A method of defining a quasi iso-gain supply voltage function for an envelope tracking system is disclosed. The method includes a step of capturing iso-gain supply voltage values versus power values for a device under test (DUT). Other steps involve locating a minimum iso-gain supply voltage value, and then replacing the iso-gain supply voltage values with the minimum iso-gain supply voltage value for corresponding output power values that are less than an output power value corresponding to the minimum iso-gain supply voltage value. The method further includes a step of generating a look-up table (LUT) of iso-gain supply voltage values as a function of input power for the DUT after the step of replacing the iso-gain supply voltage values with the minimum iso-gain supply voltage value for corresponding output power values that are less than an output power value corresponding to the minimum iso-gain supply voltage value.

Standard practice in envelope tracking transmit systems is to supply a power amplifier (PA) with a modulated supply voltage that is proportional to the instantaneous amplitude of an RF waveform. A related art technique modulates a supply voltage to be exactly proportional to the instantaneous amplitude of an RF waveform being amplified by the PA. Moreover, the supply voltage is adjusted to achieve constant gain at all power levels. As such, the related art technique provides improved transmitter linearity by eliminating AM/AM distortion. However, under certain conditions a high supply voltage may be required to maintain constant gain at low power levels. A resulting supply voltage waveform has significantly more high frequency content, which places increased demands on a modulator and degrades system efficiency. What is needed is a new technique for retaining the benefit of iso-gain envelope tracking without increased modulator requirements that results in a loss of system efficiency. In particular, a new technique for defining a quasi iso-gain supply voltage function retains the improved linearity benefit of an iso-gain envelope tracking system without incurring a loss in efficiency.

Quasi iso-gain supply voltage function for envelope tracking systems


A radar detecting circuit adapted to be on the vehicle detects a radar signal and selectively provides a radar detect signal in response to detecting the radar signal. The vehicle's speed is determined such as indicated by a tachometer signal or a global positioning system (GPS) receiver adapted to be on the vehicle and providing a GPS speed signal representative of the vehicle speed. An alarm responsive to both the radar detect signal and the GPS speed signal provides an alarm indication when a radar signal is detected and the vehicle speed is above a preset maximum, such as the speed limit. The operator indicates the present maximum speed via an input device such as a keypad or via voice recognition software.

The invention generally relates to an apparatus which is used with a moving vehicle to provide an alarm when a radar signal impinges on the vehicle. In particular, the invention relates to such an apparatus in which the alarm is responsive to both radar signals impinging on the vehicle and a signal representative of the speed of the vehicle.
Radar detectors are well known in the prior art. In general, such detectors generally provide an alarm indication when a radar signal is received. Recent developments in radar detectors have focused on the sensitivity of the detectors and the various bandwidths within which radar signals are detected. However, there is a continuing need to improve the accuracy of alarms provided by radar detectors.
Some recent developments have suggested using a radar detector in combination with a speed measuring device and printer for verifying vehicle speed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,793, incorporated herein by reference, discloses such a system which enables the user to verify the speed of the vehicle responsive to sensing that a radar device has been used to measure the speed. Other developments, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,161, incorporated herein by reference, disclose a vehicle speed control based on GPS/MAP matching of posted speed limits. This system actually limits the vehicle speed based on its position.
None of these developments address a common problem with many radar detectors, i.e., false alarms. In general, detectors tend to indicate false alarms in response to signals which appear to be but are not radar signals. In addition, radar detectors tend to provide alarms whenever a radar signal is received, even in situations where the vehicle is at rest and no alarm is really necessary. Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus including a radar detector which minimizes false alarms and only provides alarms when necessary.

Radar detector responsive to vehicle speed


An ingestible therapy activator system and method are provided. In one aspect, the ingestible therapy activator includes an ingestible device having an effector module to send an effector instruction and a responder module associated with a therapeutic device. The responder module may receive and process the effector instruction, resulting in a response by the therapeutic device. Examples of responses by therapeutic device include activating a therapy, deactivating a therapy, modulating a therapy, and discontinuing a therapy.

Multiple therapies exist for various health-related conditions, events, and defects. Such therapies may be implemented as implanted devices, e.g., cardiac rhythm management devices, neural stimulation/neuromodulation devices, intrathecal drug delivery pumps, and functional neuromodulation prostheses such as cochlear implants, retinal implants, and artificial joints, limbs and organs. Once implanted, however, such devices may not provide the functionality to facilitate controlled activation or modification.
In one example, a neural stimulation device may deliver pain-control therapies to the spinal column, yet the neural stimulation device may not be activated on demand. Stated differently, the neural stimulation device is always activated after implantation. As a result, the patient may be subjected to neural stimulation, as well as its associated unwanted side effects, at times when such therapy is not needed.
In another example, a neural modulation device such as a spinal cord stimulator may provide therapeutic benefit for pain, yet the rate of stimulation may not be adjustable to align stimulation to the patient's lifestyle, e.g., a higher intensity during high activity periods and a lower intensity during low activity periods. As a result, the patient may need to restrict activities which do not conform to the stimulation intensity to receive optimal therapy results or suffer diminished therapy results when engaged in non-conforming activities.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have systems, devices, and methods for controlling therapies, for optimizing therapy results, and for enhancing patient treatment without having limitations placed on the patient.

Ingestible therapy activator system and method


A method of manufacturing a ferroelectric layer, including: forming a first ferroelectric layer above a base by a vapor phase method; and forming a second ferroelectric layer above the first ferroelectric layer by a liquid phase method.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a ferroelectric layer and a method of manufacturing an electronic instrument.
A ferroelectric such as PZT (Pb(Zr,Ti)O3) has been used for various applications such as a ferroelectric memory, a piezoelectric device, an infrared sensor, and a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device, and has been extensively researched and developed.
As a typical method for forming a ferroelectric, a chemical solution deposition (CSD) method (liquid phase method) such as a sol-gel method or a metalorganic deposition (MOD) method has been known.
The sol-gel method utilizes a solution of a precursor prepared by polymerizing a compound such as a metal alkoxide by hydrolysis and polycondensation (hereinafter may be called "hydrolysis-condensation"). The sol-gel method has an advantage in that a ferroelectric can be obtained with excellent composition controllability by controlling the composition of a metal alkoxide solution. However, since the hydrolysis-condensation reaction is an irreversible reaction, a metal alkoxide which has been crosslinked and polymerized cannot be used as a sol-gel raw material. In particular, when forming a lead-containing ferroelectric such as PZT, it is necessary to process lead waste.
The MOD method utilizes a solution of a stable organometallic compound such as a metal carboxylate. Since the raw material solution used in the MOD method contains a stable organometallic compound as the raw material, it is easy to adjust the solution composition and to handle the raw material solution. On the other hand, since the MOD method forms a complex oxide by decomposing an organic group having a high molecular weight in an oxygen atmosphere, differing from the sol-gel method which forms a complex oxide by hydrolysis and polycondensation of a compound, the crystallization temperature is increased in comparison with the sol-gel method, whereby the crystal grain size tends to be increased.
For example, when connecting a ferroelectric capacitor and a MOS transistor using a tungsten plug, a stacked ferroelectric capacitor having a multilayer structure is used. When forming a ferroelectric layer of the stacked ferroelectric capacitor by the chemical solution method, the following problem occurs. Specifically, a complicated multilayer structure is employed for a lower electrode of the stacked ferroelectric capacitor in order to secure barrier properties for the tungsten plug in the lower layer to prevent oxidation of tungsten. For example, the lower electrode is formed by stacking a nitride layer such as titanium nitride or titanium aluminum nitride, an iridium layer, an iridium oxide layer, and the like on the tungsten plug, and forming a platinum layer on the iridium layer. Since the lower electrode having such a structure cannot allow formation of a platinum layer exhibiting excellent crystal orientation, it is difficult to form a ferroelectric layer exhibiting excellent orientation on the platinum layer when using a known sol-gel method or the like.

Method of manufacturing ferroelectric layer and method of manufacturing electronic instrument


Provided is a hair cosmetic composition which comprises the following components (A) to (D):                (A): an organic acid,        (B): an organic solvent selected from aromatic alcohols, polyols and carbonates,        (C): a cationic surfactant, and        (D): a higher alcohol, andwater and has a pH ranging from 2 to 6.

