An optical scanning device includes a polygon mirror, a beam detector, a correcting unit, and a controller. The polygon mirror deflects and scans a light beam in a main scanning direction on a surface of an image carrier. The beam detector detects a beam position of the deflected light beam in a sub-scanning direction. The correcting unit calculates a correction amount of out-of-color registration based on the beam position, and corrects out-of-color registration in the sub-scanning direction based on the correction amount. The controller controls, during correction of out-of-color registration, a deflection speed of the deflector to be less than a deflection speed for writing a latent image on the surface of the image carrier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical scanning device, and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tandem color image forming apparatuses have been known, which form images (visible images) of different colors on a plurality of image carriers and superimpose them one on top of another to form a color image. This image forming apparatus irradiates a write beam, i.e., a light beam corresponding to image information, onto the respective image carriers and scans these beams to form a latent image on the image carriers, and develops the latent images. An optical scanning device that irradiates and scans the write beam generally includes a polygon mirror as a deflector that deflects and scans the write beam from a light source, and a plurality of optical elements (lenses and the like) for imaging the write beam deflected and scanned by the polygon mirror on surfaces of the image carriers. In such an optical scanning device, position and angle change slightly between the respective optical elements due to several reasons including a field curvature characteristic of the optical element, a distortion of a housing of the optical scanning device, deformation of components constituting the optical scanning device due to heat generated by a polygon motor, and a distortion at the time of fitting the image carriers. If a change in position and angle occurs between the respective optical elements, a scanning position of the write beam onto the image carriers changes. Besides, a curvature or inclination of a scanning line by the write beam occurs on the surfaces of the image carriers. As a result, a relative deviation of the scanning position of the write beam, and of the curvature and inclination of the scanning line appear as out-of-color registration. Particularly, out-of-color registration due to the relative deviation of the scanning position in a sub-scanning direction between respective image carriers has been a problem.
In conventional technologies, a pattern image (a registration mark image) is formed for detecting the relative deviation of the scanning position in the sub-scanning direction between respective image carriers, and thereafter, the position is detected by a sensor. Thus, the sub-scanning position is corrected based on the detection result (registration correction).
In the registration correction, however, the pattern image is formed on a transfer medium such as the image carrier and an intermediate transfer belt. If there is a defect or a foreign matter adheres on the image carrier or the intermediate transfer belt, the pattern image may not be accurately formed. As a result, detection cannot be performed, or even if detection is possible, the correction result may not be appropriate. In addition, a sensor that detects the pattern image is arranged near the image carrier or the intermediate transfer belt. Accordingly, the sensor may be stained due to toner scattered from the image carrier or the intermediate transfer belt. In such a case, the pattern image cannot be accurately detected. Furthermore, downtime is required at the time of forming or detecting the pattern image, during which an image forming operation cannot be performed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 2004-287380, 2000-235290, and Japanese Patent No. 3087748 discloses an image forming apparatus including a beam detector that detects the position of the write beam, in which out-of-color registration is corrected based on the detection result of the beam detector. Thus, by directly detecting the scanning position of the write beam, a pattern image for position detection need not be formed. As a result, such a situation can be reduced that detection cannot be performed, or even if detection is possible, the correction result may not be appropriate. Further, because the pattern image is not formed, the downtime can be reduced at the time of correcting out-of-color registration.
However, when out-of-color registration is corrected by detecting the position of the write beam, the correction is started after a rotation speed (deflection speed) of the polygon mirror reaches that for writing a latent image on the image carriers, and the position of the write beam is detected by the beam detector. As a result, the time for detecting the write beam by the beam detector is required. Therefore, the time until starting correction of out-of-color registration is long.

Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus


A trim member for a vehicle having an excellent shock absorbing performance is provided. The trim member is provided in a car-room and has a surface opposite to a car-body member at a distance, a plurality of ribs capable of elastic and plastic deformation formed on the surface and extending in different directions crossing each other, a pedestal portion for abutting against the car-body member and an attachment portion to be fixed to the car-body member. The pedestal portion and the attachment portion are formed on at least one of crossing portions of the ribs.

This invention relates to a trim member for a vehicle such as a motorcar, and particularly to the trim member having a function to mitigate a shock.
Generally, a body of a motorcar is formed by basic frame members of closed sections such as front pillars A, center pillars B, rear pillars C and roof side rails D as shown in FIG. 1, and inside of the basic frame member facing to the car-room is covered with a trim member called a garnish. Hitherto, a main object of the trim member was to cover uneven portions of the basic frame member for ornament, therefore the trim member had a rib arrangement structure giving the trim member a rigidity barely sufficient for keeping its own shape, and had no sufficient function to absorb and mitigate a shock applied to the member.
Recently, such a trim member also has been required to have a shock energy absorbing function and a shock absorptive trim member for a motorcar is proposed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-2029 or No. Hei 7-2030 for example.
The shock absorptive trim member is made of a formed hollow article of plastic and has a top face portion positioned at a car-room side for receiving a shock, first and second outer wall face portions formed on both sides of the top face portion, first and second inner wall portions formed on an inner side of the top face portion, a first bottom face portion formed between the first outer wall face portion and the first inner wall face portion, and a second bottom face portion formed between the second outer wall face portion and the second inner wall face portion. The first and second bottom face portions are positioned at a car-body side to be fixed to the car-body.
However, since the shock absorptive trim member has a complicated hollow shape in which various wall face portions are arranged between the top face portion and the bottom face portion, its forming work is troublesome and dimensional accuracies of the wall faces are apt to be unstable to influence the shock absorbing performance.

Yamaguchi, legal representative; by Mituo


A cam mechanism is provided in a DUT board mounting portion of a test head which includes a cam shaft having a guide pin connected to an actuator and a driven ring having a sloped groove along which the guide pin is guided, and a second guide pin provided on an outer cylindrical surface of the driven ring which is guided along a substantially L-shaped cam groove formed in a cylindrical opening of the DUT board mounting portion of the test head. When the second guide pin is located on a horizontal portion of the L-shaped cam groove, the driven ring is inhibited from moving downwardly but is rotated together with the cam shaft so that an engaging member of the driven ring is caused to engage with the DUT board. When the second guide pin reaches a vertical portion, only the cam shaft is rotated, and the driven ring moves downwardly along the vertical portion of the L-shaped groove to urge the DUT board assembly against contact probes on the test head assembly.

A test head assembly for a DUT board has a number of pin boards, each of which is equipped with a contact probe for contacting a DUT (device under test) board. A DUT is mounted thereon through the contact probes. In order to implement complete contact between the test head and the DUT board, the contact probes are supported by springs in such a manner as to be projected from and retracted into the pin board. The DUT board is fixedly mounted on the test head while pressed by the contact probes which are urged by the springs.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional mounting mechanism for mounting the DUT board on the test head. A docking plate 20 having a square-frame shape is provided on the upper surface of a DUT board mounting portion 1a of the test head 1, and a pair of cams 21 are mounted on the opposite sides of the docking plate 20. The DUT board 10 is fixed to a square supporter 22 at several points thereof in such a manner as to be removably mounted on the square supporter 22. The square supporter 22 is provided with cam followers 23 engagable with the cams 21, and the cam followers 23 are downwardly insertable into the cams 21. Upon rotation of the cams 21 by operating a lever 21a, the cam followers 23 are brought into engagement with cam grooves of the cams 21, and the supporter 22 is downwardly fastened along slopes of the grooves. The cams 21 are linked with each other through a wire 24, and thus operated interlockingly with each other.
However, the above conventional mounting mechanism has the following disadvantages. First, the supporter 22 having the cam followers 23 is indispensable for the mounting mechanism. In addition, a DUT board must be mounted and removed from the supporter 22 one by one for each DUT board 10 so that the operation is not efficiently carried out. Secondly, the cam 21, the lever 21a and the wire 24 project from the upper surface of the test head 1, and the projection of these elements restricts the access area. Likewise, the cam followers 23 project from the side surfaces of the supporter 22 and thus also restrict an access area. Thirdly the supporter 22 is urged by a force directed in a horizontal direction through the rotation of the cams 21, and this urging force causes a dislocation of the DUT board 10.
This invention is made to overcome the above disadvantages of the prior art, and an object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for removably mounting a DUT board in which a mounting and removing work or an exchange work of the DUT board is easily carried out, and the DUT board is stably mounted.

Mechanism for removably mounting dut board on test head


A method of applying a graphic to an article is disclosed. The method includes applying a graphic to a backer material and covering the backer material with a clear protective layer, which may be silicone, to help prevent degradation of the graphic with time and use.

Methods of applying graphics to the palm of a glove have been previously proposed. For example, some manufacturers use multi-colored silicone coatings to achieve color in the palm of a glove. As the coatings of colored silicone are applied, a silk screening process is used to apply one or more graphics to portions of the palm. However, as pigments are added to the silicone, the molecular structure of the silicone can degrade, which can lead to less tensile strength and tack. Over time the coating may weaken and become less durable. The result can be a degraded graphical image over time. There is a need in the art for a design that overcomes these shortcomings.

