Systems and methods using an orientation/position-sensitive calibration pattern for three-dimensional calibration of an imaging system, such as one used in a process for scanning documents are disclosed. The method generally includes positioning the pattern on a support, capturing images using cameras to be calibrated, each image containing at least a unique orientation and position sensitive sub-area of the pattern, determining a set of coordinate pairs of corresponding points in the image and the pattern for each image utilizing image data and pattern information, and performing optimization utilizing the sets of coordinate pairs to calibrate relative position, orientation, zoom, and/or lens distortion, etc. of each camera so as to construct a three-dimensional camera calibration model. The pattern is generally comprised of overlapping sub-areas of a minimum portion of the pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to scanning documents. More specifically, systems and methods using an orientation and/or position sensitive calibration pattern for three-dimensional calibration of an imaging system, such as may be used in a process for scanning documents, particularly bound documents, are disclosed.
2. Description of Related Art
Scanning books, magazines, and other printed material into digital form has become more common with the advent of improved imaging, storage and distribution techniques. Although unbound printed material can generally be scanned with relative ease using automatic page-feeding mechanisms such as those commonly found on digital copiers and scanners, bound documents present additional challenges. Bound documents include not only books, but also periodicals, manuscripts, pamphlets, brochures, newspapers, manuals, and any other document having a bound edge. Many institutions, such as the libraries, universities, bookstores, and private enterprises have vast collections of bound documents. By converting these documents into electronic form, such institutions can reduce the cost of storage, facilitate remote access, enable simultaneous access by multiple users, facilitate search and retrieval of information, and/or protect information in rare or out-of-print works from loss or destruction.
Once the content of a bound document is scanned, the recorded image can be manipulated or otherwise processed. Digitally recorded bound documents can be de-warped, reformatted, supplemented with additional information, compressed, and/or processed with OCR (optical character recognition) software, and indexed to facilitate electronic search. Thus, scanning and recording of bound documents facilitates the creation of digital libraries that can be remotely and simultaneously accessed and searched by multiple users.
Various mechanisms have been developed to enable the scanning of bound documents. For example, a traditional flat-bed platen scanner scans bound documents in a face-down position. However, for best results, a flat-bed scanner typically requires the application of force to the spine or binding region of the bound documents to insure that they come within the scanner's depth of focus. Such force can damage the spine region of the document. In addition, using the flat-bed platen can be tedious and time-consuming, as the bound documents typically must be lifted and repositioned after each page is scanned. Further, image quality is often poor due to loss of focus, uneven illumination, and/or distortion caused by page curvature in the vicinity of the binding.
An alternative to the traditional flat-bed platen scanner is a platen-less scanner that captures image data from a bound document in a face-up position. Such scanners typically do not require application of additional stress to the binding region of a bound document, since the document is scanned in its natural, face-up position. Some such scanners may make use of automatic page turning apparatuses.
In such platen-less scanning systems, three-dimensional calibration of the imaging system may be performed to determine, for example, the exact position and orientation of the cameras, zoom factors, distortion of the lenses, etc. Conventional calibration schemes generally require the calibration pattern to be completely visible within the images of the cameras to be calibrated. Such a requirement may be extremely difficult to satisfy in a system where the cameras' fields of view may not overlap by a significant amount. Where the fields of view of the cameras do not overlap significantly, there is only a very limited area where the entire calibration pattern would be visible by all cameras. Thus, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods for improved three dimensional calibration of image capturing systems.

Three-dimensional calibration using orientation and position sensitive calibration pattern


An optical device for receiving incident light having a minimum wavelength, and for producing a resultant light containing an optical image. The device includes a first material having a first index of refraction and a surface embossed with an optical interference pattern, and a second material having a second index of refraction deposited onto the embossed surface of the first material. The depth of deposition is at least equal to three quarters of the minimum wavelength component of the incident light within the second material.

The invention relates to optical devices for receiving incident light and for producing resultant light containing optical images. More particularly, the invention relates to optical devices in which the optical image contains information concerning the genuineness of a document or item.
Photocopy reproduction technologies have made significant developments in the last decade. These developments have improved the quality of reproductions as well as lowered the costs of reproducing documents. As a consequence, it has become increasingly easier for those inclined to produce counterfeit documents to do so. Relatively inexpensive photocopy machines can today produce high quality color copies which may not be discernable from their originals.
As a security measure, authenticating means are now incorporated into official documents to foil would-be counterfeiters. For example, negotiable instruments, currency papers, etc., might include optical patterns which can be seen only with infrared or ultraviolet light; and identification or validation cards might include optical interference patterns for producing optical images in the visible, ultraviolet or infrared spectrums.
Producing official documents having optical interference patterns, such as holographic embossings, is a favored technique because such patterns are difficult to duplicate. Typically however, official documents with such authenticating means are expensive to produce in large quantities. A significant portion of this cost is due to the fact that embossed optical interference patterns must be protected from damage during handling, storage and use.
For example, surface embossing techniques, such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,217, generally result in an external polymeric surface embossed material. The embossment on such a device is vulnerable to dirt particles and other foreign substances which might damage the embossed relief pattern. Not only could such particles absorb some incident light (thus rendering the polymeric material less translucent), but such substances could also destroy the embossed relief pattern by eroding or abrading it.
Prior art techniques for protecting embossments include excavating an optical pattern through a non-absorbing coating. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,445 discloses surface excavation techniques as well as the excavation of an optical pattern 1) through a substantially non-absorbing coating, and 2) through a substantially non-absorbing substrate. These techniques, however, are costly and time consuming.
There is thus a conflict between the need to produce official documents which are difficult to copy yet which can be mass-produced inexpensively.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical authentication device which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture yet difficult for others to duplicate. A related objective of the present invention is the provision of means for inexpensively preserving films containing surface embossed interference patterns.


A method and apparatus for painting traffic marking lines over old paint markings on road pavement is disclosed. The apparatus, normally installed on a marking vehicle having a paint gun and a paint supply, includes a detector which illuminates the pavement and utilizes a spectroscope to analyze the return inspection for the presence of one or more known preselected constituents of the old paint marking to control actuation of the valve on the paint gun and also track the old pavement marking. The apparatus also provides a paint gun delay function to account for the lead distance between detector and paint gun and enables the application of new paint markings directly over the old markings at a relatively high rate of vehicle speed.

