An image projection device includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire a first ratio of a second distance to a first distance. The first distance is a distance between a projecting unit that projects a projection image and a first point in a projection area on which the projection image is projected. The second distance is a distance between the projecting unit and a second point in the projection area. The image projection device also includes an estimating unit configured to estimate, using the first ratio, light/dark levels of respective division areas into which the projection area is divided; and a light/dark-level processing unit configured to perform light/dark-level processing on areas in the projection image corresponding respectively to the division areas in accordance with the corresponding light/dark level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image projection device, a light/dark-level processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there have been known techniques of equalizing the intensity of light on a projection screen in an image projection device such as a projector that projects an image of contents. For example, there has been a technique of equalizing the intensity of light on a projection screen by designing an optical system so as to collect more light at a longer distance from a projection lens (light source).
An image projection device that projects a projection image in a diagonal direction enables projection on a large screen from a short distance. This kind of device such as an image projection device with a short focus lens as a projection lens have different distances to the projection lens in some cases by several times between screen areas, one closer to the projection lens and the other farther away from the projection lens. Thus, it is difficult to equalize the intensity of light on the projection screen with the above-mentioned technique, which has caused the deterioration of visibility of the projection image.
The deterioration of visibility of a projection image can be prevented by adjusting not the intensity of light but the projection image. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-162808 discloses a technique in which the position of a presenter is recognized from an image obtained by capturing the presentation site with a camera, and then a projection image is projected with decreased brightness in an area on the projection image corresponding to the recognized position of the presenter.
While the above-described conventional technique aims to decrease projection light shed on the presenter, it is difficult for this technique to prevent the deterioration of visibility of the projection image due to influence of the intensity of light.
Therefore, there is a need to provide an image projection device, a light/dark-level processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium that are capable of improving the visibility of a projection image.

Image projection device, light/dark-level processing method, and computer-readable storage medium


This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods for providing pain relief to a patient. Recording circuitry may receive electrical signals corresponding to evoked compound action potentials in the patient that may be produced in response to external stimulation of a location where the patient is experiencing pain. The received electrical signals may be stored in a memory. Internal stimulation may then be applied to the patient and control circuitry may receive electrical signals corresponding to evoked compound action potentials in the patient that may be produced in response to the internal stimulation. The control circuitry may then adjust electrical parameters of the internal stimulation, such as to reduce a difference between the electrical signals corresponding to evoked compound action potentials produced in response to the internal stimulation and electrical signals corresponding to evoked compound action potentials produced in response to the external stimulation.

Neuromodulation, has been proposed as a therapy for a number of conditions. Examples of neuromodulation include Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS), Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS), and Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). Implantable neuromodulation systems have been applied to deliver such a therapy. An implantable neuromodulation system may include an implantable neuromodulator, also referred to as an implantable pulse generator (IPG), and one or more implantable leads each including one or more electrodes. The implantable neuromodulator may deliver neuromodulation energy through one or more electrodes placed on or near a target site in the nervous system, and an external programming device may be used to program the implantable neuromodulator with stimulation parameters controlling the delivery of the neuromodulation energy.
Neuromodulation energy may be delivered using electrical energy that may have stimulation parameters to specify spatial (where to stimulate), temporal (when to stimulate) and/or informational (stimulation patterns directing the nervous system to respond as desired) aspects of a pattern of neuromodulation pulses.

Systems and methods for determining neuromodulation parameters

Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation


Methods for receiving a high-energy EUV beam and distributing EUV sub-beams to photolithography scanners and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include receiving a high-energy primary EUV beam at a primary splitting optical assembly; splitting the primary EUV beam into primary EUV sub-beams; reflecting the primary EUV sub-beams to beam-splitting optical arrays; splitting the primary EUV sub-beams into secondary EUV sub-beams; reflecting the secondary EUV sub-beams to EUV distribution optical arrays; and distributing simultaneously the secondary EUV sub-beams to scanners.

Generally, in fabrication of an IC device, a photolithography (or lithography) process may be utilized to print/pattern various layers of a circuit design onto a surface of a silicon (Si) substrate for creating various devices (e.g., transistors) and circuits to form the IC device. In lithography, typically a ultra-violet (UV) light/beam is radiated onto a photomask, which may mask or expose areas on the substrate that are to be blocked from or patterned by the UV light, respectively. With continued progress of the semiconductor industry toward shrinking technology nodes and a high-volume manufacturing model, a need exists to shrink the wavelength used for photolithography in order to print higher resolution features. One such wavelength to achieve this scaling is in the extreme UV (EUV) region of the electromagnetic spectrum; hence a need exists for a compatible EUV source of sufficient power and subsequent distribution system. However, development and implementation of such systems have been slow. Although a single-source high-power free-electron laser (FEL) system, which is widely deployed around the world at scientific user facilities, may be utilized to provide EUV light, challenges such as compatibility of a FEL system with a fabrication facility (fab), total output power, economic considerations, and the like remain. Additionally, distribution of EUV light from a single high-power source to multiple scanners (e.g., associated with multiple photomasks) without a significant loss (e.g., absorption of EUV light by elements in the system) is inherently challenging.
FIG. 1A illustrates example components of a FEL and a beam distribution network. A FEL is divided into several key components, namely the linear accelerator (Linac) and radiator/end station. The Linac is composed of an electron (e) source, a gun/injector 101, and a series of electron accelerators 103, which are typical superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities. The electron gun/injector defines the parameters of the generated electrons, while the SRF cavities accelerate the electrons to relativistic speeds. For an FEL, undulators 105 are used to oscillate the electrons thereby generating radiation proportional to the undulator period and magnetic strength for a given electron beam energy. After the undulators 105, the electron beam is either dumped at 107 or recycled and the generated radiation is utilized at the designated end station. In lithography, a beam distribution network 109 may be utilized to distribute EUV sub-beams 111 to EUV scanners 113.
FIGS. 1B through 1D illustrate example light distribution networks associated with a photolithography process. FIG. 1B illustrates an undulator switchyard network that may be utilized to split an FEL beam. By passing the beam through a plurality of undulators 115, consisting of a series of alternating polarity magnets, and electron beam switches 117, which are selectable polarity magnets used to direct the electron beam to each undulator, the beam may oscillate according to the magnetic field direction of each undulator and can produce multiple isolated EUV photon beams 119 for distribution to multiple scanners. However, issues associated with an undulator switchyard network include a high cost and a complex design for manipulating the electron beam through the undulators. FIG. 1C illustrates a time-multiplexing network where a series of mirrors 121 may be utilized to reflect a single EUV beam 123 onto a series of scanners 125 one at a time. However, as the EUV beam may be reflected only to one scanner at a time, this method could not support the simultaneous use of multiple scanners in a high volume manufacturing process. FIG. 1D illustrates a split edge mirrors network where a focused EUV beam 127 may be reflected onto a mirror 129 that is at a grazing incidence angle (less than 30 degrees relative to the surface), wherein an edge of the mirror may reflect a portion of the EUV beam to a scanner corresponding to that mirror. In this network, a plurality of mirrors may be utilized to provide simultaneous EUV beams to corresponding scanners. However, there could be substantial loss in power of the reflected EUV beams where the loss may be due to manufacturing and polishing techniques in the optical industry, high surface roughness and non-uniformity at the edges of the mirrors, or the like issues that could reduce reflectivity of the EUV beams at the edges of the mirrors.
A need therefore exists for a methodology for splitting a high-power FEL beam and, without substantial power loss, providing simultaneous EUV beams to photolithography scanners.

Method and device for splitting a high-power light beam to provide simultaneous sub-beams to photolithography scanners


A novel cyclodextrin polymer with ultra-fast adsorption performance is provided. A cyclodextrin polymer having a three-dimensional network structure is obtained by mixing and crosslinking a cyclodextrin with a rigid crosslinking agent and a non-rigid crosslinking agent at a certain temperature. The polymer is capable of adsorbing a plurality of organic pollutants in water at an ultra-fast rate, and the polymer after adsorption is easily regenerated by simple washing at a normal temperature, and is repeatedly used without causing a decrease in adsorption performance.

