A slip control device includes a slip detecting device for detecting a slip rate of a drive wheel, an engine control device for reducing an engine output when the slip rate exceeds a first threshold value, and a brake control device for applying a brake force on the drive wheel when the slip rate exceeds a second threshold value. A frictional coefficient detecting device detects a frictional coefficient of a road, on which the vehicle is running, and a threshold determining device provides the first and second threshold values in accordance with the frictional coefficient. The engine output control and brake force control can be effectively utilized for the slip control in the traction control.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slip control in a traction control system for a vehicle which reduces the torque of the drive wheels of a vehicle when an undue slip rate is produced in the drive wheels so that the drive torque is transmitted with high efficiency.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, there has been proposed a traction control system which reduces the drive torque transmitted to the drive wheels for preventing the acceleration property from being deteriorated when the drive wheels are in a substantial slip condition.
In Japanese Patent Public disclosure (JP A) No. 62-49545, laid open to the public in 1987, the slip control system judges whether or not the slip rate of drive wheels against the load surface is greater than a predetermined value. If the slip rate is smaller than the predetermined value, the slip control system reduces the engine output to eliminate the slip condition. When the slip rate is greater than the predetermined value, the slip control system adjusts the brake force acting on the drive wheels in order to suppress an excessive drive force to the drive wheels to thereby eliminate the slip condition.
According to the above slip control system, it is advantageous that when the vehicle is in a slip condition where the slip level of the drive wheels is relatively low or small, the slip condition is dealt with merely through engine output control. Thus, the burden of the brake system of the vehicle can be eased It should, however, be noted that the slip control makes the driver feel an under-power of the engine output.


Imaging arrangements and barcode readers including such imaging arrangements. An imaging arrangement for use in a barcode reader includes a housing. The imaging arrangement also includes a light source configured to emit light along a central light axis. The light source is disposed in the housing. The imaging arrangement also includes a lens having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The lens is disposed in the housing. The first surface is configured to face the light source and is structured to substantially collimate light received from the light source into a collimated beam. The second surface includes surface structures structured to generate a patterned beam in response to receiving the collimated beam.

Imaging arrangements included in handheld barcode readers can be used to read barcodes. Because these handheld barcodes are handheld and, thus, not overly large, the available real-estate for additional options is limited.
Accordingly, there is a need for further advances in imaging arrangements and barcode readers including such imaging arrangements.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the disclosed examples so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.


A machine for forming containers having a blowing module containing a drivable rotor, a heating module containing a drivable conveyor and feeding the blowing module, and a main drive which is associated with both the blowing and heating modules and which is adapted to be selectively operated either in a continuous mode or in a clocked mode. A power train includes a decoupling unit which is arranged between the rotor and the conveyor and which is selectively actuable, and an auxiliary drive, which can be switched on selectively, is provided for the power train component that is separated from the main drive in the actuated condition of the decoupling unit.

In the case of such machines, which are known in practice (e.g. Contiform of the firm of Krones AG), the rotor of the blowing module and the conveyor of the heating module are driven in common through a main drive which is normally associated with the blowing module, since the blowing module has higher power requirements. When setting or retooling the machine, or when a failure occurred either in the heating module or in the blowing module, work has to be done in a clocked mode in the blowing module and/or in the heating module. During retooling or setting operations it will, for example, be necessary to exchange or convert molds in the blowing module and to exchange fittings, such as preform grippers, shielding plates and the like, in the heating module. In the course of such operations, the rotor in the blowing module will often have to be positioned at locations which are different from those of the conveyor in the heating module. This is one of the reasons for the fact that such work at the blowing module and at the heating module is carried out with a time shift, since, in view of the necessity of positioning the respective components at different locations, the operators would otherwise impede one another. In addition, the operational risk would be high, if the operators worked simultaneously at both modules and if they mutually endangered one another during the respective stepwise advance. Another drawback of the known principle is to be seen in the fact that, if a malfunction should, for example, occur in a further unit supplied by the blowing module, e.g. a blockage in a downstream filler, both the rotor in the blowing module and the conveyor in the heating module will have to be stopped until the blockage has been eliminated. The preforms in the heating module may be damaged when the conveyor stands still so that, subsequently, time-consuming resetting operations will become necessary. In addition, the main drive will unnecessarily waste power in the clocked mode of operation, when said main drive also moves the conveyor while work is being done in the blowing module or when the main drive also drives the rotor while work is being done in the heating module. The most serious drawback is, however, that the setting or retooling periods and, consequently, the downtimes of the machine are, in total, inexpediently long.


In a rotation rate sensor having a vibrational gyroscope which is part of at least one control loop which excites the vibrational gyroscope by supplying an excitation signal at its natural frequency, the vibrational gyroscope provides an output signal from which a noisy rotation rate signal is derived. The noisy rotation rate signal is supplied to inputs on a low pass filter with controllable bandwidth and on a bandpass filter. The output of the bandpass filter is connected to a control input on the low pass filter via a threshold value circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a rotation rate sensor having a vibrational gyroscope which is part of at least one control loop which excites the vibrational gyroscope by supplying an excitation signal at its natural frequency, the vibrational gyroscope providing an output signal from which a noisy rotation rate signal is derived.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In rotation rate sensors having a vibrational gyroscope, the output signal which indicates the rotation rate and is caused by the Coriolis force is noisy, which adversely affects subsequent evaluation.

Rotation rate sensor comprising a vibration gyroscope


A terminal soft tissue attachment and repair device has a sheet of mesh with two longitudinal sides and two lateral ends angled to the sides. One end has a smooth surface where the healing tissue rests and the sides mutually overlap. The device attains a frusto-conical shape of a proximal component and a distal component. The two sides and one end of the proximal component have suture holes. The other end of the proximal component merges with both sides and joins them to the distal component. From the joint, the two sides extend in a V shape spanned by laced suture. A surgeon places an end of tissue within the device. The surgeon then laces suture and then pulls it from one location to secure the invention upon the tissue and the distal component to a bony insertion. The invention attains a shape like the natural tissue.

