduces the remaining used coolant to one-quarter of that initially contained in the cooling system. The third repetition reduces it to one-eighth; the fourth to one-sixteenth, etc.
In this way, the operator can flush a high percentage of the total old coolant and corrosion from the entire cooling system (not just the radiator) without the need to open drain cocks or hose connections on the engine. While mechanically simpler, however, this method requires a great deal of time.
Prior art devices are designed to remove fluids for disposal or to treat the fluids and then return the fluids back into the system at the time the equipment is attached. These inventions do not have the capability of removing, containing, storing and reinstalling the fluids at a later time without the necessity of special adaption or modification to the cooling system.
While there are clearly good reasons to flush out and recharge cooling systems in accordance with the vehicle maker's recommendations, many car owners do not do so because of the attendant difficulty of the task. Therefore, there are a great number of vehicles that are not serviced properly and regularly resulting in: (1) poorer performance and more frequent maintenance; (2) shortened engine life; and (3) more frequent operating failures. Such costs could be reduced by providing an efficient way of properly flushing the cooling systems and recharge it with fresh antifreeze.

Method and apparatus for internal combustion engine coolant extractor/injector with coupling


A method for responding to a fire-critical battery state in a motor vehicle having at least one battery, and a motor vehicle designed to carry out such a method. A battery temperature of the at least one battery of the motor vehicle is continuously detected by at least one temperature sensor. The method includes the following steps: Continuous detection of a temperature change in the battery based on the continuously detected battery temperature; verifying whether the detected temperature change exceeds a specified threshold defining a fire-critical battery state; and activating at least one vehicle function in order to perform a protective and/or warning measure by a control unit, if the fire-critical battery state is reached.

A relevant current research objective is to develop electrically powered vehicles, such that they are at least as safe as conventionally powered vehicles. However, in conventional electrically powered vehicles, there is a certain risk of vehicle fire due to damage to the battery, which is designed to operate the electrically powered vehicles. The rate of fire propagation in such a vehicle fire, e.g., due to a traction battery based on lithium-ion technology catching fire, may in certain circumstances be greater than with battery fires in conventionally powered vehicles.
Today's safety concepts for electrically powered vehicles are mainly focused on ways to avoid a fire, or on relatively simple warning functions.
DE 20 2017 103 777 U1 describes a monitoring and warning device for drive battery failures, with which individual battery cells connected in series and in parallel in a traction battery pack can be monitored for thermal failures. This takes into account, among other things, that if a battery cell of a battery module is disturbed during operation, the surface battery temperature cell changes, thereby causing a sharp increase in the electrical resistance in the battery and its temperature. Such a temperature increase is determined by means of an increased potential difference at the corners of a Wheatstone bridge forming part of the monitoring and warning device. The monitoring and warning device include a temperature sensor that directly monitors the surface temperature of the individual battery cells of the battery module.
DE 601 18 293 T2 describes a device and a method for monitoring the electrical energy in a motor vehicle. A battery temperature sensor and a battery temperature detection circuit are used, among other things, to detect the battery temperature and taking it into account, when calculating the available battery power. Based on the calculated available battery power, the warning value is eventually modified in order to keep the battery from overcharging.
DE 10 2016 119 144 A1 describes an electrical system for a motor vehicle. This electrical system includes, among other things, several vehicle batteries and a temperature sensor for detecting a battery temperature. Permissible operating times and/or permissible minimum voltages of the battery can be determined at least partially on the basis of the detected temperature.

Method for responding to a fire-critical battery state in a vehicle, and a vehicle designed to carry out such a method


A playing musical data processor is provided with a specified punch-in/punch-out timing storage device and punch-in record device. During the period between the punch-in timing and the punch-out timing, the previously recorded musical playing data in that period is replaced with the musical playing data of the music played in real time. Also, the same recording operation can be done again as many times as desired. Also, the playing musical data processor is provided with a specified phrase timing storage device for storing timing data by clock number so as to more easily specify timing in music. During the period between the specified phrase timing and next phrase timing, the playing musical data in that period is reproduced repeatedly even if the phrase timings coincide with the timing of a bar end. Also the playing musical data processor is provided with a tempo data record device for recording tempo data in the midst of a musical time as a rate of change from an initial tempo value of the music.

1. (Field of the Invention)
The present invention relates to a musical playing data processor for recording and reproducing musical playing data for electronic musical instruments or the like, and more particularly to improvements of punch in recording functions.
2. (Description of the Prior Art)
A sequencer, which is a form of musical playing data recording and reproducing apparatus, is currently in practical use. The sequencer is capable of recording musical playing data in real time as it is actually played on an electronic musical instrument or the like and also reproducing recorded musical playing data on an electronic musical instrument or the like. In actually played music, errors and/or portions that the player finds unsatisfactory could occur, requiring corrections of such errors and/or portions. In such a case, rerecording the whole music over again not only takes a lot of time and effort of playing but might cause errors in other portions. In view of such difficulty, there has also been proposed a sequencer having a so-called punch-in recording function which replaces newly inputted musical playing data with previously recorded musical playing data in a specific period whereby only portions containing errors or found unsatisfactory in already recorded music can be replaced with new musical playing data.
However, the prior art sequencer has had the shortcoming that since the specified punch-in timing which represents a start of the specific period and punch-out timing which represents an end of the specific period are reset once the punch-in recording is done, the timing must be specified over again if the punch-in recording failed at the first attempt.
Also, when playing back recorded musical playing data, there is sometimes a need to play back only a desired portion, particularly, a need to play back the desired port ion repeatedly. In view of such needs, there has previously been proposed a sequencer (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,797) capable of specifying a particular section and playing back the specified section repeatedly.
However, in the above sequencer, it has not been. possible, during the playback of musical playing data, to specify a section to be played back repeatedly, and also, such a section has had to be specified by its bar number or the address at which data for that section is recorded. Therefore, the above sequencer has had the shortcoming that the bar or other number for the section to be repeated has to be checked up on the music. Also, since the sections can only be specified in blocks of bars, the above sequencer has had another shortcoming that when playing back syncopated music, the melody cannot be repeated as originally recorded.
Also, the sequencer can record musical playing data exactly as generated in actually played music, and for example, can record the change of tempo, etc. exactly as originally played. Therefore, when the recorded musical playing data is played back, the same music as originally played can be reproduced. This means that tempo data recorded not only at the start of the music but also in the middle of the music. In prior art, the sequencer has been designed so that tempo values, whether at the start or in the middle of music, are recorded directly as data (such as disclosed in Japan Patent Laid Open sho No. 63-193194, etc.).
However, since the tempo has to be coordinated throughout the music, when the tempo of the music speeds up or slows down, the tempo has increase or decrease throughout the whole music. In such a case, with the above prior art sequencer, all tempo data for the music have to be rewritten, which not only is extremely time and labor consuming but also involves troublesome work to calculate the amount of increase or decrease.
One possible solution to the above problem has been a method whereby a value is stored which indicates the degree of change from the current tempo to a new tempo. However, this method has had the shortcoming that when playing back music after skipping a prescribed amount of musical playing data by fast forward or other means, the tempo setting would be rendered totally improper if the prescribed amount of data contained tempo data which had not been read out because of the skipping of that amount of data.


