Providing: quickly brining a vapor cell 119 to a desired temperature when retaining the heat of the vapor cell 119 to enhance the magnetic field detection performance of an optically pumped magnetometer; preventing adherence of atoms in the vapor cell 119 to a laser irradiation light passing-through part of the vapor cell 119; downsizing the periphery of the vapor cell 119; and suppressing the effect of a magnetic field from a heater used to retain the heat of the vapor cell 119. The present invention includes: a transparent film heater 118 provided to a laser irradiation light passing-through part of a vapor cell 119, the vapor cell 119 being a magnetic detection part of the optically pumped magnetometer; a temperature detector 115 provided at a center part of a side of the vapor cell 119; a temperature regulator 111 that sets a desired temperature for heat retention of the vapor cell 119 and compares the desired temperature and the actual temperature of the vapor cell measured by the temperature detector 115; an operation unit 112 that upon receipt of a PID control signal for temperature control from the temperature regulator 111, performs a temperature adjustment and switches on/off, in a pulsed manner, current applied to the transparent film heater 118 after the desired temperature is reached; and a heater power supply 113 that upon receipt of an operation signal from the operation unit 112, applies current to the transparent film heater 118.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for retaining the heat of a sensor part of an optically pumped magnetometer.
2. Background Art
In order to increase alkali metal atoms in a vapor cell which are excited by irradiation light applied to the cell, it is necessary to increase the gas density of the alkali metal in the cell by heating the cell. In order to retain the heat of the cell, there are techniques using hot air or heaters.
Appl. Phys. B76, 325-328 (2003) discloses that a cell is housed in a plastic coiled tube and the heat of the cell is retained by applying hot air to the inside of the tube using a hot air generator.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 85, 6409 (2004) discloses that transparent film heaters are provided to the parts through which irradiation light applied to a cell passes, and the heat of the cell is retained by applying current to the transparent film heater.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 89, 134105 (2006) discloses that hot air is applied to the inside of an oven housing a cell using a hot air generator to fill that container with hot air, thereby retaining the heat of the cell.
REVIEW OF SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS 77, 113106 (2006) discloses that hot air is applied using a hot air generator to the inside of a magnetic shielding provided to suppress environmental magnetic noise coming into a cell to fill the magnetic shielding with hot air, thereby retaining the heat of the cell.
JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-339302A discloses that a c-field control circuit and a heater coil control-equipped temperature control circuit are prepared and a c-field coil wound on a cavity housing a cell is used as a heater by means of a coil function switch device, thereby retaining the heat of the cell.
JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-344314A discloses that a film heater is provided to a c-field coil wound on a cavity housing a cell, or a cell, and current is applied to the film heater, thereby retaining the heat of the cell.
JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-229766A discloses that a cell is housed in a metal case provided with a heater, and current is applied to the heater, thereby retaining the heat of the cell.

Magnetic field measuring optically pumped magnetometer apparatus


A fast response current source capable of providing an output current is disclosed. The fast response current source includes a constant current generating block, a first feedback capacitor, a first current buffer and a first output current generating block. The constant current generating block provides a first constant current. The first current buffer generates a first buffering current to flow through the first feedback terminal, and changes a current value of the first buffering current in response to the current variation at the first feedback terminal when the voltage at the output terminal is varied. The first output current generating block generates a first output current to flow through the output terminal, and changes a current value of the first output current in response to the variation of the first buffering current when the voltage at the output terminal is varied.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fast response current source. Particularly, the invention relates to a fast response current source capable of dynamically adjusting an output current according to a load demand.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional voltage regulator, a feedback circuit is generally used to lock an output voltage to be generated, and a regulation capacitor is disposed at an output terminal of the voltage regulator to assist voltage regulation capability of the voltage regulator. Configuration of the regulation capacitor is mainly to convert pre-stored charges into a driving current for providing to a load when a demand current of the load driven by the voltage regulator is sharply varied, so as to maintain stability of the voltage output from the output terminal of the voltage regulator. In other words, to ensure that the voltage regulator endures a large variation of the demand current of the load, the regulation capacitor of a large size has to be used. Configuration of the large size regulation capacitor increases the cost of the voltage regulator and decreases a response speed of the voltage regulator.
Certainly, in the conventional voltage regulator, a design without using the regulation capacitor is also provided, and such type of the voltage regulator requires a complicated detecting circuit to detect a dynamic variation of the demand current of the load through the output terminal of the voltage regulator, and dynamically adjust the driving current generated by the voltage regulator according to the detected dynamic variation of the demand current of the load. Since such voltage regulator requires the complicated current detecting circuit, the circuit cost is increased and additional current consumption of the current detecting circuit is required.


Accessories for a pickup truck includes a front brush/grill guard, a tubular rear bumper and a rally bar with lights. The brush guard has upper and lower flanges and offset front and rear mounting brackets which sandwich the flanges therebetween to fasten the guard on the front bumper of the truck. The rear bumper assembly has first and second tubes with angled end portions which angle inward toward the truck body. The ends of the tubes are parallel to the truck body for aesthetic appeal. The tubes provide a license plate mounting area and are mounted using large and small bumper tabs, a frame bracket and a tube bracket. The rally bar assembly includes front and rear rally bars releasably connected by a two member bracket. The bracket has a front member fastened to the front bar and a rear member connected to the rear bar. The bracket also supports a light assembly for projecting light forward of the vehicle.

At the time of an automotive purchase the consumer makes selections from a number of factory installed items to fulfill particular needs or desires. Because consumer's desires vary so widely, there are a number of accessories that can be purchased to be installed by vehicle dealers or, in some instances, by the consumer. Pickup trucks are popular vehicles which may be outfitted with various accessories. One such accessory is a front bumper accessory that attaches to the front of the truck for aesthetic appeal or may serve a utilitarian function, such as protecting the bumper, grill or hood of the truck from damage by debris, bugs and insects. Because the front of the vehicle provides headlights and a hood for access to the engine, any accessory added to the front must be carefully designed and installed so that it does not interfere with the operation of the hood or headlights. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a front bumper accessory which is easy to install and align so that it does not hinder operation of the hood or headlights. It is also desirable to have a front bumper accessory which can attach to several different models of bumpers.
Another accessory for a pickup truck is a rally bar. The rally bar is mounted behind the cab of the truck in the truck bed and may provide light fixtures that project light forward of the truck. An advantage of the lights is that they are at a higher elevation than the headlights and may project a beam of light a greater distance and at a higher elevation. Such higher elevation is very useful for illuminating trees and other vegetation during offroad vehicle use. While it is desired to have the rally lights extend above the top of the cab, it is also desirable to have the rally bar which supports the lights unobtrusive and aesthetically pleasing. One problem with rally bars is that a set of rally bars is usually designed for a particular truck bed making it necessary for a dealer to carry a large inventory. Accordingly, it is highly desirable to have rally bars which are adaptable to more than one truck bed.
Another truck accessory is rear bumper. It is desirable for a rear bumper to be easy to install and align so that it does not hinder operation of the tailgate of the truck. It is also desirable to have an aesthetically attractive bumper.

Truck with brush/grill guard, slanted tubular bumper, rally bar and rally bar lights


A ceramic paste is applied to a first glass sheet 11, and a ceramic paste is applied to a second glass sheet 13 with a lower solar absorptivity than that of the first glass sheet 11. In this case, the amount per unit area of the ceramic paste to be applied to the first glass sheet 11 is allowed to be smaller than that of the ceramic paste to be applied to the second glass sheet 13. Alternatively, a first ceramic paste and a second ceramic paste are allowed to have different compositions from each other. The first glass sheet 11 and the second glass sheet 13 are bent so that the surfaces onto which the ceramic pastes have been applied are shaped as concave surfaces. The applied ceramic paste is fired using the heating used for bending. Thus maskings 12 and 14 are formed. The first glass sheet 11 and the second glass sheet 13 are bonded to each other, with a resin interlayer film 15 being interposed therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a laminated glass for vehicles, and a laminated glass for vehicles.
2. Related Background Art
For window glasses of automobiles, laminated glasses are used, each of which is formed of two glass sheets bonded to each other with a resin interlayer film interposed therebetween and dark-colored maskings provided for the peripheral parts thereof in the form of a frame (for instance, JP 2005-213101 A, JP2005-29083 A). The maskings are referred to often as "ceramic prints". The maskings are intended to prevent an adhesive for fixing a window glass to a window frame from deteriorating due to solar radiation and to improve the appearance by shielding terminals of heating wires or a deicer.
The maskings each are formed by printing a ceramic paste on peripheral parts of glass sheets to be bonded to each other and firing the ceramic paste that has been printed. Firing of the ceramic paste proceeds simultaneously with bending of the glass sheets, using the heating used for bending. Generally, the place where a masking is to be provided is an inner surface of a glass sheet (inner sheet) located on the inner side of the car or an inner surface of a glass sheet (outer sheet) located on the outer side of the car. As shown in FIG. 8, depending on products, both the inner surface of the outer sheet 90 and the inner surface of the inner sheet 91 are provided with maskings 92 and 93, respectively.
Recently, there are increasing needs for laminated glasses to be used as window glasses for automobiles. Such laminated glasses include one formed of a common bent glass sheet and a bent glass sheet with a lower solar transmittance that are bonded to each other with an interlayer film interposed therebetween so as to reduce the transmission of solar radiation into the inside of the car, and one in which the glass sheet located on the inner side of the car is thinner in order to maintain the strength against, for example, stones that are thrown up by oncoming cars that strike the glass while reducing the weight of the window glass. Generally, since two bent glass sheets are obtained by being bent with the same mold, it is considered that they can be laminated together, with no gap being generated therebetween. However, that is not necessarily the case. When maskings are intended to be formed by printing a ceramic paste in the same pattern on glass sheets of different types and/or different thicknesses from each other and firing the ceramic paste using the heating used for bending the glass sheets, the outer sheet 90 and inner sheet 91 may not coincide with each other in the bend degree due to firing shrinkage of the ceramic pastes 920 and 930 as shown in FIG. 9. Accordingly, a gap SH (hereinafter also referred to as an "edge gap") may be generated at the peripheral parts of the two glass sheets 90 and 91 that have been laminated together.

