A syringe assembly including a plunger rod and a plunger tip which are designed to provide a low frictional resistance against the interior surface of the syringe barrel while the plunger rod is at rest but which will increase the sealing pressure between the plunger tip and the interior surface of the syringe barrel in proportion to the amount of force applied to the plunger rod. Additionally, the plunger rod may be moved in the syringe barrel in a laterally offset manner with respect to the longitudinal axis of the syringe barrel without significantly affecting the seal between the plunger tip and the syringe barrel.

A conventional syringe consists of a cylindrical barrel member, most commonly made of a thermoplastic material such as polypropylene. The conventional syringe typically has a reduced diameter distal end adapted to receive a needle thereon and an open proximal end adapted to receive a plunger rod assembly therein. The plunger rod assembly generally consists of an elongate plunger rod which is commonly made of a thermoplastic material such as polypropylene and a flexible plunger tip on the distal end thereof. The plunger tip is commonly made of an elastomeric material such as butyl or ethylene polypropylene rubber.
One of the functions of the plunger tip is to provide a substantially air tight seal with the interior surface of the syringe barrel so that movement of the plunger tip distally and proximally in the syringe barrel will cause medication, blood or other fluids to be drawn into or forced out of the distal end of the syringe barrel. The plunger tip is moved through the inside of the syringe barrel by applying axial force to the rigid plunger rod which has sufficient length to be accessible through the proximal end of the syringe barrel. Therefore, the preferred plunger tip is designed to have sufficient flexibility so that it will create a seal with the interior surface of the syringe barrel without creating excessive resistance to the movement of the plunger tip through the syringe barrel.
In order to ensure an air tight seal with the interior surface of the syringe barrel, plunger tips are typically manufactured with an outside diameter which is significantly larger than the inside diameter of the syringe barrel. The plunger tip is designed such that when the plunger tip is introduced into the syringe barrel, the plunger tip is compressed sufficiently to provide adequate pressure between the barrel and the plunger tip to seal this interface. As a result of the plunger tip design, the interface of the plunger tip and the barrel maintains, at all times, a sealing pressure sufficient to withstand the challenges of filling and injecting even though the same magnitude of sealing pressure may not be required when the syringe is not in use. A major drawback to this approach is that the increased diameter of the plunger tip increases the frictional resistance to movement of the plunger tip in the barrel.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,500,310 and 4,543,093 granted to Christinger disclose a variable sealing pressure plunger rod assembly which utilizes a thermoplastic plunger tip. As disclosed in these patents, the distal end of the plunger rod is modified to include one or more tapered surfaces thereon which are adapted to contact one or more similarly tapered surfaces on the interior surface of a thermoplastic plunger tip. When the plunger rod of the disclosed devices is moved distally in the barrel, the tapered distal surface of the plunger rod contacts the tapered distal surface on the interior surface of the plunger tip to create a force component which is directed substantially outwardly from the interface of the respective surfaces. As a result of the force component created by the contact between the respective tapered surfaces, the radial diameter of the plunger tip adjacent to a rib on the outer surface of the plunger tip, temporarily increases to increase the sealing pressure between the plunger tip and the interior surface of the barrel. These patents disclose further embodiments wherein the plunger rod and thermoplastic plunger tip have similarly tapered proximal surfaces such that the outer diameter of the plunger tip adjacent to a proximal rib is temporarily increased as the plunger rod assembly is withdrawn proximally in the syringe barrel.
One of the potential problems with the designs disclosed in the Christinger patents is that the tolerances between the dimensions of the interior of the plunger tip and distal end of the plunger rod are very important to the efficient operation of the disclosed syringe. The critical dimensions required for proper operation of these syringes may be difficult to maintain with the quantity of syringes that are typically produced by a manufacturer. If these critical dimensions are not maintained, the tapered surfaces of the plunger rod and plunger rod may not be properly aligned when the syringe is assembled. If the tapered surfaces are not properly aligned, the plunger tip may pull off the distal end of the plunger rod during aspiration of the syringe or the desired expansion of the plunger tip may not be achieved, thereby creating the possibility that a proper seal will not be formed between the plunger tip and the syringe barrel. Finally, it is also possible that the distal end of the plunger rod may become wedged within the interior of the plunger tip so that the radial expansion of the plunger tip is maintained when the plunger rod is moved in the opposite direction. If this were to occur, the frictional resistance to further movement of the plunger rod through the syringe barrel would be greatly increased.
A further potential problem with the designs disclosed in Christinger patents occurs when the plunger rod is canted slightly in the syringe barrel. If the user applies a pressure to the plunger rod which is not directed fully along the longitudinal axis of the syringe barrel, the expansion of the plunger tip along the interior surface of the syringe barrel may not be applied equally along the interior surface of the syringe barrel and the plunger tip may leak. This potential problem is further magnified if the tapered surfaces of the plunger rod and plunger tip are misaligned.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,895,773 granted to McConnaughey discloses a variable diameter tensed ring piston. As disclosed in this patent, a piston cap is stretched over a plunger head on a plunger rod such that the piston cap is longitudinally stretched between a pair of rings located on the external surface of the plunger cap. According to this patent, the longitudinal stretching of the plunger cap between the rings tends to bring the rings back towards their normal position in relation to each other, thereby providing a tighter and more positive seal when the plunger rod is in a static position than when the plunger rod is moved distally or proximally in the syringe barrel.
The present invention is intended to provide a plunger rod assembly and syringe which may be readily mass produced and which will expand the diameter of the distal or proximal portion of the plunger tip consistently and reliably upon the application of distally or proximally directed forces thereto by the plunger rod to provide an efficient seal between the plunger tip and the syringe barrel while minimizing the force necessary to move the plunger rod assembly through the syringe barrel.


A rail assembly is formed of rails equal to the length of side faces of a waterbed. Each of the rails has a common cross sectional configuration. Each of the rails has a flat rear face and with sloping faces. The sloping faces extend forwardly and terminating in a groove. The groove has inwardly extending parallel surfaces. The parallel surfaces have a common spacing and terminate in a semi-cylindrical surface. Coupling components include screws. The screws extend through the rails. The screws are adapted to couple with sides of a waterbed. A plurality of similarly configured rods each have a cylindrical configuration. The rods have a diameter slightly less than the spacing between the sides of the groove and the diameter of the semi-cylindrical surfaces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet retention system and more particularly pertains to properly positioning sheets and other bedding with respect to a hard side waterbed in a convenient and economical manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of sheet holders of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, sheet holders of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of retaining bed sheets through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 959,763 issued May 31, 1910 to Lehr relates to a Bedclothes Holder. U.S. Pat. No. 2,826,766 issued Mar. 18, 1958 to Stoner relates to a Bed Clothes Holder. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,028 issued Sep. 3, 1991 to Sleeth relates to Waterbed Sheet Retention Systems.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a sheet retention system that allows properly positioning sheets and other bedding with respect to a hard side waterbed in a convenient and economical manner.
In this respect, the sheet retention system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of properly positioning sheets and other bedding with respect to a hard side waterbed in a convenient and economical manner.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved sheet retention system which can be used for properly positioning sheets and other bedding with respect to a hard side waterbed in a convenient and economical manner. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A length adjusting device has a guiding track and a controlling assembly. The guiding track has a guiding structure and a locking structure. The controlling assembly has a connecting base, an engaging body, a switch base, a spring, a switch, and a controlling body. The guiding track is mounted between the connecting base and the engaging body. The engaging body is selectively engaged with the guiding track. The switch is combined with the connecting base and has a switching recess. The spring is mounted between and compressed by the engaging body and the switch base. The switch is selectively engaged in the switching recess. The controlling body is mounted on the switch base and has a gear engaged with the guiding track.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a length adjusting device, and more particularly to a length adjusting device for a protective gear.
2. Description of Related Art
A protective gear is worn to protect the joint of the user. When the protective gear is worn, two belts are connected with the protective gear, and the lengths of the protective gear and the belts are adjusted by adjusting positions of hook and loop fasteners of the belts.
When the length is adjusted, the hook and loop fasteners have to be detached from each other and then to be attached with each other again. The length cannot be slightly adjusted, and only can be adjusted according to personal experience of the user.