An electrochemical cell system is configured to utilize an ionically conductive liquid flowing through a plurality of electrochemical cells. One or more hydrophilic filters for venting of gas from the cells are provided along a flow path for the ionically conductive liquid, so as to permit gasses that evolve in the ionically conductive liquid during charging or discharging to vent outside the cell system, while constraining the ionically conductive liquid within the flow path of the electrochemical cell system.

Many types of electrochemical cells utilize a liquid ionically conductive medium to support electrochemical reactions within the cell. For example, a metal-air electrochemical cell system may comprise one or more cells, each having a fuel electrode serving as an anode at which metal fuel is oxidized, and an air breathing oxidant electrode at which oxygen from ambient air is reduced. The liquid ionically conductive medium in such cells may communicate the oxidized/reduced ions between the electrodes.
In some electrochemical cell systems, various gasses may evolve during the charging and/or discharging of the cell. Such gasses may be harmful to the cell, and may damage or impede performance of the cell. For example, in some cases the cell may be harmed due to the evolved gasses increasing pressure within a confined area in the cell. In some cases, the cell (and potentially its surroundings) may be harmed due to the evolution of a potentially volatile gas or combination of gasses. As such, some electrochemical cells are configured to disperse such gasses by including vents therein, so that gasses may escape into the ambient environment. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/566,948, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, discloses a membrane gas vent configured to disperse gases out of an electrochemical cell. Other electrochemical cells may be configured with pressure relief valves, which are typically closed, however open when the pressure within the cell exceeds a threshold amount.
Among other improvements, the present application also endeavors to provide an effective and improved way of controlling the discharge of gasses within the cell without adversely affecting the flow of liquid electrolytes within the cell and/or the performance of the cell during operation.


This invention is directed to a system and method for tracing and monitoring feature usage in a document processing environment. More particularly, this invention is directed to a system and method for tracking and monitoring the use of features, services, or functions available to users on document processing devices. The usage information is provided to an administrator or other authorized user in a format that is easily readable and usable.

This invention is directed to a system and method for tracking feature usage in a document processing environment. More particularly, this invention is directed to a system and method for tracking and monitoring the use of features, services, or functions available to users on document processing devices.
Document processing devices, such as multifunctional peripheral devices, typically have a variety of functions or features offered to users. The functions include, but are not limited to, printing, scanning, faxing, finishing options, resolution options, security options, and notification options. There is currently not an efficient and effective mechanism to track the frequency that these features are used, in what document processing operations or environments the features are used, or by what types of users the features are used. Therefore, it is difficult to determine which features are being used and how such features are being used. As future features or enhancements to document process devices are contemplated, it would be beneficial to have such feature usage information. For example, those features which are most often used in one environment, would be included in document processing devices used in such environments, whereas those features not used in those environments would not be included. In addition, those features that are used most often would likely be the ones in which the most enhancements are considered or implemented.
It would be advantages to have a system and method which overcomes the aforementioned problems and provides a mechanism for tracking feature usage in a document processing environment.

System and method for tracking feature usage in a document processing environment


A communication link is used both as a primary communication link and as a subordinate link in a computer system. A first integrated circuit having a plurality of first functions and a second integrated circuit having a plurality of second functions, are connected via a first communication link. The first communication link includes a plurality of first logical pipes carrying transactions on the first communication link, each of the first logical pipes having a source end in one of the first and second integrated circuits and a target end in the other of the first and second integrated circuits. A second communication link is coupled to the first communication link and includes a plurality of second logical pipes carrying transactions on the second communication link, each of the second logical pipes has a source end and a target end. A target (or source) end of one of the first pipes is communicatively coupled on the second integrated circuit to a source (or target) end one of the second pipes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to computer systems and more particularly to a computer system having a high speed communication link having multiple pipes operating on the communication link.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditional personal computer architectures partition the computer system into the various blocks shown in the exemplary prior art system illustrated in FIG. 1. One central feature of this prior art architecture is the use of the Peripheral Component Interface (PCI) bus 101 as the connection between the xe2x80x9cnorth bridgexe2x80x9d integrated circuit 103 and the xe2x80x9csouth bridgexe2x80x9d integrated circuit 105. The north bridge functions generally as a switch connecting CPU 107, a graphics bus 109 such as the Advanced Graphics Port (AGP) bus, the PCI bus and main memory 111. The north bridge also contains the memory controller function.
The south bridge generally provides the interface to the input/output (I/O) portion of the system with the possible exception of video output as illustrated in FIG. 1. Specifically, the south bridge 105 provides a bridge between the PCI bus and legacy PC-AT (Advanced Technology) logic. The south bridge also provides a bridge to the legacy ISA bus 115, the Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) disk interface 117 and the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 119. In the illustrated prior art architecture, PCI bus 101 also functions as the major input/output bus for add-in functions such as network connection 121. The various busses and devices shown in FIG. 1 are conventional in the personal computer industry and are not described further herein unless necessary for an understanding of the present invention.
In current and future personal computer systems, two basic types of data are transferred between integrated circuits: isochronous data and asynchronous data.
Isochronous data refers to data used in real-time data streams such as audio data or motion-picture video data. Asynchronous data is used for all other transfers, such as central processing unit (CPU) accesses to memory and peripherals or bulk data transmissions from a hard drive into system memory.
The PCI bus causes a lack of determinism in the system because any function on the PCI bus can become master of the bus and tie up the bus. Thus, the throughput available on the PCI bus for a particular transfer and the latency that is involved for that transfer is unknown. PCI bus load fluctuations can result in uncertain and irregular quality of service. Therefore, having a PCI bus as the major input/output bus means that the major input/output bus of present day computer systems does not provide proper support for both isochronous and asynchronous data. If a computer system gives asynchronous data priority or treats isochronous data as asynchronous data, then those functions relying on real time data, such as motion-picture video, may not function satisfactorily. Alternatively, if a computer system prioritizes isochronous data, then the performance of the computer system can suffer since the latency of asynchronous data may become unacceptably long. As computer systems are called on to perform more and more real time activity, such as real time video, it becomes more critical that asynchronous and isochronous data be treated in a manner that prevents problems from occurring in the real time tasks without adversely effecting other aspects of computer performance.
In addition, as the number of functions integrated onto the integrated circuits of computer systems increases, the need for additional integrated circuit package pins also increases. Supporting the host bus, the memory interface, the PCI bus and a graphics interface results in a north bridge integrated circuit having a relatively large number of pins that is relatively unpopulated in terms of the number of transistors on the integrated circuit. The large number of pins requires the integrated circuit to be larger than would otherwise be necessary and therefore increases costs.
It would be desirable therefore, to have a deterministic high speed major interconnect bus providing improved quality of service for both isochronous and asynchronous traffic classes. It would also be desirable to reduce the pressure for additional pins on the integrated circuits making up the computer system.
Accordingly, a communication link is provided that can be used both as a primary communication link and can also be used as a subordinate link to connect to other integrated circuits and/or functions. In one embodiment of the invention, a computer system is provided that includes a first integrated circuit having a plurality of first functions, a second integrated circuit having a plurality of second functions, and a first communication link connecting the first and second integrated circuits. The communication link includes a plurality of first logical pipes carrying transactions on the first communication link, each of the first pipes having a source end in one of the first and second integrated circuits and a target end in the other of the first and second integrated circuits. A second communication link is coupled to the first communication link and includes a plurality of second logical pipes carrying transactions on the second communication link, each of the second logical pipes has a source end and a target end. A target (or source) end of one of the first pipes communicatively coupled on the second integrated circuit to a source (or target) end one of the second pipes.
In another embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for communicating over a first and second communication links in a computer system, the first and second communication links including respectively a first and second plurality of logical pipes carrying transactions in packets. Commands are issued from a source end of the first communication link. The command is transmitted in a command packet over the first communication link. The command packet includes a pipe identification identifying a source and target end of the pipe on which the transaction is being carried. The packet also includes an address field identifying a destination for the command. The information from the command packet is provided to a source end of the second communication link and the information is sent to a target end of the second communication link.