Cyclodextrin is a general term for a class of cyclic oligosaccharides obtained by hydrolysis of starch, usually containing 6 to 12 glucose units. Those that have been studied more and have practical significance are molecules containing 6, 7, and 8 glucose units, called α, β, and γ-cyclodextrin respectively. Cyclodextrin has a circular hollow structure, which is hydrophilic outside and hydrophobic inside, and thus can form a host-guest inclusion compound with various target molecules.
Since cyclodextrin has certain water solubility, it is usually prepared into various cyclodextrin polymers as needed. To date, most of the cyclodextrin polymers are obtained by crosslinking reaction of a cyclodextrin with a flexible crosslinking agent such as citric acid or epichlorohydrin. This type of reaction is easily carried out in aqueous phase, and the obtained cyclodextrin polymer has a certain swelling property. But, since all the crosslinking agents used are non-rigid, the molecular segments of the generated cyclodextrin polymer are interwound, resulting in such cyclodextrin polymers being non-porous and having a low specific surface area (<10 m2/g), which limits the application thereof. In particular, as adsorbents, their adsorption rate is relatively slow, and it usually takes several hours or more to reach adsorption equilibrium.
Recently, in order to solve such problems, Alsbaiee et al. prepared a porous cyclodextrin polymer (P-CDP) with a high specific surface area by making a crosslinking agent that has a rigid structure react with a cyclodextrin. Due to the introduction of the rigid structure, the molecular chains of the resulting polymer are difficult to bend freely, and the intermolecular packing is not tight, forming a microporous structure. This cyclodextrin polymer exhibits a very fast adsorption effect on various organic pollutants in water, and the adsorption rate can reach 15 to 200 times that of activated carbon and ordinary non-porous cyclodextrin polymer.
However, in the prior art, the synthesis of the above-mentioned porous cyclodextrin polymer P-CDP requires a reaction in an organic phase for a relatively long time (48 h), which limits the industrial production thereof. Although Alsbaiee et al. also prepared a cyclodextrin polymer (NP-CDP) using a cyclodextrin and a rigid crosslinking agent in the aqueous phase, the resulting polymer was non-porous and the adsorption rate to organic pollutants was very slow. Therefore, how to prepare a cyclodextrin polymer material in a simple manner in the aqueous phase while maintaining its fast adsorption performance has become a new subject.

Cyclodextrin polymer with ultra-fast adsorption performance


In a video signal transmission method and system wherein a signal containing a video signal is bidirectionally transmitted and received in a substantially real time in video appliances coupled via a transmission path to each other, a digital signal containing a digital video signal is time-compressed, and a transmission operation is controlled in such a manner that a transmission period and a no transmission period are alternately produced in a preselected period. Then, the time-compressed digital signal is transmitted to the transmission path during the transmission period, whereas another digital signal transmitted via the transmission path from the video appliance on the counter side is received during the no transmission period. Then, the received digital signal is time-expanded to reproduce the original signal.

The present invention relates to an apparatus such that two video appliances such as a television camera and a controlling unit thereof (will be referred to a "CCU", i.e., Camera Control Unit) are coupled with each other by employing a single transmission path through which a video signal, an audio signal, and a control signal are multiplexed and transmitted in a bidirectional manner.
Conventionally, in case that for example, a television camera (will be abbreviated as a "camera" hereinafter) is coupled with a CCU, and the video, audio, and control signals are multiplexed and transmitted between them in the bidirectional manner, such a conventional method is well utilized in that the triple coaxial cable called as "TRIAX" is frequency-divisionally multiplexed. In this conventional method, as represented in FIG. 2, three sorts of video (picture) signals R, G, B obtained from the camera 1 and four sorts of audio signals A1, A2, A3, A4 obtained therefrom are transmitted from the camera 1 to the CCU 2. On the other hand, the video signal M for a monitor (not shown), the audio signal A5 for instructing a cameraman (not shown either), and the control signal D for controlling the operation of the camera 1 are transmitted from the CCU 2 to the camera 1.
Also, to bidirectionally transmit a plurality of signals to a single cable 7, these signals occupy the different frequency bands (ranges), as represented in FIG. 3, by amplitude-modulating the carrier waves with the different frequencies. As a result, all components can be separated in the camera 1 and the CCU 2 without any interference from the signals present on the cable 7 at the same time by way of the filter provided on either the camera 1 or the CCU 2.
In FIG. 4, there is shown a schematic structural diagram of the conventional analog transmission system. In this drawing, a signal transmitting/receiving apparatus 143 is connected to a camera 131. Another signal transmitting/receiving apparatus 144 is connected to a CCU 138. These transmitting/receiving apparatuses 143 and 144 are coupled with each other by a transmission cable 135. Reference numerals 139, 140, 141, 142 show gate circuits capable of separating a transmission signal from a reception signal. The video signal, the audio signal, and the control signal, which are obtained from the camera 131, are processed in a frequency division/multiplex processing circuit 132 of transmitting/receiving apparatus 132 in such a manner that carrier waves having different frequencies are amplitude-modulated (AM) to produce signals having different frequency bands (ranges), and then these AM signals are multiplexed. Then, the multiplexed signal is transmitted via a cable 135 to the CCU 138 side. On the CCU side 138, the multiplexed AM signal transmitted from the camera 131 side is separated by a filter employed in a separating circuit 137 in such a way that all of the signal components contained in this multiplexed signal are separated without any mutual interference.
Similarly, the video signal, the audio signal, and the control signal, which are derived from the CCU 138 side, are processed in another frequency division/multiplex processing circuit 136 in such a manner that these signals are modulated to obtain the modulated signals having different frequency bands from those of the AM signals used in the camera side 131, and then these modulated signals are multiplexed. Then, the multiplexed signal is transmitted to the camera 131 side. On the camera side 131, the multiplexed signal transmitted from the CCU 138 side is separated by way of a filter of another separating circuit 133.
As described above, a plurality of signals are transmitted via a single cable 135 in the bidirectional manner. Here, in the television camera system, these apparatuses must be synchronized with each other. For instance, when a plurality of camera systems (a single camera system is constructed by a set of a camera and a CCU) are operated at the same time, video signals produced from a plurality of cameras must be synchronized with each other.
In such a television studio system that a selection is made of any one of plural camera systems and an image outputted from the selected camera system is externally sent out, the frame phases of the image signals derived from a plurality of camera systems must be mutually made coincident in order that when the plural camera systems are switched, the images are not interrupted, or not brought into synchronous states. This treatment implies the camera synchronization.
Conventionally, such a synchronizing operation is known in the art that one sync (synchronization) signal is commonly supplied to all of the CCUs, and the synchronizing operations are carried out in the respective CCUs on the basis of this single sync signal. Similarly, the respective cameras are synchronized with the respective CCUs based on this single sync signal. With employment of such a system, a plurality of camera systems can be synchronized with each other.
Referring now to FIG. 4, the synchronizing operations between the camera 131 and the CCU 138 will be described.
To synchronize the video phase of the camera 131 with the video phase (for instance, frame phase) constituting the operation bases for the respective apparatuses employed in the CCU side 138, conventionally, the video phase signal (for example, frame signal) 9 of the CCU 138 is modulated and multiplexed in a similar manner to the video signal, and then the resultant signal is transmitted to the camera 131. On the camera 131 side, the video phase signal is separated from the multiplexed signal transmitted from the CCU 138 by way of the filter of the separating circuit 133. Then, a reference video phase signal is produced in a reference video phase signal generating circuit 134, so that the camera 131 is operable on the basis of this reference video phase signal. As a result, the video phase of the camera 131 may be synchronized with the video phase of the CCU 138.
With employment of the above-described synchronizing methods, both of the synchronizing process in the video phases between the camera and the CCU, and also the bidirectional signal transmission could be achieved in the conventional transmission systems. However, all of these signal synchronizing processes are carried out in the analog form. That is, since the signals are amplitude-modulated to be transmitted in the above-described multiplex transmission apparatus, the video signal and the audio signal produced from the camera side, or the CCU side are adversely influenced by the cable characteristic or the filter characteristic, resulting in deterioration of the signal characteristics. As a consequence, the conventional multiplex transmission systems owns such a problem that there is a limitation in the signal transmittable distance.
On the other hand, the transceiver with the bidirectional simultaneous transmitting/receiving system is disclosed in PCT patent application No. WO91-02414 opened in 1991 in the radio communication field.

Method for bidirectionally transmitting digital video signal and digital video signal bidirectional transmission system


The present invention provides a server including: a communication unit; a storage unit; and a controlling unit. The communication unit is configured to communicate with a printer. The controlling unit is configured to store a job in association with error data in the storage unit upon receiving the job and the error data from the printer via the communication unit. The error data indicates details of an error that has occurred when the printer is executing the job.

Conventionally, printing systems possessing a printer and a server have employed a technique such as that described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-203068 for saving the job being printed on the printer to the server when an error occurs during the printing operation and for subsequently returning the saved job to the printer once the error has been resolved to resume the printing operation.

