A frame structure includes a base plate 70, and a pair of side plates 72, 73. The base plate 70 has a bottom surface 70a, and an attachment edge 70b formed by drawing the edge of the base place downward around the entire periphery of the bottom surface 70a. The pair of side plates 72, 73 is attached on the attachment edge 70b of the base plate 70, and serves to support components used by an image forming device in image formation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a frame structure for an image forming device and frame assembly method.
2. Background Information
An image forming device such as a copying machine or printer is equipped with a photosensitive drum, a developing unit that includes a developer, a transfer unit that includes a transfer belt and so forth, a fusing unit that includes a fusing device, and a feeding unit for feeding paper. Each of these units is supported by a frame consisting of a base plate attached to the bottom of the device and a pair of side plates fixed to the base plate.
A conventional frame structure for an image forming device is disclosed in Japanese laid open patent publication 2002-189324. This frame has a base plate, a pair of side plates fixed to the base plate with a predetermined space, and a back surface state connecting the pair of the side plates. Components for image formation, such as the photosensitive drum, are supported between the pair of side plates.
A bent portion that is bent outward on the bottom of the side plates is formed on a conventional frame structure for an image forming device as disclosed in the above publication. This bent portion abuts against the top of the base plate and the two are fixed together by screws using an electric screwdriver or the like from the top.
With this type of frame structure, an electric screwdriver cannot be used to tighten the screws when the width of the bent portion on the bottom of the side plates is narrow, and thus workability is poor. Therefore, a width of 50 mm must normally be secured in order to attach the bent portion to the side plates.
However, there is one problem, in that widening the width of the outward protrusion of the bent portion in order to attach to the side plate requires that the size of the base plate must also be increased the same amount, thereby increasing the overall size of the image forming device.
The conventional frame structure provides support by aligning a pair of side plates using knock pins or the like for alignment against the base plate, then positions the components for image formation to the pair of side plates. The pair of side plates are mutually positioned through the base plate accordingly, and measurement error is already included between the pair of side plates for the time of base plate attachment. Further, the components for image formation are supported by a pair of side plates that include attachment error in this same manner, resulting in further errors being generated at the time of attachment, and causing an accumulation of errors. For this reason, the conventional device has required significant management of assembly errors and manufacturing errors for each component.

Frame structure for an image forming device and frame assembly method


An image forming apparatus that forms an image having proper density regardless of changes in a charged amount of developer per unit mass is provided. When image data is received in a laser printer, a main motor is driven to rotate a photosensitive drum, etc., and charging bias is applied to a charger to charge the photosensitive drum. Then, paper is fed. Predetermined current detection developing bias is applied to a developing roller for a predetermined period of time. A current value of a developing current during the application is detected. Developing bias applied to the developing roller is calculated so as to keep constant density in the printed image. Particularly, a charged amount of toner per unit mass (Q/M) is calculated from the detected current value. Based on the Q/M, the developing bias is calculated. A print process is performed by applying the developing bias to the developing roller.

i) Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material using developer.
ii) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material using developer, image density is often varied depending on conditions like the use environment and the number of prints. Therefore, there are cases in which desired density can not be obtained.
Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-140769 discloses an image forming device in which a reference pattern consisting of a toner image for density detection is formed on a photosensitive drum. Based on the detected density of the reference pattern, the optimum developing bias at the time of actual developing is obtained.


A hair-removing device (1) includes a laser source (3), an adjustable laser beam manipulator (5) for positioning a laser beam (7) of the laser source (3) in a target position (9) on a skin (11) to be treated, and an image sensor (47) for detecting an image (49) of the skin. The hair-removing device further comprises a control unit (17) which determines a position and orientation on the skin of a hair (13) to be removed, and which determines the target position of the laser beam as a function of said position and orientation of the hair. The control unit brings the laser beam manipulator in a state corresponding to the target position of the laser beam, and activates the laser source when the laser beam manipulator has reached said state. Thus, the hair-removing device is suitable for use by inexperienced users, and is particularly suitable for the consumer market. In a particular embodiment, the control unit determines the target position of the laser beam in a position (71) on the skin under which a root (15) of the hair is present, so that the root of the hair is destroyed and the hair-removing device (1) is an epilating device by means of which the hair is removed for a relatively long time or even permanently. In another embodiment, the control unit determines the target position of the laser beam in a position (65) on the hair where the hair comes out of the skin, so that the hair is burnt through near the skin surface and the hair-removing device (1″) is a shaving device by means of which a high skin smoothness is obtained.

The invention relates to a hair-removing device provided with a laser source, an adjustable laser beam manipulator for positioning a laser beam supplied by the laser source during operation in a target position on a skin to be treated, and an image sensor for detecting an image of at least a portion of the skin.
A hair-removing device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,706. The known hair-removing device is designed for use by a professional therapist and may be used not only for removing hairs but also for other dermatological treatments such as the treatment of necrotic skin tissue, varicose veins, or pigment spots. The image of the skin detected by the image sensor is rendered visible to the therapist on a picture screen. The known hair-removing device further comprises a control member by means of which the therapist can operate the laser beam manipulator and can thus guide the laser beam supplied by the laser source manually over the skin under treatment. While being guided over the skin, the laser beam has only a comparatively low energy density, and the therapist can monitor the position of the laser beam on the skin by means of the picture screen. When the laser beam is in the target position as determined by the therapist, the laser beam can be intensified for a predetermined time duration by the therapist through the operation of a further control member of the hair-removing device. The laser beam has a wavelength which is well absorbed by the tissue to be treated, so that the tissue present around the target position is strongly heated locally by the laser beam, and the relevant tissue dies. For a permanent removal or epilation of a hair present on the skin, the laser beam is aimed at the root of the hair, so that the root and the tissue surrounding it die. Since the known hair-removing device is provided with said image sensor and adjustable laser beam manipulator, it is possible to treat the skin locally with a laser beam of a comparatively small spot diameter, so that the laser source need have only a comparatively low power. Accordingly, a comparatively small and simple laser diode is used in the known hair-removing device.
A disadvantage of the known hair-removing device is that a comparatively long treatment time is necessary for the removal of all hairs present on a skin under treatment because the therapist must displace the laser beam manually from one hair to the next. In addition, a determination of the target position of the laser beam on the skin requires the user to have a considerable experience, so that the known hair-removing device is suitable exclusively for use by a professional therapist.

Hair-removing device with a controllable laser source


An automatic banking machine includes at least one computer, a card reader, transaction function devices, and a display. The display includes a touch display surface having multiple spaced user locations at which transaction sessions by different user can be concurrently conducted. Multiple users can at the same time receive visible outputs from the display surface and provide inputs through physical contact with the display surface. An eye sensing device enables the display surface, based on sensing where a user is looking at the display surface, to display data at the user location.

