A sprayer control system and method for using same includes a pump for directing a mixture of chemical and fluid carrier to a flow control valve. The flow control valve includes an intake port, a bypass port, and a regulated outlet port. A valve member is rotatable to direct fluid from the intake port either to the bypass port or the regulated output port. Fluid from the bypass port is sent through a bypass line back to the intake opening of the fluid pump. Various chemical tanks are connected to the bypass line for injecting metered amounts of chemical into the bypass line.

This invention relates to a sprayer control system and method for using same.
Chemical spraying systems are widely used in the field of agriculture. These sprayers are used to spray agricultural crops with insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and other chemicals. Environmental concerns make it desirable to be able to precisely control the amount of chemicals being sprayed so that excess use of chemicals is avoided. Precise control of the quantity and mixture of chemicals is also desirable in order to minimize chemical costs and thereby maximize profit.
Chemicals are usually applied to agricultural crops by vehicles which move through the crops and which carry sprayers for spraying the chemicals on the crops. It is desirable to be able to adjust and control the flow of chemical being sprayed in relationship to the velocity of the vehicle. That is, as the velocity increases, the flow rate of the chemical needs also to increase correspondingly.
The control system for the sprayer also should provide the operator with means for easily adjusting the chemical rate being applied, the number of spray booms being actuated, and the width of the spray pattern.
Prior art spray systems utilize two or more valves in the system for controlling the flow rate of the chemical to the sprayer heads. One problem encountered with these systems is the difficulty in adjusting the flow rate without creating a back pressure on the pump which is pumping the fluid to the spray heads. Prior art valving systems for sprayers often create this back pressure on the pump which results in damage or unnecessary wear on the pump.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved sprayer control system and method for using same.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved sprayer control system and method for using same which utilizes a single flow control valve which permits the adjustment of the flow without creating a back pressure on the fluid pump.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved sprayer control system and method for using same which permits the precise control of the fluid flow to the spray heads, as well as a precise control of the ratio of chemical mixture to the carrier fluid.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved control system and method for using same which is easily adjusted to accommodate the desired flow rate and application rate desired for the particular situation.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved sprayer control system and method for using same which is economical to manufacture, durable in use, and efficient in operation.