Printing system uploading job stored on printer to server


A compensating method and apparatus is provided which collectively compensates for variations in a variety of characteristics in respective circuit portions of a signal processing circuit. A correction data generator is provided for generating correction value data for correction to be made for an output signal of the signal processing circuit, in order to compensate for variations in the characteristics of the at least one circuit portion. Also, a compensator is connected to receive an output signal from the signal processing circuit as well as to receive the correction value data from the correction data generating means, for correcting the output signal in accordance with the respective correction value data corresponding to the at least one circuit portion to generate a compensated output signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to signal processing circuits such as measuring circuits, and more particularly to a compensating apparatus and method for collectively compensating for variations in characteristics of such signal processing circuits caused by a variety of factors. The present invention is also directed to a collectively-compensating-type signal processing circuit provided with such a compensating apparatus.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, when a measuring device is to be used, warm-up time is provided for the device prior to measurements, during which the measuring device is placed in an operable environment such that circuits within the measuring device has reached a thermally balanced state. For example, devices such as a standard signal generator, spectrum analyzer, power meter, TV level meter, and so on, require a warm-up time of at least 30 minutes or more, normally one hour. Particularly, with electronic circuits arranged within devices associated with high frequencies, since they must be designed to exhibit a low impedance, electric power consumed by respective parts correspondingly becomes large. Some of such devices require a warm-up time of not less than two hours.
Also, a conventional measuring device is externally provided with correction tables (e.g., a correction table for correcting erroneous indications caused by varying temperatures or frequencies) for correcting errors due to variations which cannot be compensated for within the circuits of the measuring device, i.e., variations which cannot be attended to by existing circuit techniques. Thus, the user refers to such correction tables to find a corrected indication value in the table corresponding to an output value indicated by the device.
Conventional signal processing apparatuses including measuring devices as described above, thus, has a drawback that they require long warm-up time and therefore cannot be used immediately after power on. Also, the long warm-up time makes a battery less suitable for powering the device. The measuring device using external correction tables renders the measurement inconvenient and complicated. Further, it is difficult, or expensive even if possible, to compensate for complicated short- or long-term variations occurring in conventional signal processing circuits through the use of conventional circuit techniques.

Compensating apparatus and method for signal processing circuit


An implant assembly including a main implant and a secondary implant to fix the main implant in a relative position. The secondary implant being passable into a unprepared bone structure to securely fix the main implant in place. The secondary implant including a conduit to flow a flowable material that is able to securely interconnect the secondary implant with the bone structure.

Orthopedic procedures to repair the bone structures of an anatomy, such as the human anatomy, generally require fixing grafts or implants to a bone structure. The fixation of a first or primary implant to a bone structure often requires a second implant or implant portion to engage the bone structure to fix the primary implant in place. Therefore, the secondary implant must be able to engage both the bone structure and the primary implant to ensure a proper fixation and stabilization of the bone structure for healing.
When the bone portion to which the secondary implant is affixed is a strong and healthy bone, fixation of a secondary implant is generally problem free. Nevertheless, injury to bone portions are generally more prevalent with already weakened or otherwise damaged bones. Therefore, the purchase of the secondary implant into the bone portion is generally more problematic. The secondary implant may strip the bone portion into which it is implanted or loosen over time due to degradation of the bone portion.
Although purchase of a secondary implant into a bone portion can be increased by increasing, for example, the depth of the thread of a screw or including bone engaging portions on the secondary implant, the purchase of the secondary implant can still be weakened over time due to further degradation of the bone. In addition, the interior of a weakened bone can already include gaps and pores that are larger than a healthy bone thus further reducing the purchase of the secondary implant into the bone portion.
Providing a system or implant that can increase purchase in a weakened bone portion is therefore desirable. Moreover, it is desirable to provide such an implant without requiring multiple portions to be implanted into the bone portion. It is desired to provide an implant that can be implanted into the bone portion to securely hold a primary implant without requiring numerous surgical procedures or a plurality of revision procedures for a single implant procedure. Moreover, it is desired to provide an implant that can securely fix a primary implant to a bone portion, that is substantially weakened due to disease, using a substantially strong and fast fixation method.

Method and apparatus for cement delivering buttress pin


A crossbar device includes an outer tube with an inner tube retractably received in the outer tube, an adjusting device disposed to the outer tube and having two pawl members pivotally disposed therein which has a connecting member connected therebetween and the connecting member is actuated by an actuating member disposed to the adjusting device. A pressing member is movably received in the adjusting device and has an end thereof engaged with one of the pawl member so that when pushing the pushing member downwardly, the pawl members are pivoted and disengaged from an toothed surface of the inner tube so that the inner tube is freely moved corresponding to the outer tube.

A conventional crossbar device for limiting cargoes in a truck trailer from falling is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. When cargoes 11 are stacked or received in the truck trailer 10, the crossbar device is often used to prevent the cargoes 11 from falling, especially when the cargoes 11 do not occupy all the interior space of the truck trailer 10. Generally, the crossbar device includes an outer tube 20, an inner tube 21 which has a second end thereof retractably received in a first end of the outer tube 20, and an adjusting means 30 fixedly connected to the first end of the outer tube 20 so as to position the inner tube 21 corresponding to the outer tube 20. The outer tube 20 has a first contacting member 201 disposed to a second end thereof and the inner tube 21 has a second contacting member 203 disposed to a first end thereof so that when the inner tube 21 is positioned by operating the adjusting means 30, the first and the second contacting member 201, 203 contact against two sidewalls 204, 205 of the truck trailer 10 so that the cargoes 11 are limited from falling during transportation. The adjusting means 30 includes a handle 31 from which two plates 310 extend, a cover member 300 connected to the two plates 310, and a first pawl 32 and a second pawl 33 respectively and pivotally connected to the two plates 310. Each of the first pawl 32 and the second pawl 33 has a protrusion 321, 331 extending laterally therefrom so that a flexible connecting member 34 is connected therebetween. The inner tube 21 has a toothed upper surface 22 so that the two pawl members 32, 33 are disengagably engaged with the toothed upper surface 22. The cover member 300 has an aperture 301 defined in a top thereof so that an actuating member 35 is pivotally inserted such that when pulling the actuating member 35, a lower end of the actuating member 35 depresses the flexible member 34 and pushes the two pawl members 32, 33 downwardly to engage with the toothed upper surface 22. When pivoting the handle 31, the inner tube 21 is pushed away from the outer tube 20 by the two pawl members 32, 33 like an operation of a known ratchet tool. When re-adjusting the position of the inner tube 21 corresponding to the outer tube 20, the actuating member 35 is pulled not to depress the flexible member 34 and the inner tube 21 is therefore freely pulled or pushed. However, the two pawl members 32, 33 drop because of gravity so that when rapidly pulling or pushing the inner tube 21, the inner tube 21 could be stopped by the pawl member(s). Furthermore, the adjusting means 30 is fixedly disposed to the first end of the outer tube 20 by welding at position 202 so that a total length of the adjusting means 30 and the outer tube 20 is so long that occupies space when being transported.
The present invention provides a crossbar device wherein an inner tube thereof can be rapidly moved corresponding to the outer tube without interruption by the pawl members. Such a crossbar device is expected to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantage of the conventional crossbar device.

Crossbar device for limiting cargoes from falling


This stereo camera system is constituted of a stereo optical module which acquires a stereo image, a central control unit which evaluates an object as a target based on the stereo image acquired by the stereo optical module, and a communication line through which stereo image data output from the stereo optical module is input to the central control unit. Further, in this stereo camera system, an image output processing circuit which performs predetermined image processing with respect to the stereo image acquired by the stereo optical module is provided in the stereo optical module, whereby this image output processing circuit performs a correction arithmetic operation which corrects unbalance at the time of capturing the stereo image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stereo camera system and a stereo optical module which can be mounted in a mobile body such as a vehicle, a marine vessel, an aircraft or a robot, or a non-mobile body such as a monitoring camera system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various kinds of propositions have been made with respect to an imaging device which captures a so-called stereo image including left and right two images having parallaxes in one image.
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 211469-1999 proposes a stereo image processing system in which a stereo imaging unit (a stereo optical module) which captures a stereo image by using a pair of cameras is combined with an image processing unit (a central control unit) which processes a captured stereo image. A non-volatile memory which stores camera characteristic data is provided in this stereo imaging unit in order to correct irregularities in characteristics of the pair of cameras. Further, when such a stereo imaging unit and a stereo image processing unit are connected with each other through a communication line, correction data stored in the non-volatile memory can be transferred/output to the stereo image processing unit through the communication line. Further, stereo image data imaged by the cameras in the stereo imaging unit is output as analog type video signals to the stereo image processing unit through the communication line, and a correction arithmetic operation is performed in the stereo image processing unit based on these analog type video signals and the correction data input from the stereo imaging unit.
Furthermore, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 328413-1999 proposes an imaging device (a stereo optical module) which is connected with an image processing unit (a central control unit) through a one-system analog image signal cable, thereby selectively transmitting each stereo image by using this image signal cable.
Moreover, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-88609 proposes a vehicle-mounted camera which can transmit an output from a temperature sensor to an image recognition device through a serial communication line by connecting the vehicle-mounted camera (a stereo optical module) with the image recognition device (a central control unit) by using a video signal line and the serial communication line and further having mounted the temperature sensor which detects a temperature in the vehicle-mounted camera.
Additionally, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-259966 proposes a system comprising a plurality of vehicle-mounted cameras (stereo optical modules) and a periphery recognition device (a central control unit).