Automated banking machines may include a card reader that operates to read data from a bearer record such as a user card. Automated banking machines may operate to cause the data read from the card to be compared with other computer stored data related to the bearer or the bearer's financial accounts. The machine operates in response to the comparison determining that the bearer record corresponds to an authorized user, to carry out at least one transaction which may be operative to transfer value to or from at least one account. A record of the transaction is also often printed through operation of the automated banking machine and provided to the user. Automated banking machines may be used to carry out transactions such as dispensing cash, the making of deposits, the transfer of funds between accounts, and account balance inquiries. The types of banking transactions that may be carried out are determined by the capabilities of the particular banking machine and system, as well as the programming of the institution operating the machine.
Other types of automated banking machines may be operated by merchants to carry out commercial transactions. These transactions may include, for example, the acceptance of deposit bags, the receipt of checks or other financial instruments, the dispensing of rolled coin, or other transactions required by merchants. Still other types of automated banking machines may be used by service providers in a transaction environment such as a bank to carry out financial transactions. Such transactions may include for example, the counting and storage of currency notes or other financial instrument sheets, the dispensing of notes or other sheets, the imaging of checks or other financial instruments, and other types of transactions. For purposes of this disclosure an automated banking machine or an automated taller machine (ATM) shall be deemed to include any machine that may be used to carry out transactions involving automated transfers of value.
When banks are open for business customers enter the bank. The bank usually has no advance notice when a banking customer is going to enter the bank or how many customers will enter the bank for any given time period. At the time a banking customer enters a bank the bank has no way of knowing which type of transaction the banking customer is going to request, or if the banking customer will be requesting multiple transactions. If all customers currently in a bank approach the teller or any other human or machine resource of the bank at the same time, that banking resource may become overburdened and unable to process all the banking customer requests in a timely matter. Long wait times may occur and the banking customers at the end of a line for a particular banking service may have a negative banking experience.
When a banking customer enters a bank, he may not know where to proceed to conduct a particular banking transaction. The banking customer may need to resort to looking for signs pointing him to the area of the bank to conduct the particular transaction he desires to conduct. Alternatively, the banking customer may need to resort to looking for a map of the banking branch or facility so he may determine from a map where to conduct his transaction.
When a banking customer enters a bank branch, he often will want to conduct multiple transactions. The banking customer may have no way of knowing which bank resources are busy and which are available. The banking customer may just have to guess or just pick the transaction to conduct first by random thought process. If the banking customer guesses in a way that directs him to a resource for which there is a long wait, he will spend more time to complete his transactions.
Often when the banking customer needs to personally speak with a person who has more than just clerical authority, such as a banking officer, that officer may be busy. The banking customer may need to wait in a waiting area. The banking customer may leave the waiting area to talk with a friend, use the restroom, or simply get tired and leave the bank. When the busy banking officer becomes free, the officer may go to the waiting area to greet the banking customer waiting to see them. Because the bank officer often does not know what the waiting banking customer looks like, the bank officer needs to resort to calling the customer's name near the waiting area. The banking officer often may not have any way of knowing if the banking customer has left the waiting area or the bank.
For many banking transactions such as opening a new account, banking customers need to provide the bank information about themselves. Typically, a banking officer may call the banking customer to the banking officer's desk and then begin to ask the banking customer a lot of questions. For example, the bank officer may ask the banking customer for the customer's name, address, phone numbers, place of employment, who in the family may access the account, and then a series of questions about what type of account the customer is interested in opening. Sometimes as the banking customer provides the information to a banking officer, mistakes are made when the banking officer enters the banking customer information into the banking computer systems. The officer may hit the wrong keyboard key, and because the banking customer may not be looking at the computer screen the officer is looking at, the error goes undetected. Other banking customers may speak with an accent that is hard for the banking officer to understand, so errors may be entered into the banking computer system because of a misunderstanding between the banking customer and banking officer.
Bank tellers and officers often need to follow a precise sequence of events to properly process a banking customer banking request. There may be a certain sequence of steps to authenticating checks and a different sequence to issue a certificate of deposit. Because banking employees need to follow many different sequences of steps for many different types of banking transactions, sometimes steps are omitted or performed incorrectly. Often several different forms are filled out for each of a variety of banking transactions. Because banking employees need to know which of several forms correspond with each transaction, mistakes are made by forgetting to fill out a form, filling out the wrong form or making a mistake while filling out a form.
Banking machines and systems may benefit from improvements.

Automated banking machine that enables multiple users to conduct concurrent transactions at different areas of a display surface

Diebold Self-Service Systems division of Diebold, Incorporated


A sewing machine for sewing stationary large surface material (13) includes at least two units (14, 16 and 15, 17) of which includes a sewing head (14, 15) and an associated shuttle box (16, 17) which are displaceably mounted for movement in the first (x) and second (y) directions substantially normal to each other. A common drive mechanism (18, 19, etc.) displaces the unit simultaneously in the first direction (x) while spaced a predetermined distance (D) from each other while an associated disengaging mechanism (35) can controllably disengage one of the units (14, 16 or 15, 17) from the common drive (18, 19, etc.) while the other unit is displaced by the common drive to thereby change the predetermined distance (D) after which the one unit is re-engaged. Preferably holding mechanisms are provided for holding the disengaged sewing head (14 or 15) and the disengaged shuttle box (16, 17) of the disengaged one of the units (14, 16 or 15, 17) substantially stationary during the displacement of the other unit, and preferably the stationary unit is maintained substantially stationary at a parked position (38) during the displacement of the other unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a sewing machine for large-surface, stationary material such as quilts, comprising at least two units each including a sewing head and associated shuttle box, each unit being displaceable on an arch-frame in the x-direction and the arch-frame itself being displaceable in the y-direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sewing machines of the above species are already known. In particular they are stitching machines for large-surface materials which are at rest during stitching, the sewing head(s) as well as the shuttle boxes being displaceable in two mutually orthogonal directions, the x- and y-directions, in the plane of the material, in order to produce the stitching paths above or below the material. The sewing member(s) is (are) located on an arch-frame, that is the sewing heads together with the needle drive are mounted on the upper arch-frame crossbeam and the shuttle box(es) together with the shuttle drive on the lower crossbeam. During sewing, the entire arch-frame can be moved at will forward and back in one direction, the y-direction. The sewing member(s) on the arch-frame can be moved in another direction, namely at 90.degree. to the arch-frame displacement, namely in the x-direction. The drive and control concerning the x- and y-directions are implemented in known manner by electrical or electronic means in turn so controlling motors for the x- and y-directions that the resulting motion of the sewing members corresponds to the stitching path. When two or more sewing members are mounted on the arch-frame and are displaced as described, two or more parallel seams spaced apart by the distance between the sewing members are obtained.
Two or more sewing members are desired in such sewing machines because the sewing or stitching as a whole can be substantially accelerated and the products are thus made in a correspondingly shorter time, there being comparatively little increase in equipment on account of the several sewing members in relation to the overall machine. The sewing members mentioned herein are hereafter called sewing units for the sake of simplicity and comprise each of a sewing head with needle drive and of a shuttle box with shuttle drive. The basic problem which must be kept in mind is that the sewing head and the shuttle box always must be made to move accurately relative to each other in terms of fractions of a mm, for instance with 0.1 mm accuracy, as otherwise there may be collisions between the needle and the shuttles.
As regards sewing machines with two or more sewing members or units, there is a particular problem when selecting a new stitching pattern and hence when the spacing between the sewing members must be changed. In the light of the required accuracy, such a change in spacing even where only two sewing members are involved will entail substantial and very time-consuming labor of conversion and adjustment.

Movable and relatively positionable sewing units for sewing stationary material

Nahmaschinenfabrik Emil Stutznacker GmbH & Co., KG


A channel assigning method for ad-hoc networks, which uses an intra-cluster bandwidth reserving procedure, including six phases of reservation request RREQ, reservation response RRSP, code assignment CASN, code conflict detection CCD, code conflict report CCR and code confirmation CCFM, and an inter-cluster RTS-CTS (request to send-clear to send) dialogue protocol to generate a TDMA time slot and select an assignment code, thereby supporting real-time traffic and associated QoS guarantee in a multi-hop ad-hoc network.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a technical field of ad-hoc networks and, more particularly, to a channel assigning method for supporting real-time traffic in an ad-hoc network.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, mobile ad-hoc network is one of the well-developed wireless networks. In fact, mobile ad-hoc networks consist of distributed mobile nodes that communicate with one another. As compared to other networks such as mobile phone networks or satellite networks, ad-hoc networks are characterized in having no fixed infrastructure but mobile nodes only. With the capability of transmission in a limited area, a node can be a relay to forward its neighbors' data. Accordingly, a network is generated by communication among the mobile nodes and its topology is changed dynamically when mobile nodes leave or join the network. Thus, ad-hoc networks have relative flexibility and robustness for strict environments without using a fixed infrastructure. For example, an ad-hoc network can be deployed rapidly in a battlefield or a natural disaster area subjected by, such as an earthquake, thereby providing required communication services.
In the cited ad-hoc networks, an effective communication distance between two mobile nodes is referred to as a hop. Because effective communication distance of each mobile node is limited, when two mobile nodes have a distance greater than the effective communication distance and intent to establish a communication connection, other mobile nodes between the two mobile nodes are used as relays to forward data, which forms a multi-hop environment. A typical wireless network such as a mobile phone network can easily realize bandwidth reservation because its infrastructure allows all communication requirements of mobile phones to be obtained by corresponding base stations. However, an ad-hoc network has complicated scheduling for obtained channels because of no collective resource control and allocation mechanism. Further, the ad-hoc network is operated in an open wireless communication platform that can incur interference. Accordingly, it is not easy to carry out QoS guarantee to support real-time traffic as establishing required connection and bandwidth reservation in a multi-hop network. The ad-hoc network has to apply distributed computation for obtaining required control function. In this case, the distributed computation needs to arrange the ad-hoc network into a hierarchical configuration. Therefore, a clustered ad-hoc network configured by grouping mobile nodes is widely used. As shown in FIG. 1, each cluster 11 typically consists of nearby mobile nodes 12. Mobile nodes 12 in a same cluster 11 can communicate with one another and one of two adjacent clusters 11 has at least one mobile node 12 as a gateway node to communicate with the other cluster 11.
Time division multiple access (TDMA) technique is applied to common wireless channels among mobile nodes 12 in the ad-hoc network for bandwidth allocation. Namely, a channel substantially has a time slot and a code. When a link is established, a transmitting node 121 and a receiving node 123 communicate with each other using a same code in an allocated time slot, thereby transmitting and receiving packets. A challenge of such an ad-hoc network is in that how channels are allocated appropriately among the clusters 11 to ensure data transmission success without collision, and also channel utilization rate is increased to enhance system performance.
A code is assigned to a match with respect to a mobile node 12, for arranging a common channel. If the number of available codes is greater than the number of mobile nodes 12, every mobile node 12 can have an assignment code. In this case, communication is achieved by two ways: receiver-based code assignment (RCA) that a transmitting terminal communicates with a receiving terminal based on a code of the receiving terminal; and transmitter-based code assignment (TCA) that a receiving terminal receives data from a transmitting terminal based on a code of the transmitting terminal. However, in typically ad-hoc networks, the number of available codes is usually smaller than the number of mobile nodes 12, and thus to use the codes repeatedly and effectively becomes an important subject.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, in the ad-hoc network, two nodes 121 and 122 having an ineffective communication distance from each other may send packets to a node 123 concurrently, which thus causes a head-on collision, or the node 121 sends a packet to the node 124 and the node 122 sends a packet to the node 123, which causes a side-way collision. Thus, a hidden terminal problem is encountered which needs to be overcome in system design.