Method of manufacturing laminated glass for vehicle and laminated glass for vehicle


The energization control system for a motor equalizes the power loss of switching elements energizing coils of each phase of the motor in order to maintain a balance of heat development. The energization control system for a motor includes a plurality of phase coils and two switching elements. The energization control system of a motor supplies an electric current from the power source line to the coil when two switching elements are simultaneously conducted. Two switching elements are controlled under a first condition that one of the switching elements is switched every predetermined time while the other of the switching elements is conducted. Two switching elements are also controlled under a second condition that the other of the switching elements is switched every predetermined time while one of the switching elements is conducted. The first condition and the second conditions are repeated and synchronized to the predetermined time every predetermined period.

The present invention relates to energization control systems for a motor. More particularly, the present invention pertains to an energization control system for a motor for controlling electric current in a coil of each phase of a switched reluctance type motor (called an SR motor hereinafter) applied, for instance, to electric vehicles.
The operational principle of SR motors in which the present invention is applied is explained in FIG. 10. As shown in FIG. 10, an SR motor 1 includes a hollow cylindrical stator 2 and a cylindrical rotor 3 which is rotatably provided in the stator 2 keeping a predetermined gap with the stator 2. On the inner periphery of the stator 2, six radial poles 2a-2f are formed at equal intervals. On the outer periphery of the rotor 3, four radial poles 3a-3d are formed at equal intervals. When two radial poles of the stator 2 (e.g., 2c, 2f) are opposed to two radial poles of the rotor 3 (e.g., 3b, 3d), two other radial poles 3a, 3c of the rotor 3 are located between radial poles of the stator 2, i.e., 2a, 2b, and 2d, 2e respectively. Each pair of opposing radial poles 2a and 2d, 2b and 2e, and 2c and 2f, shares a common circuit including coils 4a and 4d, 4b and 4e, and 4c and 4f respectively.
As shown in FIG. 10, when electric current I1 is supplied to the coils 4a, 4d, magnetic flux is generated in the poles 2a, 2d of the stator 2, and thus attracts the poles 3a, 3c of the rotor 3. As shown in FIG. 10, when the electric current I2 is supplied to the coils 4b, 4e, the magnetic flux is generated in the poles 2b, 2e of the stator 2, and thus attracts the poles 3d, 3b of the rotor 3. As shown in FIG. 10, when the electric current I3 is supplied to the coils 4c, 4f, the magnetic flux is generated in the poles 2c, 2f of the stator 2, and thus attracts the poles 3c, 3a of the rotor 3. Accordingly, by supplying three-phase electric current I1-I3 to the pairs of coils 4a-4c, 4b-4e and 4c-4f synchronous with the rotation of the rotor 3, the rotor 3 can be driven at a desired rotation number. By ON/OFF operation of a switching element 10, each electric current I1-I3 is switched ON and OFF. Each electric current is supplied by electric voltage from a battery 5.
FIG. 11 shows a switching circuit for energizing the coils of SR motor by chopping control shown in FIG. 10. The switching circuit illustrated is only for one phase. In order to drive the SR motor 1 shown in FIG. 10, three systems of the same switching circuit are provided.
In FIG. 11, the switching circuit includes a first switching element 11, a second switching element 12, a first diode 13, and a second diode 14. The first switching element 11 is connected between one end of a phase coil 15 and a high electric potential line 16 of a power source. The second switching element 12 is connected between the other end of the coil 15 and a low electric potential line 17 of a power source. The first diode 13 is connected between one end of the coil 15 and the lower electric potential line 17. The second diode is connected between the other end of the coil 15 and the high electric potential line 16.
The first diode 13 allows the electric current to flow from the low electric potential line 17 to one end of the coil 15. The second diode 14 allows the electric current to flow from the other end of the coil 15 to the high electric potential line 6. Both the first and the second diodes are flywheel diodes. A Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H07-274569 discloses a switching circuit of this kind. The switching elements 11, 12 may be, for instance, Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT).
There are five methods for chopping control of the SR motor 1 by the switching circuit, which are Soft Chopping, Hard Chopping, 0V Loop (zero-volt loop), DUTY Chopping, and Three-Step OFF. The Soft Chopping is a drive method for maintaining a target electric current value by switching ON/OFF only the first switching element 11 or the second switching element 12. In the Hard Chopping driving method, a target electric current value is maintained by switching ON/OFF both the first and the second switching elements 11, 12. The 0V Loop is a driving method for utilizing the energy by turning off the first switching element 11 and turning on the second switching element 12 during the condition that the electric current is already flowing. In the DUTY Chopping method, ON/OFF of the first switching element 11 is switched while the second switching element 12 is OFF, thus to utilize the electric current by degrees. The Three-step OFF is a driving method varying the operation from either one of Soft Chopping or Hard Chopping, 0V Loop, and to DUTY Chopping.
FIG. 12 shows a wave form of switching circuit operated by Soft chopping. An upper signal shown as (b) of FIG. 12 corresponds to a drive signal for actuating the switching element 11. A lower signal shown as (c) of FIG. 12 corresponds to a drive signal for driving the switching element 12. The upper signal which repeats switching ON/OFF shown in FIG. 12 is given to a base of the switching element 11. The lower signal which regularly maintains ON shown in FIG. 12 is given to a base of the switching element 12.
When both the upper signal and the lower signal are ON, the switching elements 11, 12 are conductive, and thus the electric current flows from the high electric potential line 16 to the low electric potential line 17 via the switching element 11, the coil 5, and the switching element 12. When the upper signal is switched to OFF, switching element 11 is disconnected. The lower signal maintains ON. In this condition, the second switching element 12 is conducted and the first diode 13 allows the electric current flow according to the accumulated energy in the coil 15b. The current flows from the coil 15 to the low electric potential line 17 via the second switching element 12. Then, when the upper signal is switched to be ON again, the switching element 11 is conductive, and thus the electric current flows from the switching element 11 to the switching element 12 via the coil 15.
By repeating the forgoing operation, electric current shown in FIG. 12 flows in the coil 15. In FIG. 12, rise of ripple is due to the rise of the electric current flowing in the coil 15 by conduction of the switching element 11. Drop of ripple is due to the moderate reduction of the energy accumulated in the coil 15 by disconnection of the switching element 11. The target value of the electric current is determined at a predetermined value in order to obtain a necessary torque in accordance with the driving condition, when the SR motor is applied, for instance, to the electric vehicle.
In the switching circuit shown in FIG. 11, the switching elements 11, 12 develop heat by energization. An IGBT used as the switching elements 11, 12 is destroyed when the temperature is greater than 150xc2x0 C. Thus, a temperature sensor is positioned near the switching elements 11, 12 to restrict the electric current flowing in the coil 15 for preventing a further increase of the temperature when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is increased, for example, to 120xc2x0 C.-130xc2x0 C.
On one hand, the upper signal explained in FIG. 12 repeats switching ON/OFF alternatively. On the other hand, the lower signal maintains ON condition. Thus, the switching element 11 repeats the switching ON/OFF and the switching element 12 is maintained to be ON. Accordingly, duration of ON period of the switching element 12 becomes longer than that of the switching element 11 and switching number of the switching element 11 becomes greater than that of the switching element 12. Hence, switching loss of the switching element 11 becomes greater, the temperature increase of the switching element, 11 becomes greater than that of the switching element 12, and the heat generation of each switching element becomes unbalanced.
In order to balance the temperature increase of the switching elements 11, 12, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-270591 by the applicant discloses a control method for switching elements 11, 12 to be ON alternatively by switching a period for maintaining ON of the upper signal and the lower signal at a predetermined time by a chopping switching signal shown in FIG. 12.
The chopping switching signal is switched at a predetermined time following the order from a CPU. In the aforementioned application, the condition maintaining ON and the condition repeating switching ON/OFF of the upper signal and the lower signal were switched immediately following the switching signal. In this condition, every time switching on the chopping side is performed, a loss is generated by one, and the accumulation of the loss thereof deteriorates the operational efficiency of the motor.
As shown in FIG. 12, according to the foregoing application, the time period for being ON/OFF of the upper signal and the lower signal is predetermined so that both the upper signal and the lower signal have a chopping operation for a predetermined time period. However, when the switching is performed only for the predetermined time period, irrespective of the predetermined time period, the level of both the upper signal and the lower signal is switched, and thus the number of ON/OFF is increased by one every time the switching is performed. For example, the lower side may perform ON/OFF ten times contrasted to nine times of ON/OFF at the upper side. This phenomenon is not favorable regarding the balance of heat development.
A need thus exists for an improved energization control system for a motor that obviates drawbacks associated with known energization control systems for a motor described above.
A need also exists for an energization control system for a motor for keeping the balance of heat development of the of two switching elements as equal as possible.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved energization control system for a motor which obviates the above drawbacks. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved energization control system for a motor which can keep a balance of heat development between two switching elements as equal as possible.
To achieve the aforementioned objects the following technical means are provided for the energization control system of the motor of the present invention which includes a plurality of phase coils wound around a corresponding stator of the motor, a first switching element disposed between one end of one of the coils and one side of a power source line and a second switching element disposed between the other end of the coil and the other side of the power source line. The energization control system for the motor supplies an electric current from the power source line to the coil when the first switching element and the second switching element are simultaneously conducted. The first and second switching elements are controlled under a first condition that one of the first or the second switching elements is switched every first predetermined time while the other of the first or second switching elements is conductive. The first and second switching elements are controlled under a second condition that the other of the first or second switching elements is switched said every first predetermined time while said one of the first or second switching elements is conductive. The first condition and the second condition are repeated synchronized to said first predetermined time every predetermined period.


