A transmitter according to the present invention includes a level detector that detects the level value of an input signal, from among a predetermined number of level values; an upstream-side signal adjusting unit that amplifies the input signal and shifts the input signal for an offset amount based on an output signal of the level detector; a digital-sigma modulator having a quantizer that quantizes an output signal of the upstream-side signal adjusting unit with a predetermined number of bits, and a downstream-side signal adjusting unit that amplifies an output signal of the delta-sigma modulator and shifts the output signal of the delta-sigma modulator for an offset amount based on the output signal of the level detector.

Transmitters used for communication devices such as mobile phones and wireless LANs are required to ensure the accuracies of radio signals regardless of the strengths of transmission powers and to operate with lower power consumption. In particular, since a power amplifier located at the most downstream stage of a transmitter consumes 50% or more of the entire power consumption of the transmitter, a power amplifier is required to have a high power efficiency.
In recent years, as a power amplifier that is expected to have a high power efficiency, a switching amplifier has gained attention. A switching amplifier inputs a pulse wave-form signal and amplifiers the power of the pulse wave-form signal while keeping the wave-form.
In a transmitter using a switching amplifier, a filter element satisfactorily suppresses other than a desired frequency component of the output signal of the switching amplifier. Thereafter, the resultant signal is emitted from an antenna.
FIG. 1 shows an ordinary example of the structure of a class-D amplifier that typifies a switching amplifier.
The class-D amplifier shown in FIG. 1 has two switch elements SW0 and SWG located in series between the power supply and the ground. Complementary pulse signals as open/close control signals are input to the two switch elements SW0 and SWG such that one of these switch elements becomes the ON state. When the switch element SW0 on the power supply side becomes the ON state and the switch element SWG on the ground side becomes the OFF state, the output voltage of the amplifier is the power supply voltage; otherwise, the output voltage of the amplifier is a ground potential.
Since a class-D amplifier does not require a bias current, the power loss is ideally 0. Switch elements can be composed of electric field transistors, bi-polar transistors, or the like.
FIG. 2 shows an ordinary example of the structure of a multi-level class-D amplifier that outputs a voltage in multiple levels.
The multi-level class-D amplifier shown in FIG. 2 has a plurality (N+1) of switch elements SW0, SW1, . . . , and SWN connected between a plurality (N+1) of power supplies and the output terminal. The plurality of switch elements SW0, SW1, . . . , and SWN are controlled so that only one of them becomes the ON state. The output voltage of the amplifier is the voltage of the power supply connected to a switch element that is the ON state. In other words, the multi-level class-D amplifier can output voltages corresponding to the number of power supplies.
Here, the structure of a transmitter using a class-D amplifier will be described.
For example, a W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) transmitter generates a digital baseband (hereinafter referred to as DBB) signal and amplifiers it. The DBB signal is a multi-bit signal composed of 10 bits or more; however, the number of bits of a signal that can be input to the class-D amplifier is smaller than the number of bits of the DBB signal.
Thus, when the DBB signal is used for the class-D amplifier, the number of bits of the DBB signal is required to be decreased. Generally, if the low order bits are simply discarded, whenever one low order bit is discarded, the quantization noise increases by 6 dB. The delta-sigma modulator is a circuit technique that can decrease the number of bits without increasing the quantization noise in the band in the neighborhood of a desired frequency.
In the transmitter using the delta-sigma modulator, the modulator performs the delta-sigma modulation for a DBB signal, an amplitude signal generated based on the DBB signal, or the like. The number of bits of the output signal of the delta-sigma modulator is set to be the same number with the number of bits that can be input to the class-D amplifier located on the downstream side of the delta-sigma modulator.
FIG. 3 shows an ordinary example of the structure of the delta-sigma modulator (Non-Patent Literature 1, page 71).
The delta-sigma modulator shown in FIG. 3 has adders 131-1 and 131-2, delaying units 132-1 and 132-2, and quantizer 300. Delaying unit 132-1 and adder 131-2 compose an inner integrating unit.
Quantizer 300 quantizes the output signal of adder 131-2 with a predetermined number of bits.
Delaying unit 132-2 delays the output signal of quantizer 300 by one clock cycle.
Adder 131-1 calculates the difference between the input signal and the output signal of delaying unit 132-2.
Delaying unit 132-1 delays the output signal of adder 131-2 by one clock cycle.
Adder 131-2 calculates the sum of the output signal of adder 131-1 and the output signal of delaying unit 132-1.
If the input signal of the delta-sigma modulator is represented by U(z), the output signal thereof is represented by V(z), and the quantization noise that occurred in quantizer 300 is represented by E(z), the following formula can be obtained.[Formula 1]V(z)=U(z)+(1−z−1)·E(z)  (1)
The noise N(z) contained in the output signal V(z) can be expressed by the following formula.[Formula 2]N(z)=(1−z−1)·E(z)  (2)
where[Formula 3]z=exp(2πjf/fclk)  (3)
where f is the signal frequency of the radio signal; and fclk is the clock frequency of the delta-sigma modulator.
Thus, if the signal band that a desired radio signal occupies is represented by fB, the integrated noise in the signal band can be expressed by the following formula.[Formula 4]∫0fB|1−exp(−2πjf/fclk)|·|E(z)|·df  (4)
The W-CDMA technique requires 33 dB or greater of SNR (Signal-Noise Ratio) in the neighborhood of a desired signal band. To satisfy this requirement and to decrease the integrated noise expressed by formula (4), fclk is required to be increased; E(z) is required to be decreased.
Non-Patent Literature 2 discloses a delta-sigma modulator that operates at 4 GHz of fclk. To decrease E(z), quantizer 300 is required to quantize a signal with multiple bits. Although Non-Patent Literature 2 discloses the quantizer that quantizes a signal with one bit, if the number of bits of the quantizer is increased, the operation speed, that is to say, fclk will be decreased.


Moisture-curing jointing and sealing compounds containing polyurethane prepolymers are made more stable to weathering conditions by addition thereto of a reactive polysiloxane containing one or more functional groups which react with the polyurethane propolymers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to moisture-curing jointing compounds based on NCO-terminated polyurethane prepolymers. More particularly, the invention relates to moisture-curing jointing compounds having improved properties through the addition of reactive polysiloxanes.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Moisture-curing polyurethane-based sealing compounds are well known to the expert, for example from DE 37 26 547. They consist essentially of isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymers and swollen polymers present therein as thixotropic agent or filler. In addition, plasticizers, swelling aids, pigments, dyes, stabilizers, catalysts and other auxiliaries are mentioned as further constituents in DE 37 26 547. Although known polyurethane jointing compounds largely meet the stringent demands made of them, some aspects are still in need of improvement. This applies in particular to weathering resistance. A key factor in this regard is UV stability. A key criterion for determining the long-term stability of weathered jointing compounds, apart from visual evaluation, are the elongation at break values which the present invention seeks to improve. Improvements are also desirable in regard to the processing properties, such as stringing and smoothability.
It is known to the expert, for example from DE-OS 32 21 655, that UV absorbers, such as benzophenone or trioxazole derivatives, can be added to sealing compounds to improve their UV stability. These absorbers provide increased, but not permanent, UV stability. It is known to the expert that jointing compounds based on polysiloxanes normally show higher UV stability than comparable polyurethane sealing compounds. However, commercially available polysiloxane sealing compounds generally have undesirable properties for certain applications, including for example poor spreadability, "greasiness" and odor emission during processing. Mixtures of the two components can only be produced with considerable effort, if at all, and are entirely unsatisfactory in regard to storability, in other words the systems in question have a pronounced tendency to separate. Attempts to counteract this tendency by additives, such as dispersion aids and/or emulsifiers, result in unwanted deteriorations in other performance of the jointing compounds.
The use of reactive polysiloxanes in polyurethane sealing compounds to improve their weathering stability has not hitherto been known to the expert. Although compounds of siloxanes and urethanes are known in principle, these compounds differ from the present invention in their molecular structure and/or are used in a different technological field. Thus, EP 250 248 describes block copolymers of polysiloxanes and urethane segments which are produced from diaminopolysiloxanes and diisocyanates and which are used as pressure-sensitive (contact) adhesives. According to European patent application 293 084, reactive polysiloxanes are present in polyurethane gloss paints to improve their anti-friction properties.
The problem addressed by the present invention was to provide moisture-curing polyurethane jointing compounds which would show improved long-term stability under weathering conditions and, in particular, to UV radiation. In addition, the moisture-curing polyurethane jointing compounds according to the invention would show distinctly improved processing properties, such as stringing and smoothability.

