Disclosed are methods, apparatus (1) and computer readable media for rendering at least one graphic object (80, 90) described by at least one edge (82-86, 92-98) into a raster pixel image (78) having a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of pixel locations on each scan line. For each scan line, coordinates of intersection of those edges of the objects that intersect the scan line are determined in a predetermined order. This is preferably achieved by processing edge records (418) using a number of buffers (402, 404,406, 412,420, 422) thereby enabling efficient sorting of edge intersections into order. For each adjacent pair of edge intersections, information (530) associated with the corresponding object is examined to determining a set of active objects (508, 510) for a span of pixel locations between the corresponding pair of edge intersections. For each span of pixel locations, the corresponding set of active objects is used to determine (600) a value for each of the locations within the span. The information may include one or more of a fill count, a clip count and other factors. A compositing model accommodating opacity is also disclosed, as are stack operations used to facilitate rendering and other features which contribute to fast processing of image components.

The present invention relates to the rendering of object graphic elements into raster pixel images and, in particular, to efficient rendering of such elements to pixel image data without the use of frame or line storage of the pixel data as part of the rendering process.
Most object based graphics systems utilise a frame store or page buffer to hold a pixel-based image of the page or screen. Typically, the outlines of the graphic objects are calculated, filled and written into the frame store. For two-dimensional graphics, objects which appear in front of other objects are simply written into the frame store after the background objects, thereby replacing the background on a pixel-by-pixel basis. This is commonly known in the art as the xe2x80x9cPainter""s algorithmxe2x80x9d. Objects are considered in priority order, from the rearmost object to the foremost object, and, typically, each object is rasterised in scan line order and pixels are written to the frame store in sequential runs along each scan line.
There are essentially two problems with this technique. The first is that it requires fast random access to all the pixels in the frame store. This is because each new object considered could affect any pixel in the frame-store. For this reason, the frame store is normally kept in semiconductor random access memory (RAM). For high resolution colour printers the amount of RAM required is very large, typically in excess of 100 MBytes, which is costly and difficult to operate at high speed. The second problem is that many pixels which are painted (rendered), are over-painted (re-rendered) by later objects. Painting the pixels with the earlier objects was a waste of time.
One method for overcoming the large frame-store problem is the use of xe2x80x9cbandingxe2x80x9d. When banding is used, only part of the frame-store exists in memory at any one time. All of the objects to be drawn are retained in a xe2x80x9cdisplay listxe2x80x9d. The whole image is rendered as above, but pixel painting (rendering) operations that try to paint (render) outside the fraction of the frame-store which exists are xe2x80x9cclippedxe2x80x9d out. After all the objects have been drawn, the fractional part of the frame-store is sent to the printer (or some other location) and another fraction of the frame-store is selected and the process repeated. There are penalties with this technique. For example, the objects being drawn must be considered and re-considered many timesxe2x80x94once for each band. As the number of bands increases, so too does the repetitious examination of objects requiring rendering. The technique of banding does not solve the problem of the cost of over-painting.
Some other graphic systems consider the image in scan line order. Again, all the objects to be drawn are retained in a display list. On each scan line the objects which intersect that scan line are then considered in priority order and for each object, spans of pixels between object edge intersection points are set in a line store. This technique also overcomes the large frame store problem, but still suffers from the over-paint problem.
There are other techniques which overcome both the large frame-store problem and the over-painting problem. In one such technique, each scan line is produced in turn. Again, all the objects to be drawn are retained in a display list. On each scan line, the edges of objects which intersect that scan line are held in order of increasing coordinate of intersection with the scan line. These points of intersection, or edge crossings, are considered in turn and used to toggle an array of active flags. There is one active flag for each object priority which is of interest on the scan line. Between each pair of edges considered, the colour data for each pixel which lies between the first edge and the next edge is generated by using a priority encoder on the active flags to determine which priority is topmost, and using the colour associated with that priority for the pixels of the span between the two edges. In preparation for the next scan line, the coordinate of intersection of each edge is updated in accordance with the nature of each edge. Adjacent edges which become mis-sorted as a result of this update are swapped. New edges are also merged into the list of edges.
This technique has the significant advantages that there is no frame store or line store, there is no over painting, and the object priorities are dealt with in constant order time, rather than order N time (where N is the number of priorities).
However, there are several limitations to this technique:
(i) The technique only supports the xe2x80x9codd-evenxe2x80x9d fill rule, known in the art for determining the inside versus outside state of an object from its edges. The xe2x80x9cnon-zero windingxe2x80x9d fill rule, which is a required feature of many graphic description languages, is not supported by that technique.
(ii) Large mis-sorting can occur for which a simple swapping technique is inadequate to repair. While a brute-force sort of the whole of the edge list on each scan line can be performed, this is very slow.
(iii) The technique does not support raster (pixel-based) images as an object type. Such images are a required feature of most graphic description languages.
(iv) The technique only supports objects which are opaque, where each painted pixel strictly obscures the pixels of objects with lesser priority. The technique does not support raster operations in which the colour of two or more graphic objects interact. Such operations include drawing in XOR mode, or the compositing of partially transparent objects. These modification operations are a required feature of most graphic description languages.
(v) The technique does not support clipping, where one or more clip shapes suppress some number of other graphics objects inside (or outside) the bounds of the clip shapes. Clipping is a required feature of most graphic description languages.
(vi) The technique uses voluminous and inefficient encoding of object edges, particularly for text. It is desirable for such an extremely common element of graphic descriptions to be represented in a simpler fashion.
(vii) The technique in some instances does not provide for accurate evaluation of complicated compositing expressions where the activity of one or more objections is variable.
The inability of the technique to implement many features required by existing graphic description languages severely limits its use.
Further, some existing rendering interfaces require implementation of the bit-wise logical combination of the colour of two or more graphic objects. Other existing rendering interfaces require implementation of an alpha channel (also referred to as transparency, opacity, or matte) based combination of the colour of two or more graphic objects. Current techniques do not allow these two features to be implemented in a unified fashion.
It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more deficiencies with prior art systems.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of processing graphic objects intended to form a raster pixel image, said processing comprising a process for determining an intersection order between edges of said graphic objects by evaluating corresponding edge records for a current scan line in rasterised display order and determining an edge intersection value for each said edge for a subsequent scan line, said process comprising, during processing of said edge records, the steps of:
retaining a limited number of processed edge records in an unordered first buffer and progressively transferring said processed edge records to a second buffer in order, as orderable processed edge records are added to said first buffer;
transferring unorderable processed edge records to a third buffer in order to order said edge records in said third buffer; and
selectively processing edge records from said second and third buffers for determining ordered intersections for a subsequent scan line.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of processing graphic objects intended to form a raster pixel image in a graphic object rendering system, said processing comprising a first process for determining an intersection order between edges of said graphic objects and a current scan line of said raster pixel image, said system comprising:
plural edge records for each of a current scan line and a subsequent scan line, each of said records including a plurality of record locations for retaining at least a pixel location value of a corresponding edge on the corresponding scan line, each of said current and subsequent edge records being divided into at least a main portion and a spill portion, at least the main portion of said current edge records being arranged in raster pixel order;
at least one current active edge record;
a spill active edge record, and
a pool including a limited predetermined number of edge records; said method comprising the steps of:
(a) transferring a first edge record from each of said main and spill portions of said current edge records into the corresponding active edge records;
(b) comparing values of said active edge records to determine that said active edge record having a lowest value in said raster pixel order and outputting that value and record as a current edge value and record;
(c) updating said current edge record with a value of the corresponding edge for said subsequent scan line;
(d) comparing the updated edge value with edge values within said pool, wherein if the updated edge value is less than an edge value in said pool then
(da) said updated current edge record is transferred to the spill portion of the subsequent edge records; otherwise
(db) (dba) an edge record having a smallest edge value is transferred from said pool to a next record of the main portion of said subsequent edge record; and
(dbb) said updated edge record is transferred to the record of said pool vacated in sub-step (dba); and
(dc) a further edge record is transferred from the corresponding portion of the current edge record to the active edge record vacated by the updated edge record;
(e) repeating steps (b) to (d) until each of said records in said pool are occupied whereupon a smallest edge value record of said pool is transferred to said main portion of said subsequent edge records;
(f) repeating steps (b) to (e) until all records of said current records have been updated, and then flushing records from said pool in order to respective next records within said main portion of said subsequent records;
(g) sorting said records in said spill portion of said subsequent records into raster pixel order;
(h) transferring said subsequent edge records to said current edge records; and
(i) repeating steps (a) to (h) for each further scan line of said raster pixel image.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed apparatus for processing graphic objects intended to form a raster pixel image, said processing comprising a process for determining an intersection order between edges of said graphic objects by evaluating corresponding edge records for a current scanline in rasterised display order and determining an edge intersection value for each said edge for a subsequent scanline, said apparatus comprising:
a memory having an unordered first buffer, a second buffer and a third buffer; and
a processor for retaining a limited number of processed edge records in said unordered first buffer, for progressively transferring said processed edge records to said second buffer in order, as orderable processed edge records are added to said first buffer, for transferring unorderable processed edge records to said third buffer in order to order said edge records in said third buffer, and for selectively processing edge records from said second and third buffers for determining ordered intersections for a subsequent scanline.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed apparatus for processing graphic objects intended to form a raster pixel image, said processing comprising a process for determining an intersection order between edges of said graphic objects by evaluating corresponding edge records for a current scan line in rasterised display order and determining an edge intersection value for each said edge for a subsequent scan line, said apparatus comprising:
means for retaining a limited number of processed edge records in an unordered first buffer and progressively transferring said processed edge records to a second buffer in order, as orderable processed edge records are added to said first buffer;
means for transferring unorderable processed edge records to a third buffer in order to order said edge records in said third buffer; and
means for selectively processing edge records from said second and third buffers for determining ordered intersections for a subsequent scan line.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a computer readable memory medium for storing a program for apparatus which processes graphic objects intended to form a raster pixel image, said processing comprising a process for determining an intersection order between edges of said graphic objects by evaluating corresponding edge records for a current scan line in rasterised display order and determining an edge intersection value for each said edge for a subsequent scan line, said program comprising:
code for a retaining step for retaining a limited number of processed edge records in an unordered first buffer and progressively transferring said processed edge records to a second buffer in order, as orderable processed edge records are added to said first buffer;
code for a transfer step for transferring unorderable processed edge records to a third buffer in order to order said edge records in said third buffer; and
code for a process step for selectively processing edge records from said second and third buffers for determining ordered intersections for a subsequent scan line.
Other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

