A method and apparatus for displaying on a display screen the controlling circuit in a plant controlling system for controlling a plant by a controller using a microcomputer. The display screen is segmented into a software region and a hardware region. The software circuit which is realized by software is displayed in the software region, and the hardware circuit related to the software circuit is displayed in the hardware region. The information, which is plotted during the interactive process and is displayed in the software regions, is automatically translated into a program for controlling the controller. Operation data of the plant is also given on the display screen. Desired circuit elements of the software circuit may be selected to change parameters of the circuit elements. Maintenance work can be carried out while observing the indication on the display screen without any aid of documents such as the maintenance manual or the like.

This invention relates to a plant controlling system for controlling a plant by a controller using a microcomputer, and particularly to a method of controlling a plant by integrating production and maintenance of the software and hardware of the system so as to provide information concerning the operation of the overall system for maintenance purposes, and maintenance apparatus to an operator thereof for accomplishing the same.
A controller using a microcomputer has been employed so as to facilitate designing, maintenance and adjustment of a plant controlling system. The plant controlling system based on hardware control is being gradually replaced by that based on software control.
However, hardware circuits are still used in the plant controlling system so as to ensure necessary minimum backup and protection of the system, so that the plant can keep its reliable operation or stop its operation without any inconvenience when the controlling system adopting a microcomputer is out of order. In addition, the plant controlling system includes sensors for detecting process signals or an operating unit for adjusting the amounts of processes.
FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings shows an example of a fundamental configuration of a plant controlling system.
In FIG. 2, a controller 1 comprises a CPU2, a digital input card (referred to as DI card hereinafter) 3, a digital output card (DO card) 4, an analog input card (AI card) 5, an analog output card (AO card) 6, and a PI/O bus 7. A manual backup circuit 8 enables the continuous operation of a plant according to a command from an operation panel 9 which includes a manual operation designating unit and switches. The manual backup circuit permits the manual operation of the operating unit in an emergency due to malfunction of the controller or the like. In general, a plant 10 comprises a plurality of devices 11.
FIG. 3 shows the detailed fundamental configuration of a part of the controller of FIG. 2, which is associated with one particular device 11.
In FIG. 3, reference numeral 20 stands for functions, depicted as a circuit, to be carried out according to the software stored in a memory of CPU 2. Circuit elements 21, 24, 25, 27, 31, 33 are written by macro languages. The circuit element 21 is an input diagnosis macro, which diagnoses the status of process based on the rationality of a signal 22 fetched by the AI card, and outputs a logical signal 23 in case of abnormality. The circuit element 24 is a comparator, which compares the output of a control target setter (SET) 25 with the amount of process status, and outputs a deviation signal 26. The deviation signal 26 is inputted into a proportional integrator (P+I) 27, while being outputted from the AO card 6 to be indicated on a deviation indicator 28 on the operation panel 9. The proportional integrator 27 is set to either the automatic or manual control mode according to the automatic/manual logic signal 29 inputted through the DI card 3. In the automatic control mode, the proportional integrator 27 performs the proportional integration according to the deviation signal 26. In the manual mode, the proportional integrator 27 tracks the command signal 30 which is fetched via the AI card to be applied to the operation unit. The circuit element 31 is an output diagnosis macro, which compares the output from the proportional integrator 27 with the command signal 30, and checks the rationality of the signal with respect to sudden signal transformation, disconnection or the like. When detecting abnormality, the circuit element 31 issues a logical signal 32. The circuit element 33 is an OR macro, which outputs a signal indicative of the malfunction of the device in question according to the diagnosis macros 21 and 31 via the DO card 4.
A current/voltage converter 40 in the manual backup circuit 8 converts a current output, from a sensor 41 for detecting the amount of process status, into voltage. The output from the current/voltage converter 40 is inputted in the AI card 5, while being displayed on the indicator 42 provided on the operation panel 9. According to an output from the automatic/manual mode selecting logic 44, a signal selector 43 selects an output as follows:
In the automatic mode, the signal selector 43 selects an automatic operation output sent via the AO card 6 from the controller. In the manual mode, the signal selector 43 selects an output from a manual operation analog memory (AM) 45. The output from the signal selector 43 is inputted into a voltage/current converter 46, and serves as a signal for operating the operation unit 49 of the device, while being supplied to the AI card 5, and displayed on an indicator 47 on the control panel 9. An electricity pressure converter 48 converts the output from the voltage/current converter 46 into air pressure so as to control the operation unit 49. The mode of the analog memory 45 is selected according to the output from the automatic/manual mode selection logic 44. In the automatic mode, the analog memory 45 follows the output from the selector 43. In the manual mode, the output of the analog memory 45 is increased or decreased by a switch 50 on the operation panel 9. The automatic/manual mode selecting logic 44 selects either automatic or manual mode of the operation unit according to the control abnormality signal or the like outputted from the DO card 4 or operation of the automatic/manual mode selecting switch 51.
FIG. 4 illustrates an example of the automatic/manual mode selecting logic 44 shown in FIG. 3. The logic 44 includes an OR circuit 70, NOT circuits 71, and an AND circuit 72, all of which comprise hard wired logic.
As described above, the plant controlling system employing a controller adopting a microcomputer not only comprises software logic controlled by the controller but also comprises a variety of hardware such as the manual backup circuit 8, the operation panel 9 including a manual operation designating unit, switches, and devices 11.
To localize malfunction or to facilitate the maintenance work, the plant controlling system often adopts the distributed control method according to which one or more controllers 1 shown in FIG. 2 are employed.
In the plant controlling system employing a plurality of controllers, a maintenance apparatus is employed so as to perform software programming, to monitor operation of the controlling system and to tune parameters.
FIG. 5 shows an example of connection of a maintenance apparatus to the plant controlling system.
The maintenance apparatus 101 is connected to a channel 100 via which a plurality of controllers 1a to 1n are interconnected. Sometimes one controller is sufficient, and the maintenance apparatus may be connected to the controller by means other than the communication network. The maintenance apparatus 101 comprises a processing unit 102, a display unit 103 and an interactive operation unit 104.
In a conventional maintenance apparatus, the maintenance work is carried out by displaying only the software circuit 20 on the display unit 103, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Connection with the hardware outside the maintenance apparatus is known only from comments displayed on the screen of display unit 103 in association with input/output signal lines.
In addition, only a unit of minimum program executed by one controller, so-called one sheet, is displayed on the screen of the display unit 103 at a time because of limitations such as resolution of the display unit comprising a cathode ray tube (CRT).
Methods of displaying control circuits by means of logic symbols are exemplified in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications (KOKAI) Nos. 169804/1982 and 65510/1988, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,169.
In the related art, only the software circuits of the controller are displayed on the display unit of the maintenance apparatus as mentioned above. However since the plant controlling system has a variety of hardware besides the software circuits, a number of documents including shop drawings, operation manuals and so forth should be referred to so as to grasp the operation of the overall system.
With conventional plant controlling systems, the maintenance personnel are required to understand the overall system by referring to the above-mentioned documents first, and then perform the maintenance work by displaying the software circuits on the display unit of the maintenance apparatus. Therefore it is very difficult to perform quick and reliable maintenance work by using such a maintenance apparatus.
The controller has a plurality of sheets of the software circuits. Since the conventional maintenance apparatus displays only one sheet at a time, it is very difficult to grasp the overall flow of signals from the functional view point.
Moreover, when the plant controlling system comprises a plurality of controllers depending upon the scale and nature of the system, the controllers mutually exchange signals via communication paths so as to realize a certain control function. In such a case, it is very difficult to maintain the plant by grasping its overall functions since the maintenance apparatus can display the software circuits of only one controller at a time.
In addition, since the conventional maintenance apparatus aims at maintaining only the software regions of the controller, it is necessary to provide an additional controlling system for preparing documents to perform the maintenance work of the controller including the hardware regions.

Plant control system and method for displaying control circuit thereof


A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing a virtual environment or a visual presentation to a user. A portion of interest is created and depending on a response of the user to the virtual environment or to the visual presentation, a feedback is preferably provided.

Virtual environments are commonly used today. Available processing power enables a providing of very realistic virtual environments.
Surprisingly, very few virtual environment applications are available for a therapeutic use in mental health. Available applications do not enable a user to configure an application for a patient, i.e. to customize it for a specific pathology to monitor or to cure.
Furthermore, it is usually not possible to collect pertinent data from the user in response to a virtual environment provided, which is a serious limitation if the virtual environment is provided for therapeutic purposes.
In fact, it will be appreciated that usually, it is not possible to know what aspect of the virtual environment is used at every moment by the patient.
In view of the above, there is a need for an apparatus that will provide a virtual environment which will overcome the above-identified drawbacks.