Subordinate bridge structure for a point-to-point computer interconnection bus


A gas sensor is equipped with a sensor element which detects a specific gas concentration within a gas that is being measured, a housing having the sensor element disposed in the interior thereof and retained therein, and an element cover disposed at an axial-direction tip end of the housing. The tip of the sensor element is provided with a gas introduction part. The element cover has an inner cover and an outer cover, with a space opened between the inner cover and outer cover. Inner side flow holes provided in the inner cover are disposed closer to an axial-direction base end than is a tapered-diameter step part. The distance between the tip of the sensor element and the inner-side flow holes of the inner cover, with respect to an axial direction, is less than or equal to 1.6 mm.

A gas sensor is known which is disposed in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle for measuring specific concentrations of oxygen and nitrogen oxide compounds, etc. in gases that are in an exhaust gas which is being measured. For example the gas sensor may be provided with a sensor element for detecting a specific gas concentration in the gas that is being measured, a housing having the sensor element inserted within its inner circumference, and an element cover disposed at the tip end of the housing.
The gas sensor is configured such that the gas that is being measured, such as exhaust gas, comes into contact with the surface of the sensor element. During low-temperature operation, etc., of an internal combustion engine, water condensate, that is produced when water vapor in the exhaust gas becomes condensed, may flow towards the sensor element together with the exhaust gas, and adhere to the surface of the sensor element. In this respect, the sensor element is used under a condition of high temperature, for activating the solid electrolyte material. Hence, a large thermal shock may be applied to the sensor element due to the adhering water condensate, which can produce water-induced cracking.
As a countermeasure against such water-induced cracking, for example a gas sensor has been proposed in PTL 1 which has a two-layer sensor cover, formed of an inner cover (specifically, a first protector) that covers the tip part of a sensor element, which is provided with a gas inflow part, and an outer cover (specifically, a second protector) which is disposed around the periphery of the inner cover. With that gas sensor, gas flow holes are respectively provided in the inner cover and in the outer cover.


In order to provide a driving device that is capable of eliminating sticking of a movable member due to nonuse, the driving device includes a drive shaft that reciprocates in axial directions with expansion and contraction of an electromechanical transducer element, a movable member that frictionally engages with the drive shaft, and a drive circuit that inputs drive voltage into the electromechanical transducer element, the drive circuit outputting drive operation pattern voltage having a frequency (fd1′) lower than a resonance frequency (fr) of the electromechanical transducer element and lower than a frequency (fd1) that maximizes moving velocity of the movable member and sticking elimination pattern voltage having a frequency lower than the frequency (fd1′) of the drive operation pattern voltage and in vicinity of a frequency (fd2) that maximizes thrust acting on the movable member.

In Patent Document 1 is disclosed a driving device for reciprocating a drive shaft in axial directions by expansion and contraction of an electromechanical transducer element and sliding, on the drive shaft, a movable member that frictionally engages with the drive shaft, wherein the device performs self-maintenance by moving the movable member across a total length of the drive shaft for purpose of cleaning the drive shaft as well as positioning the movable member.
In such a driving device, not only may a driving force be decreased by soil on the drive shaft but continuation of nonuse may temporarily increase a frictional force of the movable member against the drive shaft, thus making it difficult or impossible to move the movable member. That is, there may be caused a phenomenon in which the movable member sticks to the drive shaft.                Patent Document 1: JP 2004-15864 A        Patent Document 2: JP 2004-104919 A


An assembly and method for facilitating the attachment of a metal alloy hood to the concrete shell of a spray absorber tower, and compensating for relative radial thermal expansion of the hood and the shell during start up, shut down, and operation of the spray absorber tower, while also providing accurate and effective distribution of shear forces circumferentially along a horizontal plane from the metal alloy hood to anchor rods partially embedded in the concrete shell of the spray absorber tower.

The present invention relates, in general, to wet flue gas desulfurization absorber towers, and more particularly, to an assembly for facilitating the attachment of a metal hood to a concrete shell of a spray absorber tower, and compensating for relative radial thermal expansion of the hood and the shell.
Sulfur oxides are produced in significant quantity by the combustion of coal or fuel oil, and the most common flue gas desulfurization process used with coal and oil-fired electrical generating power plants is known as "wet scrubbing." For purposes of removing sulfur dioxide from flue gases, the cleansing fluid is typically an alkaline slurry which is sprayed into the flue gas as it flows through the absorber tower. Wet flue gas desulfurization processes for removing sulfur dioxide from flue gases involve the use of calcium-based slurries, or sodium-based or ammonia-based solutions. In this process the sulfur dioxide-containing flue gas is scrubbed with the calcium-based alkaline slurry or slurry reagent which may also include any number of additives to enhance removal, control chemistry, and reduce chemical scale. The slurry reagent, when contacted by sulfur dioxide, results in the absorption of the sulfur dioxide by the slurry and forms sulfites which are collected in a reaction tank situated below or forming the bottom of the absorber tower. Thereafter, the slurry can be oxidized to cause the alkali to react with the absorbed sulfur dioxide to yield a useful product. For example, in the case of desulfurization where a calcium-based alkaline slurry is used to absorb sulfur dioxide, an oxygen containing gas such as air is injected into the slurry to oxidize the aqueous sulfite into sulfate; the latter will then react with calcium ions in the slurry to form gypsum, a marketable product. It should be noted that the above reaction is exemplary, and that the teachings of this invention are not limited to the use of calcium-based slurries in a desulfurization reaction.
The technology for wet scrubbing provides gas-liquid contact in a number of differently configured systems. In recent years, wet flue gas desulfurization of the type commonly referred to as the in-situ forced oxidation type have been the preferred systems for achieving oxidation. These systems comprise two major components: the spray absorber in which the actual flue gas scrubbing takes place, and the reaction tank to allow for efficient utilization of the reagent. The absorber tower is fitted with a hood which forms the roof of the tower and defines the flue gas outlet opening from the tower. The majority of such systems are single loop systems in which the absorber and the reaction tank are combined to form a single structure. Some oxidation of sulfite to sulfate inevitably occurs in the gas-liquid contact zone of the absorber, and is referred to as natural oxidation so as to distinguish it from forced oxidation in which air is sparged through the slurry in the reaction tank. The sulfites must be oxidized to sulfates in order to maintain the reaction tank generally free of scale.
Due to chemical attack and the corrosive nature of the flue gas desulfurization slurries, the spray absorber tower has traditionally been constructed of either expensive corrosion resistant metal alloys or of carbon steel which is relatively inexpensive but susceptible to corrosion and chemical attack without the use of a corrosion resistant inner liner. Liners are usually made of rubber, fiberglass, or wall paper alloys to protect the carbon steel from the corrosive action of the chemicals inside the spray absorber and reaction tank. Traditionally, the tower shell and hood have been constructed of the same metal alloy. The absorber tower and the hood experience nearly the same temperature, due to the relatively high thermal conductivity of the typical metal alloys used in their fabrication, thus allowing the hood to be welded directly to the tower shell. The welding of the hood directly to the tower shell forms an integral structure with negligible differential thermal expansion occurring within the hood and tower structure itself. The hood-to-tower shell weld insures a gas tight seal at that junction.
Advancing technology has led to larger size absorber towers, with towers measuring approximately 60 feet in diameter currently in use. The present invention provides a cost-effective alternative to these large diameter metal towers, by fabricating the shell portion of the spray absorber tower from concrete, with an inner wall lining of corrosion resistant protective tiles. On the hand, it has been determined that hoods made of concrete for large diameter absorber towers are not cost-effective, so that it is desirable to make the hood from a corrosion resistant metal alloy. However, because of the difference in thermal expansion characteristics between the metal hood and the concrete shell, there is a need to provide an attachment assembly which will accommodate the relative radial thermal expansion of the metal alloy hood and the corrosion resistant concrete tower.