Moisture-curing polyurethane sealing compounds having improved properties


According to the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium by discharging ink to the surface of the recording medium, wherein ink is reserved in an ink tank including a negative pressure generating member, such as an absorber and a foaming member, and a function of accurately detecting the residual quantity such that depletion to a predetermined level can be detected is realized. Light emitted by a photointerrupter is allowed to pass through a portion of a wall surface of the ink tank made of transparent plastic or the like which is transmissible with respect to detection light emitted by the photointerrupter to detect change in the light reflectance in the boundary portion between the wall surface and the ink absorber. In accordance with reflectance obtained in a case where no ink exists in the detected portion and that obtained in a case where ink exists, the residual quantity of ink can be detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink depletion detection apparatus for detecting the empty state of ink in an ink reservation container or the like of an ink jet recording apparatus or a residual quantity detection apparatus for detecting the residual quantity of ink in the same.
More particularly, the present invention relates to an ink residual quantity detection apparatus for detecting the quantity of residual ink accommodated in an ink reservation container consisting of a plurality of accommodating members capable of accommodating different inks in different states.
2. Related Background Art
A recording apparatus having functions to serve as a printer, a copying machine and a facsimile machine or a recording apparatus for use as an output unit for a combined electronic apparatuses including a computer, a word processor and the like has a structure capable of recording an image on a recording medium, such as paper or a thin plastic plate, in accordance with image information. The recording apparatuses are classified into ink jet recording apparatuses, wire dot recording apparatuses, thermal recording apparatuses and laser beam recording apparatuses in terms of the recording method.
The recording apparatus employing the ink jet recording method (the ink jet recording apparatus) records an image by discharging ink from a recording means (a recording head) to a recording medium. The ink jet recording apparatus have a variety of advantages in that the size of the recording means can be reduced, a precise image can be recorded at high speed, an image can be recorded on plain paper without special treatments, the running cost can be reduced, noise can be prevented because the non-impact recording method is employed, and a color image can easily be recorded by using a multiplicity of color inks.
In particular, the ink jet recording means, which uses thermal energy to discharge ink, can easily be manufactured into a form that comprises a means having dense liquid passage arrangement (configuration of discharge ports) by performing the semiconductor manufacturing process, which includes etching, evaporation and sputtering, to form an electricity-to-heat converter on the substrate, electrodes, liquid passage walls, ceiling plate and the like. Thus, the size of the recording means can be reduced further satisfactorily.
The ink jet recording apparatus has an ink reservation unit for reserving ink to be supplied to the recording head, the ink reservation unit being mounted fixedly on a predetermined position in the ink jet recording apparatus or mounted on the carriage together with the recording head. In the former case, an ink supply passage, such as an ink tube, is formed between the recording head and the ink reservation unit in such a manner that the ink supply passage is able to follow the movement of the carriage. In the latter case, the ink supply passage between the recording head and the ink reservation unit can relatively be shortened. Accordingly, the foregoing structure, in which the ink reservation unit is mounted on the carriage, is suitable to reduce the size of the ink jet recording apparatus and simplify the structure of the same.
The foregoing structure, in which both recording head and the ink reservation unit (ink tank) are mounted on the carriage, in the category thereof, includes a structure, in which both recording head and the ink tank are integrally formed, and a structure in which the recording head and the ink tank are separately mounted.
With the structure, in which the recording head and the ink tank are integrally formed, a cartridge having the ink tank and the recording head formed integrally is changed to a new cartridge when ink in the ink tank has been consumed. Cartridges of the foregoing type have been used widely in recent years because they can easily be handled. However, the running cost cannot be reduced because the costly head must be changed whenever ink has been consumed.
With the latter structure having the recording head and the ink tank which are mounted separately, only the ink tank reserving ink is changed when the ink has been consumed but the head is required to be changed only after its lifetime.
If the recording head is used in a usual manner, use of the recording head is not inhibited during its lifetime before ink in the ink tank is used completely. Therefore, the recording head must be changed by the number of times which is smaller than the number of times required for the ink tank to be changed. Since only the relatively low cost ink tank is usually changed, the running cost can be reduced. However, the foregoing structure comprising the recording head and the ink tank, which are mounted separately, requires the portion for establishing the connection between the ink tank and the recording head to be manufactured-precisely in order to prevent ink leakage.
The recording apparatus adapted to the ink jet recording method must be capable of satisfactorily supplying ink in a quantity to be discharged through the recording head during the recording operation, and as well as must have an ink supply system capable of preventing ink leakage through the discharge port in a period in which the recording operation is not performed.
The foregoing problem of ink leakage through the discharge port is a peculiar problem for the ink jet recording apparatus. In order to overcome the foregoing problem, the pressure at the discharge port has been usually lowered as compared with the atmospheric pressure. To realize the foregoing state of pressure, the ink jet recording apparatus has a negative pressure generating mechanism provided for the ink supply system thereof. Note that the "negative pressure" is back pressure with respect to the direction, in which ink is supplied to the discharge port, and a state of pressure, in which the pressure at the discharge port is lowered than the atmospheric pressure, is meant.
If the ink accommodating portion is in the interchangeable form, there arise necessities that the ink accommodating portion can be attached/detached smoothly without ink leakage so as to reliably supply ink to the recording head, in addition to the foregoing requirements.
An example of the structure of the ink container serving as the ink accommodating portion for use in the ink jet recording apparatus has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-87242 (hereinafter called a first conventional example). According to the first conventional example, a structure of an ink jet recording carriage has been disclosed which comprises an ink container substantially completely filled with a foaming material and a plurality of ink discharge orifices.
In the ink container of the foregoing type, negative pressure can be generated due to the capillary force of a porous medium, such as polyurethane foam which is the foaming material for reserving ink and ink can be held (ink leakage from the ink container can be prevented).
However, the foregoing first conventional example requires the foaming material to be substantially completely enclosed in the ink accommodating portion, whereby limiting the quantity of chargeable ink. Furthermore, the quantity of residual ink in the foaming material is large as compared with the ink container accommodating only ink. Thus, there arises a problem in that the efficiency in use of the ink is unsatisfactory.
In order to enlarge the quantity of chargeable ink in the structure comprising a foaming material to serve as the negative pressure generating means in the ink reservation means, a structure has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-40043. According to the foregoing disclosure, an ink reservation container comprising a portion for accommodating a negative pressure generating member and an ink accommodating portion for accommodating ink, which are divided from each other, is employed so that ink except a portion, which adheres to the wall of the ink accommodating portion, can substantially completed be used. Thus, the capacity of the ink reservation container can be enlarged. Furthermore, the accommodated negative pressure generating member prevents ink leakage from the recording head so that the performance of supplying ink is stably maintained for a long time.
In any type of the foregoing ink jet recording apparatuses, it is preferable that the ink reservation means be changed at appropriate timing. Furthermore, there is a necessity of providing a means for accurately detecting the quantity of ink left in the ink reservation means and a means for appropriately detecting the moment at which ink will be consumed.
If ink in the ink reservation means is empty, the discharge means for discharging ink through the recording head generates the discharge energy in the state where the ink reservation means does not accommodate ink. In particular, a so-called bubble jet ink recording apparatus, which comprises a thermal energy generating means, such as an electricity-to-heat conversion device, as a discharge means to use pressure generated due to status change caused by the heat of ink so as to discharge ink, encounters undesirable rise in the temperature of the recording head and damage of the recording head if the thermal energy generating means is operated in the state where no ink is left.