Processing graphic objects for fast rasterised rendering


Cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) and cyclic olefin polymer (COP) are useful as support material for 3D printing of high temperature polymers, such as polyimides.

3D printing of polymer compounds into desired three dimensional shapes uses a thermoplastic material ("build material") which sometimes is self-supporting during deposition of each layer of build material. However, often because of the intricacy of the final three dimensional shape desired, the build material needs support during formation, much as scaffolding is used during construction of a building and then removed after construction is completed. That support material needs to be made of a different thermoplastic material than the build material and is used to maintain the three dimensional integrity of the build material while under construction until cooling of the build material occurs sufficiently for the article to be self-supporting. After cooling to room temperature the scaffolding of the support material can then be removed from the build material now sturdy and self-supporting in its final three dimensional shape.
Previously, polymeric support materials have been chosen based on their solubility in certain solvents, whether aqueous or organic, to dissolve away from the support material from the build material in its final three dimensional shape. Finding suitable solvents in which build material does not dissolve, but support material does, is one problem which limits choice of both types of material. Also, processing of solvent after use is another problem.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Support material for 3D printing of polymer compounds


A support tray assembly comprising a planar tray formed with a spherical portion being formed with a central slit-like opening extending along a line of pitch of the tray and a cam-engaging track extending along a tilt axis of the tray. A manipulating member is formed with a seat portion forming part of a sphere corresponding in shape with the spherical portion of the support tray and being in sliding engagement therewith. The manipulating member is rotatable about an axis of rotation and is fitted with a cam member rotatably fixed thereto. The cam member is eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation and is adapted for reciprocal sliding engagement with the cam-engaging track of the tray along the tilt axis. Rotation of the manipulating member imparts the tray with reciprocal displacement only along the line of pitch.

Support trays for which the invention is concerned has long been known. Such support trays typically comprise a substantially planar base portion and a support arm coupled on the one hand to the base portion and on the other hand to the support wall. It is highly desired to allow several degrees of freedom for adjusting the tray member so that the television set or the like which is mounted on the tray member can be adjusted to assume a convenient viewing position. Typically, at least two degrees of freedom are required namely, tilting along a line of pitch (about an essentially horizontal axis) and rotation, about an essentially vertical axis.
Some mechanisms have been provided for allowing the adjustment of the tilting position of the tray. Among those is Israel Patent No. 100263. However, the mechanism in accordance with that patent is complex both in assembly and in operation , and even more so, is not pleasing to the eye.
Other known means are, for example, a tray assembly fitted with a so-called ball and socket mechanism, wherein tilting the tray is carried out by releasing a fixation bolt, re-positioning the tray at a desired position and securing the bolt. A first drawback of this mechanism is that it does not enable fine tuning of the tray's position. Another drawback is that releasing the fixation bolt without holding the tray supporting a television set or the like, may result in sudden displacement of the tray whereby the television may fall from the tray.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved support tray assembly wherein the mode of coupling the tray to the support arm and the adjustment of the tray substantially reduces or overcomes the disadvantages of prior art such devices.


Device and method for operation of at least one electrical machine for a motor vehicle. In order to coordinate torque requirements for the propulsion system and voltage requirements for the vehicle power supply system and at least one battery for the vehicle power supply system, a voltage reference variable is formed for the voltage requirements for the vehicle power supply system, and a torque reference variable is formed for the torque requirements of the propulsion system. The voltage reference variable is limited by upper and lower torque limit values which must not be overshot or undershot in the event of changes to the voltage reference variable. The torque reference variable is limited by voltage limit values which must not be overshot or undershot in the event of torque changes.

