The present invention is directed to an electronic ballast device for the control of gas discharge lamps. The device is comprised of a housing unit with electronic circuitry and related components. The device accepts a.c. power and rectifies it into various low d.c. voltages to power the electronic circuitry, and to one or more high d.c. voltages to supply power for the lamps. Both the low d.c. voltages and the high d.c. voltages can be supplied directly, eliminating the need to rectify a.c. power. The device switches a d.c. voltage such that a high frequency signal is generated. Because of the choice of output transformers matched to the high frequency (about 38 kHz) and the ability to change frequency slightly to achieve proper current, the device can accept various lamp sizes without modification. The ballast can also dim the lamps by increasing the frequency. The device can be remotely controlled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is an electronic ballast device for controlling the power to one or more gas discharge lamps, specifically, fluorescent lamps. It is directed to the problems of present ballasts used for fluorescent lamps which waste energy through excess heat generation and which also lack control options.
The present invention is able to power any of the conventional fluorescent lamps without modification. This includes, but is not limited to standard fluorescent lamps, HO, VHO, T8, T10, and T12 lamps ranging from a two foot standard lamp to an eight foot T12.
2. Prior Art Statement
Fluorescent lamps are used extensively throughout office buildings, schools, hospitals, industrial plants for lighting, as plant grow lights for outdoor lighting, and for many other uses. The power to these lamps are controlled by ballasts which have inherent problems. While fluorescent lamps with standard ballasts and less sophisticated electronic ballasts offer some benefits over other lighting techniques, such as lower energy use for comparable light output, these ballasts still waste energy through excessive heat generation and they lack the features available with the present invention. Standard ballasts use bulky energy wasting transformers to create a high voltage, low frequency signal to excite the lamp filaments. The present invention uses a low voltage, high frequency signal to excite the filaments. Existing ballasts require specific impedance matching to a specific lamp design. The present invention can power a wide range of lamp sizes without modification.
Using the present invention, lamps will burn cooler, last longer and produce a brighter light while using less electricity. The present invention also has a more sophisticated level of control then is available from the present state of the art. It can dim the lamps, delay power-up to improve lamp life, sense when a lamp is missing or burnt out and respond accordingly by reducing power or shutting down completely, and it can be controlled remotely or by a programmable unit.
The present invention does not require that the lamp be individually matched to the ballast design. The present design can power a standard 425 ma lamp, an 800 ma HO lamp, a 1500 ma VHO lamp a T8, a T10 or a T12 lamp without modification. Prior Art requires the impedance of each lamp to be matched to the ballast in order that lamp current be limited. The present device uses the performance characteristics of the transformer at the operating frequency (typically about 38 kHz) that allows the impedance of the lamps in combination with the reactance of the transformer windings and a slight frequency change to limit lamp current.
International Patent No. WO 83/02537 uses a much lower frequency (20 kHz). While it uses the frequency characteristics of the output transformer to dim the lamp by increasing the frequency, its steady state operation is in the frequency mid-band of the transformer. This coupled with the lower frequency (transformer reactance is proportional to frequency) means that during steady state operation, the lamp load must be matched to the ballast. Each additional lamp requires an additional output transformer. Further, this design requires an additional transformer in the timing circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,598 discloses a higher frequency device (30 kHz), but one that operates in the frequency mid-band of the output transformer. This design dims by lowering voltage and must also be tailored to match the load of each lamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,045 discloses a device which operates in the frequency mid-band of the output transformer, and dims by varying the pulse width (duty cycle) and frequency of the timing circuit. This ballast must also be matched to the load.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,046 discloses a complex device with separate transformers for arc voltage and filament voltage. Additional lamps require extra transformer winding and additional ballast capacitors to match the new load.
While Prior Art is extensive, none of the patents disclose an electronic ballast which takes full advantage of the characteristics of the output transformer such that any size lamp can be powered without impedance matching by adding or changing components.

Variable control, current sensing ballast


A scanning voltage driving device suitable for a liquid crystal panel with plural output terminals, the scanning voltage driving device producing a 2-level selection voltage to plural scanning electrode groups which drive the liquid crystal panel according to a value of an orthogonal function data, the 2-level selection voltage having a positive polarity and a negative polarity with respect to a center point being a non-selection voltage, includes orthogonal function producing means for producing the orthogonal function data from input synchronous display signal groups, scanning line selecting means for creating a scanning line selection signal from the synchronous display signal groups to indicate an output terminal for the selection voltage, and voltage selecting means for selectively outputting a voltage amount the 2 levels of the selection voltages and the non-selection voltage every output terminal according to the value of the scanning line selection signal and the value of the orthogonal function data, the scanning line selecting means dividing one frame period into plural virtual block periods and then repeatedly creating the scanning line selection signal which sequentially selects all the scanning electrodes to be selected for the block period every plural scanning electrodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and particularly to a liquid crystal display device and liquid crystal driving method which enable to drive a passive matrix liquid crystal display device at low power consumption and with high-display quality.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plural line selection driving system disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (Tokkai-Hei) No. 6-67628 is listed as a driving system which drives a liquid crystal display including a passive matrix liquid crystal panel. A prior art on the 2-line selection driving operation will be described below.
As shown in FIG. 2, a selection voltage is applied to scanning electrodes Yi (i=1 to n) corresponding to a row of a liquid crystal panel. The selection voltage is applied to each pairs of the scanning electrodes with a period of 2t which is sequentially shifted one pair of the electrodes to the next. The period t is expressed by the following formula: EQU t=(1/n).times.f (1)
where n is the number of lines per screen and f is the duration of a frame period being a time to scan all the lines per screen.
Some type of liquid crystal controllers which output image data to be displayed on a liquid crystal panel set, one frame period to be consisting of a display interval in which the selection voltage is applied to all the scanning electrodes and a retrace line interval (to be called "blank interval" hereafter) in which the selection voltage is not applied to any of the scanning electrodes.
In such a case, it is assumed in this specification that the frame period f corresponds to the display interval and the period t corresponds to a value of {(the display interval)/(the total number of the scanning electrodes)}.
The selection voltage has two levels, namely a positive level and a negative level with respect to a non-selection voltage level. The polarities of a selection voltage have an orthogonality between two selected scanning electrodes. In the 2-line selection driving system, the period 2t is divided into two t periods. A selection voltage having different polarities in the earlier half and later half of the selection period is applied to one of the selected scanning electrodes. A selection voltage having the same polarities in the earlier half and later half of the selection period is applied to the other of the selected scanning electrodes.
On the other hand, a data voltage, which corresponds to a sum of identity values between the polarity (+1 representing the positive side and -1 representing the negative side) of the selection voltage applied to the scanning electrode during the selection period and the display data (-1 representing power-on and +1 representing power-off) on the scanning electrode, is applied to the data electrode.
The voltage level applied to the scanning electrode is expressed as follows: ##EQU1## where Voff is an effective voltage value applied to a liquid crystal at a display-off period.
On the other hand, the voltage level applied to a data electrode is expressed as follows: ##EQU2## where Voff is an effective voltage value applied to a liquid crystal at a display-off period.
FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a drive voltage's waveform when the liquid crystal panel displays as shown in FIG. 3 using the above-mentioned driving method. The horizontal axis shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to the position of a data electrode Xi (i=1 to n) and the vertical axis shown in FIG. 4 corresponds to a time.
In a passive matrix liquid crystal panel, a voltage applied to a liquid crystal cell corresponds to a potential difference between a scanning electrode and a data electrode. In the use of the plural line selection driving system, the voltage waveforms applied to the points A (display-off), B (display-on) and C (display-on) of the liquid crystal panel of FIG. 3 are shown, for example, in FIG. 5. The effective value of a voltage applied to the liquid crystal panel corresponds to meshed portions in the figure. The effective value of the voltage at the point A (display-off) for the selection period is lower than those of the point B (display-on) and the point C (display-on). These points have the same effective value of voltage for a non-selection period.
Since the light transmittance of the liquid crystal varies depending on the effective value of the applied voltage, on and off of the display of the liquid crystal panel can be controlled by the effective value of voltage in the selection period.
However, in the prior art of the plural line selection driving system when it is actually operated, a distortion of the scanning electrode voltage waveform which is called crosstalk due to, for example, the liquid crystal capacitance or the resistance component of the electrode, occurs when a waveform applied to a data electrode changes its shape. This distortion affects differently depending on the effective value of voltage to some columns during the non-selection period. In an actual case shown in FIG. 6, in the comparison with Points B and C both in the display-on state, the effective value during the non-selection period at the point C increases more than that of an ideal state, but decreases at the point B. For that reason, the point C has a higher transmittance.
For example, in the 2-line selection driving system, when the vertical line as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed, the distortion due to crosstalk occurs once every 1t period. The effective value of voltage is shifted due to the distortion at a high frequency of once every 2t period. For that reason, the display unevenness which occurs at above and below of the vertical line pattern becomes apparent, thus causing image deterioration.
In order to relieve the display unevenness, the orthogonal functions used in the driving system can be combined, for example, as shown in FIG. 7. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the crosstalk occurrence frequency is once in 2t period and the shifting of the effective value of voltage occurs once in 4t period.
However, the above-mentioned orthogonal function combination cannot completely remove the display unevenness and the frequency of crosstalk occurrence and effective value of voltage shift occurrence are considered to be too high.
Considering the waveform of a voltage applied to the scanning electrode while neglecting the above mentioned crosstalk for time being, there is a difference in amount of dullness of a waveform when the selection voltage changes as shown in FIG. 9, because the selection voltages of two selected electrodes are changed in a different number of times with reference to each other in the prior art driving method. As a result, the effective value of voltage applied to a liquid crystal is varied on some rows of a display panel so that a display variation occurs horizontally, thus causing image deterioration.
In the plural line driving method, the selection voltage applied to the scanning electrode, as well as the voltage level of the data voltage, are decided by the orthogonal function values. For that reason, the orthogonal function used in the driving method affects on factors regarding image quality besides the display unevenness. Hence, it is important to set the orthogonal function with which the display quality of a liquid crystal panel in total becomes as good as possible.
Next, a prior art configuration that influences power consumption of a liquid crystal display device will be explained.
The voltage averaging method described in "Liquid Crystal Device Handbook", pp. 395-399, has been widely used as a driving system for a liquid crystal display device having a passive matrix liquid crystal panel. In this method, the selection scanning voltage is sequentially applied to the scanning electrodes one by one each of which corresponds to a row of the liquid crystal panel at every scanning period, and then the same operation is again repeated after all the scanning electrodes have been scanned for one frame period. A data voltage corresponding to a display data value, and with respect to a non-selection scanning voltage acting as the center is applied to data electrodes each of which corresponds to a column in the liquid crystal display. Moreover, an alternating operation is performed to reverse the polarity of the liquid crystal applied voltage every fixed period.
On the other hand, the plural line selection driving method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (Tokkai-Hei) No. 6-67628 is listed as a driving system for a liquid crystal display device having a passive matrix liquid crystal panel. In this method, the selection scanning voltage corresponding to the orthogonal function (e.g. Walsh function) is sequentially applied to scanning electrodes corresponding to a column of the liquid crystal panel so as to be scanned every plural scanning electrodes. When all scanning electrodes have been scanned for a duration called one frame period, the same operation is again repeated. The data voltage, which corresponds to the identity value between the orthogonal function value of a selectively scanned line and a display data value, is applied to the data electrode corresponding to a column of the liquid crystal display.
In this case, according to the voltage averaging method, since the voltage of the data driver and the voltage of the scanning driver are shifted near to the selection voltage of the scanning driver, the output amplitudes VLCD of the data driver is equalized. The equalized value is provided by a following formula (5): ##EQU3## where N is a number of the scanning electrodes.
In contrast, in the plural line selection driving system, the output amplitude Vg of the data driver as well as the output amplitude Vf of the scanning driver are expressed the following formulas (6) and (7): ##EQU4## where m is a number of lines to be selected at one time, and N is a number of the scanning electrodes, and Voff is the effective value of voltage applied to the liquid crystal at a display-off time, usually between 2.0 to 2.5 volts.
In the plural line selection driving system, when the line number m is relatively small, for example, the number m of selection lines is 1, the number N of scanning electrodes is 240, and the effective value of the applied voltage Voff at a display-off time is about 2.2 volts, the formula (6) provides that the amplitude of the data driver is about 3.3 volts. Hence, compared with the amplitude of the data driver in the voltage averaging method (25 volts arrived at using the formula (5)), the amplitude of the data driver can be significantly decreased. Since the power of the data driver is larger than that of the scanning driver, the plural line selection driving system is a low power consumption driving system, compared with the voltage averaging system.
In the plural line selection driving system, although the output amplitude of the data voltage driving means (hereinafter, referred to as a data driver) is small with a small value of the selection line number m, the output amplitude of the scanning voltage driving means (hereinafter, referred to as a scanning driver) becomes large. The output amplitude of the scanning driver increases as the scanning electrode number N increases. Hence, there is a problem that the scanning driver becomes difficult to manufacture because of the withstand voltage problem which depends on the number N of the scanning electrodes.
On the other hand, when the number m of selection scanning lines which are selected simultaneously is large, the difference in amplitude levels between the selection scanning voltage and the display data voltage decreases. For that reason, even if the number N of scanning electrodes is increased, the withstand-voltage of the scanning driver can be lowered sufficiently for manufacturing. However, since the amplitude of the display data voltage increases, the withstand-voltage of the data driver increases. For example, when the withstand-voltage exceeds 5 volts, integrated circuits manufactured embodying the low withstand-voltage standard logic process cannot be used. Hence, the manufacturing cost increases sharply, and a problem arises.
Measuring the liquid crystal module which employs the voltage averaging method in a practical condition, the data driver and the scanning driver are the same drive voltage, but a ratio of the drive current in these drivers is about 10:1. For that reason, in order to reduce the power consumption of the whole liquid crystal module, it is an important problem to reduce the drive voltage of the data driver further, namely to lower the amplitude of the display data voltage.
Moreover, there is the problem that the increased number m of scanning lines which are simultaneously selected as well as the increased scale of the arithmetic-logic circuitry that calculates the identity values between the orthogonal function and the display data result in increasing power consumption and a manufacturing cost of the circuit.