With recent popularization of hair coloring, damage after treatment with a coloring system (one-part type or two-part type) such as dryness or difficulty in styling of the hair has drawn attentions. The permanent waved hair also suffers such damage. The hair damage due to coloring or permanent waving treatment is said to occur because pores appear inside of the hair by chemical factors of the hair dye or permanent waving agent applied to the hair.
The hair loses its luster and moisture even by blow drying after shampooing. Such damage is found to occur because the inside of the hair becomes porous by the heat from a drier (Fragrance Journal, No. 6, 11(2000)).
For improving the touch feel of the shampooed hair, a hair cosmetic composition such as hair rinse, hair conditioner or hair treatment has been used. This hair cosmetic composition contains a cationic surfactant. Since single use of it is not sufficient for improving touch feel such as flexibility, a higher alcohol has been used in combination. This higher alcohol imparts the hair with flexibility and oily feel, thereby attaining an improvement in the touch feel. Owing to its high melting point, however, addition of it makes preparation of a hair cosmetic composition cumbersome and moreover, the hair cosmetic composition thus prepared involves a problem in stability (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2000-72628, etc.).
Various hair cosmetic compositions having an organopolysiloxane oxyalkylene copolymer, acrylic resin or the like incorporated therein in order to improve optical properties of the hair such as luster have been proposed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. Sho 56-129300). In these cosmetic compositions, improvement of optical properties is attained by the action of such a component on cuticles existing on the hair surface or in the vicinity thereof and its effect is only temporary and is not sufficient. In addition, a hair cosmetic composition for imparting the hair with luster by using a cationic surfactant in combination with a polyhydric alcohol, hydroxypropyl cellulose or the like is also proposed (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2998027), but it involves a problem in the touch feel upon application to the hair.

Abstract: The hair cosmetic composition has excellent effects for repairing or preventing hair damage caused by coloring, permanent waving or blow drying and features good feeling upon use and luster improving effect.


A television receiver includes a long loop frequency and phase locked loop (FPLL) in which the tuner voltage is controlled by the output voltage of the FPLL. A SAW bandpass filter couples the IF signal from the tuner to a synchronous demodulator and to the FPLL. An oscillator includes a SAW resonator that is formed on the same substrate as the SAW bandpass filter for supplying a reference signal to the FPLL and to the synchronous demodulator. The common substrate assures tracking between the IF SAW bandpass filter and the oscillator SAW resonator with temperature changes and processing variations.

This invention relates generally to television receivers and particularly to television receivers incorporating IF filters that utilize surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices. SAW filter devices, or transducers, are well known in the art and are acknowledged to be very stable and predictable in performance. The SAW transducers comprise comb elements formed on lithium niobate substrates, the surface wave propagation of which, along with the comb configuration, determines the filter response. A SAW resonator comprises an input comb and one or more resonant reflector combs. It is also known in the art to use a SAW resonator as the "tank circuit" of an oscillator. The temperature coefficient of one type of lithium niobate substrate material is about 92 PPM per degree centigrade. While this is not excessive, it can cause a noticeable shift in tuning of a resonator or filter. Another problem exists in that the SAW filter and resonator devices may exhibit manufacturing tolerance variations. The combined effects of tolerance variations and shifts in characteristics with temperature changes often result in the center frequency of a SAW filter changing. To maximize performance, any change in the center frequency of a SAW filter should ideally be compensated by a similar change in the frequency of the IF picture carrier developed.
The invention permits the IF picture carrier to automatically track the SAW filter center frequency.

Stabilized frequency and phase locked loop with saw devices on common substrate


An exposure-control system and an associated exposure control method are provided. The exposure-control system includes: an image capturing unit configured to capture a long-exposure image and a short-exposure image with a first exposure value and a second exposure value, respectively; and a processor, configured to calculate histograms of the long-exposure image and the short-exposure image, and calculate an exposure ratio according to the calculated histograms, the first and second exposure values, wherein when the exposure ratio is smaller than a first threshold, the processor switches a current exposure mode to a low dynamic range mode. When the exposure ratio is larger than a second threshold, the processor switches the current exposure mode to a high dynamic range mode. When the exposure ratio is between the first threshold and the second threshold, the processor does not switch the current exposure mode.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing, and, in particular, to an exposure control system and an associated exposure control method capable of adjusting the current exposure mode according to a long-exposure image and a short-exposure image.
Description of the Related Art
The dynamic range captured by internal optical sensors in cameras or video recorders on the market is about 1000:1 (i.e. the ratio of the brightest pixel to the darkest pixel). The dynamic range captured by optical sensors in professional cameras or video recorders is usually within 10000:1. However, the dynamic range of a common indoor scene is over 2000:1, and the dynamic range of a common outdoor scene is over 1000000:1. In other words, the optical sensors in the aforementioned cameras or video recorders can only capture a portion of the information of the scene.
Generally, a conventional exposure control system adjusts the average brightness value of the whole image to a predetermined brightness value set by the user, but the image effect is not good for dynamic images having a high dynamic range. Accordingly, there is demand for an exposure control system and an associated exposure control method to solve the aforementioned problem.

Exposure control system and associated exposure control method


A cocking apparatus for moving a lever between a cocked position and a rest position. In a camera, the lever may be used to momentarily move a shutter member away from a lens opening of a camera. The cocking apparatus includes a drive gear, a driven gear having a contact surface for cooperation with the lever, and a resilient member biasing the lever in the rest position. The driven gear is biased in a first position wherein the drive gear and driven gear define a plane. A tooth portion of the driven gear, meshable with gear teeth of the drive gear when the drive gear and driven gear define the plane, effects pivoting of the lever from the rest position to the cocked position. A cam surface disposed on the driven gear translates the driven gear along its rotational axis to space the driven gear from the drive gear when the lever moves from the cocked position to the rest position.

In the operation of a camera, a shutter is opened to permit exposure of the photographic film. To operate a shutter, a lever is typically employed to activate the shutter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,034 provides a camera mechanism in which a shutter plate operating member is mounted for movement between a cocked position and a rest position. When a button is pressed, the lever is released from the cocked position to activate the shutter.
It is desirable to have a lever cocking apparatus which is simple in design, reliable, provides for a reduction of the number of mechanical components required within a camera, does not damage the filmstrip, and provides quiet operation. Such a lever cocking apparatus should cycle between a cocking and rest position for each film frame advance, independent on the length of film which has been previously advanced.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a lever cocking apparatus which is simple in design, reliable, provides for a reduction of the number of mechanical components required within a camera, and provides quiet operation. Such a lever cocking apparatus should cycle between a cocking and rest position for each film frame advance, independent on the length of film which has been previously advanced.


A wired circuit board includes an insulating base layer, a conductive pattern formed on the insulating base layer and including a wire and a terminal portion, an insulating cover layer formed on the insulating base layer and having an opening portion to expose the terminal portion, and a metal thin film including a protecting portion interposed between the wire and the insulating cover layer, and an exposed portion formed continuously from the protecting portion on a peripheral end portion of the terminal portion exposed from the opening portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wired circuit board and a producing method thereof and, more particularly, to a wired circuit board such as a flexible wired circuit board or a suspension board with circuit and a producing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wired circuit board such as a flexible wired circuit board or a suspension board with circuit includes, e.g., an insulating base layer made of a polyimide resin or the like, a conductive layer formed on the insulating base layer, made of copper or the like, and including wires and terminal portions, and an insulating cover layer formed on the insulating base layer and made of a polyimide resin or the like to cover the conductive layer. Such a wired circuit board is widely used in the field of various electric and electronic equipment.
For the purpose of preventing migration in a conductive layer, a suspension board with circuit 31 as shown in FIG. 5(a) is proposed as such a wired circuit board, in which, e.g., a nickel thin film 35 is formed on the surface of a copper conductive layer 34 formed on an insulating layer 33 supported by a stainless steel foil base material 32 to cover and protect the surface of the copper conductive layer 34 (see, e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent No. 10 129831 10-12983).
In the production of the suspension board with circuit 31 described in Japanese Unexamined Patent No. 10-12983, the nickel thin film 35 formed on the surface of a terminal portion 38 exposed from an opening portion 41 in an insulating cover layer 36 is removed by etching using the insulating cover layer 36 as an etching resist, and then a terminal is formed on the surface of the terminal portion 38 by electrolytic plating.

Wired circuit board with interposed metal thin film and producing method thereof


A planar motor includes a base provided with at least one stator, a mover provided on a top portion of a planar object to be placed on a top portion of the base, and moving according to a magnetic field generated by the stator, a mover support connected to the mover, supporting the mover from the planar object, and moving the mover according to a force of the magnetic field, and a controller supplying a control current to the stator to control location of the mover.

Processing equipment requiring highly precise location determination ability is being used in various industrial environments. A planar motor is one of the processing equipment and being used in processing apparatuses for handling, for example, processes for manufacturing a semiconductor, processes for manufacturing various flat penal displays, and processes to various objects.
Since the planar motor does not require a separate medium for movement of a mover, it is being usually used in special work environments such as a vacuum environment.
Meanwhile, a conventional planar motor provides a mover on a top portion of a stator and moves the mover by controlling a force of a magnetic field applied to the stator. In this case, an object to be processed is placed on a top portion of the mover, and a process is carried out through processing equipment provided separately from the mover. Accordingly, the configuration of the entire system becomes complicated and large in volume.
In this regard, Korean Patent No. 10-0855921 (Title of Invention: Planar Motor and Driving Method Thereof, Stage Apparatus and Driving Method Thereof, Exposure Apparatus and Exposing Method, and Device and Manufacturing Method Thereof) obtains inductance distribution in a stator, which varies depending on a location relationship between a mover having a magnetic flux generator and the stator, by measuring inductance of each coil configuring the stator by means of an inductance measuring machine. Based on the obtained inductance distribution, a two-dimensional location and a posture of a stage member are detected. Location control of the stage member is implemented by controlling a direction or a size of a current supplied to each coil based on the detected results. As a result, the location control of the stage member can be implemented, irrespective of the location or the posture of the stage member.