Sprayer control system and method for using same


An image forming apparatus including: an image bearing member; and a developer bearing member bearing a developer including a toner and a carrier, the developer bearing member developing an electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member with the developer, and the developer bearing member being applied with an alternate voltage in order to form an alternate electric field between the developer bearing member and the image bearing member, wherein assuming that electric field intensities Eb and Ed be Eb=|(Vp1−VL)/D| and Ed=|(Vp2−VL)/D|, a relationship, 0≧K1>K2, is satisfied, where K1: a gradient at Ed, and K2: a gradient at Eb, and wherein a resistivity ρb of the carrier at the electric field intensity Eb satisfies 1.1×106×en<ρb<6.0×107 [Ω·m] (where: e is the base of natural logarithms; and n=4×Eb×10−7).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer that visualizes an electrostatic image having been formed on an image bearing member to obtain an image. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using a two-component developer including a toner and a carrier as a developer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer employing an electrophotographic printing method, the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter simply referred to as "photosensitive member") acting as an image bearing member is uniformly charged, and thereafter this surface is exposed according to image information. Whereby, an electrostatic image (latent image) is formed on the surface of the photosensitive member. The electrostatic image having been formed on the photosensitive member is developed as a toner image using a developer by a developing device. The toner image on the photosensitive member is transferred to a recording sheet directly or via an intermediate transfer member. Thereafter, by fixing the toner image onto the recording sheet, a recorded image is obtained.
Examples of a developer include a mono-component developer substantially including only toner particles, and a two-component developer including toner particles and carrier particles. A development method of employing the two-component developer is generally advantageous in respect of capable of forming an image of higher definition and good hue or tone.
The two-component developer, in general, is the one in which magnetic particles (carrier) of which particle diameter is about 5 μm to 100 μm, and a toner of which particle diameter is about 1 μm to 10 μm are mixed at a predetermined mixing ratio. The carrier functions to bear a charged toner to carry it to a developing portion. In addition, the toner is charged to be of a predetermined charge amount of a predetermined polarity due to a frictional electrification by being mixed with the carrier.
In the meantime, recently, as an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a printer of an electrophotographic method continues to be digitized, to be full-colored, and to have greater processing speed, an output image thereof possesses a value as an original output article, and further much expected to enter into a printing market. Thus, it is required that an image of high quality (high definition) and of a stable image quality can be output. As one of procedures for obtaining an image of high definition, proposed is the method of causing the electrical resistance of the carrier in a two-component developer to be high (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-160671).
That is, normally, in the development method of using a two-component developer, the two-component developer that is borne on a developer bearing member of the developing device is carried to the developing portion opposed to an electrostatic image on the photosensitive member. Then, magnetic brush of the two-component developer on the developer bearing member is made to be in contact or to be close to the photosensitive member. Thereafter, by a predetermined developing bias having been applied to between the developer bearing member and the photosensitive member, only the toner is transferred onto the photosensitive member. Whereby, a toner image corresponding to the electrostatic image on the photosensitive member is formed. On this occasion, when the electrical resistance of the carrier that bears and carries the toner is low, there are some cases where a charge is injected into the electrostatic image through the carrier from the developer bearing member, and thus the electrostatic image is disturbed. When the charge is injected into the electrostatic image, the potential is increased due to the charging of electrostatic image, and thus an image density may become lower.
Incidentally, as a developing bias, an alternate bias voltage in which a DC voltage component and an AC voltage component are superimposed is widely used.
Recently, to enter into the above-described printing market, an electrostatic image of a high resolution has been formed. For example, in the case of 2400 dpi, a dot formation width of 1 dpi is approximately 20 μm, being extremely minute. For example, in the case where an electrostatic image is formed at such a high resolution, the electrostatic image is likely to be largely affected by the charge injection via the carrier from the developer bearing member as described above. Accordingly, it is required to end a development process without damaging such a minute electrostatic image.
Conventionally, as a photosensitive member, an OPC (organic photoconductive) photosensitive member in which a surface protecting layer, a charge transport layer, and a charge generation layer that are made of an organic material are stacked on a metal base, is widely used.
Whereas, to form an electrostatic image of a high resolution as described above, as a photosensitive member, the use of a photosensitive member of a single layer such as an amorphous silicon (non-crystalline silicon) photosensitive member (hereinafter, it is referred to as "a-Si photosensitive member") is found to be advantageous. One of the reasons can be thought as follows. That is, in the OPC photosensitive member, a charge generation mechanism in an internal part of the photosensitive member is resided in the vicinity of the base of the photosensitive member. Whereas, in the a-Si photosensitive member, the charge generation mechanism in an internal part of the photosensitive member is resided on the surface of the photosensitive member. Therefore, in the case of the a-Si photosensitive member, the charge having been generated in an internal part is not diffused before reaching the surface of the photosensitive member, and thus an electrostatic image of an extremely high brilliance can be obtained.
However, in the case of the a-Si photosensitive member, the surface resistance thereof is low as compared with that of the OPC photosensitive member, the influence of the charge injection via the carrier from the developer bearing member as described above comes to be significantly larger than the case of the OPC photosensitive member. Accordingly, in the case of using the a-Si photosensitive member, a formed electrostatic image is easily to be disturbed. Thus, by setting a higher electrical resistance of the carrier, or causing Vpp (peak-to-peak voltage) of the developing bias to be an alternate bias voltage to be smaller, the transfer amount of the charge is further required to be suppressed.
Here, when causing the VPP of the developing bias to be smaller, although the charge injection via the carrier from the developer bearing member is reduced, the electric field to be exerted on the developer is weakened. Therefore, the force of separating the toner from the carrier is decreased, and thus developability will be reduced. Consequently, to make an image formation of high image quality, it is advantageous to set the electrical resistance of the carrier to be higher.
However, when the electrical resistance of the carrier is made to be higher, the developability, that is the capability of the toner being separated (discharged) from the carrier is found to be likely to decrease.
As described above, the carrier of the two-component developer serves to carry the toner to the developing portion, as well as to provide a charge with respect to the toner by the frictional electrification. Therefore, the carrier is provided with the charge of an opposite polarity to the charging polarity of the toner to be charged. For example, when the toner is charged to be of a negative polarity, the carrier is provided with the charge of a positive polarity.
On this occasion, in case where the electrical resistance of the carrier is high, since the electric charge having been charged in the carrier is hard to transfer, the charge of this carrier and the charge of the toner are attracted each other to be a large attractive force, and thus the toner becomes hard to be separated from the carrier. In case where the electrical resistance of the carrier is low, since the charge in the carrier is likely to diffuse on the surface of the carrier, the attractive force between the toner and the carrier becomes small, and thus the toner comes to be easily separated from the carrier.
FIG. 2 illustrates the difference in developability in the case of using two kinds of conventionally general carriers of different electrical resistance characteristics (low resistance carrier A, high resistance carrier B). In FIG. 2, the abscissa axis represents a peak-to-peak voltage Vpp of the developing bias, and the ordinate axis represents a charge amount per a unit area Q/S [C/cm2] of a toner layer of a toner image formed on the photosensitive member. This Q/S [C/cm2] takes a value obtained by multiplying a charge amount Q/M [μC/g] per a unit weight of the toner of the toner layer on the photosensitive member when obtaining the highest density by a toner bearing amount M/S [mg/cm2] of this toner layer. The above-mentioned Q/S [C/cm2] shows the developability of the developer that is how much of the toner overcomes the attractive force between the carrier and the toner, to be transferred onto the photosensitive member.
Incidentally, FIG. 2 illustrates results in the case of using an OPC photosensitive member of a film thickness (thickness of the photosensitive layer) of 30 μm as a photosensitive member.
FIG. 2 shows that in the case of a large developing bias Vpp, even in the case of high-resistance carrier B, Q/S [C/cm2] equal to that of the low-resistance carrier A can be obtained. Whereas, in the case where the Vpp of the developing bias is low, the electric field for separating the toner from the carrier comes to be small, and thus the developability is found to decrease in the case of the high-resistance carrier B. That is, the attractive force between the toner and the carrier of forces to be exerted on the toner comes to be remarkably large, resulting in the reduction in developability.
In addition, the developability is largely affected by the capacitance of the photosensitive member. When the developability is reduced exceeding the permissible range as the capacitance (capacitance per a unit area) of the photosensitive member is increased, various defective images will be produced. Now, the capacitance of the photosensitive member and the developability will be described.
For example, the case of forming a toner image of the highest density on the following conditions will be thought. A development contrast (potential difference between an image portion potential on the photosensitive member and the DC voltage of the developing bias) Vcont=250 V, a charge amount of the toner Q/M=−30 μC/g, and a toner bearing amount M/S=0.65 mg/cm2. The potential (charging potential) ΔV the toner layer of this toner image forms on the OPC photosensitive member is calculated by the following equation in the case where the film thickness of the OPC photosensitive member is 30 μm.
            Δ                                      V        =                                                      ɛ              t                                                  ɛ              0                                            2                        λ                                                                          t                                            (                      Q            S                    )                    +                                                  ɛ              d                                                  ɛ              0                                d                                  (                      Q            S                    )                                where                                (              Q        S            )        =                  (                  Q          M                )            ×              (                  M          S                )            where:Q/M is a toner charge amount per a unit weight on the photosensitive member;M/S is a toner weight per a unit area at the highest density portion on the photosensitive member;λt is a toner film thickness at the highest density portion on the photosensitive member;d is a film thickness of the photosensitive member;εt is a relative permittivity of the toner layer;εd is a relative permittivity of the photosensitive member; andε0 is a vacuum permittivity.
In the case of the above-mentioned conditions, Δ=243 V, and thus Vcont=250 V is charged. That is, it is in the state in which the potential of an electrostatic image is fully charged by the electric charge of the toner layer (charging efficiency of 97%).
On the other hand, an a-Si photosensitive member has material characteristics of about three times larger relative permittivity than that of the OPC photosensitive member (a-Si photosensitive member: about 10, OPC member: about 3.3). Accordingly, the a-Si photosensitive member, in the case of having the film thickness (for example, 30 μm) equal to that of the OPC photosensitive member, is to have the capacitance (for example, 2.95×10−6 F/m2), being three times the capacitance (for example, 0.97×10−6 F/m2) of the OPC photosensitive member.
Considered is the case where a toner image of the highest density is formed on the a-Si photosensitive member on the conditions of Vcont (=250 V) and the charge amount of a toner Q/M (=−30 μC/g) as with the case of the above-mentioned OPC photosensitive member. In this case, from the above-mentioned equation, the toner amount required to satisfy ΔV=250 V is 1.15 mg/cm2, and thus the toner amount of about 1.7 times the toner amount in the case of the above-mentioned OPC photosensitive member is to be transferred onto the a-Si photosensitive member. Conversely, at the developing contrast Vcont of about 1/1.7, the toner bearing amount M/S=0.65 mg/cm2 is to be obtained. Therefore, in the case of the a-Si photosensitive member, at about Vcont=147 V, the electric charge at the high density portion is charged.
However, e.g., in the case of entering into a light printing market, a wide range of tone is required to obtain. Therefore, in case of Vcont=147 V, γ characteristic becomes sharp, and there are some cases where a high tone is hard to obtain.
Furthermore, even in case of an OPC photosensitive member, for the purpose of the sharpness of an electrostatic image, an attempt to reduce the film thickness of the photosensitive member (thickness of the photosensitive layer) has been made. Even in this case, the capacitance of the photosensitive member is increased as the film thickness of the photosensitive member is decreased, the same problems as are described in the above-mentioned a-Si photosensitive member may occur.
To address such problems resulted from a large relative permittivity of the photosensitive member or a small film thickness of the photosensitive member, a method of increasing Q/S [C/cm2] of the toner layer of a toner image, that is increasing the charge amount Q/M [μC/g] of the toner can be thought. For example, the toner charge amount Q/M [μC/g] is set to be −60 μC/g with respect to the above-described −30 μC/g. In this state, supposing that, for example, when the developing contrast Vcont is 240 V, a toner bearing amount M/S [mg/cm2] of 0.65 mg/cm2 can be obtained, ΔV the toner layer forms is to be 238 V (that is about 240 V), and thus the charging efficiency will be about 100%.
However, in actual, when the charge amount Q/M [μC/b] of the toner is increased, since the electrostatic force of the carrier and the toner comes to be exceedingly large, the developability may be largely reduced.
In normal, with respect to a photosensitive member of a large capacitance, in the case of using a high-resistance carrier and a toner of high Q/M, even at a weak electric field the high-resistance carrier forms, the toner is so controlled as to be fully separated from the carrier. That is, with the shape of the toner, an extraneous additive, and further the material of the surface of the carrier, the attractive force (Coulomb force+Van der Waals force+cross linking force) between the carrier and the toner is controlled. However, when the state of the surface of the toner or the carrier is changed due to the performance over a long period, the above-mentioned attractive force may not be controlled.
For example, the toner is extraneously added with a variety of particles (e.g., silica) for controlling a charge amount or fluidity. This extraneous additive also functions as a spacer particle between the toner and the carrier, and largely affects the attractive force between the toner and the carrier. Therefore, for example, in the case where an image output at a low printing ratio continues over a long period, a developer is repeatedly exerted with a shearing force in the developing device, the extraneous additive is embedded in or separated from the surface of the toner, and thus the above-described effect as a spacer may be reduced. As a result, the attractive force between the toner and the carrier will be largely increased. Accordingly, after the image output over a long period, as compared with an initial case, a sufficient developability cannot be ensured, resulting in the possibility of producing e.g., defective images.
For example, in some developers used, while initially M/S=0.65 mg/cm2 has been ensured at the Vcont=240 V, due to the performance with time, only M/S=0.45 mg/cm2 can be obtained at the Vcont=240 V. In this case, the charging potential ΔV with respect to the Vcont is 152 V/240 V≈0.63, that is the potential ΔV the toner layer on the photosensitive member forms just charges about 63% of the Vcont.
Such state in which the potential of an electrostatic image is not charged with the electric charge of the toner can be referred to as "charge failures". When in this state of "charge failures", defective images will be produced.
For example, in the case where after the formation of a half-tone image of a low density, a solid image of a high density (image at the highest image density level) is continuously output, when the potential on the side of the high density portion in the developing portion (developing nip) is not charged with the electric charge of the toner, at the boundary portion, a wrap-around electric field from the low-density portion to the high-density portion remains. Since this wrap-around electric field acts to cause the toner on the low-density side to move to the high-density side at the boundary, the so-called "blank area" is generated. That is, "blank are" is the phenomenon that an image comes to be white at the boundary between the low-density portion and the high-density portion. In addition, at the high-density portion, due to the difference between electric field intensities at the edge portion and at the central portion, the so-called "sweep together" phenomenon that the toner is collected at the edge occurs. That is, "sweep together" is the phenomenon that the density at the edge of an image comes to be higher than that at the other portions.
As described above, in the case of a photosensitive member of a low surface resistance, for example, like an a-Si photosensitive member, to faithfully develop an electrostatic image to be formed, desired is a carrier of an electrically high resistance with which no charge injection occurs with respect to the electrostatic image in development. Whereas, with respect to a photosensitive member of a large capacitance such as an a-Si photosensitive member or a thin-film OPC photosensitive member, the increase of the charge amount Q/M [μC/g] of the toner is an effective way for obtaining a sufficient tone with stability without producing defective images such as blank area. However, when the charge amount Q/M [μC/g] of the toner is made higher, developability may be largely reduced. This reduction of developability becomes remarkable as the electrical resistance of the carrier is increased.
With the arrangement, in an image forming apparatus employing a two-component developer including a toner and a carrier, there are some cases where the electrical resistance of the carrier is set to be high in order to prevent the charge injection into an electrostatic image in development, and the charge amount of the toner is increased in order to deal with a photosensitive member of a large capacitance. Furthermore, even in this case, it is desirable not to reduce the developability of the toner charging the potential of the electrostatic image.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Image forming apparatus including a developer bearing member with an alternate electric field being applied thereto


One embodiment provides a method, including: detecting user activation input provided to a voice input button displayed on a display screen of an information handling device, wherein the user activation input triggers a voice input mode; expanding, responsive to the detecting, a voice input menu, wherein the voice input menu comprises at least two content input options; identifying a selection of one of the at least two content input options; receiving, after the identifying, voice input; converting the voice input into another input type, wherein the another input type is designated by the selection; and providing, based on the converting, input associated with the another input type into an underlying application. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Individuals frequently utilize their information handling devices ("devices"), for example, smart phones, tablet devices, laptop and/or personal computers, and the like, to construct documents and/or to communicate with other individuals. Many applications (e.g., word processing applications, social media applications, email applications, text messaging applications, etc.) are capable of receiving and processing various types of user input. For example, by using a text messaging application a user may be able to construct a message comprising both text-based input and emoticon input that they may thereafter transmit to another individual.


