In each sensor unit, when a sensor control unit cannot detect current flowing to an output side, its address is set to the same address as a sensor unit of the last stage. In an ECU, if the set address and characteristic information of each sensor unit are not stored in a memory unit when the set addresses and the characteristic information of all the sensor units are received by an ECU control unit, the received set addresses and the characteristic information are stored. A failure check unit checks received characteristic information received by the ECU control unit with characteristic information stored in the memory unit. If one characteristic information is in disagreement, a sensor unit having such characteristic information is determined to be failing. If plural characteristic information are in disagreement, a sensor unit having characteristic information and closest to the ECU is determined to be failing.

Recently a passenger protection device such as an airbag and a seatbelt pretensioner is mounted in many vehicles. A passenger protection system having the passenger protection device includes, as shown in FIG. 8, front sensor units 11a, 11b mounted at both front sides of a vehicle 10, safing sensor units 13a, 13b mounted at an assistant seat and rear seats, and a plurality of sensor units 15a, 15b, 15c 15d and 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d mounted at both sides of the vehicle 10. These sensor units are connected to an ECU 18 for an airbag to form a communication device. Each sensor unit 11a, 11b, 13a, 13b, 15a to 15d and 16a to 16d detects acceleration and activates an airbag, which is not shown, in response to detection of acceleration. Here, each sensor unit 11a, 11b, 13a, 13b, 15a to 15d and 16a to 16d is formed in an integrated circuit (IC) chip.
In this communication device, as representatively shown in FIG. 9, the sensor units 15a to 15d and 16a to 16d at both sides have respective bus switches 26a to 26d internally and are connected to the ECU 18 through buses. Further, when power supply of the vehicle 10 is turned on, the sensor units are set with addresses and initialized to turn on the bus switches 26a to 26d in order from the sensor unit closer to the ECU 18. That is, after setting the address in the first sensor unit 15a, which is closest to the ECU 18, the bus switch 26a is turned on to connect the ECU 18 to the second sensor unit 15b. After setting the address in the second sensor unit 15b from the ECU 18, the bus switch 26b is turned on to connect the third sensor unit 15c to the ECU 18. Further, after setting the address in the third sensor unit 15c, the bus switch 26c is turned on to connect the fourth sensor unit 15d to the ECU 18. The initialization is thus performed. Each of the sensor units 15a to 15d is configured to return a response to the ECU 18 after the address setting.
In case that the sensor units 15a to 15d and 16a to 16d on both sides are connected to the ECU 18 by buses, it is necessary to provide the bus switches 26a to 26d inside the sensor units 15a to 15d and 16a to 16d formed in IC chips, respectively. As a result, the chip size becomes large. Since each bus switch has impedance, the impedances of the sensor units 15a to 15d and 16a to 16d cause voltage drops when the plurality of the sensor units 15a to 15d are bus-connected. As a result, the voltage drops at the sensor units 15d, 16d of the end stage become large. In addition, the bus switch becomes a noise source, which generates noise, when impedances at the power supply side and the ground side of the bus switches do not match.
To solve this problem, according to a communication device disclosed in JP 2010-137840A (US 2010/0121534A1), bus connection by bus switches is not performed. According to this configuration, as shown in FIG. 10, sensor units 15a1 to 15d1 are connected to an ECU 181 in a daisy chain form without using bus switches. In this configuration, the sensor unit 15d1 at the last stage is set with an address 0001 at time t1 first for transition to a sleep mode. Since no current flows to the fourth sensor unit 15d1, which is in the sleep mode, the third sensor unit 15c becomes the last stage unit and ready for being set with an address. Similarly as described above, the third sensor unit 15c1 is set with an address 0010 at time t2 for transition to the sleep mode. Further, as indicated at time t3 and t4, addresses 0100 and 1000 are set in the sensor units in sequence toward the ECU 181 and the sensor units are rendered to be in the sleep mode in sequence. Thus, the initialization is completed. After completion of the initialization, the ECU 181 transmits a sleep mode cancellation command thereby to cause the sensor units 15a1 to 15d1 to return to respective normal operation mode. Thus bus switches are not necessitated.
It is assumed in this communication device for a passenger protection system that a connection line between the first sensor unit 15a1 and the second sensor unit 15b1 is disconnected (open-failure) as indicated by a mark X in FIG. 11, or the third sensor unit 15c1 fails (sensor failure) as indicated by a mark X in FIG. 12 although the current path from the ECU 181 to the sensor unit 15d1 at the last stage is normal. In this case, as described later, it is not possible to determine whether it is the open-failure or the sensor-failure. It is not possible either to specify between which sensor units the open-failure arose or which sensor unit has the sensor-failure.
That is, in case of determining the open-failure or the sensor-failure, ECU 181 is configured to determine whether the address setting at the time of initialization has been performed normally. In FIG. 11, since the first sensor unit 15a1 is the last stage unit, the address 0001 is set in the first sensor unit 15a1 first. If the first sensor unit 15a1 is rendered to be in the sleep mode, thereafter no other sensor unit is connected to the ECU 181. As a result, the address setting is performed only once. The ECU 181 determines that the open-failure or the sensor-failure is present based on that the address setting is not performed appropriately.
In FIG. 12, when the sensor unit 15d1 at the last stage is set with the address 0001 and then rendered to be in the sleep mode, the second sensor unit 15b1 is set with the address 0010 because of the sensor-failure of the third sensor unit 15c1. Then the first sensor unit 15a1 is set with the address 0100. In this case, only three addresses are set although four addresses should be set. The ECU 181 determines that the open-failure or the sensor-failure is present based on that the address setting has not been performed normally. In either case, it is not possible to determine whether the failure is the open-failure or the sensor-failure. It is not possible either to specify between which sensor units the open-failure arose or which sensor unit has the sensor-failure.

Communication system for a passenger protection system


An apparatus includes a light source that causes continuous oscillation light to enter one terminal of an optical transmission line, wherein the continuous oscillation light is to propagate a light variation of a first physical amount generated on the optical transmission line to another terminal of the optical transmission line; a photodetector that detects, on the one terminal, light turned back from a light modulation converter provided on the another terminal, wherein the light modulation converter obtains the turned-back light by converting the light variation of the first physical amount into a light variation of a second physical amount; and a processor that calculates a light-variation location generated on the optical transmission line by comparing time variations in the light variation of the first physical amount and the light variation of the second physical amount in the light detected by the photodetector.

An abrupt light variation generated during the transmission degrades the reception sensitivity and causes a communication error. To address this, it is desirable to identify a location where the light variation is generated and to cope with the problem. For example, the use of an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) enables measurement of a loss generation location of an optical fiber. However, the OTDR is unable to identify a location of an instantaneous variation or a light variation without a loss.
Meanwhile, there is a technique of: inputting light from one terminal of an optical fiber; turning the light back at the other terminal of the optical fiber; monitoring a state of the output light at the one terminal side; and thereby identifying a light variation location from a time difference a light variation generated in the outward path and a light variation generated in the return path (for example, see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 08-136607 and 10-148654).
However, the measurement of a light variation location is impossible unless the light variation generated in the optical fiber of the outward path and the light variation generated in the optical fiber of the return path may be time-resolved. When the light variation generated in the outward path and the light variation generated in the return path are overlapped with each other, the measurement of the light variation locations is failed due to a difficulty in resolving the light variations in the outward path and the return path.

Location measurement apparatus, light modulation converter, and light variation location measurement method


Presented is a method for obtaining a multi-level ROM in a dual gate EEPROM process flow. The method begins with, on a semiconductor substrate, defining active areas respectively for transistors of ROM cells, transistors of electrically erasable non-volatile memory cells, and additional transistors of the storage circuitry. Then, integrated capacitors are integrated in the storage circuit. According to this method, during the implanting step for forming integrated capacitors, at least an active area of the ROM cell is similarly implanted.