Absorber tower metal hood to concrete shell attachment

The Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.


A method and system for displaying translated text for language learning having content in a first language and a translation thereof in a second language. A user can hover over the content with a mouse to display a popup box containing a content component in the second language corresponding to a content component in the first language. The content components are highlighted as the user hovers over them with the mouse to identify corresponding content components between the first language and the second language. Also provided is an electronic flashcard generated by the user from the content.

Tools and aids for learning a foreign language are numerous and well known in he art. Translation systems for websites are also known in the art, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,131 directed to "Language Translation System and Method" to Stentiford, et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/784,727 directed to "Dynamic Language Translation of Web Site Content" to Travleso, et al., and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/020,496 directed to "Method and System for Providing Translated Dynamic Web Page Content" to Jurach, et al.
Such automatic website translation systems rely on computer translations on-the-fly and are generally known in the art to be inaccurate or otherwise unreliable. Computer-based translations such as the ones referenced above generally are inadequate in distinguishing and translating nuances of a language that a human would otherwise readily grasp.
Popup language translations for computers are also known in the art as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/481,635 directed to "Dynamic Screentip Language Translation" to Fitzpatrick, et al. Also in the art, there exists services such as Voxy (http://www.voxy.com) which focuses primarily on machine translations of small fragments of content. However, none of these tools are believed to provide the immersion necessary to facilitate comprehensive and expeditious language learning.