Method of manufacturing an article of apparel with a coated graphic


Provided is a method for the movement of an image object. In the method: A. determining the direction of movement of an image object to be moved, and a module X corresponding to same; B. moving the module X along the direction of movement by one unit; determining whether or not an overlap exists between the module X and another module; if not, terminating the process; otherwise, determining the module having the overlap with the module X as a blocking module; restoring the module X to the original position before swapping locations with the blocking module; determining whether or not all other modules apart from the module X and the blocking module can be properly placed; if yes, terminating the process; otherwise, executing step C; C. determining whether or not the module X can continue to move along the direction of movement; if not, terminating the process; otherwise, moving the module X by one unit; determining whether or not all other modules apart from the module X can be properly placed; if yes, terminating the process; otherwise, repeat step C. Employment of the solution provided in the present invention allows for an improved success rate for the movement of the image object.

A mobile terminal, e.g., a smart phone, etc., is typically provided with a display screen of a specific size, and an area corresponding to the display screen is referred to as a display area of typically a rectangular shape on which graphic objects (which can be icons, widgets, plain pictures, etc.) corresponding to various applications can be displayed, and a user can simply click on a graphic object to access a function corresponding thereto. Moreover in order to allure a user to use a mobile terminal, e.g., an existing smart phone, etc., the mobile terminal allows the user to drag the various graphic objects as needed, that is, change in location of the graphic objects. If there are a small number of graphic objects in the display area, then no problem may arise, but if there are a large number of graphic objects (and accordingly there is a smaller idle area), then different graphic objects may overlap so that the graphic objects may fail to be moved, thus causing inconvenient use by the user and degrading an experience of the user.

Method and device for movement of image object


Communication apparatus comprising a first xDSL transceiver for conveying an xDSL transmission, a splitter for conveying a POTS transmission via a POTS telephone line and the xDSL transmission via an xDSL telephone line, and a second xDSL transceiver being in communication with the first xDSL transceiver and the splitter.

Plain old telephone service (POTS), the standard telephone service that most homes that are connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) use, is not generally used for concurrent transmission of voice and data, as it is currently limited to transmission rates of up to 56.6 kbit/s.
Technologies such as digital subscriber line (xDSL) services are being developed to allow data, voice, and video to be transmitted simultaneously over standard twisted-pair copper wire telephone lines at multimegabit rates. xDSL is seen as an alternative to the more costly and time-consuming installation of high-speed fiber-based broadband communications networks.
Competing xDSL technologies include ADSL, RADSL, HDSL, SDSL, and VDSL. Each is best suited to a different application, with trade-offs made between signal distance and speed and with each having different transmission bandwidth configurations.
Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) is perhaps the best known xDSL variant, providing more transmission bandwidth "downstream" to a telephone subscriber than "upstream" from the subscriber. Downstream transmission rates range between 1.5 Mbit/s to a theoretical 8 Mbit/s, while upstream transmission rates range between 16 kbit/s to a theoretical 1 Mbit/s or more, each depending on line quality, distance, and wire gauge. Depending on environmental conditions, ADSL can transmit data at a rate of 1.544 Mbit/s over distances of up to 6,000 m using standard 24-gauge wire, and 8 Mbit/s over distances of 4,000 m or less. ADSL works by sending digital pulses in the high-frequency area of telephone wires. Since these high frequencies are not used by normal voice communications, ADSL can operate concurrently with voice communication over the same telephone wires.
Very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL) is the fastest xDSL technology. It can deliver downstream transmissions at a rate of 13 to 52 Mbit/s and upstream transmissions at a rate of 1.5 to 2.3 Mbit/s over a single wire pair. Unfortunately, VDSL has a maximum operating distance of only 300-1,500 m.
In digital subscriber line access multiplexing (DSLAM) telephone carriers join and split voice and data transmissions, employing digital subscriber line access multiplexers to send and receive these transmissions to/from subscribers over standard telephone lines using ADSL modems. Line or POTS splitters at the carrier alternately divide upstream ADSL transmissions, directing voice communications onto the public switched network and data streams to service providers such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and join voice and data streams for downstream transmission. A POTS splitter at the subscriber's location similarly joins and splits ADSL transmissions, with voice transmissions terminating at a telephone or other POTS apparatus and data transmissions terminating at an ADSL modem DSLAM is disadvantageous in that it is relatively expensive, generally requires professional installation of the POTS splitter at the subscriber's location and rewiring of the subscriber's telephone outlets to accommodate simultaneous data and voice transmissions, and is largely incompatible with future VDSL and "Fiber to the Curb" (FTTC) systems now being planned.

Apparatus and method for concurrent voice and data transmission


In the invention, a finger board is bent like a “letter V”, and a thickness adjustment plate is provided between the finger boards of modules to be able to move, thereby being able to adjust the height of a finger. Such a configuration enables to increase the contact pressure of the finger by increasing the height of the finger when the finger is inserted, and when the finger is detached, reduce the contact pressure by reducing the height of the finger. This accordingly provides a shield chassis of suppressing any possible noise with no loss of insertability/removability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chassis of an electronic device handling high-speed signals and a canister to be housed in the chassis of the electronic device, and also relates to a packaging method of suppressing any noise emission (ElectroMagnetic Compatibility: EMC).
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic devices handling high-speed digital signals emission noise due to clock signals and data signals showing a change in synchronization with the clock signals. This noise emission affects television receivers, radios, and others, and thus is under the control of standards institutions and nations in terms of measurement method and amount of emission. The standards institutions include CISPR (International Special Committee on Radio Interference), VCCI (Voluntary Control Council for Interference), and FCC (Federal Communications Commission), for example.
For the purpose of suppressing such noise emission, the electronic devices are of the shield configuration with the chassis made of conductor. The issue here is that the chassis is formed with a slot to enable easy insertion and removal of a hard disk canister and a printed wiring board. When this slot is inserted with a canister or a printed wiring board, a structural gap is created between the canister and another canister or between the printed wiring board and another printed wiring board. In consideration thereof, Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2003-152359) describes the configuration of filling such a gap between canisters by providing a conductive finger of the spring configuration to each of the canisters.


To provide a structure having a photonic crystal that can display a reflection function using GR even when a refractive index difference between a photonic crystal layer and a cladding layer adjacent thereto is not sufficient and a surface-emitting laser using the structure. The structure includes a photonic crystal layer including a first member of a flat shape and plural pillars arrayed two-dimensionally periodically on the first member. The photonic crystal layer is formed of a first material having a first refractive index. A low refractive index layer formed of a second material having a second refractive index lower than the first refractive index is adjacent to the photonic crystal layer. A relative refractive index difference between the first refractive index and the second refractive index is not less than 0.04 and does not exceed 0.13. The height of the pillars with respect to the thickness of the photonic crystal layer is not less than 0.10t and does not exceed 0.07t.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure having a photonic crystal and a surface-emitting laser using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, researches concerning a photonic crystal have been actively performed. The photonic crystal is the structure in which, like a band gap present in an electronic state in a crystal, a wavelength band (a photonic band gap) for controlling light waveguide is generated by giving periodic structure to a refractive index.
It is known that incident light is diffracted in an in-plane direction of the photonic crystal and diffracted light of the incident light is combined with a radiation mode and transmitted or reflected.
Guided Resonance (GR) is a phenomenon in which light of a waveguide mode guided in the in-plane direction of the photonic crystal having the refractive index periodic structure in the in-plane direction is combined with the radiation mode to be radiated to the outside of the photonic crystal.
The photonic crystal can be used as a mirror by using the GR. When light made incident in a direction perpendicular to the in-plane of the photonic crystal is combined with a mode located above a light line, the light is converted into a mode for waveguide in the photonic crystal. Thereafter, when the light is combined with the radiation mode, the light is radiated to the outside of the photonic crystal again. An unusual reflection phenomenon, for example, reflection with efficiency of 100% is caused by interference between light that is directly reflected without being combined with the waveguide mode and light that is once combined with the waveguide mode and radiated to the outside again.
In general, the waveguide mode means a mode in which a condition that light does not leak from a photonic crystal layer is satisfied. The radiation mode means a mode in which light leaks from the photonic crystal layer.
The light line indicates a dispersion relation of light that propagates in a medium adjacent to a waveguide layer (in this case, the photonic crystal layer). The light line can be indicated by a straight line decided by w=ck/n (w: angular frequency, c: light velocity, n: refractive index, k: wave number). In general, an area higher in frequency than the light line is an area in which light tends to leak from the photonic crystal.
As described above, the mirror using the GR has an operation principle different from that of a mirror using the photonic band gap. Non-Patent Document Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 091102 (2005) describes an examination concerning GR performed by using a photonic crystal. When a wavelength of light made vertically incident on the photonic crystal illustrated in FIG. 2A of the document is adjusted to a wavelength at which reflectance is extremely increased by the GR, the incident light is reflected at high reflectance.
In the Non-Patent Document, a simulation is performed with a radius r of pillars circular in section set to 0.4a ("a" is a period of a grating), height h set to 0.9a, a refractive index nphc of a material forming the pillars set to 4.47, and a refractive index of an area adjacent to the pillars set to 1.0. As a result, GR illustrated in FIG. 2B occurs.
When a mirror applied to a laser and the like is manufactured using the GR in the photonic crystal, a refractive index difference between a photonic crystal layer and a cladding layer adjacent thereto may have to be extremely small. For example, in a surface-emitting laser having a wavelength of 670 nm, it is assumed that the photonic crystal layer is formed of Al0.5Ga0.5As and the cladding layer adjacent thereto is formed of Al0.93Ga0.07As or the like. In this case, refractive indexes of Al0.5Ga0.5As and Al0.93Ga0.07As with respect to light having a wavelength of 670 nm are 3.446 and 3.130, respectively. Thus, a relative refractive index difference Δn(=(nphc−nclad)/nphc)) between both the light is about 0.09 (about 9%).
In such a case, it is anticipated that, if the structure described in the Non-Patent Document is directly applied, the GR hardly occurs and it is difficult to use the photonic crystal as a mirror.
Therefore, the inventors performed a simulation using the structure illustrated in FIG. 3A in the same manner and checked whether the GR could be present. The inventor confirmed that the GR could occur when a relative refractive index difference Δn(=(nphc−nclad)/nphc) between a photonic crystal layer including pillars and a substrate functioning as a cladding layer adjacent thereto is not less than 0.35 (35%) but the GR hardly occurs when the relative refractive index difference does not exceed 0.13 (13%). An actual simulation result is illustrated in FIG. 3B.

