A battery separator for use in flooded cell type lead acid batteries comprising a backweb of a porous, acid resistant, embossable material with a plurality of major ribs and submini-ribs extending across the width of the backweb from at least one planar surface of the backweb. The submini-ribs extend in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the backweb. The major ribs extend in a direction that is diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the backweb. Each major rib is an embossed corrugated structure comprised of alternating ridges and furrows. The separator is particularly useful in a flooded cell type lead acid battery having tubular plates.

This invention relates to a battery separator for use in flooded cell type lead acid batteries.
In a flooded cell type lead acid battery the positive and negative electrodes or "plates" are separated by a battery separator. The battery separator typically has "ribs" or protrusions extending from at least one planar face of the separator. Such ribs are formed in one of several ways: the ribs can be formed integrally with the backweb of the separator; the ribs can be subsequently applied to the backweb as a bead of the same or different material as the backweb; or the ribs can be formed by embossing the backweb. The ribs function to provide proper spacing between the plates and to provide a space wherein free electrolyte resides.
The battery separator currently used by most flooded cell type lead acid battery manufacturers is of the microporous polyethylene type. This type of separator has a composition consisting essentially of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, a filler (typically amorphous silica), a plasticizer (typically a processing oil), and certain minor ingredients such as an antioxidant, lubricant and carbon black.
Microporous polyethylene separator material is commercially manufactured by passing the ingredients through a heated extruder, passing the extrudate generated by the extruder through a die and into the nip formed by two heated calender rolls to form a continuous web, extracting a substantial amount of the processing oil from the web by use of a solvent, drying the extracted web, slitting the web into lanes of predetermined width, and winding the lanes into rolls.
Such separators and a method of manufacturing them are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,495.
Microporous polyethylene separators typically have a configuration comprising a backweb having a predetermined thickness, and a plurality of parallel ribs spaced apart a predetermined distance and extending outwardly from one planar surface of the backweb. The ribs extend continuously in a longitudinal direction parallel to the edges of the separator material. The thickness of the backweb and height and spacing of the ribs is specified to the separator manufacturer by the battery manufacturer; the specifications are designed to maximize certain battery characteristics desired by the battery manufacturer. Starting-lighting-ignition ("SLI") lead acid batteries used, for example, in automobiles, tend to have separators that are thinner than "industrial" lead acid batteries used for standby power sources and traction devices.
It is also known to form "mini-ribs" between such "major" ribs to add stiffness to separator webs having thinner backwebs. Generally, such mini-ribs have a lower height than the major ribs and are spaced closer together. The height of such mini-ribs typically varies between about 0.006 inch and about 0.009 inch. The spacing of such mini-ribs varies between about 0.060 inch and about 0.250 inch.
Such ribs (both major and mini) are formed during manufacture of the microporous polyethylene separator by providing that one of the two heated calender rolls forming the nip through which the extrudate from the extruder is fed is engraved with grooves so that the ribs are formed as an integral part of the separator web.
There are many different specifications required by battery manufacturers relative to rib size and rib spacing. In manufacturing separator material to meet customer requirements, almost every change in rib size and spacing requires that the separator manufacturer shut down its manufacturing line in order to remove the engraved roll that had been in use to fill the prior order and to insert a differently configured engraved roll capable of producing the rib size and spacing required for the new order to be filled. Manufacturing time is lost during such shut-down and extra scrap material is generated during start-up of the line.
In addition, integrally formed ribs in the polyethylene type separator undergoes extraction along with the backweb and, because it has relatively more volume than a portion of the backweb occupying the same planar surface area, generally the ribs retain more processing oil than the backweb, thereby raising the overall electrical resistance of the separator.
In commonly owned copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/646,764, filed May 8, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,479, there is disclosed a battery separator having a longitudinal dimension, a width dimension perpendicular to said longitudinal dimension, upper and lower planar faces, and a plurality of ribs (at least three) projecting from at least one planar face, said ribs extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal dimension (axis) of the separator, each of the ribs being formed of a plurality of individual projecting embossments forming a corrugated structure comprised of alternating ridges and furrows. The ribs may extend from one or both planar faces of the separator. Where the ribs extend from both planar faces, adjacent projecting embossments (ridges) on one planar face are separated by an indentation (furrow) which forms a projecting embossment (ridge) on the other planar face of the separator. Where ribs extend from both planar faces of the separator, the ribs projecting from one planar surface may have a height equal to or different from the height of the ribs extending from the other planar surface.
While the separator described in Ser. No. 08/646,764, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,479, performs very well where the rib height does not exceed about 0.030 inch, it has been found that with rib heights in excess of about 0.030 inch compression resistance of the ribs becomes less satisfactory. By "compression resistance" is meant resistance to a compressive force applied to the tops of the ribs. In commonly owned patent application Ser. No. 08/837,286, filed Apr. 11, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,103, there is disclosed an improvement to the separator described in Ser. No. 08/646,764, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,479. The improved battery separator of the Ser. No. 08/837,286 patent application, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,103, employs an embossable base web comprised of a backweb having a plurality of submini-ribs extending from at least one planar face thereof, the base web being embossed with a plurality of major ribs, each major rib being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the backweb and extending into at least one, and preferably two, adjacent submini-ribs to form a separator having improved compression resistance. The base embossable base web having submini-ribs thereon is separately disclosed and claimed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/837,287 filed Apr. 11, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,055.
The separator disclosed in Ser. No. 08/646,764, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,479, and the improved separator disclosed in Ser. No. 08/837,286, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,103, have embossed (major) ribs that are disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal dimension (axis) of the separator, and were designed for use in batteries having flat plates. It has been found that when attempting to use such separators to envelope (wrap) tubular plates the separator tended to nest down around the plate. In addition, acid (electrolyte) stratification and gas release were not satisfactory.
it is an object of this invention to provide a battery separator for use in a flooded cell lead acid battery having tubular plates; the separator having improved nesting resistance, reduced or eliminated acid stratification, and improved gas release.


A non-aqueous battery has a positive electrode having a composition essentially represented by a formula LixNiOy (0<x<1.3 and 1.8<y<2.2), a negative electrode having a material which occludes and releases lithium reversibly and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The composition has a ratio of I.sub.104 to I.sub.003 ranging from 0.35 to 0.68 when measured by an X-ray powder diffraction method using CuK.sub..mu. as a target. The I.sub.104 represents a peak intensity of reflection of X-rays at an angle about 2.theta.=44 degrees with respect to the lattice plane (104), and the I.sub.003 representing another peak intensity of reflection of X-rays at an angle about 2.theta.=19 degrees with respect to the lattice plane (003).

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to a non-aqueous battery using lithium, as an active material, and more particularly to an improvement of a positive electrode material used in a non-aqueous battery.
2. Description of the prior art
MoO.sub.3, V.sub.2 O.sub.5, lithium-manganese composite oxide, MoS.sub.2 and LiNiO.sub.2 have been suggested as a positive electrode material in a non-aqueous battery, and some have been used in practice. A positive LiNiO.sub.2 electrode generates about 3.7 V with a lithium negative electrode and it has a high discharge voltage. This yields a high energy density batteries, and therefore, LiNiO.sub.2 is one of the most useful materials for the positive electrode. To produce LiNiO.sub.2 using conventional methods, the lithium hydroxide (LiOH-H.sub.2 O) and nickel oxide (NiO) are prepared and mixed in equal mole amounts, and the resulting mixture is heat-treated under one atmosphere pressure at 700.degree. C. for about 4 hours. U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,080 describes this method. However, LiNiO.sub.2 obtained by this conventional method generally has a small discharge capacity.

Non-aqueous battery having a lithium-nickel-oxygen cathode


Apparatus for controlling a pressurized fluid in a piping network, and method for making the same. In accordance with some embodiments, a substantially cylindrical body has an annular wall surrounding a central axis with opposing first and second ends and at least one pass-through aperture extending through a medial portion of the wall. An annular valve seat is nested within a first end of the body. A moveable piston is aligned within the body along the central axis, the piston having a sealing surface adapted to contactingly engage an inner annular surface of the valve seat to establish a fluidic seal. The body, valve seat and piston form a valve insert for a valve housing.

Pressurized fluid systems are often used to transport and direct a pressurized fluid, such as liquid or gaseous state hydrocarbons, steam, water, etc., through a piping network. A variety of valve configurations can be used to direct and condition the fluidic flow through the system, such as pressure relief valves, emergency shutdown valves, blowdown valves, flapper valves, ball valves, pressure reducing valves (chokes), back pressure valves, pressure regulating valves, etc.


This saw stand is a mobile unit, via a built-in hand truck design which enables the end user to transport common table saws and equipment to the location of the project being undertaken. The unit quickly folds out into a fully supporting work bench for actual use of the saw and/or equipment.

