A two prong plug locking device having opposed top and bottom hemi-spherical housing elements enclosing an intermediate guide lever and guide plate. A keyed tumbler lock turns the intermediate guide lever. Such guide lever is attached to a flexible cable that moves within a channel in the top and bottom housing. A pair of plug prongs inserted into the bottom housing through multiple apertures are engaged by the cable and locked within the bottom housing. By turning the tumbler lock, the cable is retracted from the plug prongs and the plug is released.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical plug locking device. More particularly, it relates to a device for prohibiting unauthorized use of electrical appliances.
2. Description of Prior Art
Electrical plug locking devices of various designs are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,733,416, 4,566,297, 5,171,155, and 5,169,326 disclose electrical plug locking devices having a housing with an opening to receive at least one prong of an electrical plug. Each one of these U.S. Patents contains a locking member engaging with at least one inserted prong aperture of an electrical plug. A key or combination lock prohibits the plug from being removed without the proper key or combination. A spring engages or releases the locking member from the inserted prong.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,446 discloses a lockout device for electrically operated equipment and devices. The lockout device has a housing for receiving at least two prongs of an electrical plug. An externally accessed passageway in the housing axially aligns with holes in the electrical plug prongs. A latching means extends through the passageway and the holes of the prongs to prohibit the plug from being removed from the lockout device.
Although the prior art discloses electrical plug locking devices that successfully prohibit the unauthorized use of an electrical device, such devices have inherent disadvantages. One such disadvantage is the incorporation of a spring mechanism to facilitate movement of the locking means. Springs wear out over time thereby limiting the useful life of a device containing such an element. Other prior art devices contain complex mechanical structures, increasing manufacturing cost and consumer cost. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,446 the latching means is preferably comprised of a flexible strap. The strap is externally accessed and could be easily cut.
There is a need for an improved electrical plug locking device having an internal locking mechanism that is simple in design, thereby keeping manufacture and consumer cost low. The device needs to be durable and resistant to breakage to deter tampering. Finally, the electrical plug locking device needs to be devoid of a locking spring mechanism, but still prevent disengagement of the electrical plug prongs from the locking device.


A method for measuring a quality parameter, such as luminance uniformity, of a video display, according to some embodiments of the present invention, includes providing a plurality of pattern images to be displayed sequentially on the video display, measuring the amount of light produced by each pattern image using a wide-angle light sensor, and calculating the video display quality parameter using the measured light values corresponding to each displayed pattern. Each pattern used in accordance with this method is derived from an orthogonal matrix, resulting in each pattern having a high average brightness, thereby eliminating the need to use a narrow-angle, spot light meter, and instead allowing measurements to be made using a simple, wide-angle, incident-light or reflected-light photometer. This method is compliant with the relevant SMPTE measurement standard for measuring luminance uniformity. Additionally, some embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for practicing this method.

One important measure of the quality of a video display, including flat panel displays and cinema projection screens, is the uniformity of brightness, or luminance. With respect to cinema projection screens, in order to maintain an optimal viewing experience, cinema operators must periodically perform a measurement of the consistency of luminance across the screen in both the horizontal and vertical dimensions. Both the cinema screen itself and the video projection system can contribute to luminance non-uniformity. Over time, a screen can become dirty or damaged, creating the appearance of "dark" or "light" spots on the screen. These dirty or damaged spots can be colored so as to only affect certain colors of light, thereby creating a color-cast across the screen. Even on a clean and well-maintained screen, the distance of the projector from the screen and the type of lens used on the projector can cause areas of illumination non-uniformity. Additionally, a cinema's ambient lighting may create areas of inconsistent screen illumination.
Various industry organizations prescribe standards for measuring a cinema screen's luminance uniformity. Both the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) standards specify measuring a screen's brightness in each of nine zones, wherein each zone is defined by dividing the screen into a 3×3 grid consisting of nine equally sized rectangles. For example, see SMPTE RP98-1995 (hereinafter "the relevant measurement standard," "the relevant SMPTE standard," or simply "the relevant standard"), which states that "the screen is considered to be divided into nine equal-size rectangles." The standard further specifies that a luminance measurement for each of these nine zones is to be made from six different measurement locations within the theater: the left edge seat, right edge seat, and center seat of the center row of the theater, and the left edge seat, right edge seat, and center seat of the rear row of the theater. At each measurement location (seat) within the theater, the nine measured luminance values are recorded and the screen is determined to be within specification if the measured luminance of center zone of the screen is within specified absolute limits (e.g. "between 12 fL and 22 fL"), and if the measured luminance of the remaining 8 zones of the screen are within specified limits relative to the center zone (e.g. "luminance of the screen sides and corners shall be at least 80% of the screen center reading"), as well as relative to each other (e.g. "the remaining eight measurement points shall not differ by more than 4 fL").
Each measurement is typically made using a spot light meter, such as the Spectra Cinespot One-Degree Spotmeter (see http://www.spectracine.com/Product_3.html), by displaying a flat field (all white) frame on the screen, then sequentially pointing the spot light meter at the center of each of the nine zones of the screen and recording the light value measured by the meter. Because these types of spot light meters have narrow view-angle lenses, the meter only "sees" a small area of the screen, and thus measures the reflected light only from the particular zone being measured. A spot light meter suitable to make such a measurement can be significantly expensive.
An alternative to using a spot light meter would be to use a simple, lower-cost, wide-angle reflected light meter or wide-angle incident light meter. Because a wide-angle meter "sees" the entire screen, and not just the particular zone being measured, a wide-angle meter would need to be used in conjunction with a sequence of patterns that could be displayed on the screen, where each pattern illuminated only one of the nine measurement zones. However, the wide-angle meter would be required to have a high dynamic range to be capable of measuring these relatively low light levels (one-ninth of full screen brightness). A high dynamic range would make the required wide-angle light meter more expensive. Also, the ambient light in the theater would need to be substantially reduced in order to avoid contaminating these low light level measurements. Reducing the ambient light to an acceptable level could be impractical or inconvenient in many cases.
Furthermore, regardless of whether a spot light meter or a wide-angle meter is used, the measurement process described above requires at least 54 separate manual measurements (1 measurement per measurement zone times 9 zones per measurement location times 6 measurement locations), which can be tedious and prone to error.
What is needed is a method and apparatus of measuring a screen's brightness uniformity that does not require reduction of the ambient light in the theater, and that allows the use of a simple, wide-angle light meter without a large dynamic range, such as a typical photocell light meter, or a photocell incorporated into a typical modern mobile phone's camera.

Apparatus and method to measure display quality


Provided is a method of mixing fluids including introducing at least two kinds of fluids to a chamber of a substrate including a microchannel structure; and alternately rotating the substrate clockwise and counter-clockwise until the at least two kinds of fluids are mixed, wherein the rotation is changed from one direction to the opposite direction before a vortex created in the mixing chamber by the one direction rotation disappears.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for rapidly mixing at least two kinds of fluids in a micro-fluidic device which uses centrifugal force.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a micro-fluidic device such as a lab-on-a-chip in which microliter or nanoliter of fluids are treated, different shapes of chambers for performing various reactions and channels through which fluids flow are arranged. In the micro-fluidic device, a fluid usually has a low Reynolds number. At a low Reynolds number, laminar flow occurs, and thus a process of introducing at least two kinds of fluids into the micro-fluidic device and mixing them cannot rapidly be performed. This is true for micro-fluidic devices using centrifugal force (e.g., devices having a CD-shaped substrate) to drive fluid flow within the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,919,058 discloses a CD-shaped micro-fluid treatment substrate for rapidly mixing fluids including a micro-cavity in which two fluids meet, and a mixing channel which curvedly extends from the micro-cavity. However, there is difficulty to integrate the micro-fluid treatment substrate into micro-fluidic devices since the mixing channel occupies too large volume of space. Also, as the number of fluids to be mixed increases, the size of the micro-fluid treatment substrate needs to be increased.
Meanwhile, a method of rapidly mixing fluids including introducing a plurality of magnetic beads into fluids and inducing the magnetic beads movement using magnetic force while rotating the micro-fluid treatment substrate is disclosed in Grumann et al., Batch-mode Mixing On Centrifugal Microfluidic Platforms, LAB CHIP, vol. 5, pp. 560˜565, 2005. However, this method requires an introduction of magnetic beads into the device and an appropriate arrangement of magnets to move or vortex the magnetic beads.

Method of mixing at least two kinds of fluids in centrifugal micro-fluid treating substrate


A CMOS image sensor and method of manufacture reduces the problem of electron loss in a floating diffusion area. A method of fabricating a CMOS image sensor includes forming a gate electrode over a first conductive type semiconductor substrate. A second conductive type first diffusion layer is formed within the semiconductor substrate to be aligned with an edge of one side of the gate electrode. A spacer may be attached to both sidewalls of the gate electrode. A first conductive type second diffusion layer may be formed within the first diffusion layer to leave a distance amounting to a width of the spacer in-between. A second conductive type third diffusion layer may be formed within the semiconductor substrate to be aligned with an edge of the other side of the gate electrode. A first conductive type fourth diffusion layer may be formed over the third diffusion layer, and a first conductive type fifth diffusion layer may be formed under the third diffusion layer.

