Oil-soluble, derivatized ethylene copolymers derived from about 15 to 90 wt. % ethylene, and one or more C.sub.3 to C.sub.28 alpha-olefins, e.g. propylene, which are grafted, preferably solution-grafted under an inert atmosphere and at elevated temperatures and in the presence of a high-temperature decomposable free-radical initiator, with an ethylenically-unsaturated dicarboxylic acid material and thereafter reacted with a polyamine having at least two primary amine groups, e.g. an alkylene polyamine such as diethylene triamine, to form carboxyl-grafted polymeric imide, usually maleimide, derivatives are subsequently reacted with a C.sub.12 to about C.sub.18 hydrocarbyl substituted dicarboxylic acid anhydride, preferably a C.sub.12 to about C.sub.18 hydrocarbyl substituted succinic anhydride, to yield an oil-soluble stable imide of said carboxyl-grafted copolymeric imide whereby oil solutions thereof are characterized by minimal viscosity change over an extended period of time. Useful number average molecular weights (M.sub.n) of said copolymers range from about 700 to 500,000; however, if the molecular weight is from about 10,000 to 500,000 then these copolymers are also useful as multi-functional viscosity index improvers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to polymeric dispersant additives for lubricating oils which may also be useful as viscosity index improvers exhibiting improved viscosity stability in oil upon storage. More particularly, this invention relates to copolymers of ethylene with one or more C.sub.3 to C.sub.28 alpha-olefins, preferably propylene, which have been grafted with ethylenically unsaturated acid moieties, e.g., maleic anhydride, and reacted with a polyamine to form multi-functional copolymeric reaction products, and said reaction products are then reacted with a viscosity stabilizing effective amount of a C.sub.12 to about C.sub.18 hydrocarbyl substituted dicarboxylic acid anhydride to inhibit or retard viscosity increase over an extended period of time of oil solutions of these additives.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Viscosity index (V.I.) improving high molecular weight ethylene copolymers derivatized with acid moieties such as maleic anhydride and amines to form a V.I. improver-dispersant oil additives are well known in the art. Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,316,177 and 3,326,804 teach the general concept of grafting an ethylene-propylene copolymer with maleic anhydride and then reacting with a polyalkylene polyamine such as polyethylene amine. Subsequently, U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,794 was directed to using an oil solution for free radical peroxide grafting the ethylene copolymer with maleic anhydride and then reacting with the polyamine. This concept has the advantage that by using oil the entire reaction would be carried out in an oil solution to form an oil concentrate, which is the commercial form in which such additives are sold.
It is often found that during storage of oil solutions, particularly oil concentrates, of these various grafted ethylene copolymers the viscosity of the oil solution is increased. The source of this increase appears to be, at least in part, the chain extension of the polymer. Several solutions to this problem are described in the prior art. One solution is to use the polyamines and then to react the remaining unreacted primary amino groups with acid anhydrides of either C.sub.1 -C.sub.30 monocarboxylic acid, preferably acetic anhydride, or unsubstituted or C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 hydrocarbyl substituted dicarboxylic acid anhydrides of U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,185; or the sulfonic acids of U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,181. These materials act as polyamine group end-capping or inactivating agents to inhibit or limit chain extension. That is to say, the reaction product of the graft copolymer of the ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid material and polyamine is post-treated with these acid materials to inhibit chain extension and viscosity increase of the imide grafted ethylene copolymer.
While the end-capped or chain extension terminated grafted ethylene copolymers disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,137,185 and 4,144,181 are generally quite useful, they possess some problems under certain conditions. Thus, for example, reacting a monocarboxylic acid anhydride, e.g., acetic anhydride, with the polyamine yields an acid by-product, e.g., acetic acid. This acid is deleterious to engine operation, causing corrosion, and generally needs to be removed from the oil solution of the V.I. improver-dispersant.
Furthermore, the use of the unsubstituted or lower hydrocarbyl substituted dicarboxylic acid anhydrides of U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,185 generally does not remedy, and may sometimes even contribute to, the formation of haze in oil solutions of the imide grafted ethylene copolymer. This is due to the fact that when using free radical initiators with mineral oil as the grafting medium a proportion of the oil molecules in turn become grafted with the ethylenically unsaturated moiety, e.g., maleic anhydride, and upon subsequent reaction with the amine these grafted oil particles tend to become insoluble and to form haze. Upon the addition of the hydrocarbyl substituted dicarboxylic acid anhydrides to this oil solution to inactivate the unreacted primary amine groups of the imide grafted ethylene copolymer, a certain proportion of the anhydride reacts with the free amine groups of the grafted oil particles. Since the prior are anhydrides are either unsubstituted or lower hydrocarbyl substituted they do not facilitate the solubilization of these insoluble grafted oil particles. However, since the dicarboxylic acid anhydrides of the instant invention are substituted with a C.sub.12 to about C.sub.18 hydrocarbyl group they tend to facilitate the solubilization of the insoluble grafted oil particles, thereby decreasing haze.
The use of the sulfonic acids of U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,181 may also result in the formation of undesirable acid by-products, e.g., hydrogen sulfide.
It has been found that improved viscosity stability upon storage of oil solutions, particularly oil concentrates, of the imide grafted ethylene copolymers can be achieved while remedying the problems of acid by-product formation and hazing accompanying the utilization of these prior art polyamine group end-capping or chain extension terminating agents by utilizing a C.sub.12 to C.sub.18 hydrocarbyl substituted dicarboxylic acid anhydride as the polyamine end-capping or chain extension terminating agent.
The prior art, i.e., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,517,104 and 4,632,769, also teaches the use of certain carboxylic alkenyls during the imidation of the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid grafted ethylene copolymer. However, these carboxylic alkenyls are used for a different purpose, serve a different function, and result in a different end product than that of the present invention. These patents disclose grafting ethylene copolymers with ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid moieties, preferably maleic anhydride moieties, and then reacting the grafted copolymer with a mixture containing polyamines having two or more primary amine groups and a carboxylic alkenyl component, preferably alkylene polyamine and alkenyl succinic anhydride; or the grafted ethylene copolymer can be reacted with the already formed salts, amides, imides, etc. of said polyamine and carboxylic alkenyl component, preferably imides of alkylene polyamine and alkenyl succinic anhydride. Thus, the carboxylic alkenyl component is one of the reactants and enters into in the imidation reaction involving the polyamine and the ethylenically unsaturated acid grafted ethylene copolymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,104 discloses that the carboxylic alkenyl component can be, inter alia, a C.sub.12 to C.sub.49, preferably C.sub.16 to C.sub.49 hydrocarbyl succinic anhydride or acid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,769 discloses that the carboxylic alkenyl component can be, inter alia, a C.sub.22 to C.sub.28 hydrocarbyl substituted succinic anhydride. However, these patents teach that the carboxylic alkenyl component and the polyamine are reacted simultaneously with the grafted ethylene copolymer or that the grafted ethylene copolymer is reacted with the prefomed salts, amides, imides, etc. of said polyamines and carboxylic alkenyl component.
This is in sharp contrast to the practice of the instant invention wherein the preformed imide grafted ethylene copolymer is reacted with the C.sub.12 to about C.sub.18 hydrocarbyl substituted dicarboxylic acid anhydride. The main purpose of reacting either the preformed salts, amides, imides, etc. of the polyamine and the carboxylic alkenyl component or a mixture of the polyamine and carboxylic alkenyl component with the ethylenically unsaturated acid grafted ethylene copolymer is to have the carboxylic alkenyl moiety enter into the imidation and/or amidation reaction thereby preventing excessive cross-linking via the unreacted primary amine groups of the polyamine thereby controlling the molecular weight of the grafted ethylene copolymer product. Generally, the greater the amount of the carboxylic alkenyl component present during the imidation and/or amidation reaction of the ethylenically unsaturated acid grafted ethylene copolymer and the polyamine the lower the degree of cross-linking and the lower the molecular weight of the final grafted ethylene copolymer. The smaller the amount of said carboxylic alkenyl component present during the imidation and/or amidation reaction, the greater the degree of cross-linking and the higher the molecular weight of the grafted ethylene copolymer product.
While not wishing to be bound by any theory this is believed to be due to stoichiometric considerations of the imidation and/or amidation process used to form these grafted ethylene copolymers. There is generally a competing reaction between the polyamines and the acid moiety of the ethylenically unsaturated acid grafted ethylene copolymer on the one hand and the carboxylic alkenyl component on the other hand. Using less of the carboxylic alkenyl component results in more of the polyamine being available to react, via the unreacted primary amine groups, with the acid moiety of the acid grafted ethylene copolymer. This results in an increased degree of cross-linking and an increased molecular weight. If, on the other hand, more of the carboxylic alkenyl component is utilized the amount of the polyamine containing at least one unreacted primary amino group, available to react with the acid moiety of the acid grafted ethylene copolymer to form the imide grafted ethylene copolymer, is reduced thereby resulting in a lower degree of cross-linking and a lower molecular weight. Therefore, since the carboxylic alkenyl component functions as a cross-linking and molecular weight regulator and not as a viscosity stabilizing agent the viscosity of oil solutions, particularly oil concentrates, of these grafted ethylene copolymers also tends to increase with time.