A semiconductor fabrication chamber is disclosed which contains (a) a main chamber; (b) a baffle member separating the main chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber, (c)a vacuum pump to pump gas through the main chamber; and (d) a computer. The first chamber contains a gas inlet, a metering device, and a supporting member to support a wafer to be fabricated, and the second chamber contains a gas outlet and a first pressure gauge. The baffle member contains at least one adjustable opening which is controllable by the computer. Prior to a fabrication process, such as plasma etching, a pressure difference between the first pressure gauge and a temporary pressure gauge installed inside the second chamber is calculated and compared against a standard value, and the computer will adjust the opening of the baffle plate so as to minimize such pressure difference, which is related to the deposition of particulate matters on the opening. A flow meter can also be installed inside the second chamber for adjustment of the baffle plate opening during the fabricating process.

Most of the fabrication processes for semiconductor devices are conducted in a semi-closed fabrication chamber with the continuous flow of one or more gaseous components therethrough via a vacuum pump, which is typically a turbo pump. These processes include plasma etching, reactant ion etching, and various modes of chemical vapor deposition, etc. To facilitate the even distributions of the flowing gas, a baffle plate, or exhaust plate, is horizontally installed inside the fabrication chamber, dividing the fabrication chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber.
FIG. 1 shows an illustrative schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional semiconductor fabrication chamber used in reactive ion etching (RIE) processes. The chamber 11 is divided by a horizontally disposed baffle plate (or exhaust plate) 12 into an upper chamber 13 and a lower chamber 14. The fabrication chamber 11 also includes a cathode 15, a focusing ring 16, and an electrostatic chuck (ESC) 17 upon which a wafer 18 is disposed. The fabrication chamber 11 is enclosed by a chamber wall 19 and a chamber lid 20. An insulating ring 21 is placed between the baffle plate 12 and the cathode 15.
FIG. 1 also shows that a turbo pump 22 and a throttle valve 23 are used to pump one or more gases into the fabrication chamber 11. FIG. 2 is a top view of a conventional baffle plate 12. Typically, the baffle plate 12 is a ring-shaped plate having a plurality of radially extending perforations 24. The baffle plate 12 is typically separated from the cathode 15 by an insulating ring 21.
To control the pressure inside the fabrication chamber and the flow of gas into the chamber, a pressure gauge 25 is often installed. The pressure gauge 25 is connected to the throttle valve 23 via a CPU 26, as shown in FIG. 3. Analog signals obtained from the pressure gauge 25 are converted into digital signals by a D/A converter, which are then compared against a predetermined value stored in the CPU. The CPU then sends control signals to the throttle valve so that appropriate adjustments can be made to maintain the gas pressure inside the fabrication chamber at or close to the predetermined value. During plasma-related fabrication processes, such as plasma etching, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, etc., because plasma, or ionized gas, can cause instability in the pressure measurement, the pressure gauge is typically installed in the lower chamber, to avoid interference from the plasma gas.
It was discovered by the inventor of the present invention that, after repeated usage of the fabrication chamber, certain particulate materials, such as polymers that are formed during a plasma etching process, can accumulate on the baffle plate, thus reducing the openings of the baffle plate through which reactant gas enters. As a result, the pressure gauge, which is located in the lower chamber, may not accurately tell the true pressure in the upper chamber. This resulted in inadequate and improper pressure control inside the fabrication chamber. In many cases, this problem can explain the reduced fabrication yield rates. This problem, which becomes more noticeable and serious as the fabrication of semiconductor devices moves into sub-micron age, which requires more precise control of the gas pressure inside the fabrication chamber, also becomes more profound with extended usage of the fabrication chamber.
As semiconductor devices are becoming more like a common commodity, the profit margin of fabricating semiconductor devices is constantly decreasing. As a result, it is important to look at every process parameter that may affect the failure or rejection rate of the fabricated products, so as to reduce production cost. Since imprecise pressure control inside the fabrication chamber can have a significant impact on the product rejection rate, it is important that the above-mentioned problem be carefully studied at and that a suitable solution be developed so as to improve the product yield rate.

Adjustment pumping plate design for the chamber of semiconductor equipment


A bottom hole assembly for engaging and removing an object within a wellbore comprises a cutting tool at a lower end. Continued engagement of the cutting tool with the object is facilitated by an axial compression device disposed within the bottom hole assembly below the anchor of the bottom hole assembly. The axial compression device comprises a compressed position and an expanded or extended position. As the object is being cut or abraded, the axial compression device moves from the compressed position toward the expanded position so that a continued downward force is transferred to the object by the bottom hole assembly.

1. Field of Invention
The invention is directed to bottom hole assemblies having a mill or cutting tool rotatably driven by a hydraulically actuated motor in the bottom hole assembly to abrade or cut away an object disposed in oil and gas wells, and in particular, to bottom hole assemblies disposed on wireline that permit axial movement of a portion of the bottom hole assembly below an anchor point within the well to facilitate engagement of the mill or cutting tool with the object.
2. Description of Art
In the drilling, completion, and workover of oil and gas wells, it is common to perform work downhole in the wellbore with a tool that has some sort of cutting profile interfacing with a downhole structure. Examples would be milling a downhole metal object with a milling tool or cutting through a tubular with a cutting or milling tool. Such milling may be necessary to remove an object or "fish" disposed within the wellbore. In general, milling operations are performed using a mill tool attached to threaded pipe or coiled tubing through which a fluid such as drilling mud is pumped. The fluid causes a hydraulically actuated motor disposed above the mill tool to rotate which, in turn, causes the mill tool to rotate and the object to be abraded or cut away. To facilitate cutting, a hydraulically actuated anchor can be included in the threaded pipe or coiled tubing string to stabilize the string within the well.

Wireline hydraulic driven mill bottom hole assemblies and methods of using same


A portable communication apparatus which can provide a short cut function with improved useability is provided. When numerical or literal information is input to cause a cursor to move at a jump, a display displays the input numerical or literal information, thereby enabling the user to confirm whether or not the input information has been accepted and to determine that the apparatus is in a short cut mode in which the cursor is moved at a jump. Therefore, a portable communication apparatus providing a short cut function with improved useability can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable communication apparatus, and more particularly, is suitably applied to a portable telephone apparatus which calls using a telephone directory.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional portable telephone apparatuses are provided with telephone directory function for registering telephone numbers using names as keywords so that, at calling, the desired telephone number can be automatically called by reading the registered telephone directory and then specifying the destination. This eliminates the need for users to memorize telephone numbers improving useability.
However, conventional portable telephone apparatuses can display only two lines on a liquid crystal display provided as a display means and cannot show the overall telephone directory at a time. Thus, in such portable telephone apparatuses, a scroll key is operated to scroll the telephone directory. In this case, if the telephone directory has a large number of items, it takes a lot of time to reach the desired item. To avoid this problem, conventional portable apparatuses enable a short cut in which when any of the numbers allotted to respective items (hereafter, referred to as an item number) is input, the display is jumped to that item number skipping the intermediate display. This allows the user to view the desired item immediately without sequentially scrolling the telephone directory.
However, If the user does not know such a short cut function, when the user inadvertently presses a numerical key regarded as the item number while the telephone directory is being displayed, the screen is suddenly switched and the user does not know what is happening. This makes the portable telephone apparatus cumbersome to the user.
In addition, the short cut function has a time limit according to a timer for the acceptance of numerical keys, so that an input number can be accepted while the timer is effective, and then a screen jumps to that number. However, If the input number has not been accepted due to the timer, an unexpected screen is displayed.
For example, the case where a jump is made to the item number "12" will be considered. If "1" and "2" have been pressed while the timer is effective, the portable telephone apparatus determines that "12" has been input and normally jumps to the item number "12". On the other hand, if there is a long interval of time between "1" and "2" and the timer has terminated during the interval, the portable telephone apparatus determines that "1" and "2" have been separately input and jumps to the item number "2". In this case, since the desired screen is not displayed, the user has to input the item number "12" again.
As described above, in conventional portable telephone apparatuses, when the short cut function is used, the user does not know that the input number has been normally accepted. Thus, such portable telephone apparatuses are still lacking in terms of useability.


