An automatic sample testing machine for testing samples stored in test cards. The machine has a test sample positioning system for moving a tray containing a plurality of test sample cards and fluid receptacles among various stations in the machine. The machine has a diluting station for adding a predetermined quantity of diluent to the receptacles as needed. A pipetting station transfers fluid from one receptacle to another. A vacuum station is provided having a vacuum chamber moveable relative to the tray between upper and lower positions. The chamber cooperates with the tray to make a sealing engagement with the top surface of the tray when it is lowered to the lower position. A vacuum generator supplies vacuum to the chamber. When the vacuum is released from the chamber, the fluid samples are loaded into the cards from the receptacles. The test sample positioning system moves the tray to a cutting and sealing station and then to an incubation station and loads the cards one at a time into a carousel within the incubation station. A test card transport station transports the test cards from the incubation station to an optical reading station, where optical measurements (e.g., transmittance and/or fluorescence optical testing) is conducted on the wells of the card. When the card has been read, it is either moved back to the incubation station for additional incubation and reading or transferred to a card disposal system when the reading is complete.

A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to machines and systems for automatically loading a test sample card having one or more reagent filled sample wells with fluid samples (e.g., samples containing microbiological agents), and for conducting optical analysis of the samples after reaction with the reagents. The invention is particularly suitable for use in biological, blood or chemical analysis machines, as well as immunochemistry and nucleic acid probe assay machines.
B. Description of Related Art
Biological samples can be reacted and subjected to chemical or optical analysis using various techniques, including transmittance and/or fluorescence optical analysis. The purpose of the analysis may be to identify an unknown biological agent or target in the sample, to determine the concentration of a substance in the sample, or determine whether the biological agent is susceptible to certain antibiotics, as well as the concentration of antibiotics that would be effective in treating an infection caused by the agent.
A technique has been developed for conducting optical analysis of biological samples that involves the use of a sealed test sample card containing a plurality of small sample wells. Typically, during manufacture of the cards, e.g. for microbiological analysis, the wells are filled with either various types of growth media for various biological agents, or else various concentrations of different antibiotics. The cards have an internal fluid passageway structure for allowing fluid to enter the wells of the card through a transfer tube port. An L-shaped integral transfer tube extends outwardly from the transfer tube port. The prior art method involved the manual insertion of one end of the transfer tube into the card and the other end into a test tube, and then the manual placement of the card with attached transfer tube and test tube into a vacuum filling sealing machine, such as the Vitek.RTM. Filler Sealer. The filling and sealing machine generates a vacuum, causing the fluid in the test tube to be drawn into the wells of the sample card.
After the wells of the card are loaded with the sample, the cards are manually inserted into a slot in a sealer module in the machine, where the transfer tube is cut and melted, sealing the interior of the card. The cards are then manually removed from the filler/sealer module and loaded into a reading and incubating machine, such as the VITEK.RTM. Reader. The reading and incubating machine incubates the cards at a desired temperature. An optical reader is provided for conducting transmittance testing of the wells of the card. Basically, the cards are stacked in columns in the reading machine, and an optical system moves up and down the column of cards, pulling the cards into the transmittance optics one at a time, reading the cards, and placing the cards back in the column of cards. The VITEK.RTM. reading machine is described generally in the Charles et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,280.
This arrangement has limitations, in that two machines, a filler/sealer and a reader, are required to process and analyze the cards. Furthermore, additional time and labor are required to conduct the complete analysis of the card.
Combining the several functions of biological sample processing and optical reading into a single automatic sample processing and reading machine poses substantial challenges. One particularly difficult challenge is to provide a way of conducting the vacuum loading of the cards, and to provide a way for moving the loaded sample card to incubation and optical reading stations. Another challenge is to design a transport system for moving the sample cards and receptacles about the machine to the various stations.
The present inventive automated sample testing machine achieves these goals by providing a machine that performs dilutions for susceptibility testing, fills the cards with the samples at a vacuum station, and seals the card by cutting the transfer tube, amd conducts incubation and optical transmittance and fluorescence analysis of the cards, all automatically. The machine is capable of conducting simultaneous susceptibility and identification testing of a sample placed in a single test tube. The machine provides for rapid, automatic identification and susceptibility testing of the sample. In a preferred form of the invention, a number of different test samples are tested simultaneously, and moved in a sample tray or "boat" around the machine among the various stations. The tray receives a cassette that contains a plurality of test tubes and associated test sample cards. The machine provides for novel pipetting and diluting stations, permitting fluids to be added to the test tubes or transferred from one test tube to another.
The machine further has a unique test sample positioning system that moves the tray (with test tubes and cards) about the machine over a base pan. The design of the positioning system is such that it permits essentially a custom configuration of stations above the base pan. Expansion of the machine to include additional carousels and reading stations, or addition types in intermediate procession stations such as dilution stations or vacuum stations, can be readily accomplished.
These and still other features of the invention will be come more apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention.


A pneumatic nailing machine for driving a nail to a work, comprising: a main unit having a body; a cylinder disposed in the body of the main unit; a nose portion being hollow and continously extending from the main unit, the nose portion having a driver guide hole; a piston slidably inserted in the cylinder; and a driver coupled to the piston in the cylinder, and being slidable between a uppermost position and a lowermost position, wherein the driver and the piston are driven by high pressure compressed air supplied into the cylinder, and the nail supplied to the nose portion is hammered by the driver, the driver including, a base portion positioned near the piston and having a relatively large diamter so as to be substantially equal to an inner diameter of the driver guide hole, wherein the base portion is fitted into the driver guide hole when the driver reaches the lowermost position, and a tip end portion has a diameter so as to be smaller than an inner diameter of the nose portion, wherein the driver is loosely guided by the driver guide hole so as to swing during hammering, and the tip end portion of the swinging driver scrapes off tar adhering to an inner wall of the nose portion.

The invention relates to a pneumatic nailing machine in which, even when actual hammering is repeatedly conducted on asphalt roofing shingles or the like, tar adhering to a driver is prevented from sticking to the interior of a nose portion.
When an asphalt roofing shingle which is formed into a sheet-like shape is to be attached to a roof base member, usually, nails are driven via the asphalt roofing shingle into the roof base member.
In a conventional nailing machine, when actual hammering is conducted on asphalt roofing shingles, tar easily sticks to the tip end of a driver, particularly during the hot season. When the driver which has been once driven by compressed air is returned to its initial position, therefore, the tar is pulled into a nose portion. When actual hammering is repeated for a long time period, the tar is stickingly deposited on the inner wall of the nose portion, so that the sliding resistance between the driver and the nose portion is increased. As a result, there may take place a phenomenon in which the returning operation of the piston (the operation of returning the piston to the initial position) is disabled.
Conventionaly, therefore, a nailing machine must be periodically cleaned by gasoline or the like in order to remove tar.
However, the cleaning of a nailing machine must be frequently conducted during the nailing work. Furthermore, the cleaning must be conducted also after the nailing work is ended, because, when a nailing machine is left to stand overnight, tar is hardened and such hardened tar is hardly removed away. It is very cumbersome to clean a nailing machine after the nailing work is ended.

Tar removing mechanism for pneumatic nailing machine


A process for processing a source sequence of damaged digital images, of the type capable of obtaining an output sequence of corrected digital images. According to the invention, the process includes the following main steps, for each damaged digital image in the source sequence: calculation of the three parameters estimating the correction to be made to each pixel in the damaged image, the first parameter particularly being a function of all pixels in the reference image, the second parameter being mainly a function of pixels adjacent to the given pixel, the third parameter being mainly a function of the pixel in the reference image with the same spatial coordinates as the given pixel; calculation of a correction factor for each given pixel in the damaged image, by a combination of the first, second and third parameters; and correction of each given pixel in the damaged image, particularly as a function of the correction factor.

