The present invention relates to a pressure housing for in-water pressure based systems and to a method for improving the life of the transducers and electronics of underwater systems by maintaining a humidity-free and clean environment around them by avoiding the entry of humidity, dust, or any suspended particles in the air during occasional data offloading and battery replacement in a humid and dust-laden field station; improving the ease of closing and opening of the pressure housing by the use of a novel arrangement thereby avoiding the use of conventionally employed cumbersome protruding and corrosion-prone locking devices such as screws, bolts, or clamps; and implementing reliable transmission of water pressure to the pressure port of the transducer, simultaneously minimizing the errors arising from dynamic pressure effects, preventing its chemical corrosion from saline water, and arresting bio-fouling in the vicinity of the pressure inlet.

The present invention relates to pressure housing for in-water pressure based systems. More particularly, this, invention relates to a novel device for (1) improving the life of the transducers and electronics of underwater systems by maintaining a humidity-free and clean environment around them by avoiding the entry of humidity, dust, or any suspended particles in the air during occasional data offloading and battery replacement in a humid and dust-laden field station; (2) improving the ease of closing and opening of the pressure housing by the use of a novel arrangement thereby avoiding the use of conventionally employed cumbersome protruding and corrosion-prone locking devices such as screws, bolts, or clamps; and (3) implementing reliable transmission of water pressure to the pressure port of the transducer, simultaneously minimizing the errors arising from dynamic pressure effects, preventing its chemical corrosion from saline water, and arresting, bio-fouling in the vicinity of the pressure inlet.
Hitherto known in-water pressure based systems [V. B. Peshwe, S. G. Diwan, A. Joseph, and E. Desa, xe2x80x9cWave and Tide Gaugexe2x80x9d, Indian Journal of Marine Sciences, Vol. 9, pp. 73-76 (1980)] describes a Wave and Tide Gauge wherein the underwater electronics and the pressure sensor are placed and secured on a circular brass plate which fits into a brass cylinder. O-rings are used for sealing the underwater unit, which is mounted on a steel base. All steel components are nickel-plated, and the brass components are coated with paint. The pressure sensitive metallic diaphragm of the pressure transducer is protected against chemical corrosion with the use of an oil-filled neoprene nipple attached to a stainless steel coupler located on the flat face of the removable end-plate and hydraulically connected to the pressure port. The end-plate is locked to the flange of the cylindrical housing with the use of four bolts, washers, and nuts that are located in diametrically opposite sense. The disadvantage of this arrangement is the occasional damage to the neoprene rubber nipple arising from fish bites, resulting in the loss of oil that protects the pressure port of the transducer against chemical corrosion. Another drawback is protrusion of bolts and nuts, which provides a poor aesthetic appearance of the housing.
An alternate system, [A. Joseph and E. S. Desa, xe2x80x9cA Microprocessor-Based Tide Measuring Systemxe2x80x9d, Journal of Physics, E. Scientific Instruments, Vol. 17, pp. 1135-1138 (1984)], describes a tide measuring system that consists of a cylindrical underwater pressure housing made of brass, containing a Paroscientific quartz pressure transducer. The said pressure transducer is located on a circular brass base-plate of the housing, with the pressure inlet exposed t seawater through an O-ring-protected orifice on the base-plate. The entire housing is sealed with another larger O-ring located between the cylindrical housing and its base-plate. The said base-plate is mounted to the circular flange of the cylindrical housing with the use of 6 units of stainless steel bolts, washers, and nuts. A drawback of this methodology of sealing the pressure housing is that special care has to be taken to tighten the diametrically opposite bolts one at a time. Failing to do so can damage the O-ring by exceeding its elastic limit, thereby resulting in the possibility of leakage of the pressure housing and the damage of the transducer. Another drawback observed was that the underwater connector used for the transfer of data to an external readout unit suffered chemical corrosion after extended submergence in seawater. The hydraulic coupling device incorporated with the Paroscientific quartz pressure transducer comprises a silicone-oil-filled flexible plastic capillary tube of internal diameter xcx9c1 mm and length xcx9c200 mm, having one end attached to the pressure port of the transducer and the other end connected to the end-cap of the transducer housing. The drawback observed with this hydraulic coupling device in field studies is a slow leakage of oil over time.
Another system, [A. Joseph and E. Desa, xe2x80x9cAn Evaluation of Free- and Fixed-Vane Flow Meters with Curved- and Flat-Bladed Savonius Rotorsxe2x80x9d, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, American Meteorological Society, Vol.11, No.2, pp.525-533 (1994)] describe two types of current meters-cum-depth indicators that use in-water pressure housing to locate sensors and electronics printed circuit boards. In these instruments the pressure housing is closed with an end-plate assembly that formed part of the supporting mechanism for the water current sensor. The pressure sensor used for estimation of water depth is located on a horizontal step of the pressure housing. The said pressure housing is attached to the end-plate assembly with the use of four equally spaced bolts. Two disadvantages observed with this arrangement are (1) protruding locking bolts and (2) a protruding pressure inlet that is vulnerable to deterioration in pressure measurement accuracy resulting from the adverse influence of flows, waves, or a combination of flows and waves as discussed by A. Joseph, J. A. E. Desa, P. Foden, K. Taylor, J. McKeown, and E. Desa [in: xe2x80x9cEvaluation and performance enhancement of a pressure transducer under flows, waves, and a combination of flows and waves, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, American Meteorological Society, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 357-365 (2000)].
In yet an other version of in-water pressure devices for measurements of water current, water level, and many other oceanographic parameters, Aanderaa Instruments (Norway) uses a cylindrical metallic housing having a removable end-cap at one end, and a fixed end-cap at the other end, wherein the removable end-cap is locked with the use of two metallic clamps that are hooked into slots that are carved out on the diametrically opposite positions on the periphery of the end-cap and the cylindrical housing. In these devices the pressure transducer""s pressure inlet protrudes out and, therefore, suffers from pressure-measurement errors induced by various kinds of water motion in its vicinity.
The principal drawback with all conventional underwater pressure housings that are constructed from metal and whose metallic end-caps are locked with the use of devices such as metallic screws, bolts, or clamps is that they suffer from chemical corrosion after prolonged exposure to seawater, and makes opening of the end-plates usually difficult. Further, the presence of these protruding devices reduces the aesthetic appearance of the pressure housing.
The main object of the present invention is to improve the life of the transducers and the electronics of any underwater systems by maintaining a humidity-free and clean environment around them by avoiding the entry of humidity, dust, or any suspended particles in the air during occasional data offloading and battery replacement in a humid and dust-laden field station.
Another object of the present invention is to improve the ease of closing and opening of the pressure housing by the use of a novel arrangement thereby avoiding the use of conventionally employed cumbersome protruding and corrosion-prone locking devices such as screws, bolts, or clamps.
Yet another object of the present invention is to implement reliable transmission of water pressure too the pressure port of the transducer, simultaneously minimizing the errors arising from dynamic pressure effects, preventing its chemical corrosion from saline water, and arresting bio-fouling in the vicinity of the pressure inlet.
The novel pressure housing for in-water pressure based systems of the present invention provides for:
(1) Improving the life of the transducers and the electronics of any underwater systems by maintaining a humidity-free and clean environment around them by avoiding the entry of humidity, dust, or any suspended particles in the air during occasional data offloading and battery replacement in a humid and dust-laden field-station. The system of the present invention provides for two independent compartments, a transducer-cum-electronics compartment that is exclusively meant for housing the transducers and the electronics (that are not to be disturbed) and a battery-cum-connector compartment exclusively meant for housing the battery and the computer-interfacing connector, thereby providing a means for housing the environmentally sensitive transducers and the electronics in a clean and humid-free environment by avoiding the entry of humidity, dust, or any suspended particles in the air during occasional data offloading and battery replacement performed in the remote field stations, in an often dusty and moist coastal environment. Further, the two compartments are carved out from a single solid non-metallic material for elegance, lightness, and non-corrosiveness in a marine environment.