The present application relates to a cross-linkable composition. The present application can provide a cross-linkable composition without degradation of cross-linking efficiency while exhibiting conductivity by containing an ionic compound, and its use.

Cross-linked products of cross-linkable compositions such as pressure-sensitive adhesives or adhesives are used for various applications in various fields. For example, various optical films such as a polarizing plate are applied to a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting diode (OLED), where most of the optical films are attached to the display device by a pressure-sensitive adhesive or an adhesive.
The pressure-sensitive adhesive is also applied to a surface protective film or the like for protecting an optical film applied to a display device.
When imparting conductivity to the pressure-sensitive adhesive or the adhesive in accordance with the application, it is typical that an ionic compound is blended to the pressure-sensitive adhesive or the adhesive.


Systems and methods are disclosed for providing live-streaming online content, including video segments married with related online information in a single online platform. In accordance with one implementation, a method is provided that includes generating, using at least one processor, a series of videos having a sequential order to display in a web browser and publishing the videos in the web browser. The method further includes determining online data that relates to each video in the series and displaying the related data in the web browser. Further, the method includes playing the videos in the web browser in a sequential order and updating the data that relates to a video while the video is playing in real-time. The related data may include user comments, social media comments, pictures, videos, webpages, or hyperlinks.

Today, various forms of content can be made available online, such as videos, pictures, websites, and social media tools. Each form of content can be used to communicate about specific, but related, information, such as a particular newsworthy story. For example, online content providers, like Huffington Post, may broadcast a video of a particular story on its webpage. In addition, a local magazine may publish an article related to that story on the magazine's webpage. An individual user may then use social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, or Google+, to provide input or feedback relating to that story. Also, users may post comments to either the video, the article, or the social media post, using interactive features available in each medium, respectively, such as a comments forum.
Prior techniques displayed each form of online content in separate mediums, e.g., separate websites. For example, if a user watched a video on one webpage, but was interested in news articles relating to the video, he would have to search for those stories in a new browser window or link out to a new webpage, thereby migrating away from his original webpage, which disrupts his browsing experience.
Additionally, the increased use of the Internet has resulted in a greater use of web browsing instead of television to read and/or receive newsworthy content. While users may prefer the experience of watching live television coverage, they cannot obtain related online content from watching a television program because traditional television programming is not interactive and does not integrate online content. Moreover, current televisions cannot update the currently airing content with relevant online content that is part of the global web discussion of the topic at hand.
Thus, there exists a need to provide live-streaming video content in an online platform that adds dynamic, related online content to the video content, allowing users to more easily view and access online content as it changes in real-time. There also exists a need to allow users to receive different forms of online content in one medium without interrupting their browsing experience.

Systems and methods for providing and updating live-streaming online content in an interactive web platform


Cut faces 15a to 15h are formed on the front end faces 13a to 13h of the exposed portions 12a to 12h of respective lead terminals 11a to 11h of a semiconductor device 100, and plating for increasing the solderability is provided on the cut faces 15a to 15h.

Conventionally, a semiconductor device 200 using a lead frame is proposed, as illustrated in FIG. 8. In this semiconductor device 200, the side on the lead frame 210 on which the semiconductor element is mounted and the regions between the lead terminals 211 are molded in resin 219. Each lead terminal 211 is connected to the semiconductor element 218 on the semiconductor element mounting section 216 by means of bonding wires 217. Furthermore, an exposed portion of each lead terminal 211, which is exposed from the resin 219, is plated in such a manner that solder can be jointed readily to same.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the device


A collapsible, portable motion platform for use with video games, personal computers, simulators, and virtual reality systems is disclosed. The motion platform may include a motion control system including user adjustable regulating devices for setting the range of motion, acceleration and other motion elements in one or more degrees of freedom. The framing may be collapsible and may include an enclosure case. One embodiment of the platform is lightweight and portable, and includes an enclosure case for protection in storage.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a motion platform or simulator set-up, specifically to a collapsible and portable, single or multi-occupant motion platform system for use in the motion enhancement of simulation, virtual reality, and video game play.
2. Description of Related Art
A motion platform can also be referred to as a motion base, motion plate, motion seat, simulator and/or other names not listed herein. The primary function of a motion platform is to provide motion/movement to one or more users/riders/occupants. This movement can be created through a motion control system devised of either pneumatic, hydraulic, electromechanical, or electromagnetic actuators, and can be initiated to respond to user and/or software conceived motion commands. Motion commands can be created and coordinated in an effort to allow an occupant of a motion platform to move in response to an external input and synchronized with external output or medium. A motion platform can also be described as a device used in entertainment and simulation training whereby one or more occupants are moved about one or more degrees of freedom, (up to 6 total degrees of freedom), in synchronization with audial and video stimulus.
Motion is a necessary and sometimes critical component of a simulator because it affects the realism of the simulation. Motion platforms previously disclosed have spanned a broad spectrum in scale and cost. Those in the category of amusement park rides and commercial and military aircraft simulators are at the high end of this spectrum with arcade style amusement devices falling into the middle of the spectrum while home based motion platforms comprise the lower, affordable, end.
Historically, the high-end motion platform has been used in conjunction with military and commercial flight instruction and training applications. However, today you will find multiple occupant entertainment applications in theme parks throughout the world. The systems used in these applications are very large, weighing several tons typically located outdoors or are housed in facilities designed expressly for them. As a result of the force required to move the weight of these larger simulator systems and one or more occupants, the motion platform must be controlled by expensive hydraulic or electromagnetic cylinders. The cost of this type of motion platform usually exceeds $250,000 US dollars, and in some cases much more. The complexity of these systems requires an extensive amount of programming and maintenance, which further extends the cost associated with this type of motion platform.
The middle of the spectrum includes a number of disclosures involving powered motion platforms aimed at arcade style amusement arrangements. Typically the space requirements for such a platform are modest requiring only a portion of an arcade room and the motion is provided via similar, less expensive versions, of the high end motion systems.
While the available motion platform systems today were devised to provide a realistic motion platform system, the existing designs have drawbacks which limit their utility and acceptance in the home. Although the cost and size of these developed systems was an improvement over the large scale military and theme park sized motion platforms, the acceptance and use of the motion platform within the home is still limited due to cost and size issues. To date, existing systems have not appropriately answered these problems with innovation or invention.