Disclosed is a parking mechanism comprising a parking stopper which is integrally formed on one end of a parking rod of the parking mechanism, mounted within a parking groove in a transmission case, biased by an elastic member, and operated by the operation of a shift lever; and a parking gear, a plurality of which protrude from a transfer gear for the engagement with the parking stopper when the same is moved through a penetrating hole formed in the transmission case, thereby parking a vehicle.

The present invention relates to a parking mechanism for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, and more particularly, to a parking mechanism for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission which securely parks the vehicle and improves a free-layout degree of design of a parking gear.
As shown in FIG. 4, a conventional parking mechanism comprises a detente plate 1 rotated by operation of a shift lever(not shown), a push rod 2 operated by the detent plate 1, a cam 4 moving in a rectilinear direction by the push rod 2, a parking sprag 8 which contacts the cam 4 and is rotatably supported by a parking pawl shaft 6, and an annulus gear 10 that engages the parking sprag 8 to park a vehicle.
When a driver changes the shift lever into P range, the parking rod 2 is moved by the detent plate 1. As result, the cam 4, formed on the parking rod 2, moves in a rectilinear direction by the parking rod 2, and the parking sprag 8 rotatably supported by the parking pawl shaft 6 contacts with the cam 4 and, thus, engages the annulus gear 10, thereby parking the vehicle.
As described above, the conventional parking mechanism requires a large number of parts. Accordingly, manufacturing costs are increased and the free-layout degree of design in reduced.

Parking mechanism for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission


An internal heating arrangement for a centrifugal impeller for a gas turbine engine is provided having at least one heating passage extending through into the rotor for directing air bled from the rotor exit along the backface and forwardly through the impeller.

In order to improve fuel economy of modern gas turbine engines, it is often desirable that the compressor delivery temperature be relatively very high. However, these high compressor delivery temperatures produce even greater thermal gradients between the inner and outer portions of the impellers than in older engines, which correspondingly induce greater thermal stresses in the impellers and have an impact on their low-cycle fatigue (LCF) life.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a way of mitigating the thermal gradients in centrifugal impellers of gas turbine engines.

Centrifugal impeller with internal heating


A system includes a memory and a processor device operatively coupled to the memory to obtain an inspected noise-indicative value representative of an analyzed pixel of an inspected image of an inspected object, and a reference noise-indicative value representative for each of multiple reference pixels of the inspected image. The processor device computes a representative noise-indicative value based on the inspected noise-indicative value and multiple reference noise-indicative values, calculates a defect-indicative value based on an inspected value representative of the analyzed pixel and determines a presence of a defect in the analyzed pixel based on the representative noise-indicative value and the defect-indicative value.

Current demands for high density and performance associated with ultra large scale integration require submicron features, increased transistor and circuit speeds and improved reliability. Such demands require formation of device features with high precision and uniformity, which in turn necessitate careful process monitoring, including frequent and detailed inspection of the devices while they are still in the form of semiconductor wafers.
A conventional in-process monitoring technique employs a two phase "inspection and review" procedure. During the first phase, the surface of the wafer is inspected at high-speed and relatively low-resolution. The purpose of the first phase is to produce a defect map showing suspected locations on the wafer having a high probability of a defect. During the second phase the suspected locations are more thoroughly analyzed. Both phases may be implemented by the same device, but this is not necessary.
The two phase inspection tool may have a single detector or multiple detectors. Multiple detector two phase inspection devices are described, by way of example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,699,447, 5,982,921, and 6,178,257.
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a wafer 10 such as ones which may be used in the fabrication of integrated circuits and other microdevices. While the term wafer may be used to refer only to the substrate material on which the integrated circuit is fabricated (e.g. a thin slice of semiconductor material, such as a silicon crystal), this term may also be used to refer to the entire construction, including the electronic circuit fabricated on the wafer.
The wafer 10 is divided into multiple dies 11 which are illustrated in a widely implemented rectangular form. Like the term 'wafer', the term 'die' may also be used either for small blocks of semiconducting material, on which a given functional circuit is fabricated, or for such a block including the fabricated electric circuit. Usually, wafer 10 may be cut ("diced") into its multiple dies 11, wherein all of the dies of the wafer contain a copy of the same electronic circuit. While not necessarily so, each of the dies 11 is independently functional.
A single die may include a large amount of patterns that well exceed millions of patterns per die. A semiconductor die usually includes a plurality of layers. A pattern, such as local pattern 24 may be a part of a metal interconnection line, a trench, a via, a conductive gate, etc. Different areas on each die may be put to different uses; such areas may be for example background areas (that are ideally very smooth), memory areas (that include a large number of repetitive patterns) and logic areas (that usually do not include large quantities of adjacent repetitive patterns).
FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of an inspection image of an electric circuit (which may be manufactured on a wafer) which is repetitive in nature. While not necessarily so, portion 12 illustrated in FIG. 2 may represent a part of a single die 11. It is noted that the inspection image to which the herein disclosed systems and methods pertain may be any inspection image that is generated by collecting signals arriving from the inspected object (e.g. electromagnetic signals, reflected images, etc.).
Portion 12 shows 20 cells (a singled out cell is denoted 13 in the drawing and is framed with a broken-line) which are arranged in a 4 by 5 array, wherein the content of the cells are similar to each other. Each of the small squares within each cell (whether black or white) represents a single pixel. The bold lines surrounding each cell (whose size is 8×8 pixels) are presented for the sake of illustration only.
In the illustration of FIG. 2, the image is a binary image in which each pixels may have one out of two possible values (represented by black and white pixels). However, in other implementations (e.g. as in many machines used for wafer inspection and mask inspection), richer color depth may be used (e.g. 256 possible values for each pixel).
While the cells of FIG. 2 are identical to each other, it is clear that in a real life scan image of an actual object, e.g. wafer, the cells may be somewhat different from each other. Some of these differences are not indicative of defects (e.g. scanning errors, illumination defects, or even manufacture inaccuracies which do not mount to a defect nor do they render the electric circuit faulty), while other differences may be indicative of an actual defect which is to be detected.
Prior art Cell-to-Cell comparison techniques include the comparing of a pixel of one cell to a corresponding pixel of one other cell (e.g. an adjacent one), and based on the difference between these two values, determining whether there is a possible defect in that pixel or not.
There exists a need for improved and more robust techniques for detecting defects in a substrate, and especially in a semiconductor substrate.