A device for storing valuable objects, money in vaults in particular, comprising containers (5; 6; 7; 8) located separately of one another and on undercarriages (2), which may be adjustably rearranged on rails (1) in a vault, wherein each such container (5; 6; 7; 8) is equipped on the top thereof with at least two centering projections (3) and/or hollows (4), and on the bottom thereof with corresponding projections (3) and/or hollows (4), while each such undercarriage (2) has located on its top surface corresponding centering projections (3) and/or hollows (4) to rectify the containers (5; 6; 7; 8). Such containers (5; 6; 7; 8) are equipped with upper interconnecting contacts (9) and lower interconnecting contacts (10), while such upper interconnecting contacts (9), located on the top surface of each container (5,6,7,8), are connected to the follower unit (11) that is positioned in each such undercarriage (2). Each such container (5; 6; 7; 8) is equipped with an identification unit (12) with an input (13) for the contact unit (14), and each such identification unit (12) is connected to a line between the upper and the lower interconnecting contacts (9, 10), respectively, of such container (5; 6; 7; 8), while all follower units (11) are connected to the control unit (16) by means of the data line (15).

To store money in large vault rooms of banks, various transportable bins and containers are used, which are stored in racks, cases or directly on the floor of the vaults.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,687, safe deposit boxes are known, which are grouped in nests. Each nest is provided with pluralities of retainer brackets mounted along the upper and lower edges of the rear wall of the nest. The retainer brackets are configured with a central portion that is spaced away from the nest wall to define a vertically opening passageway. The retainer brackets along the lower edge of an overlying nest may then be aligned with the retainer bracket along the upper edge of an underlying nest by bringing the two nests into precise registration. A locking member is then passed through each aligned pair of retainer brackets.
GB 2 270 067 shows stackable trays with means for forming a stack, the members of which can be either directly in vertical juxtaposition or vertically spaced apart by spacers, or staggered horizontally, or a combination of these.
DE 34 09 127 describes lockable boxes, which can be put on one another to form a plurality of segments. The segments are located one by one on rails on the floor so that by rearranging all segments, a gap may be formed between two adjacent segments.
A disadvantage of such known arrangements, in addition to non-economical utilization of the vault room and complicated handling, is that it is difficult to record the content and locations of the containers. These known arrangements require that every container be placed at a location determined in advance, and that updated records be continuously kept.


A surface-mount device platform includes a surface-mounting region, a connection region, and a bendable region therebetween, each including a respective part of a base substrate. The base substrate includes electrically-conductive layers interspersed with electrically-insulating build-up layers. Each of the surface-mounting region, the connection region, and the bendable region spans between a bottom substrate-surface and a top substrate-surface of the base substrate. The surface-mounting region further includes an electrically-insulating first top rigid-layer, and device bond-pads exposed on a top surface of the first top rigid-layer facing away from the top substrate-surface in the surface-mounting region. The connection region further includes an electrically-insulating second top rigid-layer and a plurality of connector bond-pads each exposed on a top surface of the second top rigid-layer facing away from the top substrate-surface in the connection region, and electrically connected to a respective device bond-pad via at least one of the electrically conductive layers.

An endoscope is a medical diagnostic instrument used for viewing a ventricle within a patient. A flexible imaging endoscope includes a flexible shaft capable of being inserted into the patient through an orifice thereof. The shaft has a tip that includes a light source and a camera for respectively illuminating and capturing images of part of the patient, such as a body cavity or an organ.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic of a ventricle 190 having a lesion 192 imaged by an end-view endoscope 110. Lesion 192 is on a ventricle sidewall 191. Ventricle 190 has a ventricle diameter 190D in the cross-section of FIG. 1, and is for example a portion of an esophagus or an intestine. Endoscope 110 has a shaft width 112. To image ventricle sidewall 191 perpendicularly, end-view endoscope 110 must bend at the tip so its width within ventricle 190 is width 114, which exceeds width 112. Width 114, which depends in part on shaft width 112, places a lower limit on ventricle diameter 190D of ventricles 190 that end-view endoscope 110 can safely image or even enter.
End-view endoscope 110 includes a camera 130 electrically connected to a plurality of wires 124. Cost, yield, and robustness of end-view endoscope 110 is determined in part by how camera 130 is electrically connected to wires 124.

Surface-mount device platform and assembly


Described is a method for the visualization of medical image data as volume data. As part of the method, medical image data is acquired. A 3D mask is produced by segmenting the image data and classifying the segmented regions into predefined classes. Furthermore, the image data and the mask data are saved in two separate 3D texture files. A translation vector is then calculated, which describes the displacement of a segmented volume element between an original position and a destination position. In addition, a pictorial display of the image data is produced by applying a raycasting method to the stored image data. Finally, a displacement by the translation vector of a segmented volume element in the pictorial display is performed. A visualization entity is also described. Moreover, a medical imaging system is described.

Modern imaging methods are often employed to produce two-dimensional or three-dimensional image data, which can be used to visualize an examination object that is depicted and also for other applications. The image data obtained in this case, such as that produced by computer tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, is usually provided in the form of slice images for assessment by medical specialists.
However, three-dimensional image displays, also referred to as volume graphics, are also required for better illustration. The volumetric data required for such displays is visualized in three dimensions by means of so-called volume rendering in order to illustrate a case-specific anatomy. In this case, a volume region that has been captured as an image initially constitutes a unit, and therefore cannot readily be broken down into individual anatomical structures in order to assess these more precisely, for example.
The volume image display is based on the technique of so-called rendering. Image data is initially present as slice image data, wherein each voxel, at least in the case of computer tomography, is assigned a grayscale value corresponding to the density that has been determined at this location. However, this data cannot be converted directly into image data in the case of a three-dimensional perspective visualization, since the observation perspective and the position of the individual voxels relative to the observer must also be taken into consideration for such a visualization. Moreover, individual voxels each have only a single value initially, which provides e.g. information about the X-ray density in the case of CT imaging or about the content in respect of protons or hydrogen nuclei in the case of MR imaging, but they do not contain any information about the appearance of the respective material of a voxel, i.e. its color or whether it is highly reflective, for example. Each voxel of an observed volume is therefore assigned a texture. This procedure is also referred to as classification. A further step is concerned with the shading, i.e. how much light is reflected by a voxel in the direction of the observer and what color it has. Furthermore, a sampling step takes place for the purpose of sampling the volume. In this case, lines of sight are cast into the volume that is to be depicted. Once the interaction of the light with the volume has been calculated, the components along the line of sight are totaled and thus produce a pixel in the image.
Such an approach is realized by so-called raycasting, for example. However, it is not usually possible to display just one part of the volume data that has been produced.
Such a detailed visualization of subregions of the total recording region is nonetheless often desirable. In order to display anatomical details, use is conventionally made of so-called polygonal surface models. In this case, an artificially created model is used as a data basis for the visualization. As a result, each structure can be modeled individually and moved in the image independently of other structures. However, a surface display does not allow the interior of anatomical structures to be examined. For example, it is not possible to virtually cut an organ open and examine it for pathologies that might not be visible from the outside. Moreover, displays involving surface models require so-called intermediate representations, which have high data overheads and contribute to erroneous displays.


A brake cooling system for a four-wheeled drive automobile effectively releases frictional heat generated in a braking apparatus from a surface of a casing of the braking apparatus, and has enough height of a body of the automobile relative to ground level. The brake cooling system includes an air discharging duct which is connected to an air discharging outlet of a belt cover covering an automatic V-belt transmission. The duct extends to a vicinity of the braking apparatus so as to supply air towards the braking apparatus. The braking apparatus is positioned in front of a final reduction gear for rear wheels, and the casing of the braking apparatus is a common casing inside of which the braking apparatus and the final reduction gear are accommodated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a brake cooling mechanism for a four-wheeled vehicle, and particularly relates to the brake cooling mechanism which is suitable for a straddle type all-terrain four-wheeled drive vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a straddle type all-terrain four-wheeled drive vehicle, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-272315 discloses a vehicle in which a brake casing is integrated with a swing arm device for supporting rear wheels, a rear axle case is coupled to a rear end of the swing arm, a final reduction gear for rear wheels is housed inside the rear axle case, and a wet multiple-disk braking device is housed inside the brake casing.
In order to lubricate and cool down the brake device and the final reduction gear, an oil chamber is provided in a part inside the swing arm device, which is a different part from the brake device, and the lubricant stored in the oil chamber is employed for lubricating and cooling down the brake device and the final reduction gear.
On the other hand, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 59-130791 discloses a three-wheeled vehicle, as another piece of prior art, in which a wet multiple-disk braking device, composed of a friction plate, a separator plate, etc., is mounted between a brake center fixed to a ring gear of a differential device and an inner surface of a case of the differential device.
The friction plate of the braking device, etc. is cooled down by employing a lubricant stored inside the casing of the differential device.
In the aforementioned pieces of conventional art, the brake device is cooled down on the basis of the cooling effect by the lubricant which is commonly used in the final reduction gear, and is based upon the radiation effect (releasing effect) of the friction heat from a surface of the casing by air which is gained while the vehicle is running. However, in the conventional arts, a means or artifice to positively promote the radiation of heat from the surface of the casing is not provided.
According to the former piece of prior art, the oil chamber is mounted separately from a brake chamber and a final reduction gear chamber. Therefore, the path to allow the lubricant to circulate becomes complex.
On the other hand, according to the latter piece of prior art, inside a casing, accommodating a large bevel gear (ring gear) having a large outer diameter, of the final reduction gear, there is mounted the brake device having an outer diameter greater than the large outer diameter of the large bevel gear. Therefore, the casing of the final reduction gear becomes large, and the minimum height of the casing relative to the ground level becomes low, thus unsuitable for the straddle type four-wheeled drive vehicle. In addition, in order to increase the amount of the lubricant, it is necessary to downwardly extend a lower part of the casing of the final reduction gear. That is, the amount of the lubricant is limited by the construction.

