A microprogram-controlled type arithmetic control apparatus which performs pipeline processing is provided. In the apparatus, a microinstruction corresponding to a macroinstruction to be processed are read out of a control storage at least one stage prior to an OF (operand fetch) stage. The microinstruction and data (source data) are respectively output onto a microinstruction bus and a data bus at the OF stage. By the beginning of an E (instruction execution) stage, data (source data) on the data bus and the microinstruction on the microinstruction bus are loaded into first and second registers, respectively. Then, at the beginning of the E stage, arithmetic operation by an arithmetic and logic unit can be performed immediately.

The present invention relates to a microprogram-controlled type arithmetic control apparatus utilized in a pipeline processing system.
An advanced approach to improving the speed at which computers can process instructions has been the development of the pipelined processor. These processors can perform many instructions at very high speeds because the internal organization has been designed so as to optimize the number of instructions that can be performed over a period of time. A pipelined processor actually performs certain operations on several different instructions simultaneously. For example, one instruction might call for an operation upon two operands contained within the main memory. These operands might be fetched from main memory during the same period of time that a second instruction was being decoded to determine its type as well as its data requirements. Still a third instruction might be nearing its completion, all in the same machine cycle. Such a pipeline processing unit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,138 and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,861, for example. Therefore, its actual hardward construction is omitted.
At an execution stage of an instruction in a prior art pipeline processing unit, a microinstruction which controls the execution stage is read out of a control memory onto a microinstruction bus. In accordance with the microinstruction, a source data to be input to an arithmetic circuit is read out from a general register, a memory data register or a working register. An arithmetic operation is performed in the arithmetic circuit in accordance with the microinstruction. The result of the arithmetic operation is stored in a general register designated by the microinstruction.
As described above, the execution stage of the instruction necessitates a long processing time from the start to the end of the stage. Thus the processing time for other stages such as a fetch stage, operand address calculation stage and operand read stage should be set in accordance with the execution stage thereby obstructing the improved processing speed of the instruction.

Arithmetic control apparatus for a pipeline processing system


A user enters a query into an element of a user interface. Query suggestions that are based on the query are displayed around the query in the user interface. Each of the query suggestions is displayed in an element of the user interface that indicates a rank of the query suggestion to the user. When the user holds or hovers over a particular element of the user interface, a pop-up window is displayed with the search results that are responsive to the query or query suggestion that is associated with the element, allowing the user to compare the query and the query suggestions. In addition, the user may rotate the elements associated with the query suggestions displayed around the element associated with the query in the user interface to indicate that they would like to receive additional or different query suggestions.

As a user enters a query into a search box associated with a search engine, the user is often presented with one or more query suggestions that are based on the query or the characters of the query that have been entered by the user so far. These query suggestions are often displayed to the user in a user interface element below the search box and may be generated by the search engine based on a history of queries that have been received by the search engine from the user or other users. The user may then submit the original query that they entered to the search engine or may select one of the displayed query suggestions to submit to the search engine.
There are several drawbacks associated with present techniques for presenting query suggestions. First, search engines typically limit the query suggestions that are presented to the user to some arbitrary number such as the top five, ten, or twenty query suggestions. In addition, there is no way for the user to request additional query suggestions outside of the query suggestions that are initially presented to the user.
Second, there is no way for the user to compare the search results that may be returned by the search engine with respect to each of the query suggestions. For example, using current search engines, if a user wants to compare query suggestions based on search results, the user would first have to submit a query suggestion to the search engine, view the results, return to the search box, re-enter the original query, and select another query suggestion to compare.
Third, current techniques for presenting query suggestions are not optimized for touchscreens, such as those used on tablet computers and smart phones. As described above, query suggestions are typically displayed to a user as text strings in a user interface element that is displayed below the search box. While such text strings may be easily selected using a mouse on a desktop computer, they may not be well suited for selecting using a finger or stylus or other input device through a touchscreen.
Fourth, search engines typically display query suggestions that are forward query suggestions rather than reverse query suggestions. For example, a forward query suggestion may be a query suggestion that has the query as a prefix, while a reverse query suggestion may be a query suggestion that has the query as a suffix. However, there is no way for the user to switch between viewing forward query suggestions and reverse query suggestions.

Displaying graphical representations of query suggestions


The toners used for printing in the electrophotography processes such as xerography or laser printing are removed from copy paper. In the process, the paper is pulped to form an aqueous slurry. The toner is removed from the paper with a dual system of a collector and a collecting chemical.. The best collectors have solubility parameters similar to the toners so that the softened toner is slightly soluble in the collector. These include polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and polyacrylates, e.g., polymethyl methacrylates. Other collectors which are operable but less satisfactory are polyurethane and polypropylene. The collector is in the form of prills, beads or sheets. The specific collector will depend upon the specific chemicals in the toner.. There are a number of requirements for the collecting chemical. It should be substantially insoluble in water. It should have a melting point that is at or below the approximate softening point of the toner or collector. It should be a saturated aliphatic primary alcohol, a mixture of such alcohols, an unsaturated aliphatic primary alcohol, a mixture of such unsaturated alcohols, a saturated secondary alcohol, a saturated aliphatic primary hydrocarbon, a mixture of such hydrocarbons, or a mixture of hydrocarbons and alcohols.. The process is operable at or above the melting point of the collecting chemical, and at a temperature at which the toner is softened, generally 38.degree.-75.degree. C.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the art of removing toners from waste paper.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is necessary to remove the ink from pulp fiber when processing waste paper for reuse. In the past these have been oil based inks which were removed by saponification reactions. There is, however, an increasing amount of waste paper which has been used as copy paper in an electrophotography process such as xerography or laser printing. These papers usually include synthetic resins and plasticizers, and normal deinking procedures and chemicals are not effective in removing these resins and plasticizers from the fibers and in separating them from the pulp.
In the art of xerography, an electrostatic latent image is formed by uniformly charging a photoconductive insulating surface on a xerographic plate followed by exposing the charged surface to a pattern of light. The latent image formed by this technique is then developed with electroscopic powder, also known as a toner, to form a powdered image which is then transferred to a sheet of normal bond paper. This powder image now contained on a paper is then fused into the paper to form a permanent reproduction of an original image. The usual toner powder is carbon black mixed with a styrene-acrylic copolymer as a binder.
One technique now in general use in developing xerographic images is cascade development. This technique is based on the phenomena of triboelectrification whereby upon bringing two similar materials into contact each material becomes electrically charged to a polarity opposite to that of the other. Thus, when the fine powdered toner is mixed with a relatively coarse beaded carrier, the toner particles become charged triboelectrically and cling to the surface of the carrier beads. Development of the electrostatic image is accomplished by falling or cascading the two component developer over the surface of the xerographic plate. As the beads, covered with toner, roll over the image, the electrostatic forces of the image overcome the carrier-toner bond and toner particles are deposited on the image areas. An example of the toner composition of this type is 25% polyvinylbutyral, 70% of a rosin modified phenol-formaldehyde and 5% carbon black. Patents disclosing these inks are Landrigan U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,308, Walkup et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,638,416 and Grieg et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,735,785.
One patent directed toward the removal of toners is Green U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,789. This is a two-step system in which the copy paper is repulped, diluted and agitated and the toner is skimmed from the surface. The pulp is transferred to a second tank and an immiscible organic liquid is added to the surface of the solution. The toner is again skimmed from the surface.
Fischer and Pfalzer Auslegeschrift No. 2,756,711 describes a process of deinking wastepaper by soaking the paper with a surface active material and treating it with terpene hydrocarbons or alcohols, aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons or alcohols, and collecting the ink on a calcium soap or magnesium soap accumulator. The accumulators may be calcium soap cones with pine oil. It was preferred, however, and the object of the Fischer, et al. invention to use less soap in the accumulator by absorbing the soap into the surface of a carrier material and using this as the accumulator. The materials used as the carriers for the soap have large specific surfaces. Examples are groundwood, sawdust, porous plastic particles and bark waste. In place of calcium or magnesium soap, oleic acid may be absorbed on the surface and then be saponified with lime. Other chemicals such as amines, petroleum or glycol esters may be used in place of the calcium soap.
Miyamoto et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,460 discloses a deinking process in which the paper is pulped in an aqueous system containing a polyolefin dispersed or emulsified in micro-fine particles with a surface active agent such as a dispersing agent or emulsifier. The printing inks are desorbed from the printed paper and absorbed on the polyolefin particles which are then isolated from the system. It is helpful in isolating the waste to add organic solvents, emulsions containing the solvents, clays or water soluble salts capable of dissociating the di- or polyvalent metal cation in water.
Both of these patents are also discussed in Puddington U.S. Pat. No. 4.076,578. The process in this latter patent again requires forming a pulp, precipitating any ink dispersing agent present in the pulp and agitating the resulting aqueous mixture in the presence of inserted selected non-soap collecting solids and collecting ink solids on the surface of the collecting solids. The collecting solids are selected from materials having hydrophobic surfaces with a strong affinity for the ink particles such as waxes, polyolefins and other vinyl polymers, rubber, e.g. ground waste rubber, solid petroleum materials, pitches, gums, sulfur, silica with surface hydroxyls replaced with hydrophobic organic groups, etc. If the collecting surface has insufficient attraction for retention of ink particles, the surface is coated with a hydrophobic adhesive collecting agent. These agents would include sticky viscous oils, soft waxes, sticky gums and hydrophobic contact adhesives in small amounts.
One method to remove toner proposed by DeSoto, Inc. is to treat the copy paper at 4-5% consistency with 2-3% caustic and 1-2% surfactant DeSoInk #652. The amount of caustic and DeSoInk is based on the weight of the paper. The time of the treatment is 15-20 minutes and the temperature 160.degree.-170.degree. F. The toner is supposed to form into balls and be removed by centrifuging and reverse centrifuging. It has been found, however, that this method requires a heavy coating of toner to be effective. It is not effective in removing substantially all of the toner if the paper is covered with only a light or averge amount of toner.