The terminal tissue attachment and repair device generally relates to orthopedic devices and more specifically to an elongated tissue enwrapping and repair device. More particularly, the invention wraps one end of an elongated tissue and secures that end to a bony insertion or fixed anatomic point.
Effective repair of elongated tissue, such as flexor tendons, extensor tendons, ligaments, muscles and the like, has long been a significant problem that remains unresolved within the realms of hand surgery, orthopedic surgery and reconstructive musculoskeletal surgery. The pursuit of a secure, relatively simple, inexpensive surgical technique and device to assist and facilitate the effective repair of tendons, ligaments and other elongated tissues, still eludes hand surgeons, orthopedic surgeons and the practice and advancement of musculoskeletal reconstructive surgery.
The problems which must be addressed in any tendon, ligament or elongated soft tissue repair technique and device include creation of a connection, co-aptation or union of the cut end(s) of the tendon or ligament to each other in the case of a mid-substance disruption or to the distal bony attachment in the case of a terminal tendon disruption. Though this specification refers often to tendons and flexor tendon, the invention may see use upon ligaments, muscles, nerve tissue, and the like.
Flexor tendons in the hands and feet pass through a relatively narrow "tunnel" of fibro-osseus tissue which extends from the metacarpophalangeal, or MP joint proximally to the distal interphalangeal, or DIP joint distally. Tendon movement through this tunnel is referred to as "tendon excursion". In the hand this region is known as "no man's land" and/or "zone 2" by orthopedic practitioners.
The term "no man's land" arose from early surgeons who indicated that primary repair of flexor tendons in this region of the hand could not be performed successfully. This pessimistic approach came about because the practitioners' experience of the repairs in this zone consistently failed due to adhesions and/or tendon rupture after repair. Because the results with primary flexor tendon repair were so dismal, hand surgeons avoided primary tendon repair and instead performed delayed secondary repairs with tendon grafting or performed no repairs of flexor tendons in this area at all.
When the tendon, ligament or elongated soft tissue is cut in its midsubstance and repair is performed, the two cut ends of the divided tissue are coapted, that is, held together and secured in this position using sutures or other tendon/ligament repair device. An end to end coaptation requires that enough tissue is available on either side of the laceration or rupture to facilitate "capture" and "purchase" of both ends of the ruptured soft tissue and securement with suture or other restraining material so that a secure union or coaptation between these two ends is established. Practitioners refer to this as an "end to end" repair of tendon, ligament or muscle. In connecting the two ends, this typically involves passing sutures through both sides of the lacerated tendon and then tying the two free ends of the suture together, thereby reapproximating and holding the cut ends together. Various suturing techniques have been used including a variety of crisscross patterns, looped sutures, locking sutures, and the like. A proper tendon repair must create a repair and connection between the two cut ends of the tendon strong enough to withstand the forces involved in muscle contraction, such as for finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder, knee or ankle movement. Many of the existing repair techniques for the treatment of tendon injuries involve the use of four, six, or eight suture strands which are passed through the tendon "core" to provide adequate purchase and "strength of repair." Because multiple strands of suture pass through the "core" of the tendon, this also brings about multiple knots to secure the sutures which are holding the cut tendon ends together. These suture knots, may be placed in between the two cut ends at the site of the coaptation or on the outside of the tendon, depending on the technique utilized. When the knots are placed between the two cut ends at the site of the coaptation, the "core" sutures and knots may actually serve to prevent direct contact between the two ends of the healing tissue and this separation may serve to impede the tendon's ability to heal and form a stable repair/union.
When tendons are repaired utilizing current techniques the repaired tendon and adjacent joints must be immobilized afterwards so that the repair can heal. As a result of the prolonged period of immobilization required after repair, adhesions invariably form between the repaired tendon and the surrounding tissue. When tendon adhesions occur, then "excursion," or movement of the repaired flexor tendon as it passes through the retinacular "pulley" system has significant inhibition or restriction. In repair techniques where the suture knots are placed on the outside of the repaired tendons, these knots may contact and catch on the fibrous pulleys of the retinacular system that surround the tendons, thereby impeding tendon excursion and joint motion. Knots on the outside of the tendon frequently become a source of irritation and adhesions often form between the suture knots and the surrounding soft tissues which limits tendon excursion and active motion of the affected joints.
When a tendon, ligament or musculo-tendinous unit is cut near a terminal end, either proximally near the origin or distally near the insertion, then there is typically not enough tissue on one side of the rupture to facilitate an "end to end" repair and the surgeon must repair a "terminal" end of a tendon or ligament back to bone or other fixed skeletal tissue. To accomplish this, the surgeon must capture the cut "terminal" end of the ruptured/lacerated tendon/soft tissue and then secure it to bone or other fixed skeletal tissues such as joint capsule. In previous techniques and previous art suture or other material is passed or woven through the midsubstance or "core" of the ruptured/lacerated soft tissue and then the free "distal" end or ends of the suture material (which has been passed through and emerges from the terminal end of the lacerated soft tissue) is then sutured together, attached to or passed through a bone tunnel and fixed to the bone, using a variety of "anchoring" techniques including simple sutures, bone anchors, interference screws, or buttons (external buttons outside the skin or internal, "endo" buttons).
As noted above, patients require a structurally sound and strong repair but at the same time, a repaired tendon must also be able to move relative to adjacent skeletal components (tendon excursion) early in the postoperative period in order to minimize adhesions and facilitate skeletal and/or joint movement an ultimate function.
Tendons move through anatomic "tunnels" of synovial tissue and/or through fibro osseous retinacular systems. Tendon movement through these areas is termed "tendon excursion." Medicine has learned that the sooner active movement of the repaired tendon begins after the repair, the better, as long as this movement does not weaken or compromise the repair. Unfortunately, when early active motion is attempted after using current techniques, this movement results and gapping occurs at the repair site which can lead to tendon rupture.
Movement and excursion of a repaired or tendon serves to prevent and/or minimize adhesions between the repaired tendon and the surrounding tissues and thereby maximizing tendon excursion and optimizing skeletal movement. Similar to the problems encountered with suture material interfering with movement and/or healing of an "end to end" tendon repair, the same problems may occur with a "terminal tendon repair" when the suture material physically interferes with healing between the tendons and bone and/or results in adhesions between the tendon and surrounding soft tissues, thereby compromising healing and/or joint motion.
While the strength of the repair may be addressed by utilization of stronger and more numerous suture strands, the prior art has overlooked the bulkiness of the repaired sutured tendon at the site of the coaptation. The prior art does not adequately address the essential need to reproduce the normal anatomic shape of tendon at the repair site. An anatomic shape of the tendon at the site of the repair minimizes friction, facilitating the passage of the repaired tendon through the adjacent soft tissue, thereby maximizing tendon excursion. The bulkiness at the repair site comes from fraying of the lacerated tendon ends, hydration and swelling of the cut ends after an injury, from knots on or within the repaired tendon, and secondary to bunching of the two tendon ends brought together, all of which prevent movement and excursion of the repaired flexor tendon and compromise the ultimate functional results. Multiple sutures and knots at the repair site, as well as the "accordion effect" associated with tendon re-approximation site all contribute to the "fat repair site" which severely limits excursion and ultimately results in a poor functional result. Tendon re-approximation or coaptation occurs where the two cut ends are drawn together so that the tendon ends are compressed longitudinally and "bunched." The end result is a bulky repair site where the repaired tendon has a significantly larger diameter than the normal anatomic state, and a more irregular non-anatomic shape than the natural tendon. This bulkiness at the repair site and the non-anatomic shape of the repaired tendon has a profound negative effect on the ability of the repaired flexor tendon to move through the flexor tendon retinaculum system. Decreased friction and increased excursion at the repair site will serve minimize stress forces on the repair construct thereby protecting the repair, enhancing blood flow and healing at the repair site and decreasing the chances of adhesions or disruption at the repair site.
Medicine has the goal of developing a device or technique for repair of tendon, ligament or elongated anatomic tissue which is strong enough to withstand early, or immediate, active movement of the tendon, finger, hand, wrist, elbow, knee. ankle or involved joint/extremity after the repair. When early active motion begins very soon after the repair, then the risk of tendon adhesions reduces significantly. However, as noted above, early active motion requires a strong repair to resist gapping and minimum friction between the repaired tissue at the site of the repair and the surrounding soft tissue, synovial tissue, fibro-osseous tunnel and/or retinacular pulley system, through which the repaired tendon must pass.
The repair technique must ideally reproduce the normal anatomic size and shape of the uninjured tendon at the site of the tendon coaptation. Frequently, excessive bulkiness at the repair site occurs due to poor repair technique, excessive suture material and bunching of the repaired tissue at the repair site due to the "accordion effect". Reproducing the normal anatomic size and shape of the tendon at the repair site by decreasing excessive bulkiness of the soft tendon repair will help prevent the tendon from getting "hung up," or adherent to the surrounding soft tissue, through which the tendon must pass.
The ideal tendon repair construct accomplishes these goals: 1) enough strength and structural integrity to withstand the forces of muscle contraction, preventing gapping at the repair site and allowing for early active motion immediately after the repair; 2) optimize healing, blood flow and vascularity between the repaired/reapproximated cut tendon ends (end to end repair) or between the tendon and bone (terminal tendon repair); and 3) reproduce or approximate the normal anatomic shape of the tendon at the repair interface which will minimize friction and allow for normal unimpeded tendon excursion through the retinacular tunnel and/or surrounding soft tissues which will also help facilitate immediate active motion after repair.
The ideal tendon repair construct would securely fix the ruptured tendon ends together (end to end repair) or tendon to bone (terminal tendon repair). The ideal repair construct must also optimize healing and vascularity/blood flow at the repair site, re-create normal anatomy, minimize friction and adhesions at the repair site and allow for active skeletal motion to begin immediately after the repair.

Terminal tissue attachment and repair device


A resilient contact piece portion is provided within a connection portion of a female metal terminal, and is folded back at a position spaced forwardly from a front end of the connection portion, thus forming a folded portion of a generally inverted V-shaped cross-sectional shape. Relief recesses for respectively receiving the projected folded portions are formed in a front plate of cavities in a female housing. Thus, a contact portion is shifted forwardly within the connection portion while the cross-sectional shape remains unchanged as before. The contact portion of the resilient contact piece portion is shifted forwardly, and therefore even if the length of projecting of a tab portion is short, a positive electrical connection between the tab portion and the resilient contact piece portion is achieved.

This invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a connector in which tab portions of male metal terminals can not be projected sufficiently long.
A connector of the type for direct connection to a motor (for example, a drive portion of a power window of an automobile) is constructed as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. A housing 61 is mounted directly on the motor, and a tab portion 64 of each male metal terminal 63 is projected into a recess 62 formed in the housing 61, thereby forming a male connector 65. A mating female connector 66 includes a housing 67 for being received in the recess 62 in the male connector 65, and female metal terminals 69 are mounted respectively in cavities 68 formed in the housing 67. A tubular connection portion 70 of a square cross-section for receiving the tab portion 64 is formed at a front end of the female metal terminal 69. Provided within the connection portion 70 is a resilient, deformable contact piece portion 71 which is folded or turned back at the front end of the connection portion 70 into a generally inverted-V shape. When the female connector 66 is fitted into the recess 62 in the male connector 65, the tab portion 64 is inserted through a terminal insertion port 73, formed through a front plate 72 of the cavity 68, into the connection portion 70 of the female metal terminal 69, and is resiliently engaged with the resilient contact piece portion 71, thereby creating an electrical connection.
In such a motor direct-connection connector, the configuration of the housing 61 to be mounted on the motor is limited because of a mounting space, and therefore the length of projecting of the tab portion 64 of the male metal terminal 63 is often limited. If the length of projecting of the tab portion 64 is not sufficient, the front end of the tab portion 64 does not sufficiently reach the apex (serving as a contact portion) of the resilient contact piece portion 71 as shown in FIG. 10 when the female connector 66 is fitted in the male connector, and therefore the area of contact between the two is insufficient, so that the positive contact between the two may not be achieved.
To avoid this, it may be proposed to change the configuration of the resilient contact piece portion so that even the short tab portion can positively contact it. However, it is expected that much time and cost are required for the development of such new configuration including the analysis of resilient deformation of the resilient contact piece portion, and therefore the cost would be greatly increased.


