A speed control apparatus for determining and controlling the speed of rotation of a rotor in an AC motor. The motor includes a stator having main and auxiliary windings. Main and auxiliary winding controllers control the operational input signals supplied to the main and auxiliary windings by a signal generator. A pulse generator is connected to the main winding for providing a test pulse during a speed measurement operation. The test pulse magnetizes a portion of the rotor which induces a feedback EMF signal in the auxiliary winding. A feedback sensor circuit receives the feedback signal and forwards it to a microprocessor. The microprocessor calculates the rotational speed of the rotor based on the feedback signal.

A conventional asynchronous AC electrical motor comprises a rotor and a stator both made of ferromagnetic material of high permeability. The stator, which is the stationary part of the motor, consists of a core and a set of windings. The core is typically constructed using laminated steel and the windings are typically made of copper wire wound around the core. The purpose of the stator is to produce a strong electromagnetic field in which the rotor turns.
The rotor is the part of the motor that is configured to rotate. The rotor is typically positioned inside the stator. The rotor consists of a core, made from magnetic steel, and a shaft. The core is generally pressure fitted onto the shaft. The shaft transmits the mechanical energy converted by the motor from electrical energy to a load.
The stator windings are fed by multi-phase currents to produce a rotating magnetic field. Depending on the geometric layout of the windings and on the current in them, different configurations of the magnetic field in the motor may be produced. Because of Faraday's law, the stator magnetic field causes an EMF to be induced on the rotor which generates current in the rotor. This current interacts with the magnetic field and produces a torque that rotates the rotor.
A common two-phase motor consists of two sets of windings on the stator. The first set is the main winding or the run winding. The second set is the auxiliary or start winding. The two windings are connected in parallel with each other.
When the motor is initially energized, voltage is applied across both windings. In order to create a rotating magnetic field, the phase of the applied voltage on the start winding must be shifted from the voltage on the run winding. This can be done by placing a capacitor in series with the start winding. The phase shift can also be created electronically.
In many applications, it is important to accurately determine and control the rotational speed of the rotor in an electric motor. One example in which this is important is the use of an electric motor to rotate the anode of an xray tube to produce a high power output x-ray tube.
Modern rotating anode x-ray tubes include a rotor, positioned in the vacuum inside of the glass x-ray tube envelope, and a stator positioned outside the glass envelope. The rotor shaft is connected to an x-ray tube anode, which is typically a large disc of tungsten or an alloy of tungsten, causing the anode to rotate with the motor rotor when an x-ray exposure is being made.
The ability of the x-ray tube to achieve desirable high power x-ray outputs is limited by the heat generated on the anode in the x-ray tube. The purpose of the rotating anode is to spread the heat produced during an exposure over a large area of the anode. Thus by rotating the anode, it has been possible to produce x-ray tubes capable of withstanding the substantial heat generated by high power x-ray tube outputs.
In a typical rotating anode x-ray tube, the standard number of revolutions of the anode is approximately 3,600 RPM for normal exposures and 10,000 RPM for high intensity exposures. The speed is set by predetermining a motor input signal which is expected to achieve the desired speed, applying the predetermined motor input to the motor prior to making an x-ray exposure and waiting a predetermined amount of time for the rotor to get up to speed. In practice, the anode never reaches a speed of 3,600 RPM or 10,000 RPM because of mechanical factors such as slipping between the rotor and the bearings. Thus, a speed correction (usually -10% to -20%) is generally assumed when calculating the predetermined motor input.
Typically, in order to maintain a rotational speed of 3,600 RPM a 60 VAC motor input signal is provided and in order to maintain a rotational speed of 10,000 RPM a motor input signal of 100 VAC is provided. The normal acceleration time for a 3" anode is around 2 seconds. The normal acceleration time for a 4" anode is approximately 2.5-3.0 seconds. During the time required to bring the rotor up to speed, the system is "on hold" and radiographic exposure is not allowed.
The extremely adverse conditions created by high power x-ray exposures make measuring the actual speed of rotation of the anode very difficult. Furthermore, motors used for rotating the anode in a rotating anode x-ray tube typically have a very low efficiency due to the large vacuum, air and glass gap between the rotor and stator winding. Thus, conventional methods of measuring the rotational speed of a motor rotor are typically not effective for measuring the speed of rotation of the anode in a rotating anode x-ray tube.
Current x-ray apparatus often make the assumption that if they provide the predetermined motor input signal and wait the predetermined amount of time then the anode will be rotating at the appropriate speed. These systems do not actually measure the speed of rotation of the anode. Thus, the possibility exists that if the circuitry or motor fails, exposure could be made on a stationary anode destroying the x-ray tube.
Additionally, in most cases, the anode rotational speed does not need to be at its maximum in order for exposure to begin. By allowing exposure at speeds lower than the maximum, valuable time can be saved and the optimum parameters can be achieved. However, prior art systems that do not actually measure the rotational speed of the anode cannot take advantage of these efficiencies.
Prior art devices that do measure the speed of rotation of the anode do so indirectly, such as by using a vibration tachometer. However, these methods typically are complicated, require expensive equipment and are not very accurate. Furthermore, vibration tachometers typically only indicate when a rotor is rotating at a predetermined speed. They do not provide any information regarding the rotor speed if the rotor is rotating at an intermediate speed. Thus, it is apparent that there is a need for an improved method of measuring the speed of rotation of an AC motor rotor.
An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and accurate method of measuring the actual speed of rotation of the rotor in an AC motor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for accurately measuring the actual speed of rotation of an anode in a rotating anode x-ray tube.

Method and apparatus for determining the speed of rotation of an AC motor


The present invention relates to a process for preparing a vinylidene chloride polymer composite comprising a vinylidene chloride polymer and clay materials. The process comprises polymerising vinylidene chloride and clay materials and the resulting vinylidene chloride polymer particle is surrounded by a plurality of clay platelets. The clay materials according to the present invention function as a solid stabilizer in the process for preparing a vinylidene chloride polymer composite of the present invention. The present invention further relates to the vinylidene chloride polymer composite obtainable from the process, to use of the vinylidene chloride polymer composite for the preparation of films, and to films prepared therefrom.

The following discussion of the prior art is provided to place the invention in an appropriate technical context and enable the advantages of it to be more fully understood. It should be appreciated, however, that any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should not be considered as an express or implied admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Polyvinylidene chloride is a well-known polymer for its very good barrier properties against water vapor and gases, notably oxygen, which are required, for instance, in the packaging and storage applications, notably for the pharmaceutical and food fields, and thus extends the shelf life of contents inside the packaging.
Very low permeability of polyvinylidene chloride comes from its crystallinity and its two chloride atoms per monomer. The higher the amount of vinylidene chloride is, the better the barrier properties are. However, polyvinylidene chloride has inherent brittle feature and is hardly processible, and vinylidene chloride is thus usually copolymerised with monomers, for instance with at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomers including methyl acrylate, for the purpose of better processibility and improved solubility in most solvents commonly used in this field.
In view of barrier properties, using fillers with a high aspect ratio permits to considerably decrease permeability, because fillers, in particular those organized in a specific orientation, behave as a physical obstacle and gas molecules have to bypass them to go through the material. Low permeability has been obtained with materials containing various types of platelets such as graphite oxide, or layered-silicate, e.g., Montmorillonite or Kaolinite. Fillers having affinity to gas are preferred. In this context, the incorporation of clay into the vinylidene chloride polymer has been studied. In addition, there have been many attempts for surfactant-free polymerisation using Laponite as a solid stabilizer. Such trials of stabilizing oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsions by colloidal particles (so-called Pickering emulsions) were earlier known to the public, since using a surfactant has a drawback in view of barrier properties, that is, a surfactant provides preferential tunnels for gas molecules and hence negatively affects the barrier properties. This strategy was extrapolated to the synthesis of armored particles through conventional emulsion polymerization using clay platelets as a solid stabilizer, which is advantageous in that there is no need for high-shear mixing as is usually the case in the polymerization of Pickering emulsions and a surfactant is not required in the process.
While extremely useful in a food packaging thanks to its excellent barrier properties, there exists a drawback in using polyvinylidene chloride, i.e., the polyvinylidene chloride may undergo thermally induced dehydrochlorination at temperatures very near to its processing temperatures, which easily propagates and leaves polyene sequences long enough to absorb visible light and thus change its color from colorless to an undesirable color, e.g., light brown/yellow. That is, a whitening effect is observed, which is not acceptable, notably in food packaging.
For particular applications, such as packaging and storage applications, notably for the pharmaceutical and food fields, required is a vinylidene chloride polymer composite which is capable of exhibiting excellent barrier properties, in particular oxygen permeability and water vapor permeability. It is also required, that after coating and drying the vinylidene chloride polymer composite, the thusly obtained film does not undergo whitening effect after sterilization (0.5 hour at 121° C.) or pasteurization (2 hours at 95° C.), in particular in food packaging applications.
Vinylidene chloride polymers are typically prepared by a radical polymerisation process; see for instance Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Poly(vinylidene chloride). Edited by WILEY. Weinheim: Wiley VCH-Verlag, 2012. Few studies regarding the preparation of vinylidene chloride polymer composites have been reported, of which the purpose is to improve its barrier properties. For instance, WO 13/092590 A1 (Solvay S A), published on Jun. 27, 2013, discloses a process for preparing vinylidene chloride polymer composite comprising a clay material, which comprises polymerising vinylidene chloride at the surface of a clay material under the control of a reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) and/or macromolecular design via inter-exchange of xanthate (MADIX) agent so that vinylidene chloride polymer chains have grown around the clay material.
However, to the best of our knowledge, the synthesis of vinylidene chloride polymer composite comprising a clay material as a solid stabilizer by in situ surfactant-free aqueous emulsion polymerisation has never been implemented.

