A retainer type connector can prevent a flexible locking piece from being broken and enhance properties of a housing and a retainer satisfactorily. In this retainer type connector, when retainers (43a) are inserted into retainer-mounting holes (41c) in a base body (41), lock arms (41e1, 41e2) employed as flexible locking pieces, which are provided on inner peripheral wall of the retainer-mounting holes (41c) to be protected from foreign substances, are readily deflected to engage with protrusions (43b1, 43b2) of the retainers (43a) employed as fixed locking pieces, thereby preventing the lock arms from being broken even if coupling and detaching operations are repeated. The base body (41) as a housing and the retainer can be made of a suitable resilient resin material and a suitable hard resin material, respectively.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a retainer type connector including a retainer which retains terminals in a housing and more particularly relates to a retainer type connector provided with an interlocking mechanism which interconnects the housing and the retainer.
(2) Statement of the Prior Art
Heretofore, a known retainer type connector comprises: a housing which includes a plurality of terminal-containing chambers, a plurality of retainer-mounting holes, and fixed protrusions on the inner peripheral walls in the retainer-mounting holes; and a plurality of retainers each of which is adapted to be received in each retainer-mounting hole and is provided on its outer peripheral walls with an arm-like flexible locking piece adapted to retain the terminals in the terminal-containing chambers.
When the retainer is inserted into a given position in the retainer-mounting hole, the flexible locking piece on the retainer passes over the fixed protrusion on the housing so they interlock each other, thereby preventing the retainer from coming out of the housing.
For convenience of explanation, a conventional retainer type connector will be explained below by referring to FIGS. 8 through 10. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional retainer type connector, illustrating a state in which retainers are interlocked to a housing. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the retainer type connector, illustrating another state in which the retainers are interlocked to the housing. FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view of the conventional retainer type connector, illustrating a state in which the retainer is interlocked to the housing.
In the conventional retainer type connector, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a housing 1 and a retainer 2 are provided with fixed protrusions 1a and 2a, respectively. The retainer 2 is forced to be inserted into the housing 1.
In the conventional retainer type connector, there were the following problems:
The retainer is provided with a flexible locking piece (not shown) which is exposed outwardly. The piece happens to strike and hook on foreign substances during carriage and results in breakage. Although the retainer has to be hard in order to lock terminals, the flexible locking piece has to be elastical. The foregoing depends on the choice of the material. On the other hand, although the housing has to be resilient so as to make the lance resilient, the fixed locking piece has to be hard so as to receive the flexible locking piece on the retainer. This again depends on the choice of the material.
In the case of the forced engagement type structure, the fixed protrusions 1a and 2a will be broken and be in an unlocked state as shown in FIG. 10, if the attaching and detaching operations are repeated every time maintenance work is carried out.


A vision testing system and method to assess vision function. In one embodiment, the vision testing system comprises: (1) a display; (2) a computer coupled to the display and configured to provide dynamic images, each including a substantially constant fixed point of fixation; and (3) a human input device coupled to the computer, wherein responses from a test subject are fed back to the computer to assess the test subject's vision function.

Retinal diseases are common, difficult to diagnose and track and can have very serious consequences. For example, macular degeneration is a very serious eye disease that affects up to roughly 20% of the elderly population and is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Many other retinal diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy also affect large numbers of persons and can lead to serious loss of vision function. Due to the very serious nature of these diseases, it is highly regrettable that low cost and highly effective screening and disease tracking systems are not available. Today, the onset of retinal disease is very often first detected by patients noticing vision loss in their daily activity. Otherwise, paper grids referred to as Amsler grids are also used to provide a rudimentary low-cost screening tool. However, very often by the time it has been detected and diagnosed, considerable vision function has been lost and cannot be recovered. Additionally, changes in vision function for patients already diagnosed with retinal disease can signal the need for more aggressive or even emergency treatment. Hence, a low cost and effective system for screening for retinal disease and tracking retinal function is highly desirable. Accordingly, it is clear that vision function testing techniques to enable highly effective retinal function testing and other vision function testing are highly desirable.
Fortunately, computer graphics and gaming technology has now advanced to the level that low cost, highly effective devices for vision function testing and tracking can be envisioned. Binocular viewers allow each eye to be measured or trained independently or together, advances in variable optics allow for changes in focus to be accommodated, computer generated graphics allow interesting static and dynamic images to be created and low cost human input devices allow user feedback information to be collected easily concerning how a user is reacting to the given images.

Dynamic shape discrimination vision test


A supported, mechanically stable bipolar membrane for electrodialysis having a cation-exchange layer on one side and an anion-exchange layer on the other side of a single sheet of woven fabric. The cation exchange layer is heterogeneous, the anion exchange layer is homogeneous and the two are interlocked. A process of making such bipolar membranes is described. The bipolar membrane may be fabricated into electrodialysis cells in which two membranes are joined along their edges.

Electrodialysis is based on the phenomenon that in aqueous electrolyte solution conventional ion-exchange membranes are permselective in that they are capable of selectively transporting charged species across their boundaries under the influence of an electric field. Cation-exchange membranes carry fixed negatively charged groups and, therefore, pass preferentially positively charged ions, and anion-exchange membranes carry fixed positively charged groups and pass preferentially negatively charged ions. Ideally, permselective ion-exchange membranes allow the passage of ions of one sign and completely prevent the passage of the ions of the opposite sign. In practice, however, permselectivity is as a rule not ideal. For a given membrane, it is highest in dilute solutions and decreases with increasing salt concentration.
Bipolar (BP) membranes comprise a cation-exchange (C) and anion-exchange (A) layer. The BP membranes of different compositions and their applications are described in several articles and patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,101 (Kollsman) describes the preparation of such membranes by bonding together separately prepared anion- and cation-exchange films or membranes, using a hydraulic press.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,024,043 and 4,057,481 (both to Dege et al.) describe single-film bipolar membranes. The film contains a high amount of an insoluble cross-linked aromatic polymer, to which, in a first step, highly dissociable cationic exchange groups are chemically bonded at one side and highly dissociable anionic exchange groups are then chemically bonded to the other side. U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,139 (Leitz) describes asymmetrical BP membranes prepared in a similar way. In these asymmetrical membranes, the two layers of opposite polarity have different charge densities which lead to different permselectivities and to different concentration dependencies of the latter. In such BP membranes, the thickness of the A- and C-layers may be different. Japanese Patent Publications Nos. 78-158638 and 79-7196, (both of Tokuyama Soda Co. Ltd.) disclose a similar method with the added feature of masking one side of the film while reacting the other. In a recent patent publication, the successful joining of separately prepared A-and C-membranes was reported (PCT/AU88/00279). Another approach to the preparation of BP membranes involve casting two layers one on top of the other. Such an approach was reported by Bauer et al. in Desalination 68,279 (1988). In this example, Bauer et al. cast an A-layer made of chloromethylated polystyrene, mixed with other polymers which were then aminated, followed by casting the C-layer on top of the A-layer.
In the following, an electrodialysis set-up in which the A-layer of a BP membrane faces the anode will be referred to as the bipolar direction while a set-up in which the C-layer faces the anode will be referred to as the reverse direction.
In the performance of electrodialysis with a BP membrane in the bipolar direction, ions are drawn out from the interface between the membranes of opposite polarity-anions through the A-layer and cations through the C-layer. This effectively exhausts the salt ions from the interface, and in consequence of the processes that occur at the interface between the A- and C-layers, the overall result is a continuous dissociation of water into H.sup.+ and OH.sup.- ions with the generation of equivalent amounts of acid and base. Such a process is often referred to in the literature as "water splitting". However, to avoid confusion with the process of water decomposition into hydrogen and oxygen gases, the process will be referred to herein as "acid-base generation".
When a BP membrane operates in the reverse direction, salt is pushed into the membrane interface from both surfaces. This salt flow causes water flow into the membrane both by osmosis and by electro-osmosis, which tends to destroy the BP membrane by blister formation or separation of the two layers. In consequence, all known BP membranes are sensitive to current reversal and have a short operational life under these conditions which is a major shortcoming of EDR processes in which the current is reversed periodically, say every 15 to 20 minutes, to avoid membrane fouling. There has, thus, been a need in the art of EDR processes for BP membranes which are not sensitive to current reversal.
It is, thus, the object of the present invention to fulfil this long-felt need and provide improved BP membranes of high mechanical stability suitable for use in EDR processes, which are not prone to blister formation and are capable of withstanding the strains of periodic current reversal during long periods of time.