A method for measuring three-dimensional coordinates of an object surface with a line scanner, the line scanner including a projector and a camera, the projector projecting onto the object surface a first line of light at a first time and a second line of light at a second time, the integrated energy of the second line of light different than the first line of light, the camera capturing the reflections of the first line of light and the second line of light, a processor processing the collected data after discarding portions of the image that are saturated or dominated by electrical noise, and determining three-dimensional coordinates of the object surface based at least in part on the processed data and on a baseline distance.

The three-dimensional ("3D") physical characteristics of surfaces of objects may be measured using various non-contact techniques and devices. Such measurements may be carried out for various reasons, including part inspection, rapid prototyping, comparison of the actual part to a CAD model of the part, reverse engineering, 3D modeling, etc. Most often, these non-contact devices utilize triangulation-based techniques for processing the raw captured data representing the surface of an object into the resulting actual measurements of the object surface.
One type of triangulation-based, non-contact device is a laser line probe ("LLP"), which includes a projector and a camera. The projector includes a light source that emits a light, typically as a line. The projector also includes a lens that projects the emitted light onto an object in a relatively clear (unblurred) state. The emitted light may be laser light, partially coherent light, or incoherent light. The camera includes a camera-type imaging device, such as a charge-coupled device ("CCD") or CMOS photosensitive array. The camera also includes a camera lens that captures the pattern of light on the object surface and converts it into a relatively clear (unblurred) state on the photosensitive array. The camera is typically positioned adjacent the laser light source within the LLP device. The projector has a virtual emission point from which the line or stripe of light appears to "fan out" in an angle in one dimension and in a flat sheet in the orthogonal dimension. The camera has a camera perspective center through which rays of light from the pattern on the object appear to pass in traveling to the photosensitive array. The line segment between the virtual emission point and the camera perspective center is called the baseline, and the length of the baseline is called the baseline length.
In some cases, the LLP is shaped as a hand-held device. In other cases, it may be attached to a motorized device or fixed in position on a production line. The fan of light that strikes the surface of the object forms a relatively bright stripe of light on the object surface. The camera captures the 3D silhouette or profile of the laser stripe projected onto the object. For the case of a hand-held LLP, to cover all or some portion of an object with the line of light, the LLP is moved by the user such that the projected line stripe extends over all or at least the desired portion of the object within the LLP's field of view. That way, by moving the LLP over the object, hundreds of cross sections of the object surface are captured as 3D point clouds of raw data. Some modern LLPs can capture 60 frames, or stripes, of 3D data per second, or approximately 45,000 points of data per second. Signal processing electronics (e.g., a computer or a processor) are provided that run software which processes the 3D raw point cloud data into the resulting 3D image of the object that includes dimensional measurements as obtained by the LLP and its laser stripe and triangulation measurement process.
The image of the reflected line on the imaging device normally changes as the distance between the imaging device and the object surface changes. By knowing the baseline distance, the orientation of the projector and camera with respect to baseline, and the coordinates on the photosensitive array of the imaged pattern of light, known triangulation methods may be used to measure 3D coordinates of points on the surface of the object. That is, as the LLP is moved, the imaging device sees each projected line stripe. Any deviations on the photosensitive array from a straight line pattern may be translated into height variations on the object surface, thereby defining the object surface. In other words, the method described hereinabove digitizes the shape and position of the object within the field of view of the LLP. In this way the measured object may be checked against a CAD design model of the same object to determine any discrepancies therebetween.
Portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machines ("AACMMs") may include a tactile probe configured to be brought into contact with an object to determine 3D coordinates of the object surface. AACMMs have found widespread use in the manufacturing or production of parts where there is a need to rapidly and accurately verify the dimensions of the part during various stages of the manufacturing or production (e.g., machining) of the part. Portable AACMMs represent a vast improvement over known stationary or fixed, cost-intensive and relatively difficult to use measurement installations, particularly in the amount of time it takes to perform dimensional measurements of relatively complex parts. Typically, a user of a portable AACMM simply guides a "hard" contact touch measurement probe (e.g., a ball) along the surface of the part or object to be measured. The measurement data are then recorded and provided to the user. In some cases, the data are provided to the user in visual form, for example, in 3D form on a computer screen. In other cases, the data are provided to the user in numeric form, for example when measuring the diameter of a hole, the text "Diameter=1.0034" is displayed on a computer screen.
An example of a prior art portable AACMM is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,582 ("the '582 patent"), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The '582 patent discloses a 3D measuring system comprised of a manually-operated AACMM having a support base on one end and a "hard" measurement probe at the other end. Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,147 ("the '147 patent"), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a similar AACMM. In the '147 patent, the AACMM has a number of features including an additional rotational axis at the probe end, thereby providing for an arm with either a two-two-two or a two-two-three axis configuration (the latter case being a seven axis arm).
It is generally known and accepted practice to attach a laser line probe to the probe end of an AACMM. The result is a fully integrated, portable, contact/non-contact measurement device. That is, the AACMM having an LLP attached thereto provides for both contact measurements of an object through use of the "hard" probe of the AACMM and for non-contact measurements of the object through use of the LLP's laser and imaging device. More specifically, the combination AACMM and LLP allows users to quickly inspect or reverse engineer complex and organic shapes via laser scanning, as well as to capture prismatic elements with the relatively high accuracy that contact metrology provides.
When combined as such, the AACMM and LLP may have the LLP carry out some or all of the processing of the 3D captured point cloud data using the signal processing electronics (e.g., computer or processor) within or associated with (e.g., located apart from) the AACMM. However, the LLP may have its own signal processing electronics located within the LLP or associated with the LLP (e.g., a stand-alone computer) to perform the necessary signal processing. In this case, the LLP may need to connect with a display device to view the captured data representing the object. Also, in this case the LLP may operate as a stand-alone device without the need to connect with an AACMM or similar device.
One important characteristic of any laser line probe is the dynamic range of the imaging device within the LLP. Simply put, the dynamic range of the imaging device is the range bounded on one end by the amount of relatively bright object surface portions that the imaging device is capable of accurately capturing and bounded on the other end by the amount of relatively dark object surface portions that the imaging device is capable of accurately capturing. Stated another way, the dynamic range of an imaging device is the ratio of the largest non-saturating input signal to the smallest detectable input signal. Dynamic range essentially quantifies the ability of an imaging sensor to adequately image both the highlights and the dark shadows of an object or of a larger scene. A typical real-world object or scene desired to be imaged may have a wide range of brightness values (or contrast variations) across the object surface or surfaces depending, in part, on the ambient light illuminating the object at any one point in time. For example, it is not uncommon for an object or scene to vary in brightness by 100 decibels or more.
The dynamic range required of an LLP for optimal determination of 3D coordinates of a surface is equal to the ratio of reflected optical power from the most reflective to the least reflective portions of an object surface. Dynamic range may be described as a linear ratio or, more commonly, as a logarithmic ratio in units of decibels (dB). The required dynamic range for a particular measurement depends partly on the material, color, and surface finish of the object surface, partly on the distances from a surface point to the projector and camera, and partly on the angles of incidence and reflectance of the projected and reflected light, respectively.
The dynamic range of an image sensor is the ratio of the largest optical energy to the smallest optical energy received by a pixel. To provide a valid reading, the dynamic range received by a pixel should be within the linear range of the pixel, which is to say that the energy cannot be as large as to saturate or so small as to be noise limited. To perform at an optimal level, the dynamic range of the imaging device should be equal to or greater than the dynamic range required of a particular measurement. Most commercially available imaging devices, e.g., CCD's or CMOS imagers, have a dynamic range less than 100 decibels.
An LLP with a relatively low dynamic range imaging device (e.g., a CCD camera or CMOS photosensitive array) results in a reproduced image that may be too dark is some areas and/or too light (i.e., saturated) in other areas. Thus, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to accurately determine 3D coordinates with such an LLP.
As a result, many devices and techniques exist in the prior art for extending or increasing the dynamic range of imaging devices. However, these techniques and devices tend to be lacking somewhat in the amount of increase in the dynamic range of the imaging device.
While existing laser line probes are suitable for their intended purposes, what is needed is a laser line probe having an imaging device with improved (i.e., increased) high dynamic range.

Laser line probe having improved high dynamic range


An isolated gene and mutations thereof capable of imparting constitutive pseudohyphal growth to S. cerevisiae is provided. The isolated wild type gene referred to as ELM1 is also capable of coding for a novel protein kinase that determines the yeast morphology and specific physiological properties.