Liquid crystal driving method and liquid crystal display device


A method for providing recovery from a remote server to a client includes sending at least one data restore request to the remote server. A data block identifier are received at the client system via a network. A data block associated with the data block identifier is retrieved from a local backup server associated with the client system if the local back up server stores the data block. The data block associated with the data block identifier is received from the remote server if the local backup server does not store the data block. The data block is restored to the client system.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to data recovery, and more specifically, to systems and methods for speeding up data recovery from a server to a client.
2. Description of Related Art
A managed services provider (MSP) may include an information technology (IT) services provider that manages and assumes responsibility for providing a defined set of services to their clients. One such service may include data protection of the client's servers. For example, a MSP may provide a back up system for moving data from the client's servers to a central datastore that is managed by the MSP. Additionally, the MSP may provide a system for data recovery from the MSP datastore to the client's servers. However, the recovery of large amounts of data from the MSP datastore may be slow and inefficient. where the network connection between the MSP and the client's systems is a typical Internet (WAN) connection

Methods and systems for speeding up data recovery


A device that assists students in reading by using an opaque sheet to cover an entire page. The sheet has a “window” slot in the center that highlights a single line on the page. The device also has a curved slider that is pivotably attached at the top of the sheet. The placement of the pivot point and the shape of the curved member are such that in the initial position, the entire slot is covered. The student moves the curved slider letter by letter until syllables and words are exposed. As letters, syllables and words are exposed, the student reads them. At no time is the student distracted by other text on the page or the remaining words on the line. Once the line has been mastered, the slider can be returned to the initial position and the sheet slid down to the next line to repeat the process.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to reading tools and particularly to a decoding reading tool with a display window.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The majority of children who are struggling with learning to read have visual and/or language based deficits. Deficits in visual perception and processing, or in the language based skills of phonological processing, and/or comprehension may be seen. Of interest here are the visual processing difficulties these children exhibit. It is common for struggling readers to be visually overwhelmed by the amount of print on a page, to have trouble with eye tracking smoothly from left to right, to have trouble visually isolating one word from another and/or with perceiving each letter within a word. Consequently, learning to decode words and developing an adequate sight word vocabulary is a struggle for these children.
Other devices have been developed to aid in reading instruction. However, none of these is completely effective for the types of deficiencies mentioned above. U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,059 discloses a decoding wheel that can be used to teach the sounds of letter combinations, but is not directly related to reading print on a full page as viewed in a book.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,864 discloses a device that has a housing and a paper tape with rotatable spools. A student can view letters and words though a display window. This enables a student to progressively pronounce and decode words letter by letter. However, the device is limited in what can be displayed, and cannot be used with a printed book.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,902 discloses a device for restricting the field of vision of a reader, limiting that field to a narrow focus. While this device allows a reader to practice while viewing a standard page, it restricts the reader to only one narrow field of view. Thus, the device has no means to expand that field of view as the student improves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,908 teaches a device that can be used on a printed page. It works like a typing stand. A page is held in a clipboard and sliding frame is positioned above the page. The frame obscures a line of text and has a slider that reveals one letter, syllable or word to enable students to decode a word on the page. While this device can be used on a page, it is difficult to use it on a book. Moreover, the frame only covers one or two lines of the text. Often students are confused and distracted by the totality of words on a page. This device does nothing to alleviate that.
Along the lines of the last device, several devices are commercially available to aid in reading. These devices can be used with books as well as plain pages. Typically, they obscure a portion of a page and highlight one line of text for reading. The problem with these devices is the same as the latter device. Because they do not obscure the entire page, they cannot easily highlight a specific letter or letter combination.
Finally, a device designed to help readers track across a page has two frames that highlight a letter or two on a page. The device is designed to be slid across a page as the student reads. Again, the problems with this device are the inability to obscure the entire page and the inability to expand the viewing "window" beyond one or two letters.