The repainting of old highway stripes or markings requires accurate registration of the application of the new paint with that of the old marking pattern. In the past, even experienced paint machine operators found that when using machines having manually attended prior art control methods, higher rates of travel made it increasingly difficult if not impossible to paint the new markings at precisely the desired location on the road surface. Clearly, some method of automatic control was needed.
Heretofore, many attempts were made to optically detect the presence of the old marking pattern and to use the output of the detector to automatically switch the paint gun on when the detector sensed the brighter paint line against its background, and to switch the gun off when the detector no longer sensed the presence of the brighter surface. Such attempts were less than satisfactory because all such prior art detectors relied upon the supposed contrast of the reflected incident light from the surface under observation as compared with that of an assumed threshold background light level representing the absence of the paint line. The methods were lacking in reliability in spite of the chosen sources of illumination, whether natural daylight or that provided by strong incandescent lamps.
The amount of brightness differences between a painted line and that of the background surrounding it will vary greatly depending upon the color of the pavement, wear of the paint line, and presence of other discolorations that could activate the prior art detection methods. These earlier methods were also seriously compromised when the pavement had varying ambient illumination, such as when working in areas having alternate sunlight and shade in the path of travel or when the base pavement material changed in adjacent areas, as from concrete to asphalt, for example.
Even when methods were augmented by techniques of color filtering of the reflected light from the surface under observation to give preference to that of the color of the painted marking, such prior art methods were seriously lacking in reliability. This was due to imperfect ability of the prior art detectors to give preference to the reflected brightness of faded or worn painted surfaces as compared with those of adjacent areas of the pavement having various surface characteristics with similar color values and brightness levels.
Because the prior detection methods were not dependable under less than ideal operating conditions, they seriously hampered the successful use of fully automatic guidance methods for positioning the application of new paint directly over the old paint marking patterns. Under those circumstances, a miscue from the detector would cause the paint to be sprayed in the wrong place, a defect not easily remedied after the fact.
Another deficiency of prior art methods of paint line detection was that they could not be made to recognize the presence of black paint on the pavement. It is not universally appreciated that on many roads and highways a great deal of black paint is also used in conjunction with the application of the more familiar yellow or white lane and centerline markings. Black paint is used to give additional contrast for higher visibility, especially on concrete road surfaces where the brightness of the light colored concrete roadway would tend to subdue the visual effectiveness of the brightness of the painted markings. It is also frequently applied in alternate sequence to the normal skipline color markings of roadway centerlines between double solid lines in no-passing zones, and to enhance the edgelines adjacent to the medians separating traffic flowing in opposite directions. The prior art brightness contrast detection methods were of little value as a reliable means for detecting presence of a paint color (e.g. black) that was at the outset intentionally placed on the pavement to be obscure.
With the expansion of highway and road systems a serious need arose for an improved marking system capable of overcoming the limitations and deficiencies of prior systems and also one that was preferably automatic so as to increase the speed of applying roadway markings. Automation of the repainting process involved the satisfactory solution of several practical problems. It was necessary for the control to sense the beginning of the stripe to be repainted, to sense the line continuation and to sense the end of the line marking when the sensing means was used to control paint guns. In addition, it was also necessary for the sensing control to anticipate each of these events in such a fashion that the paint gun turn-on and turn-off delays would not cause the paint application to be late thereby causing the paint to be applied after the paint machine had travelled beyond the proper target locations that initiated the action.
Furthermore, it was also essential that an improved detection method provide enough lead time before the responding paint gun operates in order to allow for the unavoidable operating delay of the gun and for the operating delay time of any positioning mechanism that might be used.
For a more fully automatic control the paint gun package must be capable of moving laterally from side to side to correct for any misalignment due to imperfect positioning of the spray gun in order for the paint application to track the old longitudinal paint markings. This lateral motion must be done quickly so that any lack of alignment will be fully corrected by the time the paint gun arrives at the target location to prevent painting a "hook" at the start of the repainted stripe. The response time of any positioning servomechanism used to position the gun package must be fast enough to satisfy this requirement. For example, it may be called upon to move a gun package mass weighing up to perhaps 500 pounds, and to laterally move such a load 2 inches in as little as 20 milliseconds when travelling at turnpike speeds. Many larger traffic paint marking machines of the prior art have employed gun positioning methods, usually operated by a manually controlled steering wheel. Both mechanical rack and pinion gear methods, as well as hydraulically assisted steering arrangements have been used. A high speed fully automatic control method must include similar positioning elements within a servo-control mechanism, and the sizing of the servo elements such as hydraulic system pressures, piston stroke and diameter and fluid flow rates, for example, must provide for quick response, as described previously.
A sensing method for guiding the positioning servo must have the ability to provide left-right positioning error signals with reference to the centerline of the old paint pattern as the pavement is viewed by the detector at the target area. Heretofore attempts were made to employ television cameras for scanning the area under inspection in order to derive an error signal from the scanned scene television signal. Although the scanning technique provided left-right positioning error signals, the television camera has proved to be no better at discriminating against undesired pickup signals than other prior art optical detection methods, for the same reasons previously discussed.

Method and apparatus for painting highway markings


A three-chip camera apparatus includes: a color separation prism which includes an incident surface perpendicular to an optical axis, a first emission surface parallel to the incident surface, a second emission surface inclined at a first inclination angle with respect to the optical axis, and a third emission surface inclined at a second inclination angle greater than the first inclination angle; a first imaging device which is disposed in parallel to the first emission surface; a second imaging device which is disposed in parallel to the second emission surface; and a third imaging device which is disposed in parallel to the third emission surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-chip camera apparatus which is suitable for three-primary-color separation photography.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a video camera, an endoscope or the like, a three-chip camera apparatus which performs three-primary-color separation photographing using a CCD imaging device (hereinafter, referred to as a CCD) is known (for example, see JP-A-2008-42465). In the three-primary-color separation photographing, a subject is separated into components of three primary colors of red (hereinafter, referred to as R), green (hereinafter, referred to as G), and blue (hereinafter, referred to as B), the components are separately photographed, and thereafter, the three video images are synthesized as respective channel (ch) images, thereby obtaining a color video image. In order to photograph the video image in each primary color, a dichroic prism which is a color separation prism transmitting only each primary component light is used. A dichroic film in the dichroic prism separates incident light having subject information into three primary colors of light of RGB by reflection, and allows each primary color of light to be photoelectrically converted by each CCD.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


An advance in the art is made according to aspects of the present disclosure directed to distributed fiber optic sensing systems (DFOS), methods, and structures that advantageously monitor and identify—in real-time—roadway traffic and patterns across a multiple-lane highway by employing a multiple-transverse fiber optic cable arrangement of optical fiber cable positioned under the highway/roadway to detect, monitor, and/or identify traffic.

The ability to monitor roadway traffic and patterns has long been known to be an important aspect of contemporary transportation planning and safety. Given this importance—systems, methods, and structures that may continuously monitor and report roadway traffic conditions—particularly across multiple-lane highways—would continue to be a welcome addition to the art.

Multiple lane real-time traffic monitor and vehicle analysis using distributed fiber sensing


A reclining seat includes a seat cushion, a seat back pivotally mounted on the seat cushion, and a reclining mechanism for inclining the seat back relative to the seat cushion. A center of rotation of the reclining mechanism is spaced apart from that of the seat back. The center of rotation of the seat back is positioned closer than that of the reclining mechanism to a seat occupant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reclining seat suited for use in an automotive vehicle and capable of appropriately adjusting the angle of inclination of a seat back relative to a seat cushion.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional automobile reclining seat includes a sector gear fixed to a seat back and a worm gear rotatably mounted in a seat cushion so as to be engageable with the sector gear. The worm gear is connected to an operating shaft, and engagement of the worm gear with the sector gear is released by pulling the operating shaft in a direction axially thereof and subsequently lifting it. Under this condition, the angle of inclination of the seat back can be easily and rapidly changed by applying a load to the seat back. When the operator releases the operating shaft, the worm gear engages with the sector gear again to retain the angle of inclination of the seat back. In the case where fine adjustment of the angle of inclination of the seat back is required, rotation of the operating shaft causes rotation of the worm gear, which in turn causes a gradual rotation of the sector gear in engagement with the worm gear, making it possible to steplessly change the angle of inclination of the seat back to a desired one (see, for example, Japanese Utility-Model Publication (examined) No. 42-7950).
Another conventional automobile reclining seat includes a worm wheel fixed to a seat cushion and a worm gear rotatably mounted in a seat back with the worm wheel being in engagement with the worm gear. The worm gear has a groove defined therein to loosely receive a peripheral edge of the worm wheel. When the peripheral edge of the worm wheel is inserted into the groove of the worm gear by rotating a handle connected to the worm gear, engagement of the worm gear with the worm wheel is released, making it possible to change the angle of inclination of the seat back to a desired one. After the angle of inclination of the seat back has been changed, release of the handle causes a spring to rotate the worm gear by 90.degree., resulting in a locked condition in which the worm gear is again held in engagement with the worm wheel. If the handle together with the worm gear is rotated gradually, the worm wheel in engagement with the worm gear is also rotated gradually, enabling fine adjustment of the angle of inclination of the seat back (see, for example, Japanese Patent Publication (examined) No. 52-9892).
Furthermore, a reclining seat having a sector gear fixed to a seat back frame and a lock gear in engagement with the sector gear is known wherein the angle of inclination of the seat back can be appropriately changed by manually releasing engagement of the sector gear with the lock gear.
In each of the above-described conventional reclining seats, however, after mating parts such as the sector gear, the worm gear or the like have been incorporated into the seat back, the seat back must be covered with a cushioning material of at least about 35 millimeters thick to remove a sense of foreign substances, making it difficult to provide easy-to-make reclining seats.
Also, it is the general practice that when a relatively large impact is applied to the reclining seat due to, for example, a vehicle collision, impact energy is generally absorbed by deformation of the sector gear or the like. However, some of the conventional reclining seats cannot fully absorb such large impact energy.
Moreover, because a greater trochanter of a seat occupant is spaced a distance away from the center of rotation of the seat back, the hip of the seat occupant slides on the seat in inclining the seat back, thus giving the seat occupant an unpleasant feeling.


A technique to dynamically configure a Secure Processing Unit (SPU) chip in a secure manner using a capability table, which defines the functions that an SPU can perform. The capability table employs a digital signature to ensure the authenticity of the source and contents of the table. It also contains information which identifies the SPU for which the table is intended and a time-stamp indicating the time by which the table must be loaded into an SPU.