Brake cooling mechanism of four-wheeled vehicle


This invention discloses a multi-layer film for making pouches for containing flowable materials, said multi-layer film comprising generally five layers in order: inner sealant-layer, first interposed layer, the core layer, second interposed layer, and the outer sealant layer. The sealant and core layers are ethylene-based, whereas the interposed layers are polypropylene-based. The multi-layer film thickness is in the range of from about 35 microns to about 66 microns. The combined thickness of the first and the second interposed layers is in the range of from about 10% to about 27% of the total thickness of said multi-layer film. Similarly, a combined thickness of the inner and the outer sealant-layers is in the range of from about 10% to about 27% of the total thickness of the multi-layer film. The interposed layers comprise polypropylene that has a melt-index of less than 0.75 dg/min.

In the VFFS process, a flat web of synthetic thermoplastic film is unwound from a roll and formed into a continuous tube in a tube-forming section. In the next step, the longitudinal edges of the film are sealed together to form a "lap seal" or a "fin seal." The tube then is pulled vertically downwards to a filling station and collapsed across its transverse cross-section. The position of such cross-section is at a sealing device below the filling station, which makes an air-tight transverse heat seal at the collapsed portion of the tube.
Next, the flowable material to be packaged enters the tube above the transverse heat seal, continuously or intermittently, filling the tube upwardly from the transverse heat seal. The tube is then allowed to drop a predetermined distance usually under the influence of the weight of the material in the tube. Depending on the material being packaged and the packaging process, the jaws of the sealing device are closed again. The tube collapses as a result at a second transverse section that is at, above, or below the air/material interface in the tube. The sealing device seals and severs the tube transversely at the second transverse section.
The material-filled portion of the tube is now in the form of a pillow shaped pouch. Thus, the sealing device has sealed the top of the filled pouch, sealed the bottom of the next-to-be-formed pouch and separated the filled pouch from the next-to-be-formed pouch, all in one operation.
One VFFS apparatus of the type described above is a Prepac® IS-7E liquid packaging apparatus. A commonly used sealing device, the so-called impulse sealer, has electrically insulated sealing element mounted in the sealing jaws. In operation, the sealing jaws close and simultaneously an electrical current flows through the sealing element, for example, a wire. The jaws remain closed while the seal forms, but not while it cools and solidifies. Therefore, once the sealing jaws open, the synthetic thermoplastic film must provide a molten transverse seal that supports the weight of the flowable material, for example, liquid, in the next-to-be-formed pouch.
For reasons of economy, customers are demanding thinner and thinner films for the pouching of fluids. This can lead to one of two problems in commercially available film formulations: (1) inadequate sealability and toughness, or (2) insufficient stiffness.
Pouches made from commercially available films tend to suffer from defective seals, that is, a tendency to have weak transverse end and/or longitudinal seals even though the operating conditions of the impulse sealer have been optimized. Defective seals may lead to the phenomenon known as "leakers," in which the flowable material, for example, milk, may escape from the pouch through pinholes that develop at or close to the seal. It has been estimated that leakers account for about 1-2% of the 1.3 liter milk pouch production.
As the pouch film is down-gauged for reasons of economy, its stiffness may also become an issue. Lack of stiffness may adversely affect the runnability of the film on a form, fill and seal apparatus and give poor stand-up properties for pouches in, for instance, a milk pitcher. However, higher stiffness has traditionally required a thicker gauge of the pouch film. But thicker gauge requires more material. The present invention, by localizing the stiffening material towards the outside of the multi-layer film, addresses both these issues in that the stiffness of the multi-layer film is not adversely affected even when its gauge thickness is reduced.

Multi-layer, ethylene polymer-based films with polypropylene-based stiffening layer


An apparatus for a digital imaging device includes a housing, a controller within the housing, and at least one illumination element in communication with the controller. The controller is configured to control at least one of an intensity and/or volume of light emitted by the at least one illumination element in dependence upon a distance of the apparatus from a target surface.

Cameras, specifically digital cameras, are currently the most commonly utilized image capture device, and can be found in many commonly owned and carried products, such as smartphones and/or tablet devices. While such cameras and other digital image capturing devices (also referred to herein as digital imaging devices) are generally suited for what may be regarded as ordinary performance, the ability of such devices to precisely capture surface property characteristics and data of a target surface is limited.
In particular, digital cameras commonly found in tablets, smartphones and other devices are designed and intended to take pictures of a quality that is acceptable and pleasing to lay users of such devices, for ordinary viewing, sharing on social media and other platforms, and similar uses. Such devices, however, do not allow for the acquisition or derivation of surface property characteristic data, namely, data capable of defining dimensional, topographical and tonal properties of a surface, from captured images of the surface, at least not to an extent that is reliable, precise and/or accurate.
While certain devices do exist that capture this type of data and/or information, such devices are highly specialized and not intended for ordinary consumer use, and therefore have not been integrated into consumer devices such as smartphones and tablets. Indeed, as indicated above, capturing or deriving this type of surface property characteristic data is not possible with the smartphones, tablets and other consumer handheld devices that are available today.
In view of the above, there is a need for an auxiliary apparatus for a digital imaging device such as a smartphone or tablet that enhances or enables more precise and/or accurate acquisition of surface property data of a target surface by such digital imaging device. Such surface property data may include, for example, hue, saturation and brightness, and/or dimensional and/or topographical characteristics of a target surface. In particular, there is a need for an apparatus and method that enables the average smartphone or tablet, with its common digital camera, to capture images in a manner that enables the phone or tablet to process and produce highly precise, accurate and repeatable surface property characteristic data, including tonal characteristics.

