An improved color correction system and more specifically, a color profiling system for a printer and scanner. Highly accurate device independent printer profiles are generated using a scanner and processing means. The process utilizes the simultaneous scanning of a reference target and a print target to produce a scanner profile. Uncompensated printer profile is developed using the scanner profile and compensation transforms convert the uncompensated printer profile into the printer profile.

Color is defined as the perceptual result of light in the visible region of the spectrum. The human retina has three types of color photoreceptor cells for illumination therefore it is possible to define color using only three numerical components.
The Commission Internationale de L'Éclairage (CIE) created a standardized system for representing color illuminations using three numerical components to represent the mathematical coordinates of color space. The colors produced by reflective systems are a function not only of the colorants but also of the ambient illumination that requires further spectral matching. The most familiar color systems include CIE XYZ, CIE xyY, CIE L*u*v* and CIE L*a*b*.
The CIE system is based on the description of color as luminance component Y and spectral weighting curves components X and Z. The spectral weighting curves for X and Z were standardized by the CIE based on statistics from experiments involving human observers. The magnitudes of the XYZ components are proportional to physical energy, but their spectral composition corresponds to the color matching characteristics of human vision.
Most devices employ a device-dependent color-coordinate system to specify the colors, and there are several different systems in the market. The coordinate system is defined in a color space that maps the color coordinates to the color mechanism used by the device. Color space refers to an N-dimensional space in which each point in the space corresponds to a color. The cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K) (CMYK) color space is commonly used for color printers, where each point in the CMYK color space corresponds to a color produced using a formula for the CMYK colorants. The color space could be represented solely by CMY, but black is added as a colorant for print matter for several reasons. Printing black by overlaying cyan, yellow and magenta ink is expensive and time-consuming, and the edges of the lettering tend to blur. The printing of three ink layers to produce black also causes the printed paper to become wet requiring more time to dry.
The red, green and blue (RGB) system is a color space system that is complementary to the CMYK color space. The RGB system is a three-dimensional color space wherein each point in the color space is formed by some combination of RGB colorants. The RGB system is typically used for computer monitors, TV screens and scanners—illuminating devices.
The term color gamut is used to refer to a range of colors that can be produced within a color space by a particular device from a set of colorants. The color gamut of a device corresponds to the visible colors that can possibly be produced by the device.
A digitized color image is represented as an array of pixels, wherein each pixel contains numerical components that define a color. The three components are required to represent an image, and printing necessitates a fourth component, namely black. Color printers and color copy machines typically use three or four colorants, such as CMYK to produce the color image. The combination mix and density of the colorants produce a wide array of shades and colors.
While the three numerical values for digitized images could be provided by a color specification system, the color coding systems require faster processing. Several other systems have developed for image coding, including linear RGB, nonlinear R′G′B′, nonlinear CMY, nonlinear CMYK, and derivatives of nonlinear R′G′B′ such as Y′CBCR. RGB values can be transformed to and from the CIE XYZ values by a three-by-three matrix transform.
A scanner is used for converting print mediums such as pictures, artwork, documents, transparencies, and photographs into an electronic format. The scanner captures an image by measuring colors reflected from or transmitted through an image at many points and assigns numerical values to the colors at those points. Normally, the scanned image is represented as digital data, called pixels, in a Red-Green-Blue (RGB) representation. The pixels are arranged into a table of rows and columns, and contain information about the image such as the color information for a particular pixel defined as some formula of the primary colors R-G-B. Some scanners convert the RGB values to CMYK values.
The reproduction of color information from multiple devices and varying environments is a common occurrence in the industry. Colored works are transferred among variety of peripheral devices and the color information processing systems within the various systems seek to ensure the accuracy of the original work. For example, a computer with a color monitor can interact with a colored printer, a scanner, digital camera, color copy machine, color facsimile and various other devices. As the color data passes from one medium to another, digital processing attempts to maintain a visual match within the capabilities of the devices.
Advances in technology and computing means have made color reproduction systems available to the general public. Many desktop publishing systems employ hardware and software that are affordable to users that need to produce quality color work products. Unfortunately, the concept of 'What you see is what you get' is normally lacking, and it is not uncommon to see the desired image on the monitor but produce a print product that lacks the quality characteristics desired.
Colors produced by two different devices based on the same input will differ, in part because of distortion of the signals which occur due to nonlinear response characteristics of the electronics of the devices and the method of selecting a color within a device color gamut. An input signal representing a particular color provided to two different devices typically results in the devices producing two different colors. This is true even when the input signal represents a color within the color gamuts of both of devices.
In order to accomplish accurate color transfer, the individual devices employ color calibration techniques. Calibration is necessary to set the color response of the color reproduction devices. The process of deriving a transform by comparing the device output to some reference output and generating a lookup table is called system color calibration. A transform derived for a particular scanner-printer combination is referred to as a closed system and the process is called closed system color calibration.
The purpose of the calibration is to account for the color differences. The color differences actually refer to numerical differences between the color specifications and more specifically refers to the perception of color differences in XYZ or RGB. Perceptual uniformity concerns numerical differences that correspond to color differences at the threshold of perceptibility. A perceptually uniform system is one where a small change to a component value is equally perceptible across the entire range. XYZ and RGB systems are not perceptually uniform and are actually highly non-uniform. In order to transform XYZ into a uniform standard, two systems developed, L*u*v* and L*a*b*, also written CIELUV and CIELAB. L*u*v* and L*a*b* improve perceptual non-uniformity but require highly complex computations to accommodate real-time display.
In most cases, an initial factory calibration creates calibration tables that are used by the digital processing schemes to make the color reproduction devices conform to standards and to compensate for drift and other changes.
Various instruments and methods are used to calibrate devices for color reproduction, including densitometers and calorimeters. A densitometer measures the density of ink on a print patch in each of CMYK colorants. The densities are then compared to a scale of desired densities to produce calibration curves. The data from the calibration curves is used to correct the device so that it more closely resembles the scale data.