A CMOS image sensor uses MOS transistors as light sensitive pixels according to CMOS technology design rules. Around the periphery of the light sensitive region, the sensor integrates a control circuit and a signal processing circuit to sequentially detect outputs using the MOS transistors. A CMOS image sensor is therefore more conveniently driven in various scanning modes. Since a signal processing circuit can be integrated on a single chip in the CMOS image sensor, end products may be made smaller and less expensive, owing to the compatibility of the CMOS technology. Moreover, since power consumption of the CMOS image sensor is considerably smaller than that of a CCD, the CMOS image sensor may be used in more products.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a unit pixel of a 4-T CMOS image sensor. Referring to FIG. 1, a unit pixel of a 4-T CMOS image sensor includes a photodiode (PD) as a photosensing means and four NMOS transistors Tx, Rx, Dx, and Sx. The transfer transistor Tx delivers photo generated charges from the photodiode (PD) to a floating sensing node. The reset transistor Rx discharges charges stored in the floating sensing node for signal detection. The drive transistor Dx plays a role as a source follower. The select transistor Sx is provided for switching and addressing. A DC gate is a load transistor enabling a constant current to flow by applying a constant voltage as a gate potential of transistor. 'VDD' indicates a drive power source voltage and 'VSS' or "GND" indicates a ground voltage.
In a 4T CMOS image sensor, as the gate electrode of the transfer transistor Tx is turned on, electrons generated by the photodiode PD migrate into a floating diffusion (FD) area. In the floating diffusion area (FD), electrons migrating from the photodiode are transformed into a voltage using a source follower transistor. So, photo-energy is delivered as a voltage signal. In doing so, the floating diffusion area (FD) works as a sort of a capacitor. If the electrons are lost by leakage from the floating diffusion area (FD), the device is unable to deliver an accurate voltage. Hence, device performance is degraded.

CMOS image sensor and fabricating method thereof


A building comprising a plurality of rooms (10) includes a room occupancy sensing apparatus. A light source (20) emits a series of light pulses (22), a plurality of waveguides deliver light from the light source to output nodes (60) located in the rooms, and a signal capture unit (30) receives output signals resulting from light reflected by objects in the rooms. The apparatus detects movement, of for example a person (40), in a room and ascertains the room concerned by virtue of (i) detecting a difference between the shape of the waveform of the signal (24 i) received at the signal capture unit (30) in response to a first emitted light pulse and the shape of the waveform of the signal (24m) received at the signal capture unit in response to a second emitted light pulse and (ii) relating said reflected light pulses to the appropriate output node and therefore to the room (10) associated with that output node (60).

The present invention concerns a room occupancy sensing apparatus. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns a building comprising a plurality of rooms and a room occupancy sensing apparatus, and a corresponding method for sensing room occupancy.
In various applications there is a desire to be able to detect which, if any, of a plurality of rooms are occupied. For example, such a function may be of particular use in quickly assessing which of many rooms in a building are occupied in the case of an emergency, such as a fire, or in detecting a burglar or other intruder or unauthorised person. Room occupancy sensing systems of the prior art are typically based on passive infrared sensors, which detect relatively large movements, and therefore occupancy, by means of monitoring a change in infra-red radiation from a moving heat source; however, such systems are not sufficiently sensitive for use in some applications: a relatively high background temperature in a room can adversely affect accuracy for example. For more sensitive applications, active sensor systems may be more appropriate. One such active sensor system uses radio frequency (RF) radiation and works by creating a field of radio wave radiation with one or more RF emitters and detecting changes in that field via one or more RF detectors. Such changes are caused by movement, which suggests occupancy in the associated room. The wavelength and power of such RF radiation can be chosen to suit the application, and can be chosen such that movement can be detected through walls in a building. The sensitivity and range of motion detection in such RF-based systems can be difficult to get right, however: increasing sensitivity can have the effect that motion in an adjacent room is detected through a wall, leading to false positive detections being made (e.g. suggesting incorrectly that there is motion within a room based on detecting motion in an adjacent room through a partition wall), whereas reducing sensitivity to the level where false positives are reduced to a reasonable level can risk rendering the motion detection system insufficiently sensitive to detect room occupancy reliably.
US2010/0053330 (Hellickson et al) describes a LADAR based security sensor system that operates by comparing a 3D LADAR image of a scene with a 3D template of the scene. When an intruder enters the scene the microprocessor detects a difference between the LADAR sensor output and the 3D template. Calibration of the system of US2010/0053330 is required, which accounts for the fixed objects within the scene, so as to create the pre-determined spatial reference template against which the spatial image information is compared. If any objects are moved (e.g., a chair when someone moves to a new location), the system needs to be recalibrated in order to avoid a false alarm. US2010/0053330 is a relatively complicated spatial imaging system for monitoring a single scene, for example a single room. Monitoring of multiple rooms would appear to require multiple systems. The methodology of US2010/0053330 relies on capturing a spatial image of a room, namely a 3-D image comprising multiple pixels. The system of US2010/0053330 relies on the detection of spatial information concerning the scene being monitored; this results in a system that would be relatively complicated and expensive for a room occupancy sensing system.
GB2128836 (Zellweger Uster AG) concerns monitoring discrete surfaces, particularly door or window openings of a building, against unauthorised intrusion. Directional radiation is emitted in pulses from a plurality of pulse transmitters, the transmitters being operated in a defined time sequence. Each transmitter emits several discrete beams at the same time in different directions, each beam travelling a different distance before being reflected by a surface and detected at a corresponding receiver. The transit times of the transmitted pulse for each of the beams from a single transmitter are representative of distance vectors. A change of any of the distance vectors is interpreted as an object penetrating into the space being monitored and interrupting the beam. In such a case, an alarm is triggered. The system of GB2128836 is able to determine the location of the object by means of ascertaining which distance vector has changed. Essentially, GB2128836 is performing a laser range-finding method with each beam emitted from each transmitter. The system relies on time-of-arrival information on a per beam basis. If it were the case that an object entered a room in a way that caused the times of arrival of two beams to switch (so that before the object enters the room, beam B1 has a time of arrival of T1 and beam B2 has a time of arrival of T2, whereas immediately after the object enters the room, beam B1 has a time of arrival of T2 and beam B2 has a time of arrival of T1) the apparatus would fail to detect the presence of the object. It therefore seems that the sensitivity of the method of GB2128836 could be improved. U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,332 also discloses a system similar to that of GB2128836.
GB2361058 (British Telecommunications plc) relates to an optical intruder detection system which utilises single-photon detection technology. Short multi-photon pulses of laser light are directed at a scattering target which scatters each pulse in all directions. The scattering target scatters photons throughout the room in all directions. Optical input ports are positioned in the room in various locations. Optical fibres of different lengths (introducing different respective optical delays) connect the input ports to a highly sensitive light detector in the form of a single-photon detector. In use, photons are reflected and received by respective input ports at different times (as a result of the optical delays introduced by the optical fibres) and then detected by the single-photon detector. In the steady state, a room in which there is no movement, will generate a photon-count rate at a certain level for each input port. A computer compares the measured count rates with predetermined upper and lower threshold values. When an intruder enters the room, and for example reduces the level of light reaching one or more of the input ports, the count rate will fall below the minimum expected threshold value. An intruder alarm is then triggered. The use of single-photon detection technology might at first be viewed as providing the system with excellent sensitivity; however, it is thought that the proposal's reliance on such detectors introduces several disadvantages. It would seem that the laser intensity would need to be finely adjusted so that each sensing node sends no more than a single photon to the detector at a time. This is because single photon detectors typically are unable to distinguish between a count event triggered by one photon and a count event triggered by many photons.
The prior art proposals known to the inventors tend to fall into one of two categories. There is either measurement and comparison of intensity/power (as in GB2361058 for example) and not range/time, or there is measurement and comparison of range/time (as in GB2128836 for example) and not intensity/power.
The present invention seeks to mitigate one or more of the above-mentioned problems. Alternatively or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide an improved room occupancy system, preferably one which provides improved sensitivity to small movements of, or caused by, an occupant in the room.