Planar motor and processing apparatus and using the same

SOONGSIL UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CONSORTIUM TECHNO-PARK


A method for removing noise from a noisy image includes a few important steps. The noise level of the noisy image is first estimated based on the smooth blocks of the image. The original image is divided into many small blocks. Each of these blocks is then converted from a two dimensional matrix to vector, which is a one dimensional array. The converted vectors are next grouped and then a matrix recovery process based on a principal component analysis (PCA) has been performed in order to remove the noise, wherein the key is to determine the number of principal components to retain during the denoising process. Next, the denoised vectors are converted back to the denoised blocks, and the denoised blocks are used to reconstruct a denoised image with a better image quality.

With the wide spread of all different types of image taking devices, including digital camera, cell phone, tablet computer and etc, images have been generated exponentially around the world. Now, image becomes an indispensable part of people's daily life, social activity and entertainment. The information included in a single image accounts for a huge quantity of words, and is more direct and more vivid. On the other hand, however, most of these pictures are not in good quality, which significantly affects their utilities. There are many factors accounting for the low quality of these images. Two major ones would be the hardware used for taking the image and the condition under which the image has been taken.
In most of the cases, the conditions under which people are taking pictures are not perfect. For example, the lighting condition may be too low or too high, the imaging device is shaking and so on. The weak signal under the low lighting condition would certainly compromise the image quality. In addition, the image device used for taking picture is not perfect, either. Many of them are not professional or dedicated device for image taking, such as the compact digital camera, cell phone and tablet computer. Currently, millions of digital images are collected using smart phones, iPads, tablets, etc. on a daily basis. Yet many of them are in low quality.
There are a few ways to improve the quality of the images. Of course, one of the most fundamental approaches would be to improve the performance of the image taking device and to adjust the lighting condition of the object. However, such approaches are either very costly (as for the professional image taking device), or infeasible (no way to change the lighting condition). In view of these issues, one of the most economical and effective method for improving image quality would be using an image editing software. The common image editing software comprising the function of denoising includes Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, PhotoNinja and so on. However, most of the software is not capable of performing the denoising function in a satisfactory manner. They may either leave too much noise still in the processed image or remove too many details from the original image. Both of them are undesirable to the users.
Moreover, in most cases, these software programs or algorithms require users to choose the values of many parameters, including signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast level, and so on. Nevertheless, for most of the normal users, they are not professional imaging editors. Even though they may understand what those parameters stand for, they still have no clue about what would be the optimal values for those imaging editing parameters, which need quite some experiences and skills or many times of trial and error. As a result, they may either waste certain time on setting those parameters, or just give it up. In light of the above issues, many common users cannot really benefit from such complex image editing software they bought.
In view of the foregoing, one objective of the present invention is to provide a method for denoising image, wherein this method is both easy to use (with no need to set the values of multiple parameters) and of a desirable performance (the resulted denoised image is of desired quality).


A lawn edging consisting of an elongated extrusion made of a flexible and resilient polymer, the extrusion having opposite ends. The extrusion has a bottom, first and second side walls extending from the bottom and a transverse cross brace connecting the side walls together. The bottom has a toe portion extending perpendicularly from the first wall. The first wall is divided into an upper portion above the transverse cross brace and a lower portion between the transverse cross brace and the toe portion, the lower portion being perpendicular with respect to the toe portion. The upper portion of the first wall is at an obtuse angle to the lower portion such that the upper portion extends away from the lower portion of the side wall and away from the second side wall. The upper portion is configured to be flexible and resilient. The extrusion has an open top defined byte upper portion of the first and second walls which flare out relative to lower portions of the first and second walls.

Pavement edging blocks and boarders are well known. They generally consist of brick like stone products which are used to form a decorative edging around a driveway, a lawn or other areas. These block like paving edging devices tend to be heavy and expensive. In more recent times, lawn edging devices have been made out of extruded material such as plastic. These extruded edging devices can be quite decorative but often fail to prevent grass from encroaching on to the paved areas.
Another method of edging a lawn consists of digging a trench along the lawn adjacent to the paved area. This yields a very attractive and decorative look to the lawn. Unfortunately, grass often encroaches into the trench through root propagation. Furthermore, maintaining a clean and unobstructed trench requires considerable work as grass clippings and other debris often fall into and clog the trench. An improved lawn edging device which is easy to install and maintain and minimized grass encroachment is therefore required.


The optical phased array may use a grating based emitter in order to emit light out of the plane of a PIC chip from an array of output waveguides. A longer grating allows for a larger aperture in the output waveguide dimension and allows for a small spot size. However, even for the relatively thick grating layers available in production foundries, the gratings still cause light to decay within less than 0.5 mm. To reduce the grating strength, some or all of the diffraction gratings may only be provided between the output waveguides, e.g. over trenches between the output waveguides, but not over top the output waveguides, whereby the periodicity only interacts with the weaker evanescent tails of the confined mode instead of the entire cross section of the output waveguides. By forming sufficiently narrow slots in the grating layer only down to the upper cladding layer, the diffraction gratings may be made extremely weak.

An optical phased array (OPA) transmitter includes a light source, power splitters, phase shifters, and an integrated optical waveguide emitter comprising an array of radiating waveguide elements. The output light of the light source is split into sub-beams and transmitted along several branches using a power splitting network of waveguides. Each branch is then fed to a tunable phase shifter. The phase shifted light is input into a plurality of radiating waveguide elements, e.g. a nanophotonic antenna, that couple the light into free space. Light emitted by the radiating waveguide elements is combined in the far-field and forms a far-field pattern of the OPA array. By adjusting the relative phase shift between the radiating waveguide elements, an output beam of light can be formed and steered.
Conventional integrated optical phased arrays launch and receive beams of light at a variety of controllable angles for various applications, including free-space communications, holography, and light detection and ranging (LIDAR). A LIDAR sensor is an optical remote sensor that measure the distance to a target, by irradiating the target with light, using pulses or a modulated signal from a laser, and measuring the time it takes the light to travel to and from the target to a receiver in the LIDAR sensor. When, the reflected pulses or modulated signals are detected, the time of flight of the pulses or modulated signals correspond to the distance to the sensed target. LIDAR sensors are important components in autonomous vehicles, drone navigation systems, and robot interaction, but is currently costly and relatively large. Accordingly, smaller and less expensive solid-state LIDAR sensors are desirable. An integrated optical phased array includes a plurality of spaced-apart waveguide emitter fabricated on a chip, and comprised of any suitable dielectric or semiconductor material. Each waveguide emitter carries an optical beam of light, which combine into a single narrow combined beam after leaving the chip. The angle that the combined beam may be directed can be controlled by changing the relative phase of the optical beam of light in each waveguide emitter. The spacing between adjacent waveguide emitters controls several important properties, including the range of unique angles that the combined beam can be directed; and the efficiency with which reflected light can be coupled back into the array from free space.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a weak grating for a large and robust integrated optical waveguide emitter.


A roller assembly for a meat skinning device having a frame, a drive shaft rotatably mounted to the frame and having a female groove, and an elongated roller having a male prong frictionally received within the female groove, a bearing housing secured to the drive shaft, and a seal mounted on the roller and separated from a food zone of the roller.

The present invention relates to a meat skinning device and, more particularly, to an improved roller and gear box for a meat skinning device.
For many years, machines have been used to cut a layer of skin from a meat product. These machines typically have a plurality of rollers, including a stripper roll and a tooth roll, with a plurality of teeth positioned adjacent an elongated cutting blade. As the meat is moved toward the blade, the meat is gripped by the teeth on the rollers, which draw the meat product into contact with the blade. A layer of skin is cut away from the meat product and pulled between the rollers while the meat moves over the blade.
One disadvantage of conventional meat skinning devices is that the rollers often are difficult to remove. For cleaning and general maintenance, particularly when the teeth wear or degrade after prolonged use, the roller needs to be removed. Conventional rollers typically have an elongated shaft that extends into the bearings and drive mechanism. As such, one must completely disassemble the bearings and drive mechanism to remove the rollers. Thus, there is a need for a meat skinning device that provides for easier removal and installation of the rollers. In addition, conventional tooth rolls have a seal mounted on the end of the tooth roll to separate the working parts of the tooth roll assembly such as the bearings from the food zone. Because the seal is mounted directly to the tooth roll, occasional leakage of grease and lubricant from the bearing will contaminate the food, and when food particles leak into the bearing, the bearing operates inefficiently and its operational life is shortened. Thus, there is a need for an improved seal in the art.
Another disadvantage of conventional meat skinning devices is that the drive mechanism is a complicated system with many parts that is difficult to disassemble. Meat skinning devices typically use a drive shaft that extends below the skinning device and is operatively connected to the tooth roll through a drive pulley on one side of the skinning device, and operatively connected to the stripper roll through a drive pulley on the opposite side of the skinning device. As such, the assembly consumes a substantial amount of space and requires one to remove many of the components of the meat skinning device to gain access to the pulleys in order to repair or replace the drive mechanism. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved means of driving the rollers.
Therefore, a principal object of this invention is to provide a meat skinning device that allows for the efficient removal or replacement of the rollers and drive mechanism.
A further object of this invention is to provide a roller for a meat skinning device whereby removal of the roller does not require the complete disassembly of the bearings and drive assembly.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a centrally located drive mechanism for a meat skinning device that can be easily accessed and removed.
Another object of this invention is to provide a seal that reduces the possibility of leakage between the working parts and the tooth roll.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.