Deinking waste electrophotography copy paper


A high purity copper-cobalt alloy sputtering target containing 0.1 to 20 at % of Co, and remainder being Cu and unavoidable impurities, wherein a size (dimension) of precipitates in the target structure is 10 μm or less, and a number of precipitates is 500 precipitates/mm2 or less. It is thereby possible to provide a high purity copper-cobalt alloy sputtering target capable of inhibiting the generation of particles during sputtering, and in particular improving the yield and reliability of semiconductor products that are being subject to further miniaturization and higher integration.

The present invention relates to a high purity copper-cobalt alloy sputtering target capable of inhibiting the generation of particles. When the component composition is indicated as "%" in the present specification, all such component compositions shall mean "at %" even when there is no particular indication.
Conventionally, while an Al alloy (specific resistance of roughly 3.0 μΩ·cm) has been used as the wiring material of semiconductor devices, pursuant to the miniaturization of wirings, a copper wiring with lower resistance (specific resistance of roughly 2.0 μΩ·cm) has been put into practical application. As the process for forming a copper wiring, generally adopted is the method of forming a diffusion barrier layer made from Ta or TaN on a wiring or a wiring groove, and thereafter subjecting copper to sputter deposition. High purity copper of 5N to 6N is normally produced by performing wet or dry purification to electrolytic copper having a purity level of 4N (excluding gas components) as the crude metal, and this has been used as a sputtering target.
As described above, while copper is extremely effective as a wiring for semiconductors, the reliability of copper wirings is deteriorating due to electromigration and formation of stress-induced voids associated with the miniaturization of wirings, and improvement in the copper wiring material itself is now being demanded. A copper-cobalt alloy can be suggested as this kind of material.
When forming a thin film layer by the sputtering method, a copper-cobalt alloy target is required. The production of this target can be generally classified into the following two types of production methods; namely, the sintering method and the melting/casting method. It can be said that this target is preferably produced by the melting/casting method from the perspective of strength, density and production efficiency of the target.
Nevertheless, a copper-cobalt alloy target has an inherent problem; specifically, a problem in that numerous particles are generated during sputtering.
Thus, upon reviewing the conventional technologies, several kinds of copper-cobalt alloy sputtering targets, in which cobalt (Co) is added to copper (Cu), have been proposed.
For example, Patent Document 1 below describes a Cu-based sputtering target for use in forming an electrode film, wherein 2 to 20 at % of one or more types of transition metal elements selected from (Cr, Co, Mo, W, Fe, Nb, V) are contained, and, in a Cu-based matrix, dispersed is a simple substance of each transition metal element that is insoluble in the matrix, or a transition metal element phase as an alloy phase. Nevertheless, since this technology produces the target by powder metallurgy, it is not advisable from the perspective of strength, density and production efficiency of the target.
Moreover, Patent Document 2 below describes a production method of a fine crystal grain copper material for producing a copper material with fine crystal grains by multi-axis forging treatment where a copper material made from high purity copper or low concentration copper alloy is subject to compression forming from different directions, wherein the initial treatment temperature T1 of performing the first pass of compression forming in the multi-axis forging treatment is a temperature in which dynamic recrystallization occurs at least partially in the copper material.
Patent Document 2 further describes providing a fine crystal grain copper material that is produced based on the foregoing production method, and a sputtering target made from such fine crystal grain copper material. While Co is listed as an additive element of the copper material of Patent Document 2, no specific examples are given, and Patent Document 2 fails to provide any description indicating the generation status of particles after the target is processed.
Moreover, Patent Document 3 below describes a Cu-based sputtering target material capable of producing a thin film having low specific resistance, high corrosion resistance, and small non-uniformity of components, wherein the sputtering target material: has a Cu-based matrix as the main phase; contains an element that is insoluble with Cu and indicates a monotectic system or peritectic system phase diagram; and has a second phase, which is primarily made from the foregoing element, that is precipitated in the Cu matrix at an average area ratio of 5% or less. In this sputtering target material, the average diameter of the second phase is 50 μm or less.
While Co is added to this material, since the raw material is powder and the target is not produced by performing HIP treatment to the raw material powder, this technology is not advisable from the perspective of strength, density and production efficiency of the target.
Moreover, Patent Document 4 below describes realizing an alloy (Cu alloy), which has Cu as its main component and of which adhesion with a glass substrate or a silicon film is improved, and providing a wiring material using this Cu alloy. In order to realize the above, Patent Document 4 proposes using, as the wiring material, a Cu alloy made from Cu, and Au and/or Co, wherein the composition ratio of Cu is 80 to 99.5 wt %, and the sum of the composition ratio of Au and the composition ratio of Cu is 0.5 to 20 wt %. Patent Document 4 further describes that, as a result of depositing the foregoing wiring material on a glass substrate or a silicon wafer based on the sputtering method, sufficiently low electrical resistance and strong adhesive strength with the substrate were observed.
Nevertheless, paragraph 0053 of Patent Document 4 only briefly describes the process of producing a sputtering target, and it appears that Patent Document 4 has no interest whatsoever regarding the problem of the generation of particles when the target is processed.
Generally speaking, upon producing a target, a melted and cast copper-cobalt alloy ingot is processed into a target shape of a predetermined dimension, and the surface thereof is machined to produce the sputtering target.
When the smoothness of the target surface is improved, it is possible to suppress the generation of particles during sputtering, and form a thin film with superior evenness (uniformity).
Nevertheless, with a copper-cobalt alloy, there are problems that cannot be resolved only by causing the surface to be smooth, and there is no conventional technology that has developed a target material based on the foregoing perspective.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3710022
Patent Document 2: JP 2010-65252 A
Patent Document 3: JP 2005-220384 A
Patent Document 4: JP 2003-342653 A

High-purity copper-cobalt alloy sputtering target


In one aspect, the invention concerns fused fiber optic couplers of the type formed from fibers of transparent substance each having a circular cross-section of preselected diameter. The fibers include a central fiber and at least one ring of closely packed surrounding fibers with at least some of the fibers being optical fibers that have a core and a surrounding cladding. The coupler is formed by the processes of providing the fibers, assembling them in a close-packed relationship, and heating and drawing the assembly of fibers in the close-packed region.. We have discovered that the steps involved in forming such a coupler, introduce slight size variations that can seriously affect the performance of the coupler, and that these slight variations can be accommodated by slight, controlled, under-sizing of one or more of the surrounding fibers or over-sizing of the central fiber.

The invention relates to fiber optic coupling.
Fiber optic couplers have been developed for the purpose of splitting the optical power available on a single fiber into several outputs. In a fiber optic coupler, optical power in an input optical fiber becomes distributed among all the optical fibers in the structure. Light not coupled to the neighboring fibers remains in the input fiber. The term "coupling ratio", as used herein, is defined as the ratio of the optical power in any one output fiber to the total output optical power in the coupler.
Fiber optic couplers are fabricated by fusing two or more optical fibers together in a coupling region. Successful coupler fabrication depends upon controlling the placement of the fibers brought into contact with each other in the coupling region prior to fusing. Imperfections such as dirt on the fiber surfaces, imbalances in tension forces applied to the fibers prior to the application of fusion heat, and three-dimensional non-uniformities in the applied fusion heat can reduce the coupler fabrication yield.
Fused couplers have been made from seven cylindrical fibers, in which six fibers surround a seventh central fiber. Due to the circular cross-section of the fibers, six identical fibers can be arranged around an identical central fiber so that each of the surrounding fibers will contact two neighboring surrounding fibers and the central fiber. The term "cross-section", as used herein, is defined as a cut lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coupler (i.e., the direction of propagation of light in the coupler). Mutual contact among the fibers promotes uniform fusion, and results in greater output power uniformity. The term "output power uniformity", as used herein, refers to the output power difference between the output fiber with the maximum optical power and the output fiber with the minimum optical power.
As taught by Stowe et al. (1992, U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,452, by one of the inventors here) unitary couplers of the form 1.times.N, with N fibers surrounding a central fiber, may be fabricated if the diameter d of the surrounding fibers is related to the diameter of the central fiber D according to the following diameter-ratio-equation: EQU d/D=sin (.pi./N)/(1-sin (.pi./N)).
For example, couplers employed in distribution systems that require splitting in multiples of four (e.g., 1.times.4, 1.times.8, 1.times.12, and 1.times.16 port configurations) may be fabricated by sizing fibers according to the above equation.