This application claims the priority of German Application No. 103 01 531.0, filed Jan. 17, 2003, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a device and a method for operating an electrical machine for a motor vehicle.
In motor vehicles, electrical machines are used as a generator for charging one or more vehicle power supply system batteries. The battery provides the electrical power which is required for starting the internal combustion engine for the propulsion system, for the vehicle external lighting, for the vehicle internal lighting and for other auxiliary units such as the air conditioning, seat heating, refrigerator or freezer compartment, windscreen wipers and similar electrical appliances. During normal charging operation, when the electrical machine is operated as a generator, it in each case produces the current which is drawn by the electrical loads from the battery. The electrical machine is driven by a control device, which is preferably formed by power electronics. The electrical machine is driven by preset voltages, voltage ramps and current limits. If the drive for the electrical machine is controlled such that the torque requirements for the propulsion system have priority, then there is a risk that the supply to the vehicle power supply system and the battery will be insufficient. If, on the other hand, the drive for the electrical machine is controlled by the vehicle power supply system management to have priority, taking account of the current demand of the vehicle power supply system and the respective state of charge of the battery at that time, then the advantages of the electrical machine for the propulsion system are utilized only inadequately.
The invention is intended to achieve the object of avoiding the drive for the electrical machine having disadvantageous influences on the propulsion system, in particular in the form of sudden torque changes, or on the vehicle power supply system and the vehicle battery, without this resulting in any restriction to the functionality of the propulsion system, or to the vehicle power supply system or the vehicle power supply system battery.
According to the invention, the solution comprises a device and a method for open-loop or closed-loop control of the electrical system and the propulsion system of a motor vehicle. The propulsion system has an internal combustion engine and a transmission with a variable step-up and/or step-down ratio. The electrical system has a vehicle power supply system and at least one battery connected to it. At least one electrical machine is provided which can be driven during normal charging operation as a generator for supplying current to the battery and to the vehicle power supply system from the propulsion system, in which case the electrical machine can also be driven by the propulsion system as a generator in a recuperation mode in order to produce a braking torque, and can likewise supply the battery and the vehicle power supply system with current in this case. The electrical machine can preferably also be operated as an electric motor in order to emit torque to the propulsion system. The device is designed to control the at least one electrical machine in different operating states by different signals, in which case a charging voltage for the normal charging mode is produced automatically as a voltage reference variable for controlling the electrical machine from signals from vehicle management as a function of the respective requirements for electrical power from the vehicle power supply system and from the battery at any given time. The device is furthermore designed to automatically provide the respective torque demand at any given time as a torque reference variable for controlling the electrical machine as a function of the respective requirements, at that time, for a positive or negative torque for the propulsion system, in which case changes in the voltage reference variable (U-LADE) downwards and upwards are limited by predetermined torque limit values for the electrical machine which define a torque tolerance band. Furthermore, changes in the torque reference variable upwards and downwards are limited by predetermined voltage limit values for the electrical machine, which form a voltage tolerance band. Means are provided for automatic cyclic checking of the reference variables. The electrical machine is controlled automatically by the voltage reference variable, but a change takes place to the torque reference variable for controlling the electrical machine, provided that the tolerance bands are complied with, when and for as long as the torque reference variable demanded from the electrical machine is a positive or negative torque, which is not the same as the predetermined torque on the electrical machine, in order to produce the charging voltage.
Accordingly, the stated object is achieved by a device and a method for operation of an electrical machine for a motor vehicle in accordance with the claims.
Advantages of the Invention
Both a boost function as well as a battery charging function and recuperation as well can always achieve their full effect in any vehicle situation and satisfy all the requirements of the "vehicle propulsion, battery and vehicle power supply" systems, provided that this is physically possible.
This avoids the time-consuming application (adaptation control device), which is susceptible to faults, of vehicle power supply system requirements and battery requirements for the propulsion system control, in particular for the internal combustion engine control device. The expression "recuperation" in this case means braking of the motor vehicle by means of the electrical machine by operating it in a predetermined manner as a generator.
Coordination of the braking torques and propulsion torques is possible only by taking into account "available torques" according to the invention. In addition to other advantages, this also makes it possible to compensate for recuperation torques by using a braking controller which can control the vehicle wheel axles individually.
The initial calculation of torques will be described in the following text, A function is provided by which missing input signals can be calculated in advance from output signals from the electrical machine, for example a generator. Among other variables, torque variables, for example, are calculated in advance for the unit coordinator (initial torque calculation). The function cycle time may, for example, be 50 ms or some other variable. Provision is preferably made for the instantaneous value of the generator current of the electrical machine to be determined from a family of characteristics via the rotation speed and the field current of the generator. A stored generator identification can be used to identify which generator is being used and which generator family of characteristics should be used. If the instantaneous voltage is not the same as the voltage in the family of characteristics, the generator current is corrected accordingly. If the electrical machine is in the full excitation range, then a correction current is determined from a family of characteristics via the rotation speed and the voltage, and is calculated using the generator current. Furthermore, the instantaneous value of the generator efficiency can be determined from a family of characteristics via the rotation speed and the power of the generator. The generator identification data is used to identify what generator is fitted in the motor vehicle and which family of characteristics should be used. The instantaneous value of the generator torque is calculated from the instantaneous values of the current, voltage, efficiency and rotation speed.
Generator charging torque (the torque which the electrical machine requires to charge the battery in the generator mode): the instantaneous value of the generator charging torque is calculated from the following vehicle power supply system variables: charging voltage, charging current, generator efficiency and generator rotation speed. If the device is in the charging mode, the process switches to the instantaneous value of the generator torque.
Minimum statistically possible generator charging torque (maximum statistically possible negative torque on the electrical machine in the generator mode): the maximum amount of power which can be drawn from the vehicle power supply system including its battery can be calculated from the following vehicle power supply system variables: recuperation voltage and recuperation current. The maximum power of the generator can be determined from a characteristic via the rotation speed of the electrical machine. The generator identification data can be used to identify what generator is installed in the motor vehicle, and which characteristic should be used. The lesser of these two variables is used, and this represents the narrower limit for the system. The maximum possible torque from this electrical machine at any given time when being operated as a generator can be calculated from this variable with the aid of the instantaneous efficiency and the rotation speed of this electrical machine.
Maximum statistically possible generator charging torque (the minimum statistically possible torque of the electrical machine as a generator and the maximum motor torque as a motor): the maximum power emitted from the vehicle power supply system including its battery can be calculated from the following vehicle power supply system variables: minimum voltage and maximum current. The minimum motoring power of the electrical machine when operating as a generator can be determined from an applicable fixed value using the generator rotation speed. For this purpose, it is possible to identify from the generator identification what electrical machine is installed as a generator, and which fixed value should be used. The larger of these two variables is used, and this represents the narrower limit for the system. The minimum possible torque for the electrical machine at any given time when being operated as a generator and the maximum possible torque for the electrical machine when being operated as a motor can be calculated from this variable with the aid of the instantaneous efficiency and the rotation speed of the electrical machine.
The minimum dynamically possible generator charging torque for the electrical machine is equal to the minimum static generator charging torque when the battery is empty and the recuperation voltage U-Rekup is equal to the maximum voltage U-Grenz.
The stated determination processes and calculations can each be carried out automatically by control devices.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Device and method for operating an electrical machine for a motor vehicle


A driving method of a plasma display panel is provided in which effective resolution and luminance in a display of fields that constitute a frame are improved. The method includes dividing each of M (M≧2) fields that constitute a frame into K (K≧2) subfields having luminance weight, displaying the k (1≦k<K) subfields selected in descending order of the luminance weight in progressive format using all display lines out of the K subfields and displaying the remaining subfields in interlaced format using the display lines selected at regular intervals at a ratio of one per M display lines in arrangement order.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for driving a plasma display panel (PDP).
The development is so advanced that a PDP has a high-definition large screen. A driving method is desired in which a brighter display can be achieved using a screen having many display lines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are two types of display forms of a frame as image data; one is an interlaced display and another is a progressive display. In the interlaced display, a frame is divided into plural fields so that the fields are displayed sequentially. Generally, the number of fields is two. In this case, odd display lines are used to display one of the fields, and even display lines are used to display the other field. More specifically, every other display line is used to display one field. As the number of fields is larger, the number of display lines used for one field is smaller. In the progressive display, all N display lines forming a display surface are used, and display contents are set for each of the display lines individually.
In a display using an AC type PDP, an addressing process is performed in a line-sequential manner for setting wall voltage of sells in accordance with display data, and then a sustaining process is performed for applying sustain voltage pulse to the cells. In other words, ON or OFF of light emission is determined in the addressing process and display discharge is generated in the sustaining process, the number of times of the display discharge corresponding to the display data. Since a cell of a PDP is basically a binary light emission element, it is impossible to display an image having pixels whose brightness is different from each other in a single addressing process. Therefore, in the interlaced display, one field is divided into plural subfields, and then the addressing process and the sustaining process are performed for each subfield. It is supposed that a subfield division number K is 8, and a ratio of luminance weight, i.e., a ratio of light emission amount with respect to total of eight times of sustaining processes is 1:2:4:8:16:32:64. The selection of subfield allows displaying 256 gradation levels from 0 to 255. In a display of an image having a frame rate of 30 such as a television image in NTSC format or general computer output, the addressing process and the sustaining process are conducted K times during the driving period for one field ( 1/60 seconds). Similar method is used to perform gradation reproduction also in the progressive display. A color display is one kind of a gradation display, and a display color is determined by combination of gradation of red, green and blue colors.
A digital signal processing technique enables not only an interlaced display of a frame in which the original image is interlaced like a television, but also a progressive display. A frame is only written into a memory to read out necessary portions. It is also possible to display a non-interlaced (progressive) frame such as computer output in interlaced format. It is an option in designing of a drive circuit whether a PDP adopts the progressive display or the-interlaced display. The progressive display has an advantage over the interlaced display in respect of effective resolution (sharpness perceived by naked eye), however the interlaced display is sometimes adopted. For example, in a high-definition PDP in which display electrodes are arranged at regular intervals at a ratio of three per two display lines, the interlaced display is adopted by reason that drive sequence is simple compared to the case of the progressive display. Further, if a frame input to the drive circuit is the interlaced format, signals are processed easily in the interlaced display compared to the progressive display.
There are the following three problems in the interlaced display. First, effective resolution is low. In the case of the high-definition PDP mentioned above, the effective resolution is approximately 70% of the progressive display. Secondly, a picture is required to be brightened by increasing drive frequency in the sustaining process. The drive frequency is increased, thereby leading to the increased power loss due to charge of capacitance in cells. Lastly, flickers are conspicuous in a display of a still picture. In order to solve these problems, a frame is divided into plural subframes so that the subframes are displayed in progressive format, the number of subframes being equal to the number of subfields in the interlaced display. Then, the time required to perform the addressing process is doubled, and the time capable of being allocated to the sustaining process is reduced by just that much. Especially, in a PDP designed for an XGA (eXtended Graphics Array) and resolution higher than the XGA, all display lines are used; thereby, average luminance of the entire display surface per one pulse in the sustaining process is higher than the case of the interlaced display. However, small amount of pulse can be applied during the sustain period and the number of times of discharge is small, therefore the average luminance of the entire display surface is practically reduced.