Method, system, and computer program product for detection of defects based on multiple references


A terminal pliers structure includes a seat, a drive mechanism, and a clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism includes a first clamping block, a second clamping block, and a spring. In operation, the first clamping block and the second clamping block are forced to pivot in concert with each other, thereby facilitating the user operating the terminal pliers structure, and thereby saving the manual work. In addition, the first teeth of the first clamping block mesh with the second teeth of the second clamping block to enhance the clamping force between the first clamping block and the second clamping block, so that the clamped terminal head can be clamped between the first clamping block and the second clamping block rigidly and stably.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal pliers structure, and more particularly to a terminal pliers structure that can facilitate the user's operation, save the manual work, and provide a better clamping effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
Usually, the communication cable is a co-axial cable whose end portion is provided with a terminal head, so that the cable can be combined with an electric appliance or plug rigidly. The terminal head is often combined with the cable in a press manner terminal pliers. A conventional terminal pliers structure in accordance with the prior art shown comprises drive unit to provide the press action, and a clamping unit for clamping the terminal head and the cable. The clamping unit includes two clamping blocks each formed with an opening, and a spring urged between the two clamping blocks to close the openings of the two clamping blocks for clamping the terminal head and the cable. The user can press and pivot the two clamping blocks so as to open the openings of the two clamping blocks, thereby placing or detaching the terminal head and the cable.
However, the two clamping blocks are operated independently, so that the user has to press the two clamping blocks simultaneously to pivot the two clamping blocks outward so as to open the openings of the two clamping blocks, thereby causing inconvenience in operation. In addition, the two clamping blocks are not combined with each other rigidly, so that the terminal head and the cable are easily detached from the two clamping blocks.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Provided are a nitrite-type nitrification carrier and a method for producing the same and a method and an apparatus for removing nitrogen using the same, in which the quantity of organic matter to be added can be substantially reduced to reduce running cost. A method for producing a nitrite-type nitrification carrier in which ammonia-oxidizing bacteria for nitrifying ammonium to nitrite is preferentially accumulated comprises the steps of: entrapping and immobilizing any sludge selected from sediment from a lake, a river or the sea, soil from the surface of the earth, or activated sludge from a sewage-treatment plant into a monomer or a prepolymer for immobilizing microorganisms; and then subjecting the entrapped and immobilized sludge to heat treatment at 30 to 80° C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nitrite-type nitrification carrier and a method for producing the same and a method and an apparatus for removing nitrogen using the same, and relates to a technology for removing ammonium in water and in the atmosphere by a nitrite-type nitrification reaction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Biological treatment of wastewater and sewage with microorganisms has been widely used because of its relatively low cost. However, some type of microorganisms have slow growth rate, are easily poisoned, or are difficult to multiply in some environment, so that the biological treatment is sometimes not an effective method. Therefore, a treatment method has become commercially practical in which the biological treatment is carried out by using an immobilized microorganism carrier in which a specific microorganism is previously entrapped and immobilized in order to positively form the environment where the microorganism is easily propagated.
Gel materials are typically used for the immobilizing material for supporting (holding) microorganisms inside them. The requirement for these materials includes being harmless to natural environment, no change of properties or not being decomposed by microorganisms, having high mechanical strengths, being capable of supporting microorganisms in sufficient abundance and the like. The gel materials which have become commercially practical include a polyethyleneglycol-based polymer described in Japanese Patent No. 1630654, a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin and the like. As for the microorganisms to be entrapped and immobilized in the gel material, nitrifying bacteria that oxidize ammonium are mainly used, and the sources of the microorganisms are the activated sludge from a sewage-treatment plant or microorganisms which are grown axenically.
When ammonium in wastewater is to be removed using a conventional immobilized microorganism carrier in which the nitrifying bacteria are entrapped and immobilized, ammonium is oxidized to nitrate, which is a final oxidized product, through nitrite in aerobic conditions. This nitrate is converted to nitrogen gas and water by denitrifying bacteria in anaerobic conditions to remove nitrogen.
However, the conversion from nitrate to nitrogen gas using the denitrifying bacteria needs the addition of organic matter such as methanol, which has the drawback of increasing running cost. Therefore, a method for removing nitrogen that requires the addition of only a small amount of organic matter has been desired.
As a method for removing nitrogen which solves this drawback, the SHARON-ANAMMOX reaction process has been developed in which the oxidation of ammonium is stopped midway so that about halves of nitrite and ammonia, respectively, remain after the denitrification. However, it is extremely difficult to control the reaction so as to allow about halves of nitrite and ammonia, respectively, to remain, and the process has hence the drawback of easily resulting in a large amount of nitrate, which is the final oxidized product.
Thus, the present state of the art is that either of the conventional immobilized microorganism carrier and the SHARON-ANAMMOX reaction process have not yet solved the problem of decreasing the quantity of the organic additive to reduce the running cost.

Method of producing a nitrification carrier containing ammonia-oxidizing bacteria for removing nitrogen


A method for detecting an edge and generating an interpolated edge pixel at a target pixel position between two lines of an interlace scan image first determines gradient intensities in the horizontal and vertical directions and then calculates the angle of the edge by comparing the gradient intensities. The interpolated pixel value is calculated from samples in the interlace scan image that lie along the identified angle and are proximate to the target pixel position. The method represents the gradient strengths and the difference between them as bit strings; locates the most significant non-zero bit in the larger gradient value; divides the value of the corresponding bit position in the difference string, and a predetermined number of following positions, by increasing powers of 2; sums the results; subtracts the sum from 1.0 and uses the inverse tangent function to calculate the angle of the edge.

The image on the television screen consists of pixels, arranged horizontally in rows, generally offset vertically by one pixel position from one another. Each pixel is assigned three values, which indicate the respective intensities of the red, green, and blue components of the pixel. A video image is generated by sequentially displaying the rows of pixels as horizontal lines of the image.
Existing analog broadcast standards such as NTSC, PAL and SECAM use two video fields to generate a single video frame. Each field includes one-half of the horizontal lines that make up the image frame. One field includes all of the odd numbered lines of the frame and the other field includes all of the even numbered lines. Interlaced images exhibit distorting artifacts such as vertical line flicker or loss of vertical detail that degrade the resulting frame image. One way to eliminate these artifacts is to convert the interlace-scanned fields into progressive-scan frames. In a progressive-scan frame, both the odd and even image lines are displayed sequentially as a single image.
Interlace-scan to progressive-scan conversion systems are gaining importance as more television viewers purchase high-definition television monitors that can display progressive-scan signals. Both broadcast facilities and consumers may want to have interlace-scan to progressive-scan conversion capability in order to avoid the distorting artifacts of interlace-scan images.
One way to generate a progressive-scan frame from an interlace-scan field is to interpolate interstitial lines in each field. Thus, the lines of the odd field are used to interpolate even-numbered lines and the lines of the even field are used to interpolate odd-numbered lines.
Each pixel of the interpolated line (or the "interpolated pixel") is calculated based on the values of proximate pixels in adjacent interlace-scan lines. The simplest method of generating the interpolated pixel is simply duplicating the pixel from the corresponding position in the previously received scan line. For pixels which lie on a diagonal edge, this could result in "jaggies" (a line which appears to be jagged or stair-stepped, rather than smooth). For pixels which are not on an edge, such duplication could result in pixels that do not correspond to the image being displayed, resulting in a poor display to the viewer. This method also reduces the vertical resolution of the image compared to an interlace-scan image and may result in areas of the image flickering at a 30 Hz rate.
Another simple method is to set the value of the interpolated pixel as the average of two vertically adjacent pixels. However, for a pixel on the edge of two visually distinct regions, such an averaging could result in a pixel that matches neither adjacent pixel. For example, the value generated for an interpolated pixel between a blue pixel and green pixel may be cyan, which would not result in the image desired to be presented to the viewer.
FIG. 1 shows an image on a television image 100, which includes two visually distinct regions 102 and 104. The border 103 between the two visually distinct regions is referred to herein as an edge. An image on a television screen may consist of more than two visually distinct regions, and any one or more visually distinct regions may not be entirely contained within the television screen, as is illustrated.
Visually distinct regions are defined by the edge 103 between them, in contrast to a more gradual change, such as a shadow (which may have gradations of gray and black) or light on a wall (which may have gradations of color). In generating an interpolated pixel 108 which is to be on an edge, it is desirable to consider the visual smoothness of the edge. If the value of the pixel 108 on the interpolated line 106 were based solely on the pixels proximate in the received scan lines 105 and 107, the calculated value may be a blend of the values of the two visually distinct regions, rather than a distinctive edge separating the two regions. The result could be an edge without sufficient clarity to distinguish between the two regions, a line that is not visually smooth, or a pixel that has the correct value for an edge but is displayed at the wrong pixel location.


Procedures for identifying audio clients in a media session are described. A gateway device may provide a unique identifier for identifying the audio client/user agent instance. In an example, a globally routable user agent universal resource indicator (GRUU) may be mapped to the gateway device servicing the audio client and a unique identifier may be provided. In examples, the gateway device may include a grid and grid value for identifying the audio client.

Some media clients lack the ability to provide identification in a session, such as a media conference. For instance, while a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN) device may participate in a session initiated protocol (SIP) event, the PSTN phone may not identify itself (the device) within the conference. Thus, when providing content, the PSTN phone may not identify itself as the source of the audio data. Correspondingly, the other participating clients may not be able to identify the PSTN client within the session. Thus, another client may not target the PSTN client such as if the other client wishes to transfer a "call" or the like.