This invention relates to digital images, generated either directly by a digital acquisition system or digitized after their acquisition.
More precisely, the invention relates to a process for processing a source sequence of digital images that have been damaged (i.e. that have high noise) in order to obtain an output sequence of corrected digital images.
In general, the noise that affects digital images results in a degradation of the contrast of these images as a function of the noise intensity and a loss of information in damaged areas of these images.
There are several types of noise, particularly noise due to movement or defocusing of the sensor making the images blurred (motion/focus blur), speckle noise (in the form of spots), or noise due to measurements (additive or multiplication noise).
Therefore, noise effects should be compensated in order to restore a sequence of images with an adequate quality.
There are several known techniques of correcting damaged image sequences, particularly such as inverse filtering or calculating the average of the image sequence.
The known inverse filtering technique consists of applying the inverse transfer function to the damaged image. This assumes that the noise type (or an approximation of the noise type) is known. This is not always the case. Furthermore, this known inverse filtering technique is not very efficient when the noise/signal ratio is high.
In general, the second known technique that consists of calculating the average of the image sequence is not capable of providing sufficient correction to the damaged images.
The known inverse filtering technique has the major disadvantage of being specific to a particular noise type and that it introduces errors when the image sequence contains moving objects. Consequently, it will generate additional information losses when it is used to correct a noise type other than the noise type for which it was designed.
Furthermore, in most of these known techniques, each image in the sequence is corrected in several successive passes, each pass corresponding to a correction filtering, the parameters of which may be modified by an operator (this is referred to as interactive filtering). The time necessary to execute these successive passes makes it impossible to correct the sequence of damaged digital images in real time.
The objective of the invention is to overcome these various disadvantages in the state of the art.
More precisely, one of the objectives of this invention is to provide a process for processing a source sequence of damaged digital images, of the type capable of providing an output sequence of corrected digital images that is independent of the noise type affecting the images in the source sequence.
Another objective of the invention is to provide this type of process capable of processing the source sequence in real time.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a process capable of restoring a source sequence of images representing a panorama (with or without moving objects), and the contrast of these images.
These various objectives, and other objectives that will become apparent later, are achieved according to the invention by means of a process for processing a source sequence of damaged digital images of the type capable of producing an output sequence of corrected digital images, each of the damaged or corrected digital images being described pixel by pixel, each of the said pixels being characterized by an amplitude level among a plurality of possible amplitude levels,
characterized by the fact that the said process includes the following main basic steps, for each damaged digital image in the said source sequence:
for all pixels in the damaged image, calculate a first parameter called the global parameter, estimating the correction to be made to each pixel in the damaged image as a function of the said set of pixels in the damaged image and the set of pixels in a reference image, the said reference image being a corrected image resulting from the correction of the image preceding the said damaged image in the said source sequence;
for each given pixel in the damaged image, calculate a second parameter called the local parameter, estimating the correction to be made to the said given pixel as a function of the given pixel and other pixels called neighboring pixels, located within a predetermined vicinity of the said given pixel;
for each given pixel in the damaged image, calculate a third parameter called the temporal parameter, estimating the correction to be made to the said given pixel as a function of the said given pixel and the pixel in the reference image with the same spatial coordinates as the said given pixel;
for each given pixel in the damaged image, calculate a correction factor by combining the said first, second and third estimating parameters associated with the said given pixel;
correct each given pixel in the damaged image using a predetermined correction strategy, in order to obtain the pixel corresponding to the corrected image in the output sequence as a function of the correction factor associated with the said given pixel, the given pixel in the damaged image and the pixel in the reference image having the same spatial coordinates as the said given pixel.
Thus, the general principle of the invention consists of processing each of the damaged images forming the source sequence. Each pixel in each damaged image is corrected as a function of a correction factor associated with it and which is determined by combining three distinct parameters (the global, local and temporal parameters respectively) estimating the correction to be made to the pixel.
Due to this combination of three parameters, each supplying distinct information about the correction to be made, the process according to the invention is not interactive and all that is necessary is a single processing pass for each damaged image. Furthermore, most calculations can take place in matrix form. Consequently, the process according to the invention is ideal for use in real time.
Furthermore, this combination of three parameters makes the process according to the invention practically independent of the noise type affecting the images in the source sequence. This means that only a limited number of assumptions are necessary about the noise type that affected the images in the source sequence. For example, it is possible to only consider assumptions about how noise is distributed, intermittently. In other words, the process according to the invention can be adapted and is suitable for all types of noise to be compensated.
The first parameter (the global parameter) is common to all pixels in the same damaged image, and provides information about the general quality of this damaged image, by comparison with the previous corrected image (or the reference image).
Beneficially, the said calculation of the first parameter P1 for all pixels in the damaged image can be made using the formula
P1=K+fE(H1,H2)
where: K is a predetermined offset value;
H1 is a first histogram of the amplitude levels of pixels in the damaged image;
H2 is a second histogram of amplitude levels of pixels in the reference image;
fE is a predetermined error function used to calculate a variation between two functions.
For example, the predetermined error function may be based on the least squares method. It may also be based on the differences of the variances of histograms for the damaged image and for the reference image.
The predetermined offset value, if it is not equal to zero, prevents the first parameter from being zero when the two histograms are identical (if fE (H1; H2)=0).
The second parameter (the local parameter) is specific to each pixel in the same damaged image. It provides information about whether there is a spatial discontinuity, by comparing with neighboring pixels in the same damaged image. Noise results in a fairly pronounced spatial discontinuity in the same image. Consequently, detection of this type of spatial discontinuity in a pixel suggests a fairly high probability that the pixel is affected by noise.
Advantageously, the said calculation of the second parameter is done simultaneously for all pixels in the damaged image, and is made using the following formula:
{MP2}=(1/xcex12)xc2x7F2({It}xe2x88x92{Itxe2x88x921}
where: {MP2} is a matrix of second parameters P2 each associated with a distinct pixel of the damaged image;
{It} is a matrix of the amplitude values of pixels in the damaged image;
F2 is an average or median or low pass filter, or any other filter adapted to the noise being processed;
xcex12 is a first normalization factor.
It may be possible to use a combination of average, median and low pass filters, instead of using a single filter, in order to combine the advantages of each type of filter.
The third parameter (or the temporal parameter) is specific to each pixel in the same damaged image. It provides information about a change in the amplitude value by comparison with the pixel in the previous corrected image (the reference image) with the same spatial coordinates. Noise also results in a fairly pronounced temporal discontinuity between two successive images. Consequently, detection of this type of temporal discontinuity in a pixel indicates a fairly high probability that this pixel is affected by noise. However, it should be checked that this temporal discontinuity is not due to a moving object between successive images.
Preferably, the said calculation of the third parameter is done simultaneously for all pixels in the damaged image, and is made using the following formula:
{MP3}=(1/xcex13)xc2x7F3({It}xe2x88x92{Itxe2x88x921})
where: {MP3} is a matrix of third parameters P3 each associated with a distinct pixel of the damaged image;
{It} is a matrix of the amplitude values of pixels in the damaged image;
{Itxe2x88x921} is a matrix of the amplitude values of pixels in the reference image;
F3 is an average or median or low pass filter,
xcex13 is a second normalization factor.
Filtering makes it possible to ignore changes in values of the pixel amplitude due to object movements between successive images.
Preferably, the said calculation of the correction factor will be made using the following formula:
C=max {I, P1xc2x7fc(P2,P3)}
where: P1, P2 and P3 are the said first, second and third parameters normalized to 1;
fc is a predetermined combination function.
Beneficially, the said predetermined correction strategy consists of calculating an amplitude value of the corrected pixel Ixe2x80x2t (x, y), for each given pixel in the damaged image, using the following formula:
Ixe2x80x2t(x, y)=R1(C)xc2x7It(x, y)+R2(C)xc2x7Itxe2x88x921(x, y)
where: It (x, y) is the amplitude value of the given pixel in the damaged image;
Itxe2x88x921(x, y) is the amplitude of the pixel in the reference image with the same spatial coordinates (x, y) as the given pixel;
C is the correction factor normalized to 1;
R1 and R2 are distribution functions respecting two constraints, namely:
R1 (C)+R2 (C)xe2x89xa61, where R1 is a decreasing function such that R1 (0)=1, and R2 is an increasing function such that R2 (1)=1.
Thus, the following three cases may be distinguished:
if C=0, the amplitude of the corrected pixel is equal to the amplitude value of the pixel in the damaged image (no replacement);
if C=1, the amplitude of the corrected pixel is equal to the amplitude value of the pixel in the reference image (complete replacement);
if 0 less than C less than 1, the amplitude value of the corrected pixel is equal to a weighted sum of the amplitudes of the pixel in the damaged image and the pixel in the reference image (weighted replacement).
According to one beneficial variant, the said predetermined correction strategy consists of calculating an amplitude value of the corrected pixel Itxe2x80x3(x, y), for each given pixel in the damaged image, using the following formula:
Itxe2x80x3(x, y)=R1(C)xc2x7It(x, y)+R2(C)xc2x7Itxe2x88x921(x, y)+R3(C)xc2x7It,F(x, y)
where: Itxe2x80x3(x, y) is the amplitude of the given pixel in the damaged image;
Itxe2x88x921(x, y) is the amplitude value of the pixel in the reference image with the same spatial coordinates (x, y) as the given pixel;
It,F(x, y) is the amplitude value of the pixel in a filtered image with the same spatial coordinates (x, y) as the given pixel, the said filtered image being obtained by an average or median or low pass filter or any other filter adapted to the noise treated in the damaged image;
C is the correction factor normalized to 1;
R1, R2 and R3 are distribution functions respecting the constraints R1(C)+R2(C)+R3(C)xe2x89xa61, where R1 is a decreasing function such that R1(0)=1, and R2 is an increasing function such that R2(1)=1.
Preferably, for each given pixel in the damaged image, the said process includes the following additional basic steps:
calculate an error probability on the amplitude value of the given pixel, as a function of the variation between the number of pixels in the damaged image and the number of pixels in the reference image with the same amplitude value as the said given pixel, the said error probability consisting of a fourth parameter estimating the correction to be made to the said given pixel;
use of the said fourth parameter to weight the first and second parameters or the correction factor associated with the said given pixel.
These two additional steps refine the calculation of the correction factor.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the said process comprises the following preliminary basic steps:
calculate a first histogram of the amplitude values of pixels in the damaged image;
calculate a second histogram of the amplitudes of pixels in the reference image;
calculate the variation between the average values of the said first and second histograms,
correct the amplitude values of the pixels in the damaged image as a function of the said variation of the average value, in order to balance the amplitude values of the pixels in the damaged image with the amplitude values of the pixels in the reference image and obtain a precorrected damaged image that is used instead of the damaged image in all the other steps of the said process.
These preliminary steps correspond to use of a gain correction on amplitude values of the damaged image as a function of the amplitude values of the reference image.
In one beneficial variant of the process according to the invention in which a consistent type process is used, the following steps are carried out for each damaged digital image in the source sequence (consisting of a level n digital image to be corrected):
reduce the size of the level n digital image to be corrected, in order to obtain a level n+k digital image to be corrected, where kxe2x89xa71;
process the level n+k digital image to be corrected at hierarchical level n+k, in order to obtain a corrected level n+k digital image;
increase the size of the corrected level n+k digital image in order to obtain a corrected level n+kxe2x88x921 digital image;
reiterate the two previous steps of processing and increasing the size, if necessary, until a level n corrected digital image is obtained;
if necessary, processing of the corrected level n digital image at hierarchical level n,
the process according to the invention being characterized by the fact that at least one of the said processing steps at a given hierarchical level consists of using the said basic steps at least once.
The principle of this processing hierarchization (or processing at several levels) is to reduce the size of the image to be processed in order to be able to apply processing requiring more time or calculation power.
Thus, processing of each damaged digital image in the source sequence is refined and improved. For each hierarchical level, the processing may consist of carrying out the above mentioned basic steps (namely the steps of calculating the various parameters and the correction factor, and then the correction itself) one or more times, and/or applying several filters (for example of the average, median or low pass type).
Preferably, at least one of the said first, second, third and fourth parameters is weighted as a function of the hierarchical processing level that at least partially forms the said basic steps.
Movements of large objects can thus be kept. Note that a level n image (for example n=0), is fairly sensitive to moving objects, whereas a higher level image (for example N+2) is less sensitive since movements are smaller. In order to maintain movements of large objects, it is preferable that the effects of some parameters (for example the temporal parameter) are reduced for higher level processing, and/or the effects of other parameters (for example the local parameter) are given priority.
Beneficially, the process according to the invention applies to the real time processing of a source sequence of damaged digital images.