Method and apparatus for performing a behaviour analysis using a virtual environment


Disclosed herein is a camera module, including: a lens holder including a receiving unit receiving a lens module therein; a driving unit joined to the lens holder to be movable in a direction vertical to an optical-axis direction; a housing in which the driving unit is installed to be movable in the vertical direction to the optical-axis direction and having a protruding member that protrudes on one surface thereof; a shape memory alloy wire part connected to the driving unit to generate driving force in the vertical direction to the optical-axis direction; and an elastic member applying a preload to the shape memory alloy wire part to cause initial transformation.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a camera module.
2. Description of the Related Art
As existing camera functions are adopted in cellular phones, optical components such as a lens, a lens actuator, an image sensor, and the like have been gradually miniaturized and additional functions such as automatic focusing, zooming, hand shaking correction, and the like from a camera module having a fixed focus function have been gradually luxuriated.
In general, while a user photographs a subject, blurring occurs due to user's hand shaking, and as a result, a clear image cannot be obtained.
Therefore, a lens moving type configured to correct hand shaking by fixing the image sensor constituting the camera module and moving the lens in a vertical direction to an optical axis and as an opposite type, a sensor moving type configured to fix the lens and moving the image sensor in the vertical direction to the optical axis have been used in order to correct the user's hand shaking.
However, when a hand shaking correcting function is added to a camera module for a mobile apparatus which is miniaturized and slimmed, a voice coil motor (VCM) which is generally used is used as the lens actuator for implementing the hand shaking correction and the size thereof is increased by other driving actuators.

Camera module including handshaking correcting device


An obscuration type optical smoke monitor is provided for use particularly in dusty and dirty environments. The smoke monitor comprises a housing enclosing a smoke monitoring chamber; two access ports located opposite each other on the housing; a shunt air flow path located between said two access ports; means to conduct air from said access ports through an optical chamber; a light emitting diode at the first end of said optical chamber, which light emitting diode produces a light beam axially through the center of said optical chamber; a photo transistor at the second end of said optical chamber to receive the light bean and issue an electrical signal proportional to the received light intensity; and an electronic module which provides variable electronic output, generating an analog output essentially proportional of the optical obscuration caused by the smoke. Baffle means are provided to minimize extraneous light scattering from dust and dirt in the air,

In many heavy industries and in mines, there is much dust in the air. Federal standards for early warning of fires in mines use an obscuration standard rather than particle ionization or particle reflection technology. Unfortunately most optical devices are expensive because of their short life in dusty and moist environments. Some smoke detection devices use high levels of radioactive materials to avoid dust accumulation and are hazardous because of the radiation.
Smoke monitoring is essential in many industries in which smoke is generated without much carbon monoxide, which is commonly monitored. For example, compressor overheating, conveyor belt slippage, electrical equipment faults and other types of overheating incidents, particularly involving plastics, can produce a great deal of smoke but minimal amounts of carbon monoxide. In many industries using heavy equipment, the above incidents may generate thick, choking smoke, while there is no activation of a conventional temperature of carbon monoxide sensor and alarm. Compared with point heat (temperature) sensors, carbon monoxide sensors are invaluable for early detection of spontaneous combustion of coal and wood. However, smoke monitoring is necessary to detect fires with low heat and low output of carbon monoxide.
Conventional smoke detectors cannot be used in dusty conditions because of false alarms and clogging with dust. The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, tested technologies using light scattering and ionization, as well as air pumps to convey the gas sample to the detection device, reference IC 9311. Unfortunately, although these devices detected some actual smoke-forming events, false alarms were frequent.
Additionally, acetylene and hydrogen gases interfere with carbon monoxide sensors. Moreover, most carbon monoxide sensors are temperature sensitive, and there are maintenance problems involved in establishing an ambient level of carbon monoxide. Conventional carbon monoxide sensors require costly calibration gas, have a short cell life, and these sensors are inclined to drift.
U.S. Department of the Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration (MHSA) regulations permit either a carbon dioxide or a smoke sensor for fire monitoring of underground electrical sites. Among the federal 30 CFR regulations relating to smoke monitors are:
75.340 (a) Underground electrical installations, monitor intake air for carbon monoxide or smoke; 5% per meter smoke alarm level; functional test every 31 days. Although carbon monoxide or smoke sensors are permitted, the sensitivity to hydrogen gas discounts carbon monoxide if battery chargers are involved.
75,344 Compressors: specifies carbon monoxide or smoke.
75,351. Atmospheric monitoring systems: smoke alarm set at 0.05 per meter (5% obscuration); electrical equipment, such as transformers, battery chargers, substations, rectifiers, or water pumps, site at least on sensor (carbon monoxide or smoke) 50-100 feet in the direction of air flow; functional testing every 31 days. Only one alarm level is specified for smoke, compared with two alarm levels for CO, although the analog smoke monitor can control visual warning devices in the same manner as a carbon monoxide sensor.
The MSHA standard prescribes a light absorption value that does not correlate easily with ionizing figures. Light obscuration has little correlation with the degree of particle ionization. Given a level of smoke obscuration from a real fire, of approximately a 5% alarm level, the actual degree of particle ionization produced depends greatly upon the source of the smoke, including the intensity of the fire, the materials involved, the air velocity, oxygen concentration, and the like. These variables are not normally known, controlled, or monitored. Therefore, inferring the level of obscuration corresponding to a measured ionization level is highly complex, and is certainly not a linear and faithful relationship. The dilemma the user faces is that the ionization warning and alarm levels chosen can result in noncompliance with the optical obscuration standard under the worst case combustion conditions. Otherwise, the ionization alarm levels must be set so low as to be impractical, resulting in false alarms and sensitivity to dust.
Moreover, most smoke detectors are just that--"smoke detectors," and merely indicate an alarm or no alarm (smoke or no smoke) condition. An ionizing smoke detector has no analog output, and alarms tend to be inconvenient surprises, with no prior warning of impending problems. If an ionizing smoke detector becomes contaminated with dust, generally the only option is to remove the detector from the mine, and to return the detector to the factory for repair.
Prior workers have sought to provide smoke sensors that can function in dusty environments, but all of them have some drawbacks.
Kobayashi et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,283, disclose a smoke sensor which can be used in a dusty environment and which can be tested to ensure that it is operating properly. A light beam which is emitted from a main light emitting element and is scattered in an interior sensing space is received at a main light receiving element, and an output signal responsive to the quantity of light received at the main light receiving element is processed at a signal processing circuit for sensing the presence of smoke or dust particles. A second output of an auxiliary light receiving element for the emitted light directly received from the main light emitting element and a composite output of the first and second output are compared. An alarm is generated when the level of output is other than a predetermined amount. In this case, dust interference is eliminated by providing a net. There is no indicator of smoke other than an alarm.
Best, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,978, disclose an optical smoke detector of the Tyndall type which measures light scattering. In this type of detector, smoke particles are admitted into a closed smoke chamber while outside ambient light is precluded from the chamber. A light beam projected into a test zone of the chamber will strike and bounce off of dust or smoke particles in the test zone to produce scattered or diffused light which is then detected by a photo or light responsive sensor to indicate the presence of an alarm condition. In the absence of dust or smoke particles, the light responsive sensor is optically shielded from the light source. At least one of the surfaces of the smoke chamber is shaped to provide a series of parallel grooves for accumulating undesired dirt and dust in the groove crevices and for minimizing the reflection of light from that dirt and dust and toward the radiation sensing means, thereby to preclude false alarms.
Scheidweiler, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,488, discloses a smoke detector containing at least one smoke measuring chamber which possesses a mounting or socket plate for mounting on the ceiling of a room, and a housing enclosing the smoke measuring chamber and suspendingly secured at the socket plate. Openings in the housing permit entry of ambient air. The air entry openings can be changed to account for dust in the air. Protuberances or projections can be included in the inlet to cause deflection of the incoming or entering air. The cross-sectional area of the air entry opening can be adjusted to reduce interference from dust particles. In this case, the smoke sensing element itself is an ionization type, not optical.
Horvath et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,510, disclose a smoke detector for a fire alarm comprising a nuclear radiation source possessing a substantially conical ring-shaped radiation characteristic or pattern and a radiation receiver arranged along the axis of the radiation source but externally of the direct radiation. The radiation receiver receives radiation which is scattered by smoke particles within the conical ring-shaped radiation region. To reduce the spurious radiation impinging on the radiation receiver the radiation region is bounded by elements located externally of the direct receiving region of the radiation receiver. Web means are provided which are shaped to prevent dust from collecting on their radiation receiving surfaces to minimize the effects of dust.
Malinowski, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,065, discloses a smoke detector operating on the principle of reflected light. Smoke inlet slots are provided between the light and photo-cell recesses which prevents accumulation of dust and dirt therebetween which could cause a false alarm.
Igarashi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,677, disclose a light scattering-type smoke detector comprising a dark box which is surrounded by a labyrinth around its outer periphery that is internally provided with a light projection element and a light receiving element. A test lamp using a light emitting diode is surrounded by light-shielding columns. The light-shielding columns each have a J-shaped configuration which constitutes part of the labyrinth surrounding the test lamp. In a normal state clean air containing no smoke particles flows into the dark box and light from the light projecting element is nor received by the light receiving element. This device uses scattered and reflected light to detect smoke.
Payton et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,450, disclose an optical device for the examination of smoke and dust laden gas consisting of two colinear tubular portions connected together by a support member. One tubular portion contains a light source and the other tubular portion contains a light-sensitive device. Smoke or dust-laden gas is arranged to pass upwardly between the tow tubular portions and thus between the light source and the photo-sensitive device. Baffles are inserted into each tubular portion to prevent dust or dirt particles form being deposited either onto the light source or onto the photosensitive device.
Tashiro et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,675, disclose a smoke detector in which air entrance and egress are located in oppositely disposed surfaces. The air flow passages are arranged so as to cause the air to flow at different velocities. When there is smoke present in the air, the velocity difference in the air flow creates a difference in static pressure that aids in introducing smoke into the casing.
Austin et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,150, disclose a smoke detector which incorporates therein means for verifying the detector's smoke sensitivity limits. This means includes positively positioning various light reflecting surfaces to provide predetermined light reflection onto light sensing means to create simulated smoke levels.
None of the above-noted smoke detectors is designed to work in a particularly dusty or dirty environment such as a coal mine. Furthermore, none of the above smoke detectors responds to the primary legal fire alarm parameter, namely, the obscuration of a beam of light. The reflected light devices bear the same ambiguity as the ionizing particle devices, namely, correlating the sensor output with the primary legal requirement, the percent obscuration of a light beam. The amount of light reflected from smoke of a given light obscuration level is influenced by the color of the smoke, the particle size and distribution, the degree of turbulence in the optical chamber and other parameters which make a direct correlation with the optical obscuration standard extremely complex, if not impossible.