(2) Improving the ease of closing and opening of the pressure housing by the use of a novel arrangement thereby avoiding the use of conventionally employed cumbersome protruding and corrosion-prone locking devices such as screws, bolts, or clamps. The system of the present invention provides for a threaded non-metallic locating-ring to locate the seal-plate of the transducer-cum-electronics compartment in its assigned position. The system of the present invention further provides for a threaded cylindrical portion that is carved out on the top central portion of the non-metallic seal-plate of the battery-cum-connector-compartment which functions as a simple mechanism that facilitates trouble-free opening of the said seal-plate. The said seal-plate, having a threaded central male portion, is simply pushed into position, and rests on a circular step carved out from the inner surface of the cylindrical pressure housing. A threaded non-metallic end-cap (provided with a female portion for use during opening) placed over the said seal-plate locates it in position. A threaded non-metallic locating-ring keeps the seal-plate and the end-cap in its assigned position. Further, the system of the present invention allows for easy opening of the battery-cum-connector-compartment by first unscrewing the said locating-ring, opening out the end-cap, coupling the female portion of the end-cap with the male portion of the seal plate, and then pulling it out with ease and comfort.
(3) Implementing reliable transmission of water pressure to the pressure port of the transducer, simultaneously minimizing the errors arising from dynamic pressure effects, preventing its chemical corrosion from saline water, and arresting bio-fouling in the vicinity of the pressure inlet with the use of a compact, non-corrosive, bio-fouling-resistant hydraulic coupling device. Thus, the system of the present invention provides for a hydraulic coupling device (HCD) that consists essentially of a male component and a female component. A copper cylindrical rod machined in the form of a counter-sunk screw and a second copper cylindrical rod having internal and external threading constitutes the male and the female components respectively of the HCD. This coupling device forms an integral part of the pressure transducer as well as the end-cap of the transducer-cum-electronics compartment of the pressure housing. These components, together wit the viscous oil deposited within the space between the front-end of the pressure transducer and the said counter-sunk screw, form the HCD of the system of the present invention. The narrow gap between the threads of the male and the female components of the HCD provides the requisite path for transmission of seawater pressure to the pressure-port of the transducer, via the oil medium, thereby hydraulically connecting the pressure transducer to the surrounding saline water medium. The copper material of the HCD, because of its ability to repel marine growth, as reported by J. E. Huguenin and F. J. Ansuini in [xe2x80x9cThe advantages and limitations of using copper material in marine aquaculturexe2x80x9d, Proc. IEEE Oceans ""75, pp. 444-453 (1975)], eliminates the possibility of closure of the pressure inlet by bio-fouling during its prolonged exposure to the euphotic water medium. The viscous oil present within the HCD inhibits physical contact of the pressure-sensing element with the seawater, at the same time transferring the seawater pressure to the transducer (i.e., hydraulically coupling). The HCD provided in the system of the present invention allows for easy replacement of oil by merely unscrewing its male component from its slot, pouring oil into the pressure port, and then screwing it back again, thereby preventing trapping of air bubbles or other hollow closed spaces within the oil reservoir. The HCD provided in the system of the present invention is suitable for integration to the end-cap of the pressure housing. The time-constant of the spiral-shaped oil path provides a certain level of mechanical filtering of the high-frequency oscillations present in pressure measurements, caused primarily by wind-induced gravity waves and secondly by the movements of ships and boats. Because the compact flat face of the HCD provided in the system of the present invention remains flush with the flat end-plate of the pressure housing, dynamically induced measurement inaccuracies arising from the influence of flows, waves, or a combination of flows and waves are minimized, as reported by A. Joseph, J. A. E. Desa, P. Foden, K. Taylor, J. McKeown, and E. Desa [in: Evaluation and performance enhancement of a pressure transducer under flows, waves, and a combination of flows and waves, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, American Meteorological Society, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 357-365 (2000)]. The simpler design of the HCD incorporated in the present invention of a novel pressure housing for in-water pressure based systems allows a much easier and more economically feasible construction that heretofore been unknown. Accordingly, the hydraulic coupling device incorporated in the present invention of a novel pressure housing for in-water pressure based systems is superior to all the hitherto known hydraulic coupling devices including those described by J. H Filloux [in xe2x80x9cDeep sea tide gauge with optical readout of Bourdon tube rotationsxe2x80x9d, Nature, Vol. 226, pp. 935-937 (1970); G. Dietrich, K. Kalle, W. Kraus, and G. Siedler [in xe2x80x9cMeasurement of water level variationsxe2x80x9d, General Oceanography: An Introduction, pp. 128-131 (1980)]; and E. Desa, A. Joseph, D. Rodrigues, V. N. Chodankar, and S. Tengali [in xe2x80x9cAn improved hydraulic coupling de vice for use with in-water pressure based systemsxe2x80x9d pending Indian Patent Application No. 487/DEL/99].
Accordingly the present invention provides a pressure housing for in-water pressure based systems, which comprises a housing [12] having two compartments [13] and [14], the two compartments being separated from each other by a circular disc [15], one of the said compartments [13] dedicated to mount the transducers and the electronics and the other compartment [14] dedicated to locate the batterypack and the electric connector that would interface to a computer or any other device that enables initialization of the electronics and data offload, an electrical connector [16] provided with an O-ring [17] and axially located at the center of the circular disc [15] to electrically connect the two compartments [13] and [14], a seal plate [18] provided with a pair of lateral O-rings [19] and [20] to weatherproof the transducers-cum-electronics compartment [13], a retainer ring [24] for locking the seal plate [18] in its designated position, another seal plate [21] provided with a pair of lateral O-rings [22] and [23] to waterproof the batterypack-cum-connector compartment [14], a retainer ring [25] for positioning the seal plate [21] in its designated location, and a lock ring [26] for locking the retainer ring [25], a hydraulic coupling device consisting essentially of a female component [28] and a male component machined in the form of a counter-sunk screw [29], wherein the said female and male components form an integral part of the pressure transducer [30] as well as the end-cap [18] of the transducer-cum-electronics compartment [13] of the pressure housing [12], the said two components, together with the viscous oil deposited within the space provided between the front-end of the pressure transducer and the said counter-sunk screw, and the narrow gap between the threads of the said male and the female components of the hydraulic coupling device providing the requisite path for transmission of seawater pressure to the pressure-port of the transducer, thereby hydraulically connecting the pressure transducer to the surrounding saline water medium, a hollow cylindrical shaped transducer-retainer [31 ] screwed on the inner face of an axial recess on the seal plate [18] for providing mechanical stability to the pressure transducer [30], another hollow cylinder [32] screwed on the outer face of a step on the seal plate [18] for mounting two clamps [33] which serve as means for mounting the printed circuit board (pcb)[34], with the use of four similar screws [35], a hollow space carved out from a metal bolt [36], rendered waterproof with the use of an O-ring [37] for locating a temperature sensor [38] for measurement of water temperature, a t atterypack [39] for supplying electric power to the circuits and sensors, and a computer-interfacing means [40] for initialization and data offloading.
In one embodiment of the invention, the body of the pressure housing [12], the seal plates [18] and [21], and locking rings [24], [25], and [26] are all fabricated from non-metallic materials to prevent chemically induced corrosion during prolonged submergence in seawater or polluted water bodies.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the retainer ring [25] for positioning the seal plate [21] in its designated location, and a lock ring [26] for locking the pressure housing avoids the necessity for use of conventionally used protruding bolts, nuts, or clamps.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the hydraulic coupling device is provided with a female component [28] and a male component [29], both being selected from copper or copper alloy, or any other alternate material capable of inhibiting bio-fouling in the vicinity of the pressure inlet.
In another embodiment of the invention, the hydraulic coupling device is provided with a flat termination that is located on the flat seal plate of the pressure housing and flush with it in such a manner as to abate dynamically induced pressure-measurement inaccuracies arising from the influence of flows, waves, or a combination of flows and waves.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical collars [43] of the mounting device are provided with two cushioning non-metallic collars [44] sandwiched between the metallic collars and the curved surface of the two groves carved on the surface of the non-metallic pressure housing, thereby preventing possible biting action on the pressure housing by the metallic Collars.
In yet an other embodiment of the invention, a self-adhesive polyester thin film sticker is used protect the smooth surface areas of the non-metallic pressure housing against marine growth and the metallic mounting device against pitting action, thereby enhancing the health of the pressure housing and the mounting device and enabling their trouble-free cleansing after retrieval from the seawater after prolong submergence.
In another embodiment of the invention, the use of self-adhesive polyester transparent thin film stickers maintains the original colour and texture of the pressure housing and its mounting device, and provides an additional means for preserving the text stamped on the pressure housing.