Auxiliary apparatus for a digital imaging device


There is provided a monitoring system including an image capture module for capturing an image, an object detecting unit for detecting an object from the image, a monitoring range setting unit for setting a monitoring range in a side of the object on the image, a determining unit for determining the existence of a light source within the monitoring range, and an adjusting unit for adjusting one of an exposure amount of the image capture and a luminance of a pixel output from the image capture when the determining unit determines the existence of the light source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a monitoring system and more particularly to a monitoring system which can be mounted on a vehicle and can adjust an exposure amount of a camera which captures an image of surroundings of a subject vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a development of technologies has been in progress in which a three-dimensional object existing on a periphery of a vehicle such as a passenger vehicle is detected by analyzing an image captured by a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera (refer, for example, JP-A-07-225892). These technologies are applied, for example, to technologies for safety driving of vehicles in which a possibility of collision of the vehicle with the detected three-dimensional object is judged, so as to activate an audible warning system to give an alarm to a driver or activate an automatic steering or automatic brake control to avoid the possible collision.
In the detection of the three-dimensional object, it is important to accurately detect a preceding vehicle, tail lamps thereof, an oncoming vehicle, a pedestrian walking on the road and other obstacles such as vehicles parked along the side of the road. In addition, an exposure of the camera has to be appropriately implemented so as to capture an image which allows an accurate detection of the three-dimensional objects in order to detect these three-dimensional objects on the road from an image captured by the camera.
Cameras such as the CCD camera normally have a function to automatically implement the appropriate exposure adjustment. In addition, a system for adjusting the exposure of a camera has been proposed to cope with a case where an image capturing range of the camera is darkened or a brightness in the image capturing range largely changes, which the vehicle is driven during night-time or through a tunnel, or which the vehicle enters and exits from the tunnel (refer, for example, JP-A-07-081459 and JP-A-2005-148308).
Incidentally, according to functions that the CCD camera normally possesses and functions of the systems disclosed in JP-A-07-081459 and JP-A-2005-148308, the appropriate exposure adjustment is implemented for the brightness in the image capturing range of the camera or in an area set within an image captured by the camera. For example, an automatic control is performed on a subject which is following a preceding vehicle based on information available as a result of detecting the preceding vehicle by a camera. Then, light from a headlamp of an oncoming vehicle enters the camera of the subject vehicle where the oncoming vehicle comes to appear on a right-hand side (or a left-hand side in the United States of America and the like) of the preceding vehicle when driving at night or while driving through a tunnel.
As this occurs, even though the exposure of the camera is performed as above, the light of the headlamp of the oncoming vehicle brightly and widely expands on an image captured by the camera to thereby interrupt the capture of the right-hand side of the preceding vehicle by the camera, whereby there may be caused an occasion where the preceding vehicle is not be detected or a large detection error is caused to appear the oncoming vehicle. In addition, although there is a case where the preceding vehicle is detected based on positional information on tail lamps of the preceding vehicle, as is shown in FIG. 12, which will be described later, the light of the tail lamp of the preceding vehicle and the light of the headlamp of the oncoming vehicle are captured as an integral highly bright area. As a result, there is a risk that the tail lamp of the preceding vehicle is unable to be captured accurately.
Furthermore, according to a system disclosed in JP-A-07-225892, two cameras are used to capture an image of surroundings in front of a subject vehicle in a stereoscopic fashion to calculate a distance to a three-dimensional object existing on a periphery of the front of the subject vehicle by stereo matching to thereby detect the three-dimensional object. As is indicated by a shaded portion in FIG. 14, although the right-hand side camera is able to capture of the subject vehicle MC in the system, there is produced a range which lies invisible to the left-hand side camera due to the visibility of the range from the left-hand side camera being interrupted by the preceding vehicle.
Then, when an oncoming vehicle Vonc exists in the range, as is shown in FIG. 15, light Lhead of a headlamp of the oncoming vehicle Vonc is captured by the right-hand side camera but is not captured by the left-hand side camera. Due to this, the luminance of an image captured by the right-hand side camera becomes higher as a whole around the light Lhead of the headlamp than that of an image captured by the left-hand side camera, resulting in a case where stereo matching may not be able to be implemented accurately which is implemented based on the correlation between the luminances of the two captured images.
In addition, when attempting to implement stereo matching based on the two captured images, there may occur an occasion where stereo matching cannot be implemented accurately due to the influence of the light Lhead of the headlamp of the oncoming vehicle Vonc in a right-hand side portion of the preceding vehicle Vah or in the position of the right-hand side tail lamp of the preceding vehicle Vah, whereby a large detection error has to be generated in a distance from the subject vehicle MC to the preceding vehicle Vah which is detected based on the stereo matching.

Headlamp monitoring apparatus for image exposure adjustment


A method for Chemical-Mechanical Polishing utilizes a two step process. The first step utilizes a slurry with abrasive particles which become embedded into a conditioned polishing pad having small cavities in the surface. During the second step the slurry flow is discontinued and the final polishing is performed using the embedded small abrasive particles. Using this method dishing has been reduced considerably, and has enabled the fabrication of a Damascene metal gate NMOSFET fabricated with Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD).

As integrated circuit devices shrink, and as circuit speed and performance increase, copper has replaced aluminum as the preferred electrical interconnect material. The use of copper as an interconnect material in silicon integrated circuits has occurred in response to the need for lowered interconnect resistivity, good electromigration resistance, and good deposition characteristics which allow effective filling of vias and contacts.
Copper metallization structures are often formed by a process known as Damascene, wherein an interlevel dielectric layer (ILD) has regions etched therein into which metal lines will be inlaid. A barrier layer is deposited, which serves to prevent diffusion of copper from the metal lines into the dielectric. This barrier layer is generally comprised of Ta or Ta compounds. A copper seed layer is then generally deposited, followed by an electroplated copper layer. The excess copper is then removed by a process known as Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP). CMP enhances the removal of surface material over large distances and short distances by simultaneously abrading the surface while a chemical etchant selectively attacks the surface. For this purpose, CMP typically utilizes a polishing slurry containing both an abrasive and a chemically active component.
A problem in standard prior art CMP, particularly during the overpolishing necessary to remove all the metal (or other material being polished) from the surface, is known as recession or dishing, which is illustrated in FIG. 1. Uneven wafer surface 2 has recessed region 4. Deposited layer 6 is polished off of the surface, but in the center 8 of region 4, the surface of the polished deposited layer 6 is at a lower level than at the edge 10 of region 4. The dishing effect is more serious for wide shallow recessed regions than for narrow deep recessed regions.
A prior art method for reducing dishing during CMP overpolish is the fixed-abrasive method, whereby abrasive particles are suspended in a stationary medium on the pad rather than being incorporated into the slurry. The free-floating abrasive particles which are the primary cause for dishing are not present using this method. Fixed-abrasive CMP is described by E. Korczynski in "A Level Future", Semiconductor Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 7, July 2002.
Fixed-abrasive CNIP has its own associated set of problems. The fixed-abrasive CMP system's polishing pads are generally 5–10 times more costly than standard polishing pads. Additionally, there is a balancing act between throughput and low density of scratches: in order to achieve a high polishing rate, the fixed abrasive particles cause appreciable scratching. Also, there may be some residual dishing due to large abrasive particle size. Finally, the fixed abrasive pad will degrade during use, which leads to variable polish rates and amount of micro-scratches.
A CMP method for polishing metals such as copper that reduces dishing effects and achieves a high polish rate and low density of defects and scratches would be an important improvement in CMP technology.

Slurry-less polishing for removal of excess interconnect material during fabrication of a silicon integrated circuit


An optical keypad for use in hazardous areas and which can ensure safe and reliable detection of keystrokes through an at least 8 mm thick glass window, as is required for electronics equipment located in hazardous explosive areas (In accordance with ATEX Directive 94/9/EC and similar requirements) is obtained by providing a system in which at least 6 LEDs are lit in a pseudo-random sequence, modulated by a pseudo-random frequency and the interval between the lighting of each of the LEDs is change randomly to avoid interference between collocated keypads and light from other sources, such as daylight and artificial light.

Field of the Invention
The present patent application relates to an optical keypad comprising at least one transparent panel comprising a plurality of apertures surrounded by closed areas, which optical keypad comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) emitting modulated light and at least one receiving photo diode placed in relation to the apertures, which light from the transmitting LEDs is transmitted through the transparent panel and which light is reflected by scattering from a tool or fingertip employing a keystroke in relation to one of the apertures in the transparent panel, which reflected modulated light is transmitted back through the transparent panel and back to the receiving photo diode for demodulation.
Description of Related Art
International Patent Application Publication WO 2013/156353A1, filed on 10 Apr. 2013, having priority date on 18 Apr. 2012, entitled "Keypad assembly and method to access a car" and corresponding U.S Patent Application Publication US 2015/0084739 relate to a key-less access system for cars based on a simple detection of visible light though the windscreen. The publications WO 2013/156353A1 and US 2015/0084739 disclose an amplitude modulation of the transmitted light and amplitude demodulation of received signals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,333 disclose an optoelectronic circuit element for effecting a manually controlled output signal comprising at least one radiation-emitting element, a radiation-propagating unit and at least one radiation-sensitive element, the radiation-propagating unit being a solid body which is transparent to the radiation in question and which has an interface which is exposed to radiation from the radiation-propagating unit, an identifiable change in the state of the radiation-sensitive element is affected by changes in the conditions for total internal reflection of the radiation at the interface arising from contact of an actuating body, say a finger, with said interface.


A write priority detector in a multiport memory prioritizes write operations to memory cell by activating one of its enable signals to a memory cell upon receiving multiple address signals at different write ports of the multiport memory, each attempting to access the same memory cell. The other enable signals are de-activated. One prioritization scheme provides first-come first-serve access to the memory cell among completing address signals. Alternately, a fixed priority scheme always gives one enable signal first priority.

The present invention relates in general to memory circuits and, more particularly, to a multiport memory with a write priority detector.
A multiport memory includes three or more read and/or write ports. Each read port and write port includes separate data lines and address lines whereby multiple peripheral devices may independently read from and write to a particular memory cell. For example, a first peripheral device may access physical memory location "0000" through write port 0. A second peripheral device may also access the same memory location "0000" through write port 1. The multiple read ports provide a similar common access to each memory cell. Thus, a multiport memory allows peripheral devices to share physical memory.
One obvious problem with the multiport memory is the write contention possible when two peripheral devices attempt writing to the same memory location simultaneously, or at least during the same write operation. A common solution in the prior art is to perform an address comparison external to the multiport memory and halt the write operation should the write addresses match. Since the address comparison circuitry tends to be complex, and the complexity increases rapidly with more write ports, the multiport memory in the prior art is typically limited to two write ports It is desirable to increase the number of write ports available to allow the multiport memory to interface with more peripheral devices.
Hence, a need exists for a multiport memory capable of internally detecting and resolving address conflicts during write operations without significant loss in system speed or performance.

