A photography supporting frame comprises a base seat and supporting legs sequentially arranged around the base seat. Connecting bosses are arranged around the base seat; clamping teeth are sequentially arranged on the peripheries of the connecting bosses. The supporting legs each comprise a locating hook, a ball, a spring, an insertion piece, a foot shaft sleeve and a supporting leg rod. The ball and the spring are sequentially arranged in a cavity of the insertion piece from up to down; the locating hook is arranged in the middle of the upper portion of the insertion piece and connected to the ball. The insertion piece is arranged in the foot shaft sleeve. One end of the foot shaft sleeve is connected to one of the connecting bosses, and the other end of the foot shaft sleeve is arranged on the supporting leg rod.

With the progress of the society and the continuous improvement of the people's living conditions, the people's demands develop from the past basic material demands, which only require adequate food and clothing, to spiritual demands at higher levels. Photography is a method for recording the details of life or the scenery of nature when the people are travelling in the open air or enjoying the leisure life. Photography apparatuses have already been widely used by ordinary persons, however, when a photographer uses a handheld photography apparatus to shoot, whether the photographer is amateur or professional, he/she may be interfered with by various factors, for example, trembles of hands, instability of feet, and so on, and thus the quality of the shot photos cannot be ensured. Therefore, when photographers use photographic or video apparatuses, they usually need to use triangular supporting frames to fix the apparatuses, so that the shot photos are more beautiful and have better quality. At present, most triangular supporting frames on the market have the following drawbacks: an angle for opening such a supporting frame is limited, and the supporting frame is only able to be opened unidirectionally and is unable to be opened bidirectionally (i.e., is unable to be opened both forwardly and reversely); therefore, the photographic requirements may be not fully met.


A monodispersed glycol suspension having excellent dispersion stability, including a monodispersed suspension in a glycol of spherical fine particles of an amorphous inorganic oxide having an average particle diameter of 0.05 to 5 micrometers and a relative particle size standard deviation of 1.0 to 1.5 and containing glycol bonded to its surface. This monodispersed suspension is useful as a raw material for the production of a polyester film having improved slipperiness.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a monodispersed glycol suspension of fine particles of an inorganic oxide having excellent dispersion stability, and to a method of improving the slipperiness of a polyester film using the monodispersed suspension. More specifically, this invention relates to a monodispersed glycol suspension in which fine particles of an inorganic oxide having a specific shape and a specific particle size distribution are dispersed stably in a glycol solvent without forming agglomerated particles, and a method of improving the slipperiness of a polyester film by using the monodispersed glycol suspension as a raw material for polyester production.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fine inorganic oxide particles have been extensively used heretofore as a polymer filler and a surface-treating additive. Improvement of the slipperiness of a polymeric film or fibers by including fine inorganic oxide particles is one example of their utility.
Polyester films have been widely used in magnetic tapes, optical photography, capacitors and packaging materials. Various undesirable troubles presumably attributed to the poor slipperiness of polyester films may occur during the process of polyester film production. A polyester film used to make a magnetic tape by coating or vacuum-depositing a magnetic layer on its surface requires especially good slipperiness. If the film slipperines is low, scratches and creases occur on the film surface during film production, coating or depositing of the magnetic layer, or film handling. This results in dropout, and the quality of the resulting magnetic tape is unsatisfactory. Furthermore, the magnetic tape product is required to have good slipperiness because it inevitably needs good travelling property. It has been the practice therefore to form a film from a polyester containing fine particles, thereby providing a roughened film surface and reducing its frictional resistance.
On the other hand, as polyester films have been produced in small thicknesses and magnetic recording has been required to have a high density and high performance in recent years, the polyester films have been required to possess two apparently contradictory properties, slipperiness and surface flatness. As a compromise for these contradictory properties, it has been proposed to form fine and uniform raised and depressed parts on the film surface.
Conventional methods proposed for this purpose include, for example, (1) a method which comprises precipitating a catalyst, a coloration inhibitor, etc. used in polyester synthesis partly or wholly during the polyester-forming reaction thereby to cause them to exist as fine particles in the polymer, and (2) a method which comprises externally adding fine inorganic particles at any desired stage of polyester synthesis.
According to the method (1), the amount or particle diameter of the particles are difficult to control and the formation of coarse particles cannot be avoided because the particles are formed during polyester synthesis.
In the method (2) commercially available materials such as silica, titanium oxide, silica-alumina, silica-magnesia, glass powder, barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, clay, mica, talc, calcium phosphate and magnesium phosphate which have an average particle diameter of 0.001 to 10 micrometers are used according to the end use of the films as the fine inorganic particles to be added (see, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 8216/1984 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3645/1977).
These fine inorganic particles used heretofore have a broad particle size distribution and are mostly irregularly-shaped owing to the methods of their production. For example, the fine particles of silica used are silica having an average primary particle diameter of 0.02 to 0.1 micrometer obtained by thermal decomposition of silicon halides, silica obtained by crushing agglomerated masses having a size of 1 to 5 micrometers obtained from sodium silicate by the wet method, and spherical particles of silica obtained by melting the crushed particles of natural silica. However, they have irregular particle shapes, or have a very broad particle size distribution even when they are nearly spherical, or contain agglomerated particles.
According to the above methods, the slipperiness of the film surface is improved by formation of raised and depressed parts form on it. However, since the particles are non-uniform and the raised and depressed parts lack uniformity, there is a limit to the flattening of the film surface.
As a solution to the above problem of the method (2), the present inventors previously disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 48456/1986 that particles produced by hydrolyzing an organometallic compound in an alcoholic solution are fine inorganic oxide particles which are spherical and have a sharp particle size distribution, and by adding these particles to a polyester, an excellent slipperiness improving effect is obtained. When, however, as one embodiment of this method, the fine inorganic oxide particles are added during polyester synthesis, agglomerated particles are sometimes formed. To reduce formation of such agglomerated particles, it is effective to disperse the fine particles highly in a glycol used as a reaction material. However, complex steps such as the addition of a dispersant and ultrasonication are required in order to disintegrate the agglomerated particles. Even by such steps, the inclusion of agglomerated particles cannot be avoided.
The polyester which is an organic polymer intrinsically has no affinity for fine inorganic particles, and when it is formed into a film, voids occur around the fine particles. To avoid this problem, it was proposed to treat the surface of the fine particles with a silane coupling agent. The effect of this procedure is still insufficient.
On the other hand, various methods have been proposed previously for the production of a glycol slurry of fine particles of an inorganic oxide. They include, for example, solvent substitution of an aqueous silica sol produced from water glass by a glycol (for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 47429/1981), and a method which comprises subjecting an aqueous hydrosol produced from water glass as a raw material to solvent substitution by an organic solvent, heat-treating it in the presence of a monohydric alcohol to bond the alkoxy group chemically to silica, and removing the liquid-phase from the resulting reaction mixture thereby to form powdery silica which can be homogeneously dispersed in an organic solvent (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 196717/1982).
The present inventors reproduced the first-mentioned conventional method, and found that the finally obtained glycol suspension contained not only spherical primary particles having a uniform particle size but also many secondary particles formed by agglomeration thereof, and that after filtration and centrifugation, a number of agglomerated particles are still observed.
The present inventors also reproduced the latter method except that a glycol was used instead of the monohydric alcohol, and evaluated the dispersibility of the resulting powdery silica in the glycol. As a result, they observed many agglomerated particles in the final glycol suspension.
C. C. Ballard et al. reported in Journal of Physical Chemistry, 65, 20-25 (1961) that when a silica powder obtained from water glass was treated in ethylene glycol, the glycol could be bonded to the surface of the fine particles. A. K. Van Helden et al. reported in Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 81 , 354-368 ('81) that spherical silica particles obtained by hydrolyzing ethyl silicate in an alcohol were rendered hydrophobic by heat-treatment in the presence of stearyl alcohol. Since, however, these methods include powderization of fine particles and subsequent heat-treatment in an alcohol, agglomeration of the particles during powderization cannot be avoided. Consequently, they have the disadvantage that after the powder is heat-treated in a solvent (even if the solvent is a glycol), the resulting dispersion contains many agglomerated particles and a monodispersed suspension cannot be obtained.

Method of improving slipperiness of polyester film using a monodispersed glycol suspension of inorganic oxide particles


A fast-locking apparatus and method for frequency synthesis. A transition detector receives a first pulse signal indicative that the phase of an input signal leads that of a reference signal, receives a second pulse signal indicative that the phase of the input signal lags that of the reference signal, and generates a state signal indicative of whether the first pulse signal is ahead of the second pulse signal. A pulse-width detector generates a first width signal indicative of into which range the width of the first pulse signal falls; another pulse-width detector generates a second width signal indicative of into which range the width of the second pulse signal falls. According to the state signal and the first and the second width signals, control logic generates a regulation signal for use in adjusting the frequency of the input signal.