Portable, wheeled tool carts have been available for some time. Once such prior art tool cart is shown and described by Wise, the inventor herein, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,898 issued Jul. 1, 1997. Additional tool carts have been described in the patent literature. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,941, issued Sep. 11, 1990, to Rousseau, describes a support table for a bench saw. U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,329, issued Oct. 28, 1980 to Johnson, describes a mobile cart. U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,590, issued Nov. 10, 1992, to Otto, describes a miter saw table apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,724, issued Oct. 26, 1993, to Butke, describes an adjustable extension assembly. A brochure showing the Rousseau SS2850 product discloses a mobile miter saw stand.
Nevertheless, a need exists for a mobile saw stand which enables an end user to transport common table saws and the like to the location of the project being undertaken wherein the mobile saw stand quickly folds out into a fully supporting work bench for actual use of the saw and or equipment.
A further need exists for a mobile stand unit which enables the unit to stand in a vertical position with the saw attached and also the ability to use the saw when attached to the mobile saw stand unit in a horizontal stored position for hardwood floor installers and the like.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A replica noise generator includes a control logic unit suitable for outputting a capacitance adjusting signal; a replica noise generation unit suitable for generating a replica noise through a coupling of a power voltage used in a pixel array by adjusting a capacitance value in response to the capacitance adjusting signal; and a source follower suitable for inputting the generated replica noise.

1. Field
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a noise cancellation in a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor and, more particularly, to a replica noise generator for generating a replica noise that copies pixel power noise, and a ramp signal generator including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the general column parallel structure of a CMOS image sensor, noise may be caused by the power supply voltage of a comparator, which operates in differential mode, and the noise may be effectively removed through operations in a common mode.
However, since power noise generated from pixels may be contained in the pixel signal and then applied to the readout circuit, the power noise may remain in the pixel data and affect image sensor performance.
The pixel power noise may include power supply noise or ground noise that overlap within a specific circuit. Additionally, the pixel power noise may include various other noises generated in the pixels.
Since the power noise of the pixels may cause horizontal noise in CMOS image sensors, the pixel power noise needs to be suppressed as much as possible.
Thus, it is suggested that the power noise of the pixel be differentially removed from the viewpoint of the comparator by overlapping the power noise of the pixels with the ramp signal, using a voltage overlapping function.
A replica noise generator that generates replica noise, by copying pixel power noise, may be a useful solution to this concern. By copying the pixel power noise and applying it to the ramp signal, the pixel power noise may be removed resulting in improved pixel data.

Replica noise generator using pixel modeling and ramp signal generator including the same


A centrifuge drum and a method of filling an automatically discharging centrifuge drum with a mixture of liquids that is to be separated. The mixture is introduced through an intake pipe and a header. The header's intake section communicates with a stack of disks through openings in the header's base. The base is provided with radial supply channels. Channels at the center of the stack divert the separated lighter liquid phase into a diversion chamber and channels at the periphery of the stack divert the separated heavier liquid phase into another diversion chamber. The drum is charged with an auxiliary liquid obtained from a lower section of the base up to a radially inward level that covers the intake openings into the supply channel in an upper section of the base of the foot. The mixture is then introduced at full power through both sections of the base.

The present invention concerns a method of filling an automatically discharging centrifuge drum with a mixture of liquids that is to be separated. The mixture is introduced through an intake pipe and a header. The header's intake section communicates with a stack of disks through openings in the header's base. The base is provided with radial supply channels. Channels at the center of the stack divert the separated lighter liquid phase into a diversion chamber, and channels at the periphery of the stack divert the separated heavier liquid phase into another diversion chamber.
The invention also concerns an automatically discharging centrifuge drum of the type having an intake pipe and a header with an intake section that communicates through openings in the base of the header with a stack of disks, wherein the base is provided with radial supply channels, wherein channels at the center of the stack can divert the lighter liquid phase of the separated mixture into a diversion chamber, and wherein other channels at the periphery of the stack divert the heavier liquid phase into another diversion chamber.
A centrifuge drum for separating mixtures of liquids is known from German 2 313 669 C3 for example. The supply channels in this drum are created by ribs below the base of the header that extend into the center of the intake section. The ribs initiate spontaneous acceleration on the part of the incoming mixture to the same angular speed as that of the drum. The unavoidable impact can be detrimental to sensitive mixtures.
Such mixtures can be particularly stressed when the ribs or intake openings are not covered by the liquid. Once the ribs are below the level of the liquid, entrainment will be as extensively careful as possible due to liquid friction. Such a drum can of course be designed to ensure that the ribs or openings will be covered by liquid during actual operation, but they will still be uncovered while the drum is being charged at the commencement of the separation process or once the drum has discharged, when they will have the aforesaid deleterious effect on the product.
This situation is particularly unacceptable with very precious and impact-sensitive products, from the separation of blood plasma for example. In this case the discharged plasma will remain tinged with red for 30 seconds, a sign of undesirable hemolysis due to impact on the cells.

Method of and device for filling an automatically discharging centrifuge drum


A colorimetric assay for the determination of conjugated or unconjugated bilirubin in biological fluids can be carried out with an improved analytical element. The element includes a support having thereon a gelatin-free mordant layer with a positively-charged interactive mordant having at least one binding site for bilirubin, a radiation-blocking layer, and a porous spreading layer. The interactive mordant is dispersed in a binder material of crosslinkable copolymers which include a monomer capable of reaction with a crosslinking agent to crosslink the copolymer.

Bilirubin is a degradation product of hemoglobin. In a healthy individual, bilirubin released from aged or damaged red blood cells in the body is excreted or degraded into other derivatives. In some cases, however, an abnormal amount of bilirubin occurs within the body in the case of excessive hemolysis or liver failure. There is evidence that excessive amounts of bilirubin in the blood can lead to an undesirable increase in bilirubin concentration within the body cells which interferes with various cellular processes. The clinical significance of bilirubin determination, then, in tests for liver and other related organ functions, is apparent.
In human body fluids such as bile and serum, bilirubin exists in several different forms, these forms commonly being referred to in the art as conjugated bilirubin (B.sub.c, both mono- and diconjugated forms), unconjugated bilirubin (B.sub.u, also known as indirect bilirubin), and delta bilirubin (also known as biliprotein). The total bilirubin content (B.sub.T), represents the sum of all forms of bilirubin.
A variety of colorimetric assays for bilirubin are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,017 describes an assay for bilirubin carried out on a dry multilayer analytical element containing an interactive mordant in a reagent layer which binds to bilirubin thereby producing a detectable product. The mordant also enhances the molar absorptivity of bilirubin and causes a spectral shift in the unconjugated moiety making possible the simultaneous analysis of both conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin by reading reflectance density at 400 and 460 nm. The element also comprises a porous spreading layer and a radiation-blocking layer. Chromophores which can cause spectral interference, such as hemoglobin and delta bilirubin, are retained in the spreading layer above the radiation blocking layer. The bilirubin species, Bu and Bc, migrate through the radiation blocking layer to bind with the mordant. The interactive mordant is dispersed in a binder material such as gelatin or its derivatives.
Unfortunately, gelatin and its derivatives have a slight color change over time in the 400 to 460 nm region of the spectrum, making for poor stability of the system.
A significant advance in the art is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,153 (issued Nov. 29, 1988 to Detwiler). The assay for bilirubin described therein is carried out on an analytical element substantially free of gelatin in the reagent layer. An alternative polymer, poly(acrylamide-co-N-vinylpyrrolidone), was used as the reagent layer vehicle.
However, this polymer is not crosslinkable and the structural integrity of the element cannot be maintained during the analysis, resulting in interferences due to hemoglobin and deltabilirubin.
It is therefore desirable to obtain for use in the reagent layer binder materials that do not absorb light in the 400 to 460 nm range of the spectrum, and which maintain structural integrity.

Bilirubin assay using crosslinkable polymers


A monolithic integrated circuit power sensor provides a monolithic integrated circuit substrate, a conversion element formed either on or in the substrate for converting microwave energy into heat, and a thermally sensitive diode junction formed in sufficiently close proximity to the conversion element to be thermally coupled thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to microwave power sensors and, in particular, to such sensors which are constructed integrally with a monolithic circuit substrate.
2. Statement of the Prior Art
Various devices have been used for sensing microwave power. Such devices typically use one of a variety of sensors for converting microwave energy into heat and measuring the resulting temperature. Known devices include Wallaston wires, thermistors and thermocouples mounted in waveguides and coaxial transmission lines. Typically the sensing element is used as a microwave termination requiring that the microwave characteristics of the sensing element be matched to the circuitry or vice versa. For this reason, the sensing elements must be designed to have a low VSWR within the waveguide or coaxial mounting and must also have a temperature dependent electrical characteristic. Because of these requirements, power sensors which are operable over very broad frequency bands have not previously been developed.
Further, the minimum size of such sensors is often limited by the need to obtain sufficient temperature sensitivity. The various sensors have a measurable electrical sensitivity to temperature changes. Wires and thermistors vary in conductivity and thermocouples vary in output voltage. If the length of a wire or thermistor is small or the area of dissimilar metal junction of a thermocouple is small, the amount of change in the respective measurable electrical characteristic will also be small. This results in less sensitivity for determining temperature as the size of the sensing element is reduced, and an inherent limitation on the minimum size of such sensors.
Also, as the use of microwaves in communications and surveillance increases, so does the demand for performance at higher and higher microwave frequencies. This performance is inhibited in traditional circuit components by increases in their reactive impedances attributable to the higher operating frequencies. As reactive impedance is proportional to component size, there is a constant need for research and development of smaller circuitry, components, and devices to enable higher frequency performance.