Language learning platform using relevant and contextual content


On an information recording medium, multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data is recorded as an optical readable code. The code is constituted by arranging a plurality of blocks, and each block has a data dot pattern including a plurality of dots arranged in correspondence with the data contents, and a marker which is arranged to have a first predetermined positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern and determines a reference position required for reading the data dot pattern. The dots of the data dot pattern and the markers are recorded on the information recording medium so that the dots, the markers, and the information recording medium have different predetermined reflectances or transmittances. More specifically, in order to reduce code redundancy, the dot code is recorded as follows. If the information recording medium is white, markers are recorded as black dots on the information recording medium, and pattern, address, and data dots are recorded so that data "1" are expressed by gray dots and data "0" are expressed by transparent dots. With this format, the markers and dots are recorded to have the same size. In this case, the data dots are not modulated. An information reproducing system reproduces a code recorded on the information recording medium, and a marker/dot separation processing unit separates markers and dots using two different threshold values.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an information recording medium for recording multimedia information as optical readable code data thereon and an information recording/reproducing system using the same and, more particularly, to an information recording medium such as a paper sheet on which so-called multimedia information including audio information such as a voice, music, or the like, image information obtained from a camera, video equipment, or the like, and/or text data obtained from a personal computer, a wordprocessor, or the like, is recorded as an optical readable code pattern, an information reproducing system for optically reading the code pattern from such information recording medium and reproducing original multimedia information, and an information recording system for recording the code pattern on the information recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
As conventional information recording media for recording audio information such as a voice, music, and the like, various kinds of media such as a magnetic tape, an optical disk, and the like are known.
However, these information recording media have relatively high prices even when their copies are mass-produced, and generally require a large area for storage.
Furthermore, for example, the need for forwarding an information recording medium that records voice data to another person at a remote place requires much labor and time even when the medium is forwarded via mail or is directly carried.
The same problems apply to all kinds of so-called multimedia information including video information obtained from a camera, video equipment, and the like, and digital code data obtained from a personal computer, wordprocessor, and the like in addition to audio information.
In view of these problems, U.S. Ser. No. 08/407,018 (EP0670555A1) assigned to the assignee of the present application discloses a system for recording multimedia information including at least one of audio information, video information, and text data on an information recording medium such as a paper sheet in the form of a two-dimensional code pattern, defined by two-dimensionally arranging a plurality of dots, as image information which allows facsimile transmission and can be copied in a large quantity with low cost, i.e., code information, and a system for reproducing the code information recorded on the medium.
FIG. 12 shows the format of a dot code as a two-dimensional code pattern disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/407,018 (EP0670555A1).
More specifically, in a dot code 10, one block 12 consists of a marker 14, a block address 16, error detection/correction data 18 for an address, and a data area 20 that stores actual data.
A large number of blocks 12 are arranged two-dimensionally (in the vertical and horizontal directions), and the dot code 10 is formed by a group of blocks 12.
Note that the marker 14 is a large black dot having a diameter of seven dots (seven data dots).
FIG. 13A shows the schematic arrangement of an information reproducing system which is disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/407,018, and reproduces and outputs original multimedia information by reading the above-mentioned dot code 10.
More specifically, in this information reproducing system, a light source 22 illuminates the dot code 10 recorded on a sheet 24 serving as a recording medium, and light reflected by the dot code 10 is detected as an image signal by an image pickup unit 28 comprising, e.g., a charge-coupled device (CCD), a charge-modulated device (CMD), or the like for converting optical information into an electrical signal, via an imaging optical system 26 such as a lens. The detected image signal is amplified by a pre-amplifier 30, and the amplified signal is output.
Note that the light source 22, the imaging optical system 26, the image pickup unit 28, and the pre-amplifier 30 are arranged in an external light shielding unit 32, so as to prevent disturbance caused by external light.
The image signal amplified by the pre-amplifier 30 is binarized by a binarization circuit 34, and the binary image data is stored in an image memory 36.
Note that the image pickup unit 28 is controlled by an image pickup unit control unit 38.
For example, when the image pickup unit 28 comprises an interline transfer type CCD, the image pickup unit control unit 38 outputs, as control signals of the image pickup unit 28, a V blank signal for vertical synchronization, an image pickup element reset pulse signal for resetting an information charge, a charge transfer gate pulse signal for transferring charges accumulated on two-dimensionally arranged charge transfer/storage units to a plurality of vertical shift registers, a horizontal charge transfer CLK signal serving as a transfer clock signal for a horizontal shift register for transferring a charge in the horizontal direction and outputting it to an external device, and a vertical charge transfer pulse signal for transferring, in the vertical direction, charges of the plurality of vertical shift registers to the horizontal shift register, and the like.
The image pickup unit control unit 38 supplies, to the light source 22, a light-emitting cell control pulse used for defining the light-emission timing of the light source 22 in synchronism with the control timing of the image pickup unit 28.
The image data stored in the image memory 36 is temporarily read out, and the read-out data is supplied to a marker detection unit 40 including marker extraction.
The marker detection unit 40 detects markers 14 in units of blocks 12 of the dot code 10.
The marker extraction and detection of the marker detection unit 40 can be attained by erosion processing described in U.S. Ser. No. 08/571,776 (EP0717398A1) assigned to the assignee of the present application.
A data arrangement direction detection unit 42 detects the data arrangement direction, i.e., the skew, rotation, and direction of the dot code 10 recorded on the sheet 24 as a recording medium using the markers 14 extracted and detected by the marker detection unit 40.
A block address detection unit 44 detects block addresses on the basis of the data arrangement direction of the dot code 10 detected by the data arrangement direction detection unit 42, and also detects the true centers of the markers 14.
An address control unit 46 generates read addresses for the image memory 36 in accordance with the block addresses detected by the block address detection unit 44 and data dot reading points in the data areas 20 of the respective blocks 12 based on the true centers of the markers 14.
Therefore, the image data read out from the image memory 36 in accordance with the read addresses generated by the address control unit 46 represents a data dot pattern.
Since the dot code 10 read out from the image memory 36 is modulated (e.g., by 8-10 modulation) upon recording, the dot code 10 is subjected to 10-8 demodulation in a demodulation unit 48, and the demodulated data is input to a data memory unit 50.
Thereafter, the data read out from the data memory unit 50 is subjected to de-interleave processing in a de-interleave unit 52, and the processed data is then subjected to error correction in units of bytes in a data error correction unit 54.
The corrected data is subjected to expansion processing corresponding to compression processing executed upon recording, and the expanded data is then reproduced and output.
More specifically, when the data is multi-valued image information such as a natural image, for example, expansion processing corresponding to JPEG is performed, or when the data is binary image information such as handwritten characters, a graph, or the like, expansion processing corresponding to MR, MH, MMR, or the like is performed. On the other hand, as for characters and line images, the data is subjected to processing such as Huffman or Ziv-Lempel processing. Thereafter, the processed data is converted into display data. After the display data is converted into an analog signal, the signal is displayed on a display device such as a CRT (television monitor), an FMD (face-mounted display), or the like.
Note that the FMD is a spectacle-type monitor (handy monitor) to be worn on a user's face, and is effective for, e.g., virtual reality applications, and when an image requiring a large screen is observed in a limited place.
Audio information is subjected to expansion processing corresponding to, e.g., ADPCM, and after the processed data is converted into an analog signal, the analog audio signal is output to an audio output device such as a loudspeaker, a headphone, or the like.
Of course, the character or line image data may be directly output to a page printer, plotter, or the like. That is, the character data may be printed on a paper sheet as characters by, e.g., a wordprocessor, or the line image data can be output by a plotter as a drawing or the like.
FIG. 13B shows the schematic arrangement of an information recording system which is disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/407,018 (EP0670555A1), and records the dot code 10.
More specifically, in this information recording system, a multimedia information input unit 58 (such as a microphone, an audio equipment, a camera, a video equipment, a personal computer, a wordprocessor, or the like) inputs digital multimedia information such as audio information, image information, text data, or the like, and the input multimedia information is supplied to a compression processing unit 60.
The compression processing unit 60 performs appropriate compression processing for the supplied multimedia information, and synthesizes compressed data as needed.
For example, the compression processing unit 60 performs ADPCM processing for audio information; compression such as Huffman, arithmetic, Ziv-Lempel, or the like for text data; general binary compression processing such as MR, MH, MMR, or the like represented by JBIG for binary image information; or still image compression processing such as DPCM, JPEG, or the like for multi-valued image information.
An error correction code is added to the compressed data by an error correction code addition unit 62, and the data is input to a data memory unit 64.
The data memory unit 64 stores the data, and thereafter, an interleave processing unit 66 performs interleave processing.
In the interleave processing, continuous data strings are appropriately distributed to separate positions so as to eliminate errors as much as possible, e.g., to improve correction performance by eliminating block errors caused by noise or the like as much as possible, when the data is recorded as an actual dot code and is reproduced.
That is, in this processing, the danger of making error correction impossible is reduced by confining generation of burst errors to generation of an error for one correction unit.
The interleaved data is subjected to, e.g., 8-10 modulation in a modulation circuit 68, and the modulated data is converted into image data, in which data "1" is represented by a black dot and data "1" is represented by a white dot, in a block dot image conversion unit 70.
At this time, a data addition unit 72 adds markers, block addresses, address error discrimination codes (CRC or the like) to the image data.
Note that the markers form a data string falling outside the range of 256 different data strings that are obtained by modulation using the modulation circuit 68. Since the markers are added after modulation, the markers can be prevented from being modulated, i.e., being hardly recognized as markers.
The image data added with data is supplied to a synthesis processing unit 74, and is synthesized with print information (an image, title, characters, and the like to be recorded on a medium) other than the generated data from a print information input unit 76. The synthesized data is converted into an output format to a printer or a data format corresponding to print plate making, and the converted data is supplied to a printer system/print plate making system 78.
The printer system/print plate making system 78 finally prints the data on a recording medium such as a sheet, a tape, a printed matter, or the like.
As disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/571,776 (EP0717398A1) assigned to the assignee of the present application, a format that can improve the recording density of the above-mentioned dot code has been developed.
In this format, as shown in FIG. 14, predetermined matching pattern dots 80 are arranged at predetermined positions with respect to each marker 14, e.g., between adjacent markers in a first direction, and address dots 82 indicating block addresses are arranged at predetermined positions with respect to each marker 14, e.g., between adjacent markers in a second direction.
The pattern dot 80 and the address dot 82 are constituted by dots each having the same size as a data dot arranged in a data area 20.
In such dot code 10, since the arrangement direction and the true centers of the markers 14 serving as reading reference points of the data dots 84 can be detected using the pattern dots 80 having a predetermined pattern, the reading reference points can be easily and accurately detected.
Therefore, according to the format disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/571,776 (EP0717398A1), even when a code pattern is recorded at a high density, the positions of data dots 84 can be calculated with high accuracy, and original multimedia information can be reliably reproduced.
In the dot code with the format shown in FIG. 14, each marker 14 is a large black dot having a diameter of 7 dots, as described above, and a blank portion (white area) is assured around the marker 14, as shown in FIG. 15. Therefore,.each marker 14 requires a size of 11 dots.times.11 dots including the white area.
On the other hand, the pattern dots 80 are arranged in an area of 1 dot.times.30 dots to have a predetermined pattern, and the address dots 82 are arranged in an area of 22 dots.times.1 dot.
In the horizontal direction, five dots are required from the position of the pattern dots 80 to the edge of the white area of the marker 14, 22 dots are required from the edge of the white area of the marker to that of the next marker, and another five dots are required from the edge of the white area of the next marker to the position of the pattern dots of a neighboring block. Therefore, the total number of dots in the horizontal direction of one block is 33.
In the vertical direction, five dots are required from the position of the address dots 82 to the edge of the white area of the marker, 30 dots are required from the edge of the white area of the marker to that of the next lower marker, and another five dots are required from the edge of the white area to the position of the address dots of the next lower block. Therefore, the total number of dots in the vertical direction of one block is 41.
Therefore, the total number of dots per block, i.e., the area occupied by one block, is 33 dots.times.41 dots=1,353 dots.
However, of the 1,353 dots, the actual data area 20 corresponds to a portion from which the markers 14, the pattern dots 80, and the address dots 82 are excluded. For this reason, the data area 20 has only a size of 1,180 dots excluding 121 dots+30 dots+22 dots.
Since data to be recorded on this data area 20 is subjected to 8-10 modulation as described above, the number of actually effective dots is 944.
Therefore, 409 dots=1,353 dots (the total number of dots per block)-944 dots (the number of effective dots) are redundant dots, resulting in a redundancy of 30% (=409/1,353).