The invention relates to frequency synthesis, and more particularly to a fast-locking scheme for use in a frequency synthesizer.
The rapid growth of cellular communications systems has motivated an increasing demand for high performance integrated radio frequency (RF) components. One of the most important building blocks of these systems is the local oscillator (LO). In modern RF transceivers, the oscillators are usually embedded in a synthesizer environment so as to achieve a precise definition of the output frequency. Phase-locked loop (PLL) techniques have been widely used in frequency synthesis to meet the stringent requirements of wireless standards, because under locked condition the output frequency of a PLL bears an exact relationship with the input frequency.
A PLL-based synthesis technique offers high integration, low power dissipation, small chip area, high reliability, and predictable performance. There are a wide variety of frequency synthesizers disclosed in United States patents including U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,891 for example. It is known that the synthesizer requires a finite time to establish a new frequency when a communications system intends a change in the channel. The performance of communications systems is critically dependent on the lock time of frequency synthesizers. The lock time is an indication of how fast the new frequency is stabilized. This parameter is especially important in fast frequency-hopped systems.

Fast locking method and apparatus for frequency synthesis


The charge pump device includes, in a cascade arrangement, a plurality of stages (1 to N) for transferring a potential charge from one stage to the next in response to clock signals (PHI, PA, PHINOT, PB), each stage including, arranged between an input (Ai) and an output (Ai+1), a switching circuit (100, 200) and a storage capacitor (Ca; Cb). Each switching circuit is formed of a first transistor (110; 130) and a second transistor (120; 140), the drains of the first and second transistors being connected to the input (Ai) of the stage, the source of the first transistor (110; 130) being connected to the gate of the second transistor (120; 140) and the source of the second transistor being connected to output (Ai+1) of the stage and to the gate of the first transistor. At each of the stages (1 to N) there are provided starting-up means (300; 400; 500) for keeping said second transistor (120, 140) in a non conducting state between two activation cycles of said charge pump device.

The present invention concerns a charge pump device including, in a cascade arrangement, a plurality of stages for transferring a potential charge from one stage to the next in response to clock signals. Each stage includes, arranged between an input and an output of the latter, a switching circuit and a storage capacitor. The switching circuit is formed of a first transistor mounted with a second transistor, the drains of the first and second transistors being connected to the input of the stage, the source of the first transistor being connected to the gate of the second transistor and the source of the second transistor being connected to output of the stage and to the gate of the first transistor. The gate of the second transistor is controlled by one of the clock signals, for example via a capacitor.
A charge pump of the Dickson type is commonly used in devices such as EEPROMs, for example, which require a important voltage increase to be obtained from a relatively low available voltage. A Dickson type charge pump is essentially formed of a plurality of stages arranged in a cascade. Each stage of the pump includes an active device which leads the current in a single direction and a storage capacitor. FIG. 1 shows an example of another embodiment of a charge pump. Stages 1 to N are connected to each other in a cascade arrangement by an active switching device 10, 20 formed of two transistors 11, 12.
The choice of using a circuit with two transistors rather than a simple diode connected transistor (the drain is connected to the gate) prevents voltage drops in the charge pump due to the inherent threshold voltage effects of diode connected transistors. Indeed, for a diode connected transistor, the threshold voltage can be 2 volts or more, thus limiting a minimum exploitable voltage Vin to 2 volts or more.
Switching circuit 10, 20 is controlled by clock signals PA, Pb via a capacitor Co which reduces the voltage drop in the switching circuit. The charge pump thus has an almost ideal multiplication factor, which allows. a higher output voltage Vout to be obtained. This charge pump is conventionally controlled by a quadriphase clock with non interlaced signals PHI, PA, PHINOT, PB as illustrated in FIG. 2. The charge pump is activated by applying the four clock signals PHI, PA, PHINOT, PB to the plurality of stages 1 to N. When the boosted voltage Vout is no longer required, the pump is deactivated by stopping the application of the clock signals or by a device which interrupts the supply of boosted output signal Vout.
The operating mode of the charge pump is explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. It is assumed that all the internal nodes of switching device 10, 20 are at zero potential before the pump is started-up.
FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the stage during an active sequence CPA of clock signal PHI. Transistor 11 is in a non conducting state (OFF) which prevents the current flowing and transistor 12 is in a conducting state (ON) authorizing the current to pass. In this configuration, the potential VAi at node Ai is equivalent to the potential VAi+1 at node Ai+1. This first sequence corresponds to a boosting phase of potentials VAi and VAi+1, depending on the capacitive charge of capacitor Cb which flows through transistor 12 in capacitor Ca.
FIG. 4 shows the configuration of a stage of the pump during an inactive phase {overscore (CPA)} of clock signal PHI. Transistor 11 is in the conducting state, while transistor 12 is in the non conducting state preventing the current from flowing from node Ai to node Ai+1. In this configuration, potential VAi at node Ai is equivalent to potential Vc at node c which is the junction point of the source of transistor 11 with the gate of transistor 12.
These two sequences are alternately achieved on the even and odd stages to supply at the chain output a boosted voltage Vout which corresponds to an input value Vin plus a certain number of times a value approaching the peak voltage of clock signals PHI and PHINOT.
Such regular operation of the charge pump can only be implemented on condition that the internal nodes of switching device 10 are initially at a zero potential. However, in practice, certain internal nodes in the plurality of capacitive stages N keep voltage potentials having values comprised between 0 volt and Vout after a pump charge sequence. This causes problems when the pump is next started-up which leads to deterioration in the increase in signal Vin in most cases and to no increase in signal Vin in the worst cases. Indeed, in the worst cases, the node c in one or more stages stores a voltage across capacitance Co greater than potential VAi+1 of node Ai+1 which polarises transistor 12 in the conducting state. Thus, node Ai+1 is at a potential VAi+1 close to potential VAi of node Ai. Given that potential VAi+1 plays the role of control voltage for transistor 11, the latter remains in the non conducting state thus preventing any discharge of potential Vc of node c in the circuit. Consequently, in this case, the pump cannot be started-up normally the next time since one or more stages permanently remains blocked in the configuration shown in FIG. 3, which results in a transfer of alternating charge between capacitors Ca and Cb, preventing the effect of the charge pump from being produced.
FIG. 5 illustrates two consecutive charge cycles D1 and D2. The first charge cycle D1 shows the pump starting-up in ideal conditions, i.e. without any charged internal node while the second consecutive cycle D2 shows the charge degradation in the pump when the latter has stored potentials in its internal nodes during the preceding charge cycle D1.
This type of charge pump is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,599. This Patent discloses a charge pump using PMOS transistors similar to that shown in FIG. 1. The effect of the charge pump is reversed. Output voltage Vout is a negative high voltage, which does not change the general operating principle of the pump.
A PMOS transistor is in a conducting state when the potential of its gate is less than the potential of its source by at least a threshold voltage (Vt) of the transistor. This threshold voltage depends in particular on the voltage applied to the source of the transistor. Thus, Vt may vary approximately between 0.7 volt and 3 volts respectively, for a low voltage applied to the transistor source, of the order of one volt, and for a high voltage applied to the transistor source, of the order of ten or so volts.
As in the aforementioned prior art, voltage potentials are kept in certain circuit nodes. However, as a result of the high amplitude of the clock signals used, in particular 5 volts as suggested in this document, the potential of the gate of transistor 11 is always made less than the potential of its source during the associated clock signal pulse, whatever the effective threshold voltage of the transistor in the aforementioned range. Since transistor 11 is in a conducting state, potential Vc is brought to potential VAi which allows transistor 12 to be in a non conducting state.
However, the solution provided by this document does not resolve the problem of starting-up for clock signals of smaller amplitude, in particular less than 3 volts. Indeed, one of the permanent concerns of those skilled in the art is to consume as little energy as possible in numerous low consumption devices. This is why, clock signals having a peak voltage of less than 3 volts are preferably used, for example between 1.5 and 2 volts. In these energy saving conditions, the charge pump device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,599 has the same drawbacks as the aforecited prior art.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforecited drawbacks of the prior art and, in particular, to provide a charge pump device which re-establishes, between each activation of the pump, the potential conditions required for optimum operation of the switching circuit upon starting-up and with reduced energy consumption.
These objects are achieved as a result of a charge pump device as defined hereinbefore and characterized in that at least one of the stages further includes starting-up means at a junction node c of the source of the first transistor with the gate of the second transistor having a potential Vc, said starting-up means being arranged for keeping the second transistor in a non conducting state between two charge cycles of the charge pump device.
Thus, the ideal starting-up conditions of the charge pump are achieved and the charge incidents of the prior art are thus avoided.
Preferably, the charge pump device according to the invention includes a plurality of stages, each being provided with starting-up means.
More particularly, when the charge pump device according to the invention operates in forward current, the starting-up means include means for keeping the potential Vc of node c at a value less than or equal to that of a potential at the stage output.
Consequently, the junction node of the source of the first transistor with the gate of the second transistor is kept at a lower potential value than that of the source of said second transistor, which keeps the latter in a non conducting state between two activations of the pump.
Thus, if the charge pump device according to the invention operates in reverse current, the starting-up means include means for keeping the potential Vc of node c at a value which is higher than or equal to that of a potential at the stage output. The junction node of the first transistor source with the gate of the second transistor is kept at a higher potential value than that of its source, which keeps the second transistor in a non conducting state between two activations of the pump.
In a first embodiment of the invention operating in forward current, the starting-up means include a switch arranged between the junction node and an earth terminal. Advantageously, the junction node is then discharged of its potential.
According to a second embodiment, the starting-up means include a switch arranged between the junction node and the stage output. The minimum condition for keeping the second transistor in a non conducting state is then achieved.
In an embodiment operating in reverse current, the starting-up means include a switch arranged between the junction node and a positive potential source. The switching circuit and the starting-up means are then suited to the charge pump according to the invention for operation in reverse current.
The charge pump according to the invention may include first and second transistors of any of the following type: bipolar or junction, junction field effect (FET) or insulated gate field effect (MOS).
According to a variant of the invention, the starting-up means include a resistor arranged between the switch and the earth potential. A resistive connection between the junction node and the earth potential is then established.