Pressure housing for in-water pressure based systems

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research


Apparatus (1) for testing the integrity of a toner cartridge (3), the apparatus (1) including a drive means (8,11) adapted to rotate gear (12) for rotating the drum (4) in the cartridge (3), an electrical means powered and adapted to provide electrical static charges via the electrodes (14) in the contact arm (13) to enable the cartridge (3) to imitate the normal electrical operation of the cartridge (3), and to an operator to control testing conditions of the cartridge (3) being tested. The invention further includes methods of testing the integrity the cartridge (3) using the apparatus (1).

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for testing and analysing toner cartridges. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention relates to an apparatus for and method of testing and analysing cartridges used for laser printers, photocopiers, facsimile machines and the like.
Conventional testing and checking of the operational quality of toner cartridges commonly involves the use of the proprietary machine within which the toner cartridge is used. In the case of printer and facsimile cartridges, a test page can be printed to check for any deficiencies in quality of the cartridge. In situations where a number of different cartridges are being tested, a test bench would necessarily require a large space for the test machines, and the outlay would be expensive to test the integrity of a number of different cartridges.
A disadvantage with testing toner cartridges using the proprietary machine is that some drum defects and worn areas often appear outside the printable area of a test page and therefore many toner cartridge problems will not be detected using this method of testing. Further, toner coverage, consistency and density on the photo-conductive drum, condition of the drum cleaning blade, and weak spots and areas of the photo electrostatic-charging roller (PCR) may not be fully checked and analysed using a conventional testing method.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for testing a toner cartridge that overcomes at least some of the above mentioned problems, or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of testing a toner cartridge that overcomes at least some of the above mentioned problems, or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.
According to a broad aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for testing the integrity of a toner cartridge, the apparatus including a drive means adapted to rotate drum gear in a said cartridge, an electrical means powered and adapted to provide electrical charges to enable the said cartridge to imitate the normal electrical operation of the said cartridge and to allow an operator to control testing conditions of the cartridge being tested.
Preferably the drive means comprises a motor being releasably attachable to a supporting frame, and drive gear being releasably attachable to the shaft of the motor to, in use, mesh with the corresponding gear in the said cartridge to be tested the electrical means is protected within a casing, and wherein the supporting frame is releasably attachable to the casing and the said cartridge bears on the top surface of the casing as a test bed.
Desirably the electrical means includes a motor speed adjustment means and a static charge adjustment means.
Preferably the electrical means further includes static charge display means to enable an operator to control the level of static charge being applied to the said cartridge.
According to a further broad aspect of the invention there is provided a method of testing the integrity of a toner cartridge comprising the steps of:
a. positioning a said cartridge to expose the photosensitive drum and to enable a drive means to mesh with corresponding drum gear;
b. arranging the drive means to mesh with the drum gear;
c. arranging for electrical means to electrically charge the said cartridge to enable the said cartridge to imitate the normal electrical operation of the said cartridge to allow an operator to control testing conditions of the cartridge.
Preferably the method further performs a toner and toner density test comprising the further steps of:
d. running the motor at a desirable speed momentarily to rotate the drum and to cause toner to appear across the exposed area of the drum to allow examination of the toner by an operator.
Preferably the method further performs a wiper blade test comprising the further steps of:
e. running the motor at a desirable rotational speed to allow observation of the drum and to cause toner to appear across the exposed area of the drum;
f. allow the drum to rotate for a number of revolutions and observe whether the toner is being removed by the wiper blade or not.
Preferably the method further performs a drum and charge device (PCR) test comprising the further steps of:
g. running the motor at a sufficient rotational speed;
h. gradually decrease the electrical voltage charge to the charge device from a maximum setting in the cartridge for a sufficient period of time to allow an operator to look for blemishes on the drum;
i. the charge device can be considered defective if blemishes that appear on the drum become larger.
Preferably the method further comprises the step of:
j. further decreasing the electrical charge for a sufficient period of time to determine whether further blemishes on the drum and any flickering and other adverse conditions occur, and if such conditions occur the charge device may be considered defective.
Preferably the method further includes a paper test of the integrity of the cartridge comprising the further steps of:
k. running the motor to rotate the drum;
l. supplying an electrical charge and causing toner to be released on the drum;
m. supplying a static charge to a paper retainer means to cause a light grade of paper to become sufficiently charged to cling to the drum:
n. placing the paper against the drum to allow toner on the drum to transfer to the paper as the paper traces over the exposed area of the drum.
Preferably the method further tests the integrity of the thickness of the drum transfer layer or for defects in the drum further comprising the steps of:
o. running the motor to rotate the drum and supplying a medium level of electrical charge;
p. supplying an electrical static charge to a hand held probe;
q. placing the probe against an area of the drum being tested to observe any blemishes.

Method and apparatus for testing toner cartridges


A brachytherapy device includes a bioabsorbable support and a plurality of microcapsules on the support. Each of the plurality of the microcapsules includes a plurality of microspheres and a bioabsorbable microcapsule wall that encloses the plurality of microspheres. The plurality of microspheres includes radiation-emitting microspheres comprising a radioactive material, radio-opaque microspheres comprising a radio-opaque material or a combination thereof.

Low-dose rate brachytherapy may provide a viable alternative to external beam radiation and high-dose rate brachytherapy. Although low-dose brachytherapy is most often used for prostate cancer, low-dose brachytherapy is being considered increasingly with respect to other cancers, such as breast cancer.
Although there are encouraging results to suggest that low-dose rate brachytherapy seeds currently used in prostate cancer can eradicate early stage breast cancer, because these seeds were designed to treat prostate instead of breast cancer, there are several clinical issues that may prohibit broad adoption. For example, some medical physicists have expressed concern that the radiation dose delivered to the tissue will be uncertain due to changes in the lumpectomy cavity and seed migration. In addition, there is a great concern that radio-opaque markers in the seeds, used to identify the location of the seeds in post-implant CT scans, will confuse subsequent mammograms by either looking like a local recurrence or hiding a local recurrence in the "shadow" of the radio-opaque marker. In addition, some women may prefer to not have permanent, metal implants in a breast.

Brachytherapy devices and related methods having microencapsulated brachytherapy materials


A machining-energy calculating unit accumulates a discharge current value for each discharge position to calculate a machining energy in a certain time period from the present time to the past time. An energy-distribution changing unit determines the presence or absence of imbalance in the energy by obtaining a machining energy distribution in an up-down direction of the machining gap based on the machining energy, and when there is imbalance, the energy-distribution changing unit produces a new open/close pattern in which a machining energy distribution that eliminates the imbalance. Power feeding is then performed based on the new open/close pattern.

In a wire electrical discharge machining apparatus, a wire as one electrode is running in an up-down direction and is arranged to be opposed to a workpiece as the other electrode that is controlled to move on a plane perpendicular to the wire running direction. A pulse discharge is caused in a machining gap between the wire and the workpiece (i.e., inter-electrode gap), and the workpiece is machined into a desired shape by utilizing heat energy generated due to the discharge.
In the wire electrical discharge machining apparatus, in a configuration for supplying power to the machining electrodes, the workpiece is directly connected to one electrode of a machining power supply and the running wire is connected to the other electrode of the machining power supply through a feeding point on which the wire is slidable. Generally, two feeding points are provided; one above and the other below the workpiece. In other words, there are two circuits in parallel on upper and lower sides of the workpiece as paths for a discharge current flowing in the wire.
The wire electrical discharge machining apparatus generally employs two machining power supplies: a sub discharge power supply for inducing spark discharge (pre-discharge) with small current and a main discharge power supply for supplying large current as a machining current after generation of the spark discharge to perform rough machining and finish machining.
In the wire electrical discharge machining apparatus, wire breakage sometimes occurs depending upon the machining conditions. If the discharge is concentrated at one point, the wire electrode is locally overheated, which results in wire breakage. Conventionally, various technologies have been proposed for preventing wire breakage by preventing the local overheating of the wire electrode (for example, see Patent Documents 1 to 3 and the like).
Specifically, a technology is disclosed in Patent Document 1 in which switching elements are provided on each current path from a main discharge power supply to upper and lower side feeding points for opening and closing the current paths individually so that a one-side feeding for supplying a main machining current from only one of the feeding points is performed, and an upper-side feeding only from the upper-side and a lower-side feeding only from the lower side are switched every predetermined number of continuously applied pulse voltages. With this technology, large current can be applied without overheating the wire electrode, enabling to prevent wire breakage due to the heat generation.
In Patent Document 2, a technology is disclosed in which switching elements are provided on each current path from a main discharge power supply to upper and lower side feeding points for opening and closing the current paths individually so that a one-side feeding for supplying a main machining current from only one of the feeding points is performed, and an upper-side feeding and a lower-side feeding are switched asynchronously. With this technology, occurrence of a concentrated discharge can be prevented, so that breakage of the wire electrode due to heating can be prevented.
In Patent Document 3, a technology is disclosed in which a device is provided for measuring a discharge position in an up-down direction in a machining gap based on a difference and a magnitude relation of current flowing from a sub discharge power supply to an upper-side feeding point and a lower-side feeding point, and switching elements are provided on each current path from a main discharge power supply to the upper-side feeding point and the lower-side feeding point for opening and closing the current paths individually. When spark discharge occurs on the upper end side in the machining gap, the upper-side feeding is performed, when spark discharge occurs on the lower end side in the machining gap, the lower-side feeding is performed, and when spark discharge occurs at the center of a workpiece in a thickness direction, an upper-and-lower-both-side feeding for supplying current from upper-and-lower-both sides simultaneously is performed. The local overheating of the wire electrode in the center in the up-down direction in the machining gap in which cooling effect tends to be insufficient can be prevented by switching the feeding system in accordance with the discharge position.
In a wire electrical discharge machining apparatus, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, machining liquid nozzles are generally provided on the wire running path between the upper and lower wire guides at positions that are close in the up-down direction with an opposing position to the workpiece therebetween, and a wire electrode is cooled and discharge machining swarf is removed by ejecting a high-pressure machining liquid into the machining gap from upward and downward.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. S59-47123    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H1-97525    Patent Document 3: Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. H6-61663

Wire electrical discharge machining apparatus


A portable telephone capable of selectively effecting analog communication or digital communication in response an analog signal or a digital signal. Power is prevented from being applied to either of an analog signal processing section and a digital signal processing section which does not join in communication.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable telephone and, more particularly, to a portable telephone capable of selectively effecting analog or digital communication on receiving an analog or digital signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A portable telephone having the above-mentioned capability is extensively used today and generally made up of an antenna, a handset, a radio section, an analog signal processing section and a digital signal processing section for processing signals particular to analog communication and digital communication respectively, a first common signal processing section connected to the radio section for selectively modulating or demodulating an analog or a digital signal, a second common signal processing section connected between the two signal processing sections and the handset for executing filtering, analog-to-digital (AD) conversion and other preprocessing, and a control section for selectively applying power to either of the two signal processing sections. In the event of analog communication, for example, the control section prevents power from being applied to the digital signal processing section which does not join in the communication thereby saving power.
However, the conventional portable telephone has a problem that both of the first and second common signal processing sections have to operate with no regard to the type of communication i.e., analog or digital. Hence, the power to be consumed by these signal processing sections is required.

