The present invention discloses a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for a computer implemented geographic information system that enables viewing a map picture that is generated from vector-based data. Map pictures can be generated with vector-based data. Map pictures created with vector-based data can be viewed. Additionally, map pictures are comprised of map objects, such as states and cities. Map objects can be chosen to obtain additional information, for example, a different map picture. Additionally, areas of the map picture can be zoomed in on to view the areas with greater resolution or to obtain additional data about the areas. Furthermore, when a user requests to view a map picture, only the map data required to respond to the user's request is downloaded to generate a map picture. As a user makes additional requests for information, additional map data is downloaded and new map pictures generated.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to computer implemented geographic information systems, and in particular to a geographic information system using vector-based data.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer implemented geographic information systems are known in the art. However, these geographic information systems display map pictures that are generated using raster data. Raster data represents a map picture with points in a grid. For example, on an X-Y axis, there may be a thousand points in the X direction and seven hundred and sixty points in the Y direction. Each of these points represents a color. For example, some computer systems enable each point to represent one of eight colors. A map picture is then created by determining a color for each point in the grid.
Each map picture is static in that portions of the map picture cannot change independently of each other. That is, a portion of a map picture cannot be modified while viewing the map picture. When a portion of the map picture is to be modified, the entire map picture is replaced. For example, each map picture, such as one representing the United States (US), may contain several layers of information, such as states, counties, and streets. When a user is viewing a map picture of the United States and wishes to view the counties in a particular state, the map picture is replaced with another map picture that contains the additional information. Typically, the additional information is stored at a server computer and the map picture is displayed at a client computer. When the map picture that is displayed is to be modified, the additional information is downloaded from the server computer. Because this additional information is in the form of raster data, it is typically time-consuming to download this information.
Additionally, some computer systems display schematics generated from vector-based data in computer aided design (CAD) files. Vector-based data uses descriptions of elements of the schematic to create the schematic. For example, if the schematic contains a line segment, the CAD file describes the line segment with an endpoint and a length. Moreover, these computer systems enable users to view data in CAD files from the Internet and Intranets. For instance, when a user at a computer system wishes to view a schematic, the computer system downloads all of the data in the CAD file for that schematic from a data storage device via the Internet. The CAD file typically contains data corresponding to different levels of design of the schematic. In some instances, a user may wish to view only some of the data in the files, for example, the highest level of design of the schematic. In this case, although only a portion of data is required to display the schematic requested by the user, the computer system has already downloaded all of the data in the CAD file. Because it is time-consuming to download all of the data, it is inefficient to do so when only a portion of the data is required to satisfy a users request.


A read/write data interface (26) is provided that interfaces with a read/write head (28) and is positioned in close proximity to the read/write head (28). The read/write data interface (26) includes a pre-amplifier (46) and a read channel (44). The pre-amplifier (46) amplifies an analog read signal and generates an amplified analog read signal in response. The read channel (44) receives the amplified analog read signal and generates a digital read signal in response.

Hard disk drives include a stack of magnetically coated platters that are used for storing information. The magnetically coated platters are mounted together in a stacked position through a spindle which may be referred to as a platter stack. The platter stack is typically rotated by a motor that is referred to as a spindle motor or a servo motor. A space is provided between each platter to allow a read/write head or slider to be positioned on each side of each platter so that information may be stored and retrieved. Information is stored on each side of each platter and is generally organized into sectors, tracks, zones, and cylinders.
Each of the read/write heads or sliders are mounted to one end of a dedicated suspension arm so that each of the read/write heads may be positioned as desired. The opposite end of each of the suspension arms are coupled together at a voice coil motor to form one unit or assembly that is positionable by the voice coil motor. Each of the suspension arms are provided in a fixed position relative to each other. The voice coil motor positions all the suspension arms so that the active read/write head is properly positioned for reading or writing information. The read/write heads or sliders may move from at least an inner diameter to an outer diameter where data is stored. This distance may be referred to as a data stroke.
Hard disk drives also include a variety of electronic circuitry for processing data and for controlling its overall operation. This electronic circuitry may include a pre-amplifier, a read channel, a write channel, a servo controller, a motor control circuit, a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), and a variety of disk control circuitry to control the operation of the hard disk drive and to properly interface the hard disk drive to a system bus. The pre-amplifier may contain a read pre-amplifier and a write pre-amplifier that is also referred to as a write driver. The pre-amplifier may be implemented in a single integrated circuit or in separate integrated circuits such as a read pre-amplifier and a write pre-amplifier or write driver. The disk control circuitry generally includes a separate microprocessor for executing instructions stored in memory to control the operation and interface of the hard disk drive.
Hard disk drives perform write, read, and servo operations when storing and retrieving data. Generally, a write operation includes receiving data from a system bus and storing the data in the RAM. The microprocessor schedules a series of events to allow the information to be transferred from the RAM to the platters through the write channel. Before the information is transferred, the read/write heads are positioned on the appropriate track and the appropriate sector of the track is located. The data from the RAM is then communicated to the write channel as a digital write signal. The write channel processes the digital write signal and generates an analog write signal. In doing this, the write channel may encode the data so that the data can be more reliably retrieved later. The digital write signal may then be provided to an appropriate read/write head after first being amplified by the pre-amplifier.
In a read operation, the appropriate sector to be read is located and data that has been previously written to the platters is read. The appropriate read/write head senses the changes in the magnetic flux and generates a corresponding analog read signal. The analog read signal is provided back to the electronic circuitry where the pre-amplifier amplifies the analog read signal. The amplified analog read signal is then provided to the read channel where the read channel conditions the signal and detects "zeros" and "ones" from the signal to generate a digital read signal. The read channel may condition the signal by amplifying the signal to an appropriate level using automatic gain control (AGC) techniques. The read channel may then filter the signal, to eliminate unwanted high frequency noise, equalize the channel, detect "zeros" and "ones" from the signal, and format the digital read signal. The digital read signal is then transferred from the read channel and is stored in the RAM. The microprocessor may then communicate to the host that data is ready to be transferred.
The read channel may be implemented using any of a variety of known or available read channels. For example, the read channel may be implemented as a peak detection type read channel or as a more advanced type of read channel utilizing discrete time signal processing. The peak detection type read channel involves level detecting the amplified analog read signal and determining if the waveform level is above a threshold level during a sampling window. The discrete time signal processing type read channel synchronously samples the amplified analog read signal using a data recovery clock. The sample is then processed through a series of mathematical manipulations using signal processing theory to generate the digital read signal. There are several types of discrete time signal processing read channels such as a partial response, maximum likelihood (PRML) channel; an extended PRML channel; an enhanced, extended PRML channel; a fixed delay tree search channel; and a decision feedback equalization channel.
As the disk platters are moving, the read/write heads must align or stay on a particular track. This is accomplished by the servo operation through the use of a servo controller provided in a servo control loop. In a servo operation, a servo wedge is read from a track that generally includes track identification information and track misregistration information. The track misregistration information may also be referred to as position error information. The position error information may be provided as servo bursts and may be used during both read and write operations to ensure that the read/write heads are properly aligned on a track. As a result of receiving the position error information, the servo controller generates a corresponding control signal to position the read/write heads by positioning the voice coil motor. The track identification information is also used during read and write operations so that a track may be properly identified.
Hard disk drive designers strive to provide higher capacity drives that operate at a high signal-to-noise ratio and a low bit error rate. To achieve higher capacities, the areal density of the data stored on each side of each platter must be increased. This places significant burdens on the hard disk drive electronic circuitry. For example, as the areal density increases, the magnetic transitions that are used to store data on the platters must be physically located more closely together. This often results in intersymbol interference when performing a read operation. As a result, the hard disk drive electronic circuitry must provide more sophisticated processing circuitry that operates at higher frequencies to accurately process the intersymbol interference and the higher frequency read signal. In some cases, the spindle motor speed is increased which further increases the frequency of the read signal and the write signal. Furthermore, the increase in areal density requires that the servo control system be provided with a higher bandwidth to increase the read/write head positioning resolution.
As a consequence, additional electrical noise is often introduced into the hard disk drive system which may decrease the signal-to-noise ratio and increase the bit error rate. The higher frequency read and write signals are also more susceptible to noise than the lower frequency read and write signals present in lower capacity hard disk drives. More specifically, in higher capacity hard disk drives, noise is introduced into the analog read signal during read operations between the read/write heads and the read pre-amplifier, and between the read pre-amplifier and the read channel. For example, any noise that is introduced into the system between the active read/write head and the read pre-amplifier will be amplified by the read pre-amplifier. Similarly, noise is introduced into the analog write signal during write operations between the write channel and the write pre-amplifier, and between the write pre-amplifier and the read/write heads. Overall, this results in a decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio and an increase in the bit error rate. Other problems also arise due to the distance between the read/write heads and the pre-amplifier. For example, the distance between the pre-amplifier and the read/write heads introduces undesirable capacitive effects.