Optical obscruation smoke monitor having a shunt flow path located between two access ports


A superconducting apparatus is provided with windings having superconducting wires wound in a plurality of turns, and a cryostat housing the windings so as to cool the windings in a superconducting state. The superconducting wires disposed at the outer and inner peripheral areas of the windings are selected to be highly stabilized superconducting wires such that, even if frictional heat is conducted towards the windings, the highly stabilized superconducting wires are very less quenched and in turn the possibility of the quenching of the overall windings is extremely low. Further, good heat conductors are provided on the radially outer and inner of the windings. Frictional heat which flows towards the windings is transmitted into the good heat conductors in the circumferential direction, and is dissipated midway during the heat conduction. As a result, the introduction of the frictional heat into the windings is avoided and in consequence no quenching occurs in the superconducting wires. This enables the overall windings to be prevented from being quenched.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a superconducting coil apparatus, and more particularly, to a superconducting coil apparatus used in the linear motor of a magnetic floating train, the propelling motor of a electromagnetic propelling ship and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A racetrack type superconducting coil apparatus, as an example of a superconducting coil apparatus, is provided with windings formed from superconducting wires wound in a racetrack form and firmly fixed to each other by epoxy resin, and a cryostat containing the windings and so formed in a racetrack shape as to correspond to the shape of the windings. The outer and inner peripheral walls of the cryostat are disposed on the radially outer and inner of the windings. Liquid helium passages are defined between the outer and inner peripheral walls of the cryostat and the windings. When the windings are cooled lower than the transition temperature, their state is changed from the normal-conducting state to the superconducting state. Upon exciting the windings in the latter state, a high-intensity magnetic field is generated from the windings without any electrical loss.
While the windings are being excited, hoop stresses which are large magnetic forces are applied to the windings in the radial directions. If the windings are deformed so as to tend to assume a true circle form, it is likely that the superconducting wires are quenched and their state tends to be changed to the normal-conducting state. In order to avoid this, the windings are fixed to the outer and inner peripheral walls of the cryostat by means of a plurality of fixtures placed between the windings and the outer and inner peripheral walls of the cryostat (that is, in the liquid helium passages). The fixtures have holes for passing liquid helium. The opposed inner peripheral wall portions of the cryostat are connected to each other by means of reinforcing members. This structure prevents the most degree of deformation of the windings.
However, not so many fixtures can be arranged in the liquid helium passages because the arrangement of many fixtures lowers the cooling efficiency of the winding unit. This arrangement cannot fully hinder the windings from being deformed and thus it is possible that the windings change their shape slightly. The deformation of the windings causes rubbing between the fixtures and the windings to generate frictional heat. Although part of the frictional heat is absorbed by the liquid helium, the remainder of it is transferred to the superconducting wires in the outer and inner peripheral areas of the windings and quenches them. As a result, the superconducting wires of the overall windings are frequently quenched.

Superconducting coil apparatus with a quenching prevention means


In a power amplification circuit an output signal is generated by combining the power of a first and second signal that have been amplified separately. An input signal is received that indicates a desired amplitude and phase of the output signal. A controllable phase shift circuit adapts the phase of first and second signals dependent on the desired amplitude, so that, when the signals with the adapted phases are combined, the resulting output signal will have an envelope with the desired amplitude. A time dependent common mode phase shift is applied to both the first and second signal. A control circuit selects the time dependent common mode phase shift as a function of the desired amplitude of the output signal, to compensate for envelope amplitude dependence of a common phase shift introduced by the amplification.

WO 03/47093 describes a Chireix power amplifier. Chireix power amplifiers address the problem of non-linearity of amplification of radio frequency signals to high power levels. The basic principle is that amplitude variations of an output signal are realized by controlling the relative phase of component signals that are subsequently combined to form the output signal. This makes it possible to use component signals with constant amplitude that can be amplified to the desired power level by non-linear amplification, without affecting the linearity of the amplitude variations. In more advanced Chireix amplifiers, the amplitude of the component signals is adapted to the desired output amplitude when the desired output amplitude is small. This serves to prevent useless power dissipation associated with the realization of a low amplitude output signal from component signals that nearly cancel each other.
Unfortunately, practical Chireix power amplifiers still suffer from non-linearity problems, which may give rise to parasitic or unintended modulation. For example, when QAM modulation is used (combined amplitude and phase modulation) the modulated data may be found to be damaged due to spurious modulation.

Circuit with a power amplifier and amplification method


A method and apparatus for halftoning over a region of output pixels by defining large, or macro, halftone cells corresponding to regions of contiguous pixels and partitioning the macro halftone cells into smaller halftone cells. The gray, or hue, level within a macro halftone cell is determined by the number of pixels which are darkened within the macro halftone cell. Selection of the number of pixels to be darkened in response to input data can be effected in a manner to achieve automatic gamma correction.

The present invention relates to halftone reproduction of graphic images which are commonly in a bitmap format.
Image information is commonly generated in a bitmap format where the bitmap comprises a plurality of "gray" level cells (or hue concentration level cells for color images). Each cell consists of a two-dimensional array of pixels, or cell elements, and the gray or hue level to be created in each cell is defined by digital values, wherein each digital value represents a gray or hue concentration level among a number of gray or hue concentration levels within the area. Thus, if a cell is composed of 25 pixels, there are 26 levels of gray or hue concentration, varying incrementally between black (or a solid color) and white.
One standard method of converting gray or hue concentration level image data into binary level pixel image data is through the use of dithering or halftoning processes. In such methods, over a given area having a number of gray or hue concentration level cells therein, each pixel of a cell is compared to one of a set of pre-selected thresholds. Each such cell represents a "halftone cell". The effect of such an arrangement is that, for an area where the image is gray or some shade of a hue, some of the thresholds within the halftone cell will be exceeded, while others are not.
In the monochrome case, the pixels or cell elements for which thresholds are exceeded are printed as black or a selected primary color, while the remaining cell elements are allowed to remain white. The human eye integrates the distribution of white and black, or the selected color, over the cell as gray. In this manner, there can be gradual transitions between different shades of gray or the selected color among adjacent halftone cells.
For full or plural color applications, several halftone cells, each corresponding to a different hue, are formed for a given area. The color system superimposes the halftone cells of different hues to form the desired color of the image. Halftoning facilitates varying the concentration or intensity level of hues within the color image by varying the number of darkened pixels for halftone cells corresponding to particular hues. In this manner, the image can have transitions between neighboring colors among adjacent halftone cells. The application of halftoning to color systems is described in detail in the Postscript Reference Manual published by Adobe.
Unfortunately, in using a halftoning technique, there is often a trade-off between maximizing the number of gray or hue concentration levels and the sharpness of the image; the larger each cell is (to contain more pixels), the fewer cells will fit into a given area. Fewer cells within a given area effectively decreases sharpness. This gray or hue concentration level/sharpness trade-off often forces product designers to choose between reproducing an image using many gray levels but in large halftone dots (resulting in coarse, grainy images) or using fine halftone dots but only a few gray or hue concentration levels (which can cause heavy banding). The effects of banding are illustrated described in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,81 1, which issued on Dec. 24, 1996, particular reference being made herein to FIG. 1 and the accompanying description in that patent. Banding results from a noticeable jump in the gray levels between adjacent regions.
Some techniques have been developed to address this trade-off between gray levels and sharpness in an attempt to maximize sharpness while minimizing the effects of banding. Xerox Corporation developed a technique called Quad Dot. It is believed that the Quad Dot technique divides a halftone cell into four smaller cells.
The Quad Dot system attempts to distribute darkened pixels among the smaller cells. However, it is believed that the Quad Dot system sequentially adds pixels to adjacent smaller cells in a deterministic circular fashion about the center of the larger cell. This can result in a noticeable pattern within the image.
The above-cited U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,811 addresses certain of the shortcomings of these prior art methods and systems by providing a method and apparatus for halftoning which utilizes a macro halftone cell defining an area of contiguous pixels. The method and apparatus partition the macro halftone cell into a plurality of sub-halftone cells, each sub-halftone cell defining an area of contiguous pixels. A predetermined level of desired grayness or hue intensity determines the quantity of pixels to be darkened within the macro halftone cell. In accordance with one aspect of this method and apparatus, a spot function ranks pixels within the macro halftone cell from highest to lowest such that preferably one or more of the following design rules apply: no two pixels within the same sub-halftone cell are ranked consecutively; and the rank of each individual pixel within each sub-halftone cell is a decreasing function of the distance between the center of the sub-halftone cell and the center of the pixel (e.g., a pixel closest to the center of the sub-halftone cell has the highest rank of pixels within the sub-halftone cell and a pixel furthest from the center of the sub-halftone cell has the lowest rank of pixels within the sub-halftone cell) and the number of pixels ranked above any particular pixel within the sub-halftone cell is no more than one greater and no more than one less than the number of pixels ranked above the particular pixel in any other sub-halftone cell within the macro halftone cell. Each pixel having a rank higher than or equal to a threshold ranking is darkened, wherein the threshold ranking is set so that the determined quantity of pixels is darkened. Such an arrangement has been found to provide an even distribution of darkened pixels among the halftone cells of the macro halftone cell yet maintain a high level of resolution.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,811, the macro halftone is partitioned into an area of v by w contiguous sub-halftone cells where v and w are odd positive integers. Having a macro halftone cell of odd dimensions of sub-halftone cells can define exactly one center sub-halftone cell. This facilitates a balanced distribution of sub-halftone spots within the macro halftone cell to provide a balanced image across the macro halftone cell.
By altering the distribution of darkened pixels within the halftone cell for a desired level of grayness, a more balanced image in black and can be produced. Maintaining high resolution and the large number of levels of hue concentration within the macro halftone in color printers provides a smooth transition to neighbor colors and a well balanced in-gamut distribution.
While the method and system disclosed in the above-cited patent do produce image quality improvement, they nevertheless possess certain shortcomings. For example, the transition which they exhibit from one intensity, or darkness, level to the next does not ideal smoothness across a macro halftone cell and they do not permit a gamma correction to be made in an acceptably simple manner. Gamma correction involves a correction for the difference between the percentage of dots in a cell which are darkened and the apparent darkness of that cell. It has been found that over the range of possible darkness values, a cell will generally appear to have a darkness greater than the percentage of dark pixels within the cell. For example, at about the midpoint between the lightest and the darkest levels, when 50% of the pixels in the cell are dark, the average observer will consider the cell to have a darkness of the order of 70%.