Several fungal organisms are dimorphic, i.e., capable of existing in two forms. Such dimorphic fungi exhibit distinct morphologies in response to specific cellular signals. Typically, dimorphic fungi display either an egg-shaped, unicellular, yeast-like form, or a filamentous, mold-like form having attached and elongated cells. One example of such a dimorphism exists in the fungus Ustilago maydis in which haploid sporidia exhibit a yeast-like morphology. Such haploid sporidia may fuse to form an elongated dikaryon filamentous form if they bear distinct alleles at both the a and b compatibility loci. In contrast to the unicellular form, the filamentous form of Ustilago maydis, for example, causes corn smut.
A second well characterized example of dimorphism occurs in Candida albicans. This species of fungus exhibits a basic dimorphism between a budding yeast and a filamentous hyphal form. Several signals have been implicated in the switch between these two forms, including temperature, pH, nutrients, and exposure to serum factors. Mutants of C. albicans are known which are locked in either the yeast form or the hyphal form. Exploiting these observations for any useful purpose by classical genetic analysis is difficult, however. This is at least in part because C. albicans has only been observed as a diploid, and a sexual cycle has not been identified.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae), also known as brewer's yeast or baker's yeast, also is a dimorphic species capable of displaying an egg-shaped yeast-like form and a filamentous mold-like form. Unfortunately, however, laboratory isolates of the fungus present a great variability in their ability to display this dimorphic characteristic. In this organism, nitrogen starvation in the presence of glucose is a natural inducer of the formation of the filamentous form, which is more appropriately termed pseudohyphae. See C. J. Gimeno et al., Cell, 68, 1078 (1992). Stimulation of a signal transduction pathway referred to as RAS2 facilitates this pseudohyphal response, i.e., the formation of a filamentous form.
S. cerevisiae pseudohyphal cells have an elongated morphology, and stay attached to each other presumably by their cell wall. Furthermore, a unipolar budding pattern occurs in which daughter cells bud, and rebud, away from their mother cell in the great majority of the cell divisions. The result is a filamentous, mold-like structure growing away from the center of the colony. Of particular note is that the pseudohyphal form of S. cerevisiae forage deeply into agar media, possibly as a result of degrading polysaccharides into energy producing monosaccharides. Thus, the pseudohyphal form of S. cerevisiae could be used in the fermentation of complex polysaccharides for the production of ethanol, for example. Unfortunately, however, the wild type S. cerevisiae only undergoes the pseudohyphal response in near-starvation conditions. Exploiting these observations could lead to significant utility in commercial fermentation applications.

Constitutive pseudohyphal growth yeast mutants

Iowa State University Research Foundation

Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale


High density, nontoxic projectiles and other articles, and their methods of manufacture, are disclosed. More particularly, high density nontoxic W—Cu—Ni—Fe alloy compositions, methods of their manufacture and methods by which they may be used as projectiles such as shots, bullets, and pellets and other products traditionally made of lead alloys will be detailed herein in some embodiments. These products have a density comparable to that of lead while avoiding problems of toxicity associated with the use of lead.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in certain embodiments to high density, nontoxic articles such as shots used as projectiles in shotgun shells and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lead has traditionally been used as a material for shot pellets for hunting, especially hunting for birds, because of its high density and low melting point that lend itself to ease of manufacture and highly predictable ballistic characteristics. The majority of these pellets fall to the ground without hitting the target. Some of them settle on the bottom of the wetlands and lakes. Over time the spent lead pellets accumulate to a point that some waterfowl have shown signs of lead poisoning because they ingested lead pellets while in search of food and also the grit to assist in digestion of the food. This has led to the ban of lead shot pellets for waterfowl hunting in the U.S., Canada, and other countries.
Because of market demand, considerable effort has been devoted to searching for a viable lead substitute that can be economically produced and at the same time possesses the predictable ballistic characteristics of the lead shot pellet, such as uniform pattern density with a wide variety of shotgun chokes and barrel lengths, and uniform muzzle velocities with various smokeless powders. There are no comparable metals that possess all of the desired characteristics. Those metals that are somewhat close to lead in density are not satisfactory substitutes as a result of other drawbacks, such as high cost, radioactivity, high melting point, or other properties.
Various approaches have been proposed to formulate a mixture of metals and in some cases using polymers. Additionally, various methods have been attempted to process these mixtures for the final product. Despite these prior efforts, the products made according to these materials and processes have some shortcomings as discussed below.
Steel was selected as the most practical substitute, based on methods of production, cost, ballistics, and its nontoxic nature. However, steel shot pellets have a density of about 7.5 to about 8.0 g/cm3 as compared to lead alloy shot pellets which have a density of about 10 to about 11 g/cm3. Density differences between shots of the same gauge will perform differently in the trajectory and firearm recoil when powered by the same charge. Additionally, steel shot pellets do not deform, and have a definite tendency toward center density regardless of choke. Especially for the large size steel shots, they do not pattern perfectly from tightly choked barrels because such charges do not swage down well to flow smoothly through the choke. The wedging and bridging were believed to be the reasons in an overly choked condition. To compensate for the density difference, hunters have been using two or three larger gauge shot pellets in the shotshell load. Unfortunately, the larger shot pellet size reduces the total number of shot pellets that can be loaded in the predefined shotshell case; this in turn deteriorates the pattern density. Because of the hardness of the steel shot pellet, it is required to have a thicker and harder plastic to protect the bore from the ravages of the steel shot pellets. This requirement further reduces the case volume available for the shot pellets. In order to increase the case volume to accommodate more steel shot pellets, the wad has been redesigned to eliminate the collapsible leg section.
The larger diameter steel shot pellets suffer more disadvantages. The larger steel shot pellet will lose velocity quicker than the smaller high density shots. Also, the steel shot pellet will not penetrate as well because of its larger frontal section. This, coupled with low density, loss of velocity due to drag force, and the inferior pattern density previously mentioned, have resulted in an increased number of crippling shots. Hunters have been known to reduce the range over which he or she will try to take game by as much as 25%. Also, because the steel shot pellets lose momentum over the flight range, they require a lengthened lead. Some manufacturers have employed special powder to drive up the muzzle velocity, but these powders also increase the barrel pressure which causes safety concerns. All of these issues cause a great deal of confusion and frustration to the hunting community.
Nontoxic shot products currently in the market are either too hard or too soft, too frangible or too rigid, or too abrasive. Products that are too hard or too rigid damage the gun barrel and have a strong tendency to ricochet when hitting a hard surface. Products that are too soft tend to leave some rub off particles in the gun barrel and deform too much at firing and in flight, which causes deterioration in the shot pattern and final impact energy and energy transfer. It is also harder for a soft shot to penetrate the animal to make a clean kill. Products that are too frangible tend to crack during set back (firing), and in flight; this will cause drag in flight and cause the shot to lose momentum. It also tends to cause the shot to disintegrate upon impact, thus impeding penetration and causing the energy to not transfer onto the animal.
The majority of the prior nontoxic shots have not proved to be commercially viable primarily due to high equipment cost, high process operating cost, inferior density and hardness characteristics compared to lead and lead alloy.

High density nontoxic projectiles and other articles, and methods for making the same


The present invention includes polishing the wafer backside by a grinder. Subsequently, a glass is laminated on the wafer backside surface by using epoxy. Then, the wafer is etched to isolate the dies. An epoxy is then coated on the wafer by means of vacuum coating process. Then, a curing step is performed by using the ultraviolet (UV) radiation to harden the epoxy. A grinding process is optional used to grind the epoxy on the wafer circuit side. A plurality of pad openings is formed in the epoxy. Subsequently, a pad circuit re-distribution is arranged over the upper surface of the epoxy. A solder mask covers the epoxy and the pad circuit for isolation. A printing process is carried out to print solder on the pre-determined area and the solder contacts to the pad circuit. Then, the solder is re-flow, and the wafer is then set to a testing apparatus for wafer level testing. A sawing process is next performed after the wafer-level test to separate the dies by cutting the scribe line, thereby obtaining the chip scale package (CSP).

