A telecommunications system uses software applications called user agents, that are preferably Internet-based and that operate on behalf of users in a telecommunications hosting server to control call connections under control of a telecommunications network server that interfaces with the telecommunications hosting server as well as a connection-based public telephone network. The telecommunications hosting server operates on a computer network on behalf of the user agents to provide call signaling in support of many advanced calling and telecommunications services. The functionality and performance (e.g., execution) of the user agent(s) preferably takes place primarily within the telecommunications hosting server, though user client computers can provide some and possibly all of the user agent functionality, depending upon the particular implementation chosen.

Generally, telecommunications systems provide the ability for two or more people or machines (e.g., computerized or other electronic devices) to communicate with each other. Many types of telecommunications systems exist in the prior art. Examples include telephone systems and networks, data communications systems, computer networking systems such as the Internet, wireless and satellite communications systems, and so forth. Each of these systems is inherently enabled or can be retrofitted via software and/or electronic hardware to provide telecommunications services between persons or devices coupled to such systems. Telecommunications systems and services in a general sense are sometimes limited to simple voice or audio communications, although such systems may support communications of other types of data such as signaling and protocol data, video data, and computer or device application data.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a prior art telephone network 101 that is a common example of a telecommunications system in widespread use throughout the world. As illustrated, the telephone network 101 includes a number user telephony devices 105 through 108 (e.g., telephones) that inter-connect to various tandem or central offices 110 through 113. Communications media (e.g., telephone lines, wireless links, and/or the like) interconnect the offices 110 through 113 to one another to form a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 101-A. The central or tandem offices 110 through 113 may be replaced, for example, private branch exchanges, PSTN control hardware or other telephone switching equipment. Such equipment is typically owned by a telephone service provider. Users of the telephone network 101 typically subscribe to a telecommunications service (e.g., telephone service) which the telephone service provider offers.
The telephone network 101 also includes a PSTN signaling network 101-B that operates over the same medium as the PSTN 101-A. The PSTN signaling network 101-B generally supports a standard signaling technique such as Signaling System Seven (SS7) or User-to-Network interfaces between the offices 110 through 113 and the user telephony devices 105 through 108 to support call connections (e.g., telephone calls, not specifically shown) between the user telephony devices 105 through 108. The user telephony devices 105 through 108 may be telephone handsets, telephone answering machines, fax machines, modems or other such devices.
The telephone network 101 is an example of a connection-based network. To communicate in a connection-based network, the network components (telephony devices and switching equipment in this example) establish a dedicated connection or path between two or more end points of communication. The dedicated connection, also called a circuit or switched circuit generally remains active or established during the duration of a telecommunications session between parties using the connection.
By way of example, in FIG. 1, suppose a user (not shown) of the user telephony device 105 desires to communicate with a user (not shown) of the user telephony device 108. To do so, the user of user telephony device 105 picks up a handset of the user telephony device 105. This action causes the central office 113 to establish a dedicated connection (a completed circuit) to the central office 113 for use by the user telephony device 105. Thereafter, when the user of telephony device 105 enters connection establishment information in the form of a phone number corresponding to the user telephony device 108, the central office 113 extends the dedicated connection through the PSTN 101-A to the central office 112 using signaling provided by the PSTN signaling network 101-B. When the central office 112 receives this signaling, the central office 112 completes the connection to the user telephony device 108 causing it to ring. When a user or machine answers the user telephony device 108 by lifting the handset for example, this action fully establishes an end-to-end connection between the user telephony device 105 and the user telephony device 108. The dedicated connection remains established for the duration of the communications session between the users using the user telephony devices 105 and 108, even if they are not speaking or otherwise communicating at all times.
Typically in a connection-based network such as telephone network 101, the network components (e.g., switching offices) can identify various active dedicated communications sessions by the circuit or wire identifiers of the physical wires with which the network 101 uses to transport communications for those sessions. A central office, for example, can identify one particular segment of a connection circuit used for communications with a user telephony device by the telephone number associated with the segment that leads to the device. Most central office switching equipment can be programmed to identify a particular call identifier such as a telephone number with a particular circuit associated with a telephony device located at the end of the circuit. When the central office equipment receives a request to establish a call connection to a telephony device on a particular circuit, the central office can activate the circuit to form a completed circuit or call connection to the telephony equipment on the opposing end of the circuit.
Prior art telephone switching offices and equipment are able to combine certain signaling techniques such as those supported by the PSTN signaling network 101-B with the ability to identify connection segments or individual circuits in order to support various prior art extended telecommunication services. Such services provide features within the telephone network beyond the ability of the network to support simple end to end telephone calls. For example, many prior art telephone networks support calling features such as call waiting, call forwarding, missed call call-back (also known as "star-69"), toll-free "800" numbers, scheduled wake-up calls, conference calling, and so forth. A prior art connection-based telephone network provides each of these types of services based on connection-based network signaling which may occur before, during, and/or after the actual establishment or activation of one or more individual circuits or call connections to one or more telephony devices (e.g., before, during or after placement of a telephone call). For example, a prior art toll-free "800" number service uses signaling before placing a call connection to perform a "lookup" operation of the toll-free phone number in order to reverse call charges to the receiver of the call (identified by the receiving call circuit) instead of charging the sender or calling party. A prior art call waiting service uses signaling during a call connection to notify a user in the active call connection of another incoming call connection for the same circuit. A scheduled wake up call service provides call signaling after one call connection is made (the call to schedule the wake up call) but before another future call connection is placed (the actual wake up call).
In each of these examples, a signaling system within the telephone network (e.g., 101) provides signaling to support, track, or otherwise manipulate one or more basic dedicated circuits or call connections between one or more telephony devices in the network. In FIG. 1 then, while the PSTN signaling network 101-B may be quite robust to support the aforementioned enhanced calling features, the underlying results from the signaling are essentially to establish one or more call connections across the telephone network 101 to support communications sessions which are typically voice grade.
Generally, large telecommunication service companies (e.g., telephone companies such as AT&T, MCIWorldCom, Bell Atlantic, GTE and the like) own and operate the equipment (e.g., public telephone switching equipment) and media (e.g., telephone lines, satellite links, etc.) that support communications on a telephone network. Such equipment and media is presently widespread in either physical or wireless form throughout much of the United States and the world. As a result, telephone service of some sort, be it physical land-based lines or wireless service (e.g. cellular or satellite) is generally available in most locations. Since service providers have spent significant amounts of time and money to install the existing telephone network infrastructure, much of the equipment from twenty, thirty or more years ago is still in use today to support call connections. Due to such a large investment in the existing systems, public telephone service providers that want to offer advanced calling services in addition to the placement of regular point-to-point public telephone call connections must develop and deploy such services using the existing public telephone infrastructure as a base. That is, if a public telephone service provider desires to support one or more advanced calling services such as those mentioned above, such new services must be fully compatible with the existing public telephone infrastructure or development costs become prohibitive and/or the advanced services might not work properly due to limitations of the existing equipment.
To this end, only highly skilled technicians under the employ of the telephone companies are generally allowed to modify and further develop the existing public telephone software, hardware, and signaling systems such as SS7 that inter-operate and control prior art telephone network switching equipment. Moreover, once a new service such as call waiting has been perfected to work with the existing public telephone infrastructure, deployment of the service to individual consumer telephones requires that the consumer (i.e., public telephone subscriber) notify the public telephone service provider of the desire for the service and also requires the service provider to separately instruct a technician to activate the service for a call connection (e.g., the phone number) associated with that particular individual public telephone subscriber.
In contrast to connection-based networks such as the telephone network 101 in FIG. 1 which operates using a dedicated connection, a connection-less network such as a computer network can support telecommunications services without a single dedicated path to support the communications through the network.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a prior art connectionless computer network 140 configured to support telecommunications. The connectionless network 140 includes a plurality of network devices 151 through 155 interconnected via data links (e.g., 150), as well as computer hosts 144 and 145 which in this example each include a respective attached computer telephony device 141, 142. This example shows the connectionless network as an Internet Protocol (IP) network 102 which is a computer network such as the Internet. The network devices 151 through 155 might be routers, for example, which can quickly route data in the form of packets, cells frames or the like between computer hosts 144 and 145 (only two hosts are shown in this example). The computer hosts 144 and 145 can be any type of computer such as personal computers, workstations or the like.
To operate as a telecommunications system, the connectionless computer network 140 can use a technology such as Voice Over IP (VOIP). VOIP is generally provided by a software application (not specifically shown) that executes on the computer hosts 144 and 145. Using a VOIP application, a user (not shown) of computer host 144 can speak into a handset or microphone provided as part of the computer telephony equipment 141. The computer host 144 receives, digitizes and packetizes the voice and transmits the voice data in packets, cells, frames or some other unit (not specifically shown) onto the IP network 102. The routers 151 through 155 can receive and route the various voice data packets through the IP network 102, one by one, until they reach their intended destination computer host 145. Upon receipt of the voice data packets, the destination computer host 145 de-packetizes the voice data and converts it back into an analog signal which is provided to a speaker provided as part of the computer telephony equipment 142 for listening by a recipient user (not shown). Such a system can send voice data in either direction between users thus providing a two-way telecommunications session. In this manner, users are able to speak to each other using computer network communications.
Since the IP network 102 is a connectionless network, each voice data packet sent from the computer host 144 is individually routed through the network 102. Depending upon network congestion (e.g., heavy data packet loads resulting in network devices buffering packets for processing) within the various network devices 151 through 155, each packet may take a different route through the network 102. When a user is not speaking into his or her computer telephony equipment, the computer hosts 144 and 145 and network devices 151 through 155 generally do not transmit packets to one another, hence the name "connectionless" network.
A VOIP software application uses the same packet communications that carry the voice data to perform any required call signaling. This is called "in-band" signaling. For example, if the VOIP application executing on computer host 144 wants to notify the user telephony device 142 of an incoming call, a "new call" packet is sent from the VOIP applications executing on the computer host 144 to host 145. The network 140 routes the new call signaling packet just like another other data packet. A VOIP application can transmit one or more signaling packets during the transmission of voice data packets. In this manner, with respect to the computer network infrastructure (e.g., data links 150 and the individual network devices 151 through 155), call signaling is treated the same as any other type of communications and is generally handled at the software application level.
Prior art protocols have been developed in an attempt to have a general purpose computer system control telephone switching equipment. One such protocol is called PINT, which stands for the PSTN to InterNeT protocol. PINT is a protocol under development by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which is a standards based organization. PINT defines a protocol to allow certain basic telephone switching services to be controlled via a computer on a connectionless network. The basic service provided by PINT allows a computer system such as a workstation to use PINT commands that are understandable by telephone switching equipment to have that telephone switching equipment establish a single call connection to a telephony device (i.e., a telephone) on a telephone network. PINT thus provides a tool in the form of basic protocol commands for a system developer to interface a computer to PSTN equipment. The PINT protocol specification suggests the ability to use PINT in the creation certain calling services such as click to dial and click to fax, but the implementation of such services is up to system and software designers. The PINT protocol thus provides a framework for interfacing computers to telephone equipment and provides a fundamental building block or function that allows a computer system to cause telephone switching equipment to create one or more call connections on the telephone network.
In the area of prior art private telecommunications systems, developers have created systems that provide calling services that extend beyond the services available in a public switched telephone network. Such private telecommunications systems operate using privately owned and typically more advanced telephone switching equipment commonly known as a "Private Branch Exchange (PBX)" or an "Automatic Call Distributor (ACD)". A typical PBX or ACD system interconnects a number of advanced PBX telephony devices designed to take advantage of the capabilities that the PBX has to offer. Essentially, the PBX and its associated PBX telephony devices provide a private telephone network. Since such private telecommunications equipment has been more recently developed as compared to conventional public telephone switching equipment that has been in place for sometimes fifty years or more, and since such equipment is intended for private use and control, PBX systems provide more advanced calling services such as call transfer from one PBX telephony device to another, auto-attendant voice messaging systems, and conference calling.
A typical PBX system (PBX and associated PBX telephony devices) is designed for use in a business environment and is quite expensive as compared to telephone equipment that consumers can use on a public switched telephone network. The PBX itself is typically a computer controlled device that may include software and hardware (e.g., electronics) as well as a number of ports for interconnecting the various PBX telephony devices. The PBX typically also provides one or more interfaces to allow the PBX network to be coupled to a PSTN network. Telephone calls that PBX users place between PBX telephony devices are handled completely by the PBX within the PBX network, without the need to complete call connections to public telephone switching equipment (e.g., a tandem or central office).
Some prior art PBX systems provide an interface to a computer system or a computer network. Such an interface can be used to direct the PBX system to place telephone calls between users of the PBX network, and in some cases, between a PBX network user and a person on a telephone that is external to the PBX network.
An example of such a prior art PBX system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,394 (Dezonno et al.). The system disclosed in Dezonno allows a telephone computer to control an ACD or a PBX under the direction of connections made to the telephone computer from a computer network such as the Internet. In the Dezonno system, for example, a computer user on the Internet can send a call request message via his or her computer to a telephone computer that is interfaced to control the PBX. The call request message instructs the telephone computer to direct the PBX to create a telephone call from a PBX user telephone (e.g., from an agent in a business owning the PBX using an agent telephone coupled to the PBX system) through the PBX and out to a computer user telephone located on a telephone network. Essentially, this allows the computer user to have the business call-back the computer user. The computer user can specify the time at which the call-back is to be made. This allows, for example, the computer user to complete his or her use (e.g., web surfing, reading email, etc.) of the Internet via a dial-up telephone connection to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) over that computer user's telephone line. Since the call-back can be specified to take place in the future, the telephone computer can thereafter detect the time at which to place the call-back and can then instruct the ACD (or PBX) to place the call between the agent's PBX telephone and the computer user's telephone (that was formerly in use to connect to the Internet).