A basic transcoder, that decodes an encoded data stream and re-encodes it, may be used for locally modifying data in said stream. Said modification is carried out by defining a predicted data stream on the basis of a given modifying data stream and adding to the decoded stream--between the decoding and re--encoding parts of the transcoder--the difference between the modifying data stream and the predicted one. In an improved implementation, the modifying data stream is preprocessed so that it may be obtained in the decoded data stream a local substitution of said modifying data to the decoded ones.

In such a situation, i.e when additional digital data have to be added before transmission to an existing coded bitstream, the simplest solution is to decode said bitstream before carrying out said addition. The modified bitstream is then re-coded and transmitted. Unfortunately, a full decoding can generally be considered as expensive, as it requires a decoder and an encoder. Moreover, re-encoding with re-estimated modes and vectors may introduce artefacts on the areas left untouched by the logo addition.

Method and device for modifying data in an encoded data stream


A method for single image based image contrast quality evaluation is used in a computer controlled image system including an automated microscope for acquiring images. An image is acquired. An image contrast score is computed for the image. An image reliability score is computed for the image. The image contrast score and image reliability score are accumulated and combined to produce a contrast quality score. The contrast quality score is compared to a predetermined limit so as to produce a quality of processing result.

This invention relates to a method for the evaluation of image contrast quality in a single image in an automated optical system. More particularly, the present invention relates to evaluation of image contrast quality in an automated biological screening system, such as a system for analyzing cytological specimens stained according to the Papanicolaou stain process.
In automated optical systems, good image contrast quality promotes good image quality. Good image quality is key to the performance of any imaging application. As a result, it is very important to establish a reliable method to measure image contrast quality of acquired imagery. Such an image contrast quality measure may be used to determine the success of automated image acquisition and may trigger image reacquisition if image contrast quality is not acceptable. Suitable image quality is particularly important for an automated biological specimen screening system. Image contrast quality measurement is, therefore, also important for evaluating performance of such an automated biological specimen screening system.
Therefore, it is a motivation of the present invention to evaluate image contrast quality by measuring the changes in image edge contrast performed on a single image. Measurement of change in image edge contrast is normalized by the edge contrast to achieve image content independence. Additional operations of the present invention further condition the image and remove noise and cluttering to improve the reliability of the image contrast quality measurement.
The image contrast quality measurement employed by the present invention is designed to achieve consistent image contrast quality scoring for a wide range of image contents. It is designed to perform image contrast quality measurement based only on a single image rather than using the relative contrast between multiple images of the same field of view (FOV) acquired at different focus positions. Additionally the invention provides for the utilization of images acquired from biological specimens as well as the utilization of the image contrast scores from all images of a specimen for the evaluation of the processing effectiveness of an automated biological specimen screening system to the specimen.

Method and apparatus for image contrast quality evaluation


A marking tool assembly includes a plurality of marking punches for stamping alpha/numeric indicia into a workpiece. The punches are adapted to be indexed selectively to an active punching position beneath a striker which causes one of the punches to stamp the workpiece during the downstroke of the tool, the remaining punches resting idly on the workpiece. A stripper ring holds the striker rotationally stationary and also prevents rotation of a retaining ring for permitting up and down sliding of the punches in a holder and for guiding the punches to the active punching position.

This invention relates to a marking tool assembly adapted for use with a punch press and adapted to stamp identifying indicia on a workpiece which is processed by the punch press. For example, the marking tool assembly may be used to stamp a part number into the workpiece.
In one type of punch press, a punch is carried on the lower end of a hydraulically actuated ram which is adapted not only to be reciprocated upwardly and downwardly but also to be rotated about a vertical axis. During the downstroke of the ram, the punch coacts with an underlying die to form a hole through the workpiece. By rotating the ram, a non-circular punch may be positioned to form a non-circular hole in a preselected angular orientation in the workpiece.
As the punch moves through its downstroke, a stripper ring moves downwardly into engagement with the workpiece to clamp the workpiece against the die during the punching operation. The punch then moves downwardly through the stripper ring and punches the hole. As the punch is retracted, the stripper ring holds the workpiece downwardly to enable the punch to strip out of the workpiece. Thereafter, the stripper ring is retracted upwardly to permit the workpiece to be repositioned beneath the punch.
Conventionally, the hydraulic actuator for the ram may be preset to effect automatic retraction of the ram when a predetermined downward force is exerted on the punch. As a result, the actuator is protected against overload.

Indexable marking tool for use with a punch press


The linear drive for a belt pretensioner in a vehicle safety belt system excels by its elongated slim configuration and is thus suitable for incorporating in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The gas generator (20) is provided with an impact fuse which interacts with a spring-loaded striker (32). The striker (32) is maintained in its rest position by locking means (48). By means of a slidable sensor inertial body (26) in a housing (12) the lock can be cancelled to release the striker (32). The housing which also accommodates the gas generator (20) is located in the elongation of the cylinder (10) to which it is rigidly connected. Sensor inertial body (26) and striker (32) are movable in parallel to the axis of the cylinder, thus achieving the slim configuration.

The invention relates to a linear drive for a belt pretensioner in a vehicle safety belt system comprising a cylinder in which a piston is slidably accommodated, a pyrotechnical gas generator with an impact fuse, and a vehicle-sensitive sensor inertial body slidably arranged in a housing secured to the vehicle body.
In a linear drive of this type, an impact member, or striker, is held in a rest position by locking means spaced away from the impact fuse of the gas generator and is spring-loaded in the direction against the impact fuse. By vehicle-sensitive movement of the sensor inertial body the striker is released, the gas generator is thus activated and the piston is driven by the compressed gases liberated from the gas generator movement of the piston being transmitted to some component in the safety belt system to remove slack of the belt.
This type of linear drive can be arranged separate from a belt retractor or a fitting of the safety belt system, since the piston may be connected by a cable to the belt retractor or fitting. Using a cable also makes it possible to provide a deflection thus creating a high freedom of choice of location for accommodating the linear drive in the vehicle relative to the other components of the safety belt system.


A method and apparatus for controlling air inlet flow through a cleaner housing arranged downstream of a toner transfer area and adjacent an image forming surface of a photoreceptor in an electrophotographic machine. An adjustable air inlet baffle, with attached film seal, is mounted on the cleaner housing such that an air inlet gap is formed. The size of the gap and direction of air flow can be varied by the structure of the baffle. Additionally, the attached film seal extends laterally across, contacts and rests upon the image forming surface of the photoreceptor, thus allowing the photoreceptor to pass under the film seal unobstructed while the film seal acts in sealing engagement with the photoreceptor to prevent emissions of residual toner from the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and more particularly to cleaning devices for removing residual toner and debris from a charge retentive surface of an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Typical cleaning methods in electrophotographic applications such as xerography, include a method to clean the charge retentive surface of an image forming apparatus by wiping with a fur brush, a web, a blade and the like, a method to clean by using magnetism or a magnetic brush, a method to clean by using an air current and/or a combination of at least several of the above. Cleaning methods employing an air current, either in combination with a brush, brush and blade or multiple blades are most preferred for use with the apparatus described herein.
The control of inlet air flow is essential for cleaning devices which use air flow through the cleaner housing. Cleaner housings may have upstream and downstream air inlets, such as electrostatic brush cleaners, for instance, and must balance the air flows from the two sides of the housing. This is typically done by controlling the cleaner housing spacing to the photoreceptor, the spacing between the brush and the cleaner housing inner wall and/or by adding interferences between the brush and the cleaner housing inner wall near the air inlet to create a pressure situation which will affect the air flow. All of these air flow control methods are effective to some degree.
Each, however, requires extremely close tolerances to maintain the spacings and interferences which are essential for the methods to function as desired. Further, there are generally a large number of parts which must be taken into account to determine the total tolerance stackup for the spacings and interferences. Some parts, such as the electrostatic brush, cannot be held to very tight tolerances and have poor environmental and age stability. Other parts, such as a cleaner housing assembly, can be manufactured to a moderate tolerance but, because other portions of the part must also be held to a critical location(s), the tolerance at the air inlet is compromised by the competing function(s). This problem may occur in many types of cleaner housings situated against the photoreceptor with active or passive air flow and used to control toner or other effluent emissions.
Additionally, toner emissions have been controlled on some blade cleaner housings by use of an upstream film seal riding on the photoreceptor surface. These seals prevent toner clouds, formed at the tip of the cleaning blade, from escaping the cleaner housing. No detrimental affects are caused by these film seals riding on a photoreceptor surface unless an untransferred toner image would be disturbed.

Method to control housing air inlet gap and means therefor


In a circuit arrangement for coupling a first signal into a second electric signal formed as an alternating signal, a device is provided for compensating for effects of the coupling on the signal pattern of the second signal, particularly on the "pulse tilt" of the second signal. In a preferred variant of the circuit arrangement, the coupling is inductive, whereby the compensation device comprises a capacitively functioning element. The circuit arrangement is particularly suited for coupling a direct-voltage signal into an alternating-signal bus.

