The present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus and method and decoding apparatus. The image processing apparatus may comprises a receiver for receiving an image and an image processor for dividing the image into a plurality of regions, and performing filtering by iteratively applying at least one filter to each of the plurality of regions in the image, wherein the at least one filter comprises an asymmetric filter that uses an asymmetric filtering window having height and width in different size.

1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to an image processing apparatus and method, and decoding apparatus.
2. Discussion of Related Art
An image processing apparatus refers to a device that is able to perform image processing on all or part of image data of an image. Image processing may include performing expansion, reduction, rotation, or color correction of an image, matching a plurality of image data, adjusting video level or chroma level, or acquiring new image data by processing image data, such as dividing some of the image data.
Display devices are types of output devices for displaying obtained or stored electrical information by converting the electrical information to visual information, and are used in various home or business applications. The display device may perform certain image processing on a received, input, or stored image, and display the resultant image for the user, in which respect it may also be considered as a type of image processing apparatus. There may be various kinds of display devices or other various audio/video systems used to reproduce images such as advertisements or films, such as monitor devices connected to personal computers (PCs) or server computers, portable computer systems, Global Positioning System (GPS) terminals, general television sets, Internet protocol television (IPTV), portable terminals, e.g., smart phones, tablet PCs, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and cellular phones, billboards, etc.

Image processing apparatus and method, and decoding apparatus


A method of labeling reusable containers is disclosed. A placard having a release coating on one side is adhesively secured to the container. The placard is transparent with instructional printing applied to one surface. Pressure-sensitive labels are placed on the exposed surface of the placard. The labels contain indicia relating to the status of the container. When the status of the container changes, the label is removed and a new label is substituted on the placard.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of labeling reusable containers, and more particularly, a method which provides a reusable surface for pressure-sensitive adhesive labels.
2. Description of Related Art
Reusable containers often require a labeling system to identify the contents and status of each container. The label provides information such as the origin and destination of the contents, batch number, part number, serial number, quantity, and description.
In one proposed labeling system, a transparent envelope is secured to the container. A label is placed inside the envelope where it can be viewed. When the status of the container changes such as when its content is changed, a new label is substituted in the envelope. Often times, bar codes are printed on the labels. A transparent envelope will sometimes interfere with proper scanning of the bar code. This is particularly true where, after time, the transparent envelope becomes stained or dusty. Also, the transparent envelopes are sometimes bulky and subject to tearing and catching on objects.

Label systems for reusable containers and the like


A method for determining a position of a wireless electronic device within a volume includes detecting a signal transmitted by the wireless device during two-way communication to and from a first known position within the volume. The method further includes detecting the signal from at least three additional known positions within the volume, where the at least three additional known positions are spatially independent of each other. The method further includes determining a phase difference between the signal detected at the first position and the signal detected at each of the at least three additional positions, determining the position of the wireless electronic device using the phase differences, and at least one of displaying and storing the position of the wireless electronic device.