Reading tool with display window for teaching eye tracking


A method for producing synthetic tool responses for a well logging tool for an earth formation, the method including, in one aspect, generating wellbore logging data for a particular part of an earth formation with a wellbore logging system with a wellbore logging tool, the earth formation having at least one layer, producing an input earth model of the particular part of the earth formation based on the wellbore logging data, inputting the input earth model to a trained artificial neural network, e.g. resident in a computer, the computer with the trained artificial neural network processing the input earth model and producing synthetic tool responses for the wellbore logging tool for one point or for a plurality of points in the earth formation.

Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to well logging data interpretation systems and methods which use artificial neural networks and, in one particular aspect, to a system and method that is usable at a well site to predict well logging tool responses and thereby predict unknown formation parameters and reservoir descriptions.

Systems and methods for forward modeling of well logging tool responses


Laser light (λL) within a spectrum range is generated (51g) and filtered (29g). Thereby the spectral location of the filter characteristic (λF) is shifted in a controlled manner (60) to establish a desired characteristic of output laser light as for considering a temperature depended shift (ΔÑ) of the spectrum range generated by the laser source (51g).

One problem which is especially addressed in the present application is the control of a characteristic of output laser light especially of at least one of intensity, signal-to-noise ratio, wall-plug efficiency, departing from a laser system as addressed above. Nevertheless the solution of this object may be applied more generically on laser systems where especially construction, compactness power consumption and accurate evaluation are prevailing considerations.
Thus the present invention is directed on a method for producing laser light with a desired characteristic of the output laser light. This is accomplished according to the present invention in that there is generated laser light in a spectrum range. The laser light is filtered with at least one filter characteristic and the spectral location of the at least one filter characteristic is shifted to establish the desired characteristic.
Instead of providing stabilizing measures within a laser system so as to properly control e.g. to keep constant, parameters which do affect the addressed characteristic of output laser light which measures customarily necessitate significant constructional efforts and do consume additional power as e.g. for cooling, negative feedback controlling purposes, the desired characteristic is achieved and maintained by controllably shifting the spectral location of a filter characteristic downstream the laser source which allows adjustment of the addressed characteristic.
In one embodiment of the method according to the present invention the spectral location of the spectrum range of the laser light as generated shifts in dependency of temperature and the addressed method further comprises the step of shifting the spectral location of the at least one filter characteristic matched with the shift of the spectral location of the spectrum range of laser light.
Thereby, it becomes possible whenever the spectral range of the generated laser light, which comprises the predominant laser light wavelength, shifts due to of temperature and would, by such spectral shift, be subjected to varying transmission at the filter characteristic kept stationar, to cope with the resulting variation of the characteristic considered. This by having the spectral location of the filter characteristic shifted in a matched manner with the addressed shift of the laser light spectral band.
In other words the filter characteristic is made to follow the addressed spectral band as it varies with respect to spectral position.
In a further embodiment the shift of the spectral location of the spectrum range of laser light in dependency of temperature is controlled by shifting a further spectral location of a stabilizing filter characteristic in dependency of temperature. Here the addressed matching is performed between the shift of the spectral location of the one filter characteristic as addressed above and the further spectral location of the further filter characteristic.
Taking e.g. a lasering device which emits light within a spectral band. The addressed stabilizing filter characteristic which is (see Definition of stabilizing filter) a narrow pass-band filter characteristic, determines out of the spectral band a narrower spectral band of the generated laser light at which emission is stabilized. When such filter characteristic is shifted spectrally as a function of temperature within the spectral band of light emitted from the unstabilized lasering device, the even narrower band-width of the generated laser light is spectrally shifted, too. Thereby the one filter characteristic of the filter addressed above is spectrally shifted, matched with the spectral shift of the stabilizing filter characteristic. Thus temperature caused variations of the spectral location of the generated laser light is caused by the spectral shift of the stabilizing filter characteristic and as the one filter characteristic is spectrally dislocated matched with the stabilizing filter characteristic, temperature influences of the desired characteristic are substantially avoided.
In a further embodiment at least one temperature is sensed.
The at least one temperature as sensed is converted into a mechanical signal. Shifting of the spectral location of the at least one filter characteristic is performed in dependency of the mechanical signal. Thereby it is taken into account that a predominant part of optical filters applied to laser systems have filter characteristics which are defined by geometric entities as by thickness of interference layers, period of gratings etc. Therefore, the addressed spectral shift of the filter characteristic is performed by acting upon at least one such geometric entity which is performed mechanically, thereby requiring a temperature-to-mechanical conversion for making the addressed spectral shift dependent from temperature.
In a further embodiment the at least one filter characteristic is provided by at least one geometric entity of at least one filter element and a mechanical signal is applied to said filter element so as to affect the geometric entity. Thereby by such mechanical signal as of a force or a momentum, one or more than one geometric entities as of grating period, thickness of layers, position and shape of material interfaces is affected and varied, entities which govern filter characteristic of the optical filter element.
In a further embodiment the addressed temperature sensing is performed remote from a filter element with the filter characteristic. Thereby a temperature prevailing at a location remote from such filter element may be applied for spectrally shifting the filter characteristic at the addressed filter element. In one embodiment a temperature to mechanical conversion is performed remote too and the result mechanical signal is applied to the filter element to controllably shift the addressed spectral location of its filter characteristic. We call the technique of remote sensing temperature for the addressed spectral location shift "active".
In a further embodiment the temperature is sensed by the addressed filter element itself and the mechanical signal and/or a variation of an optical parameter as of index of refraction of a material is generated. The mechanical signal is generated by variation of a geometric entity at the filter element caused by temperature change which entity governs the spectral location of the filter characteristic. Thereby it is exploited that solid materials exhibit a variation of their geometric and/or optical parameters in dependency of temperature which is exploited to shift the spectral location of the filter characteristic of a filter element.
In a further embodiment the at least one filter characteristic is realized in or at an optical fibre.
Thereby a significant improvement with respect to compactness of a respective laser system is achieved.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the at least one filter characteristic is realized by at least one of dielectric material layers, surface gratings, volume gratings or Bragg gratings. This is especially suited when the addressed filter element is realized as in or at an optical fibre.
In a further embodiment the method according to the present invention comprises amplifying the laser light before it impinges on one of the at least one filter characteristics the spectral location of which being shiftable. Thereby by such amplification normally also noise is amplified i.e. light outside of the spectral range of laser light. By providing downstream such amplifying the addressed at least one filter characteristic, which normally will be a pass-band characteristic, on one hand signal-to-noise ratio is improved and such improvement is maintained even as the spectral range of the generated laser light spectrally shifts.
In a further embodiment the amplifying just addressed is performed by an active fibre amplifier. Thereby it becomes apparent that the noise which was just addressed is at least substantially generated by amplified spontaneous emission ASE. This, on one hand makes the addressed downstream filtering most desirable to improve signal-to-noise ratio of output laser light and—on the other hand—the addressed shifting of spectral location of the respective filter characteristic matched with such shifting of the spectral range of laser light as generated, maintains the targeted characteristic as e.g. desired signal-to-noise ratio, independent from spectral range shift of the generated laser light and irrespective of the origin of such shift.
In a further embodiment the gain of amplifying is modulated. Thereby additionally to the addressed shifting of spectral location of the filter characteristic, a further improvement for achieving and maintaining a desired characteristic as intensity and/or signal-to-noise ratio at the output laser light is realized. In a further embodiment the gain is modulated by at least one of intensity of pumping light, of spectrum of pumping light, of pulse-width-modulation of pulsed pumping light and of shifting spectral position of a filter characteristic and of length of active fibre material.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the present invention, generating laser light comprises generating laser light by a laser diode. Thereby a further improvement with respect to compactness and robustness and possibly also with respect to power consumption is achieved.
In a further embodiment the laser light as generated is generated in a pulsed manner. Thereby the possibility is opened to apply such pulsed laser light with the desired characteristic for target designator purposes or range finding purposes thereby evaluating pulsed laser light reflected from targets and, in one embodiment, evaluating multiple reflected pulses.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the present invention and generating the addressed laser light in a pulsed manner the pulsed laser light is amplified in a pulsed pumped manner whereby pulsating pumping of amplifying is synchronized with generating the laser light in pulsed manner.
Thereby signal-to-noise ratio as one characteristic of the output laser light is significantly increased.
In a further embodiment laser light dependent from the laser light as generated is emitted and laser light dependent on the emitted laser light is received at one common laser input/output port which especially in context with range finding applications of the addressed method further improves constructional compactness of the respective laser system.
In one embodiment laser light dependent from laser light as generated, is guided by an optical fibre to a transmitter optic. Thereby the divergence of the laser beam output from the transmitter optic is determined by appropriately conceiving the end of the fibre adjacent to the transmitter optic. Different approaches to do so are addressed in the detailed description part. By doing so a significant saving of lenses is achieved which leads to further advantages with respect to compactness, robustness and price of a respective laser system.
In a further embodiment the transmitter optic is also a receiver optic for laser light and, still in a further embodiment, the addressed optical fibre is an active optical fibre.
Still in a further embodiment the laser light as generated is guided up to a laser output port substantially exclusively in optical fibres. Thereby on one hand constructional compactness is significantly increased, opening the possibility to perform the addressed method in a portable and even handheld device.
Under a further aspect of the present invention there is proposed a method of laser range finding or laser target designating which comprises generating laser light by the method as was addressed in a pulsed manner and directing laser light dependent on said laser light generated towards a target.
In a further embodiment of the just addressed method of laser range finding, multiple laser light pulses as received and as reflected from a target are evaluated.
In a further embodiment of the methods according to the present invention the characteristic to be brought on a desired value as e.g. intensity and/or signal-to-noise ratio of laser light, is sensed and the spectral location of the at least one filter characteristic is shifted as an adjustment in a negative feedback controlled manner.
In one embodiment the desired characteristic is at least one of laser light intensity, signal-to-noise ratio and wall-plug efficiency.
Further the present invention is directed on a laser system with a laser light source the output thereof being operationally coupled to an input of at least one optical filter. The optical filter has a spectral filter characteristic. The optical filter has further a control for the spectral position of the filter characteristic.
Specific embodiments of this laser system are further defined by the claims.
Attention is drawn on the fact that the content of the European application no. 05 000 669.1 dated Jan. 14, 2005 as well as the content of the European application no. 04 029 867.1 dated Dec. 16, 2004 upon which the present application resides with respect to priority, is considered as a part integrated by reference to the present disclosure.