A multiparameter stage lighting apparatus is provided comprising a lamp housing, which may include a plurality of sets of light emitting diodes, each set of light emitting diodes having a plurality of colors, the plurality of sets of light emitting diodes forming an additive color mixing system. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus may further include a plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards, one light emitting circuit board for each set of the plurality of sets of light emitting diodes, each set of the plurality of sets of light emitting diodes mounted to its respective light emitting circuit board. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus may further include a plurality of light emitting diode signaling circuit boards, one for each of the plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards. Each of the plurality of light emitting diode signaling circuit boards may be connected to its corresponding pie shaped light emitting circuit boards by a corresponding one of a plurality of multiconductor cables.

Multiparameter lighting fixtures are lighting fixtures, which illustratively have two or more individually remotely adjustable parameters such as focus, color, image, position, or other light characteristics. Multiparameter lighting fixtures are widely used in the lighting industry because they facilitate significant reductions in overall lighting system size and permit dynamic changes to the final lighting effect. Applications and events in which multiparameter lighting fixtures are used to great advantage include showrooms, television lighting, stage lighting, architectural lighting, live concerts, and theme parks. Illustrative multi-parameter lighting fixtures are described in the product brochure showing the High End Systems product line for the year 2000 and are available from High End Systems, Inc. of Austin, Tex.
Multiparameter lighting fixtures are commonly constructed with a lamp housing that may pan and tilt in relation to a base housing so that light projected from the lamp housing can be remotely positioned to project on the stage surface. Commonly a plurality of multiparameter lights are controlled by an operator from a central controller. The central controller is connected to communicate with the plurality of multiparameter lights via a communication system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,187 titled "Computer controlled lighting system having automatically variable position, color, intensity and beam divergence" to Bornhorst and incorporated herein by reference, disclosed a plurality of multiparameter lights and a central controller.
The lamp housing of the multiparameter light contains the optical components and the lamp. The lamp housing is rotatably mounted to a yoke that provides for a tilting action of the lamp housing in relation to the yoke. The lamp housing is tilted in relation to the yoke by a motor actuator system that provides remote control of the tilting action by the central controller. The yoke is rotatably connected to the base housing that provides for a panning action of the yoke in relation to the base housing. The yoke is panned in relation to the base housing by a motor actuator system that provides remote control of the panning action by the central controller.
Multiparameter lights may be constructed with various light sources. U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,893 to Belliveau, incorporated by reference herein, discloses various multiparameter lighting devices that have been constructed using light emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources. U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,893 to Belliveau discloses a multiparameter light constructed of a plurality of LEDs that can individually vary the intensity of the light sources of the same wavelength or color in relation to each other.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/516,822, to Belliveau, filed on Sep. 27, 2006, incorporated by reference herein, discloses that a plurality of LEDS may be constructed of a plurality of red, green and blue LEDs. In that application, a red, green and blue LED of the plurality of LEDs may be constructed as to emit their combined light from a single output aperture that produces an homogenous color blend to the eye.

Multiparameter stage lighting apparatus with graphical output


The present invention uses a smart control module with HID descriptors to communicate with the host side in accordance with the standard HID communication protocol, so as to interact with the smart card, which can eliminate the need of installing a private driver from a particular manufacturer when installing its reader/writer. The driver of the HID device can be installed automatically upon installation of the operating system. The users can use the reader/writer easily without carrying a driver around. It is not necessary for the users to deal with upgraded versions of the driver, to consider compatibilities of drivers for different products, to confront usage risks of the operating system due to the driver, or to worry about contamination of the operating system resulted from the installation and uninstallation of the driver.

As the smart card technologies have been popularized, more and more smart cards have been widely applied in daily transactions such as the SIM card, the banking card and the like.
Most of the current smart cards generally read/write data using a reader/writer, which is usually equipped with a USB interface. To enable the conversion of the USB communication protocol to the smart card protocol for the reader/writer and to make the host interface compliant with the smart card specification, the manufacturers often adopt a private communication protocol when designing the USB communication protocol. Therefore, it is required to install a private driver from the particular manufacturer for the reader/writer to function. This is known as a so-called driver reader/writer. However, it is so inconvenient that the users who want to use or upgrade the reader/writer must deal with the driver.

Smart card read/write control method based on USB interface and reader/writer thereof


A vehicle system includes a camera, a sensor, and processors for detecting an unoccupied parking spot while the vehicle traverses a detection path. The processors define a variable virtual boundary based on at least one object detected on a side of the detection path excluding the unoccupied parking spot and generates at least one parking maneuver based on the unoccupied parking spot and the variable virtual boundary.

Today, many vehicles include a feature for autonomously parking a vehicle into an unoccupied parking spot. To move the vehicle to the unoccupied parking spot, the vehicle first determines its environment. Subsequently, the vehicle determines one or more parking maneuvers for moving the vehicle to the unoccupied parking spot. To determine the one or more parking maneuvers, the vehicles must consider any boundaries proximate to the unoccupied parking spot.

Vehicle system and method for setting variable virtual boundary


A sun visor or other accessory for a motor vehicle. The sun visor includes a body made of rigid foam in which various structures (such as a support pin, detent and pivot arm) are insert molded. The foam has a rigidity which is sufficient to support said sun visor without requiring any additional reinforcing structures such as a support frame, support wire or centerboard. The pivot arm and detent are provided within a casing that prevents the foam from affecting the operation of the detent. Also insert molded into the body of the visor are mounts for an illuminated vanity. Terminals from a power supply are mounted in predetermined positions relative to the body so that when the vanity is mounted to the body, contacts coupled to a lamp and mounted to the vanity in predetermined positions, are caused engage the terminals.

The present Invention generally relates to sun visor assemblies for motor vehicles. More particularly, this invention relates to a sun visor in which the body of the sun visor is formed from a rigid foam material.
Conventionally, motor vehicle sun visors employ one of a number of types of constructions. One construction uses a centerboard of polymeric material or cardboard. The centerboard is attached to a pivot rod that allows the sun visor to pivot about a vertical axis and rotate about a horizontal axis. A detent mechanism is typically used to maintain the sun visor in its stored or deployed positions. The centerboard also operates as the attachment for various other components or subassemblies of the sun visor, such as an illuminated vanity, and may also have slabs of foam mounted to it to cushion the sun visor.
Another common construction for sun visors uses what is known as a clam shell design. In this construction, the body or core of the sun visor is formed from the mating of two halves which are connected along one edge by a live hinge. When folded together, these halves (which are usually of a polymeric material) snap together to form the visor body. Each half of the clam shell may be provided with reinforcing ribs or other structures that enable it handle the rigors of normal visor use. The clam shell halves are also provided with various clips, embossments or other means that accommodate and locate the other elements of the visor assembly such as support pins, pivot rods, detent mechanisms, vanity assemblies and lead wires for operating an illumination system of the vanity. Generally, these additional components are either clipped to one of the clam shell halves, clamped between the two clam shell halves or attached by fasteners. As with the previous prior construction, the clam shell body may also be enclosed within a trim cover.
In another variety of sun visor construction, a reinforcing frame member, typically a wire, is provided to support the remainder of the visor body which may be formed of a foam or other type of material. Two types of reinforcements are generally seen. One is a perimeter wire which extends, as the name implies, around the perimeter of the visor body and the other is a bar which extends along the upper edge of the visor body, from the end of the pivot rod generally to and often through the support pin and the other end of the visor.
All of these prior construction techniques present difficulties since they are generally labor intensive, involve numerous manufacturing steps, use a large number of components, require a large on-hand inventory supply, and which result in complicated assembly procedures.
In view of the limitations of the above designs, the present invention has as one of its objects simplifying the construction of sun visors. To achieve this object, the present invention provides a sun visor having a rigid foam body or core. In the present invention, the core is sufficiently rigid to support the entire visor assembly without requiring any additional reinforcing members or structures in the visor body itself. The foam forming the body is also soft enough to comply with all National Highway Transportation Safety Administration safety standards for head impacts.
Another object of this invention is to provide a sun visor in which the features necessary for mounting the sun visor to the vehicle, maintaining it in the desired position and attaching a vanity assembly are insert molded within the visor body.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a casing in which the pivot rod and detent mechanism are positioned thereby increasing the ease with which the subassembly is handled prior to incorporation into the sun visor. It is also an object to protect the detent mechanism, pivot rod and lead wires from contamination or interference by the foam forming the body entering into the actual mechanisms and inhibiting their proper operation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sun visor in which it is no longer necessary to manually connect the contacts of the illumination system of the vanity assembly to the terminals of the power supply in the visor body. The present invention provides what are referred to as "battery-type" connections which achieve this object. As a result, during mounting of the vanity assembly to the visor body, the contacts of the illumination system are caused to engage terminals of the power supply.
In achieving the above objects, the sun visor assembly of the present invention is one which, when installed in the vehicle, can be moved between a stored position, a deployed position and numerous intermediate positions. In the stored position, the body of the visor lays generally against the headliner of the vehicle. In the deployed position, the body of the visor extends downward and away from the headliner.
The visor includes a visor body or core which is constructed from a rigid foam material. While a variety of foams can be used, the foam utilized with the present invention has a rigidity which is sufficient to support the sun visor without requiring any additional reinforcing structures such as the perimeter and other support wires as seen in prior sun visors. The foam material, preferably a urethane foam, is lightweight and meets all U.S. automotive safety standards for head impacts. The body of the visor is further enclosed within a trim cover made of a material such as vinyl or a textile.
In forming the visor body, the pivot arm and detent mechanism used to maintain the sun visor in its various positions, are insert molded with the visor body. To prevent the rigid foam from interfering with the operation of the pivot arm and detent mechanism, these structures are enclosed within a casing that not only prevents the foam from entering into and interfering with their operation, but also allows for easy and "clean" handling of the pivot arm and detent mechanism subassembly by an operator. In other words, the grease or other lubricant associated with the detent mechanism is enclosed by the casing. A support pin is also insert molded into the visor and is therefore retained in its position by the visor body itself.
Also insert molded into the visor body are the various mounting structures used to enable attachment of a vanity to the sun visor. These structures may take numerous forms. in one form, a recess opening in a mounting plate is used in conjunction with mounting bosses that are adapted to receive threaded fasteners.
The molded visor body or mounting plate also includes a recess or other means to which electrical terminals coupled to the power supply of the vehicle are received. The lead wires for the terminals are retained in the casing mentioned above until after molding. During molding, that portion of the casing which encloses the lead wires is pressed against one of the mold surfaces so that, after molding, a portion of the casing is exposed yet entrapped by the visor body. The casing is then slit open, the lead wires withdrawn and engaged with the terminals.
When the vanity subassembly is mounted to the visor body, it attaches at predetermined locations. On the back side of the vanity, electrical contacts for the illumination system are also positioned in predetermined locations so that when properly mounted to the visor body, the contacts on the vanity assembly are caused to electrically engage the terminals mounted to the visor body. Since both the terminals and the contacts are in predetermined positions, it is the mounting of the vanity assembly itself which causes engagement. Manual engagement between the two terminals is therefore rendered unnecessary.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains from a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.