Dual mode portable telephone which prevents power being applied to the analog or digital signal processors not selected for communication


A method for determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from a storage battery includes determining a battery voltage and current profile over at least one time interval; smoothing the battery voltage profile and the battery current profile using at least two different smoothing measures; and determining voltage and current differences between battery current and voltage profiles smoothed using a second and third smoothing measure, with the third smoothing measure producing greater smoothing than the second smoothing measure. The method further includes calculating characteristic values from quotients of the voltage differences and the current differences; utilizing the characteristic values for a time interval to determine an interval characteristic value; and determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from the storage battery from at least one interval characteristic value for at least one time interval. A monitoring device may be provided for carrying out the method.

The invention relates to a method for determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from a storage battery. The invention also relates to a monitoring device for a storage battery having measurement means for measurement of battery voltages and battery currents, and also having evaluation means.
It may be desirable to estimate the amount of charge which can be drawn from a storage battery during operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,072 describes a method for determining the capacity of a storage battery for this purpose, in which a filter is used to determine a fast current and a slow current is determined by averaging by means of integration. The values for the fast and slow current are entered in what is referred to as a Peukert relationship in order to determine a capacity for a fast current and for a slow current. These capacities are weighted, and are used to calculate a total capacity.
DE 694 23 918 T2 describes an apparatus for indicating the extent to which a battery is empty, in which measurement values of, for example, the no-load voltage or internal impedance are recorded periodically. These measurement values are filtered via a low-pass filter, and their mean value is determined. If the mean value exceeds a threshold value, an empty warning indication is produced.
DE 691 31 276 T2 discloses an electronic tester for assessing the percentage energy capacity of a battery or of a battery cell. In this method, the dynamic conductance is determined and is compared to a reference conductance, which corresponds to the dynamic conductance of a battery or battery cell with a 100 percent capacity.
These previously known methods and apparatuses may be used to determine the state of charge of a new battery. However, such methods may be desirable for determining the amount of charge which can still be drawn from a used battery, particularly at low current levels.
One difficulty is that the amount of charge which can be drawn from a fully charged storage battery can decrease for various reasons (i.e., it may no longer be possible to draw the same amount of charge from a used storage battery as for a battery in a new state). These reasons may, for example in the case of lead-acid rechargeable batteries, be the loss of active material due to precipitant formation, sulfatation, or the like.
If, by way of example, the state of charge of a storage battery is determined by measuring the no-load voltage, as is possible for example in the case of a lead-acid rechargeable battery, then it is not possible to use this value to make any statement about the amount of charge QR which can still be drawn from the fully charged storage battery when it is no longer new. The reason for this is that, although the state of charge is a measure of the amount of charge which can be drawn from the acid in this case, the amount of charge which can still be drawn from the active material is not correlated with the amount of charge in the acid when new.
If the state of charge (SOC) is defined as the quotient of the difference between the nominal amount of charge and the amount of charge drawn with respect to the nominal amount of charge,   SOC  =                    Nominal  amount  of  charge            -              Amount  of  charge  drawn                    Nominal  amount  of  charge      then the state of charge (SOC) likewise does not provide any information about the amount of charge QR which can be drawn.
Based on this definition, the state of charge provides no information about the actual amount of charge QR which can be drawn from a used storage battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,688 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,136 disclose apparatuses and methods in which a relatively small current which varies with time is applied to a storage battery, and the time-dependent voltage response of the storage battery is observed and evaluated. The conductivity of the storage battery can be determined from the voltage response. However, during operation, it is not always desirable or possible to apply a separate measurement current.
There is thus a need for an improved method for determining the amount of charge QR which can be drawn from a storage battery in the fully charged state. There is also a need for a monitoring device for a storage battery, by means of which it is possible to determine as accurately as possible the amount of charge QR which can be drawn from a used storage battery, using relatively simple means.

Method for determining the amount of charge which can be drawn on a storage battery, and monitoring device for a storage battery


A method for fabricating a holographic blazed grating is provided. The method includes: coating a photoresist layer on a substrate; performing lithography on the photoresist layer to form a photoresist grating; performing vertical ion beam etching on the substrate by using the photoresist grating as a mask, to form a homogeneous grating by transferring a pattern of the photoresist grating onto the substrate; cleaning the substrate to remove remaining photoresist; performing tilted Ar ion beam scanning etching on the substrate by using the homogeneous grating as a mask, and etching different portions of the substrate by utilizing a obscuring effect of the homogeneous grating mask on the ion beam, to form a triangular groove shape of the blazed grating; and cleaning the substrate to obtain the holographic blazed grating.

The grating is a key element widely used as a high efficient dispersive optical element, and it plays an important role in the modern optical instrumentation.
As well known, the direction of the main diffraction peak for a single slit is both the geometric optical propagation direction of light and the direction of the zero order for the multi-slit grating. It is in the direction of the main diffraction peak for the single slit, where the light with various wavelengths concentrate. In practical application, it is tended that the light energy is concentrated on a specific order as far as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to fabricate a groove determined by a calculation, such that the direction of the main diffraction peak for a single slit (or the geometric optical propagation direction of light) is consistent with the direction of the predetermined diffraction order for the grating. In this case, most of the light energy may be concentrated on the predetermined diffraction order. The phenomenon is referred to as blaze, and the grating is referred to as a blazed grating. The diffraction efficiency of the grating is greatly improved due to the blaze.
It is common to fabricate the blaze grating with the holographic ion beam etching, by which the purpose of removing material and molding is achieved by spluttering of an ion beam on the material, and the advantages, such as high resolution, and good directionality are generated.
The general process for fabricating a blazed grating with the holographic ion beam etching is shown as FIG. 1. Firstly a layer of photoresist 2 is coated on a quartz glass substrate 1, and a grating mask 3 whose surface relief photoresist is formed on the substrate after the processes of holographic lithography. Tilted Ar ion beam etching is performed by using the grating mask 3. The different portions of the substrate are etched by utilizing the obscuring effect of the mask on the ion beam. A triangular groove shape 4 is obtained on the substrate after the photoresist is etched. The blazed grating fabricating with the ion beam etching has advantages of a good groove shape, a precise control of a blaze angle, a low roughness and so on, which is widely used in engineering.
However, since the blaze angle of the grating fabricated with the holographic ion beam etching mainly depends on three factors of a duty cycle, a groove depth and a groove shape of the photoresist mask. At present, it is not yet addressed that the control of the duty cycle, the groove depth and the groove shape during the process of interference exposure for the photoresist. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve the control of the blaze angle.
Thus, it is necessary to seek for a new method for fabricating a holographic blazed grating to address the above-mentioned issue.

Method for manufacturing holographic blazed grating


A wireless communication transmitter converts the user data into static user data symbols and dynamic user data symbols. The wireless communication transmitter wirelessly transmits the dynamic user data symbols over user data resource elements and wirelessly transmits the static user data symbols over reference signal resource elements. A wireless communication receiver wirelessly receives the dynamic user data symbols over the user data resource elements and wirelessly receives the static user data symbols over the reference signal resource elements. The wireless communication receiver determines a wireless channel status condition based on the static user data symbols received over the reference signal resource elements. The wireless communication receiver generates a user data block including the user data from the dynamic user data symbols and the static user data symbols.

Data communication systems exchange user data to provide various services like media streaming, audio/video conferencing, data messaging, and internet access. The data communication systems use several communication protocols to transfer the user data. Exemplary communication protocols include Long Term Evolution (LTE), IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), and Internet Protocol (IP). Within a given communication protocol, there may be multiple underlying communication protocols. For example, an LTE data packet using the LTE protocol uses underlying protocols like Media Access Control (MAC), Radio Link Control (RLC), and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP).
To improve efficiency, data communication systems perform data compression on user data. The data compression process removes redundant and unnecessary aspects of the user data and a reciprocal decompression process rebuilds the original data. Some forms of data compression transfer only changes to a data set instead of repeatedly transferring the complete and modified data set. For example, video compression technologies often transfer a complete image and then transfer modifications to the image instead of transferring the complete modified image. In another example, voice compressors drop silence data (white noise) and the voice decompressor automatically regenerates white noise at the receiver.
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) is a popular communication network used to transfer data and signaling between wireless communication devices and base stations. In OFDM communication systems, reference signals are used to estimate channel quality. Reference signals may use pre-defined symbols known by both a wireless communication transmitter and a wireless communication receiver. Downlink reference signals are reference signals from a base station to a wireless communication device and may include Cell-specific Reference Signals (CRS), Channel State Information Reference Signals (CSI-RS), Demodulation Reference Signals (DM-RS), Multimedia-Broadcast Single-Frequency Network Reference Signals (MBSFN-RS), or Positioning Reference Signals (PRS). Uplink reference signals are reference signals from a wireless communication device to a base station and may include a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) or a DM-RS.
Unfortunately, current use of reference signals results in more overhead on the air interface resource which increases overhead and significantly impacts overall network capacity and throughput. Therefore, reference signal technologies have not been properly optimized for data transmission efficiency.