A calorimeter measures CIE values of color on a scale of printed patches in each of the CMYK print colorants. The measured CIE values are then compared with a corresponding scale of desired values to obtain calibration curves, which correct the device so that is more closely resembles the scale data.
In the field of desk top publishing, it is common to have a scanner device as part of the office equipment rather than a densitometer or colorimeter. It is therefore convenient to use the scanner to calibrate the printer. The state of the art describes using a scanner as a calibrating device, wherein the scanner scans a print target and measures the densities of ink deposited on the target. The system measures the densities or colorimetric values of the color samples generated by a printing device.
Although the scanner is more convenient that using the other calibration devices, the quality is usually lacking. Scanners operate on a linear sensitivity scale, not a logarithmic density scale. Based on scanner deficiencies, the tonal and spectral scanner outputs vary even when measuring the same colored object. Thus, not only would similar scanners produce different results, but the same scanner suffers from degradation of performance over time.
To accomplish calibration between a printer and scanner, a transform is used in a digital image processor that maps the color signals of the scanner to the printer color signals so that the color reproduction system reproduces the colors present of the original images. Often the transform is implemented by employing a three dimensional lookup table (LUT).
One method to calibrate a color reproduction system includes using the color scanner, a processor, and a color printer. This requires transforming the color space environments. A first color transform is used to convert the scanner color signals, such as RGB signals, into color signals in a device independent color space. The second transform is used to convert color signals from the device independent color space to printer color signals such as CMYK signals.
It is possible to combine the two transforms into one function implemented by the processor that directly converts scanner color signals into printer color signals. The transformations are typically implemented by storing calibration values in a three or four-dimensional LUT and using a linear interpolation method to interpolate between values in the lookup table.
A typical printer and scanner calibration involves printing a set of color patches on the printer, measuring the color patches using an optical instrument and using a mathematical method such as regression to derive the printer transform based on the measured data. The calibration continues by scanning a set of test patterns, measuring the test patterns using an optical instrument and employing a mathematical method such as regression to then derive the scanner transform.
There are ways to decrease the time required to calibrate, including using a smaller number of sample points. This creates a lookup table that is much smaller and easier to search during the mathematical manipulation, however the accuracy during interpolation is much lower.
Another prior art approach is to sample a cube in the printer color space. For example, an RGB cube in the printer color space may be uniformly sampled along the R, G and B axis to provide a discrete set of printer color coordinates which are stored in a computer. These color coordinates are provided to a printer that prints color patches corresponding to the specified color coordinates. The printed color patches are subsequently fed to a scanner and scanned to provide a set of scanner color coordinates that is a subset of the entire space of color coordinates of the scanner. Thus, a direct correspondence is obtained between the set of stored printer color coordinates and the set of scanned color coordinates.
The terms calibration, characterization and profiling are sometimes incorrectly used interchangeably. For purposes of this application, the terms are distinguished herein. Calibration refers to the process of deriving a transform by comparing a device output to some reference output and generating a lookup table. This is a device dependent process. Calibrating a device returns the device to some normalized, standard, and predictable state. Therefore, calibrating a monitor, a scanner or a printer alters the behavior of that device.
Profiling, also called characterizing or describing is really a description of the color capabilities of the device. Profiling measures the device properties and transforms the properties into some usable form as part of a color management system. Profiling does not change the behavior of that device as with calibration, but rather compliments the calibration. However, it does not preclude the need to calibrate individual devices to ensure that the process that created the characterization remains consistent.
Because some coloration inaccuracies are introduced when switching between different color spaces, and device profiling is useful to correct such inaccuracies. Device profiling measures the inaccuracies and corrects them in a device-independent color space (LAB). By working in the device independent LAB environment, improved color conversions between devices is possible.
To generate a profile, software is used to determine the device's full color range capabilities. The gamut of the device is determined by measuring the colorimetric values for a set of known color patches or targets. The measured data is then used to generate a custom profile for the device. The profiles are then applied to an image data to compensate for any transformation inaccuracies.
The International Color Consortium (ICC) created a standardized system for describing the color-rendering capabilities of any device. The ICC profile defines the gamut of the device, and a measure of the color distortion. The ICC profile actually has two components, the first element contains hardware data about the device, and the second element is the colorimetric device characterization data that defines the manner in which the device establishes color.
The profiles are used in conjunction with the other color-management engine and the application programs that use the profiles. The generic profiles provided by the manufacturer are often based on a perfectly calibrated device, and do not generally provide the accuracy required in modern systems. Therefore, custom profiles are utilized to enhance the factory profiles and provide more accurate color reproductions.
The purpose of profiling is to accurately define the reproducible and repeatable gamut of a device. This is accomplished by using a reference target on the device and measuring the device's reproduction values. Software is used to build a transform that maps scanner color space values to device independent color values. The transform is typically built by using a mathematical technique such as the least squares algorithm with the reference data and measured data.
A typical scanner profiling process involves scanning a reference target that has numerous color patches. IT8 is one such reference standard. Software is used to compare the color reference values that accompany the target with the measured values. The entire process is a comparison of reference data and measured data.
Some profiling packages only profile a scanner's raw color space while others create a corrective profile, wherein a scanner driver uses the ICC profiles of the device to incorporate the physical limitations of the device in the processing.
Printers are more difficult and time-consuming to profile because they do not emit light and require another device, properly calibrated, to measure the color data. The printer prints a target that contains the color patches. The printout is measured by a color measuring device, such as a spectrophotometer, and software uses the measured values to build a transform that maps device independent colors to the printer's color space. Various factors affect the printer color values, including paper stock, ink, temperature, and pressure, so other variable and calculations are required for processing.
The typical custom profile is produced by comparing measured color values against reference values. For example, a scanner profile is produced by scanning a color target, wherein the profiling application converts the scanned data into device independent values. The device independent values are compared to the CIE values for the reference target, and a custom profile is created to correct any deficiencies. The reference target is normally the industry-standard IT8 target that contains 264 color patches plus 24 shades of gray.