Channel assigning method for ad-hoc network


Technology for analyzing a target machine (e.g., virtual machine or physical machine) and converting the services of the target machine to one or more container images that can be run using operating system level virtualization. An example method may include: receiving, by a processing device, data of a virtual machine, the data indicating a configuration of the virtual machine and a set of processes executed by the virtual machine; identifying, by the processing device, computer code of a first process of the set of processes executed by the virtual machine; analyzing the computer code to detect a link between the first process and a second process of the set of processes; and building a container image in view of the data of the virtual machine and the identified link, wherein the container image comprises the computer code of the first process and computer code of the second process.

Modern data centers may support different types of virtualization technology that can be used to consolidate the data center infrastructure and increase operational efficiencies. The virtualization technology may include hardware level virtualization, operating system level virtualization, other virtualization, or a combination thereof. The hardware level virtualization may involve a hypervisor (e.g., virtual machine monitor) that emulates portions of a physical system and manages one or more virtual machines. Each virtual machine may have its own guest operating system kernel that relies on features of a kernel of the hypervisor. In contrast, operating system level virtualization may include a single operating system kernel that manages multiple isolated virtual containers. Each virtual container may share the kernel of the underlying operating system without requiring its own kernel. Avoiding separate kernels for each container may reduce computational overhead. Data centers may therefor benefit by converting the services running on a virtual machine to run within one or more containers. The process to convert the virtual machine services to containers is traditionally a manual process requiring in-depth knowledge of the virtual machine and service configurations.

Virtual machine to container conversion and optimization


In one example, a device includes a p-type field effect transistor region and n-type field effect transistor region. The p-type field effect transistor region includes at least one fin including strained germanium. The n-type field effect transistor region also includes at least one fin including strained germanium.

Multiple gate field effect transistors (FETs) are metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) that incorporate more than one gate into a single device. A finFET is a specific type of multiple gate FET in which the conducting channel is wrapped by a thin fin forming the body of the device. The effective channel length of the device in this case is determined by the thickness of the fin (measured from source to drain). The wrap-around structure of the gate provides improved electrical control over the channel, and thus helps mitigate leakage current and other short-channel effects.

Field effect transistor including strained germanium fins

International Business Machines Corporation


A system is provided for high volume print-forming of structures made up of multiple separate layers. A support bed is provided which has multiple steps arrayed thereon at different heights. Substrate blocks rest upon each of the steps. A printing process is utilized to print material from which the structures are to be formed down onto the substrate blocks. This printing process prints different layers onto each of the substrate blocks. The substrate blocks then move to a different step on the support bed and the printing process is repeated. Each support block has a partial structure thereon which receives its next successive layer in each printing cycle until the partial structure becomes a completed structure by having each of its layers sequentially printed thereon. Subsystems are provided for moving the substrate blocks upon the support bed and for properly holding and aligning substrate blocks upon the support bed.

The HVPF™ (High Volume Print-Forming) process of this invention is a new and unique manufacturing process with advantages in many applications and industries. This manufacturing process allows low cost production of small, complex structures or assemblies and co-fired ceramic circuits. A market exists for such structures with optimized designs not profitably manufacturable with current technologies that require the HVPF™ manufacturing process methods and devices. Included in these specialized devices presently described is the enabling support bed invention also referred to by the trademark "Ziggurat," and associated substrate blocks also referred to by the trademark "Ziggys." As will be described, the "Ziggurat" is a new species of a previously patented "Progressive Wedge" concept identified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,693, incorporated herein by reference.
HVPF™ manufacturing processes are 3-D (three-dimensional) print-forming methods that can produce structures or assemblies from virtually any material that can be printed, bonded or sintered, including ceramic, glass, metal or polymer, and combinations of these materials, at high speed and low cost. It is not a rapid prototyping process and has few of the limitations of rapid prototyping. Structures can be produced from multiple materials and specific engineered parts can be designed into complex functional geometries including mechanical structures with moving parts and "preassembled" components built in-situ. HVPF™ enables the manufacture of complex geometric structures without increasing manufacturing costs and it provides freedom from many typical manufacturing constraints, allowing form to more closely follow function.
HVPF™ processes capitalize on advances in a number of technologies, including printing, ceramic and metal injection molding, CAD/CAM, advanced materials, robotics, sensors and imaging. The printing portion of HVPF™ process is similar to "two-dimensional" printing including screen printing, flexo, gravure or offset lithography. HVPF™ differs in that subsequent prints are layered on top of each other, like the pages of a book, to print-form a three dimensional object, which is made entirely of the printed material. Different layers may contain different shapes, creating three-dimensional geometry when multiple layers are combined together, as shown in FIG. 1. Further detail on the background of high volume print-forming by the known progressive wedge technique can be found by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,693.
In its simplest form, the progressive wedge is physically a linear array of advancing unfinished structures, which are successively built from first to last, layer-by-layer, from the bottom-most layer upward. Only the last structure is complete as it receives the last layer. Every structure in the linear array receives the next layer on top of the previous layers at the same time as all the other structures, each structure getting the layer specifically required at its height at that time in the build sequence. With every cycle, the "oldest" structure comes off the end of the line finished, and one new structure is started at the beginning. The same printer image is printed every time, which consists of a linear array of cross section images of the structure. As noted before, there may be two or more materials used for each layer printed, and the structures only advance after all materials for that layer have been printed.
With structures that have many layers and relatively large dimensions, this progressive wedge and its associated printing machinery often would be, out of necessity, a proportionally long physical structure. The printer, with its repetitive print cycles, works with the progressive wedge as a printing platen, a means to reassemble a computer-generated structure that has been horizontally sliced into many thin, printable layers, into a real print-formed structure. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cyclical action of the screen would print all the different and successive layers onto the forming structures below, all at the same time, over and over again. Between every print cycle, the structures move along the progressive wedge one step left to right.
The "progressive" aspect of the progressive wedge refers to the fact that the structures being built move or "progress" one place between every printing cycle as well as grow "progressively" in thickness with every printing cycle. Therefore, a structure starts out at one end of the progressive wedge by its first layer being printed onto a flat formation site. The partial structure then receives the second layer on top of the first and so on until it finishes at the other end with the last layer being printed on top of all the previous layers. This would be analogous to a waiter collecting plates, each of a different shape than the last, and stacking them on top of each other until there is a tall stack. The individual plates represent the print cycles; the stack represents the full structure.
The "wedge" aspect of the progressive wedge is specifically regarding the growing height of the individual structures as they move relative to the image being printed. The collective shape of the structures in progress forms a wedge in side view, with the thin end of the wedge at the beginning of the printing line and the thick end at the "finished structures" end. Being that the top surface of the wedge must remain level and parallel with the printing plane, the bottom surface of the structures must be progressively lowered one layer thickness at a time, as they advance. Using the plate analogy again, imagine the stack of plates in an automatic plate dispenser that keeps the top plate level with the serving table by adjusting the height of the bottom plate in the stack.


An apparatus for determining a vertical position of an interface between a first component and a second component comprising different layers in a sample container comprises a first unit comprising a first emitting light, a first optics, and a first detector; a second unit vertically spaced from the first unit comprising a second emitting light, a second optics, and a second detector; a driving unit to move the first unit and the second unit relative to the sample container; a position sensing unit to output a position sensing signal indicative of a vertical position of the sample container; and a vertical position determining unit to calculate the vertical position of the interface.