Structure having photonic crystal and surface-emitting laser using the same


A scan test circuit includes tester inputs that receive scan test data. Scan chains are coupled to the tester inputs. The tester outputs are coupled to the scan chains and provide output test data based on the scan test data. A first clock generates a first clock signal. A sampling circuit samples each of the tester outputs at least twice per clock cycle of the first clock signal.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Scan-based testing is a technique that is used to internally test elements of a circuit under test (CUT), such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The testing may be performed to monitor operation of state variable devices (i.e. flip-flops and/or latches) and to detect core faults within the CUT. Scan-based testing replaces state variable devices that make up a sequential circuit by pseudo inputs and outputs. Values of the pseudo inputs and outputs can be set arbitrarily and monitored by connecting memory elements and/or sequential logic devices of the CUT in a serial shift register configuration. Each serial shift register is referred to as a scan chain. Serial shift (i.e. scan) actions are employed to set flip-flops of the CUT to an arbitrary set of values. Scan test data is shifted into the CUT, and resultant output test data is captured, sampled and monitored. This process transforms a sequential circuit into a virtual combinational circuit where scan in and out activities are defined as macro operations to set and monitor the state variables of the CUT.
With increased circuit complexity and thus an increased number of state variables, serial scanning becomes infeasible. For this reason, parallel scanning is implemented. In parallel scanning an overall scan chain is separated into a number of independently operable serial scan chains to reduce overhead. For example, a 100,000-bit serial scan chain may be implemented as 10 independently operable scan chains of 10,000 bits each. This reduces the total number of shift cycles necessary to load and unload the 100,000 bits by a factor of 10.
Referring to FIG. 1, a functional block diagram of a CUT 10 is shown. The CUT 10 includes scan chains 12, which are in parallel and have associated combinational logic circuits 14. The combinational logic circuits 14 are coupled between the scan chains 12. The CUT 10 also includes multiple Scan_In and Scan_Out tester pins 16, 18. A pair of Scan_In and Scan_Out pins is associated with each of the scan chains 12. Scan test data, which is controlled, is provided to the Scan_In pins 16. Output of the scan chains 12 is monitored via the Scan_Out pins 18.
Although parallel scanning can reduce the number of shift cycles of a scan-based test, parallel scanning is limited to the number of independently operable scan chains that can be implemented on an integrated circuit (IC). Each independent scan chain requires a pair of Scan_In/Scan_Out pins that are directly accessible using primary I/O pins of the IC. The number of I/O pins available for scan testing purposes may be limited.
As integrated circuit devices grow in size, corresponding scan chains also grow in size. With an increase in scan chain size comes an increase in the number of shifts required to load and unload data. Also, the larger the scan chains, the more data that is required from and used by a test system, which increases memory requirements to perform a test.
In addition, during scan testing automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) vectors are generated. For each ATPG vector, an input vector, an expected output vector, and a mask vector may be needed to indicate whether a test output bit value is reliable. Thus, a substantial amount of high-speed memory may be required to store test patterns and expected results. The total volume of test related data and the need for increased physical bandwidth (i.e. number of externally controllable parallel scan chains) are dominant factors in determining overall test cost of complex ICs.
As a result, data decompression and compression techniques are used to reduce the number of needed Scan_In/Scan_Out pins. A decompressor and a compressor may be provided on a CUT. As an example, scan test data may be provided to Scan_In pins, decompressed, and then provided to scan chains. Output signals of the scan chains may then be compressed and provided to Scan_Out pins. Put another way, a seed value may be scanned into a decompressor. The decompressor then produces actual test values, which are fed into the scan chains. With larger amounts of scan test data, more scan chains are used. This shortens scan chain length, which requires less test system memory and reduces test time.
During scan testing, unknown data can occur. Unknown data is represented as an X. Unknown data is generated external to scan chains and can cause monitored data and faults to be masked. The term mask refers to the inability to monitor and reliably use certain data, which is discarded. Data is unreliable when proper values of certain pin(s) are unknown, which can result from the reception of one or more Xs. Xs may be generated from uncontrollable devices that have unknown outputs during a scan test. Unknown outputs may be associated with, for example, random access memory (RAM)s, phase lock loops (PLL)s, delay lock loops (DLL)s, analog devices, embedded blocks, and/or other devices.
Compression algorithms can be adversely affected by a high X-density. An increase in the compression ratio of a compressor that is associated with a CUT increases the number of Xs per shift in a load and unload process. The viability of test data results decreases with an increase in X-density. Thus, the compression ratio is maintained at a low level when a high number of Xs are experienced. This provides viable test data results during scan testing.
X-density of a CUT is measured by how many X's there are during a load and unload of data. The X-density is equal to the number of X's divided by the number of shifts that occur during a load and unload process. As an example, a CUT may experience 100 Xs and 1000 shifts for a single capture event. Thus, the CUT has an X-density of 0.1 Xs per shift. When compression ratio is increased by ten (10) such that there are 100 shifts, the X-density is 1.0 Xs per shift. An X-density of 1.0 Xs per shift typically renders the compression output data useless.

Scan testing system for circuits under test


A mortar applying machine incorporating housing, having a rotatable drive wheel mounted therein, the drive wheel adhered upon a pivot shaft located within the housing, and the drive wheel being disposed through the bottom of the housing for mortar and engagement with the surface of a row of blocks previously applied in the forming of a building wall. Fixedly mounted to the same shaft are a pair of paddles, formed of blades, which assure the proper shifting and movement of the fluid mortar into position within the housing, for passage out of its lower openings, and onto the transverse lands of the row of blocks as previously applied into the building wall. A diverter is provided within the housing to assure that the fluid mortar flows towards the front of the housing with respect to the direction of its movement when depositing a layer of mortar onto a previously laid row of blocks. A block is constructed to accommodate their usage in combination with this mortar applying machine, to provide motive power for processing and deposition of the fluid mortar, and at the same time provide transverse lands or surfaces onto which a thin layer of mortar may be applied, in preparation for the application of another row of blocks thereon, during the building of a wall.

This invention relates generally to a mortar applying machine, and to a particularly styled block that may be used in conjunction therewith, so that mortar may be uniformly and evenly applied to the specifically configured block, during their build-up, into the formation of a building or other wall.
A variety of blocks, bricks, and other construction members for use in assembling a wall are readily available in the art. In fact, the inventor herein has designed a variety of blocks of a wedgable configuration, where the blocks may be set up into the formation of a wall, generally of the mortarless configuration, for constructing buildings, or other walls, generally of an industrial or commercial nature. But, such blocks may also be fabricated into homes, preferably of the more marginal or lesser costs, and which may even have better applicability in the underdeveloped nations, where it is desired to provide lesser labor, and costs, in the assembly of residences for their citizens. For example, the U.S. patents, U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,999, U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,979, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,849 to the inventor herein, disclose particularly configured blocks, and which may even have some quantity of mortar applied thereto, during their assembly into a wall configuration.
The current invention, on the other hand, provides a particularly styled intermating type of block, which may have a thin layer of mortar uniformly applied thereon, at discreet locations upon the surface of each block, so that the wall can be quickly and easily assembled, and erected into the required height, eliminating the need for brick layers, or other skilled craftsmen in furnishing the laying of mortar, or tuck pointing, which normally elevates the costs of the building of homes commercial buildings, or the like, as known in the building trades.

Mortar applying machine and block for use in conjunction therewith


A method for audio downmix apparatus with dynamic-range control includes steps as follows. The procedure first calculates the power of a surround audio channel and a central audio channel and then estimates whether a gain of the surround audio channel and the central audio channel saturate or not. When the gain is saturated, the procedure enters a step for adjusting a gain of dynamic range control; while the gain is not saturated, the procedure enters a saturation process. After the step of adjusting a gain of dynamic range control, then processes a gain calculation; and then changes the gain and estimates whether the gain reaches a default value or not. When the gain reaches the default value, then the gain will be outputted. When the gain does not reach the default value, continues to process the gain calculation and change the gain.