A method of manufacturing a face with different thickness distribution is cutting a slice metal board with predestination shape from a metal board and stamping the slice metal board into an uneven metal board with predestination shape of rough and uneven on it then, milling one side of the uneven metal board to produce a board with different thickness. The final step is pressing the metal board with different thickness to form a face with different thickness distribution.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacture a golf head and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a face with different thickness distribution.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, a cup face having a different thickness distribution is usually make made from a metal rod by forging, and the pressure of the forging must be higher than 400 tons. The method will lose about 50% of the raw material. As a result the crystals of the metal will change and the strength of the material is reduced when the temperature is higher than 800° C., so the manufacture temperature must be controlled under 800° C. if the manufacturer wants to use β titanium material to make the face. But, it is difficult to make a metal rod into a face with the thickness between 1.5 to 4 mm by forging under such a low manufacture temperature. Avoiding damage to the face will be difficult to control. As is known, there is a face in a cup shape. It will be more difficult to make a rod into a cup face with the thickness between 1.5 to 4 mm by forging under the low manufacture temperature.

Method of manufacturing a face with different thickness distribution


A user equipment (UE) may perform multiple searches within a specified search period to locate the wireless band that provides the most throughput. For instance, if the UE finds a low band with time remaining in the search period, the UE continues to search for a higher frequency wireless. In some examples, the UE attempts to locate a high band within a next portion of the search period. If the UE finds the high band, then the UE will use that band since it provides the most throughput of the available bands. If the UE does not find the high band, then the UE searches for a mid-band for another portion of the search time. By prioritizing higher bands over the first available band that is located in the initial search, the UE will connect to the band that provides the best user experience and the most throughput.

Modern terrestrial telecommunication systems include heterogeneous mixtures of second, third, fourth generation, and fifth generation (2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G) cellular-wireless access technologies, which can be cross-compatible and can operate collectively to provide data communication services. Global Systems for Mobile (GSM) is an example of 2G telecommunications technologies; Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is an example of 3G telecommunications technologies; and Long Term Evolution (LTE), including LTE Advanced, and Evolved High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA+) are examples of 4G telecommunications technologies. Moving forward, fifth generation (5G) cellular-wireless access technologies may be used to provide improved bandwidth and decreased response times to a multitude of devices that may be connected to a network. Selecting the wireless access technology and/or the wireless band to use to connect to user equipment (UE), however, can be challenging and may result in a decreased user experience. For example, selecting a wireless access technology and/or wireless band that has lower bandwidth compared to a different wireless access technology and/or wireless band that has higher bandwidth may provide a lower user experience.


An integrated, closed-loop programmable motor assembly (10) consisting of a bi-directional motor (12), a motor-shaft encoder (24), a rotation decoder (42), a microcontroller (64) and a motor drive circuit (70). In a typical application, the electric motor (12) is first programmed by placing the assembly (10) in a record mode and then rotating the motor shaft (14) to describe a desired motion. The motor shaft (14) can be made to rotate any amount, in any direction, and for any period of time. During the record mode, digital data corresponding to the motor shaft rotation is read from the motor shaft encoder (24) to the rotation decoder (42) and is subsequently stored in the memory circuit of the microcontroller (64). This data is recorded time synchronous, based on the time pulse produced by a time pulse generator (48). When the assembly (10) is placed in the playback mode, the stored position data is synchronously read by the microcontroller (64) via the rotation decoder (42), and the motor (12) rotates to reproduce the rotational data manually inserted during the record mode.

The invention pertains to the general field of programmable motors, and more particularly to an integrated closed-loop programmable motor assembly having a record mode in which a manually selectable route is recorded, and a playback mode in which the route can be automatically duplicated at a subsequent time.
The prior art is replete with designs and assemblies, which utilize at least one electric motor to perform a variety of tasks. Typically these motor drive assemblies operate a motor that is controlled by a microcontroller, which is controlled by a software program. Included in the software program is a calibration routine that is implemented before the normal automatic control operation commences. If an operating problem is detected, a fault routine becomes operable to either correct the problem or terminate the operation to allow maintenance to be performed on the assembly.
The above prior art motor control assemblies are generally complex and require several xe2x80x9cseparatexe2x80x9d components to comprise the overall assembly. Typically, these assemblies are used for tasks that are performed on relatively large and complex systems, such as used in the automotive and various machine shop industries. The applicant""s design differs from the prior art in that a minimum amount of elements are utilized and the entire system is housed within a single enclosure. Depending on its use, the applicant""s assembly can be produced with smaller components, as would be used in robotics, or with larger heavy-duty components, as used to operate larger machines.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however, the following U.S. patents were considered related:
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,456 discloses a servo motor encoder in which signals are outputted via signal lines and output terminals, which are used in common. Incremental signals and servo motor magnetic pole position detection signals are switched by a multiplexer so as to output these signals via a common line driver. Alternatively, two line drivers are selectively activated and inactivated so that incremental signals and servo motor magnetic pole position detection signals are outputted via common signal lines.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,588 discloses a method and apparatus for programming a plurality of control devices which includes a central control device having a non-volatile configuration memory. A bus system connects all the control devices in the vehicle to one another and to the central control device. When one of the control devices is retrofitted or replaced, it initiates a comparison of data located in its memory with the vehicle configuration data resident in the configuration memory of the central control device. In case of differences between these data, the data in the retrofitted or replaced control device is overwritten with current vehicle configuration data called-up from the vehicle configuration memory.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,630 discloses an automatic sawing machine having an automatic workpiece shuttle, shuttle and stationary vises, an automatic saw blade feed, one or more incremental motion encoders and a programmable microcomputer. The microcomputer is capable of storing a series of sawing jobs wherein each job has a number of sawing steps. The microcomputer receives signals from the motion encoders to determine the shuttle and tilt position and uses these positions to control shuttle, tilt and vise operation. The microprocessor also receives motion increment signals from the motion encoders which are decoded to determine the direction in which the increment was traveled, and which are decoded in a manner which increases conventional accuracy by four.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention relates, reference may be made to the following remaining patents found in the search:
The integrated, closed-loop programmable motor assembly is designed with an internal memory that allows manually inputted data pertaining to the rotational speed and the angular displacement of an electric motor shaft to be recorded. The recorded data is then automatically reproduced when the motor is placed in a playback mode. In its basic design, the integrated, closed-loop programmable motor assembly is comprised of
A bi-directional electric motor which operates in a record mode and in a playback mode. When the motor, which is connected to a load and to a motor shaft encoder, is operated in the record mode, the motor shaft is manually rotated which allows the motor shaft encoder to produce an encoded digital signal corresponding to the rotational speed and angular displacement of the motor shaft;
A rotation decoder which is applied the encoded digital signal and produces a decoded digital signal corresponding to the rotational speed and angular displacement of the motor shaft; and
A microcontroller having an internal memory. When the assembly is placed in the record mode, the decoded digital signal is stored in the microcontroller""s internal memory. When the assembly is placed in the playback mode the microcontroller produces a motor drive signal. The motor drive signal is applied to a motor drive circuit, which produces a motor interface signal that applied to and allows the motor to automatically duplicate the speed and angular displacement of the motor shaft produced during the record mode.
To further enhance the design of the assembly, a time-pulse generator and an assembly control circuit are included with the basic design. The generator controls the precise timing sequence required to operate the assembly; the control circuit allows an operator to access and control the operation of the assembly. The assembly can be designed to operate with an internal battery, which allows the assembly to function as a stand-alone unit, or the assembly can incorporate an internal regulated power supply, which is connected to a utility power source by means of a power cable assembly.
During the record mode the motor shaft is manually rotated to traverse a particular speed and motion desired. A crystal controlled oscillator located in the time-pulse generator is used to produce synchronous timing pulses, which are produced periodically such as every {fraction (1/100)}th of a second. The motor shaft encoder attached to the motor shaft produces counts corresponding to the rotational speed and angular displacement of the motor shaft, for example 360 counts per shaft revolution. Each time a timing pulse is produced it is applied to the rotation decoder from where a corresponding decoded digital signal is produced that is subsequently applied to and stored in the memory circuit of the microcontroller. Thus, the microcontroller memory stores the physical position of the motor shaft for every {fraction (1/100)}th of a second. In other words, the memory stores 100 shaft counts per second where each count corresponds to the amount of shaft movement within each {fraction (1/100)}th of a second.
During the playback mode the memory is synchronously accessed at the same time increments that occurred during the record mode. The memory is read by the microcontroller, which then produces a motor drive signal that drives the electric motor until the recorded signal of the motor rotation is reached. This process continues at a rate of 100 times a second until the final memory position is reached.
In a typical application of the assembly, the electric motor is first programmed by placing it in the record mode and then manually rotating the motor shaft to describe a desired motion. The motor shaft can be made to rotate any amount, in any direction, for any period of time. During the record mode, digital data corresponding
To the motor shaft rotation is read from the motor shaft encoder and stored in the memory circuit of the microcontroller. This data is recorded time synchronous, based on the time pulse produced by the time pulse generator. When the assembly is placed in the playback mode the stored position data is synchronously read by the microcontroller via the rotation decoder, and the motor rotates to reproduce the rotational data manually inserted during the record mode.
In view of the above disclosure, the primary object of the invention is to produce an integrated; closed-loop programmable motor assembly, which is packaged in a single enclosure and that, operates in a record mode and in a playback mode. In the record mode the assembly is manually programmed, in the playback mode the data acquired during the record mode is automatically duplicated. In addition to the primary object of the invention, it is also an object of the invention to produce an assembly that:
can be produced in various sizes to accommodate the particular load requirement of the assembly;
can be used to operate robotics, various machinery and toys,
can be designed to operate with an internal power source as a self-contained assembly, or can be designed with an internal power source that is connected, via a power cable assembly, to an a-c utility power source,
is reliable and relatively maintenance free, and
is cost effective from both a manufacturer and consumer""s point of view.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Integrated closed-loop programmable motor assembly