The present invention provides a laminate film for electrophotography including a substrate, a laminate layer formed on one surface of the substrate, and a non-laminate layer formed on the other surface of the substrate, wherein the non-laminate layer contains at least a resin and fine particles and satisfies the inequalities (1) 1.5≦R≦5; (2) 0.1≦t<R; and (3) 7/R≦n, wherein R represents a volume average particle diameter (μm) of the fine particles; t represents a thickness (μm) of the non-laminate layer; and n represents the number of the fine particles contained in the non-laminate layer per 10,000 square μm in the substrate plane direction (particles/(100 μm)2).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laminate film for electrophotography for easy production of an information recording medium using an image-recorded medium printed by an electrophotographic method, an information recording medium using the laminate film, and a manufacturing method of the information recording medium. More specifically, the present invention relates to a laminate film for electrophotography, an information recording medium using the same, and a method for manufacturing the information recording medium, which laminate film can be used for non-contact or contact type information recording media containing personal image information such as facial-photograph-containing cash cards, employee identification cards, student identification cards, individual membership cards, resident identification cards, various types of driver's licenses and various types of qualification certificates, RFID tags, image-recorded sheets for personal identification used in medical settings, image display boards, indication labels, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, image formation technology has developed, and means are known which can form images of the same quality in large quantities at low cost by various printing methods, such as intaglio printing, letterpress printing, planographic printing, gravure printing, and screen printing. Such printing methods are also widely used for manufacturing an information recording medium which can store predetermined information and communicate with an external device in a contact or non-contact manner, such as an IC card, a magnetic card, an optical card, and a card which is a combination thereof.
However, for example, the above-mentioned screen printing requires a lot of printing plates corresponding to the number of images to be printed. In the case of color printing, the required printing plates are further increased corresponding to the number of colors. Therefore, these printing methods are not suitable for individual pieces of personal identification information (including facial photographs, names, addresses, dates of birth, various licenses, and the like).
In response to the above-mentioned problem, the most dominant image formation means currently used is an image formation method based on a printer or the like which employs a sublimation-type or melting-type heat-transfer method using an ink ribbon, or the like. However, while such means can easily print personal identification information, they still have a problem in that increase in the printing speed lowers the resolution, and increase in the resolution leads to decrease in the printing speed.
In image formation (printing) by the electrophotographic method, the surface of an image carrier is electrically charged uniformly, and then subjected to light exposure according to image signals, to form an electrostatic latent image based on the difference in potential between the exposed portion and the unexposed portion. Thereafter, electrostatic development is conducted with a color powder (an image forming material) called toner with the opposite polarity to (or with the same polarity as) that of the charge of the image carrier, thereby forming a visible image (a toner image) on the surface of the image carrier. In the case of a color image, the color image is created by repetition of this process plural times or by processes conducted by plural image formation units disposed in parallel to form a color visible image wherein the color visible image is transferred to an image recording medium and fixed (immobilization, in other words, melting of the color powder mainly by heat followed by solidification thereof by cooling).
Since an electrophotographic method electrically forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of an image carrier by an image signal as mentioned above, not only can the method form the same image repeatedly but also can easily form a different image. Moreover, a toner image formed on the surface of an image carrier can be substantially completely transferred to the surface of an image recording medium, and the toner image slightly remaining on the surface of the image carrier can be easily removed by a resin blade, a brush or the like. Accordingly, printed materials can be easily prepared for limited production of a wide variety of goods.
In addition, the above-mentioned toner is generally formed by fusing and mixing a thermally fusible resin and a pigment, as well as optional additives such as a charge control agent, and then pulverizing and atomizing the kneaded substance. Further, the electrostatic latent image in the electrophotographic method has a considerably higher resolution compared with the above-mentioned atomized toner, and a sufficient resolution on par with the resolutions realized by the screen printing and the heat-transfer method using an ink ribbon can be expected.
Also, a color image can be obtained by using color toners of four primary colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black and then mixing the toner images of the respective colors. Theoretically, the same colors as realized in printing can be reproduced. In addition, in the above-mentioned color toner, the toner resin and the pigment can be relatively freely compounded, thereby enabling easy increase in the light shielding property of the image.
There have been almost no studies on the heat resistance and light resistance of information recording media intended to be used outdoors. Particularly when a driver's license or the like is left in a car and exposed to direct sunlight, fading occurs if the image is a heat-transferred image using a dye as a coloring material. However, when a color image is formed by the electrophotographic method, pigments corresponding to the respective colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black used in the color toner have excellent light resistance. Therefore, the light resistance of the images formed by the electrophotographic method is considered to be sufficiently high. Likewise, if a heat-resistant toner is selected, the heat resistance of the image formed on an information recording medium is considered to be high enough to allow the information recording medium to be used outdoors.
On the other hand, the most widely used substrates (cores) used for various types of cards are currently polyvinyl chloride sheets. This is because polyvinyl chloride (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "PVC") sheets are excellent in printing characteristics in conventional printing machines, because they are also excellent in suitability for embossing (process to raise or lower characters and the like), and particularly because they are inexpensive compared with other alternate resins.
Although in recent years people have an environmentally negative image of PVC due to the release of dioxins by incineration treatment, it is thought today that the harmful gas release can be suppressed by proper incineration methods and the advancement of incinerators. The PVC resins to be raw materials comprise salts at a ratio of about 60%, and from the standpoint that the petroleum content thereof is low as compared with other resins, they are sometimes thought to be less harmful to the environment than other resins. Further, PVC resins are excellent in recyclability, and material recycling in the field of credit cards is advanced.
If embossing is not carried out in the manufacturing of cards, conventional films such as biaxially stretched PET (polyethylene terephthalate) films can be used. However, in order to retain the functions of conventional cards, embossing is often indispensable. Films currently used for embossing include: ABS resin films and polyolefin resin films, which soften at relatively low temperatures; a modified PET resin film called PETG; and integrally formed films of a modified PET resin film with a PET film, an amorphous PMT resin film, or a polycarbonate resin film.
As a method for producing conventional cards using substrates of the above-mentioned various types of cards, a production method including carrying out multi-imposition printing of card designs on large size substrates, layering the substrates so as to adjust the card thickness, sandwiching them with metal plates, piling more than ten of the layered products, heat pressing them at one time under atmospheric pressure followed by cooling, and punching the pressed products into a card size is generally employed.
This method takes several tens of minutes for the heat pressing so as to evenly transmit heat to the center part of the layered products and expel the air remaining between substrates, and takes approximately the same time for cooling.
On the other hand, examples of the above-mentioned various kinds of cards printed by using an electrophotographic apparatus are as follows.
To improve the fixation property and durability of images and prevent forgery and falsification, there is a method proposed (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 10-86562) which involves forming a hot sealing type adhesive layer of a polyester type on a transparent sheet containing polyethylene naphthalate or polyethylene terephthalate; printing image information for authentication and identification thereon as a mirror image; and sticking an acrylic substrate and the mirror image face to face in a contacting manner (the transparent sheet also works as a protection sheet).
However, with respect to the above-mentioned transparent sheet bearing the adhesive layer, although the fixation property and the transportability are taken into consideration for use in electrophotography, since the sheet is just an insulating sheet for which no particular consideration of the transfer property is taken, there are cases where this results in inferior image quality in an electrophotographic apparatus. Further, since no practical description of the speed and pressure of laminating means is given, even if an image is printed on the transparent sheet, air may possibly remain between the sheets, and the adverse effects of air bubbles sometimes result in inferior image quality.
As another example, to form good images and to prevent forgery, a method has been proposed (refer to JP-A No. 11-334265) which involves printing individual identification information on a light transmitting sheet as a mirror image; and sticking an adhesive layer on a substrate having an IC memory and the mirror image face to face in a contacting manner (the light transmitting sheet also works as a protection sheet).
However, with respect to the light transmitting laminate sheet (and the substrate), there is description that it is preferable to use a biaxial orientation polyester film or ABS or a polyester film/biaxial orientation polyester film for at least a portion of the sheet, and that it may be polyvinyl chloride, and since just a insulating sheet is used without any particular special device, transportation failure may possibly occur in an electrophotographic apparatus and the image quality may possibly become inferior. Also, since there is no practical description of the speed and pressure of laminating means, even if images can be printed on the light transmitting sheet, air may possibly remain between sheets at the time of laminating them, and the effect of the air bubbles remains to result in deterioration of the image quality.
Further, as another example, there is a method proposed (refer to JP-A No. 2001-92255) which involves printing an invisible bar code as well as various kinds of individual information on a 250 μm-thick polyvinyl chloride sheet or a 280 μm-thick polyester sheet by an electrophotographic method; overlaying a 250 μm-thick polyvinyl chloride over film or a 100 μm-thick polyester vinyl over film on the printed surface; and laminating by a heat press.
However, with respect to the above-mentioned polyvinyl chloride sheet or polyester sheet, since just an insulating sheet is used without any particular special device, transportation failure may possibly occur in an electrophotographic apparatus, and the image quality may possibly become inferior. Further, since there is no practical description of the temperature, pressure and time of the heat press apparatus, even if images can be printed on the sheet, air may possibly remain between the above-mentioned sheets and the over films and between the over films and a press member of the heat press apparatus at the time of laminating them, and the effect of the air bubbles remains to result in deterioration of the image quality and glossiness.
Further, as another example, to suppress glare of a non-laminate surface of a substrate, a laminate film for electrophotography has been proposed (refer to JP-A No. 2004-12575) which has a gloss control layer provided on the non-laminate surface, wherein the gloss control layer contains a binder (polyester resins or the like) and a filler (fine particles=mat agents) and has a thickness in a range of 0.01 to 20 μm (more preferably 0.1 to 5 μm), a volume average particle diameter of the filler is in a range of 0.1 to 10 μm (more preferably 1 to 5 μm), and the weight ratio of the filler and the binder (filler:binder) is in a range of (0.3: 1) to (3:1), as well as an image recording medium having a gloss control layer almost same as that of the laminate film for electrophotography and an image display body using the medium (refer to JP-A No. 2004-20950).
With respect to the above-mentioned laminate films for electrophotography, the non-laminate layers are previously subjected to mat treatment to control the surface gloss of the non-laminate surfaces after the laminate films for electrophotography and core substrates are laminated. However, at the time of laminating the laminate films for electrophotography and the core substrates, air may possibly remain between the laminate films for electrophotography and a press member of a heat press apparatus, and the effect of the air bubbles remains to result in deterioration of the gloss quality.
As described above, in the case of using conventional laminate films for electrophotography, air remains between the layered members to result in deterioration of the gloss and image quality.
However, these problems may be often solved if the layered products obtained by layering the substrates constituting the cards as described above are heat pressed slowly taking sufficient time of about several tens of minutes at the time of heat pressing. On the other hand, the heat pressing taking such a long time considerably lowers productivity. Therefore, in terms of productivity, the heat pressing is preferably completed within as short a time as possible.
Accordingly, it is thought that it is easy to improve the productivity in the case where a layered product has a thin thickness since heat can promptly be transmitted to the center part of the layered product. However, since the time taken to sufficiently expel air remaining between substrates is independent of the thickness of the layered product and thus not practically changed, the productivity cannot be improved even if heat pressing is carried out while the thickness of the layered product is made thin.
Further, if the heat press time is forcibly shortened, lamination is completed before the air remaining between substrates is sufficiently removed to leave air bubbles between the substrates. Dent traces (dimple patterns like the surface of a golf ball) of air remaining appear on the outermost surface of the substrate contacting a metal plate utilized for heat pressing to result, in particular, in considerable deterioration of the finished gloss quality of cards.