Stabilized grafted ethylene copolymer additive useful in oil compositions


An articulator for positioning a tool during a surgical procedure, comprising: a longitudinally extending body; a plurality of transverse grooves extending inwardly from opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body; and a plurality of recesses extending inwardly from the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body, the plurality of recesses defining an articulation control wire lumen and a tool control wire lumen, and wherein the tool control lumen is disposed collinear with a neutral bending axis of the articulator.

The present invention relates to surgical articulators.
The effectiveness of various therapeutic tools such as graspers, punches, curettes, and scrapers which are used to manipulate tissue during minimally invasive surgical procedures can be enhanced with the addition of an articulating segment (herein, an xe2x80x9carticulatorxe2x80x9d) mounted between the distal end of a positioning rod and the base of the tool.
Accordingly, systems have been devised for providing controllable articulation of such therapeutic tools in one or more directions when the therapeutic tool is mounted to the distal end of the delivery rod. Such articulators are typically steered (ie: deflected) to position the therapeutic tool adjacent to the desired tissue by means of control rods, cables or other actuation mechanisms located in a hand piece at a proximal end of the positioning rod.
Traditional means for providing articulation include devices comprising a multiplicity of annular rings which are interlinked together to form pivots which allow for flexure of the articulator assembly. Specifically, these pivots are oriented in a manner which creates one or more preferential bending planes. One drawback of this type of articulator design is that it can lack sufficient positional stability for precision tissue manipulation when mounted to the distal end of a positioning rod.
For example, modes of instability of such devices include torsional instability about its longitudinal axis (especially when deflected, as the moment arm increases with increased articulation), radial instability about the longitudinal axis, (including lateral instability in directions perpendicular to the preferred bending plane of the articulator), and axial instability along the longitudinal axis of the articulator body. Moreover, such annular ring designs are typically machined from separate stainless steel pieces which must be assembled to form the articulator assembly, with high material and labor costs.
In a number of existing systems, a first control wire is used to control the articulation of the device, (such as for deflecting the angle of a scraper or a pair of forceps from the longitudinal axis of the positioning rod), and a second control wire is used to control the operation of the device, (such as for opening and closing the jaws of a pair of forceps).
A common problem of such existing systems is xe2x80x9ccrosstalkxe2x80x9d in which attempts to control the degree of articulation by displacing the device""s articulation control wire results in displacement of the tool control wire, which results in tool operation, or vice versa. Consequently, when operating forceps for example, the forceps jaws will tend either to open or to close as the angle of articulation is varied. Conversely, when attempting to open or close the forceps jaws, the angle of articulation of the forceps will tend to change. This xe2x80x9ccrosstalkxe2x80x9d problem is undesirable since the surgeon may simply desire to open and close the forceps (thus grasping targeted tissue) while the forceps remain in a constant deflected position. Similarly, the surgeon may simply wish to articulate the angle of the forceps without either opening or closing their jaws, (such as when first approaching the target tissue).
In existing systems, articulators are typically constructed from soft plastics such as low durometer polyeurathanes in order to have sufficient bending flexibility. Unfortunately, the use of such soft plastics results in significant losses to the device""s positional stability. Specifically, the articulator tends to compress in the axial direction when the articulation control wire is tensioned to deflect the distal end of the articulator. Such unwanted axial compression results in positioning inaccuracies which further exacerbates crosstalk problems.
The present invention provides an articulation system for positioning various surgical tools during surgical procedures, and is especially useful in positioning surgical tools in minimally invasive surgical procedures.
In a preferred aspect, the present invention provides a controllable articulator which is preferably mounted between the distal end of a positioning rod and the base of the surgical tool. An advantage of the present invention is that the positioning rod (with the articulator and surgical tool attached thereon at its distal end) may be introduced into a patient through a percutaneous cannula in a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Accordingly, the present invention is well suited for use in any manner of a minimally invasive surgery, including, but not limited to, arthroscopy and minimally invasive spinal surgery.
In a first aspect, the present articulator system comprises a longitudinally extending body which may preferably be integrally formed from a single piece or block of material. For example, the present articulator may preferably be formed by injection molding or formed by Steriolithography (SLA). An advantage of the present articulator being integrally formed from a single piece of material is that labor and material costs are substantially reduced (as compared to existing articulation systems which must be assembled piece by piece from a number of separate components).
In one preferred aspect, the present articulator is fabricated from a relatively rigid and strong thermoplastic material, for example acetal. As will be explained, the novel shape and characteristics of the present articulator system allows it to exhibit excellent bending flexibility in a preferred bending plane, yet still be constructed of a sufficiently hard material to prevent axial compression, radial deflection in planes other than the preferred bending plane (including lateral deflection in a plane perpendicular to the preferred bending plane) and torsional deflection about the central axis of the articulator body. As such, the positioning of the present articulator can be very precisely controlled through various degrees of deflection.
The novel shape of the present articulator also offers many advantages in its fabrication. For example, when injection molding the present invention, a tool control wire lumen and an articulation control wire lumen can be formed without xe2x80x9ccore pinsxe2x80x9d being required in mold shut-offs as is typically necessary to carve out separate actuator wire and control wire lumens as a hot plastic is initially flowed through the mold.
An advantage of not requiring such xe2x80x9ccore pinsxe2x80x9d when injection molding the present articulator is that the present articulator can be fabricated to very small dimensions. When attempting to form small lumens in existing injection molded parts, the size of the lumens are typically limited to the minimum diameter and length of a core pin which can be passed through the mold. This is due to the fact that it is not possible to use a core pin which is too thin since its structure will be affected by the hot plastic surrounding it during the molding process.
In contrast, the present articulator can be formed within interlocking 2-piece mold shut-offs without requiring the insertion of core pins into the mold to carve out lumens for either of the articulation or tool(i.e.: actuation) control wires.
The present articulator preferably comprises a longitudinally extending body, having a plurality of transverse grooves extending inwardly from opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body. The transverse grooves preferably extend inwardly from each of the opposite lateral sides of the device in an alternating manner along the length of the longitudinally extending body. As such, the alternating nature of the transverse grooves enables the articulator to be highly flexible in a single preferred bending plane, as will be explained.
Preferably, the transverse grooves extend farther into the articulator body from one side of the articulator than from the other. In such a case, the longer grooves will be disposed on an inner bending surface of the articulator and will be compressed together as the articulator deflects in a preferred bending plane and the shorter grooves will be disposed on an outer bending surface of the articulator and will spread apart to offer stress relief as the articulator is deflected. As will be explained, the depth and spacing of the transverse grooves will define a neutral bending axis through the articulator body.
The articulator body preferably further comprises a plurality of recesses extending inwardly from the opposite sides in an alternating manner along the length of the longitudinally extending body. Such a plurality of recesses projecting inwardly from the opposite sides of the articulator body together preferably define both an articulation control wire lumen and a tool control wire lumen.
Preferably, the tool control lumen is disposed collinear with the neutral bending axis of the articulator. An important advantage of having the tool control wire, (which is received in the tool control wire lumen), collinear with a neutral bending axis of the articulator is that the potential for crosstalk is eliminated. This is due to the fact that deflection of the articulator about its neutral bending axis will neither cause tension nor compression in the tool control wire. As such, the tool control may, for example, be used to open and close teeth on a gripping device unaffected by deflection of the articulator caused by tensioning or compressing the articulation control wire (disposed in the articulation control wire lumen running parallel to the tool control wire). As such, the surgeon may use forceps positioned at the distal end of the articulator to grasp tissue when the articulator is in an articulated (i.e.: deflected) position and then apply a load to the articulator by pulling on the tissue. By positioning the forceps jaw opening control wire along the neutral bending axis of the articulator, the articulator will maintain the deflected position and will not straighten out as the forceps jaw control wire slides through the articulator to open or close the forceps. Correspondingly, another advantage of the present invention is that by placing the tool control wire collinear with the neutral axis, axial loads on the tool control wire do not cause unintended deflections of the articulator.
The transverse grooves which extend partially across the longitudinally extending body in an alternating fashion offer the advantage of significant bending flexibility in a preferred bending plane. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the innermost ends of the transverse grooves are rounded to further relieve bending stresses when the articulator is deflected.
In one preferred aspect of the invention, the transverse grooves are spaced evenly apart along the length of the articulator. As such, the articulator bends with a uniform curvature along its length. In other preferred aspects of the invention, the spacing between the transverse grooves is varied such that the articulator bends with different arcs of curvature along its length. For example, the transverse grooves can be spaced closer together at the distal end of the articulator such that maximum deflection curvature occurs at the distal end of the articulator.
The novel shape of the present articulator makes it highly flexible in a preferred bending plane, yet highly resistant to loads in other directions. Specifically, the present articulator is resistant to lateral loads, (perpendicular to the plane of deflection), torsional loads, and axial loads, or any combination thereof.
In a preferred aspect, free floating tension/compression sleeves may optionally be placed in the tool and articulation control wire lumens over the tool and articulation control wires thus preventing the actuators from sliding thereby improving control feel by imparting further rigidity to the articulator. Preferably, such sleeves can be made of low coefficient of friction materials thereby reducing excessive actuation friction.
In another aspect of the present invention, the plurality of recesses projecting inwardly from the top and bottom of the device together define a large central lumen which is adapted to receive both the articulation control wire and the tool control wire therethrough. Such a large central lumen may optionally have a keyhole shape (in cross section) to assist in holding the tool control wire coincident with the neutral bending axis of the articulator, as will be explained.
In another aspect of the present invention, the recesses which extend inwardly from the opposite sides of the articulator body are eliminated. Instead, the articulation control wire lumen is formed as a series of spaced apart cylinders which pass between the transverse grooves extending from one side of the articulator body. The articulation control wire lumen thus formed opens fully into the transverse grooves which extend into one side of the articulator body. In this aspect of the invention, the tool control wire lumen (which is disposed collinear with the neutral bending axis) opens directly into the innermost ends of the transverse grooves which extend inwardly from both opposite sides of the articulator body.