Monolithic microwave power sensor using a heat sensing diode junction


A process for material working with plasma induced by high-energy radiati especially laser radiation, in which the radiation originating from the region of the workpiece is observed along the axis of the laser radiation focused along the axis on the workpiece as a function of the time. To obtain a measure of the penetration depth of the vapor capillary in the workpiece the process is so carried out that exclusively the cross section of the vapor capillary is observed with a depth of field encompassing the entire workpiece thickness, and that the mean value of the intensity of the plasma radiation is used as a measure of the penetration depth.

Processes with the aforedescribed process features are generally known as laser welding processes. The thus observed optical and acoustical signals are used for monitoring and control. Such signals arise from the workpiece surface or from above the workpiece surface. It is thus possible, for example, to detect a weld breakthrough only in isolated parameter regions. It is also generally known to observe the underside of a workpiece to detect a weld breakthrough. The workpiece is, however, during industrial finishing processes generally only accessible with difficulty at the underside. It is therefore necessary to detect the penetration depth in the workpiece from the upper side, i.e. from the side to which the laser radiation is fed.

Method and device for working materials using plasma-inducing laser radiation

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Forderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.V.


A current interrupt mechanism includes a partition wall defining a second space that is independent from a first space, and the partition wall includes a current path portion serving as a current path of a sealed battery. The current interrupt mechanism interrupts the current path in response to an internal pressure of the second space that is higher than a predetermined pressure. One conductive path passes through the current path of the current interrupt mechanism, and is in contact with the second electrolyte solution enclosed in the second space. Another conductive path includes a potential application line that is wired to the second electrolyte solution enclosed in the second space.

The present disclosure relates to sealed batteries.
JP 2013-157154 A discloses a sealed battery including a battery case and a current interrupt mechanism for interrupting electric current when the internal pressure of the battery case becomes higher than a predetermined value. In the battery case, the current interrupt mechanism is provided in at least one of a conductive path from a positive electrode plate and a conductive path from a negative electrode plate. The non-aqueous electrolyte solution of the sealed battery disclosed in the publication contains an overcharge protection agent that generates a gas at a predetermined potential. The sealed battery is configured so that, when overcharged, the overcharge protection agent generates a gas inside the battery case. The current interrupt mechanism interrupts electric current when the pressure inside the battery case becomes higher than a predetermined value. The publication suggests that the overcharge protection agent be contained in an amount of from 3.0 volume % to 4.5 volume % with respect to the volume of the interior space of the battery case.


In accordance with a level of importance of a character, a weight is provided for the character. For example, a character operated by a player is provided with a weight heavier than those provided for other characters, and other characters are provided with the respective weights lighter than that provided for the character operated by the player. Based on the weights and positions of the characters placed in a predetermined area, a position of a sight point of a virtual camera is determined. Thus, it is possible to generate a display image in which a plurality of characters in a virtual space are placed on a screen in a balanced manner.

There exist a game machine which displays an image (hereinafter, referred to as an image viewed from a third person viewpoint) taken by a virtual camera placed behind a character operated by a player (a player character), and a game machine which displays an image (hereinafter, referred to as an image viewed from a first person viewpoint) taken by a virtual camera placed in a position of the player character as a scene viewed by the player character.
A sight point of the virtual camera is, in general, fixedly set in a position of the player character, or a position at a predetermined distance from a front of the player character.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H10-165647, for example, discloses a game machine generating an image viewed from the first person viewpoint by setting a sight point based on a character located nearest the virtual camera. If there are a plurality of characters equidistant from the virtual camera, the above-described game machine sets a sight point in an intermediate position of these characters.
However, if the sight point of the virtual camera is fixedly set to the player character, there arise the following problems: when the player character leads a party of friend characters, for example, a balance of the characters' placement on a screen is disrupted, and a party of the friend characters behind the player character may be poorly displayed.
Also, if the sight point is set to a character located nearest the virtual camera, the character nearest the virtual camera is always displayed at the center of the screen. As a result, even if a formidable enemy character is located right outside the display screen, the player has difficulty in locating out the enemy character, which may be a problem.
Furthermore, when an image viewed from a third person viewpoint is generated, it is not preferable to set a sight point to a character located nearest the virtual camera because there is a possibility that a character nearest the virtual camera may be a non-player character. Specifically, in the case where a character located nearest the virtual camera is a non-player character, there is a possibility that only the non-player character is displayed on the screen and the player character is not displayed thereon.
Also, if a sight point is set in an intermediate position of the plurality of characters, there also arises the same problem as described above. For example, when an image showing the player character leading a party of friend characters viewed from a third person viewpoint is generated, there is a possibility that a sight point is set around a center of a party of the friend characters and the player character is not displayed.
The illustrative embodiments provide an image generating program and a game device capable of generating a display image in which characters are displayed in a balanced manner.
If there is a player character, the illustrative embodiments provide an image generating program and a game device capable of generating a display image in which characters are displayed in a balanced manner while displaying the player character preferentially over other characters.
The illustrative embodiments have the following aspects (notes in parentheses indicate exemplary elements which can be found in the illustrative embodiments to follow, though such notes are not intended to limit the scope of the example embodiments).
A storage medium of the illustrative embodiments stores an image generating program which causes a computer to generate a display image used for displaying a plurality of objects placed in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional virtual space. The image generating program causes the computer to function as weight storing means (214, FIG. 6), position storing means (214, FIG. 6), barycenter determination means (202, S306), and display image generating means (202, S116). The weight storing means stores weights of the objects. The position storing means stores positions of the objects in the virtual space. The barycenter determination means determines a barycenter of the objects based on the weights and the positions of the objects. The display image generating means generates a display image in which the barycenter lies in approximately a center of the display image. Here, "an object" corresponds to an arbitrary object in a virtual space, and includes not only a movable object such as a player character or a friend character but also a stationary object such as a treasure box or a tree. Also, each character's weight stored by the weight storing means may be unchangeably fixed to a predetermined value, or may be updated, if necessary.
An object to be displayed preferentially has a heavier weight than other objects. In this case, "an object to be displayed preferentially" includes, for example, an enemy character having a formidable weapon, a boss character, a ball in a baseball game, and a specific tropical fish selected by a user from among a plurality of tropical fishes in a virtual aquarium, etc. That is, "an object to be displayed preferentially" varies depending on the use of the image generating program.
Also, the heaviest weight may be assigned to a player character which is operatable by a player with operation means (50).
Also, a level of importance may be previously provided for each object (FIG. 7), and the image generating program may further cause the computer to function as weight associating means (214, FIG. 8) for assigning a heavier weight to the object for which a higher level of importance is provided compared to other objects.
Also, a weight equal to or greater than the sum of weights of objects other than the player character may be dynamically assigned to the player character (FIGS. 19 and 20).
Also, as the barycenter determination means, the image generating program may cause the computer to determine a barycenter of objects placed within a predetermined area, which is a portion of the virtual space (FIG. 23). A shape of the predetermined area may be arbitrary. For example, the predetermined area may be a closed area whose outer edge is at a predetermined distance from the player character, or may be a rectangular area whose center is at a predetermined distance from a front of the player character.
Also, if a barycenter determined by the barycenter determination means lies in a position away from a position of specific one object of the plurality of objects at equal to or greater than the predetermined distance, the image generating program may cause the computer, as the display image generating means, to generate a display image in which an intersection point of a line segment connecting the barycenter and the specific one object and an outer edge of the allowable limit lies in approximately a center of the display image (FIG. 24).
The above descriptions can be applied to either a two-dimensional virtual space or a three-dimensional virtual space.
If the virtual space is a three-dimensional virtual space, the image generating program may cause the computer, as the display image generating means, to generate a display image using a virtual camera whose sight point is the barycenter. In this case, a weight of specific one object of the plurality of objects may change in accordance with a position of the virtual camera. For example, the closer a distance between the virtual camera and the sight point becomes, the heavier a weight of the specific one object becomes (FIGS. 25 and 26).
Also, if the virtual space is a three-dimensional space, the image generating program may cause the computer, as the display image generating means, to generate a display image by bringing the sight point of a virtual camera closer to the barycenter determined by the barycenter determination means at a constant rate.
A game device of an illustrative embodiment generates a display image used for displaying a plurality of objects placed in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional virtual space. The game device comprises weight storing means (214, FIG. 6), position storing means (214, S306), barycenter determination means (202, S306), and display image generating means (202, S116). The weight storing means stores weights of the objects. The position storing means stores positions of the objects in the virtual space. The barycenter determination means determines a barycenter of the objects based on the weights and the positions of the objects. The display image generating means generates a display image in which the barycenter lies in approximately a center of the display image.
Based on one illustrative embodiment, the barycenter determined based on the weights of the objects lies in approximately a center of a display image, whereby it is possible to display the objects on a display screen in a balanced manner. Also, the barycenter lies near the objects whose weight is heavier than other objects, which makes it easy to generate a display image in which an object with a heavier weight than other objects lies closer to the center of the display screen. Thus, it is possible to obtain a display image capable of displaying objects in a balanced manner while displaying the player character preferentially over other characters, by setting a weight of each character arbitrarily.
Especially, in the case where the heaviest weight is assigned to the player character, the player character is displayed preferentially over other characters, whereby it is possible to prevent the player character from moving outside a display area.
Also, based on a level of importance previously assigned to each character, if an object with a higher level of importance has a heavier weight than other characters, it is possible to display an object with a higher level of importance on a preferential basis.
Also, if a weight equal to or greater than the sum of the weights of other characters is dynamically assigned to the player character, a weight of the player character is increased in accordance with an increase in the number or the weight of other characters, whereby it is possible to facilitate the player character being always displayed.
Also, if the barycenter is determined based on the objects within a predetermined area, it is possible to prevent the barycenter from being set in an unexpected position, and reduce an amount of calculation required for determining the barycenter.
Also, in the case where the barycenter lies outside a predetermined allowable limit which is centered around specific one object, a display image is generated such that an intersection point of a line segment connecting the barycenter and the specific one object and an outer edge of the allowable limit is approximately a center of the display image. In this case, the specific one object can be displayed even if the barycenter moves away from the specific one object.
Also, if the barycenter is set as a sight point of the virtual camera, a display image which is centered around a barycenter in the three-dimensional space can be generated easily.
Also, if a weight of specific one object changes in accordance with a position of the virtual camera, it is possible to perform control, for example, such that the closer the distance between the sight point and the virtual camera becomes, the heavier the weight of the specific one object becomes. In this case, the specific one object can be always displayed even if the virtual camera becomes closer to the sight point.
Also, in the case where a sight point of the virtual camera is brought closer to the barycenter determined by the barycenter determination means at a constant rate, it is possible to prevent a sudden change in a display content even if the position of the barycenter changes abruptly. As a result, it is possible to display an easily viewable image.
These and other aspects of the illustrative embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Storage medium and game device storing image generating program