Half tone image enhancement for printers


A bus bar unit used in a motor including a coil may include a plurality of bus bars including a metal material. At least one of the plurality of bus bars may include a body portion extending in substantially a circumferential direction relative to a center axis of the motor; a first terminal portion electrically connected to the coil of the motor; and an arc-shaped bridge portion connecting a first end portion of the body portion to the first terminal portion. The bridge portion may lie across at least an other one of the plurality of bus bars. An axial position of the body portion and an axial position of the first terminal portion may at least partially overlap with each other.

The existing motor having a structure in which a conductive part called a bus bar is disposed above a coil and the coil is electrically connected to an external power supply through the conductive part has been known. Generally, the bus bar is connected to a plurality of coils arranged in an annular shape and therefore may be mainly formed in an annular shape or an arch shape. However, when a copper plate as a raw material is subject to punching process with a press machine into an annular shape or an arc shape, a lot of wasteful portions may occur in the copper plate and a yield of the material may be aggravated.
In this respect, Japanese Patent Publication No. 3717832 discloses that a bus bar is manufactured by punching a conductive metal plate member, such as a copper plate or the like, with a press machine into a stripe shape and bending the stripe-shaped preformed material in a thickness direction. The Japanese Patent No. 3717832 discloses that the yield rate can be improved by punching the stripe-shaped preformed materials in parallel.
However, in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 3717832, a plurality of tabs protrude from a substantially C-shaped bus bar. These tabs are formed in the conductive metal plate simultaneously when the conductive metal plate is punched by the press machine. Therefore, the bus bars and the tabs are integrally formed in the state in which they are connected to each other by going through a one-time pressure process.
As such, in the structure of the specification of Japanese Patent Publication No. 3717832, with a plurality of tabs, the shape of the stripe-shaped material punched in the press process becomes complicated. For this reason, a wasteful portion still remains in the conductive metal plate. To reduce manufacturing costs of the motor, there is a need to further increase the yield of the material.
However, when the bus bar unit including the plurality of bus bars is used, there is a need to suppress the overall size of the bus bar unit while preventing these bus bars from being in contact with each other. That is, a structure capable of increasing the yield of the material and suppressing the size of the bus bar unit is required.

Motor and bus bar unit having overlapping bridge portions


A perpendicularly magnetized spin-orbit magnetic device including a heavy metal layer, a magnetic tunnel junction, a first antiferromagnetic layer, a first block layer and a first stray field applying layer is provided. The magnetic tunnel junction is disposed on the heavy metal layer. The first block layer is disposed between the magnetic tunnel junction and the first antiferromagnetic layer. The first stray field applying layer is disposed between the first antiferromagnetic layer and the first block layer. The first stray field applying layer provides a stray magnetic field parallel to a film plane. The first antiferromagnetic layer contacts the first stray field applying layer to define the direction of the magnetic moment in the first stray field applying layer.

Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates to a perpendicularly magnetized spin-orbit magnetic device.
Description of Related Art
Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) has advantages of fast speed, low power consumption, high density, non-volatile, and has almost unlimited read and write times, and is predicted as a mainstream of memories coming in the next generation. A main structure of a memory device in the MRAM is a stacked structure formed by stacking a pinned layer of three-layer materials with ferromagnet/non-magnetic metal/ferromagnet, a tunneling barrier layer and a free layer of a magnetic material. Such stacked structure can be referred to as a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device. Since a write current only flows through the selected MTJ device, and magnetic switching is determined by an intensity of the write current and an intensity of an external magnetic field, it avails decreasing the write current after the MTJ device is miniaturized, and effects of simultaneously improving write selectivity and decreasing the write current are theoretically achieved.
The MTJ devices using a spin-orbit-torque (SOT) mechanism to implement read and write operations can be divided into in-plan MTJ devices and perpendicular MTJ devices. Compared to the in-plan MTJ device, the perpendicular MTJ device has a lower operating current, a higher device density and better data storability. A perpendicular spin torque transfer random access memory (pSTT-RAM) is regarded as a memory of the new generation, which records digital information of 0 and 1 through spin transfer switching, and takes the perpendicular MTJ as a main magnetic memory cell structure, which has good thermal stability, and an operating current thereof is smaller compared with that of the other type of the magnetic memory.
If the SOT mechanism is adopted to implement the MRAM structure, an operating speed and write reliability can be further improved. A switching mechanism of the SOT in a perpendicular film plane magnetic torque is to introduce the write current to a heavy metal layer. The heavy metal layer may produce a spin transfer torque (STT) based on a spin Hall effect and the external magnetic field. Moreover, the write current may produce a Rashba torque (RT) after passing through a perpendicular electric field at a material interface and the external magnetic field. Since the STT and the RT are all perpendicular to a direction of the write current and parallel to the film plane, the two torques are added to form the SOT. Therefore, if a magnetic field is applied to the ferromagnetic material on the film plane that is perpendicular to the magnetic torque, the SOT is produced to switch the magnetic torque of the ferromagnetic layer to achieve an effect of writing the memory device. However, the above mechanism requires to additionally input the write current and apply the external magnetic field. Manufacturers hope to simplify design complexity of an operation mechanism used for controlling the magnetic memory cell structure in case that the SOT mechanism is used as a mechanism for reading and writing the magnetic memory cells.

Perpendicularly magnetized spin-orbit magnetic device

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A multi-layer microfiltration membrane having an integrated prefiltration layer. Pursuant to a phase inversion process, several layers are successively poured out onto one another prior to phase separation of a lower layer, with the viscosity for the pour solution decreasing toward the upper layers. This produces a microporous, multi-layer, integral filtration membrane having a homogenous symmetrical pore structure for the final filtration layer and an open-pored structure for the prefiltration layer disposed therebelow. Even with small pore diameters, this membrane can be easily pleated for installation in filter cartridges without the formation of damage at the crease edges. High throughput rates are possible at a low tendency to clog.