Process for the preparation of a vinylidene chloride polymer/clay composite, films obtained therefrom, and use thereof

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Ecole Supérieure de Chimie Physique Electronique de Lyon


A flat and nearly mechanically isotropic liquid crystal polymer film (38) can be formed by laminating two continuous biaxially oriented films. A laminate is produced having two thin outer surface portions which are oriented in one direction, and a relatively thick inner portion oriented in a transverse direction. The film may also be formed by passing a polymer through a set of three tubular rotors (30) which are concentric and having surfaces which are concentric and define inner and outer annular polymer flow channels (33, 35) between them. These rotors may rotate in the same or opposite directions. Another way to make the film is with a slit-type die (90) through which a polymer flows in one direction, while a moving band (91) passes continuously in a transverse direction. These ordered-polymer films are useful, for example, in the production of printed circuit boards.

1. Field of the invention
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming a mechanically isotropic liquid crystal polymer film. It relates more particularly to producing a film which inherently maintains its flat shape and has a more uniform coefficient of thermal expansion than has been obtainable previously. It also relates to methods and apparatus for forming a film structure comprising two relatively thin outer layers which are controllably oriented in one direction, and one or more relatively thick inner layers controllably oriented in one or more different directions.
2. Description of Related Art
The invention relates in general to the formation of multiaxially oriented films from high-molecular-weight liquid crystalline lyotropic or thermotropic polymers (homopolymers, copolymers, and the like), under processing conditions whereby the films have a controlled molecular orientation. The films of the present invention are preferably prepared from rod-like, extended-chain, aromatic-heterocyclic polymers. These polymers generally fall into two classes, those that are modified in solution form, i.e., lyotropic liquid crystalline polymers, and those that are modified by temperature changes, i.e., thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers. For a shorthand expression covering both types of polymers, the present disclosure will use the term "ordered polymers" or "liquid crystal polymers."
The ordered polymers concerned herein are believed to have a fixed molecular shape, e.g. linear, or the like, due to the nature of the monomeric repeating units comprising the polymeric chain. Linear ordered polymers are also known as "rod-like" polymers. These rod-like polymers can be blended with the more common, typical "coil-like" polymers in which the molecular chain does not have a relatively fixed shape. Some of these blends have processing and functional characteristics similar to liquid crystal polymers, and to that extent, these blends are to be considered as being included in the invention disclosed herein.
Liquid crystal polymer films have desirable qualities in a number of applications, but significant drawbacks related to their mechanical anisotropy. They are useful in particular for forming circuit substrates. Circuits can be formed on such a film by plating and etching, and then a plurality of such circuits can be laminated, to form a circuit board having multiple circuits accommodated within the board. Flexible circuits can also be formed on liquid crystal polymer films,
However, the mechanical properties of liquid crystal polymer films have been inadequate for these applications. They cannot be blown and drawn after extrusion as coil polymers can, since they become too highly oriented in the die. They are too weak in the non-orientation directions to be stretched after extrusion, even while in semi-flowable form. To improve their strength, liquid crystal polymer films are typically extruded between a pair of concentric counter-rotating cylindrical dies to form a tube. This process causes the inner and outer surface layers of the tube to have different respective directions of fibrillar orientation, and this gives the tube biaxial strength and permits blowing and drawing, if desired.
FIGS. 2A-2C are schematic representations of extruder films showing the morphology of the oriented polymer material layers therein. In FIG. 2A, with no transverse or circumferential shear, the film has a uniaxial orientation, with all molecules oriented in the machine direction, that is, longitudinally with respect to the direction of flow through the die. In FIG. 2B the film has a biaxial orientation. The molecules in the top portions of the film are oriented at an angle of +theta with respect to the machine direction while the portions of the film in the lower part of FIG. 2B are oriented at an angle of -theta to the machine direction. FIG. 2C shows a planar isotropic film wherein the polymer rods lie randomly in the film plane, not strongly oriented at any specific angle with respect to the machine direction.
A biaxially oriented tube can be slit and spread apart to form a flattened film structure. However, the present inventors have observed a problem with this process which was not previously understood. The films thus formed will not lie flat. Although such a film can be flattened by pressing under heat, it has been observed that the film regains its tendency to curl as it continues to cool after pressing. Simply described, the two surface layers of the film inherently have different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) axially and transversely to the orientation of its molecules. Generally, the transverse CTE is greater. So as the sheet cools, each layer will try to shrink more in its own transverse direction. But since the two layers are both part of the sheet, the sheet as a whole cannot freely shrink in either direction. This stores stresses in the layers and makes the sheet bistable, whereby it is able to hold a curl about either of two different axes and readily adopts one of these two conditions if an active effort is not made to hold it flat.
As best understood, liquid crystal polymer films made of poly-(p-phenylene-benzobisthiozole) (PBZT) or the like have this curling problem because they are fibrillar, i.e., they comprise relatively straight molecules. The molecules orient strongly in the die and the flowing polymer becomes anisotropic, more so than ordinary coil polymers which tend to randomize. A coil polymer tube or sheet can be strengthened biaxially throughout its entire thickness by blowing and drawing after it exits from the die. Sometimes counter-rotating dies are also used to make conventional polymers more isotropic. But the combination of shearing and stretching is much more critical and difficult to optimize with liquid crystal polymer extrudates, since they readily become highly oriented in the die anisotropically. It may not be possible to stretch the polymer substantially in the direction transverse to its fibrillar orientation
We have found that if counter-rotating annular dies are used, to establish a biaxial or multiaxial (specifically, twisted nematic) orientation of the molecules in the flow, then transverse stretching by blowing of the extruded tube is possible and effective.
But, as mentioned above, such a process forms essentially two layers in the film with complementary orientations, i.e., forming equal but opposite angles, for example +/-45.degree., on either side of the machine direction in which the extrusion has taken place. This has led to the drawback of curling in liquid crystal polymer film sheets made from such extruded tubes. The liquid crystal polymer films become less anisotropic due to the application of transverse shear, but they still curl after cooling, because of the non-uniform CTE phenomenon mentioned above. Curl becomes very significant when the film is orthotropic, i.e., having equal properties in orthogonal directions in the plane of the film, as in the desirable balanced biaxial film.
Another problem frequently associated with films produced by the tubular bubble process is seaming. Seams have been formed in some known methods in which film tubes are flattened or "blocked" as they are driven through pinch rolls.
These problems relate at least in part to inherent characteristics of the tubular extrusion process, and in part to the methods of system control and downstream processing, beginning with coagulation or cooling, and perhaps in part also to inadequate dope homogeneity upstream.
No techniques previously known to the art have been able to solve these problems
U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 206,137 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,428, filed Jun 13, 1988; Ser. No. 203,329 filed Jun. 7, 1988 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,235; and Ser. No. 098,710 filed Sept. 21, 1987 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,442; all commonly assigned herewith, disclose processes wherein biaxially oriented, substantially two-layer, liquid crystal polymer films are formed in counterrotating annular dies by controlling the transverse shear speed, the material flow rate, the blow ratio and the draw ratio, all of which affect the molecular orientation in the final product, to obtain a substantially +/-45.degree. orientation of the two surface layers. See also U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 209,271 filed Jun. 20, 1988 now abandoned.
Nagasawa et al., Japanese Disclosure No. 53-47460, discloses a manufacturing method for a lyotropic liquid crystal polymer film which includes applying transverse shearing forces to the dope. See FIG. 2 and pp. 8-9.
Other prior art of interest includes: PA1 Urasaki, Japanese Disclosure No. 53-86798 PA1 Sugimoto et al , Japanese Disclosure No. 54-44307 PA1 Fujii et al , Japanese Disclosure No. 63-199622 PA1 Fujii et al., Japanese Disclosure No. 63-173620 PA1 Inada et al , Japanese Disclosure No. 52-109578 PA1 Miyamoto et al., Japanese Disclosure No. 63-296920 PA1 Donald, U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,501 PA1 Sharps, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,404,203 PA1 Sharps, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,413 PA1 Isayev et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,698 PA1 Helminiak et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,546
These problems in the art are substantially solved by the processes and apparatus disclosed herein, namely bi-annular or tri-annular tubular dies.
Regarding the term "layer," this disclosure will relate at times to a laminated film structure comprising a number of individual intermediate-product films; and at other times to an integral film structure with different planar regions parallel to its main surfaces which are in some respects analogous to individual films, and having different properties in the various planar regions. It is to be understood that the teachings throughout this disclosure are equally applicable to both these forms of liquid crystal polymer film The use of a term such as "layer" should be understood to refer equally to a planar region within an integral film; as well as to an individual intermediate-product film, or a portion thereof, within a laminated structure.
The respective disclosures of all the prior art materials mentioned herein are expressly incorporated by reference.