Supported, mechanically stable bipolar membrane for electrodialysis


System and methods are provided for identifying, searching, collecting, locking, executing deleting, comparing and/or analyzing data from a plurality of computer devices and environments from a centralized interface. The endpoint computer devices utilize an agent to index data contained on each device and that allows for a distributed action model using simple or advanced analytics by authenticated users. The agent can be embedded in an integrated circuit of the endpoint computing device or otherwise stored in permanent read only memory (i.e., firmware). The system allows for one or more users to conduct actions via device indexes utilizing a centralized computing device for comparison and analyzation purposes.

Locating important or business-relevant unstructured data that resides on endpoint devices continues to be problematic for organizations with any significant information technology infrastructure. Personal identifiable information in view of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), protected health information for the Administrative Simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, documents and emails for litigation or regulatory purposes, comparing laboratory research results with known published articles, resident malware that poses malicious threats of hacking and even responses to Freedom of Information Requests (FOIA) by government agencies plague even the most advanced information technology professional. As data growth expands exponentially, the issues related to identifying, collecting, and moving or deleting unstructured or semi-structured electronically stored information (ESI) will continue to challenge even the most sophisticated organizations, with examples including: malware, malicious software, worms, rootkits, backdoors, Trojan horses, botnets, ransomware, adware and scareware and other malicious software. Once malware is installed on a system, it is essential that it keep itself concealed to avoid detection, even going into a "dormant" stage until needed. Typical approaches to finding, identifying and removing malware from endpoint computing devices are manually intensive and often requiring large amounts of human intervention.
The identification of data and its contents on endpoint computing devices from a centralized location will continue to be an invaluable process as organizations evolve. Presently, there exists no invention that can completely automate the identification of important endpoint data. Additionally, aggregating data to process and extract value from it is taxing the best computer hardware processing methods available. As well, applying standardized big data processing technologies to extract business or other intelligence from data currently requires the replication of all the data desired for processing, further exacerbating the issue of growth of the data volume.
Although there are many forms of technology that can identify processes, routines, sub-routines and communications via agents to specific bytestreams from endpoint computing devices or that copy memory and file information from endpoint computing devices to a centralized location, there presently exists no technology that does this by allowing the endpoint computing device to communicate what resides on it by way of a local index of bytestream level content that is stored directly on the end point device itself. There currently exists technology that can identify, collect and process ESI from endpoint computers by way of transfer to third party storage mediums, centralized computing devices, USB hardware and cloud or Internet-based storage locations to analyze and report. These processes increasingly take longer, require manual intervention and excessive processing as well as induce local, wide-area and Internet transport medium bottlenecks for network administrators.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for identifying ESI by file and memory contents from endpoint computing device that overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies by utilizing a local or cloud-based index of data that contains the file and memory information from an endpoint computing device and that can be searched from a central location. By distributing the processing for ESI content on endpoint computing devices by way of a local index on or from each, to a centralized search location, one can drastically reduce the costs and time to find data that is relevant to business needs and requirements.

Remote processing of memory and files residing on endpoint computing devices from a centralized device


A vehicle includes a chassis, a modular component, and a central operating system. The modular component is supported by the chassis. The central operating system includes a component control system, a primary master controller, and a secondary master controller. The component control system is configured for controlling the modular component. The primary and secondary master controllers are in operative communication with the component control system. The primary and secondary master controllers are configured to simultaneously transmit commands to the component control system. The component control system is configured to accept commands from the secondary master controller only when a fault occurs in the primary master controller.

An ideal vehicle design for a driver who is commuting within a congested area might be a relatively small, fuel efficient vehicle that is easy to maneuver and park. However, on other occasions, the same driver may wish to transport multiple passengers and/or cargo, or may wish to operate in different drive modes. For such a driver, a conventional vehicle chassis and powertrain, having a fixed configuration and mechanically coupled steering, braking, and propulsion systems, may be less than optimal.

The United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


Aspects of the invention are directed to a method and system for assigning the position of a touchpad device. A method for assigning a position of a touchpad according to an embodiment includes: selectively dividing, by a user, a touchpad into a first section and a second section, wherein the first section of the touchpad is distinct from the second section of the touchpad; and setting the first section of the touchpad as an active touchpad area; wherein a contact on the active touchpad area is recognized as a user input, and wherein a contact on the second section of the touchpad is not recognized as a user input.

Typical computer users are not proficient with "touch typing," which comprises typing without using the sense of sight to identify and find the keys on a keyboard. The most commonly used form of typing is "hunt and peck" typing (e.g., two-fingered typing). This method is slower than touch typing because instead of relying on the memorized position of keys on a keyboard, the typist is required to find each key by sight and move their fingers a greater distance.
Many computer users are eventually capable of obtaining fast typing speeds on a keyboard using hunt and peck type typing, without ever learning touch typing. One issue with hunt and peck typing is that it is not standard. For example, each user has their own idiosyncratic hunt and peck typing style that may involve the use of two or more fingers on one or both hands. Unfortunately, keyboards and associated touchpads, which have become ubiquitous, especially in virtually all laptops and on some stand-alone keyboards, are not designed with such non-standard users in mind.
A typical user, who has never taken a typing class, develops their own typing habits. Standard typing on a full QWERTY keyboard divides keys evenly between the right and left hands of the person typing. This ensures that the right hand interacts with the keys on the right half of the keyboard and the left hand interacts with the keys on the left half of the keyboard. This results in the hands never crossing over to the opposite, wrong side of the keyboard. Users who learn typing by developing their own method tend to favor using one hand over the other and do not isolate that hand to its "own half" of the keyboard. This creates an issue with keyboards that have a touchpad in or below the lower section of the keyboard.
One issue caused by the "crossing over" of hands occurs when the thumb or palm of the hand that is positioned on the wrong side of the keyboard accidently touches the touchpad. Such an accidental touch may cause the mouse cursor to be relocated to a new position on the screen, based on the location of where the mouse pointer was situated on the screen when the accidental touch occurred. This can result in issues ranging from typing in a document at the wrong location to inputting data in the wrong field in an application or form. To address this issue, some users have resorted to deactivating the touchpad on their laptops and using an external mouse.

Method and system for assigning the position of a touchpad device

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus includes a substrate and a transistor disposed on the substrate. The transistor includes a source and a source contact disposed on the source. The transistor also includes a drain and a drain contact disposed on the drain. A gate is disposed between the source contact and the drain contact, and a screened region is disposed adjacent the source contact or the drain contact. The screened region corresponds to a lightly doped region. The screened region includes an implant screen configured to reduce an effective dose in the screened region so as to shift an acceptable dose range of the screened region to a higher dose range. The acceptable dose range corresponds to acceptable breakdown voltage values for the screened region.

Transistor devices, such as high voltage transistors, can include lightly doped regions with N- or P-implants (depending on the type of transistor). In some cases, the lightly doped regions can correspond to the contact-to-gate ("C2G") regions for the source and/or drain (the C2G region may also be referred to as a drain extension region, "DER," or "LDD region"). In some cases, the lightly doped regions can correspond to the contact-to-active area edge ("C2A") regions of the transistor. The doping in the C2G and C2A regions helps the transistor withstand high voltages. The high voltage range will depend on the type of application. For example, in memory devices certain logic transistors may need to withstand voltages in a range of 10 volts to 35 volts. Whereas, in power electronics, the high voltage transistors may need to withstand 100s of volts. In some devices, the implant dose concentration within each device can vary. For example, memory devices (and also other types of transistor devices) can have high voltage transistors (e.g., in the periphery circuitry) with different breakdown voltage (BV) requirements due to, for example, different voltage threshold (Vt) requirements and/or different channel widths, which can shift the acceptable implant dose concentration range to a higher value as the channel narrows. Having different BV requirements can mean different implant dose concentrations in, for example, the C2G and/or C2A regions of the transistors. Manufacturing devices in which the transistors require different implant dose concentrations can mean numerous implant steps (along with the associated masking) to ensure that each of the different transistors has an acceptable implant dose concentration. In addition, in some transistors, it can be beneficial to have different implant dose concentrations within different regions of the same transistor. For example, the implant dose concentration in the C2G region can be different than the implant dose concentration in the C2A region. Thus, in covenantal transistors, multiple steps may be needed to implant the required dopant concentration for each doped region. However, having multiple implant steps can mean that the efficiency of the fabrication process will be reduced and can increase the cost of the fabrication.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for limiting the number of different implant dose concentrations for fabricating a transistor device.