Room occupancy sensing apparatus and method


A cabriolet top for a cabriolet vehicle for displacement between a closed position covering a vehicle interior and a storage position opening up the vehicle interior is proposed, comprising a pivotably mounted cabriolet-top linkage on which a rigid cabriolet-top element is arranged, the cabriolet-top element extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle, being adjacent, in the closed position of the cabriolet top, to a transverse post bounding a windscreen at the top, and, together with the cabriolet-top linkage, stretches open a foldable cabriolet-top cloth and, in the storage position of the cabriolet top, is arranged on the upper side in a cabriolet-top storage compartment such that the cabriolet-top cloth runs downwardly over a rear border of the cabriolet-top element. A rod is arranged on the cabriolet-top cloth on the rear side of the rigid cabriolet-top element, the rod extending between the border regions on both sides of the cabriolet top and, in the storage position of the cabriolet top, pre-stressing the cabriolet-top cloth downwardly in such a manner that, in a region visible from the outside of the vehicle, the cabriolet-top cloth runs at least substantially crease-free downwardly over the rear border of the cabriolet-top element into the cabriolet-top storage compartment.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cabriolet top for a cabriolet vehicle for displacement between a closed position covering a vehicle interior and a storage position opening up the vehicle interior.
2. Related Technology
A cabriolet top of this type is known, for example, from DE 101 60 240 B4. Said known cabriolet top comprises a pivotably mounted cabriolet-top linkage that is arranged on both sides with respect to a longitudinal center plane of the vehicle and on which a rigid cabriolet-top element is arranged, said cabriolet-top element extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle and constituting a roof tip. In the closed position of the cabriolet top, said rigid cabriolet-top element is adjacent to a transverse post bounding a windscreen at the top. Together with the cabriolet-top linkage, the rigid cabriolet-top element stretches open a foldable cabriolet-top cloth in the closed position of the cabriolet top. In the storage position of the cabriolet top, the cabriolet-top linkage, the cabriolet-top cover and the rigid cabriolet-top element are received by a rear cabriolet-top storage compartment. In this case, the rigid cabriolet-top element forms a cabriolet-top storage-compartment cover. The cabriolet-top cloth is fastened to the rigid cabriolet-top element and covers the upper side thereof. The foldable region of the cabriolet-top cloth extends from the rear border of the cabriolet-top element in the direction of the vehicle rear. In the storage position, the cabriolet-top cloth runs downwardly over the rear border of the cabriolet-top element into the cabriolet-top storage compartment. In the case of the cabriolet top known from the publication DE 101 60 240 B4, an undesirable creasing visible from the outside of the vehicle may occur in the cabriolet-top-cloth region adjacent to the rear border.
Furthermore, it is known from practice to prevent the above-described creasing with the aid of cable pulls and deflecting eyes. In the storage position of the cabriolet top, the cable pulls pretension the cabriolet-top cloth downwardly in such a manner that the cabriolet-top cloth runs tautly and, in a region visible from the outside of the vehicle, in a substantially crease-free manner downwardly over the rear border of the cabriolet-top element into the cabriolet-top storage compartment. However, cable pulls of this type are associated with complicated installation, which in turn results in increased production costs for the cabriolet top. Furthermore there is the risk of the cables becoming tangled up upon actuation of the cabriolet top. "Severing" of the cables may even occur.


A system is disclosed for detecting a non-linear coherent field induced in a sample volume. The system includes a first source for generating a first electromagnetic field at a first frequency, a second source for generating a second electromagnetic field at a second frequency, first optics for directing the first and second electromagnetic fields toward the sample volume, second optics for directing the first and second electromagnetic fields toward a local oscillator volume, and an interferometer. The interferometer is for interfering a first scattering field that is generated by the interaction of the first and second electromagnetic fields in the sample volume, with a second scattering field that is generated by the interaction of the first and second electromagnetic fields in the local oscillator volume.

The present invention generally relates to microscopy systems, and relates in particular to coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) vibrational imaging.
CARS vibrational imaging has been shown to be a powerful tool in biology due to its ability to visualize biological samples with high sensitivity without the necessity of labeling with fluorophores. Despite its sensitivity, CARS microscopy is hampered, however, by the presence of a non-resonant background signal that is intrinsically generated along with the vibrational specific signal. CARS arises from the third order nonlinear susceptibility χ(3), which is a sum of a vibrationally resonant part χres(3), and a non-resonant electronic contribution χnr(3). The background overwhelms weak resonant signals and contaminates the signal through coherent mixing, preventing straightforward reconstruction of the resonant signal of interest. The existence of a non-resonant background is a primary limitation that limits further sensitivity improvement of CARS microscopy. For certain biological and clinical applications of CARS microscopy, complete suppression of the background and full extraction of the resonant signal are desirable.
In addition to the non-resonant background, there are several other limitations constraining the current state-of-the-art CARS microscopes. First, the CARS signal scales quadratically with the concentration of the molecular entities under study. This hinders a quantitative assessment of weak signals. A linear dependence of the signal on the concentration would benefit a quantitative analysis of the acquired images and spectra. Second, current state-of-the-art CARS microscopes do not offer the possibility of amplifying weak signals. Weak CARS signals are difficult to detect, and a means of amplifying these weak signals would be highly beneficial. Lastly, the resonant contrast results from the Raman activity of molecules. Even though spontaneous Raman cross-sections and spectra of a vast amount of biochemical compounds are well-documented in literature, the CARS signal cannot be directly compared with the Raman literature values. This difficultly in correlating between CARS signals and spontaneous Raman values further limits the application of CARS microscopy as a routine imaging tool.
Suppression of the non-resonant background in CARS microscopy by detecting the CARS signal in a reverse or backward direction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,814. Systems disclosed therein, however, do not suppress the contribution from sub-wavelength sized non-resonant features in focus with nonlinear susceptibilities different from that of water. Such systems also do not provide for the amplification of weak signals, or provide a methodology for quantitatively relating the CARS signal to Raman cross-section values.
Suppression of the non-resonant background in CARS microscopy by using differently polarized pump and Stokes fields is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,798,507. Suppression of the background by use of an analyzer (polarizer) not only results in rejection of the non-resonant contribution of the signal, but also may attenuate the resonant contribution. Application of the polarization sensitive microscope may be, therefore, limited to those studies in which the resonant signal is particularly strong. Also, isolation of Imχres(3) is not possible with the polarization CARS microscope, preventing a direct comparison with Raman cross-sections.
There is a need, therefore, for a system and method for providing improved sensitivity of CARS microscopy, and in particular to provide CARS detection with improved imaging of weak CARS signals. There is also a need to provide for comparison of CARS signals with spontaneous Raman values for a variety of bio-chemical compounds.

Phase sensitive heterodyne coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering micro-spectroscopy and microscopy


A statistical multiplexer for coding and multiplexing multiple channels of digital television data, or multiple panels of HDTV digital television data. A bit rate need parameter is determined for each encoder in a stat mux group, and an encoding bit rate is allocated to each channel based on its need parameter. A transmission bit rate is allocated to each channel as a time-lagged version of its need parameter to minimize a rate mismatch between the output and the input of a decoder buffer. A packet processor checks for impending decoder buffer overflow or underflow events to set minimum and maximum limits on the transmission bit rate. Moreover, these limits are set based on whether a new transmission bit rate can be implemented before the decoding time stamp (DTS) of the current or next frame.

The present invention relates to a statistical multiplexer for coding and multiplexing multiple channels of digital television data.
Digital television has become increasingly popular due to the high quality video image it provides, along with informational and entertainment features, such as pay-per-view, electronic program guides, video-on-demand, stock, weather and stock information, Internet hyperlinks, and so forth. Such television data can be communicated to a user, for example, via a broadband communication network, such as a satellite or cable television network, or via a computer network.
However, due to the bandwidth limitations of the communication channel, it is necessary to adjust a bit rate of the digital video programs that are encoded and multiplexed for transmission in a compressed bit stream. A goal of such bit rate adjustment is to meet the constraint on the total bit rate of the multiplexed stream, while also maintaining a satisfactory video quality for each program.
Accordingly, various types of statistical multiplexers have been developed that evaluate statistical information of the source video that is being encoded, and allocate bits for coding the different video channels accordingly. For example, video channels that have hard-to-compress video, such as a fast motion scene, can be allocated more bits, while channels with relatively easy to compress scenes, such as scenes with little motion, can be allocated fewer bits.
However, there is a need for an improved statistical multiplexing system. Such a system should employ a number of individual encoders that encode data from a number of incoming channels of source video data. This data may be obtained from a storage media, live feed, or the like.
The system should dynamically allocate bits to the individual encoders to encode frames of video data from the channels.
The system should distinguish between an encoding bit rate allocation and a transmission bit rate allocation.
The system should assign a transmission bit rate to each video channel to prevent a mismatch between the input and output bits of a modeled decoder buffer.
Moreover, the system should check for impending decoder buffer overflow or underflow events to set minimum and maximum limits on the transmission bit rate. These limits should be set based on whether a new transmission bit rate can be implemented before the decoding time stamp (DTS) of the current or next frame.
The system should be usable with essentially any type of video data, including high-definition (HD) and standard-definition (SD) television (TV).
The present invention provides a system having the above and other advantages.