Read/write data interface and method of operation


A polishing apparatus capable of monitoring an accurate progress of polishing is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table for supporting a polishing pad; a table motor configured to rotate the polishing table; a top ring configured to press a substrate against the polishing pad to polish the substrate; a dresser configured to dress the polishing pad while oscillating on the polishing pad during polishing of the substrate; a filtering device configured to remove a vibration component, having a frequency corresponding to an oscillation period of the dresser, from an output current signal of the table motor; and a polishing monitoring device configured to monitor a progress of polishing of the substrate based on the output current signal from which the vibration component has been removed.

A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus is a typical apparatus for polishing a substrate, such as a wafer. This CMP apparatus is configured to supply a polishing liquid onto a polishing pad on a polishing table while rotating the polishing table, and press a wafer against the polishing pad to thereby bring the wafer into sliding contact with the polishing pad in the presence of the polishing liquid. A surface of the wafer is polished by a mechanical action of abrasive grains contained in the polishing liquid and a chemical action of chemical components contained in the polishing liquid.
The CMP apparatus typically includes a polishing-progress monitoring device in order to detect a polishing end point of the wafer. There are several types of polishing-progress monitoring devices, one of which is a table-current monitoring device that monitors a current value of a table motor for rotating the polishing table. This table-current monitoring device is configured to detect a progress of polishing of the wafer from a change in the current value of the table motor that is necessary for rotating the polishing table at a preset constant speed. The wafer typically has a multilayer structure composed of different kinds of films. When an uppermost film is removed by a polishing process, an underlying film is exposed. As a result, a frictional force between the wafer and the polishing pad changes. This change in the frictional force is reflected as the change in the current value of the table motor for rotating the polishing table. Therefore, the table-current monitoring device can detect a removal of the uppermost film from the change in the current value of the table motor.
In a case where the uppermost film of the wafer is a conductive film, a polishing-progress monitoring device having an eddy current sensor may be used. The eddy current sensor is configured to supply a high-frequency alternating current to a coil so as to induce an eddy current in a conductive film of the wafer, and detect a thickness of the conductive film from a change in impedance due to a magnetic field of the induced eddy current. The eddy current sensor is embedded in the polishing table, and obtains a film thickness signal while scanning a surface of the wafer each time the polishing table makes one revolution. The polishing-progress monitoring device can monitor the progress of polishing of the wafer from a change in the film thickness signal.
The wafer is polished while being pressed against the polishing pad in the presence of the polishing liquid. During polishing of the wafer, the abrasive grains in the polishing liquid are accumulated on a surface (i.e., polishing surface) of the polishing pad and minute surface irregularities of the polishing pad are crushed. As a result, a polishing performance of the polishing pad is lowered. Therefore, in order to restore the surface of the polishing pad, a dresser is used.
The dresser has a dressing surface which is constituted by minute diamond particles. The dresser presses the dressing surface against the polishing pad while rotating the dressing surface, and further oscillates along a radial direction of the polishing pad to thereby slightly scrape away the surface of the polishing pad. Thus, the surface (i.e., polishing surface) of the polishing pad is restored. Such a restoration of the polishing pad with use of the dresser is referred to as pad dressing or pad conditioning.
In a case where the above-described table-current monitoring device is used as the polishing-progress monitoring device, the pad dressing may be performed during polishing of the wafer. In this case, the progress of polishing is monitored based on the current value of the table motor while polishing the wafer. However, since the dresser oscillates on the polishing pad during polishing of the wafer, the current value of the table motor changes due to an influence of the oscillation of the dresser. Therefore, the polishing-progress monitoring device may fail to accurately monitor the progress of polishing.
Furthermore, the polishing-progress monitoring device using the eddy current sensor has a following problem caused by a wafer structure. Typically, a number of devices are regularly formed on the surface of the wafer to be polished, and metal structures, such as a metal film and metal interconnects, are present under the uppermost film to be polished. These metal structures are present in each device, and are regularly arranged in one wafer. When the eddy current sensor sweeps across the surface of such wafer, the film thickness signal varies due to an influence of an arrangement of the metal structures. Therefore, the polishing-progress monitoring device may fail to accurately monitor the progress of polishing.

Polishing apparatus and polishing method


Rotor blades for wind power installations are known in many different forms. In a wind power installation the rotors or the rotor blades thereof represent the main source of sound. For reasons relating to acceptance and noise prevention laws, the aim should/must be that of minimizing the levels of sound emission as wind power installations are often also set up in the proximity of residential accommodation. The levels of sound emission which hitherto occur with a wind power installation or a wind power converter also mean that wind power installations are faced with resistance from populated areas because of the sound they produce and for that reason such installations can be accepted sometimes with difficulty or not at all as authorities responsible for planning permission refuse permission for wind power installations because of the existing environmental requirements, noise also being an environmentally polluting factor. Therefore the object of the invention is further to improve the noise emission of wind power installations. Wind power installation rotor blade comprising means for reducing the sound produced by a rotor blade, wherein the means is formed by a fluid-repellent layer and/or surface which is provided at least on a surface portion of the rotor blade.

1. Field of the Invention
Rotor blades for wind power installations are known in many different forms. In a wind power installation the rotors or the rotor blades thereof represent the main source of sound. For reasons relating to acceptance and noise prevention laws, the aim should/must be that of minimizing the levels of sound emission as wind power installations are often also set up in the proximity of residential accommodation. The levels of sound emission which hitherto occur with a wind power installation or a wind power converter also mean that wind power installations are faced with resistance from populated areas because of the sound they produce and for that reason such installations can be accepted sometimes with difficulty or not at all as authorities responsible for planning permission refuse permission for wind power installations because of the existing environmental requirements, noise also being an environmentally polluting factor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many proposals have already been put forward for structurally modifying a rotor blade of a wind power installation in such a way as to afford a reduction in noise. By way of example reference is made here to the documentation as is disclosed in EP-A-0 652 367 or DE 196 14 420.5.
However a reduction in noise by virtue of structural measures on the rotor blade is possible only to a limited extent.