The present disclosure generally relates to an apparatus for determining a vertical position of at least one interface between a first component and at least one second component, wherein the component comprise different layers in a sample container and to a laboratory automation system.
The prior art discloses an apparatus for determining a vertical position of at least one interface between a first component and at least one second component. The components are comprised as different layers in a sample container or sample tube. This apparatus comprises a first and a second sensing unit at identical vertical positions.
However, there is a need to improve the performance in interface position detection especially when labels are attached to the sample container.

Apparatus for determining a vertical position of at least one interface between a first component and at least one second component and laboratory automation system


Disclosed is a method for identifying Streptomyces species using groEL2 gene that can compensate for drawbacks of conventional methods of morphologic classification and 16S rDNA identification being time-consuming, unfaithful, and expensive, thus enabling to efficiently identify Streptomyces species.

Due to the developments of methods for isolating and purifying natural products, more than 10,000 kinds of antibiotics have been isolated from microorganisms. Further, continued studies on a new identification method and technology, discovery of new isolation resources and application of microbial metabolites to veterinary and agricultural industries have contributed to the development of antibiotics using microorganisms.
Since mutual antagonism between microorganisms was first observed by Tyndall, various antibiotics have been actively developed. For example, actinomycin was isolated from S. antibioticus by Waksman and Woodruff, and streptomycin, from S. griseus by Schatz and Wakman based on the discovery of penicillin by Fleming in 1929. As actinomycin and streptomycin were used for treating pulmonary tuberculosis, Streptomyces has been regarded as an important microorganism for producing antibiotics in the fields of industry and medical sciences. Since metabolites of Streptomyces are very diverse, it can produce various kinds of biologically active substances. Among 10,000 kinds of biologically active substances investigated from microorganisms until now, about two-thirds are found in Streptomyces. Accordingly, the importance of Streptomyces in investigating biologically active substance has been much emphasized. Streptomyces has been regarded as one of the most important microorganisms in biomaterial industry.
Streptomyces is one of the most diverse microbial species and possesses many different biologically metabolic activities even in the same species (Anderson A S, Wellington E M. The taxonomy of Streptomyces and related genera. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 2001, 51(3): 797-814). Accordingly, numerous biologically active substances have been developed from Streptomyces's metabolites, and infinite possibilities of these substances for applying to agricultural and marine industries (breeding, extermination of damages by blight and harmful insects), environmental industry (disposal of wastes), fine chemical industry (technochemical medicines), food industry (raw materials, additives), semiconductor industry (biosensors) and medicine have been suggested.
There have been conducted numerous studies using natural products for the purpose of preventing, alleviating or treating diseases (Emmert E A, Handelsman J. Biocontrol of plant disease: a (Gram−) positive perspective. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 1999, 1; 171(1): 1-9; Nielsen J. Metabolic engineering: techniques for analysis of targets for genetic manipulations. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 1998, 58(2-3): 125-32; Hutchinson C, Colombo A. Genetic engineering of doxorubicin production in Streptomyces peucetius: J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 1999, July; 23(1): 647-652). One of such methods for approaching the purpose is to secure various biological resources. Considering the importance of Streptomyces in biological diversity and industrialization possibility, it is expected to play an important role in practical applicability.
The international agreement to biological diversity relates to preservation of biological diversity, prolonged utilization and fair distribution of profits obtained from the existing genetic resources, and is interested in the preservation of worldwide biological resources. At the point of becoming worse environmental pollution, it has been regarded as an important matter to secure and prevent domestic microbial resources. The United States has approved a patent right for a microorganism since 1980 and the microorganism has become the subject matter of patent since 1987 in the country.
For obtaining a patent right for a microorganism, it is important to analyze exactly the phylogenetical classification of a target microorganism as well as the characteristics of biologically active compounds produced by the microorganism.
The current method for screening a new compound from Streptomyces has been conducted for the purpose of finding a new compound, but it h as often resulted in finding only already patented compounds. Accordingly, it is preferable to carry out the screening of a new compound after a new species or a new strain of Streptomyces is identified, thereby increasing the possibility of discovering new compounds. The classification of Streptomyces has been based on a numerical taxonomy via physiological, morphological or biochemical analyses according to the previously discovered phenotypic features.
However, there are several obstacles in conducting the numerical taxonomy for Streptomyces: exact identification of Streptomyces requires too much time because there are too many subtypes in Streptomyces; Streptomyces has an extremely slow growth rate [cell cycle of E. coli (20 min); cell cycle of Streptomyces (2-3 hrs)]; and its analytical result is not very reliable.
Recently, the numerical taxonomy has been replaced by a molecular taxonomy, which determines a species by analyzing a chronometer molecule showing all bacterial phylogenetic relationship via analyses of nucleotide sequences. Among the chronometer molecules, 16S rDNA molecule has been widely employed for the identification of a microorganism, in particular, Streptomyces.
The method for identifying a microorganism by sequencing analysis of 16S rDNA has been widely employed in place of the numerical taxonomy using the previous phenotypic features. Further, 16S rDNA has also been employed as a target gene of a kit for detecting a microorganism including pathogenic bacteria by a molecular method (e.g., a gene probing kit for detecting a mycobacterium).
However, there are several drawbacks in the method using 16S rDNA as follows. Although a hypervariable region showing various sequence mutations exists in 16S rDNA, the full-length of 1.5 kb 16S rDNA must be sequenced for the exact identification of a microorganism by comparative sequencing analysis, which is time-consuming and cost-ineffective. This problem raises the problem that too many oligomers should be used to develop a method for identifying a microorganism by a DNA chip in the future. Further, it requires much expense for analyzing the data of 450 kinds or more of species including Streptomyces. Accordingly, while 16S rDNA database of other strains are established at Genbank, that of total Streptomyces species has not been completed except a few species. Besides, it has been reported that 16S rDNA exists in the form of a multi-copy gene in entire chromosomes in some Streptomyces species and the nucleotide sequences of these alleles are different from each other, which becomes a critical defect for the identification method using 16S rDNA (Ueda K, Seki T, Kudo T, Yoshida T, Kataoka M. Two distinct mechanisms cause heterogeneity of 16S rRNA. J. Bacteriol. 1999, January; 181(1): 78-82). Namely, several nucleotide sequences of 16S rDNA exist in one strain, and this raises a technical problem in sequencing analysis. Because it is not possible to directly analyze the nucleotide sequence of a PCR product after PCR amplification of the target gene of Streptomyces, the amplified product must be cloned into a vector and several clones thus obtained are subjected to sequencing analysis.
Due to these problems, it is necessary to select a new chronometer molecule besides 16S rDNA for the identification of Streptomyces.
Potato scab is a pathogenic disease caused by three different Streptomyces species of S. scabiei, S. acidiscabies and S. turgidiscabies, with rare exceptions of a few Streptomyces species. Of them, S. scabiei is the major pathogenic microorganism which is composed of many genetical side groups.
Since Streptomyces is the most diverse species with a relatively slow growth rate as compared to other microorganisms, it is very difficult to classify Streptomyces species by a biochemical or physiological method (Skerman, V. B. D., McGowan, V., Sneath, P. H. A. (ed): Approved Lists of Bacterial Names. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1980, 30: 225-420). Therefore, several methods, e.g., a fatty acid analyzing method, DNA-DNA hybridization method and 16S rRNA gene analyzing method, have been developed for identifying a potato scab pathogenic microorganism. Of these methods, the method for analyzing 16S rRNA has an advantage in defining a phylogenetic relationship between microorganisms or identifying an unknown strain and has been effectively used for identifying pathogenic bacteria. However, it is very difficult to exactly classify bacterial strains showing close phylogenetic relationship among them because the nucleotide sequence of 16S rRNA is highly conserved in these strains. Accordingly, there is a need of establishing a method for identifying a potato scab pathogenic microorganism using a new substitute gene for 16S rRNA. To compensate the defect of 16S rRNA analyzing method, there was developed a method for identifying an unknown strain using 16S-23S ITS region as a target gene, a region known to be more hypervariable than 16S rDNA. However, this method is not suitable for the classification and identification of a potato scab pathogenic microorganism because 16S-23S ITS target gene has a few different nucleotide sequences in each individual. Therefore, it has been a long-awaited need to develop a method for identifying a potato scab pathogenic microorganism using a new chronometer molecule as a target gene.
The present inventors have therefore endeavored to find a method that meets the above need, and developed a method for identifying Streptomyces species using groEL2 gene which comprises the steps of preparing a specific primer for groEL2 gene conserved in all Streptomyces species; amplifying groEL2 gene using the primer; sequencing the nucleotide sequence of amplified product to build a database; and identifying unknown Streptomyces species using the database.

Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology


A display device includes: a first display panel and a second display panel disposed to face each other; a backlight unit interposed between the first display panel and the second display panel; and a speaker unit including a first piezoelectric module and a second piezoelectric module sharing an enclosure and disposed to face each other, a first output unit configured to output sound produced from the first piezoelectric module, and a second output unit configured to output sound produced from the second piezoelectric module.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a bidirectional display device bidirectionally outputting images and sound.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCD) are a type of flat panel display (FPD that are most widely used these days. An LCD includes two substrates that have electrodes formed thereon, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two substrates. Upon applying voltage to the electrodes, liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are rearranged, thereby adjusting an amount of transmitted light, to display an image.
Unlike LCD devices, display devices using an organic light emitting diode (OLED) do not require a backlight unit for light emission, and are capable of being manufactured to have a thin film form that has a multi-layer laminated structure, thereby possessing excellent flexibility. Such an OLED device has drawn attention not only for use in flat panel display devices, but also for use in flexible panel display devices.
These display devices have generally provided images or sound in one direction. However, in recent years, there has been increasing emphasis on research into bidirectional display devices that can display the same image or different images in two different directions in order to efficiently provide a variety of information in public areas and the like.
A conventional bidirectional display device bidirectionally displays the same image or different images on different display panels but simultaneously outputs sounds for the respective images from one speaker in only one direction. Therefore, it has been difficult to provide users with corresponding sound matching with each image.
It is to be understood that this background of the technology section is intended to provide useful background for understanding the technology and as such disclosed herein, the technology background section may include ideas, concepts or recognitions that were not part of what was known or appreciated by those skilled in the pertinent art prior to a corresponding effective filing date of subject matter disclosed herein.


A mobile communication apparatus comprises a first SIM card, an anti-theft control circuit, a transmission control circuit, and a security module. The first SIM card is engaged with the mobile communication apparatus and has corresponding first identification information. The anti-theft control circuit has a SIM-card-detection module and an information management module. The SIM-card-detection module is used for detecting whether the first SIM card is replaced by a second SIM card and generating a corresponding detection result. The information management module is used for storing the corresponding first identification information, predetermined contact information, and a user personal database. The transmission control circuit is used for transmitting data and/or signals. The security module provides a data security class. When the SIM-card-detection module generates the detection result, the transmission control circuit will send a notice signal according to the predetermined contact information, and when the security module receives the detection result, a data security procedure in the security module is enabled to protect the data in the user personal database according to the set data security class.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mobile communication apparatus and, more particularly, to a mobile communication apparatus having anti-theft and auto-notification functions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the continuous development of technology, mobile communication apparatuses have become more and more multi-functional and expensive. When users lose their mobile communication apparatuses, it will cause them a lot of inconvenience and financial lost.
The mobile communication apparatus has a unique international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) to identification. When the mobile communication apparatus is lost, the position of the lost mobile communication apparatus can be traced via the IMEI-trace procedure provided by the TSP (Telecom service provider). However, if the original SIM (Subscriber identification module) card of the lost mobile communication apparatus is replaced, the TSP for the original SIM card will not be able to trace the position of the mobile communication apparatus via the IMEI-trace procedure. The owner can still find the position of the mobile communication apparatus by asking all the TSPs to perform the IMEI-trace procedure, but it is too expensive. However, if the lost mobile communication apparatus is taken overseas, it is impossible to find it back.
Some well-known mobile communication apparatus has GPS (global position system) facility installed, and the position of the lost mobile communication apparatus can be traced via the GPS. However, the cost of installing GPS facility is too high to aim the GPS facility at finding the lost mobile communication apparatus.
Some mobile communication apparatus of the prior art has some security function. For example, each SIM card has a PIN (personal identification number) as a password, and each mobile communication apparatus has several kinds of security codes for preventing the lost mobile communication apparatus from being misused and/or preventing the important information stored inside from being stolen. However, it will be impossible for the owner to find the lost mobile communication apparatus via the mentioned security function.
In the mobile communication apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,023, if it is not normally started (e.g. the wrong security code is entered), it will display the information about the owner of the mobile communication apparatus on the interface. Besides, the owner can also use remote control, such as short messages, to control the security settings of the lost mobile communication apparatus. However, if the SIM card of the lost mobile communication apparatus is replaced, the owner will have no idea about the new phone number of the lost mobile communication apparatus so that it is impossible for the owner to send the short messages to the lost mobile communication apparatus for security settings. Namely, the remote control function cannot be performed.
Hence, the main objective of the present invention is to provide a mobile communication apparatus which has anti-theft and auto-notification functions to solve the above problems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Mobile communication apparatus having anti-theft and auto-notification functions


A system (and method, and method for deploying computing infrastructure) for facilitating fixing program development errors found during different phases of program development using different programming tools, such as compilers, linkers, library managers, and debuggers, and can be integrated into a program development environment encompassing all tools. The exemplary aspects of the present invention can detect a qualified set of problems from which to recover with sufficient information, as typically provided by a user or other intelligent or artificial intelligent means, and upon error detection, can initiate a communication with the user (or other support software), to acquire information that could remedy the problem.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a system and method for computer program development, program development tools, and program development environments. More particularly, the present invention relates to means for fixing program errors as provided by program development tools, and more particularly, to a system and method that focuses on the practice of program development in building a program across a number of programming tools, whereupon the errors are reviewed, and the errors are fixed. The present invention includes, for example, a method by which errors during program development are better identified and resolved through error coordination and immediate interactive resolution, improving in time and efficacy the program development process.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
The relationship between programmer and programming tools has essentially remained unchanged in this following aspect: the user executes a programming tool, for example, a compiler, against a body of programming artifacts such as source code or binary output from other phases. The practitioner then reviews potentially extensive error summaries, and selectively and appropriately fixes errors through such means as a text editor. Typically, this applies to the application of one tool at a time, and in many cases, to a single programming artifact, e.g. source file, at a time.
The issue being raised, in the context of the technology so described, is that error management by programming tools or their encompassing environment has been negligible. Typically, as each tool runs, errors are gathered into a list, and simply displayed in total to the user, and for the user to ferret out. As a result, practitioners face the following typical problems:                Many errors indicate simple omissions, such as missing include files. However, a large number of errors are generated based on that missing information, as the compiler carries to completion.        Many variable naming issues have a simple solution. So, when an illegal or conflicting name is used in a program, it is only post-facto. It would be better if a name could be checked for legality or conflict before or during compilation. Similar situations occur in, for example, renaming a C++ class, a variable, a method, a data field, etc.        Linker problems with unresolved symbols often are related to unspecified libraries. Associating the missing routine to a library is often difficult. At the same time, the practitioner deals with this in the context of all missing library messages, which is difficult to deal with.        Linker errors, such as unresolved symbols, are often based on misspellings or case problems. Since linking does not deal with source code, there is little help in relating the error to the source, especially in the case of name mangling, as often found in C++.
Other classes of errors can be classified as limitations which arise generally from configurations and ancillary input leveraged against individual tools participating in a program development. Such configuration information includes, but is not restricted to, error filtering settings, levels of optimization, and paths to source and libraries. These limitations can be further decomposed into either functional or non-functional limitation errors.
For purposes of this disclosure, functional errors include, for example, incorrect specifications to the development tools such as incorrect files, library locations, or general tool settings related to the specific program development.
For purposes of this disclosure, non-functional errors derive from tool behavioral anomalies despite correct input specification. These can include, for example, performance, excessive computation, etc., which are usually remediated through alternative configurations. For example, optimization levels for compilation may be technically correct, but incur significant computation overhead. Optimization at lesser levels may be sufficient for the developing application while speeding up the build compilations.
In many of these cases, the end user typically endures a potentially large set of repetitious, predictable, but unrelated errors. In many cases, problems span programming tools, and in such cases, the practitioner must deduce that the fix should be applied at earlier phases.

System and method for interactive and integrated software development process and phases


A method including training a plurality of learning systems, each learning system implementing a learning function and having an input and producing an output, initializing one or more data structures, and evaluating a target sample is described. Also described are methods that include initializing one or more data structures and evaluating a target sample for a best match.

The advent of highly distributable, high volume data storage has allowed for the storage of vast amounts of information on a variety of topics and in a variety of forms such as text, images, music, and videos.
The problem of efficiently finding similar items in a large corpus of high-dimensional data points arises in many real-world tasks, such as music, image, and video retrieval. Beyond the scaling difficulties that arise with lookups in large data sets, the complexity in these domains is exacerbated by an imprecise definition of similarity.

Approximate hashing functions for finding similar content


A fuel supply apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a first fuel injector provided for each cylinder of the engine for injecting fuel into an intake pipe of the engine. A second fuel injector is disposed at a location upstream of the first fuel injector for injecting fuel into the intake pipe independently of the first fuel injector. A heater in the form of an electric heating plate is disposed on the inner surface of the intake pipe at a location between the first and second fuel injectors for heating and evaporating the fuel injected from the second fuel injector.