A cinch strap has a monolithic latch block and strap. The latch block defines two apertures therethrough, one of the apertures being wider than the other of the apertures. The strap includes first and second strap portions, one of the strap portions being wider than the other of strap portions, and the wider of the strap portions being wider than the narrowest aperture.

Cinch straps, or cable ties, are used frequently to secure together items such as bundles of wires or cables, or to secure wires or cables to objects. For example, when two or more wires are run along a common path, to ensure an orderly appearance cinch straps or cable ties are used to bind the wires or cables together. Similar straps can be used to secure one or several wires or cables to a frame, pipe or other object fixed in position relative to the wires. In this way, the wires can be held in an inconspicuous location, and can be protected from dangerous entanglements or other damage.
Double latch cable ties are known in which a latching mechanism has two latching receptacles, permitting separate bundling of two groups of wires or cables. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,669 teaches a cable tie having a flexible strap secured at one end to a locking frame having two strap accommodating openings therethrough. The strap is of sufficient length to first encircle one group of wires, to be inserted through a first strap accommodating opening in the locking frame, and then around a second group of wires and finally through the second strap accommodating opening in the locking frame. Thus, two groups of wires are secured on opposite sides of the locking frame by a single, double-latch cable tie.
U.S. Design Pat. 255,782 shows another double latching cable strap in which separate latching structures are provided at right angles to each other, at one end of the strap.
While straps of the type described are useful in securing individual groups or bundles of wires, cables and the like, in some situations it is desirable to provide fixed dimensioned encirclements so that when a plurality of straps are used each is tightened to the same degree, to form encirclements of the same size. Further, in some situations it is desirable and even necessary, to secure the bundled items relatively loosely, to prevent crushing. In the sometimes hectic, rapid pace environments of assembly lines, it is often difficult to ensure that a fixed level of tightening is established.
What is needed in the art is a cinch strap providing multiple encirclements, at least some with fixed minimum diameters.


An automotive vehicle navigation method includes obtaining electronic textual navigation information and converting the textual navigation information into audio data. The audio data is stored within the vehicle and is played back within the vehicle in sequential increments that correspond to respective legs of a trip being made by the vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic vehicle navigation systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Navigation systems are provided in vehicles, such as automobiles, for providing assistance to occupants of the vehicles in finding their way to their destinations. The navigation system typically includes a global positioning system (GPS) that tracks the changing locations of the vehicle on the surface of the earth in real time. The navigation system also stores extensive map data that enables the navigation system to track the changing street locations of the vehicle based upon the GPS data. A video screen may display the mapping of streets in the vicinity of the vehicle, as well as the current location of the vehicle on the grid of interconnected roadways.
One difficulty associated with the above-described navigation systems is that they typically do not provide text instructions regarding what streets to turn on and the distances involved. Rather, only a map with the current location of the vehicle thereon is provided. However, because of the spatial skills required, many users find maps inherently difficult to read, especially while driving. Hence, such users may find text directions to be easier to understand and more useful.
Another difficulty is that the world-wide map information utilized by conventional navigation systems requires a large amount of memory capacity to store, as well as considerable processing capability to display. These memory and processing requirements, and their associated costs, result in the system designer having to make compromises in the detail and user-friendliness of the display of the navigation maps.
Yet another difficulty is that conventional navigation systems typically provide navigation information in only video form, and do not provide navigation information in audio form. Thus, it may be difficult for a driver to interpret the visual information on the video screen while still watching the road while he is driving.
What is needed in the art is a vehicle navigation system that is capable of supplying navigation directions in text and/or audio form, that provides higher quality graphical information, and that enables the user to access the navigation information at desired times of his choosing.

Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America


A method of fabricating semiconductor devices begins by providing or fabricating a device structure that includes a semiconductor material and a plurality of gate structures formed overlying the semiconductor material. The method continues by creating light dose extension implants in the semiconductor material by bombarding the device structure with ions at a non-tilted angle relative to an exposed surface of the semiconductor material. During this step, the plurality of gate structures are used as a first implantation mask. The method continues by forming a patterned mask overlying the semiconductor material, the patterned mask being arranged to protect shared drain regions of the semiconductor material and to leave shared source regions of the semiconductor material substantially exposed. Thereafter, the method creates heavy dose extension implants and/or halo implants in the semiconductor material by bombarding the device structure with ions at a tilted angle relative to the exposed surface of the semiconductor material, and toward the plurality of gate structures. During this step, the plurality of gate structures and the patterned mask are used as a second implantation mask.

The prior art is replete with different techniques and processes for fabricating semiconductor devices such as metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors. In accordance with typical fabrication techniques, a MOS transistor is formed by creating a device structure on a semiconductor substrate, where the device structure includes a gate stack formed on a layer of semiconductor material, and source and drain regions formed in the semiconductor material to define a channel region under the gate stack. Some transistor devices are intentionally fabricated with asymmetric characteristics to improve their performance. For example, a known fabrication process results in asymmetric extension and/or halo implants in the source and drain regions. In particular, the extension implant in the source region extends further toward or into the channel region, relative to the extension implant in the drain region. Moreover, it may be desirable to use halo implants only in the source region. Such asymmetric fabrication techniques can result in better DC performance (reduction in parasitic resistance, improved mobility, etc.) and better AC performance (less Miller capacitance at the drain side, less junction capacitance at the drain side, etc.). In turn, the power and speed characteristics of the transistor device are improved.
Asymmetric extension and halo implants are typically created using photolithographic techniques, angled ion implantation, and related process steps. Unfortunately, existing photolithography tools are not suitable for modern small-scale process node technology, e.g., 32 nm or 22 nm nodes, which can be used to create gate structures having a pitch of only 130 nm or less. Asymmetric extension and/or halo implants are very difficult (if not impossible) to create in transistor devices fabricated using 32 nm node technology because the narrow gate pitch, photoresist height restrictions, photoresist feature tolerances, ion implantation tilt angle, and other factors introduce geometric limitations that prevent the desired implantation profiles.