Printers are more difficult and time-consuming to profile because they do not emit light and require another device, properly calibrated, to measure the color data. The profiling software compares the measured data to the target values and produces the correction data. By comparing the measured colors with the color values, a custom profile is developed.
A color management system comprises interconnected devices such as a scanner, monitor, printer, and computer, with a software application that handles the color reproduction between the application and various color devices. The system interacts with the processing means and the memory means of the system to control the devices, process transformations, and store data. The software performs the color transformations to exchange accurate color between diverse devices, in various color coding systems including RGB, CMYK and CIEL*a*b*. In theory, the color management system evaluates capabilities of the system and devices and determines the appropriate color device and color space. However present systems have significant difficulties implementing such a system in a commercially feasible manner.
There have been various attempts at creating cost-effective and quality color calibration systems that address the aforementioned problems. One such system describes a closed loop system that calibrates a scanner to a printer. The calibration profile created by the system resides in the scan driver so the scanned images are pre-calibrated for the specified printer. The calibration profile is created by the following steps:    1. The scan driver creates an image with color patches.    2. This image is passed through the printer path until the color patches are printed.    3. These color patches are scanned by the scanner.    4. The system builds a profile that maps desired RGB values to RGB values that when printed will actually produce the desired RGB values.    5. This profile is then applied to all images scanned for the desired printer.
This calibration scheme has the disadvantage of forcing the user to work with images that are calibrated for a particular printer. For correct screen viewing the images must be translated from printer space to monitor space. Images that were-scanned for one printer will not work with another printer, as the data is device dependent. Even images scanned for the same printer will become incompatible if the paper type, ink type, or some other variable is changed.
There are additional problems with the system. The scanner is not profiled, and as known in the industry, quality results require that the scanner be properly profiled. Also, the color space of the printer is not RGB, and printers often have poor internal profiles that result in the printing of RGB images that look very poor on the screen.
The present invention is distinguishable because it profiles both the scanner and the printer individually and is not truly a closed loop system. The present system produces two profiles: a scanner profile and a printer profile. Both profiles translate to and from a device independent color space, thus images from the scanner are independent of any device that is attached to the printer and images that go to the printer are independent of the printer. Images from the scanner can be printed on many different printers and images from many sources can be printed on the printer.
Another system known in the art describes a closed loop system where the scanner output is mapped to a printer input. The primary difference is in the implementation details, but suffers from the same inherent problems as the other prior system. The steps of the this system include:    1. Determine the relationship between equal printer color signals and averaged scanner color signals.    2. Produce a set of color patches uniformly distributed in scanner color space on the printer.    3. Scan the patches with the scanner.    4. Produce a look-up table from printer to scanner.    5. Invert the look-up table to go from scanner to printer.
Another existing system uses a scanner and printer to calibrate the path from the scanner to the printer. It includes non-linear interpolation and gamut mapping techniques. As with the other prior systems, it does not solve the problem of accurately calibrating the scanner that would likely result in color reproduction problems.
A further color matching system known in the art uses a device independent color space to map colors from one device to another under different viewing conditions. Similar systems are common and supported by the industry standard ICC specification.
Another system that calibrates a printer by using the scanner as a densitometer is known in the art. The scanner is used as a densitomiter by scanning an image with known densities and building a look-up table that translates RGB values to density. Patches composed of separate inks at different levels are printed and measured by the scanner. These measurements are then used to calibrate the printer. This system does not actually characterize a printer but uses the scanner to return a printer to a known state so a pre-built table will function correctly—a calibration function.
In distinction, the system of the present invention uses the data from the scanner to actually build the types of tables that accurately reproduce the color values. A simultaneous scanning method is used, wherein the printed calibration image and the gray scale test strip are scanned simultaneously to overcome scan to scan error and to reduce the number of user steps in the calibration process. While the patches measured by the prior system can only be used to re-calibrate the devices, the present invention techniques can fully characterize the devices.
Yet a further system known in the art is a method of adjusting the calibrations of a scanner and a printer by scanning in calibration images and comparing the scanned data to previous data. In this known embodiment, the system first scans a calibration target with known color values, compares the scanned values with the known values and produces calibration data. Then it prints calibration patches, scans the patches, and compares the scanned patches to previously printed patches and produces calibration data. Finally, it combines the two sets of calibration data to produce data that calibrates both the printer and scanner. A difference between this system and the present invention is that the prior system compares calibration data when calibrating a printer. The present system produces a printer profile by understanding how the printer produces a particular color and then building a table that allows that color to be printed. The prior system also has no simultaneous scanning or compensation table.
There are some commercial products have tried to alleviate the aforementioned problems. One company displayed color calibration system that uses the combination of a color measurement device such as a spectrophotometer and a scanner to calibrate a printer. With this system, color patches were first printed with a printer. A very small number of the patches were then read with the measurement device and then the entire set of patches was read with the scanner. The patches that were read with the measurement device and the scanner was used to calibrate the scanner and the calibration of the scanner was then used to modify the entire patch set so that a printer calibration could be made. This system has the advantage of calibrating the scanner and printer with just one scan and also calibrating the scanner to the printer. However, the system also requires the use of an expensive measurement device and has the disadvantage of calibrating the scanner only to the printer, not with more common photographic materials or reflective works.
Providing efficient and accurate color reproduction remains a problem because of numerous difficulties described herein. What is needed is a practical and simple means to produce a printer profile. There should be a color reproduction system that provides reproduced colors that match the original colors. This system would provide color matching to be performed between a scanner and a printer without the use of expensive additional photometric equipment such as a spectrophotometer. The profiling results should be device independent so that the equipment can be substituted. The profiling should also be preformed in a single step to reduce the time required for profiling and to avoid any scanner-setting errors.


Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to an electronic-device interface integrated into an electric stringed musical instrument. The electronic-device interface can be used for interconnecting an electric stringed musical instrument to an electronic device. In one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic-device interface includes a universal-serial-bus interface, a tip-ring-ring-sleeve output jack, and an enhanced electric-stringed-musical-instrument cable with a tip-ring-ring-sleeve connection at a first end and a universal-serial-bus connection at a second end. When an electric stringed musical instrument is equipped with an electronic-device interface, a user may insert the first end of the enhanced electric-stringed-musical-instrument cable into the tip-ring-ring-sleeve output jack and the second end of the enhanced electric-stringed-musical-instrument cable into a universal-serial-bus port for an electronic device. The user may then input music to the electronic device by playing music on the electric stringed musical instrument.

Stringed musical instruments form the backbone of popular music in many countries around the world. For many decades, electric versions of stringed musical instruments ("electric instruments") have been a popular alternative to their acoustic counterparts. Various methods are currently available for electric-instrument players ("users") to change the character of the sound produced by an electric instrument, such as by using effects pedals. Various methods are also available to merge music played on an electric instrument with other music and to make sound recordings of music played on an electric instrument, such as by using mixing boards and sound-recording devices. Effects pedals, mixing boards, sound recording devices, and other electric-instrument-related items can be expensive to buy and take up large amounts of space. Consequently, some people opt to use software and/or hardware installed on an electronic device, such as a computer, that can function as one or more virtual effect pedals, a virtual mixing board, a sound recorder, and/or other sound-augmenting and/or sound-managing devices.
Utilizing software and/or hardware installed on an electronic device may reduce cost and clutter, and increase convenience. However, interconnecting an electric instrument to an electronic device can be problematic. Although a number of different methods exist for interconnecting an electric instrument to an electronic device, some methods create a relatively-low quality of sound, and some methods rely on the addition of a number of intervening devices for proper functioning that may be expensive to purchase and inconvenient to set-up and operate. For example, in a first method for interconnecting an electric instrument to an electronic device, an electric instrument is interconnected to a sound card on an electronic device via a one-eighth-inch adaptor plug inserted into a mic-in input for an electronic device. The sound quality produced using the first method may be relatively low because the impedance of mic-in inputs is generally lower than a typical impedance level needed by an electric instrument. Alternatively, in a second method, a one-eighth-inch adaptor plug, interconnected to an electric instrument, is inserted into a line-in input for an electronic device. Although the line-in input may have a high enough impedance to increase the sound quality compared to the first method, a pre-amp may be needed to increase an input signal to a level high enough to be usable by an electronic device. In a third method, an electric instrument is connected to a universal serial bus ("USB") interface that, in turn, is connected to a USB port for an electronic device. In a fourth method, an electric instrument is connected to an amplifier, and the amplifier, in turn, is interconnected to a microphone. The microphone is then connected to a one-eighth-inch adaptor which is inserted into a mic-in input for an electronic device. Alternately, in a fifth method, an electric instrument in connected to an amplifier and the amplifier, in turn, is interconnected to a microphone. The microphone is then connected to a pre-amp, which is connected to a one-eighth-inch adaptor which, in turn, is inserted into a line-in input for an electronic device. In a sixth method, an electric instrument in connected to an amplifier and the amplifier, in turn, is interconnected a microphone. The microphone is then connected to a USB interface which, in turn, is connected to a USB port for an electronic device. In a seventh method, an electric instrument in connected to an amplifier and the amplifier, in turn, is connected to a one-eighth-inch adaptor which, in turn, is inserted into a line-in input for an electronic device.
Each of the above-listed methods of interconnecting an electric instrument to an electronic device either produces a relatively low-quality signal or utilizes a number of expensive and cumbersome intervening electronic devices, such as pre-amps, amplifiers, microphones, and/or USB interfaces. Stringed-musical-instrument players, as well as people that enjoy listening to stringed musical instruments have, therefore, recognized a need for an easy, cost-effective way to interconnect an electric instrument to an electronic device without relying on a number of intervening devices for increasing the quality of the sound input to the electronic device to a level that is high enough to create, merge, and/or manage sound recordings.