Method and apparatus for determining a transmission bit rate in a statistical multiplexer


The present invention relates to photochemical compositions comprising:                a solution comprising an organic solvent, preferably selected from dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, and mixtures thereof with water,        a sacrificial electron donor;        a proton donor having a pKa in acetonitrile greater than or equal to 28;        a photosensitizer whose reduced state has a standard redox potential more negative than −1.45 V vs SCE; and        a metal porphyrin complex of formula (I) as defined in claim 1, useful in the production of CH4 from CO2 or CO by photochemical catalysis, to a photochemical cell comprising same and to a method for producing CH4 from CO2 or CO by photochemical catalysis using same.

Converting CO2 into fuel or chemical feedstock compounds could in principle reduce fossil fuel consumption and climate-changing CO2 emissions. One strategy aims for electrochemical conversions powered by electricity from renewable sources, but photochemical approaches driven by sunlight are also conceivable. A considerable challenge in both approaches is the development of efficient and selective catalysts, ideally based on cheap and earth-abundant elements rather than expensive precious metals. Of the molecular photo- and electrocatalysts reported to date, only a few systems are stable and selective for CO2 reduction; moreover, these systems primarily produce CO or HCOOH, while examples of catalysts capable of generating even low to moderate yields of highly reduced hydrocarbons remain rare.
Iron tetraphenylporphyrins electrochemically reduced to the Fe0 species have been shown to be the most efficient molecular catalysts for the CO2-to-CO conversion. The nucleophilic Fe center binds to CO2 and the Fe—CO2 adduct is further protonated and reduced to afford CO upon cleavage of one C—O bond (see for instance Azcarate et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 138, 16639-16644 (2016) and Costentin et al., Acc. Chem. Res. 48, 2996-3006 (2015), as well as US 2015/0096899, WO 2015/169763 and WO 2016/124611).
Tetraphenylporphyrin-based systems were described for the production of ethylene (C2H4) or acetylene (C2H2) and methane under visible light irradiation, using graphene as charge transfer mediator and a copper or cobalt tetra(hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin (CuTHPP and CoTHPP) as light exciter (see respectively Piao et al. Aust. J. Chem. 2016, 69, 27-32 and Wu et al. Green Chemistry 2014, 16, 2142-2146). These systems do not comprise any photosensitizers or proton donors other than H2O.
Fe-p-TMA was used as a photocatalyst without a photosensitizer under visible light irradiation with triethylamine as sacrificial electron donor, which led to the selective formation of CO, and no side products except for limited quantities of H2 were observed (see Rao et al., Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 2830-2833). The same results were obtained in systems devoid of any photosensitizer using iron tetra(dihydroxyphenyl)porphyrin and fluorinated analogues (Bonin et al., ChemCatChem 2014, 6, 3200-3207).
Other systems using iron tetra(dihydroxyphenyl)porphyrin as photocatalyst and 9-cyanoanthracene as photosensitizer produced CO from CO2, but failed at producing methane (Bonin et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 16768-16771), as well as a system comprising Fe-p-TMA and purpurin as photosensitizer (Rao et al., ChemSusChem 2017, 10, 4447-4450).
There is thus still a need for an efficient and selective photochemical systems based on cheap and earth-abundant elements able to produce hydrocarbons such as methane from CO2 and/or CO under visible light irradiation, preferably as homogeneous photochemical systems.

Photochemical composition and use thereof for producing CH

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE (CNRS)


A tying structure for an assist grip is intended for tying a base member supporting the assist grip swingably thereon to a car body panel with a clip and an engaging member. The clip is provided with first engaging parts for engagement with the base member and second engaging parts for engagement with the car body panel. The first engaging parts are provided in a part thereof penetrating the base member in the outside-inside insertion direction and protruding toward a front side the base member with a through hole penetrating the part in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction. The engaging member is provided with an engaging part inserted into the through hole and enabled to prevent the base member from slipping off the clip and a cover covering the front side of the base member.

The conventional tying structure for an assist grip which ties a base member supporting an assist grip swingably thereon to a car body panel is so constructed as to fix the base member to the car body panel with a mounting screw (as disclosed in JP-A HEI 8-85376 ([0003], [0018], FIG. 2 and FIG. 6, for example).
Further, the tying structure for an assist grip which ties a base member simply fixing the assist grip to a car body panel is so constructed as to fix the base member to the car body panel with a mounting screw (as disclosed in JP-A HEI 4-300742 ([0003], [0013], FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, for example).
Since the conventional tying structure for an assist grip fixes the base member to the car body panel with the mounting screw, it has been incapable of performing the work of tying the base member with satisfactory workability or with high operational efficiency.
This invention has been initiated with the object of solving the inconveniences of the prior art mentioned above and is aimed at providing a tying structure for an assist grip which is capable of highly reliably tying a base member to a car body panel with high operational efficiency without either requiring use of such a jig as is needed when a screw is indispensable or necessitating management of tightening torque.


A head-mix swirl injector for gas torches. The swirl injector may include an injector body adapted to be disposed in a head of the torch. The injector body may define a swirl baffle, an injector orifice in fluid communication with the swirl baffle, and a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the injector orifice. The swirl injector may further include at least one gas port extending from the mixing chamber to an exterior of the injector body. The mixing chamber may have a larger diameter than the injector orifice.

Fuel gas-oxygen cutting torches are well known and generally comprise a torch head having outlet passages communicating with a torch tip through which a combustible gaseous mixture flows and is ignited and directed toward a workpiece. The torch typically includes fuel gas and oxygen supply lines connected to corresponding sources of fuel gas and oxygen, and valves are provided for controlling the flow of fuel gas and oxygen to the torch head. Such torches have a preheat mode of operation in which the fuel gas and oxygen are combined in a mixer to provide a combustible mixture which then flows to the torch head outlet and torch tip where the mixture is ignited to form a preheat flame which is used to heat a workpiece to a temperature which will support combustion. Such torches also have a cutting mode of operation in which, following a preheat operation, cutting oxygen is supplied to the torch tip separate from the preheat combustible mixture to flow from the tip and cut the heated work piece.
It is the function of the fuel gas-oxygen mixer to mix the fuel gas and oxygen components—which are separately supplied thereto—and to deliver the mixture to the torch tip in order to achieve uniform combustion efficiency throughout the flame that results from igniting the combustible mixture at the tip.
Another performance requirement with regard to fuel gas-oxygen mixers is to provide resistance to flashback that can result from a backfire occurring, for example, in response to contacting the torch tip with the work piece. Such backfires can cause an explosion inside the torch between the point of mixing of the fuel gas and oxygen and the point of combustion of the mixture at the torch tip. Where backfiring results in sustained combustion inside the torch, this sustained combustion is defined as flashback. Flashback can quickly destroy a torch and injure a user. Accordingly, the fuel gas-oxygen mixer must be capable of minimizing or eliminating backfires so as to minimize the chance for, or impact of, flashbacks. Mixer designs heretofore available have been structurally complex, bulky, and undesirably expensive to manufacture. They are also difficult and/or time consuming to manufacture and assemble.
Moreover, many mixer designs suffer from the deficiency that they are limited to use with a single type of fuel (e.g., acetylene, natural gas, propane, propylene qtane). It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a simplified mixing head design that is easy to manufacture, that provides a desirable resistance to backfires/flashbacks and that is operable with a variety of fuels.