Global routable and grid identification for audio provider in media session


The present invention provides an information processing apparatus and control method thereof and a storage medium that stores its control program capable of generating a code image with the optimum device in accordance with the amount and/or contents of the information to be encoded, and/or considering the load of the equipment. The information processing apparatus is electrically connected to an image processing apparatus, and includes: a deciding section for deciding on whether to generate a code image by encoding information or to issue a command for causing to generate the code image by encoding the information; and a processing section for generating, when the deciding section decides to generate, the code image by encoding the information and transmitting it to the image processing apparatus, and for transmitting, when the deciding section decides to issue, the command to the image processing apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a control method thereof capable of handling code images.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-228896 proposes a technique (an encoding processing technique) of recording or printing on the same sheet a code image obtained by encoding information annexed to an image together with original image information for improving convenience of the copyright management or secondary use of the image information. Here, the term "code image" refers to an image such as a two-dimensional code image and a bar code image, and an electronic watermark image generated by electronic watermarking technology.
To use the technique disclosed in the foregoing Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-228896, however, an image processing apparatus such as an image forming apparatus must always carry out the encoding processing.
Generally, compared with the image processing apparatus, a host computer that gives it a printing command has higher computing ability. Accordingly, as for the complicated encoding processing that requires much time for calculation, it is preferable that the host computer side with higher computing ability perform it.
In addition, information to be encoded is not always placed on the side of the image processing apparatus. For example, the information retained at the host computer side such as user information of the host computer can also include information to be subjected to the encoding processing.
On the other hand, it is not always reasonable for the host computer side to carry out the encoding processing. For example, there is information to be subjected to the encoding processing at the image processing apparatus side such as print time information.

Information processing apparatus and control method thereof


An illuminated fish hook has a self-contained lithium polymer battery and light unit, preferably an LED, permanently attached thereto. The light unit is provided with an on/off switch. In an alternative embodiment the light unit is inserted directly, or a capsule containing the light unit is inserted, in a translucent fish lure.

Traditionally, lights have been used by fishermen to accomplish two purposes. For night fishing, lights have been attached to the bobber so that the fishermen could see when there was a hit on the line. For example, the Nite Brite™ lighted float utilizes a replaceable lithium polymer battery/LED light.
In addition, lights and luminous means have been used in conjunction with hooks and lures to attract fish especially in turbid or low light water conditions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,868 to Northcutt discloses a fishing lure with a light source mounted to the shank of the hook. The light source, an LED, is attached to a power source which is separately mounted, on the fishing line. Such a construction requires the separate mounting of the power source, a step which is inconvenient for the fisherman. In addition, attaching the battery to the line may cause fraying, crimping or damage to the line, which might increase the risk of line breakage. This is especially important when fishing for large trophy fish which may apply stress on line which approaches the maximum load that the line can withstand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,690 to Hunt describes an electronic lure having a light source which is mounted to the shank of the hook. The lighted lure of Hunt also requires a mounting plate for the battery, and biasing means to hold the battery to the mounting plate, both of which are provided on the shank of the hook. The battery mounting plate dictates the shape of lure, and has nothing to do with attractiveness to fish. In addition, the mounting plate prevents use of the hook with a wide variety of bait, and especially with artificial plastic bait having a preformed channel therethrough, for stringing the bait along the shank of the hook. The fishermen is required to assemble the battery with the light source before commencing fishing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,016 to Ellig describes a luminous fishing lure using a fiber-optic tube comprising a fluorescent dye polymer to simulate the lateral line of a bait fish and/or a luminous fish eye. The fluorescent light polymer requires a natural light source and hence is of limited usefulness at night or in turbid or other low light water conditions.


Work-load management in a client-server infrastructure includes setting request information in accordance with request semantics corresponding to a type of request from a client. The request semantics include different request-types provided with different priorities during processing. Within a server, requests with high priority are included in a standard request processing queue. Further, requests with low priority are excluded from the standard request processing queue when server workload of the server exceeds a predetermined first threshold value.

One aspect of the efficient management of middleware like Web servers, application servers, and enterprise portal servers in a client-server infrastructure is workload management. In the best case, servers are neither idle nor working to full capacity. A reasonable goal might be to keep the workload close to the maximum capacity with a buffer for potential spikes.
In recent years a shift with respect to application programming has taken place. While middleware still processes server-side applications and delivers the results in response to client requests, an increasing number of application logic has started moving to the client. Servers merely deliver such applications as source or script code to the client, which takes care of the execution. At runtime the client-side applications continue to request resources from the server. It is common practice for them to distinguish between two main request types, namely synchronous and asynchronous requests.
Synchronous requests to the server are used whenever the application cannot proceed without the requested data, whereas asynchronous requests can be used to start long running server-side tasks that remain transparent to the user. They also come into play when the response from the server can be injected into the application dynamically no matter when it is received. In any case, the user should be able to continue working with the application while the server-side processing is done in the background without blocking the application flow.
At present, the paradigm shift in regards to client-server applications is unused for managing the workload of middleware products. Synchronous and asynchronous requests are handled by servers in the same way even when they reach their capacity limits. The client-side part of Web applications cannot influence the priority of a request sent to the server, although, the Web application knows best about the semantics and the corresponding importance of the data and resources it requests.

Method for work-load management in a client-server infrastructure and client-server infrastructure

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A steering arrangement is provided for a work machine that includes a braking device, actuated by an actuation switch, to hold an operator input device in a predetermined position during operation. The braking force of the braking device can be overcome by the operator to make steering adjustments. The work machine may include a second steering arrangement on an opposite side of the work machine to improve operator visibility during close operation. A selector switch is used to select between one or the other steering arrangements.

Steering arrangements not having a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the ground engaging support members are commonly known in work machines. These known arrangements accept steering input commands from the operator through the use of a lever, joystick, steering wheel, or other input device. The steering input commands are transformed to an electric signal that is then transmitted to a controller that sends an electronic signal, responsive to the magnitude of the steering command, to a pump, valve, motor or other mechanical device to turn wheels, speed or slow tracks to actually perform the turning operation.
One example of such a steering apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,846 issued on Sep. 20, 1988 to Fredrick Venable et al. and is assigned to TRW, Inc. This patent shows a steering system for controlling a vehicle with steerable wheels. The system includes a steering wheel having a steering sensor attached thereto. A signal representative of a desired turning command is transferred from the sensor to a controller. The controller in turn delivers a signal to a hydraulic control valve that controls the flow of fluid to a hydraulic motor that is in turn connected to the steerable wheels.
This steering system also provides the operator with a steering feedback/feel that is provided by an electromagnetic friction brake. The controller in response to a steering wheel position sensor and a steered wheel position sensor controls the electromagnetic brake. The amount of friction force created by the electromagnetic brake depends upon and is limited by the strength of the electromagnet. However this patent is directed towards automobiles that travel at much higher speeds that require constant operator intervention. The patent is also absent any way of dealing with operator fatigue and multi-tasking that an operator of a work machine faces during operation of such a machine.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.


A gratuity analytics computing system, for generating gratuity analytics for a plurality of transactions of a customer at a service provider within a date range, is in communication with an electronic device of the service provider over an electronic network. The system includes a gratuity analytics computing device, a database including a memory in operable electronic communication with the gratuity analytics computing device, and a processor configured to: receive transaction data for the plurality of customer transactions occurring within the date range, match a plurality of authorization messages with a respective plurality of clearing messages, generate gratuity analytics for the plurality of customer transactions over the date range based on average tip data from the customer, and calculate a customer satisfaction score for one customer transaction of the plurality of customer transactions based on the generated gratuity analytics.

The present application relates generally to a technology that may be used to assist in predicting merchant performance, and more particularly, to network-based systems and methods for analyzing and comparing businesses based on gratuity information associated with those businesses.
A gratuity, also referred to as a tip, is an amount of money tendered by a customer to a person associated with a merchant (e.g., an employee) as a way of thanking the person for a service performed. The tip is an amount of money typically paid by the customer in addition to the base price of the service or the goods purchased by the customer. Tipping is a widely practiced social custom in the United States and is usually voluntary. For example, tips are generally given for services at restaurants, golf courses, hotels, spas and salons, casinos, barber shops, as well as to taxi drivers, movers, and the like. Higher tips may be given for excellent service while smaller tips or no tips may be given for poor service. In the United States, certain types of employees, such as waiters and waitresses in a restaurant, may rely mostly on tips for income because their employers are allowed to pay them less than minimum wage with the expectation that the employee's income will be supplemented by tips.
Analysis of average tipping amounts in a particular area may provide insight into the financial condition of a community (e.g., flourishing or dwindling) and/or the performance of a specific business (e.g., merchant, restaurant, group or chain of restaurants, delivery services, etc.). Average or aggregate tipping information provides objective benchmark information, but does not provide insight into the actual satisfaction level of a particular customer. For example, a customer may give an 18% gratuity for a particular service, such as a haircut, which may be considered "above standard" in an industry where a 15% gratuity is considered "standard." The 18% gratuity though, does not provide a strong indicator of whether the particular customer was satisfied with the service. Specifically, 18% may be considered above standard for the industry, but it may be well below that particular customer's historical tipping level, which could be 20% or above at that particular business or similar businesses in the geographic area. That is, in this example, an objectively higher gratuity may nevertheless represent customer dissatisfaction from a "big tipper." Similarly, a below-standard gratuity may nevertheless represent a high level of customer satisfaction from a customer who does not historically tip a lot.