Articulation systems for positioning minimally invasive surgical tools


A projector configured to provide higher resolution output without increasing pixel resolution in a light modulator is disclosed. The projector may introduce an optical element between a light modulator and an imaging lens. The optical element may provide pixel sharing of a target image. The pixel sharing may be produced by, for example, making smaller copies of pixels. Selected copies of pixels may be passed to the imaging lens to display an output image with selected areas of higher density pixels.

The present invention relates to image projectors and more specifically, to a projector with enhanced resolution via optical pixel sharing.
The recent years have seen a development in projector image quality, in terms of brightness, contrast and resolution. In some projectors, an image is projected by a light source stimulating a light modulator or sensor whose output is projected through an imaging lens. The output image is typically of lower resolution than the source image. The resolution of the output image is generally a factor dependent on the pixel size of a modulator reproducing the image. Greater resolution from one projector to the next is known to be accomplished by decreasing the pixel size within the sole modulator to provide higher pixel density. Higher pixel density decreases the amount of light "information" lost between the image source and the projected image. However, the relationship of cost with respect to decreasing pixel size in a modulator to provide improved resolution from that modulator may be linear. For example, the cost of a four Megapixel projector may be ten times that of a two Megapixel projector while resolution just doubles.
Accordingly there is a need for a projector system that provides a cost effective approach to increased resolution.

Projector with enhanced resolution via optical pixel sharing

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA


A temperature detection circuit that minimizes the influence of variations due to manufacturing process and other factors, and can be used at high temperatures near its maximum usable temperature. According to the present invention, a temperature detection circuit is provided which comprises: a first current source coupled to a detection node; a second current source coupled in series to the first current source, and coupled to the detection node, the second current source having a temperature coefficient different from that of the first current source; and a detector coupled to the detection node.

A prior art temperature detection circuit incorporated in a semiconductor chip is as shown in FIG. 5A. One end of current sources 50 and 60 is coupled to a power supply VCC. The other end of the current source 50 is coupled to one end of a zener diode D1 having a positive temperature coefficient. The other end of the zener diode D1 is coupled to a ground potential. The zener diode D1 is coupled in a reverse direction between the power supply 50 and ground potential. The voltage at the other end of the current source 50 is divided by resistors R1 and R2. The resistors R1 and R2 are coupled to a first detection node Vx. The other end of the current source 60 is coupled through a second detection node VD to one end of a diode D2 having a negative temperature coefficient. The other end of the diode D2 is connected to a ground potential. The diode D2 is coupled in a forward direction between the current source 60 and ground potential. An input of a comparator that outputs a detection signal is coupled to the first detection node Vx and second detection node VD.
This circuit operates as follows. First, under a normal condition, the semiconductor chip having the temperature detection circuit is within a usage temperature range below its maximum usable temperature TMAX (FIG. 5B). Reference numerals 52 and 62 in FIG. 5B denote the temperature dependency of the voltage at the first and second detection nodes Vx and VD, respectively. This circuit is designed so that the voltage at the second detection node VD is higher than that of the first detection node Vx under a normal operating condition. Thus, the output of the comparator 70 is at a high level. If the zener diode D1 having a positive temperature coefficient is used, the voltage at the first detection node Vx increases as the temperature of the semiconductor chip rises (52). On the other hand, because the diode D2 has a negative temperature coefficient, the voltage at the second detection node VD falls as the temperature of the semiconductor chip rises (62). When a sense (detection) temperature TD is reached where the voltages at the first detection node Vx and second detection node VD are equal, the output of the comparator 70 goes low, thereby detecting that a high temperature region exceeding a safely usable temperature has reached. Thereafter, an action, such as cooling the semiconductor chip in order to protect it against overheating, is taken as needed.
In this way, the sense temperature TD defines the temperature limit that permits the semiconductor chip and so forth to be used safely. As the sense temperature TD becomes higher, the usable temperature range also becomes wider accordingly; thus, a higher sense temperature TD is desirable for the user of the semiconductor chip and so forth. Because the temperature cannot be increased above the maximum usable temperature (breakdown temperature) TMAX, the sense temperature TD should desirably be smaller than the maximum usable temperature TMAX but as close as possible thereto.
However, when the temperature detection circuit or semiconductor chip of this type is produced in volume, there is variability due to variations in the manufacturing process, so that the sense temperature TD varies relative to its target value within a range having a certain margin. Thus, it is necessary to lower (move away) the target value sufficiently from the maximum usable temperature so that the maximum usable temperature TMAX is not exceeded even when the sense temperature TD varies. When the target value is lowered, the upper limit of the user-operable temperature is also lowered. As a result, it is difficult to meet the demand for devices and their overheat protection circuits that operate in a high temperature region, such as printer heads of inkjet printers.
In the circuit example described above, significant variations in the sense temperature occur due to variations in the zener voltage of the zener diode D1 and in the on-voltage of the diode D2. The present invention is intended to minimize the influence of variations in the manufacturing process and so forth and to provide a temperature detection circuit that can be operated in a high temperature range near its maximum usable temperature TMAX.
For use in a high temperature range near the maximum usable temperature, it is necessary to detect the sense temperature with greater accuracy than the prior art. This is because if the accuracy is poor, the sense temperature TD cannot be brought close to the maximum usable temperature TMAX. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a temperature detection circuit that detects the temperature with high accuracy.
In order to assure operating safety of the semiconductor chip having the temperature detection circuit, it should desirably have a hysteresis characteristic. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a temperature detection circuit that can readily incorporate a hysteresis characteristic.
Furthermore, because the zener voltage is typically above 5 volts, a power supply having a high voltage above 5 volts is required for the circuit shown in FIG. 5A. Thus, it is difficult to operate the circuit with a low voltage. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a temperature detection circuit that operates at a low voltage.

Wakabayashi-ku Sendai-shi, Miyagi 984-0814


An apparatus for the rapid loading, launching and retrieval of foam pellets for tube cleaning. The apparatus uses a block configuration to allow gravity feed and rapid firing of pellets into tubes. The apparatus includes a hopper feeder attachment, which is self-adjusting during pellet jams.

Industry has been looking for ways to clean hydraulic tubing that can replace the current method of vapor degreasing. A vapor degreaser is a large organic solvent still on which the solvent vapor condenses and drains off the parts to be cleaned. Vapor degreaser systems are large, fixed installations that have a high purchase price and maintenance costs. Companies that use this method also must obtain a yearly operating permit for their facilities from the Clean Air Agencies because of the potential for air pollution and health risks that this cleaning method poses. Replacing these vapor degreasers with small, low-cost cleaning methods allows installations to consolidate sites and save money.
The pellet system is currently used to clean tubes at a relatively high rate in close quartered work cells. Tubes are bent into a large variety of complicated shapes and lengths. Pellets must be loaded, launched/retrieved and examined with a minimum of operator movement. Equipment that requires the operator to find and retrieve the spent pellet lowers productivity. Safety and noise consideration require that the pellets be fired into a containment device and that the noise be reduced to acceptable levels.
One method is to propel a polyurethane foam pellet through the tube using compressed air. The tight fitting foam pellet scrubs the interior wall of the tube as it passes through. This is a widely used technique and there are at least three makers of pellets and pellet launching equipment worldwide. One component lacking from the vendors is equipment to capture and return the spent pellet to the operator so that it may be examined.

Device to catch and retrieve foam pellets


For Hydroisomerizering charges emanating from the Fischer-Tropsch process:. a) hydrogen is reacted with the charge in contact with a catalyst 1 in a first reaction zone, the catalyst 1 comprising at least one alumina-based matrix and at least one hydro-dehydrogenation component and PA1 b) the effluent from the first reaction zone is put into contact with a catalyst 2 in a second reaction zone, the catalyst 2 comprising:. 20 to 97% by weight of at least one matrix, PA2 3 to 80% by weight of at least one Y zeolite in hydrogen form, the zeolite being characterized by an SiO.sub.2 /Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 molar ratio of over 4.5; a sodium content of less than 1% by weight determined at 1100.degree. C. under calcining conditions; an a.sub.o crystal parameter of the elemental mesh of less than 24.70.times.10.sup.-10 m; and a specific surface area determined by the BET method of over 400 m.sup.2.g.sup.-1, and PA2 at least one hydro-dehydrogenation component.