There are many data processing and communication systems in which information must be processed and transmitted securely. Typically, such systems include one or more integrated circuits designed to securely store and process information. Microprocessors for secure data processing or communication are generally known as Secure Processing Units (SPUs). SPUs typically have a secure memory for storing confidential information such as cryptographic keys, and a "cryptographic engine" for implementing algorithms for encryption and decryption of data and keys. A general treatise describing the use and implementation of data encryption is "A Method for Obtaining Digital Signatures and Public-Key Cryptosystems" by R. Rivest, A. Shamir, and L. Adleman, published in Communications ACM, p. 120, February 1978. Another treatise on cryptography is "Privacy and Authentication: An Introduction to Cryptography" by W. Diffie and M. Hellman, published in the Proceedings of the I.E.E.E. Vol. 67, pps. 397-472 (March 1979).
Depending upon the application and the operating environment, each electronic system may have different security considerations. In certain applications, the security of a system is of such overriding concern that it outweighs the concern for the loss of information. For instance, the identifying key or password that a bank customer uses to access a hardware-based electronic transaction system should not be revealed to anyone under any circumstances even though the information such as the key or password value may be lost in the event of a hardware malfunction. Such a loss of information is not as damaging as having the information stolen. Therefore, the SPUs used in such a system should not allow for the export of the identifying key or password from an SPU.
In contrast, a corporation may not desire such a strict security policy. In the event that an employee is temporarily unavailable or leaves the company, the corporation is concerned that it may not be able to retrieve valuable information contained in the employee's computer system, which is locked with the employee's public key and can be unlocked only with the employee's private key. The corporation may want its employees' private keys to be escrowed (i.e., backed up) by some safe and secure process, so that in an emergency it can open the files that have been locked by its employees. In these situations, the SPUs used must allow for the export of private keys for escrowing purposes. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/485,816, entitled "Cryptographic Processor With Multiple Key Pairs For User and Device Authentication," filed on Jun. 7, 1995, invented by William B. Sweet, Howard Crompton Herbert, An Van Le, and Bruce Schneier, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Thus, there are many situations in which it is desirable to use the same SPU design, yet have the flexibility to modify security features in accordance with the requirements of the application and environment. For example, if an SPU is used to process extremely sensitive information, it will be prudent to implement a conservative security "policy", e.g., destroying all confidential data (e.g., keys) inside the integrated circuit upon detection of even a small deviation from the established security parameters from which it should operate. On the other hand, if the information is not very sensitive, and it is not convenient to replace the secure integrated circuit, the security policy could be more lenient, e.g., action could be taken only when there is a large deviation from the established security parameters.
Furthermore, there are instances in which even devices within a single system may have diverging security considerations. For example, in Interactive Television (ITV) applications where multimedia information is distributed over communication networks or over CD-ROMs, an SPU located at a media server will have security considerations different from that of an SPU located at a set-top box or a desktop computer. The media server needs the capability to perform certain cryptographic operations, which should not be available to the set-top boxes for security reasons. For example, a cryptographic function for escrowing keys of an SPU by trusted personnel such as security officers at the media server is necessary for backup purposes, but this escrowing function must not be made available to users of set-top boxes. Set-top boxes are presumed to be located in a hostile environment, where some users may turn out to be adversaries who would try to steal the value of the keys through the use of an escrowing function in order to obtain other unauthorized information. Hence, it is desirable to use an SPU which could be configured to satisfy the security considerations of a variety of devices in a system.
Another need for an SPU which allows for customized configuration occurs in the manufacturing of integrated circuits for export to foreign countries. Due to export restrictions, only SPUs which do not support certain cryptographic operations, such as strong encryption, can be exported outside of North America. Therefore, unless an SPU design which supports reconfiguration is used, chip manufacturers would have to design and manufacture different SPUs depending upon whether it was intended for domestic uses or for export purposes. It is desirable to manufacture a single SPU designed for domestic use, but is also modifiable to satisfy export control requirements. This will reduce the production and inventory cost of SPUs significantly. In other words, it is desirable to design and build a single SPU and be able to modify its security features and functions to satisfy the security requirements of various applications.
Hence, depending upon the application, the security considerations of a system may vary significantly. In turn, the parameters within which the SPU of a system must function also vary significantly. However, SPUs are typically designed or preconfigured to function only within the parameters of the security policy of a system. Many SPUs employ a "hard-wired" architecture, which cannot be reconfigured once they have been manufactured.
One problem with a hard-wired architecture is that it is difficult to produce custom security features for low volume applications. The reason for this is that it takes a considerable amount of time and money to design, test, and fabricate an integrated circuit. Consequently, from an economic standpoint, it is difficult to justify building small quantities of secure integrated circuits, each customized for a special environment.
Another limitation of a hard-wired architecture is that SPUs are designed or preconfigured to perform only those functions specified by the security policy of a system. If the security policy were to change over time, the only way to alter the functions of the SPU would be to redesign, test, and fabricate another integrated circuit to satisfy the new security needs. This is an expensive and time-consuming process.
One approach which allows for customized configuration of an SPU depending upon the application with which it is used is through the use of different tables or vectors in Read-Only-Memory ("ROM") for different SPUs, which can enable or disable cryptographic functions. Under this approach, a manufacturer would program the ROM with firmware that implements a customer's specific security needs. A disadvantage with this method is that it does not offer the flexibility of allowing a system administrator to dynamically reconfigure an SPU once it has been installed in the field.
The need for SPUs which allow for reconfiguration in a secure manner even after a device has been installed in the field is clear in today's networked computing environment. Individual devices on a network often have different security concerns. For instances, some devices may need access to certain sensitive databases while other devices should be prohibited from such access. Hence, devices on a network usually have diverse levels of security requirements. Each device may have different restrictions based on the processing options that it is permitted to perform. Furthermore, as circumstances change, the functions that a device may perform may be expanded or deleted.
Likewise, in the ITV application, dynamic configuration of a device after manufacture is invaluable because new threats often appear in a system. To continue maintaining security, a system often needs the ability to respond to new threats encountered in a system. For example, a user in the ITV application may discover a weakness in the system which allows him to modify billing data in a set-top box to avoid payments to the service provider. Under such circumstances, there is a need for a method to allow the service provider to dynamically disable one or more relevant functions in all of the set-top boxes so that other users cannot further exploit the weakness. Once the function is disabled, the service provider can make arrangements to recall the set-top boxes in an orderly fashion for replacement or upgrading without the fear that the weakness in the system will be further exploited.
Thus, in addition to the need to modify an SPU for specific applications, it is also desirable to develop a technique which allows for dynamic configuration of an SPU even after it has been installed in the field. This is particularly necessary as the operating environment of computing systems change.
The idea of reconfiguring a device or extending capabilities of a device has been used in the area of general purpose computing systems, such as microcomputers. For such systems, a wide range of memory devices may be employed to allow system capability to be reconfigurable. These devices range from PROM to EEPROM. However, such systems typically use a design which gives technically capable users the ability to enable or disable a particular function, or even to upgrade the firmware (e.g., upgrading the BIOS) of certain components. This is not desirable for cryptographic devices which have specific security concerns.
An approach which allows for reconfiguration of a cryptographic device is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,988, entitled "Method to Establish and Enforce A Network Cryptographic Security Policy In A Public Key Cryptosystem." The '988 patent describes a method to modify and enforce the security policy of a network through the use of a "configuration vector." Under this approach, the configuration vector, which specifies the functions a device can perform, is loaded into the device on the network. This configuration vector should only be modified by a network manager or certification authority (CA) as the operating environment changes. To enforce the security policy of the system, the CA would perform a random audit on the cryptographic devices on the network from time to time. During this audit process, the CA would typically request the device being audited to send a copy of its configuration vector, digitally signed by a special private key called device authentication key, which is unique to each device. The signing process is performed securely inside the protected boundaries of the cryptographic device. This device authentication key is registered with the CA when the device is installed and initialized. This key cannot be duplicated, and a new key value will be created every time a device is reinitialized. In the event that an adversary attempts to breach the security policy by loading a modified configuration vector to assign unauthorized capabilities to the device, the CA would discover the unauthorized configuration vector when it audits the configuration vector used in the device. During the audit process, the modified vector would be signed by the device authentication key and transmitted to the CA. When the CA receives the modified vector, it will compare the table with the original table assigned to this device and thus detect the modifications. If, at audit time, the adversary attempts to change the unauthorized configuration vector back to the original value assigned by the certification authority, the adversary would have to reload the original vector, which is possible only if the device is reset to an initial state under this approach. However, after resetting the device, a new device authentication key (used to sign the configuration vector before the it is transmitted to the certification facility) will be generated, replacing the original authentication key. The new key would not be recognized by the certification authority. Thus, any attempt to modify the configuration vector would be detected by the CA through an audit.
However, the method described in the '988 patent has at least two disadvantages. First, although the method allows for dynamic configuration, in replacing an existing configuration vector with a new one, it requires a device to be re-initialized, resulting in a major disruption to operations. Second, unauthorized modifications to the configuration vector could be made at anytime and would not be detected until the system administrator performs an audit. By the time the breach of security is detected, significant damage could have already occurred. Thus, the prior art does not offer the security and flexibility required for today's computing environment.