The present invention relates to a multi-layer, unsupported, integral microfiltration (MF) membrane of polymeric material, with the exception of aliphatic polyamide, that is suitable for a phase inversion process, the MF membrane having at least one final filter layer and at least one integrated prefiltration layer. The present invention also relates to a method of making such a membrane.
Microfiltration membranes are known. Such membranes generally have pore diameters in the range of from 0.01 to 10 .mu.m. Microfiltration membranes can be classified as follows:
a) Symmetrical membranes where the diameters of the micropores remain practically constant throughout their thickness, so that both sides have nearly the same pore diameters;
b) Asymmetrical membranes, where a thin 0.1 to 0.25 .mu.m dense skin layer is placed upon and integrally bonded to a porous substrate member. The skin determines not only the permeability but also the permselectivity of the dual layer membrane, while the porous substrate member essentially serves as a support structure for the skin;
c) Composite membranes, which in principle constitute an asymmetrical membrane having a skin, with the skin and the support structure being made of different polymeric materials. The support material is already embodied as an asymmetrical membrane upon which the thin skin layer is then disposed.
Whereas composite membranes are essentially used for reverse osmosis, pervaporation, and gas separation, and less frequently for microfiltration purposes, symmetrical and asymmetrical membranes are frequently utilized in the microfiltration industry.
Although symmetrical microfiltration membranes generally offer a high retention rate and are also relatively reliable due to their homogeneous membrane structure, they nonetheless have a low flow rate since they offer a great resistance to the fluid stream during filtration. Due to the relatively low porosity and to the approximately two dimensional surface configuration, such membranes unfortunately tend to clog up relatively rapidly, which is reflected in a limited sludge carrying capacity (fouling), so that the useful filtration time is very short (DE-OS 37 01 633). In contrast, asymmetrical membranes offer a long service time if the flow is on the coarse-pored side since the smallest particles that are to be filtered out can be essentially caught by the density of the skin and hence the entire thickness of the membrane can be effectively utilized, thus increasing the flow rate. However, since the dense skin is disposed at the surface, scratches can easily occur there, thus significantly reducing the reliability and the retention rates (DE-OS) 37 40 871).
EP 05 94 007 A1 discloses an integral composite membrane for microfiltration where a separating layer is at a later stage poured onto a prefabricated symmetrical membrane that is to serve as a prefiltration layer. The thickness of this separating layer ranges from 2 to a maximum of 40 .mu.m.
Due to the method of manufacturing disclosed in EP 05 94 007, it is clear to one skilled in the art that the subsequently poured-on separating layer must relate to an asymmetrical layer. For example, it is indicated that the solution for effecting the coagulation is contacted by a nonsolvent; otherwise, no nonsolvent fraction in the polymer solution is mentioned in this reference. Pursuant to Staude "Membranen und Membranprozesse", Weinheim 1992, page 10 et seq, it is made clear that both conditions indicate the formation of asymmetrical membranes. However, it is evident that such membranes have relatively poor useful lives.
In DE-OS 37 01 633 and DE-OS 37 40 871 the drawbacks discussed in connection with asymmetrical membranes, the fragile separating layer (skin) is disposed in the interior of the membrane, and hence is better protected, via a controlled step in a dry-wet process. However, as before there is still the drawback of a relatively thin separating layer, so that faults that might be present in the membranes, such as oversized pores, can significantly impair the retention characteristic of the membranes. In EP 0 083 489 B1, the problems related to the sensitivity of the skin of asymmetrical microfiltration membranes are addressed by superimposing two asymmetrical membranes upon one another in such a way that their skins contact one another. However, this approach has the drawback that the manufacturing process is relatively expensive and complicated, and furthermore the pore characteristic established by the pore sizes of the skin relative to the exclusion magnitude of particles varies as a consequence of the static arrangement of respectively oppositely disposed pores or matrix material.
If fine-pored microfiltration membranes having nominal pore sizes of less than 0.45 .mu.m are installed in filter cartridges, the porosity of these membranes at their edges is greater than the porosity at their surfaces. As a consequence, the filtration characteristics established by the pore characteristic of the membrane are not achieved. Thus, DE-PS 3 818 860 utilizes a combination of at least three membranes having different materials and different pore sizes and pore geometries, so that the coarse-pored membrane performs the function of a preliminary filter and the fine-pored membrane performs the function of a final filter. Thus, with this hybrid technology fine-pored microfiltration membranes having nominal pore sizes of less than 0.45 .mu.m can also be used in filter cartridges. However, the drawback is that during installation in the filter cartridges, the membranes that are placed one upon the other are not as easy to handle as are individual membranes. When the filter cartridges are sterilized with steam, the outer membrane layers can swell, which leads to damage. U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,480 discloses an individual multi-layer membrane having integral individual layers where the individual layers are pressed upon one another in a wet state and are dried together. However, this method of manufacture is possible only with such polymers that have a high water absorbtiveness, such as polyamide 66, which is used in this reference and has a water absortiveness (saturation) of 8.5% by weight.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide microfiltration membranes which, as individual membranes, are built up from two or more integral layers, which while exhibiting a high retention rate and a high reliability at the same time have a high sludge carrying capacity (service life), which are economically made of the same membrane material, whereby polymeric material having a low water absortivity can also be used, and which, with a nominal pore size of below 0.45 .mu.m, can also be used in membrane filter cartridges without difficulty.

Multi-layer microfiltration membrane having an integrated prefiltration layer and method of making same


A display device includes a substrate, a plurality of pixel electrodes, a switching element, and a first electrode. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The pixel electrodes are provided to the first surface side and supplied with a pixel signal for displaying an image. The switching element is provided to the first surface side and coupled to the pixel electrodes. The first electrode is provided to a layer closer to the first surface than the switching element in a manner facing the switching element in a direction perpendicular to the first surface of the substrate and having lower light transmittance than that of the substrate.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Touch detection devices capable of detecting an external proximate object, what are called touch panels, have recently been attracting attention. Touch panels are mounted on or integrated with a display device, such as a liquid crystal display device, and used as display devices with a touch detection function. Display devices provided with a capacitance touch sensor are known as a type of display device with a touch detection function. Such display devices may possibly be expected to have multiple functions, such as a force detection function and a touch detection function on a surface opposite to a display surface, besides a function to detect touch input on the display surface. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2000-66837 A, for example, discloses a force detecting digitizer that can detect a force applied to a display surface by a finger or the like and perform various types of functions depending on the magnitude of the force.
If detection electrodes are added to implement multiple functions, the number of laminated layers may possibly increase, making it difficult to reduce the thickness of the display devices. Because the display devices include switching elements coupled to pixel electrodes, the display devices may possibly have lower detection accuracy on the surface opposite to the display surface.


A filter device may include a housing including a first housing part and a second housing part which define a chamber through which a fluid is flowable. The device may also include a filter insert arranged in the housing and configured to filter the fluid. The filter insert may include a seal. The second housing structure may be configured as a web. A circumferential section of the second housing structure may include a contour. The contour may include a recess configured as an interruption in an area of the web. The device may further include a support element arranged on the filter insert interacting with the second housing structure in an area of the contour. The second housing structure may press the first sealing surface against the first housing structure via the support element to seal a clean side from an unfiltered side.

With the help of filter devices, it is possible to filter a fluid, for example a liquid or a gas. In the context of the filtering, the corresponding fluid is freed for example from dirt particles and/or unwanted components are separated from the fluid. Generic filter devices hereby have two-part housings, in which a corresponding filter insert for filtering the fluid is arranged and through which the fluid to be filtered flows. To seal an unfiltered side of the filter device, on which the fluid to be filtered flows into the filter device, from a clean side, into which the filtered fluid flows, such filter inserts on principle have a seal, which extends on the edge side of the filter insert in a circumferential direction. The seal thereby interacts with corresponding structures of the housing. The seal is hereby pressed, i.e. compacted or compressed, respectively, under elastic deformation, to attain said sealing.
DE 11 2012 000 443 T5 shows such a filter device. The filter device has a housing comprising a lower shell, a cover shell, and a filter insert, which is arranged in the housing. The filter insert has a frame element, in which a filter material is accommodated, and which has an end-side flange, which holds a seal. The seal abuts on circumferential edges of the lower shell and of the cover shell.
WO 20137104792 A1 shows a filter device comprising a two-part housing, in which a filter insert is arranged. The filter insert has a rectangular basic shape comprising corners, which are rounded to the outside, as well as a circumferential seal, which follows the course of the filter insert and abuts on both housing parts.
A filter device is known from WO 2013/139992 A1, which has a two-part housing, in which a filter insert is arranged. The filter insert has a circumferential seal, which abuts on the edges of the housing parts.
Such filter devices are used in a variety of applications, for example in motor vehicles, and for filtering a plurality of different fluids. Depending on the type of use and the nature of the fluid to be filtered, it is thereby required to adapt the filter insert accordingly. Through this, a broad spectrum of filter inserts exists, which are in each case adapted to corresponding demands. The presence of filter inserts, which are adapted to different demands, harbors the risk that an unsuitable filter insert is inserted into a corresponding filter housing. The use of such an unsuitable filter insert can hereby lead to an insufficient filter impact, an incorrect, i.e. in particular unwanted filter effect, as well as to damages to the filter device and/or the corresponding use.