The invention concerns a method of hydroisomerizing paraffins emanating from the Fischer-Tropsch process. It particularly uses bifunctional zeolitic catalysts for hydroisomerizing paraffins emanating from the Fischer-Tropsch process, enabling highly upgradable products to be obtained, such as kerosene, gas oil and especially basic oils.
More particularly, the invention concerns a method of converting paraffins emanating from the Fischer-Tropsch process using a bifunctional catalyst containing a faujasite-type zeolite which may be specially modified, dispersed in a matrix generally based on alumina, silica, silica-alumina, alumina-boron oxide, magnesia, silica-magnesia, zirconia, titanium oxide or based on a combination of at least two of the preceding oxides, or based on a clay or a combination of the preceding oxides with clay. The special function of the matrix is to help to shape the zeolite, in other words, to produce it in the form of agglomerates, spheres, extrusions, pellets, etc. which can be put in an industrial reactor. The proportion of matrix in the catalyst is from 20 to 97% by weight and preferably from 50 to 97% by weight.
In the Fischer-Tropsch process the synthesis gas (CO+H2) is converted catalytically to oxygenated products and essentially linear hydrocarbons in gas, liquid or solid form. These products are generally free from heteroatomic impurities such as sulphur, nitrogen or metals. The products cannot, however, be used as they are, chiefly because their cold-resistance properties are incompatible with the normal uses of petroleum cuts. For example, the pour point of a linear hydrocarbon containing 30 carbon atoms per molecule (boiling point equal to about 450.degree. C., i.e., included in the oil cut) is about +67.degree. C., whereas certain specifications require a pour point below -9.degree. C. for commercial oils. These hydrocarbons from the Fischer-Tropsch process then have to be converted to more upgradable products, such as basic oils, after undergoing catalytic hydroisomerization reactions.
Catalysts which are currently used in hydroisomerization are all of the bifunctional type, combining an acid and a hydrogenating function. The acid function is provided by carriers of large surface area (generally 150 to 800 m.sup.2.g.sup.-1) which have surface acidity, such as halogenated (especially chlorinated or fluorinated) aluminas, combinations of boron oxides with aluminum, amorphous silica-aluminas and zeolites. The hydrogenating function is provided either by one or more metals from Group VIII of the Periodic Table, such as iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum, or by a combination of a Group VI metal, such as chromium, molybdenum and tungsten, with at least one Group VIII metal.
Equilibrium between the acid and hydrogenating functions is the fundamental parameter governing the activity and selectivity of the catalyst. A weak acid function and a strong hydrogenating function give catalysts which are inactive and selective to isomerization, whereas a strong acid function and a weak hydrogenating function give catalysts which are very active and selective to cracking. A third possibility is to use a strong acid function and a strong hydrogenating function to obtain a catalyst which is very active but also very selective to isomerization. It is thus possible to adjust the dual activity/selectivity property of the catalyst by choosing each of the functions carefully.
Acid carriers - in increasing order of acidity - include aluminas, halogenated aluminas, amorphous silica-aluminas and zeolites.
Patent application EP 323 092 describes a catalyst comprising fluorine and platinum on an alumina carrier which is used in hydroisomerization.
Patent application EP 356 560 describes the preparation of a highly specific Y zeolite, which may be used in a catalyst for the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesizing reaction or in a hydrocracking catalyst.

Method of hydroisomerizing paraffins emanating from the Fischer-Tropsch process using catalysts based on H-Y zeolite


Mass spectrometry cells include one or more interleaved magnetostatic and electrostatic lenses. In some examples, the electrostatic lenses are based on electrical potentials applied to magnetostatic lens pole pieces. In other alternatives, the electrostatic lenses can include conductive apertures. Applied voltages can be selected to trap or transport charged particles, and photon sources, gas sources, ion sources, and electron sources can be provided for various dissociation processes.

Mass spectrometry comprises a broad range of instruments and methodologies used to elucidate the structural and chemical properties of molecules, to identify the atoms and molecules that compose samples of physical and biological matter, and to quantify the atoms and molecules identified in such samples. Mass spectrometers can detect minute quantities of pure substances (on the order of or less than 10−15 g) and, as a consequence, can identify compounds at very low concentrations (on the order of or less than one part in 1012) in chemically complex mixtures. The power of this analytical technique is evidenced by the fact that mass spectrometry has become a necessary adjunct to research in every division of natural and biological science and provides valuable information to a wide range of technologically based professions (e.g., medicine, law enforcement, process control engineering, chemical manufacturing, pharmacy, biotechnology, food processing and testing, and environmental engineering). In these applications, mass spectrometry is used to identify structures of biomolecules (such as carbohydrates, nucleic acids and steroids); to sequence biopolymers (such as proteins and oligosaccharides); to diagnose disease; to determine how drugs are used by the body; to perform forensic analyses (e.g., determine the presence and quantities of drugs of abuse); to assay environmental samples for pollutants; to determine the age and origins of geochemical and archaeological specimens; to identify and quantify components of complex organic mixtures; and to perform elemental analyses of inorganic materials (e.g., minerals, metal alloys, and semiconductors).
A mass spectrometer typically comprises an ion source, a mass analyzer, a detector, and a data handling system. The ion source's task is to convert atoms and molecules into gas-phase ions so they can be transported through the instrument under the action of electric and magnetic forces. Ions are transferred from the ion source into the mass analyzer where they are dispersed according to their mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios or a related mechanical property, such as velocity, momentum, or energy. At present, the most widely used types of mass analyzers are magnetic sectors, quadrupole mass filters, quadrupole ion-traps, time-of-flight tubes, and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT ICR) cells. After the mass analyzer separates the ions, they interact with the detector to generate current or voltage signals, either of which has a magnitude proportional to the number of ions that produced it. These electrical signals, whatever their form, can be continuously processed, stored, and displayed on a monitor over the course of an analysis by a computerized data system; at the end of the analysis, they can be printed out on paper as a graph of signal intensity versus m/z, i.e. as a mass spectrum. In principle, the pattern of ion-signals that appears in the mass spectrum of a pure molecular substance constitutes a unique fingerprint from which the molecule's mass and various features of its structure can be deduced.
Mass spectrometry can be performed on a molecular sample in multiple, tandem stages to probe incisively into the complexities of molecular structure and to markedly increase specificity and sensitivity in analyses of complex mixtures of molecules. If the sample is a pure compound, a product-ion tandem analysis (FIG. 1A) can provide much additional information about the analyte's structure. If the sample is a mixture of compounds, a precursor-ion tandem analysis (FIG. 1B) can be used to uniquely identify a number of the mixture's molecular components; in this latter application, the procedure substantially increases signal-to-background ratios (and, thus, reduces limits of detection) by eliminating interferences from compounds of noninterest.
A tandem mass spectrometric unit, commonly designated as MS/MS or MS2, comprises two transmission mass analyzers (e.g., magnetic sectors, quadrupole mass filters, time-of-flight tubes, or a hybrid combination of such analyzers) arranged to perform spatially separated mass analyses in sequence (FIG. 1C), a single three-dimensional (3D) trapping mass analyzer (e.g., quadrupole ion-trap or FT ICR cell) that can perform two or more temporally separated mass analyses in sequence (FIG. 1D), or a hybrid arrangement of both transmitting and 3D trapping analyzers. In the first phase of a product-ion tandem mass analysis (precursor selection), a packet of ions of a particular m/z value, which are called precursor ions or precursors, is selected from among all the ions of various masses formed in the source as shown in FIG. 1A. In a transmission instrument, the first analyzer performs this operation, and in a 3D trapping instrument, the analyzer itself performs it. In the first phase of a precursor-ion tandem mass analysis (precursor scan), the precursors are spatially resolved from one another by the first analyzer of a transmission instrument. A precursor-ion analysis cannot be performed on a 3D trapping instrument. In the second phase (fragmentation), the precursor ions are induced to dissociate by a physicochemical process (FIGS. 1A and 1B). In a transmission instrument, this induced fragmentation takes place in a cell located between the two analyzers (FIG. 1B), and in a 3D trapping instrument, it takes place in the mass analyzer itself (FIG. 1C). In the third phase of a product-ion analysis (product-ion selection), the ionic fragments resulting from the dissociation process are resolved into a product-ion mass spectrum (FIG. 1A). In a transmission instrument, the second analyzer performs this operation, and in a 3D trapping instrument, the analyzer itself performs it. In the third phase of a precursor-ion analysis (FIG. 1B), only a certain ionic fragment from the dissociation of a particular precursor is transmitted by the second analyzer of the transmission instrument on which the analysis is being performed. The MS2 sequence can be extended to an MS3 sequence by using the second mass analyzer in a transmission instrument or the second round of mass dispersion in a 3D trapping instrument to select a packet of particular product ions from the preceding fragmentation stage as the precursors for a second level of fragmentation and product-ion analysis. This pattern can be repeated for yet higher orders of tandem analysis (MSn) so long as the number of product ions from a given stage of fragmentation is sufficient to produce an interpretable mass spectrum in the subsequent stage of mass analysis.
A gaseous molecular ion can be decomposed into fragments if its internal energy can be raised sufficiently during an interaction with a physical or chemical agent. The physicochemical processes most commonly used in MS/MS to fragment precursor ions are photon-induced dissociation (PID), low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID), high-energy CID, electron impact excitation of ions from organic (EIEIO), electron transfer dissociation (ETD), electron capture dissociation (ECD), and electron detachment dissociation (EDD). In current practice, PID, low-energy CID, and high-energy CID are used universally to analyze all types of molecules whereas ETD, ECD, and EDD are used almost exclusively in the analysis of peptides and proteins. ECD, EDD, and ETD exhibit little selectivity for particular amino acids (proline and amino acids associated with disulphide bonds are exceptions); in addition, all three preserve labile post-translational modifications (PTMs), e.g., phosphorylation, o-glycosylation, and n-glycosylation. Consequently, these three dissociation processes are particularly suitable for analyzing peptides having as many as 20-25 amino acids and for determining the sites and nature of PTMs.
Each disassociation process induces fragmentation by forcing transitions in the precursor ions from bonding energy states to antibonding energy states. In PID, infrared photons induce nonpredetermined bonds to break by exciting various rotational and vibrational states, and ultraviolet photons of a specific wavelength induce predetermined bonds to break by exciting particular electronic states. PID requires an arrangement by which the precursor ions can be irradiated with an intense beam of photons; using a laser as the light source and an arrangement of common optical components, PID can (with little difficulty) be made to take place in any type of transmission dissociation cell or 3D analyzer. In CID, gas-phase collisions between precursors and inert atoms (like helium) or molecules (like nitrogen) induce nonpredetermined bonds to break by exiting various rotational, vibrational and electronic states. Low-energy CID and high-energy CID alike require that the precursor ions be intimately confined with the collision gas at a relatively high pressure. In current practice, low-energy CID is carried out most efficiently in 2D RF-multipole (e.g., quadrupole, hexapole, or octapole) ion-guides or 3D RF-trapping analyzers (e.g. quadrupole ion-traps or FT ICR cells), and high-energy CID is carried out in electric and magnetic field-free transmission cells designed to differentially maintain the collision gas at a relatively high pressure.
In ETD, exothermic single-electron-transfers from anions (which function both as bases and one-electron reducing agents) to multiply protonated peptidic precursors induce cleavage almost exclusively of the peptides' N—Cα (amine) backbone-bonds by exciting electronic states associated with the latter. ETD requires that the cationic precursors be intimately confined in space and time with anionic reagent molecules; this condition can be achieved in the 2D RF field of a linear multipole ion guide by applying a secondary RF-voltage to the multipole's end lenses. In ECD, exothermic single-electron-captures of free, low-energy (on the order of 1 eV for "normal" ECD and 20 eV for "hot" ECD) electrons by multiply protonated (cationic) peptidic precursors induce the peptides' N—Cα backbone-bonds to break by almost exclusively exciting electronic states associated with the latter. In EDD (the negative-ion counterpart to ECD), single-electron-captures of free, moderately low-energy (on the order of 20 eV) electrons (which in each anion results in the creation of a positive-radical or hole that exothermically recombines with one of the anion's negative charges) induce the peptides' inter-residue bonds to break by almost exclusively exciting electronic states associated with the latter. ECD and EDD require that the precursor ions be forced to mingle with a dense population of low-energy electrons. Since the reagent electrons and the multiply protonated precursor ions have opposite polarities and masses that differ by more than six orders of magnitude, the conditions for simultaneously confining them in the same volume of space cannot be satisfied in a purely electrostatic cell, and can only be minimally satisfied in an RF cell. To date, the only instrument in which it has been possible to achieve this condition to any practical degree has been the FT ICR mass spectrometer.
Since its advent in 1998, electron capture dissociation (ECD) has come to be regarded as a potentially powerful tool for elucidating protein structure. Numerous efforts to optimize ECD for protein analysis have been reported over the past decade. Less publicized has been a small number of recent attempts to overcome the limitation of ECD's original implementation, namely, the necessity for practical purposes of having to perform it on FT ICR instruments. Several researchers have independently succeeded in observing ECD in a linear ion trap, a three dimensional (3D) ion trap, and a digital 3D ion trap. (Baba et al., Anal. Chem. 2004, 76: 4263; Satake et al., Anal. Chem. 2007, 79: 8755; Silivra et al., J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2005, 16: 22; Ding et al., Anal. Chem. 2006, 78: 1995.) In the first two of these demonstrations, magnetic fields were used for electron confinement, and in the last one, a digitally generated, rectangular-trapping, electric-field waveform was used for this purpose. In all three approaches, it was necessary to use a moderating gas (He) either to convert some of the electrons' translational energy into rotational energy about the magnetic field lines, to compensate for the unavoidable transfer of energy from the RF field to the electrons, or both. In the two 3D ion-trap demonstrations, ECD occurred in the analyzer itself, whereas in the linear ion-trap demonstration, it took place in a custom-designed cell. By virtue of being analyzer-independent, the linear multipole would seem to be a more promising platform than the 3D ion trap.
In any of the configurations described above, ions are vulnerable to losses in a mass spectrometer as they are transported from the ion source to the mass analyzer or between two mass analyzers. Electrostatic lenses, radio-frequency (RF) multipoles, and combinations of both are typically used to avoid or mitigate such losses. Unfortunately, the devices are complex, expensive, and frequently can be configured for only a limited range of applications. For example, conventional devices typically cannot be conveniently reconfigured to use a different dissociation process. In addition, in RF-field based devices, beam energy control is difficult because of beam interaction with the RF field. Beam losses are also high due to the dependence of beam propagation on the phase of the applied RF field. Thus, improved devices are needed to transport, trap, and dissociate electrically charged, gas-phase molecules (ions).