A double loop antenna which is suitable for a window antenna of a motor vehicle. Two contiguous loop conductors are formed on an insulation plane such as a window glass of the vehicle. A power feed point is provided at a contact portion of the loops. A reactance element conductor is coupled to each of said loop conductors, so that antenna impedance at the feed point becomes the only resistance component. The antenna has good transmission/reception characteristics in a UHF band for use of a vehicle telephone.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a double loop antenna, and more particularly, to an antenna printed on a dielectric substance such as a window glass of a motor vehicle for a use to a mobile telephone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A double loop antenna attached on a glass window of a motor vehicle for use in a UHF band is known. The double loop antenna comprises a pair of semiloop antenna elements with half-wavelength conductors branched from a power feed point in both lateral directions along a grounded conductor, their end terminals are grounded and the feed point is unbalanced power fed (Japanese patent laid open application No. 69704/1987 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,964).
FIG. 11 shows a prior art of the double loop antenna which is printed on a rear window glass of a motor vehicle.
In FIG. 11, numeral 1 shows a transmission/reception antenna for an automobile telephone, elements of which are printed on a rear window glass 2 together with defogging heater wires 3 and an antenna conductor 4 for radio (FM/AM) reception. The transmission/reception antenna 1 is arranged along a body of the automobile and consists of a pair of semiloop elements 1a and 1b branched laterally from a power feed point 12a. Both end terminals 1c and 1d of the elements 1a and 1b are grounded so that the feed point 12a is unbalanced power fed from a core conductor of a coaxial feeder cable 7.
This transmission/reception antenna 1 has a sufficient gain and an almost non-directional directivity in a UHF band ranging 850-950 MHz.
The transmission/reception antenna 1 has small dips in directivity for waves coming from sides of the automobile and a defect that gain is slightly lower than a dipole antenna.

Double loop antenna with reactance elements


The present invention relates to the use of active substance combinations for controlling animal pests, for example, from the chinch bug family (Lygaeidae), as well as animal pests that has shown resistance to pyrethroids.

Many animal pests, such as insects, arachnoids, and nematodes, such as chinch bug (Family Lygaeidae) Annual bluegrass weevil (Family Curculionidae), Rhodesgrass mealybug (Family Pseudococcidae), Banks grass mite (Family Tetranychidae), Ground pearls (Family Margarodidae), 2-lined spittlebug (Family Cercopidae), Billbug (Family Curculionidae), ticks, fleas, and various root parasitic nematodes, cause problems such as, feedings that can damage or kill turfgrass. For example, chinch bugs, especially the Southern Chinch bugs (Blissus insularis), damages St. Augustine grass in Florida.
Pyrethroids, especially bifenthrin, organochlorines, and organophosphates have been used for many years to control the pests. As a result, the pests have developed wide-spread resistance to a number of chemical classes, including organochlorines, organophosphates, and/or pyrethroids.
While many still use pyrethroids to control these pests, they have had to apply more pyrethroids at higher rates to overcome resistance. Some pest populations are now completely uncontrolled with all labeled rates of pyrethroid chemistry. Pyrethroid resistance in chinch bugs is well documented in Florida, and turf managers are quite aware of this potential problem. This has led to a search in the industry for non-pyrethroid chemistry to use to control the pests.

Combination and methods for controlling turfgrass pests


An idle down controller for pressure washers is responsive to the drop in pressure at the pump outlet. The controller includes a sensor disposed in the pump outlet manifold. When the fluid is being bypassed, the manifold pressure drop is communicated to an actuator. The actuator overrides the engine governor and forces the engine throttle to the idle speed. When an operator is discharging a pressurized fluid, the actuator allows the governor to operate the engine at its normal speed.

The present invention relates to an idle down control for an engine. More particularly, the present invention relates to an idle down control for an engine that provides power for a pressure washer.
Pressure washers use high-pressure liquid, typically water, to clean surfaces such as driveways, decks, walls, and the like. Generally, the pressure washer includes an engine that provides power to a pump. The pump operates to provide high-pressure fluid to a wand or a gun that includes a trigger mechanism that is actuated by the user to discharge the high-pressure fluid. Generally, the user squeezes the trigger with one hand and supports the discharge end of the gun with the other hand during use.
During periods when high-pressure water is not required, the user releases the trigger and high-pressure water from the pump discharge is directed back to the pump intake.


A film advance mechanism is used for advancing a tubular film along a film support with the film surrounding the support. The mechanism comprises two drive units each comprising a drive belt passing round two rollers mounted on a respective drive belt carrier and arranged so that a straight run of the belt can engage frictionally against the film to drive the film along the support. Each carrier is supported for movement towards and away from the film support and for angular movement with respect to the film support and is urged towards the film support such that it aligns itself with the film support due to engagement therewith.

The present invention relates to a film advance mechanism which may form, for example, part of a bag making and filling apparatus for snack foods such as potato crisps.
Known film advance mechanisms involve accurately positioning rubber wheels or the like to bear against opposite sides of a tubular film support over which a tubular film is conveyed. Careful control of the pressure of engagement of the rubber wheels is important because they must grip the film sufficiently to slide it over the film support but must not press it too firmly against the film support to generate excessive friction. The wheels require frequent adjustment to keep them in position and are susceptible to any eccentricities in the bearings, to any misalignment of the support, or a support with non-parallel side walls.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a film advance mechanism which is self-adjusting and able to cope with misalignments.


A printhead having a drop generator for creating print and non-print drops and a drop deflector for causing the trajectories of the print drops and the non-print drops to diverge includes a liquid extraction channel for removing liquid from the gas flow duct; the liquid extraction channel having an entrance which opens off from the gas flow duct; an outlet; a catcher for collecting the non-print drops wherein the catcher has an ink return channel; at least one via connecting the ink return channel to the liquid extraction channel; and wherein a portion of the liquid passing through the ink return channel of the catcher flows through the at least one via into the liquid extraction channel and from the liquid extraction channel out the outlet.

Continuous stream inkjet printing uses a pressurized ink source to supply ink to one or more nozzles to produce a continuous stream of ink from each of the nozzles. Stimulation devices, such as heaters positioned around the nozzle, stimulate the streams of ink to break up into drops with either relatively large volumes or relatively small volumes. These drops are then directed by one of several systems including, for example, electrostatic deflection or gas flow deflection devices.
In printheads that include gas flow deflection systems, the drop deflecting gas flow is produced at least in part by a gas, typically air, drawn laterally across the drop trajectories into a negative gas flow duct as a result of vacuum applied to the duct. Drops of a predetermined small volume are deflected more than drops of a predetermined large volume. This allows for the small drops to be deflected into an ink capturing mechanism (catcher, interceptor, gutter, etc.) where they are either recycled or discarded. The large drops are allowed to strike the print medium. Alternatively, the small drops may be allowed to strike the print medium while the larger drops are collected in the ink capturing mechanism.
It has been determined that while small drops are deflected by the lateral airflow more than large drops, not all small drops follow the same trajectory. Some of these drops can be deflected sufficiently by the air flow such that they enter the gas flow duct, causing ink puddles to form. Ink puddles in the gas flow duct can also be formed during startup and shutdown of the printhead, caused by ink dripping off the upper wall of the gas flow duct and landing on the lower wall of the gas flow duct. Additionally, ink puddles can be formed due to a crooked jet which causes ink to be directed into the gas flow duct. Ink from the puddles of ink in the gas flow duct can be dragged by the gas flow up into the vacuum source that is attached to the gas flow duct, possibly damaging the vacuum source. If the ink puddles remain close to the entrance to the duct, these puddles can affect the uniformity of the air flow across the width of the jet array. Ink puddles can induce oscillations in the gas flow that can produce a modulation in the print drop trajectories that adversely affect print quality.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,091,991 (Hanchak et al.) described a drain for removing such ink from the negative gas flow duct and also a method for cleaning the negative gas flow duct. While the drain is effective at removing such ink from the negative gas flow duct, it has been found that under some conditions the amount of ink that enters the negative gas flow duct and is extracted through the drain can be quite low. Under such conditions some of the ink extracted through the drain can dry in the drain line before reaching the ink reservoir or waste tank. Eventually sufficient ink can dry in the drain line that it begins to clog the drain line. When this occurs ink can begin to build up in the negative gas flow duct, with the problems discussed above.
Accordingly, a need exists to improve the removal of such ink deposits from the interior of the negative gas flow duct of the printhead.