Methods and apparatus for providing communications services between connectionless and connection-oriented networks


A method for forming a printhead having a very high dot-per-inch printing capability is described. The method includes forming a layer containing electronic control circuits upon a semiconductor wafer. Nozzle chambers are then etched into the wafer and corresponding fluid ejection assemblies are formed for each nozzle chamber. Ink inlets for the nozzle chambers are produced by back-etching through the wafer. Steps for fabricating thermal bend actuators to eject ink from the nozzles are also described.

Many different types of printing have been invented, a large number of which are presently in use. The known forms of printers have a variety of methods for marking the print media with relevant marking media. Commonly used forms of printing include offset printing, laser printing and copying devices, dot matrix type impact printers, thermal paper printers, film recorders, thermal wax printers, dye sublimation printers and ink jet printers both of the drop on demand and continuous flow type. Each type of printer has its own advantages and problems when considering cost, speed, quality, reliability, simplicity of construction and operation etc.
In recent years, the field of ink jet printing, wherein each individual pixel of ink is derived from one or more ink nozzles has become increasingly popular primarily due to its inexpensive and versatile nature.
Many different techniques on ink jet printing have been invented. For a survey of the field, reference is made to an article by J Moore, "Non-Impact Printing: Introduction and Historical Perspective", Output Hard Copy Devices, Editors R Dubeck and S Sherr, pages 207-220 (1988).
Ink Jet printers themselves come in many different types. The utilisation of a continuous stream of ink in ink jet printing appears to date back to at least 1929 wherein U.S. Pat. No. 1,941,001 by Hansell discloses a simple form of continuous stream electro-static ink jet printing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,275 by Sweet also discloses a process of continuous ink jet printing including the step wherein the ink jet stream is modulated by a high frequency electrostatic field so as to cause drop separation. This technique is still utilized by several manufacturers including Elmjet and Scitex (see also U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,437 by Sweet et al).
Piezoelectric ink jet printers are also one form of commonly utilized ink jet printing device. Piezoelectric systems are disclosed by Kyser et. al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 (1970) which utilizes a diaphragm mode of operation, by Zolten in U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,212 (1970) which discloses a squeeze mode of operation of a piezoelectric crystal, by Stemme in U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120 (1972) which discloses a bend mode of piezoelectric operation, Howkins in U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,601 which discloses a piezoelectric push mode actuation of the ink jet stream and by Fischbeck in U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,590 which discloses a shear mode type of piezoelectric transducer element.
Recently, thermal ink jet printing has become an extremely popular form of ink jet printing. The ink jet printing techniques include those disclosed by Endo et al in GB 2007162 (1979) and by Vaught et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728. Both the aforementioned reference ink jet printing techniques rely upon the activation of an electrothermal actuator which results in the creation of a bubble in a constricted space, such as a nozzle, which thereby causes the ejection of ink from an aperture in communication with the confined space onto a relevant print media Manufacturers such as Canon and Hewlett Packard manufacture printing devices utilizing the electrothermal actuator.
As can be seen from the foregoing, many different types of printing technologies are available. Ideally, a printing technology should have a number of desirable attributes. These include inexpensive construction and operation, high-speed operation, safe and continuous long-term operation etc. Each technology may have its own advantages and disadvantages in the areas of cost, speed, quality, reliability, power usage, simplicity of construction, operation, durability and consumables.
In the construction of any inkjet printing system, there are a considerable number of important factors which must be traded off against one another especially as large scale printheads are constructed, especially those of a pagewidth type. A number of these factors are outlined in the following paragraphs.
Firstly, inkjet printheads are normally constructed utilizing micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) techniques. As such, they tend to rely upon the standard integrated circuit construction/fabrication techniques of depositing planar layers on a silicon wafer and etching certain portions of the planar layers. Within silicon circuit fabrication technology, certain techniques are better known than others. For example, the techniques associated with the creation of CMOS circuits are likely to be more readily used than those associated with the creation of exotic circuits including ferroelectrics, gallium arsenide etc. Hence, it is desirable, in any MEMS construction, to utilize well-proven semi-conductor fabrication techniques that do not require the utilization of any "exotic" processes or materials. Of course, a certain degree of trade off will be undertaken in that if the use of the exotic material far outweighs its disadvantages then it may become desirable to utilize the material anyway.
With a large array of ink ejection nozzles, it is desirable to provide for a highly automated form of manufacturing which results in an inexpensive production of multiple printhead devices.
Preferably, the device constructed utilizes a low amount of energy in the ejection of ink. The utilization of a low amount of energy is particularly important when a large pagewidth full color printhead is constructed having a large array of individual print ejection mechanisms with each ejection mechanism, in the worst case, being fired in a rapid sequence.
In the parent application, namely U.S. application Ser. No. 09/113,122 there is disclosed a printhead chip having a plurality of nozzle arrangements. These nozzle arrangements each include an actuator. The actuator has two pairs of actuating arms, each pair comprising an active actuating arm and a passive actuating arm. The active actuating arms are configured so that when heated upon receipt of an electrical signal, they deform and drive an ink displacement mechanism so that ink can be ejected from the respective nozzle chambers. The passive actuating arms serve to provide resilient flexibility and stability to the actuator.
The Applicant has found that it is desirable that the actuator has a certain configuration to avoid buckling of the actuator when the active actuating arms are deformed to displace the actuator. While avoiding buckling, this configuration must also maintain efficiency of the actuator. This configuration is the subject of this invention.

