A document scanner carriage housing contains a pair of spaced mirrors whose spacing and parallelism is precisely maintained by floating metal spacer plates which are not affixed to the housing. Spaced springs urge one of the mirrors into engagement with the spacer plates, the other mirror being referenced to the molded plastic housing. The parallel facing image plane sides of the mirrors are substantially unobstructed by the spacer plates which contact them thus allowing the scanner to efficiently use a substantial proportion of the image planes of the mirrors and occupy a comparatively small footprint. The floating spacer plates and mirrors are cushioned against shock and vibration by compressed elastomeric pads on the underside of the housing cover which allows the spacing and parallelism of the mirrors to be maintained without direct affixation of the mirrors or spacer plates to the housing.

The present invention relates generally to document scanners and, more specifically, to the mounting of spaced parallel mirrors therein to maintain precise spacing and parallelism of the mirrors while reducing the physical size of the scanner carriage.
Document scanners ordinarily employ a molded plastic housing in which the mirrors are positioned by referencing them directly to different parts of the plastic chassis, requiring the plastic chassis or housing to hold the tolerance. As is well known, it is difficult to hold a tight tolerance on an injection molded plastic chassis, especially under varying thermal conditions of use. Some past solutions have achieved the required tolerance by referencing the mirrors to each other through sheet metal plates, one on each end of the mirror. These plates are screwed onto the plastic chassis, and spring clips bias the mirrors to either end of the sheet metal plates. The plates also have bends which make the positional tolerances more difficult to achieve.
The mirrors in a scanner carriage housing must also maintain their exact parallel position and spacing despite any shocks during shipment or vibration during use which might be experienced. A very small translation or rotation in any of the mirrors may cause the scanner to lose its alignment. Accordingly, the mirrors must be tightly constrained to prevent such misalignment.
In the past, scanner mirrors have typically been biased and constrained to their datums by use of sheet metal spring clips pressing on the image plane side of the mirror. These clips require mirrors of extra length since a non-imaged surface of the mirror is occupied by the sheet metal spring clips.

Scanner carriage mirror mounting to reduce footprint


A method for washing laundry and a wash path for laundry in bath change and/or counterflow operation, in which the laundry to be washed when passing through said wash path moves through different treatment zones with chambers 1 to 16, wherein the individual baths are composed of fresh water and waste water of other baths, wherein the waste water of at least one bath without intermediate storage and directly is at least partly supplied to another bath, and wherein no waste water is intermediately stored in the water circulation during washing.

The invention relates to a method for washing laundry, in which the laundry to be washed is moved through a wash path having subsequent chambers with different baths, wherein said laundry passes at least one of the following zones: prewashing zone, clearwashing zone, rinsing zone and after-treatment zone, and the wash water of the individual paths is composed of fresh water or fresh water and waste water of other baths. The invention further relates to a wash path for laundry in bath-change and/or counterflow operation with a washing drum with several subsequent chambers for a plurality of baths in said washing drum and a conveyor means for transferring the laundry through said washing drum as well as at least one fresh water inlet position and at least one waste water drawing-off position and inlet position for water discharge and charging.
In continuous wash paths the laundry to be washed is introduced into a washing drum on one side, which comprises a plurality of subsequent washing chambers. By the rotation of said washing drum or a separate conveyor means the laundry is transferred through said washing drum and the different chambers or baths, respectively, for thereby being washed. Such continuous wash paths are operated in bath change operation as well as in counterflow operation. Also a combined operating mode from bath change and counterflow method is known.
The individual chambers of said wash path are correlated to definite zones in which the laundry is subjected to a treatment. Thus, e.g. in a wash path working in bath change mode a difference is made between a prewashing zone, a clearwashing zone, a rinsing zone and an aftertreatment zone which is followed by a drainage means like e.g. a press or centrifuge. In a wash path working in counterflow mode a difference is made between a first prewashing zone, a second prewashing zone, a clearwashing zone, a rinsing zone and an aftertreatment zone which is followed by the drainage means.
In washing with wash paths unused baths are used to prepare the prewashing bath in the prewashing zone, the clearwashing bath in the clearwashing zone (in case of bath change or counter flow) or in addition one or several bath changes for the subsequent laundry. These baths partially are clearwashing water, the rinsing water or the press water occurring in a drainage means like e.g. a press or centrifuge. These waters are recovered and e.g. leave said rinsing zone either through one or several overflows, through drain valves or together with the laundry when the latter leaves the machine or turn up at the drainage means.
Due to the constant flow direction changes of the inner drum of said wash path as well as by different water piling-ups during passage of the laundry and the separation walls in counter flow this water, however, does not turn up in uniform flow but in gushes in intervals which cannot be controlled. Therefore, also the distribution of the water in the different outlet positions varies. Since in the positions where said water is used again accurately defined amounts are required at an accurately defined time, it is necessary to collect the different waters in buffer tanks and from there to distribute accurately measured amounts to the positions of consumption. Said buffer tanks, however, include the disadvantage that they are very expensive in production, have high demand in space and have to be cleaned more frequently for hygienic reasons. As they, however, usually are arranged below the wash paths, in most cases they are accessible with difficulty only so that cleaning of the lint seaves, removal of sand and objects is very consumptious and, therefore, expensive.

Method for washing laundry in a tank-free wash path as well as wash path for carrying out the method


A standalone keyboard (101) for use with computers (102), which keyboard (101) has integral voice recognition capabilities to facilitate both text entry and cursor-movement control. The speech recognition platform (204) may be speaker dependent and/or trainable. The keyboard (101) may have an optional display (112) to facilitate certain training activities. Recognized words are converted (206) in the keyboard (101) into keystroke data that corresponds to keystroke data as would have been output had the corresponding text been entered by an operator using the keyboard keys (107).

Standalone computer keyboards are well understood in the art. Such keyboards typically include a plurality of operator actuable keys that allow an operator to input both alphanumeric information and commands to a computer. Many keyboards also have a corresponding cursor-movement device such as a mouse or trackball. A well understood problem concerning such keyboards is that their usage typically requires a user to remain relatively stationary and to adopt a posture that is not always conducive to accommodating other activities.
Voice recognition has been proposed as one solution to the above problem. Typically, such prior art solutions provide a voice recognition capability in the computer itself. The user speaks into a microphone, and this audio signal is then directly input into the computer, where an on-board voice recognition platform recognizes the voice and thereafter converts that voice into either text for entry into a document or commands for controlling operation of the computer.
A number of problems have arisen with this approach. Voice recognition tends towards computational intensity, and hence can compete vigorously for processing time against other desirable processes in the computer, thereby slowing down overall processing. Better voice recognition platforms also tend to be speaker dependent; that is, the speech recognition vehicle becomes trained over time to better understand and correctly interpret a particular individual's speech. Such speaker dependent platforms, unfortunately, also tend to limit a user to the one computer that contains the trained program, thereby making it difficult to work in an ordinary and accustomed manner on various machines (in the office, at home, while traveling, and so forth). And, of course, while a particular speech recognition platform may be considered particularly effective, that platform may not be compatible with all computers then presently in use, thereby denying beneficial use of that platform to users of such computers.
Accordingly, a need exists for a way to provide the benefits of speech recognition to computer users while avoiding or at least minimizing at least some of these problems.

Keyboard apparatus and method with voice recognition


A method for judging a lost block characteristic in a video processing system including certifying whether a lost block exists among transmitted video blocks, calculating a temporal difference cost1 between neighborhood pixels of the lost block in a present frame and a previous frame, and calculating a motion vector distribution value cost2 of peripheral blocks of the lost video block. The method also includes comparing the temporal difference cost1 and the motion vector distribution value cost2 with preset threshold values, and determining a characteristic of the lost block based on a result of the comparison. The automatically judged characteristic of the lost block is utilized as information for recovering the lost block to thereby reproduce a recovery video close to the original video.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video processing technique, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for automatically judging a characteristic of a lost block when transmitting a digital video.
2. Background of the Related Art
Recently, a technique for recovering various video signals transmitted through communication media without an error are becoming more important. The video includes several frames having different scene characteristics and motion degrees. Further, the frame includes macroblocks having a size of 16×16 pixels corresponding to a video coding unit.
The video is compressed using a discrete cosine transform (DCT), a variable length coding method, a motion compensation coding method, etc. and then transmitted. If a block of the video is lost due to an error generated during the coding process or the transmission process through a transmission channel, a quality of the recovered video is degraded.
Currently several error concealment techniques are used to recover a lost block. However, the current methods do not satisfy the needs of the communication industry.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method for judging lost block characteristic in video processing system


Each routing unit of the network routing apparatus includes: one or a plurality of transfer means each for extracting a packet header of a packet received from a line, and one or a plurality of search means each for extracting output destination information using the packet header received from each transfer means; wherein, in each routing unit, one search means is connected to one transfer means, or a plurality of transfer means are connected to one search means, or a plurality of search means are connected to one transfer means, or a plurality of search means and a plurality of transfer means are connected to one another.