Printhead for generating print and non-print drops


A buck-boost LED driver circuit is provided with floating IC driving control. A DC power supply is provided with first and second inputs, the second input coupled to a mains ground. A PFC switching circuit is coupled to the first input and operable to drive an LED load. A current sensor is coupled to the switching circuit and configured to provide feedback signals representative of current through the LED load, and a dimming control circuit is coupled to the mains circuit ground and effectively superposes an external dimming control signal with the load feedback signal. A PFC controller is configured to provide driver signals to a switching element based on the superposed dimming and load feedback signals as compared to an internal reference. Each of the switching element, the current sensor and the controller are commonly coupled to a floating circuit ground.

The present invention relates generally to power converters for lighting control systems. More particularly, the invention as disclosed herein relates to dimming current control for high power factor, constant current buck-boost converters.
Buck-boost converters are conventionally very good candidates for use with wide range input voltage (120-277V), high power factor non-isolated constant current LED drivers. Such converters are relatively low cost and compact in nature. A typical topology, as represented for example in FIG. 1, has a drawback in that the output does not share the same ground as the control IC. This makes the current control very complicated.
For a conventional LED driver circuit 10 as shown in FIG. 1, V1 is the input AC source. L1 is a common mode inductor for electromagnetic interference (EMI). Capacitor C1 is an EMI filter capacitor. Inductor L2 is a differential EMI inductor. Diodes D1-D4 are input rectifier diodes for converting the AC input supply to a DC power supply. Capacitor C2 is a high frequency filter capacitor for the converter. Resistors R1 and R2 define a voltage divider coupled across filtering capacitor C2. Inductor L3 is a buck-boost inductor that stores that energy and releases it according to the control of IC. MOSFET Switch Q1 is a switching element that is controlled by driver signals generated from the IC. Diode D5 is a rectifier diode that bypasses the current from the primary winding L3p of the buck-boost inductor to output capacitor C4 when the switching element Q1 is off.
The controller IC as shown in FIG. 1 typically can be a power factor control (PFC) controller IC as is known in the art, such as for example the L6562 offered by STMicroelectronics. The controller IC has a MULT pin that senses the input line signal via a node between the voltage dividing resistors R1 and R2. The controller IC also has a zero current detection (ZCD) pin that is coupled to a secondary winding L3s of the buck-boost inductor via resistor R3, wherein the controller IC may ensure transition mode operation by controlling the turn on time of the switching element Q1. The controller IC also has an Isense pin that senses the current going through the switching element Q1 and resistor R5. The controller IC further includes an internal op amp with a Vsense input and COMP as output. C3 is an integration capacitor for the control loop.
Typically, there is an internal voltage reference in the controller IC which is used as a control reference. The controller IC compares this internal reference with the external Vsense signal to tightly control the output. For constant current control, Vsense needs to be a current feedback signal that comes from the load.
However, the controller IC does not share the same ground as the output load, as shown in FIG. 1. As a result, an expensive isolated signal coupler is typically required to transfer the real current sensing signal from the output stage to the IC stage. Resistor R6 is the load current sensing resistor.
This isolated signal coupler is not only expensive, but also introduces error and complicates the control scheme. Therefore, it would be desirable to eliminate this type of isolated signal coupler in a buck-boost converter topology.
It would further be desirable to have a dimming control circuit that has the same ground as GNDmain so that only one dimming signal is required in order to control multiple channels of a buck-boost converter.

Current control circuit and method for floating IC driven buck-boost converter


An unauthorized use preventing device includes: a first measuring unit that measures a global position thereof and outputs the global position as first position information; and a first transmission unit that wirelessly transmits the first position information to an outside. The security section includes: a second measuring unit that measures a global position thereof and outputs the global position as second position information; a first receiving unit that receives the first position information; a position comparison unit that determines whether an inter-instrument distance calculated based on the first and second position information is less than a threshold distance or equal to or more than the threshold distance, and outputs a result of the determination as a position comparison result signal; and a logical product calculation unit that calculates and outputs a logical product of the position comparison result signal and a power supply turning-on signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection-type projector, and particularly, relates to an unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector, which prevents unauthorized use of the projection-type projector.
2. Description of the Background Art
As an instrument for use in presentation, a projection-type projector is communally used in a frequent manner at a place where many people gather, such as a conference room, a field of education, which includes a school or the like, and a training facility. At such a place, and particularly, in a wide room, it takes time to move the projection-type projector from a storage place thereof and fix the projection-type projector to a dedicated fixing device provided on a ceiling or a wall every time when the projection-type projector is used, and accordingly, in general, it is frequent that the projection-type projector is used while being left fixed to the ceiling or the wall.
Meanwhile, it is frequent that a small and lightweight projection-type projector is shared by a plurality of persons in such manners that the projection-type projector is taken to a business trip destination, is carried to a plurality of conference rooms, and so on. In such use, it is rare that the projection-type projector is fixed to the ceiling or the wall, and it is general that the projection-type projector is used while being mounted on a desk or a base.
In any of the cases described above, it is highly possible that the projection-type projector, which is relatively expensive, may be stolen during a period while being left. Therefore, measures for preventing unauthorized use of the projection-type projector or preventing theft thereof, which include restriction of use, the restriction being implemented by setting a password, have been adopted. However, convenience for users has been lost since the password must be inputted every time when the projection-type projector is used, for example, every time when a power supply thereof is turned on.
For this problem, for example, a projection-type video display device of Japanese Patent No. 4826130 (Patent Literature 1) detects a usage thereof at the time when a power supply thereof is turned on, and compares the detected usage with a usage thereof at the last time, and thus prevents the convenience from being lost by requiring input of a password only at the time when the usage is changed.
In the projection-type video display device of Patent Literature 1, as such usages, there are mentioned: an installation orientation of the device; an installation direction of the device; an installation place of the device; an input state to an input terminal of the device; a fixation state of the device; and a focus/zoom setting state of lenses. Then, at the time of having detected that one or a plurality of these usages are changed, the projection-type video display device determines that there is a possibility that the projection-type video display device may be unauthorizedly used, and requires the input of the password. Then, when the password does not coincide with one stored in the projection-type video display device, the projection-type video display device restricts the use thereof, or emits an alarm sound.
Moreover, a display device of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-233831 (Patent Literature 2) includes a GPS receiver and a memory that stores a position detected by the GPS receiver. Then, this display device compares a current position thereof, which is measured by the GPS receiver, with a position thereof, at which the display device is used at the last time, stored in the memory, determines that there is a possibility that the display device may be unauthorizedly used if the two positions are spaced apart from each other at a fixed distance or more, and requires the input of the password. Then, in the case where the password does not coincide with one stored in the display device, the display devices restricts the use thereof, or emits an alarm sound.
However, even if such a theft preventing device according to Patent Literature 1 is provided, in the small and lightweight projection-type projector, which is frequently used after being moved, the input of the password is required every time when the projection-type projector is moved, and accordingly, improvement of the convenience is limited. Moreover, when input characters, numbers and the like of the password are reduced in order to suppress a decrease of the convenience, there has been a problem that the password is known to another person after the projection-type projector is stolen.
Moreover, in Patent Literature 1, it is mentioned that, in the projection-type video display device, the input of the password can be replaced by pushing of a release button of a remote controller (remote control) provided with a function to send out a signal for releasing the unauthorized use preventing system. The remote control as described above is stored in a place different from that of the projection-type video display device, the remote control is taken out only in the event of using the projection-type video display device, and the password is released by pushing the release button of the remote control, and if so, then it becomes possible to save the need for inputting the password; however, it becomes essential to carry the remote control upon turn-on for which the input of the password is required.
Moreover, in a body of the projection-type video display device (projection-type projector), operation buttons are usually provided, and the projection-type video display device is configured to be operable without the remote control; however, there has been a problem that it becomes necessary to input the password at an operation time by the operation buttons. Moreover, such a problem is not solved that, once the password is known to another person, the projection-type video display device is used without any difficulty thereon and thereafter.
In a similar way, even if the theft preventing device according to Patent Literature 2 is provided, there has been a problem that, once the password is known to another person, the display device is used without any difficulty thereon and thereafter.