Laminate film for electrophotography, information recording medium using the same, and method for producing the information recording medium


A viewfinder device having an optical path for viewing a photographic image includes a plurality of visual field frames. Each of the plurality of visual field frames define a photographic range. In addition, each of the plurality of visual field frames is positioned on one of a plurality of visual field frame display units. The plurality of visual field frame display units have overlapping regions and are positioned on a viewfinder mask member. The viewfinder mask member is movable in the optical path. The overlapping portions of the visual field frame display units reduce an amount of movement necessary to move the viewfinder mask member to position the visual field frames within the optical path.

The present invention relates to a viewfinder device suitable for and positionable in a camera. More particularly, the present invention relates to a viewfinder device to display plural visual field frames by selectively inserting a visual field frame display unit into an optical path of the viewfinder device.
FIG. 6 (PRIOR ART) illustrates a mask member of a prior art viewfinder device of a camera. Three visual field frame display units or portions 52A-52C are positioned in a viewfinder mask member 52. Photographic ranges are defined by three visual field frames 52a-52c positioned in visual field frame display portions 52A-52C. As illustrated in FIG. 6, visual field frame mask member 52 is movable in a left direction M1 and a right direction M2. Movement of mask member 52 in directions M1 and M2 is perpendicular to a viewfinder optical axis (not shown), that extends from mask member 52 to a photographic subject (not shown). By moving mask member 52, visual field frame display portions 52A-52C are positioned in predetermined display positions. As a result, visual field frame display portions 52A-52C are selectively inserted into an optical path of the viewfinder. One of the visual field frames 52a-52c of visual field frame display portions 52A-52C which has been positioned in the display position is then displayed in the viewfinder. A photographic range defined by the displayed visual field frame, 52a, 52b, or 52c, is displayed in a viewfinder image plane, and is presented in a final photographic print.
As illustrated in FIG. 6 (PRIOR ART), visual field frame display portions 52A-52C of the prior art viewfinder are adjacently positioned relative to each other and do not overlap. An amount of space occupied by field frame display portions 52A-52C is necessarily equal to or greater than a sum total of horizontal widths of visual field frame display portions 52A-52C. The size of viewfinder mask member 52 is influenced by the total of the widths of visual field frame display portions 52A-52C. Since the viewfinder mask member 52 has to provide the space required by visual field frame display portions 52A-52C, the viewfinder device is required to be relatively large.

Viewfinder device of display plural visual frames


A heat dissipation device includes a base, a first fin unit and two second fin units arranged on the base. The base has a substrate and two parallel heat spreaders extending integrally and perpendicularly from the substrate. The first fin unit is arranged on the substrate and sandwiched between the heat spreaders. A plurality of first channels are defined in the first fin unit and parallel to the heat spreaders. Each of the second fin units is perpendicularly arranged on the substrate and located at a lateral, outer side of one of the heat spreaders. A plurality of second channels are defined in each of the second fin units and extend along a different direction compared to that of the first channels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat dissipation device used in association with electronic components.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer electronic components, such as central processing units (CPUs), generate large amounts of heat during normal operation. If the heat is not properly dissipated, it can adversely affect operational stability of the electronic components and damage associated electronic devices. A heat dissipation device is often attached to a top surface of a CPU to dissipate heat therefrom.
Conventionally, a heat dissipation device includes a base, a plurality of fins arranged on the base with parallel channels defined therebetween, and a plurality of heat pipes connecting the base and the fins. A cooling fan is generally located at a lateral side of the base and the fins to provide cooling air to flow through the channels of the fins, thereby increasing cooling efficiency of the heat dissipation device. However, an extending direction of the channels is single, which could result in a block of the cooling air flowing out of the fins speedily. Furthermore, the unidirectional flow of the cooling air leads to a poor exploitation thereof, which particularly cannot cool other heat sources adjacent to a side of the heat dissipation device perpendicular to the side thereof through which the channels communicate with an outside of the heat dissipation device.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved heat dissipation device which can overcome the described disadvantages.

Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.


A switch cabinet for an exhaust-gas measurement installation includes a cabinet body with two side walls, a ceiling, a floor, a front side and a back wall, a door to close the front side, a measurement gas distributor arranged in the cabinet body with an outlet, a coupling element fastened to the measurement gas distributor to form the outlet, at least one measuring device arranged in the cabinet body with an inlet, and a coupling element fastened to the at least one measuring device to form the inlet. The inlet is connected to the outlet to provide a gas-tight connection. The measurement gas distributor moves relative to the cabinet body so that the coupling element fastened to the measurement gas distributor and forming the outlet can be connected by insertion to the coupling element fastened to the at least one measuring device and forming the inlet.

Such switch cabinets are in particular used in the automotive industry to determine the emission behavior of motor vehicles. The motor vehicle thereby performs a defined driving cycle on a roller-type test stand, wherein the emitted exhaust gases are collected, if necessary diluted, and fed into a switch cabinet configured as an analysis unit. In the switch cabinet are arranged a power supply unit, a control unit, the electronic system, cooling units, and a calibrating unit besides various measuring devices to determine various components of the exhaust gas, such as, for example, hydrocarbons, methane or nitrogen oxides. The switch cabinet further comprises a plurality of connections, lines and gas distributors via which the gases are guided to the respective units and distributed.
A switch cabinet for an exhaust gas measuring installation which is composed of two cabinet parts is described, for example, in EP 2 317 833 A1. Measuring devices and a computer are arranged in the front cabinet part, and an inlet interface for introducing measuring gases, measuring gas pumps, valves and pressure reducers are arranged in the rear cabinet part.
The configuration described in EP 2 317 833 A1 and such switch cabinets generally are problematic in that the measurement gas must be conducted, starting from the gas inlet, into the cabinet body and to the measuring devices via hoses or metal conduits, and that the temperature of the measurement gas permanently changes. In order to provide that the gas in the measuring device has the temperature required for measuring, the measurement gas inlets of the measuring devices each comprise a heater unit and a temperature monitoring unit, thus increasing costs of and the installation space for the measuring devices. In switch cabinets having such a design, the maintenance of the measuring devices is also difficult because, before maintenance work can be performed on the measuring devices, these must be removed from the cabinet and the hoses and cables connected thereto removed.

Switch cabinet for exhaust-gas measurement installations


A method for displaying data in a terminal having a touch screen, the method comprises: displaying data in a data display area and determining whether a touch event is sensed in a data display mode; checking an area where the touch event is sensed, and checking whether the touch event was moving if the touch event is sensed; checking a direction of motion of the touch event if the touch event was moving; rotating the data display area according to the direction of motion of the touch event; and displaying data of the order according to the rotating direction in an area where the rotated data is being displayed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal having a touch screen and a method for displaying data therein, and more particularly, to a method for visually displaying data according to a touch event sensed through the touch screen and a terminal for performing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of a modern information technology, the capabilities of terminals for performing various functions have advanced, and many users use such terminals. Examples of such terminals include a computer, a notebook computer, a smart phone, and a tablet PC. Further, with the development of touch screen technology, the demand for terminals with a touch screen is on the increase. A terminal having a touch screen can perform both the functions of an input unit and a display unit at the same time. Also, a terminal having a touch screen can directly change data generated according to a sensed touch screen and display the changed data. As such, many users prefer terminals having a touch screen. In a terminal having a touch screen, it is possible to display data changed according to a sensed touch event, but the process of changing the data is not visually displayed. That is, data that has been changed according to a touch event is arranged in a one-dimensional form, but this is not visually appealing to a user. As such, there is a need for a study and design of a method for variously displaying data according to a touch event.