The present invention relates to a high-speed and high-port-density network routing apparatus and, more particularly, to a network routing apparatus in which the combination rate between connectible search engines and transfer engines can be changed to hereby achieve single-to-multiple, multiple-to-single, and multiple-to-multiple configurations.
In a network system, a plurality of networks are connected via a network routing apparatus such as a router, and packets are routed in the network routing apparatus. The network routing apparatus, after receiving a packet, determines the forwarding destination of the received packet from the destination address included in this packet, and then outputs the packet to the line to which the router or host or client terminal of the forwarding destination is connected.
An example of such a network routing apparatus is disclosed in, for instance, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20020027917 (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-211203). The network routing apparatus described in this Japanese Patent laid-open No. 2001-211203 comprises network interface boards (NIFS) that are each connected to various types of network interfaces (lines) to send and receive packets, routing processors (RPs) that search for the appropriate packet forwarding destination from the destination address included in the header of a received packet and then forward the packet, and a crossbar switch (CSW) that is connected to each RP to forward packets between RPs. In this conventional network routing apparatus, each RP further includes a plurality of packet forwarding units, each of which searches for the appropriate packet forwarding destination from the destination address included in the header of a received packet and then forwards the packet. In each RP, the received packet from an NIF and the received packet from the CSW are distributed to the above-mentioned plurality of packet forwarding units. Thus, the packet forwarding process in the network routing apparatus is speeded up.


An actuator moves a signal reproducing element based on an applied control input. An error detector detects a difference in relative position between a desired track and the signal reproducing element. A drive circuit computes the input valuable applied to the actuator based on an output from the error detector and applies it to an adder. On the other hand, the actuator simulation circuit for electrically simulating the characteristics of the actuator estimates the position of the actuator from the control input. Furthermore, a target follow-up estimator estimates a track bend based on outputs from the actuator simulation circuit and the error detector and are fed forward to the adder via a feedforward gain. The Adder applies the computed control input to the actuator. As a result, a control system which offers an improved precision over a wide band can be achieved while maintaining the stability.

In recent years, in the field of information recording and reproducing apparatuses, developments have been made to realize a still higher density and a narrower track width. In the case of reproducing information from tracks of a narrower width; however, adverse effects from a tracking error, i.e., the center of a signal reproducing element deviates from the center of a track, become noticeable, and a sufficient reproducing output cannot be ensured. The possible cause of this tracking error may be an undesirable shape of tracks formed on the recording medium.
For example, in a rotary head type magnetic tape device, the center line of the track width is desirably linear in shape. In practice; however, the center line is deformed from the linear line due to an eccentricity of a rotary drum during a signal recording operation, a running state of a magnetic tape and a linearity of a lead of a fixed drum, etc. In the case of a magnetic disk device of a sector servo system, on-disk position indicative information is recorded by a servo track writer. However, due to oscillation of the servo track writer, or a disk, etc., the position indicative information recorded on the disk does not draw an accurate circle. Therefore, also the center line of the track recorded based on the position indicative information is displaced from the circle. Furthermore, in the case of a disk device adopting a disk in which a magnetic signal or an optical signal is pre-formatted, the center line of the track width has an acentric component generated when mounting the disk to the device. Hereinafter, the deviation of the center line of the track width with respect to a desirable shape is referred to as a track bend irrespectively of the kind and the shape of the recording medium.
In general, the track bend has a basic frequency f.sub.tr, and this frequency component is the most important factor. For example, in the case of the rotary head type magnetic tape device, the basic frequency f.sub.tr corresponds to such frequency that a time interval from an approach of the magnetic head to the magnetic tape to a retrieval thereof is one period. While in the disk device adopting the pre-formatted disk, the basic frequency corresponds to the rotation frequency of the disk.
As an example of the track bend, FIG. 47 shows a track recorded by the rotary head type magnetic tape device. As shown by an alternate long and short dashed line in the figure, the center line of the track is wounded and is deformed from the desirable shape shown by the solid line. Therefore, the track bend Tr in a track scanning period of from t1 till t5 of the magnetic head is as shown in FIG. 48.
As the track becomes narrower, the permissible range of the tracking error is reduced. Therefore, in order to ensure a requested tracking precision, the dynamic tracking method has been adopted, wherein the signal reproducing element is mounted to an actuator which can be deformed in a track widthwise direction, to make the signal reproducing element follow the track bend.
As shown in the control block diagram of FIG. 49, in the conventional information recording and reproducing apparatus adopting the dynamic tracking technique, an error detector 101 detects a relative position error between the center line of a signal reproducing element 102 and the center line of the track based on a reproducing signal of the signal reproducing element 102 and outputs it as an error signal Err.
The error detector 101 is equivalently expressed by a comparator 101a for comparing the position X of the signal reproducing element 102 with the track bend Tr and an error detection gain 101b for converting a relative position error Xerr into a voltage level. In practice, the error detector 101 is not only arranged so as to include circuits 101a and 101b but also arranged so as to directly detect the error signal Err based on the reproducing signal of the signal reproducing element 102, for example, using the sector servo system in the disk device. Therefore, the described error detector 101 has such a drawback that the track Tr and the position X cannot be detected independently.
Furthermore, a drive circuit 103 applies an operation signal Sd1 to an actuator 104 based on the error signal Err, and the actuator 104 moves the signal reproducing element 102 in a track widthwise direction. As a result, the signal reproducing element 102 is guided to a position where the center line coincides with the control line of the track.
Especially, in the case of the rotary head type magnetic tape device, a magnetic tape is wound around a rotary drum at a predetermined winding angle, and a scanning period in which the magnetic head scans on the magnetic tape and a non-scanning period in which the magnetic head does not scan on the magnetic tape are formed. In this case, as shown in FIG. 50, a switch 105 is provided between the error detector 101 and the drive circuit 103 shown in FIG. 49. By the switch, the magnetic head is switched between a scanning state and a non-scanning state, and a signal of 0 level is inputted to the drive circuit 103 in the non-scanning period.
In respective arrangements shown in FIG. 49 and FIG. 50, the scanning period is used in common. Thus, hereinafter, explanations will be given mainly through the information recording and reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 49. The control system of the information recording and reproducing device is, for example, shown by a block of a transfer function shown in FIG. 51.
Therefore, the open-loop transfer function G.sub.open of the control system is given by the equation (1): EQU G.sub.open =K.sub.e .multidot.G.sub.1 (s).multidot.G.sub.A (s) (1),
wherein s is a Laplacean operator. In general, the actuator 104 is a second-order lag element having a resonance point, and the transfer function depends on a frequency as expressed in a function G.sub.A (s).
Normally, in the control system adopting the actuator 104 having a resonance point, effects from the resonance point are removed by means of, for example, a notch filter, etc., and a control band (gain-crossover frequency of open-loop transfer characteristics) is generally set lower than the resonance frequency f.sub.r.
However, updated information recording and reproducing apparatuses are required to have the following features: The fundamental frequency f.sub.tr of the track bend Tr is sufficiently high, and in the case of controlling a dynamic tracking, the signal reproducing element 102 follows with high precision even with respect to the fundamental frequency component f.sub.tr and a high-order component. It is therefore required to set the resonance frequency f.sub.r to be very high. However, when the resonance frequency f.sub.r is raised by setting a spring constant of the actuator 104 high, a power consumption is increased. Thus, it is difficult to apply the described arrangement in practical applications.
Thus, it is a necessary condition that the resonance frequency f.sub.r of the actuator 104 is slightly higher than the fundamental frequency f.sub.tr of the track bend Tr. As a result, a sufficient control band cannot be obtained when removing the effects from the resonance point by a notch filter, etc.
Therefore, in order to solve the above problem, a control system in which the control band is set higher than the resonance frequency f.sub.r of the actuator 104 is known, and the control system adopting the control system is used. Hereinafter, the described control system is referred to as a punch-through servo system. In the control system, as shown in FIG. 52, in a vector trace of the open-loop transfer function, a gain achieved when the phase is in a vicinity of -180.degree. is set sufficiently high. Furthermore, in the subsequent vector trace, each element which constitutes a control system is set in such a manner that the gain is converged to 0 while observing -1 to the left. In the field of a control engineering, the condition for allowing the vector trace of the open-loop transfer function to pass while observing -1 to the left side is a stable condition, and thus, it can be said that the punch-through servo system is an effective control system which permits a control over a wide band while maintaining the stability.
The control system of FIG. 51 adopts a punch-through servo system in which a gain, a phase compensation circuit, and a constant of the low pass filter which constitute the drive circuit 103 are adjusted. Such low pass filter is adopted to remove the effects from the resonance point of the higher-order of the actuator 104. In this case, the open-loop transfer function G.sub.open of the control system can be derived from the equation (1).
An example of the open-loop transfer characteristics G.sub.open of the control system adopting the punch-through servo system is shown in FIG. 53. The control system satisfies the stable conditions, and the gain-crossover frequency f.sub.c is set substantially higher than the resonance frequency f.sub.r of the actuator 104, thereby permitting the signal reproducing element 102 to follow the high-order component of the track bend Tr.
However, in the control system adopting the punch-through servo system, the follow-up frequency band with respect to the track bend Tr is expanded, while the open-loop gain in the fundamental frequency f.sub.tr of the track bend Tr is limited due to the phase compensation for satisfying the conditions for the punch-through servo system. Namely, the follow-up precision of the signal reproducing element 102 with respect to the fundamental frequency f.sub.tr of the track bend Tr cannot be improved.
As the fundamental frequency component f.sub.tr is the most important factor for the track bend Tr, especially, in the case of a narrow track width, it is difficult to ensure a sufficient reproducing power, and meet the specification.
In consideration of the above, it is desired to improve the open-loop gain while maintaining a frequency band that can be controlled. In the punch-through servo system, in a higher frequency band than a resonance frequency f.sub.r of the actuator 104, a minimum phase margin is ensured by utilizing effects of the phase-lead compensation. Therefore, any mean to improve the open-loop gain to solve the above problem would not lead a reduction in the phase margin.
In the information recording and reproducing device, for example, an error detector 101 of the rotary head type magnetic tape device adopts a two frequency pilot signal system, a four pilot signal system, a wobbling system etc., as a detection method of an error. While in the disk device, a sector servo system, a magnetic signal pre-format servo systems an optical signal pre-format servo system, etc., is adopted. In any of the described error detection methods, an error signal Err indicative of a relative position error between the signal reproducing element 102 and a track as desired is directly detected. Therefore, the error detector 101 has such a drawback that the track bend Tr cannot be detected alone by isolating therefrom the displacement X of the signal reproducing element 102. Namely, the method of improving the follow-up precision by feed-forwarding the track bend Tr, i.e., the target to be followed by the signal reproducing element 102 cannot be adopted.
In order to solve the described problem, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 71415/1991 (Tokukaihei 3-71415) discloses a rotary head type magnetic tape device including a neuron learning control part in the control loop. According to the neuron learning control system adopted in the magnetic tape device, when a desired value has a periodically repetitive waveform, the offset can be made significantly smaller. The respective track bends Tr of respective tracks of the magnetic tape are strongly interrelated, and by performing the neuron learning control, the magnetic head in the magnetic tape device can follow the track bend Tr at high precision.
However, the neuron learning control part is constituted by the positive feedback loop containing an dead time element, and a uncountable number of poles exist therein. As a result, when introducing the neuron learning control part, the control system is apt to become unstable compared with the state before the neuron learning control element is adopted. On the other hand, in the control system adopting the punch-through servo system, as only a minimum phase margin is formed, it is difficult to introduce therein the neuron learning control part. Furthermore, in the neuron control, the problem that a residual eccentricity is increased on the contrary with respect to a desired value having a different frequency from the repetitive frequency is newly raised. Thus, the introduction of the described neuron learning control part do not offer the solution to the above-mentioned problem.
As another method of solving the described problem, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 114781/1995 (Tokukaihei 7-114781) discloses a method of measuring the track bend Tr to be stored and feeding it forward when reproducing a signal. However, as this method raises a new problem that a special mechanism and time for measuring the track bend Tr are required.
Furthermore, although it is not a solution for directly solving the described problem, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 52563/1994 (Tokukaihei 6-52563) discloses an information recording and reproducing apparatus in which a control ability is improved by adopting a disturbance observer. As shown in FIG. 54, the information recording and reproducing apparatus includes a disturbance observer 106 in addition to the arrangement of the information recording and reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 49. In this figure, D indicates a disturbance to be exerted on the actuator 104, and 106b indicates a position detector for detecting the position X of the signal reproducing element 102.
In the disturbance observer 106, an actuator simulation circuit 106a electrically simulates characteristics of the actuator 104, and the position X of the signal reproducing element 102 is estimated based on the drive signal Sd to be applied to the actuator 104. On the other hand, the position detector 106b detects a position X of the signal reproducing element 102. The comparator 106c estimates a disturbance D by comparing an output of the actuator simulation circuit 106a with an output of the position detector 106b. The estimated disturbance D is fed forward to a drive signal through an inverse characteristic simulation circuit 106d which simulates the inverse characteristics of the actuator 104. As a result, the disturbance observer 106 cancels out the disturbance D applied to the actuator 104.
Therefore, like the conventional information recording and reproducing apparatus, in the case where the effect of the track bend Tr is relatively small as the track width is relatively wide, and a main cause of hindering the dynamic tracking control is a disturbance, i.e., the control is considered to a constant value control, the disturbance observer 106 is very effective.
However, the updated information recording and reproducing apparatus which have developed in terms of higher density (narrower track), it is required to make the signal reproducing element 102 follow over a wide band with high precision and over wide band even with respect to a fine track bend Tr which has not been a problem in the conventional arrangement. However, the disturbance observer 106 is provided only for suppressing the disturbance D which is exerted onto the actuator 104, and it does not improve a follow-up function with respect to the desired value. Therefore, in the described case, the disturbance observer 106 does not offer desirable effects.
As described, any of the conventional techniques does not offer a solution to achieve an information recording and reproducing apparatus which permits only a relative position error between the track and the signal reproducing element 102 to be detected by the error detector 101, and the signal reproducing element 102 to follow the track bend Tr over a wide band with high precision. This is a serious drawback in the control system adopting the punch-through servo system.