Method for processing a noisy digital image source sequence


An apparatus for converting a groove/land polarity on an optical medium, comprises a physical identification (PID) detector for detecting a first PID value from a first sector, a sector information unit for providing an information which includes a second PID value indicative of either a second sector or at least one reference groove/land changing point, a sector counter for counting a first value whose an initiation is set by the sector information unit based on the information and/or by the PID detector based on the first PID value, and a comparing unit for determining at least one oncoming groove/land changing points, when the first value approaches a second value predetermined in or generated by the sector information unit according to the information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for converting groove/land polarity, and especially in an apparatus and method capable of toggling a reliable and exact groove/land polarity upon determination of a groove/land track change on an optical medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various types of disk-shaped optical medium with high-density capacity was progressively developed in compliance with trends of accommodating huge amounts of digital contents, for instance, video or audio data. For one kind of disk-shaped optical medium such as DVD±RW, the data is recorded by a pickup head of a recording/reading device in grooves as pits formed on the surface of the optical medium. For another kind of disk-shaped optical medium such as DVD-RAM (Digital Versatile Disk-Random Access Memory), the data is successively allocated and recorded by a pickup head in both grooves and lands as different-layer pits formed on the surface of the optical medium. Such a groove/land track on the optical medium is divided into specific number of sectors each containing an embossed header data region and a user data region. The embossed header data region prerecords a physical identification data (PID) with reference to physical layout of the sector where the embossed header data region is located. Each sector owns its physical identification data (PID) independent of the other sectors. As soon as an alternation of land and groove tracks, i.e. a track changing position from a groove to a land or vice versa, is scanned by a beam spot of the pickup head during a reading/writing process on the optical medium, a track converting signal responsive to the track change is generated to enable a servo unit of the reading/writing device to toggle a groove/land polarity (phase) of an output control thereby reliably reading/writing data from or onto the optical medium.
Thus, it is a great topic of interest in how to determine a groove/land changing position on the optical medium to ensure a stable servo control during each recording/reading process on the optical medium.
A prior art disclosed in an U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,678 specifies that a tracking error signal (also called a "high frequency push-pull" or "HPP" signal) is generated to decide a polarity of the header field (plus or minus) responsive to a groove/land track change on an optical medium. Then a groove/land polarity toggle point 12 (as shown in FIG. 1b) will be determined upon occurrence of a phase difference resulted from the polarity change of an envelope signal. For example shown in FIG. 1a, a cycle 10 of an envelope signal has a 180-degree phase difference relative to the previous cycle 6. However, the envelope signal is often unstable to be detected during slice and therefore is insufficient to determine the groove/land polarity toggle point.
Another prior art disclosed in an U.S. Pat. No. 6,333,902 specifies that a groove/land changing position can be determined by counting down a total number of sectors to find the last sector at an end of a track wherein the number of sectors can be counted by counting cycles of the wobble signal since the wobble exists in each sector. Alternatively, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,333,902 further specifies that a groove/land changing position can be determined by finding out a bit value of physical identification data relative to any one of the last 3 sequent sectors at an end of a track. However, as long as the physical identification data of the last 3 sectors in each track all fails to be decoded, the mechanism also fails to determine an exact groove/land changing position.
To address the foregoing drawbacks, it is, therefore, a primary objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for converting a groove/land polarity upon determination of a groove/land track change on an optical medium, which merely needs to initially find out a reference groove/land changing point on the optical medium, or pick up any one decoded physical identification data (PID) on the optical medium, and then is cable of timely and determining the next groove/land changing points for converting groove/land polarity, even all of the next track changing points distributed on the optical medium, especially for one kind of optical medium which has to use an exact groove/land information to perform a stable servo control. Also, the present invention needs not to decode the last sectors for finding out each one of the groove/land changing points on the optical medium.
It is a secondary objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for converting a groove/land polarity upon determination of a groove/land track change on an optical medium, which merely needs to initially find out a relationship between a first PID value of a first sector decoded and a second PID value of either a second sector provided or a reference groove/land changing point formed on the optical medium, and then is cable of timely and determining each of oncoming groove/land changing points on the optical medium for converting the groove/land polarity.
To achieve the aforementioned objectives, a first embodiment of the present invention introduces an apparatus for determining a groove/land polarity upon a groove/land track change on an optical medium, which includes a reference groove/land detector, a sector information unit, a sector counter, a comparator and a groove/land toggling unit. Meanwhile, the reference groove/land detector is operative to initially detect a reference groove/land changing point in a zone of the optical medium. The sector information unit as a lookup table pre-stores some sector information relative to the optical medium, thereby providing a first value indicating a total number of sectors per track based on the detected zone on the optical medium. The sector counter is operative to count a number of sectors per a predetermined cycle, from the reference groove/land changing point to approach a subsequent groove/land changing point along a track where the reference groove/land changing point belongs, and the number of sectors counted per the predetermined cycle is treated to be a second value. The comparator compares the first value with the second value to determine whether the subsequent groove/land changing point occurs on the optical medium or not. While the first value is found identical with the second value, the groove/land polarity conversion is performed at a header.
Furthermore, a method for converting a groove/land polarity upon a groove/land track change on an optical medium is introduced as the following steps of:
detecting a reference groove/land changing point formed in a zone of the optical medium;
generating a first value indicating a total number of sectors per track according to the detected zone;
generating a second value by counting a number of sectors per a predetermined cycle, from the reference groove/land changing point to approach a subsequent groove/land changing point along a track where the reference groove/land changing point belongs;
comparing the first value with the second value per the predetermined cycle;
determining the subsequent groove/land changing point to toggle a groove/land polarity when the first value is found identical with the second value; and
After the subsequent groove/land changing point is determined, setting the second value to zero for re-generating the second value per the predetermined cycle by counting the number of sectors until the other oncoming groove/land changing points are determined one by one.
Moreover, another embodiment of the present invention introduces an apparatus for converting a groove/land polarity, which comprises a physical identification (PID) detector detecting a first sector from the optical medium into a first PID value, a sector information unit providing an information of at least one sector, including a second PID value indicative of either a second sector or a reference groove/land changing point laid on the optical medium, a sector counter counting a first value, an initiation of which is set by the sector information unit based on the at least one sector information and/or the PID detector based on the first PID value, and a comparing unit determining at least one of the oncoming groove/land changing points for performing the groove/land polarity conversion, based on when the first value approaches a second value either predetermined or generated by the sector information unit according to the at least one sector information.
Beside, a method for converting a groove/land polarity upon a groove/land track change on an optical medium is introduced as the following steps of:
detecting a first physical identification (PID) value indicating a physical layout of a first sector laid on the optical medium;
providing an information of at least one sector relative to the optical medium, including a second PID value indicative of either a second sector or a reference groove/land changing point laid on the optical medium;
counting a first value, wherein an initiation of the first value is generated based on the at least one sector information and/or the first PID value; and
determining at least one of the other groove/land changing points allocated on the optical medium for performing the groove/land polarity conversion, based on when the first value approaches a second value either predetermined or generated according to the at least one sector information.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method for converting groove/land polarity upon groove/land track change on optical medium