A thermal inkjet printhead is provided including a substrate, and a chamber layer, which is stacked on the substrate. The chamber layer includes an ink chamber that is filled with ink supplied from an ink feed hole. The printhead includes a heater inside the ink chamber that heats the ink, an island, which is formed on the substrate at an ink inlet port of the ink chamber, and a nozzle layer, which is stacked on the chamber layer, including a nozzle for ejecting the ink. The walls of the ink chamber and the island that face each other are symmetrical with respect to the center of the nozzle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet printer, and more particularly, to a thermal inkjet printhead having an improved ejection property and stable structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, inkjet printers are devices that eject ink droplets from an inkjet printhead onto desired positions of a printing medium in order to form an image of certain color. Examples of such inkjet printers include a shuttle type inkjet printer and a line printing type inkjet printer. A shuttle type inkjet printer performs a printing operation by reciprocating an inkjet printhead along a transfer direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the printing medium. A line printing type inkjet printer on the other hand may achieve higher printing speed by utilizing an array of printheads that spans the width of the printing medium. A line printing type inkjet printer performs a printing operation by moving the printing medium past the stationary printhead array.
Inkjet printheads themselves may be broadly categorized according to their ink ejection mechanism into two types, a thermal type inkjet print head and a piezoelectric type inkjet printhead: A thermal inkjet printhead ejects the ink droplets due to the thermal expansion of ink bubbles while a piezoelectric inkjet printhead ejects ink droplets due to the pressure applied to ink by deformation of a piezoelectric body.
For example, in a thermal inkjet printhead, when a pulse current is supplied to a heater including a heating resistor, the heater generates heat causing the ink near the heater to be instantaneously heated up to approximately 300° C., thereby making the ink boil. The boiling ink evaporates, producing ink bubbles, which continue to expand to exert pressure on the ink filled in an ink chamber. As a result, ink around a nozzle is ejected from the ink chamber in the form of droplets through the nozzle. Such a thermal inkjet printhead generally has a structure that includes a chamber layer and a nozzle layer sequentially stacked on a substrate. An ink feed hole for supplying ink is formed in the substrate, and an ink chamber filled with ink to be ejected is formed in the chamber layer. In addition, a plurality of nozzles through which to eject ink is formed on the nozzle layer.
A trajectory error with respect to an ink droplet can occur, for example, due to a missing nozzle or due to variations in ejection characteristics of the nozzles in the inkjet printhead. A trajectory error can be compensated somewhat in a shuttle type inkjet printer by software-based correction or motion correction of the inkjet printhead since the inkjet printhead of the shuttle type inkjet printer performs a printing operation by moving the printhead. However, the effect of a trajectory error on printing quality may be exacerbated in a line printing type inkjet printer of higher printing speed since in a line printing type inkjet printer the printing operation is performed while moving the printing medium with the array printhead remains stationary. Accordingly, an inkjet printhead having a structure capable of addressing trajectory errors of ink droplets is desirable.


A method of fabricating an optical fiber preform, capable of depositing glass particles with high deposition rate without reducing deposition efficiency and fabricating an optical fiber preform having little bubbles using a burner having a simple structure, is provided. In the invention, a mixed gas of a glass raw material gas with a combustion assisting gas is ejected from an annular nozzle of a burner having a coaxially multiple tube structure, and a burnable gas is ejected from an inner nozzle located inside the annular nozzle. Alternatively, a mixed gas of a glass raw material gas with a burnable gas may be ejected from an annular nozzle, and a combustion assisting gas is ejected from an inner nozzle located inside the annular nozzle. In each case of the above, the burnable gas and the combustion assisting gas, respectively, are ejected from outer nozzles located outside the annular nozzle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating an optical fiber preform by hydrolyzing a glass raw material in flame to generate glass particles and depositing the glass particles on a rotating starting rod to fabricate an optical fiber preform and a burner therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Up until now, various methods have been proposed for fabricating optical fiber preforms. Among these methods, an Outside Vapor Phase Deposition (OVD) Method, in which glass particles generated in burner flame are adhered and deposited on a rotating starting rod while relatively reciprocating the burner and the starting rod to synthesize a porous preform (i.e., soot preform) and the preform is dehydrated and sintered in an electric furnace, is widely used, because the method can make it relatively easy to fabricate an optical fiber preform having a desired refractive index profile and can mass-produce a large-diameter optical fiber preform.
For example, methods disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. H04-243929 (1992) and H10-101343 (1998) and the like eject a glass raw material such as silicon tetrachloride, a burnable gas and a combustion assisting gas from a burner having a coaxially multiple tube structure, in which a plurality of nozzles are coaxially arranged, so that glass particles are generated in burner flame and deposited on a starting rod.
In order to improve the productivity of optical fiber preforms, it is necessary to enhance deposition rate of glass particles. However, the rise of a feed rate of the glass raw material to enhance the deposition rate of the glass particles produces decreases deposition efficiency of the glass particles on a starting rod so that the production cost of the optical fiber preforms increases. In addition, the decrease of the deposition efficiency increases an amount of floating glass particles in a reaction chamber which have not been deposited on the starting rod. As a result, the floating glass particles in a reaction chamber adhere to the surface of soot deposited on the starting rod, so that bubbles maybe formed in the optical fiber preform after it is transparently vitrified.
The reason of the decrease of the deposition efficiency is that the rise of the feed rate of the glass raw material gas makes flow velocity of glass particles greater so that the time required for the glass particles reaching the surface of the soot becomes too short.
A glass raw material gas is usually ejected from an ejection nozzle arranged burner having a coaxially multiple tube structure and glass particles are generated through a hydrolysis reaction of the glass raw material in flame. An enlargement of a diameter of the ejection nozzle for ejecting glass particles reduces a flow velocity of glass particles thereby time required for the glass particles reaching the surface of soot becomes longer. However, the thickness of the ejected glass raw material flame in a radial direction of the nozzle increases, so that the reaction at the center portion of the glass raw material flame is retarded and the resultant deposition efficiency is not improved.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H04-243929 (1992) discloses a burner having a coaxially multiple tube structure of which an ejecting nozzle for ejecting a glass raw material is arranged between an ejecting nozzle for a combustion gas and an ejecting nozzle for an oxidation gas. In the burner, however, the combustion gas (H2) and the oxidation gas (O2) are ejected so as to sandwich the glass raw material gas therebetween so that a reaction of forming H2O slowly progresses. Accordingly, a generation of SiO2 slowly progresses.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-101343 (1998) discloses a burner having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting a glass raw material, respectively. However, the burner has a complex structure so that it is difficult to mass-produce the preform with reasonable cost and a stable quality.