The ability to measure the position of a mobile electronic device opens up a wide range of new applications. Applications that depend on location include location-based services, location-based advertising, context-aware computing, enhanced position determination (e.g., global positioning system—"GPS"), enhanced "911" and similar emergency response services, asset tracking and real-time location services, autonomous robotic systems, advanced man-machine interfaces, and assistive technologies for the disabled.
The availability of mobile electronic technology has substantially increased over the past decade. Cell phones, for example, have essentially saturated the market in the most developed countries. The proliferation of cell phones has introduced problems in the delivery of emergency services such as responding to "911" emergency calls due to the fact that cell phones are difficult to locate geodetically with sufficient accuracy. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") has mandated that enhanced 911 services be supported by the cellular telephone infrastructure, but the providers of cell phone services are limited by the technology capability of their networks, and are presently able to locate individual cell phones to within a range of about 50-300 meters of the actual phone location. In a dense urban environment, such precision is insufficient to properly locate a 911 caller. Despite the crude precision of the cell phone positioning, social networking has emerged as a new location-based service delivering revenue for the cell phone service providers.
The commercialization of the United States Armed Services GPS allowed this infrastructure to support the positioning of mobile electronic devices by calculating the distance between the device and at least four low earth orbit satellites in the constellation of GPS satellites. The emergence of handheld GPS receivers created applications for GPS location services. The key limitation of GPS is that it is unable to deliver position information inside buildings. Enhanced GPS has emerged as a new technology direction as innovators seek to extend the functionality of GPS to the indoors. This has created the need for new infrastructure known as indoor, or in-building, positioning systems.
In the Enterprise Resource Planning sector, a technology known as Radio Frequency Identification, or RFID, has become an essential part of supply chain management systems that promote the tracking of inventory and assets in the business. The idea behind RFID is that relatively cheap, "smart" tags are used to identify goods and/or assets and a sophisticated RFID system is used to locate and identify the smart tags for tracking purposes. For many companies, location-aware technology is conferring competitive advantage in the marketplace.
One of the newest markets for location aware services is in the area of online advertising. Companies such as Google, Inc., Yahoo, Inc. and Microsoft, Inc. are aggressively competing in this field. By introducing information concerning target recipient location into online advertising, the value of an online ad can be greatly increased. Location based advertising promises to become the next front in the battle for online advertising market share.
Context aware computing is yet another technology that has been promoted by the large computing manufacturers and stimulated a great deal of R&D in computer science, engineering, and industry. As computing becomes increasingly mobile, the day will come when all computing will become location aware.
Market analysts have been predicting that location based services will be a multi-billion dollar market, but the timing of this prediction has been problematic. The problem is that, as technology becomes increasingly pervasive, consumers are becoming more aware and concerned about issues such as privacy. If there is any piece of personal information that would be viewed by the consumer as sensitive, the ability of an all-pervasive technology to track an individual's position would rank near the top of the list of concerns.
Contemporary suppliers of location based services have a wide range of technology on which such services are based. Positioning technologies use detectors based on light or sound. Technologies using light include optical detectors, radio frequency detectors, and infrared detectors, which are all special cases using the electromagnetic spectrum. Sound waves can also be used with systems using ultrasound at frequencies outside the range of human hearing above 20 KHz.
Technology suppliers have been attempting to enable improved context-aware computing by improving the resolution of location measurement systems. The state-of-the-art at present seems to be location resolution in the range of 1-10 meters. Expensive systems are available that can locate to fractions of a centimeter, but such systems cannot be deployed as part of a more pervasive location aware infrastructure.
In addition to the technology used (light or sound), there is also the methodology employed to determine position that determines the effectiveness of the method. Two methods of determining position common in the present market are time (or time difference) of arrival techniques ("TOA" and "TDOA") and received signal strength indication ("RSSI"). TOA and TDOA allow calculating the position of a mobile electronic device by measuring the range from a transmitter to a multiplicity of receivers using timing electronics and knowledge of the speed of electromagnetic energy (or sound) through air. By determining the range between the transmitter and at least three independently positioned receivers, the three dimensional position may be calculated using trilateration. In the more general problem of locating a mobile device, GPS uses multilateration to calculate the position of a mobile GPS receiver. Four satellites are needed because there are 4 unknowns in the GPS problem, three values for the position (X, Y, Z) and one value for time.
For indoor position determination, TDOA systems require a multitude of receivers scattered through the surveillance volume. The cost of such systems is relatively higher as at least three receivers must be within range of the client device (the device to be located) and such receivers need to be networked together, independently powered, individually calibrated, etc. Deploying such infrastructure is cumbersome because overhead costs scale with respect to the number of receivers.
Another positioning system that is being deployed uses RSSI. Technologies such as Wireless Local Area Networks ("WLAN" or "WiFi") and Bluetooth have RSSI built in. The idea is that the proximity of a client device to a WLAN device can be inferred from signal strength of radio transmissions between the client and WLAN device. Using complex algorithms and learning networks, the rough position of the client can be inferred. The advantage of such systems is that the coverage of existing WLAN and WiFi network hubs is quite high and the incremental cost of implementing a positioning system on RSSI is very low. The disadvantage is that it doesn't make much sense to increase WLAN penetration beyond what is needed to provide basic connectivity. The accuracy of RSSI is not much better than 10 meters, or "room level."