Dynamic configuration of a secure processing unit for operations in various environments


A new process for preparing aliphatic carboxylic acid esters is provided. A substituted aliphatic ether or thioether compound is reacted with carbon monoxide in the presence of an alcohol in anhydrous conditions at a temperature between about 25.degree. C. and about 200.degree. C. An excess of several moles of anhydrous alcohol is preferred. An acid such as hydrochloric acid may also be added. As catalyst, a mixture of palladium or a palladium compound and a copper compound with at least one acid-stable ligand are present.

Among the processes known for preparing ibuprofen is that of European Patent Application 284,310 (Hoechst Celanese, published September, 1988), which teaches that ibuprofen can be prepared by carboxylating 1-(4-isobutylphenyl)ethanol with carbon monoxide in an acidic aqueous medium and in the presence of a palladium compound/phosphine complex and dissociated hydrogen and halide ions, which are preferably derived from a hydrogen halide. This process has the disadvantage of starting with 1-(4-isobutylphenyl)ethanol, a compound which is not economical to make by known processes.
Gardano et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,595, issued August, 1985) teach the preparation of alkaline salts of certain alpha-arylpropionic acids by reaction with carbon monoxide, at substantially ambient temperature and pressure conditions, of the corresponding arylethyl secondary halide in an anhydrous alcoholic solvent in the presence of alkaline hydroxides and, as catalyst, a salt of cobalt hydrocarbonyl.
Alper et al. in J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Comm., 1983, 1270 1271, discloses the alkenes can react with carbon monoxide, water, hydrochloric acid and a mixture of palladium and copper produce the hydrocarboxylated product, branched chain carboxylic acid. Oxygen is necessary to succeed in the reaction. Subsequently, Alper et al. have disclosed similar catalyst systems, but employing a chiral ligand, as being successful in asymmetric hydrocarboxylation reactions. See Alper et al., PCT Application, WO 91, 03,452 and J. Am. Chem. Soc., 112, 2803-2804 (1990).

Catalytic carbonylation of ethers and thioethers


An image correction data calculation method comprises the steps of acquiring an input-output characteristic at each of a plurality of display elements on a display screen of an image display device, on the basis of image data captured by a CCD camera (steps S101 to S105), setting a target input-output characteristic to be obtained at each of the plurality of display elements (step S106), and calculating image correction data used to correct the input-output characteristic for an input image signal, according to the locations of display elements on the screen, on the basis of the input-output characteristic acquired in the acquisition step and the target input-output characteristic to be obtained (step S107).

In general, a multiprojection system includes a screen on which to project an image, a plurality of projectors for projecting images to respective assigned areas on the screen, and a projector array controller for supplying, to each projector, a video signal associated with an image to be projected by each projector.
A seamless projection system is known as one type of multiprojection system. In the seamless projection system, a plurality of images are projected by a plurality of projectors onto a screen such that the images are partially overlapped on the screen, thereby forming a single seamless image. To obtain a single image on a screen in such a seamless projection system, it is necessary to precisely align individual images projected on the screen such that edge lines of adjacent individual images precisely coincide with each other.
In the multiprojection system, respective projectors are different in luminance and color, and thus correction in terms of luminance and color is necessary.
A known method or apparatus for calculating image correction data used to correct luminance difference or color difference may be found, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-226862 (first conventional technique) or Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-173523 (second conventional technique).
In the first conventional technique, an output signal of an image signal associated with an image to be projected is compared with a reference signal prepared in advance. Image correction data is produced on the basis of a difference detected in the comparison. The image signal is corrected by applying the produced image correction data to the image signal, and the resultant output signal is compared with the reference signal. The above process is performed repeatedly until optimum image correction data, which allows the output signal to be substantially equal to the reference signal, is obtained.
In the second conventional technique, an image signal with a uniform and constant level is input to respective projectors of a multiprojection system, and, first, an adjustment is made such that the output signal level of each projector becomes uniform. Then, a further adjustment is made such that the output signal levels of the respective projectors become equal to each other. Final adjusted values used in the above adjustment are employed as image correction data.
Any projector has more or less nonuniformity of luminance because the input-output characteristic representing the relationship between the level of an input image signal and the corresponding level of output luminance signal varies depending on the display position (hereinafter, the input-output characteristic will be referred to as a gamma characteristic). In the case of a color projector, more or less nonuniformity of color occurs owing to differences in gamma characteristic among primary colors.
In particular, in a multiprojection system, because one screen is formed using a plurality of projectors, differences in gamma characteristic among projectors can cause rather large nonuniformity in luminance and/or color. In a case of a seamless multiprojection system, the gamma characteristic in overlapping areas is influenced by a plurality of projectors.
In the method of producing shading correction data according to the first conventional technique, correction data is produced such that nonuniformity in luminance and color is eliminated at a signal level of an image to be displayed. Therefore, although nonuniformity in luminance and color is corrected for an input image with a particular signal level, nonuniformity in luminance or color is not necessarily eliminated for input images with other different signal levels.
In the second conventional technique, image correction data used to correct luminance nonuniformity in a multiprojection system is produced as follows. First, an adjustment is made for each projector such that luminance nonuniformity is eliminated, and then a further adjustment is made such that luminance differences among projectors are minimized. The adjustment data finally used in the adjustment is employed as the image correction data. In this method, a large number of steps are needed to produce the image correction data. Besides, it is not possible practically to acquire image correction data for each display position. When projectors have overlap areas on a screen as in seamless multiprojection systems, each overlap area is influenced by corresponding two projectors. This makes it very difficult to obtain accurate image-correct data because it is necessary to simultaneously make an adjustment of luminance uniformity and color uniformity within each projector and also among the projectors.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for calculating image correction data, which allow automatic and easy production of image correction data for each display position of a projector, for use in reducing at least one of luminance nonuniformity and color nonuniformity.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a projection system capable of projecting a seamless image whose luminance nonuniformity and/or color nonuniformity are reduced using produced image correction data, for all input image signal levels.

Method and apparatus for calculating image correction data and projection system


A laboratory vessel comprising two substantially cylindrical chambers with parallel longitudinal axes between their bottom and mouth openings and lower and upper conduits linking the chambers so that he contents of the vessel can flow between the first and second chambers via the upper and lower conduits. The vessel is particularly suited for use with automated reactor systems.

