Sampling arrangement adapted for extracting a fluid sample from a fluid flowing in a flow path. The arrangement comprises a sampling valve, such as a ball valve, comprising an outer body and an inner body rotationally supported within it. The inner body is rotationally supported about a rotation axis and comprises a cavity with a first opening adapted to be rotated into and out of fluid connection with the flowing fluid, and a second opening which faces in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the inner rotating body.

For systems that are used for production of oil and gas it is of interest to know the cut of oil, gas, water and other components in the mixture that arise from each separate oil well (the process fluid). This knowledge is of value for those who seek to optimize the production, as knowledge about the production in each separate well will form basis for how the oil is to be produced, with the object of obtaining as most oil and gas as possible. It also has value in situations where different owners of the oil wells want to know how much of the total incomes they can claim.
In order to do this there exist today a variety of metering equipment which provide measured data on central parameters, but which are not considered sufficiently stable for giving equally good data over time. The value of the data is precisely associated with the gain from the use, namely increased recovery from the reservoir, and is hence high for the owner. In order to calibrate these meters, one must use a known liquid to calibrate against or precisely know the components of what is being measured. To employ a known liquid is associated with shutting down the oil production during the time of calibration, and is associated with uncertainty with regards to two aspects; on one hand one will never know if the known liquid is polluted and thus whether the calibration is correct. On the other hand there is uncertainty associated with whether shutting down production will lead to a permanent or temporarily reduced production. Shutting down the production is very expensive, the quality of the calibration is uncertain, and due to these reasons the method is in practice not used.
In addition, the existing metering technology does not take account for future need of data, since the measuring principles and the installed technology is closely connected with the data that are needed today. There is a plurality of characteristics of the process fluid which is of interest today, which is not possible to measure with current technology, being either natural components or artificially added components.
To solve the problem of calibration and collecting knowledge of unknown components, one may use a technique where one extracts a representative sample of the process fluid and analyzes this sample in a laboratory, so that the components become known.
In order to do this, one uses today a traditional bleed point, where it is arranged a connection point to the pipe from which one wants to extract a sample, and then the differential pressure is used to bleed off a sample of the process fluid. The sample may either be guided through pipe (test lines) to the manned operation central on land or up to the platform offshore, or be used to fill a container which is transported to the same central for analysis. There is a plurality of problems associated with this technique, both with regards to cost and degree of representativity. Due to the bleed point being arranged at a particular place, the sample will be very dependent of the process fluid being representative. This is, however, very difficult to foresee, since the flow regime and mixture vary among applications and along the lifetime of the well. In addition, the bleed point is not designed for collecting a sample of dynamic flow and one therefore has not a good overview of whether the amount of for instance liquid and particles is representative for the distribution in the process fluid.
By using test lines and external pressure tank for sample extraction, the outlet and pipe system may be exposed to pollution from settling and blocking, which again leads to poor representation of the process fluid.
In addition there exists a technique that uses an installed branching of the bleed gate, shaped like an octopus having three-four smaller pipes. The smaller pipes are arranged at various positions in the cross section and end in a pipe that leads to the bleed gate and has the purpose of increasing the chance for the process fluid to be representative by pulling samples simultaneously from various places in the cross section of the pipe. These installations are permanent and are exposed to the same problematic issues as described with regard to pollution, blocking and that non-equal differential pressure in the various pipes result in unlike representation.
The geometric shape of the system is also not suited for installation without halting the production of oil and it is thus not of interest to install this technology each time one is about to extract a sample. That means that the state of the art, as described above, with its limitations, is not suited for use in another way in order to improve the result.
International patent application WO02/086455 describes a method and an arrangement for taking samples from a multiphase fluid mixture. The fluid sample is collected in a phase separator by means of valve actuation, where the phases can be divided and a sample that contains the water phase can be transferred to a sample bottle for analysis.
Furthermore, the international patent application WO2008/056097 describes a system and method for providing a fluid or gas sample from a multiphase mixture that flows in a hydrocarbon conducting pipe.
The invention described in the following solves the described problems, significantly reduces the sources for possible errors and thus leads to a very high degree of representativity for the process fluid sample.
The Invention
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a sampling arrangement adapted for extracting fluid sample from a fluid flowing in a flow path. The sampling arrangement comprises a sampling valve, such as a ball valve, comprising an outer body with an inner rotating body supported within this. The inner body is suspended in a rotating manner about a rotational axis and comprises a cavity with a first opening adapted to be rotated into and out of fluid communication with the flowing fluid. The inner body also comprises a second opening which faces in a direction parallel with the rotational axis of the inner rotating body.
The term parallel is used in its widest sense, as it is meant to comprise the meaning of at least partially parallel. There may thus exist an angle between the parallel and the direction in which the second opening faces. However, it is preferred that the second opening faces in a strictly parallel direction, with regard to the rotational axis.
In an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention there may thus be a ball valve, wherein the ball has an inner cavity with two openings. One opening can, in a closable manner, open for entrance of the fluid into the inner cavity. The second opening can either be used for outflow of the fluid (the fluid sample), or may be used for insertion of a sampling organ for collecting/capturing the fluid in the inner cavity.
With such a sampling arrangement it is rendered possible that the fluid can flow in a horizontal direction into the inner cavity, so that good representativity for the fluid in the inner cavity is provided. In addition, the fluid sample can be led out in a vertical direction, either by flowing out as a result of a pressure difference, or by taking out a sample by means of an arrangement adapted for this purpose.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is suggested an assembly which is adapted to provide a sample from a flowing fluid that flows in a flow path. The assembly comprises a releasable part and a fixed part which is adapted for releasable connection to the releasable part. The fixed part comprises a receiving chamber which is provided with a closable fluid opening for fluid communication with the flowing fluid and a closable receiving opening for reception of a sampling organ into the receiving chamber. The releasable part comprises said sampling organ, which is adapted to be moved into the receiving chamber when the releasable part is connected to the fixed part.
The sampling organ preferably comprises a closable cavity for confining a sample of the flowing fluid.
The assembly according to the second aspect of the invention can be adapted in such way that the receiving chamber is arranged in the ball of a ball valve, wherein the ball has a cavity with an opening that makes the said closable fluid opening, as well as an opening for receiving the sampling organ. It will be appreciated that in lieu of a ball, there may be a cylinder or other type of shape with an inner cavity, which can be rotated within the valve.
In one embodiment the ball can be rotated about a rotational axis and the rotational axis is parallel with the opening for receiving the sampling organ and/or extends through this opening. As stated above, the term parallel is not limited to strictly parallel, but indicates the consequence of comprising a parallel component.
The fixed part can be connected to the flow path in connection with a flow obstacle which provides mixing of the components of the flowing fluid in the area of the receiving chamber.
The flow obstacle can be a change of direction of the flow direction. The fixed part can be attached to a blind end of a T-shaped part of the flow path.
The flow obstacle can also be in the form of a constriction of the flow cross section. This can, for instance, be provided for in the form of a simple constriction, a venturi shape or a ball.
According to an embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, the sampling organ is bar-shaped and has a section with constricted cross section that constitutes the closable cavity. Moreover, the releasable part can comprise a sample sleeve which is arranged to slide over the sampling organ, and is adapted to be slid over the section with constricted cross section. The sample sleeve can thus seal against a head in the one end of the section with constricted cross section.
In an alternative embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention the sampling organ is provided with a plurality of mouths and connected sample channels which are adapted to pull in a volume of the flowing fluid in the receiving chamber. At least some of the mouths are arranged at different axial position on the sampling organs. In this way it is ensured that fluid is taken from different vertical levels. With such an embodiment the sampling organ can further comprise a common sample channel for guiding away a fluid sample which has been pulled in through the mouths. In this manner the sampling organ can be put in condition to pull in a new fluid sample from the receiving chamber. Such a solution makes instantaneous repetition of the sampling possible. That is, the sampling organ does not have to be led in and out for each sampling. On the contrary, a first sample can be taken through the mouths, then the receiving chamber can again be filled with fluid from the flowing fluid for a second sampling, and so on. One can also imagine that fluid samples are taken at regular intervals without the fluid communication between the receiving chamber and the flowing fluid being closed between each time.
In one embodiment the closable receiving opening for receiving a sampling organ can comprise a ball valve with a through bore. When the releasable part is not attached to the fixed part, the closeable receiving opening will function as one barrier (preferably one of more barriers) between the flowing fluid and the surroundings.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an assembly for characterizing a fluid, comprising an insertion organ which is adapted to be inserted into a cavity with the fluid which is to be characterized. The assembly comprises                an axially movable organ with a constricted part and a head;        an outer sleeve adapted to be moved in axial direction over the constricted part and the head, so that a confined cavity is formed between the constricted part;wherein        the axially movable organ is adapted to be moved so that the axial extension of the confined cavity is reduced.
This assembly, according to the third aspect of the invention, is advantageously suitable for converting the gas phase into liquid phase by means of pressure. The axially movable organ preferably comprises a hydraulic actuation piston.
The assembly according to the third aspect of the invention is suited to measure the volume amount of the gas phase in a fluid sample in situ. This is done by measuring how much the volume is reduced when the gas phase is compressed in the said confined cavity.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a sampling organ for collecting a fluid sample, adapted to be inserted into a cavity comprising a fluid. The sampling organ is provided with a plurality of mouths and connected sample channels which are adapted to pull in a volume of the flow fluid in the receiving chamber. At least some of the mouths are arranged in different axial position on the sampling organ.
The sampling organ advantageously comprises a common sample channel for guiding away a fluid sample pulled in through the mouths. In this manner the sampling organ can be put in condition to pull in a new fluid sample from the receiving chamber.
One embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in                that in the common sample channel there is arranged a one-way valve for flowing in the direction away from the sample channels and that the common sample channel is in fluid communication with the sample channels through respective collecting channels;        that the sample channels and the collecting channels are provided with one-way valves adapted for flow from the mouths in direction towards the common sample channel;        that to each sample channel there is allocated a sample piston adapted to provide negative pressure for pulling in fluid sample and positive pressure for conducting the fluid sample into the common sample channel.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a sampling organ for collection of a fluid sample, adapted to be inserted into a cavity comprising a fluid. The sampling organ comprises a bar-shaped body with a section having constricted cross section, wherein a head is in the end of the constricted cross section, and further comprising an, arranged on the bar-shaped body and axially slideable, outer sleeve that is adapted to be moved over the constricted cross section and to seal against the head, so that it encloses a confined cavity between its inner face and the constricted cross section.
A common advantage of the various aspects of the present invention is that they make it possible to take one or more fluid samples from a flowing fluid without requiring a halt of the flow for the sample extraction.
It is first referred to FIG. 1, as a description of an example embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention will be given. Here it is shown a flow path 13 in which a fluid flows. Onto the flow path 13 there is welded a sampling valve in the form of a ball valve 110. The ball valve 110 comprises an inner rotating body in the form of a ball which is provided with a cavity 119. The ball or its cavity is provided with a first opening 119b which can open and close for fluid communication with the flowing fluid by means of rotation of the ball about a vertical rotational axis. In FIG. 1 the first opening 119b is shown in an open position. By rotating the ball about the rotational axis the first opening 119b can be closed so that a sample of the flowing fluid can be confined within the cavity 119. There is also arranged a second opening 113 which faces in a vertical direction. In this embodiment the second opening faces parallel and coaxially with the rotational axis. The second opening can be closed with a barrier valve 103.
Through the second opening 113 the fluid sample can be let out of the cavity 119 by means of pressure difference, for instance to a container which is connected directly to the ball valve or on, in FIG. 1, the upper side of the barrier valve 103. Alternatively, a sampling organ can be inserted into the cavity 119 of the ball valve 110 and confine the sample inside the cavity 119 itself, or in another way guide the fluid out from the cavity 119.
One can also imagine a solution where the cavity 119 of the ball valve 110 (or other type of valve with a rotating body with cavity) has only one closable opening 119b. The fluid sample would then immediately be let out from the cavity 119 in a horizontal direction, if the rotational axis is vertical, as shown in FIG. 1.
In the following, it is again referred to FIG. 1, for a description of an example of an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows an assembly 50 according to the invention, for sample extraction from a fluid flow. The assembly is arranged with a closable fluid connection to a flow path 13 for a process fluid. In this example embodiment the flow path is a pipe assembly 13 on the seabed that guides a flow of hydrocarbon-containing fluid in connection with one or more subsea wells. The fluid mainly comprises hydrocarbons in liquid phase and in gas phase, as well as water. The assembly 50 is attached to the pipe assembly 13 by means of welding, as shown in FIG. 1 with the weld 13a. The arrows indicate the flow direction. Moreover, the assembly 50 according to the invention is attached to the pipe assembly 13 in the blind end of a T-piece. Due to the T-piece, the fluid flow in the pipe assembly 13 makes a substantial change of direction. In the blind part of the T-piece, it is thereby achieved a good mixture of the composition of the flowing fluid, both with regards to various phases as well as components.
The assembly 50 according to the invention comprises a fixed part 100 and a releasable part 200. The fixed part 100 is welded to the pipe assembly 13, as described above. Furthermore, the fixed part 100 is adapted to receive the releasable part 200, as the releasable part can be connected to the fixed part by means of an ROV (remotely operated vehicle).