The ubiquity of location servers will be limited until the cost of individual location servers becomes as cheap as other mass market consumer devices. Further, it is not only the cost of the location servers that must be taken into account. The cost of implementing the corresponding client location hardware and software that will limit the adoption rate of this technology must also be considered. Issues such as the cost of deploying the location aware infrastructure, the cost of maintaining and calibrating the infrastructure and the delivery of value-added services on that infrastructure will all play a role in the growth of this market.
However, it is evident that the present resolution of location aware devices is not sufficient to fully enable or deliver the promise of context aware computing. A breakthrough technology is required with a resolution that is an order of magnitude better than the current state of the art. One such technology that is being positioned as potentially delivering new levels of accuracy is Ultra-Wideband ("UWB"), which promises resolutions of order 15 cm-1 m with a multiplicity of receivers approach. Basically, the UWB system uses very narrow pulses to increase the resolving power of the TOA/TDOA approach. In order to shape a very narrow pulse, very large bandwidth is required.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0199534 A1 (Location System for Bluetooth Enabled Devices) by Smith describes a method, apparatus and system for tracking and locating Bluetooth enabled devices. In this application, a network of Bluetooth sniffers is used to locate "lost" devices and their owners. A "parent" device independently monitors received signal strength between itself and a "child" device. When the signal strength of the child drops below a certain level, the child is deemed by the parent to be lost and an alert is issued to the sniffer network by the parent. Upon receipt of the alert, the sniffer network is then engaged to locate the child device through paging for the child device throughout a network of Bluetooth capable sniffer devices. The location is determined by proximity to a particular sniffer device at a known location. The method of the Smith '534 publication provides room level resolution in locating a child device which is adequate for this "lost and found" application. The methodology used uses RSSI (received signal strength indication) as the underlying technology.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,819,286 B2 (Location Determination For Mobile Units) issued to Armbruster et al. describes a method for location determination using Bluetooth techniques within buildings, underground or within other structures. The method disclosed in the '286 patent uses a multiplicity of subsidiary units arranged in a geometric pattern within the surveillance volume. A minimum of three subsidiary units are needed to measure the range to a mobile device to determine its position through trilateration techniques. This method is essentially the time delay of arrival method and relies on timing circuits for its implementation. In addition, the subsidiary units are each independently deployed through the surveillance volume and must be individually powered and networked together. The overall accuracy of the method is strongly dependent on the latencies of communications between the mobile unit and each of the subsidiary units.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,038 B2 (Intra-Piconet Location Determination and Tomography) issued to Callaway et al. describes a novel technique for intra-piconet location determination and tomography using received signal strength indication (RSSI). In this invention, the range between two piconet devices is determined by analyzing the destructive interference between direct and reflected wavepaths. By examining the RSSI versus carrier-frequency curve and determining the frequency separation of the nulls, the range may be determined. In principle, the method is capable of determining the range with an accuracy between 2.62 cm and 1 meter. When the position of a reflector is located at the origin, a system of equations describing the relative ranges between devices in the piconet can be solved to determine the positions of each device. In two dimensions, range measurements between a minimum of five devices are needed for solution while, in three dimensions, seven independent range measurements are needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,717,516 (Hybrid Bluetooth/RFID Based Real Time Location Tracking) issued to Bridgelall describes a hybrid device that allows RFID tags to be identified and located using Bluetooth technology. A plurality of fixed devices is distributed over an area containing the items to be tracked. The fixed devices are operated as RFID readers to identify and locate items having RFID tags. The fixed devices are preferably distributed at distances corresponding to twice the range of the devices when operated as RFID readers. The location of the RFID tag is inferred by several methods. The first method cited is locating a mobile slave device to within a piconet cell by determining which of the fixed devices is associated with the slave device. The resolution of this method is 30 feet (10 meters), equal to the maximum range of a Class 2 Bluetooth device. A second method is described whereby the Bluetooth cell size is adjusted to equal the range of the RFID passive tag reading capability, which has a resolution of 12-15 feet (anticipated to increase in the future with advancing technology). Finally, in a particularly preferred example, range may be determined from the phase of the response signals and the phase may be determined at a plurality of frequencies to resolve phase ambiguities. The problem of locating the position of a mobile device is addressed through defining a directional antenna beam pattern to limit the RFID tag exposure to a narrow cone angle. By changing the beam direction through electronic or mechanical beam steering the angular position of the RFID tag may be determined.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0180640 (Location Estimation in Narrow Bandwith Wireless Communications Systems) by Gilkes et al. uses the phase difference between a known stable reference signal and a known signal output by a plurality of wireless mobile communications devices (location markers) at several known locations to determine the location of a mobile wireless communications device transmitting in the ISM radio band. The phase of the 1 MHz signal transmitted by the mobile device allows the phase difference to be detected within the location estimation environment within 300 meters (the wavelength of the 1 MHz signal). The location markers measure the phase difference between the embedded signal (the 1 MHz bitstream output by the Bluetooth radio) and a 1 MHz sine wave frequency reference signal that is produced at a fixed location by a stationary reference oscillator and is distributed to the location markers by coaxial cable, modified Ethernet or latency-free wireless means. A system calibration procedure is required to determine a phase delay parameter that measures the propagation delay between the reference source and each location marker. A 1 MHz phase comparator measures phase to 0.001 cycles (6.2832 milliradians), yielding 30 cm resolution (11.8 inches) in the range measured between the location marker and the mobile device. The location solution processor uses information from at least 4 non-coplanar location markers and solves simultaneous equations derived from the Cartesian coordinates of the location markers and the differences between the relative times of arrival reported by the location markers.