This invention relates to a method for obtaining a multi-level ROM in an EEPROM process flow, as well as a memory cell structure formed thereby.
The invention relates to a ROM structure having transistor cells which are integrated in a semiconductor by a dual gate EEPROM process flow, along with transistors for electrically erasable non-volatile memory cells, and with storage circuitry transistors; all these transistors having active areas covered with a layer of gate oxide, itself overlaid with a polysilicon layer.
In this technical field, there is a pressing demand for integration of both ROM (Read Only Memory) circuits and electrically erasable non-volatile memories, such as EEPROMs and/or Flash EEPROMs, into a single semiconductor electronic device. This demand comes especially from the smart card market, and involves considerable complications to the process of manufacturing such integrated electronic devices.
The technologies employed in the manufacture of either types of circuits are not fully compatible, resulting in increased manufacturing costs and less-easily-achieved high throughputs. Furthermore, advancements in cryptography require extending codes in terms of number of bits which are difficult to decode by reverse engineering.
Also known is that a set or array of ROM cells essentially consists of an array of MOS transistors having conventional source, drain and gate terminals, and having their threshold voltages set during the manufacturing process.
These thresholds are differentiated such that, through the intermediary of an appropriate sensing circuit, it becomes possible to determine which of the cells are ON (logic 1) and which are OFF (logic 0) for a given bias of the transistor gate terminals. Those cells which are in a logic 1 state usually can be discriminated from those in a logic 0 state by implanting the source region and not implanting drain junctions during the step of implanting these transistor regions.
This prior approach provides cells with a logic 1 and/or a logic 0 value, but disallows discriminating them immediately by optical scanning.
There have been other approaches whereby the logic 1 and 0 values can be discriminated based on the presence or the absence of a transistor. However, there is no currently available technology which can provide a multi-level ROM structure, i.e. one capable of storing plural logic values in each memory cell.
Embodiments of this invention provide a novel method for obtaining a multi-level ROM in a dual gate CMOS process, such that a higher capacity for data storage can be provided by a readily integrated product with CMOS technology.
Principles of the invention provide a ROM cell which can store six distinct logic levels. This cell is formed by first utilizing the LV and HV well implantations and the capacitor implantation to provide additional levels in the ROM, whereafter two different dopant implantings are used for the polysilicon layer which forms the transistor gate region.
Briefly, the step of implanting the source/drain regions of the transistor which comprises a cell is carried out separately from the polysilicon implanting step.
Therefore, presented is a method for obtaining a multi-level ROM in a dual gate EEPROM process flow. The method begins by defining active areas on a semiconductor substrate respectively for: transistors of ROM cells, transistors of electrically erasable non-volatile memory cells, and additional transistors of the storage circuitry. Then integrated capacitors in the storage circuit are implanted, and during this implantation, at least an active area of the ROM cell is subjected to the same implantation.
In another embodiment, when the polysilicon layer is being etched to define the gate regions of the ROM cells, the gate regions of the high-voltage transistors are also defined.

Method for obtaining a multi-level ROM in an EEPROM process flow


A sound processing device includes a shift detection unit that detects a shift of a listening point on which a user listens to a sound in a sound field space from a standard reference listening point, and a correction unit that corrects a sound signal based on first sound field correction data for correcting a sound field when the listening point is the standard reference listening point and second sound field correction data for correcting a sound field of the listening point when the listening point is shifted from the standard reference listening point.

The present technology relates to a sound processing device and a method thereof, a program, and a recording medium, and particularly to a sound processing device and method, a program, and a recording medium that enable simple field correction at an arbitrary position of a sound field space.
In a multi-channel audio system, from peripheral speakers disposed in different positions, sounds of different channels corresponding to the positions are emitted, and thus, a listener can enjoy music enriched with the same sense of presence as if the listener is in a theater or at a music hall.
In general, an ideal listening position is the center position in the disposition of speakers, and if a listening position is shifted from the center, the listener is not able to enjoy music in high sound quality.
Thus, correcting a sound field according to the position of a listener has been proposed (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-287606). In the technology disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-287606, an infrared light emitting unit is installed in a microphone, and infrared light sensing units are installed in respective speakers. An infrared light beam emitted from the infrared light emitting unit of the microphone disposed in a position of a listener is sensed by the infrared light sensing units installed in the speakers. The distance between each speaker and the microphone is computed from a level of sensing the infrared light, and the position of the microphone, i.e., the position of the listener is computed based on the distance. Further, a sound field is corrected based on the position.

Correction of sound signal based on shift of listening point


A multiple actuator disk drive is disclosed. The mechanical vibration in one actuator induced by motion in the second actuator is greatly reduced by providing an independent bearing shaft for each actuator. The bearing shafts are mounted substantially along the same geometric axis.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a magnetic disk drive having multiple rotary actuators; and, more particularly, to multiple actuators with reduced interactions.
2. Description of the Background Art
Disk drives using magnetic recording of digital information comprise most of the information storage in contemporary computer systems. Specific disk drives have been developed for applications ranging from small low power drives for mobile computers to high performance drives for large net-based server applications. Disk drives have at least one rotating disk with discrete concentric tracks of data. There is at least one recording head typically comprising a separate write element and read element for writing and reading the data on the tracks. The recording head is attached to a slider and the slider is attached to a suspension. The combination of the recording head, slider and suspension is called a head gimbal assembly. In addition, there is an actuator which positions the recording head on the specific track of interest. The actuator first rotates to seek the track of interest and after positioning the recording head over that track maintains the recording head in close registration to that track.
The actuators for the vast majority of disk drives utilize a rotary structure. The rotary structure comprises a rigid support member. This support member has arms for attachment to the head gimbal assemblies. This rigid support member has an axis of rotation the location of which is defined by the position of a bearing shaft. The support member has coils generally across the center of rotation from the head gimbal assemblies. These coils in conjunction with magnets placed in close proximity to them form a voice coil motor (VCM) which is used to rotate the actuator about the bearing shaft.
High performance disk drives can have two or more separate actuators mounted on a common bearing shaft. This approach has the advantage that parallel streams of data can be simultaneously processed though the recording heads on each actuator. Alternatively while one actuator is in place and the recording head on that actuator is active processing data, the other actuator can be moving to the next track of interest. This can minimize the apparent seek time of the actuator during which data cannot not be processed by the recording head.
One problem associated with multiple actuator assemblies is that the movement of one actuator induces movement or vibrations in the other actuator. Thus if one actuator is moving while the second actuator has positioned the recording head and that head is active in processing data, then the function of the recording head is compromised by vibrations caused by the first actuator. There have been attempts in the past to dampen vibrations in actuators by placing a rubber like material between the bearing shaft and the actuator. One limitation in this approach is that rigidity is sacrificed thereby degrading actuator performance. Another limitation is that many rubber like or elastomer materials tend to outgas causing contamination problems within the disk drive. Yet another limitation for elastomer materials is the tendency to creep causing longer term dimensional instability.
What is needed is a dual actuator structure which is less prone to couple vibrations from the movement of one actuator into the second actuator.
What is disclosed is a disk drive having two or more actuators wherein the actuators share a common geometrical rotation axis but are mounted on separate bearing shafts. Separate bearing shafts result in much less mechanical coupling between the actuators compared to a single common bearing shaft.
In one embodiment, the ends of the bearing shafts are mounted on an extension or attachment portion of the centrally located magnet mounting plate which supports some of the magnets of the VCM. The plate extension can be slotted for additional vibration isolation. Alternatively two separate central plates can be used for greater vibration isolation. Additionally, damping material can be used between the two plates.
In another embodiment, the separate bearing shafts are mounted independently from the magnet mounting plates.