Control system and information recording and reproducing apparatus


Time-series data indicating a temporal variation of an index, which indicates a usage state of each of resources that are used by multiple processes, is acquired, and an operation-data matrix including vectors is generated based on the time-series data such that each of the vectors indicates the time-series data at a predetermined time interval and includes as an element the index indicating the usage state of one of the resources at the predetermined time interval. A basis matrix including a predetermined number of basis vectors is generated by performing nonnegative matrix factorization on the operation-data matrix. Component values, which respectively correspond to the resources, indicated by each of the predetermined number of the basis vectors are extracted, and information on the extracted component values is output as usage states of the resources that are used by each of the multiple processes.

Nowadays, there are techniques to acquire and analyze time-series data that indicates temporal variation of an index indicating a usage state of a resource of a device. Examples of the index include, for example, the CPU usage rate, the memory usage rate, and so forth. Furthermore, it is desirable, in some cases, to analyze the time-series data that indicates the temporal variation of the index indicating the usage state of the resource of the device business-process by business-process. Here, the business processes are performed by using the devices.
For example, with a related-art technique, an arrangement configuration is derived by calculating a solution to an optimization problem that minimizes, as an object function, a total amount of physical resources of the whole of a plurality of physical machines to which virtual machines are allocated. Also, for example, there exists a technique with which whether there is a correlation between variation directions of loads is determined by coding the variation directions of the loads of a plurality of jobs, calculating the coded product, and performing a chi-square test on the coded product.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2012-159928 and 2014-78160 are examples of related art.

Analysis of time-series data indicating temporal variation in usage states of resources used by multiple processes


A dragchain substitute in the form of a line guiding assembly comprising at least one line receiving channel for receiving at least one line loosely disposed therein. At least one of the channel walls of each line receiving channel is designed in projecting manner and resilient towards the channel interior relative to a channel wall supporting it, such that the line can be urged from outside of the line receiving channel through the resilient channel wall and into the interior of the line receiving channel and is enclosed in the line receiving channel after said resilient channel wall has resiled.