Solutions for distributing telepresence content to users and devices that are not direct participants in the telepresence session in which the content is created. For example, in some cases, a collector device might receive telepresence content from a dedicated telepresence endpoint and/or transmit that content, through a firewall, to a system that is outside the firewall and therefore is accessible from the Internet. In an aspect, such embodiments might employ a protocol that does not require any incoming connection from the outside system and therefore does not require any modification of the firewall policies in order to provide such content.

A telepresence session is a specific type of teleconference, in which dedicated hardware is used to provide a high-quality video and audio conference between two or more participants. Typically, a telepresence session will involve a dedicated video endpoint, such as the CISCO TELEPRESENCE SYSTEM 500™ or the CISCO TELEPRESENCE SYSTEM 3000™, commercially available from Cisco Systems, Inc., at the location of each participant. These endpoints will communicate across a private network to provide a highly collaborative videoconferencing environment.
In many cases, a telepresence session might include communications that would be of interest to parties other than those directly participating in the session. Examples include earnings conference calls, sales presentations, and the like. Because of the specialized hardware requirements of a telepresence system, however, it is difficult, if not impossible for a party to participate in (or even watch) a telepresence session if that party does not have that hardware present at his or her location. Moreover, most telepresence sessions are conducted on private networks that are isolated from the Internet (and many possible interested viewers) by a firewall. Security policies at many organizations prohibit any type of incoming connection (such as an HTTP request) from a user outside the firewall that would like to view the telepresence system.
Accordingly, there is a need for tools and techniques that can provide content from telepresence sessions to users outside of the private network on which the telepresence session is conducted.


Techniques pertaining to device and method for controlling an analog signal are disclosed. Using a single connection (e.g., a connector or a pin) without an external resistive element (e.g., a resistor), an analog output is digitally controlled and produced. In one embodiment, a precisely controlled current is generated from coded data. A control unit is designed to control a working mode based on an input signal from the connection. The working mode includes a default mode, a programmable mode, a testing mode and a shutdown mode. Under the programmable mode, a user determines a signal coupled in from the connection as desired, and a code unit codes the signal in accordance with a predefined protocol. The code unit then sends the coded data to a decode unit. The decode unit is designed to generate or control the current by the decoded data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the area of integrated circuit, and more particularly to device and method for controlling an analog signal via a single connection (e.g., a connector or a pin).
2. Description of Related Art
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits incoherent narrow-spectrum light when electrically biased in the forward direction of the p-n junction. This effect is a form of electroluminescence. An LED is a small area source with extra optics added to the chip that makes it emit a certain radiation pattern. The color of the emitted light depends on the composition and condition of the semiconducting material used, and can be infrared, visible or near-ultraviolet.
LEDs are commonly used as a lighting source in applications. It is commonly known that a current going through an LED controls the brightness of the emitting light from the LED. However, unlike incandescent light bulbs, which light up regardless of the electrical polarity, LEDs will only light with positive electrical polarity. When the voltage across the p-n junction is in the correct direction, a significant current flows and the device is said to be forward-biased, thus emitting light. If the voltage is of the wrong polarity, the device is said to be reverse biased, very little current flows, thus no light is emitted.
Because the voltage versus current characteristics of an LED are much like any diode (that is, current approximately an exponential function of voltage), a small voltage change results in a huge change in current, resulting in brightness variations of the LED. Changes in brightness, if not so designed, are not desirable. Accordingly, there is a need for control circuit that is able to regulate a voltage applied across an LED to keep a constant current flowing an LED.
Most of the prior art methods use a current source and an external resistor to modulate the value of a current going through an LED. It has been noticed that the external resistor may introduce various undesirable side-effects. Therefore, there is a need for techniques for generating a precisely controlled current to be applied to an LED without an external element.

Automatic current trimming method and circuits


An example method of compressing a data set includes determining whether individual values from a data set correspond to a first category or a second category of values. Based on one of the values corresponding to the first category, the value is added to a compressed data set. Based on one of the values corresponding to the second category, the value is excluded from the compressed data set, and a statistical distribution of values of the second category is updated based on the value. During a first phase, the determining is performed for a plurality of values from a first portion of the data set based on comparison of the values to criteria. During a second phase, the determining is performed for a plurality of values from a second portion of the data set based on the statistical distribution.

This application relates to data processing, and more particularly to a method and system for efficiently compressing data sets for subsequent data processing.
Data analytics is a process of examining data sets in order to draw conclusions about the information they contain, typically with the aid of specialized systems and software. Data analytics is widely used in commercial industries to enable organizations to make more-informed business decisions, for example, by looking for patterns in data sets and/or inferences that can be made from the data sets.
Software used for analyzing large data sets, such as the commercially available software package RAPIDMINER®, typically includes a data visualization component to visualize portions of a data set and a data mining component that looks for patterns in a data set. Such software typically performs "data scrubbing" when unexpected data is encountered, such as irrational numbers (i.e., numbers that cannot be expressed as a fraction of any integers and have non-terminating decimal expansions) and complex numbers (i.e., numbers in the form a+bi, where a and b are real numbers, and i is a solution of the equation x2=−1).
The data scrubbing causes the unexpected data to be omitted from the data set. This can be problematic for data sets such as particle accelerator and cancer genomics data sets, in which irrational and/or complex numbers are not extraneous or erroneous data, but rather represent some of the most significant data of interest.


A video enhancement system provides automatic enhancement to video data that includes the presence of obscurations. The system provides near-field enhancement of the video data by detecting the presence of near-field obscurations such as snowflakes/raindrops and determining whether the detected obscurations are located over background pixels or foreground objects. The detected obscuration pixels are filled-in depending on whether they are located over the background or foreground to create an enhanced image. The system may also provide local/global adaptive contrast enhancement to enhance video in the presence of far-field obscurations.

The present invention is related to computer vision and image processing, and in particular to video-quality enhancement of images containing obscuring phenomena such as either snow and/or rain.
Computer vision and image processing relates broadly to any application that makes use of image data. Video-quality enhancement refers to image processing techniques that seek to improve or otherwise enhance the quality of the video data. Video-quality enhancement may be employed to enhance data prior to subsequent video analytic software used to analyze the video data, or may be used to improve the quality of an image (i.e., frame) or sequence of frames displayed to a user.
For example, video surveillance is one application in which video quality is often-times an issue. Whether video surveillance data is monitored by a human operator or by way of video analytic software that automatically detects the presence of threats or security breaches, the quality of the video data provided to the human operator or the video analytic system is important for improving the effectiveness of the system. In particular, surveillance systems are often-times required to operate in a variety of environments, including outdoor environments. The quality of the video data provided by the video systems is therefore susceptible to weather events such as rain and/or snow that will obscure or otherwise degrade the quality of the video data provided by the system. It would therefore be desirable to develop an automatic video-quality enhancement system and method for improving the quality of video data affected by the presence of snow and/or rain.

System and method for video-quality enhancement


A three-dimensional object molding method and molding device, where the method includes the following steps: forming a powder particle layer, wherein the powder particle layer at least contains thermosetting powder particles capable of undergoing thermal polymerization; spraying a photocurable material onto the powder particle layer according to layer printing data, such that the photocurable material covers at least part of the powder particle layer and permeates into this layer; curing the photocurable material to form a slice layer; repeating the steps to obtain a plurality of slice layers, and stacking the plurality of slice layers layer-by-layer to form a three-dimensional object green body; and heating the green body to thermally polymerize the thermosetting powder particles so as to obtain the three-dimensional object. The method provided in the present application enables the obtained three-dimensional object to have very good mechanical properties and a high molding accuracy.