Reduction in the noise produced by a rotor blade of a wind turbine


A method for recording information on an optical recording medium is provided so that it is satisfied that 0.16≦(Lv×Tcool)/(λ/NA)≦0.30 and 0.06≦(Lv×Ttop)/(λ/NA)≦0.14, where λ is a write wavelength of a laser beam used to irradiate the recording layer of a phase-change optical recording medium, NA is a numerical aperture of an objective lens used for irradiation with the laser beam, Lv is a relative speed between the objective lens and the optical recording medium, Tcool is a pulse time of a cooling pulse inserted immediately following a leading write pulse, and Ttop is a leading write pulse time. The method allows for forming a record mark with a good shape and prevents fluctuations at the front edge of the record mark, which would be otherwise caused by the recrystallization of the recording film being held at a high temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for recording information on a phase-change optical recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In optical storage media such as DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), write data is modulated into a length of a record mark along the track of the recording layer and then recorded with the length of a record mark associated with a time length of the write data (an integral multiple of T or nT), where T is the write channel clock cycle. For example, CD-RWs (Compact Disc Rewritable) employ the EFM modulation scheme, so that data to be written is modulated into a record mark having any one of lengths 3T to 11T for recording.
Those optical storage media as mentioned above often employ phase-change film for the recording layer, in the case of which the record mark portion has the phase-change film in an amorphous-state, and crystalline-state space portions are formed between each record mark.
To form the amorphous-state record mark portion, a crystalline portion is melted with a laser beam and then rapidly cooled. To form the crystalline-state portion, the phase-change film is irradiated with a laser beam in a manner such that the film is held for a certain period of time or longer at the crystallization temperature thereof or higher.
To achieve the amorphous-state, the phase-change film is irradiated with a laser beam, which includes a pulse train of a write pulse at write power and a cooling pulse generally at bottom power, to be thereby melted and then rapidly cooled. On the other hand, to achieve the crystalline-state, the phase-change film is irradiated with a laser beam at an erase power level. As a method for recording information on an optical recording medium, known is the mark edge recording scheme which is adapted for higher densities. To record information on a phase-change optical recording medium using the mark edge recording scheme, write and cooling pulses having a pulse width of 0.5T with respect to the write channel clock cycle T are employed.
In this case, each time the time length of write data is incremented by 1T, a set of a write pulse and a cooling pulse is to be added. Such a multi-pulse write waveform allows write data of different time lengths to be recorded always in constant heating and cooling conditions, thereby reducing an edge shift which is dependent on the time length of write data. Furthermore, to perform high-speed write operations using such a write waveform, the write channel clock frequency is made higher, e.g., two times or four times, at the same rate as the write linear speed, with the write waveform kept unchanged.
Thus, high-speed write operations may be performed by making the write channel clock frequency higher, e.g., two times or four times, with the write waveform kept unchanged. However, this results in the width of the write pulse and the cooling pulse being significantly reduced. It is thus difficult to attain the temperature and the cooling speed that are required to change the phase of the recording film. This causes a record mark to be insufficiently formed, thus raising a problem that a record mark of a correct mark length cannot be obtained.
Furthermore, in performing high-speed write operations, the turn-on time or the turn-off time of the semiconductor laser drive circuit may increase with respect to the write channel clock. In this case, for example, a 9T record mark may have a distorted write waveform when recorded. This will thus raise a problem that it is difficult to sufficiently heat and cool the phase-change optical recording medium, leading to a shorter record mark.
In contrast to this, according to the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-288837, a record mark is formed using write laser light as multi-pulse light. This multi-pulse includes at least a leading write pulse and a trailing cooling pulse. A cooling pulse and a write pulse are inserted between the leading write pulse and the trailing cooling pulse as the time length of write data increases.
The set of cooling and write pulses to be inserted are adapted such that one additional set is inserted each time the data length of write data is increased by 2T in each case of n of the time length nT of write data being an odd number and an even number.
Here, as means for increasing the storage capacity of an optical recording medium, there is available a method of employing a multi-layered optical recording medium which has recording layers stacked in a plurality of layers. In such a multi-layered optical recording medium, a recording layer on which light is incident needs to be thin enough to be semitransparent to light passing therethrough. It is thus difficult to provide a thick heat dissipating layer for dissipating heat generated in the recording layer when irradiated with write laser light. The recording layer will be thus configured to be only gradually cooled, but rapidly cooled or rapidly heated with great difficulty.
In such a recording layer configured to be gradually cooled, recrystallization will readily occur from a melted interface portion of the recording film when a record mark is formed. In particular, a recording film suitable to high-speed recording needs to be crystallized at a high speed, and will be thus also recrystallized easily in nature. As is known in the art, this recrystallization will cause an amorphous-state record mark to be contracted and a read signal to be less amplitude modulated. Additionally, this recrystallization will also cause noticeable recrystallization at the front edge portion of a record mark, and thus a change in the shape of the front edge portion results in a significant degradation in jitter characteristic of the read signal.
As a countermeasure against the recrystallization of record marks, disclosed in Published Japanese translation No. 2004-520675 of PCT application is an improved write pulse strategy for reducing heat accumulation in the recording film. According to this improvement, a record mark of nT is formed using m write pulses, where m is less than n, such that a longer cooling time between pulses is allowed to facilitate heat dissipation from the recording film and thus reduce heat accumulation.
Furthermore, the write strategy (2T strategy) disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-288837 mentioned above is to form a record mark of nT using n/2 write pulses, and is thus covered by the write strategy disclosed in Published Japanese translation No. 2004-520675 of PCT application. However, the 2T strategy is effective at recording information on a multi-layered and high-speed recording optical recording medium.
On the other hand, as is known in the art, after an optical recording medium having a record mark formed thereon is held at a high temperature, overwriting a pre-storage record mark would cause jitter characteristics to degrade during reading. In contrast to this, the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 11-167722 suggests that the post-storage write linear speed should be made slower than the optimal pre-storage write linear speed, thereby overwriting in an improved manner. However, in the case of high-speed recording, the optimal speed of writing on the recording film itself needs to be increased, and in consideration of balance between the write speed and the archiving characteristics, it is difficult to slow the post-storage write linear speed.
Using the 2T strategy as described above, information was read and written, for example, on a thin light-incident recording layer of a two-layered optical recording medium, and it was found that a good jitter characteristic was not obtained at the front edge of the record mark. Likewise, it was also found that performing read and write operations on an optical recording medium, after it has been written using the 2T strategy and held at a high temperature, would cause a further degradation in the jitter characteristic of the front edge portion of the record mark.

Method for recording information on optical recording medium


A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, controlling a torque output of an electric machine of an electrified vehicle based on estimated loads present during a transmission engagement of the electrified vehicle.

The need to reduce fuel consumption and emissions in automobiles and other vehicles is well known. Therefore, vehicles are being developed that reduce or completely eliminate reliance on an internal combustion engine. Electrified vehicles are one type of vehicle currently being developed for this purpose. In general, electrified vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles in that they are selectively driven by one or more battery powered electric machines. Conventional motor vehicles, by contrast, rely exclusively on the internal combustion engine to drive the vehicle.
Electrified vehicles typically spin down the electric machine when the vehicle is at rest to conserve energy. This can influence the efficiency of subsequent transmission engagements. For example, the transmission pump typically cannot pressurize fast enough to smoothly engage the clutches of the transmission when a shift change is subsequently requested. Although some vehicles may be equipped with auxiliary oil pumps, these pumps lack sufficient capacity to generate the pressure or flow required to perform the initial engagement/filling of the clutches of the transmission. The efficiency of transmission engagements of an electrified vehicle may also be influenced by variations in road grade and vehicle mass.

Vehicle system and method for controlling torque delivery during transmission engagements with road grade and mass estimation


An aqueous, non-settling, universal nacreous pigment dispersion that can be used in dispensing machines for the custom mixing of retail and trade sales of alkyd or solvent-thinned and water-based surface coatings employs a synthetic silicate, sodium lithium magnesium silicate, as the suspending agent. Also disclosed are methods for preparing the dispersion which incorporates one or more carriers, humectants, surfactants and other optional conventional additives.

In order to permit paint manufacturers to offer an almost limitless selection of colors to their retail and trade customers, colorant dispensing machines have been developed to permit the so-called "in-store" tinting of pigmented or clear bases at the point of sale. Advanced colorant dispensing machines have been developed that include up to twelve, or more, colorant reservoirs into which each colorant is poured, and a metered pumping and measurement system for dispensing the required amount of one or more colorants into various sized containers of base. Computer-controlled dispensing machines have reached a level of sophistication so that only the code associated with a desired end color need be entered, and the machine draws from the associated memory in selecting the colorant(s) and volume(s) required for dispensing into the container of base paint.
Once filled with its complement of pigment dispersions, the dispensing machine may not be used for extended periods of time, i.e., from overnight to longer holiday periods. Furthermore, particular colors or types of pigment dispersions may not be frequently used.
Of principal concern in any such system is the ability to reproducibly and consistently obtain precisely the same shade and/or tint of mixed paint. Since the pigments in the colorant dispersions have a tendency to settle, the colorant reservoirs or canisters are typically equipped with intermittent stirrers, and the dispensing mechanism includes a recirculating loop that permits the pigment dispersion to be periodically pumped from the reservoir through the loop and returned to the reservoir.
However, a certain portion of the colorant dispersion can remain in the dispensing nozzle between the valve in the circulating loop and the nozzle orifice. In addition, the stirring and recirculating pump systems cannot totally prevent the separation and accumulation of pigments that have a tendency to settle from the colorant dispersions. However, even small changes in the composition of the colorant caused by settling or separation of the pigment dispersion can result in noticeable variations in custom tinted paints. Various measures have been proposed by dispensing machine designers to minimize the settling and drying of the pigment dispersions once they are loaded into the machines.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,840, a circular trough containing water is positioned proximate the outlets of the dispensing nozzles for the purpose of providing an atmosphere that is high in water vapor in order to inhibit the drying of the colorant dispersion in the nozzles. This apparatus further complicates an already complex piece of equipment.
In order to reduce nozzle blockage, Canadian patent document 2,118,484 discloses a stem affixed to a valve, which in the closed position occupies the tip of the nozzle and also allows circulation of the pigment dispersion through a bypass port.
Since these mechanical features are not available for existing dispensing machines that have been in use for sometime, solutions to the problems of settling and nozzle blockage must be met by formulating the pigment dispersions sold for dispensing from these machines.
Universal colorant dispersions, i.e., those that are suitable for use with either aqueous or solvent-based surface coatings, have been well-known in the art for several decades. Universal pigment dispersions containing nacreous or pearlescent pigments are also well-known to the art. Nacreous pigments, i.e., pearlescent pigments, are used for decorative effect. The original pearl essences pigments were derived from fish scales and tissue. Limited supplies of this natural resource led to the development of nacreous basic lead carbonate in the 1930's. It is not known whether the natural product is commercially available today. Inorganic nacreous pigments are available in a variety of forms and arts produced most commonly by coating a naturally occurring platelet of mica or other mineral clays with titanium dioxide, an iron oxide, or both. As used herein the terms "nacreous" and "pearlescent" are understood to be synonymous.
A wide variety of anti-settling or suspension agents have been employed in preparing pearlescent pigment oxide dispersions for use in surface coatings to reduce the tendency of the pigments to settle. Commercially acceptable formulations include at least three such agents. These suspension or anti-settling agents can include bentonite and other organo-clay mineral (hectorite) products, magnesium aluminum silicate and hydroxyethyl cellulose. The formulations employing these anti-settling agents are used for in-plant tinting of pre-mixed surface coatings where settling during shipment and storage prior to use is not a concern. This is because the shipping drums containing the pigment dispersions are equipped with efficient agitators that can maintain the dispersions as a reasonably uniform mixture and any remaining pigment can be scraped from the empty drum and added to the batch of base.
The number of colors of ready-mixed pearlescent paints must necessarily be limited by the costs of warehousing and retail shelf storage and display. Pearlescent pigment dispersions are also available in artist: supply stores, but are sold only in small tubes and are relatively expensive.
A wide variety of chemical compounds have been developed for use as suspension agents and for preparing thixotropic compositions. For example, it is know from U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,399 to employ the synthetic silicate LAPONITE.RTM. RD, which is a thixotropic agent, in preparing finished surface coating compositions employing colored pigment dispersions in water dispersible base coat compositions.
It has also been known to use synthetic silicate compositions including those sold commercially under the trademark LAPONITE.RTM. in the automotive industry with metallic and pearlescent pigments. However, it is understood that the automotive finishes are also prepared in large batches that are comparable to the in-plant manufacture of surface coatings.
However, prior to this invention, it had been found that pearlescent colorant dispersions had a tendency to settle much more rapidly than conventional dispersions and efforts to produce a non-settling nacreous pigment dispersion were unsuccessful. For this reason, pearlescent dispersions have not been available for use in the dispensing machines used for in-store tinting.
Some of the advantages and capabilities that are provided by a universal machine dispensable pearlescent pigment include (1) ready availability to consumers and to the trade at an affordable price; (2) a greatly expanded range of colors and tints; (3) the availability of custom colors for use in connection with faux and fantasy finishing techniques for residential and commercial decorating or redecorating to achieve effects that have not heretofore been possible.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a non-settling, universal, machine dispensable pearlescent colorant dispersion.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method and process for the manufacture of a non-settling, universal, machine dispensable pearlescent dispersion.
It is another object of the invention to provide a nacreous or pearlescent pigment dispersion that can be employed in existing dispensing machines used for the custom tinting of aqueous and solvent-thinned paint bases.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a dispersion and method for its manufacture that requires only one thixotropic agent to effect a non-settling nacreous pigment composition.
Another object of the invention is to provide a universal dispersion that contains no volatile organic content ("VOC"), as defined by current government environmental regulations.