Multiport memory with write priority detector


Methods and systems are provided for estimating a drive train temperature for a journey. In one example, a method comprises requesting a vehicle operator to input one or more travel parameters for the journey, predicting travel parameters the vehicle operator omitted to input, and displaying an estimated fuel economy for the journey, where the estimated fuel economy is based on the estimated drive train temperature, which is based on the travel parameters.

Demand based temperature regulation both for internal combustion engines and for electric drives or else for hybrid drives is an effective measure for reducing the consumption or the energy demand. Predictive thermal management is a strategy for adapting the system temperatures to the expected driving profile. In this context, the navigation data of the current driving route and the current traffic situation are taken into account. In addition, the possible destination input in the navigation system can also be used for more wide ranging pre-calculation of the driving route.
Examples of such predictive thermal management are described in the publication by Stocker, Metal, "Thermal Management for Energy—Efficient Improvement of Automobile Cooling Systems Based on Navigation Data", 25th Aachen Colloquium Automobile and Engine Technology 2016, pages 437-454.
Additionally previous examples include DE 103 36 599 A1, DE 10 2013 009 912 A1 and DE 10 2013 009 913 A1. In this context, DE 103 36 599 A1 describes a control algorithm which permits the coolant temperature to be regulated to three different temperature levels using the ambient temperature. Furthermore, a characterizing feature is used for classifying the driver type. DE 10 2013 009 912 A1 describes a method for recovering waste heat of a drive unit of a vehicle, wherein operating states of the drive unit which are predicated on the basis of the route profile of a route section lying ahead of the vehicle on a driving route are taken into account. In this context, prioritization by means of a manual user input and individual user profiles is possible. DE 10 2013 009 913 A1 relates to a method for the predictive control of a cooling device for a drive unit of a vehicle as a function of a route profile of a route section lying ahead of the vehicle on a driving route.
A disadvantage with the previously known approaches and solutions is that complex algorithms have to be developed and also corresponding computer power has to be made available. Furthermore, during the pre-calculation a possible change in the driving route or else in the driving style has to be taken into account by the driver in order to avoid possible overheating of components in the drive train. This leads to a situation in which the full potential of such a system cannot be utilized.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a method for operating a motor vehicle which comprises a drive train, a device for regulating the temperature of the drive train, and a device for determining an optimum temperature of the drive train with respect to the lowest possible consumption, the method comprising selecting and defining at least one peripheral condition for a determination of the optimum temperature of the drive train, wherein the at least one peripheral condition comprises one or more of a driving style, a load of the vehicle, a driving route, intended interruptions along the driving route, anticipates a duration of a journey, and load consumption of electrical systems, inputting of the at least one selected and defined peripheral condition into the device for determining the optimum temperature of the drive train, determining the optimum temperature of the drive train based on at least one selected and defined peripheral condition which has been input, and regulating the temperature of the drive train to the determined optimum temperature.
As one example, the travel parameters may be displayed to the vehicle operator and other vehicle occupants, if any, via an interactive screen of the infotainment system. The vehicle operator may adjust settings of each of the various travel parameters via the screen. For example, the vehicle operator may type in a first destination of their journey and adjust travel parameters associated with travel to the first destination. The vehicle operator may adjust each of the vehicle load and consumption of electrical systems between low to high. Additionally, the vehicle operator may select their predicted driving style as being restrained, average, or sporty, wherein restrained corresponds to a high fuel economy, sporty corresponds to a low fuel economy, and where average is between the two.
The travel parameter may be displayed to the vehicle operator at a vehicle start, wherein the prompt may keep being displayed until the vehicle operator has provided enough information or the journey is concluded. During the journey, if the vehicle operator is to deviate from one of the travel parameters from which the vehicle operator has input for a threshold duration, then the interactive screen may display the deviation to the vehicle operator. This may additionally including displaying a change in fuel economy based on the deviation.
In some embodiments, a method of the present disclosure may include requesting a vehicle occupant to input one or more travel parameters including destination, driving style, and consumption load of electrical devices, predicting the travel parameters the vehicle occupant did not input, and estimating a plurality of drive train temperatures for a journey based on the input and predicted travel parameters. Predicting the travel parameters may be based on one or more of a starting point, time of day, number of vehicle occupants, current engine operating parameters, and previously learned routes and driving styles. Previously learned driving routes and styles may be associated to various vehicle operators known to the vehicle. For example, a couple may own a vehicle, wherein both a first person and a second person of the couple drive the vehicle. The vehicle may learn driving styles, behaviors, destinations traveled, average miles-per-gallon (MPG), and determine other factors associated with each of the first and second persons. For example, the first person may have a sporty driving style, average 13 MPG, and typically travel to work at 7:30 in the morning. The second person may have a restrained and/or conservative driving style, average 24 MPG, and typically travel to a gym at 9:00 in the evening.
At any rate, regardless of the identity of the vehicle operator, the vehicle operator is requested to input one or more travel parameters at a start of the journey. If one of the travel parameters is adjusted during the journey such that a drive train temperature is adjusted, an adjusted fuel economy may be displayed to the driver. If the adjusted fuel economy is a reduced fuel economy, then the displaying may further include displaying tips to the vehicle operator to restore travel parameters to resemble the input travel parameters to increase fuel economy to a previous value.
In some examples, the interactive screen may display default options. A first default option may correspond to one or more travel parameters corresponding with a low fuel economy, a second default option corresponds to one or more travel parameters corresponding with an average fuel economy, wherein the average fuel economy is based on an average fuel economy determined during previous drive cycles, and a third default option correspond to one or more travel parameters corresponding with a high fuel economy. One of the first, second, or third default options may be selected based on the vehicle operator inputting less than all of the displayed travel parameters, wherein a majority of the travel parameters input by the vehicle operator match travel parameters of the selected default option.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Methods and systems for thermal management of a vehicle


During operation of a flight control system in a coordinated area bombing mode, one pair in a group of pairs of fire control azimuth coordinate error signal and elevation coordinate error signals are faded-in as the aircraft yaw attitude reference and pitch attitude reference, respectively. Each pair is respectively indicative of the change in aircraft yaw attitude and pitch attitude for an aircraft reference axis to be aligned with an aiming line of sight. The aiming line of sight corresponds to a target location within a selected target area. A firing signal is provided in response to both the azimuth and elevation coordinate error signals being below respective threshold magnitudes, and the next pair in the group of pairs of azimuth and elevation coordinate error signals provide the aircraft attitude reference. A selected weapon is fired in response to the firing signal.

The combat uses for helicopter aircraft have changed dramatically over the years to include contact with opposing forces, including reconnaissance and combat aircraft assistance of troops on the front line. This type of use subjects helicopters to numerous threats, and therefore new helicopter designs incorporate offensive weapons, such as Gatling guns and rocket launchers.
Initially, the primary control of helicopter weapons was accomplished by the pilot adjusting the aircraft attitude prior to firing. Correction for misses was accomplished by the pilot adjusting the attitude of the aircraft prior to expending additional ordnance. As technology developed, tracking and sensing systems were used to locate a target or target area and determine the aircraft attitude necessary to aim the weapon so as to account for outside forces acting on the ordnance, e.g., wind, aircraft speed, etc. Such a system typically displays a "cross-hair" indicative of actual aircraft attitude and a geometric shape indicative of the required aircraft attitude to provide a high probability of striking the target with the weapon. The pilot is required to maneuver the aircraft so as to place the cross-hair in the firing solution defined by the shape prior to firing the weapon. The aiming instructions, e.g., cross-hair and geometric shape, are typically displayed on a control panel, a heads-up display, or helmet-mounted display which provides the pilot with visual information relating to the target position, ownship attitude, heading, speed and altitude.
Although such aiming systems improved weapons delivery accuracy, the pilot is still under a significant burden to regulate aircraft heading and pitch attitude. It is well-known that a skilled helicopter pilot can control aircraft attitude within about 1 degree of pitch and yaw. Although this may seem very accurate control, a 1 degree variation in pitch or yaw will have a significant effect on the trajectory of a projectile.