A mobile communication system can implement broadcasting control that generates broadcast information autonomously in a distributed manner, thereby obviating the need for an RNC (Radio Network Controller). Each base station has an IP address and a base station multicast address. Each base station sends its own system information to all base stations using the multicast address. Each base station generates its broadcast information from its own system information and the system information received from other base stations. Thus, it can generate the broadcast information autonomously in a distributed manner without using the RNC.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system and a distributed broadcast information control method in the mobile communication system, which are characterized by the broadcast information control in the mobile communication system that offers communication services from a base station to a mobile station via a radio channel.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a mobile communication system, a base station periodically transmits various types of broadcast information such as regulation information and available channel information of each area to mobile stations via a broadcasting channel. Receiving such broadcast information, the mobile station can learn the current conditions of the mobile communication system. FIG. 1 shows the contents of a broadcast information message defined in a PDC (Personal Digital Cellular) system, as an example of the broadcast information.
In the broadcasting control in the conventional mobile communication system, an RNC (Radio Network Controller), a higher level control office of the base station that controls multiple base stations, prepares the broadcast information and transmits it to the base stations in a point-to-point manner. Accordingly, the conventional system has a problem in that the load concentrated on the RNC increases with the number of the base stations controlled by the RNC.

Mobile communication system and distributed broadcast information control method in mobile communication system


An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system (10) having an electric assist motor (26) operatively connected to a steerable member. Energization of the motor provides steering assist to the steering member. The apparatus includes a steering torque sensor (27) for sensing applied steering torque and providing a torque signal indicative thereof. A first switching device (72) is operative coupled between one terminal of the electric assist motor (26) and a first terminal of a source of electrical energy. A second switching device (98) is operative coupled between a second terminal of the electric assist motor and a second terminal of the source of electrical energy. A controller (76) periodically switches the first and second switching devices between ON and OFF conditions so that the ON condition of each the first and second switching devices is less than one-hundred percent of a period and a portion of the ON condition of the first and second switching devices overlap. Electrical current flows through the electric assist motor (26) during an overlap portion of ON conditions. The amount of the overlap controls current in the electric assist motor. The controller (76) controls the overlap in response to the sensed applied steering torque.

There are many known power assist steering systems for automotive vehicles. Some provide steering assist by using hydraulic power and others by using electric power.
Electric assist steering systems include an electric motor drivably connected to the steerable vehicle wheels. When energized, the electric motor assists the steering movement of the steerable wheels. The electric assist motor is controlled in response to steering torque applied to the steering wheel.
Known electric assist steering systems typically include a D.C. permanent magnet electric assist motor electrically energized through an H-bridge drive circuit. One such drive arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,671 to Behr et al., an assigned to TRW Inc. In this arrangement, the H-bridge includes four field-effect-transistors ("FET's") connected in the "H" pattern. The electric assist motor is energized by turning one of the FET's continuously ON and pulse-width-modulating ("PWM") the diagonally opposed FET of the H-bridge. Current is controlled by varying the duty cycle of the PWM signal. The direction of current through the motor controls the direction in which the motor will rotate and, in turn, controls the steering direction.
It is desirable to use a variable reluctance motor in an electric assist steering system because of its small size, low friction, and its high torque-to-inertia ratio. The direction of rotation of a variable reluctance motor is controlled by controlling the sequence in which the stator windings are energized. Torque is controlled by controlling the amount of current through the stator windings. Accurate current control is necessary to produce low ripple torque, thereby reducing vibration felt at the steering wheel. One control arrangement for a variable reluctance electric assist motor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,828 to Miller et al., and assigned to TRW Inc., and which is hereby fully incorporated herein by reference. The '828 patent controls current in the assist motor by pulse-width-modulating a series connected solid state switch.
As with systems using DC electric motors, fly-back current in systems using a variable reluctance motor is typically controlled through fly-back diodes. The fly-back diodes provide a current path for the fly-back current that results from the collapsing magnetic field of a recently de-energized stator coil.
Also of concern in an electric assist steering system is the operating temperature of the switching devices used to control the current through the electric assist motor. The above-mentioned Behr et al. '671 patent discloses a temperature sensing arrangement that folds back the PWM control signal if the temperature of the switching FET's exceeds a predetermined value. Also, a current sense arrangement senses current through the motor and folds back current if the sensed current exceeds a predetermined current threshold value.
A further concern of an electric assist steering system is the operational integrity of the system. The '671 patent also teaches several self-diagnostic features of the system. These diagnostic features include a torque signal absolute limit test, a summed torque signal test, an excessive PWM test, and a direction test.

Method and apparatus for controlling an electric assist motor


Disclosed is an underwater projector projecting a sound underwater. The underwater projector includes a first disk-type resonator unit, a second disk-type resonator unit, and a central space. The second disk-type resonator unit is installed so that a central axis corresponds with that of the first disk-type resonator unit. The central space is set up between the first disk-type resonator unit and the second disk-type resonator unit, and water can enter the central space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound projection technology for projecting a sound. More particularly, the present invention relates to a projection technology for projecting a low-frequency sound.
2. Description of the Related Art
A propagation-loss of the low-frequency sound is less than that of the high-frequency sound underwater. And, a reaching distance of the low-frequency sound is more than that of the high-frequency sound. Therefore, the low-frequency sound is useful for a sound source buoy, a sonar, etc. While a frequency band, referred to as low-frequency, is not defined strictly by experts, it ranges roughly from hundreds Hz to a few KHz in a sector of a sonar system associated with the present invention. A frequency, as is more than 10 KHz, is referred to as a medium frequency or a high frequency.
An underwater projector which can project the low-frequency sound underwater is disclosed by, for example, Japan Patent Laid-Open No. 10-126877 (literature 1) and Japan Patent No. 2985509 (literature 2). The literature 1 discloses an underwater projector by a water column resonance method. This underwater projector projects a sound by causing a medium (water column) inside a cylindrical resonator to resonate.
And, the literature 2 discloses an underwater projector by a bending resonance method. This underwater projector projects a sound by causing a disk-type resonator to bending-resonate.
A low-frequency projector of the literature 1 has such an excellent advantage that it can be used under a very deep water pressure. However, as a projection frequency is lower, the scale of this underwater projector is bigger. When a sound is projected by using a resonance of a water column inside the cylindrical resonator, a sound resonance frequency F is expressed as follows.F=α1*C/(L+α2*R)  (1)Where C refers to a sound velocity in a medium inside the cylinder, L refers to a cylinder length, R refers to a cylinder radius. α1 and α2 are correction coefficients of a cylindrical shape.
It is apparent from this formula (1) that the cylinder length L and/or the cylinder radius R need to be larger so that the sound resonance frequency F can be lower.
And, the underwater projector of the water column resonance method has also such a difficult point that the projection frequency changes depending on a water depth at which the underwater projector is used. This is because the sound velocity in the medium inside the cylinder changes depending on a water depth. This may be also apparent from the formula (1).
This problem can be solved by installing a pressure compensator in the underwater projector, which expands and contracts according to the increase and the decrease of the medium pressure. However, because the installation of the pressure compensator causes an axis length of the underwater projector to be longer, the scale of the underwater projector is larger.
On the other hand, the underwater projector of the literature 2 projects a sound by causing the disk-type resonator to bending-resonate. While this disk-type resonator projects large amplitude of sound, it is small. Thus, considering this point, the underwater projector of the literature 2 is suitable for the underwater projector which projects the low-frequency sound. And, an output sound frequency of this underwater projector does not depend on a water depth.
Next, the underwater projector of the literature 2 will be described according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-section oblique perspective view of this underwater projector, and FIG. 2 is a cross-section view illustrating 2-dimensional axial symmetry resonance mode of this underwater projector.
The underwater projector 100 of FIG. 1 provides two disk-type resonators 103. Each disk-type resonators 103 includes an active disk 101 formed from piezoelectric ceramics and a disk 102 which can bend freely as attached on one side of this active disk 101. The two disk-type resonators 103 are placed face-to-face through an o-ring 104 so that the active disk 101 is outside, and the disk 102 is inside. And, the two disk-type resonators 103 and the o-ring 104 are covered water-tightly by a mold 105.
In the underwater projector 100 configured as above, the two disk-type resonators 103 are driven by driving signals of a same frequency. The driving signals supplied to each of the two disk-type resonators 103 are in an opposite phase each other. Thus, because the two disk-type resonators 103 bending-resonate in an opposite phase each other, this underwater projector 100 projects the low-frequency sound at a high sound pressure in spite of a small scale.
However, this underwater projector 100 of the literature 2 can not be used under a very deep water pressure which is no less than a certain level. The reason is as follows.
The underwater projector 100 of FIG. 1 has an air layer inside. Thus, the water pressure at which this underwater projector 100 is usable is limited within a stress limit of the mold 105. The mold of this underwater projector 100 is stress-destructed if it is placed under a water pressure which is no less than a prescribed value.
While such problem can be solved by installing a pressure compensation mechanism inside, the installation of the pressure compensation mechanism causes the underwater projector 100 itself to be larger.