A scheduler configured to schedule multiple channels of a Direct Memory Access (DMA) device includes a shift structure having entries corresponding to the multiple channels to be scheduled. Each entry in the shift structure includes multiple fields. Each entry also includes a weight that is determined based on these multiple fields. The scheduler also includes a comparison-logic circuit that is configured to then sort the entries based on their respective weights.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application generally relates to a scheduler and more particularly to a scheduler for a Direct Memory Access (DMA) device having multiple channels.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the Direct Memory Access (DMA) of a device controls the transfer of data between peripheral devices and the memory of the device. The device may include an input DMA and an output DMA to service data received from peripheral devices and data sent to peripheral devices, respectively. When a peripheral device wants to send data to a device with an input DMA, the peripheral device sends a request to the input DMA. The input DMA can then send an Acknowledgement (ACK) to the peripheral. When the peripheral device receives the ACK, it transfers data to the input DMA, which then transfers the data into memory. When data is to be sent out to a peripheral device, the processor of the device sends a request to the output DMA. The output DMA then retrieves data from memory and sends it out to the peripheral device.
Conventional DMAs typically have multiple channels that can be connected to multiple peripherals, multiple channels on one peripheral, or to multiple memory channels on the device. Conventional DMAs also typically have arbitrators or schedulers to control these multiple channels. However, as the number of channels on DMAs has increased, the complexity of these arbitrators/schedulers has also increased. This can increase the cost and reduced the processing speed of the DMA.