The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement for coupling a first electric signal into a second signal formed as an alternating signal.
In data bus systems, it is generally known to carry both a data signal as well as a supply voltage on a bus conductor. EP-A 0 365 696 discloses such a system. A voltage supply supplies the bus conductor with a direct voltage which is symmetrical to ground. Several subscribers are linked to the bus conductor and tap off the supply voltage from the bus conductor and, further, receive a data signal from the bus conductor and transmit data on this conductor. The data signal is formed as an alternating signal with a square-wave pulse. The subscribers on the bus cause the signal pattern of this signal to change. It can happen that the data signal is changed to such an extent that the signal recognition processes no longer function properly.

Circuit arrangement for coupling a first electric signal into a second electric signal


Considerations for selecting capacitive sensors include accuracy, repeatability, long-term stability, ease of calibration, resistance to chemical and physical contaminants, size, packaging, integration options with other sensors and/or electronics, and cost effectiveness. It is beneficial if such sensors are amenable to above-IC integration with associated control/readout circuitry for reduced parasitics and reduced footprint through area sharing. The inventors have established a combined Lorentz force based magnetometer and accelerometer MEMS sensor exploiting a low temperature, above-IC-compatible fabrication process operating without requiring vacuum packaging. By switching an electrical current between two perpendicular directions on the device structure a 2D in-plane magnetic field measurement can be achieved while concurrently, the device serves as a 1D accelerometer for out-of-plane acceleration, by switching the current off and by monitoring the structure's capacitive change in response to acceleration. The design can thus separate magnetic and inertial force measurements, utilizing a single compact device.

Sensors are transducers or converters that measure a physical quantity and convert it into a signal which can be read. Typically, that reading is by an electronic instrument which converts the signal to a measurement based upon the sensitivity of the sensor, its calibration data, and other corrections. Included within the many types of sensors are those relating to sound, acoustics, vibration, chemicals, humidity, pressure, fluid flow, position, displacement, force, level, temperature, proximity, and acceleration. For each type of sensor, different sensing mechanisms exist which may for example be targeted to different dynamic ranges, speed, accuracy, etc. Amongst these capacitive sensing constitutes a very important means of monitoring and accordingly, capacitive sensors have major applications in the consumer, industrial, automotive and medical fields.
However, in essentially all applications, the important considerations for selecting a capacitive sensor include, but are not limited to, accuracy, repeatability, long-term stability, ease of calibration, resistance to chemical and physical contaminants, size, packaging, integration options with other sensors and/or electronics, and cost effectiveness. It is usually desirable to miniaturize and integrate such capacitive sensing systems in order to meet the requirements of existing markets and penetrate new markets and reduce fabrication costs through batch processing. Sustainable protection from oxidation and corrosion and ruggedness are also especially critical for operation in harsh environments. In many instances, the integration of capacitive based sensors directly with their associated electronics is important in attaining packaging dimensions and costs that are compatible with very low-cost high volume markets, such as consumer electronics for example. Additionally, the ability to integrate multiple capacitive sensors within a single compact low cost system is beneficial as it reduces system footprint and overall assembly costs.
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are small integrated devices or systems that combine electrical and mechanical components. The components can range in size from the sub-micrometer level to the millimeter level, and there can be any number, from one, to few, to potentially thousands or millions, in a particular system. Historically, MEMS devices have leveraged and extended the fabrication techniques developed for the silicon integrated circuit industry, namely lithography, doping, deposition, etching, etc. to add mechanical elements such as beams, gears, diaphragms, and springs to silicon circuits either as discrete devices or in combination with silicon electronics. Examples of MEMS device applications today include inkjet-printer cartridges, accelerometers, miniature robots, micro-engines, locks, inertial sensors, micro-drives, micro-mirrors, micro actuators, optical scanners, fluid pumps, transducers, chemical sensors, pressure sensors, and flow sensors. These systems can sense, control, and activate mechanical processes on the micro scale, and function individually or in arrays to generate effects on the macro scale. The micro fabrication technology enables fabrication of large arrays of devices, which individually perform simple tasks, or in combination can accomplish complicated functions.
Silicon CMOS electronics has become the predominant technology in analog and digital integrated circuits. This is essentially because of the unparalleled benefits available from CMOS in the areas of circuit size, operating speed, energy efficiency and manufacturing costs which continue to improve from the geometric downsizing that comes with every new generation of semiconductor manufacturing processes. In respect of MEMS systems, CMOS is particularly suited as digital and analog circuits can be designed in CMOS technologies with very low power consumption. This is due, on the digital side, to the fact that CMOS digital gates dissipate power predominantly during operation and have very low static power consumption. This power consumption arising from the charging and discharging of various load capacitances within the CMOS gates, mostly gate and wire capacitance, but also transistor drain and transistor source capacitances, whenever they are switched. On the analog side, CMOS processes also offers power savings by offering viable operation with sub-1V power supplies and with μA-scale bias currents.
Amongst the many environmental parameters electrical and magnetic field (EMF) exposure has been the subject of substantial research and analysis. Health-related research around EMF has focused primarily on magnetic field exposure. However, magnetic fields are not easily sensed and accordingly today micromachined Lorentz force based magnetometers are receiving considerable attention in the sensing community, as they can be fabricated without requiring any custom magnetic materials (e.g., integrated permanent magnets in the device of Ettelt et al., "A Novel Microfabricated High Precision Vector Magnetometer" (Proc. IEEE Conf. on Sensors, pp. 2010-2013). The ability to remove magnetic materials allows for the co-fabrication of magnetometers alongside other MEMS sensors on the same chip, for augmented functionality with minimum impact on form factor. Such integration is highly attractive for consumer electronics applications, where MEMS sensors are playing an increasing role each day. In such cost-sensitive applications, exotic magnetic materials often do not justify the added costs and fabrication complexity, and limit the compatibility of magnetometers with other MEMS sensing structures and integrated circuits (ICs). Within the prior art an out-of-plane Lorentz force magnetometer and a ferromagnetic in-plane nickel magnetometer have been reported requiring high temperature fabrication steps, e.g., 800° C. In other research Lorentz force-based resonant sensors for in-plane or out-of-plane magnetic fields have been reported using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. While two similar orthogonal structures could be used for 3D sensing, these devices are not suitable for post-CMOS monolithic integration. Chang et al. in "Development of Multi-Axis CMOS-MEMS Resonant Magnetic Sensor Using Lorentz and Electromagnetic Forces" (Proc. IEEE Conf. on MEMS, pp. 193-196) co-fabricated CMOS electronics and MEMS magnetometer exploiting the commercial TSMC 0.35 μm technology but this restricts the materials and inherits the constraints inherent to that semiconductor process node.
Alternatively, sensors that are amenable to above-IC integration present lower parasitics to the associated readout circuitry, resulting in an improved overall sensitivity. Furthermore, the area sharing made possible by overlaying the sensors with the electronics allows for smaller overall chip size, compared to the side-by-side co-fabrication approach. Accordingly, the inventors have established a combined Lorentz force based magnetometer and accelerometer MEMS sensor exploiting a low temperature, above-IC-compatible fabrication process. The proposed sensor exploits switching an electrical current between two perpendicular directions on the device structure to achieve a 2D in-plane magnetic field measurement. Concurrently, the device serves as a 1D accelerometer for out-of-plane acceleration, by switching the current off and by monitoring the structure's capacitive change in response to acceleration. The design can thus separate magnetic and inertial force measurements, utilizing a single compact device. The combined Lorentz force based magnetometer and accelerometer MEMS sensor supports static operation at atmospheric pressure removing the requirements for complex vacuum packaging. However, the device can also be packaged under vacuum allowing it to operate at resonance for enhanced sensitivity. The device is fabricated using a silicon carbide (SiC) surface micromachining technology established by the inventors which is fully adapted for above-IC integration on standard CMOS substrates.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

Combined magnetometer accelerometer MEMS devices and methods

THE ROYAL INSTITUTION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING/MCGILL UNIVERSITY


A pivoting headreast assembly (10) has a headrest body (12) pivotally mounted to a mounting post (14). The headrest body (12) is hollow and houses a ratchet mechanism (104) for controlling the angular positioning of the headrest body (12). The headrest body (12) has an upper shell section (30) and a lower base section (32) provided with snap-lock couplings (50, 52) for enabling the sections (30, 32) to be snapped into engagement with one another.

Various headrest assemblies are known to the art in which a headrest body of the assembly is pivotably mounted to a support post. The body of such assemblies is usually hollow and houses a pivoting mechanism therein.
One example of such a headrest assembly is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,994 to Yamashita, granted Aug. 22, 1989. This patent teaches forming the body of the headrest in two sections which are welded together to join the sections and capture the mounting post and pivoting mechanism therebetween. Welding the body sections together, however, is undesirable in that it requires costly welding equipment and adds an additional step to the manufacture of the headrest.