Stereo camera system and stereo optical module


The present invention provides a method for producing a conducting doped diamond-like nanocomposite film containing, as basic elements, carbon, silicon, metal, oxygen and hydrogen. The film is produced as follows: a substrate is disposed in a vacuum chamber, and a voltage of 0.3-5.0 kV is applied to the substrate; a gas discharge plasma with an energy density of more than 5 kilowatt-hour/gram-atom of carbon particles is generated, and an organosiloxane compound is evaporated into the plasma; a beam of particles of a dopant is introduced into the plasma; and a film is grown on the substrate to produce a conducting doped carbon nanocomposite film with a predetermined relationship of atomic concentrations of carbon, metal and silicon. The film surface is coated with a silicon dioxide layer. A unidirectional alternating current is passed through the film in a current generator mode to effect electric thermal exposure of the film. As the result, a conducting doped diamond-like nanocomposite film having a multilayer structure is produced.

A method for producing a conducting metal-containing diamond-like nanocomposite film containing, as basic elements, carbon, silicon, metal, oxygen and hydrogen, and disposed on a dielectric substrate is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,493. The method for producing the film is the following: A holder with a substrate of a dielectric material is placed in a vacuum chamber. A voltage of 0.3-5.0 kV with a frequency within the range of 1-25 MHz is applied to the substrate holder, and the substrate is maintained at a temperature of no more than 200-500° C. A gas discharge plasma with an energy density over 5 kilowatt-hour/gram-atom of carbon particles is generated in the vacuum chamber. Organosiloxane heated to a temperature of 500-800° C. is evaporated into the plasma to serve, while being decomposed in the plasma, as a source of carbon, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen. A beam of particles of a dopant in the form of atoms or ions is introduced into the vacuum chamber along with the plasma. A pressure of no more than 3×10−4 torr is maintained in the vacuum chamber, and atoms or ions of carbon, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen, as well as atoms or ions of the dopant are deposited on the substrate.
The resulting film is an amorphous isotropic structure consisting of three networks: a basic network diamond-like carbon network where the atomic concentration of carbon in the film is 40% of the total atomic concentration of the elements; a second network of an oxygen-stabilized silicon network, effectively glassy silicon; a third network of metal atoms filling the nanopores in the system of the two other networks, where the atomic concentration of the metal atoms is 20-25% of the total atomic concentration of elements. The third network determines the conductivity of the film. Since the film is formed at low temperatures of 200-500° C., all three networks: the carbon network, the amorphous silicon network and the amorphous metal network, are coupled to each other by weak chemical links, and the film microstructure is in a metastable state. It is claimed that the film exhibits a high degree of stability at elevated temperatures as high as 1250° C. This compares with crystalline diamond, which exhibits stability to heat up to 1100° C. It is claimed that the key to such properties lies in the absence of clusters and planar formations larger than 10 Å in the film structure, enabling the structure to stay in the metastable state at high temperatures. It is also claimed that clusters break the local symmetry in the structure and act as degradation centers.
This conventional method for producing a metal-doped diamond-like nanocomposite film has significant deficiencies. Contrary to the claims in U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,493, recent detailed investigations have revealed that the structure of the highly doped film produced by the above method exhibits nanoclusters of a size in the range of 30-500 Å, which are revealed by investigations with a scanning tunneling microscope. Apparently due to the film porosity, which appears in this case under high temperature conditions in the presence of oxygen atmosphere, an increased diffusion of oxygen into the film takes place, accompanied by carbon bum-out at high temperatures. Moreover, the clustering of the film results in instability of the metastable nanostructure with weak chemical links when the film is heated in use to higher temperatures. For the aforementioned reasons, instability of the film microstructure is already seen at a temperature of about 600° C., and this is accompanied by a temperature and time instability of electrical resistance of the film. The produced films exhibit a high electrical resistance exceeding the values mentioned in the description to the patent, apparently due barrier resistances at interfaces between the clusters.
Furthermore, the diamond-like properties of the film are related to atomic concentration of carbon at a level of 40% of the total atomic concentration of the elemental composition. The method for producing the film does not guarantee, due to its complexity, one-to-one reproduction of atomic concentrations of the elements contained in the film. Reduction in the carbon concentration leads to loss of the diamond-like properties and decreases the percent yield of films with diamond-like properties of the total quantity of the produced films.
The diamond-like films produced by the above method and having an atomic concentration of carbon of about 40% and an atomic concentration of metal of 20-25% exhibit insufficient plasticity, leading to destruction of the film-substrate system at high temperatures if a film having a thickness from fractions of a micron to a micron is produced on a thin substrate having a micron-sized thickness. Such service conditions of the film appear e.g., when the film is used as a resistive impedance heated by a current.
The aforementioned deficiencies of the conducting doped diamond-like nanocomposite films restrict the range of their application in practice.
The closest prior art is a method for producing a conducting doped diamond-like nanocomposite film containing, as basic elements, carbon, silicon, metal, oxygen and hydrogen, including the steps of: disposing a holder with a substrate of a dielectric material in a vacuum chamber; applying a voltage of 0.3-5.0 kV with a frequency within the range from 1 to 25 MHz to the substrate holder and maintaining a temperature of the substrate within the range from 200 to 500° C.; generating, in the vacuum chamber, a gas discharge plasma with an energy density of more than 5 kilowatt-hour/gram-atom of carbon particles; evaporating into the generated gas discharge plasma an organosiloxane compound heated to a temperature of 500-800° C. to serve as a source of carbon, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen while being decomposed in the plasma; introducing a beam of particles of a dopant in the form of atoms or ions into the vacuum chamber with the gas discharge plasma; depositing atoms or ions of carbon, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen, as well as atoms or ions of the dopant on the substrate to obtain a conducting doped carbon nanocomposite film as described in Russian patent No.2118206 (1998).
The method is aimed at production of films having a uniform composition throughout the volume. The result is attained by maintaining a pressure of no more than 1×10−4 torr in the vacuum chamber before initiating the process of depositing the film. The voltage is subsequently applied to the substrate holder, and a ceramic leak valve through which an organosiloxane compound is supplied into the vacuum chamber is heated to a temperature of 500-800° C., and argon is supplied into the chamber until the plasma reaches a steady-state combustion. After holding during 5-10 min to establish thereby a stationary deposition process, the substrate is isolated from the plasma flow, and the pressure of argon in the chamber is raised to 2×10−3 torr. Then the organosiloxane compound delivery is started and a source of dopant particles is enabled at the same time, and after expiration of 3-4 minutes the substrate is no longer isolated in order to provide growth of the film on the substrate. The dopants are not restricted to metals, but may also be nonmetals, chemical compounds, etc. Selection of the dopant is dictated by predetermined properties of the films to be produced.
A deficiency of the closest prior art method is that, like the preceding conventional method, the produced films consist of nanoclusters and exhibit a metastable microstructure with weak chemical links. As the result, instability of the film microstructure is already seen at a temperature of about 600° C., leading to a temperature and time instability of electrical resistance of the film at elevated temperatures, thereby impairing the film resistance at high temperatures and with thermal cycling.
The aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art method for producing doped diamond-like films restrict the range of practical application.

Method for producing a conducting doped diamond-like nanocomposite film and a conducting doped diamond-like nanocomposite film


Applications are downloaded to a device from a cloud-based service by establishing trust with between the device and a host system. The host system and the cloud-based service have a pre-existing trust relationship.