Method and system for determining position of a wireless electronic device within a volume


A method of fabricating a non-volatile memory device having a charge trapping layer includes forming a tunneling layer, a charge trapping layer, a blocking layer and a control gate electrode layer over a substrate, forming a mask layer pattern on the control gate electrode layer, performing an etching process using the mask layer pattern as an etching mask to remove an exposed portion of the control gate electrode layer, wherein the etching process is performed as excessive etching to remove the charge trapping layer by a specified thickness, forming an insulating layer for blocking charges from moving on the control gate electrode layer and the mask layer pattern, performing anisotropic etching on the insulating layer to form an insulating layer pattern on a sidewall of the control gate electrode layer and a partial upper sidewall of the blocking layer, and performing an etching process on the blocking layer exposed by the anisotropic etching, wherein the etching process is performed as excessive etching to remove the charge trapping layer by a specified thickness.

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a non-volatile memory device, and more particularly to a method of fabricating a non-volatile memory device having a charge trapping layer.
Semiconductor memory devices used for storing data may be classified into volatile and non-volatile semiconductor memory devices. As power supply is stopped, volatile memory devices lose stored data, whereas non-volatile memory devices retain stored data. Accordingly, non-volatile memory devices are widely used when power cannot be continuously supplied or the use of low power is required as in portable telephone systems, memory cards for storing music and/or image data, and other appliances.
Cell transistors used in the non-volatile memory devices typically have a floating gate structure. The floating gate structure includes a gate insulating layer, a floating gate electrode, an insulating layer between gates, and a control gate electrode, which are sequentially stacked on a channel region of the cell transistor. However, severe interference phenomena are generated in the floating gate structure according to an increase in integration density. Accordingly, the floating gate structure poses a limit in increasing the integration density of the devices. Thus, recently, there is an increasing interest in a non-volatile memory device having a charge trapping layer in which interference phenomena are less generated as integration density increases.
The non-volatile memory device having a charge trapping layer generally has a structure in which a substrate having a channel region, a tunneling layer, a charge trapping layer, a blocking layer and a control gate electrode are sequentially stacked. As described above, the non-volatile memory device having a charge trapping layer can realize high integration density compared to the floating gate structure, but it has a drawback in that an erase operation speed is relatively low. The magnitude of a voltage applied to the control gate electrode in the erase operation should be increased to overcome the drawback. However, when a high voltage is applied to the control gate electrode in the erase operation, there may be a problem such as a backward tunneling phenomenon in which electrons in the control gate electrode pass through the blocking layer and enter into the charge trapping layer. Accordingly, a so-called Metal-Alumina-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon (MANOS) structure in which a high-k insulating layer such as an aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer is used as a blocking layer and a metal gate having a sufficiently large work function is used as a control gate electrode has been recently proposed to suppress generation of the backward tunneling phenomenon.
In order to form a MANOS device, first, a tunneling layer, a charge trapping layer, a blocking layer and a control gate electrode layer are sequentially stacked on a substrate. The tunneling layer may be formed of an oxide layer. The charge trapping layer may be formed of a nitride layer. The blocking layer may be formed of an alumina layer. The control gate electrode layer may be formed of a metal layer. Then, an etching process using a hard mask layer pattern is performed to etch an exposed portion of the control gate electrode layer and also etch the exposed blocking layer. In this case, generally, excessive etching is performed to sufficiently etch the blocking layer. Accordingly, the charge trapping layer is also etched by a specified thickness through the excessive etching. Then, after the exposed charge trapping layer and tunneling layer are etched, the hard mask layer pattern is removed.
However, while the excessive etching is performed on the blocking layer, etching damage caused by ion bombardment may be generated on exposed sidewalls of the blocking layer, the charge trapping layer and an exposed surface of the charge trapping layer. Furthermore, a conductive polymer containing etching by-products such as aluminum (Al) or nitrogen (N) may be attached to the exposed sidewall of the blocking layer. In this case, undesirable trap sites may be formed at a portion with the etching damage. When electrons or holes are trapped in the trap sites, leakage current may be easily generated. Furthermore, the conductive polymer attached to the exposed sidewall of the blocking layer may form a charge moving path, and charges in the charge trapping layer may move to the control gate electrode through the charge moving path. Accordingly, threshold voltage distribution characteristics and/or retention characteristics of the device may be degraded.

Method of fabricating non-volatile memory device having charge trapping layer


A MEMS device includes a fixed structure and suspended structure including an internal structure and a first arm and a second arm. Each arm has a first end fixed to the fixed structure and a second end fixed to the internal structure. The ends are angularly arranged at a distance apart. Piezoelectric actuators mounted to the arms are driven so as to cause deformation of the arm and produce a rotation of the internal structure. In a resting condition, each of the first and second arms has a respective elongated portion with a respective concavity. The internal structure extends in part within the concavities of the elongated portions of the first and second arms.

As is known, numerous MEMS devices are available today. For example, the so-called MEMS reflectors are known, which include mobile elements formed by mirrors.
In general, a MEMS reflector is designed to receive an optical beam and to vary the direction of propagation thereof, via its own mirror. Typically, the direction of propagation of the optical beam is varied in a periodic or quasi-periodic way so as to carry out scanning of a portion of space with the reflected optical beam.
Further known are MEMS reflectors of a resonant type. In general, a resonant MEMS reflector comprises an actuation system that causes oscillation of the respective mirror in a substantially periodic way around a resting position, the oscillation period being as close as possible to the resonance frequency of the mirror in order to maximize the angular distance covered by the mirror during each oscillation, and thus maximize the size of the portion of space scanned.
In order to improve the resolution with which the optical beam carries out scanning, there is felt the need to provide MEMS reflectors with mirrors having diameters greater than the ones available today, and with resonance frequencies higher than or equal to the ones available today. For this reason, driving systems are required that are able to apply greater forces on the mirrors. In this connection, generally the actuation systems implemented in MEMS reflectors are of an electrostatic or electromagnetic type.
In order to increase the force applied on the mirror, there have been proposed actuation systems of a piezoelectric type, as described for example in U. Baran, "Resonant PZT MEMS Scanner for High-Resolution Displays", Journal of Micro-electro-mechanical Systems, vol. 21, No. 6, pp. 1303-1310, 2012 (incorporated by reference). However, the solutions proposed are characterized by relatively large overall dimensions, and thus by high manufacturing costs.
There is a need to provide a MEMS device with piezoelectric actuation that will solve at least in part the drawbacks of the known art.

MEMS device with piezoelectric actuation, a projective MEMS system including the MEMS device and related control method


A variable displacement vane pump is provided. This pump includes a pump housing including, a driving shaft, a rotor, a plurality of vanes, a cam support surface, a cam ring, an intake port formed at the pump housing, a discharge port formed at the pump housing, and a cam ring control mechanism disposed at the pump housing and configured to control an eccentric amount of the cam ring with respect to the rotor. The cam support surface is formed in such a manner that a shortest distance between the cam support surface and a reference line decreases from a second confining region side toward a first confining region side, and the cam ring is formed in such a manner that a cam profile radius change rate decreases first and then increases again on the second confining region side when eccentric amount of the cam ring is maximized.