A control unit for a printing apparatus has a plurality of heat sources, each heat source being operable at an individual power level. The control unit is configured to control the power supplied to the heat sources such that, at each instant, the sum of the delivered individual power levels is less than or equal to a maximum allowable power. The control unit is also configured to control the power delivered to the heat sources on the basis of sequential cycles and for each cycle, to receive for each heat source a requested power pulse duration, to schedule within the cycle instants at which power is to be delivered to the heat sources, based on the individual power levels and requested pulse durations and to deliver the power according to the scheduled instants within the cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control unit for a printing apparatus having a plurality of heat sources, each heat source being operable at an individual power level. The control unit is adapted to control the power supplied to the heat sources such that, at each instant, the sum of the delivered individual power levels is less than or equal to a maximum allowable power. The present invention also relates to a printing apparatus comprising a control unit of this type.
2. Description of Background Art
Such a control unit may be applied in a printing system in which several sub-parts require heating. Heat sources, such as resistors are provided in the vicinity of the sub-parts to be heated and have to be supplied with electrical power (i.e. electrical current). Advantageously, many heat sources are connected to the same power supply unit. The control unit may be applied in an ink jet printing system, for example a hot melt ink jet printer.
A control unit of the type described above is known from EP 0987605. The heaters are divided in two groups, so that the power consumptions of the two groups are about the same. The power supply controller controls the power supplied to the heater of the first group throughout a first time. During the first time, when the temperature of the object heated by the heater of the first group falls below a preset lower limit temperature, power is supplied to the heater of the first group. When the temperature of the object heated by the heater of the first group reaches the preset upper limit temperature, the power supply is disconnected from the heater of the first group. These events may be repeated throughout the first time. After the first time has passed, the switch for the heater of the first group is turned off. The power supply controller then controls the power supplied to the heaters of the second group throughout a second time. After the second time has passed, the power supply to the heater of the first group is controlled again throughout the first time.
A drawback of the control unit according to EP 0987605 is that the temperature of the objects heated by the heaters of either group fluctuates considerably during time if they contain less thermal mass, since the controller is based on a hysteresis control principle. When the known controller is incorporated in an ink jet printing system, this may lead to inconsistent print results in time. Relatively large fluctuations of the temperature of the ink have a particularly negative impact on print results. Furthermore, the heaters have to be divided in fixed groups. Therefore, the proposed algorithm dynamically allocates power to the heaters.

Method and control unit for controlling the power supplied to a plurality of heat sources in a printer


Automated objective crosslink time and crosslink temperature determinations are provided in a method of testing for chemical crosslinking of a fluid. A fluid having a crosslinking agent is placed in a vessel and a paddle is rotated through the fluid in the vessel at substantially a constant rotational speed. A paddle torque parameter is sensed at sequential times and digital signals are encoded to define digital torque data representing values of the sensed torque parameter. In response to stored digital torque data and digital time data, a baseline torque parameter value and a change in the digital torque data representing increasing torque of the paddle are determined. In response to the baseline torque parameter value and the change in the digital torque data, a crosslink time for the fluid is determined. A crosslink temperature can also be determined. This is determined in response to the crosslink time and stored digital temperature data that has been obtained at sequential times.

This invention relates to methods for testing fluids that have one or more crosslinking agents in them. More particularly, the invention provides a method by which crosslink time, and preferably crosslink temperature as well, can be determined in a manner contemplated to standardize the testing of crosslinked fluids.
In the process of stimulating oil and gas wells, various fluids are used, such as solutions of high molecular weight oil or water soluble polymers. Some of these include particulate material, such as sand. The viscosity of these fluids can be increased by a chemical process known as crosslinking. Crosslinking occurs by introducing into the fluid an ionic agent (the crosslinking agent, or crosslinker), such as transition metal or borate ions. The crosslinker bonds polymer molecules in the primary fluid together, thereby increasing the polymer molecular weight and therefore increasing the viscosity of the resulting mixture. The onset of this phenomenon is monitored and controlled during various types of stimulation treatments to help provide a fluid that will perform as desired after time lapse or temperature change or both.
One critical parameter that needs to be determined for a crosslinked fluid is crosslink time. The elapsed time from crosslinker addition and/or temperature change to the onset of crosslinking is defined as crosslink time. A knowledge of crosslink time is important for a number of reasons. For example, consistent crosslink time measurements throughout a treatment are an indication that operating conditions such as fluid pH, crosslinker addition rate, and crosslinker composition are being controlled in a satisfactory manner. In addition to verification of quality control, crosslink time can have a significant effect on both downhole and surface treating conditions. It is generally desirable to have the onset of crosslinking occur downhole just upstream of the perforations. Increased viscosity from crosslinking helps to transport particulates through the perforations and into the fracture. If the onset of crosslinking occurs shortly after the fluid enters the treating string, increased viscosity from crosslinking will increase surface treating pressure and hence increase the power requirements for Completion of the treatment. Although crosslink time can be shown to be important there has not been a standardized method of determining crosslink time such that crosslink time can be accurately and consistently defined and such that various crosslinked fluids can be compared with each other.
In the prevalent crosslink test method that has been used to determine crosslink time, an operator places a small sample of the fluid in a cup in a heated bath, stirs the sample, visually observes a thickening of the fluid, and performs a subjective "lip" test. This lip test includes removing the cup from the heated bath, tilting the cup until the fluid starts to flow over the lip of the cup, and then righting the cup. If the partially overflamed portion of fluid draws back into the cup when it is righted, the crosslinking is considered to have occurred and the time is noted.
Crosslink temperature is another important parameter that is typically determined with the crosslink time. In the "lip" test method the temperature of the heated water bath is set to provide uniform heating from the starting temperature of the fluid to the well perforation temperature over a time period equal to the fluid transport time down the treatment string. If crosslinking is observed before the perforation temperature is reached, the temperature of the sample at the crosslink time is recorded as the crosslink temperature. If the perforation temperature is reached before the sample crosslinks, the sample is removed from the heated bath and maintained at the perforation temperature for the duration of the test.
To obtain the aforementioned benefits of standardized crosslink testing, there is the need for an automated objective method of testing for crosslinking of a fluid whereby crosslink time and preferably crosslink temperature as well can be objectively determined.


A data reproducing apparatus for reproducing information recorded in at least one track formed on a recording medium. The data reproducing apparatus includes at least one track number reading device for reading out the track number of at least one track formed on the recording medium; a designating controlling device for specifying a track having a track number which cannot be read out from among the track numbers of tracks which can be read out, and for designating an information reading starting position on the track; and a data reading device for reading out information on at least one track on the basis of the information reading starting position on the track designated by the designating controlling device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data reproducing apparatus for reading information out of a plurality of tracks of a recording medium.
2. Related Art and Prior Art Statement
Conventional recording media are floppy discs and hard discs which record and reproduce data by using magnetism and optical discs and optical cards which record and reproduce data by using light and they can record large volumes of data. On these recording media, the data are properly divided in response to the lengths of the tracks and are recorded as pit rows along the tracks. For example, the respective tracks are formed adjacently in parallel. Also, in the optical discs, for example, the tracks are Spirally formed and therefore the respective tracks are peripherally formed in parallel. Each track has a data region in which a track number is recorded and, after this track number, data are recorded.
Now, in the case of reproducing the data recorded on the above mentioned recording media, as it is general that the tracks on the recording media are read in one by one and the data are reproduced, a plurality of adjacent tracks will be simultaneously read in and the data will be able to be reproduced.
Usually, in the data reproducing apparatus, in the case of reading data, a seeking operation will be made. In this seeking operation, a reading head is moved toward an objective track, then, while rotating (in the case of a disc-like medium) or reciprocating (in the case of a card-like medium) the medium, focusing or tracking is made, the read signal of "0" or "1" of the information recorded on the recording medium is binary value generated, the binary value generated reproduced signal is demodulated and the track number of the above mentioned track is thereby read in and confirmed. When the seeking operation is completed and this track is the objective track, the data of this track will be read. In case it is not the objective track, seeking will be made anew. In case the objective track number can not be read in as a result of making a provided number of seeks, for example, due to a flaw or dirt on the medium, a seeking error will be made and the data also will not be able to be read. In such case, even if there is no error in the data, the reading will be also impossible.
The case of simultaneously reading in a plurality of tracks is also the same. When a plurality of tracks are simultaneously read and an operation of independently reading in all the tracks is made, in case the track number can not be read in, the data of this track also will not be able to be read in. For example, as mentioned in the publication of Japanese patent application laid open No.141932/1990, there is disclosed an apparatus for reading in data by simultaneously radiating light spots to a plurality of tracks. In this apparatus, it is into one track part that the read signal is instantaneously read and the data of the rest of the tracks are recorded in a memory.
Therefore, when the track number of the track instantaneously read in can not be read, the objective reproducing position will not be able to be guaranteed, a seeking error will be made and it will not be permitted to read in the data.
As described above, in the conventional data reproducing apparatus of a system of reading in one track, there is a defect that, in case the track number of the moving end can not be read out due to a flaw or dirt on the recording medium, the data also will not be able to be read. Also, as in the apparatus mentioned in the above mentioned publication, even if the system of simultaneously reading in a plurality of tracks is adopted, if the track number of the track instantaneously read in can not be read, after all the data will not be able to be read in. This fact leaves a space to be improved.