In an ink jet recording apparatus comprising a mechanical pressure generating means, such as a piezoelectric device, to serve as a discharge means for discharging ink, operation of the discharge means in a state where no ink is left causes the mechanical pressure generating means to continuously generate pressure without load acting during the ink discharge. As a result, the discharge means and durability deteriorate.
Hitherto, there have been disclosed a structure for detecting ink empty state (state where ink has been consumed) in the ink reservation container for an ink jet recording apparatus as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-133733 which comprises an optical device for detecting the light transmission state in an ink tank, as in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-17465 in which the empty state is detected by electrically conducting an electrode member, and as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-194853 in which the number of discharge pulses is counted to estimate the quantity of consumed ink (hereinafter called a "dot counter method").
However, the foregoing conventional ink empty state detection apparatus (the ink residual quantity detection apparatus) cannot accurately detect the residual quantity of ink when adapted to the structure in which a foaming material serving as the negative pressure generating member is enclosed in the ink reservation means or the structure of the ink reservation container in which the portion for accommodating the negative pressure generating member and the ink accommodating portion are separated from each other.
Among the conventional structures, the structure for detecting the light transmission state of the ink tank by using an optical device and the structure for detecting the empty state by detecting an electrode member encounters difficulty in detecting ink empty in the ink tank accommodating the negative pressure generating member because of the structure of the ink reservation container. Even if the residual quantity of ink left in only the ink accommodating portion of the structure, in which the portion for accommodating the negative pressure generating member and the ink accommodating portion are separated from each other, is detected, a considerably large quantity of ink is left in the portion for accommodating the negative pressure generating member whereby allowing the foregoing structure to be used only to alarm somewhat reduction in the quantity of ink.
The structure for detecting the residual quantity by electrically conducting an electrode member sometimes encounters adverse influence upon ink supply if a desired negative pressure cannot be realized in a case where the disposed electrode compresses the negative pressure generating member.
The dot counter method cannot prevent an error because the quantity of use becomes different depending upon scattering in the quantity of discharge per one discharge operation, scattering in the quantity of ink initially charged into the ink tank and the difference in the quantity of use due to the environment for use. The foregoing error is sometimes the half of the overall quantity of ink, thus resulting in that issue of an alarm indicating reduction in the residual quantity or interruption of the operation of the recording apparatus must be performed in a state where substantially the half quantity of ink is left in order to reliably perform the same. If the alarm or interruption is performed at a timing at which a considerably large quantity of ink is left, the purpose of detecting the residual quantity cannot be achieved or ink will be used wastefully. If the residual quantity is detected accurately by the dot count method, the cost cannot be reduced. Since the capacity of the ink reservation container has been enlarged recently, the residual quantity of ink cannot accurately be detected.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention employs a structure for detecting reflected light of light made incident upon the ink tank. However, the structure for detecting reflected light has the following problems to be overcome.
As a sensor for emitting light and detecting reflected light, a photointerrupter is usually employed in which an LED serving as a light emission means and a phototransistor serving as a light receiving means are accommodated in one package. Since the lifetime of a photointerrupter is usually shorter than that of a printer, the LED is turned on only when it is used to shorten the time, in which electric power is supplied to the photointerrupter.
Since both light emission quantity of the LED and the sensitivity of the phototransistor of a photointerrupter scatter, the combined photocurrent output characteristic of the LED and the phototransistor scatters by about two times to four times between the upper limit and the lower limit. In a case where the photointerrupter is used to serve as the ink empty detection apparatus, the output from the photointerrupter must be adjusted to be included in a predetermined range, that is, so called calibration must be performed.
The calibration is performed by, for example, in such a manner that a reflecting portion for calibration having a predetermined reflectance is provided, the reflecting portion is irradiated with light emitted from an LED, light reflected by the reflecting portion is detected by a phototransistor, and a variable resistor for limiting the LED current is so adjusted that the output from the phototransistor is included in a predetermined range.
However, the foregoing calibration operation has a plurality of problems.
For example, the operation for calibrating the output from a photointerrupter 6 by adjusting a variable resistor 87 for limiting the LED current cannot easily be automated, whereby increasing the manufacturing processes.
If an excessive error takes place in adjusting the output from the photointerrupter during the foregoing operation, there is a risk of erroneous result in detecting ink depletion. Accordingly, accurate adjustment must be performed, whereby further increasing the manufacturing labor.
Since the foregoing operation is performed in a process for adjusting the printer to be performed in a manufacturing plant, change in the quantity of light emitted from the LED 5 occurring due to time lapse or change in the output from the photointerrupter 6 occurring due to contamination of the same after the printer has been shipped changes the output from the photointerrupter 6. Thus, depletion of ink cannot accurately be detected.
The structure using the photointerrupter to detect the residual quantity of ink in the ink tank has problems to be overcome to detect it further accurately. The reason for this is that the ink residual quantity detection apparatus that irradiates the ink tank with light and measures the difference in the quantity of reflected light to discriminate empty of ink has the following problem: LEDs for emitting light must emit light in the same quantity (the LEDs generally emit light in different quantities). Therefore, the quantities of light emitted from LEDs must be measured to select an LED determined to emit light in a quantity included in a predetermined range. The reason for this is that the difference in the quantity of light emitted by the LED causes the quantity of light received by the light receiving device to be different. Furthermore, the foregoing difference affects the change in the output from the light receiving device, with which the ink empty is discriminated. A similar phenomenon applies to the light receiving device. Thus, the output value must be constant with respect to the quantity of received light. Therefore, the light receiving device must receive light in a predetermined quantity and have a constant output characteristic. The foregoing necessity of selecting a light emitting device and light receiving device enlarges the cost.
In addition to the requirements for the devices, the system for operating the photointerrupter must be subjected to an error adjustment process. In the foregoing system, there are involved the voltage level for operating the LED portion of the photointerrupter, allowable manufacturing error in the value of the current limiting resistor for limiting the electric current that flows in the LED, allowable error in the current-to-voltage conversion resistor in the light receiving portion and conversion error occurring in an AD convertor. The foregoing errors must be adjusted for each ink jet printer. It leads to a fact that the adjustment operation to be performed in the manufacturing plant increases and thus the cost of the printer is enlarged.
Since the conventional ink jet recording apparatus has the structure that the distance from recording paper to the recording head is changed to correspond to the thickness of the recording paper, there arises a problem in that the change in the distance from the recording paper to the recording head must be considered when the sensitivity of the photointerrupter is corrected.
A printer, which has a plurality of detection mechanisms, such as a mechanism for detecting the distance from the carriage to the paper, in addition to the mechanism for detecting the residual quantity of ink, inevitably has a complicated internal structure, and the overall cost of the printer cannot be reduced. In particular, a printer having a simple structure cannot easily be provided with a plurality of detection mechanisms of the foregoing type. However, sensors serving as the foregoing detection mechanism are required to prevent defective recording operation or a critical failure for the printer. Accordingly, a low cost sensor apparatus has been required.