As the progress of technology, we can play the movies at home by videotape, VCD or DVD. The performance of the movie is just as that in the movie theater.
In order to achieve the entertainment performance as in the movie theater, the image and the audio effect are the most important issues for a home movie system. The image must be large enough and delicate; the audio effect of the home movie system should mimic the sound-surrounding effect in a movie theater. Therefore, the recoding equipments and the high-tech audio stereos for sound-surrounding effect are quite important. The better of the recoding software and the audio stereos, the better the performance will be.
Therefore, two specifications of audio in the DVD player including Digital Theater Systems (DTS) and Dolby Digital are widespread. The Dolby Digital (AC-3) encoding specification is established by the Dolby Laboratories. The compression method of Dolby Digital involves a twelve-to-one destructive compression process. The audio file occupies a relatively small storage space and can be transmitted by a marginal bandwidth. The Dolby Digital technology will neglect over detail in audio data, which cannot be sensed by human's ear. This is contrary to the high fidelity principle, wherein the playback sound should be as genuine as recorded one.
The audio encoding technology of DTS, which is a multi-channel media system produced by the Digital Theater Systems Company, uses three-to-one destructive compression method. It has a better performance than that of DTS even thought it is sill a destructive compression method
FIG. 1 shows an audio encoding mixer of a prior art including a delayed circuit unit 10, a level measuring unit 12, a curve control unit 14, a gain control unit 16 and an audio mixer 18. It can be seen that each technology mentioned above needs a complicated mathematical process for encoding. Therefore, a powerful CPU and a digital signal processor (DSP) and a very large physical memory should be used. That is too expensive for most of us.

Audio downmix apparatus with dynamic-range control and method for the same


Techniques are provided for enabling cross-process coordination between multiple instances of given microservice in a cloud computing system. A method includes running a plurality of active instances of a given microservice of a computing system comprising a distributed microservices architecture. A first active instance of the plurality of active instances executes a portion of program code of the given microservice to perform a job. The portion of the program code of the given microservice includes an instance synchronization element which is configured to enable cross-process coordination between the plurality of active instances of the given microservice with the support of a collaboration service. The first active instance utilizes the instance synchronization element to communicate with the collaboration service and cause the collaboration service to execute a process associated with the instance synchronization element to thereby implement the cross-process coordination between the plurality of active instances for executing the job.

Currently, cloud computing services are provided globally to millions of users and customers who reside in different geolocations (e.g., countries, continents, etc.). Various entities provide private or public cloud computing services globally to different customers over various sectors for critical and non-critical applications. These entities provide various cloud computing services including, for example, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), and/or Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). A cloud computing system implements an application programming interface (API) to enable various applications and computing platforms to communicate with and access the cloud computing system, or otherwise allow other applications and computing platforms to integrate within the cloud computing system.
A cloud computing service can implement a microservice architectural style approach to developing a single application, or product, as a suite of small services. In a distributed microservices computing environment, each microservice runs in its own process and communicates with other microservices using lightweight protocols such as HTTP. Microservices are commonly designed to enable the microservices to be "scaled up" by increasing the number of instances of the microservices as needed to support increased workloads and/or to provide high availability in the case of failures. In some cases, the set of active instances of a given microservices are not truly independent, such that the instances will need to coordinate to ensure full potential of the processing and memory resources that are available to such instances.

Collaboration service to support cross-process coordination between active instances of a microservice


An actuator for controlling the flow of air through an air inlet port, particularly a secondary air inlet port, in an intake manifold in an internal combustion engine. The actuator actuates means disposed in the throat of the inlet port for opening and closing said port. The actuator comprises a housing, a reversible motor disposed in the housing, power transmission means with said motor comprising a non-planetary gear train disposed in the housing, and a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing operably engaged at one end thereof with the power transmission means and at its other end with the means for opening and closing the air inlet port.

On automotive engines with multiple air inlet ports per cylinder the amount of air entering the cylinder through the secondary air inlet port is generally varied depending upon engine operating conditions. Thus, a control system must be utilized to open and close the secondary air inlet port to vary the amount of air passing therethrough. Current control systems utilize a vacuum actuator to open or close the secondary air inlet port thereby controlling the amount of air passing through the secondary air inlet port into the cylinder. However, under certain conditions the force achievable with a vacuum actuator is insufficient to satisfactorily open and close the secondary air inlet port in the intake manifold.
What is needed, therefore, is an actuator which is simple, compact, lightweight, reliable and yet provides sufficient torque and speed to satisfactorily open and close the secondary air inlet port. The present invention provides such an actuator.

Intake manifold air inlet control actuator


An ICR fuser includes a set of fusion rules for combining the outputs of multiple ICR systems. Each ICR system operates on a digital image to extract image component strings and provide a set of multiple candidate character strings and their associated confidence values. Each rule includes a test for determining whether that rule applies to the current ICR system outputs, a membership function for selecting a fused character string, and a confidence equation for assigning it a fused confidence value. The rules partition a decision space into subspaces to reduce the error rate between the fused character string and the image component string.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to intelligent character recognition (ICR) systems, and more specifically to an apparatus and method for fusing the results of multiple ICR systems to reduce the system's error rate.
2.Description of the Related Art
There are many instances in which printed text (hardcopy) must be converted to computer readable text (softcopy). For example, tax, census and insurance data are usually provided on standardized forms. Traditionally, a key punch operator would input the data from the forms into the computer so that the data could be processed and compiled into a data base. Occasionally entire documents will have to be entered into a computer. This is very slow and tedious work that leads to operator error.
In theory, ICR systems can be used to automatically recognize printed text (machine or handwritten) and convert it into computer readable text, e.g. an ASCII character format that is compatible with word processors such as Microsoft Word.RTM. or WordPerfect.RTM.. However, in practice the problem of recognizing and accurately discriminating printed text is very difficult. The result is ICR systems with high error rates that still require key punch operators to input a significant portion of the data.
To improve error rates and reduce the amount of data the key punch operator must enter, ICR systems are custom designed for specific problems such as processing standardized forms and reading mailing addresses. These types of problems are much easier because the physical location and classification of the printed text are known. For example, a car insurance form may have designated boxes for a person's name, address and occupation and the car's make and model. The ICR system knows approximately where to look for the text and can use different specially designed databases for each of the classes of printed text. The databases use a limited dictionary of words or numbers, which increases the confidence with which a word or "character string" is selected. As a result, both the ICR system's error rate and the necessary user interaction are reduced.
As used in ICR systems, the term "confidence value" reflects a subjective belief that a character or string matches its counterpart in the original document, and is typically assigned a value between 0 and 1. The confidence value is not a rigorous mathematical indicator, but in general a high confidence value will tend to indicate a lower probability of error and a low confidence value will tend to indicate a higher probability of error.
A number of companies including Mitek Systems, Inc., Nestor, Inc., Bell & Howell, Inc., Calera, Inc., Matra, Inc., and AEG, Inc. produce proprietary ICR systems that recognize hand or machine printed numeric, upper case alpha, upper/lower case alpha, lower case alpha, and punctuation marks. An optical scanner is used to digitally scan a document to create a digital image. The printed text in the document is represented as pixel values in the digital image. The ICR system segments the pixel values first into strings of image components (words) and then into the individual image components (characters). Once segmented, the ICR system recognizes each individual image component as multiple candidate characters having associated confidence values. The ICR system then regenerates candidate character strings from the candidate characters and assigns each string a confidence level. Commercial-off-the-shelf ICR systems output the string with the highest confidence value. If the confidence value exceeds a threshold, the string is accepted and sent to the data base. Otherwise, the string is rejected and the key punch operator is prompted to visually identify the string from the digital image and enter it into the computer.
To reduce the error rate, we believe that many of these systems use an internal fusion process to combine the outputs of multiple different ICR systems. This allows each ICR system to detect a limited character subset of the complete ASCII character set. This improves the accuracy of each ICR system. Alternately, multiple ICR systems that detect the same subset but which are provided by different vendors, and hence operate off of different recognition kernels, can be combined to improve performance.
Because these systems are proprietary, we do not know the details of the individual ICR systems or the specific fusion algorithms. However, we believe that the existing ICR systems use one of four known approaches: 1) a voter system, 2) probability aggregation, 3) belief combination or 4) fuzzy logic. In a voter system all of the ICR systems are treated as equal and the string that occurs in a majority/plurality of the outputs is selected. In a probability aggregation approach, the relative weight given to each ICR system is based on its average performance. In belief combination, each ICR system provides a range of "possibility" (belief) assignments as opposed to a fixed probability assignment. In fuzzy logic words such as "somewhat" or "a lot" are used to describe the ICR systems' relative strengths. The fuzzy network then converts these words into numeric values to make a decision. Although these fusion methods generally improve the system's error rate, more improvement is needed to reduce the error rate even further and make ICR systems commercially feasible.