The present invention relates to a fuel supply apparatus for an internal combustion engine, and more particularly, it relates to a fuel supply apparatus of the type in which a fuel injector operates to inject fuel toward a heater provided in an intake pipe of the engine.
FIG. 5 schematically shows the general arrangement of a known fuel supply apparatus for an internal combustion engine. In this figure, the illustrated internal combustion engine includes an engine proper 1 having a plurality of cylinders (only one is illustrated) and a corresponding number of pistons reciprocating therein. An intake pipe 2 is connected with the engine proper 1 for supplying an air/fuel mixture thereto. A control valve 3 is disposed in the intake pipe 2 for controlling the amount or flow rate of intake air supplied to the engine proper 1. A fuel injector 4 is disposed in the intake pipe 2 at a location upstream of the control valve 3 for injecting a proper or required amount of fuel into the intake pipe 2. A heater 5 is disposed in the intake pipe 2 at a location downstream of the control valve 3 for heating fuel, which is injected from the fuel injector 4 into the intake pipe 2, and for expediting evaporation thereof. The heater 5 in the form of an electric heating rod is fixedly attached at its opposite ends to the inner surface of the intake pipe 2 through a pair of holders or brackets 6.
In operation, the fuel injector 4 is controlled by an unillustrated control means to inject a proper amount of fuel into the intake pipe 2 in accordance with the opening degree of the control valve 3 which is determined by an operating condition of the engine. The injected fuel is mixed with intake air in the intake pipe 2 and sucked together into the engine proper 1 via the intake pipe 2, while being heated by the heater 5 to expedite evaporation thereof. The thus evaporated air/fuel mixture is supplied into respective cylinders of the engine proper 1 and combusted therein. In this manner, fuel evaporation due to the heater 5 serves to atomize the injected fuel into finer particles to increase combustion efficiency in comparison with the use of a general type of fuel injector without any heater which is disposed near an intake valve provided in an intake port in each cylinder head for controlling fuel supply to a corresponding cylinder.
However, the above-mentioned known fuel supply apparatus involves the following disadvantages. In the known fuel supply apparatus, the heater 5 is disposed in a perpendicular relation with respect to air streams in the intake pipe 2 so that it somewhat presents an obstacle to the air streams, thus causing a pressure loss of the intake air. This may result in adverse effects during intake strokes of the engine.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-48773 discloses another example in which a heater is disposed on and near the wall of an intake pipe. In this prior art, too, a fuel injector injects fuel toward the heater, so during a high load engine operation, for example, in which a relatively great amount of fuel is injected from the injector, the injected fuel is heated to be atomized by the heater before introduction into respective engine cylinders. As a consequence, a lot of energy is consumed by the heater for heating and atomizing such a great amount of fuel, resulting in an impairment or reduction in fuel economy.

Fuel supply apparatus for an internal combustion engine


The present invention provides fiber Fabry-Perot filters having an adjustable temperature coefficient. Passive means and adjustable means for changing the temperature coefficients of FFPs are provided. These means allow adjustment of the temperature coefficient of the filter to minimize wavelength (or frequency) drift as a function of temperature. The means for temperature coefficient adjustment described herein are particularly useful in combination with electronic means for changing the cavity length, such as piezoelectric transducer elements. Controlling the thicknesses of epoxy used to attach PZTs in the filter fixture has been found to lead to improved reproducibility of passive temperature compensation. An adjustable means for changing the temperature coefficient of a FFP after its construction by varying the points of contact between the filter ferrules and the filter fixture is also provided. Combination of the means of temperature coefficient adjustment described herein result in significantly improved yields of FFPs having temperature drift less than about 0.1 FSR/15.degree. C.

Transmission of information by the use of light over optical fibers is widely used in long-haul telecommunication systems. Optical signals are generated, transported along optical fibers and detected to regenerate the original electronic signal with as little change as possible. Fibers are substituted for other transmission media and all signal processing is done electronically, resulting in lowered cost and high quality digital transmission.
As fiber optic applications technology develops direct optical processing of signals without conversion to electronic signals will be required. Optical fiber systems will be applied in computer networks, for example, in multiple access computer networks. Such applications will require optical fiber devices such as amplifiers, multiplex/demultiplexers, splitters, couplers, filters, equalizers, switches and other optical signal processors.
An economical low-loss, easily and reproducibly manufactured single-mode optical fiber filter, the design of which can be adapted to a desired bandwidth, FSR and finesse is an important component for such fiber optic systems. A fiber Fabry-Perot (FFP) interferometric filter is such a component.
The Fabry-Perot (FP) Interferometer was first described by C. Fabry and A. Perot in 1897 (Ann. Chem. Phys., 12:459-501) and has since found wide use in a variety of applications of optical filters. The basic structure and operation of the FP interferometer is well-known in the art and is described in many physics and optics texts (see, for example, E. Hecht "Optics" 2nd. Edition (1987) Addison-Wesley, Reading MA, p. 369). This interferometer consists of an optical cavity formed between two typically highly-reflective, low-loss, partially transmitting mirrors. Lenses are typically used to collimate divergent optical beams for processing through the FP interferometer.
While single-mode optical fibers can be used with lensed conventional FP interferometers, lenses with large beam expansion ratios are required and result in reduced stability and poor optical performance. The adaptation of FP cavities for optical fiber filters had been hindered by the lack of practical designs for FFPs with appropriate optical properties. Recently, FFPs which possess optical properties suitable for telecommunication applications have been described. These FFPs consist of two highly-reflective, preferably plane-parallel mirrors, forming the optical cavity through at least a portion of which, in most cases, a length of single-mode optical fiber extends. This basic design eliminates the need for collimating and focusing lenses, improves stability and optical performance and makes the FFPs compatible with single-mode optical fibers and other fiber devices.
In 1987, J. Stone and L. W. Stulz described three configurations of FFP interferometric filters (Elect. Lett., 23(15):781-783, 1987) that span a wide spectrum of bandwidths and tuning ranges. The Type I FFP is a long cavity FFP in which mirrors are deposited at the ends of a continuous fiber. The minimal cavity length is about 1 cm (FSR of about 10 GHz), so that this long cavity device is not necessarily important for telecommunication applications. In the Type I FFP, the fiber can be stretched by piezoelectric transducers (PZTs) to produce tuning of the bandwidth (BW) over the free spectral range (FSR).
The Type II FFP of Stone and Stulz is a gap resonator which has no optical fiber inside the optical cavity and so can exhibit significant losses. Due to such losses, the useful cavity length of this type of FFP is less than about 5 .mu.m. The Type II FFP is also not well-suited for telecommunication applications.
The Type III FFP is better suited to telecommunication applications than the Type I and VI FFPs. This type of FFP has an internal waveguide interposed between external fiber ends. Mirrors are positioned at an external fiber end and at one end of the waveguide. The waveguide is comprised within the optical cavity. The optical cavity also contains a fiber gap, for example between the waveguide and one of the external fiber ends, the width of which is fixed or can be changed to tune the filter.
The ferrule components and waveguide of Type II and III FFPs must be axially aligned to high precision in order to minimize transmission loss. Type VI and III FFPs are the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,136. This patent relates to FFPs which are tuned by use of PZTs to change the cavity length. In order to use PZTs to change resonance cavity length without detriment to alignment, elaborate alignment brackets and fixtures are necessary.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,684 describes an improved tunable FFP filter in which the resonance cavity is formed by two wafered ferrules with mirrors embedded between the wafer and the ferrule and axially disposed optical fibers. The two ferrules are positioned in the filter configuration with mirrors opposed and the optical fibers of the ferrules aligned. The resonance cavity formed between the embedded mirrors contains a fiber gap between the wafered ends of the ferrules. The ferrule combination is held in alignment by an alignment fixture including piezoelectric transducers which function to change the resonance cavity length on application of a voltage to the transducer. A support fixture useful for holding a FFP ferrule assembly in axial alignment is described in EP patent application 0 457 484. This fixture also provides a means for minor adjustment of alignment as well an electronic means employing PZTs transducers for changing the cavity length.
A major problem of FFP filters is signal loss due to wavelength drift as a function of the change in cavity length of the filter with temperature. An uncompensated FFP, like that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,684 or EP application 0 457 484, can exhibit a relatively large change in cavity length, of the order 0.05 .mu.m/.degree.C. This can represent a drift of a full FSR (free spectral range) over 15.degree. C. See C. M. Miller and F. J. Janniello (1990) Electronics Letters 26:2122-2123. Control circuitry has been employed with PZT-tuned FFPs to lock the filter onto a wavelength over a wide temperature range (I. P. Kaminow (1987) Electronics Letters 23:1102-1103 and D. A. Fishman et al. (1990) Photonics Technology Letters pp. 662-664). In these systems, control voltage swings of several tens of volts were required to compensate for the relatively large change in cavity length with temperature. Wavelength locking of FFP filters can prevent signal loss, however since approximately 20 volts applied to a PZT is needed to tune through an FSR, a total power supply range of about 60 volts is needed to maintain the wavelength lock over an operationally useful temperature range of about 30.degree. C. (Fishman et al. supra).
Miller and Janniello (1990) supra described passive temperature compensation of PZT-tuned FFPs. Since PZTs require a higher voltage at higher temperature to maintain a given length, cavity length effectively decreases with increasing temperature (with constant voltage). Thus, the PZT-tuned FFP has a negative temperature coefficient. Addition of a material having a positive temperature coefficient in series with the PZTs, for example aluminum blocks, was found to compensate for the negative temperature coefficient of the PZTs. This method of passive compensation significantly reduced the voltage requirements for FFP locking circuits such that +/-12 volt power supplies, such as are conventionally employed in computer systems, could be employed for locking.
The manufacturing yield of highly accurate, passively compensated FFPs is low. This is due in part to the fact that it is difficult to obtain the required degree of passive temperature compensation in any particular filter. The filter assembly must be entirely constructed before the extent of compensation achieved can be tested. With such passive compensation there is no means for adjusting the temperature coefficient of the filter after the filter has been fabricated. FFPs are often over or under compensated.
The present invention provides FFPs which overcome the difficulties described above. In the filters of this invention, the temperature coefficient can be selectively varied after fabrication of the filter in order to minimize the variation of the cavity length as a function of temperature. The filter support fixtures and methods described herein provide FFPs which on average have a significantly lower temperature coefficient than previously described temperature compensated FFPs. Application of the methods herein for filter fabrication and the use of the support structures herein result in significantly improved manufacturing yield of FFPs having desirable optical characteristics and low thermal coefficients.