Method of fabricating semiconductor transistor devices with asymmetric extension and/or halo implants


A chair designed for outdoor use, in particular various hunting applications. The chair is independently adjustable in the seat platform, the legs and the seatback to meet the different requirements for hunting various types of game, such as reclining for fowl flying above, or upright for land animals. It is also mounted on a swivel for quickly pivoting to follow the movement of game. The invention can be used in conjunction with blinds, or can include a pop up tarp for partially concealing the hunter. The seat is not just useful for hunters, but other outdoor enthusiast that want to view wildlife easily and in comfort.

Various inventions have been used and patented in the past for outdoor enthusiasts, thus showing the need and popularity of such inventions. None of the patents found, nor products seen, have combined the versatility of seat, leg and backrest positions with the ability to pivot or swivel quickly.
U.S. Pat. No. 984,939 issued to Krile, discloses a folding camp chair with a latched base and an adjustable back hinged to the seat. However it does not have a swivel base needed to quickly turn and locate sources of game, or other items of interest to the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,450,783 issued to Collins, discloses a beach or lawn chair with a combination head rest and back rest. It also discloses a flexible seat with a similar seating position as the current invention. It too lacks the swivel base of the current invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,661 issued to Harris, discloses a hunting chair with a swivel seat. It is also designed for portability. It does not include backrest, adjustable tilt or other features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,068 issued to Gleckler, discloses a camping chair with the ability to adjust the incline of the seat and back. This does not include the swivel of the present invention, and is more cumbersome in its folding and locking mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,265 issued to Nagan, discloses the classic chaise lounger. A lounge chair with legs, back rest and foot rest which engage in a variety of locking positions for comfort. They permit the elevation of the sitter to be varied. This disclosure, however, does not include the ability to swivel or pivot easily. It is also more bulky than the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,190 issued to Wend, discloses a folding portable hunting seat. It is portable but does not have the number of variations of seat and backrest positions available in the current invention. It also does not include the ability to swivel or pivot easily.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,712 issued to Livingston, discloses a portable folding chair with a frame, upper and lower body support, which can be carried by the user. This method of reclining, however, does not automatically adjust the leg (thigh) support. It also requires some sort of strapping between the back angle support and the base of the chair to maintain support. The seat is not adjustable, and it does not include the ability to pivot easily.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,928 issued to Ransom, discloses a low profile seat with repositionable backrest. The leg assemblies have different heights to be positioned on uneven terrain. It also allows hunters a repositionable back rest which can be moved from one side to the other to change the direction of fire. Without the swivel, however, it does not allow the hunter to swing into position in 'real time' while hunting.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,965 issued to Howell, discloses a hunting chair with a swivel base. It is not low profile which is important in cases where the hunter needs to be inconspicuous. It also does not allow the same type or number of reclining and seating positions as the current invention.


An device for adjusting the tension applied on a printing plate on a plate cylinder of a sheet fed offset printing machine is provided. The device includes a clamping bar comprising at least one clamping bar section and having a clamping gap which receives an end of the printing plate. Moreover, the clamping bar is arranged so that it can move approximately in the circumferential direction of the plate cylinder. The device further includes a spring element which acts on the clamping bar so as to apply a tensile force on the printing plate. The device also includes an adjusting element pivotally supported on the cylinder such that it can be pivoted counter to the force of a spring from a disengaged position into engagement with the clamping bar in order to selectively reduce the tensile forces exerted on the printing plate by the spring element.

In sheet-fed offset printing machines, a printing plate is attached to a plate cylinder of the print units by first clamping the leading edge of the printing plates in a corresponding attachment device on the plate cylinder. Next the printing plate is mounted around the outside circumference of the plate cylinder. The trailing edge of the printing plate is then introduced into a corresponding tensioning device, whereupon the printing plate is tensioned around the outside circumference of the plate cylinder via the trailing edge of the printing plate. Presently, a large number of automated devices are known for the clamping and tensioning of printing plates onto a plate cylinder which enable these steps to be carried out simply by actuating corresponding operating elements. For example, an operator only has to introduce the leading edge of the printing plate into the corresponding clamping bar and then actuate a corresponding operating element which triggers the clamping. Similarly, introducing the trailing edge of the printing plate into the corresponding tensioning device of the plate cylinder can also be carried out in an automated manner such that the attachment of the printing plate to the plate cylinder is totally automatic.
A device for mounting printing plates on the plate cylinder of sheet-fed offset printing machines is known from DE 4,214,168 C2, in which the leading edge of the printing plate is first attached to the plate cylinder by an attachment device and the trailing edge of the printing plate is then attached to a clamping bar arranged in a groove provided in the cylinder. In this device, the clamping bar comprises a plurality of sections arranged axially relative to the plate cylinder. Each section of the clamping bar is provided with a spring element which exerts a corresponding tensile force on the trailing edge of the printing plate. The individual sections of the clamping bar are moveable about two different pivot axes, such movement of the individual clamping bar sections is possible approximately in the circumferential direction of the plate cylinder. The spring elements assigned to the individual clamping bar sections, pivot the individual clamping bar sections from the front wall of the groove in the plate cylinder towards the middle of the groove. In order to introduce the edge of a printing plate into the clamping devices, all the of the clamping bar sections are pivoted counter to the spring force in the direction of the front wall of the groove and the end of the printing plate is inserted into the clamping gap. The clamping device is then actuated. The clamping of the trailing edge of the printing plate in conjunction with the application of a tensile force via the corresponding spring elements results in an automatically increasing clamping force being applied to the printing plate.
The rolling between the blanket cylinder and the back pressure cylinder, however, can result in the stretching of the printing material. In addition, the stretching of the printing material is particularly influenced by the effects of the damping solution. If not corrected for this stretching will adversely effect the print quality, particularly at the trailing edge of the printing image. Accordingly, it is desirable to able to vary the setting or exertion of tensile forces on the printing plate across the format width of the printing machine. For example, it is desirable to allow for correction of a change in the printing length (length of the printing image on the printing material) caused by the effects of the damping solution on the printing material. This is a particular problem at the trailing edge of the printing image.
In the device disclosed in the above mentioned publication DE 4,214,168 C2, these corrections can be accomplished by changing the corresponding pre-tensioning forces for the spring elements acting on the individual clamping-bar sections. Specifically, the individual adjustment of the tensioning forces exerted on the trailing edge of the printing plate must be carried out after mounting and tensioning a printing plate on the plate cylinder and after producing the first few printed copies (a few machine rotations).
A disadvantage of this procedure is that the individual setting of the pre-tensioning forces of the spring elements assigned to the individual clamping-bar sections is a very time consuming operation. Furthermore, once the pre-tensioning of the spring elements are set, they keep that particular setting even after the used printing plate has been removed. Thus, when a new printing plate is mounted, it will be tensioned around the outside circumference of the plate cylinder with a force which varies across the format width of the printing machine. In particular, the tensile force which is applied to the new plate will be based on the settings of the individual spring elements which were used to correct the print quality of the print order which was run with the previous printing plate. It is possible that the settings which were used to correct the print quality of the previous print order may have a negative impact on the print quality of the new print order, particularly with respect to the first few copies. Accordingly, the entire tensioning device has to be returned to a starting position after a used printing plate has been removed. If this resetting or return of the tensioning device to the starting position is forgotten, it is also possible that a new printing plate will be mounted with such widely different tensile forces over the format width that the printing plate may be permanently damaged.
A device for the in-register mounting of printing plates on the plate cylinder of printing machines is known from DE 4,321,751 C. With this device, a hand tool with an eccentric cam surface is provided which interacts with a clamping bar in order to allow for the individual correction of the tensile forces exerted on the trailing edge of the printing plate. Specifically, the eccentric cam surface mounted on the hand tool acts on a portion of the clamping in such a way that the tensile forces exerted on the trailing edge of the printing plate can be increased. The printing plate can therefore be stretched in a defined manner in specific sections with the stretching force being applied solely during the actuation of the hand tool. Once this stretching of the printing plate over the format width of the printing machine has been accomplished, only the spring forces act on the printing plate. With this device, after a used printing plate which has been stretched in individual sections has been removed, a new printing plate can be mounted around the outside circumference of the plate cylinder with a constant tensioning force across the format width of the machine. However, the hand tool can only be used to stretch portions of the printing plate and no allowance is made for reducing the tensile forces which act on the trailing edge of the printing plate.


Balancing an exercise intensity level and a fun factor of a game is non-trivial and challenging. Disclosed herein are aspects and embodiments of an optimization-based approach to address this challenge. The approach can be applied to synthesize a game level with a desired exercise intensity level. By formulating the design problem as an optimization, a level designer can easily balance factors concerning the exercise intensity level of the game as well as other design factors and constraints.