Many problems exist with conventional dragchain assemblies having one or more chain belts of metal or plastics material in which individual lines are guided. Many of these problems are described in European Patent Application 91105430.2. When the stationary means and the reciprocable means are arranged in a superimposed manner and when the dragchain exceeds a certain length with respect to the necessary path of movement of the movable means, the upper length of the dragchain is deposited on the lower length thereof. This results in a high mechanical load on the dragchain, which can be prevented by way of an intermediate ceiling in the form of a slide plate in a guiding channel for the dragchain, with the upper length of the dragchain being deposited on the slide plate. An additional problem is that the dragchain may cause considerable movement noise.
The solution described in EP91105430.2 for overcoming this problem consists in providing the line or line assembly to be guided, on the side where upper length and lower length are facing each other, with a sliding means of good slidability which is effective in the longitudinal direction of the line and prevents friction between upper length and lower length also in case of long line lengths. One of the solution possibilities described in EP91105430.2 consists in a line receiving channel in which one or more lines to be guided are loosely disposed and which consists of a material having good slidability. Various possibilities for such a line receiving channel are shown in the figures of EP91105430.2.
FIG. 16 shows a solution described in EP91105430.2 which consists of a line receiving channel for a ribbon cable having associated therewith a sliding means in the form of a sliding band disposed on one side of the ribbon cable and projecting on both sides beyond the longitudinal edges of the cable jacket. From each of the two portions projecting beyond the ribbon cable, a multiplicity of holding pins spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon cable upstands beyond the cable thickness, with the free ends of the holding pins being bent onto the face of the cable jacket remote from the sliding band. With this type of line receiving channel it is either necessary to introduce the ribbon cable from one end of the line receiving channel underneath the bent holding pins. Alternatively, the holding pins can be mounted only after placement of the ribbon cable on the sliding band. A third possibility consists of mounting to the sliding band holding pins which are first upstanding in straight manner and to bend these holding pins in angular manner across the ribbon cable only after placement of the ribbon cable on the sliding band.
FIG. 17 also described in EP91105430.2 shows a line receiving channel that is closed all around, along with the transverse slots thereof allowing loop formation, with the line or lines to be guided having to be introduced into the channel from one channel end.
FIG. 18 also described in EP91105430.2 shows a line receiving channel that is first open on an upper side so that the line or lines can be inserted conveniently in the line receiving channel. Thereafter, the line receiving channel is closed by means of a multiplicity of spaced apart closure clasps which each bridge the open channel and are attached thereto for instance by glueing or welding.
The solutions mentioned either necessitate a specific assembly expenditure for closing an initially open line receiving channel after loose insertion of one or more lines, or they require line introduction from an end of the line channel, which may be troublesome especially in case of line guiding assemblies of considerable length and/or lines of low stiffness of their own.
There is a need to provide a line guiding assembly of the type serving as a dragchain substitute and having at least one line receiving channel, in which the introduction of the one or more lines in the line receiving channel is facilitated.


A method for controlling the power factor of a power supply line is described, the method using a power factor control cell connected to the power supply line. Advantageously according to the invention, the power factor control is performed by adjusting the turn-on and turn-off time of a bipolar transistor comprised in the power factor control cell. A cell for controlling the power factor of a power supply line is also described, of the type comprising a first and a second input terminals, a first and a second output terminals, the first input terminal being connected to the first output terminal by means of the series of an inductor and a diode, connected to each other in correspondence with an internal circuit node and the second input terminal and the second output terminal being connected to each other. Advantageously according to the invention, the control cell comprises a bipolar transistor inserted between the internal circuit node and the second input terminal and having a control terminal receiving a control signal derived from a signal having an elementary alternated trend.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and cell for controlling the power factor of a power supply line and, more particularly, to a method for controlling the power factor of a power supply line using a cell for controlling the power factor connected to said power supply line.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, the need of a higher and higher power, together with an improved quality of the power itself, has made it necessary to develop circuit topologies capable of providing improved electric performance and advantages also in terms of weight and dimensions.
From the physical point of view, the weight and dimensions of the components of these circuit topologies have been reduced by using applications operating at a higher frequency than the supply frequency (typically 50-60 Hz).
From the electric point of view, performances have been improved mainly in terms of quality of the supplied electric power. In particular, the problem of the harmonic content linked to the use of circuit topologies having components operating at high frequencies has been encountered, such harmonic content being capable of lowering the so-called power factor (PF). Several methods are known that are suitable for increasing the power supplied by the circuits and to reduce the harmonic content in the current of the network whereto these circuits are connected.
One of the known methods provides the use of a circuit network capable of correcting the power factor PF. This network is commonly indicated with the term PFC cell. The main feature of this network is that of creating an input current waveform of the sinusoidal type and in phase with the network voltage.
There are different techniques to obtain this behaviour. One well-known technique exploits the so-called dither effect, and it uses an energy buffer and a high-frequency voltage or current signal (dither signal) to realize a Single Stage Converter (SSC) stage.
In particular, FIG. 1 schematically shows possible configurations of PFC cells using the technique based on the dither effect and inserted between a first T1 and a second network terminal T2. In this FIG. 1, dither signal generators have been indicated with D and buffer elements of the first order of the PFC cells (such as a capacitor or an inductor) with Z.
In particular, this FIG. 1 shows configurations wherein the series of the buffer element Z and of the dither signal generator D is (A) connected to the first network terminal T1, or (B) between the first network terminal T1 and the second network terminal T2 (F), wherein the buffer element Z is inserted between the first network terminal T1 and the second network terminal T2, and the dither signal generator D is connected to the first network terminal T1, or (C) wherein the buffer element Z is connected to the first network terminal T1 and the dither signal generator D is inserted between the first and second network terminals T1, T2, downstream the buffer element Z or, (D) upstream of the buffer element Z, or (E) wherein the buffer element Z and the dither signal generator D are in parallel to each other and connected to the first network terminal T1.
The circuit topologies being shown realize first-order PFC cells and they allow the conduction time of the rectifier diodes to be increased, linearizing the trans-feature of these diodes and increasing therefore the power factor PF of the circuit topology as a whole.
The dither signal is usually obtained by a power stage being cascade-connected to the PFC cell, and by using a stage operating at high frequency the dither signal will also be at high frequency.
By conveniently configuring the PFC cell, the input current can take the waveform of a pulse train, whose envelope reproduces the sinusoidal trend of the network voltage. Finally, by removing high-frequency components, using for example a low-pass filter, a sinusoidal waveform is obtained and thus a high value of the power factor PF.
Besides the dither effect principle, there are other circuit topologies among which the most widespread is that based on the principle commonly known as boost converter.
A typical diagram of a PFC cell based on this principle is schematically shown in FIG. 2. The PFC cell 20 essentially comprises a controlled switch SW. In particular, the PFC cell 20 has a first I1 and a second input terminal I2, as well as a first output terminal O1 and a second output terminal O2.
The first input terminal I1 is connected to the first output terminal O1 by means of the series of an inductor L and a diode D, connected to each other in correspondence with an internal circuit node X.
The second input terminal I2 is directly connected to the second output terminal O2.
The controlled switch SW is inserted between the internal circuit node X and the second input terminal I2, i.e., the second output terminal O2, and it has a driving terminal connected to a convenient driving circuit 22.
The PFC cell 20 is connected to the first network terminal T1 and a second network terminal T2 by means of a diode bridge 21. In particular, the diode bridge 21 comprises a first pair of diodes D1, D2 inserted between the first input terminal I1 and the second input terminal I2 of the PFC cell 20 and interconnected in correspondence with the first network terminal T1, as well as a second pair of diodes D3, D4 inserted, in parallel to the first pair of diodes D1, D2, between the first input terminal I1 and the second input terminal I2 and interconnected in correspondence with the second network terminal T2. The diode bridge 21 comprising the pairs of diodes D1-D2 and D3-D4 operates as an input rectifier bridge.
The PFC cell 20 also has the input terminals I1, I2 and the output terminals O1, O2 connected to a first C1 and a second capacitor C2 respectively. The PFC cell 10 is finally connected to a load Z inserted between the output terminals O1 and O2.
The combination of the capacitor C2 and of the PFC cell 20 substantially realizes an active filter driven by the driving circuit 22 and capable of controlling the harmonic content of the power absorbed by the load. In most cases, the switch SW is an electronic switch realized with an active component of the MOSFET type, driven by the integrated IC driving circuit 22 so as to adjust the conduction time thereof.
Nevertheless, the use of an integrated circuit IC for driving the electronic switch makes the circuit topology of the PFC cell 20 shown in FIG. 2 expensive and thus suitable for products of the high market range.

Method and cell for controlling the power factor of a power supply line


A frame assembly for a container trailer includes a longitudinal component having a plurality of locating constructions. The frame assembly also includes a plurality of cross-members, each of which includes a locating construction for mating with a locating construction of the longitudinal component. The locating constructions of the cross-members and the locating constructions of the longitudinal component are located, sized and arranged so that a locating construction of each cross-member may be mated with a locating construction of the longitudinal component to position the cross-members with respect to the longitudinal component.