Method of fabricating monolithic microelectromechanical fluid ejection device


A sealing apparatus is provided for sealing between concentric relatively moveable tubular members. The sealing apparatus is comprised of a plurality of retainer seal rings, made of a high temperature thermoplastic, and between each retainer seal ring is a thermoplastic seal ring constructed of a normal temperature service thermoplastic. The thermoplastic seal rings are alternately spaced with the high temperature thermoplastic retainer seal rings. The retainer seal rings and the thermoplastic seal rings are cylindrical rings having a radial cross-section of a general chevron shape. Energization to press both sets of seals into sealing engagement with the two relatively moveable tubular members is accomplished by the interaction of an axial interference fit between alternating seal rings, a diametrical interference fit between the relatively moveable wellbore surfaces and the seal rings, and wellbore fluid pressure. Wellbore fluid pressure pushes against the female portion of the general chevron shape to flare outward the retainer seal rings into sealing engagement with the relatively moveable tubular members. At higher wellbore temperatures, the retainer seal rings, which are alternated every other one with the thermoplastic seal rings, maintain the shape of the thermoplastic seal rings so that they will sealingly engage the relatively moveable members when the seal assembly is cooled from higher wellbore temperatures to lower wellbore temperatures.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a seal system design for use in the completion and production operations of oil and gas wells wherein the seal is comprised of a plurality of plastically deformable members comprised of alternating seal rings of different materials utilized to sealing engage moveable wellbore members.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior art sealing assemblies have been used to sealingly engaged moveable members in wellbore tools. These prior art sealing assemblies fail to perform after prolonged exposure to wellbore temperatures and pressures, some failing after minimal exposure to wellbore conditions. None of these prior art sealing assemblies reliably sealingly engaged noncontinuously mating moveable members after several mating engagements.
One example of a prior art sealing assembly would be the Conduit Sealing System of the Amancharla Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,197, disclosing a sealing assembly comprised of several types of materials. One of these materials is a perfluoroelastomer sold by DuPont under the trademark KALREZ. Although this material has high thermal stability and excellent chemical resistance, it is an elastomeric material which after prolonged exposure to wellbore temperatures will harden, become brittle, and fail to provide a dynamic sealing engagement with moveable wellbore surfaces.
Another example of a prior art sealing device is the Plastically Deformable Conduit Seal For Subterranean Wells disclosed in the Allison Patent issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,469. This patent disclosed a self-energizing sealing system employing plastically deformable nonelastomeric elements to establish sealing integrity between concentric, relatively moveable tubular conduits. This prior art self-energizing sealing system, or sealing apparatus, is comprised of a plurality of sealing members including chevron-shaped thermoplastic members, and high temperature thermoplastic members made of polyphenylene sulfide resin sold under the trademark RYTON. Although RYTON members provide support to prevent extrusion of regular service temperature sealing members, they do not sealingly engage repeatably slidable moving surfaces to prevent wellbore pressures from damaging regular service temperature sealing members. In fact, testing in the development of the current invention indicated that this sealing apparatus failed to reliably perform after several actuations of a moveable member when mating between sealing elements and surfaces to be sealed was not continuous.
In addition, various prior art sealing assemblies were tested. None of these prior art sealing assemblies would perform reliably after temperature thermocycling, prolonged exposure to high temperature, and repeated actuation of noncontinuously mated moveable members for more than five cycles of actuation. Most of the prior art sealing assemblies failed to perform after one or two actuations.


A method, system, and article of efficient illuminator and camera sensor synchronization to capture images comprises generating a sequence of frames each associated with a captured image and comprising operating an electronic shutter using vertical-blanks (vblanks) occurring between the last reset of a previous frame and a first read of a current frame consecutively after the previous frame of the sequence of frames. The generating also comprises receiving, by at least one camera sensor, from at least one infra-red-related illuminator and limited to a time within or equal to the vblanks so that the illuminator is turned on and off at the same vblank, and sensing the received light at the camera sensor to convert the light into image data to form the frames in the sequence of frames.

Projectors or illuminators for digital cameras are often used to project infra-red (IR) light (about 700 to 1000 nm wavelength for near-infra-red (NIR)) into a space and then use a camera sensor to detect the light reflecting from objects in the space in order to form images of the objects. Such IR or NIR system may use the images for many different applications including biometric face detection for security authorization purposes, eye tracking and other object detection operations such as with motion detection related-games or artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, and so forth. In these systems, the sensed reflections from the NIR illuminator are used to form an IR or NIR image with specific characteristics needed to perform the desired detection or to use the image for other applications. Note that the terms image, frame, and picture all refer to the same thing and may be used interchangeably herein.
The conventional light source on an IR illuminator is an LED on many devices. A difficulty occurs when ambient light sensed at the sensor significantly mixes with or washes out the LED light resulting in erroneous results and inaccurate or unclear images. While band pass filters may be used to filter out the ambient light, some sources of ambient light have enough in-band power to compete with the LED signal. One ambient-light cancelling technique to avoid this result uses frame subtraction. Frame subtraction involves pulsing a near-infrared LED on during one camera frame period and off during another frame period. When the LED is on, the sensor senses both the LED light and the ambient light, and when the LED is off, the sensor senses only ambient light. The camera output is then digitized so that the pixel values of the ambient-only frame can be subtracted from the pixel values of the signal-plus-ambient frame to obtain signal-only pixel values. This provides a more robust image processing algorithm with increased image quality and accuracy. The two frames are referred to as frame pairs and are often generated as alternating dark (unlit) and light (lit) frames.
A difficulty arises to generate the frame pairs, however, because an LED typically needs to light an entire frame with increased light intensity to provide a frame sufficiently brighter than the ambient-only frame to provide an adequate minimum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the subtracted frame. The challenge is magnified when the system employs a rolling shutter image which is preferred due to cost and size constraints. A rolling shutter imager stages the exposure of each line to end at the time it will be read out meaning that each line of the image is exposed at a different time. The illuminator must be active for the entire frame from a first row reset to a last row read out of a rolling shutter imager so that all rows are uniformly illuminated.
Such a requirement to light (and darken) an entire frame is undesirable when a rolling shutter is being used. Specifically, the LEDs are alternatingly turned on and off at the time of every other vertical-blank (vblank), which is the time between the reads of consecutive frames. Due to the overlapping configuration of the row-by-row exposure of a rolling shutter, this results in frames that are partially unlit and partially lit between each alternating frame that is entirely lit and entirely unlit. Such frames that are partially lit when the frame needs to be entirely dark cannot be used for frame subtraction since it still combines short undesirable durations of the IR light with ambient light. Thus, these partially lit frames are considered to be unusable and corrupt. This results in wasted IR energy in the form of light collected by those partially lit frames, and the lit target frame has less energy than it could have. It also results in the need to double the frame rate since half of the frames are unusable. This increase in framerate causes greater power consumption for the illuminator since so much energy is wasted on discarded frames and on the sensor since the sensor must be read out more often. A lower SNR also results since only half the illumination energy is captured by the desired frame. The higher framerate also reduces the color image quality due to the smaller exposure times, especially in low light. While increasing power to the illuminator may raise the IR energy to the target frame, this increases the power consumption of the illuminator resulting in thermal and battery life challenges.