Universal head-mix swirl injector for gas torch


An outer-rotor variable-speed motor, to which single-phase AC power is applied and on which a rotor is provided outside a stator, comprises first and second main windings provided on a stator of the motor to form a plurality of poles, a frequency detector for detecting the frequency of AC power applied to the motor, and a relay for connecting the first and second main windings in series if the detected frequency is 60 Hz and connecting the first and second main windings in parallel if the detected frequency is 50 Hz. The speed of the motor is kept constant even when power at different frequencies is applied, so that it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the motor and reduce the power consumption, and also to reduce electromagnetic noise from the motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a variable speed motor, and more particularly to an outer rotor-type variable speed motor to which single phase AC power is applied, wherein the frequency of AC power applied to the motor is detected and a relay is provided to allow main windings provided in the motor to be connected in series or parallel to each other depending on whether the detected frequency is high or low, so that the motor operates to suit the frequency characteristics of the single-phase AC power.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotor and a stator of a general outer rotor motor.
A general motor includes a stator on which windings are mounted, and a rotor on which a permanent magnet, an aluminum conductor, or a core is formed. The motor is a device that causes periodic changes in current flowing through the windings mounted on the stator and produces torque in the rotor due to periodic changes in magnetic field caused by the changes in the current, thereby attaining rotation power.
Motors are generally divided into inner and outer rotor motors according to the positions of stators and rotors. The outer rotor motor has a structure in which a rotor is positioned outside a stator as shown in FIG. 1 so that the outer rotor is rotated by changes in current flowing through windings of the stator.
Since rotors of outer rotor motors are provided outside stators, outer rotor motors have a larger turning radius than inner outer motors. Accordingly, outer rotor motors increase torque per unit volume compared to inner rotor motors. Thus, without requiring expensive start devices, outer rotor motors can be used for load for which high start torque is needed. Outer rotor motors can also be embodied to be more compact in structure than general inner rotor motors in the case where they need to produce the same torque.
General single phase induction motors require start devices, which are generally divided into split-phase start, shading coil, capacitor run, repulsion start types, etc.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a general capacitor-run single-phase induction motor.
The general capacitor-run single-phase induction motor includes a main winding M1, a subsidiary winding S1, and a capacitor C1 connected in series to the subsidiary winding S1. When single phase AC power E1 is applied to the motor, the main winding M1 produces an alternating magnetic field and the subsidiary winding S1 produces a subsidiary magnetic field that is 90 electrical degrees out of phase with the alternating magnetic field produced by the main winding M1.
Since the alternating magnetic field produced by the main winding M1 and the subsidiary magnetic field produced by the subsidiary winding are 90 degrees out of phase, the two magnetic fields are not canceled but combined to generate a rotating magnetic field, thereby rotating the single-phase induction motor.
However, the general single-phase induction motor described above has a problem in that the motor speed varies depending on the frequency of AC power applied to the motor.
The rotation speed of the induction motor is determined by an equation "n=120f/p", where "f" is the frequency and "p" is the number of poles. The number of poles of a motor is set to a specific value when the motor is manufactured. Therefore, if a motor, which is designed to operate at a rated power frequency of 50 Hz, is used with 60 Hz power, the rotation speed of the motor is increased by 20% compared to when the motor is used with 50 Hz power.
To prevent an increase in the speed of the motor when the motor operates with 60 Hz commercial power, conventionally, an inverter circuit for changing the frequency of the applied power is attached to the motor, or an applied voltage on/off control method is employed, or a decelerator or a belt or gear is used to mechanically reduce the rotation speed of the motor.
However, these conventional methods increase the manufacturing cost of the motor or cause noise due to the electrical on/off control of the applied power or due to the mechanical deceleration, thereby reducing the efficiency of the power.
On the other hand, in the case where the conventional capacitor-run single-phase induction motor operates at a rated frequency, there may be a need to change the rotation speed of the motor to a low or high speed to suit the operating mode when the motor is applied to household electrical appliances.
When the single phase induction motor operates at the rated frequency, the motor is maintained at a constant speed corresponding to the point at which motor and load torque curves, which will be described later, meets each other, and therefore a separate apparatus must be provided to allow the speed control.
However, if the separate apparatus is provided, the manufacturing cost of the motor is increased. To overcome this problem, a pole-change single-phase induction motor, which has a relatively low manufacturing cost, is conventionally used as a motor speed control device.
FIG. 3 is a view showing the structure of a conventional 2 pole-4 pole change single-phase induction motor.
As shown in FIG. 3, the pole change single-phase induction motor includes four windings, i.e., a 2-pole main winding (1a, 1b), a 2-pole subsidiary winding (2a, 2b), a 4-pole main winding (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d), and a 4-pole subsidiary winding (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) which are wound on the stator through slots thereof. The rotation speed of the motor is varied by driving the motor using the 2-pole main winding and the 2-pole subsidiary winding in 2-pole running mode and driving the motor using the 4-pole main winding and the 4-pole subsidiary winding in 4-pole running mode.
However, the conventional pole-change single-phase induction motor configured as described above has problems in that the use of the four windings for changing the number of poles increases the sectional area of the slots, significantly reducing the efficiency of the motor due to an increased core loss of the stator, and it is also difficult to increase the variable speed range since the achievable minimum variable speed is limited.


Systems and methods for painting, which might be used to paint the soil in a golf hole are provided. A spraying device can comprise a first masking apparatus, a second masking apparatus coupled to the first and a paint dispersing device, between the first and second masking apparatus. The paint may disperse from a single nozzle that can include multiple individual exit points for the spray. In another embodiment, the single nozzle includes an exit point and a flat or curved plate to direct the spray. Alternatively, the paint dispersing apparatus may comprise multiple nozzles. The nozzles may be provided with paint using tubes connecting from a paint source, such as an aerosol paint can, to each nozzle. The first masking apparatus can be a golf cup mask and the second masking apparatus can be a putting green mask.

It is often the case that golfers and golf course superintendents prefer that a hole on a golf course be colored white such that the hole is more visible and easily distinguished from the familiar green to assist the individual golfer with putting. Because the golf cup needs to be set into the golf hole at least one inch below the surface of the green according to the rules of golf, it is often necessary for golf course superintendents to paint the soil surrounding the cup in order to distinguish it from the surrounding green and provide a visible target for the golfers. A method currently used for coloring the soil is to spray paint the soil. A paint brush would be problematic because it would likely become clogged with dirt, sand, or other debris. However, a problem with spray paint is that it can adversely affect the grass of the green or potentially spray onto or drip into the cup.
Additionally, some current systems require a user to activate a spray canister and rotate it relative to the golf hole, which requires the simultaneous application of force in multiple directions to push down and activate the aerosol spray canister while simultaneously twisting the spray canister or the apparatus which holds the canister in a full 360 degree arc. This can be difficult and lead to irregular spray patterns or excess paint build-up, leaving an unattractive, uneven residue in the golf hole. Another problem is that prior art systems do not prevent paint from collecting on the golf cup, which builds up over time and leads to premature denigration of the cup. Also, the current system includes multiple supports which cross the soil to be painted in order to provide a coupling means between the golf green support area and the activation mechanism, which is located in the center of the golf hole. These support beams prevent paint from being sprayed onto the soil where they depend from the green into the hole, so the user needs to rotate the entire device after applying the first coat, and start the entire process over again and paint a full 360 degree radius.
Another commonly used solution does not include the utilization of paint. Rather, a plastic sleeve is inserted into the golf hole and sits inside the cup and is typically colored white prior to insertion into the hole. This sleeve can slide upward upon removal of the flag pole and thus prevent golf balls from rolling into the cup. However, these plastic sleeves do not comply with the common rules of golf.

Method and apparatus for spray painting soil of a golf hole


A high-voltage transistor and fabrication process in which the fabrication of the high-voltage transistor can be readily integrated into a conventional CMOS fabrication process. The high-voltage transistor of the invention includes a channel region formed beneath a portion of the gate electrode after the gate electrode has been formed on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the channel region is formed by the angled ion implantation of dopant atoms using an edge of the gate electrode as a doping mask. The high-voltage transistor of the invention further includes a drain region that is spaced apart from the channel region by a portion of a well region and by an isolation region residing in the semiconductor substrate. By utilizing the process of the invention to fabricate the high-voltage transistor, the transistor can be integrated into an existing CMOS device with minimal allocation of additional substrate surface area.