Information recording medium for recording multimedia information as optical readable code data thereon and information recording/reproducing system using the same


The image sensing device adapted to compose an appropriate single picture from a plurality of pictures of different exposures obtained from the same subject, wherein the camera operation is controlled using as a reference the signal of one of said plurality of pictures of different exposures.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image sensing device with a wide substantial dynamic range.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image sensing devices are being widely used, for example, as the video camera sections of video tape recorders with integrated cameras or as still video cameras. A video camera using an image pick-up tube or a solid image sensing element has a relatively narrow dynamic range as compared with the conventional silver halide photography system, so that it is subject to generation of white blankings and blackenings (common names for portions with excessively high or low luminance) under back light conditions. In conventional video cameras, adjustment of the quantity of light in such cases is effected by opening the diaphragm two steps or so, either manually or with a backlighting compensation button.
However, even when such backlighting compensation is appropriately conducted, with the main subject being properly exposed, white blankings may be generated in the background, leaving the picture with a blank background. In other words, the narrowness of the dynamic range in an image sensing device cannot be overcome merely by adjusting the quantity of light to attain a proper exposure for the main subject, as in the case of conventional devices. To cope with this, an improvement has been proposed in the conventional image sensing device of the type in which a still image is transduced into an electrical signal by means of a line scanner or the like. According to this improvement, a plurality of images of different exposures obtained from the same subject are combined to compose a single picture. Similar ideas are disclosed, for example, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 792,768 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Sho 61-219270.
However, they are directed to still images and are not capable of providing a moving picture with a wide dynamic range.
In view of this problem, it is an object of this invention to provide an image sensing device which has a wide substantial dynamic range and which makes it possible to obtain moving pictures.
Another object of this invention is to provide an image sensing device which permits the exposure control and focusing control to be conducted in an appropriate fashion.
To attain the above objects, an embodiment of this invention comprises image sensing means, control means adapted to cause a plurality of pictures of different exposures to be output successively from the image sensing means and composition means adapted to combine pictures with different exposures from among the ones output from the image sensing means to compose a moving picture.
This construction makes it possible to obtain a plurality of images of different exposures successively, so that by effecting the composition by means of the composition means in a time less than the time between successive video frames, composed moving picture of a proper exposure can be obtained. The speed of the composition operation performed by the composition means can be set sufficiently high, so that there is no problem in this regard.
Another embodiment of this invention consists of an image sensing device adapted to compose an appropriate single picture out of a plurality of pictures of different exposures obtained from the same subject, the image sensing device being characterized by the fact that the camera operation is controlled using a signal indicative of one of the plurality of pictures of different exposures as the reference signal.
The control operations for the camera such as the exposure control and focus adjustment are thus conducted using the signal indicative of one of the plurality of pictures of different exposures as the reference signal, whereby correct camera operation can be assured, without any destabilization thereof.
A further embodiment of this invention consists of an image sensing device adapted to obtain an appropriate picture out of a plurality of images of different exposures obtained from the same subject, the image sensing device being characterized by the fact that the processing of the target picture element is effected taking into consideration the information on the picture elements around the target picture element.
This device thus provides a dynamic range which substantially includes the plurality of images of different exposures, so that it can give a satisfactory image both of the main subject and the background. Further, the number of isolated points is reduced by processing the target picture element taking into consideration the information on the picture elements around the target one, whereby a more correct distinction is attained between the main subject and the background.
A still further embodiment of this invention consists of an image sensing device comprising image sensing means, a control means adapted to cause video signals indicative of a plurality of pictures of different exposures obtained from the same subject to be output from the image sensing means, an image memory capable of storing some of the video signals indicative of the plurality of pictures output from the image sensing means and arithmetic processing means which is adapted, whenever the signal of a target picture element on any picture is judged to be inappropriate, to select or process signals indicative of a plurality of other pictures corresponding to the target picture element to generate an output picture element signal.
Thus, by causing video signals indicative of a plurality of pictures of different exposures to be output from the image sensing means and storing the video signals temporarily in the image memory, it is made possible to discriminate the picture elements of an appropriate exposure from those of an inappropriate one and to replace the picture elements of an inappropriate exposure with the picture elements of an appropriate one by replacing the video signal of the former with the corresponding signal of a picture taken under a satisfactory exposure. Consequently, an appropriate image can be obtained over a wide exposure range, which means that the dynamic range of the image sensing means has been substantially enlarged.
A still further embodiment of this invention consists of an image sensing device equipped with an image sensing means which is adapted to output image sensing signals of different charge storage times by switching for each field and that is characterized by the fact it composes a single picture out of successive pictures of two fields.
By thus composing a picture of image sensing signals of different charge storage times, an image sensing signal of a substantially wide dynamic range can be obtained.
A still further embodiment of this invention consists of an image sensing device for obtaining a single picture out of a plurality of pictures of different exposures derived from the same subject by a switching operation, the image sensing device being characterized in that a single picture selection color signal is generated from a plurality of picture selection luminance signals and based on said single picture selection color signal, color signal data are selected.
By thus composing a picture of image sensing signals of different charge storage times, an image sensing signal of a substantially wide dynamic range can be obtained.
A still further embodiment of this invention consists of a method of controlling an image sensing device provided with a first image sensing mode in which light storage operations of n seconds duration are repeated to form a video signal and a second image sensing mode in which n-second light storage operations and m-second light storage operations (m being less than n) are alternated to form a video signal for a single picture, the controlling method being characterized in that a switching signal for the first and second image sensing modes and a picture element composition control signal for the n-second storage pictures and m-second storage pictures in the second image sensing mode are formed out of the n-second storage pictures.
By thus forming out of the n-second storage pictures in the normal first image sensing mode a switching signal for the first and second image sensing modes and a picture element composition control signal for the n-second storage pictures and the m-second storage pictures in the second image sensing mode, a first image sensing mode with no deterioration in the time resolution is selected, and the picture element composition in the second image sensing mode is made as free from deterioration of time resolution as possible.
Further objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings.