Unauthorized use preventing system of projection-type projector


An improved Class G type amplifier which switches between multiple power rails depending upon the instantaneous amplitude of the input signal versus the power rails. The low voltage (inner) amplifier includes a plurality of parallel amplifier devices, and the high voltage (outer) amplifier includes a plurality of parallel amplifier devices. A plurality of switches each couples the input signal to either a respective one of the inner amplifier devices or a respective one of the outer amplifier devices. The switches are activated sequentially, such that the switching from inner to outer amplifier devices or vice versa is staggered over some period of time. This avoids having a single, large glitch in the output, and spreads multiple smaller glitches over enough time that some of the glitch energy can fall within the frequency range where the amplifier's feedback circuitry can eliminate its noise. The switches are sequentially activated by a series of delay elements.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic amplifiers, and more specifically to means for reducing switching glitches in amplifiers which switch between multiple power rails.
2. Background Art
Class AB amplifiers use two amplifier devices in a push-pull configuration, with both amplifier devices biased slightly on, to avoid distortion glitches at the crossover. The amplifier is driven with a fixed, predetermined pair of power rails, typically VDD and GND. Class AB amplifiers are not especially efficient, and waste considerable power due to significant quiescent currents.
Class G amplifiers are, essentially, an improved and more efficient version of Class AB amplifiers, designed to reduce this inefficiency. Class G amplifiers are provided with more than two power rails, and are switched between power rails depending upon the input signal, gain setting, and so forth. The general principle of Class G is to use the lowest power rails that will provide adequate power at the particular instant. A Class G amplifier draws power from low voltage supply rails for generating small output signals, and only uses high voltage supply rails for the peak output signal excursions.
A known problem with Class G amplifiers is that a glitch occurs at the "crossover" or "handoff" point where the output signal current switches from an inner (low voltage) to an outer (high voltage) power supply rail or vice versa. These glitches cause increased distortion and possible EMI related problems. The glitches are caused by inevitable mismatches in the gains between the two signal paths and the finite, non-zero time required to divert the source of the output signal current from one set of power supplies to another. The switching is typically done very abruptly, to minimize the energy of the glitch. However, this abruptness causes the frequency of the glitch components to be outside the bandwidth of the amplifier and thus not susceptible to being reduced by the negative feedback mechanisms used to linearize other aspects of the amplifier.
FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a conventional Class G amplifier 10. The amplifier is provided with two pairs of power rails: a high voltage pair VDD to VSS, and a low voltage pair VDDL to VSSL. Voltage supplies and bias generators are well-known in the art, and thus are omitted from FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity in the illustration.
The amplifier includes a positive side outer current mirror CM1 coupled to the high voltage positive power rail VDD, a positive side inner current mirror CM2 coupled to the low voltage positive power rail VDDL, a (relatively) negative side inner current mirror CM3 coupled to the low voltage negative power rail VSSL, and a (relatively) negative side outer current mirror CM4 coupled to the high voltage negative power rail VSS.
A transconductance amplifier (gm Amp) is coupled to receive an input signal VIP; often, this is one half of a VIP/VIN differential input pair, one of which is tied to an analog ground point. A current sink output of the transconductance amplifier is fed to the input of a positive side switching device 12. The two outputs of the positive side switching device are respectively coupled to the inputs of the positive side current mirrors. The outputs of the positive side inner and outer current mirrors are both coupled to the amplifier's output terminal VOUT, and the output of the positive side outer current mirror is also coupled to a positive input of a positive side comparator 14. The negative input of the positive side comparator is coupled to a threshold voltage reference that tracks the positive side low voltage power rail. The threshold voltage is set to a value that just prevents the inner rail output stage from saturating before passing control to the outer rail output stage, and is typically around 200 mV. The output of the positive side comparator is coupled to control the positive side switching device.
The negative side or half of the amplifier is a mirror image of the positive side, using a negative side switching device 16 and a negative side comparator 18.
FIG. 2 illustrates the output current provided by the positive side lower supply (inner current mirror) in response to a particular input signal. As the input signal rises, the inner current mirror's output current rises accordingly until, at a particular point 20 the inner current mirror's power rails are inadequate, and the inner current mirror is switched off.
FIG. 3 illustrates the output current provided by the positive side upper supply (outer current mirror) in response to that same input signal. As long as the inner current mirror's power rails are adequate, the outer current mirror is not utilized until at the point 20, when the positive side comparator triggers the positive side switch to turn the positive side inner current mirror off and the positive side outer current mirror on. Then, the positive side outer current mirror provides the current for the output signal until, at a particular point 22 the input signal falls enough that the inner current mirror's power rails are again adequate. At that point, the positive side comparator triggers the positive side switch to turn the positive side outer current mirror off and the positive side inner current mirror on, as shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 illustrates the composite output current provided by the combination of the positive side inner and outer current mirrors in response to that input signal. The "on" portions of the two waveforms of FIGS. 2 and 3 would, ideally, form a smooth, glitch-free waveform when combined. However, due to problems inherent in Class G amplifiers, switching glitches do appear in the output current waveform at the points 20, 22 where the amplifier switches between current mirrors.
FIG. 5 illustrates a waveform demonstrating the output 24 of a positive side inner supply and the output 26 of a positive side outer supply, particularly showing them crossing over at a point 28 when the inner supply's power rails have just become inadequate.
FIG. 6 illustrates a waveform of the composite output 30 provided by the positive side inner and outer supplies, zoomed in to particularly show the large glitch 32 produced at the crossover (at point 28 in FIG. 5).
What is needed, then, is an improved Class G amplifier and method of operating it, which reduces, minimizes, or eliminates such switching glitches.

Distributed class G type amplifier switching method


A means and method for indirect detection of constituent components of a mixture separated in a chemical separation process. Fluorescing ions are distributed across the area in which separation of the mixture will occur to provide a generally uniform background fluorescence intensity. For example, the mixture is comprised of one or more charged analytes which displace fluorescing ions where its constituent components separate to. Fluorescing ions of the same charge as the charged analyte components cause a displacement. The displacement results in the location of the separated components having a reduced fluorescence intensity to the remainder of the background. Detection of the lower fluorescence intensity areas can be visually, by photographic means and methods, or by automated laser scanning.

a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to detection methods, and in particular, to detection methods for chemical separation processes such as gel electrophoresis. and thin layer chromatography.
b. Problems in the Art
A variety of chemical separation processes are well-known within the art. These processes are utilized to determine the identity and in some cases the amount of various constituent components of mixtures.
Many chemical separation processes have been known for years and have been refined to produce very good separation results. For example, gel electrophoresis and thin layer chromatography achieve valuable separation results for eligible mixtures and components. The separation information for these types of processes is contained in basically a two-dimensional image.
However, significant problems still remain with respect to detection and quantification of the separation results. For example, in gel electrophoresis, the ability to detect the separated components to a high degree of accuracy and reliability requires time-consuming, labor intensive methods. Even with the slow and laborious methods, detection results are also not always as good as would be desired. The present methods of detection for such separation processes are therefore costly in the sense of time, labor, and materials.
Additionally, although many of the detection processes currently utilized give fairly acceptable results, notwithstanding the above mentioned problems, most are only available for certain types of separation processes or certain types of mixtures or constituent components. Therefore, there is a real need in the art for a more universal detection system.
Another example of the need for an improved detection system is the requirement of some presently known detection processes to alter or otherwise destroy the samples of the mixture being separated to derive detection of the constituent components. It would be beneficial and desirable to have a detection method which would be nondestructive, in the sense that it would not permanently alter a mixture under analysis and allow recovery of the separated components.
It can therefore be seen that there is a real need in the art for an improved, more universal detection method for these types of chemical separation processes.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a means and method of detection in chemical separation procedures which solves or improves over the problems and deficiencies in the art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which is much faster and less labor intensive than present procedures.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which is more efficient at least with regard to labor, materials, and time.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which provides better detection results while retaining the same sensitivity and reliability of separation of constituent components of a mixture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which is nondestructive to the mixture being analyzed, and does not require any alteration or addition to the mixture being analyzed.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which indirectly detects separated constituent components of the mixture and does not rely on detection of some specific property of the mixture being analyzed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which is applicable to different chemical separation processes, can be used for a wide variety of mixtures to be analyzed, and is therefore more universal than most present detection systems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means and method as above described which is reliable, is sensitive, and provides improved levels of detectability.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the accompanying specification and claims.

Means and method of detection in chemical separation procedures

Iowa State University Research Foundation


A method is for preconditioning at least one latent heat storage element, which is arranged in a thermally insulated, closed container having a space for accommodating goods to be transported. The latent heat storage element has a target temperature preferably slightly in excess of 0 DEG C. In such an arrangement, it is particularly practical for the accommodation space in the container to be filled with a certain amount of a coolant, particularly ice, and for the container to be closed, and therefore the latent heat storage element located in the container is cooled to the target temperature.