The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and to their fabrication and, more particularly, to high-voltage transistors and to their fabrication in complimentary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices.
Complex signal processing devices, such as digital signal processing devices, and the like, are used in numerous electronic devices, such as video processing modules, flat panel displays, inkjet printers and the like. The fabrication of such devices requires the integration of high-voltage transistors and low-voltage transistors in the same device. Additionally, since the signal processing devices are required to function at relatively low operational power, they are typically fabricated as CMOS devices. The integration of high-voltage transistors and low-voltage transistors is problematic because the two types of transistors widely differ in their geometric characteristics and operational ranges. For example, high-voltage transistors are required to transfer voltages at much higher levels than low-voltage transistors. High-voltage transistors typically handle about 10V or more, while low-voltage transistors are designed to operate at a supply voltage of less than 5V, typically about 1 to 3V. Accordingly, high-voltage transistors have gate lengths that can be an order of magnitude larger than low-voltage transistors. In the state-of-the-art devices, the low-voltage transistors are fabricated to have gate lengths in the sub-micron range.
Further complications arise in CMOS fabrication as a result of the requirement to fabricate both n-type and p-type transistors in the same device. The fabrication of transistors of different conductivity type requires the formation of well regions in the semiconductor substrate. Attention must be placed on the relative doping concentration levels to avoid performance degradation resulting from parasitic capacitance and the like.
In order to integrate the high-voltage transistors in device fabrication, manufacturers have explored the integration of both vertically-oriented and laterally-oriented transistor architecture. Lateral orientation offers the ability to access the terminals of the high-voltage transistors from the upper surface of the device. A diffused-metal-oxide-semiconductor (DMOS) structure, in which the channel region is laterally diffused underneath a gate electrode, into a region of opposite dopant type, is a common technique for fabricating a laterally-oriented, high-voltage transistor. The region into which the channel is diffused, called the drift region, becomes part of the MOS drain. The DMOS device supports a high voltage because the drift region is more lightly doped than the channel region; thus the voltage drop is spread across the wider drift region rather than the narrower channel region. The DMOS structure has the advantage of having a self-aligned gate in which the channel region is precisely aligned to the gate electrode. Although the DMOS structure can be fabricated to have precisely oriented components, the thermal processing required to diffuse the channel region is generally incompatible with the shallow junctions required to fabricate the low-voltage transistors.
In order to fabricate high-voltage transistors and avoid the thermal processing required for DMOS devices, laterally-oriented high-voltage transistors can also be fabricated by utilizing the well regions that support the CMOS device structure. In particular, an n-channel MOS (NMOS) high-voltage transistor can be fabricated using the p-well as the channel region of the device and the adjacent n-well as the drain/drift region of the device.
While avoiding the necessity of extensive thermal processing to diffuse the channel region, the use of well regions means that the high-voltage transistor cannot be fabricated with a self-aligned gate. Accordingly, the misalignment of the channel region to the gate is possible with the accompanying loss of device performance. To compensate for the potential misalignment of the channel region, the gate electrode can be fabricated to have larger dimensions. However, the increased size of the gate electrode requires a larger surface area for fabrication of the high-voltage transistor resulting in a undesirably large devices. Additionally, the utilization of a well region for device components is problematic in CMOS technology using compensated n-well structures, in which the n-well region is implanted into the p-well region. In these structures, the n-well has a higher doping concentration than the p-channel region; thus it is not an ideal drift region. Therefore, such structures are susceptible to avalanche breakdown during the voltage stressing experience by the well regions during operation of the high-voltage transistor. Additionally, excessively high substrate current can result from impact ionization at voltages near the avalanche limit of the device.
The demand for high performance complex devices requires that they be fabricated to have maximum operational efficiency and be readily integrated into a CMOS process. Additionally, to avoid the necessity of dramatically increasing the geometric dimensions of the device, the high-voltage transistors must not require vast increases in substrate area over that commonly required for low-voltage transistor fabrication. Accordingly, advances in high-voltage architecture and fabrication are necessary to achieve high performance devices compatible with sub micron CMOS technology.
In accordance with the invention, a process for fabricating a high-voltage transistor includes forming a gate dielectric layer on a substrate having a first region, in which an isolation region resides within the first region. A gate electrode is fabricated to overlie at least a portion of the first well region, a portion of the second well region and a portion of the isolation region. A channel region is formed beneath the gate electrode by implanting ions into the substrate using an edge of the gate electrode as an implantation mask. The ions are implanted at an angle of incidence that is offset from a normal of the substrate surface. An electrical contact is formed to the first region, where the electrical contact is separated from the channel region by the isolation region.
In another aspect of the invention a high-voltage transistor is provided that includes an isolation region residing within a doped region of a substrate. The isolation region has substantially vertical sidewalls. A gate electrode overlies a portion of the doped region and a portion of the isolation region and is separated from the substrate by a gate dielectric layer. A channel region underlies at least a portion of the gate electrode and is separated from the isolation region by a portion of the doped region.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a semiconductor device is provided having both a high-voltage transistor and a low-voltage transistor. The method of forming the channel region for the high-voltage transistor avoids excessive thermal processing, such that shallow junctions can be preserved in the low-voltage transistors. In particular, the junction depth of the channel region of the low-voltage transistor can be maintained at a design tolerance of less than about 50% of the junction depth of the source and drain regions of the low-voltage transistor.
The high-voltage transistor and fabrication process of the invention provide a fully self-aligned transistor architecture, while avoiding the extensive thermal processing found in the prior art. Additionally, the separation of the drain region from the channel region is achieved by using a high-density isolation process, such as shallow trench isolation, and results in the fabrication of a device having a relatively small substrate surface area. These and other advantages of the invention are fully set forth herein below.

High-voltage transistor and fabrication process


There is provided a charged particle beam apparatus that can reduce the processing time. A charged particle beam apparatus includes: an excitation control unit that controls a focal position by changing a control value of excitation of an electronic lens; an electrostatic field control unit that controls the focal position by changing a control value of an electrostatic field; a focal position height estimation unit that estimates a height of the focal position from the control value of the excitation of the electronic lens; and a control unit that controls the excitation control unit and the electrostatic field control unit. The control unit compares the height of the focal position estimated by the focal position height estimation unit with a height of a sample surface of a sample to be observed, and according to a result of comparison, determines whether it is necessary to change the control value of the excitation of the electronic lens before observing the sample.

Charged particle beam apparatuses using charged particle beams as probes, such as scanning type electron microscopes, are used in many research and development fields for the purpose of observing the microstructure of samples. As an example, in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, there is a case where defects such as foreign materials or broken wiring patterns occur on thin film devices due to inadequate or abnormal manufacturing conditions of the processing device. Since the foreign materials or defects have a significant impact on the performance of semiconductor devices, foreign material inspection or visual inspection is performed for each major process to maintain and improve yield.
In the semiconductor device manufacturing process, the inspection device used to observe foreign materials or defects is called a review SEM. The review SEM is placed in the semiconductor process and is used to automatically and continuously image the above-described foreign materials or defects. Therefore, the throughput per unit time of the review SEM has a significant impact on the productivity of semiconductors.
A large percentage of the operation time of the review SEM is the operation time of the magnetic hysteresis removal of the objective lens. The objective lens is configured with an excitation coil and a surrounding magnetic body. It is known that the magnetic field formed in the objective lens is not always proportional to the control current given to the excitation coil, but has a magnetic hysteresis that depends on the history of the excitation change. When the reproducibility of the magnetic field deteriorates due to the impact of the magnetic hysteresis, the error in the correction value for the image quality of the SEM image, such as magnification or orthogonality, increases. Therefore, a magnetic hysteresis removal operation is generally executed before changing the excitation conditions of the magnetic coil in order to control the magnetic field by removing the impact of the magnetic hysteresis (for example, refer to JP-A-2008-192521 (PTL 1)).
In recent years, the three-dimensional structure of semiconductors, which is the observation target of the review SEM, has been advancing, and there is a demand for review SEM with increasingly high acceleration voltage. As the acceleration voltage increases, the demand for the magnetic field of the objective lens also increases, and thus, the operation time of the magnetic hysteresis removal tends to increase. From such point of view, as illustrated in JP-A-2010-211973 (PTL 2), a charged particle beam apparatus has been proposed to control a focal position of the electron beam at high speed by making it possible to execute the change of the magnetic field of the objective lens together with the change of the electrostatic field. The focal position control by the electrostatic field has a narrow control range, but it is possible to control the focal position at high speed. Therefore, by combining with the focal position control by the magnetic field, the processing time of the entire apparatus is expected to be significantly reduced.
However, in a case where a large change in focal position is required, the focal position control by the magnetic field becomes necessary even in the apparatus described in PTL 2, and the processing time may become long. When the focal position can be controlled only by changing the electrostatic field by reducing the focal position control as much as possible by large changes in magnetic field, the processing time can be reduced. However, the PTL 2 does not propose a specific method.


An apparatus for enhancing the coalescence of a dispersed phase from a continuous phase in an emulsion is presented. The apparatus includes at least one inlet for receiving the emulsion, at least one outlet for discharging the emulsion after coalescing the dispersed phase, and at least one article disposed between the inlet and the outlet. The article includes a plurality of regions disposed on a surface in a predefined pattern, wherein a portion of the plurality of regions is substantially wetting with respect to the dispersed phase, and a portion of the plurality of regions is substantially non-wetting with respect to the dispersed phase, and wherein the pattern includes a plurality of inter-connected regions that are substantially non-wetting with respect to the dispersed phase. A related article is also presented.

The invention generally relates to an apparatus and an article for enhancing the coalescence of a dispersed phase from a continuous phase in an emulsion. Particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and an article for enhancing the coalescence of oil in oil-water emulsions.
Separation of oil from water is one of the key processes in most oil recovery applications. The oil is typically mixed with water, which may be existent in a well or artificially injected to boost the rate of oil recovery. Oil-water separation is also commonly used to reduce the discharged oil fraction to comply with environmental regulations. Sub-sea separators can reduce the power needed to pump produced fluid from the sea bed to the top side, by separating out water from oil prior to pumping.
For sub-sea oil recovery, there may be an economic incentive to make the separation apparatus passive, compact, robust and durable. Further, it may be desirable to operate the sub-sea separator units without external power. Non-limiting example of a suitable sub-sea separator unit is a gravity separator. The driving forces for separation in a gravity separator are oil/water specific gravity difference and the oil/water interface energy. However, the large size of typical gravity separators makes them unsuitable for sub-sea installations. The plate pack separator (PPS) configuration is one of the potential designs for reducing the size of the gravity separators. One of the challenges of plate pack separators is the degradation in separation efficiency over time due to the fouling of corrugated plate surfaces, and resulting loss in surface functionality. In plate pack separators, flat parallel plates are typically used to reduce fouling. However, flat parallel plates have poorer coalescence efficiency compared to corrugated plates.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved oil-water separators. Further, it may be desirable to have oil water separators with improved coalescence efficiency.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Article and apparatus for enhancing the coalescence of a dispersed phase from a continuous phase in an emulsion


A liquid crystal display apparatus includes: a display device a first substrate having a pixel electrode and a reference electrode, a second substrate facing the first substrate; a flexible substrate; a housing that accommodates the display device; a transparent conductive film that is formed on a surface of the second substrate; a first conductive member and a second conductive member, wherein one end portion of the first conductive member and one end portion of the second conductive member are connected to the transparent conductive film; a first grounding route, which is configured by at least the first conductive member that is connected to a grounding wiring formed at the peripheral part of the first substrate and the flexible substrate; and a second grounding route, which is configured by at least the second conductive member that is connected to the housing.