Methods and systems for interfacing an electric stringed musical instrument to an electronic device


Methods and arrangements for data storage are discussed. Embodiments include applying a first voltage between a tip and an electrode, thereby forming a polarized domain in a ferroelectric material between 1 nanometer (nm) and 50 nm in thickness. The embodiments may also include applying another voltage through the tip, thereby generating a current responsive to an orientation of the polarized domain. The embodiments may also include measuring the current and determining the orientation of the polarized domain, based upon the measuring.

The standard techniques for reading ferroelectric (FE) media may require sophisticated cantilever designs and CMOS circuits. In addition, the standard piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) technique may CMOS be relatively slow. PFM may determine the state or orientation of a polarization domain of FE media based upon mechanical means. The technique may measure the movement in a tip produced by applying a voltage through the FE media. In general, FE material is also piezoelectric material. The application of pressure to piezoelectric material may generate a current through the material. Conversely, in the inverse piezoelectric effect, the application of a voltage to the piezoelectric material may cause it to expand or contract. Thus, present methods of determining the state of a polarization domain may apply a current through the polarization domain. The FE material may then expand or contract. By carefully measuring the movement of a tip, the movement may be determined and thus the state of the polarization domain. In many cases, the movement may be measured by detecting the reflection of laser beams on the cantilever. The technique may be relatively slow, because there are limits to the speed at which the tip can vibrate. In addition, a newly proposed charge detection technique may require large contact force and may therefore increase tip wear.

Ferroelectric memory and method in which polarity of domain of ferroelectric memory is determined using ratio of currents


To provide patient status determination device, which receives continuous biological information from a state detection device that continuously detects biological information of a patient and measured biological information from a measuring device that measures biological information of the patient, appropriately determines the state of the patient, based on the received continuous biological information and the measured biological information, whereby it is possible to determine the state of the patient properly, based on the plurality of biological information of the patient.