Helicopter integrated fire and flight control having coordinated area bombing control


A projection system using a sequential color filter is provided. The sequential color filter utilizes various colors, such as red, blue, and green, divided into segments to produce images. Each color may be divided into two or more segments and arranged such that high sequential color rates may be obtained to help reduce the rainbow effect. The colors may be arranged such that the sequential color filter is symmetrical in the sense that the sequential color filter is divided into approximately equal regions wherein each region has approximately an equal amount of respective colors.

Many projection systems, such as digital light projectors (DLPs), utilize a white light and a color filter wheel to produce different colors. The color filter wheel, which typically includes segments for each of the primary colors red, blue, and green, spins at a predetermined rate as the white light is projected onto the color filter wheel. As the white light passes through the color filter wheel, only certain wavelengths are allowed to pass through the various segments of the color filter wheel, thereby producing colored lights corresponding to the colors of the color filter wheel. An integrator receives the colored light and projects the colored light toward a viewing surface. Lenses and/or mirrors may be added as necessary to focus the light.
When the distinct colors of the color filter wheel are projected onto the viewing surface at a fast rate, the human eye integrates the color to form other colors, such as combining blue and red to form purple. Various colors and shades may be formed by altering the amount of light (length of time) each color is projected.
Because the colors are projected individually and the human eye integrates the different colors to form other colors, the displayed image may contain certain artifacts. One such artifact is referred to as the rainbow effect. This effect is typically seen along the edges of an object when the viewer moves or sweeps their eyes across the viewing angle. In these instances, some viewers are able to see the separate colors of the color wheel along the edges, which appear similar to a rainbow along the edges. When using a red, blue, and green color filter wheel, the rainbow primarily consists of red and green colors—the darker blue color is not observed as often.
One attempt to solve this problem involved spinning the color filter wheel at a higher rate. For example, to produce an image at a 60 Hz rate, the color filter wheel may be spun at a 120 or 240 Hz rate. It has been found that spinning the color filter wheel at a higher rate allows more samples of the various colors to be produced within a given period of time. The color bands are now smaller and are more difficult for the human eye to separate the individual colors.
Spinning the color filter wheel at a higher rate, however, may cause problems. For example, the higher the spin rate, the more difficult it may be to control the electrical and mechanical operations of the projection system. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for using sequential color techniques in a projection system that may reduce the rainbow effect.

System and method for projection systems using sequential color techniques


Some embodiments relate to a resistive random access memory (RRAM). The RRAM includes a RRAM bottom metal electrode, a variable resistance dielectric layer arranged over the RRAM bottom metal electrode, and a RRAM top metal electrode arranged over the variable resistance dielectric layer. A capping layer is arranged over the RRAM top metal electrode. A lower surface of the capping layer and an upper surface of the RRAM top metal electrode meet at an interface. Protective sidewalls are adjacent to outer sidewalls of the RRAM top metal electrode. The protective sidewalls have upper surfaces at least substantially aligned to the interface at which the upper surface of the RRAM top metal electrode meets the lower surface of the capping layer.

In modern integrated circuits, the use of metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor structures has become widespread in recent years. MIM capacitor structures can be used as capacitive elements in some implementations; and are formed in back-end-of-line (BEOL) processing, after front-end-of line (FEOL) processing has been completed. In other words, MIM capacitor structures are formed in or over metal interconnect layers that extend in horizontal planes over a semiconductor substrate in which active devices have been formed.
MIM capacitor structures are not limited to capacitor applications, however, and are also utilized for resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices. These RRAM devices include a variable resistance dielectric layer placed between top and bottom RRAM electrodes. The present disclosure relates to improved RRAM devices, as well as methods of making and operating such devices.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


When it is determined that the torque output from the electric motor abnormally fluctuates or the torque output from the electric motor varies between clockwise and counterclockwise turning operations of the driver's steering wheel, the steering assist control is continued if the vehicle speed v is equal to or lower than the reference speed v0. In this case, the width of the dead band of the steering torque in the assist map used to calculate the target assist torque is increased. Thus, only in a case where the vehicle is moving at a low speed and the driver's steering wheel is operated with a great force, the steering assist torque is produced to alleviate the burden on the driver. In the other cases, the electric motor is stopped to minimize a sense of discomfort in the steering operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electric power steering apparatus which is provided with an electric motor and which assists the turning operation of a driver's steering wheel performed by a driver. The invention relates also to a method for controlling such electric power steering apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electric power steering apparatus for a vehicle, which detects the steering torque applied to a steering wheel that is turned by a driver (hereinafter, referred to as a "driver's steering wheel"), and which causes an electric motor to produce the steering assist torque based on the detected steering torque has been used. A controller controls the steering assist torque. The controller calculates the target assist torque based on, for example, the steering torque detected by a steering torque sensor and the vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed sensor, and controls the amount of electricity passed to the electric motor based on the target assist torque to produce a desired steering assist torque.
With such electric power steering apparatus, if a malfunction occurs in, for example, a sensor, an appropriate steering assist torque is not produced. Therefore, in an electric power steering apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-2004-210065 (JP-A-2004-210065), when a malfunction signal from a steering torque sensor is detected, the amount of electricity passed to an electric motor is gradually reduced to stop the assistance to the turning operation of a driver's steering wheel performed by a driver (hereinafter, referred to as the "steering assist").
However, with the electric power steering apparatus described in JP-A-2004-210065, whenever the steering torque sensor malfunctions, the steering assist is stopped. After the steering assist is stopped, the driver is required to produce a greater force to turn the driver's steering wheel, which increases the burden on the driver. If a malfunction caused in the sensor is not a major one, the driver may just feel a slight sense of discomfort in the steering operation. For example, the driver may just feel pulsatile torque fluctuations when turning the driver's steering wheel, or inconsistent steering feel between clockwise and counterclockwise turns of the driver's steering wheel. In such a case, it is not always necessary to stop the steering assist.

Electric power steering apparatus and method for controlling the electric power steering apparatus