System and method of efficient illuminator-sensor synchronization to capture images


A system and method to generate and manage clusters of search terms. The system and method collect a set of search terms associated with multiple search queries relating to an entity. A neural network identifies a set of embedding vectors, wherein each of the set of embedding vectors represents a search term of the set of search terms. A cluster is generated including a portion of the set of search terms based on a comparison of embedding vectors associated with the portion of the set of search terms. A size of the cluster is compared to a cluster size threshold level to determine if a first condition is satisfied. In response to determining satisfaction of the first condition, the cluster is identified as a valid-sized cluster. A user interface is generated to display information related to the cluster and one or more cluster metrics.

Conventionally, an end user may conduct a search for information about an entity (e.g., a merchant, a person, etc.) using a third party search engine (e.g., Google™, Bing™, Yahoo!™ Search), a third-party platform (e.g., Yelp™, YouTube™, etc.), or a first party search engine (e.g., a search engine associated with the entity). The various search platforms provide the end user with information in response to the input of a search query.
In addition, the search queries submitted by the multiple end users provide valuable information to the entity. In this regard, an entity may wish to accumulate and analyze the submitted search queries to identify areas of interest, information gaps, and better service and provide information to the entity's end users.
However, conventional approaches to analyzing and organizing search queries are limited. In particular, the search data includes a vast number of unique search terms, making it challenging to organize the search data in a manner that enables the filtering of corresponding noise and the identifying of actionable insights associated with the search data. In particular, due to combinatorics, as the length of a sequence of words from a vocabulary (e.g., words in a language) increases, the number of possible sentences that could be constructed also increases. As such, it becomes increasingly difficult for a human to review all of these unique combinations of words.

Management and optimization of search term clustering


A battery control apparatus for a battery according to the present invention excludes a faulty battery cell from the connection between battery cells and at the same time automatically connects a replacement battery cell to the battery cells when a fault occurs in some of the battery cells, thereby allowing the output voltage of the battery to be kept constant in spite of the faulty battery cell. Further, in a state where a plurality of battery modules are connected in parallel, the battery control apparatus disconnects a battery module including a faulty battery cell during the replacement of the faulty battery cell, thereby preventing the output voltage of the battery from being discontinuous. In addition, a switch used in the battery control apparatus for a battery is a fusible switch including two separate fixed electrodes and one movable electrode.

Recently, with technological development of electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS) and the like, research on high-voltage, large-capacity battery packs formed by connecting multiple battery cells has been actively conducted.
Currently, various methods, such as using a battery management system (BMS) and the like, are attempted to secure battery safety. However, due to the electrochemical nonlinearity and unstable characteristics of the battery, fundamental safety techniques for preventing battery cell damage and fault have not been developed.
In particular, a battery pack having multiple battery cells connected to each other has a critical limitation in that, when any one unit cell fails, the entire battery pack, which is expensive, must be replaced.
In order not to replace the entire battery pack, technology for detecting a faulty cell and excluding connection of the faulty cell has been developed.
Such technology is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 (Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2013-0040435A, Publication date: Apr. 24, 2014) and Patent Document 2 (Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2014-0091109A, Publication date: Jul. 21, 2014). Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 disclose "In a battery pack having a plurality of battery cells connected in series, when a battery cell fails, the faulty battery cell is bypassed in the battery formed by series connection, thereby automatically restoring the faulty battery pack."
However, this technology fails to compensate for a voltage drop loss of the battery pack caused by bypassing the faulty cell in the battery.
Further, when the bypassing method mentioned above is applied to a battery pack with serial-parallel connection, a voltage difference is produced between modules connected in parallel.
In addition, the technology of the patent documents above has a structural problem in that the charge/discharge current of the battery load is cut off due to the discontinuity section produced when the faulty cell is bypassed with a relay.
Therefore, there is a need for a technology capable of solving the problems of voltage drop of a battery pack and discontinuity of charge/discharge current caused by the aforementioned bypassing of the battery cell.
In addition, in Patent Documents 1 and 2, multiple switches including diodes are used. Since a large amount of current passes through these switches, on resistance causes a problem.
When a large amount of current flows through the switches, high power consumption and heat generation, which are serious obstacles to realizing high output and high density of the switches, are caused due to the on resistance of the switches.
Generally, switches are broadly divided into semiconductor-based switches and mechanical contact-based switches. Semiconductor-based switches such as transistors have excellent impact resistance and high operating frequency compared to mechanical switches such as relays and contactors.
On the other hand, the mechanical switches such as relays and contactors have lower impact resistance than that of semiconductor switches, but have very low contact resistance.
However, mechanical contact switches also have contact resistance according to mechanical contact since the current flows between two conductors through mechanical contact. As a result, when a large amount of current flows, the contact resistance causes excessive power consumption and generates heat in the switches.
Therefore, in order to reduce the contact resistance, a contact area between conductors should be increased, and a material having a low resistivity and a high conductivity should be used for the contact point. The contact resistance depends on the contact pressure between the two conductors. The higher the contact pressure, the lower the contact resistance.
However, if the contact surface is expanded to satisfy the required level of contact resistance, the volume of the contact conductor will increase in proportion thereto, and using a conductor having a high conductivity such as silver or platinum will increase cost. In addition, a strong physical force is required to maintain the mechanical contact state against external impact/vibration and to increase the contact pressure to reduce the contact resistance, which increases the volume and weight of the switch.
Therefore, the conventional switch technology has a limit in implementing a compact/lightweight switch that exhibits high impact resistance and low contact resistance when a large amount of current flows therethrough.
In order to overcome this limit, inventions related to a soldering-based fusible switch (which is a term employed in this specification, but may also be referred to as a "fusion switch") for bonding two contacts by melting conductive bonding materials have been made. These inventions can be broadly divided into the following two methods.
In the first method, spaced electrodes are directly moved to contact each other, thereby pressing and contacting a soldering material between the electrodes. That is, this method can be called a press-contact method. The switch of Patent Document 3 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,119A, Date of Patent Jun. 18, 1991) may be an example of the press-contact method. The switch of Patent Document 3 has a structure in which Joule heat (heat generated in the conductor due to current flow) is generated by the contact resistance generated in the contact process of two electrodes and the on-current, and the conductive bonding material is fused by the Joule heat.
The press-contact method can reduce the on resistance by press and contact of the two electrodes, but is not suitable for use in a switch having a large current capacity since it causes the electrode side terminal to move.
That is, the press-contacting electrodes are limited to thin conductors so as to have bendability at a predetermined length in order to have mobility. Therefore, a thick conductor having very low resistance cannot be used. Accordingly, the press-contact method has a structural limit in minimizing on resistance.
In addition, in Patent Document 3, Joule heat is generated by contact resistance and on-current generated when the switch is turned on (closed), and the conductive bonding material is fused and bonded by the Joule heat.
Further, in Patent Document 3, the degree of fusion bonding between the two electrodes is determined according to the amount of Joule heat generated by the on-current and the contact resistance. Therefore, if the on-current or contact resistance is not large enough to generate sufficient Joule heat, the on resistance increases due to local fusion bonding of the contacts.
Further, the switch of Patent Document 3 has an irreversible structure in which state transition between on-off contacts occurs only in one direction, and is thus limited to a one-time close switch. That is, the state can be changed from the off state to the on state, but cannot be changed from the on state to the off state. In other words, the return operation after a switching operation is impossible.
Due to these problems, a fusible switch using the press-contact method, which causes movement of an electrode side terminal, has not been put to practical use, and the following second method has been proposed.
The second method is to melt a soldering material by heat, then fill a gap between two spaced stationary electrodes with the melted soldering material and then perform a solidification process. A fusible switch using this method can be called a fusible switch of a gap-filling method, and is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 4 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,356A, Publication Date: Apr. 28, 1999), and Patent Document 5 (GB2355340A, Publication Date: Apr. 18, 2001).
However, since the resistivity of the soldering material is generally greater than the resistivity of the electrode, the withstand voltage (or insulation resistance) between the electrodes in the above-mentioned gap-filling method increases in proportion to the distance between the electrodes, and the amount of the conductive bonding material filling the air gap also increases in proportion to the distance, thereby increasing the on resistance of the switch.
Therefore, the fusible switch according to the gap-filling method is not suitable for use in an environment requiring a large current at a high voltage.
The switches of Patent Documents 4 and 5 have an irreversible structure in which state transition between on-off contacts occurs only in one direction, and are thus limited to a one-time close switch. That is, it is possible to switch from the off state to the on state, but it is not possible to switch back from the on state to the off state.
In addition, the switches of Patent Documents 4 and 5 are complicated in structure, and a large amount of soldering material is required in the switching operation.
For the conventional fusible switch, the on-current flowing through the switch is usually used. In this case, it is difficult to perform an independent switch operation irrespective of the on-current of the switch.