Apparatus and method of fusing the outputs of multiple intelligent character recognition (ICR) systems to reduce error rate


Objects of the present invention are to provide novel anthracene derivatives and novel organic compounds; a light-emitting element that has high emission efficiency; a light-emitting element that is capable of emitting blue light with high luminous efficiency; a light-emitting element that is capable of operation for a long time; and a light-emitting device and an electronic device that have lower power consumption. An anthracene derivative represented by a general formula (1) and an organic compound represented by a general formula (17) are provided. A light-emitting element that has high emission efficiency can be obtained by use of the anthracene derivative represented by the general formula (1). Further, a light-emitting element that has a long life can be obtained by use of the anthracene derivative represented by the general formula (1).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to organic compounds, anthracene derivatives, and light-emitting elements, light-emitting devices, and electronic devices each of which use the anthracene derivatives.
2. Description of the Related Art
Light-emitting elements that use light-emitting materials have advantages of being thin, being lightweight, and the like, and are expected to be applied to next-generation displays. Further, since the light-emitting elements are self-light-emitting elements, the light-emitting elements are superior to liquid crystal displays (LCDs) because they have high visibility without a problem such as a viewing angle.
A basic structure of a light-emitting element is a structure in which a light-emitting layer is included between a pair of electrodes. It is said that, when a voltage is applied to such a light-emitting element, holes injected from an anode and electrons injected from a cathode are recombined with each other in a luminescent center of the light-emitting layer to excite molecules, and the molecular excitons release energy in returning to a ground state, whereby light is emitted. It is to be noted that excited states generated by the recombination include a singlet state and a triplet state. The light emission can be obtained in either of the excited states. In particular, the light emission occurring when the singlet-excited state directly returns to the ground state is referred to as fluorescence, and the light emission occurring when the triplet-excited state returns to the ground state is referred to as phosphorescence.
With such light-emitting elements, there are a lot of material-related problems for improvement of element characteristics. In order to solve the problems, improvement of an element structure, development of materials, and the like have been carried out.
For example, in Patent Document 1: United States Patent Application Publication No. 2005-0260442, an anthracene derivative that emits green light is described. However, Patent Document 1 discloses only the emission spectrum of the anthracene derivative but not the device performance for when the anthracene derivative was applied to a light-emitting element.
Also, in Patent Document 2: Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2004-91334, a light-emitting element in which an anthracene derivative is used for a charge transporting layer is described. However, in Patent Document 2, there is no description of the life of the light-emitting element.
If commercialization is considered, extending the life of the light-emitting element is an important issue. Further, the development of light-emitting elements with much higher levels of performance is desired.

Organic compound, anthracene derivative, and light-emitting element, light-emitting device, and electronic device using anthracene derivative

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A method for communicating control messages between a first device and a second device. The method includes a communication module that directs control messages between a first device and a second device through an intermediate device. The intermediate device is coupled to the first device by a control path and to the second device by a data path. The method also includes a translation module and a transmission module that cooperate to translate control messages received over the control path at the intermediate device to transport data messages and transport data messages received over the data path at the second device to control messages. Transport data messages are sent over the data path to the second device and control messages from the second device are sent over the control path to the first device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to data storage systems. Specifically, the invention relates to apparatus, systems, and methods for communicating control messages between a first device and a second device.
2. Description of the Related Art
High density, removable media storage libraries are used to provide large quantities of storage in a computer system. Typically, such data storage systems are employed for backup or other secondary storage purposes, but may be used as primary storage in circumstances that are conducive to sequential data access and the like.
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a conventional system 100 that includes a removable media storage library. The system 100 includes an Automated Library Unit (ALU) 102 and at least one host 104. Each host 104 may be a mainframe computer. Alternatively, the hosts 104 may be servers or personal computers using a variety of operating systems.
The ALU 102 includes a library manager (LM) 106, one or more data drive devices, which may be tape drive units 108, an accessor 110, and a plurality of media cartridges 112. The plurality of media cartridges 112 may be stored in one or more media cartridge storage bins (not shown).
The LM 106, which includes at least one computing processor, is interconnected with, and controls the actions of, the tape drive units 108 and the accessor 110. The LM 106 typically also includes one or more hard disk drives (not shown) for memory storage, as well as, a control panel or keyboard (not shown) to provide user input. The control panel may be a computer in communication with the LM 106 so that a user can control the operating parameters of the automated tape library unit 102 independently of the host 104.
FIG. 1 illustrates three tape drive units 108a, 108b, and 108c. The system 100 may include a number of tape drive units 108. The tape drive units 108 may share one single repository of cartridges 112. Alternatively, the tape drive units 108 may independently correspond to and utilize multiple repositories of cartridges 112. The tape drive units 108 may advantageously be distributed over multiple locations to decrease the probability that multiple tape drive units 108 will be incapacitated by a disaster in one location.
The accessor 110 may be a robotic arm or other mechanical device configured to transport a selected cartridge 112 between a storage bin and a tape drive unit 108. The accessor 110 typically includes a cartridge gripper and a bar code scanner (not shown), or similar read system, mounted on the gripper. The bar code scanner is used to read a volume serial number (VOLSER) printed on a cartridge label affixed to the cartridge 112. In alternative embodiments, the tape drive units 108 may be replaced by optical disk drives or other magnetic drives. Similarly, the cartridges 112 may contain magnetic media, optical media, or any other removable media corresponding to the type of drive employed.
Generally, the host 104 connects via a data path 114 directly to the tape drive units 108. The data path 114 may comprise a storage area network (SAN) or similar communications channel. The data path 114 serves to rapidly transfer large quantities of data between two devices. Accordingly, the data path 114 uses high speed protocols optimized to move data such as Fibre Channel, Enterprise System Connection® (ESCON), Fiber Connection (FICON) channel, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), and the like. Of course the data path 114 may include other controllers, switches, and the like for supporting the data transfer protocol which have been omitted for clarity. The data path 114 may comprise a network such as a storage area network (SAN), a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or a different type of network, such as the Internet. Alternatively, the data path 114 may comprise a direct connection between the host 104 and the tape drive units 108.
The host 104 communicates control information over a control path 116 to the LM 106. The control path 116 may also be referred to as a host control path 116 because instructions generally originate from the host 104 and are directed to the LM 106. Of course instructions may also flow from the LM 106 to the host 104.
Conventional systems 100 also include separate control links 118. The control links 118 and control path 116 are shown as dashed lines to indicate that the host 104 and LM 106 transmit and receive control signals, rather than data to be transferred to the tape drive units 108 and/or the accessor 110. Data for storage or retrieval may instead be transmitted directly between the host 104 and the tape drive units 108 via the data path 114.
Generally a control path 116 and control links 118 comprise physical cables such as RS-232 cables and employ conventional serial protocols such as TCP/IP or other protocols used on a LAN. Each control link 118a, 118b, 118c between a tape drive 108 and the LM 106 requires a separate physical cable connected on each end to a separate physical communication port.
Unfortunately, the control links 118 limit the capabilities of the automated library unit 102. Specifically, each control link 118 typically has a length limitation and must have a separate physical communication port on the LM 106. Consequently, the LM 106 will only support a number of tape drives 108 corresponding to the maximum number of physical communications (minus two for the host control path 116 and the control link 118 to the accessor 110). The communication links 118 may be made from different kinds of cable for example, RS-232, RS-422, or the like. However, these cables are operable up to a maximum length. Accordingly, the tape drives 108a must be located relatively close to the LM 106 to properly exchange control information. Furthermore, the cable for the control links 118 increases the cost of the system 100. Maintaining and troubleshooting faulty cables for control links 118 may also be difficult due the number of cables and similarity in appearance.
Accordingly, what is needed is an apparatus, system, and method to overcome the inefficiencies of conventional data storage systems that include control links 118 between the LM 106 and the tape drive units 108. In particular, the apparatus, system, and method should replace the physical control links 118 with a virtual control link between the LM 106 and tape drives 108 using the existing control path 116 and data path 114. Such a virtual control link should permit any number of tape drives 108 to communicate control information with the LM 106. In addition, the apparatus, system, and method should provide the virtual control link such that modifications to the control information protocol do not require corresponding modifications to the virtual control link. Such an apparatus, system, and method is provided herein.

Method for communicating control messages between a first device and a second device

International Business Machines Corporation


A current ratio device for use in forming a hand-held openable-core clamp-on type of current transformer. The device employs electronically-aided three-stage circuitry for forming a current transformer capable of accurate low current measurements over a wide range of operation. Such a current transformer is specifically adapted for use with highly accurate active/reactive power and energy meters, and harmonic power analysers. For example a preferred form of clamp-on transformer can be used to measure currents in the range from 1 A to 200 A with ratio errors of less than 50.times.10.sup.-6 for both the in-phase and quadrature components.