This invention relates to a novel device, being a laboratory reaction vessel suitable for use in chemical reactions at a laboratory scale.
Laboratory glassware of various constructions and functions is known. Multilimbed vessels such as xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d tubes have long been known, as have vessels with side arms and other means to achieve circulation through the vessel to promote thorough mixing, sampling etc. Examples of such apparatus are disclosed in GB 803370, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,230,664 and 4,871,516. Most of such glassware has been designed for classical benchtop chemistry, but the advent of laboratory automation has meant that such classical glassware is not optimum for modern laboratories.
It is an object of this invention to provide a novel laboratory reaction vessel which is more suitable for use in an automated laboratory.
According to this invention a laboratory vessel comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, each said chamber having a mouth opening adjacent an upper part of the chamber opposite the bottom of the chamber, the first and second chambers being connected by an integral lower conduit which links adjacent lower parts respectively of the first and second chambers, and by an integral upper conduit which links adjacent upper parts respectively of the first and second chambers such that fluid contents of the vessel can flow between the first and second chambers via the upper and lower conduits.
The first and second chambers may be of the same or different volumes, shapes, widths or lengths (length being defined along the axis of the mouth opening and the bottom of the chamber, and width perpendicular to the length). For example one chamber may be larger than the other and may be used for the insertion of a stirrer through its mouth opening, allowing the other chamber to be accessed by a laboratory automation robot or other device. For example the relative volumes of the chambers may be in the approximate ratio 1.5:1. The first and second chambers are preferably longitudinally elongated chambers, for example tubular chambers, e.g. preferably cylindrical chambers. Such tubular chambers may for example have a rounded or flat bottom.
The construction of the mouth opening of respectively the first and second chambers may be the same or different. For example the mouth opening of each may comprise a standard laboratory female or male connector, e.g. a xe2x80x9cQuickfit(trademark)xe2x80x9d type connector, a flange connector, a gland or screw threaded connector etc. Suitably the mouth opening is at the upper end of its chamber, and faces in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the chamber, for example in the case of cylindrical chambers, suitably being coaxial with the chamber. Each chamber may have more than one mouth opening. In the vessel of the invention preferably the first and second chambers have their respective longitudinal axes aligned substantially parallel to each other, e.g. the longitudinal axes of cylindrical chambers may be so aligned.
The lower and upper conduits may comprise tubular conduits connecting the chambers. Such tubular conduits may have their longitudinal axes aligned substantially parallel. When the first and second chambers have their longitudinal axes aligned substantially parallel, the axes of the upper and lower conduits, preferably the axes of both conduits may be aligned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the chambers. The lower conduit may be adjacent to the bottom of one or both of the first or second chambers. The upper conduit may link upper parts of the chambers adjacent to the respective mouth openings, or any part between the mouth opening and the lower conduit, e.g. parts ca. half way up the chamber. The bore of the conduits is suitably less than the width of the first and/or second chambers.
For example in one construction of the vessel of the invention the vessel may take the form of a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d tube, with an upper conduit linking the limbs of the U in a direction perpendicular to the limbs of the U, with the lower bend of the U comprising the lower conduit.
Therefore one preferred form of the vessel of the invention comprises two chambers being:
a first substantially cylindrical chamber having a first longitudinal axis defined between the bottom and an upper mouth opening thereof,
a second substantially cylindrical chamber having a second longitudinal axis defined between the bottom and an upper mouth opening thereof,
the first and second longitudinal axes being substantially parallel;
a lower integral conduit linking respective lower parts of the first and second chambers, and an upper integral conduit linking respective upper parts of the first and second chambers above the lower conduit, such that fluid contents of the vessel can flow between the first and second chambers via the upper and lower conduits.
For example in another construction of the vessel of the invention the first chamber may be substantially cylindrical, and the second chamber may have a substantially cylindrical upper part above the upper conduit, and a lower part below the upper conduit which curves toward and joins the first chamber, such that for example the second chamber is of an overall generally xe2x80x9cJxe2x80x9d shape, with the lower curved part of the xe2x80x9cJxe2x80x9d connecting with the first chamber and comprising the lower conduit. This curved shape can assist with circulation of liquid content in the vessel and avoid the deposition of solid deposits etc. in the second limb.
In another embodiment the vessel may have a median conduit located between the upper and lower conduits, and connecting parts of the first and second chambers which are part way between the upper and lower conduits, either midway between or closer to either the upper or lower conduit, relative to the length of the chambers. The median conduit may be similar in construction and/or dimensions to the upper and lower conduits.
The upper and/or lower and/or median conduit (if present) may incorporate valve means such as taps to control, direct, restrict or close off flow through the conduit.
The purpose of such a median conduit is inter alia principally to enable the contents of the vessel to be circulated between the chambers when it contains insufficient liquid content to reach the level of the upper conduit and so may be difficult to cause to flow through the upper conduit. For example a first volume of liquid may be introduced into the vessel, insufficient to reach the upper conduit but sufficient to reach the lower and the median conduit. The liquid content may then be circulated through the lower and median conduits. A second volume of liquid may then be introduced, sufficient to reach the upper conduit, and the median conduit may then be closed off, e.g. by a valve means in the median conduit to allow circulation to take place via the upper and lower conduits.
One or both of the chambers may include other features used in chemical reactors, e.g. multiple mouth openings, a thermocouple, a thermometer pocket, side arms for introduction of gases, optical windows e.g. flat surfaces, etc. The conduits, for example the upper and/or median conduit (if present) may also incorporate such features, e.g. a thermocouple. One or both of the chambers may for example incorporate fittings in their walls, e.g. in their respective bottoms, e.g. screw connections to allow instruments such as optical or other instruments to be fitted in direct contact with the liquid content in the chamber.
In a further variant, the vessel of the invention may be provided with one ore more external heating or cooling jackets, for example located around the first and/or second chamber, and/or around a conduit. Such a cooling/heating jacket may comprise a sleeve, e.g. of glass if the chamber or conduit is made of glass, around the chamber or conduit, provided with an inlet and outlet by which a heating or cooling fluid e.g. hot or cold water may respectively enter and exit. The jacket may be fused to the wall of the chamber or conduit.
In a further embodiment one or more of the conduits, suitably the lower conduit, may incorporate an internal stirrer or impeller to cause the fluid content to circulate, e.g. in the form of an impeller freely rotatable in the conduit e.g. by means of an external rotatable magnet magnetically coupled to a magnetic drive element on the impeller. When such an impeller is rotated by the external magnet it can cause circulation of liquid content without the need to insert a stirrer through a mouth opening of the vessel.
The vessel of the invention is particularly suited to circulating a fluid content, e.g. from the first chamber through the lower conduit into the second chamber and then back into the first chamber through the upper or median conduit and so on in a circulatory manner. For this purpose one or both of the mouth openings may be made of suitable dimensions and construction for the insertion of an impeller-type stirrer into fluid content in the first or second chamber. The vessel of the invention also facilitates the addition/removal of liquid content via one mouth opening whilst the other is for example fitted with a stirrer or reflux condenser etc.
The invention also provides a method of use of a vessel as described above for the performance of a chemical reaction between substances contained therein.
The vessel of the invention is found to be particularly suited for use with an automated laboratory system including robot means to introduce or extract substances into the vessel or to perform other operations and/or tests on liquid content in the vessel, and a holder, said robot means and holder being moveable relative to each other, to move the vessel into a cooperation position with one or more such robot means.
The vessel of the present invention may conveniently be integrally made of glass by conventional glassblowing techniques. Alternatively the vessel may be made of other suitable materials such as stainless steel or other inert metals, or of inert plastics materials such as PTFE.


In a period from temporal storage of a video signal to reading and displaying of the video signal, an average value 121 of the brightness levels obtained from a video signal before the video signal is stored in a storage means 3 and a predetermined target value 122 are used to perform a calculation by using a proportionality term and an integration term so that a quantity of limited electric currents is obtained. Moreover, the quantity of limited electric currents is provided with a non-response region or a hysteresis characteristic.