Apparatus for reproducing data from a track whose track number cannot be read


Surface irregularities are removed from the inner wall of a femur cavity, preferably tapered. A tamp having an opening and a socket is disposed in the cavity. The tamp may be one of a plurality of tamps each having a different length for the opening. A guide, one of a plurality, fits snugly in the opening. The guide has a collar which cooperates with the tamp socket to limit the movement of the guide into the tamp. A working portion of each guide below the intermediate position has a bulbous shape which is tapered in accordance with the femur taper. Bone fragments between the guide working portion and the femur inner wall are packed against the inner wall when the tamp and the guide are driven into the femur cavity. Numerals on the guide adjacent a slot in the tamp indicate the disposition of the guide in the tamp. Guides with working portions of progressively increasing lengths are disposed sequentially in progressive ones of the tamps to pack fragments at an increasing height in the femur cavity against the cavity inner wall. When the last one of the tamps and the last one of the guides have been removed from the cavity, a prosthesis having dimensions slightly less than the femur cavity dimensions is disposed in the cavity. A binder disposed in the cavity in the space between the inner wall of the femur cavity and the prosthesis binds the prosthesis to the femur. In one embodiment, the tamp socket is an opening and the guide collar fits into the tamp opening to limit the movement of the guide into the tamp. In a modification, the tamp socket is disposed in a press fit on the guide collar to limit the movement of the guide into the tamp.

This invention relates to apparatus for, and methods of, providing a hip prosthesis. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for, and methods of, providing a hip prosthesis with optimal stability over extended periods of time.
Failure of femoral components is a recognized concern. Such hip failures have occurred for a number of different reasons. For example, individuals have suffered hip failures from awkward falls and particularly falls as a result of advancing age. Until relatively recently, individuals suffering hip failures have often been unable to walk and have often been confined to wheelchairs.
In recent years, apparatus has been developed, and techniques have been developed and refined, for implanting hip prostheses. Such apparatus and techniques have involved the insertion of a prosthesis in a cavity in a patient""s femur and the bonding of the prosthesis to the femur. To improve bone quality and long term prosthesis fixation, bone particles have been inserted into the cavity and a binder has been disposed between the particles and the prosthesis in an attempt to unify them.
The hip prostheses of the prior art have been far from uniformly successful. For example, as many as ten percent (10%) of the hip prostheses have had to be repeated more than once because previous prostheses have not been successful. The failures in the hip prostheses have occurred for various reasons. One primary reason has been that the bone fragments have not been tightly packed in the femur cavity which receives the prosthesis. This has created voids in the cavity. The voids cause the bone cement to be unsupported and to crack when a force is exerted by the patient on the prosthesis as by standing, walking or running.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,283 issued to Robin J. M. Ling, Graham A. Gie, W. E. Michael Mikhail, James M. Elting and Tom J. J. II. Sloof on Mar. 9, 1993, for a xe2x80x9cSystem For Performing Hip Prosthesis Revision Surgeryxe2x80x9d is typical of the recent prior art. It involves problems which have caused failures in hip prostheses. One problem has been that the bone fragments have not been tightly packed in the cavity in the femur. This has created voids which constitute positions of weakness where failures in the prostheses have occurred.
Apparatus for, and methods of, preparing hip prosthesis implantation overcome the difficulties indicated above by packing the bone fragments tightly and substantially uniformly in a cavity in a patient""s femur. Such apparatus and methods have been disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,172 issued to me on Jan. 8, 1999, for xe2x80x9cApparatus For, and Method of, Preparing Hip Prosthesis Implantation.xe2x80x9d The apparatus and methods disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,172 then cause the bone fragments to become bonded to one another and to the femur when a binder is disposed between the prosthesis and the bone fragments close to the femur. As a result, forces applied to the femur become distributed substantially uniformly throughout the femur, the prosthesis and the bone fragments. Since these forces are substantially uniformly distributed throughout the femur cavity, the forces at such positions will be below those which produce failures in the prosthesis.
In one embodiment of the invention disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,172, each tamp in a sequence has a collar at a progressively increased distance from the bottom of a cavity in a femur relative to other tamps in the sequence. The collar on each tamp has progressively increased dimensions relative to collars on other tamps to provide a snug fit of such collar against inner walls defining the femur cavity. Bone particles are also disposed in such cavity.
After the insertion of each tamp into the cavity, such tamp is driven into the cavity to pack the bone fragments in the cavity against one another, the collar and the femur inner walls. Such tamp is then removed from the cavity and the next tamp in the sequence is inserted, and driven, into the cavity. The distance for driving each tamp into the cavity may be defined by a coincidence between a marking on such tamp and the top of the femur.
When the last tamp in the sequence is removed from the cavity, the prosthesis is inserted into the cavity. The cavity is then filled with a binder which permeates the space between the bone particles through only a limited distance because of the tight packing of the bone particles. The prosthesis is slightly narrower than the last tamp so that a thin layer of the binder is formed between the prosthesis and the bone fragments. The binder hardens against the prosthesis and the bone particles to retain the prosthesis fixedly in the cavity.
This invention provides an improvement over the apparatus and method disclosed and claimed in the ""172 patent. The apparatus and method of this invention provide for an enhanced centralizing of the prosthesis in the femur cavity in which the prosthesis is disposed. In this way, the ability of the femur to withstand forces applied to the femur is enhanced. This substantially increases the time in which the prosthesis remains substantially implanted in the femur.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, surface irregularities are removed from the inner wall of a femur cavity, preferably tapered. A tamp having an opening and a socket (with a particular configuration at the bottom end of the opening) is disposed in the femur cavity. The tamp may be one of a plurality of tamps each having a different length for the opening.
A guide, one of a plurality, disposed in the tamp opening has the particular configuration at an intermediate position to fits snugly in the opening. The guide has a collar which cooperates with the tamp socket to limit the movement of the guide into the tamp. A working portion of each guide below the collar has a bulbous shape which is tapered in accordance with the femur taper. Bone fragments between the guide working portion and the femur inner wall are packed against the inner wall when the tamp, and the guide movable with the tamp, are driven into the femur cavity. Numerals on the guide adjacent a slot in the tamp indicate the disposition of the guide in the tamp. Guides with working portions of progressively increasing lengths are disposed sequentially in progressive ones of the tamps to pack bone fragments at progressively increasing heights in the femur cavity against the cavity inner wall.
When the last one of the tamps and the last one of the guides have been removed from the cavity, a prosthesis having dimensions slightly less than the femur cavity dimensions is disposed in the cavity. A binder disposed in the cavity in the space between the inner wall of the femur cavity and the prosthesis binds the prosthesis to the femur.
In one embodiment, the tamp socket is an opening and the guide collar fits into the tamp opening to limit the movement of the guide into the tamp. In a modification, the tamp socket is disposed in a press fit on the guide collar to limit the movement of the guide into the tamp.

Apparatus for, and method of, providing hip prosthesis implantation


A mechanical point locator and distance divider provides for quick and reliable division of a distance into an integral fraction of the distance, being useful for drafting, with maps or charts, in the construction industry and around the home. Leading and trailing indicators are slidably mounted on a base or housing, and a cord and pulleys appropriately interconnect them to cause the trailing indicator to move at a speed and for a distance which are an integral fraction of the speed and distance the leading indicator is moved by the operator. Provision is made for assuring the return of the trailing indicator according to the same desired relationship with respect to the return of the leading indicator. Half-point and third-point locators are specifically described, but the principles of the invention enable the provision of any fractional point locator wherein the distance desired to be located is an integral fraction of a distance to which the device is applied.

The invention relates generally to measuring devices, and more particularly a highly accurate device for mechanically locating a point which is at a desired fraction of the distance between two other points. It has many applications, such as in the construction industry, the drafting art, and around the home. Only two of several possible embodiments are needed to provide for a useful range of desired fractions.
Heretofore, when attempting to accurately measure half or one-third of the distance between two points it has been necessary first to measure the distance between the points, second to calculate the length of the desired fraction, and third to measure and mark that distance. Sometimes a caliper or micrometer has been used in conjunction with such measurements and calculators. In addition to being time consuming, a certain degree of error usually is inherent in such manual operations.
Another method of measuring desired fractions has been to traverse the distance with, for example, a rope, then fold the rope into halves or thirds, lay it along the original line and mark the desired point where the end of the fold falls. The inherent inaccuracy and time consumption of such a process is obvious.
The prior art does not provide an easily used, highly accurate device for locating the midpoint or one-third point of a desired distance. Devices such as rulers, calipers, micrometers, and measuring lines require a manual interaction, some calculation and probable inaccuracy. Remotely related solutions are found in the drapery art and in the hyperbolic position locator art.
Certain devices, as illustrated by U.S. Patents to Goudsmit, U.S. Pat. No. 2,562,664, and Johnson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,591,074, employ strings and pulleys to determine location as a function of the time it takes a radio signal to travel from a transmitting vessel to several receiving stations. The indicators are attached to moveable arms in a common plane, representing the receiving station, and are designed to vary distance in a hyperbolic function so that the intersection of the plotted lines indicates the position of the transmitter.
A more closely related technology is shown in Yaworsky and Morantz (U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,998,659 and 3,541,692) which teach the design of pleater gauges. These are used to determine where to put the pleats in a drapery composed of a number of pieces of material to be sewn together. The devices entail a series of indicator elements attached to each other and to a lead element by a series of lines. In Yaworsky different sized pulleys are used to provide for simultaneous differential expansion. By setting the complex mechanism of the gauge for the total width to be covered and for the number of pieces of materials being combined, the markers would be drawn out symetrically across the material showing where the pleats are to be located. Such devices are far more complex and serve a different function than the device of the present invention. Moreover, none of them teaches the novel arrangement of indicators and cord paths of the invention.
None of the prior art teaches a simple, compact and easy-to-use device for mechanically determining halves, thirds, and related fractions with a high degree of accuracy.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device for readily indicating the location of a desired fraction of a total distance with a high degree of accuracy.
Another aspect of the invention provides a point locator device having a leading and a trailing indicator connected by a single line which passes over a number of pulleys so that the trailing indicator will be accurately drawn a desired fraction of the distance which the leading indicator is drawn, in the same direction.
A further aspect of the invention is the provision of a device which may be used with a high degree of accuracy and which retains that accuracy despite continued use, being resistant to forces applied to the indicators which would tend to alter this mechanical relationship between the indicators.