Conventionally, there have been known variable displacement vane pumps including vanes contained in slits of a rotor in such a manner that the vanes can be projected therefrom and inserted therein, and configured to change volumes of pump chambers defined among an inner circumferential surface of a cam ring, an outer circumferential surface of the rotor, and the vanes. Japanese Patent Application Public Disclosure No. 2012-87777 discusses one example relating to the above-described technique.

HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS STEERING, LTD.


To enhance and/or improve reliability in a method of forming a semiconductor device. An exemplary method of forming a semiconductor device forms a conductive part within a concave portion which is formed in a first surface of a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes an integrated circuit. The method also thins the substrate by removing a part of a second surface of the semiconductor substrate so as to make the conductive part penetrate from the first surface to the second surface, and cuts the semiconductor substrate into pieces. An electric property of the semiconductor substrate is inspected through the conductive part after the conductive part is formed.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
2. Description of Related Art
The related are includes a semiconductor device with three-dimensional mounting. Also, in accordance with the related art, a penetrating electrode is formed on a semiconductor substrate, and more than one semiconductor substrate is stacked-up, and then the penetrating electrode formed on a upper substrate and the penetrating electrode formed on a lower substrate are coupled. In a related art method, an inspection process checking an electric property of the semiconductor substrate is conducted before the penetrating electrode is formed. In the inspection process, since an end terminal of an inspection tool contacts with the electrode (an aluminum pad), a trace sometimes remains on the surface of the electrode. This decreases reliability in forming the penetrating electrode, and it can lead to a lower yield of the semiconductor device.
The related art also includes a device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-359347.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device


A modular plastic conveyor belt hingedly interconnected by hinge pins made of a highly oriented polymer material. The hinge pins are preferably extruded from a material including a highly oriented polymer, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or nylon. Alternative materials include highly oriented acetal or polyurethane. Plastic hinge pins made with these polymers having their long molecules oriented along the axis of the shaft of the hinge pin are exceptionally strong and resistant to deformation.

The invention relates to modular plastic conveyor belts and, more particularly, to hinge pins for connecting consecutive modular belt rows together, wherein the hinge pins are made of an oriented polymer material.
Because they do not corrode and are easy to maintain, modular plastic conveyor belts are widely used in many industries to convey articles. These belts, or chains, are typically constructed of a series of rows of one or more belt modules connected end to end into an endless conveyor belt. Each row includes spaced apart hinge elements at each end with apertures formed through them. The hinge elements along one end of a row are interleaved with the hinge elements along an end of an adjacent row. The apertures of the interleaved hinge elements are aligned and form a passageway. A hinge pin inserted in the passageway serves to connect the rows together and to allow them to pivot about the axis of the pin so that the belt can backflex or articulate about a drive sprocket. Hinge pins are typically molded or extruded of a thermoplastic material, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, acetal, or composite polymers.
As the belt moves, belt tension is borne not only by the modules but also by the hinge pins. Each row of belt modules pulls the trailing rows. This belt pull, or tension, is transmitted row to row through the hinge pins. With each row of interleaved hinge elements pulling in opposite directions, the hinge pin can, over time, deform, assuming a corrugated, or stepped, shape resembling a cam shaft. Cam-shafting of hinge pins causes problems.
One problem caused by cam-shafted hinge pins is scrubbing of the hinge pin against the walls of the apertures in the hinge elements. Because a cam-shafted hinge pin has a preferred orientation relative to its confining hinge elements, scrubbing and the consequent wear are concentrated on the same portions of the hinge pin's outer surface. This tends to accelerate the wear of the hinge pin.
A second problem caused by cam-shafted hinge pins is elongation of the belt. A cam-shafted hinge pin connecting two adjacent rows of belt modules allows the apertures of one row to move out of alignment with those of the adjacent row, effectively lengthening the pitch of the row and stretching the belt's overall length. Wallowing out of the apertures by scrubbing against the hinge pin adds to the belt-stretching problem. The increased length means more sag in the belt on the returnway, for which space must be allocated. The longer pitch of the belt can adversely affect engagement of the belt with fixed-pitch drive and idler sprockets. Poor sprocket engagement makes for a less uniform conveying speed and a bumpier ride. Accelerated wear of, and even damage to, the belt drive surfaces and the sprockets are other results of poor sprocket engagement. Conditions such as heavy loading and high temperatures can exacerbate these problems caused by cam-shafted hinge pins.
One way these problems have been addressed is through the use of larger diameter hinge pins for increased strength and less susceptibility to deformation. Another approach is to change the geometry of the modules to compensate for weak hinge pins. But these approaches often represent compromises that adversely affect other performance characteristics. For example, larger hinge pins require larger hinge-element apertures, which means that, with more material removed, the hinge element is inherently weaker.
Yet another approach is the use of stainless steel hinge pins, which are inherently stronger and stiffer and unlikely to deform as much as conventional plastic hinge pins. But steel hinge pins are heavy. The added weight increases the tensile load on the belt modules and may require larger drive motors. Furthermore, special pin retention schemes are often necessary to retain stainless steel hinge pins in belts.
Thus, there is a need for a modular plastic conveyor belt that does not stretch over time, especially in heavy-load applications.