Channel condition estimation using static user data symbols over user equipment (UE) specific reference signals


The present invention relates to a pneumatic rubber tire having an integral innerliner characterized by a top layer and a rubber laminate having at least three additional layers. At least two of the three layers are barrier layers and comprise a sulfur cured rubber composition containing, based on 100 parts by weight of rubber, 100 parts of an acrylonitrile/diene copolymer rubber having an acrylonitrile content ranging from about 30 to about 45 percent and from about 25 to about 150 parts by weight of a platy filler selected from the group consisting of talc, clay, mica or mixtures thereof. The thickness of each acrylonitrile/diene barrier layer ranges from about 25 microns to 380 microns. Between the two layers of acrylonitrile/diene copolymer is at least one non-barrier layer of a sulfur cured rubber selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, butyl rubber, cis-1,4-polyisoprene, styrene-butadiene rubber, cis-1,4-polybutadiene, styrene/isoprene/butadiene rubber or mixtures thereof. The laminate may contain from about 3 to 100 individual layers.

The inner surface of a pneumatic tire is typically comprised of an elastomeric composition designed to prevent or retard the permeation of air and moisture into the carcass from the tire's inner air chamber. It is often referred to as an innerliner. Innerliners have also been used for many years in tubeless pneumatic vehicle tires to retard or prevent the escape of air used to inflate the tire, thereby maintaining tire pressure. Rubbers, such as butyl and halobutyl rubber, which are relatively impermeable to air are often used as a major proportion of the innerliners.
The innerliner is normally prepared by conventional calendering or milling techniques to form a strip of uncured compounded rubber of appropriate width which is sometimes referred to as a gum strip. Typically, the gum strip is the first element of the tire applied to a tire building drum, over and around which the remainder of the tire is built. When the tire is cured, the innerliner becomes an integral, co-cured, part of the tire. Tire innerliners and their methods of preparation are well known to those having skill in such art.
Halobutyl rubber is generally the most expensive rubber used in a tire. Given the competitive tire market and the continued need to lower the cost of manufacturing tires without sacrificing properties, there exists a need to eliminate or substantially decrease the cost of innerliners which perform such an important function in the performance of a tire.
Acrylonitrile/butadiene copolymers are commonly known for having excellent air impermeability. Since acrylonitrile/butadiene copolymers are conventionally more economical than halobutyl rubbers, one would hope that such acrylonitrile/butadiene copolymers could be utilized as an innerliner. Unfortunately, acrylonitrile/butadiene copolymers suffer from unacceptable flexural properties at low temperatures. Since a rubber used in an innerliner must be flexible and the service life of a pneumatic tire commonly involves severe low temperatures, the use of an acrylonitrile/butadiene copolymer as an innerliner would be expected to meet with failure.

Pneumatic tire having a multilayered innerliner


An improved structure tape rule in which the blade spool has space at one side of one-piece construction for containing the coiled spring, enabling the blade spool to accommodate the winding of a ruler blade that is approximately two to three times longer than a blade spool in a same diameter sized spatial area and, furthermore, the rewinding of the ruler blade is impelled by spring torque to thereby enhance tape ruler utility and performance.

1) Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to an improved structure tape rule, specifically an original structural arrangement in which the blade spool has space at one side of one-piece construction for containing the coiled spring, enabling the blade spool to accommodate the winding of a ruler blade that is approximately two to three times longer than a blade spool in a same diameter size spatial area and, furthermore, the rewinding of the ruler blade is impelled by spring torque to thereby enhance tape ruler utility and performance.
2) Description of the Prior Art
A conventional tape rule utilizing an internal blade spool consists of a concentric spring at the center and a ruler blade wound around the exterior, a hook riveted to the front end of the ruler blade, and a center shaft projecting from the inner side of a left case half for inserting the center section of the spring in the blade spool; screws are respectively inserted through mounting holes in the right case half on the other side and fastened to the center shaft and mounting posts of the left case half to thereby assemble the said tape rule. Given the structure of the conventional tape rule, since there is a concentric spring coiled in the said blade spool, the said spring occupies space at the center of the blade spool and the remaining space can only be used for winding the tape ruler blade, a conventional tape ruler blade has a length of approximately five meters; furthermore, extending the length of the tape ruler blade requires an increase in the diameter of the blade spool and, at the same time, when the tape ruler blade is utilized for measurements and pulled out longer distances, the rewinding torque of the spring must be considered in that additional space will be needed to fit a stronger spring; however, to meet ergonomic concerns, since the maximum dimensions of the tape rule housing is limited to what the average hand is capable of grasping, increasing the diameter of the blade spool is difficult. As a result, to facilitate tape rule usage, the applicant of the invention herein conducted extensive research and development based on many years of specialized production experience to further enhance the practical value of the invention herein which following repeated testing and refinement culminated in the improved tape rule structure of the present invention.


A multiplexing apparatus for use in a computer system is disclosed. The multiplexing system is typically designed for multiplexing various sources of video signal inputs for subsequent processing. The multiplexing apparatus includes at least one analog video input connector, but preferably has more than one, a programmable signal connector, and a plurality of video output connectors. The programmable signal connector couples to the analog video input connector and selectively multiplexes the analog video input signal. The plurality of video output connectors are further coupled to the programmable signal connector, and they receive the multiplexed video signal from the analog video input connector for processing through at least a first video stream. Additional video streams are also possible for processing for a single input signal.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer video systems and, more specifically, to computer video systems that support multiple video resources. More specifically still, the present invention relates to apparatus for providing the multiplexing of a plurality of video sources for processing within a computer system for display.
2. Prior Art
Video processing in a computer system, along with the use of a graphics controller for display of the processed video signal, is well-known in the computer arts. Multimedia computer systems utilize video processing in order to provide more and greatly diversified resources in a computer system. Various resources of video include S-video, composite video, and RF sources such as over-the-air broadcast or cable input. These types of video sources are analog signals that must be converted to digital signals for processing prior to output to a video monitor typically connected to the graphic controller of the computer system.
Before the signal can be decoded and transformed into digital signals, the analog signal must be broken into separate components, specifically, the Y signal or luma and the C component or chroma. When the signal is an S-video analog signal, the Y and C components of the signal are already separated. In a composite signal, both the Y and the C component are combined to form a composite signal that must be separated into the luma and chroma portions before further processing of the analog signal can be performed.
Currently, computer systems may be able to accept input from selected analog video sources such as a composite signal or an S-video signal, but have not been able to handle multiple input signals, whether from the same source, or in a more complicated arrangement, from different types of sources. The different types of sources may be one signal input of a composite signal and another of an input signal may be an S-video analog signal. Further complicating this is when a signal tuner is provided that tunes an analog video signal from a broadcast source, which also has a composite type signal combining the Y and the C components of the analog signal.
Without being able to handle multiple video resources, a computer system would be limited to showing but a single display source in along a single video path. In today's multimedia environment, it is often desirable to be able to switch between a first and a second source, as well as to be able to display a primary source with a secondary source in a picture-in-picture (PIP) window much smaller than the primary image somewhere on the display screen or to be able to simultaneously extract vertical blanking interval (VBI) information. Thus, to display multiple video sources, a system must be able to receive multiple input sources, decode the analog video sources and then pass them to the appropriate signal decoders and graphics processors for translating the analog signals into a digital format for display on a video monitor or other processing.