Method of fabricating an optical fiber preform and a burner therefor


The present invention relates to a device and a method for detecting keep-alive, comprising a collecting unit for collecting or capturing a plurality of packets transceiving between a plurality of wireless terminals and a plurality of servers, a preprocessing unit for mapping collecting or capturing time information of the packets which collected or captured by the collecting unit to at least one of identification information of wireless terminal, server identification information and port information, a slot allocation unit for allocating the mapped packets to each time slots on a timeline which generated according to the collecting or capturing time information, an ID(identification) assigning unit for assigning IDs to each sections on the timeline, wherein the assigning unit assigning same IDs to sections having time slots in which the packets are continuously allocated within a predetermined range; and a keep-alive detection unit for setting the sections which assigned same IDs to periodic sections, and for determining the periodic sections to keep-alive sections when ports of the packets allocated to the time slots on the periodic sections are continuously changing.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is to detect a keep-alive periodicity for each application which causes wireless network load.
2. Description of the Related Art
After supplying smart-phones, patterns using a wireless terminal for individuals are abruptly changed from voice communication to data communication.
In FIG. 1 shown as mobile wireless data traffic index, mobile traffics are expected to increase to 26 times in the next 10 to 15 years, and mobile data amount of 15 MB used by individuals per day has been used in 2010 but mobile data amount of 1 GB will be used in 2020.
The increase of the mobile traffics directly effects on profitability and service quality of the mobile-service company and accompanies a service provider, that is, a mobile-service company's equipment expansion, and therefore profit aggravation is inevitable and a user using a mobile network has service dissatisfaction due to data communication velocity delay.
Therefore, the mobile-service company must effectively use network infra to reduce investment burden and to guarantee service quality and an alternative guaranteeing predictability and real-time control is needed due to the limits of current solutions.
In usual network communication, an application for communicating with a server connects to server through a network, transmits and receives desirable data, and processes closing the network with the server after that.
But when the application does not transmit or receive any packets with the server during connecting to the network, the server or the network may force to disconnect the connection to the network after a predetermined time by considering as disabled network connection for managing resources. A simple chat program explains problems of undesired disconnection from the network. In the simple chat program, a server may transfer massages from a user A to a user B or may transfer massages from the user B to the user A when the user A and the user B are both connected to the server and maintaining the network connection. But the server cannot transfer massages from a user B to a user A when the user A is disconnected from the server by the server or the network because the user A did not chat for a while.
Thus, for maintaining the network connection, the application is implemented as to send small packets periodically which are called Keep-Alive packets even if a user doesn't send messages.
But it makes a problem for inducing overload of mobile networks by generating much signals when transmit and receive packets which are not having much information with the server for maintaining network connection because the wireless terminal doesn't know when the messages are coming from the server.
In order to solve much cost consumption of the mobile communication company due to network jam and service dissatisfaction for users of the wireless terminals, a method for blocking periodic network usage by a plurality of applications disposed at the wireless terminals is absolutely needed, but there is no a solution for this.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Device and a method for detecting keep-alive and a recording medium thereof


According to an embodiment, a hearing aid system is disclosed. The system includes an abutment, an extension member and a hearing aid device. The abutment is configured to mechanically attach into a skull bone of a hearing aid user. The extension member is configured to attach to the abutment and further comprising a hearing aid coupling surface adapted to attach with a hearing aid device. The hearing aid device includes a coupling adapted to mechanically attach to the hearing aid coupling surface. The extension member is configured to attach between the abutment and the coupling and to extend length between the abutment and the hearing aid coupling.

Hearing impairment is a very common physical disability. One reason for poor hearing is reduced function in the inner ear. Age-related hearing loss is an example of reduced function of the inner ear.
Another reason for poor hearing is when the sound cannot reach the nerve cells of the inner ear. This is the case if a patient was born without external ear canals. In this case a conventional hearing aid with a mould in the ear canal opening is not a solution, however; if the inner ear is normal, sound conducted via the skull bone may give close to normal hearing. Accordingly, a bone-anchored hearing aid is primarily suited to people having conductive hearing losses, unilateral hearing losses and people with hearing losses who cannot wear in-the ear (ITE) or behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids.
Bone anchored hearing aids are vital for the rehabilitation of patients suffering from hearing losses for which traditional hearing aids are insufficient. A typical bone anchored hearing aid consists of an external hearing aid with a vibrating transducer that is connected to a skin-penetrating abutment through a coupling. The abutment may have an interconnection to a screw-shaped fixture anchored in the skull bone. Such fixture can be made of titanium and may be provided with a flange in order to prevent the fixture from being pushed through the skull bone when exposed to a sudden accidental impact.
The abutment penetrates the skin and the subcutaneous tissue in order to establish a direct coupling (direct bone conduction) from a hearing aid processor to the skull bone.
Some users with an abutment integrated in the skull experience skin reactions in the area around the abutment. Examples of inflammation or infection are often reported. Likewise, growth of granulation tissue and swelling of the tissue near the abutment can occur. In some case hypertrophy of tissue (including the skin) interferes with the sound processor and the user can be forced to stop using the device.
In difficult cases the problem of hypertrophy or swelling of tissue is solved by revision surgery and in the majority of cases by exchanging the abutment to a longer type in order to avoid contact to the surrounding skin.
Replacement of an abutment often requires the patient to be anaesthetized. Moreover, during abutment exchange there is risk of damage to the internal thread of the external hexagon of the fixture (implant). If the internal thread of the external hexagon of the fixture is damaged, a new surgery procedure is required in order to replace the damaged fixture.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have an alternative to exchanging the abutment in cases in which hypertrophy or swelling of tissue occur.
Therefore, the present disclosure provides an alternative to exchanging the abutment in cases in which swelling of tissue occur.


This disclosure concerns memory cell sensing. One or more methods include determining a data state of a first memory cell coupled to a first data line, determining a data state of a third memory cell coupled to a third data line, transferring determined data of at least one of the first and the third memory cells to a data line control unit corresponding to a second data line to which a second memory cell is coupled, the second data line being adjacent to the first data line and the third data line, and determining a data state of the second memory cell based, at least partially, on the transferred determined data.

Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic apparatuses. There are many different types of memory, including random-access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), resistive random access memory (RRAM), phase change random access memory (PCRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), and flash memory, among others.
Uses for flash memory include memory for solid state drives (SSDs), personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, cellular telephones, portable music players (e.g., MP3 players), and movie players, among various other electronic apparatuses. Flash memory cells can be organized in an array architecture (e.g., a NAND or NOR architecture) and can be programmed to a particular (e.g., desired) data state. For instance, electric charge can be placed on or removed from a charge storage structure (e.g., a floating gate or a charge trap) of a memory cell to program the cell into one of two data states, such as to represent one of two binary digits (e.g., 1 or 0).
Flash memory cells can also be programmed to one of more than two data states, such as to represent one of four, eight, or sixteen data states (e.g., 1111, 0111, 0011, 1011, 1001, 0001, 0101, 1101, 1100, 0100, 0000, 1000, 1010, 0010, 0110, and 1110). Such cells may be referred to as multistate memory cells, multiunit cells, or multilevel cells (MLCs). MLCs can allow the manufacture of higher density memories without increasing the physical number of memory cells because each cell can represent more than one digit (e.g., more than one bit). One of the data states can be an erased state. For example, a "lowermost" data state may not be programmed above the erased state. That is, if the cell is programmed to the lowermost data state, the cell remains in the erased state rather than having additional charge added to the charge storage structure of the cell (e.g., during a programming operation). Data states other than the erased state can be referred to as "non-erased" states.
A programmed charge stored on charge storage structures (e.g., floating gates) of flash memory cells can shift due to coupling between charge storage structures of adjacent (e.g., neighboring) cells (e.g., cells coupled to adjacent data lines). For example, in instances in which a particular floating gate memory cell is programmed prior to one or both of the floating gate memory cells on neighboring data lines, the subsequent programming of the cells on the neighboring data lines can shift a threshold voltage (Vt) of the particular cell due to floating gate-to-floating gate (FG-FG) capacitive coupling. Such Vt shifts can affect the resultant data state of the particular cell in response to a sensing (e.g., read) operation and, in some instances, can result in erroneous sensing of the data (e.g., erroneous reading of the resultant data state). Some programming techniques, such as shielded bit line (SBL) programming, can be used to reduce effects of FG-FG coupling. However, as the spacing between adjacent data lines (e.g., bit lines) and access lines (e.g., word lines) is reduced, the effects of FG-FG coupling between adjacent cells can increase.


A process and device for synchronizing a cylinder of a printing press, which is pivoted up to its countercylinder, and to a shaft encoder suitable for carrying out this process.