Ink jet recording apparatus having residual quantity detection unit and residual quantity detection method thereof


The present invention provides a disk for recording specified data having a plurality of helically formed track areas with one round of the circumferential direction of the disk as one track and a plurality of sector areas in which the plurality of track areas given track numbers added continuously from the outer peripheral direction of the disk are dividedly formed. The plurality of sector areas further include a plurality of data areas for storing the specified data and one parity sector for storing the parity of the specified data stored therein. The plurality of sector areas are given sector numbers added continuously from the starting positions of the track areas. In an information recording block having the plurality of sector areas included in the specified number of ones of the plurality of track areas, a plurality of parities recorded in the parity sector areas of these track areas are calculated by using different track and sector numbers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data structure for performing recording on a disk recording medium such as an optical disk, a magnetic disk or the like, a disk recording device and a reproducing device for recording/reproducing information signals by using this disk recording medium and the methods thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical disk drive which is one of disk drives is utilized as the external storage device of various computers and a document filing device, and further as a large capacity storage device for storing information on static and moving images. In an optical disk, a track on which recording is to be made is predetermined and each track is divided into a plurality of sectors. Each sector includes an area on which corresponding track numbers and sector numbers are prerecorded, a data area on which information signals are recorded and an error correction area.
The data structure of a usual optical disk is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 1A is a view showing a track form in the optical disk while FIG. 1B is a view showing the data structure stored in one sector. As shown in FIG. 1A, the optical disk is helically formed having a plurality of tracks with one track made by one round starting from the outermost periphery. One track, in turn, is divided into a plurality of sectors (e.g., eight sectors in the case of FIG. 1A). Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, each sector includes an ID area on which track numbers and sector numbers are recorded, a SYNC area for synchronizing, a data area for storing real data and an ECC area for storing error checking codes.
The error rate of the optical disk itself is 10.sup.-5 to 10.sup.-6, larger than that (10.sup.-11 to 10.sup.-12) generally required by an information storage device. Thus, in the conventional optical disk drive, a required error rate is met by using error correction codes. Moreover, there is little influence by small damages and dirt in the optical disk drive, since a protecting layer, to which the dirt and damages of the optical disk are stuck, and an information recording face are separated and data is interleaved for dispersing continuous errors (burst error). Therefore, in normal recording/reproducing, there are no practical problems generated using the error correction codes. However, when there is a decline in quality of the optical disk due to the long time retaining thereof or when there are a great amount of dirt and damages thereto, errors exceeding the performance of the error correction codes may be generated at the time of reproducing and thus the information signals cannot be correctly reproduced.
Given such a situation, in the case of a sector where the number of errors is increased to a certain extent within the range not exceeding the performance of the error correction codes, another sector is allocated by terminating the use thereof thereafter and the method of a replacement sector for transferring information to the sector is used. When errors exceeding the performance of the error correction codes are generated even by this method, however, the recorded information signals cannot be correctly reproduced and thus they cannot be transferred to the replacement sector. For example, when the error correction codes capable of correcting eight errors are used, error correction cannot be performed if there are nine or more errors, making it impossible to obtain correct information signals.
Further, as it is most often the case that the replacement sector is, for instance, set in a track on the outermost or the innermost periphery, the number of accessing times (the number of times for moving an optical head to a targeted track or a sector) is increased, thereby lengthening reproducing time. As an example, if an information signal A is recorded in the first to fourth sectors of the first track and the replacement sector is in the tenth track, first the optical head is moved to the first track and then the information signals recorded in the first to fourth sectors are read in order to reproduce the information signal A. Therefore, the number of accessing times not needing the replacement sector is one.
In the following reference is made to a case where the replacement sector is allocated because of the increase of errors generated by dirt and damages to the optical disk in the third sector of the first track and the information signal recorded in the third sector is moved to the first sector of the tenth track which is the replacement sector. In this case, at the time of reproducing the information signal A, first the optical head is moved to the first track and then the information signals recorded in the first to second sectors are read. Subsequently, the optical head is moved to the tenth track and the information signal recorded in the first sector, which is replacement sector, is head. Thereafter, the optical head is moved to the first track and the information signal recorded in the fourth sector is head. The information signal A is reproduced by means of this operation. The number of accessing times in this case is three, thereby lengthening the period of time for reproducing the information signal A.
When the transfer of the information signals to the replacement sector is increased as described above, the period of time for recording and reproducing the information signals is lengthened. Ideally, the transfer of the information signals to the replacement sector must be performed when errors exceeding the performance of the error correction codes are generated. However, since the information signals cannot be correctly reproduced after errors exceeding the performance thereof are generated, it is impossible to transfer the information signals to the replacement sector. Moreover, since a transferring speed is greatly reduced if there is transfer of the information signals to the replacement sector, it is practically impossible to use the replacement sector in reproducing information on moving images which requires a high transferring speed.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, it may be conceivable, for instance as shown in FIG. 2, to calculate n-1 pieces of sector parities within one track and to record these parities as parity sectors. In the example of FIG. 2, one track is constituted of n-1 pieces of information sectors and one parity sector and for instance, the exclusive OR of the information signals recorded in the first to the n-1th information sectors of the track number N is recorded in the parity sector thereof. Though in this parity sector error correction is allowed up to one sector per one track, it is not so efficient because one parity sector is set for every one track, and if n=11, for instance, the ratio of the party sector to the total amount of information recorded on the optical disk is 9%. FIG. 3 shows the example where one parity sector is provided per two tracks based on the above consideration. In this case, if n=11 likewise, the ratio of the parity sector to the total amount of information is 4.5%, half that shown in FIG. 2.
In a case where there are conspicuous dirt and damages to the optical disk, however, a plurality of sectors may be affected. Consequently, burst errors may be generated over a plurality of sectors adjacent to one another in the circumferential and track directions of the optical disk. The optical disks having such large damages and great deal of dirt are eliminated as defective products at the time of shipping. It is possible, however, that even good products at the time of shipping may be damaged and given dirt during practical use though frequencies differ depending on environments for use. In a parity sector where error correction is performed only for one sector per one track or one sector per two tracks as shown in FIG. 2 or 3, such burst errors may not be dealt with. Though it is possible to increase the number of sectors per one track to be corrected by increasing the number of parity sectors, the amount of information to be recorded is decreased.
As described above, in the conventional technique using error correction codes and parities, in a case where errors exceeding the performance of the error correction codes are generated by a decline in quality of a disk due to the long time retaining thereof, a great amount of dirt and damages thereto, or the like at the time of reproducing, the information signals cannot be correctly reproduced and by the method of increasing the number of sectors per one track to be corrected by increasing the number of parity sectors the amount of information signals to be recorded is decreased.

Disk, recording device, reproducing device, recording method and reproducing method


The present invention provides a portable transceiver where a broadband of an antenna characteristic can be realized and efficiency is improved. The present invention provides a portable transceiver includes a first housing (7) having a first circuit board (5) in its inside and an input section at its surface, a second housing (8) having a second circuit board (6) in its inside and a display section at its surface, and a coupling section (4) for electrically coupling the first circuit board (5) with the second circuit board (6). An antenna section (3) and an element section (9) are disposed at one of the circuit boards, and the first housing (7) and the second housing (9) are coupled with each other via a hinge section (2) and can be folded.

Recently a built-in antenna has been commonly used in a field of a radio communication device, particularly a portable transceiver.
A perspective view of a conventional folding portable transceiver is shown in FIG. 9.
Built-in antenna section 103 is disposed near hinge section 102 and close to coupling section 104. Keyboard side board 105, which is a first circuit board, is coupled with liquid crystal display side board 106, which is a second circuit board, via coupling section 104. Keyboard side board 105 is covered with first housing 107 having an input section at its surface. Liquid crystal display side board 106 is covered with second housing 108 having a display section.
An example of the portable transceiver having the structure mentioned above is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2003-8320.
In a case of built-in antenna section 103 disposed near hinge section 102 shown in FIG. 9, when portable transceiver 101 is opened and shut, an input impedance of built-in antenna section 103 changes.
In particular, when portable transceiver 101 is shut, current distribution concentrates and an impedance characteristic deteriorates because built-in antenna section 103 is close to coupling section 104. Therefore, it is difficult to work at a broadband.
The present invention provides a portable transceiver where a broadband of an antenna characteristic can be realized and efficiency is improved.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, Ltd.


An apparatus and method for obtaining an image of an object. The apparatus comprises a radiation source and a series of two to five linear detectors spaced therefrom to define a scanning zone; means to cause an object to move relative to and through the scanning zone; a direct image generation apparatus to generate an image from the output of a linear detector; an intermediate image generation apparatus configured to generate at least one intermediate image from an adjacent pair of linear detectors, by processing the output of the pair of detectors and generating an image representative of an output intermediate between the two said detector outputs; the image apparatus adapted such that at least five and preferably at least six images are generated in total; an image display adapted successively to display such images and thus display the monocular movement parallax between the images.