Disk drive with multiple actuators and reduced actuator interactions


When an apparatus C which shares the media with apparatuses A and B desires to transmit an RTS packet, apparatus C inhibits transmission of the RTS packet for a fixed waiting time Tm plus a transmission inhibition period which varies depending on a type of a packet in a sensed carrier. In other words, when apparatus C senses an RTS packet of apparatus A, apparatus C inhibits transmission for a packet transmission inhibition period 101 resulting from reception of RTS. When apparatus C senses a CTS packet of apparatus B, apparatus C inhibits transmission for a packet transmission inhibition period 102 resulting from reception of CTS. When apparatus C senses a data packet, apparatus C inhibits transmission for a packet transmission inhibition period 103 resulting from reception of a data packet. When apparatus C senses an ACK packet of apparatus B, apparatus C inhibits transmission for a packet transmission inhibition period 104 resulting from reception of an ACK. As a result, a data communication apparatus which achieves efficient communication between a plurality of data communication apparatuses which share the same media is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data communication apparatus which carries out data communication in a communication network constituted by a plurality of information apparatuses, and method thereof, and more particularly, to a data communication apparatus which achieves higher efficiency in using the media, and method thereof.
2. Description of the Background Art
In a network in which a plurality of apparatuses transmit to and receive data from each other, a method of obtaining transmission right to "communication medium (media)", whether it is cable or wireless, shared among those apparatuses is predetermined, and the method is applied to those apparatuses, whereby disturbance of communication has been prevented. In addition, efficiency in using the media has been improved.
An example which implements such efforts as described above is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-260051. A method of intensively managing an access right to the media is suggested in the document. In this method, however, no communication could be carried out if an apparatus for intensive management of an access right has a trouble. Furthermore, if an additional apparatus which shares the same media is provided, the apparatus must be registered additionally in the apparatus for intensive management of access right. In the case of wireless media, in particular, it is difficult to apply that method since the number of apparatuses which operate independently changes dynamically.
In order to avoid these problems, the following two methods have been disclosed in which an access right to the media is not managed intensively to allow each apparatus to access the media autonomously and cooperatively.
One of the methods is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,902 ("Local Area Network with Carrier Sense Collision Avoidance", Apr. 28, 1987) by Hochsprung et al. (Apple Computer, Inc.). Although this method is essentially applied to a cable system network apparatus, it can be applied to a wireless system network apparatus. This method is hereinafter referred to as "conventional example A".
The other is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,634 ("Medium Access Protocol for Wireless LANs", Jul. 27, 1993) by Giles et al. (Proxim, Inc.). This method is applied to a wireless system network apparatus. The method is hereinafter referred to as "conventional example P".
FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing transmission and reception of a packet when an apparatus A transmits data to an apparatus B which shares the media with apparatus A. Operation of conventional examples A and P will now be described with reference to FIG. 16. Basically, the same procedure of FIG. 16 which will be described below is carried out in both conventional examples A and P.
(1) Apparatus A which desires to transmit data checks if the media are in use (senses a carrier) and inhibits data transmission if in use (carrier sense step).
(2) Apparatus A transmits an RTS (Request To Send) packet 20 to the media. RTS packet 20 includes addresses of apparatus A itself and receiving apparatus B (RTS transmission step).
(3) Apparatus B which shares the media with apparatus A receives RTS packet 20. Every apparatus which receives RTS packet 20 reads out an address of a receiving apparatus included in RTS packet 20, and compares that address to an address of the apparatus itself. Apparatus B recognizes that the packet is transmitted to the apparatus B itself and transmits a CTS (Clear To Send) packet 21 in response to RTS packet 20. CTS packet 21 includes addresses of apparatus B itself and CTS receiving apparatus A (CTS transmission step). Apparatuses other than apparatus B do not respond to RTS packet 20.
(4) When apparatus A receives CTS packet 21 from apparatus B, apparatus A determines that it can obtain an access right to the media, and transmits to apparatus B a data packet 22 including contents it desires to transmit to apparatus B (data packet transmission step).
(5) (Only in conventional example P) apparatus B transmits an ACK (Acknowledgement) packet to apparatus A to acknowledge reception of the data packet from apparatus A (ACK transmission step).
In both methods, accesses from a plurality of apparatuses to the media may conflict with each other at the time of RTS transmission. In FIG. 17, since RTS packets of apparatus A and B conflict with each other and an apparatus which should respond to those RTS packets cannot receive the RTS packets correctly, the apparatus cannot transmit a CTS packet. Referring to FIG. 17, in this example in which it is assumed that conflict of accesses will occur, since apparatus A does not receive CTS 24 by the time when it should receive it (time out), conflict (collision) of accesses to the media is detected. If collision is detected, apparatus A must carry out the above described process again from the carrier sense step.
Although basic operation of the conventional examples A and P has been described above, difference between examples A and P will now be described.
Conventional example A first carries out a "process of waiting for fixed time", and then, a "process of waiting for random time".
In the "process of waiting for fixed time", a step of sensing a carrier for every 100 milliseconds is repeated four times. If no carrier is sensed, "process of waiting for random time" is next carried out. If a carrier is sensed even once, the step of sensing a carrier is again carried out four times.
In "process of waiting for random time", a random number R determined depending on an access condition of the media is generated, and a step of sensing a carrier for every 100 milliseconds is repeated R times. If no carrier is sensed, an RTS packet is transmitted. If a carrier is sensed even once, process immediately returns to "process of waiting for fixed time".
Referring back to FIG. 16, if it is ensured that each of time from completion of RTS packet 20 transmission to start of CTS packet 21 transmission ("a" in FIG. 16), time from completion of CTS packet 21 transmission to start of data packet 22 transmission ("b" in FIG. 16), and time from completion of data packet 22 transmission to start of ACK packet 23 transmission ("c" in FIG. 16) is well shorter than, for example, 400 milliseconds, no collision would occur during switching of a series of these packets unless RTS packets 20 conflicts with each other. In conventional example A, time "c" is not taken into consideration since a method of ACK packet transmission is not disclosed therein. However, the method of ACK packet transmission is herein added to conventional example A in order to clarify difference between conventional examples A and P which will be described below.
Conventional example A enables prevention of conflict of accesses to the media, and ensures that no collision will occur during transmission of a data packet from apparatus A to apparatus B by the above-described method.
Conventional example P is an improvement of conventional A, which overcomes so called "hidden terminal" problem which is specific to wireless media. In this case, a hidden terminal represents a terminal which cannot transmit to and receive data from a plurality of wireless terminals within a prescribed zone directly. In FIG. 18, apparatuses A and B can communicate with each other and apparatuses B and C can communicate with each other, while apparatuses A and C cannot communicate with each other (in this case, apparatus C is a hidden terminal with respect to apparatus A). In this case, apparatus C cannot detect transmission of a data packet from apparatus A to apparatus B. Therefore, in the method of conventional example A, apparatus C determines that no carrier is present and transmits a packet to apparatus B, and therefore, apparatus B might not receive a data packet from apparatus A correctly.
In order to solve such problems as described above, in conventional example P, an apparatus inhibits transmission of an RTS packet for the time determined by a random number. However, if another apparatus which shares the media therewith receives an RTS packet or a CTS packet which is transmitted not to the apparatus itself, the apparatus considers that a data packet will be sent thereafter, and inhibits transmission of a packet for a while thereafter. In other words, an apparatus which receives an RTS packet which is transmitted not to the apparatus itself inhibits transmission of a packet for a period "d" in FIG. 16, and an apparatus which receives a CTS packet which is transmitted not to the apparatus itself inhibits transmission of a packet for a period "e" in FIG. 16. Since periods "d" and "e" could change depending on a length of a DATA packet, the length of a DATA packet is included in an RTS packet and a CTS packet, and "d" and "e" are calculated by an apparatus which receives an RTS packet and a CTS packet based on the packet length included therein, respectively.
Conventional example P enables prevention of conflict of accesses to the media, and ensures that no conflict will occur during transmission of a data packet from apparatus A to apparatus B, by means of the above described method.
However, conventional examples A and P have the following problems.
(Problem 1)
For example, the following condition will be considered. Apparatuses A, B and C share the media and can communicate with each other, and each of apparatuses A and B alternately requests transmission of 10 data packets to apparatus C. Data packets transmitted by apparatuses A and B are sequentially represented by Pa.sub.0 . . . Pa.sub.9 and Pb.sub.0 . . . Pb.sub.9, respectively.
In both conventional examples A and P, if apparatus B tries to transmit an RTS corresponding to Pb.sub.0 right after apparatus A transmits an RTS packet corresponding to Pa.sub.0, apparatus B senses a carrier and inhibits transmission of RTS. After a period during which apparatus A sends a data corresponding to Pa.sub.0, apparatus A tries transmission of Pa.sub.1 and apparatus B tries re-transmission of Pb.sub.0. However, which apparatus can transmit an RTS packet earlier depends on the case because time is determined by random number. Therefore, apparatus C might receive a packet in the following order.
Pa.sub.0, Pa.sub.1 . . . Pa.sub.9, Pb.sub.0, Pb.sub.1 . . . Pb.sub.9
In the field of the multimedia which has been studied in recent years, if apparatuses A and B send image data and audio data to apparatus C, respectively, and apparatus C reproduces the image data and the audio data as they are, image and audio are not synchronized, and therefore, it is not practical. Therefore, technique to synchronize image data and audio data with each other is required. However, each of these conventional examples A and P has highly disadvantageous characteristic to such a synchronization. Thus, in the conventional examples, since an apparatus inhibits transmission of an RTS packet for the time defined by a random number, apparatus C can not receive a packet in such an order as Pa.sub.0, Pb.sub.0, Pa.sub.1, Pb.sub.1 . . . Pa.sub.9, Pb.sub.9.
(Problem 2)
In conventional example P, an apparatus which has received an RTS packet assumes that a series of data switching is carried out between other apparatuses and gives up obtaining the media during the data switching. However, even if an apparatus which should receive that RTS packet is not ready to receive data, the apparatus which has received the RTS packet assumes that a series of data switching is being carried out and gives up obtaining the media during the data switching, resulting in reduction in efficiency in using the media.
This condition will now be described with reference to FIG. 19. FIG. 19 shows a condition of communication when apparatuses which are adjacent to each other share the media. Referring to FIG. 19, apparatuses A and B can communicate with each other, apparatuses B and C can communicate with each other, and apparatuses C and D can communicate with each other, while other combination of apparatuses cannot carried out communication.
It is now assumed that apparatus A is not ready to receive data when apparatus B desires to communicate with apparatus A. In conventional example P, apparatus C which has received an RTS packet 51 transmitted according to this request of apparatus B considers that a CTS packet 52, a data packet 53 and an ACK packet 54 are transmitted between apparatuses A and B, and sets a packet transmission inhibition period 55, i.e., a period during which a packet is inhibited from being transmitted. Thus, apparatus C cannot return a CTS packet to apparatus D in response to RTS packets 56, 57 transmitted to apparatus C according to data transmission request of apparatus D, although, in fact, the media is not in use.