In a liquid crystal display apparatus, specifically, in a horizontal electric field type liquid crystal display apparatus, one of two transparent substrates, which are arranged to face each other with a liquid crystal layer being interposed therebetween, is provided with a display electrode and a reference electrode. An electric field, which is generated parallel with the transparent substrates between the display electrode and the reference electrode, modulates light penetrating the liquid crystal layer.
In the horizontal electric field type liquid crystal display apparatus, the other transparent substrate is apt to be charged due to external causes, and then liquid crystals enclosed inside the apparatus are influenced by the static electricity, so that a display may be distorted. For this reason, measures that a transparent conductive film is provided on a surface of the transparent substrate at an outer side of the liquid crystal layer and is grounded have been taken for the horizontal electric field type liquid crystal display apparatus (for example, refer to JP-B-3645834).
A liquid crystal display apparatus disclosed in JP-B-3645834 has a shield function against the static electricity from the outside by grounding the transparent conductive film provided on the surface of the transparent substrate at the outer side of the liquid crystal layer. However, when the transparent conductive film is disconnected from the grounding, a screen display is distorted by the influence of the static electricity from the outside.
In the meantime, when there is no technology of checking a grounding resistance of a conductive member for electrical connection from the transparent conductive film to the transparent substrate having the pixel electrode and the reference electrode, the check is made by a sensory inspection for checking an outward appearance of the conductive member.

Liquid crystal display apparatus comprising first and second grounding routes and manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display apparatus


A charging control apparatus including means for shortening a running-up period of the second turbocharger with an exhaust bypass valve when an instant engine speed is low, so that torque shock during the transition from one-turbocharger-operation to two-turbocharger-operation is decreased. During rapid acceleration at high engine speeds, an exhaust switching valve is opened at once. Further, the reference engine speed and the reference intake air quantity for switching to two-turbocharger-operation are varied in accordance with the shift gear position, so that an optimum switching to two-turbocharger-operation is obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charging control apparatus for an internal combustion engine with a dual turbocharger system which can suppress a decrease in charging pressure during a transition from "one-turbocharger-operation" to "two-turbocharger-operation."
2. Description of the Related Art
An internal combustion engine with a dual turbocharger system is shown in Japanese Patent Publication HEI 3-138,420 (which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,842).
The dual turbocharger system includes a first turbocharger operated at all intake air quantities and a second turbocharger operated solely at large intake air quantities. More particularly, an intake switching valve is installed in a portion of the intake conduit located downstream of the compressor of the second turbocharger and an exhaust switching valve is installed in a portion of the exhaust conduit located downstream or upstream of the turbine of the second turbocharger. When the intake switching valve and the exhaust switching valve are closed, operation of the second turbocharger is stopped and only the first turbocharger is in operation. When the intake switching valve and the exhaust switching valve are open, both the second turbocharger and the first turbocharger are in operation. To make the switch from "one-turbocharger-operation" to "two-turbocharger-operation" smooth, an exhaust bypass conduit is provided to bypass the exhaust switching valve and an exhaust bypass valve is installed in the exhaust bypass conduit. Before the intake switching valve and the exhaust switching valve are opened, the exhaust bypass valve is opened so that the second turbocharger is preliminarily rotated or run-up. In the conventional turbocharged engine, the switching timing from "one-turbocharger-operation" to "two-turbocharger-operation" and the duration of the running-up of the exhaust bypass valve are a constant with respect to the engine speed or intake air quantity.
However, there are the following problems with the conventional turbocharged engine:
(a) The running-up characteristic of the second turbocharger varies in accordance with the engine speed or intake air quantity. Therefore, if the duration of the running-up of the second turbocharger is fixed so as to be optimum for high engine speeds, the duration of the running-up is too short for a low engine speed and the torque shock during the transition from "one-turbocharger-operation" to "two-turbocharger-operation" will be large at low engine speeds. PA0 (b) On the other hand, if the duration of the running-up of the second turbocharger is fixed so as to be optimum for low engine speeds, the duration of the running-up is too long for high engine speeds and an overrun of the first turbocharger will occur at the switching from "one-turbocharger-operation" to "two-turbocharger-operation." PA0 (c) When the engine speed or intake air quantity exceeds the predetermined value for switching from "one-turbocharger-operation" to "two-turbocharger-operation", the exhaust switching valve will be delayed in opening as a result of various mechanical delays and the exhaust gas flow resistance will be increased and the engine output will be suppressed until the exhaust switching valve is completely open. Since the mechanical delay is constant, independent of a change of the engine load, the engine output will be seriously affected by the exhaust gas flow resistance during rapid acceleration at high engine speeds. PA0 (d) Because the operation of the conventional turbocharged engine including start of the exhaust bypass valve and switching from "one-turbocharger-operation" to "two-turbocharger-operation" is based on fixed engine speed or intake air quantity, the intake air quantity can reach a predetermined intake air quantity for switching too quickly when the gear shift position is at low positions. As a result, at low gear shift positions, the running-up of the exhaust bypass valve is insufficient and a relatively large torque shock tends to occur during switching from "one-turbocharger-operation" to "two-turbocharger-operation".

Charging control apparatus for an internal combustion engine with a dual turbocharger system


A method of delivering packages using a robot delivery system including: obtaining information about a package from an online ordering platform application programing interface, the information about the package including at least a destination of the package; transmitting the information about the package to a first robot; instructing the first robot to obtain the package or retain the package; and instructing the first robot to deliver the package to the destination using a conveyance system.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to the field of conveyance systems, and specifically to a method and apparatus for a connecting robot, a conveyance system, and an application programming interfaces for package delivery.
Conveyance systems such as, for example, elevator systems, escalator systems, and moving walkways are typically only configured to interact with human beings alone. Additionally, information passed through application programming interfaces for package delivery are typically only utilized by humans from package delivery services.


A seat frame of a vehicle seat includes a seat cushion frame on a seat cushion side, a seat back frame on a backrest side, and a reclining device provided between the seat back frame and the seat cushion frame for adjusting an angle of incline of the seat back frame relative to the seat cushion frame. Either one of the seat back frame or the seat cushion frame includes a first member having a first fitting plane portion to the reclining device and a second member connected to the first member by holding a first space therebetween, and a hollow portion connected to the first space provided on an outer periphery of the first fitting plane portion.

Known seat frame which can improve a torsional strength and a bending strength is disclosed in a Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-149175. In the disclosed seat frame, a seat back frame is configured by a pipe forming product and a side bracket is fixed to a side of the seat back frame where a reclining device is provided. The side bracket is formed from steel sheet and a peripheral portion of the side bracket is bent at a right angle so as to form a rib. In addition, a sectional surface of the side bracket has a horseshoe shape. Then, a reinforcing bracket having also a rib and a horseshoe sectional surface is secured between the side bracket and a lower edge of the seat back frame for improving a torsional strength and a bending strength of the side bracket.
According to a seat structure in which a seat belt is mounted to the seat back frame, the seat frame receives an excessive load in case of a vehicle collision. Thus, in the seat frame disclosed in the publication and configured in an aforementioned manner, the strengths of the side bracket and the reinforcing bracket are required to be improved. In order to meet this requirement, however, the sizes of the side bracket and the reinforcing bracket having the horseshoe sectional surface or plate materials thereof need to be larger or thicker.


When a first circuit unit and a second circuit unit are to be positioned and superposed by positioning portions and positioning portions, an exposed portion of a circuit conductor in the second circuit unit is deformed corresponding to a difference in a dimension between the positioning portions and the positioning portions. Consequently, a shift part caused by the difference in the dimension between the positioning portions and the positioning portions is automatically absorbed so that the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit can be assembled easily.

The present invention relates to a circuit unit device constituted by superposing a first circuit unit and a second circuit unit which are formed by assembling a circuit conductor having a contact portion and a terminal portion in an insulator respectively.
Conventionally, a switch device for a vehicle comprises a circuit unit device constituted by superposing a first circuit unit and a second circuit unit which are formed by assembling a circuit conductor having a contact portion and a terminal portion in an insulator respectively, for example. In such a case, the first circuit unit constitutes a main circuit, for example, and the second circuit unit constitutes an attached circuit. They are positioned, and particularly, positions of the contact portion and the terminal portion are set.
However, the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit are separate members and a dimension between portions to be positioned has a difference depending on a product. For this reason, there is a problem in that positions of the portions to be positioned each other are not adapted finely when they are assembled and an assembly is thus hard to perform.

Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho


A method for increasing the performance of binary translated conditional instructions. According to one embodiment of the invention, a conditional instruction compatible with the first ISA is decoded. The condition of the conditional instruction is dependent on at least on status flag. The conditional instruction is translated to be compatible with a second ISA, wherein the condition of the conditional instruction is altered to be dependent on a previously computed difference between two values, the difference residing in a memory location.

Most often, computer programs are initially written in high-level program statements. In order to be executed by a computer, the program statements are compiled into machine instructions that a microprocessor can recognize and execute. The machine instructions are selected from a set of machine instructions unique to a particular Instruction Set Architecture (ISA).
In the field of ISAs, there have arisen two fundamentally different types of instruction sets: the Complex Instruction Set Computer architecture (CISC) and the Reduced Instruction Set Computer architecture (RISC). The CISC architecture utilizes an instruction set that allows for complicated and flexible ways of calculating such elements as memory addresses. One of the defining characteristics of the CISC architecture is the use of variable length instructions, which adds additional complexity to the decoding hardware. Although very powerfully, all the complexity of the CISC instruction set usually requires additional clock cycles to execute each machine instruction.
A RISC processor, on the other hand, is designed to operate more efficiently by processing a relatively smaller set of instructions. The RISC design is based on the premise that most of the instructions a computer decodes and executes are simple. As a result, RISC architecture limits the number of instructions that are built into the microprocessor, and optimizes each so it can be carried out very rapidly, usually within a single clock cycle.
It is possible for computer program statements that have been compiled into machine instructions for a CISC processor to be translated in order to be executed on a RISC processor. This translation process is normally carried out by a binary translator, which typically consist of a set of instructions stored in memory.
The RISC machine executes the translated instructions by using the RISC instruction set to emulate how the untranslated instructions would be executed on a CISC processor. Practitioners in the art will understand, that when a RISC processor emulates a CISC program, many of the inherent performance advantages of the RISC processor are missed.
Consider, for example, the conditional instruction. A conditional instruction performs an operation, such as transferring the flow of execution from one instruction to another, when a specified condition is true. If the condition is false, the conditional instruction is treated as a no-operation (i.e., an instruction having no effect on the machine's current architectural state).
A conditional instruction is typically based on the results of a previously executed arithmetic instruction, such as the compare instruction. A compare instruction, when executed on a CISC processor, compares two values by subtracting one value from a second value and updates a set of status flags based on the difference of the two values. The actual difference generated by the comparison, however, is not saved in a memory location (i.e., is architecturally transparent).
The status flags are typically represented by one-bit fields in a dedicated register. In one prior art CISC ISA, the status flags include a Zero Flag (ZF) indicating the difference is 0, a Sign Flag (SF) representing the most significant bit of the difference, and an Overflow Flag (OF) indicating the difference is too large or too small to be represented in the number of bits allocated to store the result.
The conditional instruction, when executed on a CISC processor, evaluates a logical combination of the status flags in order to determine whether the condition of the conditional instruction is met. In one example, the conditional instruction evaluates the complex expression (ZF=1 or SF|=OF).
The RISC microprocessor, however, typically has no native support for setting status flags (i.e., dedicated registers). Therefore, a RISC processor emulates a CISC processor executing a compare instruction by allocating bit fields within a general purpose register for the setting of status flags.
To emulate a conditional instruction evaluating the set of status flags, the RISC processor employs a series of instructions provided in the RISC instruction set. Use of the series of RISC instructions, however, misses the performance advantage of the RISC processors. Typically, the instruction set of a RISC processor includes one conditional instruction that efficiently evaluates a single value generated by a previously executed compare instruction.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there is a need for a method of translating conditional instructions that are originally dependent on a logical combination of status flags, to be dependent on an actual difference generated by a previously executed compare instruction.

Method and apparatus for translating a conditional instruction compatible with a first instruction set architecture (ISA) into a conditional instruction compatible with a second ISA


The invention is a key chain holder with clock and audible alarm. The invention includes a housing that contains the alarm, which is actuated by a spring-loaded trigger. The spring-loaded trigger requires at least 5 pounds of pressure in order to set off the alarm. The invention also includes a hand strap and flash light. The clock displays the time and date.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of keychain holders, more specifically, a key chain holder with multiple features including a clock and an alarm.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As a preliminary note, it should be stated that there is an ample amount of prior art that deals with key chain holders. As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a key chain holder that includes an alarm and a clock.
The Monroe Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,228,429) discloses a battery powered multimedia network appliance for security and surveillance applications including a personal alarm device, a conventional clock display, a strobe light, and a keypad mortise lock. However, the appliance is not directed to a keychain holder.
The Salzhauer et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,289,036) discloses a battery powered personal alarm device having an integral wristband. However, the personal alarm device does not include a keychain holder.
The Hoffman et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,590) discloses a personal security and tracking system. However, the tracking system does not involve a keychain holder.
The Salzhauer et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,999) discloses a personal monitoring system that includes a messaging system, flash light, and audible alarm. However, the personal monitoring system is not designed for use with a keychain holder.
The Hodgen Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,980,105) discloses a personal alarm system including a key ring, a horn, and built-in flash light with flash button. However, the alarm system requires a transmitter, and does not have a spring-loaded trigger that activates an audible alarm, and also does not include a clock.
The Hess Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,731) discloses a portable alarm system that includes, among other things, a siren; but does not include a clock or a trigger.
The Olson Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,704) discloses a personal alarm system having actuator pin activation means. However, the pin actuation means of the alarm system is triggered upon movement of the individual being monitored with respect to a stationary object. The design of the personal alarm system is not designated for use with a keychain in order to be intentionally activated by the end user.
The Delmonaco Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,052) discloses a personal alarm system wherein the device provides a silent alarm by communicating with a standard communication system. The alarm system does not involve a keychain holder, a clock, or an audible alarm that is activated by a spring-loaded trigger.
The Personal Door Alarm with Light from Streetwise, a non-patent piece of prior art, discloses a personal alarm that involves a device that attaches via a clip and a cord is pulled to sound an audible alarm. However, the actuating means do not involve a spring-loaded trigger that is contained upon the housing along with a keychain holder and clock.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a key chain holder with clock and alarm that provides for the advantages of the key chain holder with clock and alarm. In this regard, the key chain holder with clock and alarm departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.


To provide a side seal capable of preventing the entrance of the foreign matter to the inside of the slider and the outflow of the lubricant without damaging or reducing the original function of the lip, and to provide a linear guide apparatus including the above described side seal. A linear guide apparatus (1) includes a side seal (30) attached to an end of the slider (20) in the axial direction and including a lip portion (33) coming into sliding contact with the guide rail (10). The side seal (30) includes a thin film (40) coming into sliding contact with the guide rail (10) and filling a part of a gap (34) of the lip portion (33).

The present invention relates to a side seal and a linear guide apparatus including the same.
Conventionally, a linear guide apparatus (linear guide) is provided with side seals at the both ends of a slider in the movement direction so that a foreign matter does not enter the inside of the slider. Such a side seal includes a metal plate referred to as a cored bar, which is attached and fixed to the slider with screws and a body portion fixed to the metal plate by adhesion, the body portion including a lip portion coming into sliding contact with a guide rail. Then, the side seal having such a configuration is disposed so as to fill the gap between the guide rail and an end cap attached to each of the both ends of the slider.
Therefore, the above-described lip portion prevents the foreign matter on the top face or the side face of the guide rail from entering the inside of the slider when the slider relatively moves with respect to the guide rail.
Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 5, in conventional side seals, there are often provided with "gaps 134" between a lip portion 133 and a guide rail 110, the gaps 134 being located at positions other than a necessary contact portion, so as to prevent the contact portion between the lip portion 133 and the guide rail 110 from being a surface increasing the sliding friction. Similarly, a "relief portion 135" is often provided at the circumference of the lip portion 133 so as to provide the lip portion 133 with freedom in deformation in order to avoid a strong contact with the guide rail 110 and so as not to increase the sliding friction.
In this situation, an under seal can be disposed on the bottom face of the slider corresponding to an opening side of the slider having a letter U shape, so as to fill the gap between the slider and the guide rail and prevent the entrance of the foreign matter from the guide rail.
However, the side seal has a substantially letter U shape almost the same as the shape of the end cap in a plane perpendicular to the moving direction (axial direction) of the slider. An end portion of the lip portion disposed along the outer circumference of the guide rail is positioned at the opening side of the slider. Therefore, there is a possibility of the entrance of the foreign matter or the outflow of the lubricant, since the "relief portion" and the "gap" communicate with the inside of the slider.
Therefore, as a solution, PTL 1 disclose a technique in which an auxiliary lip portion 114 is formed on side seal S facing an inner seal 104 and the under seal 105, the auxiliary lip portion 114 filling the gap formed between the end portion of the inner seal 104 or the under seal 105 and the slope of the side seal S.

Side seal and linear guide apparatus comprising the same