Oriented polymer hinge pins in modular plastic conveyor belts


Image forming system for arranging a plurality of images onto a selected display medium. The image forming system provides capability to determine an optimized layout pattern for one or more sub-pages on a designated print medium. This system may be used to provide expanded N-UP printing capability.

One of the most important aspects of a modern computer is the ability to create, visually display, store and print documents containing textual or graphical information. In order to print a document, some sort of printing device (printer) under the control of the computer is used to generate a permanent image of the document on a designated print medium.
To print a document that is, for example, stored in the random access memory (RAM) of the computer several actions must usually take place. First, since the designated print medium generally has a fixed size, the printable information contained in the document may need to be divided into sections suitable to fit onto the print medium, a process which is called pagination.
Pagination is generally performed by a computer under the direction of one or more software programs. In addition, pagination is accomplished with information regarding various dimensional parameters that pertain both to the document and to the selected print medium. As mentioned previously, as a result of pagination the document is divided into sections suitable to fit onto the selected print medium. For purposes of this discussion, these sections are referred to herein as "logical pages". The phrase "soft logical page" is used to refer specifically to the logical page as represented by software.
After the soft logical pages are created they may then be transmitted to the printer in the form of a print job for printing. In addition to containing soft logical pages, the print job may also include various printer control commands. One type of printer control command directs the printer to perform "N-UP printing". The letter "N" represents the number of logical pages that are to be scaled (if necessary) and printed onto a designated print medium. For purposes of this discussion a logical page that has been scaled for N-UP printing is referred to herein as a "sub-page".
Prior systems for achieving N-UP printing are limited to a pre-specified number of sub-pages that may be printed onto any one print medium. For example, a typical laser printer is limited to 2, 4 and 9-UP printing. In addition, prior printers do not optimize the orientation or scale factor of sub-pages on the print medium. This can result in an inefficient use of the printable area of the print medium.
As a result, there is a need for N-Up printing that is not limited to a pre-specified number of sub-pages. In addition, there is a need for N-Up printing wherein the sub-pages are optimally arranged on a print medium.

Image forming system for arranging plurality of images on a disk play medium


A vehicle is provided with both a traction control system which reduces driving torque for driving wheels of the vehicle when the driving wheels slip, and an active suspension system which has a cylinder disposed between the vehicle body and each of the wheels of the vehicle and in which suspension properties can be changed by controlling feed and discharge of the hydraulic fluid to and from the cylinders. A control gain of the active suspension system is increased when the traction control system is operating.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a suspension-traction total control system for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As disclosed, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,397, there has been known an active suspension system (ACS system) which comprises cylinder devices provided between the vehicle body and the respective wheels and in which hydraulic fluid is fed to or discharged from each of the cylinder devices separately from the other cylinder devices, whereby the suspension properties are changed so that the vehicle body is kept horizontal, and driving comfort and running stability are improved Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,102, it is disclosed that the suspension properties are turned hard when slip of the driving wheels reaches a predetermined value during acceleration of the vehicle, thereby quickly suppressing inclination of the vehicle body caused by the acceleration slip control.
When the driving torque transmitted to the driving wheels is excessively large relative to the frictional resistance of road surface, the driving wheels will race and the driving force is lost, whereby the traction lowers. There has been known a traction control system (TRC system) which lowers the engine output power and brakes the driving wheels when the driving wheels slip, thereby controlling the driving torque to an optimal value and ensuring traction. (See, for instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57(1982)-22948)
In the case of a vehicle provided with both the ACS system and the TRC system, generally the suspension control and the traction control are effected separately from each other.
However, since the part of the vehicle body on the driving wheels moves up and down in response to abrupt change of the driving torque during the traction control, it is preferred that the suspension properties be changed taking into account this fact.