For the storage of heat in a storage material suitable for this purpose, the temperature of said storage material is normally increased. This form of heat storage is called sensible heat storage.
Whenever, in a material suitable for this purpose, a phase transition takes place, for example the transition from the solid into the liquid phase (or vice versa), the relationship between the temperature of the storage material and the heat absorbed (or output) by the storage material is no longer linear. In the event of a transition from solid to liquid, the heat storage material begins to melt when the temperature of the phase transition is reached. The storage material maintains this temperature by supplying heat until the storage material has completely melted. Only then does an increase in the temperature occur again upon further absorption of heat.
Since virtually no increase in the temperature occurs for a relatively long time despite the supply of neat, this is called latent heat. In the case, for example, of the typical phase transition solid/liquid, the latent neat is identical to the melting heat or crystallization heat of the storage material.
A latent heat storage material has the great advantage that it can be used to store relatively large quantities of heat within a small temperature range. Since the phase transition takes place over a certain period of time at a substantially constant temperature, temperature fluctuations can be compensated for and temperature peaks avoided.
Latent heat storage materials are known in various forms. In English terminology, these materials are also called PCM materials (phase change materials).
At a target temperature (temperature of the phase transition) of approximately 0° C., water with different additives can be used as the latent heat storage material. For cold storage below 0° C., use is made of suitably prepared salt solutions.
In the region just above 0° C., other materials, for example those on the basis of paraffins, are more suitable.
In particular, as background, reference is made to the overview article from BIKE Information Service "Themeninfo IV/02 aus dem Jahre 2002 [Theme info IV/02 from 2002]", (FIZ Karlsruhe, project code 032980A-D, which is retrievable at www.bine.info, keyword: "Latentwärmespeicher" [Latent heat storage]). For the general background of latent heat storage materials and the use possibilities thereof, reference is hereby made by reference to the content of this citation.
A latent heat storage element according to the present invention is a latent heat storage material in a closed covering which is optionally also provided with a pressure-equalizing valve. A macro-encapsulated PCM material is also mentioned in this respect. The covering is frequently made from plastic. The basic structure is known, for example, from what are referred to as cooling batteries.
There are, in the meantime, latent heat storage elements of the type under discussion for an abundance of target temperatures, in particular also from the applicant (brochure "va-Q-tec Packaging Portfolio, January 2011"). Latent heat storage elements for target temperatures of 37° C., 22° C., 4° C., 0° C., −19° C., −21° C. and −32° C. are found there. Other providers have comparable latent heat storage elements in their sales range, sometimes also for different target temperatures.
Latent heat storage elements of the type under discussion are used in a particular field of use in thermally insulated containers, in particular for transport purposes. For example, this is true of the transport of temperature-sensitive items, such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnological products, transplant items or blood reserves. In this field of use, the optimum transport and storage temperature which absolutely has to be maintained is, for example, 2° C. to 8° C. The products are frequently only stable at all within a very narrow temperature range. The products therefore have to be transported and stored within this temperature range. In addition, frequently such products, which are highly sensitive with regard to the transport temperature, must not ever freeze. Temperatures below 0° C. must then be reliably avoided. The target temperature thus has to be reliably reached and maintained with comparatively little deviation.
The temperature which is maintained with little deviation by the latent heat storage element during the phase transition and which results from the used latent heat storage material of the latent heat storage element is designated below as the target temperature.
The present case involves preconditioning at least one latent heat storage element in a thermally insulated, closed container having a receiving space for items to be transported and in which the latent storage element has a target temperature of preferably somewhat above 0° C.
Prior art in this regard (WO 2004/104498 A2) relates to a thermally insulated container, in particular for transport purposes, wherein the container is insulated against heat exchange with the ambient atmosphere by vacuum insulation panels, and has at least one latent heat storage element of the type under discussion in the interior. To this extent, reference is made to the disclosure of the previously published document from which many aspects of the use of latent heat storage elements in transport containers can be gathered.
The technology of vacuum insulation panels has basically already been known for a relatively long time, but is being continuously perfected in terms of production and material. For vacuum insulation panels, reference may be made in principle to this extent to DE 100 58 566 C2 belonging to the applicant of the present application. Vacuum insulation panels of this type are currently the most efficient thermal insulation elements.

Method for preconditioning latent heat storage elements


A method of updating a remote display device associated with a remote system to fill at least a portion of a display area on the display device with a tiled pattern including repetitions of a tile image data stored at a host system interconnected to the remote system via a communication link. The host system determines the number of replications of the tile image data to fill the display area and transmits display information to the remote system via the communication link, including: the tile image data; a number of repetitions of said tile image data to fill said portion of said display area; and coordinate data representing the position of the display area on the display device. The remote system receives the display information and generates the tile pattern by performing steps including: storing the tile image data starting at a location in an on-screen frame buffer corresponding to a coordinate location within the display area relative to said display area coordinate data; and copying the tile image data into the frame buffer until said portion of the display area is filled with said tiled pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of computer systems.
Portions of the disclosure of this patent document contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, JavaBeans, HotJava and all Java-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
2. Background Art
Computer systems can display a variety of data on a display. Often, the background layer of a display shows a pattern that a user can select. Often these backgrounds are generated by repeating a single tile to fill the display area. For example, Internet web pages with textured background are usually rendered as a tile pattern. Existing rendering methods require the use of off-screen memory to store the tile pattern. The tile pattern is then transferred to on-screen memory for display. However, in some computer systems, the display devices may not include any off-screen memory. As such, the entire background comprised of multiple instances of the tile pattern needs to be transmitted for display on the terminal. However, transmitting the entire tile pattern is time consuming and wastes valuable computational time and resources.
The present invention provides a method of updating a display device to fill at least a portion of a display area on the display device with a tiled pattern including repetitions of a tile image data stored at a host system interconnected to the remote system via a communication link. The display method comprises the host system determining the number of replications of the tile image data to fill the display area and transmitting display information to the remote system via the communication link, including: the tile image data; and replication information. The remote system receives the display information and generates the tile pattern by performing steps including: storing the tile image data starting at a location in an on-screen frame buffer corresponding to a coordinate location within the display area; and copying the tile image data into the frame buffer based on the replication information until said portion of the display area is filled with said tiled pattern.
The transmitted display information can further include a coordinate location on the display device for each repetition of the tile image, wherein the remote system copies the tile image data into the frame buffer at locations corresponding to the coordinate locations on the display device. The display area can comprise a non-rectangular display region and a non-display clipped region. In that case, host system divides the display region into one or more rectangular display regions and performing the above steps for each rectangular display region utilizing at least a portion the tile image data for filling each rectangular display region with repetitions of said portion of the tile image data.
In another aspect the present invention provides an apparatus for implementing the above steps.