Systems and methods for generating customer satisfaction score


A method, system and program storage device are provided for machine diagnostics, detection and profiling using pressure waves, the method including profiling known sources, acquiring pressure wave data, analyzing the acquired pressure wave data, and detecting if the analyzed pressure wave data matches a profiled known source; the system including a processor, a pressure wave transducer in signal communication with the processor, a pressure wave analysis unit in signal communication with the processor, and a source or threat detection unit in signal communication with the processor; and the program storage device including program steps for profiling known sources, acquiring pressure wave data, analyzing the acquired pressure wave data, and detecting if the analyzed pressure wave data matches a profiled known source.

The present disclosure generally relates to pressure wave detection, and more particularly relates to profiling or diagnosis of machines or their environments using pressure waves. Pressure waves are transmitted through air, and include sound waves in the audible frequency range, as well as infrasound and ultrasound waves.
The safety of people and transportation systems is of paramount importance. Many people rely on automobile transportation as a primary means of transport. The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles reported, in statewide statistics for the calendar year 2003, that vehicle defects contributed to at least 5% of all automobile accidents. In addition, there were approximately 600 accidents reported as being attributed to tire failure and 1200 related to brake failure. Operator error and environmental conditions also affect the safety of travel. Consequently, there is a need to improve the safety of vehicles traveling on public roadways.
Safety imperatives are not confined to road based transportation. For example, infrasound data might be used to warn airplane pilots of currently undetectable and dangerous clear-air turbulence. Such technology may be useful for transportation via automobile, airplane, train and subway, where operator error, mechanical defects and/or environmental factors, if undetected, may contribute to hazardous conditions.
Safety initiatives introduced by vehicle manufacturers, public safety agencies and insurance companies generally rely on a multi-pronged approach. From a manufacturer's perspective, safety is addressed through crash avoidance mechanisms and damage mitigation. From the public safety viewpoint, controls are introduced through education campaigns, traffic monitoring and enforcement. That is, traffic authorities have mechanisms to statistically address road safety through educating and fining drivers perceived to be careless, and performing vehicle inspections or roadworthiness tests to exclude relatively dangerous equipment. Through increased insurance rates, insurance companies have another way to penalize the vehicle operators and/or owners in the years subsequent to a public safety violation. A remaining challenge is to provide effective technologies to support increased travel safety in a more direct, proactive and timely manner.
The various needs of vehicle manufacturers, owners, operators, passengers and pedestrians, as well as those of the traffic regulatory authorities, may be addressed by providing early vehicular hazard detection technologies and environmental hazard detection systems. In a typical case, an operator would not be aware of an impending vehicle failure or environmental hazard until it occurred. Through early detection, many of these impending equipment failures and/or environmental hazards may be detected, and the proximate hazardous situations may be averted.
There are a number of discrete accident prevention technologies that focus on safety from different viewpoints. Such examples of in-vehicle accident prevention technologies include automatic braking systems, networked engine diagnostics, all-wheel-drive, stability controls, tire pressure monitoring systems, and tailgating prevention mechanisms. In addition to safety, these and other technologies may have application to the maintenance, diagnosis and optimal performance of machines and their environments. These technologies may significantly boost the safety margins of under-maintained vehicles and/or relatively unskilled operators closer to the levels of well-maintained vehicles and/or highly skilled operators.
Unfortunately, each of these technologies is separate and distinct. In addition, each is burdened with its own associated additive costs and drawbacks. There are also technologies that can alert the user to impending risks by selectively playing amplified audio events according to their importance or location. Thus, it is desirable to address safety, maintenance, diagnosis and/or performance optimization of machines and their environments. What is needed is an improved method for detecting a broader range of disparate safety threats, at least some of which were heretofore difficult or impossible for even skilled operators to sense or recognize.

Machine and operating environment diagnostics, detection and profiling using sound

International Business Machines Corporation


A distance correction method and the controller for a reflectometer is disclosed which is able to perform accurate correction of the distances measured by reflectometer. In the distance correction method for the reflectometer which measures the Fresnel reflection or Raleigh back-scattering light of an optical fiber or an optical waveguide, the distance correction D.sub.wg1 -D.sub.wgn is performed according to the respective group refraction ratios which are the parameters of the optical fiber or the optical waveguides longitudinally connected with having different known group refraction ratios.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distance correction method and the controller for the reflectometer which measures the Fresnel reflection and Rayleigh back-scattering light of an optical fiber or an optical waveguide.
This application is based on patent application No. Hei 09-142766 filed in Japan, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional light signal propagating apparatus utilizing the difference in the specific refraction ratio, for example, an optical fiber or quartz optical waveguide, requires its resulting distance to be corrected with the formula (1): EQU D.sub.wg =D.sub.v /n (1)
when measuring the Fresnel reflection or Rayleigh back-scattering light by reflectometer because the propagation speed of the light signal in the above apparatus is slower than in a vacuum or in air. Here, D.sub.wg is a length of the light signal propagating apparatus to be tested, D.sub.v is a distance measured by the reflectometer, and n is a group refraction ratio of the above light signal propagating apparatus.
A light transfer method with a large capacity such as the time sharing multiple light transfer method or the light wavelength multiple transfer method requires the dispersion compensation management with a dispersion compensator set on a dispersion compensation optical fiber or a quartz board, because transfer characteristics are considerably degraded due to dispersion by the light propagation apparatus, such as an optical fiber. Consequently, light signal propagation apparatuses which have different group refraction ratio are connected in a series.
Also, a light composite module is mostly an assembly of the components which have a different refraction ratio such as a light signal propagation apparatus, for example, an optical fiber, lens or prism. There is often air between those above components.
There is a problem in the conventional distance correction method using reflectometer, in which the above components or light signal propagation apparatuses with different refraction ratios are connected in series, making accurate correction difficult because the correction is performed as a whole.

Distance correction method and the controller for the reflectometer


An image forming apparatus including a liquid discharge head unit which in turn includes (a) a liquid discharge head including multiple liquid chambers connected to multiple nozzles for discharging liquid droplets, and a common liquid chamber including a liquid supply opening and a liquid discharge opening, to supply a liquid to the multiple liquid chambers, (b) a sub tank including a liquid container, connected to the liquid supply opening to store the liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head, (c) a tank connected to the liquid discharge opening to store the liquid used for filling the liquid discharge head, and (d) a mechanism to return the liquid in the tank to the sub tank.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus including a liquid discharge head unit.
2. Description of the Background
One example of related-art image forming apparatuses having two or more of printing, copying, plotting, and facsimile functions includes a liquid discharge device including a recording head. The recording head includes a liquid discharge head configured to discharge droplets of a recording liquid such as ink. The ink discharged from the recording head adheres to a recording medium, such as a sheet, while the sheet is conveyed so that an image is formed on the sheet.
An image forming apparatus hereinafter described forms an image on a recording medium, such as paper, string, fiber, cloth, lather, metal, plastics, glass, wood, and ceramics by discharging a liquid onto the recording medium. An image hereinafter described refers to a significant image such as characters and figures, as well as a non-significant image such as patterns. A liquid hereinafter described is not limited to a recording liquid and ink, but also includes a material which is a liquid when discharged from a recording head, such as a DNA sample, a resist material, and a pattern material. A liquid discharge device hereinafter described is a device configured to discharge the liquid from a liquid discharge head, as well as a device configured to form the image.
During, before, and after discharging the liquid (hereinafter referred to as ink), liquid chambers and a common liquid chamber of the liquid discharge head are required to be filled with the ink without bubbles to reliably discharge the liquid.
However, because the liquid discharge head is filled with air before being initially filled with the ink, bubbles are easily included in the ink during the initial filling operations. Moreover, a larger amount of air enters the liquid chambers and the common liquid chamber from a nozzle due to application of a large amount of negative pressure and other factors, causing bubbles in the ink.
It is required to surely remove the air in the liquid chambers and the common liquid chamber and the bubbles in the ink in order to reliably discharge the ink from the liquid discharge head. Particularly, in a case in which a long liquid discharge head such as a line-type liquid discharge head is used to increase a printing speed, a longer common liquid chamber is required so that pressure loss of the ink in the common liquid chamber increases. Consequently, a speed of flow of the ink decreases severely at a portion farthest from an ink supply opening of the common liquid chamber, and bubbles and other foreign materials tend to remain at that portion, possibly causing improper discharge of the ink.
To solve the above-described problems, a liquid discharge head including a circulation supply system in which a common liquid chamber does not have components to block a flow of ink has been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent No. (hereinafter referred to as JP) 3090698 discloses an inkjet recording device including a first flow path configured to connect a recording head and an ink tank, in which an ink supply unit for supplying ink from the ink tank to the recording head is provided, a second flow path configured to connect the recording head and the ink tank, in which a first backflow prevention unit for preventing the ink from flowing to the recording head from the ink tank is provided, and a third flow path configured to connect the ink tank and a portion between the ink supply unit and the recording head, in which a second backflow prevention unit for preventing the ink from flowing to the ink tank from the recording head is provided.
The above-described inkjet recording device is described in detail below with reference to FIG. 1. First, a pump 503 is normally rotated while a check valve 501 is opened and a check valve 502 is closed so that ink is supplied to a recording tank 504 from a main tank. Subsequently, the pump 503 is reversely rotated while the check valves 501 and 505 are closed and the check valve 502 is opened so that the ink flows to the check valve 502, a flow path 506, a filter 507, a common liquid chamber 508, a flow path 509, an electromagnetic valve 510, and the recording tank 504 in this order, as indicated by a dashed arrow in FIG. 1. Meanwhile, during image formation, the electromagnetic valve 510 is closed and the ink is supplied to a liquid path 512 from the recording tank 504 through a liquid path 511, the liquid path 506, the filter 507, and the common liquid chamber 508 in this order, as indicated by a virtual arrow in FIG. 1 so that ink droplets are discharged from a nozzle 513. The recording tank 504 includes a release valve 515.
Other examples of inkjet recording devices and image recorders are also disclosed in JP 3885226 and published unexamined Japanese Patent application Nos. (hereinafter referred to as JP-As) 2006-068904, 2006-088493, 03-213350, 02-179757, and 05-008400.
However, the above-described examples do not fully solve the problems. For example, in the inkjet recording device disclosed in JP 3090698, the flow path used for filling the recording head with the ink is separately provided from the flow path used for recording. Consequently, the inkjet recording device needs a more complicated configuration. Moreover, a large number of check valves and electromagnetic valves is needed, causing cost increase and requiring more complicated control operations.