The present invention relates to a semiconductor package, and more specifically, to a wafer level packaging technology and the method of forming the wafer level package.
In recent years, since the circuit devices in a chip are manufactured with a high density and it has been a trend to make semiconductor devices having small size. IC (integrated circuits) designers are tempted to scale down the size of each device and increase chip integration in per unit area. Typically, the semiconductor devices require protection from moisture and mechanical damage. The structure involves the technology of package. In the technology, the semiconductor dies or chips are usually individually packaged in a plastic or ceramic package. The package is required to protect the die and spread the heat generated by the devices. Therefore, the heat dissipation is very important in the semiconductor devices, particularly the power and the performance of the device increase. The conventional package is also used for performing full functionality testing of the chip. It is important that each device is kept as small as possible. Recently, there has existed a high interest of developing a package with a larger number of input and output. One of the solutions is to develop devices with ball grid array (BGA) and assembly technology. It is because that the renewed desire in high density hybrid is driven by the requirement of larger numbers of electrical connections, the increasing clock rate of digital systems.
Various types of package have been developed, recently. No matter what type of the package is, most of the packages are divided into individual chips before they are packaged. However, the wafer level packaging is a trend for the semiconductor package. One of the prior arts is shown below. Turning to FIG. 1, a plurality of dies 4 are formed on a surface of a semiconductor wafer 2. A glass 8 is attached on the surface of the wafer 2 having dies formed thereon by using an adhesive material 6. Then, the other surface of the wafer 2 without the dies is ground to reduce the thickness of the wafer 2, which is called back grinding, as shown in FIG. 2. Next, the wafer is then etched to isolate the ICs and a portion of the adhesive material 6 is exposed. This can be found in FIG. 3 and please turn to FIG. 4, a further glass 12 is attached on the surface that is opposite to the surface having dies 4 by another adhesive material 10. The next step is shown in FIG. 5, compliant layers 14 is formed on the top of the first glass followed by etching a portion of the first glass 8 and into the adhesive material 6 and 10, as shown in FIG. 6. This step is called notch process, thereby forming a trench 16 in the glass 8 and the adhesive material 6, 10. Over the compliant layer 14, solder balls will be formed thereon during the subsequent steps.
A layer 18 formed of lead is patterned on the surface of the first glass 8 and along the surface of the trench 14 for providing electrical connection. The layer 18 also covers the compliant layers 14, as shown in FIG. 7. Referring to FIG. 8, a solder mask 20 is successively formed over the surface of the lead layer 18 and the glass 8 to expose the surface aligned to the compliant layer 14. Therefore, the solder mask 20 exposes the lead over the compliant layer 14. Turning to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, solder balls 22 are then implanted on the surface of the exposed lead 18, which is exposed by the solder mask 20 by a conventional process of implanting balls. The final step is to perform the dice process to etch the adhesive material 10 through the second glass 12 via the trench 16 resulting in the dies being separated. As known in the art, a dicing tape 24 is attached on the second glass before the step is used.
However, the process is too complicated. It needs the notch process and the step of etching the second glass 12 to separate the dies. Further, it includes the formation of the trench having a sharp profile. The lead formed thereon is not readily attached on the surface that will lead to open circuits. Hence the performance of the device is degraded.
An object of the present invention is to provide a package which has the real chip size package.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a package with a lower cost of manufacture and the purpose of the present invention is to disclose the wafer level package and the process of the same.
A yet object of the present invention is to make the package that is adapted to the wafer level burn-in test and the final test.
The present invention includes polishing the wafer backside by a grinder or the like. Subsequently, a material such as glass is laminated on the wafer backside surface of the wafer by using epoxy. The glass can be attached by using laminate process. Quartz or ceramic can replace the glass. Then, the wafer (or silicon) is etched to isolate the dies. An adhesive material with 1-2 mil is then coated on the second side of the wafer by means of vacuum coating process using epoxy. Then, a curing step is performed by using the ultraviolet (UV) radiation to harden the epoxy. A lapping (grinding) process is optional used to grind the epoxy on the wafer circuit side.
A plurality of openings are formed in the adhesive material and aligned to the pads of the dies (chips). Subsequently, a pad circuit re-distribution is arranged over the upper surface of the epoxy. The pad circuit can be composed of any conductive layer such as metal, alloy or the like. Preferably, the pad circuit is formed of Crxe2x80x94Cu alloy. A solder mask covers the epoxy and the pad circuit for isolation. A printing process is carried out to print solder on the pre-determined area and the solder contacts to the pad circuit. Then, the solder is re-flow at a temperature as known in the art. Then, the wafer is set to a testing apparatus for wafer level testing. A sawing process is next performed after the wafer-level test to separate the dies by cutting the scribe line, thereby obtaining the chip scale package (CSP).
A wafer level package of the present invention comprising a wafer having a plurality of dies formed thereon, wherein the wafer has a trench formed therein and over a scribe line. A glass is attached on the backside surface of the wafer by a first epoxy. A second epoxy is formed over the plurality of dies and refilled into the trench, wherein the plurality of dies has a plurality of pads formed thereon, A circuit layout is re-distribution on the second epoxy and connected to the plurality of pads. A solder mask is formed on the circuit layout and the second epoxy to expose a portion of the circuit layout. A solder ball is formed on the exposed portion and connected to the circuit layout.

Wafer level package and the process of the same


A service plug is provided with circuit terminals respectively connected to the end of an open electric circuit, a circuit housing provided with the circuit terminals inside and terminal insertion holes, a pair of guide grooves stood on the surface on which the terminal insertions holes are made, guide grooves formed on the respective opposite surfaces of the guide walls, the plug body provided with short-circuiting terminals for short-circuiting the circuit terminals, a lever rotatably coupled to the plug body via a turning shaft which is long in the opposite direction of the guide walls, and bosses which are protruded from both sides of the lever, enter the guide grooves and position the circuit terminals and the short-circuiting terminals.

The present invention relates to a circuit switching device (a service plug) for opening an electric circuit and cutting off the current of the circuit, and particularly relates to a circuit switching device suitable for an electric automobile and others provided with a high-voltage circuit for driving a motor.
In the switchboard of a high-voltage circuit and others, there is a circuit switching device designed so that an operator is prevented from getting electric shock by detaching a plug provided to the switchboard from a terminal fixed in the body of the switchboard and cutting off the current of the circuit when the operator opens the cover of the switchboard.
Recently, attention is paid to an electric automobile as a pollution-free vehicle which does not exhaust exhaust gas. Also in the electric automobile, since a high-voltage circuit for driving a motor is provided, the current of the circuit is required to be cut off for the same reason as the above in maintenance service. From such a request, in a conventional electric automobile, there has been proposed a circuit switching device (connector device) in which a high-voltage circuit is stored inside a switchboard and the high-voltage circuit is automatically opened when the cover of the switchboard is opened.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a conventional connector device and FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a process in which the cover of the conventional connector device is shut. A female connector 3 is fixed inside a box-shaped housing 1 the top face of which is open, and the female connector 3 can be connected to external high-voltage cables 5a and 5b via each connector terminal 6. A cover 7 for opening or closing the opening is provided to the housing 1 and is turned around a turning shaft 9 as the center. A guide 11 is provided to the cover 7, and holds a male connector 13 and a guide member 15 which can be moved in the direction perpendicular to the turning shaft 9. A spring 17 shown in FIG. 11 is arranged between the internal wall of the guide 11 and the male connector 13 and presses the male connector 13 and the guide member 15 in the direction in which they approach the turning shaft 9.
In a connector device -19 constituted as described above, when the cover 7 is shut, the male connector 13 approaches the female connector 3, drawing an arc-shaped locus with the turning shaft 9 as the center. Therefore, the male connector 13 is moved in the direction in which it goes away from the turning shaft 9 against pressure by the spring 17 when the guide member 15 comes in contact with an internal wall 20a of a guide hole 20 in a process in which the male connector 13 is fitted into the female connector 3, is again moved by pressure by the spring 17 in the direction in which the male connector approaches the turning shaft 9, is fitted in the female connector 3, absorbing dislocation caused by the arc-shaped locus in the fitting process, and electrifies the high-voltage cables 5a and 5b.
In the meantime, when the cover 7 is opened, the male connector 13 is detached from the female connector 3, being moved again in the direction in which the male connector approaches and goes away from the turning shaft 9, opens a high-voltage circuit between the high-voltage cables 5a and 5b and as a result, can automatically cut off the current of the circuit.
However, in the above conventional connector, since the male connector 13 is provided on the cover 7, it is moved, drawing an arc-shaped locus, therefore, the male connector is required to be pressed by the spring 17 so that the male connector can be moved so as to absorb dislocation caused in a process in which the male connector is fitted into the female connector 3, and there is a problem that the structure is complicated and the number of the parts is increased.
There is also a problem that distortion is caused between the male connector and the female connector in fitting because the male connector 13 is moved, drawing an arc-shaped locus.
Further, in the conventional connector, since a handle such as a lever is not provided-to the cover 7, an operation for opening or shutting is difficult. In the meantime, there is a problem that if a handle is protruded from the cover 7, it becomes an obstacle in an electric automobile and the like the space of which is limited, while a fold type handle cannot hold force required to shut the cover 7 and satisfactory operability can be hardly obtained.

Service plug having a lever mechanism for positioning circuit terminals and short-circuiting terminals


Techniques for determining a vehicle action and controlling a vehicle to perform the vehicle action for navigating the vehicle in an environment can include determining a vehicle action, such as a lane change action, for a vehicle to perform in an environment. The vehicle can detect, based at least in part on sensor data, an object associated with a target lane associated with the lane change action sensor data. In some instances, the vehicle may determine attribute data associated with the object and input the attribute data to a machine-learned model that can output a yield score. Based on such a yield score, the vehicle may determine whether it is safe to perform the lane change action.