Conventionally, there have been inventions of biological information monitors which display real-time signals being measured and historical information of measured data to thereby enable checking of the current patient status and easy understanding of what kind of changes the patient has experienced in the past (for example, see Patent Document 1).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Patient status determination device, patient status determination method and program


A mobile phone and a battery-release device. The mobile phone includes a body, a positioning device, and a battery. The positioning device includes a magnet. The positioning device is disposed in the body in a manner such that it moves between a first position and a second position. The battery is disposed in the body in a detachable manner, and includes a moveable engaging member. When the positioning device is in the first position, the engaging member is attracted by the magnet so that the battery is fixed in the body. When the positioning device is in the second position, the engaging member is not attracted by the magnet so that the battery is separated from the body.

The invention relates to a mobile phone, and in particular, to a battery-releasing device allowing the mobile phone to be more compact.
In a mobile phone, a battery thereof is normally released by a battery knob. When the battery knob is pushed, the battery can be removed. Since the battery knob is moved in a longitudinal direction of the mobile phone, requisite longitudinal space is required. However, since overall sizes of mobile phones are reduced recently, working space for the battery knob may be restricted.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a mobile phone 10 with a conventional battery-releasing device. The mobile phone 10 includes a body 11, a battery 12, and a positioning device 13. The body 11 includes a connector 111. The positioning device 13 is disposed in the body 11, and includes a knob 131 and a spring 132. When the battery 12 is inserted into the body 11, it abuts the knob 131 so that the knob 131 is pushed outward as shown by arrow O in FIG. 1. The knob 131 is returned to its original position by the spring 132 so that battery 12 is fixed by the knob 131 in a thickness direction. To release the battery 12, the knob 131 is pushed outward to separate from a concave portion 121 of the battery 12. At this time, the battery 12 is lifted by the connector 111 to be removed.
As stated, the required longitudinal travel distance of the knob limits reduction of size of the mobile phone.