The conventional support frame for a container trailer includes both a base frame which supports the container and a suspension frame which includes the wheel/axle assembly and the suspension system. Typically, the base frame and the suspension frame are separately fabricated and welded or bolted together prior to mounting of the container thereon. In at least a part of one or both of the fabrication phases, various sheet metal components are cut from sheets of metal, and they may be bent or otherwise fabricated into particular shapes or configurations. In the assembly phase, these components are located and fixed with respect to each other using assembly fixtures, and they are welded or otherwise joined to form the frame component. Then the base frame and the suspension frame are joined together and a container is mounted thereon. The techniques conventionally employed in the assembly phase rely heavily on a vast array of fixtures that are used to locate the individual frame components prior to being welded. These fixtures range in complexity from small tabletop welding jigs with simple locators to very complex electronically controlled motor driven units capable of holding large assemblies or subassemblies in place for welding. These fixtures cost many thousands of dollars to design and manufacture and also require ongoing maintenance to insure that they remain accurate and consistent with product improvement and other design changes. In addition, the locating of components with respect to each other by fixturing often results in errors in fit and weld integrity between the components. When fixturing is used to locate components with respect to each other, most of the welds required for the assembly of a frame structure must be made by human rather than robot welders. Furthermore, in an attempt to correct errors in fit between the components, large welds are often made to fill in the gaps between components. Such large welds may contribute increased weight and may cause heat distortion in the finished product. In addition, the fixtures for a new product require time to design and build. When a new prototype for a product is to be made, it is often necessary to build the fixtures for the design by hand. This process is slow, labor-intensive and expensive.
In recent years, there have been a number of developments aimed at improving the conventional manufacturing process. For example, flexible manufacturing systems and modular fixturing systems have been developed to handle an increase in product variations, especially as relates to custom fabricated products or the production of several products on a single production line. However, these systems have not attempted to reduce the extent to which fixturing is required in the manufacture of frames for container trailers.
It would be desirable if a manufacturing method and frame design for a trailer having a container mounted thereon could be devised that would reduce or minimize the number and complexity of the fixtures required for assembly. It would also be desirable if such a method and frame design could be devised that would reduce or minimize the risk of human error in the assembly process. It would also be desirable if such a method and frame design could be provided that would provide for more accurate fit of the various components, thus reducing the size of the welds required and reducing the effects of heat distortion due to such welds. It would also be desirable if such a method and frame design could be developed that would require fewer and less complex components than conventional designs.