Pivoting headrest having snap-together body sections


Methods and systems are provided for managing a wagering system. In one exemplary embodiment, state information of a live event such as a sports game may be received in real time. During the event, a plurality of possible future states of the event and their associated probabilities (and odds) may be determined based on the state information, historical information, and current in-game information. A betting market is created for betting on the possible future states at determined odds. The betting market is closed, and winning and losing bets are resolved based on updated state information.

Many companies offer users opportunities to bet on the winner of a sporting event, such as a race or basketball game, before the start of the event. For example, a betting agent may publish odds for betting on the various possible winners, and users may place bets that a particular player or team will win.

Wagering on event outcomes during the event


A device with a key-operated lock cylinder acts on a switching device as a function of the turning of a key. In addition to the key channel for holding the associated key and the tumblers, the cylinder core has a permanent magnet on its periphery. Similarly, in addition to a locking channel for the tumblers, the cylinder housing has at least one sensor which, when the cylinder core is actuated by the key, responds to the permanent magnet and activates the switching device via an evaluator. In order to secure the device against theft as a result of an unauthorized person replacing the cylinder core in the lock cylinder, an entire group of different cylinder cores is associated with the cylinder housing. They differ from one another with respect to at least one of their permanent magnets. In the device a given pair of cylinder core and cylinder housing is used as the lock cylinder which then has a given magnet code. When the lock cylinder is actuated by the key, the sensor detects the differences in the magnets. If the evaluator is programmed to a given magnet code, the evaluator responds only when the correct cylinder core corresponding to its magnet code is located in the lock cylinder when the lock Ls actuated by the key. If an unauthorized person replaces the cylinder core, the lock cylinder would have a different magnet code which cannot activate the device evaluator.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a device wherein in the area of lock cylinders, both mechanical and electrical components are used, which, when a key is used to operate the lock, activate or deactivate electrical functions by way of the electrical switching device. The lock cylinder consists of a stationary cylinder housing with a rotatable cylinder core inside, which can be rotated by a properly fitting key. The mechanical components comprise a key channel which accepts the key, tumblers in the cylinder core, and a locking channel for the tumblers in the cylinder housing. The electrical components include at least one permanent magnet on the circumference of the cylinder core and a sensor in the cylinder housing, which, when the key is used to operate the cylinder core, responds to the permanent magnet. The sensor is connected to an evaluator, which activates the electrical switching device when the key operates the lock. The lock cylinder of a device such as this is preferably installed as a steering lock in the area of the steering column of a motor vehicle, and the electrical switching device contains the electronics of the engine. Devices of this type are used to protect the motor vehicle against theft. The device is then referred to as an "electronic device for preventing a vehicle from being driven away".
2. Description of the Related Art
A device such as this is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,031. In this device, the vehicle is protected from theft even after the thief has pulled the cylinder core of the lock cylinder axially out of the cylinder housing in order to manipulate the interior of the cylinder housing. In this known device, the cylinder core has a radially spring-loaded retaining element, which, when the cylinder core is installed, snaps behind a shoulder on the housing. It is thus easy to install the cylinder core axially in the cylinder housing. When the cylinder core is torn out axially by the thief, the retaining element destroys the electrical connections of the sensor in the cylinder housing and thus makes the device inoperable. This anti-theft protection fails, however, when it is possible to use a break-in tool to move the spring-loaded retaining element into its release position with respect to the cylinder housing. In the case of devices in which the cylinder core is not connected to the cylinder housing by means of a snap-in attachment such as this, however, no anti-theft protection is present at all. The reason for this is as follows.
The anti-theft protection of vehicles equipped with these types of lock cylinders consists in that there are a large number of different lock cylinders, each of which has a different set of tumblers in the cylinder core. The cylinder core can thus be rotated only by a certain key which fits this cylinder core. Whereas the cylinder housing has a uniform design, there are many different keys, and each key fits only the corresponding, individual arrangement of tumblers in the cylinder core. To break open a lock equipped with a lock cylinder for which the proper key is not available, it is sufficient for the thief to tear out the cylinder core and replace it with a new cylinder core, for which he has the proper key. It makes no difference to the cylinder housing that the original cylinder core has been replaced by a new one for which the thief has the proper key. This theft strategy also functions in the case of the known device in which the cylinder core has a permanent magnet and the cylinder housing has a sensor, because the new cylinder core bought with the key also has a permanent magnet, which is then able to perform the same functions in the interior of the cylinder housing as the permanent magnet of the torn-out cylinder core. The known device thus does not offer adequate protection.

Device with a key-operated lock cylinder and with an electrical switching device, in particular an electronic lock for preventing a vehicle from being driven away


A theft deterrent system having two operational modes for selectively disabling a vehicle and sounding a siren. A first operational mode disables an engine component of the vehicle, sounds the siren, and locks the hood of the vehicle upon a use or a by-pass of the ignition switch. A second operational mode allows a use or a by-pass of the ignition switch to operate the vehicle for a predetermined amount of time before disabling an engine component, sounding the siren, and locking the hood of the vehicle. The system includes a keypad through which a controlling code may be entered, a remote keypad allowing the same, and a keypad disguising assembly for installation into a dashboard of the vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automobile alarms and more particularly pertains to vehicle theft deterrent systems which may be utilized for selectively disabling a vehicle and sounding a siren.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of automobile alarms is known in the prior art. More specifically, automobile alarms heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of preventing a theft of an automobile are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
For example, an auto theft alarm is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,369 which includes a sound maker coupled to a complex switch having a plurality of switches arranged in series. An activation switch is coupled to the shock absorber of the vehicle so that the alarm is activated only by a motion up and down of the vehicle such as occurs during driving.
An auto alarm system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,321 which is responsive to a theft of the vehicle either by pulling the lock mechanism or by starting of the vehicle through the forced entry of the bowl plate. The alarm system further includes a signal system remote from the detection system for emitting a signal frequency for detection remote from the vehicle. The detector may include distance and direction detection from the detector to the vehicle.
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,714 which discloses a vehicle anti-theft alarm. The alarm detects mechanical disturbances of the vehicle through primary disturbance sensors having steel balls or the like in small compartment inside which they are free to roll. Impacts of one or more balls against compartment walls generate pulses of high frequency sound and vibration, which are in turn sensed by an adjacent high frequency microphone or vibration pickup. The output of this transducer is then amplified and suitably processed to energize a horn or other alarm device.
Other patents of interest include U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,256 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,856.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a vehicle theft deterrent system having two operational modes for selectively disabling a vehicle and sounding a siren in which a first operational mode disables an engine component of the vehicle, sounds a siren, and locks a hood of the vehicle upon a use or by-pass of the ignition switch, and a second operational mode allows the vehicle to operate for a predetermined length of time before providing the same. In this respect, the vehicle theft deterrent system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of selectively disabling a vehicle and sounding a siren upon a theft of such vehicle.

Vehicle theft deterrent system including hood locking means


A prevacuum steam sterilization test pack, for testing the efficiency of the vacuum system of a steam sterilizer apparatus to create a vacuum, comprises a bundle of layers and a porous overwrap folded about the bundle to maintain the integrity thereof. The bundle includes a porous test sheet with a steam sensitive indicator ink printed thereon positioned between layers of the bundle to indicate the efficiency of the vacuum system of a sterilizer, a plurality of selectively porous layers within the bundle above and below said test sheet, and at least one pair of non-porous gas-impermeable layers disposed intermediate the test sheet and one of the bundle end surfaces. The pair of non-porous layers is spaced from both the test sheet and the one bundle end surface by at least one of the porous layers, and the non-porous layers are spaced apart by at least one and no more than two of the porous layers. The number, the position and spacing apart of the non-porous layers depend upon a predesignated degree of efficiency.