Scheduler for a direct memory access device having multiple channels


The invention relates to a method of inserting a message in a sequence of digital images, characterized in that it comprises the insertion (S4), in the spatial domain, of at least one symbol of the message in at least one part of an image (In), said image being bounded between two images in which no symbol is inserted in their respective parts in spatial correspondence with said part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of inserting supplementary information such as a secret mark in a digital signal.
It also concerns a method of extracting a secret mark inserted in a digital signal.
Correlatively, the present invention concerns a device for inserting supplementary information and a device for extracting supplementary information, adapted respectively to implement the insertion and extraction methods according to the invention.
2. Description of the Related Art
The digital signal considered hereinafter will more particularly be a sequence of digital images.
The insertion and extraction methods according to the invention lie within the technical field of the watermarking of digital data, which can be interpreted as the insertion of a seal in the digital data, making it possible for example to authenticate the content of a digital data file. This watermarking is also referred to as digital tattooing.
Watermarking entails in general terms the modification of coefficients representing the digital image. This modification is imperceptible to the eye, but can be decoded by an appropriate decoder.
Conventionally, to insert a binary message into a digital image, the bits of the message are first of all modulated by a noise sequence little correlated with the image. The noise sequence is a pseudo-random signal. This modulated message is next weighted so that it remains invisible after insertion in the image.
For the later extraction of the message, the same noise sequence is re-used. This noise sequence is correlated with the difference between the image in which the message has been inserted and an estimation of the initial image. This calculation makes it possible to recover the value of each bit inserted, and all the better with the estimation of the initial image being correct.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,798 proposes to improve the detection of a message inserted in a video signal by filtering the signal in which that message has been inserted. This filtering is spatial filtering, or in other words an intra-image prediction. The time dimension of the signal is not used.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,426 relates to the insertion of a message in video images. Such an image comprises an even field and an odd field which are strongly correlated. The insertion takes this into account for inserting the message in a particular manner in order to reduce the noise due to the image on extraction of the message.
The article entitled "A robust frame-based technique for video watermarking" by R. Caldelli, M. Barni, F. Bartolini and A. Piva, which appeared in Eusipco 2000, describes an algorithm for message insertion in a video. One image out of X images is used, where X is any integer, the value 9 being often used. The fact of not using all the images makes it possible to increase the statistical invisibility and the message is more difficult to predict. Prior to the insertion, the images are transformed by a discrete Fourier transformation. The extraction of the message is carried out by correlation measurement through individually processing each image of the video.
3. Brief Summary of the Invention
In the preceding examples the time dimension of the signal is not used.
In a first aspect, the object of the present invention is to improve the estimation of the initial image on the extraction of a message in such a manner as to increase the quality of the extraction of the message.
For this, the invention provides a method and a device for insertion of a message in a sequence of digital images which use the time dimension of the image sequence.
More particularly, the invention provides a method of inserting a message in a sequence of digital images, characterized in that it comprises the insertion, in the spatial domain, of at least one symbol of the message in at least one part of an image, said image being bounded between two images in which no symbol is inserted in their respective parts in spatial correspondence with said part.
Correlatively, the invention relates to a device for inserting a message in a sequence of digital images, characterized in that it comprises means for inserting, in the spatial domain, at least one symbol of the message in at least one part of an image, said image being included between two images in which no symbol is inserted in their respective parts in spatial correspondence with said part.
The invention makes it possible, on the later extraction of a message, to improve the estimation of the initial image and so favor the correct prediction of the message. Indeed, the zones in which message symbols are inserted are always bounded temporally by zones in which no insertion is made.
According to a preferred feature, the insertion is carried out on one image out of every two. This implementation is particularly simple, since a symbol can be inserted over the entirety of an image, this image being bounded by two images in which no insertion has been carried out. This implementation is simple and gives satisfactory results.
The insertion device comprises means for implementing the above features.
According to a preferred feature, the invention comprises the modulation of a symbol to be inserted by a pseudo-random sequence and the insertion of the result in said at least one part of an image.
The invention also relates to a method of extracting a message from a sequence of images in which the message has been inserted by the method of insertion already set out, characterized in that it comprises, for an image part in which at least one symbol has been inserted, the steps of:                predicting the current image part from the respective parts in spatial correspondence of the two images bounding it,        subtracting the part of the image predicted from the part of the image in which at least one symbol has been inserted, and        extracting the at least one symbol from the result of the subtraction.
The prediction makes it possible to obtain an estimation of the image which is close to the initial image, which enables a good quality of detection and of extraction of the message.
According to a preferred feature, the prediction of the current image part is performed by a calculation of the mean of the respective parts in spatial correspondence of the two images bounding it or by a calculation of the movement between the current image part and the respective parts in spatial correspondence of the two images bounding it.
According to a preferred feature, at the time of the subtraction, only the values resulting from the subtraction which are less than a predetermined threshold are kept. This is because this enables the extreme values to be eliminated which contributes to correct extraction of the message.
According to a preferred feature, the extraction comprises a calculation of correlation between the result of the subtraction and the pseudo-random sequence used at the time of the insertion.
The insertion of a message is said to be robust if the message can later be extracted even if the image has undergone transformations such as compression and/or geometrical distortions and/or time truncation and/or modification of a component of the pixels of the image, for example modification of the luminance. The term time truncation is used herein to mean the deletion of images at the start or at the end of the video sequence.
In order to establish the ideas, FIG. 24 represents a sequence of digital images VD. All the images of the sequence have the same size of H×L pixels, where H and L are integers.
The sequence VD is transformed into the sequence VD1, of which the images all have a size of H′×L′ pixels, where H′ is less than H and L′ is less than L. In other words, only one part of each original image is kept.
The sequence VD is transformed into the sequence VD2 by interpolation, of which the images represent the same content as the original images, but with different dimensions: H″×L″ pixels.
For example, the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,139 describes the insertion of a message in a video sequence. The message is inserted by modulation of each of its bits by a pseudo-random sequence.
A geometrical modification of the images of the video after insertion leads to a loss in the synchronization with the demodulation sequence. It then becomes impossible to extract the message.
The article entitled "A geometrical and frequential watermarking scheme using similarities" of P. Bas, J. M. Chassery and F. Davoine which appeared in SPIE conference on security and watermarking of multimedia contents, San Jose, Calif., Vol. 3657, January 1999, deals with watermarking of fixed images.
In this document, characteristic points of the image are detected. Square blocks are formed around these points. The image is watermarked by adding to one of the other blocks the texture of the block in which the detected point is to be found.
The watermarking signal is thus created from the image. However, this technique does not enable a message to be inserted in the image. Moreover, this watermarking is not robust in relation to numerous geometrical modifications of the image following watermarking.
The techniques presented in these two documents do not vary and are consequently robust with respect to the changes of a component of the pixels of the image. On the other hand, as already stated, they are not robust with respect to geometrical modifications.
The article entitled "Dither modulation : a new approach to digital watermarking and information embedding" by B. Chen and G. W. Wornell, which appeared in SPIE conference on security and watermarking of multimedia contents, San Jose, Calif., Vol. 3657, January 1999, deals with a method of watermarking of an image based on a uniform quantization of the pixels of the image. The quantization mode is chosen as a function of the value of the bit that it is desired to insert in the image.
This technique is robust to geometrical modifications of the image following watermarking. However, the inventor has determined by means of tests that this technique is less robust than the present invention to MPEG (Motion Picture Expert Group) compression.
Furthermore, this technique is not robust with respect to changes in the components of the pixels of the image, such as modification of the luminance value.
In the case of a time truncation of the digital sequence of images in which a message has been inserted, that is to say images have been deleted in particular at the start of the sequence, the message which is later extracted from the sequence is offset with respect to the message which had been inserted. It is thus necessary to perform a time re-synchronization of the extracted message.
The three prior documents do not deal with this problem.
The document entitled "A robust Frame-Based Technique for video watermarking" which appeared at Eucipco, Tampere, Finland, in September 2000, presents an algorithm for video watermarking which is robust to certain geometric distortions. Generally, one image out of every twelve is watermarked. On account of this, it is important to find the watermarked images again when a time truncation appears. To do this, a correlation measurement is calculated between each image of the video and a reference watermarking signal, which is done even if the majority of the images are not watermarked. The video is considered to be watermarked if images of the video present a correlation peak greater than a threshold. The time localization of these peaks is of little importance; only their presence shows the presence of the watermarking searched for. This algorithm does not therefore require any time synchronization and consequently does not deal with this question.
Furthermore, in this document, only the reference watermarking signal is searched for. This algorithm is thus difficult to implement when the number of possible messages is very high. Indeed, if the number of watermarks searched for is high, for example 2^64, then 2^64 correlation measurements must be carried out. This number is too high to be able to be implemented in practice.
In the document entitled "Digital watermarking of raw and compressed video" by F. Hartung and B. Girod which appeared in SPIE, Digital Compression Technologies and Systems For video Communication, October 1996, Berlin, a method of watermarking by spectrum spreading is presented. In case of time truncation, the authors mention a mechanism based on a "sliding correlator" to recover the time synchronization.
However, this document does not deal with the question of geometrical distortions. The synchronization presented in this document is ineffective when the time truncation is associated with a geometrical distortion.
Thus, none of the prior documents presents a technique for message insertion which is both robust to geometrical distortions as well as enabling a time re-synchronization to be carried out on the extraction of the message so as to eliminate the effect of a time truncation.
In a second aspect, the object of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art, by providing a method and device for inserting a message in a sequence of digital images which is robust with respect to geometrical modifications and to the operations of compression and decompression.
To this end, the invention provides a method of inserting a message in a sequence of digital images, characterized in that it comprises, for each image in which a symbol of the message is to be inserted, the steps of:                determining a modulation sequence from a reference image included in the sequence of images,        modulating the symbol to be inserted by the determined modulation sequence,        inserting the modulated symbol in the current image.
The invention permits an insertion that is robust to geometrical distortions and to compression and decompression operations.
According to a preferred feature, the reference image is the image following the current image in the sequence. This feature is simple to implement.
According to a preferred feature, the insertion is carried out in one image out of every two. This implementation is particularly simple, since a symbol can be inserted over the entirety of an image, this image being bounded by two images in which no insertion has been carried out. This implementation is simple and gives satisfactory results.
According to a preferred feature, the determination of a modulation sequence comprises:                performing integer division of the value of a predetermined component of each pixel of the reference image, by a first predetermined value,        comparing the remainder of the integer division with a predetermined value, for each integer division,        determining the value of each coefficient of the modulation sequence, depending on the respective result of each comparison.
The invention also relates to a method of extracting a message from a sequence of images in which the message has been inserted by the method of insertion already set out, characterized in that it comprises, for an image in which a symbol has been inserted, the steps of:                estimating the watermarking signal of the inserted symbol,        determining a demodulation sequence from a reference image,        demodulating the estimated watermarking signal with the demodulation sequence.