The Internet has allowed users to access and use various web services. Traditionally, such access to these services was through the use of computers. However, access to the Internet has progressed to other devices, such as mobile devices, including smart phones. Technology progresses allowing other devices, appliances, and platforms to access the Internet. In particular, such a platform includes automotive vehicles.
Cloud-based services are certain Internet services available to users. In cloud-based services, computing or processing can take place at various physical and virtual servers (i.e., computing devices) that are not particularly known by a user. To the user, the cloud-based service is performed somewhere on the Internet. Where the service is physically performed, the user does not know or necessarily care to know. Cloud computing allows a device to free itself of certain processing, including accessing data and performing tasks related to the cloud-based service.
It is possible to implement applications on mobile devices that control and obtain status information from other devices through a cloud-based service. One such usage scenario is to connect a mobile device to an Internet-connected host or host system, such as a personal computer (PC), a television (TV), set top box, another mobile device, or a vehicle, through a cloud-based service.
Furthermore, properly downloading applications to a mobile device, and authenticating the mobile device to access the host, can be problematic. An application may include executable software and/or data. In certain cases, an application may be used to access and control a host system through the mobile device. In many instances, a user performs multiple steps to properly download, install, and configure an application to a mobile device.

Connecting mobile devices, internet-connected hosts, and cloud services


A vascular prosthesis comprising a first layer having a predetermined first porosity and a second layer having a predetermined second porosity, wherein the first layer and the second layer are each made of first and second electrospun polymer fibers.

The present invention relates to an improved vascular prosthesis and, more particularly, to a non-woven vascular prosthesis having improved biological, physical and mechanical properties and improved drug-delivery capability.
Tubular prostheses are commonly used as vascular grafts to replace or bypass damaged or diseased veins and arteries. When replacing blood vessels, grafts should have radial tensile strength sufficient to resist tearing and collapse in response to the pulsating pressure of the blood flowing therethrough. The elastic properties of grafts are crucial in order to allow conformation to the complex geometry of the body. Therewithal, grafts should be able to bend without breaking and without kinking, in order to ensure continues blood flow.
Artificial blood vessels and vascular prostheses are well known in the art. In particular, prosthetic devices made of polymer materials which typically exhibit a microporous structure that in general allows healthy tissue growth and cell endothelization, thus contributing to the long term healing and patency of the prostheses. Grafts having sufficient porous structure tend to promote tissue ingrowth and cell endothelization along the inner surface thereof. Increasing the porosity of vascular grafts leads to high permeability to blood during and following implantation. A typical method for avoiding severe blood leakage during implantation, is to clot the graft before implantation by patient blood or a biodegradable component such as albumin, gelatin, collagen or fibrin. Another disadvantage of highly porous vascular grafts, is a considerable reduction of the mechanical and tensile strength of the graft, and as a consequence the ability of the graft to remain in the proper position inside the body vasculature becomes weak. Furthermore, low mechanical and tensile strength may even lead to tearing of the graft. Examples for highly porous grafts are polyethylene terephtalat (PET) vascular prostheses fabricated as woven or knitted textiles which are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,527,353; 4,441,215; 4,695,280; and 5,584,875.
In a natural arterial tissue, the diameter of the blood vessel may vary up to 15% as a function of blood pressure. This characteristic of natural blood vessels, named compliance, is of crucial importance when manufacturing an artificial blood vessel. A compliant wall should act as an elastic reservoir, absorbing energy during systole and releasing energy during diastole. A rigid vessel wall diminishes the pulsatile component of the diastolic recoil, thereby reducing the energy available for distal perfusion. It has been demonstrated experimentally that incompatible compliance of a vascular graft and the host artery is detrimental to graft performance [Baird R. N., Abbott W. M. "Pulsatile blood-flow in arterial grafts", The Lancet, 1976; 30; 948-9; Abbott W. M., Megerman J. M. et al. "Effect of compliance mismatch upon vascular graft patency", J. Vasc. Surg. 1987, 5; 376-82].
Over the years, efforts have been made to fabricate prosthetic grafts having compliance, which are similar to that found in human arteries [Reed A. M., Potter J, Szycher M., "A solution grade biostable polyurethane elastomer: Chronoflex AR" Journal of Biomaterials Applications 1994; 8:210-36; Edwards A, Carson R. J; Bowald S., "Development of microporous small bore vascular graft", Journal of Biomaterials Applications 1995; 10:171-87]. Hence many vascular grafts are either available commercially, or presently under development [Brewster D. C., Rutherford R. B., "Prosthetic Grafts", Vascular Surgery 4th ed. Philadelphia; Saunders W. B., 1995; 492-521; Quinones-Baldrich W. J., Busutill R. W., Baker I. D. et al. "Is the preferential use of PTFE grafts for femoropopliteal bypass justified?", J. Vasc. Surg. 1988; 219-228]. However, no known graft material has satisfactory compliance properties.
Large and moderate diameter, vascular prostheses are typically made of expanded polytetrafluorethylene (ePTFE), by extrusion, drawing and sintering process to produce a tube with a porous wall. Grafts made of ePTFE and methods for the production thereof are found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,628,786; 4,306,318; and 5,061,276. In regard to improved mechanical strength of vascular grafts, different ePTFE grafts have been proposed, and can be found for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,125, which relates to an implantable microporous ePTFE vascular prosthesis having multiple layers. An additional example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,786 which discloses a vascular graft formed of ePTFE having a reinforced structure that enables radial expansion of the graft and that stabilizes the graft against longitudinal compression. However, ePTFE suffer inherently from low compliance, which limit the use thereof when manufacturing vascular grafts.
Attempts have also been made to provide grafts characterized by both high compliance and high porosity, by the utilization of fiber polyurethanes. However, many polyurethanes, including those based on polycarbonate soft segments, have insufficient long-term biostability. Recently, siloxane-based aromatic polyurethanes have been developed, which have acceptable biostability even for thin fibers [In Vivo Degradation of Polyurethanes: Transmission FTIR Microscopic Characterization of Polyurethanes Sectioned by Cryomicroscopy. MaCarthy S. J. at al., Biomaterials 18, 1387 (1997); Polydimethylsiloxane (polyether-mixed macrodiol-based polymethane elastomers) biostability, Martin D. J. et al., Biomaterials, 21, 1021-1029 (2000); PCTAU 91/00270; PCT/AU 99/00236; PCTAU 98/00497; PP 9917].
Electrospinning is a method for the manufacture of ultra-thin synthetic fibers which reduces the number of technological operations and increases the stability of properties of the product being manufactured. In regard to vascular prostheses, electrospinning and electrospinning-like manufacturing methods are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,562,707, 4,645,414, 5,639,278, 5,723,004 and 5,948,018. According to the electrospinning method, fibers of a given length are formed during the process of polymer solution flow from capillary apertures under electric forces and fall on a receptor to form a non-woven polymer material, the basic properties of which may be effectively altered. Being electrically charged, the fibers fall on the receptor in a manner that minimizes the pore size deviation. As stated, high porosity may affect the mechanical and tensile strength of the graft.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, a vascular prosthesis and method for production thereof, devoid of the above limitations.

Vascular prosthesis and method for production thereof


The present invention provides a wheelchair armrest adjusting mechanism comprising a support unit having a horizontal support connected to a top of an upright support, and a plurality of locking units located one side of the horizontal support; wherein an armrest has a slide channel for engaging with the horizontal support, a stop hole for creating a passage to the slide channel in order to fit one of the locking units when the stop hole is aligned with the locking unit, and a control unit fitted in the stop hole for pushing against the locking unit. When the control unit is pushed and held, the armrest can be slid along the horizontal support to align with one of locking units; and when the control unit is released, the locking unit is pushed into the stop hole and thereby locks the armrest in place.

Most of wheelchairs in the market consist of the armrest fixedly located at both sides of the wheelchair, so that a user can rest his/her arms on the armrests or use the armrests as a support to get up from the wheelchair. Since the armrests are mostly fixed at both sides of the wheelchair, as a result, they are not adjustable in accordance with the heights or body sizes of the users, neither do they fulfill the specific needs of the disable users when certain circumstantial conditions arose Therefore, the conventional wheelchairs with fixed armrests are inconvenient and difficult to be used by disable people.
Therefore it is an objective of the present invention to provide an adjusting mechanism for wheelchair armrests, so that a wheelchair user can adjust and lock the armrests easily to a suitable position.


In one embodiment a locking mechanism for a hinge, comprises a housing defining a chamber which is to contain a magnetorheological (MR) fluid, a bias mechanism which disposed at a first end of the chamber, a piston disposed at a second end of the chamber, the piston to be coupled to a hinge rotatable about a first axis, wherein rotation of the hinge about the first axis translates the piston laterally in the housing on a first side of the chamber, and a magnet positioned proximate the housing to change the MR fluid from a first state in which the MR fluid exhibits a low viscosity to a second state in which the MR exhibits a high viscosity. Other embodiments may be described.