An autonomous vehicle can use various methods, apparatuses, and systems to guide the autonomous vehicle through an environment. For example, an autonomous vehicle can use planning methods, apparatuses, and systems to determine a drive path and guide the autonomous vehicle through the environment that contains dynamic objects (e.g., vehicles, pedestrians, animals, and the like) and static objects (e.g., buildings, signage, stalled vehicles, and the like). In some instances, dynamic objects can affect an action of the autonomous vehicle as it traverses the environment.


Techniques for enabling real time translation and transcription services between users that have contacted emergency services and PSAP operators who are coordinating the emergency services are discussed herein. For example, a system determines that the user and the PSAP operator speak different language, are unable to effectively hear each other, or are otherwise struggling to communicate effectively. The system can determine that an augmentation of the communication session is to be provided and can initiate translation or transcription services via network edge computing resources. The network edge computing resources are configured to generate the augmented communication data and enable the communication network to merge the augmented communication data and the original communication data in real time.

Computers, cellular phones, and other electronic devices have become ubiquitous in society today. The combination of the Internet, cellular technologies, and modern electronics, among other things, has created an explosion in the number and types of electronic devices available (e.g., cellular phones, smart phones, tablets, laptops, etc.) and how the electronic devices are utilized in day to day life. Alongside the development in mobile devices, an enhanced 911 (E911) service was developed to service emergency communications with the array of available devices. Increasingly, users rely on smart phones and other electronic devices during communications with each other and with emergency services.
Emergency communication sessions generally prioritize different quality of service (QoS) indicators compared to enterprise or consumer communication sessions. For instance, effectively conveying information between an individual and the emergency service operator is commonly one of if not the top priority for the emergency communication session. Additionally, enhanced 911 (E911) services enable an individual to dial 911 and be connected to the appropriate emergency services regardless of location, utilize video during emergency calls, and additional functionality that is enabled by modern communications. However, current emergency service communication sessions utilize a communication network to transmit and receive data generated by a user device and a public safety answering point (PSAP).

Emergency session translation and transcription via audio forking and machine learning


A fastening buckle for fastening a snorkel to swimming goggles includes a strip-holding member and a snorkel-holding member. The strip-holding member has a resiliently depressible hanging section and has an outer surface formed with an inclined plane. The snorkel-holding member has a gripping portion laterally formed with a socket for receiving the hanging section of the strip-holding member. The socket has an outer wall formed with a cut-away section for abutting against a bottom edge of the hanging section. The socket further has a resiliently depressible pressing button extending downward from a top thereof to hang over the cut-away section and abut against the inclined plane of the hanging section. When pressed, the pressing button presses the inclined plane to expel the hanging section downward from the cut-away section, allowing convenient disengagement between the snorkel-holding member and the strip-holding member.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a fastening buckle for fastening a snorkel to a head strip of swimming goggles (diving goggles). The fastening buckle has a snorkel-holding member for gripping the snorkel. The snorkel-holding member is provided with a socket for allowing a head portion of a strip-holding member to be inserted thereto. The socket has an outer wall formed with a cut-away section and a resiliently depressible pressing button hangs over the cut-away section. A hanging section formed on the head portion of the strip-holding member for being received in the cut-away section is provided with an inclined plane that is configured to be pressed by the pressing button. When the inclined plane is pressed by the pressing button, the hanging section is smoothly expelled from the cut-away section, to achieve easy disengagement between the snorkel-holding member and the strip-holding member.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a snorkel for skin diving has a mouthpiece provided at a lower part thereof for a diver to bite and breathe therethrough, and has a fastening buckle at its milled part for fastening the snorkel to a head strip of swimming goggles (diving goggles) worn by the diver. One example of the various existing fastening buckles is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The known fastening buckle has a snorkel-holding member 1 for being mounted around a snorkel and a strip-holding member 2 for holding a head strip of swimming goggles (diving goggles). The upper head portion 22 of the strip-holding member 2 is formed as a hanging section 23 with its lower part hanging and resiliently depressible. The strip-holding member 2 has its lower end formed with a collar 21 for the head strip to pass therethrough.
Moreover, the snorkel-holding member 1 has a gripping portion 11 for gripping the snorkel. The gripping portion 11 is laterally provided with a socket 12 for receiving the head portion 22 of the strip-holding member 2. The socket 12 has its outer wall formed with a cut-away section 13 for receiving the hanging section 23, so that the lower end of the hanging section 23 abuts against the bottom edge of the cut-away section 13.
Referring to FIG. 3 as well, for removing the snorkel from the goggles, a user can push the hanging section 23 of the strip-holding member 2 to depress and expel its lower end from the bottom edge of the cut-away section 13 of the snorkel-holding member 1. Then, the snorkel together with the snorkel-holding member 1 can be withdrawn upward from the strip-holding member 2. In operation, the hanging section 23 has to be first pushed inward and then biased downward, so the lower end of the hanging section 23 is able to pass across the bottom edge of the cut-away section 13 before the snorkel-holding member 1 and the strip-holding member 2 are separated smoothly. As the operation involves this two-stage force-exerting operation, it is inconvenient.
Additionally, when a user biases the hanging section 23 downward, if his-her pushing finger comes to a site too close to the bottom edge of the cut-away section 13, the second stage of the force-exerting operation may be hindered from smoothly moving the hanging section 23, or may require enhanced force to bias the hanging section 23 and separate the snorkel-holding member 1 from the strip-holding member 2. However, since the aforementioned operation is usually performed when the goggles and the head strip, and in turn the fastening buckle, are still worn on the user's head, it is common that the user's finger cannot exert force exactly at a perfect site and that the hanging section 23 rebounds, making the lower end of the hanging section 23 again abut against the bottom edge of the cut-away section 13 and leading to difficult disengagement between the snorkel-holding member 1 and the strip-holding member 2. In a case where the user exerts the downward biasing force excessively, the fastening buckle tends to be damaged or have resilience fatigue over time.


According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method and technique for task priority boost management is disclosed. The method includes: responsive to a thread executing in user mode an instruction to boost a priority of the thread, accessing a boost register, the boost register accessible in kernel mode; determining a value of the boost register; and responsive to determining that the boost register holds a non-zero value, boosting the priority of the thread.

In a multi-processor environment, multiple processes or threads of an application program may request access to common information or data. The independence of the executing threads may lead to simultaneous operations being performed on certain data, which may lead to incorrect results. To prevent the foregoing, a thread may acquire a lock to prevent another thread from accessing or using the same resource at the same time. For example, during execution of a critical section of code in the process, a lock may be acquired by a thread to prevent the thread from sharing a particular resource until the lock is released.
Operating systems generally control access to a processor of the multi-processor environment. In some environments, priorities may be assigned to different processes or threads based in the relative importance or urgency of the functions performed by the thread. In some application programs, the thread may request a priority boost, such as before entering a critical section of code. The boosted priority may enable the thread to preempt other threads and access a shared resource controlled by a lock. When the thread is finished executing the critical section of code, the lock is released and the priority of the thread is unboosted (e.g., returning to a normal priority state).

Time-based task priority boost management using boost register values

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The present invention relates to a method of processing postal matters in an automatic address-reading system, an image of the surface of each article of mail having address information being obtained and delivered to a first automatic evaluation system, and incorporately evaluated address information being delivered for evaluation to a first video coding system. It is provided that the address information of those images which have not been completely evaluated in the video coding system are delivered, using the results of the video coding system to another automatic evaluation system.