Non-settling , universal machine dispensable pearlescent pigment dispersions


Example image processing methods, apparatus/systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes an image recognition application to identify matches between stored patterns and objects detected in a shelf image, where the shelf image has a shelf image scale estimate. The example apparatus further includes a scale corrector to calculate deviation values between sizes of (A) a first set of the objects detected in the shelf image and (B) a first set of the stored patterns matched with the first set of the objects and reduce an error of the shelf image scale estimate by calculating a scale correction value for the shelf image scale estimate based on the deviation values.

Image recognition applications or programs may be used to identify consumer packaged goods. For example, when performing an in-store shelf audit, a market research firm may use an image recognition application to identify the products displayed on store shelves. Shelf auditing can be used to report the items (e.g., goods) displayed in a store, where these items are displayed, how many times the times are displayed, etc. Image recognition applications or programs analyze a shelf image and attempt to match objects (e.g., shelf items) in the shelf image with one or more reference images that are associated with particular products.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Reducing scale estimate errors in shelf images


An image processing device (140), which converts multivalued pixel values of an RGB color space corresponding to original colors of a multicolor original image into multivalued pixel values of a CMY color space corresponding to color inks used for printing in order to overprint a multicolor original with a plurality of color inks, includes: a color space coordinate conversion unit (141) configured to convert the multivalued pixel values of the RGB color space into the multivalued pixel values of the CMY color space corresponding to the color inks used for printing with reference to a color conversion LUT (131) for storing relationship between the multivalued pixel values of the RGB color space and the multivalued pixel values of the CMY color space; and a correction unit (142) configured to correct the multivalued pixel values of the CMY color space converted with reference to the color conversion LUT in response to the color inks used for printing and an overprint sequence thereof.

In general, in the case of overprinting a multicolor original (original for multicolors) with a plurality of color inks, so-called "color separation" is performed. In the color separation, multivalued pixel values of a color space (for example, RGB color space) corresponding to original colors (color lights) in a multicolor original image are converted into multivalued pixel values of a color space (for example, CMY color space) corresponding to color inks used for printing.
An algorism of color separation processing is broadly divided into a method of converting the RGB color space into the CMY color space by a transformation represented by Neugebauer's equation (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-277473) and a method of converting the RGB color space into the CMY color space by using a color conversion lookup table (hereinafter, abbreviated as "color conversion LUT") (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 2001-186368). The algorism of the color separation processing by the color conversion LUT is more often used, in which it is easy to perform an intentional shift of a color gamut (preferable color reproduction).
In the case of performing the overprinting with the plurality of color inks, specifically, before a color ink to be previously printed (hereinafter, referred to as "previously-printed color ink") is dried up, a color ink printed later (hereinafter, referred to as "later-printed color ink") is overprinted thereon. Accordingly, problems such as a bleeding phenomenon, a trapping phenomenon, and a back-trapping phenomenon occur between the previously-printed color ink and the later-printed color ink. Therefore, a desired result of the printing cannot be obtained.
Note that the bleeding phenomenon is a phenomenon that the previously-printed color ink and the later-printed color ink are blended, the trapping phenomenon is a phenomenon that the later-printed color ink is transferred onto the previously-printed color ink, and the back-trapping phenomenon is a phenomenon that the previously-printed color ink is absorbed to an image carrier for the later printing (equivalent to a printing drum in a stencil printing machine according to the present invention). Among them, influences from the trapping phenomenon and the back-trapping phenomenon on the result of the printing cannot be ignored.
Accordingly, it has been necessary to prepare the color conversion LUT with the trapping phenomenon and the back-trapping phenomenon taken into consideration. However, the influences from the trapping phenomenon and the back-trapping phenomenon are varied owing to the color inks used for overprinting and an overprint sequence of the color inks. Accordingly, it has been necessary to prepare the color conversion LUTs corresponding to the respective cases.
Therefore, enormous cost and time have been required for creating the color conversion LUTs, and a storage capacity of a storage device which stores the color conversion LUTs has been enormously increased.

Image processing device, image processing method, and printer driver


An optical device for rerouting and modifying an optical signal that is capable of operating as a dynamic gain equalizer (DGE) and/or a configurable optical add/drop multiplexer (COADM) is disclosed. The optical design includes a front-end unit for providing a collimated beam of light, an element having optical power for providing collimating/focusing effects, a diffraction element for providing spatial dispersion, and modifying means which in a preferred embodiment includes one of a MEMS array and a liquid crystal array for reflecting and modifying at least a portion of a beam of light. The modifying means functions as an attenuator when the optical device operates as a DGE and as a switching array when the optical device operates as a COADM. Advantageously, this invention provides a 4-f system wherein a preferred embodiment the element having optical power is a concave reflector for providing a single means for receiving light from the front-end unit, reflecting the received light to the dispersive element, receiving light from the dispersive element, and providing dispersed light to the modifying means. Conveniently and advantageously, this same concave reflector is utilized on a return path, obviating the requirement of matching elements. In one embodiment a single focussing/collimating lens is provided substantially at a focal plane of the element having optical power.