A developer for developing an electrostatic image has a toner, fine resin particles with a surface shape sphericity .psi. of from 0.90 to 0.50, and fine inorganic particles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer for developing an electrostatic image that is used for converting an electrostatic latent image to a visible image in image forming processes such as electrophotography, electrostatic recording and eIectrostatic printing. It also relates to an image forming method, an electrophotographic apparatus, an apparatus unit and a facsimile apparatus that make use of the developer.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a developer for developing an electrostatic image, that is used in electrophotographic processes comprising a charging step of bringing a charging member to which a voltage has been externally applied, into contact with an electrostatic image bearing member to effect electrostatic charging, and a developing step of developing an electrostatic image by using a developer; and an image forming method, an electrophotographic apparatus, an apparatus unit and a facsimile apparatus that make use of the developer.
2. Related Background Art
Cornoa dischargers are hitherto known as charging means in electrophotographic apparatus and so forth. The corna dischargers, however, have the problems that a high voltage must be applied thereto and ozone is produced in a large quantity.
It is recently studied to omit a cornea discharger and to use a contact charging means. Stated specifically, this is a means in which a voltage is applied to a conductive roller serving as a charging member, and then the roller is brought into contact with a photosensitive member which is a member being charged, so that the surface of the photosensitive member is electrostatically charged to a given potential. Use of such a contact charging means makes it possible to apply a lower voltage than the use of the corona dischargers and to decrease the generation of ozone.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 50-13661 proposes to use a roller comprising a mandrel covered with a dielectric material such as nylon or polyurethane rubber so that a photosensitive sheet can be electrostatically charged at a low voltage.
The roller comprising a mandrel covered with nylon, however, has no elasticity such as rubber, and hence the roller can not be kept in sufficient contact with the member being charged, so that faulty charging tends to occur. On the other hand, covering the mandrel with polyurethane rubber may cause exudation of a softening agent with which the polyurethane rubber is impregnated, and has involved the problem that, when a photosensitive member is used as the member being charged, the roller tends to stick to the photosensitive member at the former's portion coming into contact with the latter then the photosensitive member is stopped, or that the region for corresponding to the part where both had been stuck in contact causes unfocused images. Once the softening event in the rubber material of the roller has exuded and stuck to the surface of the photosensitive member, the photosensitive member exhibits a low resistivity to cause smeared images (i.e., a leak of charges of an electrostatic image, on the surface of the photosensitive member) In extreme instances either, it becomes impossible to use the apparatus or the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive member then sticks to the roller surface to cause a filming phenomenon. In the event that the toner has stuck to the roller surface in a large quantity, the roller surface turns insulative, resulting in a loss of the charging ability of the roller and a non-uniform charge on the surface of the photosensitive member, which adversely affects images.
This is due to the fact that the charging member (the roller) strongly presses the developer against the surface of the photosensitive member and hence the remaining developer sticks to the charging member or the surface of the member being charged and also the surface of the charging member and the surface of the member being charged tend to be damaged or scraped.
In the contact charging means, a direct current or a direct current overlaid with an alternating current is applied to the charging member. In such an instance, abnormal charge or flying movement of the remaining developer particularly having a small particle diameter and a light-weight is repeated in the surrounding area of the part at which the charging member and a photosensitive drum come into contact each other. Hence, this area is in such a state that the remaining developer is electrostatically attracted to, or embedded in, the surface of the charging member or photosensitive drum. This is quite different from the case where a noncontact charging means comprised of the conventional corona discharger is used.
Meanwhile, in recent years, copiers, laser printers, etc. which are small-sized, inexpensive and of personal use have come into use. In these small-sized machines, a cartridge system in which a photosensitive member, a developing device and a cleaning device are assembled into a unit is used from the standpoint of making them free from maintenance, and it is desired to use as the developer a one-component magnetic developer since &he structure of a developing assembly can be simplified.
In order to form a visible image with a good image quality in the method making use of such a one-component magnetic developer, the developer must have a high fluidity and a uniform chargeability. For this purpose, a fine inorganic powder has been hithereto added and mixed to a toner powder. It has been proposed to use as the fine inorganic powder a fine silica powder having been subjected to hydrophobic treatment, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 46-5782, No. 48-47345, No. 48-47346, etc. For example, a treated fine silica powder is used which is obtained by reacting a fine silica powder with an organic silicon compound such as dimethyldichlorosilane to substitute silanol groups on the particle surfaces of the fine silica powder with organic groups so that the powder is made hydrophobic.
The developer having such a fine inorganic powder, however, tends to cause scratches particularly on the contact charging member and photosensitive member and to cause melt adhesion or filming of the toner to the contact charging member and photosensitive member, in an image forming step at which the developer is pressed against the photosensitive member by contact charging. In an extreme instance, faulty images tend to be formed.
With regard to addition of fine resin particles to a developer, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 60-186854 proposes to add to a developer, spherical or substantially spherical polymer particles smaller than toner particles.
A developer prepared in the same manner as disclosed therein has been examined to reveal that the developer is less effective for preventing the melt adhesion of toner onto the photosensitive member and, in the apparatus making use of contact charging, the contact charging device is contaminated to tend to cause charge non-uniformity.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1-121861 proposes a developer prepared by adding fine organic particles to toner particles containing an ionically cross-linked vinyl polymer as a binder resin. It is noted therein that this developer may preferably comprise spherical fine organic particles.
As methods of fixing a toner image, a contact heating method as typified by a heat roller fixing method is commonly used, and there is a demand for a toner capable of being fixed at a low temperature so that power consumption can be decreased. For this reason, it is proposed to incorporate a resin with a low-molecular component and a high-molecular component so that the low-temperature fixing performance and anti-offset properties can be improved.
When, however, a developer containing the binder resin in which the low-molecular component has been increased for the purpose of low-temperature fixing is used in an image forming apparatus having a contact charging device or a contact transfer means, the following problems tend to arise.
Presence of a large quantity of the low-molecular component in a binder resin brings about excess grindability of toner particles such that the toner particles tend to be broken to give ultrafine particles because of shear produced during preparation. In a developing device the, and the ultrafine particles slip through a cleaning member and adhere to the contact charging member or contact transfer means to tend to cause faulty charging or faulty transfer in an environment of low temperature and low humidity, and cause the melt adhesion of toner to the surface of the photosensitive member in an environment of high temperature and high humidity.
The ultrafine particles produced as a result of break up of toner particles have the same chargeabiity as the toner particles, and hence inhibit the charging of toner particles to cause a lowering of image density.
In the contact heating method, it is required for the toner to be properly softened and fixed at the heating temperature, and it is also required to prevent occurrence of what is called the offset phenomenon, which is a phenomenon in which part of softened toner adhers to a heating member and the adhered toner is transferred to a transfer sheet to contaminate an image. In order to better prevent this offset phenomenon, it is known &o incorporate toner particles with a polyolefin such as a low-molecular polyethylene or polypropylene, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 49-6523 and No. 50-27546.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1-11376 proposes a developer comprising wax-containing toner particles mixed with fine resin particles smaller than the toner particles. It is noted therein that this developer may preferably comprise spherical fine organic particles.
When, however, such a developer comprising the toner containing a polyolefin is used in an image forming apparatus having the contact charging device, the following problems tend to arise.
The polyolefin has so poor a compatibility with the binder resin in the toner particles that a polyolefin having a larger disperse diameter tends to come a free polyolefin when toner is pulverized. Thus, the free polyolefin with a higher resistance, having been developed at an image portion or non-image portion, is transferred from an electrostatic image bearing member to a contact charging member to increase surface resistance, tending to cause faulty charging.
The free polyolefin has a high resistance and is negatively chargeable with respect to iron powder, and hence it makes fogging more serious because of the faulty charging in the case of a negatively chargeable developer and causes a poor fluidity in the case of a positively chargeable developer, tending to bring about blank areas in images and a non-uniformity in image density.
In the meantime, in recent years, with the wide spread of image forming apparatus such as electrophotographic copying machines, their uses have expanded in a great variety, and demands for their image quality have become severer. In the copying of images as in conventional documents and books, it is sought to reproduce images in a very fine and faithful state without causing any crushed line images or broken line images even during the copying of fine characters. In particular, in an instance in which a latent image formed on a photosensitive member provided in the image forming apparatus is a line image with a line width of 100 .mu.m or less, the fine-line reproduction is commonly poor and no satisfactory sharpness of the line image has been achieved. Recently, in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic printer making use of digital image signals, a latent image is formed of the assemblage of dots having a given potential, and its solid portion, half-tone portion and light portion are expressed according to changes in dot density. There, however, is a problem when the toner particles are not faithfully applied to the dots and hence the toner particles are not aligned with dots, that no gradation of the toner image can be obtained corresponding with the ratio of dot density at a black area to that of a white are a of the digital image. In the case when the resolution is improved by making dot size smaller, in order to improve image quality, it becomes more difficult to achieve the reproduction of a latent image formed of minute dots, tending to give an image having a poor resolution and gradation and also lacking sharpness.
For the purpose of improving image quality, several developers have been hitherto proposed.
Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 1-112253 and No. 2-284158 propose a toner with a small particle diameter having a specific particle size distribution. The smaller particle diameter a toner has, the more uniformly charged the toner particle surfaces must be made. Hence, in order to achieve both a stable charge quantity and a superior fluidity, it is preferred to add as a charge control agent a dye or e derivative of the dye that can give a proper charge quantity when employed in small amounts.
On the hand, the smaller the particle diameter a toner has, the more it tends to release a free charge control agent during the step of pulverization and the more it tends to cause the inhibition of fluidity or the contamination of members due to a developer. In particular, the charge non-uniformity tends to occur when a member coming into contact with a photosensitive member has been contaminated.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1-113762 proposes a developer comprising a mixture of fine acrylic resin particles and toner particles containing a charge control agent. It is noted therein that this developer may preferably comprise spherical fine organic particles.
When, however, such a developer containing a dye or a derivative of the dye as a charge control agent is used in the image forming apparatus having the contact charging device, the following problems tend to arise.
Since the charge control agent of a dye type is soft and viscous, the charge control agent may be released from toner particles and transferred to the contact charging member, resulting in an increase in surface resistance, which tends to cause faulty charging or faulty transfer.
Since the released charge control agent has a high chargeability, it may inhibit the toner particles from being electrostatically charged and at the same time make their fluidity poor, tending to cause blank areas in images and an uneven image density.