Data communication apparatus achieving efficient use of the media


A fluid-filled mount having first and second elastic bodies which elastically connect an inner and an outer sleeve and partially define a pressure-receiving chamber which communicates with a variable-volume equilibrium chamber through an orifice passage. The first elastic body includes two radial portions extending from diametrically opposite circumferential portions of the inner sleeve, in respective radial directions almost perpendicular to a diametric direction in which a static load acts on the mount. A connecting member extends from the inner sleeve between the above two radial portions and which is located on one of diametrically opposite sides of the inner sleeve on which the radial distance between the two sleeves is reduced by the static load. The second elastic body includes two thin-walled lateral walls which extend from respective axially opposite ends of the connecting member and which are inclined in a radially outward direction of the mount, and further includes two thick-walled radial walls which extend from the ends of the lateral walls in the above diametric direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a fluid-filled cylindrical elastic mount suitably used for example as an engine mount for flexibly mounting on a motor vehicle a power unit which includes an internal combustion engine. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a fluid-filled cylindrical engine mount which exhibits desired spring stiffness in the axial direction, without deterioration of damping/isolating characteristics with respect to input vibrations applied in the radial or diametric direction, and which is constructed for easy tuning of the diametric and axial spring characteristics relative to each other.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A so-called cylindrical elastic mount is known as one type of a mounting device which is interposed between two members of a vibration system for flexibly connecting the two members in a vibration-damping or -isolating fashion. This cylindrical elastic mount is constructed with an elastic or rubber body being formed between an inner metal sleeve, and an outer metal sleeve disposed radially outwardly of the inner sleeve with a suitable radial spacing therebetween. The elastic body elastically connects the inner and outer sleeves. The thus constructed cylindrical elastic mount is widely used as an engine mount for a motor vehicle, since the mount has various advantages, such as being compact and simple in construction and having a reduced size, and comparatively limited relative displacement of the inner and outer sleeves upon application of a vibrational load having a large amplitude.
Recently, there has been proposed a so-called fluid-filled cylindrical elastic mount as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,173 to R. Kanda owned by the assignee of the present application. Such a fluid-filled cylindrical elastic mount has a pressure-receiving chamber and an equilibrium chamber, which are formed between the inner and outer sleeves and are filled with a suitable non-compressible fluid. The equilibrium chamber is at least partially defined by a flexible diaphragm, so that the volume of the equilibrium chamber is variable. The two chambers are held in communication with each other through an orifice passage. Upon application of a dynamic vibrational load between the inner and outer sleeves of the elastic mount, the fluid pressure within the pressure-receiving chamber periodically changes, whereby the fluid is forced to flow through the orifice passage between the two chambers. Based on the resonance of the fluid mass flowing through the orifice passage, the fluid-filled elastic mount provides an excellent vibration damping/isolating effect, which cannot be obtained from a cylindrical elastic mount which relies on only the elasticity of an elastic body to damp the input vibrations.
In the fluid-filled cylindrical elastic mount as described above, the deformation of the elastic body occurs primarily as a compressive strain when the mount receives a vibrational load applied in the radial or diametric direction, and primarily as a shearing strain when the mount receives the vibrational load applied in the axial direction. This means considerably reduced spring stiffness or considerably soft spring characteristic in the axial direction, as compared with the spring stiffness in the diametric direction. Usually, the ratio of the spring stiffness in the axial direction to that in the diametric direction falls within a range of about 0.2-0.6, and cannot be increased beyond the upper limit of that range.
If the elastic body is formed of a rubber material having increased hardness in an attempt to increase the spring stiffness in the axial direction, the spring stiffness in the diametric direction tends to be excessively high, causing an accordingly reduced amount of compressive deformation of the elastic body upon application of the vibrations to the mount. This results in reduction in the amount of volumetric change of the pressure-receiving chamber and an accordingly reduced amount of change in the fluid pressure in the pressure-receiving chamber, leading to a decrease in the fluid mass which is forced to flow through the orifice passage. Thus, the solution indicated above leads to insufficient vibration damping/isolating capability of the elastic mount.
In other words, the known fluid-filled cylindrical elastic mount inevitably suffers from undesirably low spring stiffness with respect to the vibrations applied in the axial direction, if the elastic mount is adapted to exhibit sufficiently high vibration damping/isolating capability with respect to the vibrations applied in the diametric direction. Consequently, if this known cylindrical elastic mount is used as an engine mount for an automotive vehicle, the power unit of the vehicle tends to be oscillated relative to the vehicle body in the axial direction of the elastic mount, deteriorating the driving comfort of the vehicle. The known fluid-filled cylindrical elastic mount has the problem discussed above.

Fluid-filled cylindrical elastic mount having lateral and radial elastic walls for desired axial and diametric spring characteristics


Embodiments of the invention generally include a contamination housing assembly and bag for use therein. In one embodiment, a contamination housing assembly includes a housing having an inlet, outlet, and access port. A bagging ring is coupled to the housing and circumscribes the port. A door is provided for covering the port. A bag indicator is coupled to at least one of the containment housing or door and is visible, when in a first position, from an exterior of the containment housing when the door substantially covers the bagging ring. In yet another embodiment, a bag for use with a containment housing is provided. The bag has an open end configured to engage with a bagging ring. The bag includes at least one of a strap or a RF readable tag.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a filter housing assembly having a bagging ring, and more specifically, a filter housing assembly for an air filter having a ring for bag-in/bag-out filter replacement.
2. Description of the Related Art
Contamination housing assemblies are used in critical processes where hazardous airborne materials must be prevented from escaping to the atmosphere. A filter is disposed in the contamination housing assembly to remove the hazardous and other materials from the air stream passing through the housing assembly. The housing assembly may be configured to include at least one filter, such as a particulate filter, a HEPA filter, and/or molecular filters for absorbing molecular contaminants.
The filters disposed in the contamination housing assembly are periodically replaced using a control barrier to protect change-out personnel from contaminants within the housing and from contaminants captured by the filters. The typical control barrier utilized is a plastic bag enclosure system such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,616, issued Nov. 28, 1967. The portion of the housing that facilitates the use of a plastic bag to remove and replace filters from a contamination housing assembly is typically known as a Bag-In/Bag-Out (BIBO) feature.
The BIBO feature consists of a bagging ring, which is generally some type of flange that extends perpendicular from the face of the containment housing around the perimeter of the opening where the filter is installed. This ring often has grooves or channels formed into it. A bag, manufactured from PVC or other suitable material has an opening containing an elastic cord or O-ring that is capable of stretching sufficiently to slide over the outside circumference of the bagging ring. The cord fits securely against the bagging ring and keeps the bag attached to the containment housing. The bag essentially forms a boundary between the contaminated interior of the containment housing and personnel performing service work on the exterior of the housing. After a filter is initially installed in the containment housing, before the system is put into beneficial operation, the bag is installed. The bag is then neatly folded and stored in the cavity created by the bagging ring. The access door is then installed to seal the opening circumscribed by the bagging ring.
In many applications, the interior of the containment housings and the filters installed in the containment housings are exposed to microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, or other contaminants that are hazardous or potentially fatal to humans. Before filters are serviced or replaced in such applications, it is common to "decontaminate" the filter and the containment housing prior to removing the access door. This decontamination is conducted by closing the bubble-tight dampers located upstream and downstream of the filter and then connecting a decontamination system to valves located on the containment system upstream and downstream of the filter. Once connected to the decontamination system, the valves are opened and a sterilization agent is circulated through the housing, in a closed loop system, at a given concentration and duration that is suitable for killing the organism on the filter and inside of the housing. There are several chemical agents that are used for decontamination including vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP), formaldehyde, ethylene oxide and chlorine dioxide. Decontamination is not effective on all microorganisms and bacteria. For instance, prions are not "killed" or effectively deactivated through the use of such decontamination agents. Therefore, if prions are present in a contaminated system, personnel servicing the containment system or filter are still at risk when exposed to the interior of the containment housing and filter even after the system has been decontaminated.
In those applications where organisms are not effectively eliminated or the type of organisms present in a system is of great concern in regard to human health and safety, it is essential that the bag previously described is installed prior to initial startup of the system. With the bag installed, personnel may remove the access door from the housing during servicing without direct exposure to the interior of the housing. If the bag is not installed, personnel are exposed to the interior of the housing when the access door is removed. If contaminants such as prions are present, personnel are directly exposed to the contaminant. With an increase in the number of facilities installing containment systems and a growing lack of trained and experienced personnel, the risk to human health and safety is increasing, particularly in an exhaust application where the system has been operational and contaminated with microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, or other contaminants that are harmful and potentially fatal to humans.
Thus, there is a need for a housing having a safeguard relating to the presence of a bag installed in the housing.
The center portion of the installed bag is typically rolled, folded or otherwise collapsed and stored in aperture bounded by the bagging ring while the door of the housing is closed. Upon opening the door, the center portion may unroll and drop from the housing. The dropping center portion of the bag may hit and damage equipment, hit service technicians or damage the integrity of the bag.
Thus, there is a need for a bag having means for securing its center portion when the bag is installed in a contamination housing.