Games and experiences designed for virtual or augmented reality may include features in which a player moves physically to play. This poses substantial challenge for level designers because the physical experience of a player in a level should be considered, otherwise the level may turn out to be too exhausting or not challenging enough.


A vehicle body rear part structure improved against rear-side collisions is disclosed. The rear part of a vehicle body includes left and right rear side frames; a front cross member and a rear cross member, both extending between the left and right rear side frames; and a bar and a bracket. The rear cross member has arm support parts for supporting lower arms of left and right rear suspensions on a center part which is lower than lateral ends of the vehicle body. The bar is curved in a convex manner toward the bottom of the vehicle body, and the bar connects center parts of the front and rear cross members together. The bracket mounts a rear end of the bar to the rear cross member while enclosing the rear end from the bottom of the vehicle body.

Such vehicle body rear part structures, designed with consideration given to rear-side collisions, are known in the art, e.g., as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-96185 (JP-A 2006-096185) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-56189 (JP-A 2008-056189).
FIG. 11 hereof shows the rear part of a vehicle body disclosed in JP-A 2006-096185.
The rear half of the vehicle body 100 shown in FIG. 11 comprises a front floor panel 101, left and right floor frames 102, a rear floor panel 103, left and right rear side frames 104, and a cross member 105. The left and right floor frames 102 extend in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body underneath the front floor panel 101. The left and right rear side frames 104 extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body underneath the rear floor panel 103. The cross member 105 extends between the left and right rear side frames 104. A fuel tank 106 is disposed underneath the rear floor panel 103 and in front of the cross member 105.
The bottom surface of the fuel tank 106 is held on the vehicle body 100 by left and right holding bands 107. The left and right holding bands 107 span between the left and right floor frames 102 and the cross member 105. These left and right holding bands 107 are thin plate-shaped members for holding the fuel tank 106, and the bands do not apply a large amount of resistance (opposing force against a collision load) against a collision load when a rear-side collision occurs.
FIG. 12 hereof shows the rear part of the vehicle body disclosed in JP-A 2008-056189.
The rear part of the vehicle body 110 comprises left and right side sills 111, 111, a front cross member 112, left and right rear side frames 113, 113, a rear cross member 114, and left and right stays 116, 116, as shown in FIG. 12. The front cross member 112 spans between the rear ends of the left and right side sills 111, 111. The left and right rear side frames 113, 113 extend rearward from the rear ends of the left and right side sills 111, 111. The rear cross member 114 spans between the left and right rear side frames 113, 113, and rear suspensions are mounted thereon. The left and right stays (tank frames) 116, 116 extend at an incline from the vehicle-widthwise center of the rear cross member 114 to the rear ends of the side sills 111, 111. A fuel tank 117 is positioned in the space enclosed by the front cross member 112, the left and right rear side frames 113, 113, and the rear cross member 114.
The left and right stays 116, 116 pass underneath the fuel tank 117, and the stays have the function of transmitting loads from the vehicle-widthwise center of the rear cross member 114 to the left and right side sills 111, 111. The left and right stays 116, 116 constitute effective means for dealing with rear-side collisions, but since a pair of left and right stays are needed, a large number of components are involved, leading to a proportionate increase in the vehicle body weight.


A method for assisting evaluation of anomalies in a distributed storage system is disclosed. The method includes a step of monitoring at least one system metric of the distributed storage system. The method further includes steps of maintaining a listing of patterns of the monitored system metric comprising patterns which previously did not result in a failure within one or more nodes of the distributed storage system, and, based on the monitoring, identifying a pattern (i.e., a time series motif) of the monitored system metric as a potential anomaly in the distributed storage system. The method also includes steps of automatically (i.e. without user input) performing a similarity search to determine whether the identified pattern satisfies one or more predefined similarity criteria with at least one pattern of the listing, and, upon positive determination, excepting the identified pattern from being identified as the potential anomaly.

In recent years, cloud-based storage has emerged to offer a solution for storing, accessing, and managing electronic data owned or controlled by various types of private and public entities. Distributed storage systems may offer a storage platform designed to provide object based, block based, and file based storage from a single distributed storage cluster in a cloud. A distributed storage cluster may contain numerous nodes for storing objects and other data. Generally, a distributed storage system is designed to evenly distribute data across the cluster. Multiple replicas of data can be maintained according to a replication factor in order to provide fault tolerance and high availability to users, applications, and other systems. When node failure occurs in a cluster, replicas may be copied to new nodes to maintain the replication factor in the cluster.

Correctly identifying potential anomalies in a distributed storage system


A fiber optic body motion monitor in which light is transmitted through an optical fiber waveguide physically coupled to a body being monitored, and modal noise at the output of the optical fiber waveguide is applied to a photodetector filtered, rectified and analyzed to detect breathing and heartbeats. Detection of breathing is performed by low-pass filtering the rectified and filtered signal, and adaptive thresholding of the low-pass filtered signal. A similar but separate technique is used to detect heartbeats. In one embodiment, reliability of detection is enhanced by reducing the number of speckles of light applied to the photodetector to approximately 50%, thereby to maximize modal noise current. In another embodiment the photodetector has two halves separately illuminated by approximately two-thirds of the light from the optical fiber waveguide. Outputs of the photodetector halves are applied to the positive and negative inputs of an operational amplifier, whereby common mode noise is eliminated and modal noise current and therefore sensitivity of modal noise detection increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a motion monitor based on detection of modal noise produced by minute motions in a single- or multimode-optical fiber illuminated by a coherent or partially coherent light source, and more particularly to such a motion monitor for detecting body motions due to breaths, heartbeats, and determining breathing rate and heart rate.
2. Discussion of Background
A significant cause of death in infants (birth to about 2 years) is "Crib Death" or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Medical authorities generally agree that some infants simply stop breathing during sleep (apnea) or their heart rates fall dangerously low (bradycardia) and that death from these conditions can be prevented if the condition is detected and help is provided within a short time (one or two minutes) by trained personnel or parents.
Apnea monitors already exist, but their cost creates an affordability problem that limits their use. Also, the existing monitors tend to be unreliable, typically having high false positive rates. Also, existing monitors are obtrusive and difficult to use because the subject must wear a belt or other device connected to the monitor. This further limits their use.
Of interest in the patent literature are U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,684 to Butter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,233 to Jeunhomme and U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,706 to Claus et al.
Butter discloses a fiber optic intruder alarm system for protecting the perimeter of an area utilizing a multimode optic fiber as a deformable sensing element, wherein a length of multimode optic fiber is buried in the ground, coherent light is directed through the buried optic fiber and the speckled output light pattern of the fiber is rectified, integrated and threshold detected to determine the presence of an intruder.
Jeunhomme discloses a fiber optic vibration detecting device, but with no means for quantifying the output of the optic fiber, and suggests that observed vibrations can be used to trigger an alarm and/or lighting in the case of a breathing deficiency of a monitored patient.
Claus et al disclose a modal domain optical fiber sensor for vibration monitoring and as a mechanical motion sensor. Claus et al teach filtering the speckle pattern at the output of an optical fiber to a single lobe, termed a single speckle or a single correlation cell elsewhere in the scientific literature, and finds application to monitoring force on mechanical structures, such as a cantilever beam.
However, in the prior art, how to reliably derive information relating to breaths, heartbeats, breathing rate, or heart rate of a monitored person is not well documented, and a need exists for such a monitor which is both inexpensive and reliable.