Underwater sound projector and underwater sound projection method


A spear gun for scuba diving that comprises a frame with a body that is generally elongated along a longitudinal axis of the gun, and a grip at one end of and extending from the elongated body. The grip includes a stationary part attached to, and integrally with, the body and a movable part adjustably mounted to the stationary part. A device is also provided for securing or locking the movable part to the stationary part when a desired grip configuration has been achieved.

Conventional spear guns, such as those utilized in scuba diving, typically comprise a frame having a grip with an elongated body extending therefrom, and a spear slidingly engaged on and with the body. Upon loading the gun, elastic cables under tensile stress store potential energy for exerting a propulsion force on the spear. By pulling a trigger situated immediately in front of the grip, the spear is then released and launched toward the intended prey.
To optimize spear gun performance, it is considered important that the gun be held steadily and safely by only one hand of the scuba diver during use. In this regard, it has been found particularly important not only that the grip be sized and shaped suitably for grasping by the user, but also that it be readily adaptable to conform to the user's hand. A further consideration is that the scuba diver is likely to be wearing gloves of substantial thickness.
Spear guns for scuba divers typically have a stationary grip mounted at one end, the grip being sized based on an average of a wide range of hand measurements in order to accommodate a large number of users. Other spear guns are provided with a replaceable grip so that each user can have the gun fit with a grip that best suits their particular needs. Alternatively, the gun may be sold with several interchangeable grips for use in different operating conditions, e.g., with or without gloves. While useful, such an arrangement often results in greater structural complexity and cost. It also requires that merchants stock all of the various grip sizes, making the product onerous to sell and less desirable for merchants to offer as part of their product line to consumers.


Systems and methods are described herein for collecting data from a base station. Data may be collected at a base station. The data may be embedding into a URL. The URL may then be wirelessly transferring to a mobile device. The mobile device may transmit the URL to a front-end sever. Upon receiving the URL at a front-end server from the mobile device, the URL may be stripped of the embedded data. The stripped URL can be passed from the front-end server to a web server for content delivery to the user device. The front-end server may decode the data stripped from the URL to be stored as collected base station data.

Digital information systems are deployed in businesses, other facilities, or outdoors to provide information or services to users. A user with a mobile device, smartphone, PDA, or other electronic device may receive information from such a system using their electronic device. Such a system may be a Near Field Communication ("NFC") station. The user's device can be tapped or swiped at the NFC station to wirelessly communicate and receive information. The information provided to the user may include web links, business information, local information, offers, and so forth.
An NFC station may be a small, inexpensive, low-power device. These limitations generally preclude inclusion of network connectivity resources within the NFC station. This is particularly true when the NFC station is deployed on signage, kiosks, storefronts, or other locations away from infrastructure such as electrical power or network access. Direct network connectivity, such as WiFi or cellular data networks, is generally too expensive from both a hardware requirement perspective and an operational expense perspective.
A problem for NFC stations lacking network connectivity is that the NFC station has no way to access or relay information out to other systems. For example, if the NFC station collected information or data, it would not be connected to send the data or information anywhere. Unfortunately, the small volume of such data collected by such a small, low-power base station device generally makes a dedicated communication connection an excessive expense.

Base station data embedded for transmission within information provided to a user device


A method of labeling of a container including a medication includes, in at least one embodiment, reducing the size of the label using a label apparatus and reducing the label size using the label apparatus, applying a surface securing adhesive to at least one surface securing section of the label using an adhesive application apparatus, and attaching the at least one surface securing section of the label to the container with the securing adhesive. The method also includes applying a label securing adhesive to the label to maintain the label in the reduced orientation.

In mail service pharmacies and large retail pharmacies, prescription drugs are dispensed in a high volume. For such services, it is known to use an automatic pill dispensing system to carry out the dispensing of the prescription drugs automatically at a rapid rate and to label pill containers, which can then be provided to the patient for whom the prescriptions were written.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,345 (Treleaven), which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a method of forming a label for displaying information, which includes providing a release liner having an upper surface. Prior art FIG. 1 illustrates label 10, which includes leaflet 11 and laminate cover 50. Label 10 extends from leading edge 94 to trailing edge 92. Label 10 is releasably secured to release liner 12 by adhesive layer patch 70 and adhesive layer portion 52A. Each of adhesive layer 70 and adhesive layer 52A remain with label 10 when it is removed from release liner 12 and serve to secure label 10 to a container. An adhesive-free zone or gap 90 is defined between adhesive layer 70 and adhesive layer 52A and extends the width of the label. The provision of gap 90 facilitates application of the label to round containers.
Label 10 includes tear strip 60 and tear lines 58 and 64 which provide for access to and detachment of the various panels of leaflet 11. Leaflet 11 includes bottom panel 20, top panel 30, first interior panel 40, and additional interior panels 42. Top panel 30 and bottom panel 20 are joined along fold 66. Top panel 30 and first interior panel 40 are joined along the fold 65. Fold 66 forms a leading edge of the leaflet. Top panel 30 includes parallel, spaced apart tear lines 35A and 35B formed therein. Tear line 64 is formed along fold 65 (as shown) or, alternatively, in panel 40 adjacent fold 65. Top panel 30 includes marginal portion 32 extending between fold 66 and the adjacent edge 68 of interior panel 40. Bottom panel 20 includes marginal portion 22 extending between fold 66 and adjacent edge 168. Bottom panel 20 further includes marginal extended flap 24 extending outwardly beyond top panel 30. Suitable title indicia 33 is printed on the upper surface of top panel 30. Marginal extended flap 24 preferably extends at least one-half inch beyond the longest of the top and interior panels, and more preferably from about one-half to five-eighths of an inch. Indicia 127 such as "EXP:" and "LOT:" are printed on the upper surface of marginal extended flap 24. Indicia 23, preferably substantially identical to indicia 33, is disposed on the upper surface of bottom panel 20. Other suitable indicia 43, for example, instructions and warnings, are printed on panels 40, 42.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,569 (Nixon et al.), which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an apparatus for in-line folding and affixing a self-adhesive label to an article, the label having a fold line thereacross defining a foldable portion and a cover portion of the label. As illustrated in prior art FIG. 2, the apparatus 100 includes a printing station 110, a label transfer grid 120, a folding station 140, first, second, and third air blast nozzles 150, 155, 158, respectively, and an affixing station 160.
The label transfer grid 120 includes an inner row 121 of rollers 121a and an outer row 122 of rollers 122a, wherein the rollers 122a of the outer row 122 are spaced from the rollers 121a of the inner row 121 by a sufficient distance to grip the tuck label therebetween and to convey the tuck label from the printing station 110 to the transfer station 160 along a generally upwardly-curved path.
Transfer grid 120 includes a first end 126A, located adjacent printing station 110, and a second end 120B, located adjacent affixing station 160. Generally, label transfer grid 120 conveys the label from the printing station 110, from which the label typically exits in a horizontal orientation, to the affixing station 160, wherein the label is in a vertical orientation to be affixed to the vertical sidewall surface 131 of the container 130. The label transfer grid 120, then, includes a generally upwardly-curved bend, by which the flexible label moves from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation for affixing to the container 130. However, the orientation of the label need not be altered by a bend in the grid 120, and the label may be of any orientation suitable to be affixed to the container 130 as it exits the grid 120. For example, if surface 131 of container 130 is horizontal, label should exit the grid 120 in an orientation suitable to be affixed to the horizontal surface of the container 130.
The outer row 122 of rollers 122a includes an opening 123 which is defined as an absence of one or more rollers in the outer row 122. Alternatively, the opening 123 may be defined by the spacing between two consecutively-spaced rollers 122a in the outer row 122, wherein the spacing between two consecutively-spaced rollers 122a is sufficient to permit the label to pass therebetween. Remaining rollers 122a are spaced to pass the label therealong and to convey the label through the grid 120.
The opening 123 is sized to allow the leading edge 123, that being in the preferred embodiment, the foldable portion 122 of the tuck label, to pass outwardly from within the grid 120, through the opening 123 and towards the folding station 140 as the label is conveyed through the generally upwardly-curved bend of the transfer grid 120. The third air blast nozzle 158 is positioned alongside the inner row 121 of rollers 121a and is directed towards the outer row 122 of rollers 122a to emit a stream of pressurized air through the grid 120, as shown generally by reference numeral 159. Air stream 159 urges the leading edge 123 of the foldable portion 122 of the label through the opening 123, to project from within the grid 120 and outwardly towards the folding station 140.
A conventional timing control circuit, such as a programmable logic controller, is provided with sensors and valves to signal the air blast 159 to urge the leading edge 123 of the foldable portion 122 of the label through the opening 123. Alternatively, rollers 121a, 122a may be driven by one or more stepper motors, in which case, air blast 159 may be controlled with reference to movement of the stepper motor (and, as such, by the location of the label in the grid 120), instead of by the programmable timing controller. Alternatively still, the air blast 159 may be a continuous stream of pressurized air being emitted from the air blast nozzle 158.
As the grid 120 conveys the label towards the second end thereof, forward movement of the label along the rollers 121a, 122a is diverted temporarily through the opening 123 towards the folding station 140. Forward movement of the label by the grid 120, then, advances the foldable portion 122 of the label further out of the grid 120.
Neither the Treleaven nor the Nixon et al. references relate to or disclose, for example, a method or system for size reduction of a patient label and adhesion of the label directly to an item. Further, neither Treleaven nor Nixon et al. relate to, for example, a container for a medication, where the label need not be self-adhesive. What is desired is, for example, a method and system for rolling a patient label, securing the patient label in the rolled position, and affixing the patient label to a medication using an adhesive. The invention, as described below, provides this, as well as other optimal features and/or functionality.