Apparatus for supporting multiple video resources


A backlight unit of a liquid crystal display device includes a mold frame having a receiving space for receiving a reflection sheet, a prism sheet a diffusion sheet, a plurality of light-emitting diodes, and a shielding tape for affixing the reflection sheet, the prism sheet, the plurality of light-emitting diodes and the diffusion sheet within the receiving space, wherein a first color is colored at a plurality of first colored areas at a lower surface of the shielding tape corresponding to the plurality of light-emitting diodes and a second color is colored at a remaining area of the lower surface of the shielding tape other than the plurality of first colored areas.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to a display device, and more particularly to a backlight unit of liquid crystal display device. Although embodiments of the invention are suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for preventing a hot spot phenomenon in which a position of a light source is so bright as to be recognized through a liquid crystal display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display device controls light transmittance of liquid crystal cells in accordance with video signals to display a picture. An active matrix type of liquid crystal display device having a switching device provided for each liquid crystal cell is advantageous in the implementation of displaying moving pictures because each liquid crystal cell can be actively controlled. The switching device used for the active matrix liquid crystal display device employs a thin film transistor (hereinafter, referred to as "TFT").
FIG. 1 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a pixel provided in the related art liquid crystal display device. Referring to FIG. 1, the active matrix LCD converts a digital input data into an analog data voltage on the basis of a gamma reference voltage and then supplies the analog data voltage to a data line DL while at the same time a scanning pulse is supplied to a gate line GL to thereby charge a liquid crystal cell Clc. A gate electrode of the TFT is connected to the gate line GL while a source electrode thereof is connected to the data line DL. Further, a drain electrode of the TFT is connected to a pixel electrode of the liquid crystal cell Clc and to one electrode of a storage capacitor Cst. A common electrode of the liquid crystal cell Clc is supplied with a common voltage Vcom.
The storage capacitor Cst is charged by a data voltage fed from the data line DL when the TFT is turned-on, thereby constantly keeping a voltage on the liquid crystal cell Clc. If the scanning pulse is applied to the gate line GL, then the TFT is turned on to provide a channel between the source electrode and the drain electrode thereof, thereby allowing a voltage on the data line DL to be supplied to the pixel electrode of the liquid crystal cell Clc. In this case, liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal cell have an alignment change due to an electric field between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, to thereby modulate an incident light passing through the liquid crystal molecules.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the related art liquid crystal display device. More particularly, FIG. 2 is block diagram of a configuration for a small-size liquid crystal display device used in a cell phone. Referring to FIG. 2, the related art liquid crystal display device 100 includes a liquid crystal display panel 110 provided with a thin film transistor TFT driving the liquid crystal cell Clc and positioned where data lines DL1 to DLm and gate lines GL1 to GLn cross each other, a data driver 120 supplying a data to the data lines DL1 to DLm of the liquid crystal display panel 110, a gate driver 130 supplying a scanning pulse to the gate lines GL1 to GLn of the liquid crystal display panel 110, a gamma reference voltage generator 140 generating a gamma reference voltage to supply it to the data driver 120, a backlight unit 150 for irradiating light onto the liquid crystal display panel 110, a common voltage generator 160 generating a common voltage Vcom to supply to the common electrode of the liquid crystal cell Clc of the liquid crystal display panel 110, a gate driving voltage generator 170 generating a gate high voltage VGH and a gate low voltage VGL to supply to the gate driver 130, and a timing controller 180 controlling the data driver 120 and the gate driver 130.
The liquid crystal display panel 110 has a liquid crystal molecules positioned between two glass substrates. On the lower glass substrate of the liquid crystal display panel 110, the data lines DL1 to DLm and the gate lines GL1 to GLn perpendicularly cross each other. TFTs are provided adjacent to crossings between the data lines DL1 to DLm and the gate lines GL1 to GLn. The TFTs supply data on the data lines DL1 to DLm to the liquid crystal cells Clc in response to scanning pulses. The gate electrodes of the TFTs are connected to the gate lines GL1 to GLn while the source electrodes thereof are connected to the data lines DL1 to DLm. Further, the drain electrode of the TFTs is connected to the pixel electrodes of the liquid crystal cells Clc and to the storage capacitors Cst.
The gamma reference voltage generator 140 receives a high-level supply voltage VDD to generate a positive gamma reference voltage and a negative gamma reference voltage and outputs them to the data driver 120. The common voltage generator 160 receives a high-level supply voltage VDD to generate a common voltage Vcom, and supplies it to the common electrode of the liquid crystal cell Clc provided in each pixel of the liquid crystal display panel 110.
The gate driving voltage generator 170 is supplied with a high-level supply voltage VDD to generate the gate high voltage VGH and the gate low voltage VGL, and supplies them to the gate driver 130. Herein, the gate driving voltage generator 170 generates a gate high voltage VGH higher than a threshold voltage of the TFT provided in each pixel of the liquid crystal display panel 110 and a gate low voltage VGL lower than the threshold voltage of the TFT. The gate high voltage VGH and the gate low voltage VGL generated in this manner are used for determining a high level voltage and a low level voltage of the scanning pulse generated by the gate driver 130, respectively.
The timing controller 180 supplies a digital video data RGB from a digital video card (not shown) to the data driver 120 and, at the same time, generates a data driving control signal DCC and a gate driving control signal GDC using horizontal/vertical synchronizing signals H and V in response to a clock signal CLK to supply them to the data driver 120 and the gate driver 130, respectively. Herein, the data driving control signal DDC includes a source shift clock SSC, a source start pulse SSP, a polarity control signal POL and a source output enable signal SOE, etc. The gate driving control signal GDC includes a gate start pulse GSP and a gate output enable signal GOE, etc.
The data driver 120 supplies a data to the data lines DL1 to DLm in response to a data driving control signal DDC supplied from the timing controller 180. Further, the data driver 120 samples and latches a digital video data RGB fed from the timing controller 180, and then converts it into an analog data voltage capable of expressing a gray scale level at the liquid crystal cell Clc of the liquid crystal display panel 110 on the basis of a gamma reference voltage from the gamma reference voltage generator 140. The analog data voltage is then supplied to the data lines DL1 to DLm.
The gate driver 130 sequentially generates scanning pulses, that is, gate pulses in response to a gate driving control signal GDC and a gate shift clock GSC supplied from the timing controller 180 and then supplies the scanning pulses to the gate lines GL1 to GLn. The gate driver 130 determines a high level voltage and a low level voltage of the scanning pulse in accordance with the gate high voltage VGH and the gate low voltage VGL supplied from the gate driving voltage generator 170. The TFTs are turned-on in response to scanning pulses applied, via the gate lines GL1 to GLn, to the gate terminals thereof. Upon turning-on of the TFTs, a video data on the data lines DL1 to DLm is supplied to the pixel electrodes of the liquid crystal cells Clc.
The backlight unit 150 is provided at the rear side of the liquid crystal display panel 110. The backlight unit 150 radiates light onto each pixel of the liquid crystal display panel 110 in response to an alternating current voltage and a current supplied from the inverter 160. The backlight unit 150 can be either edge type or direct type.
The related art backlight unit includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes that each irradiate light as a point light source. Since the light-emitting diodes and the liquid crystal display panel 110 are integral and integrated to an upper housing (not shown), such as in a cell phone, then the light-emitting diodes and the liquid crystal display panel 110 are positioned closely adjacent to each other unlike in large-sized electronics, such as a TV display panel that have a relatively large space between the light-emitting diodes and the liquid crystal display panel. Accordingly, a hot spot phenomenon can occur in small-sized electronics in which the positions of the light-emitting diodes are distinctively recognizable through the liquid crystal display panel 110 when the light-emitting diodes are radiating light. Such hot spots deteriorate the quality of images displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 110.

Backlight unit of liquid crystal display device


Electronic equipment with displays may be provided. A first display may be mounted in a first housing and a second display may be mounted in a second housing that is adjacent to the first housing. The first housing may rotate relative to the second housing about a hinge axis. The first housing may be a lid and the second housing may be a base housing that is coupled to the lid by a hinge. A first display may be mounted in the first housing and a second display may be mounted in the second housing. Polarizer layers and other optical layers in the displays may be configured to provide a viewer with the ability to view images on the displays while wearing vertically polarized sunglasses and to suppress reflections of light emitted by the first display off of the second display.

This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with displays.
Laptop computers and other electronic devices include displays. Displays often include polarizers. For example, liquid crystal displays have a layer of liquid crystal material and substrate layers that are sandwiched between a pair of linear polarizers. Organic light-emitting diode displays often include circular polarizers to suppress ambient light reflections.
It can be challenging to configure the polarizers in an electronic device for optimum performance over all possible operating conditions. For example, some polarizer arrangements may help provide a display with a wide range of off-axis viewing angles, whereas other polarizer arrangements may enhance sunglass compatibility. Further complications may arise in systems with multiple display surfaces due to the potential for unwanted reflections.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved optical configurations for electronic devices with displays.