Developer for developing electrostatic image, image forming method, electrophotographic apparatus, apparatus unit, and facsimile apparatus


A method or system for structuring an image which corresponds to an original array of pixels, as a forward discrete even cosine transform (DCT) pyramid having a predetermined number of levels where each level is associated with a different DCT frequency band, includes, respectively, the steps or functionality of: partitioning the original array into blocks of overlapped pixels; taking a DCT of each block of overlapped pixels to generate blocks of first level DCT coefficients forming a first level of the DCT pyramid; storing the first level of the DCT pyramid; selecting and storing at least one of the first level DCT coefficients of each block of first level DCT coefficients into a first temporary array; partitioning the first temporary array into blocks of overlapped coefficients; and taking a DCT of each block of overlapped coefficients of the first temporary array to generate blocks of second level DCT coefficients forming a second level of the DCT pyramid. Additional levels can be created by repeating the previous steps, and the processed image can be restored by reversing the above sequence of steps using inverse discrete even cosine transforms.

The invention relates generally to an improved method and apparatus for preprocessing a digital image and, more particularly, to preprocessing the digital image by generating the image into a multi-level discrete cosine transform (DCT) pyramid image representation where each level of the pyramid is associated with a different DCT frequency band.
It is known in the art to preprocess a digital image by structuring the image into a pyramid representation where each level of the pyramid is thereafter individually processed as by filtering, sharpening, smoothing and edge detection. Pyramid coding is described, for instance, in a book entitled "Two-Dimensional Signal and Image Processing" by Jae S. Lim, 1990 Prentice-Hall Inc., pp. 632-670, which is herein incorporated by reference to provide supplemental background information which is not essential but is helpful in appreciating the applications of the present invention.
Preprocessing of an image is frequently followed by the reduction or elimination of unwanted artifacts, i.e. noise removal, which in turn is followed by image restoration. Typically, a captured image includes noise inherent in an image signal source, e.g. a camera, scanner, charge-coupled device (CCD), charge-injected device (CID), or the like. Equation (1) mathematically expresses a degraded image or noisy signal x(n.sub.1,n.sub.2) as the addition of noise v(n.sub.1,n.sub.2) to the original signal s(n.sub.1,n.sub.2), as modeled in FIG. 3A. EQU x(n.sub.1,n.sub.2)=s(n.sub.1,n.sub.2)+v(n.sub.1,n.sub.2) (1)
If v(n.sub.1,n.sub.2) is a function of the signal s(n.sub.1, n.sub.2), then x(n.sub.1,n.sub.2) is additive random signal dependent noise (hereinafter "signal dependent noise"), otherwise if v(n.sub.1,n.sub.2) is not dependent upon s(n.sub.1,n.sub.2), then x(n.sub.1,n.sub.2) is additive random signal independent noise (hereinafter "additive noise"). Each of the signals x(n.sub.1,n.sub.2), s(n.sub.1,n.sub.2) and v(n.sub.1,n.sub.2) represents a physical electronic signal, i.e. a waveform of voltages having amplitudes and frequencies related as a function of time.
Examples of signal dependent noise are film grain noise, speckle noise and quantization noise. Signal dependent noise, which is much more difficult to reduce than additive noise, can be reduced by first transforming the noisy signal x(n.sub.1,n.sub.2) into a domain where the noise becomes signal independent, then removing the signal independent noise using a conventional method such as Wiener filtering. Signal dependent noise can also be reduced directly in the spatial domain.
One approach to removing additive noise is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,180 issued 9 Aug. 1994 to Woods et al. which describes optical signal dependent noise reduction by variable spatial thresholding of the fourier transform. Another approach to removing additive noise is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,242 issued 5 Jul. 1994 to Naimpally et al. which describes the reduction of a noise component of a video signal using a three dimensional discrete cosine transform to determine the time frequency spectrum of both the video signal and the noise component, subtracting the time frequency spectrum of the noise component from the time frequency spectrum of the video signal, and converting the time frequency spectrum of the modified video signal back to the spatial domain by using an inverse three dimensional discrete cosine transform. The above two patents are incorporated by reference in their entirety to provide supplemental background information which is not essential but is helpful in appreciating the applications of the present invention.
The book by Jae S. Lim, supra, pp. 527-549, describes additional methods for reducing additive noise, including Wiener filtering and adaptive image processing. Reduction of signal dependent noise is also described on pages 562-567 for processing the noisy signal directly in the signal domain or by first transforming the noisy signal into another domain, then processing for noise reduction. The above pages of the Lim book are herein incorporated by reference for non-essential background information which is helpful in appreciating the applications of the present invention.
It is a primary object of the current invention to provide a system and method for preprocessing a digital image into a multi-level DCT pyramid image representation where each level of the pyramid is associated with a different DCT frequency band and whereby each level of the multi-level DCT pyramid image representation can be further processed, as by filtering, sharpening, smoothing, edge detection, etc.
The above and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.