An optical disc apparatus includes a control section. The control section performs a first search while the tracking control is in the off state. The first search is for searching for a plurality of sets of the focus positions of the light beam and the spherical aberration amounts such that an amplitude of the tracking error signal is greater than a predetermined value. The control section performs a second search while the tracking control is in the on state. The second search is for determining a set of the focus position of the light beam and the spherical aberration amount such that the reproduced signal quality index is substantially optimal, among the plurality of sets of the focus positions of the light beam and the spherical aberration amounts obtained in the first search.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disc apparatus, an optical disc method and a semiconductor integrated circuit capable of performing a recording or reproduction at a high density for an optical disc by accurately adjusting a focus position of a light beam and a spherical aberration amount.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method for increasing the recording density for an optical disc, a method for reducing the size of a spot of a light beam formed on an information surface of the optical disc is known. The reduction of the size of the spot of the light beam formed on the information surface of the optical disc is achieved by increasing a numeral aperture (NA) of the light beam and decreasing a wavelength of the light beam.
However, when a numeral aperture (NA) of the light beam is increased and a wavelength of the light beam is decreased, a spherical aberration amount generated due to an error in the thickness of the protection layer of the optical disc is increased rapidly. Accordingly, it is required to provide means for correcting the spherical aberration amount.
FIG. 14a and FIG. 14b are views for explaining a spherical aberration.
FIG. 14a shows a state where the thickness from the surface of the optical disc 13 to the information surface 15 is optimal so that no spherical aberration amount is generated on the information surface 15.
A light beam emitted from a laser source is refracted by a protection layer 14 of the optical disc 13 in a state where the focus control is operated. As a result, an outer portion of the light beam is converged into a focus point B and an inner portion of the light beam is converged into a focus point C. A position A is located on a line connecting the focus point B and the focus point C, and is also located on the information surface 15. Since no spherical aberration amount is generated on the information surface 15 of the optical disc 13, both the focus point B of the outer portion of the light beam and the focus point C of the inner portion of the light beam conform with the position A. That is, a surface which has an equivalent distance from the position A conforms with a wave surface of the light beam.
FIG. 14b shows a state where the thickness from the surface of the optical disc 13 to the information surface 15 is insufficiently small and a spherical aberration amount is generated on the information surface 15.
Since the thickness from the-surface of the optical disc 13 to the information surface 15 (i.e. the thickness of the protection layer 14) is small, the influence of the spherical aberration amount is large. The focus point B and the focus point C are separated from each other. The two focus points B and C are in a defocus state with respect to the position A of the information surface 15 onto which the light beam is to be converged. The position A is located on the information layer 15 since the FE signal is generated without separating the outer portion of the light beam with the inner portion of the light beam and the focus control is operated such that the FE signal becomes almost zero. A wave surface of the light beam does not conform with a surface which has an equivalent distance from the position A.
In FIG. 14b, a solid line indicates the inner portion and the outer portion of the light beam in the state where the spherical aberration is generated, and a dotted line indicates the inner portion and the outer portion of the light beam in the state where the spherical aberration is not generated.
When the thickness as defined from the surface of the optical disc 13 to the information surface 15 is greater than the thickness shown in FIG. 14a, the focus point B and the focus point C are separated from each other, and the two focus points B and C are in a defocus state with respect to the position A of the information surface 15 onto which the light beam is to be converged in a similar way to the case shown in FIG. 14b.
Thus, a phenomena in which the focus point B of the outer portion of the light beam and the focus point C of the inner portion of the light beam are separated from each other is referred to as a "spherical aberration". The amount of the spherical aberration is referred to as a spherical aberration amount or a spherical aberration generation amount.
FIG. 8 shows a procedure of a conventional method for adjusting the focus position of the light beam and the spherical aberration amount, which is described in Japanese laid-open publication No. 2002-342952 (pages 4-6, FIG. 1).
A servo control including a focus control, a tracking control and a disc motor servo is started (ON) at step S31. Next, a multi-dimensional search routine is performed at step S32 in order to correct the focus position of the light beam and the spherical aberration amount. Under the control of the microcomputer, the focus position of the objective lens is wobbled in accordance with a focus disturbance signal. In parallel to this, a spherical aberration correction disturbance signal is supplied to the spherical aberration correction driving circuit. As a result, a spherical aberration correction amount is wobbled. Such a search is performed in a multi-dimensional space (two-dimensions and eight directions) as shown in FIG. 9, so that the focus position of the light beam and the spherical aberration correction amount are sequentially adjusted to increase an envelope signal of the RF signal.
However, during the process for adjusting the focus position of the light beam and the spherical aberration amount, there may be a case where the amplitude of the tracking error signal (TE signal) is reduced rapidly and the tracking control becomes unstable.
FIG. 10 shows the characteristic of an envelope signal of the RF signal with respect to the focus position of the light beam and the spherical aberration amount. In FIG. 10, the lateral axis indicates a focus position of the light beam and the vertical axis indicates a spherical aberration amount generated in a spot of the light beam formed on the information surface 15 of the optical disc 13. The value of the envelope signal is represented by a contour line map including a plurality of concentric ellipses. The value of the envelope signal on a contour line is constant. The value of the envelope signal becomes higher as the point on the map approaches the center of each ellipse. Accordingly, the value the envelope signal becomes maximum at approximately the center of each ellipse.
FIG. 2b shows the amplitude characteristic of the TE signal with respect to the focus position of the light beam and the spherical aberration amount. The lateral axis and the vertical axis shown in FIG. 2b are the same as those shown in FIG. 10. The amplitude level of the TE signal is represented by a contour line map including a plurality of concentric ellipses. The amplitude level of the TE signal on a contour line is constant. The amplitude level of the TE signal becomes higher as the point on the map approaches the center of each ellipse. Accordingly, the amplitude level of the TE signal becomes maximum at approximately the center of each ellipse.
According to the conventional method, during the process for adjusting the focus position of the light beam and the spherical aberration amount such that the envelop signal of the RF signal becomes maximum, there may be a case where the tracking control becomes unstable and the adjustment is terminated unsuccessfully.
For example, in a case where the search is started from a point A shown in FIG. 2b or the point approaches the point A during the search, the amplitude of the TE signal is extremely reduced, and the gain of the tracking control system is reduced. Accordingly, there may be a case where a control residual is increased or the tracking control system is oscillated.
One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide an optical disc apparatus, an optical disc method and a semiconductor integrated circuit capable of adjusting the focus position of the light beam and the spherical aberration amount such that the reproduced signal quality becomes optimal while maintaining the stability of the tracking control.

Optical disc apparatus, an optical disc method, and a semiconductor integrated circuit capable of adjusting a focus position of a light beam and a spherical aberration

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A retrofocus type super wide angle lens system includes a front lens group of negative power and a rear lens group of positive power, arranged in this order from the object side. The front lens group consists of a negative meniscus first lens element with a convex surface facing the object side and a second lens element having at least one aspherical surface, arranged in this order from the object side. The aspherical second lens element is shaped such that it forms a biconcave lens in the vicinity of the optical axis and forms a negative meniscus lens with a convex surface located on the object side at a peripheral portion thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a super wide angle lens system which can be used for a monitoring camera (CCTV) etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a super wide angle lens system is used as the lens system in a monitoring camera or the like, to view or monitor a wide angle range. In order to increase the back focal distance and widen the angle of view, a retrofocus type of super wide angle lens having a negative front lens group and a positive rear lens group is used. In such a retrofocus type, the angle of view can be widened by increasing the negative power of the front lens group. To this end, a plurality of negative lens elements of the rear lens group share the negative power. Generally, the negative lens elements consist of a negative meniscus first lens element with a convex surface facing the object side and a negative second lens element. The meniscus lens can advantageously reduce, due to the shape thereof, the astigmatism and distortion of a bundle of light chiefly at a large angle of view. It is mainly for this reason that the meniscus lens has been used as the negative first lens element of the front lens group.
In a super wide angle lens system having an angle of view in the range of 120.degree. to 140.degree. and in which the front lens group consists of a negative meniscus first lens element and a negative second lens element, the radius of curvature of a second concave surface (surface on the image side) of the negative meniscus first lens element is reduced (i.e., the depth of the concave surface is increased). However, this makes it very difficult to produce the meniscus lens. If the negative power of the second lens element is increased, the negative power of the first lens element is reduced. Consequently, the radius of curvature of the second surface of the first lens element is increased. However, if the second lens element is made of a biconcave lens to increase the negative power, an under curvature of field occurs. In order to solve this problem, upon design, consideration must be given to balance the negative power between the first lens element and the second lens element.