A current transformer refers to a transformer used to deliver to electrical measuring and controlling devices a representation of the line current. Power and energy meters and harmonic power analyzers are currently available with accuracies in the range of approximately 0.01% and 0.1%. These accurate measuring instruments can be used for in situ calibration of power and energy measuring systems and on-site measurements of harmonics in distribution systems.
These measuring instruments require the use of a current transformer to transform the relatively high currents by a known ratio into lower current values that can be easily measured or applied to the measuring instruments.
Two forms of current transformer are currently available. The first is a reference current transformer where the current carrying circuit must be opened in order to insert the transformer into the circuit. This is often inconvenient and in many cases impossible given the location of the circuit to be tested. This problem has been addressed by a second type of current transformer, namely a hand-held clamp-on current transformer incorporating passive two-stage circuitry. Passive two-stage (two cores) transformers will be discussed in more detail below in conjunction with the drawings. However, traditional clamp-on current transformers have large errors in the order of several percent for both in-phase and quadrature components because the interruption of the magnetic core increases the reluctance of the core. These high error margins render traditional clamp-on current transformers unsuitable for use in conjunction with the highly accurate measuring instruments discussed above. Various attempts have been made to improve the accuracy of current transformers. For example, Miljanic, P. el al. in an article "An electronically enhanced magnetic core for current transformers", published in IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 410-414, April 1991 have described an electronically-aided two-stage technique that provides the magnetizing current from an electronic circuit and hence greatly increases the apparent permeability of the magnetic core of a current transformer, without a galvanic connection to either of the primary or secondary circuits.
The Miljanic electronically-aided two-stage technique has been successfully applied to an accurate 5000 A/5 A openable-core current transformer; and a 1000 A/5 A hand-held clamp-on current transformer as described in So, E. et al., "fligh-current high-precision openable-core ac and ac/dc current transformers", IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 571-576, April 1993; and Ramboz, J. D. "A highly accurate hand-held clamp-on current transformer", IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 445-448, April 1996, respectively.
In the case of an openable core transformer, the primary limitation of both the passive two-stage arrangement and the electronically-aided two-stage arrangement is its operating linearity. Specifically with small magnetic cores (desirable for a small, light weight clamp-on transformer), it is difficult to achieve a wide dynamic range of operation between 0.5% and 100% of rated current with errors of less than 500.times.10.sup.-6 for both the in-phase and quadrature components.
For example, as reported in the Ramboz article when a 1000 A/5 A clamp-on current transformer operates over a current range from 1% to 100% of rated current (i.e. 2 A to 200 A for a 200 A service) errors of less than 500.times.10.sup.-6 for the in-phase component and less than 1000.times.10.sup.-6 for the quadrature component are obtained. However, when operated at currents between 0.5%-1% of rated current (i.e. 1 A to 2 A for a 200 A service), the errors increase to approximately 1000.times.10.sup.-6 for the in-phase component and approximately 3000.times.10.sup.-6 for the quadrature component. These errors are unacceptable when highly accurate measurements are required such as in the calibration of electric power meters.
Consequently, there is a need for a current ratio device for use in forming a current transformer capable of (a) improving the linearity problem of prior art openable core devices, (b) using small magnetic cores and (c) reducing the overall error by preferably at least an order of magnitude. For example, it would be desirable to be able to produce a small size clamp-on current transformer capable of being operated over a current range of between 0.5% and 100% of rated current (i.e. 1 A to 200 A) with ratio errors of less than 50.times.10.sup.-6 for both the in-phase component and for the quadrature component.

Current ratio device for use in forming a current transformer


A method and apparatus are provided for controlling the operation of a Laser Projection Display (LPD). Generally, the LPD is comprised of a laser, an optical system and a controller. The laser is adapted to emit a beam of laser light. The optical system is adapted to scan the beam of laser light on a display surface in a two-dimensional raster pattern. The controller is adapted to control the rate at which the laser beam is scanned to produce regions of varying resolution on the display surface. The controller is also adapted to present laser light onto the display surface within only selected portions of the two-dimensional raster scan pattern so that spaced apart image regions may be created.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic displays, and, more particularly, to a Laser Projection Display (LPD).
2. Description of the Related Art
A wide variety of electronic devices are available on the market today. Many of these devices interface with consumers visually. That is, many consumer electronic devices, such as desktop computers laptop, computers, notebooks, televisions, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), radios, MP3 players, automobile dashboards, cellular telephones, watches, audio equipment, etc. present information to a consumer via a display screen. These display screens may take a wide variety of forms, including Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs), Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs), plasma displays, Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), projectors, and the like.
Generally, these displays have a uniform continuous shape, usually rectangular, and heretofore their shape has not been readily adjustable or adaptable. Rather, the consumer products have been configured to adapt to the uniform shape of the display screen. That is, a consumer electronic device is commonly designed to have a housing with a relatively large, flat area that receives a conventionally shaped display device. Little or no consideration has been given to the idea of conforming the display screen to a functional or aesthetic shape dictated by the function or use of the product.
Moreover, not only do display screens typically have a uniform, generally flat configuration, deviations from this configuration are problematic. Projecting an image onto a non-uniform display screen will normally result in undesirable distortion of the image. For example, projecting an image onto a display screen that has irregular or non-flat areas will result in the projected image being distorted in the region of the irregularity or non-flat area.
Additionally, in consumer devices where two or more display screens may be useful, it is typical to provide two separate, but functionally identical, display screens. Providing two functionally identical display screens, of course, is prohibitively expensive.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing, the effects of one or more of the problems set forth above.


A hydraulic system incorporating a double acting piston and cylinder and a bi-directional pump/motor derives energy from a drive system when operating in the pump mode and delivers energy to the drive system when in the pump mode and includes a circulation valve for supplementing fluid flow to and from and fluid supply in accordance with the unequal demands of the chambers driving the hydraulic actuator in one direction or the other by circulating fluid between the chambers.

The concept of regenerated flow of hydraulic fluid from one end of the hydraulic cylinder back to the other end of the hydraulic cylinder is known. The systems are generally provided to combat excessive movement of the piston in one direction as sometimes occurs under load conditions where gravity is assisting movement. Under such circumstances, the flow requirements may be beyond the capacity of the flow delivery means such as the pump which may result in cavitation or the induction of air somehow into the hydraulic system which will then render the system ineffective.
One system that purports to overcome the above problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,616 issued Apr. 3, 1990 to Dunn. The particular system described in this patent relates to a control for bucket movement in an excavator wherein dumping of a loaded bucket requires excessively fast flow to one end of the hydraulic cylinder (one side of the piston) and the control for initiating the dumping action causes restriction of the flow from the other end of the cylinder (other side of the piston) back to the reservoir which results in an increase in the pressure from the other end of the cylinder thereby slowing movement but when the pressure exceeds a preset pressure a check valve is opened to permit flow from the other cylinder end (the out flowing end of the cylinder) to the inflowing end of the cylinder and thereby supplement the flow of fluid into the inflowing end of the cylinder.
The concept of using squash plates or the like to pump hydraulic fluid in one direction or the other direction in a hydraulic circuit is well known.
It has also been suggested with double acting hydraulic systems having fluid chambers with the same effective cross sectional areas so that the amount of fluid entering one of the double acting cylinders is equal to the amount of fluid leaving the other cylinder to use a pump to increase the pressure as required when the fluid is moved from one of the double acting cylinders to the other. During movement of the piston of the double acting system one of the chambers functions as a source and the other as the receiving chamber or vice versa without any imbalance in the system. Such an arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,101 issued Apr. 19, 1988 to Kubik.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,931 issued Nov. 23, 1982 to Palmershein et al discloses a double acting piston and cylinder wherein flow from the smaller cross sectional area side of a piston (i.e. piston rod side) is directed to the opposite side of the piston when the piston is to be extended.


An axial damper for elements having a cylindrical, rectangular or squared section, includes two identical fixing clamps, each fixing clamp including an upper part and a lower part connected to each other by a clamping device to be wound around the elements. At least two rafter-tie-rods are each connected at two ends thereof to the clamps. The rafter-tie-rods are placed equidistant from each other in the case of more than two rafter-tie-rods. The damper also includes two damping systems, each including two or more blocks of elastomeric material, with a pre-compressed elastic element interposed therebetween.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seismic and dynamic dampers for axial loads which can be applied to elements preferably having a cylindrical, rectangular or squared section, such as, in particular, pipelines, tanks or supporting structures.
II. Description of Related Art
Supporting structures refer to structural components of civil or industrial constructions (pillars, beams, etc. . . . ).
Dampers are devices which allow the effects generated by forces of a dynamic nature (a seism, for example) to be reduced on structures in general (civil, industrial, etc. . . . ).
An equivalent axial damper does not currently exist on the market; there are axial-stoppers, whose function is to rigidly block the cylindrical element (normally pipelines) to the supporting structure: these consist of clamps or draw pieces welded to the tube, in contact with the structure. Their purpose is to axially block the movements (due to thermal expansions, for example) of the cylindrical element, completely transferring the relevant force to the supporting structure.
The main drawbacks of these types of supports derive from the fact that stress of a dynamic nature (such as, for example, water hammers and seisms) impulsively transfer their effects to the structure (FIG. 1), sometimes causing structural collapse (with damage to the supporting element and/or to the element supported).