Automatic labeling and packaging system label folding and application


Fiber optic interfaces that can readily reject the collection of stray light while efficiently collecting desired light that has interacted with the subject media. These fiber optic interfaces may be incorporated into optical probes and probe tips for enhanced photonic efficiency, light manipulation, and stray light rejection. These probes are particularly well suited for use in instrumentation including spectral analysis and the light-scattering branches of spectroscopy. Specifically, the optical probes exhibit benefits for spectral analyses including those referred to as Raman, fluorescence, Rayleigh, luminescence, and diffuse reflectance. A typical probe includes a center emitter fiber surrounded by collection fibers. These fibers are arranged into a bundle and positioned behind a window. The end faces of the emitter fiber and the collection fibers are shaped to form an optical interface with desired optical characteristics. The outer and inner faces of the window may also be shaped to enhance the desired characteristics of the optical interface. In one configuration, the window's outer face is formed into a convex face so that specular reflections arising from the window's outer face are directed back toward the emitter. In another configuration, the fiber assembly is encapsulated in a low refractive index window. The window's inner face is in intimate contact with the fiber end face. In this configuration, the low refractive index encapsulent facilitates light manipulation while providing protection, isolation, and other benefits.

Optical fibers are powerful for many uses. In many applications, optical fibers are employed to cast illumination onto and/or gather light from a subject. In an important class of applications, the characteristics of light emitted on a subject under inspection are compared with the characteristics of light returning from the subject. To facilitate this type of application, one or more emitter fibers and one or more collector fibers may be arranged into an optical cable to create a fiber optic probe.
A fiber optic interface having desired optical or physical characteristics may be formed as an integral part of the optical probe, typically at the tip of the probe. Alternatively, the desired optical interface may be formed as a separate probe tip that may be attached to the end of an optical cable. To create the desired optical interface, the end faces of the probe fibers may be shaped to have desired optical or physical characteristics. In this manner, the probe may be designed to remotely analyze a subject under inspection to ascertain important parameters.
Oftentimes, the optical fibers must be removed from direct contact with the subject under inspection. The tip of the probe may be capped by a protective window, which results in stand off between the fiber end faces and the subject under inspection. Separating the fiber end faces from the subject under inspection while achieving acceptable optical performance has shown to be a major difficulty in fiber optic probes. Suitable fiber optic interface technology has not been available. The lack of devices meeting this requirement severely limits the utilization of many powerful analytical techniques, which would otherwise be suitable for remote analysis using optical fibers. Thousands of high-volume applications are pending the availability of suitable probes.
Avoiding direct contact between the probe and the subject under inspection is often required for several important reasons. First, physical isolation of the optical fibers is required in mechanically abusive environments. Second, isolation from chemical attack is required in chemically harsh environments. Third, stand off from very dark or opaque media is often required to facilitate concurrence of the illumination zone (i.e., the area illuminated by the probe emitter) and the reception zone (i.e., the field of view of the probe collector). Fourth, in many applications it is advantageous to orient the subject under inspection with respect to the fibers so that the effects of specific photon-matter interactions can be suitably isolated. The prior art shows numerous attempts to satisfy the need for improved fiber optic probes; however, it will be seen that each attempt is severely lacking.
To illustrate the shortcomings of prior art probes, FIG. 1 is a scaled, side cross-sectional view of the emission and reception patterns of a prior art probe tip 10 that is common in the industry. The probe tip 10 includes an optical bundle 12 having a flat end face profile positioned behind a disk-shaped window 14, which is typically formed of sapphire or diamond. An emitter fiber 16 is surrounded by a ring of equal-sized collection fibers 18, represented by the collection fibers 18a and 18b that are visible in the cross-sectional view. FIG. 1 illustrates two problems that are experienced with this type of probe: poor overlap between the illumination zone of the illumination fiber 16 and the reception zones of the collection fibers 18, and collection of back-reflections from the outer face 32 of the window 14.
The problem of poor overlap between the illumination zone 26 (shaded area) of the emitter fiber 16 and the reception zone 28 (cross-hatched area) of the collection fibers 18 results from the flat-faced interface profile, which causes the optical axis 22 of the emitter fiber 16 to be parallel with the optical axes of the collection fibers 18, as illustrated by the optical axis 24 of the collection fiber 18b. This causes poor coupling between the illumination zone 26 of the emitter fiber 16 and the reception zones 28 of the collection fibers 18. In fact, much of the reception zone 28 of the collection fiber 18b does not overlap with (i.e., is not illuminated by) the illumination zone of the illumination fiber 16.
The problem of collection of back-reflections from the outer face 32 of the window 14 is illustrated by the reflections 30a and 30b (closely-hatched regions) from the outer face 32 of the window 14. These reflections are cast directly into the collection fibers 18a and 18b without having interacted with the medium external to the window. This is an example of the more general problem of the collection of unwanted light, which is referred to as the collection of back-reflected, extraneous, or stray light. Unwanted light can propagate in the collection fibers 18 and, thus, drown out the desired light returning from the subject under inspection.
The problem of collecting of back-reflected light is exacerbated by the fact that extraneous light frequently propagates within the emitter fiber in conjunction with the principal source light. This extraneous light is often generated within the fiber by source photon interactions within the fiber core, such as silica-Raman and fluorescence. These phenomena may cause the fiber to become overfilled with the extraneous light. From the fiber's overfilled state, the extraneous light diverges from the fiber end face at a greater angle than that of normally-propagating light. In some optical interface configurations, this causes the back-reflected extraneous light to more readily enter the collection fibers.
Neither the emitted silica-Raman light nor its back reflection from the outer face 32 of the window 14 is depicted in FIG. 1. The emitted silica-Raman light diverges more rapidly from the end face of the emitter fiber 16 than the illumination zone 26 of the normally-propagating light illustrated in FIG. 1. Although the majority of the emitted silica-Raman light is located within the illumination zone 26 defined by normally-propagating light, a significant quantity of silica-Raman light is emitted from the end face of the emitter fiber 16 at angles beyond those at which normal propagation can be sustained. The portion of the emitted silica-Raman light that is outside the illumination zone 26 of the normally-propagating light may be back-reflected off the outer face 32 of the window 14. In the flat-faced interface profile of the probe shown in FIG. 1, this portion of the back-reflected silica-Raman light typically remains outside of the theoretical angular acceptance capabilities 28 of the collection fibers 18. Nevertheless, the effect of back-reflected silica-Raman light is an important consideration when designing probe interfaces that are not flat-faced.
Some attempts have been made in the prior art to address the problems described above. For example, McGee et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,756, describes a probe for analyzing powders. In this probe, a multiplicity of illumination and collection fibers are arranged behind a sapphire rod that functions as a window. The outer face of the window is inclined relative to the end faces of the optical fibers. The inclined outer face of the window directs the back reflections from this surface outside of the reception capability of the collection fibers. This allows the subject to be analyzed with reduced interference caused by the back reflections from the end face of the window. In addition, the inclined outer face of the window may be used to mechanically orient certain materials to facilitate photonic analysis of a specific material parameter. For example, a planar surface of a powder grain may become aligned with the inclined outer face upon contact with the window, which may reduce the collection of specular reflections from the powder grain's planar surface and, thus, allow collection of a diffuse component of the reflected light.
The probes described by McGee et al. suffer from several drawbacks. First, the inclined outer face of the window separates the optical fibers from the sample by a significant distance, which reduces the coupling efficiency of the probe. Second, the overlap between the illumination zone of the emitter fibers and the reception zone of the collection fibers is not precisely controlled, which further reduces efficiency and requires the use of finely stranded fiber optic bundles. These finely stranded bundles are expensive and somewhat limited in their transmission characteristics. Third, the probe's optical characteristics are highly dependent on the position of the illumination and collection fibers relative to each other and relative to the window's outer face. Maintaining repeatability of these positional factors is difficult to achieve when fabricating probes. Therefore, probe-to-probe performance repeatability, particularly as it relates to broad band intensity, suffers.
McLachlan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,761, describes a probe in which the optical axis of an emitter fiber and the axes of multiple collection fibers are directed into intersection by bending the fibers near their ends. This method is difficult to incorporate into manufacture, produces variability, results in a restrictively large assembly, and causes losses at the sharp bends. From their positions behind a window, the collection fibers collect back reflections from the window that devastate measurement quality. Other methods described in the prior art include the use of lenses in the probe interface to direct an optical fiber's patterns of emission and reception. The introduction of these additional elements causes mounting, alignment, manufacturing, and sealing problems. As with the bends described by McLachlan et al., the introduction of additional elements into the probe interface decrease the robustness and increase the size of the probe interface.
FIG. 2 is a scaled, side cross-sectional view of another prior art probe tip 50 similar to those described in O'Rourke, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,508. The probe tip 50 includes a fiber optic bundle 52 positioned behind a sapphire window 54. The fiber optic bundle 52 includes a center emitter fiber 56 surrounded by collection fibers 58, represented by the collection fibers 58a and 58b visible in the cross-sectional view. The end faces of the collection fibers 58 are angled, which through refraction causes the optical axes 60a, 60b of the collection fibers 58a, 58b to converge towards the optical axis 62 of the emitter fiber 56. Typically, the angle between the end faces of the collection fibers 58 and the inner face of the window 54 is about 20.degree..
Although the probe tip 50 demonstrates certain improvements over the McGee et al. probe tip, it suffers from severe stray light collection that impairs measurement quality. That is, the reflections 64a and 64b from the outer face 66 of the window 54 are cast into the collection fibers 58a and 58b without having interacted with the medium external to the window. In fact, the stray light performance of the probe shown in FIG. 2 is worse than that of the flat-faced probe depicted in FIG. 1. This is due, in part, to the over-filled nature of silica-Raman light emitted from the emitter fiber 56. As noted previously, the over-filled silica-Raman light is emitted from the end face of the emitter fiber 56 at angles beyond which normal propagation can be sustained. This causes a portion of the over-filled silica-Raman light to be reflected off the outer face 66 of the window 54 at an orientation beyond the limits for normally-propagating light. Because the collection fibers 58 of the FIG. 2 probe are angled with respect to outer face 66 of the window 54, they collect more over-filled silica-Raman light than the flat-faced fiber shown in FIG. 1.
O'Rourke, et al. describes increasing the space between the fiber bundle 52 and the inner face of the window 54, apparently to reduce the collection of back-reflections from the window. However, the additional space severely reduces the coupling efficiency of the probe, increases the size of the probe interface, and presents manufacturing difficulties.
O'Rourke, et al. also teaches that reflections from outer face 66 of the window 54 are not troublesome for deployment in liquids; however, the opposite is often the case. Windows fabricated from strong, chemically resistant materials such as sapphire and diamond have refractive indices much higher than most solutions. For example, sapphire's refractive index is approximately 1.77, whereas water's refractive index is about 1.33. This refractive index differential results in reflection from light exiting the window. The reflection's strength and potential for entrance into adjacent collection fibers increases as the angle of light incidence diverges from perpendicular. Lower refractive index window materials such as silica can be employed; however, they are typically much weaker physically and, thus, require a thick window. The increased window thickness results in increased collection of back-reflected light and decreased coupling efficiency.
In sum, the prior art does not describe probe interfaces, or methods for designing and manufacturing probe interfaces, to overcome the drawbacks described above. The proliferation of unsuccessful attempts in the prior art to create suitable fiber optic probes demonstrates the technical complexity of the problem. Despite intense activity and numerous designs, a strong need persists for improved fiber optic interfaces that can be employed in instrument probes and other applications. In particular, a need exists for fiber optic interfaces, methods for designing fiber optic interfaces, and machines for manufacturing fiber optic interfaces that can readily reject the collection of stray light while efficiently collecting desired light that has interacted with the subject media.