Suspension-traction total control system


A positive and negative rotation gas dynamic pressure bearing comprises a stationary bearing member, a movable bearing member mounted for rotation relative to the stationary bearing member, dynamic pressure generating grooves having first and second ends and formed in one of confronting surfaces of the stationary bearing member and the movable bearing member, a self-switch valve connected to the movable bearing member for rotation therewith, and conducting holes having first and second ends and formed in the movable bearing member. During rotation of the movable bearing member in a first direction of rotation, a high dynamic pressure is generated at central portions of the dynamic pressure generating grooves, and a valve body of the self-switch valve moves toward a lower space of a valve case of the self-switch valve to close the second ends of the conducting holes. During rotation of the movable member in a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation, a high dynamic pressure is generated at the first and second ends of the dynamic pressure generating grooves so that the valve body moves toward an upper space of the valve case to close a through-bore of the valve case and to open the second ends of the conducting holes to allow air taken in by air taking holes of the self-switch valve to be supplied to the central portions of the dynamic pressure generating grooves through the conducting holes.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a positive and negative rotation gas dynamic pressure bearing, a spindle motor, and a rotator device which are able to open and close a conducting hole to generate a lubricating function of a pump-out effect without an electromagnetic switching valve, and which are able to decrease run out because dynamic pressures generating at dynamic pressure generating grooves arranged equally toward a circumference direction during rotation and generating a lubricating function of a pump-in effect to close the conducting hole are all equal.
A positive and negative rotation gas dynamic pressure bearing is a gas dynamic pressure bearing which generates a lubricating function of a pump-in effect to increase dynamic pressure at central portions of the dynamic pressure generating grooves taking in lubricating gas from both ends of the dynamic pressure generating grooves during rotation in one of positive and negative rotations, and which generates a lubrication function of a pump-out effect to increase dynamic pressure at both ends of the dynamic pressure generating grooves and to receive a supply of lubricating gas from the central portions middle of the dynamic pressure generating grooves during rotation in the other of the positive and negative rotations.
As conventional positive and negative rotation gas dynamic pressure bearings, two articles are disclosed: "Positive and negative rotation herringbone journal gas bearing using both of pump-in type and pump-out type", Vol. 58, No. 555 in collection published by Mechanical Society of Japan (article No. 92-0550, Article 1, hereafter), and "Positive and negative rotation gas lubrication disc thrust dynamic pressure group bearing", Vol. 59, No. 568 in collection published by Mechanical Society of Japan (article No. 93-0465, Article 2, hereafter.)
In Article 1, a plurality of herringbone dynamic pressure generating grooves which are substantially V-shaped and shallow are formed with equal arrangement toward a circumference direction at an outer circumference surface of a shaft constituting a rotation bearing member. Three conducting holes are bored at a sleeve constituting a bearing stationary member supporting the shaft and are disposed at center portions of herringbone dynamic pressure generating grooves at intervals of 120 degrees, and the conducting holes become supplying paths of the air outside when the three conducting holes generate a lubricating function of a pump-out effect.
In Article 2, herringbone dynamic pressure generating grooves which are substantially L-shaped are formed with equal arrangement toward a circumference direction at an annular plate shape thrust bearing stationary member. Conducting holes passing through the thrust bearing stationary member are bored at center portions of herringbone dynamic pressure generating grooves at intervals of 120 degrees, and the conducting holes become supplying paths of the air outside when the conducting holes generates a lubricating function of a pump-out effect.
In both of Article 1 and Article 2, since as an electromagnetic switching valve shielding the conductive hole, a sensor detecting positive rotation and negative rotation, and a switch circuit switching open and closing operations of the electromagnetic switching valve by signal of the sensor are needed, there is a weak point that manufacturing cost is high and maintenance is needed comparing one direction rotation gas dynamic pressure bearing.
An object of the present invention is to provide a positive and negative rotation gas dynamic pressure bearing, a spindle motor, and a rotator device having a bearing construction generating a lubricating function of a pump-in effect increasing dynamic pressure at central portions of the dynamic pressure generating grooves taking in lubricating gas from both ends of the dynamic pressure generating grooves during rotation in one of positive and negative rotations, and during rotation of in the other of positive and negative rotations generating a lubricating function of a pump-out effect increasing dynamic pressure at both ends of the dynamic pressure generating grooves supplying lubricating gas to central portions of the dynamic pressure generating grooves through the conducting hole. Particularly, by rotating with the bearing movable member and by forming a self-switch valve opening and shutting the conducting hole taking in air depending on the rotation direction, the electromagnetic switching valve, the sensor, and the switch circuit are not needed. Dynamic pressures generating at dynamic pressure generating grooves equally arranged toward a circumference direction are all equal during rotation generating a lubricating function of a pump-in effect by that the self-switch valve shuts the conducting hole so as to decrease run out of rotation.

Positive and negative rotation gas dynamic pressure bearing, spindle motor having dynamic pressure bearing, and rotator device having spindle motor as driving source


This vinyl polymer powder, which contains a vinyl polymer, has a glass transition temperature of at least 0° C. (where if there are a plurality of glass transition points, all of the glass transition temperatures are at least 0° C.), has no greater than 350 ppm of the total content of magnesium ions, calcium ions, aluminum ions, barium ions, and zinc ions, has no greater than 100 ppm of the content of ammonium ions, has an acid number of no greater than 2.5 mgKOH/g, and has a bulk density of 0.10-0.60 g/cm3.