This invention relates generally to the sterilization of medical and surgical products, and more specifically to a test pack adapted to be processed through a conventional sterilization cycle in a prevacuum steam sterilizer to check the proper operation of the sterilizer.
In the sterilization of medical dressings and instruments by steam, such dressings or instruments are conventionally assembled in bundles or packs and placed in a steam sterilization chamber which is sequenced through an appropriate sterilization cycle. Individual packages may contain stacks of towels, dressings, sponges and similar materials or may contain desired complements of surgical instruments or equipment for specific surgical procedures.
A current method of steam sterilization practice involves the placement of such packs in a sterilizer, the evacuation of air from the sterilizer and the introduction of saturated steam at a desired pressure to produce a desired temperature (typically 270.degree.-276.degree. F.) for a selected period of time. Prevacuum sterilizers operating in this manner have frequently replaced the downward displacement or gravity air discharge sterilizers previously used. The significant advantage of the prevacuum method is that removal of air before introduction of steam permits the rapid penetration of steam throughout the surgical pack. Elimination of air is necessary in all steam sterilizers since air trapped in the packages would prevent sterilization of the portion of the pack's interior where it collected. With the prevacuum method, the time required for steam penetration in a typical sterilization cycle is greatly reduced, and prevacuum sterilizers currently operate on a relative short cycle (with an exposure time on the order of 4 minutes at 134.degree. C.). The operation of such sterilizers is well described in John J. Perkins, Principles and Methods of Sterilization, in the Health Sciences, published by Charles C Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, Chapter VI, "Prevacuum High Temperature Sterilization."
The ability to sterilize instruments in a shortened time, however, is dependent on the assumption that air is properly evacuated from the sterilizer. This includes the expectation that the vacuum system is functioning properly to evacuate the chamber initially and that there are no air leaks in the sterilizer or the vacuum lines which would permit introduction of air after the vacuum is drawn. During routine use, wear on certain sterilizer parts will eventually result in air leaks, and there is a need to test the sterilizer on a periodic (daily) basis to ascertain whether the vacuum system is functioning properly.
In 1961, a test procedure was proposed by J. Dick et al. and described by J.H. Bowie, et al. of the Department of Microbiology, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland in an article appearing in The Lancet, Mar. 16, 1963, pp. 586-587, which suggested a protocol for determining that the sterilizer was in proper working order, and that the vacuum system was operating properly. As indicated in the article, residual air in the system at the time steam is introduced will be swept by the steam pressure into the pack, usually to the pack center. Trapped air in the pack inhibits proper steam penetration.
According to the Bowie and Dick protocol, autoclave tape was used in combination with a stack of surgical towels to test the working order of the sterilizer on a daily basis. Autoclave tape is an adhesive tape having printed on its top surface stripes of a chemical composition which has the property of changing color, for example from white to black, upon exposure to steam at an appropriate temperature for an appropriate period of time. According to the Bowie and Dick protocol, such tape was placed on a fabric sheet in a cross configuration, and the fabric sheet was then placed within a stack of folded surgical towels. The entire assembly was placed within the sterilizer. The sterilizer was run through its usual cycle with an exposure time of three and one-half minutes at 133.degree.-134.degree. C., after which the tape cross was examined to determine whether steam had completely penetrated the towel stacks effectively. A uniform color change was indication of a pass, and the presence of incompletely changed indicator color was a failure.
This protocol is currently in widespread use and is described in the Association For The Advancement Of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Recommended Practice: Good Hospital Practice for Steam Sterilization and Sterility Assurance, 1988 ed., published by the AAMI, 1901 North Ft. Myer Drive, Suite 602, Arlington, VA 22209. As indicated in Paragraph 6.7 of that publication, entitled "Prevacuum Sterilizer Residual Air Test," the test involves the use of 100% cotton huckaback towels, freshly laundered but not ironed (in view of the fact that excess dryness may affect the test results) folded in a 9".times.12" configuration and piled 10"-11" high. The details of the Bowie and Dick procedure are described in the above-referenced Recommended Practice. Standards for sterilizer performance in other parts of the world may require different pack constructions to test for the desired sterilizer efficiency. For example, test packs which would provide an acceptable challenge in the U.S.A. would be considered to be inadequate in Europe, whereas a test pack considered to be adequate in Europe would overchallenge U.S. sterilizers.
The testing of prevacuum sterilizers according to the Bowie and Dick protocol involves a number of important shortcomings. Firstly, the test is subject to individual execution by the sterilization section of the hospital on a daily basis, and the various requirements of the Bowie and Dick Protocol--namely the type of towels or other fabrics used, their condition, age and the like (all of which affect the significance of the test result)--may vary widely from day to day and from institution to institution. Secondly, the performance of the Bowie and Dick protocol is relatively inconvenient and costly in that the expense of laundering towels (which cannot be thereafter used without relaundering), assembling the test arrangement and the like involve costly hospital labor. Additionally, certain hospitals have elected to eliminate laundry facilities entirely, utilizing only single-use disposable fabrics for their procedures, making the proper conduct of the Bowie and Dick protocol more inconvenient.
Attempts have been made to permit the use of a test sheet without the use of the conventional stacks of cotton towels in accordance with the Bowie and Dick protocol. As indicated in the literature on the Bowie and Dick protocol, various types of defects are most frequently found in sterilization equipment. Principal among these are (1) inadequacy of initial vacuum, leaving residual air within the packs, and (2) air leaks within the chamber or vacuum system which permit the re-entrainment of air after a vacuum has been drawn. In designing a test pack to evaluate both these types of flaws, as well as others, it was discovered that there are a variety of different constraints operating.
For example, to the extent a flaw is present in the vacuum system which prevents a sufficient vacuum from being formed in the first instance, a test pack having a low porosity and/or high bulk is more likely to reveal a flaw of this type than one having a high porosity and/or lower bulk. As the vacuum is drawn, the air within the test pack tends to be drawn out of the pack. Low porosity and/or very bulky material surrounding the test sheet would tend to increase the difficulty of removal of such air and increase the likelihood that the test pack would indicate a flaw.
On the other hand, flaws caused by leaks involve the introduction of air into the sterilizer after the vacuum has been drawn. In this situation, the relationship between the porosity of the material surrounding the test sheet and sensitivity of the test is the reverse. The less porous and/or more bulky the material surrounding the test sheet, the less likely it is that air introduced into the sterilizer after the vacuum has been drawn (as in the case of a leak) will re-enter the test pack. Accordingly, with respect to a flaw resulting from air leaks after a sufficient vacuum has been drawn, low porosity material surrounding the test sheet would tend to make it more difficult for air from such a leak to enter the pack and decrease the likelihood that such a test pack would indicate a flaw.
In order to properly test the sterilizer, a test pack must provide an appropriate, but not excessive challenge to the vacuum system using as a guideline the challenge provided by the currently accepted towel pack standard for the Bowie and Dick protocol. It is desirable to design a relatively small, inexpensive and disposable test pack which achieves a challenge to the sterilizer comparable to the challenge provided by the accepted Bowie and Dick protocol.
Exemplary of the various attempts to provide a Bowie and Dick-type test pack without using towels are the multilayer test packs described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,486,387; 4,576,795; 4,579,715; 4,596,696; and 4,692,307. For example, according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,387, a multilayer disposable test pack is composed of a sterilization test sheet having defined areas adapted to change color in response to the presence of steam under selected exposure conditions, surrounded by a set of disposable non-woven porous sheets of material arranged in overlying relation above and below the test sheet. The innermost sheets of material form an inner core region around the test sheet, and the remaining sheets form an outer shell region, with the porosity and bulk of the inner core region and the porosity of the outer shell region being selected so as to define a desirable challenge to the sterilizer.
The test pack of U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,387 is designed to be used according to the accepted Bowie and Dick protocol and to be placed in an otherwise empty sterilization chamber, sequenced through a predetermined cycle and removed. The pack is then opened and the interior test sheet examined for evidence of inadequate steam penetration, air bubbles and like defects. The presence of such defects indicates faults in the vacuum or other systems within the sterilization unit which require evaluation and repair. The test is intended to be performed on a daily basis with the interior test sheet forming a permanent record of such testing. The non-woven sheet material and the remainder of the pack are disposed of after a single use.
Such a test pack provides detection of the common sterilizer flaws in a manner comparable to the Bowie and Dick Protocol. Nonetheless, these multilayer test packs have not been found to be entirely satisfactory. Their complex construction requires a large number of sheets to be arranged in appropriate sequence and number and then packaged with overwrap or placed in an outside container providing a predetermined tightness. The complexity of the construction and the care required in assembling the same adds to the cost of the product. While the conventional multilayer test packs are generally about 5.times.5.times.7/8 inches in the U.S. and about 5.times.4.times.1 inches in Europe, and thus substantially smaller than the towel packs required by the Bowie and Dick protocol, they are still relatively bulky when stored in quantity for daily tests. Accordingly, the need remains for a test pack which is composed of fewer sheets, thereby reducing the complexity of the construction and the care required in assembling the same, and thus the overall costs of the product. Further, the need remains for a test pack which is somewhat smaller than the presently available test packs, so that they present less bulk when stored in quantity for daily tests.
While some of the conventional multilayer test packs utilize a non-porous sheet of reduced steam and/or air permeability in order to enable a reduction of the overall size of the test pack without compromising the challenge presented to the stabilizer, the addition of the non-porous layer reduces the porosity of the test pack considerably and typically only one such sheet is used to either side of the test sheet (that is, one non-porous sheet intermediate the test sheet and each bundle end surface). It is in conventional thinking that the effect of a non-porous sheet is so strong that only one such non-porous sheet should be used between the test sheet and a bundle end surface or, if more than one is used, each non-porous sheet should be separated by numerous porous sheets.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively small, inexpensive and disposable test pack for use in prevacuum steam sterilizers to determine whether the sterilizer is functioning in accordance with proper standards by simulating air evacuation and steam penetration conditions of the conventional pack described in the Bowie and Dick protocol so as to define an appropriate challenge for a residual air test in a prevacuum sterilizer.
Another object is to provide such a test pack for prevacuum sterilizers which provides a repeatable and consistent standard for testing the working order of the sterilizer from day to day and from sterilizer to sterilizer, yet requires neither assembly by hospital personnel nor the use of hospital linen or laundries for its initial use.
A further object is to provide such a test pack utilizing fewer layers than other comparable multilayer test packs.
A still further object is to provide such a test pack which is more compact than a conventional multilayer test pack offering a similar challenge in at least one and preferably two or even three dimensions.