The releasable connection between the releasable part 200 and the fixed part is provided by a locking mechanism comprising dogs 205 and an actuation sleeve 204. The actuation sleeve 204 is hydraulically actuated by means of a plurality of hydraulic pistons 207, and leads the dogs 205 into engagement with a locking profile 117 in the fixed part 100. The dogs 205 can be led out of engagement by moving the actuation sleeve 204 the opposite direction. A plurality of seals 115 provides a fluid tight connection between the fixed part and the releasable part.
In the following a course of events for sampling is described, where the releasable part 200 is connected to the fixed part 100, after which a sample is taken, and wherein at the end the releasable part 200, inclusive the fluid sample, is again released from the fixed part 100.
Again it is referred to FIG. 1. Before the releasable part 200 is connected to the fixed part 100, as described above, a chamber valve 110 is turned 90 degrees about the vertical axis so as to seal against the fluid flow in the pipe assembly 13. A barrier valve 103 is also closed. In the shown example of embodiment the barrier valve 103 is also in the form of a ball valve. The chamber valve 110 is in the shown example in form of a ball valve with a receiving chamber 119 in the ball.
The fixed part 100 comprises an outer sleeve 112 with a funnel-shaped end, for reception of the releasable part 200. When the releasable part 200 is connected to the fixed part 100 by actuation of the dogs 205, by means of an ROV (not shown), there is performed pressure test of the seals 115 and the barrier valve 103.
Since those of the seals 115 that face radially outwards begin to seal already as the releasable part 200 starts to get into engagement with the fixed part 100, the piston 219 will move a bit backwards, that is further into the main body 215. This is to avoid hydrostatic problems during connection between the releasable part 200 and the fixed part 100.
Thereafter the barrier valve 103 can be opened, as illustrated in FIG. 2. After the barrier valve 103 has been opened there is preferably performed another pressure test. Then the chamber valve 110 is opened, so that a fluid connection exists between a bore 213 in the releasable part 200 and the fluid flow in the pipe assembly 13. The bore 213 is arranged in a main body 215 of the releasable part 200 and the barrier valve 103 is arranged in connection with a bore 113 in the fixed part 100. The bore 213 in the releasable part 200 is in line with the bore 113 of the fixed part 100.
Turning of the valves can be performed in any appropriate manner and is considered known to the person skilled in the art. They can for instance be turned by means of hydraulics or mechanically.
Thereafter a sampling organ 217 is led through the opening in the barrier valve 103, as shown in FIG. 3. The sampling organ 217 is suspended in the bore 213 and comprises a piston 219 in one of its ends. The piston 219 is arranged in a piston chamber 221 in the main body, so that the sampling organ can be led forwards and backwards through the bore 213 by means of hydraulic pressure. As will be understood by a person skilled in the art the sampling organ 217 can also be actuated in another way, for instance with an electrical actuator.
In its opposite end the sampling organ 217 has a sample volume which is defined by a constricted diameter 223 a distance along the sampling organ 217. At the end of this distance there is a head 225 with peripherally arranged seals.
The sampling organ 217 is moved through the bore 213 until the head 225 abuts against a recess 119a in the receiving chamber 119. Thereafter the chamber valve 110 is closed, as shown in FIG. 5, so that a representative amount of the fluid flow that flows through the pipe assembly 13 is confined in the receiving chamber 119.
As shown in FIG. 6, when the chamber valve 110 is closed towards the fluid flow, a sampling sleeve 227 is guided forwards to the head 225, so that the inner face of the sample sleeve 227 seals against the seals arranged peripherally on the head 225. The sampling sleeve 227 is actuated by hydraulics running through the hydraulic channels 229, 231, for upwardly and downwardly movement of the sampling sleeve 227, respectively. The channels 229, 231 are connected to controlled hydraulic sources 229a, 231a, schematically illustrated in FIG. 6. The sampling sleeve 227 comprises first and second piston heads 227a, 227b, for the hydraulic actuation of the sampling sleeve 227 in the bore 213 and on the outside of the sampling organ 217.
A sample of the fluid flow is now confined in a closable space 224 defined by the constricted diameter 223 of the sampling organ, the head 225 and the sampling sleeve 227. As will be understood by a person skilled in the art, this sample will not be representative of the composition of the flowing fluid, since the walls of the reception chamber 119 has oval walls. For instance, a column of oil between a water column and a gas column will have less vertical extension than it would if the reception chamber 119 had vertical walls, such as a cylinder. However, since the shape of the reception chamber 119 is known, one can easily calculate the correct composition of the fluid flow by means of the sealed off sample.
Furthermore, when the sampling sleeve 227 is moved into the reception chamber 119, until it seals against the seals in the head 225, some of the fluid in the reception chamber 119 will be displaced in order to give room for the volume represented by the sampling sleeve 227 in the reception chamber 119. This fluid will seep along a narrow slit between the sampling sleeve 227 and the bore 113 of the fixed part, and into the displacement space 233 which the sampling sleeve 227 leaves behind when it moves. The amount of fluid that seeps into the displacement space 233 will be known. Thus, although this fluid is lost from the reception chamber 119 and thus contributes to making the fluid sample non-representative, one will be able to calculate the composition in the fluid flow.
Preferably, in connection with the sampling organ 217 there is arranged various gauges for the characteristics of the fluid in the confined fluid sample. For instance, the sampling organ 217 can be provided with a pressure gauge (not shown), such as a PT 100 element. Furthermore, the sampling sleeve 227 and the part of the sampling organ having the constricted diameter 223 can be electrically connected as a capacitor. Thus the water fraction of the confined sample can be determinated in situ. There may also preferably be arranged a gauge for salinity, for instance in connection with the head 225, where the water fraction will gather due to gravity. It may involve a 3-pole salinity probe, as known by the person skilled in the art.
When the sampling sleeve 227 has confined the sample, as shown in FIG. 6, the chamber valve 110 is again opened towards the fluid flow and the sampling organ 217 is pulled back by means of the piston 219. The sampling sleeve 227 remains in place over the constricted diameter 223 and the head 225. When the sample is pulled into the bore 213 in the main body, the barrier valve 103 is also be closed. After pressure testing of the again closed chamber valve 110 and the barrier valve 103, the releasable part 200 can be disconnected from the fixed part 100 and be brought to the surface with the sample.
In addition to the embodiment described herein, one can also imagine an assembly of the sampling organ 217 with the constricted diameter 223 or another form of available sample space, the movable sampling sleeve 227, and possible measuring equipment (as indicated above), and the barrier valve 103 as such. Such an assembly could be used without the chamber valve 110, for instance directly on a flow pipe, preferably in connection with a constriction, bend or similar in the flow path.
When the releasable part 200 is removed, a dummy part (not shown) is preferably connected to the fixed part 100 in order to protect it. The dummy part can preferably seal against the seals 115 and thus constitute an additional barrier, as well as protecting the seals 115.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show a particular embodiment of the releasable part 200 of the assembly 50 according to the invention, for taking samples from a fluid flow. The figures show the end of the sampling organ 217, where the sampling sleeve 227 has been moved forward to the head 225 for confinement of a sample. In this embodiment the constricted part 223′ is in the form of a piston rod that has a piston 223a′ arranged in a piston chamber 217a in the sampling organ 217. On each side of the piston 223a′ there is hydraulic pressure supply, schematically represented with two hydraulic pumps.
The situation in FIG. 7 shows a sample consisting of gas G, oil O and water W. With supply of hydraulic pressure below the piston 223a′, the head 225 is led upwards so that the gas G in the sample is compressed into liquid phase and adsorbed in the liquid. This is shown in FIG. 8, where the sample now only comprises water W and oil O (or hydrocarbons in liquid form). By measuring the amount of hydraulic liquid that is used to compress the gas G, or the position of the head 225, one will know how much gas which has been compressed. This information can, along with the amount of water W and oil O, be used to calculate the composition of the fluid in the flow. An advantage of this solution is that one, during operation, can perform a test that shows the relation between gas and liquid, GVF (Gas-Volume-Fraction), and give feedback on this without having to take the sample to the surface. An additional advantage is that one may perform repetitive samples before disconnecting, and thus have a basis of calculation for the accuracy of GVF.
According to an aspect of the invention there is also provided a sampling organ as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 as such. That is, it can be provided such a sampling organ which can be used in connection with various assemblies, in addition to the assembly shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6. For instance, such an assembly can be used without removing a fluid sample from a pipe system. A sampling organ as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 can also advantageously be provided with gauges for fluid characteristics, such as gauges for salinity, pressure, capacitor, as mentioned above. Such an arrangement will be suited for repeated measurements in situ, so that an average of a plurality of measured results can be calculated for a plurality of different parameters. This without removing a fluid sample from the sampling place. As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the arrangement shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 will of course also be suited for bringing a fluid sample away from the sampling place, for instance to a laboratory.
The volume that is left by the head 225 during this movement can be vacuum.
FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 show a circular and rectangular shaped closing opening for the chamber valve 110, respectively. In order to provide a best possible representativity of the fluid that is confined in the receiving chamber 119, it is preferred that the closing opening is rectangular, as shown in FIG. 10.
In lieu of a ball valve, such as the chamber valve 110 shown in the example above, one may also imagine another type of valve that opens and closes for inflow to the receiving chamber 119. Thus, the receiving chamber 119 does not need to be arranged in a valve at all, but can on the other hand be a fixed closable chamber adapted to receive the sampling organ 217.
Furthermore, the fixed part 100 of the assembly 50 can be such that the releasable part 200 is mounted from below, contrary to the example described herein. It is advantageous to take the sample vertically, from above or from below, due to good representativity of the sample, while it due to operational reasons will be most advantageous to mount the releasable part from above. With particular adjustments one can even imagine that the releasable part 200 is mounted in a non-vertical position.
One can, furthermore, imagine that the assembly 50 according to the invention is mounted other places where there exist good representativity in the fluid flow, for instance after an obstruction in the process pipe. Such an obstruction can for instance be a constriction of the flow cross section, for instance a venturi form, or a body obstruction, for instance a ball or a cone, etc. In addition one may imagine performing the sampling in connection with a separator system, where one wants to control the effect of separation of fluids/particles or cleaning of water which is to be re-injected subsea. The advantage of such a system will be to contribute to quality assurance of separation and cleaning processes. This has both economical and environmental consequences, since an imperfect process will result in lost oil revenues and increased pollution of the cleaned process water.
In stead of sample sleeve 227 that is pushed axially over the constricted diameter 223 for confinement of a sample space, as described above, one may also imagine alternative embodiments for the sampling organ 217. For instance a rotating outer sleeve may be arranged, so that an opening in the outer sleeve is arranged over an opening in an outer wall of an inner sleeve, for inflow of fluid. After the inflow the two sleeves can be mutually rotated, so that the opening is closed.
An additional example of embodiment of a sampling organ 217′ is shown in FIG. 11, FIG. 12, FIG. 13 and FIG. 14. FIG. 11 shows a cross section of an alternative sampling organ 217′ adapted to be inserted into the receiving chamber 119, as described above. In its end part the sampling organ 217′ has a plurality of sample channels 235 that extend parallel to the axis of the sampling organ 217′. Each sample channel 235 is connected to a mouth 237 in the side face of the sampling organ 217′. The mouths 237 are arranged at different axial positions in the sampling organ 217. When the sampling organ 217′ is arranged in the receiving chamber 119 and a fluid sample is to be taken, a certain amount of fluid will be pulled in through each respective mouth 237 and sample channel 235. This step is provided by a common movement of a plurality of sample pistons 239. Each sample piston 239 is connected to a common piston 241 that is adapted to be hydraulically actuated in order to provide the common movement. FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 show cross sections through the sampling organ 217′ through, respectively, the piston rod 241′ of the common piston 241 and the piston rods 239′ to which the sample pistons 239 are connected.
FIG. 14 shows, in a side view, schematically how the mouths 237 are distributed on the face of the sampling organ 217′. A sampling will thus result in a certain amount of fluid which is pulled from a plurality of different axial or vertical positions. In this example of embodiment the sampling organ 217′ is provided with nine sample channels 235.
As appears from FIG. 11 each sample channel 235 is provided with a one-way valve 243 which results in that the fluid that is pulled in through the respective mouths 237 cannot flow back into the receiving chamber 119 (see FIG. 1). Furthermore, after one upwardly directed (with respect to the depiction in FIG. 11) movement of the sample pistons 239, an opposite downwardly movement of the sample pistons 239 will press the fluid sample through a common one-way valve 245 and a common sample channel 247. The fluid sample pulled out from the receiving chamber 119 will then be guided out from this part of the sampling organ 217. Preferably the fluid sample can be guided to a collecting chamber (not shown) arranged another place in the releasable part 200. In this way one may pull out a plurality of fluid samples, and in this way reduce possible measuring errors by repeating the process a plurality of times.
The technical elements in the embodiment of the sampling organ 217′ shown in FIG. 11 that provide possibility of repetition, is only one of a plurality of possible embodiments. One may thus provide a sampling organ 217′ adapted to pull in a fluid sample only once, as it does not comprise the common sample channel 247 with the one-way valve 245. It should also be underlined that the sampling organ 217′ described herein with reference to FIG. 11 to FIG. 14 is not limited to use with an assembly as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6, but can be used in connection with any kind of suitable sampling assembly, as will be understood by a person skilled in the art.
According to an aspect of the invention there is also provided an assembly which is simplified with respect to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6. Such an assembly comprises a ball valve or corresponding valve with a rotating inner valve body, where the valve body comprises a void. The inner body can thus be sphere shaped, but also for instance cylindrically shaped with a rotation axis parallel to the cylinder axis. The valve is connected to a flow path in such a manner that it with a first opening can let in fluid from a flowing fluid into the void, and then close this first opening by rotation of the inner body. Furthermore it is rotationally suspended about a rotational axis, wherein the void has an opening in the said rotational axis. In this manner fluid can be let out to an attached sample container by means of differential pressure. Alternatively a sampling device can be let into the inner void, corresponding to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6, as described above. One can also imagine that measuring equipment is inserted into the void when the valve has closed the opening towards the fluid flow, in order to perform measurements without removing a fluid sample from the void.
A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the separate technical elements described herein can be combined in various ways and also be used alone or in connection with assemblies that are not described herein.