A selective call system provides dynamic group calling by transmitting a paging message (FIG. 10) to each data communication receiver in a defined group. The paging message comprises a group call address (1040) and frame (1050) and phase (1060) information identifying when the group message will be transmitted. The group call message is then transmitted (326, 328) in the assigned frame and phase. When the paging messages comprising the group call address are received (1904) by the data communication receivers, the group call address is decoded and temporarily stored (1910) as an address of the receiver. Within the identified frame and phase, address correlation with the group call address is attempted (1918, 1926) and the group call message, when found (1920), is received and decoded (1922) as a paging message. After reception of the group call message, the group call address and associated stored information is erased (1924).

A selective call system provides transmission of selective call messages from a message originator to a selective call receiver. The originator contacts a selective call terminal and provides the content of the message and information identifying the intended receiver thereto. The selective call terminal encodes the message into one of several known protocols, such as the POCSAG signalling code. In addition, the terminal appends an address assigned to the selective call receiver to the message. The address and message are then modulated onto a selective call signal and transmitted from the selective call terminal. When the selective call receiver recognizes its address within the selective call signal, the message therefollowing is demodulated and decoded.
It is more economical for a selective call system service provider to have denser selective call traffic (i.e., a greater number of messages transmitted per hour). Therefore, if a single message is to be transmitted to a number of selective call receivers, the option of group calling is appealing to the service provider. There are two types of group calling: radio group calling and terminal group calling. Radio group calling requires an additional group address to be permanently assigned to receivers within a group. Radio group calling provides the greatest savings in air time in that a single address and message can be provided to multiple receivers within a group. Yet, radio group calling is inflexible. To change the receivers assigned to the group, the receivers would need to be reprogrammed to remove or add the group address.
Terminal group calling is more dynamic in that the members of the group can be defined at the terminal as a message is prepared for transmission. One example of terminal group calling is the multiple addressing of voice messages in the Golay Sequencing Code signalling protocol. Yet, terminal group calling does not result in substantial air time savings for the service provider. At a minimum, multiple addresses need to be transmitted from the terminal and, in some terminal group calling schemes, the message also needs to be sent a number of times.
Thus what is needed is a method and apparatus for dynamic group calling allowing for the receivers assigned to a group to be easily reassigned while providing substantial savings in air time.

Method and apparatus for dynamic group calling in a selective call system


The invention relates to an apparatus (7) for operating a resolver (1), which has at least one receiver winding (3, 4) or at least one excitation winding (2), which are/can be associated with a rotatably mounted shaft (5), in particular a rotor shaft of an electric motor, said apparatus also having a device (9) which determines an angular position of the shaft (5) as a function of an induced voltage detected by the excitation winding (2) by means of a desired excitation signal (SES) with a predeterminable frequency and amplitude and by the receiver winding (3, 4). According to the invention, means (10) for limiting an electrical voltage on the excitation winding (2) are associated with the excitation winding (2), wherein the means (10) limit the voltage only above a maximum normal voltage in only one current direction.

The invention relates to an apparatus for operating a resolver, which has at least one receiver winding and at least one excitation winding, which are/can be associated with a rotatably mounted shaft, in particular a rotor shaft of an electric motor, said apparatus also having a device which determines an angular position of the shaft as a function of an induced voltage generated by the excitation winding by means of a desired excitation signal, which can in particular be predetermined by the device and has a predeterminable frequency and amplitude, and said induced voltage is detected by the receiver winding.
The invention furthermore relates to a method for operating such a resolver as well as a resolver device.
A resolver is frequently used to detect the angular position of a rotor of an electric motor even in the motor vehicle industry. The resolver constitutes an electromagnetic transducer, which transmits an electrical variable, in particular a voltage, as a function of the angular position of the rotor. To this end, the resolver generally has a housing in which two receiver windings are disposed which are offset to one another by 90% and which enclose the rotor rotatably mounted in the housing. At least one excitation winding is furthermore associated with the rotor, said excitation winding being operated with a predeterminable desired excitation signal, which has a predeterminable frequency and a predeterminable amplitude. The excitation winding as well as the receiver winding can be fixedly disposed in the housing, respectively on the stator side, wherein the excitation winding generates a magnetic field in the rotor or respectively in the shaft per induction, which in turn induces a voltage into the receiver winding. The coupling in the receiver winding is in this case dependent on the position of the shaft or respectively the rotor, so that the position of the rotor or respectively the shaft can be suggested by evaluating the signal induced into the receiver winding.
The resolver is typically connected to a corresponding evaluation device or a control device by means of a simple plug connection comprising a corresponding evaluation device or a control device. If the resolver is incorrectly wired in or connected so that the connections of the excitation winding are interchanged, this leads to the detected position information being inverted.

Method and apparatus for operating a resolver, and resolver device


Systems, methods, and computer program products for monitoring the tool health of on a critical dimension scanning electron microscope (CDSEM) and recipe quality on a CDSEM. Run-time data from a critical dimension scanning electron microscope is received at a computer. The computer converts the run-time data to time-sequenced data, and analyzes the time-sequenced data to detect an operational abnormality associated with the CDSEM.

The present invention relates generally to metrology and, in particular, to systems, methods, and computer program products for monitoring the tool health of on a critical dimension scanning electron microscope (CDSEM) and recipe quality on a CDSEM.
Integrated circuits are produced using a semiconductor wafer through a multiplicity of fabrication processes, and associated production tools, including thermal oxidation, diffusion, ion implantation, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, epitaxial growth, etch, and photolithography. Advanced process control may rely on monitoring hardware and software at the production tool level to detect and classify faults. Fault detection and classification (FDC) provides the capability to establish a baseline of tool operation and, by comparing the current operation with the baseline, the capability to detect faults as well as classify or determine the root cause of a problem.
During fabrication stages, metrology tools are utilized to monitor the semiconductor wafers and control the production tools for quality and yield improvements. Automated surface inspection provides measurement data that is used to provide process control. A large amount of data is collected during the surface inspection process.
The stability of a CDSEM may be monitored based on repeating measurements made on a daily basis. Due to its infrequency, daily monitoring does not provide an awareness of problems that occur between monitoring runs. Instead, feedback about problems may originate from process modules, not the surface inspection process. In addition, potential measurement recipe issues at the CDSEM may not be detectable by daily monitoring.
Improved systems, methods, and computer program products for monitoring the tool health of a CDSEM and recipe quality on a CDSEM are needed.

Insitu tool health and recipe quality monitoring on a CDSEM


A seedling planter for use for a self-propelled tiller or garden tractor comprises a transport trough for the seedlings with a row digger and seedling guide in spaced relation to the lower end of the trough, trailing ground engaging blades direct the ground around the set seedlings firmly positioning the same in the row.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to digging and planting devices that set seedlings in a row.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Prior art planters have used a variety of different ways to transplant and plant seedings. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,776,633; 3,998,171 and 4,060,043.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,776,633 a plant setter is disclosed wherein a tube guides the seedlings into the ground.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,171 a planting machine is shown with a depth indicator operated by pneumatic means.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,043 discloses a planting machine having a digging and transport telescopic tube with a movable end closure that can be closed when the tube digs and opened when a seedling is delivered therethrough.
In applicant's device a seedling transport trough is positioned adjacent a curved row digger. A pair of ground engaging blades move ground around the seedlings that have been delivered by the trough and positioned by the row digger.


An aerospace power control system switches an aerospace load from a faulty ac power bus to a good ac power bus of two or more ac power buses if the currently connected ac power bus is about to fail. The voltage level and frequency of the power provided on the buses are monitored to determine which of the power buses are within required limits to provide power to the aerospace load. If monitoring of the currently connected ac power bus indicates that the bus is not within the required limits and may be shut down in the immediate future, the connection of the aerospace load is switched to another ac power bus which is within the required limits. The current provided to the load is monitored to determine zero-crossing points of the current with the switch from the currently connected faulty bus to a good bus being performed at a zero-crossing point of the load current. The level of the current being provided to the aerospace load is also monitored to detect a faulty load condition. If the load current exceeds defined limits, the load will be disconnected from all ac power buses to shut down the faulty load. The aerospace power control system is generally applicable to single phase and three phase ac power, with switch over at zero-crossing points being performed on a phase-by-phase basis for three phase ac power.