Engineering plastics are excellent in mechanical properties, heat resistance, electrical properties, and the like, and have been used in various applications such as electrical/electronic equipment, home electrical appliances, and OA equipment. In recent years, in these applications, a molded body has become increasingly larger, thinner and more complex in shape, and thus, there is a demand for improvement in molding processability.
Melt flowability, melt tension, or the like is mentioned as an indicator of molding processability of the engineering plastic. When melt flowability is high, it is easy to obtain a molded body having a large size and/or a thin thickness at the time of injection molding. When melt tension is high, molding defects such as jetting at the time of injection molding and drawdown at the time of blow molding or vacuum molding are less likely to occur.
As the method of improving melt flowability at the time of molding process without impairing excellent properties (mechanical properties, heat resistance, and the like) of the engineering plastic, methods are proposed in which a powder prepared by coagulating a copolymer, which is obtained by subjecting an aromatic vinyl monomer and a phenyl methacrylate to emulsion polymerization, or a powder prepared by coagulating a copolymer, which is obtained by subjecting styrene and phenyl methacrylate to emulsion polymerization, in the presence of a copolymer, which is obtained by subjecting α-methyl styrene, styrene, and phenyl methacrylate to emulsion polymerization, is blended, as a flowability improver, in a polycarbonate resin serving as an engineering plastic (Patent Documents 1 and 2).
In addition, as the method of improving melt tension of the engineering plastic and preventing drawdown at the time of molding, methods are proposed in which a powder prepared by coagulating a high-molecular-weight acrylic polymer, which is polymerized by emulsion polymerization, is blended, as a melt tension improver, in an engineering plastic (Patent Documents 3 and 4).
However, since these flowability improver and melt tension improver have a high glass transition temperature, when a latex obtainable by emulsion polymerization is coagulated and a polymer powder is recovered, atomization of the powder or solidification failure is likely to occur. As a result, there is possibility that the powder flowability or the bulk density of the obtained powder is decreased, and thus a problem arises in improvement of powder property.
In addition, when a resin composition containing the flowability improver or the melt tension improver described above is molded at high temperature in order to achieve high melt flowability, there is a concern that foreign substances remaining in the flowability improver or the melt tension improver impair the appearance, the mechanical strength, or the like of the molded body. From this reason, in the resin composition, there is also a strong demand for improvement in thermal stability at high-temperature molding.

Vinyl polymer powder, thermoplastic resin composition, and molded body thereof


A print head for matrix printing has twelve needles whose front ends are arranged in three columns and seven rows, whereby the middle one holds only two needle ends in the second and sixth row, while the other row positions each of the two outer columns hold one needle tip. This arrangement permits a significant print speed increase for a moderate weight increase, and reduces the number of weak spots in the needle guiding mouth piece.

The present invention relates to matrix printers and more particularly, the invention relates to print heads for and in matrix printers.
Conventional print heads of the type to which the invention pertains are usually constructed in that plural print elements, such as fairly long needles, are disposed to have their front ends or tips aligned vertically and in a mouth piece thereby defining a print column for any character. "Vertical" is to mean in relation to a horizontal extension of lines to be printed, horizontal in that sense being also the direction of relative advance of the print head across the printing surface during printing of one line.
Printing proper results from individually activating the elements such as pushing the needles forward by solenoid action, so that the tip of such an activated needle hits the ink ribbon and the paper. The head advances horizontally across the printing surface (e.g. paper) transversely to the direction of needle movement as well as to the vertical column, so that characters are composed from dots produced in steps through individual and selective activation and non-activation of the needles.
The German printed patent application No. 2,679,763 suggests a modification in that in addition to seven such print elements whose tips are arranged in a column, one provides a second column with additional but less than seven elements, i.e. only three. These three elements are located so that in many instances one can print in two columns at once, as these three elements are placed in positions frequently used in that they are horizontally in line, respectively, with three needle tips of the first column. The speed of printing can be increased accordingly. Of course, one will not always be able to print two columns at once, so that the speed cannot really be doubled. For this it appears that one would need a complete second column having also seven print elements. Moreover, the appearance of the characters is not quite satisfactory if one prints under such a limitation. In other words, this type of arrangement is a compromise between speed increase and appearance. Moreover, one still has to consider the maximum cycle rate with which a needle operating solenoid can be activated.
It can readily be seen that providing a full second column of print elements requires exactly doubling the number of print elements and of their drives. Consequently, the head will be larger and much heavier. More power is needed to drive such a head across the paper. A similar situation was actually encountered in a twelve-needle head as proposed in German printed patent application No. 2,729,495. The rather heavy head, however, was operated in the flying mode, i.e. it did not stop for printing any column. Clearly, a heavy head is more difficult to stop accurately.
Another problem encountered for and in multiple print heads relates to the space requirements. The print needles are required to have their front ends or tips placed rather closely, corresponding to the dimensions of the characters to be printed. The solenoids for each needle are comparatively large, and the needles must be guided in a curved path accordingly. Clearly, this clustering and needle guiding becomes more and more of a problem if the number of needles and solenoids clustered is increased. The French Pat. No. 1,531,666 shows a multiple column print head and attempted to solve the problem by laterally spacing the columns rather far from each other. Consequently, one column is still occupied with printing a character while another column begins already to print the next character. This kind of arrangement complicates the control of the print elements significantly, one has to call on two character patterns at the same time or in overlapping relation.
Another problem is the following. The mouth piece of the print head into which one runs the needles, have their bores rather closely spaced, particularly in the region of the front ends. The reason for this close spacing is, of course, the desire to print dots as close to one another as possible, so that the printed dots merge. The wall thickness between adjacent bores in the head may be as thin as 0.03 mm, which is about one mill. The thin barrier between two adjacent bores is subjected to significant wear when the needles move back and forth. This is particularly the case for those needles which are strongly curved because of the lateral offset of their activating solenoids. One has tried to avoid these trouble spots by not placing the print needles along a vertical line, but arranging them in two columns with a staggered arrangement of the ends. See also German printed patent application No. 2,119,416. Staggering the needles does indeed solve the problem of too weak a barrier between adjacent needle guiding bores; it does not improve print speed but actually slows it down.