The present invention relates to a display apparatus arranged to limit an electric current therein, and more particularly to a display apparatus, such as a CRT, a plasma display, an LED display and a field emission display, having a characteristic that power consumption varies when the brightness of a displayed image varies.
Self-emission type display apparatuses including CRT, a plasma display, an LED display and a field emission display, generally encounter vary in power consumption therein when the brightness of a displayed image varies.
The reason for this lies in that the quantity of electric currents which flow in the display portion is enlarged because light beams must be emitted more intensely and the number of emission times must be enlarged when a bright image is displayed. When a dark image is displayed, the quantity of electric currents which flow in the display portion is reduced because light beams must be weakened and the number of emission times must be decreased.
Under circumstances where saving of the energy resources is required from a global viewpoint, e.g., display apparatuses are required to have large-size screens and display apparatuses as used in vehicles and on portable telephones, power saving has been required for the display apparatus. Power saving realizes advantages for users and attains effects to be obtained in that loads which must be borne by the display portion and the power supply circuit of the display apparatus can be reduced, the size of circuit can be reduced and low-cost elements can be employed. In addition, the lifetime of the display apparatus can be extended.
Therefore, a method has recently been employed which uses a characteristic which is apparent for a self-emission type display apparatus and with which power consumption varies when the brightness of a displayed image varies in order to save power.
Referring to the drawings, an example of the current limiting circuit will now be described in such a manner that a conventional current limiting circuit employed in a plasma display is taken as an example.
FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an essential portion of the display apparatus having the conventional current limiting circuit. Referring to FIG. 15, reference numeral 1 represents an A/D conversion means for video signals, 2 represents a video-signal processing means, 3 represents a storage means, 4 represents a display sequence control means, 5 represents a panel of the plasma display, 11 represents a means 11 for generating the number of pulses to be retained, 12 and 31 represent multiplying means, 32 represents a smoothing means and 33 represents a pulse controlled-variable calculating means.
The operation will now be. described. The operation which is performed until an image is displayed will now be described in accordance with the flow of a video signal. The A/D conversion means 1 A/D-converts an analog video signal 101 which is supplied to the plasma display to output digital video data 102. The video signal is treated as digital data in a portion following the A/D conversion means 1. The video-signal processing means 2 subjects digital video data 102 output from the A/D conversion means 1 to brightness, contrast, color temperature correction and gamma conversion processes to output video signal data 103 subjected to the video signal process. The storage means 3 has two storage means, which are a first storage means 36 and a second storage means 37, as shown in FIG. 16. Each of the storage means is a field memory or a frame memory. When the display method of the panel is interlace display, the storage means is able to store video signal for two fields. When the display method is progressive display, the storage means is able to store video signal for two frames. Selectors 38 and 39 disposed in front and behind the storage means 36 and 37 are exclusively and independently operated. When the first selector 38 adjacent to the input portion selects the first storage means 36, the second selector 39 adjacent to the output portion selects the second storage means 37. When the first selector 38 adjacent to the input portion selects the second storage means 37, the second selector 39 adjacent to the output portion selects the first storage means 36. If the first selector 38 adjacent to the input portion selects the first storage means 36, the first storage means 36 is being operated in a write mode. Thus, video signal data 103 supplied to the storage means is written on the first storage means 36. In the foregoing period, the second storage means 37 is operated in the reading mode so that sub-field data 104 having a predetermined number of bits is read from the second storage means 37. When the storage means 3 is interposed, video signal data 103 can be converted into a plurality of sub-field data items 104 which are divided in terms of time. Therefore, the storage means 3 is an important element for the plasma display which displays a gray-scale image by performing pulse-width modulation also when the interlace display is performed. The display sequence control means 4 outputs, to the panel 5, sub-field data 104 of the image signal read from the storage means 3 as write data 105 for selecting cells in the panel 5 from which light is emitted. The panel 5 operates writing electrodes and displays the image in accordance with write data 105.
The operation will now be described which is performed until the number of pulses to be retained for generating retaining discharge to cause the panel to emit light is determined, the description being performed along the flows of data of the number of pulses to be retained. A means 11 for generating the number of pulses to be retained generates and outputs data 111 of the number of pulses to be retained which corresponds to sub-fields. A multiplying means 12 multiplies data 111 of the number of pulses to be retained output from the means 11 for generating the number of pulses to be retained and a controlled variable 124 of the number of pulses (to be described later) for limiting the electric current to output data 112 of the number of pulses to be retained after the electric current is limited. The display sequence control means 4 generates pulse-shape data 113 for causing the panel to emit light by the number instructed with data 112 of the number of pulses to be retained after the electric current is limited. The display sequence control means 4 writes a display position on the panel with write data 105 corresponding to the sub-field, and then outputs, to the panel 5, pulse-shape data 113 for causing the panel to emit light. The panel 5 applies pulse-shape waveform to an electrode after data is written on the panel so that only cells written with write data 105 emit light in accordance with pulse-shape data 113 so that an image is displayed.
The operation for limiting the-electric current will now be described. The multiplying means 31 multiplies sub-field data 104 of the video signal output from the storage means 3 and data 112 of the number of pulses for retaining light emission which is output to the panel to perform an equivalent calculation of the quantity of light to be emitted from the panel in one sub-field period. Then, the multiplying means 31 outputs pseudo quantity 131 of light to be emitted which is obtained by the equivalent calculation. Sub-field data 104 of the video signal corresponds to the number of cells which emit light, while data 112 of the number of pulses to be retained corresponds to the number of light emitting operations of each cell. The smoothing means 32 subjects the pseudo quantity 131 of light to be emitted which varies in sub-field units to a smoothing process to output a smoothed quantity 132 of light to be emitted. The pulse controlled-variable calculating means 33 causes a deviation detection means 34 to obtain deviation 133 of the quantity 132 of light to be emitted with respect to a target value 122 of the quantity of light to be emitted. The deviation 133 is linearly converted into a controlled variable 124 of the number of pulses by a linear conversion means 35 in such a manner that the quantity of light to be emitted is limited only when the quantity 132 of light to be emitted is larger than the target value 122. The controlled variable 124 is output from the pulse controlled-variable calculating means 33. The controlled variable 124 of the number of pulses is expressed by a decimal fraction not less than 0 nor more than 1. The controlled variable 124 reduces the number of pulses to be retained in the multiplication with the data 111 of the number of pulses to be retained which is performed by the multiplying means 12. Therefore, the controlled variable 124 corresponds to the quantity of electric current which must be limited with which the electric current is limited by a larger degree in proportion as the controlled variable 124 is reduced. When the value of the controlled variable 124 of the number of pulses is small, the number of pulses to be retained is reduced by the multiplying means 12. Thus, the number of light emission times from the panel is reduced, and the displaying current which flows in the panel is limited.
The conventional current limiting circuit adapted to the plasma display encounters time delay when the pseudo quantity 131 of light to be emitted is smoothed by the smoothing means 32 as shown in FIG. 15. FIG. 18 shows time transition of the pseudo quantity 131 of light to be emitted which takes place in the conventional circuit. As shown in FIG. 18, the pseudo quantity 131 of light to be emitted is obtained in sub-field units. Even if a still image is being displayed, the quantity of light to be emitted from adjacent sub-fields is discontinuous. Therefore, the smoothing process must be performed by the smoothing means 32. If the smoothing process is simply performed by a low-pass filter, the smoothing process, however, inhibits measurement of the quantity of light to be emitted in field units. As a result, time delay takes place. Even if the quantities of light to be emitted are integrated in field units as shown in FIG. 18, the quantity of light to be emitted cannot be extracted only after the integration of the quantity of light to be emitted is completed and movement to a next field is performed. Thus, time delay of one field takes place in performing the control. If the control is delayed as described above, an excessively large current flows in a case where the quantity of light to be emitted is rapidly increased. In this case, a power supply circuit having a large capacity is required: Thus, increasing cost and limiting the ability to reduce weight.
Since limitation of the electric current results in the brightness varying, the visual characteristic must be considered. For example, overshooting and slight variation of the controlled variable results in flickers being recognized. Therefore, the current limiting circuit for the plasma display must have high response speed and must avoid noise caused variations. The response characteristic of a current control system of the conventional structure depends on the filtering characteristic of the smoothing means 32. If the smoothing means 32 comprises a simple low-pass filter, raising of the response speed results in flickers taking place. The flickers take place because of an influence of variations of the pseudo quantity 131 of light to be emitted in each sub-field and an influence of variation in the waveform of the pseudo quantity 131 of light to be emitted occurring as time elapses attributable to movement of a figure of the bits to the right or left. Another problem arises in that varying the setting of the filter requires a great labor. Even if the quantity of light to be emitted is integrated in field units, the time delay of the process encounters mismatch between the quantity of light to be emitted and the controlled variable. Thus, there arises a problem in that flickers take place.


A ureteral stent includes an elongate member defining an axis and having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. A first extension member and a second extension member extend from the proximal end portion and each include a first portion, a second portion, a third portion and an end portion. In an unconstrained configuration, the first portion is arcuate and extends away from the axis, the second portion extends from the first portion in a distal direction, and the third portion extends from the second portion in a direction away from the axis. In the unconstrained configuration, the end portions of the first and second extension members are spaced apart from each other sufficiently, and the first extension member and the second extension member are sufficiently rigid, to collectively help retain at least a portion of the ureteral stent within a bladder of a patient.

The disclosed invention relates generally to a medical device and more particularly to a ureteral stent having a conforming retention structure to provide improved patient comfort.
Known ureteral stents are typically placed within a urinary tract of a patient such that one end portion of the ureteral stent is located in either a kidney or a ureter of the patient and another end portion of the ureteral stent is located in a bladder of the patient. Some known ureteral stents include retention members configured to help retain the ureteral stent in position within the patient. Known ureteral stents are typically positioned within the urinary tract of the patient by placing a guidewire within the patient, sliding the ureteral stent on the guidewire, and then forcing the ureteral stent along the guidewire into a desired position within the patient using a push cannula. Such ureteral stents are often removed from the patient by pulling the ureteral stent from the urinary tract of the patient.
Known ureteral stents often cause discomfort to the patient once the ureteral stents are positioned within the body due to the size and mass of the retention members. For example, some ureteral stents include a curled end portion that may be positioned in a bladder of a patient to help retain the ureteral stent in place within the patient. The large mass of the curled retention structure does not easily conform to the bladder when the bladder is emptied or collapsed, resulting in patient discomfort. Further discomfort can also result when the ureteral stent is removed from a patient due to the configuration of the retention member.
Thus, there is a need for a ureteral stent having a retention portion that distributes the mass of the retention structure within the bladder and conforms to the shape of the bladder walls to help reduce pain and discomfort to the patient.

Ureteral stent with conforming retention structure


Multi-layer films suitable as sealable or peelable sheet that can be used for closing foodstuff containers are described. These multi-layer films includes a polymeric substrate layer and a seal or a peel-seal layer. The multilayer composite film preferably includes four component layers, namely in order, a polymeric base layer for mechanical strength, a thin organic barrier layer, an ethylene polymer-based adhesive layer, and a heat seal layer including an ethylene copolymer, such as ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer. The film is useful as a peelable heat sealable lid for containers of diverse polymer compositions storing various products such as foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals.