Structuring a digital image into a DCT pyramid image representation


An electrosurgical forceps for sealing tissue is adapted to include a pair of movable jaw members that cooperate to grasp tissue. At least one of the jaw members has a blade channel defined therein configured for sliding reception of a surgical blade assembly, the blade channel including a plurality of troughs and a blade body having a plurality of cutting elements extending therealong, each of the cutting elements including a cutting edge extendable into the blade channel and a flange extending into each of the troughs. The blade body is selectively movable from a first position wherein the cutting edges of the cutting elements are spaced relative to the blade channel and the flanges are rest within the troughs to at least one second position wherein the cutting edges extend within the blade channel.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electrosurgical instruments used for open and endoscopic surgical procedures for sealing, fusing, or dividing tissue. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to bipolar forceps for sealing vessels, vascular tissues and soft tissues having a blade assembly that is designed to transect tissue while limiting movement of the cutting element.
2. Background of the Invention
Electrosurgical forceps utilize both mechanical clamping action and electrical energy to effect hemostasis by heating the tissue and blood vessels to coagulate and/or cauterize vessels or tissue. However, certain surgical procedures may require sealing blood vessels or vascular tissue rather than just simply effecting hemostasis. "Vessel sealing" or "Tissue Fusion" is defined as the process of liquefying the collagen, elastin and ground substances in the tissue so that it reforms into a fused mass with significantly reduced demarcation between the opposing tissue structures. In contrast, the term "cauterization" is defined as the use of heat to destroy tissue (also called "diathermy" or "electrodiathermy") and the term "coagulation" is defined as a process of desiccating tissue wherein the tissue cells are ruptured and dried. Coagulation of small vessels is usually sufficient to permanently close them. Larger vessels or tissue need to be "sealed" to assure permanent closure. During sealing procedures, surgeons may also divide sealed tissue to ensure that the surrounding tissue heals properly.
Numerous electrosurgical instruments have been proposed in the past for various open and endoscopic surgical procedures. However, most of these instruments cauterize or coagulate tissue and are normally not designed to provide uniformly reproducible pressure on the blood vessel or tissue that, if used for sealing purposes, would result in an ineffective or non-uniform seal. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,176,479 to Willis, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,005,714 and 4,031,898 to Hiltebrandt, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,827,274, 5,290,287 and 5,312,433 to Boebel et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,370,980, 4,552,143, 5,026,370 and 5,116,332 to Lottick, U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,463 to Stern et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,436 to Eggers et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,549 to Richardson et al., all relate to electrosurgical instruments for coagulating, cauterizing, and cutting vessels or tissue.
Some of these instruments include blade members or shearing members that simply cut tissue in a mechanical and/or electromechanical manner and are relatively ineffective for vessel sealing purposes. Other instruments generally rely on clamping pressure alone to procure proper sealing thickness and are often not designed to take into account gap tolerances and/or parallelism and flatness requirements, which are parameters that, if properly controlled, can assure a consistent and effective tissue seal. For example, it may be difficult to adequately control thickness of the resulting sealed tissue by controlling clamping pressure alone for either of two reasons: 1) if too much force is applied, there is a possibility that the two poles will touch and energy will not be transferred through the tissue resulting in an ineffective seal; or 2) if too low a force is applied, a thicker less reliable seal is created.
Commonly-owned U.S. application Ser. Nos. PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US01/11340 filed on Apr. 6, 2001 by Dycus, et al. entitled "VESSEL SEALER AND DIVIDER", U.S. application Ser. No. 10/116,824 filed on Apr. 5, 2002 by Tetzlaff et al. entitled "VESSEL SEALING INSTRUMENT" and PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US01/11420 filed on Apr. 6, 2001 by Tetzlaff et al. entitled "VESSEL SEALING INSTRUMENT" teach that to effectively seal tissue or vessels, especially large vessels, two predominant mechanical parameters must be accurately controlled: 1) the pressure applied to the vessel; and 2) the gap distance between the conductive tissue contacting surfaces (electrodes). As can be appreciated, both of these parameters are affected by the thickness of the vessel or tissue being sealed. Accurate application of pressure is important for several reasons: to reduce the tissue impedance to a low enough value that allows enough electrosurgical energy through the tissue; to overcome the forces of expansion during tissue heating; and to contribute to the end tissue thickness which is an indication of a good seal.
As can be appreciated, considerable surgical skill is needed to determine what force is necessary and to accurately apply pressure to the treated tissue. In cases where tissue needs to be divided during the sealing process, the surgical difficulty is compounded by the use of blade assemblies that require lengthy movement such as longitudinal axial movement when the lower and upper jaw members are closed during the procedure. The long cutting motions are problematic in that they may lead to undesirable movement of the cutting element resulting in or promoting an inaccurate seal and/or division of tissue.

Apparatus and method for transecting tissue on a bipolar vessel sealing instrument


A combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus for use with a computer having a CPU contained in a housing comprising a keyboard housing, the keyboard housing is separate from the computer CPU housing and a plurality of alphanumeric keys are mounted in said keyboard housing, a selectively tunable radio unit located in the keyboard housing having circuitry isolated and independent of the keyboard circuitry and at least one speaker mounted within said keyboard housing for audibly reproducing the radio frequency waves received by said radio receiver whereby the radio unit may be played for the listening pleasure of the user without impacting, using or otherwise impacting the resources of the computer to which the combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus is interfaced.

This invention relates to computer keyboards. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus of a combined computer keyboard and a radio in a single unitary housing.
Personal computers have gained great popularity in recent years. The evergrowing popularity of personal computers is so pervasive and widespread that personal computers have become viewed as a necessary and xe2x80x9cmust havexe2x80x9d item. Personal computers occupy a great percentage of office desks and homes as well. Although personal computers were originally designed as a tool to accomplish specific work tasks such as calculating and word processing, their role has expanded to include entertaining and gaming as well. While the use of personal computers for entertainment purposes such as playing games or editing photos and home movies has expanded, the personal computer is still used for the mundane and not-so-exciting tasks of tracking finances, word processing, calculating and editing spreadsheets and the like by most peoplexe2x80x94at least part of the time that they use their PC. Many people have a desire to listen to music as they work, at a computer or otherwise. For many people, listening to music while working is both comforting and relaxing.
While there are numerous hardware and software products that interface with computers enabling the computer to play and edit music, most of these products use at least a portion of the computer""s resources and/or are cumbersome to install and use. The available hardware and software is usually installed in or attaches to the computer as an add-on peripheral feature. In either case, the hardware and software typically uses some of the computer""s resources such as memory and/or power. Hardware externally attached to the computer, for the most part, is connected to the computer via cables. Cables are unsightly and difficult to neatly manage. Even when using hardware components that communicates with the computer via wireless communications means, the hardware components still use valuable desktop real estate. Additionally, the typical computer add-on must be accounted for by the host computer. Utilizing and allocating system resources to track and manage add-on peripheral devices, including those capable of producing music, is often time consuming to configure and quite often causes system interrupts during the operation of the host computer.
Attempts have been made in the past to consolidate computer hardware so as to conserve desktop space for the usual core essentials of a computer, namely the central processor unit, monitor, keyboard and pointing device. Most of the past attempts however, at most, consolidate traditional computer hardware and traditional computer multimedia components such as a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a modem, speakers, cameras or microphones. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,503 there is disclosed a multimedia console keyboard that combines speakers; microphone; volume control; monitor function control; computer power control switch and integrated analog-to-digital processors. The disclosed device does not alleviate the problem of computer resource allocation associated with adding hardware to a typically configuration computer. The disclosed device attempts to ease the problem by providing analog-digital preprocessors but the device is still dependant on the host computer""s resources. The disclosed and consolidated configuration of components comprise typical multimedia add-on components. U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,430 discloses a multimedia keyboard also. This device too combines traditional computer multimedia components that also require and use resources of the host computer. Each of these disclosed devices uses at least a portion of the host computer""s resources when used to play music for the listening pleasure of the computer user. Each device is dependent on the host computer for hardware and software support in order to operate.
The prior art combined keyboard devices merely provide for the consolidation of the typical computer multimedia peripherals, including music producing peripheral device add-ons, into a single unitary keyboard housing without alleviating the problems of: (1) requiring system resources for the operation of the music producing add-on; (2) complicated configuration of the host computer to interface the music producing add-on; and (3) requiring powered operation of the host computer in order to operate the music producing add-on.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus that is conveniently housed in a single computer keyboard housing that operates independently of the host computer to which the combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus is interfaced.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus that is controlled independently of the host interface computer, thereby obviating the allocation of host interface computer system resources for the operation of the combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus yet providing radio reception and playback for the listening enjoyment of the computer user without risk of impacting the operation of the computer.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a device that may be used notwithstanding whether the host computer is in the operational on state.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus that is easy to control yet ergonomically elegant in design and function.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus that is capable of being powered by a source independent of the host computer or instead by conveniently drawing minimal power from the host computer.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus that does not compromise the operation of the host computer.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus that can be readily retrofitted to preexisting computer systems easily without resorting to using tools, software or other hardware modifications.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus that is easy to use and manufacture, as well as cost effective.
This invention results from the realization that a convenient, easy-to-use and highly adaptable combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus can be effectuated by combining a computer keyboard and radio receiver within a single unitary housing, wherein the radio receiver""s circuitry is totally independent from the keyboard or other associated circuitry of the computer system to which the combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus is interfaced. The combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus is conveniently mounted in a computer keyboard housing having alphanumeric keys arranged in the traditional and customary location and spacing. The combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus also has speakers that are also housed within the single computer keyboard housing as the radio.
This invention features a combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus comprising a computer keyboard housing having alphanumeric keys mounted therein; a radio receiver located within the keyboard housing and at least one speaker for outputting the radio frequencies tuned by the radio receiver. The combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus further comprises a radio receiver having associated audio control circuitry for controlling the bass, treble, volume and other aspects of the sound reproduced by the radio. The radio unit farther includes an antenna for improved reception of radio frequency waves. The combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus also features a display means for providing useable information to a user so that the user may selectively control the features of the radio such as on/off, volume, station memory setting and presets, and alarm clock functions. The combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus may be powered exclusively by a battery source isolated from and independent of the computer""s power source or alternatively the combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus may derive its minimal power needs from the convenient power circuitry controlling the keyboard.