A portable diagnostic apparatus is brought proximal to a device to be diagnosed. While the device to be diagnosed is operating, a radiofrequency interference signal emitted by the device is received at the portable apparatus and a data representation of it is stored. The data representation is submitted for matching to a diagnostic signal pattern stored in a database of predetermined signal patterns. From the matching is identified and output an indication of a fault in the device to be diagnosed. In one embodiment the submitting is to the database stored in the portable apparatus itself, and in another embodiment the submitting is outputting (data cable, wireless link) the stored data representation to a diagnostic computer such as a personal computer, a peer device, or a remote diagnostic center. The RF interference signal may be one stream and the portable apparatus receives at least a second stream and both streams are used for the matching.

In new consumer electronics devices, there are increasingly larger arrays of sensors for monitoring the performance and functionality of the device and making diagnostic decisions. Automobiles are perhaps the most advanced in this area. Though not traditionally retail consumer items, aircraft and elevators and escalators have been developed in the past decade with a substantial number of sensors built into them so as to better diagnose problems in their operation. The additional cost of manufacturing due to the added sensors is generally seen by the manufacturers as more than offset by more reliable performance (the sensors aid in anticipating problems before they become large enough to cause major failure), decreased down time due to faster and more accurate diagnostics, and a more competitive position for the original manufacturer to secure long term maintenance contracts for the equipment it originally sold.
However, this trend toward sensorification is not proceeding as quickly in lesser-value manufactured goods, and the vast majority of other consumer electronics with engines still do not have very many diagnostic sensors if any at all. Much like auto repair was routinely done a generation or two ago in what are now more developed countries, today there is a lack of highly specialized diagnostic equipment for auto repair in lesser developed countries. Sometimes even rudimentary electronic diagnostics like an engine analyzer or a timing light are unavailable. Cars being repaired are older on average than those being serviced in more developed countries, and even if they did include the inbuilt diagnostic sensors noted above there is no electronic equipment to extract and exploit that information. This less refined diagnostic process is likely to persist for some years even in the face of favorable conditions of economic growth across the local populace. The problem is not limited only to the automobile repair industry though.
Further, in more developed countries there is a concerted effort to make various devices electromagnetically compatible, such that one device does not cause electromagnetic interference EMI with other common devices. This can be seen readily in portable or auto-mounted radios. In the past EMI between an AM radio and a cellular phone was an issue, whereas largely that problem has been solved and there is no need to turn off an AM radio when communicating on a cellular phone. In less developed countries EMI has not been an historic problem and so devices there are not prone to such EMI compatibility as they are in areas where electronics have become more ubiquitous.
What is needed in the art is a way to remotely diagnose products in less developed areas of the world, as well as lower-value consumer devices that do not have in-built sensors similar to those currently used in high-cost manufactured items such as automobiles, aircraft and elevators/escalators. It would be advantageous to address this diagnostic problem in a manner that does not require a high capital investment in diagnostic equipment. The lower cost and relatively lower complexity of the vast majority of electronic devices that are directed to the retail purchaser/end user generally does not justify having such an array of sensors built into the manufactured device, yet the complexities are high enough that diagnosing a problem can be time consuming and expensive. For this reason especially in the developed world many consumer electronics are deemed more 'disposable' than need be, because often the cost of diagnosis is high enough to make diagnosis and repair an uneconomical option. An economical solution to the diagnostic problem would change the balance of the questions whether to repair or replace a malfunctioning device.

Electromagnetic interference sensor device and method and computer program


The present disclosure is to provide a movable contact arm capable of securing a revolution radius to a closed position of the movable contact arm such that adhesive materials on the shaft due to arc scattering materials can be removed with no installation of additional elements, and a movable contact arm according to the present disclosure may comprise an adhesive material removal portion formed on a lateral surface at which a contact of the movable contact arm is located, and configured to minimize a contact area with adhesive materials so as to remove the adhesive materials due to an arc.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a molded case circuit breaker (abbreviated as a "MCCB" hereinafter), and more particularly, to a movable contact arm and a movable contact arm assembly for a circuit breaker capable of removing adhesive materials formed such that foreign substances such as scattering materials due to arc generation is stuck to a shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
The MCCB is an electric power device having a function for switching a relatively low voltage electric power circuit with several hundred volts and a protection function capable of detecting a fault current such as an over current or short-circuit current when it occurs on the circuit to automatically trip the circuit, thereby protecting the circuit and an electric load device connected to the circuit.
Such a MCCB, as is well known, may largely include a stationary contact arm configured to be electrically connected to the power source side of the circuit, a movable contact arm configured to be electrically connected to the load side of the circuit and revolved to a closed position brought into contact with the corresponding stationary contact arm and an open position separated from the corresponding stationary contact arm, a switching mechanism configured to provide a driving force for driving the corresponding movable contact arm to the closed or open position, a shaft configured to be revolved by a driving force from the switching mechanism so as to support the movable contact arm and constitute a movable contact arm assembly along with the movable contact arm, a trip mechanism configured to detect a fault current when it occurs on the circuit and trigger the switching mechanism to drive the movable contact arm to the open position, an extinguishing mechanism configured to extinguish an arc occurring during the switching of the circuit, and an enclosure for accommodating the constituent elements.
The present disclosure relates to a movable contact arm and a movable contact arm assembly among the constituent elements of the molded case breaker, and an example of the related art may refer to Korean Patent No. 10-1141537 (Title of Invention: Movable contact arm assembly for current limiting molded case circuit breaker) granted to the applicant of the present invention, and thus the detailed description of the illustrated configuration and operation will be omitted.
However, according to the related art, there is no solutions to the occurrence of a phenomenon of reducing or limiting the revolution radius to the closed position of the movable contact arm in which foreign substances such as arc scattering materials due to an arc generated during the switching of the circuit is stuck to the stopper portion of the shaft which determines the revolution limit to the closed position of the movable contact arm.
For the problems of obstructing the revolution radius of the movable contact arm and reducing the circuit switching performance due to such adhesive materials, there has been contrived a method for providing an additional synthetic resin remolded barrier having excellent heat resistance performance on a path between a contact portion generating an arc and an opening portion of the shaft to prevent adhesive materials from being generated, but it has caused a problem in which the production cost of the molded case breaker is increased due to additional elements and the installation space is limited due to the other existing elements of the molded case breaker.

Movable contact arm for molded case circuit breaker and movable contact arm assembly


In an ATM switching system, bi-directionally coupling devices establish connections between corresponding interface units and an ATM switching module. The switching module includes a self-routing switch, an input distribution network for establishing connections between the bi-directionally coupling devices and the input ports of the self-routing switch, and an output distribution network for establishing connections between the output ports of the self-routing switch and bi-directionally coupling devices. The bi-directionally coupling devices and the input and output distribution networks are controlled in accordance with data supplied from the interface units indicating the directions of signals passing through the interface units and the operating speed of the interface units.