The invention relates to automatic letter processing and particular to systems, for which an automatic address reading method is supplemented and improved by the use of video coding. Automatic address reading systems (OCR) are well known in the field of letter processing and are described, for example, in German Patent DE 195 31 392. Modern OCR letter sorting systems can achieve letter processing rates of 10 letters per second, meaning 36,000 letters per hour and more. However, the recognition reliability varies considerably, depending upon the lettering style and total quality of the address information affixed to the letter surface. In case of successful recognition, the respective letter can be provided with a machine-readable bar code. This bar code permits a further mechanical processing up to a desired, optional sorting order. In particular, the use of bar codes permits a sorting of letters of up the sorting level of the postal run; for which the letters are sorted according to the distribution sequence used by the delivery person.
Owing to the fact that the recognition rates for automatic reading systems vary considerably, it is necessary to support automatic necessary processes through various forms of manual intervention. The simplest intervention is that of rejection letters not readable in automatic reading systems and using a hand sorting process on them. However, the resulting expenses are uneconomically high, given the increase in operational expenses. Added to this is the fact that a mechanical sorting of such postal goods is not possible without problems at a later point in time, for example, two separate flows of goods are created, which must then be combined again manually at a letter and specific point in time.
In order to avoid these disadvantages resulting from the manual sorting of OCR rejected items, various methods have been developed for manually coding postal goods. These methods use operator intervention to affix bar codes to the items in a manner that is consistent with the requirement to carry out a mechanical sorting with the same machines that process OCR-read and bar-coded mail.
Another method for coding rejected postal items uses manual or a manually operated coding stations. At these manually-operator, wherein the operator encodes enough information from each of these items, as is necessary to clearly identify the destination. For this, the input address is converted by means of a directory to a sorting bar code which is then affixed to the item. The coded items are subsequently processed further by means of bar code sorter (BCS), which are identical to OCR-suitable BCS. Manually operated coding stations of this type were first introduced by the US Post Office and Royal Mail during the 1970's. The main disadvantages of these types of systems are the necessity to remove items from the OCR flow of items and the ergonomic difficulties experienced by the operator when identifying items transported past the operator.
The next progressive step in the treatment of OCR-rejected items was the item development of an on-line video coding systems (OVS). In an OVS, a video image of the item is presented to the operator for coding in place of the physical items are held in delay loops. In these delay loops, the items are normally held in motion for an interval that is sufficient for the OVS operator to input the necessary sorting information for the respective image. The standard delay loop, the higher the costs as well as the requirements for maintenance and the physical size of the facility.
The main problem when using an OVS is that the available time is only sufficient for a careful input of the zip code (zip) or the postal code (pc), unless delay loops with an impractical length are used.
For this reason, special coding methods were developed to keep the on-line delay time as low as possible.
In order to increase the coding productivity and/ore permit the listing of all address elements, meaning the zip code/postal code, street/post office box, addressee/post office box, addressee/firm, various state-of-the art methods have been developed. Essentially, these include:
Preview Coding
The preview coding involves a simultaneous displays of images from two items, one above the other. In this case, the lower image is the active one, meaning its data is to be encoded first before encoding attention is paid to the upper image. Following a suitable training, an encoding operators can encode information present on the lower image while at the same time recording the address information from the upper image. The upper image subsequently becomes active and the process is continued accordingly. The preview recording permits a doubling of the operator productivity through a complete overlapping of the cognitive and the motorized functions during the coding of successive images.
Extraction Coding
Since only the zip postal code address elements can be input reliably by the operator, given the on-line delay times that are possible in practical operations, specific key components of the address components referring to the street are input during extraction code. The extraction coding normally is based on specially developed rules, for which a code window length is used as an access key to an address directory. For example, the Royal Mail uses an extraction formula that is based in the first three and the last two letters. In that case, the operator must memorize special rules to avoid superfluous address on formation and must take into account specific, differentiating characteristics, e.g. directions such as east, west ore categories such as long as street, lane, road.
Despite a certain effectiveness, the extraction coding has several considerable disadvantages. In particular, it has complex extraction rules, which frequently require taking into account the end of a street name, an address component which is normally written with the least amount of clarity. The extraction coding also involves a significantly high rate of extraction that are not clear and to which several entries in a dictionary correspond. Accordingly, a clear sorting decision cannot always be made. Furthermore, it must be taken into account that the input productivity of the operators is reduced as soon as the operator must make a decisions rather than perform a simpler task such as repetitive keyboard entry.
Completion Coding
In contrast to extraction coding, a variable input is made for the completion coding of each address directory, until both clearly coincide. An acceleration effect is achieved by displaying the remainder of the address as soon as it is recognized from within the directory. However, with this technology problems occur in that an input stop signal must be transmitted to the operator and illustration of the identified remainder of the address is necessary. As a result a reduced input productivity occurs and preview coding is prevented.
Operator-Assisted OCR Technology
The US Postal Service has experimented with operator-assisted OCR techniques to increase the address information to be processed on-line. In this case, the portion of the address image, for which the OCR identification has failed, is emphasized so as to increase effectiveness. Since the operators are slow when deciphering missing letters and since in part complex identification errors, (e.g. segmentation problems) occur as well, the operator productivity with this method is frequently lower than with a simple re-entering of the respective address.
Off-Line Coding
Since a sufficiently high productivity for on-line coding cannot be achieved with any of the above-mentioned coding techniques, an off-line coding system was recently introduced, e.g. as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,649. As disclosed, items with unidentified addresses are provided with an additional information such as a tracking identification (TID). The unidentified items are stored externally while the images of these items are presented to operators for coding Here, the operator is free from time limits normally associated with on-line coding. The items are subsequently presented to TID readers. The TID is like to the entered address information. Accordingly, a standard bar code sorting information can also be affixed to the item, so that the respective item can be processed in the same was as items that are normally OCR-read. Even though the off-line video coding method is an effective method for cording all address components, the further processing of items with addresses that have not been read requires additional capacities and a correspondingly complex logistic.


A method for forming a three-dimensional object by applying segments of complementary material and deposition material so as to form layers of material. Selected segments of material are then shaped after one or more segment is formed. In this manner, layers of material form a block containing the object made of deposition material and surrounded by complementary material. Then, the complementary material which serves as a support structure during forming is removed. Preferably, the complementary material has a lower melting temperature than the deposition material and is removed by heating the block. The deposition material and complementary material are preferably applied by thermal spray deposition but may be applied by weld deposition, liquid slurry, gravity drop or any manual means such as a hand sifter. It is also preferred but not necessary to use masks when applying the material.

Several methods have been proposed and utilized for creating three-dimensional objects by the incremental material build up of thin layers. These processes include lamination, selective laser sintering, ballistic powder metallurgy, three-dimensional printing, stereolithography and near net thermal spraying. Lamination involves the simple process of cutting layers of a selected material and then bonding those layers together. The layers may be pre-cut to shapes corresponding to a cross section through the article to be created. Alternatively, standard shapes of material can be stacked and bonded together. Then, the assembled structure is cut or machined to produce the desired shape. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,352, Michael Feygin proposes a computer controlled method and apparatus for forming a laminated object. He provides a supply station, a work station for forming a material into a plurality of layers for lamination, an assembly station for stacking the layers in sequence into a three-dimensional object, a station for bonding the laminations to complete the formation of the three-dimensional object and a control station. In his patent, Mr. Feygin discloses a method in which the laminations are cut from a roll of material lifted, stacked and bonded under the direction of a computerized controller. The layers are bonded together by adhesive or brazing. This and other lamination techniques have several disadvantages. First, the bond between layers is critical and limits the strength of the object. Second, creation of each layer of the laminate also results in the production of significant amounts of waste materials. Third, the resulting object has a layered or serrated edge which must be removed by sanding or grinding. Finally, lamination is suitable for only those materials which can be formed into thin layers which can be bonded together.
In laser sintering, a laser is used to cure a starting material into a certain configuration according to the manner in which the laser is applied to that material. Stereolithography is a more recent yet similar process which creates plastic prototype models directly from a vat of liquid photocurable polymer by selectively solidifying it with a scanning laser beam. An example of this method is described in European Patent 322 257. Both of these methods require a substantial amount of curable raw material. In both cases the laser must be carefully controlled to achieve the desired shape. In some applications, the laser typically does not fully cure each cross section. Rather, the laser cures the boundary of a section and then cures an internal structure or honeycomb that traps the uncured fluid. Thereafter, the article must be subjected to final curing under separate ultraviolet lights or heat treatment. Additional post processing, such as careful sanding and grinding, is required for making smooth, accurate surfaces.
In ballistic powder metallurgy beams of particles are directed to the coordinates of a three-dimensional object in a three-dimensional coordinate system. A physical origination seed to which the particulate matter is attracted is required. The process may use a beam of particles directed to the origination seed which builds the particles upward from that seed. Alternatively, one can use an energy beam which attracts the particulate matter already in the environment to the seed or another coordinate. Such a system is disclosed by William E. Masters in U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,492. This method cannot be used to make objects having undercuts therein without creating support structures at the same time. Normally, the support structures are created with the particle beam during the creation of the object. Such support structures must be removed by cutting, grinding, machining or melting.
Three-dimensional printing is another technique similar to ballistic powder metallurgy. One variation of this technique creates layers of particles to produce a three-dimensional image in much the same manner that an ink jet printer produces two-dimensional images. The technique relies upon thermal shock or drop on demand material delivery techniques. A thermal shock technique forms a particle by vaporizing a small area of the fluid directly behind the nozzle. The drop on demand nozzle includes a piezo electric element to constrict the cavity thereby forcing a drop past the nozzle plate. In both instances the material is directed to a work surface in a manner to build up the article. This technique can only be used for certain kinds of materials.
In another variation of three-dimensional printing a series of two-dimensional layers are created by adding a layer of powder on top of a work surface. The powdered layer is selectively joined where the part is be formed by ink jet printing of a binder material. The work surface is then lowered and another layer of powder is spread out and selectively joined. The layering process is repeated until the part is completely printed. Following a heat treatment the unbonded powder is removed leaving the fabricated part. Although this technique has been proposed for metal, ceramic and plastic materials, it is limited to those materials to which a reliable binder can be applied.
None of the just described fabrication techniques have been successfully used to make parts of a variety of materials. For example, the art has attempted to make objects by spraying layers of metal on a substrate. Problems have occurred in that the layers have tended to camber and possibly to peel apart from the substrate. Therefore, one must have a release agent or compatible substrate. Also, the incremental buildup techniques of fabrication known in the art typically produce stepped surfaces when an angled profile is desired. The stepped surfaces require increased post-manufacturing grinding and polishing.
There is a need for a method to manufacture quality parts of a variety of materials by incremental build-up of the chosen material. The method should be capable of producing articles having undercuts and irregular shapes. The method should also require very little final machining after the build-up of material has been completed.