Fusible switch, battery control apparatus including same, and battery control method


A wafer-like insert has a plurality of holes therein which correspond to pins of an electrical connector. The wafer includes contacts for making electrical connection to the pins, connector shell or electrical components. In such manner, the wafer can be used for a wide variety of purposes such as conditioning signals carried by the pins and grounding selected pin(s) to each other and/or the connector shell. The wafer can be installed in any common electrical connector pair without prior modification or preparation of the connectors and without impairing the normal fit or function of the mated connector pair.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to electronic components and, more particularly, to a device for making electrical connection to a plurality of pins in a male connector.
2. Discussion
Electrical cables are used in a variety of applications to transmit electrical signals from different sources to an equally wide variety of destinations. The cables generally include a plurality of individual wires which terminate at one end in either a male connector or a female connector. The male connector typically employs a series of pins which are housed in a shell that mate with sockets in the female connector.
Systems with cables often require conditioning and/or filtering of input signals in order to meet performance specifications or obtain certain input features. The physical implementation of this conditioning often requires installation of various electrical components between wires or between wires and ground at the input to an electrical circuit. For example, it is common practice to require capacitors or zener diodes at inputs between each wire and the system ground to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI). Analogously, digital circuits often require "pull-up" resistors between some wires and ground or other wires at cable inputs and outputs.
Currently, such input conditioning is accomplished in several ways. The most common way is to include the extra components on the circuit card onto which the cable input terminates. This method consumes valuable circuit board space and often causes interface problems (e.g., it lets EMI onto the circuit card instead of stopping it at the cable input). In addition, this method makes it impractical to modify the input conditioning of existing hardware since the circuit card must be replaced, an expensive proposition. Another method to implement shunt input conditioning is to include the conditioning components in a specially designed cable connector as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,852,700 to Haws and 3,670,292 to Sorenson. This method is also expensive for retrofits and requires the use of nonstandard connector parts. Another way to accomplish input conditioning is to install a special circuit card with conditioning components between the cable termination and the system device- or circuit card. One embodiment of this method is to place the circuit card on the back side of a connector where the wires are soldered or crimped to the connector pins; this requires that the special circuit card be installed prior to assembling the wires to the connector, or that the connector be completely dissembled prior to installation. This method is also expensive for retrofits and takes up valuable space inside the system. None of these methods place the interface circuitry within the readily accessible gap between a standard unmodified pre-existing connector pair.
Thus, there is a need for an input conditioning method that does not alter the system circuit card, does not take up any valuable space in the system, and which can be easily, inexpensively and quickly retrofitted into existing systems. It is also envisioned that there exists a need to provide a relatively simple, yet reliable technique for easily coupling electrical circuits to the pins in such connectors. The electrical circuits could consist of active or passive electronic components, as well as more sophisticated microprocessors. Despite this need, it does not appear that the prior art has proposed an eloquently simple solution to the problem in the manner suggested by the present invention.


A drying system for use in a printing system, the drying system comprising: an heating element provided within a first chamber; at least one fan positioned to force air past the heating element; the first chamber adapted to direct the heated air through an opening into a second drying chamber; the second drying chamber receiving subsequent portions of a printed media web passed into the second drying chamber through the opening; and, at least one circulation duct provided to transfer at least a portion of the heated air from the second drying chamber to near the at least one fan.

The invention is suitable for a wide range of applications including, but not limited to:                wallpaper;        billboard panels;        architectural plans;        advertising and promotional posters; and        banners and signage.
However, in the interests of brevity, it will be described with particular reference to wallpaper and an associated method of production. It will be appreciated that the on-demand wallpaper printing system described herein is purely illustrative and the invention has much broader application.

Drying system for use in a printing system


An imaging method and system that flexibly accesses light sensor elements and processes imaging signals. The imaging system comprises an array of pixel sensor cells, an array controller and a readout control circuit. The imaging system provides color interpolation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to imaging systems, and in particular, to methods and systems for color interpolation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional integrated circuit imaging devices include an array of light detecting elements or pixels which are interconnected to generate a signal representation of an image illuminating the device. Two common examples of conventional integrated circuit imaging devices are a charge coupled device (CCD) and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensing device. Conventional imaging devices use one or more light detecting elements and charge storage elements. In order to produce a color image, the imaging devices separate the light into various color components by filtering the light before the light strikes the light detecting elements. The array of light detecting elements is often deposited with a filter layer such that neighboring pixels may have different color filters and organized in a particular pattern.
Because each pixel is only capable of detecting a single color, conventional imaging devices require a process by which all of the color components are reconstructed for each pixel in order to maintain the original unfiltered array resolution. To reconstruct the color components, conventional imaging devices use a process of color interpolation that is performed after an analog signal associated with each pixel has been digitized. The conventional process of color interpolation performed after an analog signal associated with each pixel has been digitized requires conversion from analog to digital (A/D) and may require extensive computations in order to achieve a high quality color presentation of the image. The A/D conversion and extensive computations may require hardware, such as analog-to-digital (A/D) converters, memory, processors and software. The hardware and software may add to the complexity, size and expense of the imaging device and reduce the speed of the imaging process.
Conventional imaging devices also require color compensation for differences in the response of the various color filters and for variations within the integrated circuit sensor array, such as process, materials, temperature or manufacturing. For example, when the primary color scheme is used, the response of an element that absorbs red light may be different than an element that absorbs blue light even when illuminated by light of equal red and blue luminosity levels. When exposed to a flat light image having equal intensity and chromatisity levels throughout, typical CMOS or CCD arrays may generate analog signals having significant magnitude variations for the different color components. Accordingly, if the analog signals are used to reproduce the original image, the reproduced image colors will not match the original colors.
To overcome this problem, conventional imaging devices employ a process of color correction that is performed after the analog signals for each pixel have been digitized. One drawback of the conventional color correction process is a loss in color dynamic range that results from under-utilization of the A/D converter for some of the color components. Another drawback is increased computations that translates into additional hardware, size, expense and/or reduced speed.
The effect of loss in color dynamic range is particularly noticeable in the low light areas of an image that contains low as well as high light regions. The human eye is sensitive to minute changes in hue and saturation levels. A reduction in color component dynamic range may result in less vivid, plain, or flat images. Attempts to correct this via hue or saturation enhancement filters may cause color distortion rather than color restoration.
Another color compensation that integrated circuit color imaging devices require is for different illumination temperatures. The hue of a color component changes with respect to the ambient illumination. Thus, a white object under sunlight conditions is perceived by the imaging device as white, but under fluorescent light conditions is perceived as light green.
To overcome this problem, conventional integrated circuit color imaging devices employ a process of white balance that is performed after the analog signals for each pixel have been digitized. Typically, each of the three processed color components, red, green or blue, is a convolution of the three colors. A drawback of the conventional white balance process is increased computations that translates into additional hardware and/or reduced speed.
The collection of signals read from the pixels represents the image viewed by the array. Each pixel represents a sample of the image and hence is a data value in the two-dimension image produced by the imaging system. Defect pixels, referred to as 'bad pixels,' do not contain a correct value and appear as artifacts. The bad pixels can reduce the image quality significantly. A bad pixel is caused by array defect and produces an output signal that significantly deviates from the mean output level of adjacent pixels when the exposure level of all pixels is substantially unified. Pixels that are significantly brighter than adjacent pixels in a unified dark frame are referred to as 'hot pixels,' while pixels that are significantly darker than adjacent pixels in a unified bright frame are referred to as 'dead pixels.'
The defect pixels are typically distributed in a random manner. However, a bad column (i.e.—a complete column is defective), or a blemish (i.e.—a cluster of neighboring pixels is defective) may occur and are typically discarded by the manufacturer. The manufacturer releases sensor arrays that contain random defect pixels in an amount that does not exceed a given limit, and the bad pixels are typically corrected. Both CCD and CMOS integrated circuit color imaging devices employ a process of bad pixel detection and correction. Conventionally, the detection step is performed off-line by the manufacturer. A bad pixel list is stored in the device. The correction step is typically performed after the analog signal for each pixel has been digitized.

Method and apparatus for color interpolation


The invention relates to a device (1) for processing samples (2), comprising a body (3) with a collecting chamber (4), which can be connected with a pump (5) for aspirating, or dispensing fluids and that acts on this collecting chamber, a separating chamber (6) adjoining the collecting chamber (4) for the solid phase extraction and elution of organic, or inorganic particles (7) separated from these samples (2), and an opening (8) for releasing these particles (7). The device in accordance with the invention relates to individual pipette tips, as well as to SPE microplates, and is distinguished in that the device (1) comprises a capillary (9), which is connected with the collecting chamber (4), or with the body (8), and has a packing (10) for the solid phase extraction of organic, or inorganic particles (7) separated from these samples (2) and is used as a separating chamber (6). In accordance with the invention, the package (10) can be adapted to the chemical-physical nature of the organic, or inorganic particles (7) to be extracted, as well as to a defined minimum volume.