Dual display equipment with enhanced visibility and suppressed reflections


A derivation unit acquires imaging conditions corresponding to order information received by a receiving unit based on a table stored in a storage unit and sets the imaging conditions in a radiation source control unit. The radiation source control unit controls a radiation source based on the set imaging conditions such that a radiographic image is captured. An acquisition unit acquires the actual values of the imaging conditions from the radiation source control unit. The derivation unit derives virtual grid characteristics based on the actual values of the imaging conditions. An execution unit acquires a captured radiographic image through a detector control unit. The execution unit performs a virtual grid process for the acquired radiographic image based on the virtual grid characteristics derived by the derivation unit and the acquired imaging conditions to generate a radiographic image from which the influence of scattered radiation has been removed.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to a radiography apparatus, a radiography method, and a radiography program.
Related Art
In the related art, in a case in which a radiographic image of a subject is captured using radiation that is transmitted through the subject, particularly, in a case in which the thickness of the subject is large, the radiation is scattered in the subject and the scattered radiation (hereinafter, also referred to a "scattered ray") causes a reduction in the contrast of the captured radiographic image. For this reason, in some cases, a scattered radiation removal grid (hereinafter, simply referred to as a grid) is provided between a subject and a radiation detector in order to reduce the influence of scattered radiation in the capture of a radiographic image. When imaging is performed using the grid, radiation which is scattered by the subject is less likely to reach the radiation detector. Therefore, it is possible to improve the contrast of the radiographic image (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Publication (JP-B) No. H05-82111, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 10-262961, and JP-A No. 2004-329783).
In a case in which a radiographic image is captured using a grid process, a grid with appropriate characteristics is used according to, for example, imaging conditions. Therefore, in some cases, when the characteristics of the grid used are set, the burden of the setting operation on a user, such as a technician or a doctor, increases.
However, when imaging is performed using the grid as in the related art, a subject image and a fine stripe pattern (moire) corresponding to a grid pitch are included in a radiographic image, which makes it difficult to see a captured radiographic image. Image processing for removing the stripe pattern is also known (for example, see JP-A No. 2013-172881). In some cases, the processing time increases.
There is a technique that performs image processing for a radiographic image which has been captured, without providing a grid between the subject and a radiation detector, to remove the influence of scattered radiation. In addition, the characteristics of the grid that is assumed to be used can be designated and the amount of removal of scattered radiation can be controlled. Hereinafter, a process that performs image processing on the basis of the characteristics of a grid, which is assumed to be used, to remove the influence of scattered radiation to the same extent as that in a case in which a grid is provided is referred to as a virtual grid process.
In a case in which imaging is performed using the virtual grid process, appropriate characteristics of a virtual grid that is assumed to be used are set according to, for example, the imaging conditions, similarly to a case in which imaging is performed using a grid. Therefore, the burden of a setting operation on the user increases.

Radiography apparatus, radiography method, and radiography program


The movement time of a board is shortened in an electronic component mounting device that performs heating and component mounting. Heating and component mounting are performed as a board is moved in the direction of arrow A; the board is moved by an in-conveyor device in the heating region, and by a shuttle device on rails in the component mounting region. When comparing chains with rails, the friction generated between the board is smaller with chains, thus the movement speed of the in-conveyor is faster. This means, compared to a case in which the board is moved by the rails and shuttle device in both the heating region and the component mounting region, the movement time of the board is shorter. Also, because there are no chains below the rails, the movable range of a flow tank is larger, and the component mountable region is larger.

A mounting device including (a) a component insertion head and (b) a solder tank that accommodates molten solder and ejects solder from a nozzle is described in PTL 1. In the mounting device, components are mounted on a printed board by a leaded component being inserted into the printed board, which is held by an xy table, from above by the component insertion head, and solder being supplied by the solder tank from below. The component insertion head is able to be moved in x, y, and z directions and the solder tank is able to be moved in the z direction.
Soldering devices including a fluxer, a pre-heater, and a solder tank are described in PTLs 2 and 3. In the soldering device, from below a printed board that is held by a pair of liftable rails, flux is coated by the fluxer, heating is performed by the pre-heater, and then solder is selectively applied by the solder tank. In the solder tank described in PTL 3, two nozzles having different diameters are provided and solder is simultaneously ejected from the two nozzles. In the soldering devices described in PTLs 2 and 3, the printed board is conveyed by a pusher on the pair of rails in the range in which coating of flux, heating, and the application of solder are performed.
In a mounting device described in PTL 4, solder is supplied by a dispenser from above to positions on a board at which electronic components are to be mounted and then the board is flipped. Then, the electronic components are inserted in the board from above, the solder is melted by a heat source from below, thus mounting the electronic components. The heat source is able to be moved in x and y directions.


Disclosed is a system of poles for aligning courses of brick of a brick wall wherein there is a pole disposed at each corner of said wall and at least one pole disposed intermediate between said corner poles, all of said poles containing line blocks which carry a tensioned line therebetween, the line block on the intermediate pole for ensuring that the line remains tensioned between said corner line blocks and all of said line blocks being synchronously adjusted in vertical height so that said tensioned line defines the horizontal component of each course of brick.

The present invention relates to brick alignment poles used by bricklayers and more particularly to a system of such poles.
Such poles have been used for many years for assisting bricklayers in aligning courses of brick and commonly are known as "dead man" poles. An exemplary brick alignment pole can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,649, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. The brick alignment pole in such patent is a versatile tool which has properly performed according to its description under most circumstances. A notable circumstance under which such alignment pole, as well as all other conventional corner alignment poles, does not entirely achieve its intended result is when the brick wall under construction is of sufficient length such that the line strung between the corner poles has a serious sway in it. Under these circumstances accurate horizontal measurement of an individual course of brick is not possible about the center of the wall between the two corner poles. Thus, there is a need in the art for some means of insuring that the line tensioned between the corner poles remains uniformly horizontal for its entire length.


A maintenance enclosure for an automatic teller machine having an operable front panel and an openable service panel is provided. The enclosure consists of a stationary enclosure about three sides of the automatic teller machine so that the operable front panel can extend through one portion of the stationary enclosure, while the openable service panel can extend into the stationary enclosure. An expandable enclosure is affixed to the open portion of the stationary enclosure to close off the automatic teller machine so that when the automatic teller machine is in use the expandable enclosure is normally folded inwardly towards the stationary enclosure to fit the smallest possible area. A door which opens inwardly is hinged in the expandable enclosure so that when the automatic teller machine is to be repaired the expandable enclosure and the door opened to gain access to the openable service panel. A sliding roof is provided which is normally closed when the expandable enclosure is normally folded inwardly to seal the automatic teller machine therein and is opened when the expandable enclosure is folded outwardly to ventilate the automatic teller machine when being repaired.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an enclosure for housing an automatic teller machine comprising a pair of folding sections which expand from their closed position to provide a structure sufficiently large to be entered by service personnel, and which takes up minimum room when folded.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automatic unmanned teller machines are common in today's society. Such machines are commonly located away from the principal banking offices, such as in lobbies, airports, shopping centers or installed in and accessible from an outside wall of a bank building. Most of such machines have 24 hour walk-up or drive-up availability, and the machines must be secure from access by unauthorized persons both from the outside where the automated banking is performed by the public and from the inside where the mechanisms of the machine and usually cash are located.
In addition to availability and security, another factor in the location for such machines is that they take up as little space as possible. When installed on an outside wall of a bank building it is important that the machine be accessible for servicing, but if its security enclosure extends too far into the banking premises, it takes away from room otherwise available for bank workers. When the machine is being serviced it is also necessary that such servicing take place in a secure environment. All these factors are possible if the housing for such machines comprises a pair of folding sections, one of which fits next to the other, with access into the enclosure being possible only when the sections of the enclosure are unfolded.
An expandable security structure for housing an automatic teller machine comprising a pair of telescoping sections that nest together is shown in U.S. Patents to Hastings, U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,523 and the Stine, U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,302, but neither of these references have the simplicity of the present invention.
Numerous other security enclosures have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to enclosure of housings of automated teller machines having electronic computer systems. For example, Ferris et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,261; Berman U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,513,670 and 4,577,562; Trucksess U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,239 and to Couvrette U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,475 all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purpose of the present invention as hereafter described.

Automatic teller machine maintenance enclosure


An improved two-part adhesive composition utilizing a polyurea or polyurethane/urea prepolymer for improved adhesion to plastics and metals and particularly to elastomers, including EPDM (ethylene-propylene terpolymer from the diene monomer) butyl rubber, neoprene, natural rubber and particularly SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber).