The present invention relates to an optical device for rerouting and modifying an optical signal, or more specifically, to an optical configuration including a diffraction grating that can be used for a dynamic gain equalizer and/or a configurable add/drop multiplexer.
In optical wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) communication systems, an optical waveguide simultaneously carries many different communication channels in light of different wavelengths. In WDM systems it is desirable to ensure that all channels have nearly equivalent power. To help achieve this, gain equalizers are disposed at various points throughout the system to control the relative power levels in respective channels. Dense WDM systems require special add/drop multiplexers (ADM) to add and drop particular channels (i.e., wavelengths). For example, at predetermined nodes in the system, optical signals of predetermined wavelength are dropped from the optical waveguide and others are added.
Typically, gain equalizing and add/drop multiplexer devices involve some form of multiplexing and demultiplexing to modify each individual channel of the telecommunication signal. In particular, it is common to provide a first diffraction grating for demultiplexing the optical signal and a second spatially separated diffraction grating for multiplexing the optical signal after it has been modified. An example of the latter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,540, incorporated herein by reference. However, in such instances it is necessary to provide and accurately align two matching diffraction gratings and at least two matching lenses. This is a significant limitation of prior art devices.
To overcome this limitation, other prior art devices have opted to provide a single diffraction grating that is used to demultiplex an optical signal in a first pass through the optics and multiplex the optical signal in a second pass through the optics. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,233,405, 5,526,155, 5,745,271, 5,936,752 and 5,960,133, which are incorporated herein by reference, disclose such devices.
However, none of these prior art devices disclose an optical arrangement suitable for both dynamic gain equalizer (DGE) and configurable optical add/drop multiplexer (COADM) applications. In particular, none of these prior art devices recognize the advantages of providing a simple, symmetrical optical arrangement suitable for use with various switching/attenuating means.
Moreover, none of the prior art devices disclose a multiplexing/demultiplexing optical arrangement that is compact and compatible with a plurality of parallel input/output optical waveguides.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,540 to Patel et al. discloses a liquid crystal optical switch for switching an input optical signal to selected output channels. The switch includes a diffraction grating, a liquid crystal modulator, and a polarization dispersive element. In one embodiment, Patel et al. suggest extending the 1xc3x972 switch to a 2xc3x972 drop-add circuit and using a reflector. However, the disclosed device is limited in that the add/drop beams of light are angularly displaced relative to the input/output beams of light. This angular displacement is disadvantageous with respect to coupling the add/drop and/or input/output beams of light into parallel optical waveguides, in addition to the additional angular alignment required for the input beam of light.
With respect to compactness, prior art devices have been limited to an excessively long and linear configurations, wherein the input beam of light passes through each optical component sequentially before being reflected in a substantially backwards direction. U.S. Pat. No. 6,081,331 discloses an optical device that uses a concave mirror for multiple reflections as an alternative to using two lenses or a double pass through one lens. However, the device disclosed therein only accommodates a single pass through the diffraction grating and does not realize the advantages of the instant invention.
It is an object of this invention to provide an optical system including a diffraction grating that is relatively compact.
It is a further object of the instant invention to provide an optical configuration for rerouting and modifying an optical signal that can be used as a dynamic gain equalizer and/or configurable add/drop multiplexer.
The instant invention provides a 4-f optical system comprising a dispersive element for spatially separating an input optical signal into different spectral channels and a modifying array for selectively modifying each of the different spectral channels. At least one element having optical power, such as a lens or a spherical mirror, provides optical communication between the dispersive element and the modifying array.
Conveniently and advantageously, the dispersive element and the modifying array are disposed substantially at a focal plane of the at least one element having optical power. Moreover, the dispersive element and element having optical power are used in a first and a second pass through the optics, thus obviating the requirement of providing matching elements.
In accordance with the instant invention there is provided an optical device comprising: a first port for launching a beam of light; first redirecting means disposed substantially one focal length away from the first port for receiving the beam of light, the first redirecting means having optical power; a dispersive element disposed substantially one focal length away from the first redirecting means for dispersing the beam of light into a plurality of sub-beams of light; second redirecting means disposed substantially one focal length away from the dispersive element for receiving the dispersed beam of light, the second redirecting means having optical power; and, modifying means optically disposed substantially one focal length away from the second redirecting means for selectively modifying each sub-beam of light and for reflecting each of the modified sub-beams back to the second redirecting means, wherein each sub-beam of light is incident on and reflected from the modifying means along substantially parallel optical paths.
In accordance with the instant invention there is provided an optical device for rerouting and modifying an optical signal comprising: a first port for launching a beam of light; a concave reflector having a focal plane for receiving a beam of light launched from the first port; a dispersive element disposed substantially at the focal plane for spatially dispersing a beam of light reflected by the concave reflector and for redirecting a spatially dispersed beam of light back to the concave reflector; and modifying means disposed substantially at the focal plane for modifying the spatially dispersed beam of light reflected by the concave reflector and for reflecting the modified spatially dispersed beam of light back to one of the first port and a second port via the concave reflector and the dispersive element.
In accordance with the instant invention there is further provided a method of rerouting and modifying an optical signal comprising the steps of: launching a beam of light towards an element having optical power off an optical axis thereof; redirecting the beam of light incident on the element having optical power to a dispersive element disposed substantially one focal length away from the element having optical power; spatially dispersing the redirected beam of light into a plurality of different sub-beams of light corresponding to a plurality of different spectral channels with a dispersive element disposed substantially one focal length away from the element having optical power; redirecting the plurality of different sub-beams of light to a modifying means optically disposed substantially two focal lengths away from the dispersive element; selectively modifying the plurality of different sub-beams of light and reflecting them in a substantially backwards direction; and redirecting the selectively modified plurality of different sub-beams to the dispersive element and combining them to form a single output beam of light, wherein the plurality of different sub-beams of light and the selectively modified plurality of different sub-beams follow substantially parallel optical paths to and from the modifying means, respectively.
In accordance with the instant invention there is provided an optical device for rerouting and modifying an optical signal comprising: a lens including a first end having a single port coincident with an optical axis thereof and a second end having two ports disposed off the optical axis; an element having optical power disposed about one focal length away from the lens for receiving a beam of light launched from the single port; a dispersive element disposed about one focal length away from the element having optical power for spatially dispersing a beam of light received therefrom; and modifying means optically disposed about two focal lengths away from the dispersive element for modifying and reflecting a beam of light spatially dispersed by the dispersive element, wherein said one focal length is a focal length of the element having optical power.
In accordance with the instant invention there is provided a method of modifying and rerouting a beam of light comprising the steps of: launching the beam of light through a first port disposed about a first end of a lens off the optical axis of the lens, the beam of light launched in a direction parallel to the optical axis; allowing the beam of light to pass through the lens to a single port disposed about an opposite side of the lens coincident with the optical axis, and allowing the beam of light to exit the single port at a first predetermined angle to the optical axis; modifying the beam of light and reflecting the modified beam of light back to the single port at a second predetermined angle to the optical axis; and, allowing the modified beam of light to pass through the lens to a second port disposed about the first end of the lens, the second port disposed off the optical axis and spatially separated from the first port.

Optical configuration for a dynamic gain equalizer and a configurable add/drop multiplexer


A display panel mounting system comprises a mounting base having at least one pin, and a mating mechanism coupled to a display panel for coupling to the mounting base. The mating mechanism comprises a first plate fixed to the display panel comprising a pair of prongs having an opening for receiving the pin of the mounting base, and a second plate movable coupled to the first plate, comprising a latch for securing the pin between the pair of prongs of the first plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video display installations, and more particularly to a mounting system for mounting/un-mounting a video display to a substrate.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Video systems in automotive applications provide travelers with entertainment. The video systems typically include a liquid crystal display and a media player such as a digital video disk player. The small size and high value of this equipment presents a tempting target for thieves. Automotive dealerships have become targets of these thieves due to the high concentration of valuable equipment, including Xenon headlamps, and stereo and video systems, and the typically lax security associated with dealer lots.
Therefore, a need exists for a system for mounting/un-mounting a video display from a vehicle, wherein the video display may be secured away from the vehicle.

Video display mounting system and method


A combustion system with a combustion area in a boiler including a fuel pipe for delivering fuel is disclosed. A duct having a bend extended there through is in fluid communication with the fuel pipe and the combustion area of the boiler. The duct has an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter. The duct includes a first partition plate to form a first parallel flow of the fuel between the outer perimeter and the first partition plate, upstream of the bend.

Beside rectangular jet burners, for example, tilt burners, round burners are the most frequently used burners in a combustion system of a large power plant for burning pulverized fossil fuels and/or biomass that is pulverized fuels. The pulverized fuel is typically conveyed through one or more conduits to a combustion area of a boiler. Pulverized fuel fired power plants are provided with several burners arranged in boiler corners or burners are arranged on the boiler walls. The pulverized fuel is ignited and burned in the combustion area. Gases generated during combustion are conveyed through one or more flues in fluid communication with the combustion area of the boiler.
Some combustion systems use a burner having internal combustion barrels ignited by plasma. Combustion systems may use a combustion technique of decreasing nitrogen oxides of a pulverized coal boiler using burners of internal combustion type. Additionally, a method of operating the boiler using burners of internal combustion type provided with plasma generator and pulverized coal concentrators i.e. combustion barrels which do deep fuel staging in the burners, is known in the art.
Start-up of a boiler fired with pulverized solid fuel is started by heating the boiler to a sufficient heat by a gaseous or liquid secondary fuel, for example oil, gas and similar fuels, after which the feed of pulverized fuel which is a main fuel into the boiler can be initiated. The secondary fuel combustion system for starting the boiler is dimensioned in such a way that the capacity of the secondary fuel combustion system is approximately 30 to 35% of the firing capacity of the boiler.
Furthermore, when the boiler operates in deep part load conditions, additional secondary fuel which acts as support fuel, for example gas, oil and similar fuels, is injected via burners in order to ensure stable and safe burner operations. This leads to more consumption of the secondary fuel which acts as support fuel in overall operation of the power plant.
Currently available solutions are not able to solve the problem of use of secondary fuel at the start of the boiler and additional secondary fuel later during the operations of the boiler.
It may be desirable that any solution to the existing combustion system be capable of implementation within the existing combustion system due to the expense of otherwise replacing such equipment.
Accordingly, it may be desirable for a solution to be able to be used in a "retrofitted" manner, to fit within existing combustion system for providing the combustion.