Method and apparatus for displaying data patterns in information systems


An apparatus in which an information signal recorded on a tape-like recording medium formed with a number of tracks in accordance with a first or second recording mode in which the number of recording tracks per unit time differ, is reproduced from the tape-like recording medium by reproducing assembly including first and second reproducing heads. The reproducing apparatus has first to third reproducing modes: the first reproducing mode, in which the tape-like recording medium recorded in the first recording mode is conveyed at substantially the same speed as that in the first recording mode and the recording signal, is reproduced by using both of the first and second heads; the second reproducing mode, in which the tape-like recording medium recorded in the second recording mode wherein the number of recording tracks per unit time is smaller than the first recording mode, is conveyed at substantially the same speed as that in the second recording mode and the recording signal is reproduced by using only the first heads; and the third reproducing mode, in which the tape-like recording medium recorded in the second recording mode, is conveyed at a speed different from that in the second recording mode and the recording signal is reproduced by using both the first and second heads.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus of a signal recorded on a tape-like recording medium.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, a recording and reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing a digital signal onto a magnetic tape by the helical scanning method has been well known. Further, there has also been known an apparatus with a construction which realizes both a normal recording mode of a normal recording time and a long time recording mode, which can execute the recording for a longer time by reducing the number of data tracks recorded in a unit time, although picture quality slightly deteriorates (for instance, JP-A-63-306504).
FIG. 1 shows a constructional block diagram of a conventional example of a digital signal recording and reproducing apparatus having both the normal mode and the double mode which can record for a long time, i.e. twice as long as the normal recording time. An analog video signal of the interlace scan in which one frame is constructed by two fields is input to an input terminal 10. An A/D converter 12 samples the input video signal by a sampling frequency, which is two or more times as high as the highest frequency of the video signal, and converts it into a digital signal of, for instance, eight bits. An output of the A/D converter 12 is once stored into a frame memory 14, which eliminates a blanking period is eliminated. On the other hand, in the double mode, a time base conversion is executed so as to match with a recording timing, which will be explained later herein. The signal from which the blanking period was eliminated by the frame memory 14 is supplied to a multiplexer 20 through a switch 18 in the normal mode. In the double mode, the signal from the frame memory 14 is compressed by a DPCM encoding circuit 16 and, thereafter, it is applied to the multiplexer 20 via the switch 18. The DPCM encoding circuit 16 non-linearly digitizes the difference between the present pixel and the preceding pixel by use of, for example, a correlation of images, thereby compressing the 8-bit digital signal into a the 4-bit signal in the amplitude direction and reducing an information amount into 1/2.
The multiplexer 20 divides the input signal into the signals of two systems. Error correction code (ECC) addition circuits 22A and 22B add error correction codes to outputs of the two systems of the multiplexer 20. An ID generation circuit 24 generates a signal in which a strong error correction code was added to identification (ID) data such as present recording mode, field number, scanning line number, and the like. An output of the ID generation circuit 24 and outputs of the ECC addition circuits 22A and 22B are multiplexed on the time base by switches 26A and 26B. That is, the switches 26A and 26B are switched so that one ID data is added to the data of a few scanning lines.
Digital modulation circuits 28A and 28B execute a low band suppressing modulation such as an 8-9 modulation or the like to signals from the switches 26A and 26B. Outputs of the digital modulation circuits 28A and 28B are supplied to magnetic heads HA+, HB+, HA- and HB- through amplifiers 30A and 30B, change-over switches 32A and 32B for recording/reproduction, and head selecting switches 34, 36, 38, and 40 and are recorded onto a magnetic tape 42.
FIG. 2 shows a timing chart of switching control signals S.sub.1, S.sub.2, S.sub.3, and S.sub.4 of the switches 34, 36, 38, and 40. FIG. 2A shows the case of the normal mode. FIG. 2B shows the case of the double mode. d.sub.1 and d.sub.2 indicate signals of common contact portions of the switches 32A and 32B. When the control signals S.sub.1, S.sub.2, S.sub.3, and S.sub.4 are at the high level, the corresponding switches 34, 36, 38, and 40 are turned on. A hatched portion in FIG. 2B shows that a signal to be recorded does not exist. The time base compression to form the hatched portion is executed by the frame memory 14.
FIG. 3A is a plan view of a rotary cylinder having the magnetic heads HA+, HB+, HA- and HB-. FIG. 3B is a development diagram in the circumferential direction of the rotary drum. As shown in FIG. 3A, the magnetic tape 42 is wrapped around the outer peripheral surface of a rotary cylinder 44 by an angle range of 180.degree. or more. The heads HA+, and HB+ attached to the rotary cylinder 44 have a plus azimuth and the heads HA- and HB- have a minus azimuth. The heads HA+ and HB+ rotate with a phase difference of 180.degree.. The heads HA- and HB- also similarly rotate with a phase difference of 180.degree.. On the other hand, the heads HA+ and HB- rotate with a phase difference of an angle .theta..
The operations of the heads in the normal mode and the double mode will now be described. The rotary cylinder 44 rotates two times for a period of time when the video signal of one frame is input to the input terminal 10. That is, in the case of the NTSC signal, a rotational speed of the cylinder 44 is set to 3,600 rpm. In the normal mode, each of the magnetic heads HA+, HB+, HA- and HB- traces the magnetic tape 42 two times for a period of time when the cylinder 44 rotates twice, thereby recording the signal onto the magnetic tape 42. During such a period of time, the magnetic tape 42 is conveyed at a predetermined speed in a manner such that eight tracks are formed in one frame at a predetermined track pitch T.sub.p by a capstan 48 which is controlled by a capstan control circuit 46.
In the double mode, the signal is recorded onto the magnetic tape 42 by the tracing operations of two times of the magnetic heads HA+ and HA- for a period of time when the cylinder 44 rotates twice. The magnetic heads HB+ and HB- are not used. If the tracing direction of the head is set at small enough an inclination angle for the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape 42, the conveying speed of the magnetic tape 42 by the capstan 48 is 1/2 of that in the normal mode and the number of tracks which are formed in one frame is set to four.
FIG. 4A shows a track pattern in the normal mode. FIG. 4B shows a track pattern in the double mode. In FIGS. 4A and 4B, TA+, TB+, TA- and TB- respectively indicate tracks which were recorded by the magnetic heads HA+, HB+, HA- and HB-.
A system control circuit 50 in FIG. 1 controls the foregoing recording operation and also controls the reproducing operation, which will be explained later herein.
In the reproducing mode, the switches 32A and 32B are connected to the P contact side and the switches 34, 36, 38, and 40 are connected or disconnected at timings similar to those in the recording mode. Thus, reproduction signals of two systems can be derived from the P contacts of the switches 32A and 32B. The reproduction signals are amplified by reproducing amplifiers 52A and 52B and demodulated by digital demodulation circuits 54A and 54B. ECC decoding circuits 56A and 56B error-correct the demodulation outputs of the digital demodulating circuits 54A and 54B. A composition circuit 58 synthesizes error correction outputs of the ECC decoding circuits 56A and 56B, thereby obtaining the original signal of one system. On the other hand, an ID decoding circuit 60 extracts and decodes the ID data portions from the outputs of the modulation circuits 54A and 54B.
In the case of the signal recorded in the normal mode, an output of the composition circuit 58 is supplied to a frame memory 66 through a switch 64. In the case of the signal recorded in the double mode, the signal is decoded by a DPCM decoding circuit 62 and, thereafter, it is supplied to the frame memory 66 via the switch 64. The DPCM decoding circuit 62 expands the signal which was compressed into four bits in the amplitude direction into the original 8-bit signal.
The frame memory 66 stores the input reproduction data into proper pixel positions in accordance with the ID data from the ID decoding circuit 60. Since only the effective pixels are input as the reproduction data into the frame memory 66, the blanking period is added here. On the other hand, in the double mode, there is executed a time base conversion for reconstructing the data which is intermittently reproduced into a predetermined image signal. An output of the frame memory 66 is converted into an analog signal by a D/A converter 68 and is output to the outside through an output terminal 70.
In the above conventional example, if the operator wants to execute a special reproduction such as a searching operation at a speed different from the speed upon recording, the simplest method is to change the speed of the capstan 48 by generating a common from the system control circuit 50 to the capstan control circuit 46. For instance, in FIG. 5A, in the case where the magnetic tape which had been recorded in the normal mode was searched at a speed which is 4.6 times as high as the speed in the normal mode, a portion from which data can be reproduced in a state in which the azimuth angle of the recording track coincides with the azimuth angle of the reproducing head is shown as a hatched region. #1 to #7 show relative field numbers to which the reproduced data belongs. Since the ID data including the scanning line numbers and the like have been recorded together with the image data, it is possible to discriminate between the position of the scanning line on the display screen where the image data is located from and the ID data which was reproduced and decoded, so that the reproduction image data can be written at the proper location in the frame memory 66.
On the other hand, FIG. 5B shows the case where the magnetic tape recorded in the double mode was searched at a speed which is 4.6 times as high as the speed in the double mode. A region from which data can be reproduced is shown by a hatched region. #1, #2, #3, #6, and #7 indicate relative field numbers to which the reproduced data belongs. As will be understood from FIG. 5B, a time interval of reproducible data is fairly larger than that in the normal mode. As mentioned above, in what is called a long-time mode for recording by reducing the information amount, the images which are recorded are the partial images lacking absolute information. Therefore, there is a problem in that the data which can be reproduced in a special reproducing mode is also the further partial data, and the reproduced image becomes unrefined.

Information signal reproducing apparatus having three reproducing modes


A mechanism is provided for signing on a user of a first domain into an affiliate application in a second domain. When the user needs access to the affiliate application, the request for access causes a ticket to be generated. The ticket identifies the user and is passed to an adapter. The adapter, which ultimately will perform the sign on in the affiliate application, redeems the ticket for the user's credentials (e.g., a valid userID/password combination for the affiliate application), and then presents the credentials to the affiliate application. A service is provided that issues tickets, redeems tickets, manages the registration and de-registration of affiliate applications, manages the correlation between a user and the user's credentials with an affiliate application, and manages encryption of stored records.

In a distributed computing environment, resources or services that a user needs to access may be spread out across different computers. As one example, each employee in an enterprise may have a desktop or laptop computer, which accesses files stored in a central cluster of file servers. Each of these various computers may be controlled by a sign on procedure that requires presentation of credentials. For example, the user may have to enter a valid userID/password combination in order to gain access to the computer. Typically, once a user is signed onto his or her desktop or laptop, he or she does not have to enter a userID/password combination again in order to access the file server, because the file server and the user's computer are part of the same domain.
However, in some cases a user may be working in a first domain (e.g., an environment based on the MICROSOFT WINDOWS operating systems), and may need to access information in a second domain of a different type (e.g., a cluster of computers based on the UNIX operating system). The second domain may maintain its own userIDs and passwords, and may require that the user sign-on to the second domain separately. Conventionally, when the user attempts to access the second domain, the second domain will present the user with a prompt to enter a userID and password for the second domain, which is clearly an inconvenience to the user. It is desirable to allow the user to access the second domain seamlessly—i.e., given that the user has signed onto the first domain, it is desirable to allow the user to access resources and services under his corresponding userID in the second domain, without having to manually enter the userID/password combination for the second domain.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a system and method that overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.


A spark plug capable of avoiding a discharge member bonded to a base material from peeling off easily is provided. The spark plug includes: a first electrode including a base material and a discharge member having at least a portion thereof bonded to the base material with a diffusing layer interposed therebetween; and a second electrode facing the discharge member with a spark gap interposed therebetween. The base material contains 50 mass % or more of Ni, 8 mass % or more and 40 mass % or less of Cr, 0.05 mass % or more and 2 mass % or less of Si, 0.01 mass % or more and 2 mass % or less of Al, 0.01 mass % or more and 2 mass % or less of Mn, 0.01 mass % or more and 0.1 mass % or less of C, and 0.001 mass % or more and 0.04 mass % or less of Fe.