3D printing technology is also known as a Rapid Prototyping technology, a Rapid Prototyping Manufacturing technology, an Adding Manufacturing technology or the like. Its basic principle consists in slicing a 3D model based on slicing software, converting by a data processor the resulting slice data of a 3D model into layer printing data, and controlling by a controller a printing device to print layer-by-layer according to the layer printing data and stacking so as to form a 3D object. At present stage, the 3D printing technology mainly includes Selective Laser Sintering technology (abbreviated as: SLS technology), three Dimensional Inkjet Printing technology (belonging to: Multi-material Inkjet Printing technology, which is abbreviated as: MJP technology), etc.
SLS technology is also known as a powder three-dimensional molding technology. Its main process consists in spreading powder particle layers layer-by-layer on a supporting platform, and selectively layered-sintering the powder particles by laser according to model data, such that the powder particles are sintered or melted and then solidified into a slice layer, and stacking the resulting sintered slice layer layer-by-layer to form a three-dimensional object. In fact, the SLS technology relates to a physical molding process with low molding accuracy.
The materials used in the SLS technology may be metal powder, ceramic powder, plastic powder and so on. Plastics may generally be classified into thermosetting plastics and thermoplastics, where the thermosetting plastics refer to those that soften and flow after being heated, and no longer have plasticity and cannot be recycled when being heated again; thermoplastics are a type of plastics that is ductile at a certain temperature and cured after being cooled and can repeat such process. Therefore, the plastic powders used in the SLS technology are mostly thermoplastic powder particles. However, three-dimensional objects made from thermoplastic powder particles usually exhibit the defects of poor heat resistance and rigidity, which limit the application thereof in the fields of aerospace, automotive industry, chemical industry, textile industry and machinery manufacturing, and so on.
As for MJP technology, a controller controls a print head to selectively eject photocurable or thermosetting material on a supporting platform according to layer printing data, the material then forms a cured material layer through leveling and curing, and the above-mentioned cured material layer may be stacked layer-by-layer, thus forming a three-dimensional object. MJP technology actually relates to a chemical cross-linking molding process with high molding accuracy. However, in order to ensure the fluency of inkjet printing, the photocurable material or thermosetting material as a whole should have proper viscosity and surface tension or the like, thus imposing a certain restriction on the specific selection of material components, which makes the mechanical properties of the final three-dimensional object difficult to meet industrial applications.

Three-dimensional object molding method and molding device


The utilization of small antennas for mobile devices and for low frequency (long wavelength) applications is desired. Further, efficient use of transmission power is desirable, especially in mobile applications. For this purpose, a system is provided that includes one or more of: a multiple-resonator transmitter/receiver, a high bandwidth electrically small antenna, a resonator with a variable feed location, a resonator with a variable reactive component load, and a method for estimating a resonator system response to a component configuration and selected excitation.

The present application relates to antennas, and more particularly, but not exclusively, relates to the increasing the bandwidth of an electrically small antenna. In one nonexclusive application, this antenna technology finds application in wireless communications. As used herein, the term "electrically small" when used to describe an antenna refers to an antenna with a maximum dimension less than one-half the wavelength of its operating frequency.
Electrically small antennas present operating challenges in the current art and commonly are considered to perform poorly. An antenna performs most efficiently when the maximum power is transferred to the antenna (for a transmitter) or from the antenna (for a receiver) for a given power input. To maximize power transfer, it is often desirable to closely match input impedance of the antenna to the characteristic impedance of the power line operatively coupled thereto. Maximum power transfer can occur when the real part of the matched impedances have the same magnitude (the resistances), and when the imaginary parts (the reactances) have the same magnitude and are of opposite signs, such that they are 180 degrees out of phase with one another. Because the impedances of low-loss transmission lines are nearly real, it is often the case that an antenna is most effective when near self-resonance, where the antenna input reactance is nearly zero. The input impedance of an electrically small antenna can be difficult to match because the radiation from a small transmitting antenna is inversely related to the antenna size in wavelengths, whence the antenna reactance is small as also is the antenna resistance.
Antennas that are physically small compared to wavelength have input impedances with relatively large reactance values except near the resonance frequency. At resonance, the input reactance tends to diminish and the input resistance is usually small. Therefore, electrically small antennas typically demonstrate relatively small match bandwidth.
Consumers are typically interested in electronic devices that are smaller and more efficient in power usage, allowing longer use and battery life. Additionally or alternatively, it is often desirable to increase the bandwidth of communication devices such as mobile phones, GPS devices, radios, and the like. The space occupied by an antenna relative to its effectiveness is often of interest in relation to such equipment. Thus, there is a need for further contributions in this area of technology.

Electrically small antenna devices, systems, apparatus, and methods

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois


The utility cart has a first pair of corner posts, a second pair of corners posts, a shelf, a front support bar, a pair of parallel side support bars, and a back support bar, which is particularly suited for supporting a drawstring garment bag for receiving garments being dispatched from a conveyor dryer. For added support and rigidity, the utility cart is also provided with a pair of parallel side support bars, each side support bar extending from a first corner post to a second corner post. For added ease of movement, the utility cart can also be provided with swivel-wheel caster assemblies on each of the four posts. The utility cart and drawstring garment bag can be provided as a kit along with a wedge member and a set of size separators.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to carts, and more specifically to a utility cart for use with a removable garment bag.
2. Description of the Related Art
Commercial conveyor drying machines are frequently used in the screen printing industry for drying the ink on screen printed garments. As the dried garments come off of the conveyor and are dispatched from the machine, they are often caught in cardboard boxes that are used to store and ship the finished garments. However, the use of cardboard boxes is extremely inconvenient. For example, once the boxes are full, they are extremely heavy and difficult to move and ship. The use of cardboard boxes also requires constant supervision as the garments must be arranged by hand so as not to pile up on one side of the box. Also, since garments of the same size (e.g. S, M, L, XL, etc.) are passed through the drying machine at the same time, the machine must be stopped every time a new size is to be loaded, and a new cardboard box must be retrieved in order to keep the garments separated by size.
This is a need for a utility cart that is designed to catch garments being dispatched from a conveyor dryer. It is desirable that the cart be a mobile cart capable of supporting a drawstring garment bag that can hold a large quantity of garments, making the packaging, storage, and transportation of the garments easier. Thus, a utility cart solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


In an electrostatic capacitance-type position detection device, a corresponding ground region is formed at an intersection point between a corresponding first virtual center line and a corresponding second virtual center line, and a corresponding detection electrode and a corresponding drive electrode are disposed on the outer side of the relevant ground region. The detection electrodes each include a first electrode line and a second electrode line that extend in a second direction and are disposed so as to sandwich therebetween the ground regions from a first direction. The drive electrodes are each configured by arranging electrode patterns in order in the first direction. The electrode patterns each include a third electrode line that extends in the second direction, and a fourth electrode line and a fifth electrode line that are located on both respective ends of the third electrode line and extend in the first direction.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to an electrostatic capacitance-type position detection device that includes a contact surface, with which a pointing body such as a fingertip of an operator can come into contact, and detects the contact position of the pointing body on the contact surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, along with the popularization of mobile terminals such as notebook-size personal computers (notebook PCs) and cellular phones, there have been used position input devices as operation devices. In many cases, the position detection devices each including a contact surface, with which a fingertip of an operator or the like can come into contact, and detecting the contact position of the fingertip or the like on the contact surface. The position input devices are commonly used for touch pads or the like for input to personal computers, and are also applied to touch panels of portable devices, various terminal devices, and so forth, using transparent substrates and transparent electrodes.
As such position input devices, there have been electrostatic capacitance-type position input devices that each detect the contact position of a fingertip on a contact surface, based on a change in electrostatic capacitance. In a case of utilizing one of the relevant position input devices as a device for moving a cursor, a user is able to move the cursor only by gently tracing the contact surface. Therefore, the position input devices are easy to use and preferred by many users. As the related art, there has been disclosed Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-222384.
In recent years, the electrostatic capacitance-type position detection devices mounted in notebook PCs and so forth have been desired to grow in size and be reduced in price. In order to satisfy such demands, it is desirable to increase the pitch of an electrode and to keep down the number of electrodes. However, there has been a problem that position detection accuracy is deteriorated if the pitch of an electrode is increased.
In an electrostatic capacitance-type position detection device including drive electrodes, detection electrodes, and ground electrodes, electrostatic capacitance between the corresponding drive electrode and the corresponding detection electrode is reduced by bringing a finger close thereto, and the reduction amount thereof is detected for each electrode, thereby detecting a position.
However, in such an electrostatic capacitance-type position detection device, there has been a problem that the point of intersection between the corresponding drive electrode and the corresponding detection electrode becomes a portion whose sensitivity is the highest and if the electrode pitch is increased, a sensitivity variation due to a position becomes large and position detection accuracy is deteriorated.
In addition, while largely functioning as a ground conductor for reducing electrostatic capacitance between the corresponding drive electrode and the corresponding detection electrode, the pointing body such as a finger also largely functions as a floating conductor that increases the electrostatic capacitance between the corresponding drive electrode and the corresponding detection electrode. This function as the floating conductor causes a detection error (inversion sensing error), and poses an obstacle to the enhancement of detection accuracy.
The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and provides an electrostatic capacitance-type position detection device capable of suppressing the variation of position sensitivity and the inversion sensing error and obtaining high position detection accuracy in a case of increasing the electrode pitch.