The invention provides a semiconductor device having a weak current channel. The semiconductor device includes a gate, a source and a drain. There are a plurality of insulation layers and a plurality of first conductive type lightly doped regions alternatingly arranged between the gate and the drain; each of the first conductive type lightly doped regions providing a weak current channel between the source and the drain. When the gate is in a relatively low voltage range, the weak current channel is conducted; when the gate is in a relatively high voltage range, the weak current channel is not conducted.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a weak current channel, in particular a semiconductor device including a weak current channel provided through a first conductive type lightly doped region when the gate of the semiconductor device is in a relatively low voltage range.
2. Description of Related Art
FIGS. 1A and 1B show a prior art semiconductor device 10 which is a double resurf field effect transistor, wherein FIG. 1B is a cross section view according to the cross section line AA′ in FIG. 1A. The semiconductor device 10 includes a substrate SUB and a first conductive type well NW on the substrate SUB. Please refer to FIG. 1B (from left to right), a second conductive type body PBOBY, a source S, an insulation layer FOX, and a drain D are located in the first conductive type well NW. A second conductive type well PTOP is under the insulation layer FOX. The semiconductor device 10 further includes a gate G located above the substrate SUB, a portion of the gate G being on a gate oxide GOX and another portion of the gate G being on the insulation layer FOX.
A control voltage supplied to the gate G controls the current between the source S and drain D, and the current flows through a current channel Ch between the source S and the drain D as shown in FIG. 1B. By the double resurf effect, the current channel Ch has a longer distance, so the semiconductor device 10 is capable of operating under high voltage. However, when the control voltage is in a low voltage range, the conduction resistance is relatively higher, which may possibly cause an operation failure such as off-conduction when the device should be in conduction. Thus, although the semiconductor device 10 can operate under high voltage, it has poor performance in the low voltage range.
Therefore, the present invention provides a semiconductor device to solve the aforementioned problem.