A sequential type Fuzzy backward reasoning device is disclosed, which is capable of performing computation progressing every time a feature quantity is observed to update reasoning and of performing the reasoning even if the order of observations is arbitrary, by providing means for performing sequential reasoning instead of batch type reasoning means, and feedback means for feeding back a reasoned result.. Additionally, a target recognition device is disclosed which is capable of computing as a numerical value the reliable degree of a recognized result on a target by obtaining another recognizing information even if there is not obtained any information concerning the target, using said sequential type Fuzzy backward reasoning device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a Fuzzy backward reasoning device useful for application fields requiring reasoning of a cause that causes a feature quantity such for example as target classification in air traffic control, including diagnoses in medical services and fault diagnosis in plants, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 6, a prior art Fuzzy backward reasoning device is illustrated in a block diagram. The device is disclosed for example in "Method of Solution to Fuzzy Inverse Problem " Tsukamoto and Tashiro, Papers in the 3rd System Symposium supported by the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers, Vol. 15, No. 1, PP 21 to 25, 1979. As shown in the same figure, a Fuzzy backward reasoning device 5 includes batch reasoning device 51 for receiving all of feature quantities (b.sub.j ) and causal relations ( r.sup.j) for Fuzzy backward reasoning and outputting reasoned results (a.sub.i), and causality relation storage device 3 for outputting the causality relations ( r.sup.j) previously stored in the batch reasoning device 51.
Referring to FIG. 7, a situation of solving a problem in the Fuzzy backward reasoning is illustrated. Designated at 52 is a causality relation.
m causes a.sub.1, a.sub.2. . . , a.sub.m are inputted into the causality relation 52, which in turn outputs n feature quantities b.sub.1, b.sub.2, . . . , b.sub.n. a.sub.1, b.sub.j take values from 0 to 1 and indicate the possibility of each cause and the intensity of each feature quantity respectively. These quantities are expressed by row vectors EQU =(a.sub.1, a.sub.2. . . a.sub.m) (1) EQU b=(b.sub.1, b.sub.2. . . b.sub.n) (2)
The causality relation 52 is represented by a m.times.n matrix R=(r.sub.ij) with elements r.sub.ij taking a value of from 0 to 1, the element indicating a degree where the feature quantity b.sub.j is caused by the cause a.sub.i. If each column vector is designated by r.sup.j, then r.sup.j denotes a causality relation that causes the feature quantity b.sub.j. The matrix R is expressed by ##EQU1##
The relationship among , b, and R, illustrated in FIG. 7 satisfies EQU o R= b (4)
Here, the symbol 0 indicates max-min composition. That is, for each element ##EQU2## Here, V denotes max operation and min operation. The causality relation R is given as a knowledge and the feature quantity b is observable. Hereby, the cause that causes such a feature quantity b can be reasoned. The reasoning is given by the Fuzzy backward reasoning. A result of the reasoning gives EQU a=(a.sub.1, a.sub.2. . . a.sub.m) (6)
More specifically, the Fuzzy backward reasoning device 5 receives the feature quantities b: b.sub.1 to b.sub.n from the outside, and reads out the causality relation: r.sup.1 to r.sup.n from the causality relation storage device 3. It further estimates a.sub.1 to a.sub.m with use of the batch reasoning device 51 and outputs those reasoned values.
Referring now to FIG. 8, a flow chart indicative of operation of the prior art Fuzzy backward reasoning device 5 is illustrated. The operation will be described illustratively. It is assumed that the causality relation R and the feature quantity b are inputted into the batch reasoning device 51 from the outside, as follows for example. ##EQU3##
First in step S1, the number p of solutions is initialized. Then, in step S2, a matrix U is calculated according to the following equation. ##EQU4## Here, (b.sub.j, 1.0) indicates a closed interval from b.sub.j to 1.0. .phi. means no solution. Likewise, in step S3, a matrix is calculated according to the following relation. ##EQU5## In the example expressed by the equations (7), (8), , are given as follows. ##EQU6##
In step S4, the number L of combinations of non-.phi. elements of respective columns of U is calculated. In case of U of (11). EQU L=3.times.3.times.1=9 (13)
In step S5, if the number L is zero, then there is no solution, and the reasoning operation advances to step S12 to output "no solution". If the number L is not zero, then a possibility of L solutions being existent must be taken into consideration. In step S6, one element of each column of which is not .phi. is taken out, and remaining elements are taken out from to form a matrix .phi..sup.k. In the present example W includes 9 combinations, one of which is for example as follows. ##EQU7##
In step S7, the intersection of the ith row of .sup.k are taken out to yield the ith element of . W of the expression (14) gives EQU a=[(0.9, 1.0) 0.0 0.0] (15)
In step S8, if there is any .phi. element among those elements in , i.e., if there is yielded any intersection in some row of W.sup.k, then in this case is not taken as a reasoning result. In step S9, the number of reasoned results is counted. In step S10, a resulting reasoned result, for example of the expression (15) is outputted. Finally, after L combinations of W are estimated, in step S11 a decision is done that if P=0 or there is no reasoned result yielded finally, then the operation jumps to step S12 to output "no solution".
The prior art Fuzzy backward reasoning device arranged as described above however has problems as follows. The reasoning can be initiated only after the entire feature quantities b.sub.1 to b.sub.n have been observed, thus requiring much time for the reasoning. Additionally, a processor having a higher computational capability is required because the associated computation must be done at a spot.
On the other hand, there is known a prior art target recognition device disclosed, for example as a typical, in Bir Bhanu: Automatic Target Recognition: State of the Art Survey, IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronics, Vol. AE5-22, No. 4, PP 364-379 (1986), as illustrated in FIG. 9. As illustrated in the figures, designated at 101 is a target to be recognized, 151 is an image sensor for observing the target 101 and outputting image information, 152 is a preprocessor for receiving the image information from the image sensor 151, 153 is a target director for receiving an output from the preprocessor, 154 is a segmentation for receiving an output from the target detector 153, 155 is a recognizer for receiving an output from the segmentation 154, 156 is a prior typical target recognition device composed of the image sensor 151, preprocessor 152, target detector 153, segmentation 154, and recognizer 155, and 7 is a behavior deciding device for receiving an output from the target recognition device 156.
The target recognition device 156 shown in FIG. 9 is to recognize the target 101 as an image, and is operable as follows. First, the image sensor 151 observes the target 101 as an image. For the image sensor 151, there are sometimes useable an infrared sensor and a millimeter wave radar. The preprocessor 152 is to receive and previously process an image, the output from the image sensor 151, and output a processed result. In the preprocessing, there are performed restriction of any noise and clutter and emphasis of the contour of the image. The target detector 153 is to receive the image data processed previously as such, and detect from the data a region where there is existent one which might be considered to be a target and output it. The segmentation 154 performs image processing with high accuracy for the detected region, and extracts and outputs a target from the background highly accurately. The recognizer 155 collates the target image to extracted with images involved in a data base and outputs the name of the kind of a so-coincident target. This is an output from the prior typical target recognition device 156. The output is fed to the behavior deciding device 7 as a guide to decide a behavior for responding to the target.
Such prior art target recognition devices recognize a target based upon a single kind of information (image information, for example, if an image sensor is used.) available from a sensor with use of a Neuman type computer as described above. The devices however suffer from not obtaining any information concerning a target if there is outputted no image information from the image sensor 151 because a target is located at a long distance and hence to difficult to be observed as having any shape or a target is in clouds and/or in smoke. Furthermore, the device has a problem that it is unclear to what degree information for recognition of a target from the sensor is reliable.


According to the present invention, an externalization service method for managing objects and state data related to the objects is disclosed. The present invention provides a method whereby objects with references to other objects can be stored in streams and can be referenced across processes, while maintaining the original object characteristics and relationships. The present invention is an extension to the existing Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) specification for externalization and can manage objects without the inherent limitations of known externalization methods. The objects of the present invention are managed by an object reference manager (reference manager) which is capable of storing and using state data and other object-related data to manage objects and the references to other objects. This information includes all information that is necessary to restore the object's characteristics, security access, state data, etc. when the object is recreated. Along with the improved functionality of the reference manager, several new methods are defined to implement improved externalization techniques for managing objects and their references.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to the data processing field. More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of Object Oriented programming techniques and mechanisms.
2. Background Art
The development of the EDVAC computer system of 1948 is often cited as the beginning of the computer era. Since that time, computer systems have evolved into extremely sophisticated devices. Modem computer systems contain relatively complex software that the computer hardware executes in order for the computer system to perform its intended functions. As the complexity of computer hardware and software increases, the need to efficiently and effectively develop new software becomes more acute. Software development costs have continued to rise because complex programs take more time, and hence more money, to produce. Object-oriented programming is one way computer programmers have sought to reduce the time and costs associated with developing complex software.
The goal of using object-oriented programming is to create small, reusable sections of program code known as objects that can be quickly and easily combined and re-used to create new programs. This is similar to the idea of using the same set of building blocks again and again to create many different structures. The modular and re-usable aspects of objects will typically speed development of new programs, thereby reducing the costs associated with development. In addition, by creating and re-using a group of well-tested objects, a more stable, uniform, and consistent approach to developing new computer programs can be achieved.
Typically, object-oriented software programs or processes create and use objects to accomplish the required or desired goals of the application software. Most software processes will create an object or objects and then use those objects during the processing cycle for that particular process. Once the software process that created the object has completed its processing requirements, the objects associated with that process are removed from memory. This means that the objects created and used by one process are not typically accessible by subsequent processes because the objects have been destroyed.
It is sometimes desirable to have an object created by one program process available to other program processes, even after the process that created the object has ceased to run. This type of an object is known as a "persistent" object. A persistent object can be stored on a disk or other secondary memory storage device. Then, when the creating process is terminated, the persistent object remains in secondary storage and can be accessed by a subsequent process. By using a persistent object, a copy of an existing object can be stored and then retrieved at a later time and used to create a new object, after the original object is destroyed. While the new object is not technically the same object, the new object will have the same characteristics and attributes as the original object. The use of persistent objects permits certain types of information to be shared between disparate processes.
"Externalization" is the means or protocol used in object-oriented programming for transferring data into and out of an object, including persistent objects. The externalization process is accomplished using memory areas which are defined as "streams". Externalization procedures can be used to "stream" or transfer data from a streamable object to a memory location and thereby preserve the data and characteristics associated with the streamable object. This data can then be internalized at a later time into a new object and made available to other processes that may need to use the original streamable object. Streams are typically implemented using files or memory buffers as a memory area for storing object-related information from a streamable object.
While existing externalization protocols recognize persistent objects, current externalization procedures provide only limited support for creating and managing persistent objects and references. In the current implementation of externalization, in order for persistent objects to maintain references to other objects, all of the data and references associated with a given object must be stored in a single stream. For example, referring now to FIG. 3, one problem with the existing implementation of persistent objects is illustrated. In FIG. 3, object A is a persistent or streamable object which references objects C.sub.1 -C.sub.n. Object B is a non-streamable object which references object C.sub.j. In this case, if object A is externalized using a standard externalize command, all of the contents referenced by A (objects C.sub.1 -C.sub.n) must also be externalized into a single stream. When the process that created object A has run to completion, the original object A is destroyed or removed from memory. Then, when object B requires access to object C.sub.j, the entire contents of object A must be retrieved and internalized into a new object. While this procedure may be possible in certain instances, if the amount of data represented by objects C.sub.1 -C.sub.n is sufficiently large, then system memory constraints may become a limiting factor. This is particularly true if there are multiple objects (like object B) that each maintain independent references to multiple individual objects (like object C.sub.j) that are also referenced by object A. Even if the memory space is large enough to hold all of the information contained in C.sub.1 -C.sub.n, loading unnecessary information into memory is a highly inefficient use of limited computer resources.
Referring now to FIG. 4, another problem with current externalization procedures is illustrated with the concept of state data. The type of data that can be streamed from a streamable object during the externalization process typically includes "state data", which is the information regarding the characteristics of the object when the object's contents are externalized. For the purposes of this specification, the term "state data" will be broadly construed to include other object-related data. This would include object security access characteristics, pointers to other objects, etc. In FIG. 4, object A contains the state data for object A (SDA) and also contains a reference to object C which contains the state data for object C (SDC). Similarly, object B contains the state data for object B (SDB) and also contains a reference to object C. Object C "supports" persistent references. When object A is externalized, SDA and SDC are stored in stream A. Likewise, when object B is externalized, SDB and SDC are stored in stream B. Then, when a later process requires access to objects A and B, the data in stream A is internalized into a new object A and the data in stream B is internalized into a new object B. Since both streams recognize a reference to object C, two new and separate objects are created, each as object C. This is problematic for several reasons. First of all, the memory storage and allocation concerns are obvious. Twice as much memory is required for creating and storing two objects, both identified as object C. More troubling is the fact that object A and object B no longer reference the same object C. The original relationship between the three objects has been altered. Depending on the nature of the original relationship, the new objects may no longer function together as intended.
As the complexity of both computer hardware and software increases, the need for better ways of implementing persistent objects becomes more apparent and more acute. This is especially true as more and more computers are connected by networks such as the World Wide Web and share information across different computer systems. Without an improved mechanism for implementing persistent objects the computer industry will be hindered from taking full advantage of implementing and using persistent objects across different processes.