Imaging apparatus which employs the line-scan principle is well known. Typically, such apparatus will consist of a high energy radiation source such as an X-ray source, and for the purpose of exemplification herein further discussion will describe X-ray systems in particular. The beam of the source may be collimated into a curtain, usually referred to as a "curtain beam", and is then detected by a linear array detector for example comprising a linear photodiode array. Image information is obtained by having the object of interest move linearly for example at right angles with respect to the beam and storing successive scans of X-ray transmission information derived from the linear array from which a complete image frame can be compiled.
If the object being scanned is heterogeneously transmissive of x-ray radiation, and for example consists of or contains multiple smaller objects and/or components of dissimilar materials, it can be possible to build up an image of the object, and in a particular case of the contents or components. The image may then be displayed on a viewing screen. This image can be useful for example in relation to the possible applications outlined above. In particular, it can be useful in determining the contents of a container or the internal structure of an object or body.
Even so, the image generated by such an X-ray apparatus is limited. At best it constitutes a two dimensional shadowgraph of the object being imaged. This can make it difficult to interpret.
European Patent No. 610084 describes a method of creating a "2.5D" solid model picture for viewing. A stereoscopic pair of X-ray images is obtained using two diverging curtain beams derived from an X-ray source. These are separated into conjugate slices and the 2.5D image built up from the resulting slice information.
The resultant image is not strictly a three dimensional image (although it is often so referred to) since it is presented on a two dimensional screen rather than by means of full stereoscopic apparatus. Such a 2.5D representation in fact contains psychological cues to depth such as linear perspective, interposition, shading and shadowing rather than the full physiological depth cue known as binocular parallax or stereoscopy which is required for a full three dimensional image.
The method of EP610084 still provides a user with a final image which can be rotated and looked at from different directions and which can give considerable information as to the relative positioning of different objects or compounds. However it does not give information as to the nature of the items which have been located.
UK Patent Nos. 2329817 and 2360685 are examples of methods and systems which can be used to produce full stereoscopic image pairs. They derive ultimately from principles set out in EP0261984. In particular they are subject to the condition set out at column 4 lines 31 to 48 therein which imposes considerable constraints on detector and source beam geometry. Although stereoscopic imaging can be a relatively powerful technique, exploiting full physiological cues in relation to depth information, and thus offering the potential for a user of the X-ray apparatus to identify objects or components much more readily and clearly, it can be complex in practical operation. To exploit the stereoscopic effect, it is necessary for the observer to receive different images at each eye simultaneously. This will necessitate the use of special apparatus. Moreover, a full stereoscopic technique requires precise control of the image collection process having regard to the conditions identified above. If the stereoscopic pair is to be effective, the respective images must be collected with a parallax that closely approximates to that which would be tolerated by the observer's eyes. For these reasons, full stereoscopic imaging has not gained wide acceptance for scanning machines of this type.
Not only do conventional non-stereoscopic apparatus and methods tend to give limited information in a third dimension, but also the images they produce also give limited information about the material content. In essence, at its simplest, all that is being measured is X-ray transmissivity.
In most practical systems even this is measured indirectly. At its simplest, a typical linear array detector comprises in combination a scintillator material responsive to transmitted X-rays, which is then caused to emit lower frequency radiation, and for example light in or around the visible region, in combination with a semiconductor detector such as a silicon or gallium arsenide based detector which is responsive to this lower frequency radiation. The detector merely collects amplitude information, and does not discriminate spectroscopically.
However, it is known that spectroscopic information from the transmitted X-rays could be used to give additional information about the material content of the objects or components being scanned. This has led to development of dual band detectors, which are capable of separately identifying low and high energy bands from the full spectrum of X-ray emissions. Such a dual energy sensor typically comprises a sandwich pair of semiconductor photodiode arrays or the like, in conjunction with a scintillator configuration that is configured such that the respective detectors detect transmission of low-energy and high- energy X-rays. It is known that the X-ray absorption properties of any material can vary spectroscopically, and that the amount by which the absorption properties vary depends in particular on atomic number. This is exploited by the dual energy detector to differentiate generally between objects having lower and higher atomic number elements predominating.
When exploited as part of a security or material identification system, a very crude approximation can be made that organic materials tend to be in the former category and most inorganic materials in the latter category. However, even such a system confers only limited information about composition. The organic/inorganic division is crude and approximate, can readily be confused by objects which are superimposed in the X-ray path, and will give no information concerning the crystalline or polycrystalline nature of an object.
UK Patent Nos. 2329817 and 2360685 incorporate dual-energy transmission detectors. Even so, the compositional information given by the arrangement is still limited, for example in that the low/higher energy duality effect can give only a crude approximation of an organic/inorganic split and cannot itself distinguish polycrystalline materials.
For this reason, the references include additional scatter detectors. X-rays are scattered by the materials they pass through and these scattered signals can contain information that may be used to identify the scattering materials. There is great applicability for these detectors as many of the materials that raise security issues, such as explosives, drugs and semiconductor materials, have a polycrystalline structure and therefore produce good scatter signals. This technique of identifying materials from the scattered signal though possible is not currently commercially used as the extra scatter detectors introduce greater complexity in the system and the scattered beams are weak and so throughput is limited.
The line-scan X-ray technique is widely used in security applications where the detection and differentiation of objects of complex and varied shape and composition is an important feature. A better resolution of the exact shape and location of such objects in three-dimensional space would be a considerable improvement on present techniques, especially if composition could also better be characterised.


The method for separating a profiled foil (5) is carried out using a rotating separation foil (1) which forms a planar surface with a circular periphery (11). The separation foil is rotated (1a) about the circle center (10) and in the plane (10a), the foil plane, which is spanned by the surface. The periphery is brought into contact (15) with the profiled foil by the execution of a relative movement (1b). In this, through abrasion, material (6) is removed and a separation gap (51) is produced in the profiled foil. Material is largely removed from the profiled foil only.

The invention relates to a method for separating profiled foils, as well as to a use of the method and to a plant for carrying out the method.
Foils with a zigzag-shaped profiling are used as elementary constructional elements for ordered packings of separation columns, in which these foils are arranged adjacently to one another in vertical layers. Profiled foils of this kind are manufactured for example by means of a pleating method from a planar metal strip, with rectilinear folding edges resulting. The metallic strip is a thin foil with a thickness which amounts for example to 0.1 mm. As a rule this foil already has a fine structuring in the form of a grooving prior to the pleating. The pleated metal strip is separated into pieces, the lengths of which are determined by the installation conditions in the separation column. Since the folding edges are rectilinear a separation edge which has a periodic profile results in the separation. Due to this fact the metal strips can be cut to any desired lengths by means of a forming shear.
Whereas in an ordered packing which is constructed of pleated foils of this kind rectilinear flow channels are presentxe2x80x94as a rule in the form of a cross channel structurexe2x80x94, in a modified form of this packing type the channels are no longer formed rectilinearly. In this the foils of the layers are profiled in such a manner that the channel edges are curved in edge zones. Metal strips which are provided with a profiling of this kind can no longer be cut by means of a forming shear into pieces of arbitrary length. This is a result of the fact that the profile of the separation edge is no longer periodic.
It is an object of the invention to create a means which is an alternative to a forming shear and which enables a separation of profiled metal strips for which the separation edges do not have a periodic profile.
The method for separating a profiled foil is carried out using a rotating separation foil which forms a planar surface with a circular periphery. The separation foil is rotated about the circle center and in the plane, the foil plane, which is spanned by the surface. The periphery is brought into contact with the profiled foil by the execution of a relative movement. In this, through abrasion, material is removed and a separation gap is produced in the profiled foil. Material is largely removed from the profiled foil only.
The separation foil canxe2x80x94in comparison with the metal strips of which the profiled foils are manufacturedxe2x80x94be relatively thick. It can be a thin sheet metal which is several tenths of a millimeter thick. Whereas the profiled foil can be manufactured of a plastic, the material choice in the separation foil is restricted to metals for practical reasons. In pleated plastic foils the separation foil is advantageously thinner than the foil to be separated.
In the following the invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.


Disclosed are apparatus and methods for manufacturing complex gears includes the creation of a data set to control a robotic machine tool enabling the tool to machine the contours of the gears accurately after the gear has been cut. Each gear is mounted to an indexable chuck which is used to position the gear for machining operations such as chamfering and deburring that heretofore have been done by hand. A machine cabinet allows debris from machining to be recovered by a vacuum-operated system and an air-cooling system cools the gear during machining without requiring the use of cooling oils or other liquids.