Semiconductor device having weak current channel


There is provided an RF (radio frequency) coil assembly of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, which comprises a birdcage transmit-only coil using inhomogeneous modes. Further, a multi-channel receive-only phased array coil is provided. In one embodiment, the multi-channel receive-only phased array coil may include a plurality of ring-shaped receive-only coils, wherein the receive-only coils are connected to each other in a pseudo-chain-link configuration to form a ring shape. The multi-channel receive-only phased array coil may be located inside said transmit-only coil and spaced a predetermined distance apart therefrom. In accordance with the embodiments, emphasis images of the peripheral part of a human brain with high resolution and high signal to noise ratio may be obtained.

1. Field
The present invention generally relates to a radio frequency (RF) coil of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-channel phased array coil for obtaining an emphasis image of cerebral cortex of a human brain in a high magnetic field MRI system.
2. Background
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is widely used in the field of medical diagnosis due to its capability of providing 3-dimensional and/or high-resolution images without harming a human body. In particular, a high magnetic field (e.g., 7 Tesla) MRI system is attracting attention in the field since it can provide images with higher signal to noise ratio (SNR) and higher resolution compared to a low magnetic field (e.g., 1.5 Tesla or 3 Tesla) MRI system. Further, the high magnetic field (7 Tesla) MRI system can provide images of cerebral cortex, thereby making it possible to provide better medical services to patients with brain diseases.
A radio frequency (RF) coil of an MRI system is generally used to form RF field to excite spins of a region of interest ("ROI") (i.e., a region whose images are intended to be acquired) and to detect the variation of the magnetic field from the spins, which precess due to the RF field. To obtain images of high quality in the MRI system, the RF coil should meet the following two requirements. First, for transmission purposes, the coil should be able to form a homogeneous magnetic filed at the ROI to excite protons of nuclei. Second, for reception purposes, the coil should be able to acquire RF signals with the same gain at the ROI.
In a conventional MRI system, a coil for both transmission and reception is used to obtain images of a human brain. In the low magnetic field MRI system, the magnetic field generated by the RF coil, which is exclusively used for a human brain, is homogeneous over the wide range. However, in the high magnetic field MRI system with the frequency of 300 MHz or above, it is impossible for the conventional coil for both transmission and reception to form a homogeneous magnetic field inside the human brain. This is accounted by the phenomenon in which the effective RF wavelength is shortened due to the permittivity of the human brain positioned at the interior of the RF coil. The shortened wavelength results in standing waves inside the human brain. As a result, the periphery of the image becomes dark while the center part of the image is bright, which makes the diagnosis difficult.
Furthermore, it is difficult to develop RF coils used in the high magnetic field MRI system compared to those used in the low magnetic field MRI system. As discussed below, there are several reasons for such difficulty.
First, the wavelength of the signals in the high magnetic field MRI system is shortened. This is because the resonance frequency is proportional to the magnitude of the magnetic field. In case of low frequency AC signals, the signal wavelength is not a concern since it is considerably longer than the size of the circuits or lines. However, when the frequency is higher than 300 MHz, the wavelength is shortened to the order of centimeters. Thus, a phase superposition occurs on the lines. In the case of low-frequency signal with long wavelength, the waveform distortion is negligible in spite of the superposition of the AC waveforms on the lines because the phase shift is slight. However, in case of high-frequency signal with short wavelength, the signal waveform may experience severe distortion with the result that the original waveform may not be maintained due to the superposition with different phases. In order to avoid such a problem, the size of the circuit should be reduced. Further, all dimensions of the circuit including its length and size should be downsized when designing the coils.
Second, a crosstalk increases as the frequency increases. Even in the case of low-frequency signals, the interference (i.e., crosstalk) between lines exists. However, as the frequency is higher, even the non-substantial part of the coil (i.e., the part which does not conduct transmitting or receiving signals) acts as the substantial part of the coil, thus radiating more electromagnetic energy. As a result, the coupling at the RF circuit becomes more important. That is, along with the wavelength problem, the design of RF coil circuit becomes more like a structural design. Further, there are many cases of circuit designing in the RF coils using such a coupling.
Third, a high antenna gain should be provided. Since the signals transmitted and received by the RF coil are wireless signals in most cases, the coil should have a small size due to the specification requited in real use. However, the smaller the size of the coil is, the smaller the gain is. Accordingly, more sophisticated technologies should be integrated to provide a higher gain with smaller size when designing the RF coil.
Fourth, the effect of the external noise should be considered. The resonator has a predetermined bandwidth centering around the center frequency. Theoretically, to obtain the maximum signal to noise ratio (SNR) when designing the resonator, the reflection coefficient is designed to approach infinity at the desired frequency. Also, it is designed to be like noise at other frequencies. However, it is practically impossible to realize such a circuit. Thus, the resonator is inevitably affected by the external noise. Furthermore, since the bandwidth becomes wider as the frequency is further increased (e.g., if the bandwidth corresponds to 1% of the frequency, the bandwidth is 3 MHz at the frequency of 300 MHz used in the high magnetic field MRI system, while the bandwidth is 100 kHz at the frequency of 10 MHz), the effect of the external noise increases. Thus, the SNR of the overall circuit decreases. Although such a problem relates to the frequency rather than the design of the RF coil structure, it is one of the most important factors to be considered when designing the resonator. Although using a narrow bandwidth at a high frequency makes it possible to obtain a high SNR, it is very difficult to implement such a circuit which can use a narrow bandwidth with respect to the frequency. Even if such a circuit is implemented, it may be sensitive to a variation of the external conditions.
In order to address and resolve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a radio frequency (RF) coil with high signal to noise ratio (SNR) and high resolution to emphasize the cerebral cortex of a human brain in a high magnetic field (7 Tesla) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system.

MRI system RF coil assembly with a birdcage transmit only coil and a pseudo-chain-link receive only coil array

Gachon University of Medicine & Science Industry - Academic Cooperation Foundation


There is disclosed a system for mounting a wheel hub bearing unit into a cylindrical seat (11) obtained in the suspension standard (12) of a vehicle. An axially outer circumferential groove (16) is obtained in the cylindrical seat (11). Proximate to the axially outer side (10a) of the outer race (10) of the bearing there is provided an elastic insert(15) of annular shape having a radial portion (15a) adjacent to said tace (10a) and constituting an axial stopping means for the outer race of the bearing. Elastically flexible portions (15b) are radially protruding from the outer surface or the bearing and are adapted to elastically bend and snap fit into said qroove (16) when the insert (15) is pushed axially into the cylindrical seat (11) of the suspension standard (12).

The bearing of a wheel hub, particularly the outer race of the bearing must be axially restrained to the vehicle suspension standard or knuckle, to avoid the risk of the bearing coming off under the effect of axial loads acting on the bearing during operation.
At present there are known several fixing systems, adapted for different arrangements.
According to a first known system, firstly the bearing is fitted into a corresponding circular seat obtained in the knuckle and pushed against an axially inner shoulder. Secondly, a seeger ring is snap fitted in a circumferential groove at the entrance of the circular seat so as to axially retain the outer race of the bearing. Then, the wheel hub is inserted through the inner race of the bearing and secured in known manner to the constant velocity joint.
In other cases, it is preferred to firstly pre-assemble the bearing to the wheel hub and then insert and fix such a unit to the knuckle. When this route is followed, then it is not possible or practical to fit a seeger to stop axial movement of the bearing because the pre-assembled hub would render this operation difficult. Generally, the outer race of the bearing is forcefully fitted into the knuckle with some interference. However, this provision can not prevent the bearing from slipping outwardly under the action of loads exceeding a certain threshold.