An apparatus is disclosed for the conversion of radiation. The apparatus includes a mesoscopic sized region, an interface surrounding the mesoscopic sized region and contacting the mesoscopic region to form an energetic barrier sufficient to spatially confine free carriers in the mesoscopic sized region, and a matrix material surrounding the interface. At least one of the interface and the matrix material provides radiative recombination of the free carriers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides specialized media and related methods whereby a photo-induced, Steady-State, Non-Equilibrium Electron Distribution ("SNED") of free carriers is developed using Mesoscopic Classical Confinement ("MCC"). The photo-induced SNED of free carriers using MCC finds application across a broad range of technical fields, including as examples, infrared (IR) radiation detection and related imaging systems, light modulation, optical switching, wave-division multiplexing, optical amplifiers, lasers, data memories, and color displays.
2. Description of the Related Art
Advances in materials science have greatly enhanced our ability in recent years to engineer man-made materials with specific physical properties by creating different structural composites of useful materials such as semiconductor and dielectrics. Within the broad class of semiconductor materials, silicon underpins nearly all-contemporary microelectronics and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. However, the indirect band-gap nature of silicon greatly limits its usefulness in applications like optoelectronic and photonic devices. Such applications continue to be dominated by direct band-gap materials such as Gallium-Arsenide (GaAs). As a result, the merger of silicon-based electronics with non-silicon-based photonics has largely required the development of hybrid technologies that are often expensive and complicated to produce.
A myriad of commercial applications continues to drive materials scientists in their pursuit of "silicon based" optoelectronic devices. Desirable all-silicon components include, as examples, lasers and other light emitters, modulators, and photodetectors. These components have application in numerous fields, including infrared imaging.
Infrared imaging is the remote sensing and subsequent display of energy existing in a specific portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Variations in the displayed image intensity represent apparent temperature variations across an image field. The detected radiation appears to emanate from a target surface, but it actually consists of self-emission, reflected radiation, and atmospheric path radiance. To distinguish a target from its background, the detected radiation must be differentiated from the background radiance.
Practical single element infrared detectors were developed during World War II using a lead salt compound (PbS). The basic technical approach, while much refined, is still in use today.
Since at least the 1970's, the promise of IR imaging has resulted in an intense expenditure of resources to improve IR detection capabilities (i.e., create IR photodetectors having improved detectivity and response time). Applications for IR imaging systems include both military and commercial. Military applications include target acquisition, fire control, reconnaissance, and navigation, among others. Commercial applications extend across a broad reach of fields including civil, environmental, industrial, and medical.
A conventional infrared imaging system typically consists of multiple subsystems. FIG. 1 illustrates a number of these subsystems. IR emitted from a target surface is collected by one or more lenses in an optics subsystem. A mechanical scanner assembly is sometimes incorporated with the optics subsystem to move a detector's instantaneous-field-of-view across an imaging field-of-view. In a scanning system, the output of a single detector may be used to develop an imaged scene's intensity using a rasterized scan line in much the same manner as commercial television. With a staring focal plane array (FPA) there is no scanner and the output of individual detectors in the array provides scene variations. Optical filters associated with the optics subsystem are often used to selectively pass or block certain wavelengths of light.
The photodetector is the heart of every infrared imaging system, because it converts scene radiation into a measurable (or displayable) output signal. Conventionally, amplification and signal processing create an electronic image in which voltage differences represent IR radiation intensity differences resulting from objects in the field-of-view.
Each detector in a staring array or scanning detector based system normally has its own amplifier. Amplifier outputs are multiplexed together and then digitized. The number of channels multiplexed together depends upon the specific system design. However, conventional systems typically have several multiplexers and analog-to-digital (A/D) converters operating in parallel.
Signals are typically digitized because it is relatively easy to manipulate and store digital data. Conventional infrared imaging systems rely heavily on software for gain/level normalization, image enhancement, and scan line interpolation. All of these post-detection, electronic circuits are generalized in FIG. 1. Following amplification, digitization, image reconstruction, and post reconstruction processing, an output signal corresponding to the detected IR image is communicated to control, monitoring, measurement, and/or display apparatus.
The word infrared (along with its abbreviation "IR") has been given different meanings in accordance with a number of conventional applications. For example, so-called infrared film is commonly sensitive out to wavelengths of about 0.85 μm. Spectral responses to wavelengths greater than 0.7 μm often result in systems being generally labeled "infrared." Indeed, the term infrared has been used to describe one or more portions of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from 0.7 μm to 1.0 mm.
In the context of the present invention, the terms infrared and IR are interchangeably used to broadly describe system responses, radiation signals, and/or portions of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from the near-infrared range beginning at 0.7 μm up through the extreme-infrared range ending about 100 μm. The terms infrared and IR specifically include at least the mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) band of 2.0 to 7.0 μm and the long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) band of 7.0 to 15.0 μm. Of particular note, the MWIR band contains a first thermal imaging band including wavelengths from between 3.0 to 5.5 μm, and the LWIR band contains a second thermal imaging band including wavelengths from between 8.0 and 14.0 μm. These two thermal imaging bands relate one-for-one with well-understood atmospheric transmission windows that advantageously allow efficient propagation of IR radiation. Most conventional IR applications rely on the detection of IR wavelengths within one or both of these two imaging bands.
Indeed, most conventional IR imaging systems are locked into either the first or the second thermal imaging band by a predetermination of one or more IR wavelengths to be detected. For example, Hg1-xCdxTe (x=0.2) quantum detectors, sodium metal vapor devices, and ZnGeP2 or Ag3AsS3 nonlinear crystal based systems detect IR wavelengths in the second thermal imaging band. In contrast, InSb photodetectors, quantum counters (CW and pulsed), cesium metal vapor detectors, and LiNbO3 nonlinear crystal based systems detect IR wavelengths in the first thermal imaging band. Being locked into either the first or the second thermal imaging band is a significant performance limitation attributable to conventional IR imaging system, regardless of the actual technology enabling IR detection. Multi-color capabilities are highly desirable for advance IR systems. Systems that gather data in separate IR spectral bands can discriminate both absolute temperature and unique signatures of objects in the scene. Multi-band detection also enables advanced color processing algorithms to further improve sensitivity above that of single color devices.
Currently, multi-spectral systems rely on cumbersome imaging techniques that either disperse the optical signal across multiple IR FPAs or use a filter wheel to spectrally discriminate the image focused on a single FPA. Consequently, these approaches are expensive in terms of size, complexity, and cooling requirements.
Infrared imaging systems do not actually sense warmth or cold like a thermometer. Rather, such systems sense electromagnetic radiation in a pre-defined band of interest. The relative breadth or narrowness of this detection band is an important imaging system characteristic.
In its broadest context, a photodetector or photosensor is any device that "converts" incident radiation in a detection band into a measurable or displayable electrical signal. The photo-detection process can be defined as generally comprising two steps: (1) the absorption of incident infrared light to cause a corresponding change in some device parameter (e.g., conductivity, charge capacitance, voltage, temperature, etc.); and (2) translation of the changed parameter into some measurable value (e.g., voltage, current, etc.). Progress in IR detector technology is connected mainly to semiconductor IR detectors, which are included in the class of photon detectors. In this class of detectors the radiation is absorbed within the material by interaction with electrons. The observed electrical output signal results from the changed electronic energy distribution. The photon detectors show a selective wavelength dependence of the response per unit incident radiation power. They exhibit both perfect signal-to-noise performance and a very fast response. But to achieve this, the photon detectors require cryogenic cooling. Cooling requirements are the main obstacle to the more widespread use of IR systems based on semiconductor photodetectors making them bulky, heavy, expensive and inconvenient to use. Depending on the nature of interaction, the class of photon detectors is further sub-divided into different types. The most important are: intrinsic detectors, extrinsic detectors, photo-emissive (metal silicide Schottky barriers) detectors, and quantum well detectors.
The second class of IR detectors is composed of thermal detectors. In a thermal detector the incident radiation is absorbed to change temperature of the material, and the resultant change in some physical properties is used to generate an electrical output. The detector element is suspended on lags, which are connected to the heat sink. Thermal effects are generally wavelength independent; the signal depends upon the radiant power (or its rate of change) but not upon its spectral content. In pyroelectric detectors a change in the internal spontaneous polarization is measured, whereas in the case of bolometers a change in the electrical resistance is measured. In contrast to photon detectors, the thermal detectors typically operate at room temperature. They are usually characterized by modest sensitivity and slow response but they are cheap and easy to use. The greatest utility in IR technology has found bolometers, pyroelectric detectors and thermopiles. Up till the nineties, thermal detectors have been considerably less exploited in commercial and military systems in comparison with photon detectors. The reason for this disparity is that thermal detectors are popularly believed to be rather slow and insensitive in comparison with photon detectors. As a result, the worldwide effort to develop thermal detectors was extremely small relative to that of photon detector. In the last decade however, it has been shown that extremely good imagery can be obtained from large thermal detector arrays operating un-cooled at TV frame rates. The speed of thermal detectors is quite adequate for non-scanned imagers with two-dimensional (2D) detectors. The moderate sensitivity of thermal detectors can be compensated by a large number of elements in 2D electronically scanned arrays.
While manufacturing and operational tradeoffs exist between specific technologies implementing thermal IR detectors, they generally share a common set of positive characteristics:                operation at room temperature, such that no sophisticated, external cooling system is required;        large format feasibility that allows improved detection sensitivity;        relatively low power consumption and ease of maintenance;        a lightweight, compact nature;        high manufacturability (i.e., high yields) using conventional silicon and/or integrated circuit materials and using conventional processing techniques; and        low cost.
The final benefit listed above is probably the most notable. The low cost nature of thermal IR detectors explains their prevalence in low-end commercial applications. That is, conventional thermal IR detectors are relatively simple to manufacture and operate, and are, therefore, well suited to low-end and mid-range applications where cost considerations dominate performance considerations.
This reality is clearly manifest upon consideration of a list of common disadvantages associated with thermal IR detectors, including:                low detectivity (i.e., limited identification range);        low spatial resolution;        slow response time;        low sensitivity, requiring elaborate calibration and costly corrective electronics;        a requirement for vacuum packaging for heat isolation; and,        a frequent additional requirement for some form of thermo-electric cooling to stabilize temperature.
The contrast between thermal IR detectors and photon (or quantum) IR detectors is striking. Conventional implementations for photon detectors include, as examples: silicide Schottky-barrier devices (platinum silicide); InSb (Indium antimonide); HgCdTe (mercury cadmium telluride or MCT); band-gap engineered inter-subband photodetectors: gallium arsenide (GaAs)-based quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIP), InSb/InAs type II supper-lattices and, quantum dot infrared photodetectors (QDIP).
Each of these technologies yields a photon IR detector exhibiting an output signal related to a number of absorbed photons, as opposed to the actual energy of the photons. Generally, an electrical current is produced in relation to electron/hole transitions between energy states brought about by the process of photon absorption. Hereafter, all IR detectors outputting a signal varying in relation to a number of absorbed photons will be denominated as "photon (or quantum) IR detectors."
Again, while manufacturing and operational tradeoffs exist between specific technologies implementing photon IR detectors, they generally share the following set of positive characteristics, including:                high spatial and thermal resolutions;        high detectivity, thus enabling long identification ranges;        fast response time; and,        detection of polarized light, thereby allowing distinction between natural objects in the background and manmade objects.
Not surprisingly, conventional photon IR detectors dominate high-end commercial and military applications. That is, conventional photon IR detectors provide superior performance and, thus, dominate high-end applications where performance considerations dominate cost considerations.
Disadvantages generally associated with photon IR detectors include:                uniformity issues caused by the required combination of exotic materials;        difficult manufacturing processes including many steps and low device yields;        materials and processing incompatibility with current silicon processing techniques;        a cooling requirement, usually to cryogenic temperatures;        difficult maintenance issues and high power consumption; and,        high cost.
Many of the disadvantages associated with conventional photon IR detectors are notable. Indeed, these disadvantages have thus far largely overwhelmed the remarkable detection performance offered by photon IR detectors in all but the highest-end and most costly applications.
Large format arrays are most difficult to obtain given the low yields and the often non-uniform nature of the individual photon detectors. The exotic composition materials require custom fabrication lines and highly specialized processing techniques. This lack of compatibility with the mature field of silicon-based semiconductor manufacturing, together with the enormous burden (financial, maintenance, and technical) of a providing a sophisticated, external cooling system lead to the implementation of very expensive and often bulky IR detection systems.
From the exemplary lists of enabling technologies noted above, it is clear that great efforts have been made to identify high performance IR detectors that may be implemented at a reasonable price. Recently, great improvements have been made in thermal IR detectors with the development of micro-bolometers. See, for example, Brady et al., Advances in Amorphous Silicon Un-cooled IR Systems, SPIE Conference on Infrared Technology and Applications XXV, Orlando, Fla., SPIE Vol. 3698, April 1999. However, these devices still suffer from a relatively large element size and slow response speeds. Further, complex MEMS (micro-electromechanical) process techniques are implicated in the fabrication of these devices.
Recent strides have also been made in photon IR detectors with the development of improved QWIP devices that are both IR sensitive and manufacturable at relatively low cost. QWIP devices detect wavelengths that extend into the far-infrared, greatly expanding the IR detection range. In addition, QWIP devices offer new functionality features, such as polarization-sensitive detection. Yet, these devices must operate at temperatures significantly less than 80° K. to reduce the dark current in order to achieve optimal performance. Low operation temperature is a fundamental limitation for QWIPs based on type III-V semiconductor materials. This is due to the high strength of the longitudinal optical phonons within these materials, which results in a very strong thermal excitation of the electrons. Therefore, such structures are characterized by large dark current and noise. An additional drawback of QWIPs lies in the fact that they cannot detect normally incident light because of the 'quantum mechanical polarization rule' that requires an electric field component perpendicular to the layer planes of the quantum well structure. This polarization rule can be met by illuminating the structure via 45° facets—a feasible solution for single-element detectors or linear arrays only. Another method for satisfying the polarization rule is to use diffraction gratings, which are of practical importance in the case of two-dimensional detector arrays. Consequently, QWIPs have low quantum efficiency and require a long integration time for signals to achieve appropriate detectivity.
Recently developed QDIPs offer a number of advantages, including lower dark currents and an inherent sensitivity to normally incident light. QDIPs also operate at higher temperatures. However, growth techniques for quantum dot structures are still in an early research and development state and quantum dot technology is far from maturity. Problems relating to the control of dot density, size, and shape uniformity, as well as process stability and repeatability, still pose serious challenges. All relative promise notwithstanding, QDIPs, like QWIPs, only respond to a single radiation wavelength, or to a narrow spectral band.
Thus, conventional photon IR imaging systems continue to present the basic choice. A low-cost thermal IR imaging system having relatively low performance capabilities would be selected, unless performance requirements are sufficiently high to justify a much costlier imaging system based on photon IR detectors. That is, performance and cost are traded in relation to the anticipated application or budget. Conventional systems are locked into a single thermal imaging band, and very often into a single detection frequency within that band.
This Hobson's choice between performance and cost in the field of IR imaging systems is just one result of the general lack of competent silicon-based optoelectronic devices. Ideally, an all-silicon, un-cooled, photon IR detector would exist and be readily integrated with existing semiconductor electronics. Such an un-cooled, photon IR detector would be capable of detecting a range, or at least a plurality, of IR frequencies. However, silicon-based technologies are widely recognized for their poor performance in optical applications.
The foregoing detailed discussion of conventional IR imaging systems is exemplary of many the unfortunate tradeoffs, deficiencies, and limitations inherent in conventional optical components and electro-optical systems that rely on either low performance, silicon technologies, high-cost specialty materials, or a hybrid of these two general technologies.
Clearly a new and fundamentally different approach is required.