The present invention relates generally to aerospace power supplies as used in flying/swimming/crawling systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for monitoring two or more buses providing power to such a system and performing a current zero-crossing switch from a faulty bus to a good bus prior to failure of the faulty bus and with no power interruption for the system. Any failure of power supplied on a bus such that the voltage or frequency of the power is in error by more than a given percentage, for example .+-.5%, will be referred to as a fault or a faulty bus herein.
Aerospace power supplies are used to power important operational systems in a variety of flying/swimming/crawling applications. For example and perhaps the most critical systems are in aircraft and include the avionics and flight control systems. If the operation of these systems are interrupted by a power failure, the time required to restart the systems can be much more than an inconvenience to the operators.
To ensure continuous operation, aerospace power supplies normally have redundant power buses, typically comprising two or more three phase buses, which are switchably interconnected to the systems which they power. While redundant power buses held to ensure a reliable source of power, in the event of failure of a currently connected bus, the switching operation can itself lead to a power interruption which requires a system powered thereby to be restarted. To overcome such switching problems and to maintain the voltage level and frequency of an ac power supply to a given system, ac-to-ac converters have been used to interface between ac power supplies and the loads which they power.
When ac-to-ac converters are used, the importance of the voltage level and frequency of the primary supply is substantially reduced. Typically, ac-to-ac converters receive ac power from a primary supply, such as a generator, convert the ac power to dc power and then "construct" or generate ac power of the required voltage level and frequency, for example 110 volts and 400 hertz, for in turn powering the aerospace equipment. Thus, as long as sufficient power is available to maintain the dc power at a level capable of being converted into the required ac output power, the voltage level and frequency of the input ac power is not critical. Further, the ac-to-ac converters provide carryover and buffer switches between power buses in the event a primary ac power supply fails. While ac-to-ac converters are thus attractive as providing closely regulated power, both from a voltage level and frequency standpoint, such converters are expensive and tend to be relatively heavy.
Currently available regulators make possible the generation of ac power which can be maintained within tolerable limits for voltage level and frequency. However, maintaining continuous power for an aerospace load while switching from one bus to another still creates problems. If the switch is to performed as a "make-before-break" switch, the two buses are connected together and accordingly must be synchronized with one another or be capable of withstanding substantial transient power levels of not synchronized. On the other hand, if the switch is to be performed as a "break-before-make" switch, while synchronization is not required, provision must be made for carryover of the power provided to the load and the power supplies must again be able to withstand substantial transient power levels. Once again, appropriate systems are both expensive and tend to be heavy.
It is thus apparent that a need exists for an improved arrangement for switching between or among two or more power buses to provide substantially continuous power to critical aerospace loads without having to synchronize the power buses and without generating substantial transients which can damage the power buses and potentially interfere with the operation of the aerospace loads.

Aerospace power control system for monitoring and reliably transferring power buses


An apparatus for reading an image from a document which comprises a light emitting means having a plurality of LEDs, a back plate disposed in the vicinity of a region in which the document is to be irradiated, an optical sensor, an adjust means which changes the output level of each LEDs, and a control means which controls the adjust means in such a manner that the output level of each of the LEDs is equal to each other, in response to the output signals of the optical sensor which are obtained from light beams reflected from the back plate when no document is in the region. In the apparatus, the document can be irradiated uniformly by the LEDs.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for reading an image from a document, more particularly to a image sensor which can be used for example as a scanner of a facsimile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a scanner of a facsimile, a light emitting diode array (hereinafter, referred as "an LED array") which consists of a plurality of LEDs is generally used for irradiating a document which is moved along a path. Light beams reflected from the document are incident on an optical sensor which produces analog signals the level of which corresponds to the tone of an image on the document. The analog signals are converted into binary coded signals by an A/D converter and supplied as image signals to an image processor.
Generally, it is difficult to manufacture LEDs so as to make their optical output properties equal to each other. In most cases, therefore, an LED array has a drawback that it cannot irradiate the document uniformly. This causes the output signals of the optical sensor to be distorted so that the slice level of the binary coded signals output from the A/D converter fluctuates, resulting in uneven levels of the image signals which are obtained from images having the same tone.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, as shown in FIG. 2, a conventional image sensor is provided with a line memory 12 which stores digital signals supplied from an A/D converter 11, and a D/A converter 13 which converts the digital data obtained from the memory 12 into analog signals. The output signals of the D/A converter 13 are supplied as a slice level signal to the A/D converter 11.
More particularly, an LED array 16 irradiates a back plate 15 before a document 14 has moved to an irradiation region r. The light beams reflected from the back plate 15 are converted by an optical sensor 17 into electric signals which are then converted into digital signals by the A/D converter 11. The digital signals are stored in the line memory 12 as "white" information. After the document 14 has reached the region r, the light beams reflected from the document 14 are converted by the optical sensor 17 into electric signals, and the "white" information is supplied from the memory 12 to the A/D converter through the D/A converter 13, as a corrected slice level. The A/D converter 11 compares the levels of the electric signals with the corrected slice level and outputs binary coded signals as image signals.
In such a conventional image reader, however, the uneven output levels of the LEDs of the LED array 16 are not corrected, and, hence, the document 14 is unevenly irradiated by the LED array. The correction of the slice level of the A/D converter 11 is not sufficient to positively eliminate the unevenness of image signals. In other words, a conventional image sensor has a problem in that the S/N ratios of the binary coded signals are uneven.
In the conventional image reader of FIG. 2, moreover, expensive components such as the line memory 12 and the D/A converter 13 are necessary, resulting in a high manufacturing cost of the image sensor.


A solar energy collecting system includes a water tank and a solar collector and a pump for pumping water from the water tank to the solar collector. A sensor is arranged close to the solar collector. A CPU is connected to the pump and the temperature sensor in order to circulate the water according to the water temperature at the inlet of the solar collector. The water can be circulated in a fast speed when at noon. The water may be heated with a lengthened heating time and may be heated with a smaller temperature difference so as to effectively collect solar energy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solar collector, and more particularly to a solar energy collecting system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical energies in earth have become less such that solar collectors have been developed for collecting the solar energy in order to substitute the other energies. One type of the solar collectors provides a sensor engaged in the tube of the solar collector so as to sense the temperature of the fluid. When the sensor is lower then a predetermined value, for example, 50.degree. C., the solar collector is stopped and may not collect the solar energy. However, a great amount of the solar energy can not be suitably collected.
The other type of the solar collector includes a sensor engaged in the tube of the solar collector and includes another sensor engaged in the water tank which is provided for collecting the heated water. The solar collector may be energized and may be operated only when the temperature difference between the two sensors reaches a predetermined temperature difference, 20.degree. C. for example. If the temperature difference does not reach the predetermined value, the solar collector can not be energized. However, similarly, a great amount of the solar energy can not be suitably collected.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional solar collectors.


A toy figure has a body of a downwardly open body shell. Arms are attached to the body shell. A support member is inserted from below into and attached to the body shell. The support member carries legs. The legs are allowed to assume a spread-apart position by spreading the legs outwardly from a defined basic position. An inward biasing force is provided which restores the legs toward the defined basic position. The legs are thus automatically returned from the spread-apart position to the defined basic position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toy figure with a downwardly open body shell into which arms and legs are inserted which are movable relative to the body shell, and wherein the legs are fixed by means of at least one support member introduced from below into the body shell and are fixed on the support member in such a way that they can be brought into a spread position.
2. Description of the Related Art
A toy figure of this type is already known from German Patent DE-PS 31 43 496. In that case, the two separately formed legs are pivotably connected with each other via a sort of articulated ball, the articulated ball having pegs disposed on both sides which extend through associated openings in the respective legs and which are fixedly, but pivotably, connected with the support member. Thus, the two legs are pivotable in the way of a ball and socket joint, the respective foot also being connected with the associated leg via a ball and socket joint. A change in the foot position can take place depending on the position of the leg in order to assure a secure upright positions of the toy figure.
That prior art toy figure has no predefined basic position and its position can be arbitrarily changed. Beyond this, the toy figure is unsuitable for use with other parts of a set, for example for use as a horseman, where the figure takes up a stable position on the back of a toy horse. Finally, the known configuration has the disadvantage that the toy figure requires great manufacturing effort because of the plurality of parts needed. That, in turn, results in high production costs.