The subject matter described herein relates generally to the field of electronic devices and more particularly to a locking mechanism for one or more hinge assemblies.
Some electronic devices utilize a notebook chassis. By way of example, many portable computers (e.g. traditional laptop, detachable, or convertible) and mobile electronic devices utilize a notebook chassis in which a keyboard is disposed on a first section and a display is disposed on a second section which is coupled to the first section by a hinge. Alternatively, a "clamshell" style laptop can consist of displays, e.g. at least one display on a first section and possibly one or more displays, that can also be utilized as a touch keyboard, on a second section coupled to the first section by a hinge.
Touch screen user interface is becoming increasingly common with all electronic devices, and most notably with mobile devices. In some instances, touch screen operation may cause the display to rotate due to the force applied to the screen, by the user. Locking assemblies, or at least the ability inhibit the rotation of a display on a notebook chassis may find utility.


A method, a node and a machine-readable medium are provided for dynamically adjusting a beam of an adaptive antenna array (302). A receiving node (101) receives, via a group of antenna array elements (302), a signal from a transmitting node (101). Each received signal from the antenna array elements (101) is digitized and recorded. K+1 output signals are generated from the recorded digitized signal. The k+1 output signals are generated by applying each of a group of weight sets to the recorded digitized signal. Each of the weight sets corresponds to a different one of k known neighboring nodes (101) and a weight set for generating an omnidirectional propagation pattern. Which one of the k+1 output signals to process is determined. The determined one of the k+1 output signals is processed and the packet encoded in the determined one of the k+1 output signals is decoded.

Omnidirectional antennas can detect and generate signals equally well in all directions. Even when a location of a remote communication device is known, however, transmissions to the remote device via an omni-directional antenna can cause energy to be transmitted in wrong directions as well as the right direction. Similarly, when receiving transmissions from a remote device via an omnidirectional antenna, signals from the remote device may be received, as well as interfering signals from devices in different locations around the omnidirectional antenna. The amount of interfering signals may be high, especially if transmitting devices also use omnidirectional antennas.
A switched beam antenna may transmit or receive signals using one of a number of predetermined beams. The antenna may use any one of the predetermined beams that is expected to provide the strongest signal between the antenna and an intended communication device. Thus, a switched beam antenna may provide less interference than an omnidirectional antenna because signals are not transmitted and received in all directions, but are transmitted and received, more or less, in a direction of interest. Further, because transmission and reception are directed in a particular direction, the range of transmission and reception may be increased in the particular direction.
Unlike switched beam antennas, adaptive array antennas do not have predetermined beams. An adaptive array, or electrically steerable, antenna permits a gain pattern to be dynamically modified. Adaptive array antennas include a number of array elements attached to separate antennas. Each array element may transmit or receive a radio frequency (RF) signal simultaneously. Given different gains and/or phases applied to each array element (weights), arbitrary constructive and destructive propagation patterns can effectively be created, thereby causing antenna patterns of gains and nulls.
Typically, adaptive array antennas are used to steer a beam in a previously known direction. This is a difficult task in a wireless network, such as an ad hoc network in which all nodes are moving and signals may be received from any direction at any time. Therefore, there is a need for an adaptive array antenna that can perform dynamic beamforming on a signal arriving from any direction.


A mower including a hitching structure configured to be connected to a motor vehicle, a cutting mechanism, a maneuvering device configured to bring the cutting mechanism from a working position to a maneuvering position, and a lightening device configured to transfer a part of the weight of the cutting mechanism onto the hitching structure, the lightening device including a hydraulic cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general technical field of agricultural machinery. It relates more particularly to a mower comprising:                a hitching structure intended to be connected to a motor vehicle;        a cutting mechanism extending during work transversely to a direction of advance;        a carrier beam connected on one hand to the hitching structure by means of a first pivot articulation with a horizontal axis and on another hand to the cutting mechanism by means of a second pivot articulation whose axis is substantially parallel to the axis of the first articulation;        a maneuvering device intended to bring the cutting mechanism from a working position, in which it rests at least partially on the ground, to a maneuvering position in which the cutting mechanism extends somewhat above the ground;        a lightening device intended to transfer at least a part of the weight of the cutting mechanism onto the hitching structure, the lightening device comprising a hydraulic cylinder fed with oil by at least one hydropneumatic accumulator by means of a first pipe, the hydraulic cylinder being arranged so as to exert an upward torque on the cutting mechanism.
2. Discussion of the Background
Such a mower is known in the prior art particularly through document FR-A-2 794 934. With this known mower, the maneuvering device intended to bring the cutting mechanism from a working position to a maneuvering position is achieved by means of a second hydraulic cylinder. This second hydraulic cylinder is also arranged so as to exert an upward torque on the cutting mechanism. With this known mower, the user may thus advantageously pass from a working position to a maneuvering position without having to modify the position of the hitching structure relative to the motor vehicle. The operation of this known mower gives the user full satisfaction. However, the cost generated by the installation of the second hydraulic cylinder is not negligible. Thus this solution is rather intended for mowers which have a large working width and whose relatively high-initial cost price is little influenced by the extra cost due to the second hydraulic cylinder.

Agricultural mower maneuvering and lightening devices


A foldable touch screen display device with a flexible display made up of segments that can be folded from a compact state to an expanded state which also includes a peripheral enclosure mechanism. The peripheral enclosure mechanism can be automatically repositioned to rotate out of a channel as the device is being folded in such a way that it can close the gap at the sides of the device between two flexible display segments when the device is fully configured to a folded state. The device may further include sensors to indicate the state of configuration and mechanisms for alignment, locking, and further structural support. In one embodiment, a module attached to, situated within, or otherwise associated with at least one segment of the flexible display or rigid display may contain all or substantially all processing and memory, along with a communications system, which may be used in any state.

The use of handheld computing devices today has been significantly enabled by a number of advancements in electronics, including the miniaturization of components, an increase in processing speeds, improved memory capacity, and the optimization of battery efficiency. Advancements in touch screen display technology have also enabled interfaces to become more adaptable and intuitive to use on a small scale. Because of these enormous improvements over the last decade, the differences in the performance between handheld computing devices, such as mobile phones, and larger computing devices, have become increasingly subtle.
One of the great difficulties in using a small-scale touch screen device, however, is in the fact that it can often be cumbersome to physically interact with. This is especially apparent when selecting and manipulating features and inputting text, which can sometimes be imprecise for a user. In such handheld computing devices as a touch screen mobile phone, the limited size of the display can also significantly reduce the viewing capacity while watching videos, using graphic-intensive applications, and reading text. The rigid nature of a standard touch screen display can also limit the portability of a device when its form factor is in the larger size range for a phone, or at the scale of a tablet, which makes folding a desirable feature. Additionally, because a radius is required along the folding axis of a flexible display when it is in a folded state, a wedge-shaped folded configuration is typically required for the display to retain its functionality. However, this can leave a gap along the side of the device where dirt and debris can access the display when the device is configured in its folded state, which can potentially cause damage to the display.
There is therefore a need for touch screen display devices that can be adjusted in size without sacrificing the convenience of being small and handheld. There is also a need for a peripheral enclosure at the sides of a foldable device that can close the gap between each flexible display segment without comprising the functionality of the display or increasing the thickness of the device and limiting the available space inside for components.

Peripheral enclosure mechanism for a flexible display device


The invention relates to an apparatus and method for directing a conveyed product on a conveyor. The apparatus includes a filing channel that includes the ability to adjust the location of at least one end of the filing channel. In one embodiment, the filing apparatus includes a plurality of cards successively arranged wherein the cards are supported by a support member. The cards define the filing channel and the shape of the channel is maintained despite repositioning at least one end of the filing channel.