The invention concerns a value document comprising particulate agglomerates respectively containing at least two different homogeneous phases, wherein the first homogeneous phase is based on a first non-luminescent substance detectable by a spectroscopic method and the second homogeneous phase is based on a second non-luminescent substance detectable by a spectroscopic method, and wherein upon an evaluation of measurement values that are obtainable by a location-specific measurement, carried out at different locations of the value document, of the first measurement-signal intensity caused by the first substance and underlying the spectroscopic method and the second measurement-signal intensity caused by the second substance and underlying the spectroscopic method, there is a statistical correlation between the first measurement-signal intensities and the second measurement-signal intensities.

This invention concerns a value document such as a bank note, and a method for checking the presence of the same.
Safeguarding the authenticity of value documents by means of luminescent substances has been known for some time. Preferably, host lattices doped with rare earth metals are used, with the absorption and emission regions being variable within a broad range through suitable coordination of rare earth metal and host lattice. It is also per se known to employ magnetic and electrically conductive materials for safeguarding authenticity. Magnetism, electrical conductivity and luminescence emission are detectable by machine using commercially available measuring instruments, while luminescence with emission in the visible region in sufficient intensity is also detectable visually.
Practically as old as safeguarding the authenticity of value documents is the problem of the value documents' authentication features being forged. Anti-forgery security can be increased for example by employing not only one feature substance, but a plurality of feature substances in combination, for example a luminescent substance and a magnetic substance, or a luminescent substance and a substance influencing the luminescence properties. DE 10 2005 047 609 A1 describes feature substances for safeguarding the authenticity of value documents which contain a luminescent substance and at least one further substance that is preferably magnetic or electrically conductive. The luminescent substance is present in particulate form and is surrounded by a shell formed of nanoparticles. The properties of the feature substance result from the interaction of the luminescence emission properties of the luminescent substance and the properties of the nanoparticles.
Starting out from this prior art, the present invention is based on the object of providing a value document that is improved in terms of anti-forgery security, and a method for checking the presence of the same.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Value document and method for checking the presence of the same


A system and method for managing a plurality of devices is provided. The system includes a user interface for controlling a plurality of devices configured as a network. The plurality of devices have corresponding device drivers to configure each of the plurality of devices to allow queuing operations to be performed in connection with the plurality of devices. The user interface is configured to communicate with the plurality of devices to identify and control jobs in a queue relating to each of the devices. The system also includes a monitoring system for monitoring the plurality of devices. The monitoring system is configured to provide notification to the user interface when a predetermined queue limit for at least one of the plurality of devices is exceeded.

This invention relates generally to network monitoring and management systems and, more particularly, to methods and systems for monitoring and managing devices in a network.
Network based systems often require management of different devices operating at the same time. This management typically includes monitoring and controlling many different types of devices interconnected within the network. These devices may have different communication protocols and require different device drivers to properly control operation of each of the devices. The monitoring and control of these devices often requires complex systems having many interfaces with the complexity increasing as the number of devices being controlled increases.
For a network having a very large number of different devices, many different interfaces for controlling and monitoring the devices having different protocol and driver requirements is often required, thereby resulting in a system that is tedious to manage and operate. Thus, the administrative and accounting costs for managing the network monitoring and control of these devices, including managing the data traffic flow, is often high, and increases rapidly as the number of devices on the network increases. For example, in a large production facility where production data is communicated between various different devices (e.g., operator interface devices, marquees, printers, etc.), the amount of time and cost to manage the various devices can be high because of the different requirements for each of the devices.

Methods and systems for managing a network


A telescoping slide rail assembly including interconnected mounting, intermediate and stationary slide rails movable relative to one another to extend and retract the mounting and intermediate slide rails relative to the stationary slide rail between fully extended and retracted positions. The intermediate slide rail includes a latching mechanism for interconnecting the intermediate and stationary slide rails in the fully extended position and the mounting slide rail includes an alignment device to maintain orientation between the mounting slide rail and the intermediate slide rail.

This invention pertains to a telescoping slide rail assembly for mounting components within a telecommunications rack, and more particularly, to a latching mechanism and alignment device used in connection with the telescoping slide assembly for use in the telecommunications industry.
There are numerous prior art telescoping slide rail devices for mounting telecommunications equipment and other various components. One major disadvantage of these prior art telescoping slide rail assemblies is that the latching mechanisms which orient and connect the intermediate slide rail to the stationary slide rail in a fully extended position are complex in design and relatively expensive to manufacture and install.
Another major disadvantage of these prior art telescoping slide rail assemblies is that manufacturing and assembly tolerances of the intermediate slide rail and the mounting slide rail are comparatively large and permit unwanted relative movement therebetween. As a result, there is a large tolerance variance between adjacent, parallel, offset pairs of telescoping slide assemblies. Consequently, the mounting slide rail is loosely disposed within the intermediate slide rail. Unwanted movement causes contact between the intermediate and mounting slide rails and friction therebetween is increased.
Therefore, there is a need for a latching mechanism which is inexpensive, easy to manufacture and install and simple and reliable to operate. There is also a further need for an improved alignment device which orients the slide rails, minimizes friction between the sliding rails and compensates for manufacturing tolerances.

Telescoping slide rail with latching and alignment mechanisms


A system and method for acquisition and conditioning of a signal received from a light sensor generating an input signal in proportion to a sensed amount of light, the system utilizing an operational amplifier with first and second feedback loops to render the output signal of a control circuit, part of the second feedback loop, in proportional relationship to the input signal across the range of output signals from the light sensor.