1. Field of the Invention
the present invention relates generally to ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) switching systems, and more specifically to an ATM switching system particularly suitable for varying traffic patterns.
2. Description of the Related Art
For broadband ISDN, optical links will be used to interconnect a plurality of ATM network nodes in which the links are connected to an ATM switching module via an array of interface units where conversion is performed between optical signals and electrical signals. In the ATM system, a plurality of ATM data streams destined for different destinations can be statistically multiplexed into a single data stream, and the latter may be demultiplexed at a network node into the component streams according to the destination addresses contained in the cell headers of the component streams. However, the entry point of the node where the multiplexed signal appears is interfaced with an opto-electrical converter and the exit points where the demultiplexed components appear are interfaced with respective electro-optical converters. Thus, the numbers of O/E and E/O converters of an ATM network node may differ from each other. This is undesirable from the design standpoint of an ATM switching system because of the difficulty to predict the number of such interface units which will be required in the future. This asymmetric relationship is further compounded by the fact that, in the B-ISDN, the traffic pattern of each network node varies significantly due to the wide range of services that need different transmission speeds, or bandwidths. Particularly, the outgoing and incoming traffic volumes of a video service provider are significantly greater than the corresponding traffic volumes of its subscribers.
One approach is to employ an optical distribution frame to establish connections between the optical transmission links and the input and output ports of the ATM switching module.
However, in order to meet a wide range of varying traffic patterns the distribution frame is not satisfactory for reconfiguring the connections to such an extent that the ATM switching module operates at the best possible efficiency. In addition, manual work is involved when reconfiguring the connections.

ATM switching system with distribution networks for varying traffic patterns


An ionizer includes a body extending in a first direction, a sheath gas nozzle installed in a lower portion of the body and having a spray hole and an electrode needle disposed within the spray hole to generate a corona discharge, a gas supply provided in the body and configured to be in fluid communication with the spray hole to supply a gas to the spray hole such that ions generated by the electrode needle are spayed out to the outside of the ionizer from the spray hole, and a pair of first and second guiding plates disposed at opposite sides of the sheath gas nozzle and extending downward from first and second sides of the body opposite to each other to guide the ions sprayed from the spray hole to be directed to a target. A semiconductor device may be manufactured using the ionizer.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an ionizer and a substrate transfer system, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same. More particularly, example embodiments relate to an ionizer for eliminating or reducing static electricity of a wafer during a semiconductor manufacturing process, and a substrate transfer system having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrostatic charge generation on a wafer may be a potential risk factor in semiconductor fabrication processes. A DC type or AC type ionizer may be installed in a wafer transfer chamber for transferring a wafer to a process equipment to eliminate static electricity of the wafer.
However, ions generated from the ionizer may be lost due to a ground electrode adjacent to a spray hole of the ionizer, an external air current in the wafer transfer chamber, a target antistatic distance, etc., before reaching the target, to thereby deteriorate antistatic efficiency of the ionizer.

Ionizer and substrate transfer system having the same, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same

Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do


An apparatus for an indoor-outdoor decorative trash receptacle system that allows a user to decorate or personalize a trash receptacle 12 or the like with permanent or interchangeable graphic images 14 or insignia. The system decorates a receptacle 12 in various forms including applying a graphic image directly onto the receptacle, applying a covering to the receptacle, and inserting a placard into a sleeve affixed to the receptacle. The graphic image 14 can be applied directly to the external wall 20 of the trash receptacle 12 using free form, stencil tracing, stamping or other painting techniques. This technique can also be produced onto an adhesive 24 backed vinyl placard or like material and then adhered to the exterior of the trash receptacle 12. Another system of the present invention utilizes a clear protective sleeve 26 that is affixed to the exterior of the receptacle 12. A placard 28 with a graphic image 14 is inserted into the clear sleeve 26 providing an artistic impression on the receptacle 12. The placard 28 is easily removed from the sleeve 26 and replaced with other placards to allow various designs to be displayed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to receptacles and, more specifically, to an indoor/outdoor decorative trash receptacle system that allows a user to decorate or personalize a trash receptacle or the like with permanent or interchangeable graphic images or insignia. The system of the present invention provides means to decorate a receptacle in various forms including applying a graphic image directly on the receptacle, applying a covering to the receptacle, and inserting a placard into a sleeve affixed to the receptacle. The decorating system of the present invention provides means to improve the appearance of an area by decorating a trash receptacle in an image that may blend into the background or provide information such as user name, address or provide personal greetings or depict other graphic images. The graphic image can be applied directly to the external wall of the trash receptacle using free form, stencil tracing, stamping or other painting techniques. This technique can also be produced onto an adhesive backed vinyl placard or like material and then adhered to the exterior of the trash receptacle. Another system of the present invention utilizes a clear protective sleeve that is affixed to the exterior of the receptacle. A placard with a graphic image is inserted into the clear sleeve providing an artistic impression on the receptacle. The placard is easily removed from the sleeve and replaced with other placards to allow various designs to be displayed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other decorative devices designed as receptacles. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. Des. 104,059 issued to Bensel on Apr. 13, 1937.
Another patent was issued to Hayden on Feb. 4, 1941 as U.S. Pat. No. Des. 124,958. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. Des. 182,376 was issued to Moslo on Mar. 25, 1958 and still yet another was issued on May 27, 1969 to Warnberg as U.S. Pat. No. Des. 214,288.
Another patent was issued to Kracke on Feb. 22, 1983 as U.S. Pat. No. Des. 268,059. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. Des. 329,514 was issued to Isaac on Sep. 15, 1992. Another was issued to Isaac on Sep. 15, 1992 as U.S. Pat. No. Des. 329,515 and still yet another was issued on Oct. 24, 1995 to Dimanche as U.S. Pat. No. Des. 363,583.
Another patent was issued to Creske on Jun. 2, 1998 as U.S. Pat. No. Des. 394,930. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 1,421,628 was issued to Watkins on Jul. 4, 1922. Another was issued to VanWinkle on Nov. 3, 1942 as U.S. Pat. No. 2,300,473.


The present disclosure provides a pressure measuring instrument which comprises a gauge body, a connecting component and a pushing component, the connecting component comprises a first connecting member and a positioning sleeve which are connected with each other to form a corotating relationship, and the first connecting member comprises a first external thread section and a second external thread section connected to each other, and the first external thread section is used for a pressure-measuring hole threaded with a pressure vessel, the second external thread section protrudes from the pressure-measuring hole, the positioning sleeve is rotatably screwed to the second external thread section, and the positioning sleeve is configured to provide a force to the pressure vessel, and the pushing component is configured to pass through the connecting component and be pushed by a fluid in the pressure-measuring hole to push against a pressurize unit of the gauge body.

Pressure gauges are often used in pressure vessels such as gas cylinders, pipes, valve bodies, etc., to show pressure changes in the vessels in the form of numerical values, so that a user can monitor safety states, or know whether a fluid inside a vessel needs to be replenished, etc.; the pressure gauges are usually combined with the pressure vessels through screw connections, and have advantages of easy assembly and disassembly.
In actual application, however, the pressure gauges still have the following problems:
Regarding pressure-measuring holes drilled on the pressure vessels, internal threads of the pressure-measuring holes are often inaccurate due to poor construction precision, so that lengths of thread sections are not accurate enough, and surfaces of the pressure gauges and user's viewing directions are not align when the pressure gauges are screwed to their limit positions, the reading data error is large, and a whole arrangement of a device is disordered and irregular.
Therefore, it is necessary to provide a novel and progressive pressure measuring instrument to solve the above problems.