Production, packing, and related industries are highly reliant upon automated systems. Mass production, particularly, requires highly automated systems that are efficient and cost-effective. This is perhaps best actualized in terms of conveyor systems that transport, arrange, and otherwise direct a product being manufactured or altered in a mass production environment.
Conveyor systems are essential to move the product between numerous production stations. Often the stations are themselves automated so that the product must be constantly arranged on the conveyor in order for the production stations to properly engage the product. The flow of articles will typically need to be arranged in a number of rows or columns suitable for the specific production station that operates in conjunction with the conveyor system.
The reliance on the conveyor system is also a production liability. It is known that the conveyed product can become improperly arranged upon the conveyor system. The conveyor system might also upset, tip over, or otherwise displace the product to the point that the product blocks the remaining product flow. A company's margin is often dependent on a high production rate, which is in turn dependent on conveyor line speed, efficiency and utilization. As such, consistent or even intermittent stoppages in production that require human intervention can be a significant financial liability.
One particular problem area of existing conveyor systems is when columns of products exiting a multi-column production station must be consolidated into a lesser number of columns (or vice versa). The conveyor must include a product conveying apparatus that uninterruptedly consolidates a mass or multiple columns of a product so as to rearrange that mass or columns into a new, specific number of columns without any conveyor stops. On the other hand, it may be necessary to take a relatively low number of product columns moving at a high production rate and rearrange them to a larger number of outgoing columns. The production rate at each production station may be different. Increasing or decreasing the number of columns of product presented to each production station accounts for this variance in production capabilities between production stations.
An even more difficult production problem exists where the columns of products at any given point on the conveyor line comprise columns moving at different production speeds. In other words, in a four column system, it may happen that the product in columns 1 and 2 move more quickly than columns 3 and 4. The different production rates may only occur in one zone of the conveyor system. On the other hand, each production station may process each column at different speeds.
It is also known for one or more columns in a multi-column production station to malfunction so that production is stopped for that particular column(s). A product directing system will need to service the quicker moving columns more often than the slow moving production columns. Likewise, it is important for a product directing system to not direct products into a stopped production column until production in that column can be resumed. Nevertheless, existing product directing systems fail to adequately account for these occurrences.
A typical product directing system may include sidewalls bounding the conveyor wherein the sidewalls are angled inwardly to create an increasingly narrow travel path. Dividers can then be arranged to separate the constricted product flow into individual columns. The entry and exit points are largely fixed.
This approach, and other known methods, are highly disposed to upsetting (tipping over) the product, damaging the product, or otherwise jamming or blocking the conveyor system. Other known shortcomings exist. Accordingly, there is a need for a more stable and efficient conveyor directing system and method. The conveyor directing system would ideally act to support the product and would operate in an efficient, simple, and cost-effective manner. A product directing system and method in accordance with the present invention would effectively organize, sort, direct, or redirect an item on a conveyor system, as needed.

Method and apparatus for a conveyed product directing system


A new and improved apparatus for an object tossing game includes an object for tossing and a target assembly which includes a number of cylindrical cans and a base unit for supporting the cans. The tossed object can be a soft, lightweight, resilient ball. The base unit includes a floor and a semi-circular back board. Two cans are located relatively close to the back board and are assigned lower point values than one can that is located relatively far from the back board. A flexible, roll-up support surface is provided for supporting the target assembly. The support surface can include indicia which indicate a number of predetermined positions at which the target assembly can be placed, or at which a player can stand, on the support surface. The predetermined positions on the support surface are representative of different levels of difficulty for a player to successfully target a can in the target assembly. The support surface can be rolled up into a housing which includes a coiled spring which supplies the energy for rolling up the support surface. In an alternative embodiment, two target assemblies and two flexible, roll-up support surfaces are provided. Two coiled springs are provided in a housing for rolling up the two respective roll-up surfaces after the respective target assemblies have been removed from the surfaces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to games involving tossing an object to a target and more particularly, to a game involving accurately tossing a series of balls into an array of a plurality of target containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Games in which an object is tossed or thrown toward a target are well known. For example, the game of horseshoes involves tossing a horsehoe onto a stake driven into the ground. Making holes in the ground is an undesirable side effect of playing horseshoes. Horseshoes are heavy and pose a danger to a person who would inadvertently be hit by a tossed horseshoe. Moreover, certain susceptible persons would incur muscle strains in tossing the heavy horseshoes during a game.
As another example, the game of basketball involves tossing a ball through a hoop. The basketball is a relatively large and weighty object, and the hoop is installed at a relatively high location, often requiring large and weightly supports for the hoop.
Yet another example of a game in which objects are thrown or tossed at a target is the game of darts. Darts are inherently dangerous in view of their sharp, penetrating points. In general, it would be desirable if a game were provided in which an inherently harmless object were tossed or thrown to a target.
In addition to the games discussed above, some additional games are disclosed in the prior art patents cited below. U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,192 of Matsumoto et al discloses a game in which objects (rings or balls) are thrown at a moving target. In Matsumoto et al, the moving targets have complex mechanical oscillatory mechanisms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,175 of Ricks et al discloses a game apparatus in which a target includes a scoring port that has a substantially horizontal portion disposed on a backboard assembly. The scoring port also includes an angled portion wherein the angled portion and the horizontal portion are joined along a common edge at an obtuse angle, preferably less than about 135 degrees. The ball is first bounced off of a playing surface before the ball lands in the scoring port.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,335 of Galvin discloses a toss ball game device that includes a cord which is fastened to two spaced apart support posts that are vertically mounted from the ground. An alarm is connected to the cord. The player may score a point by tossing a ball at the cord and hitting it. The alarm signals each point made. This game requires a large surface area to play and requires a plurality of holes to be made in the ground.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use targets for tossed objects in games, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest an apparatus for a ball tossing game which does not require making holes in the ground, which does not use heavy tossed objects, which does not pose a danger to a person who would inadvertently be hit by a tossed object, which will not cause susceptible persons to incur nuscle strains from tossing a heavy object, which does not require large and weighty supports for the target, and which does not require a large surface area to play the game.
The foregoing disadvantages are overcome by the unique apparatus for a ball tossing game of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.


Automated sampling and aggregation of performance or other dynamically varying data facilitates user productivity by making data available for a wide range of uses. An automated sampling and aggregration system includes one or more types of data collectors, including a dedicated data collector per machine, multiple data collectors per machine, or an instance-less data collector.

System administrators on a daily basis can manage databases or other servers that have a large number of installed applications. System administrators configure the databases or servers to meet various administrative goals or management policies, such as, providing the data in a recoverable format in preparation for a system failure. In addition, the system administrator should monitor the policies for updates, report on the state or health of the system (e.g., whether it is conforming to the desired policy), react when the system no longer conforms to the desired policy, as well as other actions.
In order to perform such actions, the system administrator translates policies into a set of detailed low-level actions that are utilized to configure the system. This requires significant knowledge of the options exposed by the installed applications and the details and semantics of the deployed applications since system administration is generally not easy and intuitive. The system administrator may establish separate monitoring and reporting mechanisms and, if automation is desired, it has to be established manually. The system administrator repeats this process individually for every target being managed, thus, there are no efficiencies of scale in management. This results in redundant time and effort being expended for each managed target. In addition, to ensure that a machine or system is performing as desired, a system administrator has to collect data from various sources, which can be time consuming and tedious.
Therefore, to overcome the aforementioned as well as other deficiencies, what is needed is automated sampling and aggregation of performance or other dynamically varying data to make such data available for a wide range of uses.


A roofing removal apparatus for stripping shingles, roofing paper, tar paper and nails from roof decking prior to replacing and installing new shingles. The inventive device includes a frame having a pair of guide members with tapered ends, a motor having a drive shaft, a circular blade attached to the drive shaft for cutting nails and shingles, a handle adjustably attached to the frame, and a shield removably attached to the frame for enclosing a portion of the circular blade. The tapered ends of the frame project under the shingles while the circular blade simultaneously cuts the nails and shingles. The shingles are elevated along the tapered ends until they are completely removed from the roof decking. The circular blade ensures that all nails within the roof decking are cut flush to the surface of the roof decking.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to roofing removal devices and more specifically it relates to a roofing removal apparatus for stripping shingles, roofing paper, tar paper and nails from roof decking prior to replacing and installing new shingles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are numerous roofing removal devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,450 to Welborn; U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,906 to Torbenson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,766 to Himebaugh; U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,491 to Jacobs et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,165 to Jacobs et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,972 to Testa, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,430 to Nichols; U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,439 to Marra; U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,699 to Olkkola; U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,578 to Mims et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,593 to Oliverius all are illustrative of such prior art.
Welborn (U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,450) discloses an electric motor, a self-propelled frame with the motor driving the frame forward and with front mounted rotary cutter heads disposed from a reversely turning, rotatably driven shaft for removing the shingles.
Torbenson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,906) discloses a frame having a handle, a pair of wheels, a motor, and cutter assemblies fixed to the axle having a coil spring portion connecting a cutter portion.
Himebaugh (U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,766) discloses an apparatus having a frame on which is mounted a vertically reciprocable blade having a leading edge adapted to be accommodated beneath a strip of roofing material. The reciprocal movement of the blade causes the roofing material overlying the leading edge to be freed from and lifted off the roof.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for stripping shingles, roofing paper, tar paper and nails from roof decking prior to replacing and installing new shingles. The prior art inventions are incapable of effectively removing all of the nails securing the shingles, therefore workers must either remove or the nails manually or drive them into the roof decking so as to not injure the new shingles. None of the prior art teaches an invention which utilizes a rotary blade for cutting various sizes of nails used to secure shingles to the roof decking. Further, none of the prior art teaches an invention which leaves a swaged surface free of nails upon the roof decking after removal of shingles.
In these respects, the roofing removal apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of stripping shingles, roofing paper, tar paper and nails from roof decking prior to replacing and installing new shingles.