Seismic and dynamic axial damper applicable to elements preferably having a cylindrical, rectangular or squared section


The pickup device is used in a drive device of an optical disc and is opposed to the optical disc to irradiate a light beam from a light source onto an information recording surface of the optical disc. The pickup device has the actuator including the objective lens for condensing a light beam on the information recording surface of the optical disc, and irradiation of a light beam on the optical disc is controlled by moving the objective lens. Further, the pickup device has the optical system for directing a light beam, which is emitted from the light source, to a position below the objective lens. The optical system is placed at the same height level as the actuator. Therefore, as compared with the case where the optical system is provided below the actuator, the whole pickup can be smaller in thickness, and it is possible to provide a pickup device suitable for a thin drive device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pickup device of a disc drive for optically writing and reading information on an optical disc and, more particularly, to a pickup device suitable for a thin disc drive.
2. Description of Related Art
A disc drive for recording information on and reproducing information from an optical disc such as a CD (Compact Disc) and a DVD (Digital Video Disc) includes an optical pickup device. In order to accurately record and reproduce information on and from an optical disc, the pickup device performs a focus control for controlling a distance between an objective lens and an information recording surface of the optical disc and performs a tracking control for controlling the objective lens to follow an information track of the optical disc.
The pickup device directs a laser beam, which is emitted from a light source such as a laser diode, to the objective lens by using predetermined optical system components, and irradiates the laser beam onto the information recording surface of the optical disc via the objective lens. Normally, the objective lens is positioned to oppose to the optical disc. A laser beam from the light source is guided by the optical system components to a position below the objective lens along an optical path provided in parallel with the optical disc. Then, the laser beam is changed its path by a raise-up mirror placed under the objective lens to a vertical direction, that is, the direction of the objective lens, and the laser beam reaches the objective lens. The objective lens is mounted on a lens holder and coil substrates are mounted on the lens holder. The lens holder is moved vertically and horizontally with respect to the optical disc by applying driving current to the coil substrates in a magnetic field formed by the magnets which are placed close to each other, so that the focus control and the tracking control are performed. An example of such a pickup device is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open under No. 2001-229557.
However, in the above-described pickup device, since the coil substrates are mounted on the opposing sides of the rectangular lens holder, the optical path of a laser beam from the laser light source cannot be arranged at the same height level as the coil substrates in the horizontal direction. Namely, since the paired coil substrates are positioned on both sides of the objective lens, the coil substrates become obstacles and prevent a laser beam from being guided to the position below the objective lens at the same height level as the coil substrates. For this reason, in the pickup device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open under No. 2001-229557, for example, the optical path of a laser beam is placed below the lens holder. Namely, the optical path is arranged such that the laser beam is directed to the position below the objective lens at a lower level than the coil substrates and then directed to the objective lens by the raise-up mirror.
However, when the optical path of a laser beam is placed at a lower height level than the lens holder, the whole height (thickness in the vertical direction) of the pickup increases. For example, in a thin drive device such as a drive device mounted in a notebook-type personal computer, a thin pickup device has to be used and thus the above thick pickup device cannot be used.


By comparing a chip unique password, certification for activating a debug function can be established on the chip unique password. Thus, even when the chip unique password is lost due to negligence, not only certification for activating debugging on other motherboards of the same model number can remain unaffected, but also risks caused by replacing a chip or by a private key leakage from a system manufacturer are eliminated.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a method for determining debug authorization for a motherboard control module and an associated motherboard control module, and more particularly, to a method for determining debug authorization that determines whether a debug function on a motherboard control module can be activated according to a characteristic match of a chip unique password, and an associated motherboard control module using the method.
Description of the Related Art
When designing chips of a next generation, numerous back-and-forth exchanges regarding the chips are carried out between a motherboard manufacturer (i.e., an integrated circuit design house) and different system manufacturers. During these exchanges, the motherboard manufacturer performs debugging on a flash memory of a motherboard control module, whereas the system manufacturers handle customizations of different data regions (i.e., different modules) of the flash memory. However, debugging on the flash memory face many challenges.
Before a processor start booting with a secure startup chip, a boot code burned in the chip demands a public key pre-published by a system manufacturer to first authenticate a digital signature included in a data block of a flash memory, so as to ensure that the digital signature is generated from encrypting contents of the data block using a corresponding private key by the system manufacturer. Having successfully authenticated the digital signature generated from the private key, the processor then proceeds to an actual boot procedure. It should be noted that, each time data contents of data block of the flash memory are altered, the altered data contents lose their certification as the altered data contents are not encrypted. Further, a debug process of the flash memory needs to be performed under the premise that the digital signature is approved by the foregoing authentication procedure. As a result, when a motherboard manufacturer, after retrieving a motherboard from a system manufacturer, is to perform debugging on the motherboard that is previously manufactured and customized by the system manufacturer, the flash memory may be rejected from debugging, or certification of the flash memory may not be supported due to the lack of a successful authentication although the flash memory is allowed for debugging.
In order to solve the above issues and to perform debugging, after receiving the packaged motherboard from the system manufacturer, common approaches employed by the motherboard manufacturer include the following. In a first method, an original chip is replaced by another chip, which requires no encryption verification by the private key and is burned with the same data as the original chip, so that the verification procedure of the flash memory can be skipped while the data contents of the chip are substantially unchanged. In a second method, the private key for encryption when updating the data contents of the flash memory is obtained from the system manufacturer, and the private key is then utilized for the verification procedure of the flash memory to accordingly perform the subsequent debugging. From manual control procedure perspectives, both of the first and second methods are not only complicated but also tremendously risky due to manual factors involved. For example, in the first method, assume that the replacement chip is burned with a malicious code that illegally accesses and spreads the above digital signature. Since other motherboards of the same model number fabricated by the motherboard manufacturer can also be verified through the same digital signature, with the leaked digital signature, the motherboards of the same model number may be evil-mindedly tampered with the lack of security protection provided by the digital signature. For another example, in the second method, assuming the private key is exposed during a dispatch process of the private key from the system manufacturer to the motherboard manufacturer, the security of motherboards of the same model becomes completely void due to the leaked and abused private key. Consequently, whether to activate debugging of a motherboard faces a dilemma due to security reasons.

Method for determining debug authorization for motherboard control module and associated motherboard control module


An LED bulb has more than one movable level that can change position to avoid blocking or interference with heat dissipation, light emission or projection, or control signal transmission. The LED bulb offers nearby and far away illumination or any combination of other light effects, image projection, or digital data image display, and may function in response to a power failure remote control or control by an infrared controller, Bluetooth controller, WiFi, Internet, or app software control, or a motion sensor.