Terminal having touch screen and method for displaying data thereof


An initialization mechanism for symmetric arbitration agents ensures that multiple agents on a bus are each initialized with a different arbitration counter value. The arbitration counter of each bus agent is used to keep track of which agent was the last or current owner of the bus and which agent will be the next owner of the bus. All bus agents agree on which agent will be the priority agent at system reset and thus be allowed first ownership of the bus. Each agent's arbitration counter is initialized according to each agent's own agent identification. The arbitration pins of the bus agents are interconnected such that each agent determines for itself a unique agent identification based on which pin of its arbitration pins is active at system reset and the maximum number of bus agents allowed on the bus. After determining its agent identification, each bus agent initializes its arbitration counter such that every agent agrees which agent is the priority agent. Each agent performs this initialization based on its agent identification, the identity of the priority agent, and the maximum number of agents allowed on the bus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of computer system buses. More particularly, this invention relates to initialization of agents in a bus system.
2. Background
In modern computer systems, multiple agents are often coupled to a bus and arbitrate for the use of that bus. An arbitration scheme is employed which determines which agent coupled to the bus should have ownership of the bus at any given moment. A computer system may include multiple processors, or similar devices, that are somewhat alike in their bus usage requirements. Such multiple processors are referred to as "symmetric agents".
In some arbitration schemes a central arbiter keeps track of which agent is to be given ownership of the bus. In other, distributed arbitration schemes, each agent on the bus keeps track of which agent is the last or current owner of the bus, thereby allowing each agent to know which agent will be given priority for ownership next.
In arbitration schemes where each agent keeps track of the last or current owner of the bus, it may be necessary to initialize each agent whenever the system is reset such that all agents are in agreement as to who has priority for bus ownership. This agent initialization must be performed accurately, however it is often desirable to reduce the amount of logic required to perform the initialization due to its low frequency of use. That is, initialization often occurs only at system reset; thus, it is undesirable to expend significant overhead in supporting initialization schemes.
One common way of initializing agents for arbitration is to set a jumper on each agent. That is, each agent participating in arbitration for the bus has a set of pins accessible to the system user. By connecting the proper combination of pins with a jumper, the system user is able to assign that agent a particular arbitration identification. In order to change the arbitration identification for that particular agent the user must change the setting of the jumper. Furthermore, in systems requiring each agent to have a unique arbitration identification, the system user must ensure that jumpers for two agents are not set the same, thereby giving them the same arbitration identification. Thus, to alter the arbitration identifications for all agents on the bus requires physical manipulation of every jumper on every agent.
Another method of initializing agents for arbitration involves a signal being sent to multiple agents during multiple clock cycles. During a first dock cycle, information indicating the arbitration identification for the first agent is latched onto the first agent through one (or perhaps more) of the agent's pins. During a second clock cycle, information indicating the arbitration identification for a second agent is latched onto the second agent over the identical pin on the second agent. Thus, a different input line is driven to a common input pin of a different processor on each clock cycle. This sequence is continued for as many clock cycles as are necessary to latch arbitration identification information onto each agent. One drawback to this approach is that it requires multiple clock cycles to initialize all agents on the bus for arbitration.
In modern computer systems, the importance of system speed is ever-increasing. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a mechanism for initializing arbitration agents which could be accomplished in a minimal amount of time.
Additionally, many modem computer systems can have a varying number of agents on a bus. The number of agents on a particular bus may vary between systems, or may vary over time for a given system. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a versatile system which supports a variable number of agents with a minimal amount of additional logic and expense, and the performance of which is independent of the number of agents.
In addition, in many modem computer systems the location of agents on a bus may vary. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide an initialization mechanism which is identical for each agent, yet provides each agent with a unique identity within the system.
The present invention provides a solution to the problems of the prior art.

Initialization mechanism for symmetric arbitration agents


The invention relates to a method for the production of angiography recordings. First, a mask image is recorded with a first modality. A contrast medium is injected after the first recording. A control image is recorded with a second modality after the injection of the contrast medium. A spreading of the contrast medium is determined based on the images and the control of subsequent recordings is analyzed. A recording criterion is checked to determine whether the recording criterion has been achieved. If it has not been achieved, the control image is repeatedly recorded for repeatedly determining the spreading of the contrast medium. If it has been achieved, a contrast image is recorded with the first modality and the mask image and the contrast image are processed and analyzed.

The recordings can be produced with the aid of various recording methods:                Magnetic resonance tomography (MR angiography),        Computed tomography (CT angiography),        3D angiography with C-arm angiography devices and/or        X-ray projection (DSA, digital subtraction angiography).
The first three methods are cross-sectional or volume imaging methods, and the fourth method is a 2D projection method.
In addition to the imaging of vessels during angiography, the visualization of contrast medium accumulation in tissue, for example in order to measure cerebral blood volume (CBV), has an increasing role to play.
Since the contrast medium spreads out dynamically within the tissue and the vascular system, the point in time at which the second recording, the contrast recording, is made is of central importance.
Owing to the relatively small amounts of contrast medium in the tissue, an observation by a human analyzer is more difficult and the operating experience on the basis of which the timing of the contrast recordings could be set is still limited.
The second recording of an angiography, the contrast image, is usually triggered manually by the operator of the device, for example a radiologist, as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,342, or after a delay that can be varied according to the injection, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,635. The delay is in turn set by the operator on the basis of empirical values.
DE 32 15 552 C1 describes a method for 2D projection images in which the optimal mask image, which lies shortly before the rise of the contrast medium by one pixel along the time-contrast medium curve, and the optimal contrast image, the image with the maximum contrast medium density, are determined automatically. The points in time of the two sought images are found on the time-contrast medium density curve with threshold methods.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,635 A describes in general terms x-ray angiography systems and digital subtraction angiography. This does not include the triggering of recordings by automatic tracking of bolus arrival at a target location, which forms the main part of our invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,769A describes a method of determining the optimal start time for the recording, but this method differs from our invention as follows:    1. Bolus arrival is monitored manually. We have described a fully automatic method.    2. Bolus arrival is determined with a time-contrast curve by means of a user-defined region of interest (ROI), whereas our method takes the whole image into consideration, thus making automatic calculation possible.    3. As the recording is linked to (many) user interactions, the method in D2 cannot be considered to be a triggering, which is the main idea of our invention.

Method for the production of angiography recordings


In order to attain an object to achieve a graphite sheet processed product which is made of high quality graphite and which has a smooth cut surface even after being subjected to a cut process, a graphite sheet processed product of the present invention has a thickness of not less than 10 nm and not more than 20 μm, has a cross-sectional area 90% or more of which is occupied by graphite layers each extending continuously or discontinuously in a horizontal direction, the cross-sectional area being observed with use of a scanning electron microscope (SEM), includes therein graphite crystal having an average crystal grain size of not less than 0.35 μm and not more than 25 μm, and has, on a cut surface thereof, a burr having a size that is not more than 15% of a line width thereof, the line width being less than 400 μm.

A graphite sheet is expected to be applied to, for example, an electrode, a wire, a sensor, a vibration plate, a reflecting plate, and a heat radiating material because the graphite sheet has a high electric conductivity, has an excellent heat resistance and an excellent heat conductivity, and has an extremely high Young's modulus.
The shape of such a graphite sheet is required to be easily processable with use of, for example, a cutter, a trimming cutter, a laser, or a water cutter in accordance with a purpose of use of the graphite sheet. Note, however, that, in a case where a graphite sheet is thin and is to be cut with a cutter, a burr is more likely to occur in a cut surface of the graphite sheet. Thus, it is extremely difficult to precisely process a graphite sheet. The occurrence of a burr causes a change in, for example, resistance. This makes it difficult to use a graphite sheet as a wiring material, and, unfortunately, prevents a sensor or the like in which a graphite sheet is used from having a stable characteristic. In a case where a burr occurs in a part of a graphite sheet, breakage of the graphite sheet is more likely to start from the burr. This causes a trouble in the graphite sheet during processing or use of the graphite sheet. During, for example, a process for processing the graphite sheet or a process for manufacturing a device, graphite powder is more likely to fall off an edge surface part of the burr. The graphite powder may lead to production of a defective product. Against a background of this, a graphite sheet has been eagerly desired which is made of such high quality graphite as to be used as a wire, a sensor, or any other electronic material and which can be easily processed with use of, for example, a cutter, a trimming cutter, a laser, or a water cutter.
A conventional method for processing a graphite sheet is exemplified by a method of attaching a release film to a graphite sheet and punching out a piece from the graphite sheet to which the release film is attached (for example, Patent Literature 1). Note, however, that according to the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the graphite sheet which is thinner makes it difficult to peel the release film off the graphite sheet. Thus, the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1 cannot be practically used.
Another conventional technique is exemplified by a method of processing a graphite sheet by plating the graphite sheet with a metal (for example, Patent Literature 2). Note, however, that according to the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 2, in a case where a metal is not desired to be used, a step of removing the metal later is necessary.
Furthermore, still another conventional technique is exemplified by a method of processing expanded graphite (for example, Patent Literature 3). Note, however, that expanded graphite which is made thinner unfortunately has a lower strength. Thus, the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 3 has a problem in producing a wire, a sensor, or a vibration plate by processing a graphite sheet which is extremely thin and has a high quality.
Moreover, Patent Literature 4 discloses (i) a sheet of graphite which sheet has a high carrier mobility characteristic and has a better withstanding electric current density characteristic than a copper wire and (ii) a graphite wiring material which is formed by partially removing the graphite from the sheet of the graphite. Note, however, that especially a wiring board in which micro wires made of graphite are provided has the following problem. Specifically, in a case where a wiring edge surface has a defective part (irregularities) and a great electric current is applied to the defective part, a heavy load is applied to the defective part, so that the wires may be broken.