It is a common industrial technique to use computer-controlled and computer-set cutting machines to cut complex shapes into solid metal blanks. One example of a typical and widespread use of this technique is the manufacture of gears, such as spiral and hypoid bevel, spur and helical gears used in automobiles and trucks. After the gears are manufactured they must be deburred to remove excess metal flashing or burrs and may also undergo chamfering to finish the individual gear teeth.
Automated chamfering and deburring machines are known for relatively simple gear configurations, such as those made and sold by Redin Corporation of Rockford, Ill., Mutschler Technologies, Inc. of North Ridgeville, Ohio and GMI of Independence, Ohio. Other machines have been developed to chamfer and deburr more complex gear shapes such as spiral bevel and hypoid gears. One such machine is made and sold by the Gleason Works of Rochester, N.Y., but can only machine the drive side of each gear tooth. This is acceptable and satisfactory for automotive applications but not for such complex gears such as aerospace-quality spiral and hypoid bevel gears, which require precise chamfers on all tooth edges. Such complex aerospace gears are often made in complex geometric shapes and require precision machining to extremely precise tolerances in order to perform satisfactorily. They must also be as lightweight as possible, meaning the gear teeth are made as small as possible yet must withstand maximum load or torque because they are often incorporated in the drive trains of aircraft such as airplanes, helicopters and spacecraft such as the space shuttle.
In an article entitled, "Robotic Automated Deburring of Aerospace Gears," written by Michael Nanlawala, which appeared in the January/February 2001 issue of Gear Technology magazine, the author describes in detail some of the post-manufacturing processes that are critical to the proper manufacture and performance of complex aerospace gears. In particular, the author states: "Machining processes, such as milling, drilling, turning, hobbing or other gear tooth cutting operations, create burrs on the edges of metal parts when the cutting tool pushes material over an edge rather than cutting cleanly through the material. The size, shape and characteristics of the resulting burrs depend upon a number of process factors, such as tool material and its hardness, tool sharpness, tool geometry, cutting forces, ductility of the material being machined, the speed and feed of the cutting tool, and the depth of cut. A subsequent deburring operation is generally required after those machining processes to remove loose burrs from the machined edge and to apply a chamfer to remove the sharp corners. In addition to the removal of loose burrs, the deburring of the edge produces benefits, such as the removal of sharp edges, increasing the ease of assembly, prevention of edge chipping or breakage, and improvement of air [sic] flow over the edge of rotating parts. Removing sharp edges by deburring and chamfering also eliminates the possibility of stress concentration and increases fatigue life."
Divots, nicks or cuts formed by uneven or discontinuous chamfering can create stress risers in the manufactured gear which can lead to premature failure of the gear. Heretofore, the most common method of removing burrs and applying chamfers to gear teeth has been the use of manual machining tools applied by a workman to the gear surfaces. Because complex gears have many such surfaces and because the intersection of these surfaces often requires reversal and repositioning of the hand grinder in order to create a continuous chamfer, hand-working such a gear is a laborious and time consuming and relatively imperfect technique. It is not uncommon to have a 30 to 40% rejection rate for hand-chamfered and deburred gears.
As reported by Nanlawala, manual deburring has been associated with safety hazards arising from such injuries as cuts, splinters, burns, bruises and eye injuries as well as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and pulmonary illness caused by the inhalation of material ground from the gear blank. Chamfering and deburring a workpiece such as a gear housing can take up to six hours of manual labor with less than reproducibly accurate results.
A typical process used to manufacture aerospace quality gears uses computer controlled or manually set manufacturing or hobbing machines to cut the gear profile from a solid metallic blank. Examples of such a manufacturing tool are the gear cutting machines manufactured by the Gleason Corporation of Rochester, N.Y.
Attempts have been made to use computer-controlled machining tools to perform the chamfering and deburring operations presently being done manually. For example, in the Nanlawala article, a number of tools and computer-controlled tool heads are proposed for use in automatic chamfering and deburring operations. None of these combinations of hardware, computer software and tools has proven to be successful on a commercial scale. In particular, Nanlawala focuses on the use of force-controlled machining heads. Machining performed by such heads is controlled by the amount of force required to keep the head in contact with the surface or edge to be machined. In order to carry out such an operation, Nanawala describes the use of path programming to teach a computer-controlled robotic machining arm the path required to be followed about the gear periphery in order to carry out the deburring and chamfering operations.
Path programming as described by Nanlawala uses the "teach pendant" method which requires physically moving the robotic cutting head to a selected point along the gear periphery and recording the position of that point in the computer's memory as well as the orientation of the robotic arm required to machine that point along the gear periphery.
Next, the machining head is moved to a second point and, again, the location of this point as well as the orientation of the machining head is recorded. When a sufficient number of these points are so recorded, it should then theoretically be possible to use the program created to successfully chamfer and deburr the gear. In practice, this trial and error procedure is extremely time-consuming, requires frequent repositioning to adjust the angle of the machining tool to the workpiece and results in wasted workpieces. Moreover, it must be repeated for each gear type whenever a new run of gears is manufactured.
A desirable alternative to the teach pendant technique would be the ability to "model" the gear surfaces in a computer and to use the model to control the machining operation. Computer modeling of complex gears such as spiral bevel aerospace gears is described in an article entitled "New Gear Software" which appears in the January/February 2003 issue of Gear Technology magazine. However, use of the software is limited to creating on-screen solid model depictions of the gears and allowing gear assemblies to be virtually assembled to verify how they fit together. The author of the software is reported as saying: " . . . he doesn't recommend his latest version for creating the geometry needed to manufacture a spiral bevel gear by traditional metal-cutting methods." Thus the "New Gear Software" models the gear blank to create a computer image but cannot be used to cut or machine the gear blank.
Examples of the need for chamfering and deburring and attempts at computer-controlled machining operations to carry out these operations are well represented in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,861 (Geller et al) teaches and describes a system for automatic finishing of machine parts in which the inventors describe the desirability of an automatic, computerized finishing system for machined workpieces and, in particular, state that "Automatic computerized systems for deburring are not known to the inventors." (col. 1, lines 25-27). This reference teaches the use of solid modeling techniques to deburr straight edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,670 (Jones) teaches and describes profiling and deburring of workpieces having straight edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,229 (Thorne) teaches and describes apparatus and methods for adjusting robot positioning which describes in detail the teach pendant method used to generate data sets.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,090 (Ongaro) teaches and describes a numeric-control machine tool for turning and hobbing mechanical parts which states at col. 4, lines 26-32 that the apparatus is capable of chamfering but does not describe how the tool is controlled to carry out the chamfering and includes no discussion of complex gear shapes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,771 (Mitchell Jr., et al.) teaches and describes a method for manufacturing precision gears. At col. 1, lines 26-37, the inventors describe with particularity the manufacture of such gears and the advantage to reducing or eliminating the number of scrapped workpieces resulting from said manufacture. At lines 61-64 of col. 1, the inventors confirm the value of the chamfering operation by stating that chamfering reduces stress concentrations in the completed gear.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,481 (Bittner, et al.) teaches and describes a masking tool for manufacturing precision gears and method for making same.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,349 (Bittner, et al.) teaches and describes a masking tool for manufacturing precision gears and method for making same. This patent is a division of the '41 patent and further particularizes the masking technique described therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,522 (Parker) teaches and describes a hand-held bar edging tool and support therefor, an example of a hand drill accessory used for hand deburring and chamfering of bar stock.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,533 (Baumstark) teaches and describes an apparatus for chamfering and deburring the end edges of a toothed production gear, an example of an apparatus specifically designed to hand-chamfer and deburr the outer edge of a specific gear. U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,765 (Occhialini) teaches and describes an apparatus for facilitating chamfering/deburring tool and gear meshing, an example of another non-automated apparatus designed to treat specific gears.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,810 (Behnke et al) teaches and describes a gear deburring apparatus and method. This reference uses a non-automated drive gear to mesh with the gear workpiece to carry out the machining operation needed to deburr the gear. U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,558 (Loos) teaches and describes a device for deburring or chamfering of the face edges of gears, including helical gears, in which a series of guide discs and cutters specifically designed for each different gear is used to chamfer or deburr the axial edges of the gear teeth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,661 (Massee) teaches and describes an apparatus for a workpiece showing a computer controlled apparatus moveable in two dimensions which does not describe chamfering or deburring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,595 (Massee) teaches and describes an apparatus for machining a workpiece which is a second example of a machining device controlled by a central controller but does not include the capacity for chamfering and deburring. U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,081 (Massee) teaches and describes a forming machine as yet another example of a memory controlled machining device which does not teach or describe chamfering or deburring.
None of these references teaches nor discloses a method to chamfer and deburr the complex surfaces of a precision spiral gear, together with the capacity to perform other common machining processes such as drilling, honing, reaming, polishing and buffing, nor the apparatus to carry out such a method.

Apparatus and method for machining workpieces


An apparatus, program product and method integrate virus checking functionality into a computer database search environment to assist in protecting a user computer from contracting a computer virus when accessing search results. The generation of a display representation of a result set generated in response to a search request may be based at least in part upon virus status information associated with at least a portion of a plurality of result records identified in the generated result set. Moreover, an apparatus, program product, and method configure a first computer to receive virus status information generated by a plurality of computers, with such received virus status information stored in a virus database that is accessible by the first computer.