In laboratories which are occupied with molecular- biological/biochemical research, the fields of "genomics" or "proteomics" are commonly used terms for processing and research into idioplasm, such as DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (ribonucleic acid), or their parts in the form of oligonucleotides or of proteins (albumins, for example in the form of antigens or antibodies, or their parts in the form of polypeptides). Such and similar processes can comprise a multitude of work steps at various work stations. The field of proteomics in particular is gaining in importance, because not only the genome (idioplasm), but primarily the respectively provided protein setup (proteome), determine the appearance and the state of a biological organism. This knowledge led to the necessity that today a deeper understanding of proteins as the actual regulation networks taking the place of the dogma "one gene—one protein—one function".
Proteomics—the quantitative analysis of the proteins present in an organism at a defined time and under defined conditions—will therefore distinguish itself as an important key for functional analysis in basic research (for example in connection with the elucidation of reaction and regulation networks), as well as in applied research (for example in connection with the search for and selection of targets for the development of medicaments).
Systems which are capable of performing automated separation, or separation and cleaning methods, typically employ so-called "SPE plates" (Solid Phase Extraction plates) for processing samples, in particular for solid phase extraction. The principle of solid phase extraction can be summarized as follows: A sample is applied to a solid sorbent, which adsorbs or binds defined components of the sample. These components are often called target molecules, however such components might be non-ionic as well as ionic species or particulate matter like cells, cellular substructures like mitochondria or nuclei, or virus particles. In the following disclosure the term "particles" is understood to cover all types of target molecules mentioned above. In performing solid phase extraction after this binding step the remainder of the sample is separated from the solid sorbent. The next step most commonly applied is washing of the solid phase loaded with the particles. Finally the particles are eluted from the solid sorbent. The resulting fluid contains a purified and/or concentrated fraction containing the particles, e.g. the target molecules. In the process—depending on the target of the application—a sorbent, e.g. a specifically activated filter or an appropriate screen is placed in, or at least close to, the bottom outlet opening of a small cup or "well" of a microplate (see FIG. 1). To perform a separating process, a sample is pipetted into a well and is forced to leave the well of the microplate through the sorbent via the bottom outlet opening. Typically suction forces (by the application of a vacuum) or positive pressure or gravity (e.g. by means of centrifuging) are used for this purpose.
In the course of this process, the target molecules therefore adsorb or bond to the activated material. After performing some washing steps, the target molecules, or the organic, or inorganic particles separated from the sample as described above, can be eluted with the aid of an eluent (a suitable solvent), i.e. separated from the filter, or the screen. The eluted particles are subsequently transferred onto a second microplate or to the surface of a support as described above.
Usually the sorbents used as packings in solid phase extraction comprise a base material, which should be inert to the sample components, and binding groups on the base material. These binding groups bind specifically the particles, e.g. target molecules. Sometimes the base material itself binds the target molecules, e.g. nucleic acids are reversably bound by silica (SiO2). Porous or non-porous particulate materials or other porous formed bodies made of organic or inorganic compounds usually form the base material. Examples of organic polymers are styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers or hydrophilic copolymers based on poly-(meth)acrylates, or polyamides. Porous membranes, fibrous materials, e.g. woven or non-woven fabrics or felts can also be used as organic base materials. Typical examples of inorganic base materials are metal oxides, especially SiO2 or Al2O3. The binding groups can be directly introduced to the base material, e.g. by sulfonating aromatic groups of styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers. Binding groups can also be introduced to the base material by polymerizing suitable monomers onto the base material. Inorganic base materials can be modified using organic substituted silanes containing e.g. ionic groups. Sorbents usable in solid phase extraction are basically available commercially or are described in the literature.
Often the filters, or screens, employed with known SPE plates have different flow resistances so that—in case a vacuum was used for emptying the SPE plates—some wells are emptied more rapidly than others. Then the emptying of all wells can only be achieved by the sudden application of a strong vacuum. But this often leads to a spraying, or even foaming, eluate, which can lead to undesired material transfer to neighboring wells, or to a loss of the sample.
WO 98/37 949 discloses a pipette tip which contains a sorbent. Said sorbent consists of a composite casted in place, whereby said composite consists of a plurality of sorptive particles entrapped in a porous polymer matrix.
Also known are so-called "ZipTips™", which are sold by the Millipore firm (Millipore Corporation, 80 Ashby Road, Bedford, Mass. 01730-2271, USA)(see FIG. 2). Such "throwaway tips" are placed on a pipette and have a large interior of approximately 10 to 20 μl. If the tips are not completely filled with fluid, an air cushion remains between the fluid surface and the piston of the pipette. This air cushion acts like a damping element during aspirating (picking up) and dispensing (releasing) of the fluid. For this reason the determination of the end point of picking up and releasing fluids—in particular if only small volumes are intended to be pipetted—requires great skill and effort, if it can be reproduced at all.
Features necessary for improving sorbents in solid phase extraction are:                low unspecific binding of sample components to the base material;        high binding capacity including dynamic binding capacity at high linear flow rates (the latter describes the loss of binding capacity at elevated linear flow rates);        low hydrodynamic resistance to allow high linear flow rates at low pressure drop;        especially in microplate assemblies the hydrodynamic resistance of the sorbent in each well should vary little between different wells.

Device for processing samples, use of the device, and method for producing the device


A method for discriminating different types of optical discs includes the steps of focusing a beam spot generated by a laser source on an optical disc, and rotating the optical disc; generating a radio frequency signal and a corresponding first signal of the radio frequency signal; comparing a peak-to-peak value of the corresponding first signal with a predetermined value; determining the optical disc as a high density optical disc when the peak-to-peak value of the first signal is smaller than the predetermined value; and, determining the optical disc as a low density optical disc when the peak-to-peak value of the first signal is greater than the predetermined value.