Method for fabrication of three-dimensional articles


Disclosed is a projection display device which projects an image onto a projection surface by a projection optical system by using light from a light source and which helps to realize efficient light source cooling. The projection display device includes: a cooling fan arranged between the projection optical system and the light source and adapted to supply cooling air from the projection optical system to the light source; and an exterior case having an exhaust port in the vicinity of the light source and covering the projection optical system, the cooling fan, and the light source, the projection optical system, the cooling fan, the light source, and the exhaust port being arranged substantially in a straight line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection display device (a projection type image display device, such as a transmission type liquid crystal projector or a reflection type liquid crystal projector) and an image projection system using the same. Further, the present invention relates to a light source for use in a projection display device, and more particularly to the cooling of the light source of a projection display device.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, as the light source lamp of a projection type image display device, there has been used a discharge lamp, such as a metal halide lamp, a high pressure mercury lamp, a halogen lamp, or a xenon lamp; in all of them, the lamp itself must be cooled when mounted in the display device. As the cooling method, air cooling is generally adopted. That is, the lamp is cooled by utilizing airflow generated by an axial fan, a sirocco fan, or the like, the air used being dissipated into the exterior of the device.
The main purposes of this lamp cooling are: (1) to maintain the light emission efficiency of the lamp light emission tube and prevent a deterioration thereof; and (2) to cool the lamp reflector itself and reduce the radiation heat from the lamp reflector surface before discharging it to the exterior of the device.
As a result of the recent reduction in device size, or from the viewpoint of optical construction, an optical member (inclusive of a projection lens) is often arranged close to the lamp. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-221599 discloses a construction in which a lamp light emission tube is intensively cooled by a fan provided between the lamp and the projection lens, and the lamp reflector itself is cooled by utilizing the suction force of an exhaust fan provided on the opposite side, with radiation heat from the lamp reflector surface being reduced before being discharged to the exterior of the device.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-131166 discloses, as an embodiment, a construction in which a cooling fan is provided in the gap between the lamp and the projection lens or the color separation/composition optical system.
However, in the construction as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-221599, the fan provided between the lamp-and the projection lens serves to intensively cool the light emission tube of the lamp, and the cooling of the lamp reflector is effected by utilizing the suction force of the exhaust fan provided on the opposite side. In this construction, when the heat generation amount of the lamp itself is very large, the cooling of the lamp reflector is not effected sufficiently, with the result that the lamp reflector surface attains high temperature. Then, radiation heat from the lamp reflector surface is conducted around the fan for cooling the light emission tube of the lamp, and there is the possibility of the component (the projection lens) close to the lamp reflector surface being heated to high temperature.
Here, when the component close to the lamp reflector surface is the projection lens, and this projection lens is formed of plastic, or the projection lens barrel itself is formed of plastic, there are involved various cases of deterioration in image projection performance due to variation in aberration caused by temperature change, a deterioration in imaging performance, a change in inter-lens distance caused by expansion/contraction of the lens barrel, mutual offset of the lenses, a deterioration in optical performance caused by inclination, etc.
Also in the case in which the component close to the lamp reflector surface is a polarization beam splitter constituting the optical elements, the polarization beam splitter itself generates heat due to the radiation heat of the lamp; in particular, when the volume of the polarization beam splitter itself is large, a temperature distribution is generated in the prism. When such a temperature distribution is generated, inner stress is generated in the optical material itself, with the result that there is generated birefringence due to the linear polarization of the incident light becoming elliptical polarization because of the elasticity of light, that is, the relationship between reflection and transmission is disturbed (Reflection and transmission cease to be effected reliably due to the generation of an undesirable polarization component), with the result that leakage light is allowed to reach the projection surface to thereby cause a deterioration in contrast, making it impossible to obtain a high-quality projection type image display device.
Similarly, in the case in which the component close to the lamp reflector surface is a liquid crystal panel (image forming element) constituting the display portion of the projection type image display device, the liquid crystal panel itself generates heat due to the lamp radiation heat; a liquid crystal is inherently easily affected by heat, and a deterioration in contrast, color heterogeneity, etc. are generated due to vaporization of the liquid crystal itself, making it impossible to obtain a high quality projection type image display device.
On the other hand, if the lamp itself is cooled by a cooling fan, due to heat radiation from the lamp, the components around the lamp (the lamp case, the lamp cover, etc.) attain high temperature as is well known in the art. In view of this, it is general practice to form the components around the lamp of a plastic material capable of withstanding the lamp radiation heat, such as PPS resin or unsaturated polyester. However, such a plastic material has low heat conductivity and high heat radiation rate, so that, when the components around the lamp once attain high temperature, it is very difficult to cool them due to their low heat conductivity; moreover, due to their high heat radiation rate, heat is allowed to fill the interior of the device, resulting in a deterioration in the cooling efficiency for the other portions in the device requiring cooling.
In view of this, it is general practice to set the air quantity and air flow rate of the fan for cooling the lamp so as to keep, as much as possible, the components around the lamp from attaining high temperature. However, it is impossible to sufficiently prevent the components around the lamp from attaining high temperature solely by adjusting the airflow from the cooling fan. In this regard, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-244210 discloses a method according to which a heat shield plate is provided between the lamp and a component around the same (the lamp cover), thereby preventing the component around the lamp (the lamp cover) from attaining high temperature due to the radiation heat from the lamp.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-29342 discloses a method according to which there is arranged a heat dissipating plate (a lamp shade) so as to surround the reflector portion of the lamp.
As a means for meeting the recent demand for an increase in the brightness of a projection type image display device, the lamp output is increased. This, however, involves an unexpectedly large lamp heat generation amount, that is, a great increase in lamp radiation heat amount. Thus, the heat dissipation achieved by the provision of a heat shield plate in the gap between the lamp and the component around the same (the lamp cover) as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-244210, cannot keep up with this large increase in lamp heat radiation amount, and thermal saturation of the heat shield plate itself is to be expected.
As a result, the component around the lamp (the lamp cover) is allowed to attain high temperature this time due to the radiation heat of the heat shield plate itself, so that, as in the prior art, heat fills the interior of the device. Thus, not only is the cooling efficiency for the other portions in the device requiring cooling deteriorated, but, at worst, the component around the lamp (the lamp cover) cannot withstand the heat and may suffer material damage.
In the construction as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-244210, it might be possible to prevent the component around the lamp (the lamp cover) from attaining high temperature by using a plurality of heat shield plates. However, provision of a plurality of heat shield plates would result in a product that is inadequate in terms of cost and space saving.
Further, the fact that the component around the lamp attains high temperature means that the exterior case covering that component also attains high temperature due to the radiation heat from the component. Thus, this is likely to result in a product not only rather uncomfortable for the user of the projection type image display device during operation due to the heat of the exterior case, but also undesirable from the viewpoint of product safety.
Apart from this, it might be possible to cool the component around the lamp by increasing the air quantity and air flow rate of the cooling fan. That, however, would lead to an increase in the noise due to the increase in the fan RPM and to an increase in the size of the cooling fan, which is undesirable from the viewpoint of the recent demand for a reduction in the noise and size of a projection type image display device.

Projection display device, image projection system, and light source device


A control status monitor/decision unit is added to a transmission power control apparatus which determines a transmission power level of a transmission signal to be output from an antenna via a transmission system and controls the same by referring to a received signal from the antenna obtained via a reception system. The unit monitors the control status in the control apparatus and performs the control of the optimum transmission power level according to this control status. By this, a further higher channel quality than that of the conventional apparatus can be maintained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission power control apparatus in an earth station for satellite communication.
In satellite communication, a plurality of earth stations will transmit and receive signals via a single satellite. Therefore the transmission power from the earth stations must be strictly managed so as not to seriously disturb the other communication channels.
Also, satellite communication is carried out through space transmission paths, therefore it is different from optical fiber communication etc. The channel quality thereof is conspicuously affected by weather conditions between the satellite and the earth stations. For this reason, the transmission power from the earth stations must be controlled according to the changes in the weather conditions.
The present invention refers to a transmission power control apparatus for performing the control of the transmission power.
2. Description of the Related Art
As will be explained in detail below by referring to the drawings, in general, a satellite communication earth station (hereinafter also simply referred to as an earth station) incorporates a transmission power control apparatus. This control apparatus is connected to external apparatuses such as an antenna via a reception system and a transmission system. Also, this control apparatus includes a reception characteristic detection unit for the received signal obtained from the reception system, for example, a beacon signal. The transmission power level in the transmission system is variably controlled according to the output from this detection unit.
The transmission power control apparatus having a conventional configuration mentioned above merely feeds back the characteristic of the received signal at the reception system, detected by the reception characteristic detection unit, to the transmission system as it is and suffers from a problem that it cannot meet demands for maintaining a further higher grade of channel quality.

Transmission power control apparatus in earth station for satellite communication