Image forming apparatus including liquid discharge head unit


Described is a transmission system for transmitting a multicarrier signal from a transmitter (10) to a receiver (20). The receiver (20) comprises an equalizer (24) for canceling intercarrier interference which may be included in the received multicarrier signal. The equalizer (24), which preferably is a MMSE equalizer, comprises a reduced complexity filter for deriving a vector of estimated symbols (25) from a vector of received symbols (23). The reduced complexity filter comprises a multiplication of an approximation of an inverse matrix R−1 with the vector of received symbols (23). The approximation of the inverse matrix R−1 is preferably a first order approximation.

(1) Field of the Invention.
The invention relates to a transmission system for transmitting a multicarrier signal from a transmitter to a receiver.
The invention further relates to a receiver for receiving a multicarrier signal from a transmitter, an equalizer for canceling intercarrier interference included in a multicarrier signal, and to a method of canceling intercarrier interference included in a multicarrier signal.
(2) Background Art.
Multicarrier signal modulation methods, such as OFDM and MC-CDMA, have been around for some time now. OFDM or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing is a modulation method designed in the 1970's in which multiple user symbols are transmitted in parallel using different subcarriers. These subcarriers have overlapping (sinc-shaped) spectra, nonetheless the signal waveforms are orthogonal. Compared to modulation methods such as BPSK, QPSK or MSK, OFDM transmits symbols which have a relatively long time duration, but a narrow bandwidth. Mostly, OFDM systems are designed such that each subcarrier is small enough in bandwidth to experience frequency-flat fading. This also ensures that the subcarriers remain orthogonal when received over a (moderately) frequency selective but time-invariant channel. If the OFDM signal is received over such a channel, each subcarrier experiences a different attenuation, but no dispersion.
The above mentioned properties of OFDM avoid the need for a tapped delay line equalizer and have been a prime motivation to use OFDM modulation methods in several standards, such as Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcast (DTTB) which is part of the Digital Video Broadcasting standard (DVB), and more recently the wireless local area network standard HIPERLAN/2. Particularly in the DAB and DTTB applications, mobile reception under disadvantageous channel conditions are foreseen, with both frequency and time dispersion. Mobile reception of television has not been regarded as a major market up to now. Nonetheless, the DVB system promises to become a high-speed delivery mechanism for mobile multimedia and internet services. At the IFA '99 Consumer Electronics trade show, a consortium of Nokia, Deutsche Telecom and ZDF demonstrated mobile web browsing, email access and television viewing over an OFDM DVB link, with a GSM return channel. With 8k OFDM subcarriers, over the air DVB reception functioned properly for vehicle speeds up to 50 mph. Mobile reception, i.e. reception over channels with Doppler spreads and the corresponding time dispersion remains one of the problems associated with OFDM systems in particular and multicarrier transmission systems in general. Whereas its robustness against frequency selectivity is seen as an advantage of OFDM, the time-varying character of the channel is known to limit the system performance. Time variations are known to corrupt the orthogonality of the OFDM subcarrier waveforms. In such a case, Intercarrier Interference (ICI, also referred to as interchannel interference or FFT leakage) occurs because signal components from one subcarrier cause interference to other, mostly neighboring, subcarriers.
In the paper "An Equalization Technique for Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing Systems in Time-Variant Multipath Channels", IEEE transactions on Communications, Vol. 47, No. 1, January 1999, pages 27–32, a multicarrier transmission system is disclosed. In this known transmission system ICI is cancelled (i.e. detected and removed from the received multicarrier signal) in the receiver by means of an equalizer. This equalizer comprises a digital filter which derives a vector of estimated symbols from a vector of received symbols. The filter in the known transmission system is relatively complex, i.e. a relatively large number of computations is needed to implement the filter.

Reduced complexity intercarrier interference cancellation


A transponder-reader payment system includes a RFID reader for interrogating a transponder, and a fob including a transponder which is associated with fob data file funded by one or more funding sources. In exemplary operation, the fob identifying information may be presented to the RFID reader for completion of a transaction request. The transaction request may be provided to a fob issuer system which may process the transaction request in accordance with a funding protocol wherein the transaction request is satisfied according to a fob issuer predefined funding criteria relative to the multiple funding sources.