Combined computer keyboard and radio apparatus


The invention teaches the use of particles (7) capable of light emission in chemical, biochemical, and/or biological reactors (1), wherein the reactor (1) comprises at least one emission element (4) for emitting electromagnetic alternating fields in a reaction chamber (5) of the reactor (1), wherein the particles (7) capable of light emission are suspended in a fluid reaction medium present in the reaction chamber (5), wherein the reaction medium contains photoreactants (6), and wherein the particles (7) capable of light emission are excited by means of supply of energy to the emission element (4), in a wireless manner, to emit light that activates the photoreactants (6), a photoreactor (1) and the uses thereof.

Photobioreactors are a special field in the area of bioengineering, since the reactors therefor are not reactors being only adapted also for the area of chemical process engineering, wherein the optimization of the reaction procedures only comprises the transportation processes and mixing techniques. Rather, for photoreactors, the input of light and the distribution thereof within the reaction medium plays an important role, the more so as light is not dispersible in aqueous media, at least not now. Up to today, this technical challenge led to various designs for photobioreactors.
In principle, stirred-tank reactors (often with internal illumination), tubular reactors, (vertical) column reactors, and flat-plate reactors can be distinguished. Generally, the supply of light energy to the reaction medium occurs from outside, i.e. through a reactor wall being transparent for light. Reactors with such external supply of light can only difficultly be extended from a laboratory scale to an industrial scale, since the efficiency of the supply of light and thus of the photobioreactions depends on the surface of the transparent reactor wall and will thus not increase linearly with an enlargement of the reactor volume. An enlargement of the reactor volume will thus lead to decreasing reaction rates.
Another problem of such externally lighted photobioreactors is that the light conditions within the reaction medium, which contains turbid matter, together with the cells, are inhomogeneous, and this inhomogeneity will even increase with increasing cell density, i.e. with the progress of the reaction. Therefore, the mixing behavior in such photobioreactors also plays a very important role. In principle, it would be desirable to arrange for substantially identical reaction conditions within different volume units of the reaction medium.
Finally, the supplied light power cannot be increased infinitely, since in many phototrophous microorganisms a photoinhibition will occur as from a certain light intensity. This is consequently the maximum value in an arbitrary volume element of the reactor space, and in other volume elements the light power is then clearly lower, due to absorption, with the consequence of a lower photobiosynthesis performance.
A design known from the practice is a stirred-tank reactor, into the reaction chamber of which optical fibers are guided, which are supplied with light from outside. The light is guided through the optical fibers into the reaction medium and is emitted there. With a suitable arrangement of the ends of the optical fibers in the reaction chamber, a nearly homogeneous illumination of the reaction medium can be achieved. However, the optical fibers will disturb the mass transportation processes, convection and diffusion, for geometric reasons to a substantial degree, thereby then in turn the homogeneity of the distribution of the reactants within the reaction chamber being adversely affected, and thus ultimately the achievable reaction rates. An example of such a type of reactor is described in the document DE 10 2007 055 569 A1.
Another class of photobioreactors are the flat-plate reactors. Just as an example, reference is made to the document DE 10 2009 015 925 A1. A characteristic parameter of this design is the thickness of the at least one-side transparent reactors, which typically is in the range of 70 mm. They are operated analogously to so-called "airlift" reactors with an exposure to gas along the reactor bottom. This permits a mixing behavior, which with an optimum height and length of the reactor will come close to 80% of the mixing efficiency of an ideal stirred tank. Nevertheless, the mass transfer of CO2 and O2 is not very efficient due to the short lifetime of gas bubbles. This can be improved by different parameters, whereby a scale-up up to 133 1 becomes possible (see document EP 1 326 959 B1).
In principle, tubular reactors in biotechnology have the same disadvantages as in chemical process engineering. The biggest disadvantage with horizontal tubular reactors is that the reduction of substrate along the flow direction of the reaction medium, thus consequently the reaction rates being reduced, can be neglected for short tubes, since then the reaction or growth kinetics is in a first approximation of zero order. However, this describes only the main reaction of the process, for instance the chemical properties of CO2 in water can substantially affect the pH value, thus the growth being inhibited or slowed down. Further, the necessary removal of O2 from the reaction medium plays a role influencing the growth. All these problems are strongly increasing with increasing tube length. Nevertheless, such photobioreactors of up 500 km length and a photo-active volume of 600 m3 are known in the art. The reaction efficiency is however comparatively poor for the mentioned reasons and for an up-scale, the length increase and thus the technical efforts need to be increased in a disproportionate manner.
Another type of tubular reactor is formed by a vertical arrangement of the tubes, with the tubes being U-shaped and having in the range of the U-curve a gassing device. Thereby, further the mass transfer through the U-legs is caused. For an example of such a type of reactor in biotechnology, reference is made to the document DE 197 47 994 C1. With such type of reactor, a scale-up up to 120 1 is possible, but there is still a necessity of some improvement.
With regard to mixing behavior and mass transfer, a stirred-tank reactor would be ideal. Such stirred-tank reactors with transparent walls and external lighting are up to now used as photobioreactors on a laboratory scale only and not on an industrial scale, due to the problems of the homogeneous introduction of the light into all volume elements of the reaction chamber. The attenuation of the light follows an exponential law with the distance from the transparent reactor wall, the more so as also the extinction coefficient increases with increasing cell density. For a scale-up, therefore, it is basically always tried to increase the ration of (transparent) surface to volume, or to optimize it. In a not-turbid liquid, the light intensity of a cylindrical body lighted from all around would lead to an increased intensity in the center axis, similar to the effect of a condenser lens. In a cell suspension, then a cell density can be established, in which there is approximately everywhere in the cross section the same light intensity. This cell density is however not optimal in view of the achievable production performance. In principle, the above problems do not only exist in the field of the photobioreactors, but also in the field of the chemical reactors for photoreactions of chemical reactants.

Reactor having electroluminescent particles in the reaction medium