A new method for processing image data in order to detect abnormalities in a web is provided. The web is monitored by at least one camera, whereby an image comprising of plurality of pixels is generated. The data of the image is stored in a memory. Image data is filtered by a processor by creating a filtered image data by weighting the image data and at least one of earlier image data and earlier filtered image data; and combining the weighted image data and at least one of the weighted earlier image data and the weighted earlier filtered image data; and controlling filtering by at least one nonlinear algorithm; and thresholding the created filtered image data.

Web inspection systems utilize today imaging techniques for detecting defects and other anomalies. Holes, spots and dirt particles are examples of defects and wrinkles, streaks and slime spots are examples of weak defects to be detected for paper makers. Correspondingly, for sheet-metal makers, slag inclusions, cracks and scratches are examples of defects and weak cracks, weak scratches and indentations are examples of weak defects to be detected. In these cases, the weak defect causes only a slight change to the intensity level of the digital video signal compared to the mean variation of the signal measured from a faultless product.
Currently weak, elongated defects on a web are best detected by averaging or integrating methods. The optimal result is found only when the defect runs exactly in the cross direction of the web, the defect runs exactly in the machine direction of the web, or the defect runs in some exact angle direction of the web product.
Matching filters or two-dimensional Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters (for example edge operators) are utilized for the detection of weak defects, but the amount of defect sizes and shapes is limited. For instance in US 2002054293 A1 is described how to find optimal matching filters for textured materials.
The traditional way to detect streaks is to integrate or average the video signal in machine direction in order to improve the Signal-to-Noise (S/N) ratio. For increased cross-directional resolutions of digital cameras and high demands for detecting weaker streaks, the traditional method is not adequate. As high cross-directional resolutions are used, the number of cross-directional pixel positions is high and the width of one pixel is small. This may lead to problems in the traditional method for example due to normal oscillations of the machinery, since the web and thus also the streak may oscillate and a narrow streak may move away from its original cross-directional pixel position. Thus, simple averaging or integration in the machine direction is not optimal for streak detection. The streak detection method should be capable of following the streak whenever the cross-directional position changes slightly.
There is a need for a detection method capable of handling defects including weak defects.

Method and product for detecting abnormalities


Disclosed are a pattern recognition device, an array substrate and a display apparatus. The pattern recognition device includes: a base substrate; and a plurality of pattern recognizers on the base substrate, at least one of the plurality of pattern recognizers including a photosensitive structure and an optical path selector. The photosensitive structure includes a first light-shielding electrode, a photoelectric conversion and a second light-shielding electrode which are arranged in a stacked manner, the first light-shielding electrode including a light-transmitting region; and the optical path selector is configured to direct pattern light rays having a predetermined angle with respect to a surface of the pattern recognition device to the light-transmitting region.

Fingerprints are invariant features that are inherent in the human body, unique and distinguishable from others. A fingerprint consists of a series of ridges and valleys on epidermis of a tip of a finger. Details of these ridges and valleys generally include bifurcations of the ridges, ends of the ridges, arches, tent-shaped arches, sinistral details, dextral details, spiral or twisted details, etc., which determine the uniqueness of a fingerprint pattern. A fingerprint recognition technology developed based on the fingerprints is earlier used as a technology for personal authentication. According to different manners of fingerprint acquisition and input, the fingerprint recognition technologies which are widely used and well-known may include a technology based on optical imaging, a technology based on thermosensitive sensors, a technology based on human body far-infrared sensors, and the like. Among them, the optical imaging is generally performed by using a photodiode.
With rapid development of display technology, display panels with fingerprint recognition function have gradually spread to people's lives. At present, a structure in which a fingerprint recognition device is integrated into a display panel has appeared. However, in the display panel into which the fingerprint recognition device is integrated, light rays reflected by a valley of the fingerprint and light rays reflected by a ridge of the fingerprint may be incident to the same one photoelectric conversion layer, resulting in a light mixing problem. As a result, it is difficult to obtain a pattern of the fingerprint at high definition.

Pattern recognition device, array substrate and display apparatus


A conversion kit allows a user to convert a deadbolt lock mechanism into a pick proof deadbolt lock mechanism by providing all the necessary parts allowing a user to easily and effectively prevent the turnpiece latch of the deadbolt lock mechanism from rotating. Once installed, a locking shaft pin of the kit can be placed into a first orifice drilled through the turnpiece latch and a second orifice, coaxially aligned with the first orifice, drilled through the backplate to immobilize the turnpiece latch in its locked position. It would also allow a deadbolt manufacturer to use the same, in which case collars could be an O-ring style.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention primarily relates to single cylinder deadbolt locks installed on the doors of homes having the advantage of allowing a user inside the home to physically engage the latch with the backplate thereof when the deadbolt is latched, thereby preventing any would be intruder from entering the home by picking the lock. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a kit for modifying a single cylinder deadbolt lock found in most homes in order to provide the above mentioned advantage lacking in most single cylinder deadbolt locks. However, the same function may be applied at the manufacturing level.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most deadbolt locks used in the average home are single cylinder locks having a key hole on the face of the lock located on the front side of the door and a latch on the opposite face side of the lock located on the back side of the door. Some of the deadbolt locks used in homes include a securing mechanism for preventing the latch from rotating from its locked position when the mechanism is engaged with the latch and some other object fixedly connected to the door. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,777, issued May 27, 1986 to Rafael Sierra, discloses a bolt lock which can be immobilized in the locked position.
A door latch is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 999,127, issued Jul. 25, 1911 to Joseph S. Slivenick, in which a screw having a knurled head is used to engage the bolt of the door latch.
A deadbolt locking device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,202, issued Oct. 1, 1991 to Jerry A. Murphy. Murphy discloses a deadbolt locking device having a head portion including an aperture for engaging the latch of a deadbolt in the locked position as two leg portions engage the door handle to prevent the latch from rotating the head portion.
Means for preventing a deadbolt latch from rotating is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,803, issued Apr. 2, 1991 to Robert M. Richards, who discloses a plate having an aperture therethrough for allowing the latch of a deadbolt to fit therein. Once the latch is turned to the locked position, the plate is fit over the backplate and attached thereto with the latch being located within said aperture, thereby preventing the latch from rotating.
Another means for preventing a deadbolt latch from rotating is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,498, issued Aug. 3, 1990 to Lewis E. Upchurch. Upchurch discloses an adjustable clamp which can be fit over the latch and tightened down to securely clasp the latch. Once the latch is turned to its locked position, a sliding pin located at one end of the clamp can be slid into an aperture located on the door to prevent the latch from rotating.
A fastener for immobilizing a door handle once in the closed position is disclosed in U. K. Patent No. 1,564,607, issued Apr. 10, 1993 to Harry M. Williams.
Swiss Patent No. 185,383 issued Oct. 1, 1936 to Wilh. Schulte discloses a deadbolt lock arrangement having latch piece with an engaging member lockpost attached thereto for engaging the backplate once the latch is placed in its locked position.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.


A packaging device for protectively enclosing an optical component in a substantially clean and anhydrous environment without imparting undue mechanical stresses on the optical component and adjacent segments of optical fiber coupled thereto. An intermediate component is used in combination with a sealing material for sealing the fiber aperture of a protective housing while allowing an optical fiber to extend therethrough. The protective housing is made out of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion that closely matches that of the optical fiber. A chain of material CTE that includes the CTE of the intermediate component is used in order to circumvent the need for a sealing material having a high melting temperature. The packaging device is also designed so as to reduce water ingress by optimizing the configuration of the sealing component and adjacent structures.