Radio-frequency-free hybrid electrostatic/magnetostatic cell for transporting, trapping, and dissociating ions in mass spectrometers

THE STATE OF OREGON ACTING BY AND THROUGH THE STATE BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION ON BEHALF OF OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY


A streetlight mounting system can fix a streetlight pole to a street side surface, such as a slab of concrete or a sidewalk. The system can comprise a base that attaches on one end to the street side surface and on the other end to the streetlight pole. A collar can provide a transition between the base and the streetlight pole. The collar can have a top that is slanted to shed water. The collar can comprise multiple elements that are urged together by clips. The clips and other fasteners that hold the streetlight pole, the collar, and the base together can be hidden from view, with access provided by a door in the base.

Streetlights are often positioned adjacent or above an area to be illuminated. Utilizing conventional mounting approaches, such streetlights are often cumbersome or inefficient to mount and/or service. Often conventional mounting systems are bulky and/or unsightly and may be prone to ingress of water or other environmental issues.
Improved technology for mounting streetlights in needed. A capability addressing such need, or some other related deficiency in the art, would support economically providing illumination to streets and other areas.


The present invention uses a message with a suspend/resume flag setting sent to the local mobility anchor from the foreign agent that was supporting downlink transmissions to the mobile node. Namely, a transient binding option is proposed for creating a transient BCE state at the home agent/local mobility anchor during an inter-MAG handover, which will suspend down-link traffic from the home agent/local mobility anchor until the transient BCE (suspend) state is cleared by the foreign agent previously supporting downlink transmissions. After the transient BCE (suspend) state is cleared, the downlink traffic from the home agent/local mobility anchor can resume with forwarding of downlink traffic to the mobile node through the foreign agent. The present invention can be implemented using a new protocol application or modified messages from prior registration applications.

IP-based mobile systems provide for communication between at least one mobile node and a wireless communication network. The term "mobile node" includes a mobile communication unit (e.g., mobile terminal, "smart phones," nomadic devices such as laptop PCs with wireless connectivity, as described in greater detail below). Among other elements, the wireless communication system includes a home network and a foreign network. The mobile node may change its point of attachment to the Internet through these networks, but the mobile node will always be associated with a single home network for IP addressing purposes. The home network includes a home agent and the foreign network includes a foreign agent—both of which control the routing of information packets into and out of their network.
The mobile node, home agent and foreign agent may be called different names depending on the nomenclature used on any particular network configuration or communication system. For instance, a "mobile node" encompasses PC's having cabled (e.g., telephone line ("twisted pair"), Ethernet cable, optical cable, and so on) connectivity to the wireless network, as well as wireless connectivity directly to the cellular network, as can be experienced by various makes and models of mobile terminals ("cell phones") having various features and functionality, such as Internet access, e-mail, messaging services, and the like. Mobile nodes are sometimes called a user equipment, mobile unit, mobile terminal, mobile device, or similar names depending on the nomenclature adopted by particular system providers. Generally, there is also a correspondence node, which may be mobile or fixed, that may be located on the network for communicating with the mobile node.
A home agent may also be referred to as a Local Mobility Anchor, Home Mobility Manager, Home Location Register, and a foreign agent may be referred to as a Mobile Access Gateway, Serving Mobility Manager, Visited Location Register, and Visiting Serving Entity. The terms mobile node, home agent and foreign agent are not meant to be restrictively defined, but could include other mobile communication units or supervisory routing devices located on the home or foreign networks. Foreign networks can also be called serving networks.
Registering the Mobile Node
Foreign agents and home agents periodically broadcast an agent advertisement to all nodes on the local network associated with that agent. An agent advertisement is a message from the agent on a network that may be issued under the Mobile IP protocol (RFC 2002) or any other type of communications protocol. This advertisement should include information that is required to uniquely identify a mobility agent (e.g. a home agent, a foreign agent, etc.) to a mobile node. Mobile nodes examine the agent advertisement and determine whether they are connected to the home network or a foreign network.
The mobile node will always be associated with its home network and sub-network for IP addressing purposes and will have information routed to it by routers located on the home and foreign network. If the mobile node is located on its home network, information packets will be routed to the mobile node according to the standard addressing and routing scheme. If the mobile node is visiting a foreign network, however, the mobile node obtains appropriate information from the agent advertisement, and transmits a registration request message (sometimes called a binding update request) to its home agent through the foreign agent. The registration request message will include a care-of address for the mobile node. A registration reply message (also called a binding update acknowledge message) may be sent to the mobile node by the home agent to confirm that the registration process has been successfully completed.
The mobile node keeps the home agent informed as to its location on foreign networks by registering a "care-of address" with the home agent. The registered care-of address identifies the foreign network where the mobile node is located, and the home agent uses this registered care-of address to forward information packets to the foreign network for subsequent transfer onto the mobile node. If the home agent receives an information packet addressed to the mobile node while the mobile node is located on a foreign network, the home agent will transmit the information packet to the mobile node's current location on the foreign network using the applicable care-of address. That is, this information packet containing the care-of address will then be forwarded and routed to the mobile node on the foreign network by a router on the foreign network according to the care-of address.
Multiple interfaces may be supported on a single or multiple foreign networks, which can include the different communication access types 802.11d, 802.11g, HRPD, WiFi, WiMax, CDMA, or LTE apart from the circuit-switched type of telephone communication access types. Problems can be encountered when the mobile node becomes coupled to different access types on a single or multiple networks, or when hand-over procedures are performed from one access type to another access type. When mobile nodes move from one foreign network to another foreign network, problems are sometimes encountered with the registration of the care of addressing with the home agent or local mobility anchor. For instance, problems can arise with hand-off procedure for a communication when the home agent or local mobility anchor may drop packets or bill for dropped packets, which can disrupt transmissions and cause billing discrepancies. (e.g. billing the subscriber for packets that were never received).