As a result of increased performance, improved combustion efficiency, and the like of engines, the temperature of electrodes of spark plugs under usage environment tends to become high. In a spark plug in which a first electrode including a discharge member bonded to a base material faces a second electrode with a spark gap interposed therebetween, an increase in the temperature of the first electrode increases a thermal stress of a bonded part of the discharge member, and there is thus a concern of peel-off of the discharge member. Here, in the technology disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-105467 ("PTL 1"), a base material contains 0.05 mass % or more and 5 mass % or less of Fe thereby while improving high-temperature strength and high-temperature corrosion resistance, suppressing peel-off of a discharge member. In an example in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-173116 ("PTL 2"), a base material contains 2 mass % of Fe to ensure the high-temperature strength of the base material, thereby suppressing peel-off of a discharge member.
The aforementioned technology is, however, found to have a possibility of not being able to sufficiently ensure the peeling resistance of the discharge member under a further temperature increase of electrodes. In other words, in the bonded part between the base material and the discharge member, a thermal stress due to a difference in thermal expansion coefficient therebetween is generated, and a crack is easily generated. If oxygen enters the crack, the oxygen binds to Fe derived from the base material, and an iron oxide is generated in the bonded part between the base material and the discharge member. Under usage environment of an engine, the volume of the iron oxide changes in response to the crystal structure thereof being changed by oxidation reduction. Thus, the stress of the bonded part between the base material and the discharge member is further increased. Consequently, there is a possibility of the discharge member easily peeling off from the base material.
In particular, in an electrode in which at least a portion of a discharge member is bonded to a base material with a diffusion layer interposed therebetween, the stress buffering effect of the diffusion layer is poor compared with an electrode in which a discharge member is bonded to a base material with a laser-welded fused portion interposed therebetween. Therefore, there is a possibility of the discharge member peeling off more easily.


The present invention relates to the production of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Spike glycoprotein 1 of the SARS-CoV-2 in mammalian cell expression systems, and the successive method of purification thereof. A recombinant plasmid containing the coding sequence of said RBD is produced and transfected in said mammalian cells, for example, Expi293. A high level of the protein is secreted in the medium and subsequently purified using the N-terminal tag, that can be removed by a specific protease. The present invention also includes a recombinant expression vector carrying the RBD gene, the successive methods for protein purification, the strategy for establishing a stable cell line producing the RBD, methods of use of the recombinant protein in formulating a pharmaceutical composition, including but not limited to, vaccines for preventing SARS-CoV-2 induced diseases.

Several outbreaks in the past two decades have been caused by coronaviruses such as the two caused by SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV in 2003 and 2012, respectively. An outbreak infection of a novel coronavirus emerged in late 2019 and has been rapidly spreading across countries causing a significant threat to international health and the economy. The disease caused by this coronavirus was named as COVID-19.
Since then, the world has experienced a grave situation of global public health emergency due to the viral pandemic of severe febrile pneumonia-like respiratory syndrome caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2. This name was chosen by WHO because the virus is genetically related to the coronavirus responsible for the SARS outbreak of 2003. However, the most important structural protein, the spike glycoprotein (S), is slightly different in these viruses. The S protein belongs to class I fusion protein that mediates attachment of the virus to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) of the host cell receptor. Since the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 mediates entry of virus into the host cell, it is one of the most important antigenic determinants, making it a potential candidate for a vaccine.
SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein (S Protein) is a glycoprotein that mediates membrane fusion and viral entry. The S protein is homotrimeric, with each ˜180-kDa monomer consisting of two subunits, S1 and S2. In SARS-CoV-2, as with most coronaviruses, proteolytic cleavage of the S protein into two distinct peptides, 51 and S2 subunits, is required for activation. The 51 subunit is focused on attachment of the protein to the host receptor while the S2 subunit is involved with cell fusion. Based on structural biology studies, the receptor binding domain (RBD), located in the C-terminal region of S1, can be oriented either in the up/standing or down/lying state. The standing state is associated with higher pathogenicity and both SARS-CoV-1 and MERS can access this state due to the flexibility in their respective RBDs. A similar two-state structure and flexibility is found in the SARS-CoV-2 RBD. Based on amino acid (aa) sequence homology, the SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunit RBD has a 73% identity with the RBD of the SARS-CoV-1 S1 RBD, but only 22% homology with the MERS 51 RBD. The low aa sequence homology is consistent with the finding that SARS and MERS bind different cellular receptors. The S protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, like the SARS-CoV-1 counterpart, binds Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), but with much higher affinity and faster binding kinetics. Before binding to the ACE2 receptor, structural analysis of the 51 trimer shows that only one of the three RBD domains in the trimeric structure is in the "up" conformation. This is an unstable and transient state that passes between trimeric subunits but is nevertheless an exposed state to be targeted for neutralizing antibody therapy. Polyclonal antibodies to the RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 protein have been shown to inhibit interaction with the ACE2 receptor, confirming RBD as an attractive target for vaccinations or antiviral therapy. There is also promising work showing that the RBD may be used to detect the presence of neutralizing antibodies present in a patient's bloodstream, consistent with developed immunity after exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Recently, the receptor binding domain (RBD) has been identified as a key viral element allowing virus docking to target cells. It is critical to define the RBD in SARS-CoV-2 in order to deeply understand the infective mechanism of the virus. Moreover, RBD of S protein is also a good target for antiviral therapies because blockading the binding of S protein to cellular receptor can prevent virus entry.
Therefore, there is a need to guarantee a high yield of expression for RBD through careful design of an appropriate vector, selecting an appropriate cell line for expression of the protein and related the purification methods, and provide a stable production of RBD at higher yield in a shorter period of time compared to the existing inventions. This invention addresses this need along with the use of expressed RBD in various covid therapeutics.

Efficient expression system of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD), methods for purification and use thereof


A hearing device and a method for fitting the hearing device are provided. The method for fitting a monaural hearing device involve obtaining audiograms of both ears, and adjusting an amplification gain based on the audiograms of both ears, in which the audiograms comprise an audiogram of a first ear for wearing the monaural hearing device and an audiogram of a second ear not wearing the monaural hearing device.

1. Field
The following description relates to a hearing device and a method for fitting a hearing device using a binaural hearing model.
2. Description of Related Art
A hearing device is used to assist a user wearing the hearing device to hear an ambient sound more clearly. A hearing device receives a sound wave through a microphone, and outputs the received sound wave to a user after processing and amplifying the sound wave.
With the development of integrated circuits (ICs) and hearing device fitting technology, some hearing devices are now capable of providing an amount of gain and a type of output that are appropriate for a type and degree of hearing loss experienced by a patient. Further, the sizes of available hearing devices have been reduced.
Hearing devices are produced in various forms, such as a glasses type hearing device for mounting to a glasses frame, a behind-the-ear (BTE) type hearing device for wearing on an ear, and a completely-in-canal (CIC) type hearing device for mounting inside an ear.
Some hearing devices compensate for the hearing loss of a use by varying the amplification level of sounds at different frequencies. A fitting scheme for a hearing device refers to control of a signal amplification level according to a level of a frequency band and an input signal, in consideration of an auditory threshold, which is an audible limit of a user wearing the hearing device. Thus, the hearing device can be used to help the user to hear a sound better based on the personal need of the user. Recently, researches are underway on more accurate fitting of hearing devices so as to deliver a sound to the users of hearing devices more clearly.

Hearing device and method for fitting hearing device


Aspects of series resonator DC-to-DC converters are described. A series resonator DC-to-DC converter can include a first half-bridge circuit comprising a first high-side switch and a first low-side switch, a second half-bridge circuit comprising a second high-side switch and a second low-side switch, and a resonator in series between the first high-side switch and the first low-side switch. The circuit design and switching controller can be relied upon to impart soft-switching.

Direct current (DC) power delivery systems can use a number of differing supply voltages. For example, 1 Volt, 3.3 Volts, 5 Volts, 12 Volts, 48 Volts, and others. Compared with conventional 12-Volt power delivery, 48-Volt power delivery offers some advantages. A 48-Volt system can reduce power distribution losses, as well as provide for a reduced conductor size, which can lead to reduced weight and cost compared with 12-Volt and other lower voltage power delivery systems.
Power distribution and delivery systems at higher DC voltages are becoming more common for the benefits of smaller distribution loss. However, some devices still require lower voltages than those of the power distribution and delivery systems. For example, many modern CPUs and GPUs are designed for power supply potentials of less than 1.5 V. The use of lower voltages can help to reduce power dissipation and the requirements for complicated and expensive cooling systems. These lower voltages can be achieved using single stage DC-to-DC converters and two-stage DC-to-DC converters. However, the existing single stage solutions need a multi-winding inductor to provide an ultra-small voltage gain and enable soft switching. In the existing two-stage solutions, the first stage provides a fix voltage gain and the second stage can suffer from low efficiency. As a result, there is a need for more variable and more efficient solutions for DC-to-DC converters.

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.