The amount and variety of information that can be accessed through a computer continues to increase at an astounding rate. The Internet, in particular, has enabled computer users to access a wide variety of information from other computers located all over the world.
As computers have become more and more connected to various information sources, however, computers have become increasingly at risk for contracting computer viruses. A computer virus can generally include any malicious or otherwise surreptitious computer program that "infects" a computer and performs undesirable activities in the computer. Some computer viruses are simply mischievous in nature; however, other viruses can cause a significant amount of harm to a computer and/or its user, up to and including stealing private data, deleting data and/or causing a complete computer failure. Some viruses even permit a third party to gain control of a user's computer outside of the knowledge of the user, while others may utilize a user's computer in performing other malicious activities such as launching denial-of-service (DOS) attacks against other computers.
Viruses can take many different forms, and can be spread in a wide variety of manners, e.g., as email attachments, macros or scripts, Trojan horses, worms, logic bombs, etc. (all of which, for the purposes herein, will be referred to hereinafter as "viruses"). Often, a virus will hide, or "infect", an otherwise healthy computer program so that the virus will be activated when the infected computer program is executed. Viruses typically also have the ability to replicate and spread to other computer programs, as well as other computers.
To address the risks associated with viruses, significant efforts have been directed toward the development of anti-virus computer programs that attempt to detect and/or remove viruses that attempt to infect a computer. Such efforts have resulted in a continuing competition where virus creators continually attempt to create increasingly sophisticated viruses and anti-virus developers continually attempt to protect computers from new viruses.
One capability of many conventional anti-virus programs is the ability to perform virus checking on virus-susceptible computer files after such files have been received and stored in a computer, e.g., after downloading emails or executable files from the Internet. Server-based anti-virus programs are also typically used to virus check the files accessible by a server. Such anti-virus programs, for example, are often used by web sites for internal purposes, particularly download sites that provide user access to a large number of downloadable executable files that are often relatively susceptible to viruses.
Virus checking is often both processor- and bandwidth-intensive, and as a result, conventional anti-virus programs are typically limited to performing virus checks for files that are stored generally in the same computers upon which such programs are executing. Thus, while specific entities, including end users and web sites, may be capable of performing virus checking on files stored locally on those entities' computers, oftentimes those entities are not capable of determining the viral risks associated with files under the control of other entities, at least not until such files can be retrieved and checked locally by an entity's anti-virus program.
The distributed and decentralized nature of the Internet and other shared computer networks, in particular, highlights the aforementioned limitations of conventional anti-virus technologies, since oftentimes a user will navigate to a wide variety of web sites and be able to download virus-susceptible files from a large number of entities outside of the control of the user.
A particular example of the risks is in performing Internet-based searches and accessing search results generated thereby. Sophisticated search engines and associated "portal" sites have been developed by search providers for the express purpose of facilitating the location of web sites, pages and other files of interest to users. Many conventional search engines, for example, maintain index- and/or directory-based computer databases that attempt to catalog content on the Internet such that relevant web pages or other files may be identified to users in response to search requests sent to the search engines by such users. Often, such databases include a large number of records associated with different files such that the records, rather than the files themselves, are searched.
Search results are typically returned to a search engine user in the form of a formatted list of entries or records that are associated with files such as web pages that match a search request. Often, hypertext links are provided so a user can access the associated files by selecting the links. Given, however, that the files are often hosted and controlled by entities other than a search provider, the search provider typically has no mechanism for determining the virus risks presented by the files identified in search results sent to users of the search engine. As a result, files accessed through search engine results often present a comparatively higher degree of risk of infection to users. Particularly if a user is not using local anti-virus software, such a user is significantly at risk of contracting a virus.
The competition between commercial search providers, whether such providers provide searching sites or search engines used by others, has become relatively tight, and as a result, search providers are continuously attempting to increase the number of users of such services, particularly those where revenue is derived principally from advertisements or subscriptions. For example, many search sites attempt to add additional functionality and features to induce additional users to use their services.
Given the stiff competition between search providers, it would be highly detrimental for a search provider to be identified even tangentially as the source of a virus that performs mischief in a user's computer. Nonetheless, given the lack of control that most search providers have over the files identified by the search results generated by such providers or their technology, often it is infeasible to create even a marginal level of trust that specific search results will not present a significant risk of infection to users.
The risks provided by Internet-based searching may also apply to other computer database searching environments, particularly where the possibility exists that files associated with certain search results will not be under the control of the entity that generates the search results. Therefore, a significant need exists in the art for a manner of decreasing the risks of viruses associated with accessing search results from computer database searches.

Virus checking and reporting for computer database search results

International Business Machines Corporation


A method of about using icons and labels on window operation platform to express status of the memory card in a card reader having multiple slots is disclosed. The AP (application software) timely sends an inquiring packet to the reader. The card reader inspects the card status and then in response to the host with a responsive packet to the host. The AP then updates the icon and label in accordance with the responsive pocket, wherein the inquiring packet and responsive packet are through SCSI Pass through mode.

With the progress of the semiconductor manufacturing technique, the flash memory card is known to have low price per unit memory cell than ever before. As a portable device, the flash memory card not only has characters of mini-size and low weight but also without read-head vibration problem as conventional disk driver has. The flash memory card is thus the one of the most hit electronic merchandise for memory expansion usage of digital still camera, MP3 player, pen drive, and personal digital secretary assistance. A user utilizes the flash memory card to store the image data or sound recorded data or other digital information he desired in outdoor, thereafter, he can easily access the data that he stored in the flash memory card just by applying the card reader while he comes to the office or home. The flash memory card can be refreshed just by doing the file deletion or memory card formatting.
However, the specifications of the flash memory card are not unified but to variety from one main manufacturer to another. There are at least 6 types of memory cards being hit in the market, examples are CF type I/II, Memory Stick (MS), Multimedia Card (MMC), Secure Media Card (SD), Smart Media Card (SMC), and XD-Picture Card. Accordingly, to adapt the variety of card types, the card-readers are variety to satisfy the various requirements of users. Typically, the types of 2 in 1 (two slots in one card reader), 3 in 1, 4 in 1, or 6 in 1 of card-readers are very common.
In responsive to the popularity and common of the USB devices, nowadays, the basic input/output systems for personal computers are almost all supporting the booting function. Typically, those kinds of the USB devices are used for data storage including USB card reader, and pen-drive, USB-hard disk driver, USB-floppy driver. However, no matter what kinds of the popular operation systems are, for example, WIN 98, WIN 2000, NT4, Win XP, or Linux, most of them shown only one icon to show the present of a card reader, even more than one memory cards are inserted. Some of the card readers show more icons on desktop so that each corresponds to one slot and is labeled by one letter. Even though the status thereof is not shown. User can not acquire the memory card(s) presented information just from the labels or icons shown. Usually, morn than one try is demanded.
Hence, an object of the present invention is to provide a method. In the method, the flash card(s) inserted into the slot(s) is detected and the statuses are provided.

Method of dynamic icons and labels showing status of the memory card in a card reader


A pixel merge apparatus and method has been implemented. Included is a configurable graphics device, which may serve as a standalone graphics engine, or as a master or slave in a master/slave configuration. In stand alone mode, the mechanism drives a display device with native pixel data. A device configured in master mode is operable for receiving pixel data from a corresponding slave device, and merging the slave pixel data with native pixel data generated by a rasterizer within the ASIC. Data is communicated between slave and master using a digital data link which may also serve to drive a flat panel display in standalone mode. A FIFO, active in the master, mediates the transfer of the slave pixel data and permits switching between native and slave pixel data with signal pixel resolution. Pixel data may be merged on a frame-by-frame basis, or in split frame mode wherein a first portion of the graphic shown on a display device constitutes native pixels generated in the rasterizer corresponding to the master device, and a second portion of the displayed graphic includes pixels generated by the rasterizer in the slave device.