According to a preferred feature, the estimation of the watermarking signal of the inserted symbol comprises the steps of:                time prediction of a current image from the two images bounding it, and        subtraction of the predicted image from the current image.
According to a preferred feature, the prediction of the current image is performed by a calculation of the mean of the two images bounding it.
In a complementary manner, the invention relates to a device for the insertion of a message in a sequence of digital images, characterized in that is comprises:                means for determining a modulation sequence from a reference image included in the sequence of images, for each image in which a symbol of the message is to be inserted,        means for modulating the symbol to be inserted by the determined modulation sequence,        means for inserting the modulated symbol in the current image.
The insertion device comprises means for implementing the above features.
The invention also relates to a device for extracting a message from a sequence of images in which the message has been inserted by the insertion device already presented, characterized in that it comprises:                means for time prediction of a current image from the two images bounding it, and        means for subtraction of the predicted image from the current image,        means for determining a demodulation sequence from a reference image,        means for demodulation of the result of the subtraction by the demodulation sequence.
In a third aspect, the object of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art, by providing a method and device for inserting a message in a sequence of digital images, which, whilst being robust to geometrical modifications and to the operations of compression and decompression, can be time re-synchronized on its extraction.
To this end, the invention provides a method of inserting a message in a sequence of images, the message comprising ordered symbols, characterized in that it comprises, for each image in which a symbol of the message is to be inserted, the steps of:                determining a first modulation sequence from a reference image included in the sequence of images, according to a first law, if the order of the symbol is different to a predetermined order,        determining a second modulation sequence from a reference image included in the sequence of images, according to a second law, if the order of the symbol is equal to the predetermined order,        modulating the symbol to be inserted by the determined modulation sequence,        inserting the modulated symbol in the current image.
In a complementary manner, the invention relates to a device for the insertion of a message in a sequence of images, the message comprising ordered symbols, characterized in that is comprises:                means for determining, for each image in which a symbol of the message is to be inserted, a first modulation sequence from a reference image included in the sequence of images, according to a first law, if the order of the symbol is different to a predetermined order,        means for determining a second modulation sequence from a reference image included in the sequence of images, according to a second law, if the order of the symbol is equal to the predetermined order,        means for modulating the symbol to be inserted by the determined modulation sequence,        means for inserting the modulated symbol in the current image.
The invention permits an insertion that is robust to geometrical distortions and to compression and decompression operations. Furthermore, in the case of a time truncation of the video sequence in which a message has been inserted, the invention makes it possible to re-synchronize this message on its extraction.
According to a preferred feature, the first and second sequences are such that the result of the correlation of the first sequence by the second sequence is negligible in relation to the result of the correlation of the first sequence by itself or of the second sequence by itself.
Thus it is possible to differentiate the symbols of the message which have been inserted using the first law from those which have been inserted using the second law.
According to a preferred feature, the reference image is the image following the current image in the sequence. This feature is simple to implement.
According to a preferred feature, the insertion is carried out in one image out of every two. This implementation is particularly simple, since a symbol can be inserted over the entirety of an image, this image being bounded by two images in which no insertion has been carried out. This implementation is simple and gives satisfactory results.
According to a preferred feature, the determination of a modulation sequence comprises:                performing integer division of a quantity dependent on the value of a predetermined component of each pixel of the reference image, by a first predetermined value,        comparing the remainder of the integer division with a second predetermined value, for each integer division,        determining the value of each coefficient of the modulation sequence, depending on the respective result of each comparison.
According to a preferred feature, the predetermined order is that of the first symbol of the message. This is because it is particularly worthwhile to find the start of the message which has been inserted in the video sequence.
The invention also relates to a method of extracting a message from a sequence of images in which the message has been inserted by the method of insertion already set out, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:                detecting the images in which the symbol of predetermined order has been inserted, among the images in which a message symbol has been inserted,        extracting the inserted message.
The message which is extracted is thus time re-synchronized, since the images in which the symbol of predetermined order has been inserted have been identified.
According to a preferred feature, the method of extraction further comprises the prior step of detecting the images in which a message symbol has been inserted.
This prior step makes it possible to simplify the search for the images in which the symbol of predetermined order has been inserted.
According to a preferred feature, the detection of the images in which the symbol of predetermined order has been inserted comprises, for an image in which a symbol has been inserted,                estimating the watermarking signal of the inserted symbol,        determining a demodulation sequence from a reference image, according to the second law,        measuring a correlation between the estimated watermarking signal and the demodulation sequence,        determining the images for which the correlation measurement is maximum.
The calculated correlation measurements are maximum for the images in which the symbol of predetermined order has been inserted, which enables these images to be identified.
According to a preferred feature, the detection of the images in which a symbol has been inserted comprises, for an image:                estimating the watermarking signal of the inserted symbol,        determining a demodulation sequence from a reference image, according to the first law,        measuring a correlation between the estimated watermarking signal and the demodulation sequence,        determining the images for which the correlation measurement is maximum.
The calculated correlation measurements are maximum for the images in which a symbol has been inserted, which enables these images to be identified.
According to a preferred feature, the method of extraction comprises, for an image in which a symbol has been inserted, the steps of:                estimating the watermarking signal of the inserted symbol,        determining a demodulation sequence from a reference image, according to a first or second law, depending on the order of the symbol,        demodulating the estimated watermarking signal with the demodulation sequence.
The choice of the first or the second law is carried out depending on the knowledge of the images in which the symbol of predetermined order has been inserted.
The invention also relates to a device for extracting a message from a sequence of images in which the message has been inserted by the insertion device already presented, characterized in that it comprises:                means for detecting the images in which the symbol of predetermined order has been inserted, among the images in which a message symbol has been inserted,        means for extracting the inserted message.
According to a preferred feature, the extraction device further comprises prior means for detecting the images in which a message symbol has been inserted.
In a fourth aspect, the object of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art, by providing a method and device for inserting a message in a sequence of digital images, which, whilst being robust to geometrical modifications and to the operations of compression and decompression, also makes it possible to extract the message inserted when the sequence of images in which the message was inserted has undergone a modification of a component of the value of the pixels.
To this end, the invention provides a method of inserting a message in a sequence of images, the images comprising pixels represented by components, characterized in that it comprises, for each image in which a symbol of the message is to be inserted, the steps of:                determining a modulation sequence from a reference image included in the sequence of images, according to a periodic law of predetermined period,        said law being such that the absolute value of a correlation measurement of the modulation sequence with a second modulation sequence determined according to the same law and from the same reference image in which the values of a predetermined component of the pixels have been modified, has only one maximum over the predetermined period,        modulating the symbol to be inserted by the determined modulation sequence,        inserting the modulated symbol in the current image.
The invention enables insertion to be achieved that is robust in relation to geometric distortions and operations of compression and decompression, while also enabling the extraction of the inserted message when the sequence of images in which the message was inserted has undergone a modification of a component of the value of the pixels.
According to a preferred feature, the reference image is the image following the current image in the sequence. This feature is simple to implement.
According to a preferred feature, the insertion is carried out in one image out of every two. This implementation is particularly simple, since a symbol can be inserted over the entirety of an image, this image being bounded by two images in which no insertion has been carried out. This implementation is simple and gives satisfactory results.
According to a preferred feature, the determination of a modulation sequence comprises:                performing integer division of the value of a predetermined component of each pixel of the reference image, by a first predetermined value,        comparing the remainder of the integer division with a set of second predetermined values, for each integer division,        determining the value of each coefficient of the modulation sequence, depending on the respective result of each comparison.
According to a preferred feature, the predetermined component is the luminance.
The invention also relates to a method of extracting a message from a sequence of images in which the message has been inserted by the method of insertion already set out, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:                estimating a modification of the values of the predetermined component of the pixels of the reference image, for each image in which a symbol has been inserted,        compensating for the estimated modification, for each image in which a symbol has been inserted,        extracting the inserted message.
According to a preferred feature, the estimation of a modification of the values of the predetermined component of the pixels of the reference image comprises:                estimating the watermarking signal of the inserted symbol,        determining a demodulation sequence from a reference image in which the values of the predetermined component of the pixels have been modified,        measuring a correlation between the estimated watermarking signal and the demodulation sequence,        determining a modification value for which the correlation measurement is maximum.
According to a preferred feature, the compensation comprises adding the estimated modification to the value of the predetermined component of each pixel of the reference image.
According to a preferred feature, the extraction comprises, for an image in which a symbol has been inserted, the steps of:                estimating the watermarking signal of the inserted symbol,        determining a demodulation sequence from a reference image, in which the values of the predetermined component of the pixels have been modified by the estimated modification,        demodulating the estimated watermarking signal with the demodulation sequence.
In a complementary manner, the invention relates to a device for the insertion of a message in a sequence of images, the images comprising pixels represented by components, characterized in that is comprises:                means for determining, for each image in which a message symbol is to be inserted, a modulation sequence from a reference image included in the sequence of images, according to a periodic law of predetermined period,        said law being such that the absolute value of a correlation measurement of the modulation sequence with a second modulation sequence determined according to the same law and from the same reference image in which the values of a predetermined component of the pixels have been modified, has only one maximum over the predetermined period,        means for modulating the symbol to be inserted by the determined modulation sequence,        means for inserting the modulated symbol in the current image.
The invention also concerns an extraction device which comprises means for implementing the above characteristics.
The insertion device and the extraction method and device have similar advantages to those already set out.
The invention also relates to a digital device including the device according to the invention, or means for implementing the method according to the invention. This digital apparatus is for example a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a scanner, a printer, a photocopier, or a fax machine. The advantages of the device and of the digital device are identical to those already set out.
The invention also concerns an information storage means, which can be read by a computer or microprocessor, integrated or not into the device, and possibly removable, stores a program implementing the method according to the invention.
The invention also concerns a computer program readable by a microprocessor and comprising one or more sequences of instructions is capable of implementing the methods according to the invention.