System for mounting a wheel hub bearing unit to a motor vehicle suspension standard


A watering system for a poultry house comprises a watering line which is suspended from a stabilizing bar by means of a clip. The watering line is comprised of a plurality of pipe segments connected together by a coupling mechanism. The coupling mechanism includes a keying element or portion which is formed in the pipe segment at a predetermined location relative to the drinker opening in the pipe segment. The coupling mechanism thus rotationally fixes adjacent pipe segments relative to each other such that the drinker openings of the pipes segments in the watering line are rotationally aligned and fixed relative to each other. The clip includes a boot which engages a projection on the pipe segment (preferably the drinker saddle) to key the pipe segments relative to the stabilizing bar.

This invention relates to animal watering systems, such as used in poultry houses, and, in particular, to couplers used to rotationally align pipe segments one to another and connectors for connecting the water pipe segments to a stabilizer bar to ensure that the hang point of the water line is 180° from the drinker pin or nipple and to further prevent twisting and/or torquing of pipe segments relative to each other. Although the invention is described below in connection to poultry house watering systems it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention has applicability to piping for carrying fluid material, such as liquid, gas, or even fluidized particulate material, and, in particular to such piping which is suspended.
A typical animal watering system S, such as is used in poultry houses, is shown in FIG. 1. The watering system S includes a water regulator R which is connected to a supply of water WS to reduce the line pressure of the supply water. Watering lines WL extend from the regulator and have drinkers spaced therealong. The watering lines WL can be hundreds of feet long, and hence, are generally made of pipe segments P which are connected together. The watering lines WL are generally constructed of plastic piping, such as ABS piping. To prevent the water pipes from flexing, for example, under their own weight, the plastic water pipes are generally suspended stabilizer bars SB by means of clips C. A segment of a prior art watering system is shown in FIG. 2. This watering system employs an extruded aluminum stabilizing bar to which the clip C is rigidly fixed. The prior art clip C, used in this system is shown in FIG. 3. In this watering system, a hanger H is connected to the top of the stabilizer bar. A cable extends between the hanger H and a support beam to suspend the watering system in the animal house H. In a second watering system, the stabilizer bar is made from metal round tubing. The clip in such a system has been generally S-shaped, with a top portion of the S frictionally grasping the round tubing stabilizer bar B and the bottom of the S frictional grasping the watering line WL. In this second example, the hanger H and clip C are combined together. As discussed briefly below, neither the C-shaped clip of FIG. 3, or the S-shaped clip used with the tubular stabilizing bar prevent the pipe segments from being rotated relative to the stabilizing bar. This allows for the assembler to adjust the rotational position of the pipe segments so that the drinkers (or drinker saddles) all face downwardly.
The individual pipe segments P of the watering system S are placed in fluid communication with each other using a coupler. The coupler includes O-rings to form a fluid tight seal between two adjacent pipe segments. Generally the pipes either have the drinkers already connected thereto or have mounting blocks fixed to the pipe to receive the drinkers prior to connecting the pipes together. To assemble the pipes together to form the watering line of the watering system, the individual pipes are placed in fluid communication with each other using couplers which form a fluid tight seal between adjacent pipe segments. The couplers frictionally engage the pipe segments, and hence, adjacent pipe segments can be rotated relative to each other. Importantly, the drinkers or drinker saddles D on an individual pipe segment are all rotationally aligned. The drinker operation is sensitive to the angle at which the drinker pin is positioned. Ideally, the drinker pins are normally in a vertical position, and the drinker pins of all the pipe segments are vertical.
The ability to rotate the pipe segments in the coupler allows the assembler to rotationally align the drinkers of adjacent pipe segments, and hence, to rotationally align the drinkers along a watering line, so that all the drinker pins are substantially vertical. To maintain the rotational position of pipe segments, a second clamp C2 is provided, as seen in FIG. 2. The clamp C2 includes a nut and bolt which pull together two sections of the clamp to tightly and frictionally engage both the pipe segment P and the stabilizing bar B. To assemble a watering line, such as the watering line of FIG. 2, a stabilizing bar (or section thereof) is suspended using hangers H. The using clips C, a pipe segment is suspended from the stabilizing bar. The pipe segment is then rotated within the clips C so that the drinker saddles D face downwardly. When the proper rotational position of the pipe segment is obtained, the clamp C2 is tightened about the pipe segment. A coupler is placed on the end of the pipe segment, and a second pipe segment is added to the water line. This second pipe segment must be rotationally positioned in its clamps, and then fixed in place by means of a clamp C2. This process continues until the entire water line is completed. After the water line has been completed, the assembler must then check the rotational of the drinkers to ensure that they are all aligned. If any are out of alignment, and do not face downwardly, as is necessary, the pipe segments must be adjusted. The adjustment of one pipe segment may affect the rotational position of its adjacent pipe segments. As can be appreciated, the process of assembly a water line so that the drinkers are all properly positioned can be a time consuming and difficult procedure.
As chicks grow, they tend to peck harder on the drinker pins. This pecking can create a torque force on the pipe segments which can cause pipe segments to rotate relative to each other. In order to help prevent rotation of pipe segments relative to each other, the clips C and C2 frictionally engage the pipe segments, as noted above. Even if the clips grasped the water line tightly when the water line is assembled, over time, the frictional grip of water pipe by the clip lessens, thereby allowing for rotation of pipe segments relative to each other. Additionally, birds passing under the drinkers could rotate the pipe segments. For water systems using the tubular stabilizing bar, not only can the birds manage to rotate the pipe segments relative to each other, they can knock the pipe segments, such that they are no longer fully gripped by the S-shaped clips. In this case, the pipe segments are no longer linearly aligned, and become slightly snaked.
Another clip that is currently available is the scissors-type clip shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A. This scissors-type clip is for use with tubular stabilizer bars and includes a hanger portion to connect the clip to a cable. This scissors-type clip is movable between an open and a closed position. In the open position, the clip can be positioned about the water pipe and the stabilizer bar. The clip is then closed to independently encircle the water pipe segments and the stabilizer bar. This clip includes a boot which engages the drinker saddle to fix the rotational position of the water pipe relative to the stabilizer bar. This scissors-type clip does not frictionally grip the tubular stabilizing bar, and the stabilizing bar can rotate within the clip. Hence, the clip does not prevent pivoting of the water line about the stabilizing bar. Stated differently, the stabilizing bar can form an axle about with the water line can pivot. Hence, birds pecking at the drinkers or walking under the water line can still cause individual pipe segments to pivot relative to the other pipe segments in the water line.
Because the pipe segments can be rotated relative to each other during assembly and even during use of the drinkers by the birds, and because the mounting clip has to grasp the watering pipe so tightly, assembly of a watering line has, heretofore, been very difficult. It would be desirable to provide a coupler and a clip that will reduce the difficulty of rotationally aligning pipe segments of a watering line to make assembly of a watering line easier, and which will reduce the possibility of individual pipe segments being rotated during use of the drinkers by the birds.

Animal watering system with keyed components


An opto-electronic system and technique for comparing laser frequencies with large frequency separations, establishing new frequency standards, and achieving phase-sensitive detection at ultra high frequencies. Light responsive materials with multiple energy levels suitable for multi-photon excitation are preferably used for nonlinear mixing via quantum interference of different excitation paths affecting a common energy level. Demodulation of a carrier with a demodulation frequency up to 100's THZ can be achieved for frequency comparison and phase-sensitive detection. A large number of materials can be used to cover a wide spectral range including the ultra violet, visible and near infrared regions. In particular, absolute frequency measurement in a spectrum from 1.25 .mu.m to 1.66 .mu.m for fiber optics can be accomplished with a nearly continuous frequency coverage.