Session suspend and resume using a transient binding option messaging


A ground collision avoidance system that exhibits improved accuracy and performance by integrating with all other aircraft systems including guidance systems, navigation systems, digital terrain elevation databases, mission computers, and radar altimeters. The ground collision avoidance system fully utilizes active onboard sensors in combination with the knowledge of terrain and obstacle data contained in databases. Furthermore, the ground collision avoidance system provides a multiple processing path to determine numerous predicted flight paths based on a number of reasonable assumptions regarding the aircraft flight during a predetermined amount of time. By using predictive flight path schemes a realistic estimate of the predicted flight path envelope can be determined and then this information can be used in conjunction with accurate terrain elevation databases to determine whether a ground collision condition exists. On the basis of these calculations, appropriate warnings can be provided to the air crew as well as suggested maneuvers to avoid ground collision.

The present invention relates generally to ground collision avoidance system. More specifically, the present invention relates to an adaptive (e.g., scaleable and autonomous regardless of the aircraft type) ground collision avoidance system utilizing numerous sensors and cross checks to provide an accurate ground collision warning while at the same time avoiding unnecessary nuisance warnings.
As is well known in the aviation fields, avoiding controlled flight into the ground or ground collision is a very important endeavor. Every year many lives are lost due to the collision between an aircraft and the ground. Many times ground collision is caused by the pilot having misinformation or becoming disorientated and flying directly into the ground. Furthermore, ground collision is a problem for both military and commercial aircraft alike. Therefore, to promote the safety of air travel, systems that avoid collision with the ground are highly desirable.
In the past numerous systems have been developed to provide such ground collision avoidance. One type of system utilizes aircraft sensors to determine the proximity of the aircraft to the ground. These sensors can include barometric altimeters, radar altimeters, and forward looking infrared radar. While such equipment does provide a warning of the possibility of collision with the ground, these systems are highly limited by the capabilities of the sensors themselves.
A second type of system utilizes a predetermined minimum safe altitude for given region in which the aircraft is traveling. Consequently, if the aircraft travels below this predetermined minimum safe altitude, then a warning indicates to the pilots that they are in danger of ground collision. This system is fine for providing general warnings in a flat terrain environment. However, in certain situations, such as fighter aircraft performing terrain following missions, when an aircraft is required to travel at low altitudes above the ground this system is impractical. This is especially true in geographic regions having large variations in elevation.
Another system for providing ground collision avoidance warnings is one wherein the flight dynamics of an aircraft are constantly monitored to provide an indication of possible collision. More specifically, the altitude loss is monitored during numerous maneuvers and is subsequently interpolated to determine whether ground collision is imminent. This type of system, however, is incapable of predicting the true ground situation and the maneuvering controls or considering maneuvering alternatives available to the pilot. It is well known that while in a dive typically a pilot will eventually pull out. If altitude loss interpolation is carried out at this point then a false warning or nuisance warning will surely sound. For this reason this type of system is also impractical.
One overriding consideration when designing a ground collision avoidance system is the avoidance of constant false warnings or nuisance warnings. Systems can be devised having differing sensitivities and differing warning methodology. However, these systems are of no use to a pilot if they provide continuous nuisance warnings suggesting that the pilot is in imminent danger of ground collision, when in reality the pilot is flying in a safe condition. If too many nuisance warnings are provided, the ground collision avoidance system will likely be disabled and at that point become totally useless. For this reason it is desirable to provide a very realistic system capable of providing ground collision avoidance warnings only at a point when they are likely to be meaningful and heeded by the flight crew.

Adaptive ground collision avoidance system


The present invention is a combined gas flow resistance device and safety shield which incorporates a plurality of narrow parallel passageways through which filtered gas from a plurality of filter elements passes to a clean gas outlet. The device also has inlet for carrying pulses of high pressure gas to the downstream side of a plurality of filter elements, and a porous safety shield connected across the passageways to prevent solid particles from passing from the filter elements to the clean gas outlet.

In hot gas filtration where high temperature dirty gas is passed through one or more porous filter elements to remove entrained solids from the gas, a layer of solid particles is deposited on the upstream surfaces of the filter elements as the gas is passed through the filter elements. It is necessary to remove such layers when the pressure across these layers unduly interferes with the operating efficiency of the filter. A preferred method of removing such layers is to apply bursts of a clean gas at high pressures, commonly referred to as jet pulses, to the downstream sides of the filter elements to cause a flow of cleaning gas in a direction opposite to the flow of gas through the filter elements during the normal filter cycle, thereby to blow the layer of solid particles off of the upstream surfaces of the filter elements and into the filter chamber. This can be done without taking the filter off line and without interrupting the flow of dirty gas to the filter elements by applying relatively high pressure bursts of cleaning gas to the downstream sides of the filter elements and staggering such bursts from one filter element or group of filter elements to another.
In order to prevent such high pressure bursts of cleaning gas from passing directly out of the filter without first passing in the reverse direction through the filter elements, it is known to position flow resistance devices, commonly known as enhancers, in the output lines from the filter elements. U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,813 describes such flow resistance devices in greater detail. These enhancers include a plurality of elongate, narrow passageways through which all of the cleaned gas must pass as it travels from the filter elements to the output of the filter and which provide a resistance to gas flow which is proportional to the velocity of the flow. Because of the relatively low velocity flow of gas through these passageways during the normal filter cycle, the enhancers do not provide any appreciable resistance to the normal flow of gas from the filter elements to the outlet of the filter. However, during the cleaning cycle when the velocity of gas to the downstream sides of the filter elements is appreciably increased by virtue of the high velocity jet pulses of cleaning gas, the enhancers provide a greatly increased resistance to gas flow which is greater than the resistance offered by the filter elements and the associated layers of particles deposited thereon to the reverse flow of gas therethrough. This increased resistance is sufficient to prevent any significant amount of cleaning gas from passing through the enhancers and thus out of the filter without first flowing back through the filter elements to dislodge the layers of solids from the upstream surfaces of the filter elements.
Because of the high temperature of the gas to which the enhancers are subjected, such enhancers have been made of ceramic, and for some applications, particularly where the holes through the enhancers must be extremely long and narrow to provide the required resistance during the backwash operation, manufacture of the enhancers has been both difficult and expensive. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide an improved enhancer which could be manufactured in a less expensive manner.
It would be further desirable to incorporate in such an enhancer a porous safety shield which is sufficiently strong to act as a safety backup filter to prevent dirty gas from passing through the filter in the event of a catastrophic break in one or more of the filter elements, or by a leak or failure of the filter element seals.


An on-demand system for preventing and/neutralizing bioactive substances employs real time monitoring of the fluid for bioactive substances. Once a specific bioactive substance is detected, then a specific neutralizing substance is selected, such as an oxidizing substance, intense ultraviolet light, a neutralizing substance or other substances selected for particular threats. In another example of the invention, a device neutralizing a substance would include a container that would be capable of containing each of the plurality of precursors, a collecting space for receiving each of the plurality of precursors selected by the selector, and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the neutralizing substance. In one example the neutralizing substance is formulated by the reactions of the precursors in order to neutralize the substance. The device may alternatively select a plurality of precursors to produce an aroma-producing substance and alternatively may neutralize the aroma-producing substance if it harmful or lethal, for example.

It is known to use filters to actively or passively remove bioactive substances from air and water. However, such filters must always be present, even if no bioactive substances are present that are intended to be filtered or neutralized. These filters must be replaced periodically, or the filter efficiency reduces as the filter becomes clogged, and the ability of the filters to neutralize bioactive substances decreases as any active substances degrade. In many respects, human-computer interaction (HCI) researchers analyze and design specific user interface technologies with the ultimate goal to meet a particular information need through all five senses. However, only three (sight hearing, and touch) of these senses have been fully exploited. The unexploited senses of smell and taste raise cyber-security implications. Cybernetics is considered as the replication or imitation of biological control systems with the use of technology. The term itself originated in 1947 when Norbert Wiener used it to name a discipline apart from, but touching upon, such established disciplines as electrical engineering, mathematics, biology, neurophysiology, anthropology, and psychology (Wiener, 1948).
Improved systems and devices integrating new advances in technology are currently being developed and often require interdisciplinary approaches. The apparatus described in this disclosure uses such an interdisciplinary approach.