The main functional task of a sensor is to produce an output signal representative of the detected amount or level of a measured physical phenomenon, of the type for which the sensor was pre-designed to detect. The produced output signal is then used by a wide variety of devices for different control or measurement purposes
Sensors will often generate output signals that have relatively low signal strength or a high noise component. Accordingly, it is known to provide such sensors with electronic circuitry for signal conditioning of the output signal so that the conditioned output signal can be more easily or more accurately sensed, interpreted or otherwise used by a control system. Such conditioning can involve but is not limited to processes such as amplification and/or filtering. For example, one simple and well-known solution for conditioning the output signal of a photodiode sensor is to use a linear trans-impedance operational amplifier. One example of such a linear trans-impedance operational amplifier is a Burr-Brown CMOS Rail-to-Rail IO Operational Amplifier OPA2357 sold by Texas Instruments, Dallas, Tex., USA.
However, in some situations, the use of such linear amplifiers may not be appropriate. Wide range sensors that theoretically generate a linear output signal over several decades may not be particularly compatible with such linear amplifiers. For example, photodiode sensors typically generate a response to light that is proportional to the amount of light received. Accordingly, when such sensors are used to detect daylight the amount of input varies widely from darkness to full daylight, and the sensor itself can detect and produce an output signal that is indicative of the sensed amount of light over a wide dynamic range. However, linear amplification is problematic because a tradeoff is typically made in such linear amplification circuits between the extent of the amplification (resolution) and operating signal range of the linear amplifier. That is, a linear amplifier that provides an appropriate level of resolution when the sensor output signal is configured to provide relatively low levels of output will typically be driven to provide an oversaturated response beyond which the linear amplifier provides no further resolution. Conversely, an amplifier that provides adequate resolution at the higher end of the sensor output will typically provide inadequate resolution for lower level output signals.
To solve this problem, logarithmic amplifiers can be used. One example of such a logarithmic amplifier is a Burr-Brown Precision Logarithmic and Log Ratio Amplifier, LOG104 also sold by Texas Instruments. As is noted in Texas Instruments' publication SBOS243C, published in May 2002, and revised in April 2005: "The LOG104 is a versatile integrated circuit that computes the logarithm or log ratio of an input current relative to a reference current. The LOG104 is operable over a wide dynamic range of input signals. In log ratio applications, a signal current can come from a photodiode, and a reference current from a resistor in series with a precision external reference." Unfortunately, this solution is complicated and requires non-linear conversion of the output signal which provides a predetermined relationship which may not match the performance of a particular sensor.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art are a method and circuitry that enable wide dynamic range sensing having a linear output throughout the effective range of a sensor.

Wide-range linear output photo sensor circuit


A method is provided for forming iridium oxide (IrOx) nanotubes. The method comprises: providing a substrate; introducing a (methylcyclopentadienyl)(1,5-cyclooctadiene)iridium(I) precursor; introducing oxygen as a precursor reaction gas; establishing a final pressure in the range of 1 to 50 Torr; establishing a substrate, or chamber temperature in the range of 200 to 500 degrees C.; and using a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process, growing IrOx hollow nanotubes from the substrate surface. Typically, the (methylcyclopentadienyl)(1,5-cyclooctadiene)iridium(I) precursor is initially heated in an ampule to a first temperature in the range of 60 to 90 degrees C., and the first temperature is maintained in the transport line introducing the precursor. The precursor may be mixed with an inert carrier gas such as Ar, or the oxygen precursor reaction gas may be used as the carrier.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to integrated circuit (IC) fabrication and, more particularly, to a method for forming iridium oxide nanotubes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the fabrication of nanowires has been explored, due to its potential importance as a building block in nano, microelectromechanical (MEM), and nanoelectromechanical NEM device applications. For example, researchers associated with Charles Lieber have reported the synthesis of a variety of semiconductor nanowires made from materials such as silicon (Si), Si-germanium (SiGe), InP, and GaN, for use in building nano-computing system. Other groups also report using template structures to grow metallic nanowires made of materials such as Ni, NiSi, Au, and Pt. Metallic nanowires can be used for electrical interconnections and the relatively sharps tips of the nanowires make them effective for field emission purposes. ZnO2 nanowires are potentially useful as a light emission element.
However, no processes have been reported that are able to create metallic nanowires without the use of a porous material or template. The templates add a considerable degree of complexity to the process. Thus, a more practical and commercially feasible means of forming metallic nanowires is desirable. It would be especially useful if iridium oxide (IrO2) nanowire could be grown using a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) methods without a template. IrO2 is a conductive metal oxide that is already widely used in DRAM and FeRAM applications, so its use could be easily integrated into convention IC fabrication. IrO2 can be used as a conductive electrode, as it has stable electrical and chemical properties, even at high temperature O2 ambient conditions. IrO2 can also be used as pH sensor material. Ir thin film can be deposited using PVD easily with excellent polycrystalline structure and strong (111) orientation. IrO2 can be formed afterwards, by oxidizing the Ir film, or it can be formed directly using reactive sputtering method at higher temperatures in oxygen ambient. CVD methods have recently been developed grow Ir and IrO2 thin films. It is relatively easy to maintain good composition control in CVD processes, and the method is know to provide good step coverage.
Reui-San Chen et al. have published a paper that discusses making IrO2 nanorods by MOCVD deposition, using a (methylcyclopentadienyl) (1,5-cyclooctadiene) iridium (I) precursor. They also explored the potential use of IrO2 nanorods in field emission applications. The nanorods they grew were a few microns long, and about 100 nanometers (nm) in diameter. However, successfully repeated experiments obtaining similar vertically aligned IrO2 nanorods show that, although these structures exhibit sharp tips, the crystal structure is amorphous or polycrystalline. The crystalline structure is a result of defects, or a high dislocation density, resulting from the fact that there is insufficient diffusion to overcome the effects of shadowing during growth, which acts to provide more precursor to the nanorod tips than to the nanorod stem, or rod bottom sections.
It would be advantageous if iridium oxide nanorods could be grown in a cluster, to form a hollow nanotube structure, in an MOCVD process.
It would be advantageous if the hollow nanotube could be formed without the use of a template.

Iridium oxide nanotubes and method for forming same


A filtration device particularly for use with vacuum cleaners used for collection of fine liquid spray particles which tend to clog porous solid filters. The device utilizes readily replaceable liquid as a filtration medium with air being forced into the liquid then released for additional multiple liquid contacts. The device further includes horizontal baffles with air access apertures wherein one or more of the baffles can be perforated, mesh or absorbent therein which are positioned above the surface of the liquid, with a vacuum being applied to the area. This redirects liquid spray particle laden air into filtration contact with liquid multiple times wherein filtration efficiency is in excess of 99%. The perforated, absorbent or mesh baffle removes remaining mist or spray from the system or device.

This invention relates to filtration of liquid spray drawn by a vacuum and particularly to filtration of the liquid spray by means of an absorbing filter including a liquid medium.
The vacuum removal of particles or materials in an air stream, particularly of fine size, commonly entails materials such as gypsum, encountered with sanding of wallboard; sawdust; house dust, liquid spray from a spray booth and the like. Continued efficacious removal of the fine particles or materials in an air stream further requires the utilization of replaceable filtration elements usually made of cloth, foam, paper and the like which trap the particles. However, such filtration elements must be periodically replaced since clogging reduces vacuum removal efficiency and this is at an economic cost and with lost time involved in the replacement. In addition, such replacements are at periodic short time intervals, especially with heavy duty and continuous applications.
In response to the demands placed on solid porous filters, fluid filtration has been utilized wherein the particle laden air is vacuum drawn into contact with a fluid (invariably water) surface with particles being removed by such water surface as a filtration of the air. Efficiency of such removal is however less than ideal since the air is not actually drawn through the water in a manner similar to the solid filters, but is instead caused to contact the surface of the water, and at most only bubbled through a short depth beneath the exposed surface.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means for increasing the filtration efficiency of a liquid medium-containing filter.
It is a further object of the present invention to effect such increased efficiency by providing the liquid medium-containing filter with an apertured baffle system which directs and redirects spray laden air into multiple contacts with the filtering liquid medium surface.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the following discussion and drawings. in which:


An electronic device and method for generating an augmented image. The device includes an image sensor and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to receive an image, retrieve a set of keywords, and identify a first set of features within the image corresponding to at least one keyword from the set of keywords, producing first metadata. The electronic processor is configured to compress the image, identify a second set of features within the compressed image, producing second metadata, and determine missing metadata between the first metadata and the second metadata. The electronic processor is configured to generate an augmented image by associating the missing metadata to the compressed image and perform at least one selected from the group consisting of transmitting the augmented image to another device and decompressing the augmented image to create a decompressed image and presenting the decompressed image including the missing metadata.