System and method for providing combustion in a boiler


A method for testing a data storage system, such system having a host computer coupled to a bank of disk drives through a system interface. The interface includes a plurality of directors and memories interconnected by a plurality of busses for controlling data transfer between the host computer and the bank of disk drives as such data passes through the memories. A portion of the directors is coupled to the host computer. The method includes providing a test printed circuit board having input ports adapted for plugging into a system printed circuit board, such test printed circuit board having a selector section adapted to couple any one of the inputs thereof to a test output on the test printed circuit board. The method includes the steps of: (a) prior to a test mode, removing a director or memory and replacing such removed director or memory with the test printed circuit board; (b) operating the system with the test printed circuit board; (c) selectively coupling the inputs of the test printed circuit board to the test output to examine a signal waveform produced at the test port; and (d) repeating steps (a-c).

This invention relates generally to data storage systems and more particularly to data storage systems having a plurality of magnetic storage disk drives in a redundancy arrangement whereby the disk drives are controllable by first disk controllers and second disk controllers. Still more particularly, the invention also relates to systems of such type wherein the disk drives are coupled to the disk controllers through a series, unidirectional, xe2x80x9cringxe2x80x9d or, fiber channel protocol, communication system.
As is known in the art, in one type of data storage system, data is stored in a bank of magnetic storage disk drives. The disk drives, and their coupled interfaces, are arranged in sets, each set being controlled by a first disk controller and a second disk controller. More particularly, in order to enable the set of disk drives to operate in the event that there is a failure of the first disk controller, each set is also coupled to a second, or redundant disk controller. Therefore, if either the first or second disk controller fails, the set of disk drives is accessible by the other one of the disk controllers.
While today most disk storage systems of this type use a Small Computer System Interconnection (SCSI) protocol, in order to operate with higher data rates, other protocols are being introduced. One higher data rate protocol is sometimes referred to as a fibre channel (FC) protocol. Such FC channel protocol uses a series, unidirectional, xe2x80x9cringxe2x80x9d communication system. In order to provide for redundancy, that is, to enable use of the set of disk drives in the event that the first disk controller fails, as discussed above, the set is coupled to the second, or redundant disk controller, using a separate, independent, xe2x80x9cringxe2x80x9d, or fibre channel communication protocol. Thus, two fibre channels are provided for each set of disk drives and their disk interfaces; a first fibre channel and a second fibre channel.
As is also known, when using the fibre channel communication protocol, if any element in the channel becomes inoperative, the entire channel becomes inoperative. That is, if the first disk controller becomes inoperative, or if any one of the disk drives in the set coupled to the first channel becomes inoperative (i.e., as where the disk interface fails, the disk interface is inoperative, or removed with its coupled disk drive, or where the disk drive coupled thereto fails, or is removed), the first fibre channel, is xe2x80x9cbrokenxe2x80x9d, or open, and becomes inoperative. The data stored in the entire portion of the set of disk drives coupled to the first disk channel is therefore unavailable until the inoperative first disk controller or inoperative disk drive is replaced. This is true with either the first channel or the second channel. One technique suggested to solve this problem is through the use of a switch, sometimes referred to as an LRC (i.e., a loop resiliency circuit) switch. Such LRC switch is used to remove an inoperative disk drive from its channel.
In one suggested arrangement, a printed circuit board is provided for each disk drive. The printed circuit board has a pair of LRCs, one for the first channel and one for the second channel. Thus, the open channel may be xe2x80x9cclosedxe2x80x9d in the event of an inoperative disk drive by placing the LRC thereof in a by-pass condition. While such suggested technique solves the inoperative disk drive, or open channel problem, if one of the pair of LRCs fails, the entire printed circuit board having the pair of LRCs must be replaced thereby disrupting both the first and second channels; and, hence, disrupting the operation of the entire data storage system.
One technique suggested to solve this disruption problem requires n LRC switches (where n is the number of disk drives in the set) in the first channel, i.e., one LRC for each one the n disk drives in the set and another n LRC switches in the second channel for each one of the n disk drives in the second channel. The first channel set of n LRCs is mounted on one printed circuit board and the second channel set of n LRCs is mounted on a different printed circuit board. A backplane is used to interconnect the two LRC printed circuit boards, the associated selectors, or multiplexers, and the disk drives. In order to provide the requisite serial, or sequential, fibre channel connections, an elaborate, complex, fan-out wiring arrangement has been suggested for the backplane. Further, the slots provided for the two LRC boards eliminates two disk drives, and the disk interfaces which would otherwise be plugged into these two slots of the backplane.
Another fibre channel arrangement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,763 entitled xe2x80x9cData Storage Systemxe2x80x9d, inventor Eli Leshem, issued Mar. 17, 1998, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided for testing a data storage system, such system having a host computer coupled to a bank of disk drives through a system interface. The interface includes a plurality of directors and memories interconnected by a plurality of busses for controlling data transfer between the host computer and the bank of disk drives as such data passes through the memories. A portion of the directors is coupled to the host computer. The method includes providing a test printed circuit board having input ports adapted for plugging system printed circuit board, such test printed circuit board having a selector section adapted to couple any one of the inputs thereof to a test port on the test printed circuit board. The method includes the steps of: (a) prior to a test mode, removing a director or memory and replacing such removed director or memory with the test printed circuit board; (b) operating the system with the test printed circuit board; (c) selectively coupling the inputs of the test printed circuit board to the test output to examine a signal waveform produced at the test port; and (d) repeating steps (a-c).
In one embodiment of the invention, each one of the directors, memories and the test printed circuit board is adapted to be plugged into a corresponding one of a plurality of slots of system printed circuit board. Each one of the slots has a plurality of pins connected to the busses. When one of the directors or memories is replaced with the test printed circuit board, a signal at each one of the pins is coupled to the test port. After testing the signal at each of the pins in the slot, the test printed circuit board is removed from such slot, said one of the directors is plugged into such slot, and the test printed circuit board is used to replace another one of the plugged directors or memories.

Method for testing signal integrity in a data storage system


Embodiments of the present invention are related to a cellphone assembly with a first half including a glasses arm storage compartment with rotatable outer casing, a second half including a glasses body storage compartment with rotatable outer casing, and modular glasses including detachable glasses arms, and a detachable glasses body. The cellphone assembly includes a dual screened cellular phone positioned on an opposing side of the glasses arm storage compartment and the glasses body storage compartment. The first half and second half outer casings are rotatable along a respective first cover hinge and second cover hinge and the first half and the second half are rotatably engaged along a main hinge.

The future of mobile communications includes wearable electronic devices that provide information while interacting with the physical world. Currently, smartphone users distract themselves by continuously monitoring their phone. Smart-glasses assist with alleviating the disconnect by allowing users to keep their heads up and interact with the world, while remaining connected to notifications from their mobile device via a heads-up-display (HUD).
There exists a need in the art for smart-glasses that not only pair with a cellphone, but that are easily transported therewith. This alleviates the need to continuously wear the smart-glasses and assists with addressing security concerns associated with remote data transfer. By decreasing the distance needed to transfer certain types of data between the smart-glasses and cellphone, the risk of that transferred data being intercepted is decreased as well. Furthermore, because both devices are designed for continued use, an efficient means of transporting battery power and an efficient means of chargeability is needed. Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a cellphone assembly and associated methods as described herein.


In one embodiment, one or more processor-readable media storing code representing instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to receive a set of parameter values defining a boundary within a data space associated with a dataset. The dataset can represent signaling related to a test substance. A first metric can be defined based on a first portion of the dataset associated with a first region defined by the boundary. A second metric can be defined based on a second portion of the dataset associated with a second region defined by the boundary after the boundary is modified. The second region can be different than the first region.

Embodiments relate generally to methods and apparatus for processing gate boundaries used to separate portions of datasets.
Data from a test device can be analyzed to, for example, classify one or more subpopulations of datapoints (e.g., datapoint clusters) from the data for further analysis. In some instances, geometric shapes (e.g., a polygon) can be used to define a gate boundary (can also be referred to as a gate or as a boundary) that separates the subpopulations of datapoints in a desirable fashion. The gate boundary can be manually defined and applied to the data by a user via a program such as FlowJo (TreeStar Inc., Ashland, Oreg.). In some instances, gate boundaries may not be defined in a desirable fashion (e.g., an effective fashion) based on this manual process because datapoints that fall into overlapping datapoint clusters and/or high density regions may not be readily handled (e.g., distinguished, analyzed) by a user. This can result in, for example, misclassification of datapoints and/or inaccurate statistical calculations related to the dataset. In addition, the manual definition and/or application of a gate boundary within a dataset can be relatively slow using known techniques and/or the quality of the gate boundary may not be measured in a desirable fashion. Thus, a need exists for methods and apparatus to address the shortfalls of present technology and to provide other new and innovative features.