Electrostatic capacitance-type position detection device


A camshaft adjuster (1) for an internal combustion engine is provided, wherein the relative angle between a drive wheel (2) and an inner rotor associated with a camshaft can be adjusted via hydraulic loading of pressure spaces (9, 10) between an outer rotor (3) and the inner rotor (6), wherein the drive wheel (2) is made of plastic and the outer rotor (3) associated with the drive wheel (2) is made of metal. Particularly good linkage can be obtained and mounting complexity can be reduced by having at least one bearing surface between the outer rotor (3) and the inner rotor (6) that is connected with a firmly bonded material or positive fit in the drive wheel that is made from plastic.

The invention relates to a camshaft adjuster for an internal combustion engine according to the preamble of Claim 1.
From DE 102 11 607 A1, a camshaft adjuster for adjusting and fixing the relative rotational angle position of a camshaft relative to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine is known. A hydraulic adjustment device here consists of an external rotor, which is allocated to a drive wheel, and also an internal rotor, which is connected to a camshaft via a driven element. Pressure chambers are formed between the external rotor and the internal rotor. Charging these chambers hydraulically can change the angular relationship between the drive wheel and driven element.
In the mentioned publication, it is proposed to produce the drive wheel and at least one of the other functional parts integrally from a high load capacity plastic. According to a first embodiment, the drive wheel and the external rotor and also two other components are produced integrally from plastic. For an alternative construction, the external rotor is produced as a separate component from plastic or from a conventional material, such as metal, and is set in a cover formed integrally

Camshaft adjuster for an internal combustion engine


First and second circuits store therein source and destination operand addressing information from an instruction code as input information of a main decoder, respectively. A third circuit stores therein information other than operand addressing information from the instruction code as input information of the main decoder. A predecoder analyzes the instruction code and controls states of the first, second and third circuits. A first selector determines which information is input to the main decoder, from the first circuit, the second circuit or the third circuit. A processing selecting circuit causes the first selector to select information for each instruction, in a basic sequence of the first circuit, the second circuit and then the third circuit. The processing selecting circuit controls the first selector so that, if a state of at least one of the first and second circuits indicates that `processing is not required`, the circuit of the state of the indication is not selected and a subsequent circuit is selected instead. The main decoder obtains the information from the first, second and third circuits and controls each component of the central processing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a central processing unit (hereinafter abbreviated to a `CPU`) used in a system including a microprocessor and in a system including a sequencer, such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor).
2. A CPU executes an operation according to a software program. The software program is a set of instructions and the operation is performed as a result of the instructions being executed.
Ordinarily, an instruction includes a combination of an operation (a type of the instruction) and an operand. The type of instruction indicates which operation the CPU should perform and the operand indicates data to be processed in the operation. Ordinarily, the data to be processed in the operation is often expressed using a location at which the data is stored in the operand. That is, actually, an operand may be information which is used for addressing the location of the data to be processed in the operation. There are various ways to indicate the location of data. Further, a number of operands included in a single instruction depends on a particular type of the instruction. For example, an operation instruction such as a logical sum OR, A.vertline.B.fwdarw.C, requires three operands A, B and C. In this case, it is preferable that a location of each of the three operands can be addressed without any restriction.
However, actually, there may be various restrictions on such addressing. For example, there may be a restriction concerning an instruction code length. If locations of three operands are individually addressed using operands, a total instruction code length including the operands is long. As a result, a software program including an instruction of the total instruction length has a large size, and a memory storing the software program should have a large storage capacity. Further, if an instruction of an instruction code length is long, a long time is required for reading and decoding the instruction and thus an efficiency of an operation may not be high. When each of the three operands has particular addressing to be performed therefor, a number of possible combinations of the three operands is the third power of a number of possible addressing manners for each data. If a number of types of instructions and number of combinations of operands are large, a number of combinations of the types of instructions and operands is very large.
The CPU has an internal software program integrated therein. Such an internal software program is used when the CPU analyzes an externally supplied software program and thus appropriately executes the externally supplied software program containing the above-described instructions. Such an internal software program is referred to as a microprogram. If a number of types of instructions and a number of combinations of operands are large, a number of combinations of the types of instructions and operands is very large, and the microprogram has a very large size accordingly. If the microprogram has a very large size, it may not be possible that the CPU has the microprogram integrated therein.
In order to reduce the number of combinations of operand addressing, a number of operands may be reduced to two from the three. Specifically, there is a method, referred to as a two operand method, in which, for example, in the logical sum OR, A.vertline.B.fwdarw.B. That is, in the above-mentioned expression A.vertline.B.fwdarw.C, the operand C is common with the operand B and thus A.vertline.B.fwdarw.B. An operand such as the operand C in this example is an operand which represents a result of the operation and is referred to as a destination operand. An operand such as the operand B in this example is an original operand and is referred to as a source operand. By this two operand method, addressing of operands can be completed only by addressing two operands such as those A and B in this example. Accordingly, in comparison to the case where -the operands are three, such as those A, B and C, a number of combinations of operand addressing can be reduced. Although the two operand method has some restrictions, this method is a general method and is used in many CPUs on the market.
In execution of an instruction by a CPU using the two operand method, there are three states: a source operand address calculation state in which an address of a source operand is calculated; a destination operand address calculation state in which an address of a destination operand is calculated; and a operation performance state in which an operation is performed. In the above-described example of the logical sum OR, A.vertline.B.fwdarw.B, the source operand address calculation state calculates an address of A, the destination operand address calculation state calculates an address of B, and the operation performance state performs the operation of A.vertline.B and then stores the result in B. Further, there may be various instructions such as that which does not require any operand addressing, and that which requires addressing of only one of the source and destination operands.
It is preferable that a CPU can smoothly execute various instructions according to a microprogram having a small size.

Central processing unit with a selector that bypasses circuits where processing is not required


A modular indicator of a price or of any information relating to an article on display comprising a plurality of units which can be fixed each to the following other along a longitudinal axis of composition for the modular indicator, wherein each unit in turn comprises a support mount and an alphanumerical segment cantilevered on the support mount.

The present invention relates to a modular price indicator.
A type of price indicator currently available commercially, with reference in particular to the sector of luxury items or valuable goods, such as for example gold articles or timepieces, is formed by a longitudinal guiding metal support wherein flat alphanumerical segments can be slidingly inserted in series.
Such an indicator has some instability against tilting around its longitudinal axis and requires guiding supports with different length in order to allow composition of information with different length. Metal material which constitutes the indicator preferably made of brass, tends to oxidise and is easily scratched.
Segments are formed by shearing the metal, so that they must be finished with care for removal of shearing fin.
Finally, segment are flat and therefore difficult to handle.
Another kind of modular indicator currently available is constituted of plastic cubes which fixe each to the other along a longitudinal axis and which have an alphanumerical character pressed coplanarly or in a raised plane on the face of the cube to be shown.
The object of the present invention is that of providing a modular indicator which avoids the disadvantages suffered by indicators currently available commercially.
In particular one object of the present invention is that of providing a modular indicator easy to handle and which allows precise, practical, and rapid assembly.
Another object of the present invention is that of providing a modular indicator unexpensive.
These objects are achieved by a modular indicator in accordance with the present invention, comprising a plurality of units which can be fixed each to the following other along a defined longitudinal axis of composition for the indicator characterised in that each unit comprises an alphanumerical segment and a mount for a cantilevered support of the alphanumerical segment.
Units of modular indicator are of a plastic material which can be injected onto a mould and preferably subjected to gilding after moulding.
According to a first preferred embodiment of the invention alphanumerical segments are formed in one single part with the corresponding support mounts.
According to a second preferred embodiment of the invention alphanumerical segments are fixed to the corresponding support mounts.
Such a modular indicator has a good stability against tilting around its longitudinal axis.
Such a modular indicator made of gilded plastic material does not deteriorate in time and can be handled without risk to be damaged.
Information to be displayed is well distinguishable, the alphanumerical segments being supported in a raised plane in relation to the corresponding support mounts.
The units of the indicator are three-dimensionally shaped and can thus be handled with extreme easy.


Disclosed is an automatic paper supply apparatus for a paper shredder which can shred stapled paper sheets regardless of the volume or thickness of the paper sheets to be shredded. The present invention can shred stapled paper sheets without need to previously remove the staples thereof, increases the user's safety, and prevents damage to the apparatus.