Temperature compensated fiber fabry-perot filters


A user is identified and an in-place personalized interactive display provided by detecting, via a first imaging system, one or more unique characteristics of a user's palm, identifying the user via the one or more unique characteristics and a database containing mappings between detectable unique characteristics and user identities, retrieving user-specific interactive content as a function of the identity of the user, projecting, via a second imaging system, the user-specific interactive content onto the user's palm, and detecting, via a third imaging system, a user's interaction with the projected user-specific interactive content. The user may be identified by transmitting the one or more unique characteristics to a remote authentication server and receiving, in response, an identity of the user. User-specific content as a function of the identity of the user may be retrieved from a remote interactive content server.

As people have become more security conscious, they have found it necessary to carry around numerous keys, security cards, and payment cards and to memorize numerous usernames and passphrases (and/or PINs) to allow them to open doors to their automobile and houses, make payments at retail locations, identify and authenticate themselves, pick up pre-ordered items such as concert tickets, and many other personal chores reliant on such keys and cards. New keys, cards, usernames, and passphrases are constantly being added into this collection as new locks, payment systems, and authentication systems are put into service. As a result, finding the right key, card, and/or usernames and passphrases to gain access to a secured area or secured system, make a payment, pick up items, or perform other routine tasks has become difficult.
Accordingly, a need exists for a simplified authentication and in-place personalized interactive system that makes it possible for a user to easily open locks and/or gain entry to secured systems, make payments, pick up pre-ordered items, and perform other tasks without having to carry separate keys and/or cards or memorize numerous usernames and passphrases.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

Palm identification and in-place personalized interactive display


A pile based braced caisson structural support device includes a number of legs. These legs are configured in a teepee type configuration such that the footprint of the base is larger than the footprint of the opposing end. This structural support can be used as a base for an offshore drilling platform in that the support reduces the lateral forces on the support caused by wave action.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to structural supports. In particular, this invention relates to structural supports for, for example, offshore drilling platforms, or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional offshore platforms have deck legs that are vertical or are battered outward as they extend downwards. The conventional arrangement provides structurally efficient support for the deck but the associated dimensions of the platform at the water surface result in increased expense for the platform.


A split loom with a stationary loom part and a removable loom part includes selvage-formers mounted in the removable loom part, at least one selvage-former being driven by a shaft entering the loom and also mounted on the removable loom part, the shaft being connectable by a separable clutch to a drive shaft mounted on the stationary loom part.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a weaving loom which includes a stationary part containing a harness drive and a removable part containing a warp-beam bearing.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known from Swiss patent publication 68 608 A5 to split a loom into a stationary loom part and a removable loom part. The stationary loom part includes a harness drive for harnesses which are held in place in the removable loom part so that, after being detached from the harness drive, they can be removed along with the removable loom part.
It is further known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,320,978 to equip a loom with selvage formers and to equip the selvage formers with a rotary drive.

Split loom including a selvage-former mounted in a removable loom part


This invention provides a circuit for synthesizing musical sounds. In one embodiment, the circuit includes a first order FIR highpass filter that is placed between a modulation phase increment oscillator and a carrier phase increment oscillator. The invention may also include waveshaping circuits, adders, multipliers, time division multiplexing, and other types of filters. Another embodiment of the invention provides a music synthesis method where a modulation phase increment is multiplied by a modulation index to produce a modulation signal. That modulation signal is then filtered and added to a carrier phase increment. Finally, that sum is multiplied by an amplitude envelope to produce a signal representing a musical sound. The method may include using a first order FIR highpass filter, waveshaping of both sinusoidal and non-sinusoidal waveforms, additional multiplying and time division multiplexing. The invention also includes self-modulation and cascading.