Steady-state non-equilibrium distribution of free carriers and photon energy up-conversion using same


The wear resistance of impellers used in multi-stage turbine pumps is tested by using a multi-stage turbine pump having impellers with different physical properties to pump a fluid containing small amounts of an abrasive material. After the fluid has been pumped for a time period sufficient to provide measurable wear to the impellers, the impellers are inspected to determine their relative resistance to wear.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to multi-stage turbine pumps. In another aspect, the invention concerns a system for testing the wear resistance of impellers used in multi-stage turbine pumps.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multi-stage turbine pumps are commonly employed in a variety of different applications. In one application, multi-stage turbine pumps are used as injection pumps for oilfield water flood operations. Frequently, the water pumped by the injection pump to the injection well is produced water that has previously been extracted from a subterranean formation along with oil, and subsequently separated from the oil.
One common problem encountered when using a produced water stream for water flood operations is that the produced water stream can contain small quantities of abrasive materials. Typically, the abrasive materials include minute sand particles which were produced along with oil and water from the subterranean formation. Such small sand particles can be difficult and expensive to entirely remove from the produced water stream. Thus, the produced water pumped to injection wells for water flooding operations inevitably contains at least a small amount of sand particles. These sand particles can cause significant wear on the impellers of a multi-stage turbine pump used to pump the produced water to the injection well. Although there has been much speculation as to which materials and/or coatings are best suited for constructing wear-resistant impellers, there has never been an adequate method for comparatively testing which materials or coatings work best in multi-stage turbine pumps used to pump produced water to injection wells.


Electroluminescent laminar luminaire comprising a laminar substrate (2), at least one flexible electroluminescent lamp (1) printed on the substrate (2), and electric power supply means of the EL lamp (1) housed together inside an encapsulating casing (8). The latter contains at least one hot-melt adhesive (HMA), preferably EVA, and accurately matches the external shape of the EL lamp (1) and the relief, and the electric power supply means that protrude from the substrate (2), covering them fully without leaving any gaps, constituting a closed, flexible, compact and fluid-tight luminaire (100).

The existence of flexible laminar lamps is known, in particular electroluminescent lamp, which, consisting of sheets made up of several layers, emit their own light when connected to a power source, normally being intended to be incorporated into garments for protection and safety in low-visibility situations, such as signaling in activities like cycling, motorcycling, night skiing, public works, traffic control activities, life vests, footing or trekking, as well as transmitting warning or even advertising messages.
There are variations of these flexible electroluminescent laminar lamps with multiple inner layers over a substrate, including an EL lamp, and electrodes or electric power supply means, or other elements, protruding from the lamp, for which the assembly is completed with a final layer or casing for encapsulation and protection.
Patent US2007161314, shows a method for manufacturing an electroluminescent lamp, comprising a front electrode, a phosphor layer, a dielectric layer and an electrode layer, with connecting devices attached to each dividing electrode area, and that are adapted to be connected to a power source. The lamp can have the shape of a flexible panel, made up of an inner multilayer cell sealed with a watertight casing. Nevertheless, this application does not describe nor does it suggest how to make the watertight casing.
Patent WO2015162308A1 describes a light-emitting textile element with a free connection system which, with a structure comprising at least one electroluminescent lamp containing a substrate layer, electrodes, an active dielectric layer, an electroluminescent layer, a transparent conductive layer, and a reflective upper later joined to the substrate and having holes, spaced along the entire length of the textile element to receive the insertion of metallic pins of a connector part connecting to the control electronics and electric power source for the operation thereof. These holes, with or without the insertion of the pins, represent points of discontinuity that could allow the entry of water and liquids, and make it difficult to clean the element.
Patent PCT WO2015155382A1 discloses a compact electroluminescent laminar luminaire constituting the preamble of the present independent claim, comprising, on a substrate, a flexible electroluminescent lamp printed on the substrate, and electric power supply means of the electroluminescent lamp, housed together inside the encapsulating element, constituting a closed and compact laminar element.
Since, in this case, the luminaire itself may contain the control electronics on the substrate, in other words, an electronic module that, linked in the same layer as the lower electrode, incorporates an electronic control component, an electronic activation component of the lamp and a battery. This creates a thickening in the assembly and entails a problem in that between the substrate and the encapsulating laminar element, there is a gap that can contain air and create sealing problems, especially when washing the garment on which the luminaire is coupled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,377, also relating to a "Electroluminescent lamp and method" which, further comprising a substrate layer, a first electrode, an intermediate phosphor layer, an active dielectric layer, a second electrode, a conductor and a protecting or encapsulating layer comprises, in this case, a single non-hygroscopic binder that is used for all the layers (with the optional exception of the rear or lower electrode), thereby reducing delamination as a result of temperature changes and susceptibility to moisture. However, this patent presents the problem of tending to make the lamp rigid, which can make it lose the tightness and elasticity thereof and make it difficult to iron the garment upon which it is arranged.
However, it is not observed that any of the foregoing inventions and patents, taken separately or in combination, describes the present invention, as claimed.

Laminar luminaire and method of manufacture


A scanning transmission electron microscope including an electron detection system having a scattering angle limiting aperture (for the inner angle) and a scattering angle limiting aperture (for the outer angle) between a specimen and an electron detector (comprising a scintillator and a light guide) and only one electron detector is installed.