The current invention relates to various improvements to the LED devices disclosed in the parent applications, which include the following features: (1) a projection light; (2) more than one function; (3) adjustable focus; (4) adjustable angle; (5) elastic contact points; (6) LED heat dissipation; (7) heat sensitive parts installation; and (8) extendability. The improvements include the provision of a movable-means to allow at least one level of a multi-level LED bulb to be moved away from original position, location, or orientation to avoid interference with or blocking of light or electromagnetic wave transmission to or from the LED bulb while solving heat issues with the LED(s), circuitry, or electric components, including blocking by a lamp shade's metal frame of light from the LED bulb and interference by glass, metal, or cement structures with electromagnetic signals transmitted to or from Bluetooth means, WiFi means, Internet means, app software means, or any other electromagnetic transmissions used to control the LED bulb and its related electric parts or accessories.
The following U.S. patent applications of the inventor have subject matter in common with the present invention, and the features disclosed therein may be combined with those of the preferred embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention:
U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 13/367,758, 13/367,687, 13/296,508, 13/295,301, 13/021,107, 12/950,017, 12/938,564, 12/886,832, 12/876,507, 12/771,003, 13/021,124, 12/624,621, 12/622,000, 12/318,470, 12/914,584, 12/834,435, 12/292,153, 12/907,443, 12/232,505, 11/806,711, and 11/806,285.
This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/951,501 "Lamp Holder Has Built-In LED Night Light";
Ser. No. 12/950,017 "Multiple Surface LED Light"; Ser. No. 13/162,824 "Light Device With Display Means Has Track-Means and Removable LED-Unit(s)"; Ser. No. 12/938,628 "LED Light Fixture Has Outlet(s) And Removable LED Unit(s)"; and Ser. No. 12/887,700 "Light Fixture With Self-Power Removable LED Unit(s)," as well as the inventor's U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,722,230, and 7,726,869, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/073,889, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,726,841 and 7,726,839, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/894,865.
Still further U.S. patent applications of the inventor that have subject matter in common with the present invention include: U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/624,621, 12/622,100, 12/318,471, 12/318,470, 12/318,473, 12/292,153, 12/232,505, 12/232,035, 12/149,963, 12/149,964, 12/073,095, 12/073,889, 12/007,076, 12/003,691, 12/003,809, 11/806,711, 11/806,285, 11/806,284, 11/566,322, 11/527,628, 11/527,629, 11/498,874, 12/545,992, 12/806,711, 12/806,285, 12/806,284, 12/566,322, 12/527,628, 12/527,629, 12/527,631, 12/502,661, 11/498,881, 11/255,981, 11/184,771, 11/152,063, 11/094,215, 11/092,742, 11/092,741, 11/094,156, 11/094,155, 10/954,189, 10/902,123, 10/883,719, 10/883,747, 10/341,519, 12/545,992, 12/292,580, 12/710,918, 12/624,621, 12/622,000, 12/318,471, 12/318,470, 12/318,473, 12/292,153, 12/710,561, 12/710,918, 12/711,456, 12/771,003 The LED bulb of the current invention for has at least one level and movable means to cause the at least one level of the LED Bulb to change its position, location, and/or orientation away from an original position while providing desired light functions, performance, or effects.
The at least one level (or parts or accessories) are incorporated with the movable-means so that the at least one of level (including parts or accessories) can be moved away from the original position, location, and/or orientation so as to overcome a blocking-means which affects or interferes desired functions of the LED bulb.
One problem addressed by the present invention is that, in a multi-level LED bulb having projection functions that is installed on a desk lamp, floor lamp, downwardly facing light, indoor lighting or outdoor lighting, the lamp shade, has a metal frame and ring on the center line of the LED bulb's and lamp socket, will block the top part of the projection light's image and destroy the projection image performance. The current invention solves this problem by letting the top part of the LED projection light move away from the lamp shade's metal frame and metal ring so that the projected LED beam will not pass through any blocking-means but rather will be free to create the desired image/message/time/digital data/digital image/LCD display image/arts on the ceiling surface. If one uses the traditional LED projection bulb, the lamp shade blocking-means will totally destroy the LED projection light performance.
The current invention also can solve the heat issues of all market available LED bulbs. The simple solution is to locate the LED(s) and electric parts, accessories, and components on the base part of the more than one level LED bulb or at least on one level of the LED bulb that has movable-means such as spinning or rotating mechanisms, hinges, arms, joint pieces, connecting pieces, and extendable or extractable means to move the heat source away from other parts of the LED bulb.
For example (1) all electric parts may be put on a top part of the LED bulb disclosed in the parent application so that all heat will move to top areas, or (2) all electric parts may be put on a base part and the top parts moved away from the base part so that the heat will not affect to the other parts. Both solutions use movable-means in the form of extractable means, extendable means, movable parts or accessories, rotating means, pole means, hinge means, arm means, bar means, snake-house means or any other means that can move the parts to another location so as to easily overcome the heat issues. The term "snake hose" refers to a bellows or accordion-like construction.
The current invention can be used for both upwardly facing and downwardly facing or recessed installation because the movable-means including extractable and extendable means can overcome the disadvantage of downward light applications (i.e., applications in which the LED bulb base is on top) that the lamp shade, which may be made of glass, metal, cement, or concrete, will affect or interfere with the transmission of electric signals that enable Bluetooth control, WiFi control, remote control, infrared control, Internet control, or app software control. The movable-means of the current invention helps to overcome any electric signal blocking means, such as the lamp shade or materials surrounding a recess, and enable the LED bulb to carry out its designed and predetermined functions without being affected by, or interfered with, or limited by the said electric signal block-means.
Each level of the more than one level LED bulb can have its own functions, features, or multiple functions/features that are controlled by market available skill or methods selected from Bluetooth, WiFi, Internet, app software, IC, remote signal, infrared signal, motion sensor, or heat sensor control, implemented by a user through a computer, communication device, or other consumer device. The multiple levels of the LED bulb can have: (1) multiple colors with changeable colors and moving effects; (2) multiple functions selected from market available LED light effects for indoor and outdoor lighting; (3) multiple control means selected from a market available control, sensor, switch, Bluetooth, WiFi, Internet, app software, remote, infrared or other electric or electronic related circuit or device; (4) more than one movable-means; (5) changeable geometric shapes; (6) changeable construction; (7) movable means selected from a bar, pole, spinning or rotating mechanism, hinge, arms, joints, or movement-enabling frame, connector, or sections to cause the levels, parts, or accessories to be move to a desired location or position.
Additional features of the invention include the following:
1. The LED bulb has the property that the LED bulb can be twisted over an additional degree or twist angle after the LED Bulb's contact-point touches an electrode in the holder, enabling horizontal positioning over an angle of more than 360 degrees when positioning a light beam to desired area(s) to obtain a wider adjustment angle or wider range of adjustment directions, and with the additional feature of incorporating an adjustable focus means to cause the LED light beams or image to provide different light performances on any desired locations or area(s). The LED bulb may include a rotatable LED Ball with two arms so that an LED bulb of preferable geometric shape and construction may also have a vertical adjustment angle of up to more than 360 degrees so that the LED bulb's plurality of light beams can cover all x-y-z axis areas by at least one of light beam or a plurality of the light beams and illuminate both nearby and faraway or remote areas.2. The LED Bulb may have one or more than one light source arranged in the LED bulb to provide a desired light performance as described in the inventor's copending U.S. patent applications, which describe a night light with more than one LED light source or LED projection assembly. A difference with respect to the prior arrangements is that a night light has prong means for outlet installation and does not have extendable/retractable means.3. The current invention includes an LED Bulb with adjustable focus means to enable light beams from the same LED bulb to be emitted to any desired surface(s) with a desired light performance, including a desired brightness, size, light spots, color, or lit-areas. The same light beam output from the same LED bulb with focus adjustable means enables a user to create different light patterns, light paths, light brightness, light performance, and light direction.4. The LED bulb of the current invention has extendable means, such as an extension tube, telescope tube or equivalent extendable and receivable means that enable the electric parts and accessories of the LED bulb to keep away from the LED's heat, and away from any light blocking-means in the LED bulb, such as a curtain, shade, glass, recess lighting cylinder tube, or other blocking-means that would otherwise block a motion-sensor lens, remote control signal, or light beam emission direction, the extendable means further keeping the LED bulb's circuit board/control means/IC means/switch means/sensor means/electric parts or assembly means away from the LED-units to thereby prevent heat from affecting desired functions or performance, such as the performance of a motion sensor, PIR sensor head, Fresnel lens, or LED-unit light beam emitting direction.5. The LED bulb of the current invention may have an extractable/extendable/movable means to put heat sensitive or light sensitive parts away from the LEDs' heat, light shade, curtain, glass, decorative material, ceiling blocking means, or any other light blocking means that might interfere with operation of the LED bulb or LED bulb's related parts and accessories. The extendable or extractable means preferably being situated at the front of the LED bulb, although the position will depend on the different requirements and different considerations with respect to heat and light blocking-means, and the ability to offer more space to install the preferred electric parts and accessories, the extra length provided by the extractable/extendable/movable means having the effect of moving sensitive parts far away from the heat source or blocking means so that the LED bulb can overcome the effects of heat and blocking means for any application or installation.6. The current invention is different from all market-available LED bulbs which offer illumination that only covers an adjacent area starting from the LED Bulb to a certain distance (illumination surrounding the LED bulb) and do not offer illumination or images in areas in certain directions, angles, and distances that are faraway or remote from the LED bulb. The current invention offers any combination of nearby area illumination and faraway area illumination.7. The current invention provides an LED bulb that may have more than one light beam output to different areas, directions, and locations, including areas that may not be adjacent, linked, or situated together. By offering illumination of more than one area, the invention allows people to save energy by providing illumination exactly where needed. For example, stair lighting only requires up-or-down two-direction illumination. Rest areas do not need light at all, and the stair-lighting may further have a built in motion sensor having sensitivity up to 10-30 feet, which is enough to cover one flight of stairs (normally is 18 steps). Rest areas do not need light at all, and the stair-lighting may further have a built in motion sensor having sensitivity up to 10-30 feet, which is enough to cover one flight of stairs (normally is 18 steps). One light beam from an LED bulb can reach nine steps going up and one light beam from the same LED bulb can reach nine steps going down. This is enough illumination because each UP or DOWN stair are been illuminated by each floor's one LED bulb, with two different of light beams covering nine steps up and nine steps down. This provides pretty a good power saving device while the motion sensor device ensures that only one of the two light beams needs to be output from the LED bulb at any one time.
Hence, the current invention can output at least one or a plurality of light beams from one LED bulb to nearby areas, remote areas, faraway areas, or any combination of these areas with adjustable angle, adjustable focus, elastic contact points, a rotate/spin/tilt frame or support or base to obtain a desired light beam emission direction, and extendable/retractable means to install all parts and accessories away from heat or blocking means, thereby providing a lighting device that lets all light beams be emitted to areas where they are needed for illumination, unlike conventional LED bulbs that can only illuminate nearby areas which start from the LED-bulb to a certain limited distance areas (conventional LED bulbs have insufficient brightness to emit light over long distances unless an optics lens or lens assembly is provided to project light beams to remote or faraway distances which the current market items cannot accomplish).
The drawings of the present application show LED bulbs that are similar to those disclosed in the parent applications and other patent applications of the inventor, but at least some of which differ in that the LED bulb has more than one level and includes movable-means that enable at least one level's parts or accessories to any desire location, position and orientation, with each level having one or more than one functions. It is to be appreciated that other concept, feature or equivalent or same function parts/accessories/electric circuit/or concept disclosed in the inventor's other applications may be included in the LED bulbs of the present invention without departing from the scope of the current invention.

More than one level(s) LED bulb has multiple features