Peelable packaging films are frequently utilized in diverse container sealing applications. Primarily they are used to seal the mouths of foodstuff or medicine containers. In such applications, they provide closure of the mouth to prevent unintended loss of the contents. They also provide a solid, vapor, and liquid-tight barrier to prevent contamination and spoilage of the contents. In addition, being non-resealable once opened, they provide a security function by alerting the consumer whether the contents of a presumably unopened container have been potentially tampered with. Films intended for container sealing applications such as these are sometimes referred to as "lidding" films.
Conventional lidding films typically include at least two component layers. First, a base layer forms a mechanical closure preventing foreign substances from entering the container. Second, a seal layer which most commonly is thermally adhered to the circumference of the container mouth, provides a seal removable by peeling, preferably without tearing or leaving sealant material on the container. Many sophisticated modifications and additions to these basic components have developed to provide advantageous features to peelably lidded containers.
A particular disadvantage of many peelable-lidded containers is that the adhesion of the lidding film to the container is so strong that the film is difficult to remove from the container. Additionally, the strong adhesion can undesirably wholly or partially delaminate the lidding film leaving pieces of the film adhered to the lip of the container mouth. However, if the adhesion to the container mouth is made too weak, the lidding film can be removed inadvertently or prematurely by many incidental causes including, for example, pressure and movement of the contained material.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,998 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,599 disclose exemplary conventional peelable, sealable films used for lidding and packaging foods. These films are prepared using multi-step processes in which a core film is first prepared. This core film forms a base layer that is then coated with a hot melt adhesive in a separate step to form a skin layer, whose function is to provide a peelable heat seal.
In addition, other sealable films known in the art are coextruded. While these coextruded films are cost-effective to produce, the obtained films are not truly peelable as they often tear and split when removed from the package, often sticking to the food, especially to foods that contain sauces and cheese such as pizza.
A desirable beneficial feature of lidding films is inclusion of a highly effective moisture and/or gas barrier layer. Preparation of lidding films having thin barrier layers and desirable adhesive characteristics is usually difficult. It is particularly desirable to provide a multilayer lidding film having an organic barrier layer, which can be heat sealed to the mouth of diverse container compositions with a proper balance of adhesive characteristics. That is, the lidding film should bond firmly and durably to the container, be removable with moderate peeling force by the consumer and substantially completely peel from the container intact such that no lidding film residue is retained on the opened container.

Barrier lidding structure based on polypropylene film


A parking brake for automobiles is disclosed including a brake disk having ratchets to secure interruption of the wheels in parking the automobiles, a caliper arranged on the brake disk forming an inserting groove, an intermittent member engaged into the inserting groove for selectively controlling the brake disk, and connecting means connected with the intermittent member for delivering the actuating force to the intermittent member in actuating the parking brake lever. A rod bar is arranged below the connecting means, forming a hinge connected to the connecting means at one end and a variable portion at the other end. A moveable link connected to the rod bar, having a pair of auxiliary links, and a fixed link are controlled by the parking brake lever to engage the intermittent member into the ratchet of the brake disk to engage the wheels in parking the automobiles.

The present invention relates to parking brakes and, more specifically, to an improved parking brake in which interruption of the parking brake is achieved not by disk pad fixation but by pin fixation to achieve secure interruption and to securely brake.
Automobile brake is typically achieved by foot or hand brakes in which lever or linkage is used to interrupt brake wheel and brake disk of the rear brake drum by use of cable or rod.
When the operator pulls the actuating lever up in a hand brake, the cable connected to the actuating lever causes the disk pad in the caliper to contact the brake disk in order to interrupt the wheels.
In a drum brake type as well as the disk brake type, the cable moves the brake shoes arranged within the drum by actuation of the lever, so that the braking wheel of the brake drum is interrupted.
The actuating lever of the parking brake as described above needs to be within easy reach from foot or hand, in order to readily park as necessary.
Conventional parking brake is typically installed on the floor between the driver""s seat and the front seat, and parking is made by pulling the lever up with hand.
The parking brake is made in such a manner that the disk pad and brake shoes are attached to the disk and drum for interruption by pulling up the actuating lever. Because the wheels are conventionally interrupted by surface contact of the disk and disk pad, long-term use brings about abrasion of the disk pad, so that interruption is not ensured.
While the automobile is parked on a slope for a long time or frequently, the disk pad is easily worn, which lowers the braking force and the interruption of the wheels. This has a disadvantage of possibly allowing the automobile to accidentally roll.
Use of a cable in the conventional parking brake increases tension of the cable, which causes to lower interruption on the wheels as well.
The present invention is derived to solve the conventional problems, and has an object to provide an improved brake for automobiles in which interruption of the wheels is made by pin fixation, not by a disc pad fixation, thereby improving interruption and reliability of the parking brake.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved brake for automobiles to prevent low interruption of the wheels in a long-time use.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved brake for automobiles to improve reliability and marketability of the product.
In order to accomplish the above objects, there is provided a parking brake for automobiles, comprising: brake disk 10 formed with a predetermined width and size, having ratchets 11 at the outer surface of the brake disk, to secure interruption of the wheels in parked automobiles; caliper 20 arranged on the brake disk 10, having an inserting groove 21; intermittent member 30 engaged into the inserting groove 21, for selectively controlling the brake disk 10; connecting arm 40 connected with the intermittent member 30, for delivering an actuating force to the intermittent member 30 upon actuating the parking brake lever 5; connector 50 hingedly connected to the connecting arm 40 at a first end and having a second end; and link member 60 having a movable link 61 connecting to the the second end of the connector 50 to laterally actuate the connector 50 upon actuation of the parking brake lever 5, fixed link 62 associated with the movable link 61, and a return spring arranged between the movable link 61 and the fixed link 62; a pair of auxiliary links 90 on the movable link 61 and the fixed link 62; and actuating bar 100 arranged on the auxiliary links 90 to deliver the actuating force of the parking brake lever 5 to the auxiliary links 90.
Pulling up the parking brake lever 5 of the present invention causes the auxiliary links 90 and the link member 60 to be actuated for engagement of the intermittent member 30 into the ratchet 11 of the brake disk 10 by successive operation of the connector 50 and the connecting arm 40, thereby interrupting the brake disk 10. By this operation, the brake disk 10 is actuated to secure interruption of the parked wheels.


A portable folding room partition has typically five articulated panels with wheels including two panels located at the ends of the partition which comprise carrier panels that serve as stabilizing elements for imparting movement to several intermediate panels as the partition is folded or unfolded. Each of the carrier panels includes a vertical end frame member having a horizontal spread end foot with wheels rigidly connected to its lower end. A pull handle is connected to each carrier panel in a position aligned over each spread end foot. The intermediate panels also have wheels and are hingedly connected to one another between the carrier panels to define the partition. Movement of the carrier panels by persons gripping the pull handles acts to spread or collapse the inactive intermediate panels while providing them with stabilizing support at each end. In a preferred form, each of the carrier panels has a pair of spaced apart spreaders. Both spreaders have a wheel at each end on opposite sides of the panel. Vertical frame elements on the side edges of each panel include a pair of longitudinal slots. Flexible polymeric hinges that are held in the slots along their edges bend to permit articulation of the panels relative to each other. Provision is also made for locking the panels in alignment with one another to provide a wall-effect.

The folding partitions or room dividers that have been previously proposed are often somewhat unstable as they are being expanded from a collapsed condition, particularly when handled by inexperienced persons such as students in a school setting. Another shortcoming of prior folding partitions is their high cost which has been due in part to the need for different kinds of structural members in various parts of each panel as well as the complex hinge structures that are required.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,009,930; 5,272,848; 5,214,885 and design 345,018 describe various forms of portable folding partitions with wheels but no provision is made for stabilizing panels at each end nor are handles provided for aligning the force exerted on the end panel in such as way as to help prevent the partition from tipping. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,848, the curved posts 15 and can function as a handle but this structure allows a force to be applied at one side out of alignment with the panel itself making it more likely for the partition to tip over. In addition, the patent requires a rod-like vertical upright member to be attached to the end panels which adds to production costs. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,885, the partition is held by a cabinet room divider which customers seldom want.
It is therefore one important object of the present invention to provide a portable folding room divider or partition with wheels that is more stable than previously available so that it can be easily and safely expanded following storage or collapsed to a folded condition by untrained persons including people who have had no previous experience handling a partition including high school students and other untrained individuals.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved folding partition in which the same structural members are used on the top, bottom and sides of each panel to form a frame around the edge of each panel and no rod-like vertical upright member needs to be attached to the ends of the end panels.
A further object is to provide a simple hinge structure that is low in cost and can be assembled or replaced if worn in seconds by unskilled workers.
Yet another object is to provide an improved portable folding room partition of the type described having wheels positioned to provide stable support for the partition and to find a way of securely mounting wheel spreaders in a manner that prevents structural elements from bending or gradually working loose.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a portable folding room divider with a stabilizing carrier panel at each end and a plurality of intermediate panels hingedly connected between the carrier panels and adapted to move when the carrier panels are manipulated by handles provided on the carrier panels.
Another object is to find a way to enable forces to be applied manually in a manner and location that enhances the stability of the partition in the process of expanding or collapsing the partition.
Yet another object is to allow the user to easily achieve a wall-effect by maintaining the panels in precise alignment.
These and other more detailed and specific objects of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following Figures and detailed description which illustrate by way of example but a few of the various forms of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Portable folding room dividing partition