Insertion of a message in a sequence of digital images


Embodiments are disclosed that relate to a compact steam boiler which may provide steam to a steam reformer in a fuel cell system. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam boiler including an outer shell and a first inner tube and a second inner tube within the outer shell, the first and second inner tubes spaced away from one another. The steam boiler further includes a twisted ribbon positioned inside each of the first and second inner tubes.

In a steam reformer, under high temperatures (e.g., 400-800° C.) and in the presence of a catalyst (e.g., nickel), steam may react with a feed gas (e.g., methane) to generate a reformate (e.g., hydrogen) which may be used as fuel in a hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity, for example. In some examples, the steam is generated in a steam boiler which is coupled to the reformer. As a size of the steam reformer is reduced due to packaging constraints, for example, a size of the steam boiler should also be reduced.


Zoom digital cameras comprising a Wide sub-camera and a folded fixed Tele sub-camera. The folded Tele sub-camera may be auto-focused by moving either its lens or a reflecting element inserted in an optical path between its lens and a respective image sensor. The folded Tele sub-camera is configured to have a low profile to enable its integration within a portable electronic device.

In recent years, mobile devices such as cell-phones (and in particular Smartphones), tablets and laptops have become ubiquitous. Such devices commonly include one or two compact digital cameras e.g. a main rear-facing camera (i.e. a camera on the back side of the device, facing away from the user and often used for casual photography) and a secondary front-facing camera (i.e. a camera located on the front side of the device and often used for video conferencing).
The design of many of these cameras is similar to the traditional structure of a digital still camera, i.e. they comprise an optical component (or a train of several optical elements and a main aperture) placed on top of an image sensor (also referred to henceforth simply as "sensor"). The optical component (also referred to as "optics") refracts the incoming light rays and bends them to create an image of a scene on the sensor.
The dimensions of these cameras are largely determined by the size of the sensor and by the height of the optics. These are usually tied together through the focal length (f) of the lens and its field of view (FOV)—a lens that has to image a certain FOV on a sensor of a certain size has a specific focal length. Keeping the FOV constant, the larger the sensor dimensions (e.g. in an X-Y plane), the larger the focal length and the optics height.
As the dimensions of mobile devices (and in particular the thickness of devices such as Smartphones) are constantly being diminished, compact camera dimensions are becoming an increasingly limiting factor on device thickness. Several approaches have been proposed to reduce compact camera thickness in order to alleviate this constraint. Recently, multi-aperture systems have been proposed for this purpose. In such systems, instead of having one aperture with one train of optical elements, the camera is divided into several apertures, each with dedicated optical elements, and all sharing a similar field of view. Hereinafter, each such aperture, together with the optics and the sensor area on which the image is formed, is defined as a "sub-camera". Images from the sub-cameras are fused together to create a single output image.
In some multi-aperture camera designs, each sub-camera creates a smaller image on the image sensor compared with the image created by a reference single-aperture camera. Therefore, the height of each sub-camera can be smaller than the height of a single-aperture camera, reducing the total height of the camera and allowing for slimmer designs of mobile devices.
Dual-aperture zoom cameras in which one sub-camera has a wide FOV ("Wide sub-camera") and the other has a narrow FOV ("Tele sub-camera") are known. One problem with dual-aperture zoom cameras relates to the height of the zoom Tele sub-camera. There is a significant difference in the height (also known as "total track length" or "TTL") of Tele ("T") and Wide ("W") sub-cameras. The TTL is typically defined as the maximal distance between the object-side surface of a first lens element and a camera image sensor plane. In most miniature lenses, the TTL is larger than the lens effective focal length (EFL). A typical TTL/EFL ratio for a given lens (or lens unit) is around 1.3. In a single-aperture Smartphone camera with a ⅓-¼″ sensor, EFL is typically between 3.5 and 4.5 mm, respectively, leading to a FOV of 70-80°.
Assuming, for example, one wishes to achieve a dual-aperture ×2 optical zoom in a Smartphone, it would be natural to use EFLW=3.5 mm and EFLT=2×EFLW=7 mm. However, without spatial restrictions, the Wide lens will have an EFLW=3.5 mm and a TTLW of 3.5×1.3=4.55 mm, while the Tele lens will have EFLT=7 mm and TTLT of 7×1.3=9.1 mm. The incorporation of a 9.1 mm lens in a Smartphone camera would lead to a camera height of around 10 mm, which is unacceptable for many Smartphone manufacturers.
An example of a solution to the aforementioned problem is described in co-invented and co-owned PCT patent application PCT/IB2014/062180 titled "Dual-aperture zoom digital camera" (published as WO2014/199338). Some of the principles of this solution are shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B hereof schematically illustrating an embodiment of a dual-aperture zoom camera with auto-focus (AF) and numbered 100, in FIG. 1A, a general isometric view, and, in FIG. 1B, a sectioned isometric view. Camera 100 comprises two sub-cameras, labeled 102 and 104, each sub-camera having its own optics. Thus, sub-camera 102 includes an optics bloc 106 with an aperture 108 and an optical lens module 110, as well as a sensor 112. Similarly, sub-camera 104 includes an optics bloc 114 with an aperture 116 and an optical lens module 118, as well as a sensor 120. Each optical lens module may include several lens elements as well as an Infra-Red (IR) filter 122a and 122b. Optionally, some or all of the lens elements belonging to different apertures may be formed on the same substrate. The two sub-cameras are positioned next to each other, with a small baseline in the 124 between the center of the two apertures 108 and 116. Each sub-camera can further include an AF mechanism, respectively 126 and 128, controlled by a controller (not shown). Camera 100 is "thin" as expressed by TTL/EFL for each sub-camera. Typically, TTLW/EFLW>1.1 and TTLT/EFLT<1.0 (e.g. 0.85).
While the zoom range in camera 100 is about ×2, it would be advantageous to further increase this range. However, this requires increasing further the Tele lens EFL (EFLT), which will cause an increase in the camera height. An increase of EFLT to exemplarily 12 mm will result in an undesirable camera height of for example 0.85×12+0.9=11.1 mm
General Description
As noted above, the requirements for digital cameras for use in portable electronic devices are related to the dimensions and image quality of the camera. Moreover, these requirements become more essential when the camera is to be installed within the portable device, unlike other external camera units attachable to the portable device.
In the case of an internal (integral) camera unit, a camera is required to have dimensions as small as possible in order to fit the thickness of the device in which the camera is installed (preferably without protruding from the device's casing), while being suitable to operate with commonly used image sensors. This problem is even more crucial when using a Tele lens with a long effective focal length (EFL) to obtain a relatively high zooming effect.
Thus, according to one aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided a zoom digital camera comprising a Wide sub-camera and a Tele sub-camera. The Wide sub-camera comprises a Wide lens module and a Wide image sensor, the Wide lens module having a Wide lens symmetry axis along a first optical path between an object side and the Wide image sensor. The Wide sub-camera is configured to provide a Wide image.
The Tele sub-camera comprises a Tele lens module and a Tele image sensor and a first reflecting element. The Tele lens module has a Tele lens symmetry axis along a second optical path, the Tele lens symmetry axis positioned substantially perpendicular to the Wide lens symmetry axis. The Tele sub-camera is configured to provide a Tele image.
The first reflecting element has a first reflecting element symmetry axis inclined substantially at 45 degrees to both the Wide lens symmetry axis and the Tele lens symmetry axis and is operative to provide a folded optical path between the object and the Tele image sensor. Accordingly, the Tele sub-camera is considered to be folded and is referred to herein as "folded Tele sub-camera".
The Wide lens has a Wide field of view (FOVW) and the Tele lens has a Tele field of view (FOVT) narrower than FOVW. According to one non-limiting example, the Tele sub-camera provides an ×5 zooming effect, compared to the Wide sub-camera.
The digital camera is operatively connected to at least one image processor configured to process the Tele image and the Wide image into an output image. Methods of fusing images received through different optical paths into a single output image are provided for example in co-invented and co-owned PCT patent application, publication no. WO2014/083489 titled "HIGH-RESOLUTION THIN MULTI-APERTURE IMAGING SYSTEMS", and co-invented and co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/365,711 titled "DUAL APERTURE ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA" which are incorporated herein by reference and discloses a multi-aperture imaging system comprising a first camera with a first sensor that captures a first image, and a second camera with a second sensor that captures a second image. Either image may be chosen to be a primary or an auxiliary image, based on a zoom factor. An output image with a point of view determined by the primary image is obtained by registering the auxiliary image to the primary image.