Frequency modulation has become a popular technique for synthesizing musical sounds in applications where higher fidelity can be traded off for lower cost. Using frequency modulation to synthesize musical sounds ("FM synthesis") was first described by John Chowning in his landmark 1973 article "The Synthesis of Complex Audio Spectra by Means of Frequency Modulation," Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, vol. 21, no. 7, pp. 526-535. Chowning also described a particular frequency modulation technique in his article, which he pictured schematically as a MUSIC V "patch," or software code that can be patched into the MUSIC V sound synthesis program.
In his article, Chowning gave a mathematical formula for his frequency modulation technique, and he later obtained a patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,121, based on that mathematical formula. Interestingly, although Chowning did not mention it, the formula he gave for his frequency modulation technique does not correspond to his MUSIC V patch. This has caused some confusion, since implementations based on the formula will sometimes give incompatible results to implementations based on the MUSIC V patch, even though it was thought that the implementations were the same. This confusion has taken some years to sort out.
Frode Holm gives perhaps the best summary of the resulting confusion and its resolution in his article "Understanding FM Implementations: A Call for Common Standards," Computer Music Journal, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 34-42 (1992). Holm concludes that there are actually two distinct methods of FM synthesis, one using Chowning's formula and one using his particular MUSIC V patch implementation. Holm's analysis shows, mathematically, that Chowning's formula actually implements phase modulation, while the MUSIC V patch is "true" frequency modulation.
The respective mathematical formulas best illustrate the difference between Chowning's FM synthesis formula and his actual MUSIC V patch. Chowning's FM synthesis formula is: EQU E(t)=A(t)sin(.omega..sub.c ty+I(t)sin(.omega..sub.m t)) (1)
where E(t) is the instantaneous amplitude of the synthesized musical note, .omega..sub.c is the carrier frequency, I(t) is the time varying modulation index, and .omega..sub.m is the modulation frequency. As is evident to those skilled in the art, I(t), .omega..sub.c and .omega..sub.m can be varied with time to create the desired "tone color" for the basic tone pitch provided by .omega..sub.c.
In contrast, the MUSIC V patch presented by Chowning, expressed as a formula, is: EQU E(t)=A(t)sin(.omega..sub.c +I(t).omega..sub.m sin(.omega..sub.m t)!t)(2)
Note that the differences between the two equations are that the modulation term is now multiplied by the factor .omega..sub.m and that the entire argument of the outer sine function, rather than just .omega..sub.c, is now multiplied by the factor t. Because of these differences, the two approaches give incompatible results in some cases.
It should be noted that although these equations are helpful in understanding the theoretical basis for the two approaches, they only approximate the operation of the actual implementations of the Chowning formula and the MUSIC V patch. The operation of the actual implementations approaches the formulas above only as the sampling period used in the oscillators approaches zero. Moreover, the above formulas apply only when the waveform of the outputs of both the carrier and modulating oscillators are simple sine waves. When they are not, as is often the case, the actual operation of the implementation deviates from the applicable formula.
Following Chowning's article, a number of people designed real-time synthesizers using the techniques described by Chowning. Many designed implementations based on the MUSIC V patch. Most of these implementations used phase increment oscillators, which used as their frequency or "phase increment" input the sum of a static (or slowly time varying) frequency parameter and one or more audio rate "frequency modulation" inputs. Others designed analog implementations using analog voltage-controlled oscillators to implement the MUSIC V patch. Both the analog and digital implementations expanded on the Chowning article, demonstrating such features as multiple modulators and carriers, cascaded FM oscillators, and self-modulation.
Implementations based on the MUSIC V patch work quite well for music synthesis under very limited circumstances. If .omega..sub.m is essentially fixed (time varying only at very slow rates), I(t) can simply be appropriately scaled by the controlling computer without substantial extra computation. Furthermore, as shown above, the common factor "t" in the argument of the carrier sine function allows the "t" to be factored out of both terms. This then allows the output of the modulation oscillator, I(t).omega..sub.m sin(.omega..sub.m t), to be added directly to the carrier frequency .omega..sub.c before applying this sum to the carrier oscillator phase increment input. Hence, this is truly frequency modulation, and the carrier oscillator need only have a single frequency input.
Unfortunately, if .omega..sub.m is time varying at a substantial rate, as is common in certain applications, then I(t) must be scaled in a rapidly time varying manner in order to produce reasonably sounding results. Because the number of multiplications per second required to accomplish this is substantial, implementations based on the MUSIC V patch become costly to implement.
Also, the MUSIC V patch itself gives similar audible results to the Chowning formula only when the modulator output waveform is nominally a sinusoid. If waveforms with substantial harmonic content are included, such as the commonplace sawtooth or square waveforms, some deviation occurs between the two formulas for each sinusoidal harmonic component of the waveform. Specifically, in such cases, the ith sinusoidal harmonic component in the MUSIC V patch must be multiplied by its own effective .omega..sub.mi to generate audibly similar results to the Chowning formula. Once the sinusoids are combined, as with a square or sawtooth waveform, this is impractical to do.
To avoid additional computations, most implementations based on the MUSIC V patch simply multiply by the .omega..sub.m for a nominal sinusoid, rather than multiplying each sinusoidal harmonic component by its own .omega..sub.m. These implementations, therefore, give results that are not compatible with implementations based directly on the Chowning formula in cases where the modulator output is not nominally a sinusoid.
Accordingly, existing FM synthesis implementations based on the MUSIC V patch have some disadvantages. They require numerous multiplications, which are costly. They can also give incompatible results, particularly in the case of sawtooth and square waveforms. However, because they do not require two frequency inputs to the carrier phase increment oscillator, they do have some advantages over direct implementations of the Chowning formula.
In contrast to the MUSIC V patch, when implemented directly the Chowning formula performs "phase modulation" instead of true frequency modulation. Because a frequency integrated over time is a phase, the term I(t)sin(.omega..sub.m t) in Chowning's formula is actually being added to a phase, .omega..sub.c t, rather than a frequency. Moreover, this addition is done within the carrier phase increment oscillator, rather than as a distinct addition operation performed prior to the frequency being input to that oscillator, as is the case in true frequency modulation. Accordingly, as Holm points out, a direct implementation requires two distinct inputs into the carrier phase increment oscillator, one input representing the "static" frequency and the other a "phase modulation" increment value.
Like those based on the MUSIC V patch, existing phase modulation implementations based directly on the Chowning formula also have some disadvantages. They require a phase increment oscillator with both a frequency and a phase input, which adds complexity, and thus expense, to the circuitry required to implement the oscillator.
None of the existing implementations of either Chowning approach combines the advantages of the two approaches in a way that achieves reasonably sounding results that are audibly compatible. In particular, none combines the simplicity of the MUSIC V phase increment oscillator, with its single frequency input, with the minimal number of multiplications that can be achieved by the mathematically simpler phase modulation based directly on Chowning's formula. Moreover, unless a number of multiplications are done, none of the implementations based on the MUSIC V patch give audibly similar results for all types of waveforms, both sinusoidal and not, to the results of implementations based directly on Chowning's formula.

Method and apparatus for synthesizing musical sounds by frequency modulation using a filter


A circuit (50) and method are provided for generating a signal (84) indicating an open impedance fault of a coil (56) of a write head (18) of a mass data storage device (10). The circuit (10) includes a differential amplifier (51) with the electrical component (56) being connected as a load in a first leg thereof. An impedance element (64) is provided in a second leg of the differential amplifier (50), and a pair of bipolar transistors (52,54) are respectively connected in the first and second legs. The pair of bipolar transistors (52,54) have a constant bias voltage (Bias) applied to inputs thereof, and an output circuit is connected to an output node of the first leg of the differential amplifier (51).

1. Field of Ivention
This invention relates to improvements in methods and apparatuses for dynamic information storage or retrieval, and more particularly to improvements in methods and circuitry for detecting electrical resistance in electronic components, especially for detecting faults in a write head of mass data storage devices, hard disk drives, or the like, particularly when the write head has an open fault while its electrical resistance is still relatively small.
2. Relevant Background
Mass data storage devices include tape drives, as well as hard disk drives that have one or more spinning magnetic disks or platters onto which data is recorded for storage and subsequent retrieval. Hard disk drives may be used in many applications, including personal computers, set top boxes, video and television applications, audio applications, or some mix thereof. Many applications are still being developed. Applications for hard disk drives are increasing in number, and are expected to further increase in the future.
Typically, mass data storage devices include a data transducer, or head, that is used to read data from and write data to a rotating magnetic media, usually in the form of a disk or platter on which a material containing orientable magnetic domains is carried. The write head portion of the head mechanism of the type to which the present invention pertains has a coil through which write currents are passed to create a magnetic field adjacent the disk to selectively orient the magnetic domains of the magnetic material on the disk. The impedance of the coil is generally in the range of between about 15 and 30 ohms.
Sometimes, however, the head mechanisms experience faults, the faults of interest herein being an open fault and a short fault. Efforts have been made to detect such open and short faults; however, such efforts have required relatively complicated circuitry, and generally have required a considerable impedance change in the open direction before the fault could be detected.
In the past, circuits used to detect an open condition of the coil of the head included a circuit having first and second current paths with the coil connected between the control elements, for example, the bases, of the current controlling devices in each path. The output was applied to control the differential currents in a differential amplifier, which produced an output faultxe2x80x94indicating signal if the currents became unbalanced beyond a predetermined limit. The complicated circuit used generally required a detection threshold for an open head fault of over 3000 ohms. When an open head fault appeared with a head resistance between about 150 to 3000 ohms, the pre-existing technique could not properly detect the fault.
In the case of a short to ground, the coil was connected in series with a pair of central transistors that produce currents that are mirrored in respective outer current mirror transistors. When the coil was shorted to ground, the current in the central transistors became large, which was mirrored in the outer mirror transistors to provide an indication of the short.
What is needed, therefore, is a relatively simple circuit and method for detecting open and short conditions in a circuit element, such as a data transducer or head, in which the open fault condition can be detected at a selectable detection threshold slightly above the normal impedance of the head.
In light of the above, therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved circuit and method for detecting an open condition in a circuit element, such as a data transducer or head, or the like.
One of the advantages of the circuit used in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention is that an open head condition can be selectively established at a lower detection threshold than that of circuits used heretofore.
Another advantage of the circuit used in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention is that a fewer part count is required to implement the circuit.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.
According to a broad aspect of the invention, a circuit is provided for generating a signal indicating an impedance fault of an electrical component. The circuit includes a differential amplifier with the electrical component being connected as a load in a first leg thereof. An impedance element is provided in a second leg of the differential amplifier, and a pair of bipolar transistors are respectively connected in the first and second legs. The pair of bipolar transistors have a constant bias voltage applied to inputs thereof, and an output circuit is connected to an output node of the first leg of the differential amplifier.
According to another broad aspect of the invention, a circuit is provided for generating a signal indicating an impedance fault of an electrical component. The circuit includes means for providing differential amplification in first and second differential current legs, the electrical component being connected as a load in the first differential current leg. Means are also included for providing a matching impedance in the second differential current leg. Active amplifier means having a constant bias applied to inputs thereof are provided in the first and second differential current legs for providing differential amplification of currents in the first and second differential current legs. Output circuit means are connected to an output node of the first differential current leg for providing the signal indicating an impedance fault of the electrical component.
According to yet another broad aspect of the invention, a method is presented for generating a signal indicating an impedance fault of an electrical component connected as a load in a first current leg. The method includes differentially amplifying currents in respective the first current leg and a second current leg with a fixed amplification value. A matching impedance is provided for the electrical component in the second current leg, and an output amplifier is provided at an output node of the first current leg for providing the signal indicating an impedance fault of the electrical component.

Write head fault detection with small threshold