Compact prevacuum steam sterilizer test pack


A system and method for ensuring accurate reception of digitally encoded files that are transmitted in non-real time from a distribution station to a plurality of receiving stations, e.g. cable headends. Each file is divided into a plurality of data packets, with the packets being transmitted via satellite to the headends. Each headend determines which packets are in error (i.e. missing or jumbled) and need to be re-transmitted to the headend from the distribution station. After such a determination, each headend communicates a request over a land-link, e.g. telephone line or internet, to the distribution station requesting re-transmission of the packets in error. The distribution station then re-transmits these particular packets either via the land-link or the satellite. Re-transmission in non-real time via the land-link allows the headend to simultaneously receive packets via satellite and land-link so as to reduce the time taken to transmit files from the distribution station to the headends. The different land-links coupling the distribution station to each receiving station allow different data packets to simultaneously be re-transmitted to different receiving stations.

Multi-station communications in radio links, buss type wire-links, and other networks such as satellites, have the capability of delivering information to a plurality of receiving stations throughout the network by way of a single transmission. For instance, a satellite transmission generally may be simultaneously received by a plurality of separate and distinct receiving dishes.
A problem of longstanding concern arises when certain receiving stations determine that particular data packets of information received from the distribution station are in error (i.e. missing or jumbled) and require re-transmission. When a plurality of receiving stations simultaneously communicate their re-transmission requests to the central distribution station, these repeat request signals often conflict with one another thus resulting in communication error preventing the desired packets from being re-transmitted from the distribution station. As will be evident to those of skill in the art, such conflicts typically arise when a plurality of receiving stations share the same communication link with the distribution station thus leading to problems of multi-access.
Different types of communication links have typically been used for transfer of data. One type of common carrier communication link is terrestrial such as cable or leased phone lines. Other common carriers may include high speed satellite, microwave, or FM band links. Such links often have different lengths, operate at different error rates, and transfer data packets at different speeds. Because a variety of communication links having different characteristics may be available between two locations, it is advantageous to choose the communication link which is the most economical and efficient for the type of data transfer desired. It is therefore desireable to provide a communication system which is flexible, adjustable, and efficiently used for data transfer over communication links having different characteristics.
Because of the value and precision of data file transfer, it is important that all data be correctly transferred, particularly in the face of predictable errors caused in the communication links used for data transfer. Such errors are often caused, for example, in satellite links by bolts of lighting.
In response to such problems, conventional file transfer protocols (FTPs), such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), based on a layered architecture have been developed for the transfer of data between remote computers or servers. Such protocols divide files into packets, add error identification data thereto, and then transmit the packets or frames so as to allow evaluation with respect to whether the packets are correctly received. The receiving station analyzes the error identification data and thus identifies packets in error. After such a determination is made as to which packets need to be re-sent, the receiving station typically communicates to the sending station which data frames or packets are in error and requests re-transmission of such frames.
A downside to such systems is that when different receiving stations request re-transmission of different packets, such re-transmission of different packets to different stations via satellite take up valuable satellite time and lengthens the time required to transmit and re-transmit the files to the different receiving stations. Furthermore, the aforementioned problem of multi-access arises when multiple receiving stations simultaneously attempt to request re-transmissions from the distributor via a common link such as a satellite channel, problems of multi-access also lengthening the time period required to transfer files from the distributors to the receiving stations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,828 discloses a method for error-free file transfer and reception wherein a distribution station transmits/transfers files to a plurality of receiving stations. Each file to be transferred is divided into a plurality of data packets, these packets being transmitted from the distribution station to the receiving stations via the SCA band of an FM channel. In an effort to avoid the aforementioned problems which occur when receiving stations request re-transmissions of select packets in error, the distribution station of this patent cyclically re-transmits each packet for a predetermined number of transmission cycles, e.g. five. In other words, each file (made up of a plurality of packets) is transmitted five times. In such a manner, the receiving stations need not request re-transmission if certain packets are in error, they simply need wait for the next transmission cycle originating from the distribution station. Although the system of this patent may well perform satisfactorily, the need for up to five transmission cycles is undesirable in that it unduly ties up costly transmitter time and prevents additional data files from being transferred via the same link.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,171 discloses a method and system for data communication between first (sender) and second (receiver) stations. Files to be transferred from the first station to the second in this patent are divided into a plurality of data packets, each packet being transmitted via satellite from the sender to the receiver. The receiver station upon detecting errors in specific packets, transmits requests for re-transmission with respect to these specific packets back to the sender station. Such requests for re-transmission are also by way of satellite, as is the actual re-transmission of packets originally in error. The provision of two-way satellite communication in the data transfer system of this patent requires each station to have its own satellite transmitter and receiver (as opposed to only a receiver or transmitter) thus significantly increasing the cost of the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,194 discloses a communication system wherein a central office distributes file data in the form of data packets to a plurality of local or receiving offices. Upon detecting packet errors, the receiving offices transmit requests for re-transmission back to the central office with respect to the packets in error, these re-transmission requests being via satellite. Because communication between the central office and the plurality of local offices is solely via satellite, each local office is required to have its own satellite transmitter thus significantly increasing the overall cost of the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,526 discloses a data communication system wherein data is transmitted via satellite from a first station to a second station. The second station acknowledges correct data packet reception via either a satellite transmission or a telephone link connecting the first and second stations. However, re-transmission of packets originally in error is also done via satellite thereby significantly increasing the time taken for correct transmission of such files.
Another disadvantage of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,526 data transfer system arises when the sending station is transferring data to a plurality of receiving station. In such an environment this system re-transmits "different" data packets sequentially to the different receiving stations. For instance, assume that receiving station number 1 requires re-transmission of packet numbers 15-20, and station numbers 2 and 3 require re-transmission of packet numbers 32-50 and 61-64 respectively. Under such circumstances, the distributing or sending station must first transmit packet numbers 15-20 to station 1, then packet numbers 32-50 to station 2, and finally packet numbers 61-64 to station 3. This unfortunately ties up an extremely large amount of costly satellite time and/or bandwidth in that all three re-transmissions cannot be done simultaneously.
It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for a file transfer communication system wherein data files may be transferred in packet form from a distribution station to a plurality of receiving stations (e.g. CATV headends) in a manner such that packets originally transmitted in error may be re-transmitted from the distribution station to the appropriate receiving station while at the same time the receiving station is still receiving packet data via satellite. Additionally, a need exists for different data packets to be simultaneously re-transmitted to different receiving stations. It would also be desireable if such a system were to avoid having a satellite transmitter disposed at each receiving station so as to reduce the overall cost of file transfer.
It is the purpose of this invention to fulfill the above-described needs in the art, as well as other needs apparent to the skilled artisan from the following detailed description of this invention.

System for distributing video/audio files from central location to a plurality of cable headends


A method/system for calibrating a vehicle sensor, including detecting data about the vehicle's surroundings using the sensor, and ascertaining stationary structures using the detected first data pieces. Stationary structures are selected for later calibration, and potential parking positions are determined. A parking position is selected from the potential parking positions so that after parking, stationary structures selected for a calibration of the sensor are in the sensor's field of vision. The vehicle is parked, and the position of the stationary structures selected for the calibration of the sensor is stored. After the vehicle start, second data pieces about the vehicle's surroundings are detected using the sensor, and instantaneous positions of the selected stationary structures are ascertained using the detected second data pieces. The instantaneous position are compared with the stored positions, and deviations between the instantaneous positions and the stored positions determined. The sensor is calibrated using the determined deviations.

Modern vehicles include a variety of sensors, via which information about the surroundings of the vehicle may be obtained. In order to guarantee a safe operation of the vehicle systems, which rely on obtained data, it must be ensured that the sensors of the vehicle are correctly calibrated.
A method for checking a surroundings detection system of a vehicle is discussed in EP 2 793 045 A1. Objects are detected with a first surroundings sensor type and are categorized as static and dynamic objects. In addition, the position of the detected static objects relative to the vehicle is determined. This position is subsequently compared to a relative position ascertained using a second surroundings sensor type. The method also takes an egomotion of the vehicle into account, so that it is not necessary for the sensor of the first surroundings sensor type to detect the object at the same time as the sensor of the second surroundings sensor type.
A method for the self-localization of a vehicle is discussed in DE 10 2015 009 869 A1. In this method, successive images are detected and an instantaneous position of the vehicle is ascertained based on positions deposited and assigned to the images. For this purpose, image features that are suitable for a self-localization, for example, a roadway marking or a manhole cover, are extracted in the images. The images may be detected, for example, with a stereo camera.
A method is discussed in WO 2012/052308 A1, with which the base width of a stereo detection system may be determined. In this system it is provided to detect an object in the vehicle surroundings and to determine a dimension of the object and the distance to the vehicle via the stereo detection system. The ascertained dimension is compared with a reference dimension of the object determined at a reference distance. Suitable for the comparison are, in particular, objects having standardized dimensions, such as traffic signs and license plates having a known height.
The disadvantage of methods in the related art is that a calibration of a sensor requires either an additional sensor system independent of the sensor or that the systems are reliant on the presence of standardized and known markers.