System and device for prevention and neutralization of bioactive substances and generating an aroma-producing substance

GRAHN - Monde Groupe de Reflexion & D'Action


The present invention is a device for feedback compensation in amplifiers having at least one voltage gain stage wherein both capacitive and inductive components are used in conjunction with resistive components. There is a first resistor, connected between the output node and the feedback node of the amplifier system, a capacitor, connected in parallel with the first resistor, a second resistor, and an inductor, connected in series with said second resistor. The series combination of the second resistor and the inductor is connected between the feedback node and the reference potential of the amplifier system (usually system common for a non-inverting amplifier system, or the input signal source for an inverting amplifier system). The capacitor advances the phase angle of the current flowing through the feedback network device while the inductor advances the phase angle of the voltage appearing between the feedback node of the amplifier system and the reference potential of same.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of feedback compensation for amplifiers wherein both capacitive and inductive components are used in conjunction with resistive components. It is directed to the degenerative feedback loop of an amplifier system where lost phase must be restored to the feedback signal in order to avoid oscillation.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Before proceeding, it is important that the reader be aware of the context in which the terms "closed-loop gain," "feedback node," and "network divider ratio" will be used. Unless otherwise noted, "closed-loop gain" refers to non-inverting closed-loop gain for the purpose of this patent. Often called "noise gain" in other publications, non-inverting closed-loop gain is the pertinent term to both the stability and the gain error of any feedback amplifier system, even where said amplifier system is configured as an inverter. In publications where inverting amplifiers in particular are discussed, the term "summing node" is often substituted for the term "feedback node" because an inverting amplifier system sums the input signal with the feedback signal at its inverting input. To avoid the need for parallel terminology in this patent, the term "feedback node" is used to signify the inverting input, regardless of whether the system being discussed functions as a non-inverting amplifier or an inverting amplifier. Finally, be advised that the term "network divider ratio" has been created for this patent to denote what is referred to in other publications as "one-over-beta." The term "beta" by itself represents the quotient of the value of the divider resistor over the sum of the values of the feedback resistor and the divider resistor; its use requires repeated reference to its reciprocal, "one-over-beta." Convoluted terms tend to be counter-intuitive, e.g. substituting the phrase "not unlike" for the word "like." The term "network divider ratio," on the other hand, refers to the quotient of the sum of the values of the feedback resistor and the divider resistor over the value of the divider resistor; it need not be inverted. Incidentally, although a ratio is generally called out as two numbers, e.g. "10-to-1" or "10:1," the network divider ratio is expressed as a single number. So, if an amplifier system has a feedback resistance of 900 ohms and a divider resistance of 100 ohms, the network divider ratio is said to be "10."
The table that follows shows definitions for algebraic terms which were created to explain the background art as well as the present invention.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ TERM DEFINITION ______________________________________ Ac1 CLOSED-LOOP GAIN Ao1 OPEN-LOOP GAIN Cfb FEEDBACK CAPACITANCE D NETWORK DIVIDER RATIO D.phi. NETWORK DIVIDER RATIO AT THE INTERCEPT .div.Err ERROR RATIO F.phi. INTERCEPT FREQUENCY Ldiv DIVIDER INDUCTANCE Rdiv DIVIDER RESISTANCE Rese ELEMENT OF SERIES EQUIVALENT RESISTANCE Rfb FEEDBACK RESISTANCE .theta..sub.Conventional PHASE ANGLE OF CONVENTIONAL FEEDBACK COMPENSATION .theta..sub.Inet PHASE ANGLE OF NETWORK CURRENT .theta..sub..rho. PHASE ANGLE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 0.sub.Vdiv PHASE ANGLE OF DIVIDER VOLTAGE Verr ERROR VOLTAGE Vin INPUT VOLTAGE Vout OUTPUT VOLTAGE Z.sub.Cfb IMPEDANCE OF FEEDBACK CAPACITANCE Zdiv OVERALL DIVIDER IMPEDANCE Zese ELEMENT OF SERIES EQUILAVENT IMPEDANCE Z.sub.Ldiv IMPEDANCE OF DIVIDER INDUCTANCE Znet OVERALL NETWORK IMPEDANCE ______________________________________
Since their inception, solid state amplifiers have needed degenerative feedback to correct their rather large gain errors. Degenerative feedback is a means of error minification wherein the output signal is fed back to the input stage of an amplifier for comparison to the original input signal. The difference between these signals, called the "error signal," is then minified by subsequent phase-inversion and amplification. It would be even more illustrative (and more to the point) to say that the error signal is what actually drives the output to the desired amplitude; the amplifier's input stage is "satisfied" when the error signal (when multiplied by the open-loop gain) is sufficient to support the output potential. One might say that the loop is in a state of "equilibrium" at this point. It is important to remember that that which is called the "error signal" is not entirely nonlinear. Minification of said signal is still a desirable goal inasmuch as it does contain some error. As such, system performance is enhanced when a large ratio exists between open-loop gain and closed-loop gain, thereby minifying the error signal in relation to the input signal. Moreover, system performance can be predicted by computing the ratio of the error signal to the input signal. Nevertheless, from a conceptual standpoint, it is useful to point out that if a perfect amplifier with no gain error actually existed, there would be no need for large amounts of open-loop gain. For informational purposes, a complete algebraic derivation of the error ratio (.div.Err) is shown in Derivation 1. The final equation is shown in boldface at the bottom. ##EQU1##
When the desired closed-loop gain is unity, a direct connection is made between the amplifier output and the feedback node. Closed-loop gains greater than one are set by using a pair of resistors to divide the output signal for application to the feedback node, thus causing the amplifier to drive the output potential further in its quest for equilibrium. At frequencies where the open-loop gain of the amplifier system is high in relation to the closed-loop gain, the closed-loop gain is almost equal to the network divider ratio. In fact, it is common to treat these terms as though they were absolutely equal, although the closed-loop gain is always less than the network divider ratio.
Again, for informational purposes, a complete algebraic derivation of closed-loop gain (Ac1) is shown in Derivation 2. As before, the final equation is shown in boldface at the bottom. ##EQU2##
As mentioned, greater ratios of open-loop gain to closed-loop gain directly result in higher performance because the larger amounts of inverted magnification exerted on the error signal allow the amplifier to "see" and minify smaller errors. Hence, the true closed-loop gain becomes progressively closer to the network divider ratio. More importantly, any nonlinearity in the transfer function of open-loop gain becomes smaller in proportion to the input signal.
Because the open-loop gain of an amplifier decreases with increasing frequency, it will equal the network divider ratio at some point. The frequency at which this equality of open-loop gain to network divider ratio is reached is called the intercept frequency. The amplifier must not exhibit too much time delay while processing the feedback signal, otherwise its output will overshoot the desired voltage during its attempt to "satisfy" its feedback node. If the time lag of the amplifier is so large that it delays the propagation of the feedback signal by one half-cycle of the intercept frequency, the amplifier will oscillate. Despite popular belief, oscillation can only occur under said conditions.
Rather than delving into specifics prematurely, we can gain an appreciation for oscillation in the abstract with the following example. Imagine that you are colorblind and that you are staring at a flashing light. The light color, you are told, alternates between red and green; there is a brief moment during the transition of color where the light does not glow at all, hence the "flashing." There is a pushbutton connected to the light which enables you to change its color manually. You are told to press the button every time the light is about to turn green so that the light will continue to glow red. Since you are colorblind, you perform your task based on the premise that the light cycle begins with the color red and that the light color will have changed immediately following each period of darkness. In this example, the light represents the amplifier output, the pushbutton represents the feedback node, and you are the feedback loop. The color red represents an amplifier which is stable; it does not oscillate.
Now imagine that there is a time lag in the electronic processing of the pushbutton signal. In spite of your promptness in depressing the button, the light will briefly display the color green; longer electronic delays will result in longer intervals of green. The additional flashes of darkness caused by the errant appearances of the color green are no more than a minor annoyance to you. By using your natural sense of time and your familiarity with the fundamental rhythm of the flashing light, you successfully ignore the "wrong" periods of darkness and faithfully push the button on the "right" ones. In this circumstance, the "amplifier" is still stable, but not as stable as before. The brief appearances of the color green represent what is known in amplifier jargon as "overshoot." Still, the "amplifier" is not oscillating. The interval where the color red appears is three times as long as the interval where the color green appears. In other words, the color green is displayed during one-quarter of the total light cycle. Again speaking in amplifier lingo, this would compute as 25% overshoot.
Now imagine that the time delay is so long that it equals one full color interval, or one-half of the total light cycle. As before, you press the button when the light goes out. However, the electronic time delay is so great that by the time the signal reaches the light, the full green interval has run, and the light, which is about to turn red, is directed by the tardy signal to turn green again. At the end of the errant green cycle, you push the button again, sustaining a color that you thought was red. Under these conditions, the color red will never be displayed, and the light will glow green during the entire light cycle. The feedback, which was supposed to be "degenerative" to the color green, is now "regenerative," and the "amplifier" is oscillating. Notice that your colorblind eyes can only fool you into sustaining the wrong color when the pushbutton time delay is equal to one-half of the light cycle. You have no way of distinguishing a one-half cycle delay from zero delay.
Returning to the discussion of feedback amplifier systems, please note that the distinction between seconds and degrees is an important one. A time delay which is caused by a single reactance can at most only delay the phase of a signal by less than 90.degree., or one-quarter of a cycle. Lengthening the delay in seconds beyond that point only serves to attenuate the signal amplitude rather than further delaying its phase. Thus, a composite delay comprising more than one reactance is necessary for oscillation to occur in a feedback amplifier system.
To gain an appreciation of this, observe the action of a sine wave driving a capacitor through a series resistor. As the driven end of the resistor is elevated above zero volts, the capacitor, empty of charge, stifles the initial onset of the observed waveform. If the capacitor will accept a charge at all within the waveform period, it must begin before the driven end of the resistor reaches its peak. The excursion of the driven wave beyond that point towards the peak elevates the observed amplitude. The observed amplitude can certainly not be expected to rise while the amplitude at the driven end of the charging resistor is falling.
Having said this, the reader might be inclined to believe that oscillation is a rare malfunction and is of little concern. However, as desirable as it is to increase the ratio of open-loop gain to closed-loop gain, the intercept frequency also increases, making it all the more probable that the propagation delay on the part of the amplifier will be a composite one. The problem worsens if another amplifier stage is added within the same feedback loop, thus further compounding the propagation delay and increasing the risk of oscillation. Moreover, critical system parameters can vary significantly during strenuous operation, such as driving a capacitive load, making the appearance of oscillation even more likely. It is for these reasons that we can understand the inherent drawback of degenerative feedback.
Several techniques have been developed to avoid composite delay-induced oscillation. One of the more popular techniques is known as feedback compensation. The purpose of feedback compensation is to cause the feedback node of a linear amplifier to reach a desired peak voltage sooner than its output does. Recalling the previous red light/green light example, this would be analogous to being told in advance exactly what the pushbutton time delay was and then compensating for the delay by depressing the button that much earlier than usual. In an amplifier system, this is accomplished by creating an artificial peak from a portion of the output cycle which precedes the actual peak.
The conventional method for advancing the phase of a feedback signal is to place a capacitor in parallel with the feedback resistor. Typically, the capacitor has a negligible effect on the network divider ratio in the expected frequency range of input signals. However, as the intercept frequency is approached, the capacitor causes a phase-dependent reduction of the network divider ratio. Empty of charge, the capacitor can produce a voltage on the feedback node whose instantaneous value is limited only by the output amplitude itself. At some point, the capacitor's demand for current must subside to allow the feedback node voltage to decay. This is necessary to preserve the illusion that the peak was here and gone, in spite of the fact that it actually hasn't happened yet. The lower the network divider ratio, the less the artificial peak will contrast the voltage imposed by the resistive elements in the feedback network. Thus, the technique can only make a substantial contribution of phase margin to an amplifier system where the network divider ratio is sufficiently high.
By perusing the prior art, it appears that conventional feedback compensation is misunderstood, at least from a mathematical standpoint. For example, in an article in Burr-Brown.RTM. 1994 Applications Handbook, entitled "Feedback Plots Define Op Amp AC Performance", at Page 194 et seq., author Jerald Graeme asserts that the maximum capacitor value in conventional feedback compensation is limited by the potential for encountering "secondary-amplifier poles," which, stated in the more lucid terminology of this patent, refers to the excessive phase shift caused by a composite propagation delay. This statement ignores the more fundamental fact that the phase angle of current to voltage recedes as the ratio of capacitor impedance to series resistance decreases. Also, in the same article, Jerald Graeme claims that with a network divider ratio of 1001, the phase angle of conventional feedback compensation will be 45.degree.. In actuality, at said network divider ratio, a correctly optimized embodiment of conventional feedback compensation exhibits an 86.3793125913.degree. phase angle. Thus, it is appropriate to explain the correct usage of conventional feedback compensation before proceeding to a discussion of the present invention.
The phase angle of current to voltage advances when the ratio of capacitor impedance to parallel resistance decreases. Even without converting the network into equivalent series elements, it is clear that if the ratio of Z.sub.Cfb (the impedance of the feedback capacitance) to Rfb (the feedback resistance) is decreased, the phase angle will increase.
The phase angle of current to voltage recedes when the ratio of capacitor impedance to series resistance decreases. Therefore, as the ratio of Z.sub.Cfb to the combined parallel resistance of Rfb and Rdiv (the divider resistance) decreases, the phase angle decreases. At first glance, this might seem incorrect because only Rdiv is in series with Cfb. However, consider that Cfb is injecting a leading current into Rdiv as a result of either taking on or giving up charge. Two things affect the ability of Cfb to charge; one is the presence of Rdiv in series with it, supplying charge current from the output voltage. The other is the presence of Rfb, limiting the maximum possible voltage across the capacitor itself. A capacitor is regarded as "charged" when it reaches some predetermined portion of its maximum attainable voltage. Observe that the current from Rdiv originates from a voltage source which is higher than the capacitor can possibly reach: the output node. This inequality between the output voltage and the maximum attainable capacitor voltage means that the capacitor will reach a given voltage sooner than anticipated, as though Rdiv were somewhat lower in value. Indeed, the apparent value of Rdiv is scaled down from its actual value by exactly the ratio of Rfb to the sum of Rfb and Rdiv. Hence, in essence, Cfb is in series with the parallel combination of Rfb and Rdiv.
The phase angle of conventional feedback compensation (represented below by the term ".theta..sub.Conventional ") is equal to the difference between the arccotangents of the aforementioned two ratios: ##EQU3##
The optimum impedance for the compensating capacitor is equal to the feedback resistance divided by the square root of the network divider ratio: ##EQU4##
In light of the reduction in the network divider ratio, one might expect the resultant increase of the intercept frequency to degrade system stability. However, this negative effect of feedback compensation is outweighed in an amplifier system which exhibits a composite delay. Such a system exhibits a decrease in open-loop gain with increasing frequency which is steeper than the decrease in the network divider ratio.
Notwithstanding the prior art, it appears that the present invention concept wherein both capacitive and inductive components are used to advance the phase of a feedback signal is neither taught nor suggested.