Nowadays, the optical disk drive industry has developed from conventional optical disk drives to blue-ray optical disk drives. In general, the conventional optical disk drive can read CD and DVD only. That is, the optical pickup head of the conventional optical disk drive has a CD laser source and a DVD laser source, where these two laser sources belong to red light with a longer wavelength. Be compared with the conventional optical disk drive, a blue-ray optical disk drive can read a high density optical disc, such as a blue-ray disc or an HD-DVD. In other words, the optical discs can be divided into two categories, wherein the conventional CDs and DVDs belong to low density optical discs while the blue-ray discs and HD-DVDs belong to high density optical discs.
In order to read/write the high density optical disc, the optical pickup head of the blue-ray optical disk drive has a CD laser source, a DVD laser source and a blue laser source, wherein the CD laser source and the DVD laser source belong to red light with a longer wavelength while the blue laser source belongs to blue light with a shorter wavelength.
Similar to the conventional optical disc, the blue-ray disc must discriminate the sorts of the optical disc, e.g. CDs, DVDs, blue-ray discs, and HD-DVDs, within the start-up procedure after the optical disc is inserted into the blue-ray optical disk drive. Actually, the technology for discriminating the CD from the DVD in the conventional optical disk drive is quite ripe. Hence, in the following, various conventional methods for discriminating low density optical discs from high density optical discs are provided.
Please refer to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are diagrams illustrating a first conventional method for discriminating low density optical discs from high density optical discs according to prior art. This first conventional method has been disclosed in a US Patent Publication No. 2006/0104176, which differentiates the types of the optical disc by detecting a distance between a data layer and a surface of the optical disc. As can be seen from FIG. 1A, a thickness of a blue-ray disc is 1.2 mm, wherein a distance between a data layer 13 and a surface 11 of the blue-ray disc is 0.1 mm. A thickness of a DVD is 1.2 mm, wherein a distance between a data layer 33 and a surface 31 of the DVD is 0.6 mm. A thickness of a CD is 1.2 mm, wherein a distance between a data layer 53 and a surface 51 of the CD is 1.2 mm.
A working distance of a blue laser source in an optical pickup head is merely 0.5 mm, where this so-called working distance means a distance that the blue laser source can move up and down. As shown in FIG. 1B, by focusing a beam spot generated from the blue laser source on the blue-ray disc and moving the blue laser source in-between its working distance, two reflection signals can be generated, wherein the first reflection signal 81 is reflected and generated by the surface 11 of the blue-ray disc and the second reflection signal 82 is reflected and generated by the data layer 13 of the blue-ray disc.
On the other hand, by focusing a beam spot generated from the blue laser source on the DVD and moving the blue laser source in-between its working distance, only one reflection signal 83 can be generated. Due to the distance between the data layer 33 and the source 31 of the DVD being 0.6 mm, the reflection signal 83 is reflected and generated by the surface 31 of the DVD. That is, the focused beam spot of the blue laser source is unable to reach the data layer 33 of the DVD, so that other reflection signals cannot be generated. Similarly, only one reflection signal is generated by the CD. Hence, the optical disc can be determined as a low density optical disc or a high density optical disc according to the number of the reflection signals in the first conventional method. Be noted that the first conventional method differentiates the types of the optical disc according to the distance between the data layer and the surface of the optical disc. However, since the distance between the data layer and the surface of an HD-DVD is the same as that of a DVD, an HD-DVD cannot be discriminated from a DVD if the first conventional method is adopted.
Please refer to FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C, which are diagrams illustrating a second conventional method for discriminating low density optical discs from high density optical discs according to prior art. This second conventional method has been disclosed in a US Patent Publication No. 2004/0240357, which differentiates the types of the optical disc by using the feature that different photo detectors have different sensitivities to various wavelengths.
FIG. 2A shows an optical pickup head of a blue-ray optical disk drive, which consists of a CD laser source 101, a CD photo detector 104, a DVD laser source 102, a DVD photo detector 105, an HD-DVD laser source 103, an HD-DVD photo detector 106, and a plurality of optical elements.
In one word, beams radiated from the CD laser source 101 pass through the optical elements and then reach the optical disc 122, and reflected beams pass through the optical elements once again and are received by the CD photo detector 104. In addition, one part of the reflected beams are received by the CD photo detector 104, while another part of the reflected beams are received by the DVD photo detector 105 and the HD-DVD photo detector 106. Similarly, the reflected beams of the beams radiated from any laser source can be received by the CD photo detector 104, the DVD photo detector 105, and the HD-DVD photo detector 106. In other words, after the optical disc is inserted into the optical disk drive, the beams radiated from the CD laser source 101 are sent to the optical disc and the type of the optical disc can be determined according to the reflected beams received by the CD photo detector 104 and the HD-DVD photo detector 106 and their corresponding signals in the second conventional method.
Please refer to FIG. 2B, which is a diagram showing the corresponding signals when inserting the CD into the optical disk drive. When the CD is inserted into the optical disk drive, the beams are radiated from the CD laser source 101 and a focus of the beams is controlled according to forward-reverse movements of a focus driver. When the focus passes through the data layer of the CD, a S-curve is generated by a corresponding focusing error signal (FE) of the CD photo sensor 104, a sinusoid-curve is generated by a corresponding tracking error signal (TE) of the CD photo sensor 104, and a peak value is generated by a corresponding radio frequency signal (RF) of the CD photo sensor 104. As can be known from FIG. 2B, a peak-to-peak value of the S-curve in the focusing error signal FE of the CD photo sensor 104 is labeled as fe1, a peak-to-peak value of the sinusoid-curve in the tracking error signal TE of the CD photo sensor 104 is labeled as te1, and the peak value in the radio frequency signal RF of the CD photo sensor 104 is labeled as rf1.
In the meanwhile, when the focus passes through the data layer of the CD, a S-curve is generated by a corresponding focusing error signal (FE) of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106, a sinusoid-curve is generated by a corresponding tracking error signal (TE) of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106, and a peak value is generated by a corresponding radio frequency signal (RF) of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106. As can be known from FIG. 2B, a peak-to-peak value of the S-curve in the focusing error signal FE of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106 is labeled as fe2, a peak-to-peak value of the sinusoid-curve in the tracking error signal TE of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106 is labeled as te2, and the peak value in the radio frequency signal RF of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106 is labeled as rf2. After that, by comparing fe1 with fe2 or by reference to the difference or the ratio between the abovementioned values, it judges that if the CD is inserted into the optical disk drive.
Please refer to FIG. 2C, which is a diagram showing the corresponding signals when inserting the HD-DVD into the optical disk drive. When the HD-DVD is inserted into the optical disk drive, the beams are radiated from the CD laser source 101 and a focus of the beams is controlled according to forward-reverse movements of a focus driver. When the focus passes through the data layer of the HD-DVD, a S-curve is generated by a corresponding focusing error signal (FE) of the CD photo sensor 104, a sinusoid-curve is generated by a corresponding tracking error signal (TE) of the CD photo sensor 104, and a peak value is generated by a corresponding radio frequency signal (RF) of the CD photo sensor 104. As can be known from FIG. 2C, a peak-to-peak value of the S-curve in the focusing error signal FE of the CD photo sensor 104 is labeled as fe3, a peak-to-peak value of the sinusoid-curve in the tracking error signal TE of the CD photo sensor 104 is labeled as te3, and the peak value in the radio frequency signal RF of the CD photo sensor 104 is labeled as rf3.
In the meanwhile, when the focus passes through the data layer of the HD-DVD, a S-curve is generated by a corresponding focusing error signal (FE) of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106, a sinusoid-curve is generated by a corresponding tracking error signal (TE) of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106, and a peak value is generated by a corresponding radio frequency signal (RF) of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106. As can be known from FIG. 2C, a peak-to-peak value of the S-curve in the focusing error signal FE of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106 is labeled as fe4, a peak-to-peak value of the sinusoid-curve in the tracking error signal TE of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106 is labeled as te4, and the peak value in the radio frequency signal RF of the HD-DVD photo sensor 106 is labeled as rf4. After that, by comparing fe3 with fe4 or by reference to the difference or the ratio between the abovementioned values, it judges that the HD-DVD is inserted into the optical disk drive.
However, the abovementioned signals, including the FE signal, the TE signal and the RF signal might, are affected by the reflectivity of the optical discs. These signals may have different variations even if the optical discs with the same type are inserted into the optical disk drive. For this reason, the probability for erroneously discriminating the types of the optical discs may be risen. Besides, if the types of burnable optical discs are considered at the same time, the types of the burnable optical discs may be erroneously judged by reference to the signal energy only.
FIG. 3A˜FIG. 3D are diagrams illustrating a third conventional method for discriminating low density optical discs from high density optical discs according to prior art. This third conventional method has been disclosed in a US Patent Publication No. 2007/0211587, which differentiates the types of the optical disc by using the feature that a low density optical disc and a high density optical disc have different track pitches and the feature that a blank optical disc and a recorded optical disc have different characteristics.
Please refer to FIG. 3A, which is a diagram showing track thicknesses of a DVD and an HD-DVD. As shown in FIG. 3A, all of the track pitches of the DVD are 0.74 μm, but the track pitch of the lead-in area in the HD-DVD is 0.68 μm while the track pitch of the data area in the HD-DVD is 0.4 μm. In addition, a single beam spot generated from the DVD laser source can be focused on the track of the DVD. A single beam spot generated from the DVD laser source can also be focused on the track of the lead-in area of the HD-DVD; while a signal beam spot generated by the DVD laser source can be simultaneously focused on several tracks of the data area of the HD-DVD. A tracking error signal formed by focusing a single beam spot on the optical disc is called as a differential phase detection tracking error signal (DPD TE signal). Generally speaking, the DPD TE signal can be generated when there is data recorded on the track of the optical disc, while the DPD TE signal cannot be generated when the optical disc is a blank optical disc.
Please refer to FIG. 3B, which is a diagram showing track thickness of a DVD and an HD-DVD. A tracking error signal formed by focusing three beam spots (including one main beam spot and two sub-beam spots) on the optical disc is called as a differential push pull tracking error signal (DPP TE signal). In general, the DPP TE signal can be generated when there is data recorded on the track of the optical disc, and the DPP TE signal can also be generated when the optical disc is a blank optical disc.
Please refer to FIG. 3C and FIG. 3D, which are flowcharts for discriminating different types of optical discs according to prior art. After the optical disc is inserted into the optical disk drive, the type of the optical disc is determined by using the DVD laser source. In Step A1, the rotating speed of the spindle motor in the optical disk drive is set as 1× speed. In Step A2, move the optical pickup head to the data area. In Step A3, wait until the rotating speed of the spindle motor reaches 1× speed. In Step A4, measure an eccentricity of the optical disc according to the DPD TE signal, and set it as LDD.
Next, in Step A5, compare LDD with a predetermined value Ref(LDD). When LDD is smaller than the predetermined value Ref(LDD), determine that there is data recorded on the optical disc and it is a DVD with a small eccentricity (Step A6). Otherwise, when LDD is greater than the predetermined value Ref(LDD), continue to proceed the judgment of the HD-DVD and the DVD (Step A7).
In Step A8, measure the eccentricity of the optical disc according to the DPP TE signal, and set it as DP. In Step A9, move the optical pickup head to the lead-in area. In Step A10, measure the eccentricity of the optical disk drive according to the DPP TE, and set it as SP.
After that, in Step A11, compare SP with DP. When SP is close to DP, it represents that the track pitch of the data area is equal to that of the lead-in area. As a result, the optical disc is determined as a blank DVD with a larger eccentricity (Step A12). Otherwise, when SP is not close to DP, move the optical pickup head to the data area again (Step A13).
In Step A14, the rotating speed of the spindle motor in the optical disk drive is set as 2× speed. In Step A15, measure the eccentricity of the optical disc according to the DPD TE signal, and set it as HDD.
Next, in Step A16, compare HDD with LDD. When HDD is close to LDD, it represents that the eccentricity is not affected by the rotating speed. Therefore, the optical disc is determined as a DVD-ROM with a large eccentricity (Step A17). Otherwise, when HDD is not close to LDD, it represents that the eccentricity is affected by the rotating speed. Therefore, the optical disc is determined as an HD-DVD (Step A18).
However, only when the rotating speed of the optical disc tends towards a stable status and both the track zero-crossing signals of the data area and the lead-in area are acquired, the judgment process will start to differentiate the types of the optical disc. The total judgment time of the third conventional method is indeed too long and not practical.
Please refer to FIG. 4A˜FIG. 4J. FIG. 4A˜FIG. 4J are diagrams illustrating a fourth conventional method for discriminating low density optical discs from high density optical discs according to prior art. This fourth conventional method has been disclosed in a US Patent Publication No. 2001/0006211, which differentiates the types of the optical disc by using an upper envelope signal and a lower envelope signal generated from the DPP TE signal.
FIG. 4A˜FIG. 4E are diagrams showing the corresponding signals of an HD-DVD, wherein FIG. 4A represents the DPP TE signal of the HD-DVD, FIG. 4B represents the upper envelope signal of the DPP TE signal, FIG. 4C represents an inverted signal of the lower envelope signal of the DPP TE signal, FIG. 4D represents a digital signal generated by slicing the upper envelope signal of the DPP TE signal, and FIG. 4E represents another digital signal generated by slicing the lower envelope signal of the DPP TE signal. As can be known from FIG. 4D together with FIG. 4E, the phases of these two digital signals are almost identical, and thus the optical disc can be determined as an HD-DVD.
In addition, FIG. 4F˜FIG. 4J are diagrams showing the corresponding signals of a DVD, wherein FIG. 4F represents the DPP TE signal of the DVD, FIG. 4G represents the upper envelope signal of the DPP TE signal, FIG. 4H represents an inverted signal of the lower envelope signal of the DPP TE signal, FIG. 4I represents a digital signal generated by slicing the upper envelope signal of the DPP TE signal, and FIG. 4J represents another digital signal generated by slicing the lower envelope signal of the DPP TE signal. As can be known from FIG. 4I and FIG. 4J, there is a phase difference of 90 degrees existed between the phases of these two digital signals, and thus the optical disc can be determined as the DVD.
Please note that the phase difference of the DPP TE signal is adopted for differentiating the types of the optical disc in the fourth conventional method. However, since an un-burnable ROM disc does not have the wobble signal, its DPP TE signal is not obvious to be the reference for differentiating the types of the optical disc.
FIG. 5A˜FIG. 5D are diagrams illustrating a fifth conventional method for discriminating low density optical discs from high density optical discs according to prior art. This fifth conventional method has been disclosed in a US Patent Publication No. 2006/0239160, which performs a track search when proceeding a focus search and differentiates the types of the optical disc according to the TE signal and its track zero-crossing signal.
FIG. 5A shows the operations of the optical pickup head when proceeding the focus search. As can be seen from FIG. 5A, when the focus search is performed, the optical pickup head is moved along a direction perpendicular to the optical disc. That is, the optical pickup head is moved from a location 'a' to a location 'b' being farthest away from the optical disc, from the location 'b' to a location 'c' being closest to the optical disc, and from the location 'c' to a location 'd'.
FIG. 5B shows the operations of the optical pickup head when proceeding the track search. When the track search is performed, the optical pickup head is moved along a direction parallel to the optical disc. The optical pickup head is moved from a location 'e' to a location 'f', from the location 'f' to a location 'g', and from the location 'g' to a location 'h'.
After the optical disc is inserted into the optical disk drive, radiate the optical disc by using the blue laser source and proceed the focus search and the track search simultaneously. As shown in FIG. 5C, the S-curves of the focusing error signal FE and the tracking error signal TE can be simultaneously generated, and the track zero-crossing signal can be generated by slicing the tracking error signal TE. As can be seen from FIG. 5C, the track zero-crossing signal has a wider width, which means that the optical disc has a wider track pitch. Therefore, the optical disc is determined as a DVD.
As shown in FIG. 5D, the S-curves of the focusing error signal FE and the tracking error signal TE can be simultaneously generated when the optical disc is inserted into the optical disk drive, and the track zero-crossing signal can be generated by slicing the tracking error signal TE. As can be seen from FIG. 5D, the track zero-crossing signal has a narrower width, which means that the optical disc has a narrower track pitch. Therefore, the optical disc is determined as an HD-DVD.
Be noted that the blue light has a higher energy. If the blue light is used for differentiating the types of the optical disc in the fifth conventional method, it may write on a burnable optical disc.
FIG. 6A˜FIG. 6I are diagrams illustrating a sixth conventional method for discriminating low density optical discs from high density optical discs according to prior art. This sixth conventional method has been disclosed in a US Patent Publication No. 2008/0002548, which differentiates the types of the optical disc according to a difference between the DPD TE signal and DPP TE signal generated by using the DVD laser source or the CD laser source to be radiated on different optical discs.
FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B respectively represent the DPD TE signal and the DPP TE signal of an HD-DVD. FIG. 6C and FIG. 6D respectively represent the DPD TE signal and the DPP TE signal of a DVD-R with recorded data. FIG. 6E and FIG. 6F respectively represent the DPD TE signal and the DPP TE signal of a DVD-ROM. FIG. 6G and FIG. 6H respectively represent the DPD TE signal and the DPP TE signal of a blank DVD-R.
In addition, by using a suitable predetermined level together with the aforementioned DPD TE signal and the DPP TE signal of each optical disc, the type of the optical disc can be determined. Please refer to FIG. 6I, which is a flowchart for discriminating different types of optical discs according to prior art. First, the DPD TE signal and the DPP TE signal are generated on the inserted optical disc (Step S108). Next, determine a relationship between the DPD TE signal and a first predetermined level (Step S110). In other words, when the DPD TE signal is equal or greater than the first predetermined level, go to Step S120; otherwise, when the DPD TE signal is smaller than the first predetermined level, go to Step S112.
In Step S112, determine a relationship between the DPP TE signal and a second predetermined level. In other words, when the DPP TE signal is equal or greater than the second predetermined level, the optical disc is determined as a blank DVD-R (Step S116); otherwise, when the DPP TE signal is smaller than the second predetermined level, the optical disc is determined as an HD-DVD (Step S114).
In Step S120, determine a relationship between the DPP TE signal and a third predetermined level. In other words, when the DPP TE signal is equal or greater than the third predetermined level, the optical disc is determined as a DVD-R with recorded data (Step S124); otherwise, when the DPP TE signal is smaller than the third predetermined level, the optical disc is determined as a DVD-ROM (Step S122).
However, since the TE signal might be easily affected by the reflectivity of the optical disc, the judgment result for differentiating the types of the optical disc might be interfered.