The present invention relates to an electron microscope for the observation of point defects, impure atoms and their clusters which exist at joint interfaces and contacts in an integrated device formed into a layered structure such as a memory or fast-calculation device.
The present invention also relates to an electron detection instrument for an electron microscope, especially for the purpose described above. More particularly, it concerns an electron detection instrument for observing an electron microscope image corresponding to a specific atomic configuration or crystal structure of a specimen by way of measuring scattered, diffracted, refracted, or transmitted electrons through a specimen at a high sensitivity and a high signal-to-noise ratio in a desired range of detection angle.
As described in Proc. Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Vol. 183 (Materials Research Society, San Francisco, 1990) p. 55, the conventional electron microscope can be used for inferring a 3-dimensional atomic arrangement from several electron microscope images observed from different directions. In addition, a technique for obtaining a 2-dimensional image of a 3-dimensional atomic structure is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 61-78041.
On the other hand, a prior electron detection instrument for an electron microscope is constructed as shown in FIG. 18, disclosed in the "Ultramicroscopy," 28, (1989), 240. In the figure, the electron detection instrument is placed in an STEM (scanning transmission electron microscope). The STEM comprises an electron gun 20, illumination lenses 21, electron deflector coils 22, and objective lenses 23. The electron detection instrument comprises an electron-photon converting scintillator 31, light guides 32, photomultipliers 33, and a monitor 34. There are provided two separate electron detection instruments for use of different detected electrons. One electron detection instrument is for observing a dark-field image only with electrons scattered at a high angle, having an annular scintillator 31a. The other electron detection instrument is for observing a bright-field image only with transmitted electrons at a low angle, having a circular scintillator 31b. In operation, the scintillator 31 detects electrons from the specimen, and then converts these electrons to photons. These photons are fed to the photomultiplier. A signal output of the photomultiplier 33 corresponds to intensity of the electrons. The output signal is synchronized with scanning the incident electron beam by a scanning circuit 25 before being brightness-modulated and displayed on the monitor 34. The monitor 34 shows an electron microscope image.
A prior imaging instrument for electron microscope is constructed as shown in FIG. 19, the instrument being described in the "Instruction Manual Model 622SC Fiber Optically Coupled TV System," 1991, Gatan Inc., 6678 Owens, Dr, Pleasanton, Calif. 94588. To pick up an electron microscope image, the imaging instrument is placed on a flange provided at a bottom of a camera chamber 28 of the electron microscope. The imaging instrument comprises an electron-photon converting scintillator 41, optical fiber plates 42, an image intensifier 43, a prior photoconduction-type imaging device 44, an imaging device control system 45, and a monitor 34. One optical fiber plate 42 is placed between the scintillator 41 and image intensifier 43 and the other optical fiber plate 42 between the image intensifier 43 and the photoconduction-type imaging device 44, the both being faced with each other to couple. The prior photoconduction-type imaging device 44 was a imaging tube (representative trade name: Newbicon) having Zn.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te used for a photoconduction face thereof or a imaging tube (representative trade name: SIT tube) having Si used for a photoconduction face thereof. The quantum effect of both imaging tubes 44 become maximum at a light wavelength of 500 to 750 nm. To make a highly sensitive imaging, the scintillator 41 used for converting an electron image to optical image was the one disclosed in, for example, "Electron Microscopy," Japanese Society of Electron Microscopy, Vol. 27, No. 2, p. 170 (1992). The scintillator 1 has a YAG (Y.sub.3-x Ge.sub.x Al.sub.5 O.sub.12) of 550 nm peak luminescence wavelength doped with cerium or GOS (Gd.sub.2 O.sub.2 S) of 510 nm peak luminescence wavelength doped with praseodymium, cerium, or fluorine.
In FIG. 19, electrons transmitted through specimen (not shown) pass through electron lenses 26, and form an electron microscope image on a fluorescent plate 27, whenever a fluorescent plate 27 closes an opening separating a column 29 and a camera chamber. In operation of the imaging apparatus, at first a fluorescent plate 27 is drawn up from the opening so as to project an electron microscope image onto the scintillator 41.
The scintillator 41 converts electrons to photons. The converted photons are in proportion to intensity of the electron microscope image, or number of the electrons per area. The photons pass the optical fiber plate 42 before coming to the image intensifier 43. The image intensifier 43 converts photons to electrons to magnify more than 100 times before converting the electrons to photons again. The magnified photons pass the optical fiber plate 42 to the photoconductive-film of the photon reception surface of the photoconduction-type imaging device 44 to emit electron-hole pairs. The generated current is detected by an electron beam emitted from an electron gun of the photoconduction-type imaging device 44 to obtain an output signal. The electron beam is scanned at a TV rate of 1/30 sec per screen. As a result, the electron microscope image on the photoconductive-film can be picked up in the same way as an ordinary TV camera.
With the conventional techniques mentioned above, it is necessary to prepare a large number of thinned pieces having a thickness of the order of several nm by cutting a specimen in various directions. In this case, if a target structure in the specimen has an infinitesimal size of the order of nanometers, it is impossible to cut the structure into a plurality of pieces and, thus, impossible to carry out 3-dimensional observation. Even if the target structure is large enough to allow the thinned pieces to be prepared, only part of the target structure is contained in such a piece so that a lot of information is found missing when constructing a 3-dimensional structure based on the electron microscope images of the pieces. In addition, since the observer has to infer a 3-dimensional structure while taking the relation between observation directions and their electron microscope images of thinned pieces, the technique results in very inadequate precision. The accuracy of the observation directions is effected by errors in the angle setting when specimen pieces are cut out and inclinations of the specimen pieces set on the specimen holder of the electron microscope. It is difficult to make the observation conditions by electron microscopes completely uniform for all the specimen pieces. The resulting errors thus give rise to variations in image contrast. An inference image formed by diffracted electrons, or a lattice image, varies depending upon, among other things, the thickness of the specimen and electron diffraction conditions. In addition, even though information on the atomic arrangement can be obtained from a lattice image, it is difficult to identify the atomic species of impurities and point defects.
In addition, it is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 61-78041 that the electron incidence direction to the specimen surface is fixed and all reflected characteristic X-rays generated in the specimen can be obtained by changing the direction of detection. Information on the structure of a 3-dimensional atomic arrangement close to the surface is thereby obtained. Nevertheless, the obtained information is limited to one to two atomic layers on the surface due to the use of all the reflected characteristic X-rays. In addition, since the characteristic X-rays are generated from a region of the micron order, it is impossible to obtain high resolution at an atomic level. It is thus extremely difficult to obtain a 3-dimensional atomic arrangement in the bulk with a high resolution at an atomic level.
On the other hand, the prior electron detection instrument described above has the fixed shape of the detector. For the annular detector shown in FIG. 18, for example, an angle range of electron detection of q.sub.1 to q.sub.2 is determined in terms of a distance (camera length) between the specimen 24 and the scintillator 31. If an enlarging electron lens is placed between the specimen and the detector, the camera length can be varied. However, the angle range of electron detection changes in proportion to the camera length only. It is therefore impossible to set the angle range of electron detection to a desired one. The sole solution is to take the method that a multiple of detectors having different angle ranges of electron detection are prepared and are replaced depending on an observation object. This solution is expensive and takes too much time and labor for replacement and adjustment to use for practical work.
The prior imaging instrument also has the detectors (e.g. scintillators 31) for transmitted electrons and diffraction pattern provided separately from the one for high-angle scattered electrons. This is disadvantageous in that the detectors can serve only for the respective uses. In particular, the detectors for diffracted pattern must have such a multiple of pixels as a CCD (charge-coupled device) camera. The detector cannot be used in common with the prior ones for transmitted electrons and high angle scattered electrons. This means that a user must unavoidably prepare a plurality of exclusive detectors.
The prior imaging instrument for electron microscope (shown in FIG. 19) has the pixels needed to measure the image. The imaging instrument therefore can detect the scattered, diffracted, refracted, or transmitted electrons through a wide range of angle. However, the electron beam emitted from the electron gun of the imaging device 44 (situated bottom of the imaging device, not shown) is usually scanned in a square area on the surface lying along the lower optical fiber plate 42. The imaging instrument is not used as in the annular detector of the electron detection instrument. The detector therefore cannot detect the electron beam in a desired detection angle range. Also, the prior photoconduction-type imaging device 44 used in the imaging section is too low in sensitivity. Therefore, the image intensifier 43 is necessary to magnify the image intensity. The image intensifier 43, however, generate great amount of quantum noises through its magnification process. This results in terribly bad image quality. Such a phenomenon also occurs in the prior above-described electron detection instrument (shown in FIG. 18) since the photons are magnified by the photomultiplier 33. In particular, the electron detection instrument cannot detect the high-angle scattered electron beam at high signal-to-noise ratio since the beam is too weak. Further, if the scintillator 41 is used for the imaging device 44 having a maximum photon reception sensitivity outside the luminescence wavelength of 500 to 700 nm of the scintillator 41, the sensitivity is lowered.
The scattering angle distribution of the scattered electron intensity emitted from a specimen depends on the atomic number Z of the specimen component element. When a specimen comprises two component elements of high Z and low Z, if the scattering angle of scattered electrons detected by an electron detector is set to .alpha. to .beta., an electron microscope image in which both elements are contrast-emphasized as an intensity difference of the hatched part can be observed. From comparison of quantitative determination of contrast and contrast calculation using the electron scattering theory, the atomic number Z can be determined, that is, the atomic species can be determined. To execute such an observation, it is necessary that the scattering angle range of scattered electrons detected by the electron detector can be set optionally. When a dark-field detector of a conventional scanning transmission electron microscope is used, the scattering angle range of scattered electrons detected is determined uniquely by the distance (camera length) between a specimen and the detection surface and the inner and outer diameters of an annular scintillator. Therefore, it is impossible to set the scattering angle range of scattered electrons optionally.
According to the prior art, it is described that 3-dimensional coordinates are identified on the basis of a plurality of 2-dimensional images observed in various directions and a 3-dimensional image is reconstructed. However, an actual means for realizing reconstruction of a 3-dimensional image and an artifact reduction method for restructure are not described.
According to the filter correction back projection method which is a conventional 3-dimensional restructure method, if a projection image of a specimen in all directions cannot be obtained in principle, the 3-dimensional structure cannot be reconstructed. However, a projection image of a specimen in all directions cannot be observed by a transmission electron microscope due to restrictions on the equipment constitution thereof and the specimen shape. Therefore, when the 3-dimensional structure of a specimen is reconstructed from a transmission electron microscope image using the conventional 3-dimensional reconstructure method, a problem arises that remarkable artifacts are generated.


Provided is a polymer of the formula:

As modern electronic devices are getting faster, smaller, and thinner, the application of advanced thermal conductive materials has become increasingly important at the interface of different heat generating components such as, for example, transistors, IC chip, engine control units, microprocessor, etc. Such materials enable highly dense and heavily integrated electronic devices to operate smoothly by dissipating heat to the atmosphere. In order to dissipate the heat effectively from the electronic components, various thermally conductive silicone compositions have been employed over the years. Most of these thermal conductive silicon compositions consist of organopolysiloxanes as a binder and heat conducting inorganic fillers. The problem associated with these materials is that they require a high concentration of inorganic fillers to improve the thermal conductivity of the overall composition because the organopolysiloxanes used in these compositions generally have low thermal conductivity. While a high loading of thermal conducting filler in the silicone composition increases the overall bulk thermal conductivity of the interface materials, a high filler loading often leads to problems such as lowering the fluidity of the composite, which leads to higher bond line thickness (BLT). Moreover, this low fluidity also affects the elastomeric property of the thermal interface materials as it increases the hardness of the silicone composite once it is cured, which deteriorates the moldability and long-term reliability of the interface materials.

Thermal conducting silicone polymer composition

Abstract: Provided is a polymer of the formula:

Abstract: and compositions comprising the same. The polymers comprise a cyclic unsaturated group (Z3) within the siloxane polymer backbone. The polymers have been found to exhibit good thermal conductivity and may find utility in a variety of applications.