Fiber optical monitor for detecting normal breathing and heartbeat motion based on changes in speckle patterns


A charging apparatus includes a microcomputer which turns a transistor on so as to supply a charging current from a constant current source to a battery pack incorporating a secondary battery. The microcomputer counts a time required for increasing a battery voltage of the secondary battery, which is outputted from an A/D converter, by a predetermined value, and predicts a time during when the battery voltage will be subsequently increased by the predetermined value. If the battery voltage is not increased by the predetermined value within a predicted time, the microcomputer determines that the battery voltage reaches a peak value thereof and turns the transistor off to terminate a charge. The charging apparatus is suitable for a rapid charge of Ni-MH batteries.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charging apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel charging apparatus which is suitable for a rapid charge of nickel-metal hydride secondary battery (hereinafter, simply called as "Ni-MH battery".
2. Description of Prior Arts
Conventionally, various kinds of systems for rapidly charging a secondary battery have been proposed and put into practical use. A first system is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 59-6731 laid-open on Jan. 13, 1984. In the first system, by utilizing a matter that a battery temperature increases with a progress of a charge, the charge is stopped as regarded as a fully charged state when the battery temperature reaches a predetermined value. In the first system, since the battery temperature is easily influenced by an ambient temperature, it is impossible to accurately control the charge.
A second system is a so-called "-.DELTA.V system" which is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,148 issued on Oct. 12, 1982 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,332 issued on Jun. 7, 1983 both of which were assigned to the same assignee as that of the present invention. A battery voltage of a nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery changes as shown in FIG. 1 with a progress of a charge. Although the battery voltage indicates a peak thereof at a timing X in FIG. 1, the Ni-Cd battery is not fully charged at this timing X and becomes a fully charged state at a timing Y when the battery voltage slightly drops while passing the peak. Therefore, in the second system, the charge is stopped at the timing Y in FIG. 1. The second system is suitable for a Ni-Cd battery. However, in a Ni-MH battery to which the present invention is directed, although a battery voltage changes in a similar manner as that of the Ni-Cd battery, the timing X (FIG. 1) when the battery voltages reaches the peak is a fully charged state. Therefore, if the charge is continued after the battery voltage reaches the peak in accordance with the second system as similar to the Ni-Cd batteries, there is a problem that deterioration due to heat generation according to a chemical reaction inside the Ni-MH battery occurs. Therefore, the second system is not suitable for a charging apparatus of the Ni-MH battery.
A third system is disclosed in UK Patent No. 1,097,451 issued on Jan. 3, 1968. In the third system, an increasing rate of a battery voltage with respect to a time at a fully charged state is measured in advance and, by utilizing the increasing rate obtained through the measurement as a reference, in practically charging, the charge is stopped when the increasing rate of the battery voltage becomes equal to or below the reference value. The third system can be utilized as a charging apparatus for a Ni-MH battery in which the characteristic deterioration due to overcharge becomes a large problem; however, in the third system, there is a disadvantage that flexibility lacks because the above described increasing rate must be practically measured at every timing when a kind of battery, battery capacitance, residual capacitance, charging current (rapid charge or normal charge) or the like is changed.


Technologies for performing two-dimensional gesture recognition are described. In some embodiments the technologies include systems, methods, and computer readable media for performing two-dimensional gesture recognition on one or more input images. In some embodiments the technologies use an object detector to detect one or more suspected gestures in an input image, and to generate a first set of hits correlating to detected gestures in the input image. At least a portion of false positive hits may then be removed by the application of one or more filters to the first set of hits. Custom hand gesture filters are also described.

Over the past several decades electronic devices such as computers, mobile computing devices (e.g., smart phones), smart televisions, etc. have increasingly become integrated into modern society. In a typical use case, a user may interact with an electronic device using an input device such as a touch screen, computer mouse, keyboard, buttons etc. Although such input devices are useful, their functionality and/or form factor may make them unsuitable or not-optimal for use with certain devices. For example, many smart phone companies have eschewed the use of hardware buttons on smart phones, in part because the use of such buttons may impose meaningful design constraints in that context.
With the foregoing in mind interest has grown in the development of other technologies for interacting with electronic devices. In particular, interest has grown in the use of gestures to control one or more functions of an electronic device. In this regard several gesture recognition technologies have been developed to enable an electronic device to recognize one or more gestures made by a user of the device, and to perform commands associated with the recognized gesture.
In some gesture recognition technologies a two-dimensional image is segmented so as to isolate a portion of the image containing a gesture from the background. In some instances segmentation is performed using color-based techniques (e.g., by identifying certain skin tones) and/or by depth-based techniques (e.g., using a time of flight camera or a stereo camera). Once the portion image containing the gesture is isolated from the background, a classifier is then applied to classify the gesture (e.g., the hand pose in the image) from a set of classes. In some instances, such classification is performed using a support vector machine, a neural network, and/or region/shape-based analysis techniques.
Although existing gesture recognition technologies have shown some promise, various problems can limit their practical usefulness in real world applications. For example, segmentation of the two-dimensional image may not always be successful due to the difficulty in computing a reliable skin model and/or because depth data is not available. Isolation of the portion of the image containing the gesture from the background can also be unreliable in instances where the background contains significant motion, and/or in instances where a body part making a gesture overlaps another body part having similar color characteristics (e.g., when a hand overlaps a face of a user). As a result, such systems may fail to detect a gesture made by a user, produce unreliable results, and/or present a less than optimal end user experience. Such systems may also consume relatively large amounts of electrical power, potentially rendering them unsuitable for low power applications.

Technologies for robust two-dimensional gesture recognition


A frusto-conical member has a planar rim disposed at a bottom closed end and a circular open portion disposed at a top end. A lid having a plurality holes formed therethrough inserts over the frusto-conical open portion and is retained by friction. An elongated portion of a toothbrush is inserted through one of the holes formed in the lid for retaining the toothbrush in an upright position such that bristles of the toothbrush are exposed to the ambient air. A grommet having a center aperture is inserted into one of the holes in the lid. Disposed underneath the grommet is a small housing for retaining a source of dental floss. The housing includes a cover having a tip portion which inserts through the grommet aperture. The source of dental floss threads through the tip portion and out through the grommet aperture. A small cutter element is disposed along an outer circumference of the frusto-conical member below the grommet and is used to cut a strand of desired length from the source of dental floss.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dental hygiene. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus for retaining a toothbrush and roll of dental floss for use in cleaning someone""s teeth and otherwise maintaining healthy dental hygiene.
2. Description of Prior Art
Dental hygiene products are well known in the prior art. Many products exist for use in dental hygiene and include, for example, toothbrushes, toothpicks, toothpaste, mouthwash, rinsing cups and dental floss. These products are typically stored in a convenient location proximal to a bathroom sink so that an individual can easily clean their teeth and otherwise maintain healthy dental hygiene.
Those individuals concerned with the aesthetic setting of their bathroom may wish to conceal or organize their dental hygiene products instead of placing them upon the counter-top of their bathroom sink area. Of course, some people simply store their dental hygiene products within a cabinet mounted above the bathroom sink. However, in doing so, many people forget to clean their teeth in that the dental hygiene products are not prominently displayed. In this regard, organizers for dental hygiene products have been invented which prominently display the dental hygiene products within an individual""s visual proximity. Some of these inventions are drawn to a single dental hygiene product, such as those inventions shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,490,722 to Sonnett et al. and 5,765,739 to Yates, III which disclose dental floss dispensers. Both of these inventions are limited to dental floss dispensers and do not suggest or teach an apparatus in combination for use with other dental hygiene products such as a toothbrush. Also seen in the prior art are toothbrush holders which usually include a housing with a lid having a plurality of holes formed in a top end. The elongated toothbrush handle inserts through one of the holes thereby retaining the brush in an upright position such that the bristles of the toothbrush are disposed above the housing and permitted to dry. These inventions too fail to suggest or teach an apparatus in combination for use with other dental hygiene products such as a roll of dental floss.
The above aforementioned devices are deficient in many ways. Most noticeable is that each of these prior art devices merely permit an individual to organize a single dental hygiene product. Accordingly, if an individual wants to organize a plurality of objects, one must provide a multitude of organizers. This unfortunately clutters the counter-top of an individual""s bathroom sink and defeats the purpose of providing an aesthetically pleasing and organized bathroom area. Therefore, improvements on dental hygiene product organizers have been invented.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,003 to Foster discloses one type of combination organizer. Shown therein, is a housing having an inner cavity for receiving a disposable rinsing cup. Disposed along a top side of the housing is a lid having a plurality of holes formed therein for receiving and retaining toothbrushes in an upright position. Unfortunately, this invention fails to disclose anything that would permit other dental hygiene products to be organized within the invention, such as, for example, a roll of dental floss.
Some inventions found in the prior art attempt to provide an organizer that stores a plurality of items including, a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and other dental hygiene products. Such can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,215,193 to Dennis, 5,662,130 to Wiltshire and 5,638,840 to Lee et al. However, these inventions have also proven to be deficient. The most evident deficiency relates to the complicated structure and the need for a plurality of parts to form the device. Accordingly, these devices are difficult to market since the high manufacturing costs substantially outweigh the marketing price. Simply put, individuals avoid purchasing these products since they cost too much. Further, not everyone wants an organizer that can hold every dental hygiene product known. Many individuals simply want a device that can retain a toothbrush and a roll of floss.
Recognizing a desire for a device which merely holds a toothbrush and roll of floss, certain prior art devices have been invented which attempt to fulfill this simple desire. Such can been seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,673,106 to Fishman, 5,097,964 to Fitz, 5,335,798 to Bonwell, and 5,924,429 to Morando. However, these devices, like others in the prior art, have shown to possess major deficiencies which warrant improvements to made thereupon. Again, as seen before, these devices employ a multitude of parts, making them difficult to manufacture and therefore expensive to market. Further, some have gone as far as to employ electrical signaling means, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,798, for the purpose of reminding the user to floss. These type of devices have shown to complicate even further a simple concept which is merely that an individual should remember to floss their teeth after brushing.
From all of the prior art references, it is clear that an improved dental hygiene product is needed. The improved device should avoid the use of any electrical signaling means and employ as few parts as possible. This would ensure low manufacturing costs. The improved dental hygiene product device should also provide organization for just a few dental hygiene products, such as, for example, a toothbrush and a roll of dental floss.
I have invented an improved dental hygiene product which overcomes the deficiencies seen in the prior art. My device employs only a few parts and is therefore easy and inexpensive to manufacture. Further, my device provides for the organization of only a few dental hygiene productsxe2x80x94namely, a toothbrush and a roll of dental floss. Each product is retained by my improved device in a small cup-like shaped housing which is designed to rest upon a bathroom sink counter-top such that it is both unobtrusive, easy to access, and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
A bottom member is shaped like a cup with a flat bottom portion and a circular open top portion. A convexed-shaped top fits in the bottom member open top portion and has a plurality of holes formed therein. The holes can receive an elongated portion of a toothbrush. One of the holes has a rubber grommet wedged within the hole. The grommet has a hole formed in a middle portion thereof. A small housing enclosing a roll of dental floss mounts below the grommet. The small housing further includes a top with a tip portion which fits within the hole formed in the grommet. The dental floss threads through the tip portion and the hole of the grommet to provide its user access to the dental floss. A small cutter is attached along an outer circumference of the bottom portion and is used to cut a strand of desired length of dental floss.