In order to further adapt the dimensions of the folded Tele sub-camera to the trend in electronic portable devices, seeking to reduce their thickness as much as possible, various features of the folded Tele sub-camera were specifically configured to enable to achieve a folded Tele sub-camera with reduced height. Reduction of the Tele-sub camera height enables to reduce the overall height of a dual aperture camera. Furthermore, reduction of the folded Tele sub-camera height was achieved while maintaining a desirable image quality.
Thus, in addition to the above features, according to various examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the zoom digital camera can comprise one or more of features (1) to (32) below, in any desired combination and permutation.
1) wherein the Tele lens module of the folded Tele sub-camera comprises a group of at least 3 lens elements and wherein the lens elements in the group are designed to have a diameter substantially not exceeding the diameter of an aperture of the Tele sub-camera. As explained below, this is different than conventional lens modules where the diameters of the lenses are designed to be increasingly wider towards the sensor.
2) wherein the Tele lens module of the folded Tele sub-camera comprises a group of 3 to 5 lens elements.
3) wherein the Tele sub-camera further comprises a substrate, a structure for holding the lens elements in place, and a camera casing.
4) wherein the aperture of the Tele sub-camera is designed to provide a sufficiently low F # (e.g. equal or smaller than 3) to increase light falling on the Tele image sensor.
5) wherein the Tele lens module is designed to enable to generate an image on an entire area of the Tele image sensor. The Tele image sensor can be for example a ⅓″ image sensor or a ¼″ image sensor.
6) wherein the lens elements in the group are designed such that blocked light does not exceed a certain percentage of the light entering the Tele lens module (e.g. not more than 25% of light entering the Tele lens module is blocked).
7) wherein according to one example the Tele sub-camera is configured to have the following technical parameters: an EFL>9 mm, an F #≤3 and light blockage does not exceed more than 25% of light entering the Tele sub-camera aperture for all viewing angles.
8) wherein the Tele sub-camera is characterized by a height not exceeding 6.5 mm.
9) wherein the Tele sub-camera is characterized by a height not exceeding 5.7 mm.
10) wherein the Tele image sensor lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the Tele lens symmetry axis.
11) wherein the Tele sub-camera comprises a Tele auto-focus (AF) mechanism configured to move the Tele lens along the Tele symmetry axis; the AF mechanism is designed such that its height substantially does not exceed the height of a Tele lens module.
12) wherein the AF mechanism comprises one or more magnets coupled to respective coils, positioned laterally on one or two sides of the Tele lens module, the magnets having a height substantially not exceeding the height of the Tele lens module.
13) wherein the AF mechanism comprises only one magnet coupled to a respective coil.
14) wherein the camera further comprises a second reflecting element positioned in the second optical path between the Tele lens module and the Tele image sensor, the second reflecting element being configured to direct light that propagates parallel to the second optical path to the first optical path, wherein the Tele image sensor lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the Wide lens symmetry axis.
15) wherein the camera further comprises a Tele auto-focus (AF) mechanism configured to move the second reflecting element along a second reflecting element symmetry axis.
16) wherein the Wide and Tele image sensors are mounted on a single printed circuit board.
17) wherein at least one processor operatively connected to the camera is configured to use a zoom factor (ZF) to determine a respective output field of view.
18) wherein the Wide lens module has a Wide field of view FOVW and the Tele lens module has a Tele field of view FOVT narrower than FOVW; the camera further comprises a Mid sub-camera that includes a Mid lens module with a field of view FOVM that fulfills FOVW>FOVM>FOVT and a Mid image sensor, the Mid lens having a Mid lens symmetry axis; the Mid camera is configured to provide a Mid image.
19) wherein the Mid sub-camera is configured with an EFL which equals to a geometric average of an EFL of the Wide sub-camera and an EFL of the Tele sub-camera.
20) wherein at least one processor operatively connected to the camera is configured to process the Mid image together with the Tele image or the Wide image into an output image.
21) wherein the Mid lens symmetry axis is substantially perpendicular to the Wide lens symmetry axis and the Mid image sensor lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the Mid lens symmetry axis; and wherein the Tele image sensor lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the Tele lens symmetry axis.
22) wherein the camera further comprises a Mid auto-focus (AF) mechanism configured to move the Mid lens module along the Mid symmetry axis, which is substantially perpendicular to the Wide lens symmetry axis; and a Tele AF mechanism configured to move the Tele lens module along the Tele symmetry axis; either of the Mid AF mechanism and Tele AF mechanism have a height substantially not exceeding the height of the Tele lens module.
23) wherein the Mid AF mechanism comprises one or more magnets coupled to respective coils, positioned laterally on one or two sides of the Tele lens module, the magnets having a height substantially not exceeding the height of the Tele lens module.
24) wherein the Mid AF mechanism comprises only one magnet coupled to a respective coil.
25) wherein the camera further comprises a third reflecting element inclined substantially at 45 degrees to both the Wide lens symmetry axis and the Mid lens symmetry axis; the third reflecting element is configured to provide a folded optical path between the object side and the Mid image sensor.
26) wherein the camera further comprises a fourth reflecting element positioned in a fourth optical path between the Mid lens and the Mid image sensor, the fourth reflecting element configured to direct light that propagates parallel to the second optical path to the first optical path, wherein the Mid image sensor lies in a plane substantially parallel to the Mid lens symmetry axis.
27) wherein the camera further comprises a Mid auto-focus (AF) mechanism configured to move the fourth reflecting element along a fourth reflecting element symmetry axis.
28) wherein a Mid lens symmetry axis of the Mid sub-camera is substantially parallel to the Wide lens symmetry axis and the Wide and Mid image sensors are mounted on a single printed circuit board.
29) wherein a Mid lens symmetry axis of the Mid sub-camera is substantially perpendicular to the Wide lens symmetry axis and the Wide and Mid image sensors are mounted on a single printed circuit board.
30) wherein at least one processor operatively connected to the camera is configured to use a zoom factor (ZF) to determine a respective output field of view.
31) wherein at least one processor operatively connected to the camera is configured to output an output image formed by using Wide and Mid images for a ZF that sets a FOV between FOVW and FOVM.
32) wherein at least one processor operatively connected to the camera is configured to output an output image formed by using Mid and Tele images for a ZF that sets a FOV between FOVM and FOVT.
According to one example, the presently disclosed subject matter includes a digital camera configured to be integrated within a casing of an electronic device, the camera comprising: a Wide sub-camera, a Tele sub-camera and a Tele auto-focus (AF) mechanism;
the Wide sub-camera comprising, a Wide lens module and a Wide image sensor, the Wide lens module having a Wide lens symmetry axis along a first optical path between an object side and the Wide image sensor; the Wide sub-camera configured to provide a Wide image; a Tele sub-camera comprising, a Tele lens module and a Tele image sensor and a first mirror; the Tele lens module having a Tele lens symmetry axis along a second optical path, the Tele lens symmetry axis positioned substantially perpendicular to the Wide lens symmetry axis; the Tele camera is configured to provide a Tele image; the first mirror has a first mirror symmetry axis inclined substantially at 45 degrees to both the Wide lens symmetry axis and the Tele lens symmetry axis and is operative to provide a folded optical path between the object and the Tele image sensor;
wherein the Tele lens module comprises a group of 3 to 5 lens elements and wherein the lens elements in the group are designed to have a diameter substantially not exceeding the diameter of an aperture of the Tele sub-camera, to enable the generation of an image on an entire area of the Tele image sensor, and to enable passage of at least 75% of light entering the Tele lens module, towards the Tele image sensor;
wherein the Tele AF mechanism is configured to move the Tele lens along the Tele symmetry axis; the AF mechanism comprises one or more magnets coupled to respective coils, positioned laterally on one or two sides of to the Tele lens module, the magnets having a height substantially not exceeding the height of the Tele lens module.
The presently disclosed subject matter further contemplates a mobile electronic device such as a cell phone (e.g. Smartphone), portable computer, notepad, tablet, watch, any type of electronic wearable device (e.g. bracelet, watch, helmet, glasses, etc.), or the like, which is equipped with a digital camera as disclosed herein. According to some examples, the digital camera is fully integrated within the electronic device (i.e. without protruding from the casing of the electronic device).
The presently disclosed subject matter further contemplates a Folded Tele sub-camera having a low camera profile as disclosed above.