Public safety personnel patrolling or responding to an incident in an area may need to locate a suspect, a missing person, a stolen vehicle, or other persons or objects of interest (subjects). In some cases, visual media (for example, photos and video) may be necessary for documentation, analysis, and communication between personnel. Accordingly public safety personnel may use image capturing devices (for example, a body-worn camera, a camera mounted on or incorporated in a drone or a vehicle such as an in-vehicle dash camera), which captures images of the area to assist them in locating subjects or key information about an incident.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

Method and device for generating an augmented image


Floodlight in a fluid-filled shell (3) with a medially arranged atomizer (7), whereby a light source (8) is permanently installed in a transparent, horizontal ring (9) around the atomizer (7) on a superior level, and an active surface (12) of the atomizer (7) is maintained free, characterized in that                the floodlight is mounted centrally on a stand (2) with a shell holder (16), screw-fixed in a sealing manner.        the ring (9) extends upwards in an arch above a bulb holder (10) and encloses the above in a sealing manner by means of screwing into the shell holder with seals (15).        the atomizer (7) is tensioned in a seal (20) and fixed with a screw ring (18) below the bulb holder (10).        a sealed space (14) for cable introduction is thus retained below the atomizer (7) and below the bulb holder (10) in the shell holder (16), the lines of which run through the stand (2).

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a floodlight in a fluid-filled shell with a medially arranged atomiser, whereby a light source is permanently installed in a transparent, horizontal ring around the atomiser at a superior level and an active surface of the atomiser is maintained free.
2. Prior Art
Such a floodlight is well known from the document DE 202 16 671 U1. It consists of a shell for a fluid the bottom of which is closed, inside of which is placed a crystal-like holder for an atomiser and a lighting, whereby their current supply is led into the shell across its edge. The lighting is inserted into holes, which have been drilled into the holder from the bottom. The atomiser is arranged in a lower position in the holder than the luminous elements, such as bulbs or light emitting diodes, and is accessible from above through a drilled hole allowing fluid and mist outlet. In one execution a reflector is arranged on spacers above the light holder. A simple assembly, as well as sealing and disassembly of the construction elements in the holder, is not intended.
Furthermore, a shell that is lit up from below and can be fed with fluid is well known from the document DE 201 03 621 U1, into which an atomiser is inserted, whereby its inlet runs across the edge of shell. The lighting of the shell from below makes this lamp unsuitable for an arrangement on a high stand.
Furthermore, a permanently installed atomiser in a fluid-filled shell is well known from the German application DE 297 13 945. This shell exhibits a foot containing a light source. Therefore the light is emitted essentially upward. If the foot is positioned on a piece of furniture, moisture damages can result from the precipitation of the mist on the furniture.


A user authentication method performed by an authentication management server constituting a block chain network with a target device may comprise receiving, from the target device, a transaction including authentication information of a user and a unique value of the target device; determining a token of the user stored in a smart contract based on the authentication information; and authenticating the user based on validity information of the token, ownership information of the token, and the transaction.

In general, user authentication is performed by verifying a user's identity at a central server and transmitting the corresponding authentication information to the user. The user stores the transmitted authentication information in a smartphone and submits the stored authentication information later to be verified. Here, the authentication information should be basically impossible to duplicate and forgery, and should also be able to support a function that can be delegated to other users.
In the case that the central server delivers the authentication information to the smartphone and stores it, since it is impossible to duplicate the authentication information stored on the smartphone, the authentication information should be reissued when the smartphone is lost or changed, and delegation of the authentication information is impossible in principle. Also, since a signature using a secret key of the central server that issues the authentication information is required to prevent forgery of the authentication information, there is also a problem in that the complexity of the authentication process is increased.
With the recent proliferation of block chain technologies, a method of applying a block chain to user authentication has emerged. In general, a user authentication method using a block chain may store and maintain a public key in a block chain from a pair of a private key and the public key issued to a user by using a public key infrastructure, may generate signature information by using the private key known only to the user, and may authenticate the user by decrypting the signature information using the public key stored in the block chain.
Such the conventional user authentication method using a block chain has a limitation in that various attribute information cannot be configured because only the information based on the public key issued to the user is stored in the block chain. Also, since the public key of the user is stored in the block chain, there is a problem of privacy exposure according to execution of the authentication.
In another conventional method for authenticating a user using a block chain (e.g., Civic), a data proof value of the user is initially stored in the block chain, and then a user authentication control device compares a data proof value received from the user with the data proof value stored in the block chain to process authentication of the user. However, even in such the method, since the authentication process is processed based on data owned by the user, the data can be duplicated, and there is a problem that it is difficult to confirm whether a previous owner deletes the data even when the data is delegated to another user.

Method and apparatus for user authentication based on block chain


The invention relates to a chemical composition and a process for using the chemical composition to remove and recover petroleum hydrocarbons from a contaminated substrate including an ammonia compound; a nitrogen-containing compound; and an aqueous carrier solution.

In the petroleum industry, it is common for substrates to become contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. One particular example of a substrate that can become contaminated is ground soil. In industrial areas, it is common for petroleum hydrocarbons to spill onto ground soil during normal drilling or storage operations or while in transit. Over time, repeated spills can result in excessive hydrocarbon accumulation in the ground soil, which can potentially become an environmental hazard. Further, these spilled hydrocarbons are a valuable commodity from which economic value is not being realized. As a result, the industry has traditionally sought improved means for remediating the contaminated ground soils in order to remove and/or recover substantially all of the hydrocarbons contained therein.
Examples of previously used methods for removing petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated soils include, for example, excavation, microbial remediation, phytoregeneration, thermal desorption, incineration and soil washing; however, these previously used methods have been expensive, difficult or dangerous to use, inefficient and/or have not provided the desired degree of separation of the components in the substrate. Further, none of the previously used methods allow for recovery of petroleum hydrocarbons for refining.
There are also particular disadvantages associated with each of these previously used methods. For example, excavation only changes the location, and not the contaminated nature, of the substrate. Further, the use of indigenous substrate types to refill excavation sites is often not permitted by local regulations. Microbial remediation, also known as bacterial decay, requires months and sometimes years to complete, and is typically ineffective for large areas contaminated to depths greater than a few inches below the surface. Phytoregeneration, i.e., the planting of fast growing leafy vegetation at the site, requires extensive site preparation and cleanup time. Thermal desorption is extremely slow and expensive, and the "cleaned" substrate is typically only clean enough to use as construction fill. Incineration consumes vast quantities of fossil fuel, discolors the substrate and generates large amounts of carbon dioxide, which could potentially violate air quality standard limitations. Soil washing is expensive and results in the creation of a hazardous waste stream. Soil washing also causes the total destruction of the hydrocarbon and creates a hazardous waste stream.
In addition to ground soil, drill cuttings are another example of a substrate that can become contaminated. Drill cuttings are the accumulated mixture of drilling mud, rock fragments, sediment, fluids, solids and/or specialty chemicals produced in connection with the drilling of exploration, appraisal and production wells. Hydrocarbons are often found in these cuttings. Industry has traditionally used large vertical separators such as the VERTI-G™ dryer to reduce the hydrocarbon and water liquid phase from the cuttings; however, dryers are inefficient and/or have not provided the desired degree of separation of components in the substrate. The most efficient dryers leave between 3% and 10% of the liquid phase in the substrate. Further, these separators did not clean the drill cuttings sufficiently to classify the cuttings as non-hazardous waste suitable for dumping or use in other applications.
Thus, there is a need for an efficient and cost effective technique to maximize removal and recovery of petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated substrates, particularly contaminated ground soils and petroleum drilling cuttings. Also, there is a need for a process for petroleum hydrocarbon recovery from contaminated substrates that utilizes simple or existing equipment. Further, there is a need for a composition that can be added to contaminated substrates to recover substantially all of the petroleum hydrocarbons without resulting in excessive reaction with the contaminated substrate components or damage to the petroleum hydrocarbons.