Fiber optic interface for optical probes with enhanced photonic efficiency, light manipulation, and stray light rejection


Devices for adjusting positions of: a removable slip sheet in a compression zone defined by a pair of rollers of an open width textile compressive shrinking machine to adjust a size of the compression zone for various thickness and types of textiles; a wedge between the pair of rollers for spacing apart the pair of rollers a predetermined dimension; and a shoe in the compression zone for allowing for different thickness and types of textiles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling a compression zone in a compressively shrinking fabric web, more particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus for adjusting positions of: a removable slip sheet in a compression zone defined by a pair of rollers of an open width textile compressive shrinking machine to adjust a size of the compression zone for various thickness and types of textiles; a wedge between the pair of rollers for spacing apart the pair of rollers a predetermined dimension; and a upper shoe in the compression zone for allowing for different thickness and types of textiles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The knitting industry uses, for manufacture of garments, various compacted knitted textile fabrics of different constructions, generally accepted as having been shrink-proofed. For such compressive shrink-proofing, two-pass types of compactor have been in vogue; as disclosed in each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,689,862 and 5,655,275; which compactors are typical of machines used for knitted fabric made of natural and/or man-made fibers. Although these compactors produce generally acceptable shrink-proofing results, they are temperamental and require frequent re-adjusting of their compression zones.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,329 uses two stationary opposing blades to form a compression zone. A fabric being compacted is required to change direction abruptly on entering and exiting the compression zone. Applicant's GULL-WING brand compactor, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,562, employs a compression zone consisting of an apex (or nadir) of a stationary notched shoe and an opposing impact blade with the fabric being compacted required to make a "V" turn in passing through a compression zone. Common to the prior art compactors presently used for shrink-proofing knitted textile fabrics is a requirement for an abrupt change of direction of fabrics due to an organized obstruction in their respective compression zones. The abrupt change of direction contributes tojamming; for example, at the apex of the GULL-WING brand compactor. A single-pass in-line compression zone taught by Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,461, whose disclosure is included herein by reference, eliminates the abrupt change of direction to render the compactor taught by Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,461 more operator-friendly, knit-friendly and produces trouble-free superior shrink-proofing on a wide variety of constructions of knitted textile fabrics and other fabrics having characteristics kindred to knitted textile fabrics.
Compressive shrink-proofing of knitted textile fabrics, formed from interlocked loops of yarns made usually of natural fibers or man-made fibers had its origin in shrink-proofing of woven textile fabric webs. With increased popularity of knitted garments, compressive shrink-proofing of knitted textile fabrics evolved from prior experience obtained by working with flat woven textile fabric webs. Woven textile fabrics webs are rectilinear grids ofthreads having longitudinal warp threads interwoven by transverse fill threads. Emphasis in compaction for shrink-proofing of woven textile fabric webs naturally focused on a need for longitudinal compression. The woven textile fabrics were, and are, manufactured in such continuous webs which inevitably get stretched lengthwise while being woven, transported, and processed. So it was, and is logical, convenient and effective to shrink compressively the woven fabric webs in a longitudinal direction along their flat continuous webs. However, knitted textile fabrics, like randomly deposited fabrics made of natural or man-made fibers, are neither formed nor structured similarly to woven textile fabrics.
Knitted textile fabrics, for example, are composed of yarns, usually of natural fibers, formed in interlocking curvilinear loops which are arranged in stitch rows sometimes aligned perpendicularly to and sometimes skewed from perpendicular orientations relative to alignment of their continuous webs. The loops generally interlock with each other substantially at right angles (orthogonally) to their respective stitch row. It is sometimes convenient to visualize stitch rows ideally as being straight and aligned transversely relative to a longitudinal path of the fabric, like soldiers marching on parade through their compactor. Yet such an ideal image of stitch rows through a compactor rarely finds its counterpart in the real world. Knitted textile fabrics frequently are not designed with straight transverse stitch rows. Handling and treatment of knitted textile fabrics warp, bend, twist, and otherwise distort their stitch rows. Further, the stitch rows themselves are formed as a progression of repeating series of curvilinear loops of yarn. So as far as compacting of knitted textile fabrics is concerned, terms such as "straight" or "aligned" stitch rows are wishful euphemisms.
A loop of yarn in a knitted fabric actually exhibits behavior characteristics quite different from those that logically might be expected from an ideal image of stitch rows. Applicant examined behavioral characteristics of actual knitted structures as they undergo compaction, so as to deal on their own terms with the loops and stitch rows as they actually exist.
The knitted textile fabrics, when composed of natural fibers, typically are manufactured in the form of continuous tubes which are then flattened and compacted in a longitudinal direction in analogous fashion to compacting of woven textile fabrics. Alternately, the knitted tubes may be split open, spread, and subjected to longitudinal compacting as open webs. Knitted textile fabrics, with small loops or fine yarns making up the loops, require compaction as open webs. As has been noted herein, technology which evolved from compacting of woven textile fabric webs generally has achieved inconsistent success in treating knitted textile fabrics. Lack of consistent success has been common to compaction of knitted textile fabrics both as tubes and as open webs. Accordingly, some people look upon compressive shrinking of knitted fabrics as an occult art.
In actual knitted textile fabrics, we frequently can expect unreliable orientation (skewing) of stitch rows formed of interlocked yarn loops. And, alignment of the loops has been recognized by Applicant to occur orthogonally, each individual loop relative to its related skewed stitch row. Applicant's recognition, acceptance, and accommodation of the skewed orientation of the stitch rows and inherent behavior of the loops relative to their respective stitch rows are at the crux of Applicant's successful, consistent and reliable compacting of knitted textile fabrics and other similar fabrics made of natural and/or man-made fibers. It followed that organizing apparatus and a related method for freeing the interlocked loops of yarn to move easily, as they naturally choose, toward each other orthogonally relative to their skewed stitch rows, opened the door to Applicant's success.
Effective compressive shrink-proofing of knitted textile fabrics of natural fibers depends in part on expansion of heated and/or moistened yarn caused by partial unraveling of their fibers. Steam puffing and lubricating effects on natural yarn loops of knitted textile fabrics are discussed in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,938, whose disclosure is included herein by reference. Another reality of compaction is that the fabric reduces in volume by mechanical pushing of the interlocked loops of yarn preferably toward each other. Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,461 focuses on the mechanical pushing action.
The loops interlock generally at right angles (orthogonally), each relative to its related stitch row. With the stitch rows unreliably organized, and the yarn loops arranged orthogonally thereto, application of longitudinal compaction through a crimped, bent, kinked, or otherwise obstructed compression zone was effective along a series of longitudinal vectors from a continuum of points along a curvilinear loop of yarn. Simultaneously, a series of companion transverse vectors of any, or all, of the same points could thereby be either wasted or they could contribute to counterproductive stretching. Accordingly, a substantial portion of longitudinal compacting effort on knitted textile fabrics was self-defeating when performed though the crimped, bent, kinked, or otherwise obstructed compression zones of the prior art. By eliminating abrupt direction change, due to obstruction, as the web of knitted fabric passes through the compression zone, Applicant frees the loops, each to move according to its own natural preference, which Applicant recognized to be orthogonally relative to its related stitch row, unaffected by likely skewed orientations of the stitch rows that make up the web of knitted fabric.
Applicant had in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,461 approached compacting of knitted textile fabrics by delivering and removing a confined web of the fabric, usually heated and/or moistened, through a substantially in-line compression zone wherein the loops of yarn of the fabric web, while expanding due to partial unraveling, are allowed to reduce in volume by the loops being pushed together, each according to its own natural preference orthogonally relative to a skewed axis of its respective stitch row. By eliminating crimps, bends, kinks, and other obstructions at the compression zone, Applicant avoided limiting the compacting effort to being only longitudinally directed relative to the fabric web and thus Applicant avoids the counterproductive stretching. Employing this approach, Applicant allowed the expanding loops to move as they choose according to inherent influences of their composition, history, and knitted structure in the easiest and most natural way they can find so as to each reduce its own volume. By this teaching, the direction of movement of the interlocked yarn loops is toward each other orthogonally relative to their respective stitch rows, independent of how bent, warped, twisted, or otherwise skewed those stitch rows may be.
Because of Applicant's novel, useful, and non-obvious approach, the apparatus taught by Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,461 is inexpensive to build, easy to operate, and more reliable than apparatuses of the prior art. He achieved operator-friendly, knit-friendly, superior and more reliable compaction of knitted textile fabrics and similar fabrics than has heretofore been achievable. His compactor contributed toward its goal by eliminating counterproductive tensions. He achieved his objective without polishing, crimping, or grabbing of the knitted fabric. Applicant's apparatus and related method for shrinking of knitted textile fabrics made of natural fibers taught by Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,461 also is applicable to fabrics made from man-made fabrics, non-woven textiles, papers, papers with additives, and the like; because their formations and structural characteristics are generally random and much more similar to those of knitted textile fabrics than they are to those of woven textile fabrics. Further, the invention taught by Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,461 was easily retrofittable into a wide variety of existing compressive shrink-proofing apparatuses. Single-station double-roller compressive shrink-proofing apparatuses are the most likely candidates for retrofitting.
Numerous other innovations for fabric shrinking related devices have been provided in the prior art. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they each differ in structure and/or operation and/or purpose from the present invention since they do not teach devices for adjusting positions of: a removable slip sheet in a compression zone defined by a pair of rollers of an open width textile compressive shrinking machine to adjust a size of the compression zone for various thickness and types of textiles; a wedge between the pair of rollers for spacing apart the pair of rollers a predetermined dimension; and a shoe in the compression zone for allowing for different thickness and types of textiles.

Apparatus for controlling a compression zone in a compressively shrinking fabric web


A warning device for monitoring the rotational speed of a prime mover which includes: a) a converting unit electrically connected to the prime mover for converting a digital signal representative of the rotational speed of the prime mover to an analog voltage; b) a reference unit for providing a specific analog reference voltage corresponding to the digital signal; c) a comparison unit for comparing the analog voltage with the specific analog reference voltage and generating a comparison signal when the analog voltage is not equal to the specific analog reference voltage; and d) an output unit electrically connected to the comparison unit for generating an alarm signal in response to the comparison signal.

A conventional warning device for monitoring a the rpm or speed of a motor internally set up in a system generates an alarm signal to notify the system only when the motor completely stops. Therefore, when the motor is influenced by an external factor or others, there is no alarm signal output when the rotational speed of the motor increases or decreases but does not completely stop. During this period, the motor cannot efficiently dissipate heat so that the system is burned down or will be in trouble due to a heat dissipating problem and no alarm signal having been generated.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit of the conventional warning device for monitoring the rotational speed of the motor which includes a direct current (DC) fan 1, a fan-stopping detector 2, a drive IC (integrated circuit) 3, and an output circuit 4. The fan-stopping detector 2 generates a signal to the drive IC 3 for providing an alarm signal to notify the system having an emergency measure when the motor completely stops. As a warning device like this is influenced by an external factor or others, there is no alarm signal output when the rotational speed increases or decreases but does not completely stop. During this period, the motor cannot efficiently dissipate heat which results in that the system is burned down or put out of order. The present invention can inform the system to take an emergency measure when the rotational speed of the motor increases or decreases because the motor cannot efficiently dissipate heat or operate under a normal condition.

Warning device for monitoring rotation speed of prime mover


The disclosure relates to a composition, comprising: (a) at least one organohydrocarbyloxysilane represented by the formula

In order for concrete to harden properly, it is important for it to retain its moisture as long as possible, and then keep additional water out once it has dried. Concrete is typically made from mixtures of cement, water, and aggregates. After mixing the ingredients to form the concrete mixture, the mixture soon starts to harden through a chemical reaction known as hydration. The concrete is laid before the mixture gets too hard, and steps are typically taken to ensure that a minimum amount of flaws due to air pockets occur.
After being laid, it is advantageous for the concrete to retain its moisture for as long as possible to prolong the hydration process; the longer the concrete is kept moist, the stronger and more durable it will become. Techniques are known for treating concrete surfaces with membrane-forming coating compositions to hold the moisture in during curing. Examples of such membrane-forming coating compositions include wax-based compositions, resin-based compositions, sodium silicates, and the like.
It is known that once substantially dry, concrete surfaces are prone to suffer from water damage. This occurs because water penetrates the concrete surface resulting in concrete expansion which leads to cracking, particularly when the water freezes. Techniques are known for treating concrete surfaces with penetrating sealers for protecting the concrete from damage due to water penetration. Examples of the penetrating sealers that can be used include silanes, siloxanes, silicones, linseed oil, and the like.
A standard procedure for treating a concrete surface with both a membrane-forming coating composition and a penetrating sealer is to apply the membrane-forming coating composition to the concrete immediately after the concrete has been laid, and then about 7-28 days later remove the membrane formed from the membrane-forming coating composition using physical and/or chemical removal techniques, and apply the penetrating sealer. This method leaves a lot to be desired in terms of convenience and efficiency. Thus, the problem in the art is to provide for a concrete treating composition that can be sprayed one time, on the same day that the concrete is laid. This invention, in one embodiment, provides a solution to this problem.

Composition and process for treating concrete

Abstract: wherein R1, R2 and R3 are independently hydrocarbyl groups containing from 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, and R4 is a hydrocarbyl group containing from 1 to about 22 carbon atoms; and (b) at least one polymer derived from styrene and/or at least one styrene derivative, and at least one comonomer comprising one or more of acrylic acid, (meth)acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, and/or at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate. In one embodiment, the composition further comprises (c) at least one fluid, the organohydrocarbyloxysilane (a) and polymer (b) being dispersed in the fluid. This composition may be used for treating concrete surfaces.