Zoom dual-aperture camera with folded lens


An imaging system (100) includes a stationary gantry (102), a rotating gantry (104), a radiation source (110), and a detector array (112). The detector array detects radiation for a plurality of integration periods during a rotating gantry revolution, the plurality of integration periods corresponds to different angular position ranges, and the detector array generates a signal indicative of the detected radiation respectively for the plurality of integration periods. The system further includes an integration period controller (118) that generates an integration period timing signal that includes timing for a start of each of the integration periods for a revolution of the rotating gantry based at least on a time duration of a previous revolution of the rotating gantry around the examination region, wherein the integration timing signal is used trigger the plurality of integration periods.

A computed tomography (CT) scanner includes a rotating portion rotatably supported by a stationary portion. The rotating portion supports an x-ray tube, which emits radiation that traverses an examination region and a portion of an object or subject therein, and a detector array that detects radiation traversing the examination region and generates projection data indicative of the detected radiation. A reconstructor reconstructs the projection data and generates volumetric image data indicative of the portion of the object or subject in the examination region. One or more images can be generated based on the image data.
The detector array includes detector pixels that convert detected x-ray photons into electrical signals indicative thereof. For each revolution of the rotating gantry, the detector pixels detect and convert x-ray photons for a plurality of integration periods, each corresponding to a different angular position range. The time duration of an integration period depends on the rotating gantry rotation speed and the number integration periods for each revolution of the scan. With an integrating detector array, at the beginning of each integration period, the integrators for the detector pixels are reset, and then the integrators receive and integrate the electrical signals over the integration period. The integrated signals form the projection data for that integration period.
The reconstructor processes projection data for a given integration period as corresponding to a particular angular position range. However, if the integration period timing with respect to the angular position range is not accurate, then, in actuality, the projection data corresponds to a different angular position range, and this may result in degraded image quality of the reconstructed image data. Unfortunately, there is a natural rotating gantry position error in which the dominant disturbance of the rotating gantry velocity is imbalance, which is a function of rotating gantry angle, and the amount of angular error due to the imbalance is a function of the inverse of the cube of the rotation speed.
A highly accurate large diameter rotating gantry position determining apparatus has been used to determine the actual position of the rotating gantry, which has been used to synchronize the integration period timing and rotating gantry angular position range. Such an apparatus has included a high resolution encoder and resolver, supporting electronics, a power supply, and a slip ring to transfer data between the rotating and stationary portions of the scanner. Unfortunately, such apparatuses generally are complex and expensive, and increase the overall cost of the scanner.

Computed tomography (CT) data acquisition


The present invention provides a vehicle ventilation system, and, in particular, a heating and air-conditioning assembly and method of making such an assembly, wherein the assembly comprises a multi-portion HVAC housing and an alignment feature.

In automotive ventilating systems, and in ventilating systems generally, there exists a need to direct air within and through an HVAC unit to provide appropriate heating and cooling temperatures as finally desired, through respective air pathways. Air can be directed by dampers, doors, and various mechanisms to wherever the ventilating system designer would like the air to proceed, and under any selected design condition. For example, in a vehicle it is desirable to provide for components, and, in particular, plastic or plastic like components, to be located within the HVAC housing, and, in particular, between and within the housing portions of the HVAC unit. In the majority of automotive HVAC units, the HVAC unit comprises two distinct major portions or housing 'halves' which need to be attached or 'fastened' together in some fashion to provide for a complete HVAC unit housing.
The HVAC design or architecture is limited by a number of requirements. For example, components such as described above must be provided with an air sealing around the components that relate to forces or pressure points that are found distributed along contact points or 'patches' where two housing portions contact each other. Typically, sealing features such as tongue and groove air sealing features, are found at the area of the contact patch as the seal that is found between the housing requires a force normal to it to ensure that the housing are sealed properly.
In addition to contact patches where two housing portions contact each other, traditional HVAC unit architectures often have contact points at or near the center of the housing of a smaller surface area than those found at other areas of the housing portions such as the outer walls. Such smaller contact areas are typically found at an end of the heater core, for example, and are necessary to provide normal seal forces in these areas. In order to ensure that the seal forces in these areas are normal and adequate, HVAC housing are typically designed with a prescribed region or 'tower' located or incorporated into the plastic component that is large enough to allow a screw to be inserted from outside the housing portions through the housing portions to fasten the housing portions together, thereby providing for normal seal forces in the contact areas.
The tower concept, while producing the desired effect of allowing the forces to be normal along the contact areas, has a number of disadvantages. Current state of the art provides for a tower with a screw boss and/or locator pin to force the two walls together. The screw, therefore, typically enters into a 'well' or 'fosse' in the housing for assembly. The tower requires screw driver tool access from the external side of the housing and therefore requires more packaging space and a thin tower in the plastic mold. See FIG. 1.
The mold tool for the plastic component that forms the tower, for example, is required to be designed to provide for an often tall and thin mold to produce the tower feature. The resultant tool also has the disadvantage of being costly to produce and of having limited life due to the extraordinary features related to the tower.
The prior art has many complex devices for fastening portions of housings in automobile mounted HVAC systems. However, the complexity only adds cost to the design process, adds cost to the manufacture, and further increases, rather than decreases, overall space requirements of the HVAC unit.
The present invention, by providing for an alternative attachment or fastening means without the need for such as tower, overcomes the problems found in the prior art.

Abstract: The alignment feature preferably follows the contours of the housing portions of the HVAC. Preferably, the alignment feature is a baffle, or, in particular, a cross flow baffle, that serves an air directing as well as bridge function between housing portions of the HVAC, reducing packaging space for the HVAC unit while providing ease of assembly and reduced tool complexity for multi-piece HVAC housings.


The invention is a safety mechanism for an air-powered tool. The mechanism senses the position of the tool's implement retainer and disables the air flow to the tool's motor if the retainer is not in its locked position. The mechanism employs a pushrod that has one end adapted to contact a rear surface of the retainer when the retainer is in its lock position. The other end of the pushrod is adapted to contact a spring-biased ball-type check valve located within the air inlet to the tool's motor. When the retainer is removed from the tool, the pushrod moves forwardly under the urging of the valve and at the same time allows the valve to move to its closed position to thereby prevent any flow of pressurized air to the motor.

A pneumatic tool such as an air hammer normally comprises three combined sections. The first section usually includes a handle for the manual manipulation of the tool. The tool's second section contains the air-powered motor. The third section of the tool comprises the retainer that removably secures the bit/implement that will directly contact the workpiece.
To operate the tool, a user grasps the tool's handle and then actuates a trigger mechanism that causes a valve within the tool to allow pressurized air to flow to the tool's motor. In the case of a pneumatic hammer, the air-powered motor is in the form of an elongated cylinder that houses a movable piston. The pressurized air is directed to opposite end portions of the cylinder in an alternating fashion to thereby cause a reciprocating movement of the piston within the cylinder. Whenever the piston reaches the bottom of the cylinder, it impacts on the removable bit/work-contacting implement.
The implement retainer is designed so that an operator can manipulate it to thereby allow the release or securement of the bit/work-contacting implement. For a pneumatic hammer, the retainer usually must be fully removed from the tool's housing before the bit/implement can be released.
There are two common methods for securing the implement retainer to the tool's housing. In the first method, the retainer is locked to the tool by a removable, flexible metal band that is sometimes referred to as a garter spring. The band fits through a hole in the retainer and is removably inserted into a circular area formed by complementary grooves on the interior of the retainer and on the exterior of the tool's housing. Once the band is in place, the retainer is locked onto the housing.
The second method for locking a pneumatic hammer's retainer to the housing is by the use of complementary threads located on the interior of the retainer and on the exterior of the tool's housing. These threads allow the retainer to be unscrewed from the tool and thereby removed.
A situation that can at rare times occur with air tools is the unintentional release or ejection of the work-contacting implement from the tool. Although the operator can avoid this hazard by inspection of the retainer prior to beginning work and by disconnection of the air supply when changing implements, it is desirable to further minimize the hazard which may be created by the inattention or neglect of the operator.
The above-noted situation can be dangerous if the tool's motor is actuated while the implement is not secured to the tool by the retainer.
It is therefore a common safety precaution to disconnect a tool from the air supply before removing the tool's implement retainer. However, since disconnecting the air supply is dependent upon the user, such user may negligently and incorrectly decide that disconnection is not necessary.