Composition and process for the removal and recovery of hydrocarbons from substrates


An imaging apparatus includes a mid-frame for supporting the sheet of print media. A unitary carrier support frame is positioned above the mid-frame. The unitary carrier support frame defines a first guide member and a second guide member, wherein a longitudinal extent of each of the first guide member and the second guide member is in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet feed direction. A printhead carrier is provided having a first bearing member for engaging the first guide member, and a second bearing member for engaging the second guide member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and, more particularly, to a carrier support and drive arrangement for an imaging apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical inkjet printhead has a carrier frame that provides the structure on which other parts are positioned. Typically the carrier frame has a pair of end walls, between which one or more carrier guide rods are suspended. In turn, the carrier guide rods support a printhead carrier for reciprocating movement along the carrier guide rods. The printhead carrier mounts one of more printheads. A carrier drive belt is attached to the printhead carrier, with the carrier drive belt being suspended between a carrier motor drive pulley and an idler pulley. The reciprocation of the printhead carrier is achieved through the carrier motor/drive belt arrangement. A mid-frame is provided to support a sheet of print media in a print zone. An idler roller crossbar, mounting a plurality of star wheels, is mounted to a downstream end of the mid-frame.
In such an arrangement, a print gap, i.e., the vertical distance between the printheads and the top surface of the mid-frame, is typically difficult to control.
What is needed in the art is an imaging apparatus configured to provide improved control of a print gap.

Imaging apparatus having a carrier support and drive arrangement


A light source that includes an LED light source, and one or more encapsulants containing a light-absorbing component that absorbs light in the wavelength range of about 415 nm to about 435 nm and can include at least one phosphor that can provide an LED light source that emits white light having a reduced amount of blue light or even toxic blue light with minimal effect on color characteristics such as correlated color temperature (CCT), color gamut, and luminance.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are well-known solid-state lighting devices. LEDs generally include a semiconductor chip having a plurality of semiconductor layers grown on a substrate such as a sapphire, silicon or gallium nitride substrate. The semiconductor layers include n-type and p-type semiconductor layers, in contact with each other, such that when a sufficient voltage is applied, electrons in the n-type layers and holes in the p-type layers flow toward each other. Electrons and holes then recombine, and each time this occurs, a photon of light is emitted. The wavelength distribution of light emitted by an LED generally depends on the particular semiconductor materials used and the structure of the thin epitaxial layers that make up an active region of the device where the electrons and holes recombine.
Most LEDs are monochromatic light sources that appear to emit light having a single wavelength (color). LEDs can be designed to provide different colors of light, in accordance with color theory, by using a combination of LEDs, each LED emitting light of a different color. For example, a white LED light source can be made by using a combination of individual LEDs, each LED emitting red, green or blue light. The different colors of light emitted by the individual LED chips combine to produce a desired intensity and/or color of white light, depending on the relative intensities of the individual LEDs.

White LED light source and method of making same


A multiplying digital to analog converter comprising a digital to analog converter having a plurality of capacitors coupled in parallel, applying first signals to the capacitors during a sampling period, and applying second signals to the capacitors during an amplifying period, and an amplifier including a first amplifier electrically coupled to the digital to analog converter; a second amplifier electrically coupled to the first amplifier; and a first switch electrically coupled between an input end and an output end of the second amplifier, being turned off during a sampling period, and being turned off during an amplifying period.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multiplying digital to analog converter, and more particularly, relates to a multipath pipelined analog to digital converter using the same.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A multipath pipelined analog to digital converter realizes high-speed performance by sequentially processing one sample and hold output through each path and sequentially outputting the processed output through a multiplexer (MUX).
Hereinafter, a multiplying digital to analog converter is referred to as a MDAC, and an analog to digital converter is referred to as an ADC throughout the specification.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual scheme of a general pipelined ADC.
Referring to FIG. 1, a function of the MDAC, which is a pipelined ADC, will be described in detail.
The pipelined ADC digitalizes an analog input signal (AIN) in increments over multiple stages ST1 to STk. Within each stage, a sample and hold amplifier (SHA) 10, an n-bit ADSC (sub-ADC) 20, an n-bit DASC (sub-DAC) 30, and an adder 40 are included. The SHA 10 receives an analog signal Ri-1 of a previous stage, and holds the analog signal Ri-1 for a defined period of time after sampling it. The n-bit ADSC 20 converts the sampled analog signal Ri-1 into a digital signal and outputs the digital signal. The n-bit DASC 30 converts the digital signal output from the n-bit ADSC 20 into an analog signal. The adder 40 adds the analog signal output from the n-bit DASC 30 and the previous stage analog signal passed through the sample and hold amplifier 10, and generates an analog signal Ri to be input to a SHA 10 of a next successive stage.
For example, each stage processes 4-bit analog to digital convergence as follows. A 4-bit ADSC 20 receives an input analog signal and outputs a 4-bit digital signal. A 4-bit DASC 30 receives the 4-bit digital signal and converts it into an analog signal. The adder 40 substrates the analog signal outputted from the 4-bit DASC 30 from the analog signal outputted from the SHA 10, which corresponds to the analog signal outputted from the previous stage. Then, the adder 40 outputs the result analog signal as an analog signal for the next successive stage
In each stage, the n-bit DASC 30, the adder 40, and the SHA 10 are provided in a format of the MDAC, except for the n-bit ADSC 20. In this case, each stage is configured with the sub-ADC and MDAC.
Stage redundancy in the multipath pipelined analog to digital converter is exploited to convert a portion of an analog signal into a digital signal for desired signal conversion.
FIG. 2 shows a general multipath pipelined ADC.
FIG. 2 conceptually illustrates a 10-bit multipath pipelined ADC having a first path 50 path1 and a second path 60 path2, different from the pipelined ADC of FIG. 1.
Considering that the operation speed of a MDAC block in each stage affects the speed of all the ADCs, the multipath pipelined ADC processes the same amount of data even though the operation speed is set to be half as much as that of a single path ADC because a signal sampled through a sample and holding circuit is alternately transmitted to the first path path1 and the second path path2 to be processed.
However, when using multiple paths, an offset between the paths may be differentiated and thus each path may output different digital signals in response to the same analog signal input, thereby causing degradation of resolution. Therefore, most of the multipath pipelined ADCs employ a calibration circuit for calibrating differential offsets between the multiple paths.
The calibration circuit stores an offset difference between the paths when no signal is input, and subtracts/adds a digital value from/to an output of each path corresponding to the offset difference when a signal is input to calibrate the differential offsets between the paths. In other words, the conventional multipath pipelined ADC estimates a DC offset between the paths to calibrate an estimated amount of offsets in one of the paths, or stores a code difference between the paths in a memory to calibrate the code difference while operating the calibration circuit. Such a calibrating method requires additional operations to estimate offsets between the paths and adds circuit complexity to calibrate the offsets, thereby increasing cost.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,926 discloses a method for removing error factors in multiple paths by using a calibration algorithm. However, the method has a problem of requiring a plurality of circuits for realizing the calibration algorithm thereby increasing cost.
Another type of calibration circuit is disclosed by L. Sumane (entitled "A 10 bit 200 MS/s CMOS Parallel A/D converter", IEEE JSSC, Vol. 36, No. 7, pp 1048˜1053, July, 2001). The circuit, including a register in an ADC output to remove an offset in a multipath ADC, stores on offset in each path, and calibrates a digital value corresponding to the offset in each path in the ADC output. However, the circuit requires an additional circuit for removing the offset and additional operations for estimating and removing the offset.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore, unless explicitly described to the contrary, it should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Multiplying digital to analog converter and multipath pipe line analog to digital converter using the same

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A chronograph mechanism including an energy accumulator, a regulating system, a chronograph counter train including a minute-counter having a minute wheel set and at least one minute indicator member, and a seconds-counter having a seconds wheel set and a seconds indicator member, a chronograph zero-reset mechanism including a minute zero-reset mechanism. The minute zero-reset mechanism is arranged to cooperate with the minute wheel set, the minute indicator member being permanently integral with the minute wheel set, and the chronograph counter train includes an uncoupling device between the minute-counter and the seconds-counter, arranged to kinematically connect the minute wheel set and the seconds wheel set during the counting and to uncouple the seconds wheel set from the minute wheel set when the chronograph mechanism is reset to zero.