Optical fibers have been widely used in communication systems to achieve high data capacity that is difficult to obtain in the radio frequency (rf) and microwave spectrum. For commonly used silica fibers, the available bandwidth extends to about 60 THz from 1.25 .mu.m to 1.66 .mu.m, of which approximately 30 THz are actually useful due to water absorption lines around 1.4 .mu.m. Demand for high bandwidth is generated, at least in part, by the recent advent in information technology for applications involving graphic, audio, and video files, and by the rapid increase in information exchange via the Internet and other electronic information channels.
High data capacity in optical links requires efficient and optimized use of available bandwidth in silica fibers. One way to increase the data capacity of a system is signal multiplexing. Multiple signals can be combined into a single channel, for example, by time-division multiplexing and frequency-division multiplexing. To further increase the capacity of an existing optical fiber link, wavelength-division multiplexing is used to multiplex different channels so that all channels can be simultaneously transmitted in the same fiber on optical carriers of different wavelengths.
Frequency division multiplexing and wavelength division multiplexing require precise and reliable frequency measurements to divide the available bandwidth of a fiber link into small bands for different carriers without crosstalk. Thus, well-determined carrier frequencies are desirable. In analogy with FM-radio broadcasting where the FCC assigns a well specified transmission frequency for each station, an overcrowded optical communications network will require accurate carrier specification. Failure to satisfy this requirement will both inhibit the performance and reduce the bandwidth capabilities of a fiber optics network.
An optical frequency standard usually is a stabilized reference laser with a frequency (or wavelength) whose absolute value is known. Other laser frequencies are measured and compared against this frequency standard. A laser can be stabilized at a pre-assigned frequency relative to a frequency standard by controlling the laser via feedback based on an error signal generated by frequency comparison. Laser stabilization is a well-established technology in the art. Once a second laser is stabilized relative to the frequency standard, the second laser becomes a frequency standard itself since its frequency and phase are locked and stabilized with respect to the original frequency standard.
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram for a generic optical frequency metrological system 100. A laser 110 is assigned a frequency .omega..sub.L that is separated from a frequency standard .omega..sub.S by a frequency separation .alpha. (e.g., .omega..sub.L =.omega..sub.S -.DELTA.). A portion of the output of laser 110 is fed to an optical communication frequency standard comparator 120. A frequency standard generator (FSG) 122 produces a signal at .omega..sub.s. A frequency mixer 124 receives both signals .omega..sub.L and .omega..sub.S and generates an error signal 126. The laser frequency .omega..sub.L is corrected by feeding the error signal 126 back to the laser 110, thus producing an output at the desired frequency (.omega..sub.S -.DELTA.)
In principle, a single frequency standard should suffice since any other frequencies can be measured relative thereto. This requires that optical signal mixers and detection systems be sensitive to a frequency difference .DELTA. between the frequency standard and the laser frequency. To cover the entire low ultra-violet to near infrared spectrum, the typical range required for .DELTA. is about 10 THz-1000 THz. For example, the frequency separation .DELTA. is about 250 THz for stabilizing a laser in the optic communications bandwidth at 1.55 .mu.m relative to the current optical frequency standards (e.g., in the 500-800 nm range). However, many conventional state-of-art techniques are only capable of bridging frequency differences up to about 0.3 to 0.5 THz. Fundamentals of Photonics, Ch. 18 by Saleh and Teich (1991), Wiley Series in Pure and Applied Optics, ed. J. W. Goodman.
One approach to standardizing frequencies is to use a frequency chain of multiple laser frequencies distributed over the frequency range to be bridged. The frequency distances between two adjacent lasers in this frequency chain are chosen to be small enough (e.g., less than about 0.5 THz) so that they can be measured by conventional techniques. Then by stabilizing each laser with respect to adjacent ones, the first laser at one end of the chain can be stabilized with respect to the last laser at the other end of the chain, thus establishing a bridge over a large frequency distance therebetween that otherwise cannot be measured directly by conventional techniques.
A number of existing prior-art techniques use multiple stages of conventional nonlinear wave mixing in nonlinear crystals and through electrooptic modulation to generate the frequency chains for bridging large frequency gaps and to establish additional frequency standards. For example, Telle et al. disclose a nonlinear mixing scheme in Optics Letters, Vol. 15, pp. 532, 1990; Lee and Wong describe another nonlinear mixing method in Optics Letters, Vol. 17, pp. 13, 1992.
Van Baak and Hollberg have published a number of frequency standards using conventional nonlinear mixing techniques in "Proposed sum-and-difference method for optical-frequency measurement in the near infrared", Optics Letters, Vol. 19, No. 19, pp. 1586-1588, 1994, the entirety of which is incorporated herewith by reference.
However, the spectral coverage of the frequency standards using conventional techniques is limited. For example, the established frequency standards published by Van Baak and Hollberg are mainly from 500 nm to about 800 nm, and not in the range from 1.25 .mu.m to 1.66 .mu.m, a region that is critical to fiber optic communications.
Lack of frequency standards in the fiber optic wavelength range from 1.25 .mu.m to 1.66 .mu.m has been well recognized by the industry. This lack of standards can be a limiting factor in the future and can lead to under-utilization of the available bandwidth from optical fibers. The status of optical frequency standards for optical communications and other related industrial sectors was reviewed by Knight in "Laser Frequency Standards in the Near Infrared, Coinciding with the Optical Fiber Transmission Bands", Laser Physics, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 345-348, 1994, and by Pollitt, "Standards to Support Light Communications", IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. 44, No. 2, pp.454-45, 1995. The disclosure of these two articles is incorporated herein by reference.
Conventional nonlinear mixing techniques are also limited in demodulation frequency range (e.g., less than 0.5 THz). This reduces system stability and accuracy of measurements. In addition, the limited number of existing frequency standards requires use of multiple stages of conventional nonlinear wave mixing to generate new frequency standards. This often leads to very complex cascaded nonlinear wave mixing and system performance becomes problematic due to low efficiency of many nonlinear processes and limited power available from lasers.
It has been concluded that frequency standards in 1.3 .mu.m-1.5 .mu.m range are needed for technical advances, commercial purposes, and regulatory requirements. Specifically, two frequency standards in each of the 1.3 .mu.m and 1.5 .mu.m bands (separated by unusable water absorption lines near 1.4 .mu.m) are in immediate need with an accuracy at about 1 part in 10.sup.-9.
In addition, metrology standard proliferation would be aided by additional frequency standards in a spectral range that has been covered by current frequency standards in order to increase implementation flexibility/optimization and resource utilization.
In recognition of the above, the inventors have discovered that quantum interference in multi-photon excitation can be used as a basis for a novel frequency metrological system. In accordance with the present invention, quantum interference in multi-photon excitation by multiple radiation fields at different frequencies is used to lock a laser relative to a reference frequency based on one or more known frequency standards, thereby producing a new frequency standard.
One aspect of the invention is a frequency standard generator based on quantum interference in multi-photon process. A preferred embodiment includes an absorbing medium preferably with three pre-determined excitation levels to facilitate a desired two-photon excitation process, at least one known frequency standard, and a frequency-shifting-and-mixing device. A target laser, which is to be established as a new frequency standard, operates in combination with the known frequency standard and a device for frequency mixing and/or frequency shifting to produce three excitation frequencies each corresponding to three different transitions in pre-determined excitation levels. A signal indicative of quantum interference of two different excitation paths affecting a common energy level is preferably used to control the target laser, thereby maintaining the laser frequency at a predetermined spacing relative to the known frequency standard.
Another aspect of the invention is optical demodulation of a carrier signal with a demodulation frequency range several magnitudes larger than what is obtainable in many conventional systems. For example, the two-photon transition sequence 6S.sub.1/2 .fwdarw.6P.sub.3/2 .fwdarw.6D.sub.5/2 in cesium can be used with the preferred embodiment to generate demodulation at 12.5 THz. Other two-photon transitions in cesium or atomic and molecular species can be used in accordance with the present invention to achieve optical demodulation in a range from 10's THz to 100's THz. For example, considering two-photon processes in alkalis elements (e.g., Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs), the inventors discovered demodulation possibilities that extend to about 240 THz.
Still another aspect of the invention is a method for selecting a number of atomic and molecular species as the absorbing medium, thereby making it easier to achieve a wide range of new frequency standards based on a limited number of known frequency standards. In particular, a plurality of new frequency standards can be generated to cover a spectral range from 0.2 .mu.m to 2.0 .mu.m including the 1.25 .mu.m-1.66 .mu.m spectral range for fiber optics. A computerized optimization selection process can be implemented to choose a suitable absorbing medium with desired energy levels.

Opto-electronic device for frequency standard generation and terahertz-range optical demodulation based on quantum interference


The present invention is a continuous medical instrument adapter that safely provides a 180-degree torque force during a surgical procedure while accommodating the range of motion of the surgeon's hand during the surgical procedure. The drive mechanism of said adapter is capable of non-lubricated function, enabling it to be used in a medical environment and to be sterilized without loss of function.

Continuous ratchet drive assemblies are known in the art and used for many applications in tools and machinery. A continuous ratchet drive assembly is characterized by the capability of the gear assembly to receive two input torque forces applied from two different directions and to translate the bi-directional input forces to an output force in a single direction.
There are many situations in which it is desirable for a dual input torque to produce a single output torque because either a human hand or a gear cannot accommodate 180-degree rotation. Continuous ratchet motion is intended to prevent the loss of half the input torque motion.
During a surgical procedure, it is desirable to accommodate the range of motion of a surgeon's hand and to use force effectively, by applying it to the instrument in order to avoid fatigue. However, it has not been possible to apply mechanical principals used for tools and other continuous ratchet drive assemblies to medical instruments.
This is primarily because the instruments known in the prior art rely on entraining mechanisms which engage and slide mechanical components either over or past each other. Entraining mechanisms involve contact between two or more metal components and require lubrication. However, surgical instruments cannot use lubricants. Tools known in the prior art rely upon parts that generally require the use of lubricants or non-medical grade coatings. Additionally, the movement of these assemblies is not precise or stable enough to withstand medical procedures and subsequent sterilization.
Without lubrication, medical instruments are prone to galling. Galling is a form of wear characterized by localized material transfer, removal, or formation of protrusions when two solid surfaces slide against each other.
It is a problem known in the art that medical instruments must be non-galling and capable of functioning without lubricants.
It is also a problem known in the art that all components and assemblies within a medical instrument must be safe, stable, and capable of high precision and smooth movement.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,062 (Marcovici '062) discloses a continuous ratchet drive gear assembly having a reversing mechanism coupling two driving elements. This coupling forces the two ratchet gears together forcing them to always rotate in opposite directions so that one driving element entrains the shaft and the other driving element overruns the shaft. This causes the shaft to always turn in only one direction, regardless of the direction of rotation of the driving elements. The apparatus taught in Marcovici '062 cannot be used in medical instruments because it requires entraining.
The entraining mechanism taught by Marcovici '062 involves substantial sliding contact between two metal elements requiring use of lubrication.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,038 (Inokuchi I '038) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,259 (Inokuchi II '259) disclose a mechanism to convert the linearly reciprocating motion of a radial handle into a unidirectional rotation of an output shaft through a racks and pinion combination utilizing toothed one-way clutches capable of selective deactivation to reverse output shaft rotation. During operation, the pinions slide in contact with a stationary plate, requiring application of lubricant between the metal surfaces that will be in contact. Similarly, the drive gears situated on shafts have metal surfaces that slide in contact with the bottom surface of the sun gear during rotation, which likewise requires application of a lubricant between the metal surfaces of the drive gears and the sun gear to prevent galling and corrosion.
In another example, European patent 2,586,570 A1 (Wang '570) discloses a manual tool having a bidirectional mechanical converting means. In one embodiment, a bidirectional mechanical conversion scheme with a reversing means comprising a reversing element sleeved on the main shaft with openings through which pawls can engage with the toothed inner surface to form a one-way clutch and an elastic element between each pair of pawls to keep the pawls diverging against the toothed inner surface. However, the use of an elastic element cannot be autoclaved and thus precludes use of the reversing mechanism for medical use. Further, an elastic element will not provide the required smooth rotational motion required for use in surgical procedures.
It is desirable to adapt this concept to a medical tool, but there are many engineering issues to overcome, including the use of lubricants and the need to prevent galling.