The present invention relates in general to data processing systems, and in particular, to graphics rendering in a data processing system.
Sophisticated graphics applications in modern data processing systems require the graphics data processing hardware to generate larger and more complex images. For example, virtual reality applications may display a panoramic view of a scene, requiring a display of a plurality of component images to form a composite image. Each image in the composite may, itself, be complex, requiring a dedicated processor to compute the component image. The composite may then be generated by providing each of the component images to an end station processor that generates a composite therefrom. Dedicating a data processing system to generate the composite also adds cost to the overall system. Additionally, the display of the scene may require multiple display devices, driven by a display driver associated with the processor generating the composite image to be displayed on the corresponding display device. This increases the cost of the system even further. Thus, there is a need in the art for a mechanism to combine graphics data streams to form a composite graphics signal to be provided to a display device and that may be incorporated in a data processing system economically and with a reduced development schedule.
The aforementioned need is addressed by the present invention. Accordingly, there is provided, in a first form, an apparatus for merging pixel data. The apparatus includes a buffer operable for receiving pixel data from a first source, and first selection circuitry operable for receiving pixel data from the buffer and pixel data from a second source. The selection circuitry selects for outputting the pixel data from the buffer and pixel data received from the second source, and the selection circuitry is operable for outputting the pixel data to a display device. The buffer outputs the pixel data in response to a first clock signal.
There is also provided, in a second form, a method of merging pixel data. The method receives pixel data from first and second sources and loads the pixel data from the second source in a buffer. The method further selects for outputting, in response to a dynamic switch signal, the pixel data from the first source and the pixel data stored in the buffer. The buffer outputs the stored pixel data in response to a first clock signal from the second source.
There is also provided, in a third form, a data processing system. The data processing system includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a graphics system operable for receiving graphics data signals and control signals from the CPU. The graphics system includes a buffer operable for receiving pixel data from a first graphics engine. The graphics system also includes a second graphics engine operable for generating pixel data in response to the graphics data signals and first selection circuitry operable for receiving pixel data from the buffer and the pixel data from the second graphics engine, wherein the selection circuitry selects for outputting the pixel data from the buffer and pixel data received from the second graphics engine, the selection circuitry being operable for outputting the pixel data to a display device, and wherein the buffer outputs the pixel data in response to a first clock signal from the second graphics engine.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention.

Pixel data merging apparatus and method therefor

International Business Machines Corporation


There is disclosed a semiconductor device having a vertical channel MOS gate structure wherein grooves (40) are formed from the top surface of source regions (5) through a body (3) into an N diffusion region (2) and wherein buried gate electrodes (4) fill an inner part of said grooves (40) which is in face-to-face relation to the N diffusion region (2) across gate oxide films (13) while buried oxide films (15) including diffusion source impurities fill an inner part thereof which is in face-to-face relation to the source regions (5). The impurity concentration of the source regions (5) is distributed uniformly in the vertical direction of the grooves (40) and decreases lateraly away from the grooves (40). A current flows through the source region along the grooves and a resistance thereagainst is held small in an ON-state. The grooves may be formed with narrow spacing. The size reduction and high integration of the semiconductor device are achieved as well as reduction in ON-resistance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices having a vertical channel MOS gate structure and more particularly to power devices having U-shaped and V-shaped grooves.
2. Description of the Background Art
A DMOSFET structure in which channels are formed laterally along a substrate surface is a dominant MOSFET structure for power devices. It has been indicated, however, that the structure finds difficulty in size reduction of unit cells and high integration for reduction in ON-voltage.
For solving the disadvantages, a MOSFET having U-shaped grooves or a trench structure has been proposed. FIG. 17 shows a conventional power MOSFET having a U-groove gate structure.
The power MOSFET of FIG. 17 comprises a drain electrode metal 7, a drain region 1, an N diffusion region 2 and a body 3 which are stacked in this order. Source regions 5 are formed in the surface of the body 3 by impurity diffusion. U-shaped grooves 40 are formed from the source regions 5 through the body 3 into the N diffusion region 2. Buried gate electrodes 4 are provided within the grooves 40 through gate oxide films 13. The source regions 5 and body 3 are covered with a source electrode metal 6, which is insulated from the buried gate electrodes 4 by oxide films 14. Such a U-groove gate structure is advantageous for reduction in ON-voltage because channels are formed on all side walls of the grooves 40 so that the length of the grooves 40 is fully effectively utilized. The grooves 40 adjacent to each other, when spaced more shortly for size reduction and high integration, make it difficult to expose the body 3 between the source regions 5 adjacent to each other. This is caused by restrictions in fabricating techniques such as pattern and superposing accuracies in photolithography which are required in arranging the grooves 40 centrally of the source regions 5. This restricts the reduction of the all dimension and high integration of cells. Then there is a limitation in reducing on resistance.
Structures for avoiding such problems have been proposed. FIG. 18 shows another conventional power MOSFET. The rectangular source regions 5 are equally spaced perpendicular to the U-shaped grooves 40. The source regions 5 and body 3 are short-circuited by the source electrode metal 6 on exposed surface of body 3 at this spacing. Such a structure permits channel regions to be formed in self-aligned fashion independent of the pattern of the U-shaped grooves 40. Positional relation between the source regions 5 and U-shaped grooves 40 need not be determined with very high accuracy, and a high pattern accuracy is unnecessary.
However, the structure of FIG. 18 has shorter total channel width than the structure of FIG. 17. One of the improvements thereagainst is to increase the width of the source regions 5 to decrease the area of the exposed surface of the body 3. This increases a distance from the center to the short-circuited edge of the source region and increases the resistance between the both ends of the distance in the body 3 under the corresponding source region. Then, the short-circuited efficiency is weakened at the point of the body 3 under the center of source region, so that it is difficult to suppress faulty operations of the MOSFET due to parasitic NPN transistors. There is another disadvantage in reducing on-resistance in both structure shown in FIGS. 17 and 18.
FIG. 19 shows a cross section of the structure in the vicinity of the U-shaped groove 40 and a profile of impurity concentration in XX' direction (in the direction of thickness). The structure of FIG. 19 is applied to both of the MOSFETs of FIGS. 17 and 18. Electrons flow from the source regions 5 through the channel region in the body 3 and N diffusion region 2 to the drain region 1 when the MOSFET is on. (It should be noted that current flows in the direction opposite to the electrons.) An ON-resistance is hence determined by a source resistance R.sub.S in the source regions 5, a channel resistance R.sub.C in the channels to be formed in the body 3 adjacent to the grooves 40, a resistance R.sub.N in the N diffusion region 2 and a drain resistance R.sub.D in the drain region 1.
The source resistance R.sub.S is determined by the distribution of the impurity concentration of the source regions 5. Since the source regions 5 are formed by impurity diffusion from the surface of the body 3 in the conventional structure, regions 5a with relatively high impurity concentration are formed only about the surface of the body 3. As shown in the profile of FIG. 19, the impurity concentration of the source regions 5 decreases toward the drain region 1. The source resistance R.sub.S increases toward the drain region 1. Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the ON-resistance on the whole.
The vertical channel MOS gate structure is essentially efficient for reducing ON-resistance. However, as mentioned above, the conventional devices with the vertical channel MOS gate structure have some difficulties in reducing size and so on, then the adaptation is not fully exhibited.

Semiconductor device and method of fabricating same


An energy absorbing mouth guard is provided with several sets of open spaces. The sets are arranged in the guard at preferred locations. At least some of the sets have arrays of open spaces, where the arrays are arranged in a triangular pattern. Each array in the triangular pattern has three open spaces.

Most over-the-counter boil-and-bite type mouth guards do not provide adequate dental protection as evidenced by the fact that there are more than one million annual orofacial injuries in sports despite the use of mouth guards.
The American Dental Association (ADA) estimates that the lifetime costs for treatment of serious dental injuries are $15,000-$20,000 per tooth, which translates to a total annual cost for dental injuries of half a billion dollars just in the USA. In many cases, the long term consequences of dental injuries are the onset of periodontal or other dental disease, frequently ending up with dental implants.
Low-cost over-the-counter mouth guards suffer from poor fit and are so uncomfortable that athletes tend to remove them intermittently during sports activities. The frequent handling of saliva-coated mouth guards transmits pathogens from dirty hands and fingers to the mouth guards.
Dentist-made custom mouth guards made from acrylic resins require time consuming and very costly laboratory production and fitting procedures. However, these professional-grade mouth guards still are uncomfortable and hinder breathing and talking.
Depending on the type of sports, impacts in the orofacial area can have a wide range of peak forces that are reached over relatively short time periods. Furthermore, the area of impact can vary widely, depending on whether the impact is caused by an object such as a hockey puck or stick, or caused by a crash landing on the chin or cheek where a larger area will be impacted but a lower overall peak forces.
In view of the disadvantages with the prior art mouth guards, it would be beneficial for a mouth guard to provide superior impact protection, yet be unobtrusive and comfortable so users wear it, and when they do, it enables them to easily talk, breathe and drink.