Methods and apparatus related to gate boundaries within a data space


A voice recognition device and a method for learning voice data using the same are disclosed. The voice recognition device combines feature information for various speakers with a text-to-speech function to generate voice data recognized by a voice recognition unit, and can improve voice recognition efficiency by allowing the voice recognition unit itself to learn various voice data. The voice recognition device can be associated with an artificial intelligence module, a robot, an augmented reality (AR) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, devices related to 5G services, and the like.

As technology develops, various devices and services using a voice recognition technology have been recently introduced in many fields. The voice recognition technology may refer to a series of processes that convert a voice spoken by a person into a command that can be handled by a computer so that the device can understand the person's voice, and the voice recognition service using the voice recognition technology includes a series of processes in which the device recognizes a user's voice and provides a suitable service corresponding to the user's voice.
A voice synthesis technology refers to a speech-to-text (STT) technology that converts text input by a user or manager into a voice recognition device into voice, i.e., audio such as a sound source, and outputs it. The main purpose of the voice synthesis technology was to provide good sound quality voice data, and a synthesized voice also provided a synthesized sound for various input texts based on voice of one person used to train the voice recognition device.
In order for the voice recognition device to recognize human voices well, the voice recognition device needs to learn a large amount of voice learning data. In particular, the large amount of voice learning data refers to voices spoken by various speakers, i.e., data about audio such as a sound source. Since the various speakers have different utterance patterns, a wealth of materials and data on these patterns are needed.
However, in reality, it takes a lot of time and effort to generate voice data by recruiting hundreds of speakers, i.e., a large number of people and allowing them to speak a voice suitable for the learning purpose to record it. That is, each time the content of an utterance is changed due to changes in a scenario, a great deal of time, effort, and money were required in the process of recording and storing the content of the utterance spoken by the large number of people.

Voice recognition device and method for learning voice data


The invention provides a simple rugged two degree-of-freedom spherical orienting device applicable to point payloads such as cameras, mirrors, lasers, antennas and the like. A spherical five-bar mechanism with payload support is actuated by two rotary actuators fixed in position to a base. Advantages of the device include: the preserving of image horizon for cameras (in contrast to three degree-of-freedom devices); the ability to position the payload at the geometric center of rotation thereby reducing inertia; high stiffness enabling orientation of large loads and use of high angular velocities and accelerations; simplification of inverse kinematic computation; relatively large outward workspace (approximating a hemisphere) and large internal free space for payload orienting.

The invention relates to devices for orienting payloads and is of general applicability to mechanical devices, however, the tracking of moving objects is of particular interest in industrial and scientific applications. In such applications, highly accurate and rapid motion is essential. For example, tracking of flying objects for military and civilian use, robotic manipulation and vision, optical inspection and camera applications, machining and polishing operations, etc. can benefit from extremely precise and rapid orienting movements.
The invention is particularly directed to spherical orienting devices which in general provide a large work space for the oriented payload, flexibility and simple geometry.
Prior art for the spherical orienting devices suffer from several disadvantages. Often the mechanisms are extremely complex or require precision machining for accuracy. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,765 to Dien et al., a spherical robotic wrist joint is described wherein an oriented object is pointed along an orientation axis passing through the spherical center of rotation. Dien et al. utilize two rotary actuators to drive semi-circular slotted arc members that in combination can orient a radial member within a substantially semi-spherical work space area. The advantage of utilizing only two rotary actuators is substantial, however, the advantage gained is quickly lost in the need for precision machining of the slide faces. Sliding guides are indirectly driven by the actuators inducing friction and the possibility of inaccuracy due to machining tolerances and wear over time.
Another example is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,393 to Duta, which provides a series of semi-circular hoops interacting with a sliding guide to spherically orient a radially extending arm. In this example as well, the introduction of sliding components reduces accuracy and requires high precision machining. Friction additionally introduces resistance to rapid motion and the possibility of heat buildup.
An improvement is introduced in U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,873 to Demers, providing a two-axis motion mechanism which includes roller bearings thereby improving accuracy and reducing the machining demands. However, Demers retains a single sliding guide and so does not completely eliminate the problems with the prior art.
In the above described prior art, the reliance on sliding guides compromises accuracy and induces friction. The inclusion of bearings and high precision machining does not completely eliminate the disadvantages of the system. Sliding guides are unreliable, particularly in applications where high angular velocities and accelerations are produced and extremely stable mechanisms are essential.
A three degree-of-freedom orienting device utilizing parallel spherical mechanisms has been described in the prior art (article entitled "The agile eye: a high performance three degree-of-freedom camera-orienting device", Clement M. Gosselin and Jean-Francois Hamel 1050-4729/94 IEEE, p. 781). In this article, a prototype of camera-orienting device is described. The device is stable and capable of very large angular velocities and accelerations required for tracking applications, however, due to the three degrees-of-freedom, the mechanism is very complex and contains several moving parts, all of which must be extremely accurately machined. It has been found by experience, however, that the third degree-of-freedom, i.e. torsion of the oriented camera lens, is not required for many applications. In particular, for camera orienting the maintenance of horizon is desirable as a visual reference.
In academic literature, the optimization of a spherical five-bar mechanism driven by two rotary actuators fixed to a base has been analyzed (article entitled "Optimization of Spherical Five-bar Parallel Drive Linkage", Mohamed Ouerfelli and Vijay Kumar, DE-Vol 32.-1, Advances in Design Automation 1991- Vol. 1, ASME 1991).
In this analysis a five-bar spherical mechanism is described wherein two rotary actuators are fixed to a base and orient a payload with axis radiating from the spherical center of rotation. Each joint in the mechanism has an axis of revolution passing through the spherical center of rotation and each link between joints subtends an angle of 90.sub.--. This geometry somewhat simplifies the analysis and results in a spherical linkage of components which are relatively simple to manufacture.
However, in the Ouerfelli and Kumar article, the oriented axis of the payload is disposed on an axis of rotation of one of the joints. This disposition eliminates the possibility of positioning the payload at the center of rotation. As a result, the potential for mechanically interference with links and joints increases since the payload is positioned at a distance from the spherical center of gravity. In addition, positioning the payload away from the spherical center of gravity increases inertia of the system and increases instability of payload support. In any case, the analysis is of a theoretical nature and d does not suggest the structure of a working prototype.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple rugged two degrees-of-freedom spherical orienting device capable of accurate orientation with large angular velocities a nd accelerations
A further object of the invention is to provide a spherical orientation mechanism which can support a payload at the center of rotation thereby providing a large workspace, simplified kinematic computations, reduced inertia and reduction of interference between the payload and mechanism within a relatively large internal free operating space.

Two degree-of-freedom spherical orienting device


A low power servo-controlled single clock ramp generator (100) includes a fast switched comparator (102), charge pump (110) and voltage-to-current converter (120) connected to provide a feedback control mechanism under control of a pulse comparison clock signal (pulse_comp) and a reset pulse clock signal (rst_pulse) that are generated from a single input clock signal (clkin) so that there are well defined time intervals between pulses in the pulse comparison clock signal and the reset pulse clock signal, thereby providing a ramp signal (Vramp_out) having a stable, frequency-independent amplitude that is not limited by the reference voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of ramp signal generators. In one aspect, the present invention relates to a circuit and method for generating ramped voltage signals having stable maximum amplitude.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ramp generator circuits are used to generate ramped voltages for various applications, such as pulse width modulated converters, DC-DC converters, built-in self test (BIST) circuits, sawtooth generators, etc. However, convention servo-controlled voltage ramp generators are unduly complex in terms of the circuit design and operation, thereby using valuable silicon area and consuming excessive power. For example, conventional ramp generators require that multiple clock phases be provided to the ramp generator, and/or that the provided clock frequencies are higher than the ramp signal frequency. In addition, conventional solutions require accurate pulse widths for use in monitoring and correcting the ramp signal, and also require that the ramp monitoring and correction steps be performed at same time (which can impair linearity). Another problem with conventional ramp generators is that the amplitude of the ramp signal depends on the input clock frequency, and therefore can vary variation as the input frequency changes. Yet another drawback with prior ramp generators is that the maximum or peak voltage of the ramp signal is constrained by the input reference voltage. These design and performance limitations not only result in large and inefficient designs, but also impose additional system costs where, for example, a high to medium precision digital-to-analog converter must be used.
To provide an example of a conventional ramp generator circuit, reference is now made to FIG. 1 which depicts a ramped voltage generator 10 described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,169,433 to Farrenkopf wherein an operational transconductance amplifier 2 receiving a reference voltage is enabled by an input clock signal to drive a ramped voltage generation circuit 4 that produces a ramped voltage signal V3 that is fed back to the amplifier 2. The ramped voltage signal V3 is corrected or reset by the one-shot circuit 6 which receives, wherein input clock that enables the amplifier 2 also drives a one-shot circuit 6 which produces, in response to the input clock signal, a delayed voltage pulse train which is applied to discharge a capacitor C2 in the ramped voltage generation circuit 4 that is periodically charged and discharged to generate the ramped voltage V3. As shown in FIG. 2, the ramped voltage generator 10 receives the input clock signal 21 and generates therefrom the reset pulse signal 22 (which corresponds to the output V2 of the one-shot circuit 6). In response to the input clock signal 21, the ramped voltage generation circuit 4 produces the ramp signal 23 (which corresponds to the ramped voltage signal V3). While the input clock signal 21 is "high," the ramped voltage signal V3 is sampled, and when the reset pulse signal 22 is "high," the capacitor C2 is reset.
As this example shows, the sampling (monitoring) and reset (correction) events occur at same time, which can cause ramp distortion and decrease linearity, depending on the ramp period and clock pulse width. Given the temporal proximity of the clocking signals, the conventional ramped voltage generators require well synchronized and very accurate multi-phase pulse widths in order to monitor/adjust the ramp amplitude. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved voltage ramp generator circuit and methodology to overcome the problems in the art, such as outlined above. Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional processes and technologies will become apparent to one of skill in the art after reviewing the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings and detailed description which follow.