Shaft encoders are used as transducers for rotary movements, in the manufacture of printing presses primarily for the rotary movements of the printing cylinders. Prior-art shaft encoders convert a rotary movement according to the principle of the photoelectric scanning of DIADUR cyclotomies into electric signals, which are processed in numeric and memory-programmable controls or regulating devices or are used alone for position indication. Besides the incremental signals, a reference mark signal is additionally available for the reproduction of reference points. Prior-art shaft encoders have a rotor, which is rigidly connected to the shaft, whose angular position is to be determined, and a stator, which is rigidly connected to the press part in relation to which the corresponding angular position of the shaft is to be determined.
The problem occurs especially in the case of printing cylinders that can be pivoted off that besides the spin of a cylinder, i.e., rotation of the cylinder around its longitudinal axis, a pivoting movement around a pivot axis of the cylinder also takes place. The pivoting movement is superimposed to the spin of the cylinder. If a cylinder pivoted off is pivoted again onto its countercylinder into the printing position, the angular positions of the two printing cylinders must be exactly coordinated with one another, i.e., the rotary movements of the two cylinders must be synchronized during the pivoting up. This synchronization is especially problematic in the case of the flying change from one printing position to another, in which printing cylinders are pivoted in relation to one another and are brought into the printing position during full production. The two cylinders must run continuously synchronously during the pivoting up.
The zero position, i.e., the angular position which the cylinder pivoted off assumes in the printing position, changes continuously during the pivoting off and pivoting up in the case of prior-art shaft encoders. Due to the only finite velocity of the electronic control unit, this results in synchronization problems, as a consequence of which an appreciable loss of paper occurs until the two cylinders to be brought into the printing position are running perfectly synchronously.

Shaft encoder for a cylinder of a printing press


A conveyance device comprises a sorting plate housing a plurality of roller assemblies and a series of narrow conveyor belts for conveying articles towards the sorting plate. In a first mode, the narrow conveyor belts bypass the roller assemblies and convey articles over the sorting plate. In a second mode, the conveyor belts bring an article into contact with the roller assemblies, which then manipulate the trajectory of the article.

The invention relates generally to power-driven conveyors and more particularly to conveyors having rollers for manipulating the trajectory of articles through a conveyor system.
Many package- and material-handling applications require that conveyed articles be diverted to a side of a conveyor. Two examples are sorting articles off the side of a belt and registering articles against the side of the belt. U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,312, "Modular Roller-Top Conveyor Belt with Obliquely-Arranged Rollers," Dec. 17, 2002, to Costanzo discloses a conveyor system in which cylindrical rollers mounted in a conveyor belt on axles oblique to the direction of belt travel are actuated by underlying bearing surfaces on which the oblique rollers ride as the belt advances in the direction of belt travel. The contact between the rollers and the bearing surfaces causes the rollers to rotate as the belt advances. The rotation of the oblique rollers pushes articles atop the rollers across the conveyor belt toward a side of the conveyor. These oblique-roller belts work extremely well on planar bearing surfaces as long as the rollers are arranged to rotate at an angle between the direction of belt travel (defined as a roller angle of 0°) and about 30° or so from the direction of belt travel. For roller angles greater than 30°, the rollers slip too much on the planar bearing surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,968,941, "Apparatus and Methods for Conveying Objects," Nov. 29, 2005, to Fourney describes an improved bearing surface that accommodates a much greater range of roller angles. Instead of using a planar bearing surface, Fourney uses the outer peripheries of actuating rollers arranged to rotate on axes in the direction of belt travel. As the conveyor belt advances, the oblique belt rollers roll on the underlying actuating rollers, which are also caused to roll on their axes. Because the bearing surface on the periphery is rolling, slip is reduced and greater roller angles can be accommodated. The greater roller angles permit much sharper article-diversion trajectories than are possible with a planar bearing surface. But actuating rollers are more expensive and slightly more complicated than simple planar bearing surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,588,137, "Conveyor Belt Having Rollers that Displace Objects," Sep. 15, 2009, to Fourney describes a conveyor belt that includes multiple roller sets used to divert objects from the conveyor belt. The angles along which articles can be diverted from the conveyor are limited.
U.S. Patent Publication 2013/0192954, published Aug. 1, 2013 and entitled "Multi-Directional Roller Assembly" (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,978,879), the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference, describes a multi-directional roller assembly that may be driven by a conveyor belt below the assembly. The same conveyor belt conveys articles to and from a roller plate housing an array of multi-directional roller assemblies. The roller assemblies manipulate the trajectory of the articles, or pass the articles straight along the roller plate and back onto the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is diverted below the roller plate to drive the roller assemblies. The conveyor belt may experience high tensions. Furthermore, the transition of articles off the conveyor belt, onto the roller plate and back onto the conveyor belt may alter the desired spacing between articles, in addition to presenting unnecessary instability.


A security grill for a security institution has an air inlet face, an air outlet face, and zigzag channels extending from a point adjacent the inlet face toward the outlet face. The zigzag channels are defined by slats which are bent at least twice in alternating directions. The zigzag channels are divided into segments each having a cross-sectional width. The segments adjacent the air outlet face have a cross-sectional width less than any of the other segments along the channel. The slats are bent at certain angles which are larger than those of conventional security grills. Corners are created along each slat as a result of bending the slats in alternating directions. The corners are rounded.

The term "air grill" is used in reference to gratings used to cover openings in the ventilation system for the purpose of supplying or exhausting air to or from a given space.
The term "security institution" is used in reference to correctional facilities, penal facilities, mental health facilities and/or any other type of facility where the persons under the care of such facility are purposely and/or lawfully isolated from the public.
Air grills used in security applications must perform above and beyond the standard inlet/outlet air grills. Specifically, such a security grill must be incapable of being disassembled to create weapons or tools, the security grill must restrict access to the ductwork beyond the grill to prevent storage of contraband material, the security grill must prevent escape or entry into the ductwork, and the security grill must virtually eliminate the occupant's ability to thread items into the air channels or passages of the diffuser for the purpose of suicide attempts.
Conventional security grills for security institutions that meet the above mentioned requirements generally comprise a body having two opposed faces, where at least one passage extends through the body between the opposed faces creating an air channel. The passageway (air channel) has at least one change in direction creating a so-called "zigzag pattern." FIG. 1 illustrates such a conventional security grill.
The prior art security grill shown in FIG. 1 consists of a body 10 having two opposed faces 11 and 12, and a number of channels 13 extending through the body between the opposed faces. Each channel 13 has at least one change in direction defining a zigzag pattern. The zigzag pattern of each channel forms segments S1, S2, S3, and S4 which have a rectangular cross-sectional shape. The problem with conventional security grill designs is the notion that very little can be done to improve the air delivery performance and efficiency of the security grill without compromising the requirements of the air grills for security institutions as stated above.
What is required is an air grill for security institutions that would provide the security institutions with a more efficient and cost effective method of ventilating space without compromising the safety of the occupants.

Air channel grill for security institutions


An image pickup device is provided which includes: an auto focus control unit sampling contrast values as a function of a relative distance from an object by detecting a contrast of an image of the object while driving a lens in an optical axis direction, calculating a focused focal position on the basis of the contrast values, and driving the lens to the focused focal position; a shake detecting unit detecting at least an amount of shake in the optical axis direction of the lens; and a selection judging unit judging selection and non-selection of the sampled contrast values depending on the amount of shake in the optical axis direction of the lens at the time of the sampling. Here, the auto focus control unit calculates the focused focal position on the basis of the contrast value judged as being selected by the selection judging unit among the sampled contrast values.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image pickup device, a method of controlling the image pickup device, and a recording medium, and more particularly, to an auto focus control technology in an image pickup device which performs an auto focus control operation using a contrast detection method.
2. Related Art
In the past, in image pickup devices such as a digital still camera picking up a still image, an auto focus mechanism which can automatically take the focus by measuring a distance from an object and adjusting a position of a lens was known.
Since the auto focus mechanism automatically takes the focus without a user's manual operation, it is possible to remarkably simplify the manipulation of the image pickup device.
However, since the mechanism for detecting a focused focal point is simple, a contrast detecting method was employed in such an image pickup device (for example, see JP-A-2003-195156).
In the contrast detecting method, the auto focus control is performed on the basis of a principle that the contrast ratio of an image obtained at the focused focal point is the highest.
The contrast detecting method is a detection method of substantially driving a lens to set the position having the highest contrast as the focused focal point. Accordingly, when the distance from an object varies due to shake or the like, correct contrast information cannot be obtained and thus it is not possible to accurately perform the auto focus control.

Image pickup device, method of controlling image pickup device, and recording medium


This disclosure is directed to an optical transmitter arrangement 100 and a method therein producing a first RF-signal UA1 comprising a first set of data A1 carried by a subcarrier fC1, and a second RF-signal UB1 comprising a second set of data B1 carried by the subcarrier fC1. Further producing a first transform signal H(UA1) being a Hilbert Transform of the first RF-signal UA1, and a second transform signal −H(UB1) being a Hilbert Transform of the second RF-signal UB1. In addition, modulating the optical carrier fopt with the first RF-signal UA1 and the first transform signal H(UA1), and forming a first sideband SB1 comprising the first set of data A1 at one side of the frequency f0 of the optical carrier fopt. In addition, modulating the optical carrier fopt with the second RF-signal UB1 and the second transform signal −H(UB1), and forming a second sideband SB2 comprising the second set of data B1 at the other side of the frequency f0 of the optical carrier fopt.