Chronograph mechanisms generally comprise a chronograph counter train which can count the time from the second, by means of a chronograph wheel set or seconds-counter, to the minute, by means of a minute-counter, and possibly to the hour, by means of an hour-counter. Each counter comprises an indicator member moving on a corresponding graduated scale. When the chronograph is reset to zero, the indicator members are conventionally indexed to an angular position corresponding to the zero on each graduated scale. Therefore, the indicator members are generally carried by the arbor of a corresponding gear train element, and there is a friction connection between the gear train element and its arbor to allow for an independent angular motion of the two members beyond a certain torque. The indicator members are indexed by means heart-piece mechanisms and corresponding hammers. The use of friction connections and heart-piece mechanisms and hammers means that the torque to be provided when the various counters are reset to zero is very high, and that a large quantity of energy will be consumed simply to reset the various counters to zero. Accordingly, the manufacturer is obliged to provide a suitable energy accumulator, generally a barrel of sufficient size to provide the required energy. This creates a congestion problem, in particular in the case of a timepiece comprising a basic time movement and an autonomous chronograph movement, having its own movement and therefore its own barrel. It is therefore necessary to have mechanisms that use less energy when the chronograph is reset to zero. More specifically, it is necessary to have a chronograph zero-reset mechanism other than a friction system controlled by heart-pieces and hammers.


There is provided an integrated LED driving device including: a DC/DC converting part converting and outputting a DC voltage inputted from the outside by switching of a switch into a driving voltage of a magnitude suitable for driving a plurality of LED arrays; a constant current controlling part receiving at least one of information on the current flowing through the LED array and information on a voltage applied to the LED array by feed-back, the constant current controlling part including a PWM controller PWM-controlling a switching duty of the switch of the DC/DC converting part, and controlling a switching duty of each of the switches of the switching part to allow the current to flow through the LED array with a predetermined magnitude; and a control logic receiving a control signal by a user and controlling the PWM controller in response to the control signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting diode (LED) driving device, more particularly, in which various circuits required for driving LEDs such as a direct current (DC)/direct current (DC) conversion circuit and a pulse width modulation (PWM) control circuit are integrated into one chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) used as a light source of a conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) employs mercury gas, which may trigger environmental pollution. Besides, the CCFL is slow in response rate, low in color reproducibility and inappropriate for a smaller-sized and lighter-weight liquid crystal display (LCD) panel.
In contrast, a light emitting diode (LED) is environment-friendly, high in response rate with several nano seconds, thus effective for a video signal stream and capable of being impulsively driven. Moreover, the LED can reproduce color by 100% and alter brightness and color temperature by adjusting light amount of red, green and blue LEDs. Also, the LED carries advantages suitable for the smaller-sized and lighter-weight LCD panel. Therefore, of late, the LED has been actively employed as a backlight source of the LCD panel.
As described above, in a case where an LED array having a plurality of LEDs connected to one another is utilized in the liquid crystal display (LCD) backlight employing the LED, a driving circuit for driving the LED array requires a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter converting an input voltage inputted from the outside into a voltage suitable for driving the LED array, and a driving circuit supplying a predetermined constant current to the LED array. Moreover, the LED array driving circuit additionally requires a dimming circuit which enables a user to adjust brightness and color temperature arbitrarily or adjust brightness of the LEDs for e.g., temperature compensation.
Conventionally, various circuits for driving the LEDs are individually implemented using lumped devices such as a resistor or a capacitor or partially integrated into a chip, as demonstrated by e.g., a direct current (DC)-direct current (DC) converter.
Therefore, these conventional driving circuits for driving the LED arrays necessitate a board of a wide area for disposing the individual LEDs thereon. The conventional circuits also necessarily require a process for disposing the devices on an individual basis. Particularly, when dimming control is in need to control brightness of the LEDs by an external control signal, the board of a broader area and the devices are required.
Therefore, the conventional LED driving circuits involve higher costs due to a greater number of external devices, higher defect ratio during assembling, and less compactness.


One embodiment relates to an apparatus for generating a dual-energy electron beam. A first electron beam source is configured to generate a lower-energy electron beam, and a second electron beam source is configured to generate a higher-energy electron beam. A holey mirror is biased to reflect the lower-energy electron beam. The holey mirror also includes an opening therein through which passes the higher-energy electron beam, thereby forming the dual-energy electron beam. A prism array combiner introduces a first dispersion between the lower-energy electron beam and the higher-energy electron beam within the dual-energy electron beam. A prism array separator is configured to separate the dual-energy electron beam traveling to a substrate from a scattered electron beam traveling away from the substrate. The prism array separator introduces a second dispersion which compensates for the dispersion of the prism array combiner. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electron beam (e-beam) apparatus and e-beam inspection methods.
2. Description of the Background Art
Most conventional wafer and mask inspection systems use light optical images. Scanning electron beam microscopes (SEMs) have also been developed for inspection and critical dimension (CD) measurement. These SEM instruments scan a very small beam over the surface, and record the re-emitted secondary electrons in a single detector. Image acquisition tends to be slower for SEMs than for direct imaging light optical instruments because only one image element (pixel) at a time is recorded.
A low energy emission microscope (LEEM) is a direct imaging (as opposed to scanning) electron microscope. A conventional LEEM uses a single illumination beam which is accelerated typically to about 10 to 30 keV in an electron gun. The single beam passes through a separator magnet that bends the beam into the axis of the objective lens. An image of the gun crossover is transferred to the back focal (diffraction) plane of the objective lens, forming a parallel flood beam that uniformly illuminates the substrate. The substrate is electrically floated at approximately the same voltage as the cathode of the electron gun, so that illuminating electrons are decelerated in the objective lens, striking the substrate at energies typically between 0 to about 1000 eV. Some examples of prior art LEEM systems are described in the review paper: "The continuing development of the low energy electron microscope for characterizing surfaces," L. Veneklasen, Rev. Sci. Inst. 63(12) p. 5513 (December 1992) and its references.
Insulating surfaces are generally not a problem for light optical inspection because the scattering and reflection of light is insensitive to electrostatic surface charge. Unfortunately, surface charging effects can pose a difficulty for electron beam imaging of insulating surfaces (whether scanned or direct imaging). The rate that a given pixel element charges depends upon the difference between electron flux arriving at and leaving each pixel. The high current densities required for imaging at inspection rates imply a likely high rate of charging if the electron flux leaving the surface is not balanced by that entering. Thus, the surface voltage can quickly reach levels detrimental to imaging or even, in some instances, detrimental to sample integrity. Effective means for controlling local surface charging are therefore desirable if e-beam instruments are to be used for inspection of wafers, masks and other non-conductive substrates.

Holey mirror arrangement for dual-energy e-beam inspector


A sleeping system is described in which comfort systems for a foam mattress assembly are mounted in a foundation assembly supporting the mattress assembly. The comfort systems include an air heating and cooling system, a firmness system and an elevation system. The foam mattress assembly includes a flexible encasement dish into which one or more foam layers are disposed. Blowers for the air system are mounted adjacent the foundation assembly top in direct fluid communication with apertures in the top, minimizing the air flow path from the blower exhaust to the mattress top to reduce air pressure loss and diminishment of the heated or cooled air.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to mattresses and support structures for the mattresses. In particular, the disclosure relates to specialized foam mattresses with comfort systems, such as air cooling and heating systems, firmness systems and elevation systems, wherein components of the comfort systems are disposed within an open space defined within a foundation that supports the mattresses.
2. Background
There are many applications and situations where it is desirable to provide systems for enhancing comfort or adjustability a loam mattress. For example, heating and/or cooling systems can be provided for adjusting the temperature of individual sleeping areas on a foam mattress to accommodate the preferences of different users. Many heating and cooling systems include air motor or blower for convective heating or cooling of the mattress. A foam mattress presents challenges for effectively and efficiently distributing the warmed or cooled air to an upper surface of the mattress. Air pressure losses and reductions in the temperature differential applied to the air delivered by the air blowers often frustrate the heating and cooling effects of the heating and cooling systems.
Other comfort systems may also be provided. For example, elevation mechanisms can be provided for selectively raising or lowering a head portion of the mattress to facilitate sleeping or other activities such as watching television. In some foam mattresses, a firmness layer is provided for selectively adjusting a firmness of one or more portions of the mattress. Still other mattresses are equipped with massage functionalities. Each of these systems can add to the complexity of operation for these systems. When these systems are combined in a single sleeping system, the movement or operation of one system may present challenges for the movement and operation of other systems.