Output of an encoder are sampled by A/D converters 11a and 11b to be converted to N bits A-phase and B-phase digital data DA and DB. In a look-up table memory 12, reference phase angle data of phase divisions and average gradient vectors of changes in phase angle data within the phase divisions are stored, the phase divisions being addressed by the high order NU bits of data DA and DB. An arithmetic circuit 13 determines a vector inner product of an average gradient vector and phase-interpolating data represented by the low order NL bits of the data DA and DB to add the resultant to a phase angle data, thereby outputting an interpolated phase angle data.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an interpolation circuit performing digital interpolation processing to two-phase sinusoidal signals of an encoder, which detects position, angle, velocity, angular velocity and so on, to obtain phase angle data with high resolution.
2. Related Art
Since there is a machining limit in grid spaces formed in a scale of the encoder, a space period of the sinusoidal signals from the encoder should be subdivided to be interpolated in order to measure a space finer than the scale grid. Therefore, various interpolation circuits have been used previously.
FIG. 4 is an example of the interpolation circuit by previous digital processing. Two-phase sinusoidal signals INA and INB of a phase A and a phase B shifted by 90.degree. each other are output from an encoder 1, and then sampled with a predetermined frequency by A/D converters 2a and 2b to be converted to digital data DA and DB respectively. Phase angle data at each sampling point are prepared and stored in a look-up table memory 3 in advance using an arc tangent function (ATAN) based on the following formula. EQU u=ATAN (DB/DA) (1)
Therefore, the phase angle data u at each sampling point is obtained by reading the look-up table memory 3, defining the digital data DA and DB as addresses x and y respectively. Furthermore, the phase angle data u is entered in a two-phase square wave data generation circuit 4, whereby digital two-phase square wave data OUTA and OUTB are obtained.
When intending to obtain a sufficient interpolation number in the interpolation circuit in which the look-up table memory is used as described above, capacity of the look-up table memory becomes extremely large. For example, when the digital data DA and DB obtained by A/D converters 2a and 2b are N bits, the size of the address space specified by the digital data DA and DB is N.times.N. When a required interpolation number is defined as I, the integer J beyond log.sub.2 I is required to the phase angle data. In such a condition, the memory capacity required in the look-up table memory becomes 2.sup.2N .times.J.
For example, the memory configuration where the phase angle data obtained by dividing one period into 400 are addressed with the address of 8 bits.times.8 bits becomes as FIG. 5. When a data length is defined as J=9, the memory capacity becomes 2.sup.8 .times.2.sup.8 .times.9=589,824 bits.
As a method for reducing the capacity of the look-up table memory in the encoder interpolation circuit of a digital system as described above, a method for reducing the address space have been proposed, paying attention to the symmetry that the phase angle data is repeated periodically within an address space with exception of a sign (Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No.Hei.3-68812).

Interpolation circuit for encoder having a look-up table memory with reduced capacity


The present invention includes a MEMS-based cooling system that can be passive or active in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The MEMS-based cooling system has an expandable MEMS device that is a MEMS device that has one or more expandable chambers to help transfer heat autonomously from a heat source using a working fluid and one or more MEMS directional devices that can control the flow of the working fluid through one or more cooling channels that enable heat transfer from one or more heat sources to one or more heat sinks via the working fluid.

Cooling electrical devices continues to challenge manufactures as the size of these devices continue to get smaller and the functionality of these devices continues to get greater. Since most electrical devices operate most effectively, if at all, within a narrow temperature range controlled cooling is essential to the device. All this is required in the smallest space possible. The existing heat transfer technologies such as Heat Pipe, Loop Heat Pipe, Thermo syphon, Heat Pump, Pumped-fluid cooling, Spray and Jet Impingement cooling, etc. have major limitations that do not work to provide sufficient solutions to these problems.
MEMS technologies are reaching a point of maturity where they can be fabricated with accuracy and extremely small size since a MEMS-based thermal cooling system overcomes one or more of these problems.

MEMS based device for phase-change autonomous transport of heat (PATH)


A filter includes a central filter region, the central filter region to transmit a first wavelength range, a peripheral filter region, the peripheral filter region to block a second wavelength range, and a transition filter region between the central and peripheral filter regions, the transition filter region to transmit or block the second wavelength range differently than the second wavelength range is to be transmitted or blocked in the central and peripheral filter regions. More generally, there may be “N” regions and up to N-1 transition regions.

The path taken by a beam of light through an optical system will vary with wavelength. Optical imaging systems exhibit geometric aberrations, such as coma and spherical aberration, differently for different wavelengths. At the image plane, the light rays associated with respective wavelengths not only exhibit variations in aberrations (spherochromatism is a condition wherein spherical aberration varies with wavelength) but also variations in positions. For example, an imaging system, such as a telescope, may form the image of a star such that the blue, green, and red portions of the image exhibit slightly different spot sizes and spot positions. Lateral color (i.e., different magnification for different wavelengths) causes the spot for one wavelength to form at a different position in the image plane relative to the spot centroid of another wavelength. Axial color (i.e., different focal planes for different wavelengths) causes the best image for one wavelength to form at an axial position that is different from that of another wavelength. More generally, all aberrations, such as spherical, astigmatism, coma, field curvature, and distortion, vary with wavelength.
When an image of an object is formed by an imaging device, such as a camera, the influence of the device on the optical information can be described by various means. For example, the image of a point source will be altered according to the device's point spread function (PSF). The PSF characterizes how an imaging system alters the fine details in an object scene when constructing an image scene. An image exhibits aberrations that are brought about by the device and are not otherwise part of the object. More generally, the image field resolution and contrast will be determined by an imaging device's modulation transfer function (MTF). Both the PSF and the MTF will exhibit wavelength dependencies, system aperture geometry dependencies, and aberration dependencies; i.e., MTF will be different for different wavelengths and different for different aperture geometries and will depend also on the extent to which the final wavefront is diffraction limited or aberration-limited.
The PSF, the MTF, and other such characterizations of real imaging systems, account for and include diffraction effects and aberration effects. For example, if an aberration is introduced in an imaging system, both the MTF and the PSF will change, decreasing image quality. A system that is aberration limited across the whole field of view will show improved performance when the aperture is reduced. In such a system, however, it may occur that one wavelength is predominantly responsible for the off-axis performance deterioration.
Some imaging systems exhibit more aberrations off-axis than on-axis and will exploit vignetting as a means to control off-axis aberrations that would otherwise adversely affect image quality. Vignetting involves selectively stopping peripheral rays from reaching the image plane. For example, coma can be reduced by preventing some rays associated with off-axis field positions from reaching the image plane. These rays can be blocked in regions, before and/or after the system aperture stop. The rays may be blocked by insertion of a limiting (vignetting) aperture or by under-sizing a lens that is not located at the system aperture stop. However, in systems that image more than one wavelength where different wavelengths have different intensities, such vignetting may reduce too much light at a low intensity wavelength, so that an image for the low intensity wavelength may not be discernible.

Spatial and spectral filtering apertures and optical imaging systems including the same


The present invention provides an adsorbent catalytic nanoparticle including a mesoporous silica nanoparticle having at least one adsorbent functional group bound thereto. The adsorbent catalytic nanoparticle also includes at least one catalytic material. In various embodiments, the present invention provides methods of using and making the adsorbent catalytic nanoparticles. In some examples, the adsorbent catalytic nanoparticles can be used to selectively remove fatty acids from feedstocks for biodiesel, and to hydrotreat the separated fatty acids.

Petroleum-derived solvents and fuels are of environmental concern and are under legislative to be replaced by biodegradable substitutes that afford reduced environmental impact. Unpredictable petroleum prices and the increasing desire for energy independence and security have led to burgeoning research activities directed toward developing a variety of alternative fuels. Among these new fuels, biodiesel is a biodegradable, nontoxic diesel that can be produced by transesterification of various oil feedstocks, including vegetable oils, animal fats, algal oils, and restaurant waste oils. Examples of biodiesel can include fatty acid C1-5 alkyl esters, such as soy diesel (methyl soyate), rapeseed methyl ester, and various vegetable and animal fat methyl esters. Biodiesel has been accepted worldwide as a viable alternative to traditional petroleum-derived solvents and fuels. Free fatty acids in the feedstocks for bio-diesel production can negatively affect the process and resulting product. For example, free fatty acids can react with catalysts used for transesterification, forming soaps and consuming catalyst. The efficiency and efficacy of biodiesel production can be greatly increased by reducing the concentration of free fatty acid in the feedstock.
Catalysts are essential materials in a wide variety of useful and important chemical reactions. Generally, catalysts are unselectively exposed to materials in a chemical reaction. Therefore, a molecule at lower concentration with a particular reactivity with the catalyst has a lower chance of undergoing the chemical change caused by the catalyst than a different molecule at a higher concentration having the same reactivity with the catalyst.

Adsorbent catalytic nanoparticles and methods of using the same

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