As generally known in the art, a paper shredder is an office appliance which rapidly and safely shreds secret paper sheets so as to dispose of it. A paper shredder has recently had a structure having an automatic paper supply function as well as a manual paper supply function as a basic function.
An automatic paper supply function refers to automatically supply a proper quantity of paper sheets. Although a large number of paper sheets is put at once on a paper supply part of an automatic paper supply apparatus, the paper sheets are divided into the proper number of sheets of paper as many as the paper shredder can shred at one time, and then are automatically input into the interior of the automatic paper supply apparatus several times.
Such an automatic paper supply function makes it possible to successively shred a large number of paper sheets by loading of paper sheets with no need to the user to input a sheaf of paper to be shredded into the paper supply part in each time, thereby increasing efficiency in work and convenience in use.
However, in a case of stapled paper sheets, the conventional paper shredder having an automatic paper supply function has to shred paper sheets only when its staple is removed. If the stapled paper sheets are shredded in a stapled state, particularly if the thickness of the stapled paper sheets exceeds the thickness of the number of paper sheets which the paper shredder can shred at one time, the shredding working through the paper shredder can not be progressed any more.
Furthermore, in the conventional paper shredder having an automatic paper supply function, a metallic pin or a sharped protuberance for controlling the quantity of paper automatically supplied is added to a feed roller thereof so as to allow several pieces of paper to be simultaneously supplied, thereby increasing performance in supplying paper. However, in this case, if the user's hand is scratched by the metallic pin or the sharped protuberance, a serious accident can be easily caused.

Automatic paper supply apparatus for paper shredder


In the present invention, a multi-person pose recognition system has been developed. This system includes a body pose detection module, a CC2420DBK board and a multi-person pose monitoring software module. The body pose detection module includes a triaxial accelerometer, a Zigbee chip and an 8-bit microcontroller. Several body pose detection modules and the CC2420DBK board form a Zigbee wireless sensor network (WSN). The CC2420DBK board functions as the receiver of the Zigbee WSN and communicates with a robot onboard computer or a host computer through a RS-232 port. The multi-person pose monitoring software monitors and records activities of multiple users simultaneously. The present invention provides a pose recognition algorithm by combining time-domain analysis and wavelet transform analysis. This algorithm has been implemented in the microcontroller of a body pose estimation module. Through the algorithm, the system can recognize seven body poses: falling, standing, sitting, lying, walking, going upstairs and going downstairs.

In view of the modern medical technology development, the average life of human being is prolonged and the aging population is increasing year by year. All these give rise to lots of issues concerning the home care of aging people. As the time of aging people being home alone increases, if they incurs any contingent condition (e.g. tumble or prolonged sickness), their children may not be aware of that in time and such delay usually results in regrettable outcome.
So far, the countermeasure to this problem is to mount a camera in the room of aging people or in the home for the aged so as to keep track of their activities. However, in addition to blind zones, using the camera also requires additional labor to constantly watch the video images taken thereby. Such job is not only boring but also unrespectful of privacy of the aged. Nowadays, some human pose detection systems developed by using inertial sensor have been brought into play to attain the home care effect under the premise of no breach of privacy.
As to the body pose detection system based on the inertia sensor, a prior art represented by Bouten etl al. [C. V. C. Bouten, K. T. M. Koekkoek, M. Verduin, R. Kodde and J. D. Janssen, "A triaxial accelerometer and portable data processing unit for the assessment of daily physical activity", IEEE Tans. Biomedical Engineering, vol. 44, no. 3, pp. 136-147, 1997.], develops a portable device for recording and determining user's daily activities. Bouten etl al. employ tri-axis accelerometer to measure the dynamic acceleration of human body, use the dynamic acceleration of human body to measure the energy consumed by human body, and determine pose by the energy consumption caused by different movement. Such prior art determines the movement with large energy difference by using a tri-axis accelerometer. Whereas, if determining pose completely by consumed energy, it is prone to a misjudged condition while determining movement with insignificant energy consumption difference and is unlikely to determine static pose.
Besides, another prior art represented by Tanaka etl al. [S. Tanaka, K. Motoi, M. Nogawa and K. Yamakoshi, "A new portable device for ambulatory monitoring of human posture and walking velocity using miniature accelerometers and gyroscope," in Proc. of the 26th Annual International Conference of the IEEE EMBS, San Francisco, USA, 2004, pp. 2283-2286.], discloses a simple relationship which utilizes an accelerometer to calculate the inclination angle of each portion of human body, thereby observing poses of human body. However, such system needs to be mounted to three portions of a body so that it is not convenient to wear and the sensors thereof are difficult to be bundled with normal living utensils such as belt, shoes and so forth, making it hardly practical.
Moreover, refer to the technique addressed by Karantonis etl al. [D. M. Karantonis, M. R. Narayanan, M. Mathie, N. H. Lovell and B. G. Celler, "Implementation of a Real-Time Human Movement Classifier Using a Triaxial Accelerometer for Ambulatory Monitoring," IEEE Trans. Information Technology in Biomedicine, vol. 10, Issue. 1, pp. 156-167, 2006.]. Such prior art combines the research results of various researchers, and the algorithm thereof is realized within a microcontroller. Although its system uses a Zigbee module to transmit the determination result of body pose, the system is not applied to a Zigbee network. In contrast, the present invention employs multiple Zigbee modules to construct a Zigbee wireless sensor network (WSN) (discussed in details later) so as to simultaneously observe the poses of multiple users, increase the detection range and upgrade the system's utility.
In addition to the above-mentioned description, few points concerning the drawbacks and the improvement of the prior arts are further summarized as follows:
(I) Many body pose recognition algorithms based on inertia sensor adopt time-domain or frequency-domain analysis. The poses that can be determined by those algorithms are quite limited. Hence, if the time-domain analysis and the frequency-domain analysis can be integrated, more poses may be determined.
(II) Many body pose recognition algorithms proposed by research have massive computation demand, making them infeasible for being directly loaded in a microcontroller on human body to execute the algorithms. Consequently, it is necessary for the sensed data to be stored first and then analyzed in an off-line manner. In that sense, real-time determination of pose is out of the question. To be more practical, a system equipped with real-time pose-recognizing capability must be developed. Furthermore, a body pose detection module for detecting poses of human body shall be featured by compact size and the feasibility to be integrated with daily living utensils so as to relieve user's inconvenience while carrying it.
(III) Almost all the related researches focusing on the pose detection of single target fail to determine multi-person poses at the same time. Whereas, there are usually more than one person requiring care at home. As a result, a future home care system shall develop to meet the goal of taking care of a plurality of people at the same time.
Meanwhile, because the current robotic technology is gradually mature, many researchers hope that a future robot may gradually step into a family, not only helping the works of human being but also playing a role for home security and care of the aged. Therefore, the present invention develops a set of multi-person pose recognition system attempting to be integrated with a robot through the system, such that a robot servicing at home could assist to take care the aged domestically. The body pose detection module carried by the aged uses sensors to sense a pose of the aged. Through a Zigbee WSN, a robot may simultaneously watch multiple care recipients. Thus, the system is ideal for the application to multiple care recipients in the home-for-the-aged or at home. When the robot senses an accident that a care recipient falls down, the robot could immediately go to the scene, where the accident occurs, to concern and immediately issue an alarm to inform the children of the aged, thereby further securing the home security of the aged.
The first object of the present invention is to provide a multi-person pose recognition system using a Zigbee WSN, which may recognize seven types of body poses of human namely fall down, stand, sit, lie down, go upstairs, go downstairs and walk.
The second object of the present invention is to provide a body pose detection module for realizing the pose detection algorithm, which constitutes a Zigbee WSN with a development board (CC2420DBK) of the Zigbee WSN so as to achieve the effect of observing multi-person poses.
The third object of the present invention is to provide a pose detection algorithm combining time-domain analysis and wavelet analysis, which could determine poses of human body (e.g. fall down, stand, sit, lie down, go upstairs, go downstairs, walk, etc.) by analyzing the readouts of a tri-axis accelerometer of the body pose detection module.

Multi-person pose recognition system using a zigbee wireless sensor network


A device for removing air from a toilet and deodorizing the air is disclosed which comprises an air intake member having an inlet end, an outlet end, and toilet rim engaging member for holding the inlet end adjacent to the toilet bowl, a filter canister havin g a base portion and a top which is movable relative to the base portion, the filter canister having an internal cavity, an inlet opening, and one or more outlet openings, the inlet opening connected to the second end of the intake member, a fan positioned within the filter canister, a first filter member positioned in the internal cavity of the filter canister for filtering hair, lint and large particulates from the air, a second filter member positioned in the filter canister and including a mesh bag containing a quantity of filtering media, the mesh bag being press fit into a portion of the internal cavity such that the mesh bag forms to the cross-sectional shape of the filter canister, the fan for drawing air in through the air intake member inlet end, through the inlet opening of the filter canister, through the first filter member, through the second filter member, and out of the filter canister through the outlet opening thereof such that the air flowing out of the outlet opening is deodorized.