An error correcting device is provided that has an input connectable to receive one or more data units, an error detection module arranged to identify a presence of one or more errors in a received data unit of the one or more data units and to provide an error detection signal for the received data unit, an error correction module arranged to perform an error correction processing on the received data unit and provide a corrected data unit, and a correction evaluation module arranged to perform a comparison of the received data unit with the corrected data unit and to generate a correction error signal depending on a result of the comparison and the error detection signal.

Error detection and error correction, which is detection of errors and reconstruction of the error-free original data from encoded data, are techniques that enable reliable delivery of digital data from a data source to a data sink over an error prone transmission channel. Error correction coding (ECC) for error detection and correction may e.g. be applied to a telecommunications system for communication between sender and receiver over a noisy communication channel and is also widely used in the industry to improve the integrity of stored information. ECC may also be applied in digital data processing systems, for example when transmitting data to a data processing device, for example a microcontroller unit (MCU) used for example in a safety critical system, e.g. of a vehicle. Many devices employ ECC protection of data stored in memories or registers to assert the integrity of this data, and to detect and, if possible, correct errors. Often ECC is also used to protect the transmission of data over a bus.
Error correction coding usually employs a forward error correction scheme wherein data can be reconstructed at the receiving side without a need for retransmitting parts of the data in the case of a transmission error. Data is encoded at the source side using an error correction code, which adds redundant additional information. This additional information is used at the receiving side for checking the incoming data and recovering the data with the highest probability to be the original or which can be clearly identified to be correct.
An ECC device or unit set up to detect and correct errors in received data at the receiving side helps increase likelihood of correctness of the received data, if error-free performance of the device can be guaranteed.
In order to improve reliability of the output of the ECC unit as well as functional safety of the ECC unit, the system may for example comprise one or more redundant ECC units processing the same data in parallel for comparison of results. Or in an integrity check mode test data may be applied to the ECC unit for coverage of permanent faults and processed data may be output through an interface for external correctness evaluation. Transient errors may be detected by comparison approaches.

Error correcting device, method for monitoring an error correcting device and data processing system


A shut-off valve is mounted between an injection nozzle and a mold. The valve has a piston within the valve body, A material passage is formed through the piston having an exit aperture and a terminal end. When material is injected through the material passage, the piston is forced to a downstream position which allows the material to flow into the mold. A pneumatic pressure applied to the piston forces the piston to a closed position after injection.

Injection molding is a widespread method for creating plastic goods. A mold is created with a cavity identical to an original blank of the object to be reproduced. The mold is then held to the nozzle of an injection molding machine. The injection molding machine uses a screw to plasticize plastic pellets and convey a specified amount of plastic into an accumulation area downstream of the screw. The screw then translates forward, pushing the plastic shot through an injection nozzle and into the mold. After injection, the screw rotates, conveying material for a second shot into the accumulation area. This later process is known as recovery.
After injection, in hot runner molds, plastic can drool into the mold cavity, causing an imperfection on the following part. Therefore a need exists for a shut-off valve which immediately stops the flow of plastic through the nozzle once the mold is filled. Further, there is a need for a shut-off valve which can be attached downstream of at least two injection units to allow for co-injection of a mold.


The invention provides a method for producing photochromic silicone hydrogel (SiHy) contact lenses based on thermal cast-molding technology in a relatively efficient and consistent manner. The method is characterized by selecting a high radical-reactive hydrophilic acrylic monomer while eliminating any low radical-reactive hydrophilic N-vinyl amide monomer in a lens formulation (polymerizable composition), by selecting a weight ratio of low-radical-reactive hydrophilic N-vinyl amide monomer to a high radical-reactive hydrophilic acrylic monomer in a lens formulation if the low radical-reactive hydrophilic N-vinyl amide monomer is needed, and/or by using a relatively high temperature thermal initiator in a lens formulation, to control the lens properties (e.g., water content, elastic modulus, etc.) and lens processability (capability of dry-delensing from molds) of thermally cast-molded SiHy contact lenses while minimizing loss in photochromic ability of resultant SiHy contact lenses.

Conventionally, UV-absorbing compounds have been incorporated into contact lenses to make UV-absorbing contact lenses to protect eyes from UV-radiations. Recently, there have been proposed various photochromic contact lenses for protecting eyes from UV-radiations (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,681,412, 6,017,121, 6,174,464, 6,224,945, 7,261,844, 7,368,072, 7,556,750, 7,560,056, 7,584,630, 7,641,337, 7,999,989, 8,158,037, 8,697,770, 8,741,188, 9,052,438, 9,097,916, 9,377,569, 9,465,234, 9,904,074, 10,197,707). Those proposed photochromic contact lenses contains photochromic compounds which are capable of undergoing a reversible color change, e.g., from "clear" to blue or other color, upon exposure to UV-irradiation and/or high-energy-violet light (HEVL).
One approach for incorporating a photochromic compound into contact lenses is to add a polymerizable photochromic compound in a polymerizable composition (i.e., lens formulation) for forming the contact lenses and then to use the obtained lens formulation to produce photochromic contact lenses according to a conventional cast-molding lens manufacturing process. Typically, a conventional cast-molding lens manufacturing process comprises: curing (polymerizing) of a polymerizable composition (lens formulation) within disposable plastic molds typically consisting of two mold halves; opening molds; optionally but preferably delensing (i.e., removing cast-molded lenses from the molds); and being subjected to various post-molding processes including extraction, hydration, packaging, and sterilization, etc. However, there are challenges in producing photochromic contact lenses from a lens formulation including a polymerizable or non-polymerizable photochromic compound according to such a conventional cast-molding lens manufacturing process. It is known that photochromic compounds can be sensitive to free radicals formed during the curing (polymerization) of a lens formulation. Under the effect of these free radicals, photochromic compounds are susceptible to degradation (decomposition) to generate colored by-products and lose their photoactivity (i.e., photochromic capability), or to interfering radical polymerization of a lens formulation, especially a lens formulation containing at least a hydrophilic N-vinyl amide monomer having a relatively low radical reactivity, through forming relatively-stable radicals so as to adversely affect the lens properties and processability (e.g., dry-delensing ability) of cast-molded lenses.
Therefore, there is still a need for a process for producing photochromic contact lenses, in particular, photochromic silicone hydrogel contact lenses having a desired lens properties and processability according to a conventional cast-molding technique.

Method for producing photochromic contact lenses


A system for generating milling codes includes a plurality of personal computers (10), a database (14), and an application server (12). The application server, connected between the personal computers and the database, includes a circular hole handling module (125), for handling circular holes of an engineering drawing, and receiving relevant parameters of the circular holes; a non-circular hole handling module (126), for determining and handling all non-circular holes of the engineering drawing, and receiving relevant parameters of the non-circular holes; a milling path generating module (128), for generating milling paths according to the parameters of the circular holes and the non-circular holes; and a milling code generating module (129), for generating milling codes according to the milling paths. A related method for generating milling codes is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for generating machining codes, and particularly to a system and method for generating milling codes.
2. Related Art
With ongoing competition among production enterprises, many of these enterprises are taking great pains to improve their manufacturing efficiency. One solution is to employ milling machines having computer aided capability, which the computer has high hardware capability and low costs. A conventional milling machining mainly uses computer aided design (CAD) software to process an engineering drawing, so as to define machining accessories and generate milling codes. The milling codes are transmitted to a machining center via a floppy disk, a portable computing device, or direct numerical control (DNC) in order to process the machining accessories accordingly.
Conventionally, generating the milling codes based on the engineering drawings is performed and monitored manually. This can greatly retard production efficiency.

System and method for generating milling codes

Boa-an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.