The invention relates to a modular plant (1), in particular a modular industrial plant, comprising a plurality of cuboid-shaped plant modules (20, 40, 40a, 40c), which are arranged in two or more layers stacked one above the other. The modules have a support structure having fastening points (24, 24′, 44, 44′), wherein the fastening points are provided for connecting a module to corresponding fastening points of the adjacent modules of a layer located above and/or below thereof. In the horizontal plane, the modules of a layer are connected to the adjacent modules of the layer located above and/or below thereof in a form-fit manner by means of a connection element (64) having the shape of a double cone or of a double conical frustum. At least one traction device (62, 70, 80) having a tension member (62) is provided, by way of which traction device a bottom layer of modules (40a) or a foundation block (6) can be impinged upon with a tensile force along the vertical, with respect to a top layer of modules (40c) such that along the vertical, the modules between said bottom layer (12) and said top layer (11) and the adjacent modules of the layer located above and/or below thereof are positively pressed together at the fastening points and are thus fixed in place.

For certain facilities, in particular industrial facilities, supply facilities, production facilities, etc., it may be desirable to construct them in a modular manner, for example to allow rapid and efficient adaptation to new requirements. This may be the case for chemical production facilities, for example, when a change in the product to be produced makes it necessary to adapt or exchange the individual components. Such large chemical facilities frequently require the arrangement of a fairly large number of facility modules in multiple assembly levels situated one above the other. For this purpose, several types of open framework structures and also enclosed buildings are known in the prior art.
In industrial facilities, facility elements are often used which create vibration, for example motors, turbines, etc. Industrial facilities must therefore preferably be constructed so that such vibrations are not able to propagate in the overall structure, or-allowed to build up.
Large industrial facilities, in particular chemical manufacturing facilities or oil refineries, are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquakes or storms. In regions having an increased risk for such catastrophes, or in particularly endangered areas, for example densely populated areas, such facilities must be constructed in such a way that they are able to withstand extreme external influences. The spatial dimensions as well as the modular construction of such facilities, which is often present, make it very difficult to meet this requirement. In addition, the number, types, sizes, and weights of the individual facility modules (components) usually vary greatly from facility to facility. Furthermore, the characteristics of a facility may change considerably over its lifetime, for example because the capacity utilization of the facility fluctuates, or because the facility is rebuilt and facility modules are replaced, removed, or added. Having to adapt the support structure of such a facility to new circumstances often requires expensive modifications to its usually complicated architecture, based on complex, costly dynamic structural-mechanical analyses.
A modular construction is likewise advantageous for industrial facilities that must be efficiently dismantled and made transportable, for example to be transported to a remote location and reconstructed. Examples of possible applications here are power plants, processing facilities, control facilities, etc., that are required in mining, but which may have to be updated after a few years.
EP 0572814 A1 discloses a chemical facility having a multi-story structural unit having various building segments with superposed rooms. The facility components together with the associated connections are accommodated in these rooms on mobile stands. The facility components may be quickly removed from the rooms and exchanged on the stands from the sides. In contrast, the basic structure is fixed, and cannot be easily modified or exchanged.
Modular systems should advantageously be made up of relatively small-volume individual parts so that they may be efficiently transported. The assembly and disassembly, in turn, should be possible without major construction effort.
It is known to assemble individual modules the size of standard cargo containers, for example to erect a temporary building for large construction sites. Such modular systems are easy to transport due to the standard sizes of the modules, and may be stacked next to and on top of one another, the same as normal cargo containers. However, such structures have only limited stability, and in particular are not protected from high mechanical stresses such as those occurring during earthquakes, for example.
Further systems are known from the prior art for constructing buildings that are protected in particular from natural disasters such as earthquakes and storms.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,844 describes structures for creating one- or multi-story buildings, having wall elements that are pretensioned in the vertical direction via tension rods. Due to the pretensioning of the wall elements, they are stabilized against external wind effects and earthquakes.
WO 2005/121464 A1 describes frame structures for earthquake-resistant modular buildings, in which the beams are brought together to form connecting nodes, so that forces from the beams are concentrically transmitted to these nodes.
WO 95/30814 A1 describes vibration-damped and earthquake-resistant buildings, made up of a deformable vertical core building and an outer structure surrounding same, which are connected by means of energy-absorbing damping elements. The outer structure comprises a lower portion that is supported against the subsurface, with vibration damping, and an upper portion supported thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,708 describes a modular system for vibration-damped building structures. The system has a frame structure with essentially rectangular receiving areas into which modular units may be inserted. The receiving areas each have vibration-insulating elements.
WO 2014/074508 A1 describes a system for connecting modular units, in which in each case eight stacked cuboid-shaped modules that meet at the corners are joined by means of a plate. The connecting plate is screwed to the roof beams of four modules of a lower layer that abut at the corners. Four modules of an upper layer are placed with their base beams on the connecting plate, a correct orientation of the modules being ensured with annular pins. In each case two superposed connecting elements are braced together by tension rods within support columns at the vertical edges of the modules. This results in a form-fit and force-fit connection of all eight mutually abutting modules at their corners. These individual connecting points are mechanically insulated from one another, in the sense that they are only indirectly connected to one another via the modules.
GB 1244356 discloses another system for the modular construction of buildings made up of a plurality of cuboid-shaped modules. The modules comprise four vertical support columns, in the form of a hollow profile, which at two oppositely situated side faces are connected at the edges to cross braces, and at the other two oppositely situated side faces are connected via side walls in the form of corrugated panels. At the top, the module is closed off by a ceiling panel, and at the bottom, by a floor panel. In each case the support columns of the eight mutually abutting modules are connected to one another in the horizontal in a form-fit manner at the corners by a connecting element. Tension rods, via which the aligned support columns of all superposed modules are braced against one another, are situated in the support columns. This results in a form-fit and force-fit connection of the mutually abutting modules at their corners. Here as well, the connecting points are mechanically insulated from one another.
WO 2010/031129 A1 discloses another system for the modular construction of buildings made up of a plurality of modules. In each case two vertical support columns are situated on the outer surface at the cuboid-shaped modules on two opposite side walls in the longitudinal direction. The support columns are slightly offset, so that the support columns of two laterally adjacent modules are in flush alignment with one another in the longitudinal direction. The corresponding two modules are fixed to one another by screwing these support columns together. Adjacent modules are connected in the longitudinal direction in an analogous manner. The support columns of superposed modules are situated in alignment, with centering elements ensuring a correct orientation. The aligned support columns are likewise screwed together in pairs. This results in connecting points, at which in each case four modules that adjoin one another at the edges are connected in a form-fit manner. One or two such connecting points are provided at each edge. These individual connecting points are mechanically insulated from one another.
WO 2004/094752 A1 discloses yet another system for the modular construction of buildings. Situated between superposed support columns of modules are connecting elements, having an outer flange and an upper and a lower truncated cone having various pitch angles. A through hole is situated in alignment with the truncated cones and the flange. In the installed state, the flange of one connecting module rests on the support column of the module therebelow, and the support column of the module thereabove rests on the flange of the connecting element. The truncated cones of the connecting element are situated in corresponding cone-shaped recesses in the support columns. A continuous tension rod is situated vertically through all superposed support columns and connecting elements, the modules being braced against one another in the vertical direction via the tension rod. When the modules are moved laterally, it is provided that after a certain displacement distance the inclined cone wall of the connecting element rests on the inclined cone wall of the receiving opening in the support column, so that a further lateral displacement also results in a displacement in the vertical, opposite the spring force of the tension rod, which thus acts as a shock absorber. Further connecting elements having two adjacent truncated cone elements are provided, via which two laterally adjacent modules may be connected to one another at the corners. Here as well, the individual connecting points of the modules of the overall structure are mechanically insulated from one another.
None of these systems allow the implementation of modular industrial facilities that can be flexibly designed, efficiently assembled and disassembled, whose modules may be easily transported, and which at the same time are secure from extreme mechanical stresses such as earthquakes or storms.
Therefore, there is a general need for progress in this area.

Assembly system for modular industrial plants