The use of optical fibers for various telecommunication systems and other applications has become increasingly prevalent. It has led to the creation of a whole burgeoning industry over the past few years. In the foreseeable future the field of fiber optics is expected to experience a quantum leap in both stature and product diversification.
As is well known in the art, optical fibers are typically hair thin structures, capable of transmitting light signals at relatively high rates and with relatively low signal loss. They are believed to be ideally suited to the high requirements of digital transmission and, hence, are well matched to the evolving worldwide data transmission network.
In order to achieve efficient optical fiber data transmission networks, various types of so-called optical components and devices have been developed. Examples of optical components and devices commonly used in optic communication systems and instrumentation include couplers, wavelength division multiplexers/demultiplexers, filters, attenuators, filter switches, isolators and so forth.
Some optical components are particularly vulnerable to mechanical stresses. In certain instances, this vulnerability is directly linked to the inherent structure of the optical component. Indeed, some optical components being made of modified glass fibers, they are characterized by an inherent brittleness that can lead to mechanical failure. The adjacent sections of optical fibers coupled to the optical components are also often particularly vulnerable to mechanical stress, especially if they have been locally stripped of their protective coating.
Aside from potentially causing breakage of the optical component and/or the adjacent sections of optical fiber attached thereto, bending or other mechanical stresses imposed thereon may potentially cause degradation of optical performances by inducing changes in optical signal strength and content.
Accordingly, for a given optical component to function reliably in practical environments, it is conventionally enclosed in a generally rigid protective casing or housing. Each strip of optical fiber coupled to the optical component extends out of the housing through a corresponding fiber aperture formed in the housing. A sealing component or assembly is sometimes used to seal the spacing between the peripheral edge of the fiber aperture and the peripheral surface of the fiber extending therethrough.
The combination of the rigid housing and of the sealing component or assembly is often referred to in the art as an optical component package. These optical component packages protect the optical components and adjacent strips of optical fiber attached thereto during both installation and operation.
Some optical components such as certain types of couplers are also particularly sensitive to environmental influences including hostile temperatures, radiation and contact with so-called contaminants such as the hydroxyl ion [OH] associated with water. Moisture in particular may prove to be detrimental to some optical components for several reasons.
For example, because of their inherent thermal motion, the oxygen and hydrogen atoms in the hydroxyl ion [OH] vibrate at 2.73 μm and produce a relatively large absorption loss at this wavelength. Of course, 2.73 μm is outside of the band where fibers are typically used and the loss peak at this wavelength is of relatively minor significance. However, unfortunately, overtones of this wavelength produce three loss peaks within the 700 to 1600 nm band, and these can interfere with signal transmission.
Moisture also tends to exaggerate surface flaws and, hence, lower tensile strength of the optical component and strips of optical fiber coupled thereto. Furthermore, when exposed to gaseous hydrogen, some optical components show an increase in optical loss that can be either temporary or permanent, depending on whether the hydrogen simply diffuses into the component and then leaves, or remains long enough to react chemically with the fiber.
Accordingly, most optical component packages are provided with housings made of generally contaminant impervious material. One of the main sources of contaminant ingress within the protective housing of prior art optical component packages remains the interface between the fiber aperture peripheral edge and the outer surface of the section of fiber extending through the fiber aperture.
Some prior art packages include housing tubes made of stainless steel or other suitable material. The housing tubes are typically used both as protective covering and as a support for the optical component. Typically, the housing longitudinal ends define fiber apertures that are generally oversized relative to the fiber diameter. A relatively large spacing is hence formed between each fiber aperture peripheral edge and corresponding fiber outer surface.
Various methods for providing a seal against contaminants between the fiber aperture peripheral edge and the adjacent fiber outer surface are disclosed in the prior art. For example, when a relatively large spacing is defined between a fiber aperture peripheral edge and a corresponding fiber outer surface the spacing is sometimes filled with a relatively short sealing plug made of an epoxy-based material. The epoxy-based material is typically applied at both ends of the tube not only to act as a seal but also to secure the sections of optical fiber extending from the tube.
One of the main drawbacks associated with the hereinabove mentioned type of prior art optical component packages is that the relatively short and wide epoxy-based sealing plugs typically do not provide an efficient barrier against moisture ingress into the tube ends. Indeed, it is well known that the physical characteristics of cured epoxies are such that they have a tendency to absorb and allow ingress of moisture.
One of the design-modifiable factors regulating the diffusion of humidity through epoxy plugs is the surface over length (A/L) ratio of the opening to be sealed. In order to reduce water ingress, the housing should preferably be designed so as to minimize the A/L ratio. Most prior art packaging devices using silicone sealing plugs however are not designed so as to reduce the A/L ratio and, hence, offer relatively poor protection against humidity ingress.
Another main drawback associated with the hereinabove disclosed type of prior art optical component packages is that the optical component and at least a section of the optical fiber attached thereto are often susceptible of being subjected to mechanical stresses if the optical component package is subjected to temperature variations. Temperature variations may prove to be particularly deleterious in situations wherein the optical component and/or the strips of optical fiber attached thereto are solidarly anchored at spaced apart locations to a rigid sealing component and to a fixed mounting fixture within the housing.
In many applications employing optical components or devices, design specific mounting fixtures are utilized to precisely position, align or secure the strips of optical fiber to the optical components or devices. In this respect, maintaining the stability and relative position of optical fibers, components and devices, through the correct choice of materials, is particularly critical in that even minor relative movements between such elements may result in large variations or degradation in optical characteristics.
The thermally induced mechanical stresses to which some optical components are subjected to are typically imputable to the mismatch between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the various components involved. Indeed, as is well known, when two dissimilar materials are joined together and subjected to thermal cycling, the difference in their coefficients of thermal expansion can induce relatively large structural stresses. Furthermore, depending on the exact geometry and material distribution, the induced structural stress fields, although often transient, may be quite complex. Some thermally induced stress concentration points may potentially damage relatively fragile microstructures.
In an attempt to reduce these thermally induced mechanical stresses, some prior art optical component packages have been designed with a protective housing made out of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion generally similar to that of the optical fiber. However, the sealing plugs and the fiber to which they are bound typically remain made out of generally dissimilar classes of material, namely a polymeric material such as epoxy and a glass-based material such as silica leading to thermally induced mechanical stresses. These thermally induced mechanical stresses are susceptible of exceeding the adhesion strength of the seal, hence potentially resulting in delamination during thermal cycling.
Other types of prior art optical component packages have resorted to using relatively resilient materials such as silicone for forming the sealing plug and/or the fiber-to-housing attachment component. The more resilient materials provide the advantage of being less susceptible of generating localized thermally induced mechanical stresses since they allow for a certain degree of deformation and hence act as decoupling components.
However, the use of silicone is associated with some important drawbacks such as a relatively poor sealing efficiency. Indeed, sealing plugs made out of silicone may not form strong chemical bonds with the outer surface of the optical fiber. Furthermore, silicone releases cyclosiloxane, a contaminant known to induce drift or wavelength shift in the optical components.
In order to circumvent some of the hereinabove mentioned problems associated with some common types of prior art optical component packages, sealing of the housing fiber apertures is sometimes carried out by a conventional soldering operation. To this purpose, it is necessary to first remove the acrylate coating from the section of the fiber extending through the fiber aperture. The uncoated fiber length is then carefully cleaned and surface-metallized
For example, in a conventional metalization step, an inner layer made of titanium or chrome is typically bound to the outer surface of the fiber. This first layer is then typically covered by an intermediate layer of nickel or platinum and by an outer coating of gold in order to ensure appropriate wettability of the fiber by the solder.
Although solder seals are generally considered as being relatively efficient in preventing contaminant ingress, they nevertheless suffer from numerous drawbacks. The surface metalization process is both tedious and time consuming. Also, the solder surface-metallized portion of the fiber typically exhibits a relatively low tensile strength. This reduction in the tensile strength of the surface metallized portion may result from factors inherent to the process including the creation of micro-cracks during the removal of the fiber coating and stresses generated during both metalization and soldering steps.
Another type of sealing structure disclosed in the prior art for sealing the fiber apertures of packaging housings is commonly referred to as a glass-seal structure. Glass seal structures rely on glass-based material as the sealing agent. Some of the glass-seal structures suffer from the same drawbacks as the hereinabove disclosed other types of seals. In particular, some of the prior art glass-seal structures suffer from drawbacks associated with mismatches between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the sealing plug and of the housing protecting the fiber.
However, the prior art has shown at least one example of a glass-seal structure advantageously using the discrepancy between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the sealing plug and of the housing for creating a relatively hermetic compressive sealing joint at operational temperatures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,040, naming Daniel P. Kramer and Thomas M. Beckman as inventors, issued Sep. 2, 1997 discloses an assembly including a strip of optical fiber extending from a housing referred to as a metal holder. A so-called sealing medium made of glass sealingly engages the metal holder to the fiber.
The components are selected to be of material having compatible thermal expansion coefficients (TEC). More specifically, the TEC of the metal holder is greater or equal to the TEC of the sealing glass. The TEC of the sealing glass is, in turn, greater or equal to the TEC of the optical fiber. Manufacturing of the assembly involves heating the sealing glass until the latter attains a molten state. The sealing glass is then allowed to cool while in an intermediate position between the metal holder and the optical fiber so as to form a relatively hermetic compressive and solid seal therebetween.
Although the glass-seal structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,040 at least partially solves some of the hereinabove mentioned drawbacks associated with other prior art sealing structures, it nevertheless inherently suffers from other drawbacks prohibiting its use in certain settings.
Indeed, since the sealing material used is a glass-based material, the softening temperature of the latter is inherently relatively high. The document mentions the use of a sealing glass preferably having a softening temperature in the range of about 700° C. to 900° C. This inherently relatively high softening or temperature may prove to be unacceptable in certain settings, for example when heat sensitive optical components are packaged especially if thermally sensitive adhesives are also used in the package.
Furthermore, glass-based sealing materials have also been associated with the release of contaminants during reflow. These contaminants may potentially induce drift or wavelength shift in the optical components. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved optical component package.