Generally this invention relates to a two-part adhesive composition for use in bonding elastomer articles, the bonded articles per se and the method of using the adhesive therewith. The adhesive is also useful in bonding plastics and metals.
More particularly it relates to use of the adhesive composition in the manufacture of retread tires, particularly truck tires, and the resultant retread tires as articles per se. Additional applications include bonded conveyor belts, molded rubber parts, patch kits for repair of molded rubber articles and the like.
The adhesive is a polyurea based two-component system curable at room temperature or slightly elevated temperatures with outstanding adhesion to molded elastomer articles. It is particularly successful in the manufacture of retread SBR (styrene-butatiene rubber) tires.
Heretofore, retreading has been typically accomplished commercially by use of a urethane-based bonding system which uses uncrosslinked rubber or "cushion gum" cured in an autoclave process. The autoclave process is cumbersome and requires a heat cure of 3 hours at 250.degree. F.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,261 to Van Gulick and U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,604 to Caruso disclose a prior art polyurethane/urea system that uses metal halide salts of aromatic diamines to cross-link isocyanate terminated polymers. Specifically disclosed is the use of 4,4'-methylene dianiline/NaCl salt in dioctyl phthalate mixed with an isocyanate terminated prepolymer. When mixed they form a relatively stable mixture at room temperature that can be used as an adhesive. The mixture is activated when heated to 100.degree. C. or above. The salt dissociates and the MDA is then available for reaction with the isocyanate moiety. This forms the final crosslinked polyurethane/urea.
Because the system has to be heated to crosslink, several methods were later developed to initiate the reaction at ambient temperatures or slightly elevated temperatures by lowering the temperature at which the salt dissociates. These are disclosed in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,831 to Kogon describes the use of additive amounts of a polarizable compound such as benzene or a polar compound without reactive hydrogens as accelerators of the above mentioned reaction. The additive acts to dissociate the salt at a lower temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,606 Kogon describes the use of active hydrogen donor additives such as alcohols, phenols, polyols, primary and secondary amines, and specifically 1,4-butanediol and glycerol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,743 to Schonfield describes the use of high dielectric compound additives, exclusive of halogens, such as oleic acid, benzaldehyde, adiponitrile, acetic anhydride, polymethylsiloxane and diethyl sulfate having a dielectric constant of 2 or greater. Cure temperature range with these compounds is 30.degree.-140.degree. C.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,456 to Hausch describes a process and composition that uses MEK as a dissociation material for the salt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,331 to Parket et al claims the use of pseudo crown ethers having the formula --(y--CH2--CH2)n where y=N,S,O and n is 3 or more.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,676 to Koch discloses the use of alcohol catalysts for the acceleration of the salt, -isocyanate prepolymer reaction as an improvement over using ketones.
The following patents teach the application of the above mentioned technology for adhesives:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,522 to Becker discloses the use of an MDA salt to crosslink an isocyanate terminated prepolymer as an adhesive used for bonding shoes with application use temperatures to 70.degree. C.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,676 to Kimball discloses the use of an MDA salt for crosslinking an isocyanate terminated prepolymer which is catalyzed with a dicarboxylic acid of 4 to 10 carbons for application as an adhesive to bond SMC.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,456 to Hausch discloses the use of an MDA salt for crosslinking an NCO terminated prepolymer that uses MEK as a room temperature accelerator for bonding tire treads and making tire patches in the repair of tires. The elastomer is treated with a solution of trichloroisocyanuric acid.
Likewise the following patents address the use of metal halide salts with NCO terminated prepolymers for bonding, patching or otherwise repairing elastomers:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,832 to Koch; U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,135 to Koch; U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,136 to Koch et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,427 to Hausch; U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,332 to Koch; U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,852 to Koch; U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,676 to Koch.
The prior art described herein is not satisfactory because of the need to agitate the salt containing material prior to use, the lack of means to eliminate the DOP from the system and the inconsistent cure based on the need to add materials that cause the salt to dissociate at a lower temperature. The use of polyurethane prepolymers also has a negative effect on the adhesion of the system at elevated temperatures as would be encountered in dynamic applications such as tire retreading, tire patching and repair, and conveyor belts.
In the case of the present invention, outstanding adhesion is obtained by using in place of the prior art polyurethane prepolymer a polyurea or mixed polyurethane/urea prepolymer.
As is already known in the art, a surface treatment is required to effectively bond adhesive to any elastomer. The treatment may be accomplished by sulfuric acid etching or by the application of a primer such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,485,135 and 4,485,136. A particularly preferred primer for use on SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) and the like is 2% 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethyl hydantoin in methyl chloride. Others are known in the art and may be used in conjunction with this invention.

Polyurea or polyurea-urethane adhesive for bonding elastomers


Video format conversion apparatus and method for a high-definition TV capable of achieving motion compensation by macroblocks, determining stationary condition, motion-involved condition and scene change by pixels, and achieving interpolation by pixels, thereby accurately realizing conversion of a video of the interlaced scanning format into a video of the progressive scanning format. The video formation conversion is achieved by substituting the value of the current pixel by the mean of the values of reference pixels, positioned at the same position as the current pixel, respectively in a previous field and a next field when the current pixel is a stationary pixel, interpolating the current pixel through a motion compensation when the current pixel is a motion-involved pixel, determining whether a displaced frame difference is less than a predetermined threshold value when the current pixel is neither of the stationary one or the motion-involved one, substituting the current pixel value with the mean value of the reference pixel values in the previous and next fields when the displaced frame difference is less than the threshold value, and substituting the current pixel value by use of intra-field pixel values when the displaced frame difference is not less than the threshold value.

The-present invention relates to video format conversion apparatus and method for a television (TV), and more particularly to video format conversion apparatus and method for a TV for converting an interlaced video format into a progressive video format.
High definition TVs (HDTVs) of the interlaced scanning system developed in Japan are currently used experimentally on the air. These HDTV's can easily use a video source because their peripheral appliances such as cameras and video cassette recorders have already been developed. With progressive scanning HDTV systems developed in the U.S.A., it is difficult to utilize a video source of the progressive scanning system because no peripheral appliances have been developed. In the latter case, therefore, video of the interlaced scanning format must be converted into a video of the progressive scanning format. In particular, the format of videos displayed on a monitor should be of the progressive scanning system. For transmitting compressed videos of the interlaced scanning format, accordingly, it is important and essential to efficiently convert them into the progressive scanning format as a display format.
In conventional analog systems, pixel (line) interpolation for NTSC TV or digital TV is carried out using one oil the following methods:
First, the intra-field interpolation that involves to interpolating lines not scanned using scanned lines in the current field. Although this method is the most simple, there is a problem of a deterioration in resolution because each line is interpolated by the mean value of pixels on scanned upper and lower lines positioned with respect to the line to be interpolated.
Second, the inter-field interpolation that involves simply interpolating lines not scanned using scanned lines of the current field and other fields, without any motion compensation. Although this method recovers videos with high resolution for stationary video portions, there is a problem of a severe artifact for motion-involved video portions.
Third, the interpolation with motion compensation can be used. This method solves the problems encountered in the intra-field interpolation method and the inter-field interpolation method.
In accordance with the interpolation method involving the motion compensation, motion information is searched. Based on the searched motion information, a video scene is divided into a stationary video portion and a motion video portion which will be adaptively interpolated.
For example, the stationary video portion is substituted by the mean value of two successive frames while the motion video portion is subjected to a motion compensation. For a scene change, the intra-field interpolation is adopted so as to maximize the efficiency.
Now, a general method of converting a video of the interlaced scanning format into a video of the progressive scanning format using the interpolation with motion compensation in a digital HDTV will be described.
In this case, reference frames are needed for the motion compensation. In accordance with techniques recently proposed, two frames t-1 and t+1 respectively just preceding and just following the current frame t are used as reference frames. For these reference frames, motion-compensated videos are used in order to achieve an as accurate an interpolation as possible. For the previous frame t-1, in particular, videos already converted into those of the progressive scanning format are used so that they can be time-recursive. For the next frame, lines not scanned are substituted by the mean value of optional upper and lower scanned lines.
In order to seek a motion, motion compensation is carried out using identical motion information by equal sized blocks each including, for example, 16 by 8 pixels in accordance with the block matching algorithm.
In this case, first, the current frame to be interpolated is divided into equal sized blocks each including, for example, 16.times.8 pixels. For the current block to be interpolated, motion information is sought from the previous frame and the next frame.
Since lines in half of each block to be interpolated are those not scanned, lines being used for seeking motion information correspond to those in the remaining half scanned.
Using the motion information sought as mentioned above, lines not scanned are interpolated. As useful methods for such an interpolation, there are: a method utilizing a compensation based on the previous frame, a method utilizing a compensation based on the next frame, and a method utilizing a substitution by the mean value of signals compensated from the previous frame and the next frame. Among these methods, one yielding the minimum error is selectively used.

Video format conversion apparatus for converting interlaced video format into progressive video format using motion-compensation


A composition which has high 4′-GL purity and can be used as a reference standard for various analyses can be obtained by a more convenient method than one conventionally used. A method for preparing a high-purity 4′-GL composition includes the steps of: (A) subjecting a 4′-GL-containing galacto-oligosaccharide to activated carbon column chromatography, and performing stepwise elution with plural organic solvent aqueous solutions, wherein the organic solvent aqueous solutions are used such that the concentration of the organic solvent in the organic solvent aqueous solution is higher than the concentration of the organic solvent in the immediately preceding organic solvent aqueous solution with respect to a series of elutions; and (B) adding an organic solvent to the final fraction eluted in step (A), and crystallizing the 4′-GL.

4′-GL is known as the main component of galacto-oligosaccharide that can promote proliferation of enteric Bifidobacteria. 4′-GL is also used as an index of galacto-oligosaccharide analysis.
Industrial production of 4′-GL-containing galacto-oligosaccharides utilizes a transfer reaction by β-galactosidase, using lactose as the feedstock. However, the purity of the galacto-oligosaccharide itself is typically low when purification step and the like are not performed.
As a technique that improves purity through purification of oligosaccharide, PTL 1 discloses a glucosamino oligosaccharide purification method in which a polymer prepared by introducing a carboxylmethyl group to a polymer having a hydroxyl group is used as a chromatography filler. However, there is no report of a method that is intended to improve the purity of components of galacto-oligosaccharide, particularly 4′-GL, through purification of galacto-oligosaccharide. Even compositions available as a reference standard of 4′-GL are not sufficient in purity.

Preparation method for high-purity 4′-galactosyl-lactose composition