A method of fabricating templated semiconductor nanowires on a surface of a semiconductor substrate for use in semiconductor device applications is provided. The method includes controlling the spatial placement of the semiconductor nanowires by using an oxygen reactive seed material. The present invention also provides semiconductor structures including semiconductor nanowires. In yet another embodiment, patterning of a compound semiconductor substrate or other like substrate which is capable of forming a compound semiconductor alloy with an oxygen reactive element during a subsequent annealing step is provided. This embodiment provides a patterned substrate that can be used in various applications including, for example, in semiconductor device manufacturing, optoelectronic device manufacturing and solar cell device manufacturing.

In one embodiment, the present invention relates to semiconductor device manufacturing, and more particularly to a method of fabricating semiconductor nanowires on a surface of a semiconductor substrate in which the spatial placement of the semiconductor nanowires is controlled by using an oxygen reactive seed material. The present invention also provides semiconductor structures including semiconductor nanowires. In yet another embodiment, the present invention relates to patterning of a compound semiconductor substrate or other like substrate which is capable of forming a compound semiconductor alloy with an oxygen reactive element during a subsequent annealing step for providing a patterned substrate that can be used in various applications including, for example, in semiconductor device manufacturing, optoelectronic device manufacturing and solar cell device manufacturing.
A nanowire refers to a wire having a diameter from about 1 nm to about 1,000 nm. Implied in the use of the term "nanowire" is the assumption that the length of the nanowire is substantially greater than the diameter of the nanowire. Nanowires having a diameter at a low end of the range, i.e., a diameter from about 1 nm to about 100 nm, exhibit quantum mechanical properties, and are also called "quantum wires." A nanowire may comprise a metallic material, a semiconductor material, or an insulator material. Both organic nanowires, e.g., deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and inorganic nanowires are known in the art.
The ratio of the length of a nanowire to the diameter of the nanowire is referred to as an aspect ratio. Typical aspect ratios for nanowires range from 10 to 1,000,000. As such, one dimension, i.e., the length, of a nanowire may be considered to be virtually infinite for practical purposes, while the diameter of the nanowire determines predominant physical and chemical characteristics of the nanowire. Quantum mechanical properties of nanowires due to the limited dimension of the nanowire in the plane perpendicular to the length of the nanowire have been observed in many types of nanowires.
Devices employing semiconductor nanowires have been proposed in the art. One of the challenges in the manufacture of semiconductor devices employing semiconductor nanowires has been the difficulty in the patterning of the nanowires.
There are many known techniques for patterning semiconductor nanowires some of which are discussed in the publication to Hong J. Fan et al. entitled "Semiconductor Nanowires: From Self-Organization to Patterned Growth" Small 2006, 2, No. 6, 700-717. The techniques disclosed in the aforementioned publication employ materials which do not easily react with oxygen in templating the growth of the nanowires. Moreover, many of the materials discussed in the above publication like gold (Au) have detrimental effects on the electrical and/or optical characteristics of the nanowires that are grown.
It has been proven difficult to grow semiconductor nanowires with materials that are more compatible like aluminum (Al). The main difficulty is attributed to the fact that these materials react with oxygen which suppresses their ability to seed the growth of nanowires.

Nanoscale chemical templating with oxygen reactive materials

International Business Machines Corporation

King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology


The disclosed computer-implemented method for detecting malicious processes that encrypt files may include (i) identifying a backup file created by a backup process on the computing device, (ii) detecting an attempt to alter the backup file by a process that is not the backup process, (iii) determining, based at least in part on the attempt to alter the backup file being made by the process that is not the backup process, that the process is a malicious process designed to encrypt files on the computing device so that a legitimate owner of the files cannot access the files, and (iv) performing a security action in response to determining that the process is malicious. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

The variety of malware on the Internet is ever-growing. One such variant of malware is ransomware, which attempts to encrypt important files on a user's computing system and then holds the encrypted files for ransom. If the user does not pay the ransom, the important files remain encrypted and may be impossible for the user to access. Unfortunately, the encryption of important files may result in data loss and/or may compromise functionality on the computing system. In addition, paying the ransom can also introduce other problems since the malicious developers will then have access to the user's payment information.
Traditional security systems are often designed to prevent malware from being inadvertently installed by a user, but may have no means of detecting or removing malware once it has been installed. In particular, traditional security systems that are designed to detect viruses, Trojans, keyloggers, and other threats that create new files or monitor user input but do not make changes to existing files may not be able to detect ransomware at all. Moreover, even if a traditional security system is able to remove installed ransomware, it may be too late since the user's files have already been encrypted and the damage has been done. Early detection is crucial for limiting the ability of ransomware to interfere with a user's computing device. The instant disclosure, therefore, identifies and addresses a need for systems and methods for detecting malicious processes that encrypt files.

Systems and methods for detecting malicious processes that encrypt files


An imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes: an imaging unit configured to acquire captured image data; and a control unit configured to sequentially display, in response to a first user operation, a predetermined number of captured image data obtained by imaging after a timing at which the first user operation has been performed, in an order starting from the newest imaging time of the captured image data on a display unit.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and a control method thereof.
Description of the Related Art
A selective imaging mode of selecting one captured image data among a predetermined number of captured image data (a predetermined number of still images) obtained by imaging is known as an imaging mode of an imaging apparatus. A conventional technique related to the selective imaging mode is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-110562, for example. In the selective imaging mode disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-110562, a predetermined number of captured image data are obtained by imaging (continuous shooting) in a period in which a release button is half-pressed, and the obtained predetermined number of captured image data are temporarily stored in a transitory storage memory. Subsequently, a predetermined number of captured image data are sequentially read from the transitory storage memory in an order starting from the oldest imaging time of the captured image data, and the read captured image data are displayed on a screen. In a case where a display process of displaying the predetermined number of captured image data sequentially on the screen is completed, the display process is performed again. Moreover, in a case where the release button is fully pressed in a period in which the predetermined number of captured image data are sequentially displayed on the screen, the captured image data displayed on the screen is recorded in a storage unit at the timing at which the release button is fully pressed. The storage unit stores the captured image data permanently.

Imaging apparatus and control method thereof


The present invention relates to a pants type apparel such as shorts, trousers or the like comprised of front and rear fabric panels that are closed about the crotch and inner leg area by a seamless panel that is referred to as a crotch-inner leg panel. Since the crotch-inner leg panel is seamless, the pants type apparel forms a very comfortable garment about the crotch and inner leg area that is particularly suited for athletic wear.

Typically pants, such as trousers, slacks and the like are designed such that the crotch and inner leg areas are provided with seams. Sometimes the cut of the pants type apparel is such that the crotch seam and even the upper leg seams are pulled close to the body of the wearer which makes for a relatively tight and binding fit about the crotch and the upper leg areas. This can result in an uncomfortable and binding fit even for ordinary use.
Greater discomfort, however, is realized when such pants type apparel are worn by individuals when active in sporting and outdoor activities. In such cases, the wearer may not be provided with ample freedom to move in the area of the crotch and inner legs, and this can result in the seams within the crotch and inner leg areas binding the individual's body adjacent the seams.
The problem is much more pronounced when the wearer is engaged in an activity such as bicycling, for example. It is not uncommon for a bicyclist to incur burns about inner leg areas after a substantial time of bike riding due to the fact that the inner leg seams continuously move about inner leg portions of the individual.
Therefore, there is a real need for a pants type apparel that does not bind, inhibit, and irritate the wearer's body in the crotch and inner leg areas as occurs with conventional crotch and inner leg seam designs, and which further enables the wearer's body to move unencumbered and unrestricted almost as if his or her body were unclothed.

Pants like apparel having seamless crotch-inner panel