Inductive-capacitive feedback compensation for amplifier systems


The impression given by a background image is determined, wherein the background image represents the background of a location to be decorated with a picture frame into which a print has been inserted. A picture frame image that gives this impression is found. The image representing the print is corrected so as to give an impression closer to the impression that has been determined. The corrected image is combined with the found picture frame image and the resulting composite image is transmitted to a smartphone. When the composite image is checked and deemed suitable by the user, the print of the corrected image is inserted into an actual picture frame specified by the picture frame image and the picture frame with the inserted print is delivered to the user.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image combining apparatus and image combining method as well as a recording medium storing a program for controlling an image combining apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
When decoratively coordinating an interior, it is difficult to know beforehand what the final outcome will be like. For this reason, an interior coordinating assist system is available (Patent Document 1). Specifically, parameters indicating interior style and features are designated, whereupon a set of interior components corresponding to the designated parameters is selected and images of these components are superimposed upon images of components that have already been designated. Further, in accordance with an interior proposal system, a preference map is displayed and sample coordinates are designated on the preference map. When this is done, a selection field centered on the designated coordinates is presented and a sample is displayed. The sample displayed falls within limits in which a sense of harmony will be achieved in terms of interior design (Patent Document 2). Furthermore, there is a system in which mapping of a desired texture is performed in an arrangement in which three-dimensional objects are combined with a background image in any layout (Patent Document 3).
Furthermore, there is a system in which a camera incorporated within a digital photo frame captures an image of the surroundings, the image of a picture frame suited to the indoor circumstances is selected and this image is displayed together with the photograph (Patent Document 4), and a system for displaying an image that is a good match with the interior of a room (Patent Document 5). Furthermore, there is a system in which a main image, which has been associated with a decorative image, is corrected automatically based upon information that controls image correction (Patent Document 6).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3040074
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 4446705
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-157290
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent No. 5477025
Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent No. 4710497
Patent Document 6: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-208912
However, none of these Patent Documents give any consideration to finding an optimum picture frame by taking into account the relationship between a photograph and the background in a case where the photograph is to placed inside a picture frame and a room is to be decorated with the picture frame. In Patent Document 1, it is necessary to set the parameters of images in advance. In Patent Document 2, interior components registered in advance are displayed on a preference map and therefore this system does not deal with arbitrary interior components. Patent Document 3 deals with a three-dimensional display and does not take interiors into account. Patent Document 4 is such that a camera captures the image of the surroundings via a shooting lens provided on the front of a digital photo frame at the lower portion thereof; the camera can only shoot what is in front of the digital photo frame. This means that no consideration whatsoever is given to the background of the digital photo frame. Patent Document 5 displays an image that is a good match with a room based upon information indicating the style, etc., of the room in which an information processing apparatus is located. As a consequence, the user cannot display a desired image. Patent Document 6 deals with image correction and does not take into account the relationship to the room that is to be decorated with the image.

Image combining apparatus, image combining method and recording medium storing control program for image combining apparatus