Combination toothbrush holder and dental floss dispenser


An asymmetrical half-bridge converter, a method of operating the same and a power supply that incorporates either the converter or the method. In one embodiment, the converter includes: (1) a power transformer that receives asymmetrical AC input power into a primary winding thereof via an input capacitor, the asymmetrical AC input power inducing a DC bias current in a secondary winding of the power transformer and (2) first and second serially-coupled output inductors coupled across the secondary winding and having parasitic resistances associated therewith that are independently selectable to attenuate the DC bias circuit in the secondary winding.

A power converter is a power processing circuit that converts an input voltage or current source waveform into a specified output voltage or current waveform. In a switch-mode converter, a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) controller is often used to control the on and off periods of switches employed therein. The controllable switches, in the switch-mode converter, are each required to conduct the substantial load dependent currents during the respective switching cycles. As a result, the switches are subjected to high switching stresses and high switching power losses that increase linearly with the switching frequency of the converter, thereby limiting the switches' usefulness at high frequencies. It is well known that, to increase the power density of the switch-mode converters and to reduce converter size and weight, the switching frequency may be increased. To realize the higher frequencies, the limitations associated with higher frequencies described above must be addressed. These limitations can be reduced if each switch in the converter changes its state (from on to off or vice versa) when the voltage across the switch or the current through the switch is zero at the switching instant. Converter topologies that reduce switching losses by turning the switches on or off when the current or voltage is zero are described as zero-current switching (ZCS) converters or zero-voltage switching (ZVS) converters, respectively.
An analysis of a ZVS half-bridge converter with PWM control is described, for example, in a paper entitled "Static and Dynamic Analysis of Zero-Voltage-Switched Half-Bridge Converter with PWM Control" by Tamotsu Ninomiya, et al., Proceedings of IEEE PESC '91, pp. 230-237 (1992); see also "Static and Dynamic Analysis of ZVS-PWM Half Bridge Converter" by T. Ninomiya, et al., IEE of Japan, MAG-90-82, August 1990, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Ninomiya, et al., analyzed a half-bridge converter with an asymmetrical PWM control scheme and demonstrated quantitatively the improvement of the control characteristics performed by the asymmetrical regulation of a pair of switches employed therein.
Asymmetrical switching occurs when the two switches in a half-bridge converter are turned on and off complementarily. In the conventional switch-mode half-bridge converters, the power switches are typically maintained in a conducting state for an equal duration during each half of the switching period. For one duty cycle, alternately one switch, then the other switch, conducts during successive half periods of the duty cycle for the same length of time with a corresponding dead time between each conduction time period. Asymmetrical half-bridge converters differ from the conventional switch-mode half-bridge converters in that the switches conduct for unequal lengths of time with only a small deadtime between the alternating conduction periods.
A half-bridge converter employing an asymmetrical duty cycle to control the converter's switches is described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,520, issued on Oct. 10, 1993, to Imbertson, entitled "Asymmetrical Duty Cycle Power Converter," which is incorporated herein by reference. Imbertson describes using the small deadtime between conducting periods in an asymmetrical converter circuit to obtain low loss commutation of the power switches and using the variable conduction periods to regulate the output. Not only does the asymmetrical half-bridge converter provide ZVS capability, but due to the reduced voltage or current stresses on the switches the converter is suitable for high frequency applications.
An asymmetrical half-bridge converter, however, may suffer from having a DC bias current in the converter's power transformer and possibly a large ripple current component in the output of the converter when required to operate over a range of input voltages. The output ripple current can be reduced or eliminated by the design of the magnetics, however, at the expense of increasing the DC bias current in the converter's transformer. The DC bias current often necessitates that the magnetic core of the power transformer be increased to prevent the transformer from saturating. Therefore, care must be taken when determining the size of the transformer to take into account the largest DC bias current that may be present. This inevitably results in an increase in the overall size, weight and cost of the converter.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved converter that mitigates the above-identified problems and, more particularly, there is a need for an improved converter with a reduced or substantially zero DC bias current in the power transformer of the converter.

Asymmetrical half-bridge converter having adjustable parasitic resistances to offset output voltage DC bias


A new and distinct Olea europaea L. olive tree variety named ‘KADESHON’, particularly characterized by a dwarf-sized tree facilitating hand picking, suitable for intensive orchard growing with harvesting from the ground level with only minimal pruning required, good resistance to Spilocaea oleagina and large, slightly elongated shaped fruit, suitable for both green and black pickling.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of an olive tree, botanically described as Olea europaea L. of the Oleaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the variety denomination 'KADESHON'.
The new Olea europaea L. 'KADESHON' is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventors, Shimon Lavee, Benjamin Avidan and Yair Manni, in Bet Dagan, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Olea europaea L. variety which is suitable for both green and black pickling, exhibits resistance to Spilocaea oleagina (peacock eye leaf disease), requires minimal pruning and facilitates hand-picking.
The new Olea europaea L. 'KADESHON' originated as a result of self pollination of the Olea europaea L. 'KADESH' (unpatented) made by the inventors in 1990 in Bet Dagan, Israel. The new Olea europaea L. 'KADESHON' was observed and selected from the progeny of the stated self-pollination in 1994 by the inventors in a controlled environment in Bet Dagan, Israel.
Asexual propagation of the new Olea europaea L. 'KADESHON' by rooting of vegatative cuttings was first performed in the spring of 1995 in Bet Dagan, Israel, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new variety are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual propagation. The new variety propagates true to type.

State of Israel, Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Agricultural Research Organization


A guide flap is a member shaped like substantially a plate, and a pair of disk guide parts are formed on both sides of the guide flap. The respective inside portions of the disk guide parts form disk contact portions that abut against the outer peripheral surface of a disk and support the disk. The disk contact portion is formed in an uneven shape having a plurality of grooves extending in the direction of thickness of the disk.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disk device that optically records or reproduces video audio information and the like on or from a disk such as a DVD (digital versatile disk).
2. Description of the Related Art
A disk device that records or reproduces video audio information on or from a disk such as a DVD or the like has a frame having an inserting slot of the disk, a guide flap that is fixed near the inserting slot of this frame and guides the disk, a roller that applies a transfer force to the disk guided between the roller itself and this guide flap, a roller base that supports this roller, and a disk size selection lever for determining size of the disk. A disk contact part that abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the disk and supports the disk is arranged at a position facing a transfer path of the disk of each of the guide flap, the roller base, and the disk size selection lever. Each disk contact part of a conventional disk device has a face that abuts against a part of outer peripheral surface of the disk in a direction of thickness and in a direction of periphery. For example, refer to a patent 1.
[Patent 1] Japanese Examined Patent Publication Sho 62-27463 (P2, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2)
By the way, a bonded disk such as a DVD is made by bonding one disk plate having a label face to another disk plate, which is of the same shape and size as the former disk plate and has a recording face, with an adhesive material. For this reason, there is a case where the adhesive material applied between both of the disk plates oozes out of the outer peripheral surface of the bonded disk.
However, the conventional disk device has the above-mentioned construction. Then, if the disk contact part abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the bonded disk when the bonded disk is inserted into or ejected from the disk device, an operating load is increased by a friction produced between the contact surfaces by the adhesive material oozing out of the outer peripheral surface. Thus, there is presented a problem that the bonded disk cannot be smoothly inserted or ejected to incur malfunction in the worst case.

Disk device having reduced disk contact areas against outer peripheral surface of disk