Today high capacity communication by optical fiber is a common phenomenon. Indeed, optical networks using optical fibers have become more widespread in recent years as they are suitable for communication of various multimedia services and similar being accessed via the broadband signal transmission over the Internet or similar.
The interest has subsequently increased for long and ultra long distance transmission with high spectral efficiency in the optical domain.
A problem related to most electro optical modulators that are used in this connection is that a two sided spectrum around the optical carrier frequency is created when a set of original RF channels are converted into the optical domain. Here, the spectrum of the original RF channels is mirrored around the optical carrier such that the spectrum of the original RF channels is positioned at one side of the optical carrier whereas a copy of the spectrum of the original RF channels is positioned at the other side of the optical carrier.
This creates at least two problems: 1) since two versions of the RF channel are generated this doubles the optical bandwidth compared to the electrical bandwidth required for the original RF channel which reduces the optical spectral efficiency; 2) even in systems that do not require high optical spectral efficiency, transmission of multiple versions of the same signal (e.g. two versions of the RF channel as indicated above) may cause severe signal degradation due to Chromatic Dispersion (CD) if both versions are detected in the receiver. This may e.g. be the case if direct detection techniques are used, e.g. if a square law detector is used. Also, nonlinear effects may cause coupling between closely spaced subcarriers and thus redundant signals, e.g. such as another version of the original RF channel as indicated above, should be avoided in the system.
Some of the problems indicated above may be dealt with by using Optical Single Side-Band (OSSB) techniques, e.g. by removing one half of the optical spectrum by an optical filter. However, OSSB technologies reduce the usable optical bandwidth from the modulator with a factor two (2), since one half of the optical spectrum is removed and left unused. Thus by using optical modulators available today the optical bandwidth that can be covered by a modulator may e.g. be about 50 GHz, even though the modulator as such may cover 100 GHz.

Individual information in lower and upper optical sidebands


A passive isolator may fit between two serial network cables to convert a standard serial network to a serial network suitable for use in hazardous environments.

The present invention relates to industrial control systems for use in explosive or other hazardous environments and in particular to a barrier for allowing a standard serial electrical network to pass between a hazardous and non-hazardous area.
Industrial controllers are special purpose computers used for controlling factory automation and the like. Under the direction of a stored program, a processor of the industrial controller examines a series of inputs reflecting the status of a controlled processor or device and changes outputs affecting control of the controlled process or device.
Generally industrial controllers are constructed in modular fashion to accommodate different applications requiring different numbers and types of input/output (I/O) circuits as is determined by the particular device or process being controlled. In such modular systems, a number of different functional modules connect together through a common backplane in a rack or the like to share data and power.
Often a controlled process may require control points (e.g., sensors or actuators) in an environment exposed to combustible vapors or airborne particles. In such hazardous environments, electrical arcing or excessive temperature in electrical equipment can cause an explosion. Electrical equipment intended for use in such hazardous environments must conform to certain safety standards intended to reduce the chance or effect of an explosion. Under such standards, the equipment may be placed in a special housing that is flameproof or explosion-proof. The housing may be charged with an inert gas to prevent the infusion of explosive fumes.
Other methods of protection are also available for use in hazardous environments including the method of intrinsic safety. Equipment designed to be "intrinsically safe" generally limits the electrical energy used by the equipment to a low level to avoid the occurrence of sparks with sufficient energy to ignite a flammable atmosphere during a fault condition, and to avoid surface temperatures above those needed to cause spontaneous ignition. Fault conditions must be considered as well as the energy storage characteristics of the components of the equipment.
A number of agencies certify equipment to an intrinsic safety standard. See generally, Underwriter's Laboratories document UL-913,1988, Intrinsically Safe Apparatus And Associated Apparatus For Use In Class I, II, and III, Division I, Hazardous (Classified) Locations. See also, National Electrical Code Handbook, 1993, Article 500, Hazardous (Classify) Locations, Article 504, Intrinsically Safe Systems, Article 505, Class I, Zone 0, 1 and 2 Locations. See also, FM Cl. No. 3600, March 1989, Electrical Equipment for Use in Hazardous (Classified) Locations General Requirements and Cl. No. 3610, October 1988, Intrinsically Safe Apparatus and Associated Apparatus for Use in Class I, II, III, Division 1 Hazardous (Classified) Locations. See also, EN50014:1992, Electrical Apparatus for Potentially Explosive Atmospheres, EN50020:1994, Electrical Apparatus for Potentially Explosive Atmospheres—Intrinsic Safety 'i' and EN50039:1980, Electrical Apparatus for Potentially Explosive Atmospheres—Intrinsically Safe Electrical Systems 'i'. These documents are hereby incorporated by reference.
The terms "intrinsic safety" and "intrinsically safe" as used herein do not indicate that the equipment presents no danger or that it meets the above standards but only that it is designed to permit use in some hazardous environments without additional precautions such as explosion-proof casings and the like.
In a typical control system where a portion of the controlled process is in a hazardous area, the industrial controller will be placed a distance away in a "safe" or non-hazardous area free from combustible gases or other combustible elements. Input and output signals to and from the hazardous area are carried by cables leading from the industrial control system to the respective portion of the controlled process. Cables passing into the hazardous area from the non-hazardous area, even for low power components, must first pass through barrier circuits or isolating circuits.
Barrier circuits shunt hazardous energy to special safety ground connections. In a typical barrier circuit, electrical power passing from the non-hazardous area to the hazardous area will pass through a fuse to the cathodes of one or more voltage limiting zener diodes having their anodes connected to ground. High voltages are thus shunted safely to ground. Current into the hazardous area is limited by a resistor positioned after the voltage limiting zener diodes.
Isolating circuits work by separating the two halves of a conductor so there is no direct current path for any hazardous energy from the non-hazardous side to the hazardous area. A typical isolator may use transformers, capacitors, or optical-type isolators as its means of separating two halves of a conductor.
When there are many points of control in a hazardous area, the cost to the control system may be substantial driven by the cost of many barriers or isolation circuits for each control point and the long runs of wiring.
For this reason, it is known to place intrinsically safe I/O circuits in the hazardous area and to communicate with them via a single serial network eliminating the need to pass many conductors into the hazardous area, each with a separate barrier. Isolating a serial network has been handled in two principal ways. The first employs a length of fiber optic cable between fiber end or repeater node. A standard end or repeater node may be used outside of the hazardous area and a special intrinsically safe hub used inside the hazardous area. This approach can be quite costly.
Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,857 describes a module being part of the industrial control system in the non-hazardous areal. This module receives a source of intrinsically safe power to actively create an intrinsically safe serial network signal that may pass directly into the hazardous area on a standard communications cable.

In-line passive barrier for intrinsically safe communication network


A cone crusher includes an outer crushing shell and an inner crushing shell forming a crushing gap there between. The outer crushing shell is supported on an upper frame member in vertically adjustable engagement with a lower frame member. A sensor arrangement having a sensor element is provided for measuring the vertical position of the outer crushing shell. The cone crusher further includes a target means arranged to be detectable by the sensor element, wherein one of the target means and the sensor element are arranged to follow vertical movement of the upper frame member and to move in relation to the other one of the target means and the sensor element. The sensor element includes a vertical sensing array which extends in a vertical direction along at least a portion of a range within which the target means may be moved upon adjusting the vertical position of the upper frame member.

A cone crusher may be utilized for efficient crushing of material, such as stone, ore etc., into smaller sizes. US 2010/0102152 A1 describes an exemplary cone crusher. In such a cone crusher, material is crushed between an outer crushing shell, which is mounted in a frame, and an inner crushing shell, which is mounted on a crushing head. The material is crushed by making the crushing head gyrate such that it rolls on the outer crushing shell via the material to be crushed.
The crusher of US 2010/0102152 A1 is provided with a proximity sensor for measuring the position of the outer crushing shell. The position of the outer crushing shell should be measured with a high accuracy to enable efficient crusher operation, and a crushed material having the desired properties.

Cone crusher having an arrangement for measuring a position of a crushing shell


This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry plant named ‘Shaked’. ‘Shaked’ is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the Hod Hasharon, Sharon costal plain, Israel, and is primarily characterized by:                1. Excellent fruit flavor.        2. Conical fruit shape, dark red in color.        3. Firm juicy fruit.        4. Strong glossiness fruit.        5. Insertion of achenes above surface.        6. Production of many stolons.        7. Tolerance to anthracnose (Colletotrichum acutatum).

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry variety named 'Shaked'. The new strawberry 'Shaked' is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventors at Hod Hasharon, Israel. The objective of the breeding program is to develop a new strawberry variety with quality fruits, high yield and tolerance to diseases. 'Shaked' is a result of a controlled cross made by the inventors in 2005 of female parent 'EF 14' (unpatented) and male parent 'EF 33' (unpatented). The parentage of 'EF 14' and 'EF 33' is unknown.
The new strawberry 'Shaked' was discovered and selected by the inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Hod Hasharon, Israel. After its selection, the new variety was asexually propagated by stolons and was extensively tested over the next several years in Hod Hasharon, Israel. This propagation has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.