Apparatus and method for providing externalization in an object-oriented environment

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus utilizes optical reflectivity (REF) to measure concentrations in liquids. The REF optical system is packaged in a compact and cost-effective form factor. An electronic circuit drives the optical system. The miniaturized REF sensor is situated in an optical-fluidic cell or an optical-fluidic manifold with an optical window in contact with the liquid. Changes in a total internal reflection (TIR) signal are sensitive to temperature and concentration of the liquid. These changes in the TIR signal are used to accurately determine the concentration in the liquid. The liquids may be either static or dynamic.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of analytical chemical instrumentation utilizing optical sensors and in particular to integrated optical-chemical analytical instrumentation used in the fields of chemical, biochemical, biological or biomedical analysis, process control, pollution detection and control, and other similar areas.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art optical sensor 50 is shown. The optical sensor 50 utilizes optical reflectivity to determine Index of Refraction (IoR). The sensor 50 detects the presence of a sample 40 by using a critical angle to find the sample's Index of Refraction, as shown in Equation 1 below, where n2 is the Index of Refraction of the medium of transmission, n1 is the Index of Refraction of the medium of origin (light transmissive housing 55) and θc is the critical angle.n1=n2 sin θc  (1)
As shown in FIG. 1, the necessary electro-optical components are contained within an encapsulating light transmissive housing 55. Light source 57 emits electromagnetic radiation, or light rays 59, 60, and 61 toward a reflective mirrored surface 62. The light rays 59, 60, 61 then travel through the housing 55 in the direction of sensing surface 64 which forms the interface between the sensor 50 and the sample 40. Thus the sensing surface is in direct contact with the sample.
The plurality of light rays 59, 60, and 61 strike the sensing surface 64 at a range of angles. For angles of incidence smaller than the critical angle 75, a portion of the light is refracted into the sample 40 resulting in an overall loss. This is illustrated by refractive ray 63 which travels into the sample and reflected ray 65 which reflects into the housing 55 at angle 74.
At the critical angle 75, a light ray 60 reflects along the sensing surface 64 at a 90 degree angle of refraction minimizing the overall light loss into sample 40. Thus, a critical angle 75 can be measured as the angle measured between the incident light ray 67 and the normal to the sensing surface 64. For angles of incidence larger than the critical angle 75, such as 76, the incident ray 69 is totally internally reflected within housing 55, with no refracted component, and its full intensity is therefore directed toward photodetector 90. This total internal reflection can only occur when light originates in a medium of a higher Index of Refraction.
It should be noted, however, that the Index of Refraction of the housing material may be lower than the sample 40. In such a configuration, the sensor 50 can be used to render a threshold level of Index of Refraction eliminating a range less than that of the housing material.
For optical radiation, a suitable photodetector 90 is the TSL213, TSL401, and TSL1401 (manufactured by Texas Instruments Inc. Dallas, Tex.), with a linear array of resolution n×1 consisting of n discrete photo sensing areas, or pixels. Light energy striking a pixel generates electron-hole pairs in the region under the pixel. The field generated by the bias on the pixel causes the electrons to collect in the element while the holes are swept into the substrate. Each sensing area in the photodetector 90 thereby produces a signal on an output with a voltage that is proportional to the intensity of the radiation (60, 65, 70) striking the photodetector 90. This intensity and its corresponding voltage are at their maxima in the total internal reflection region.
Various means of photodetection are contemplated including an n×1 cell photodetector such as the TSL213, TSL401, and TSL1401. In addition, a single cell photo resistor, bolometer, positive sensitive detector, pyrolectric device as well as other devices may be used.
As described, a range of angles of the reflected light rays are projected onto photodetector 90. The critical angle is marked by a transition from high to low intensity. The output, representing bit level data from the photodetector 90, is transmitted within housing 55 via interface 92 to a signal processing unit 95 for further qualitative and/or quantitative analysis.
The signal processing unit 95 may provide the necessary interface control signals, such as clock line and serial input, for protocol communications with the photodetector 90. Signal processing unit 95 may be used increasing the sensor's resolution over that obtained by the photodetector 90 pixel resolution. The use of the signal processing unit 95 is optional.
When used, signal processing unit 95 is preprogrammed to analyze and characterize the intensity, occurrence, and timing of light rays 60, 65, and 70 to obtain qualitative and quantitative information about the sample 40. For example, signal processing unit 95 can be preprogrammed to determine the total amount of time that sample 40 is within a given proximity of the sensor 50. Also, signal processing unit 95 can be preprogrammed to determine the frequency of sample 40 over a given period of time.
Output data from signal processing unit 95 may be transmitted via interface 96 to a secondary system, such as a computer, hand-held meter, calculator, printer, logic analyzer, or other similar system (not shown). The interface 96 comprises a plurality of conductive pins, giving the sensor a platform similar to an integrated circuit package.
Sensor 50 may also include a temperature sensor 98 within the housing 55. Temperature sensor 98 produces an electrical signal indicative of the temperature of the sensor surface 64 during operation thereof. This temperature signal may be relayed to signal processing unit 90 via interface 97. Temperature data can be utilized to compensate for apparent changes in the measured Index of Refraction as a result of changes in the operating temperature.
A filter may be used to screen out radiation at wavelengths other than wavelengths produced by light source 57. This filter (not shown) may overly photodetector 90 and serves to pass radiation at the wavelengths produced by light source 57 to photodetector 90. As such, the filter eliminates unwanted noise caused by other radiation sources in proximity to the sensor 50. One suitable filter is the plastic filter material marketed by Polaroid Corporation and known as XR-84. This material is especially suitable for passing infrared radiation and blocking visible radiation.
An alternative to utilizing a filter is to utilize a plastic or epoxy material for the housing 50 which is transparent to wavelengths produced by the light source 57 and opaque to frequencies outside the desired frequency range of interest for a given sensor/sample combination. Likewise, an absorbing die can be enclosed in the housing to achieve the same function.
Referring to FIG. 2, a prior art optical sensor 100 is shown. This prior art sensor can be seen to incorporate the same filter features discussed above. The electro-optic components of the optical sensor 100, including light emitting diode 120, photodetector array 110, and temperature sensor 125, may be encapsulated within a trapezoidal-shaped optical housing 150 and coupled to an interior surface 161 of a substrate 160. A plurality of conductive leads 165 are coupled to an exterior surface 162 of the substrate 160. A memory chip 163 is included. An optical window 140 made from glass is attached to the optical housing 150 to form part of sensing surface 145.

Method and apparatus for a liquid chemical concentration analysis system