Method and apparatus of discriminating different types of optical discs


An industrial field real-time working condition radio alarm system, comprises a transmitting end (11) and a receiving end (12) carried a worker; the transmitting end (11) comprises a detector (101) to detect the current working condition, a transmitting end processor (102) to process an on-off signal sent by the detector (101), and a radio transmitter (103) to transmit an alarm signal to the receiving end (12) under the control of the transmitting end processor (102); the receiving end (12) comprises a radio receiver (105) to receive the alarm signal, a receiving end processor (106) to process the alarm signal sent by the radio receiver (105), and an alarm (107) to send an alarm under the control of the receiving end processor (106); the transmitting end processor (102) is connected to the detector (101) and the radio transmitter (103) respectively; and the receiving end processor (106) is connected to the radio receiver (105) and the alarm (107) respectively. The radio alarm system can send a dangerous working condition alarm to all workers in real time.

Usually, plants and mines which dangers might occur in operation will be equipped with certain amounts of real-time working condition alarm systems, in order to detect dangerous conditions and alarm in time, thus to guarantee the life and safety of workers.
In prior art, fixed or handheld detectors are assumed to detect dangerous conditions (such as dangerous gas, high pressure environment, high temperature environment etc.), when danger occurs, the detector will sent an alarm signal to a remote control centre, then the control centre will send an alarm, for example, the control centre may warning workers through ringing bells, initiating warning lamps and other means, thus the workers may evacuate in time.
It can seen that, in the prior art real-time working condition alarm system, the control centre is situated at the central position, when dangers are detected, the one which get the alarm signal first is control centre, thus the workers will be evacuated only after receiving the alarm from control centre. If the control centre failures or the reaction speed is too slow, it will badly affect the evacuation as well as the life and safety of workers. In addition, bells, warning lamps and other devices used to indicate alarm from control centre are usually disposed at a specific position in the plants, the workers who are closer to the position may quickly alerted to evacuate in time, but the worker who far away from the position might not be able to evacuate because of not receiving the alarm in time.

Industrial field real-time working condition radio alarm system

Harbin East Alarm Equipment Development Co., Ltd.