Continuous ratchet medical instrument drive


Technical solutions are described for executing a computer instruction including an asynchronous operation. An example method includes computing parameters associated with the asynchronous operation, and transmitting a command for executing the asynchronous operation by an external device. The method also includes intercepting and storing, by an interface logic controller, the parameters associated with the asynchronous operation into one or more log registers. The method also includes receiving a response to the asynchronous operation. In response to the asynchronous operation being a success, executing a next instruction by the processing element. In response to the asynchronous operation being a failure, a processing element accesses the parameters from the log registers, and restarts the asynchronous operation using the parameters from the one or more log registers.

The present application relates to computer systems, and more specifically, to recovering from a failure of an asynchronous operation, particularly in the case of resource-constrained processing elements executing a computer executable instruction that includes an asynchronous operation.
In computer systems, an asynchronous, or non-sequential operation is an operation that permits other processing to continue while the asynchronous operation executes independently. In other words, an asynchronous operation represents an operation whose execution can continue independently or in the background. Typically, high latency operations are handled asynchronously in computer systems to increase utilization and throughput of resources in the computer systems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Executing computer instruction including asynchronous operation

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A combustion pressure sensor suitable for a highly precise combustion control system of an automobile engine and a sensing system using the sensor. The combustion pressure sensor includes a SOI substrate having a three-layered structure of a first silicon plate, a thermal oxide film, and a second silicon plate, wherein a combustion pressure is sensed on the basis of a pressure or a force applied to the first silicon plate.

The present invention relates to a sensor for sensing a pressure in a dirty and severe atmosphere, particularly, a combustion pressure of an automobile engine.
As combustion pressure sensors of this type, those using a piezoresistance effect of a silicon semiconductor substrate known, for example, from Japanese Patent Laidopen Nos. Hei 5-264390 and Hei 6-34475, have been already put in practical use. The combustion pressure sensor of this type has a configuration that a sensing portion composed of a silicon semiconductor substrate is separated from a dirty and severe combustion gas atmosphere at a high temperature, using a metal diaphragm. Specifically, a combustion pressure is converted into a force by means of the metal diaphragm, and is then transmitted to the silicon semiconductor substrate disposed at a relatively low temperature portion, at which the force is further converted into an electric signal.
The above-described prior art type pressure sensor is difficult to sense a combustion pressure in a state that the sensing portion is directly exposed to a dirty atmosphere in an automobile engine, which is raised at a high temperature and is rapidly varied in temperature, and is also brought in direct-contact with a combustion gas. In particular, the prior art pressure sensor has a disadvantage that there arises a significantly large sensing error due to a temperature effect exerted on the pressure sensor exposed to an environment raised at a high temperature and rapidly varied in temperature. Another problem is that the sensing portion exposed at a dirty environment at a high temperature is possibly broken for a short time, resulting in the degraded reliability. In addition, the prior art type pressure sensor is difficult to accurately sense abnormal combustion of an engine such as a knocking phenomenon because the sensing portion cannot be directly exposed to a combustion gas atmosphere. To be separated from the combustion gas atmosphere, the sensing portion must be manufactured into a large complex structure at a high cost. The prior art pressure sensor, having a large-sized sensing portion, is poor in mounting characteristic to an engine and is difficult to be mounted in each cylinder of the engine. Additionally, there has been not proposed yet an inexpensive signal processor circuit capable of sensing combustion pressures at a high accuracy when pressure sensors are individually mounted in all engine cylinders.

Semiconductor-type pressure sensor with sensing based upon pressure or force applied to a silicon plate


A film capacitor includes a main body portion shaped in a rectangular prism, and a pair of external electrodes. The main body portion includes dielectric films and metallic films which are laminated, and includes a pair of first faces opposed to each other, a pair of first side faces opposed to each other, and a pair of second side faces opposed to each other, the pair of first side faces connecting the pair of first faces, the pair of second side faces connecting the pair of first faces. The pair of external electrodes is located on the pair of first side faces. The second side faces are covered with an insulating cover layer. The film capacitor includes a grease-containing portion between the second side face and the insulating cover layer, the grease-containing portion including an insulating grease.

For example, a film capacitor includes a dielectric film made of polypropylene resin in film form, and a metallic film formed on a surface of the dielectric film by vapor deposition. The metallic film is used as an electrode. In the film capacitor so constructed, in the event of electrical short-circuiting occurring at an insulation defect point in the dielectric film, the metallic film lying around the defect point is volatilized for release by short-circuiting-induced energy thereby causing electrical insulation in the insulation defect point of the dielectric film. The film capacitor including such a self-healing capability is resistant to dielectric breakdown.
With its resistance to troubles such as ignition or electric shock that arise when an electric circuit electrical short-circuits, the film capacitor has recently been put to an increasingly wider range of uses, including application to a power circuit for LED (Light Emitting Diode) illumination, etc., application to motorized drive for a hybrid car, and application to an inverter system for photovoltaic power generation.
Film capacitors are classified into a wound type and a laminated type. As wound type film capacitors, those in the form of a circular or elliptic cylinder are in common use. As laminated type film capacitors, those in the form of a rectangular prism are used, and advances in miniaturization of laminated type film capacitors have allowed them to grow in use.
In the case of a laminated type film capacitor, it is frequently manufactured by cutting an elongate laminate into separate capacitor main bodies. This, of necessity, requires enhancement in electrical insulation at a cut end surface of each main body. As approaches to achieving greater electrical insulation at a cut end surface, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2015-153998 (Patent Literature 1) discloses a metallic film pattern such that a metallic film left exposed at a cut end surface of a main body is not subjected to voltage application. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 06-236828 (1994) (Patent Literature 2) discloses placement of an insulating resin layer on a cut end surface of a main body.

Film capacitor, combination type capacitor, inverter, and electric vehicle


A convenient and economical method for preparing infrared absorbing cyanine dyes useful in lithographic printing plate precursors is disclosed. The reaction is generally carried out by condensation of a heterocyclic base containing an activated methylene group and an unsaturated bisaldehyde or its equivalent in a solvent or solvent mixture at about 20–150° C. All the reactions necessary for production of the infrared absorbing cyanine dye may be carried out in one reaction vessel without isolating any intermediate products.

In conventional or "wet" lithographic printing, ink receptive regions, known as image areas, are generated on a hydrophilic surface. When the surface is moistened with water and ink is applied, the hydrophilic regions retain the water and repel the ink, and the ink receptive regions accept the ink and repel the water. The ink is transferred to the surface of a material upon which the image is to be reproduced. Typically, the ink is first transferred to an intermediate blanket, which in turn transfers the ink to the surface of the material upon which the image is to be reproduced.
Imageable elements useful as lithographic printing plate precursors typically comprise an imageable layer applied over the hydrophilic surface of a substrate. The imageable layer includes one or more radiation-sensitive components, which may be dispersed in a suitable binder. Alternatively, the radiation-sensitive component can also be the binder material. Following imaging, either the imaged regions or the unimaged regions of the imageable layer are removed by a suitable developer, revealing the underlying hydrophilic surface of the substrate. If the imaged regions are removed, the precursor is positive working. Conversely, if the unimaged regions are removed, the precursor is negative working. In each instance, the regions of the imageable layer (i.e., the image areas) that remain are ink-receptive, and the regions of the hydrophilic surface revealed by the developing process accept water and aqueous solutions, typically a fountain solution, and repel ink.
Imaging of the imageable element with ultraviolet and/or visible radiation is typically carried out through a mask, which has clear and opaque regions. Imaging takes place in the regions under the clear regions of the mask but does not occur in the regions under the opaque regions. However, direct digital imaging, which obviates the need for imaging through a mask, is becoming increasingly important in the printing industry. Imageable elements for the preparation of lithographic printing plates have been developed for use with infrared lasers. Thermally imageable elements are disclosed, for example, in Shimazu, U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,311, U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,812, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,593,055; Patel, U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,811; Savariar-Hauck, U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,669, U.S. Pat. No. 6,528,228; West, U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,532; Parsons, U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,899; McCullough, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2002/0136961; and WO99/21715; Haley, U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,907; Nguyen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,601; Kobayashi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,319; Busman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,134; and WO 00/17711.
Thermally imageable elements that are to be imaged with infrared radiation, such as with a laser or an array of lasers emitting modulated near infrared or infrared radiation in the range of about 800 nm to about 1200 nm, typically about 830 nm, about 1056 nm, or about 1064 nm, typically comprise an infrared absorber known as a photothermal conversion material. Photothermal conversion materials absorb radiation and convert it to heat.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/384,989, filed Mar. 10, 2003, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses thermally imageable elements in which the photothermal conversion material is a cyanine dye in which the anion is polysulfonate anion. When these dyes are used as photothermal conversion materials in imageable elements, especially in negative working imageable elements in which the imageable layer comprises a photothermal conversion material, an acid generator, an acid activatable crosslinking agent, and a polymeric binder, the resulting printing plates have improved dot stability. However, these dyes are difficult to prepare and must be prepared by multistep syntheses. Thus, a need exists for a more convenient method for preparing these dyes.