Method and system for carrying out a calibration of a sensor


Liquid bleaching and brightening compositions are provided in which a polymeric matrix stably suspends a fluorescent whitening agent, and, optionally, pigment particles. A particularly preferred composition includes an aqueous solution having sodium hypochlorite in an amount of from about 3.5 wt. % to about 6.2 wt. %, an anionic or nonionic surfactant in an amount of from about 0.03 wt. % to about 0.3 wt. %, a polymer in an amount of from about 0.3 wt. % to about 2.0 wt. %, a fluorescent whitening agent in an amount of from about 0.01 wt. % to about 0.2 wt. %, and, if desired, ultramarine blue particles in an amount of from about 0.01 wt. % to 0.2 wt. %, the fluorescent whitening agent and ultramarine blue particles being stably suspended and dispersed in the aqueous solution via the polymer.

A variety of substantially water insoluble particulates are known and useful in treating fabrics. For example, fluorescent whitening agents, also known as optical brighteners, or brighteners, which are adsorbed onto textile fibers and impart to the fabric an improved degree of whiteness or brightness (fluorescence) by means of their chemical ability to absorb ultraviolet radiation and re-emit visible radiation, have found widespread use as components of household detergent compositions. In order to provide substantial fabric whitening, it is desirable to combine the optical brightening capacity of fluorescent whitening agents with an effective bleach. Fluorescent whitening agents are, however, very reactive and generally unstable in liquid chlorine bleaches. The prior art has failed to provide a stable product incorporating fluorescent whitening agents in a liquid chlorine bleach.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,153 to Zimmerer et al. discloses the use of an oxidized polyethylene emulsion as a stabilizing agent for dispersions of fluorescent whitening agents in bleach. These emulsions, however, have been shown to substantially lack both physical and chemical stability.
Problems of physical and chemical stability are compounded when particulate pigments, or bluing agents, such as ultramarine blue, are also incorporated into the bleach composition. Bluing agents deposit on a fabric surface and, in contrast to optical brighteners, reflect blue light while absorbing yellow light. Although addition of bluing agents in conjunction with laundering additives is a desirable means of treating fabrics, it has been difficult to sufficiently stably suspend the bluing agents, particularly in a strongly oxidizing environment such as hypochlorite bleach, while retaining water dispersibility of the solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,030, issued June 2, 1981, inventors Brierley et al., discloses a liquid hypochlorite bleach having a particulate pigment, such as ultramarine blue, which is said to be stably suspended in the composition by means of a flocculant, such as calcium soap flocs and amine oxides, filling at least 50% of the volume of the composition; and, U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,442, issued May 16, 1972, inventor Briggs, discloses liquid bleaching compositions having a finely particulate terpolymer which imparts opacity to the compositions.
However, prior known compositions with particulates in aqueous solutions have posed sedimentation, coagulation or stability problems or have not found commercial acceptability as dual bleaching and bluing compositions. Co-pending application Ser. No. 574,565, filed Jan. 27, 1984, is addressed to stabilizing bluing agents in chlorine bleach compositions; this application, as noted above, relates to stabilizing both optical brighteners and bluing agents in chlorine bleach compositions.

Bleaching and brightening composition and method


Aspects and examples reduce the insertion loss and the noise figure of a filter module, which is configured by capacitive elements such as surface acoustic wave resonators and impedance matched. In one example, the filter module includes a filter having a certain passband and a matching resonator for impedance matching of the filter, the passband of the filter being included in a frequency band ranging between a resonant frequency and an antiresonant frequency of the matching resonator, and a center frequency of the passband of the filter being lower than a center frequency of the band ranging between the resonant frequency and the antiresonant frequency of the matching resonator.

Conventionally, in a communication device such as a mobile phone, a filter device has been used to separate a transmission signal from another signal having different band, such as a reception signal, for example. Band-pass filters have been used for the filter device. These band-pass filters can be configured using a surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator including one or more interdigital transducer (IDT) electrodes and reflectors, all of which are formed on a piezoelectric substrate made of lithium niobate or lithium tantalate. A filter configured with capacitive elements such as SAW resonators has a capacitive impedance, and therefore an inductive element is sometimes connected between the filter and an external terminal to achieve impedance matching.
FIG. 1A illustrates a first example of a conventional filter module 100 in which a matching inductor 110 is applied to a band-pass filter 120. As shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 1A, the matching inductor 110 is connected in series with and preceding the filter 120. Referring to the Smith chart of FIG. 1B, the impedance of the first conventional filter module 100 in the passband of the filter 120 is indicated by a solid line 130. The impedance 130 appears on the upper half of the Smith chart and is inductive. For comparison purposes, a comparative impedance of the filter 120 alone or without the matching inductor 110 is shown by a dashed line 135. This comparative impedance 135 appears on the lower half of the Smith chart and is capacitive.
FIG. 2 illustrates a second example of a conventional filter module 100a in which a matching inductor 110 is applied to a band-pass filter 120. As shown in the diagram of FIG. 2A, the matching inductor 110 is connected in parallel with and preceding the filter 120. In other words, the inductor 110 is connected between the ground and a node 125 joining the input terminal 115 with the filter 120. Referring to the Smith chart of FIG. 2B, the impedance of the second conventional filter module 100a in the passband of the filter 120 is indicated by a solid line 140. The impedance 140 appears on the upper half of the Smith chart and is inductive. For comparison purposes, the impedance of the filter 120 alone or without the matching inductor 110 shown by a dashed line 145, which largely appears on the lower half of the Smith chart and is capacitive.

Filter modules and filter arrays having inductive impedance


A process isolates, in a closed circulation, the soluble fluid carried over into a rinsing bath from said rinsing bath and to return the fluid into the upstream bath. To this end, enrichment by separating the soluble fluid from the rinsing bath is provided, the enriched fluid, which has been carried over, is returned into the upstream bath together with solvent, where the solvent is separated out with the use of a membrane.

The invention relates to a process for recovering a fluid dissolved in a rinsing bath.
In European Patent Application 92 113 503 there is described a bath comprising glycol ethers for cleaning printed circuit boards which are to be freed of soldering fluxes and/or flux residues. The printed circuit boards are immersed in the glycol ether bath whose cleaning effect can be enhanced by means of ultrasound. The bath is kept at a temperature from approximately 40.degree. to 50.degree. C.
After cleaning, the printed boards are immersed in a second container, in which they are freed of the glycol ethers by means of rinsing water. Owing to the carry-over of glycol ethers into the rinsing water bath in the second container, the concentration of the glycol ethers in the second container gradually increases.
After the rinsing process, the printed boards in the second container can be introduced into a third water container for further cleaning and subsequently be dried in an air stream, preferably in a heated air stream.
The object of this invention is to provide a process for universal use which makes it possible to recover and recycle, in closed circulation, relatively large amounts of fluids carried over into a rinsing bath, even though the fluid is soluble in the rinsing bath.

Process for recovering a fluid dissolved in a rinsing bath


A machine for baking thin wafers of the type which are foldable to form fortune cookies includes an oven, a parallel chain conveyor that moves continuously in a plurality of horizontal runs through the oven, and a plurality of baking units carried by the conveyor. Each baking unit consists of two associated platens mounted in movable face-to-face parallelism. The wafers are baked in cupped containers which are carried by one of the platens and which are sealed by the other platen during baking. Following a baking period, the platens are inverted. A mechanism is provided to remove baked wafers from the inverted platens. Finally, a mechanism is provided to carry the removed wafers to discharge from the machine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for the manufacture of baked foods and, more particularly, to an automatic machine for baking flat wafers from a batter where such wafers are adapted for subsequent folding to form fortune cookies.
2. State of the Art
A fortune cookie is a specialty food formed by folding a thin circular wafer about a pair of perpendicular axes into a characteristic shape. The general ingredients of a fortune cookie are water, flour, sugar, shortening and vanilla flavoring which are blended to form a batter according to various recipies known to workers in the art.
According to conventional prior practice, the batter is poured into special molds which are then heated to bake the wafers flat. A mold typically includes a shallow cupped container for holding a small quantity of the batter and a heavy cover plate which is pivotably mounted to sealingly cover the cupped container during the baking period. A single mold "unit" usually includes two side-by-side cups. In commerical ovens, a plurality of such mold units are arranged at spaced-apart intervals around a circular frame which is rotatable like a carrousel. The mold units are heated by gas flames as they rotate horizontally with the frame beneath special hoods. After baking the thin flat wafers are folded into the characteristic fortune cookie shape while still warm and pliable.
In conventional practice, the wafers are manually removed from the molds, usually by manipulating a sharpened wooden implement to scrape or shovel the wafers from the cupped containers. Manual removal of the wafers, however, is unduly slow if automatic or semi-automatic folding machines are to be used at high production rates.
Ovens which include automatic means for removing wafers are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,605,642 and 3,265,016. In the former patent, FIG. 1 and 3 show wafers being "ejected" from baking cups by piston-like inserts disposed in the bottoms of the cups; thereafter, the wafers are plied from the faces of the inserts. Also in the former patent, dual folding devices are provided for use with double-cup baking units. In the latter patent, wafers are dislodged from an intermittantly-operated apertured belt by means of a bifurcated folding member.