Ultra low power servo-controlled single clock ramp generator with amplitude independent to clock frequency


A bearing assembly for use in an electric motor minimizes the generation of a negative pressure. In the bearing assembly, gaps are formed between a shaft provided with a flange portion, a ring member mounted on the shaft, and a sleeve member with a through hole formed therein are continuously filled with lubrication oil. When a rotor rotates, the rotor is supported by a fluid dynamic pressure. In the bearing assembly, herringbone grooves are formed in an upper surface of the flange portion of the shaft fixed to a base plate. When the sleeve member rotates with respect to the shaft, ends of all of the herringbone grooves and the through hole are superposed on each other sequentially. Thus, the lubrication oil can be efficiently supplied to an outer peripheral region in the thrust dynamic pressure bearing mechanism in which the negative pressure is most prone to be generated, and generation of the negative pressure can be efficiently minimized.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a bearing assembly utilizing a fluid dynamic pressure provided in a motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recording disk drive such as a hard disk drive includes a spindle motor (hereinafter referred to as "motor") for rotating a recording disk. The motor uses a bearing assembly utilizing a fluid dynamic pressure. In many cases in the bearing assembly, a thrust dynamic pressure bearing mechanism and a radial dynamic pressure bearing mechanism are provided between a shaft or a component of the bearing assembly connected to the shaft and a sleeve into which the shaft is inserted.
The structure of an exemplary known bearing assembly includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve combined to form a sleeve, and a shaft is inserted into the sleeve. A radial bearing is formed between an outer peripheral surface of the shaft and an inner peripheral surface of the inner sleeve. Thrust bearings are provided at an upper end surface and a lower end surface of the inner sleeve, respectively. A vertically extending path for fluid is provided between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve. Annular taper seals are formed between the outer sleeve and a sealing plate opposed to the upper end surface of the inner sleeve, and between the outer sleeve and a flange portion of the shaft opposed to the lower end surface of the inner sleeve.
There is another known bearing assembly. In this bearing assembly, a space is defined by the sleeve fixed to a base and a counter plate which closes a bottom opening of the sleeve. The shaft which is to rotate, and a thrust plate which is opposed to the counter plate with lubrication fluid interposed therebetween are accommodated in the space. A fluid circulating path is formed between the shaft and the thrust plate and brings a pair of thrust dynamic pressure bearing mechanisms formed on and below the thrust plate into communication with each other. In still another exemplary bearing assembly, a pair of thrust dynamic pressure bearing mechanisms are formed between a cylindrical sleeve having a bottom and a lower surface of an annular thrust portion which is formed integrally with the shaft, and between an upper surface of the thrust portion and an annular upper plate which closes an opening of the sleeve. A through hole is formed in the thrust dynamic pressure bearing mechanism from its inner peripheral edge to its intermediate portion so as to extend in an axial direction parallel to a center axis of the bearing assembly.
In a dynamic pressure groove in an outer peripheral portion of the thrust dynamic pressure bearing mechanism, a negative pressure is locally generated due to a difference in a flow velocity of lubrication oil or the like, and air bubbles generated by the negative pressure build up in some cases. The air bubbles cause troubles such as NRRO (Non Repeatable Run Out) due to abnormal vibration when the motor rotates, thus adversely affecting reading and writing of information from and on a recording disk and a lifetime of the bearing assembly.
In the aforementioned known bearing assemblies, however, the thrust dynamic pressure groove and the circulation path for the lubrication oil are formed in the rotating component, and the position of the circulation path is fixed with respect to the thrust dynamic pressure groove. Therefore, generation of the negative pressure can be minimized in a certain dynamic pressure groove, but it is not possible to supply the lubrication oil to all portions of the dynamic pressure grooves at which the negative pressure is generated.

Bearing assembly, motor and recording disk drive


The optical apparatus includes first and second deflection members, a mask, a pumping light source, and a controller. The first and second deflection members are formed of nonlinear optical material whose refractive index is changed upon light radiation. The mask is arranged on an optical path extending from a front side of the first deflection member to a rear side of a second deflection member. The mask has a predetermined transmission pattern. The pumping light source radiates first and second beams on predetermined regions of the first and second deflection members. This changes the refractive indices of the predetermined regions to bend the optical path. The controller variably controls the intensity of the first and second beams.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical apparatus for an all-optical processing for an optical input such as an optical image, an optical signal or the like and, more particularly, to an optical apparatus suitably used for an ultrafast optical waveshaping, an ultrafast optical gate processing and the like.
2. Related Background Art
There is no conventional apparatus for an all-optical processing, e.g., an optical gate processing by controlling an optical path of input light. For example, as a prior art for optically waveshaping an optical input on the order of subnanoseconds, a technique described in the reference entitled "Generation of Arbitrarily Shaped Optical Pulses in the Subnanosecond to Picosecond Region Using a Fast Electrooptic Deflector" (IEEE JOURNAL OF QUANTUM ELECTRONICS, VOL. QE-16, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 1980) is known. This optical waveshaping apparatus employs an electrooptic deflector (EOD) and a slit. An applied voltage to the EOD is changed in an AC manner while an input beam is incident on the EOD, and a deflected transmission beam is radiated on the slit, thereby obtaining a waveshaped output pulse from the light transmitted through an opening of the slit. Since this apparatus employs the EOD, an electrical signal must be used in deflection of an input beam, and various problems are inevitably posed in association with the electrical signal.
As a framing camera used in subnanosecond image framing, techniques described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64-60944 and in the reference entitled "Single-Frame and Double-Frame operation of a Picosecond framing camera" (Vol. 57, No. 6, Apr. 15, 1986) are known. In a gate apparatus in the conventional framing camera, spatial image information is converted into an electron beam by a photo cathode, and the electron beam is scanned by the deflector to pass through a slit. When the image information passes through the slit, it is converted into time-serial information. After the image information passes through the slit, the information is deflected again, and becomes spatial image information when it forms a fluorescent image on an output surface. In this apparatus, image information as light is temporarily converted into electron information, and the converted information is subjected to processing. Therefore, the photo cathode and the phosphor screen are indispensable, and sensitivity is inevitably decreased, thus causing various drawbacks. Since an electron tube which causes a decrease in resolution due to a space-charge effect is used, the apparatus is easily damaged. A high voltage must be applied, and a circuit is undesirably complicated.


A seat belt tongue retaining device which comprises a buckle unit having an insertion passage into which a tongue is inserted, and a latch pawl capable of getting into and out of the insertion passage. A tongue has a latch hole for allowing the latch pawl to engage therewith. Slots formed in the tongue extend in the inserting direction. Arms disposed turnably in the buckle unit have leading ends capable of protruding and moving in the tongue inserting direction. The arms engage with the slots of the tongue in the insertion passage and pull the tongue deep into the passage wherein the tongue is latched automatically.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for retaining a tongue of a seat belt which is disposed in a vehicle for protecting an occupant. More particularly, the present invention relates to a seat belt tongue retaining device having a buckle unit equipped with a mechanism for pulling the tongue thereinto.
2. Description of the Related Art
A seat belt system is constructed to restrain an occupant on a seat of a vehicle with a seat belt by inserting a tongue of the seat belt into a buckle disposed at a side of the seat and by latching the tongue with a latching device.
In the seat belt system of the prior art, the occupant has to grip the tongue by his or her hand and to push it deep into the buckle. For these operations, however, the occupant has to push the buckle with an upper half of his or her body being twisted sideways, whereby he or she is uncomfortable in his or her upper half body.