Process for the preparation of cyanine dyes with polysulfonate anions


A through-wall bushing defines a protected passage through a wall or similar structure, and includes a first member having an axially extending threaded portion. A second ring member is threaded onto the first member and clamps the wall structure between opposing flanges of the first member and second ring member. At least one friction inducing locking mechanism is configured on at least one of the threaded surfaces of either the first or second member, or both members. This friction inducing locking mechanism has a configuration that increases the degree of torque required to tighten and loosen the respective members upon the threads engaging the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has a shape so that, once engaged with opposite threads, the torque required to loosen the members is greater than the torque required to further tighten the members.

The present invention relates to through-wall bushings wherein a protected passage is defined through a wall or compartment for cables, pipes, and the like.
Through-wall bushings are well known in the art for providing a protected passageway for cables, wires, and any other device that must pass through a wall or other structure. Typically, these bushings comprise separate members that fit into an opening or hole defined in the wall and which clamp onto opposite sides of the wall. In one conventional embodiment of such a bushing, the separate members are threaded together and are thus threadedly tightened onto the wall structure to clamp the wall structure between opposing flanges. The male member of the pair defines the protected passageway and the other member is typically a ring member that is threadedly engaged onto the male member.
It is desirable that such bushings be used for wall structures having various thicknesses so that separate bushings need not be provided for each different wall structure. In other words, the bushings should be versatile enough to be used on varying thickness wall structures. In this regard, conventional threaded bushings are axially adjustable at least along the length of their engaging threaded portions. However, with such conventional devices, an external means or device must be provided to ensure that the bushing remains tightened relative to the wall structure and that the members will not disengage or loosen due to vibration, and the like. These external locking devices are cumbersome, often render the bushing non-reusable, and add significantly to the expense of the bushings. Additionally, it is often desirable that the bushings be manually adjustable, even after they are set initially into the wall structure. This is generally not possible with conventional bushing devices employing external locking mechanisms.
The present invention relates to an improvement in conventional threaded bushings and addresses the problems with the conventional bushings noted above.


A multi-conductor interconnect for a microelectronic device incorporates multiple conductors and integrated shielding for the conductors. The multi-conductor interconnect includes first and second groups of conductors interleaved with one another within a dielectric structure. One of the groups of conductors may be coupled to a reference voltage node to provide shielding for the other group of conductors. The multi-conductor interconnect may further include a shield layer extending over some portion, or all, of the conductors of the first and second groups.

Many forms of microelectronic devices such as IC (integrated circuit) packages include one or more semiconductor die which are coupled to another structure, such as another die or a supporting substrate through various mechanisms. One example technique used in many microelectronic devices is wire bonding between respective contact pads on a die and contact pads on another die, substrate, etc. Such wire bonding requires placement of individual wires extending between the respective locations. In some systems, shielding wires coupled to a voltage reference may be interspersed between some number of signal carrying wires to attempt to minimize crosstalk and other interference. However, because the wires are independent structures, following similar but not identical paths, the provided shielding is less than optimal. Additionally, such wire bonding wires provide minimal shielding relative to external devices or structures and yield substandard channel impedance control due to non-ideal current return paths. As a result, the transmission line impedance performance of wire bonded interconnects is commonly significantly above preferred levels (currently believed to be in the range of 60 to 95 ohms, and preferably in the range of 80-85 ohms). Such impedance mismatch or discontinuity further obstructs the enabling of high speed interconnects, for example in excess of about 2 Gbps or greater, hence limiting device performance scaling.
Additionally, wire bonding increases the vertical height (Z-dimension) of the device, as extra height is needed above the die or other structure to accommodate the nail head of the wire bond, and the loop required for forming a radius extending down to a lower structure. Additionally, in microelectronic device packages including stacked die, the need to provide this loop clearance for wire bonds may require the use of spacers or interposers between die to provide the required space for the wire bond, which further increases the Z dimension of the package. In many microelectronic devices there may be many interconnections required between one or more die and other structures. For example a single die can require, in many cases, forming electrical connections with 200 contacts on the die, with electrical connections with 400 to 500 contacts, and even more contacts, on a die being common. Forming each interconnection individually, as is required with conventional wire bonding techniques, can require substantial assembly throughput time.

Multi-conductor interconnect structure for a microelectronic device


A display device that incorporates a supplemental flexible display that is stored within a main body of the display device is presented that is able to optimize the operation of the display device by controlling an application that is displayed on the supplemental flexible display. The display device is optimized by relating certain applications as being optimized to be displayed for certain display sizes, where the display size is determined by a pulled out length of the supplemental flexible display. This is done because a display size may have a significant impact on the effectiveness of certain applications.

Portable display devices have come to play an important role in many people's lives. To emphasize the portability of these display devices, the trend has been to make new portable display devices smaller in size. The obvious trade off for making smaller portable display devices that are easier to carry around is that the display screen size is sacrificed. Consumers are then left with the choice of sacrificing portability for a larger screen size, or sacrificing screen size for increased portability.
However the use of various types of flexible display screens have been introduced for use on portable display devices where the shape of the display screen is able to be deformed. These flexible display screens allow a user to enjoy the benefits of portability without the sacrifice in display screen size. One such example is a portable display device that employs a rollable type flexible display screen.
Now with a flexible display screen, a user is able to adjust a size of a viewing screen by adjusting the length of the flexible display screen that is exposed. It follows that certain applications and programs may be optimized to run for certain viewing screen sizes.

Optimization of application execution based on length of pulled out flexible display screen


An dual phase pulse modulation (DPPM) encoder circuit converts data into a series of high and low signal pulses, each of whose time durations or pulse widths represents a group of M data bits, with the alternating high and low pulses representing successive groups. The encoder circuit may include a set of parallel-in, serial-out shift registers that subdivide received data words into the M-bit groups, a state machine that specified the pulse durations for each received group, e.g., by incrementing a state that indicates selected signal pulse transition times, a system clock delay chain with multiple taps, a multiplexer controlled by the state machine for successively selecting different taps, and a toggle flip-flop that is clocked by the multiplexer output.

Communication signals are typically classified according to modulation type. Each of the various forms of modulation has its own set of advantages and disadvantages relative to a specific application for which it will be used. Some factors to consider in choosing a particular form of modulation include bandwidth, power consumption requirements, and the potential for signal propagation errors and recovery of the original information. For digital data, whether a separate clock signal is required or the modulated signal is self-clocking may be important. The relative simplicity or complexity of the modulating and demodulating equipment or circuitry may also be a factor in the decision. Low power consumption is particularly sought for use with capacitive-loaded transmission lines.
Each type of modulation has specialized encoder circuitry for performing the modulation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,679 to Roylance discloses a pulse width modulator (PWM) circuit that includes a clock delay circuit with multiple taps, a tap selection circuit making a selection based on a pulse code input, and a transition generating circuit that generates the PWM output from the selected delayed clock. The pulse code input is interpreted by a timing instruction processing instruction circuit that generates a corresponding vector output that indicates when timing transitions associated with the PWM output should occur.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,664 to Rust et al. describes a modulator used for RF interference reduction that produces clock pulses with a series of different phase displacements by using a delay chain with a plurality of taps to provide various phase delays of a clock, an up/down counter serving as a selector module that sequentially renders active different ones of its output lines, and a multiplexer circuit made up of AND gates with one input receiving the various delayed clocks and another input receiving the selector output lines and OR gates propagating the selected delayed clock to the output.

Dual phase pulse modulation encoder circuit


An object is to allow a user to watch a moving image more comfortably. A control section (20) includes: a displayed area correcting section (25) configured to make a correction of a location of a displayed area in a whole image so as to follow a specific subject contained in the moving image; and a follow-degree deciding section (24) configured to decide, in accordance with a displacement of the specific subject per unit time, a degree to which the specific subject is followed in the correction.

A technique by which a moving image with a wide angle of view is prepared in advance and a partial area of the moving image is displayed on a display section has been developed. For example, in a case of a head-mounted display, a partial area, which corresponds to a user's field of view, of a moving image with a wide angle of view (e.g., 360-degree all-around image) is a "displayed area" that is actually displayed on the display. Patent Literature 1 discloses a head-mounted image display device that displays images as intended by a user by deciding which image range to generate next in accordance with information on the position of the head of the user and information on rotation of the head of the user.
Independently of the above-described technique, there is also an image stabilization (blur correction) technique for moving images. This technique is to crop frame images of a moving image such that a certain subject contained in the moving image appears substantially at the same location. According to this technique, even if the location of the subject in the frame images changes due to shaky hands, the subject appears substantially at the same location in cropped images. Displaying these cropped images achieves displaying the original moving image with blur corrected.

Display control device, method for controlling display control device, and storage medium