Like barcode and voice data entry, RFID is a contactless information acquisition technology. RFID systems are wireless, and are usually extremely effective in hostile environments where conventional acquisition methods fail. RFID has established itself in a wide range of markets, such as, for example, the high-speed reading of railway containers, tracking moving objects such as livestock or automobiles, and retail inventory applications. As such, RFID technology has become a primary focus in automated data collection, identification and analysis systems worldwide.
Of late, companies are increasingly embodying RFID data acquisition technology in a fob or tag for use in completing financial transactions. A typical fob includes a transponder and is ordinarily a self-contained device which may be contained on any portable form factor. In some instances, a battery may be included with the fob to power the transponder. In which case the internal circuitry of the fob (including the transponder) may draw its operating power from the battery power source. Alternatively, the fob may exist independently of an internal power source. In this instance the internal circuitry of the fob (including the transponder) may gain its operating power directly from an RF interrogation signal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,774 issued to Schuermann describes a typical transponder RF interrogation system which may be found in the prior art. The Schuermann patent describes in general the powering technology surrounding conventional transponder structures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,328 discusses a method by which a conventional transponder may respond to a RF interrogation signal. Other typical modulation techniques which may be used include, for example, ISO/IEC 14443 and the like.
In the conventional fob powering technologies used, the fob is typically activated upon presenting the fob in an interrogation signal. In this regard, the fob may be activated irrespective of whether the user desires such activation. Inadvertent presentation of the fob may result in initiation and completion of an unwanted transaction. Thus, a fob system is needed which allows the fob user to control activation of the fob to limit transactions being undesirably completed.
One of the more visible uses of the RFID technology is found in the introduction of Exxon/Mobil's Speedpass® and Shell's EasyPay® products. These products use transponders placed in a fob or tag which enables automatic identification of the user when the fob is presented at a Point of Sale (POS) device. Fob identification data is typically passed to a third party server database, where the identification data is referenced to a customer (e.g., user) credit or debit account. In an exemplary processing method, the server seeks authorization for the transaction by passing the transaction and account data to an authorizing entity. Once authorization is received by the server, clearance is sent to the point of sale device for completion of the transaction. In this way, the conventional transaction processing method involves an indirect path which causes undue overhead due to the use of the third-party server.
A need exists for a transaction authorization system which allows fob transactions to be authorized while eliminating the cost associated with using third-party servers.
In addition, conventional fobs are limited in that they must be used in proximity to the Point of Sale device. That is, for fob activation, conventional fobs must be positioned within the area of transmission cast by the RF interrogation signal. More particularly, conventional fobs are not affective for use in situations where the user wishes to conduct a transaction at a point of interaction such as a computer interface.
Therefore, a need exists for a fob embodying RFID acquisition technology, which is capable of use at a point of interaction device and which is additionally capable of facilitating transactions via a computer interface connected to a network (e.g., the Internet).
Existing transponder-reader payment systems are also limited in that the conventional fob used in the systems is only responsive to one interrogation signal. Where multiple interrogation signals are used, the fob is only responsive to the interrogation signal to which it is configured. Thus, if the RFID reader of the system provides only an interrogation signal to which the fob is incompatible, the fob will not be properly activated.
Therefore, a need exists for a fob which is responsive to more than one interrogation signal.
Existing transponder-reader payment systems are additionally limited in that the payment systems are typically linked to a funding source associated with the transponder which includes a predetermined spending limit. Thus no flexibility is provided in instances where the payment is requested which exceeds the predetermined spending limit. This is typically true since traditional methods for processing a requested transaction involve comparing the transaction to the spending limit or to an amount stored in a preloaded value data file prior to providing transaction authorization to a merchant.
Thus, a system is needed which processes transponder-reader payment requests irrespective of the spending limit assigned to an associated transponder-reader payment system funding source.
Further, traditional transponder-reader systems do not permit the user to manage the system user account data. This is extremely problematic where the user wishes to change a transponder-reader system funding source to a source which provides more available spending room, or where changes are made to user's status (e.g., change in address, phone number, email, etc.) for which the transponder-reader account provider wishes to readily update the user's account.
Thus a need exists for a transponder-reader system which will allow the user limited access to the transponder-reader account for managing account data.
Further still, existing transponder-reader systems do not permit means for automatically incenting the use of the fob associated with the system as opposed to the credit or charge card associated with the fob. That is, conventional transponder-reader systems do not provide a means for encouraging usage of the transponder reader system by encouraging use of the fob product since the present systems do not distinguish between usage of a system transponder and a charge or credit card account associated with the transponder.
Consequently, a need exists for a transponder-reader system which is capable of determining when a system transponder is used, and incenting such usage.
Sill further, present systems are limited in that the systems are unable to track credit or charge card usage and fob usage for a single funding source. For example, in typical prior art systems, a fob may be linked to a specified funding source (e.g., American Express, MasterCard, Visa, etc.) which may be used to provide funds for satisfaction of a transaction request. The funding source may additionally have a consumer credit or charge card which may be associated with the fob and which may be used for contact transactions. Where the credit or charge card is used, a statement reporting the card usage is provided to the card user. However, the reporting statement does not include a reporting of the fob product usage. Thus, a fob user is unable to chart, analyze or compare fob usage to the usage of the associated card. This is especially problematic where the funding source is used by more than one entity (e.g., spouses, multiple company personnel, etc.) where one entity may use the fob and a separate entity may use the card associated with the fob.
Thus, a need exists for a transponder-reader payment system which would permit reporting of the fob usage and the credit card usage in a single file.

System and method for assigning a funding source for a radio frequency identification device

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.


Radios synchronize their timing mechanisms using a timing signal that those radios propagate from one radio to another. Radios that are close to each other transmit only during times that none of the other nearby radios is trying to receive. In one scheme, a “master” radio initiates communication while another “slave” radio responds in a pre-determined manner. The master generates and propagates an inverted timing signal to the slave, which propagates approximately the same inverted timing signal to other radios in the slave's cluster. Each radio can be in one of three different modes: “source,” “auto,” and “recipient” modes. A “source” radio generates a timing signal independently. A “recipient” radio uses a received timing signal and forwards it to other radios. An “auto” radio behaves as a “recipient” radio while a timing signal is detectable, but behaves as a “source” radio if the timing signal is lost.

When two or more TDD-using radios (such as microwave radios) are located in close proximity to each other, and when those radios are configured to communicate over the same or close frequency bands, communications will be of a better quality if none of those radios transmits during any interval of time that any of the other radios are receiving. If two or more TDD-using radios are located in close proximity to each other, and if any one of those radios transmits during any part of a time interval during which another one of those radios is trying to receive, then the transmitting radio's transmission may interfere with the receiving radio's reception. For this reason, when two or more TDD-using radios are located in close proximity to each other, communications will be of a better quality if all of those radios limit their transmissions to time intervals during which none of those radios is trying to receive.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Automatic timing synchronization for wireless radio networks


An optical measurement apparatus operable with a test specimen has a light source with a laser having an output beam, and a beam splitter that splits the output beam of the laser into a first split beam and a second split beam. A test specimen holder holds the test specimen therein. A first optical fiber receives the first split beam and directs the first split beam against the test specimen in the test specimen holder. The apparatus further includes an instrumentation module. A second optical fiber receives the second split beam and conducts the second split beam to the instrumentation module. A third optical fiber receives signal light from the test specimen in the test specimen holder and conducts the signal light to the instrumentation module.

Monolayer and multilayered thin films deposited on a substrate are used in a number of optical and other applications. The layers of such thin films are usually less than 1 micrometer, and sometimes much less than 1 micrometer, in thickness. They must be of precisely deposited thicknesses to be useful.
The thin films are typically deposited by a vacuum deposition process such as electron beam deposition. A source of the deposited material and the target substrate are placed into a vacuum chamber, and the source is operated to deposit the required material to the required thickness. There are typically multiple sources as required for the multiple layers.
The operation of the sources is calibrated so that the thickness of the deposited layers is reasonably well known. However, variations in the deposition rate usually are present so that the thicknesses of the layers cannot be known with sufficient precision, just from the deposition parameters.
Monitoring devices are therefore employed to measure the thickness of the thin film as it is gradually deposited, and to halt the deposition when the required thickness is reached. The monitoring device may measure directly on the test specimen of interest, or on a surrogate test specimen present solely for the purpose of providing the thickness measurement.
Monitoring devices typically operate by optical reflection of a light beam from, or optical transmission of a light beam through, the thin film being measured. In one such instrument, the Leybold OMS 3000, the light from a broadband tungsten halogen light source is split into dual beams. The two beams are each directed through an optical chopper. One of the chopped light beams is reflected from or transmitted through the thin film being measured, and then provided to a monochromator. The other chopped light beam serves as a reference and is provided to the monochromator. The intensity of the reflected or transmitted beam, after normalization for the reference light intensity, serves as a measure of the thickness of the thin film being deposited.
This apparatus is operable, but the present inventors have observed that it suffers from poor performance in its signal-to-noise ratio and an insufficient resolution bandwidth. The result is that its performance is limited in its function of providing a real-time measurement of the thickness of the thin film being deposited. There is therefore a need for an improved thickness measurement apparatus for monitoring the thin films as they are being deposited. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

Optical measurement apparatus with laser light source


A medicament for treating skin is described. It comprises essentially of bulbine frutescens, centella asiatica and a phenol derived from olive oil preferably oleuropein. The medicament may be used in the treatment of scars formed during surgery. It may also be used cosmeceutically in the treatment of aged skin where it may be used with phosphatidylserine. The medicament can also act in conjunction with anti-acne treatment to diminish scarring from the acne condition.

This invention relates to the treatment of skin especially damaged skin. The invention is concerned with skin that is damaged as a result of scarring consequent upon surgery and as a result of ageing or damage by excessive exposure to ultra violet light. The invention is also concerned with the treatment of skin for cosmeceutical purposes.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,494 (Widgerow and Chait) (the contents whereof are incorporated by this reference) there is described a method of treatment of damaged human skin. The treatment consists of applying to the skin medicament for topical application such as an ointment comprising as the active ingredients bulbine frutescens and Centella asiatica. Where this medication is used for the treatment of scarring it is used in conjunction with a tape which is applied to the skin about the scar to prevent or minimise any tension that is applied to the scar.
Bulbine frutescens is a common garden plant that grows in South Africa. I have now found that bulbine frutescens has important hydrating properties. In addition the extracts (peptides) of bulbine frutescens have decorin-like effects on wound healing. It appears that these polypeptides mimic the effect of decorin and rearrange collagen in a uniform manner during the process of fibrillogenesis and collagen regeneration. This provides an important adjuvant to the Centella asiatica extract in modulating, uniformly arranging, and maturing collagen during the process of healing.
I have found too that extra constituents provide for a multimodality approach to scar management covering all phases of the wound healing cascade. One of the most important physiologic responses to wounding is that of inflammation. It can also be one of the most destructive: over exuberant inflammation is thought to be cause of most chronic arthritic conditions, heart disease, and chronic wound pathogenesis. Along the physiologic path to scar formation, excess inflammation will result in an exaggerated scar. Suture materials are frequently and unavoidably associated with this phenomenon. On the other hand, controlled inflammation speeds up the process of scar maturation with minimal fibrosis.
Phenols (oleuropein) extracted from olive oil have known anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. I have found that when used at low doses in combination with bulbine frutescens and Centella Asiatica helpful inflammation is unaffected, whereas exuberant inflammation, typical of foreign body reactions, can be down regulated or modulated.