The present invention relates to a device for ventilating and deodorizing the air from toilets, urinals, bed pans and other receivers and holders of urine and fecal matter, and more particularly, to a ventilating and deodorizing device which utilizes a convenient and easily positionable member which is filled with a highly effective odor filtering media.
Various devices are known and have been proposed in the past for removing and deodorizing the air from a toilet. Some of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,491,382, 3,571,824, 3,790,970, 3,857,119, 4,059,857, and 5,125,119, which disclose toilet ventilating and deodorizing devices, some of which include removable members or cartridges containing filtering media through which the toilet air is directed for filtering and deodorizing. However, in such devices, the filtering media has a tendency to shift or settle during operation such that the air to be deodorized may end up passing through only a limited amount of the filtering media or such that some air actually bypasses the filtering media altogether. Further, in such devices lint, hair, and other particulates have a tendency to build up on the filtering media such that the ability of the air to pass through the filtering media is restricted. In such devices it may be necessary to change or adjust the filtering media more frequently than desirable in order for the devices to most effectively filter and thereby deodorize the air.
Another problem associated with known toilet ventilating and deodorizing devices is improper control of air intake of such devices. Such devices may take in air too quickly resulting in turbulent air flow in and around the toilet with the turbulent airflow resulting in spreading the odorous air. On the other hand, if the air intake rate is too slow, such devices may not take in air at a sufficient rate to effectively ventilate and deodorize.
Additionally, many known toilet ventilating and deodorizing devices utilize activated charcoal as the filter media, which has been found to be less effective than the preferred filter media disclosed in the present invention.
The present invention is designed to obviate and overcome many of the disadvantages and shortcomings experienced with the toilet deodorizing devices discussed hereinbefore and with other toilet deodorizing devices used in the past, and to provide a toilet deodorizing device which can be easily utilized.

Device for deodorizing air from a toilet


Web browser software implemented in a set-top box as part of a client system communicating over the Internet with one or more servers allows a user to adjust the picture quality of a monitor through World-Wide Web pages displayed on the monitor. The web browser software provides picture adjustment screens which contain instructions on how to adjust the monitor controls to optimize the picture quality. The picture adjustment screens also contain test patterns which provide reference and visual feedback of the monitor adjustment. The user adjusts the picture quality of the monitor using the monitor display controls and the test patterns provided on the picture adjustment screens. Picture adjustment screens are provided for display characteristics such as picture brightness, contrast, sharpness, color, and hue.

The Internet is rapidly becoming an important source of information and electronic communication for users of personal computers in homes and businesses. Much of the information on the Internet is available on a network called the World-Wide Web. The World-Wide Web is a collection of formatted hypertext pages located on numerous computers around the world that are logically connected by the Internet. Until recently, access to the Internet and World-Wide Web from the home environment has been limited to users of personal or network computers. Recent advances in network technology, however, have enabled access to the Internet and the World-Wide Web through a standard television set as an alternative to the personal computer.
Information from the World-Wide Web is displayed in the form of "web pages" which are accessed by user interface programs called "web browsers". Much of the information from the World-Wide Web is graphical in nature, and a typical web page can include text, graphic images, and animation sequences. Because of this graphic content, the proper display of such images on a monitor is fundamental to the utility of web pages. The quality of a web page image displayed on a monitor is determined largely by the display capability of the web browser. Browsers may employ extensive processing and filtering circuitry to ensure high picture quality. However, the display settings on the user monitor have a significant impact on picture quality as well.
Unlike most computer monitors, television sets are designed to receive broadcast signals from various sources. Because of the differing quality levels of these signals, the user must often tune the picture quality to obtain a visually correct image. Most televisions provide user settable controls for the setting of picture characteristics such as contrast, brightness, sharpness, color, and hue. Such controls are typically available as knobs or sliders which the user physically turns or slides, or as on-screen controls which the user sets through buttons on the front panel of the television or on a remote control unit. As with broadcast or cable signals, the proper display of web pages on a television set requires that the television display controls be set to their optimum viewing settings. A high quality, well filtered image sent from a browser may well be out of focus, too dim or of too high a contrast simply because the television picture controls are set improperly for the web page being viewed. Because display controls on a client monitor are manipulable only by the user, Internet browsers have little control over the display characteristics at the ultimate user site. Instead, it is up to the user to set his television display controls accordingly.
One problem associated with prior art web browsers is that users are not alerted or instructed to properly set their monitor display settings. The viewer of a poor quality image would simply attribute the poor quality to the browser filter or transmission line, without realizing that he could enhance the picture quality by properly adjusting his monitor. This problem is not as acute when the display device is a computer monitor, since the use of well-established industry standards allows the production of video signals that are optimized for these monitors, resulting in picture quality that is typically acceptable without extensive display tuning. Indeed, typical computer displays provide no picture quality control, or limit control only to brightness and contrast. However, as televisions and other monitors are used to display web pages, control over all display characteristics becomes increasingly important. Therefore users should be instructed to tune their television displays accordingly.
Another disadvantage of prior art web browsers is that they do not facilitate user tuning of monitor display characteristics. Users may not know how to use the knobs or on-screen menus to tune a particular display characteristic. It would thus be advantageous to provide a web browser which instructs the user how to tune his display controls to optimize the display quality of web pages accessed by the web browser.
Yet another problem associated with prior art web browsers is that they do not provide a reference standard against which to tune the display controls of a monitor. Presently, a user might rely on a familiar web page image to determine whether a web page image is out of focus, too dim, or improperly color shifted. Unless the user were aware of a particular reference standard against which to tune his television display, he would have little way of knowing whether his television display controls are set correctly. Thus, the use of a familiar web page to tune the picture quality of a monitor requires knowledge of a familiar web page, and a process of trial and error to obtain the proper settings. Another shortcoming of this method is that controls set for a particular web page may not be optimum for other web pages. For example, the user of a prior art web browser would typically raise or lower the brightness of his monitor if an image in a particular web page appeared too dim or too bright, but would not be able to easily determine whether those settings are adequate for all web images. It would thus be advantageous to provide a reference standard against which the display controls could be conveniently and accurately calibrated for all possible images.
Based on the foregoing, it is desirable to provide a web browser system in which the control of monitor display characteristics is facilitated, and a reference standard is readily provided such that the user can easily set the display settings for the optimum viewing position. What is thus desired is a method for providing the user a convenient way to tune the display characteristics of his display monitor to optimize the display for all web pages displayed on the monitor.

Method and apparatus for adjusting television display control using a browser


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising forming a metal silicide gate electrode on a semiconductor substrate surface. The method also comprises exposing the metal silicide gate electrode and the substrate surface to a cleaning process. The cleaning process includes a dry plasma etch using an anhydrous fluoride-containing feed gas and a thermal sublimation configured to leave the metal silicide gate electrode substantially unaltered. The method also comprises depositing a metal layer on source and drain regions of the substrate surface and annealing the metal layer and the source and drain regions of the substrate surface to form metal silicide source and drain contacts.

As semiconductor device feature sizes continue to shrink, the charge carrier depletion of gate electrodes made of polysilicon becomes a serious issue. One approach to resolving this issue is to replace polysilicon gate electrodes with a metalized (e.g., metal silicide) gate electrode. Integrating metal silicide gate electrodes into semiconductor device fabrication can be problematic, however. For instance, the steps to form a metal silicide gate electrode can inadvertently cause excessive silicidation of metal silicide source and drain contacts. Consequently, the metallization of source and drain contacts and, the metallization of the gate electrode, are often done at separate stages in the device fabrication process. Typically, the gate electrode is metalized first, and the source and drain regions are metalized later in the process. The already-metal silicided gate electrode can be damaged, however, when performing certain conventional processes to form the metal silicide source and drain contacts.
Accordingly, what is needed is a method for manufacturing semiconductor devices having metal silicide gate and source drain electrodes that addresses the drawbacks of the prior art methods and devices.

Method of manufacturing metal silicide contacts


A heating system for a vehicle has a heating air blower (24) for generating a heating air stream to be introduced into the interior space of a vehicle, a heater (22) with a heat exchanger arrangement (26) for heating the heating air stream being delivered by the heating air blower (24), a mixing arrangement (20) for setting an outside air/ambient air ratio of the air to be fed to the heat exchanger arrangement (26), an outside temperature sensor arrangement (60) for generating an output linked with an outside temperature, and an actuating device (42, 46). The actuating device (42, 46) actuates the mixing arrangement (20) for setting the outside air/ambient air ratio on the basis of an output of the outside temperature sensor arrangement (60).

Such heating systems are used in vehicles in order to bring the interior space of a vehicle to desired temperatures in a parking heating mode or also in an auxiliary heating mode. The temperature to which the interior space of the vehicle is to be preheated may be preset, for example, by a user of the vehicle, so that, on the one hand, comfortable temperatures will prevail in the interior space of the vehicle at the beginning of the travel, e.g., in the winter, and, on the other hand, the windshields are already defogged and the greatest possible safety is offered.