Graphite-sheet processed article and graphite sheet processed article manufacturing method


A process for manufacturing a glass substrate for a magnetic recording medium comprising polishing a crystallized glass substrate using abrasive grains, and then washing the substrate using an aqueous organic carboxylic acid solution; a glass substrate for a magnetic recording medium which is manufactured by the process; and a magnetic recording medium obtained using the substrate. A glass substrate for a magnetic recording medium is manufactured, whereby the surface roughness is low and the surface defects are minimal for washing after polishing of a crystallized glass substrate, and wherein the Read-Write performance are not impaired when a recording layer including a magnetic film is formed on the magnetic recording medium substrate for manufacturing a magnetic recording medium.

Glass substrates used for magnetic recording media such as hard disks must have a high degree of flatness and smoothness, as well as surface cleanliness. Glass substrates are therefore subjected to a step for surface polishing and a subsequent step for washing. The glass substrates for magnetic recording media which are obtained by such processes are also subjected to a texturing step as a manufacturing step for the magnetic recording media.
Efficient polishing of glass substrate surfaces is accomplished by using abrasive grains such as of cerium oxide as a polishing agent, but a problem is encountered when such abrasive grains remain on the glass surface after polishing. As a result, it is necessary to remove the adhered abrasive grains and glass shavings produced during the polishing step by washing prior to the texturing step. Because of increasing recording densities, even trace amounts of washing residue can be a source of defects when the magnetic recording medium is manufactured, and therefore a demand exists for more extensive washing techniques.
Glass currently used as substrates for magnetic recording media is largely divided into amorphous glass and crystallized glass, which is designed to exhibit improved strength by having minute crystal grains deposited in the glass through a crystallization process.
The use of organic acids or inorganic acids for washing of amorphous glass substrates is known in the prior art. For example, for manufacturing magnetic recording medium glass substrates composed of amorphous glass, there has been disclosed a technique of washing with oxalic acid after the texturing step (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-212603). Also disclosed is a technique of washing amorphous glass substrates with oxalic acid after chemical strengthening treatment (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-2163).
On the other hand, treatment of crystallized glass substrates with aqueous solutions of inorganic strong acids such as hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid or hydrochloric acid has been disclosed (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-311336), while treatment of glass substrates with strong alkalis has been disclosed as well (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-302482).
The present inventors have found that, although these washing methods are somewhat effective for removal of the polishing agent and the trace metal impurities or particles which adhere as contaminants during the processing steps, they create problems such as increased roughness of the crystallized glass substrate surfaces during their washing, and more frequent defects due to minute imperfections in the substrates.
In addition, it was found that when a magnetic recording medium is manufactured by forming a recording layer including a magnetic film on the substrate, the surface shape changes described above produce a phenomenon of impaired electromagnetic conversion properties, while it was demonstrated that washing of crystallized glass with a strong acid or strong alkali causes impairment of the quality of the magnetic recording medium.

Process for manufacturing glass substrate for magnetic recording medium, glass substrate for magnetic recording medium obtained by the process, and magnetic recording medium obtained using the substrate


A process of using a cache of outgoing packet identifiers to recover from a protocol error includes assigning a receive identifier associated with a user entity to a traffic stream at a receive node. The receive identifier is sent to a transmit node. The transmit node is instructed to associate the receive identifier with a receive plurality of data packets of the traffic stream. The transmit identifier associated with the user entity is assigned to the traffic stream at the transmit node. The transmit node identifier, the receive node identifier, and the address of the receive node are stored in a transmit cache at the transmit node for each of the receive plurality of data packets. The receive plurality of data packets is sent from the transmit node to the receive node. An error message is received at the transmit node from the receive node, indicating that the receive identifier was not recognized. The transmit cache is searched for the transmit node identifier using the receive node identifier and the address of the receive node. The user entity associated with the transmit node identifier is identified, and the user entity is removed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to recovery of protocol errors in GTP-u.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tunneling protocol is a network protocol which encapsulates a payload protocol, while acting as a payload protocol. A tunneling protocol may be used for various reasons, including carrying a payload over an incompatible delivery network, or to provide a secure path through an untrusted network.
A typical user plane data traffic tunneling mechanism involves three phases: constructing the tunnel, maintaining the tunnel and gracefully bringing the tunnel down. Normally there are two network nodes involved—the tunnel endpoints.
Construction of a tunnel usually involves an exchange of client data between the tunnel endpoints. The tunnel endpoints may be constructed by, for example, network gateways. Both of the network gateways involved in building the tunnel need to create a data entity for maintaining the tunnel. This entity, which is known as a PDP Context in GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP), contains information about, for example, user mobility, charging, authentication, Quality of Service, etc. Each user plane data packet that arrives through the tunnel into the tunnel endpoint node needs to be associated with one such entity. Each tunnel protocol packet contains an identifier, called a Tunnel Endpoint Identifier (TEID) to make that possible. The TEID helps the tunnel endpoint node detect the correct User Entity associated with the stream of data packets belonging to one particular user.
One network tunnel endpoint node may hold millions of tunnel endpoints at any given time. Every incoming user plane data packet needs to be quickly associated with a correct User Entity. To that end, tunneling protocols often involve a tunneling initialization stage in which each of the tunnel endpoint nodes allocate an identifier for each user traffic stream. Each of the tunnel endpoint nodes then instructs the other endpoint node to include that identifier in every data packet related to a particular user plane data packet stream.
The composition of the TEID may be implementation specific. The TEID may be comprised of, for example, a processing blade number or a position of a User Entity in a table of User Entities. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, user k, which is in position 2 (reference 20) of a User Entities Database (DB) 16 at Node A (reference 12), is assigned a TEID of 2 (reference 18) by Node A (reference 12). At Node B (reference 14), on the other hand, user k is assigned a TEID equal to its processing plate number, or 1001(hex) (reference 24), by Node B (reference 14).
An identifier allocated to a traffic stream by one of the network nodes is just an arbitrary number to the other network node. If each of the tunnel end nodes includes the identifier allocated by the tunnel end node in each and every data packet, however, both of the tunnel end nodes will be able to associate a user plane packet with its owner quickly.
As shown in FIG. 2, for example, Node A (reference 12) stores the TEID of 1001(hex) (reference 28) assigned to user k by Node B (reference 14). Node B (reference 14), similarly, stores the TEID of 2 (reference 30) assigned to the user k by Node A (reference 12). The User Plane Packet (reference 32) sent by Node A (reference 12) to Node B (reference 14) may be seen to include the TEID of 1001(hex), which was assigned to user k by Node B (reference 14). Consequently, when the User Plane Packet 32 reaches Node B (reference 14), Node B (reference 14) will be able to associate the User Plane Packet 32 with user k quickly and easily.
Maintenance of a tunnel throughout its existence involves constantly verifying that each tunnel endpoint node is up and running. If either of the tunnel endpoint nodes loses the contents of its User Entity database due to, for example software or hardware malfunction, the other tunnel endpoint node must react by removing all the user plane data tunnel endpoints associated with the broken tunnel endpoint node.
Graceful termination of a user plane data tunnel involves an exchange of control messaging initiated by either tunnel endpoint node informing the other tunnel endpoint node that the tunnel is going down. Each tunnel endpoint node will then remove the User Entity from its database and refuse to forward any data packets associated with the terminated tunnel to the other tunnel endpoint node.
A problem arises if there is a disruption in the maintenance protocol of the user plane data tunnel. If one tunnel endpoint node, let's say Node A, removes—or loses—a User Entity database entry but the information of that happening doesn't reach the other one, Node B, Node B may still keep forwarding packets associated with a lost user (let's say user k) to Node A, providing each packet with the Tunnel Endpoint Identifier once allocated by Node A for the user k, i.e. (TEIDk[A]).
Tunnel Endpoint Node A, now having lost user k from its database, recognizes a problem in the tunnel protocol and informs Node B about the failure. Node A notifies Node B by sending an error message—known as Error Indication in GTP-u protocol—to Node B informing Node B of a protocol problem related to the tunnel endpoint identifier TEIDk[A]. When Node B receives the Error Indication, Node B should remove the User Entity it still has involving the User k. However, Node B has no direct mapping of TEIDk[A] to the User Entity Database entry being affected. So far it has relied on Node A using TEIDk[B] in all communication involving user k, but Node A has lost that identifier along with all other information about user k.
A User Entity database Entry contains among other things the address of the other endpoint of the tunnel and the Tunnel Endpoint Identifier the other peer has allocated a particular user. Now having received an Error Indication message from one tunnel endpoint node in address A, Node B can scan through its User Entity database for an entry with a combination of tunnel endpoint node address A/tunnel endpoint identifier TEIDk[A]. This is a linear search and can be fairly time consuming.
As a performance remedy the tunnel endpoint node may maintain a search tree or a hash table in which the key would be a tuple of a tunnel endpoint node address and the remotely allocated TEID. This search structure, however, may become very large and if not carefully maintained may become corrupted over time. Furthermore, there is no inherent self-fixing mechanism for this search structure.

Using a cache of outgoing packet identifiers to recover from a protocol error in GTP-u