Super wide angel lens system using an aspherical lens


Multi-layer cards with aesthetic and/or functional features, e.g. banking, access, or identification cards, having a bearing layer that includes an effects layer disposed directly between two core layers are disclosed herein. Among other potential benefits, the layered structure of the bearing layer reduces overall manufacturing costs, as compared to methods known in the art, by facilitating a balanced card construction while minimizing the number of layers formed from relatively expensive materials, avoiding direct imaging of the effects layer and minimizing waste associated therewith, as well as providing for reliable incorporation of the effects layer into the multi-layered structure with minimal expenditure of resources and reduced possibility of waste.

The use of secure cards, for example, for processing of financial transactions, enabling secure network access, providing fast and reliable verification of a bearer's identity, and other purposes has become widespread. One example of such secure card is a card with a magnetic strip having a issuer-identifying code, user-identifying code, cipher data and the like, recorded thereon and readable by automated means. Furthermore, driven by the ever growing need for secure financial transactions, as well as more complex operations—combining, for example, payment and secure network access—conventional magnetic stripe cards are increasingly being phased out and replaced by so-called "smart cards," i.e. laminated cards incorporating an integrated circuit or chip. The integrated circuit or chip typically includes a rewritable memory, and is configured to be energized by an external power supply and to exchange data with an external terminal when the card is inserted in the terminal. One non-limiting example of such smart card is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,156, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Often, in addition to providing a banking card, access card, identification card, and the like with a magnetic stripe and/or chip for security purposes, as an additional security feature to hinder counterfeiters, such cards are also provided with a holographic image because such images are difficult to copy successfully. In addition, a hologram can be combined with a magnetic stripe for enhanced security, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,795, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
As the secure card technology continues to gain momentum and card issuers seek to use its potential by delivering sophisticated solutions to establish closely tailored customer relationships, there is a strong demand for more attractive and distinctive cards that are aesthetically appealing to customers, as well as more effectively identify card issuers and promote their services.
Card manufacturers are responding to this demand by incorporating various visual effect layers, such as a metal foil layer, into the laminated card structure. Such a structure typically includes a core layer and at least one additional layer bonded thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,128 entitled "Method of Making a Foil Faced Financial Transaction Card Having Graphics Printed Thereon and Card Made Thereby," incorporated by reference herein, demonstrates one such method of producing a laminated financial transaction card.
Known methods for manufacturing laminated cards having metal layers, such as, for example, split core process and the solid core process, suffer from several drawbacks. For example, as further explained below, these methods may result in a waste of expensive components and often require special safety precautions to address hazardous conditions inherent therein.
In particular, in a split-core process, a polymer-backed foil sheet, typically a metal layer bonded to a polyethylene terephthalate ("PET") layer disposed over a polyvinylchloride ("PVC") layer, is used as one of the core layers of the card. In order to balance the card and prevent undesirable warping induced by thermal expansion during subsequent steps of the manufacturing process, a layer of the same material as the backing layer of the foil sheet preferably is used as the other core layer of the card. In contrast, in the solid core process, the foil sheet is bonded to one surface of a solid opaque core. However, as in the split-core process described above, to balance the card and prevent warping, a layer of the same material as the backing layer of the foil sheet preferably is bonded to the other surface of the core. In both of these methods, costs of the materials can be rather substantial, and as a result, such cards are typically several times more expensive to manufacture than conventional cards. Using more rigid and less expensive materials, such as polyvinylchloride ("PVC") instead of the material of the backing layer of the foil sheet may reduce the materials cost, but also increases the probability of warping and resulting waste.
Furthermore, in the methods described above, imaging, i.e., creating graphic images and/or alpha-numerical symbols, is carried out on relatively expensive materials, i.e., the metal layer of the foil sheet having an additional image receptive coating thereon and/or the backing layer of the foil sheet, e.g. PET. Imaging on expensive materials is undesirable given the substantial amount of waste typically involved in the imaging process.
Also, certain aspects of known methods for manufacturing laminated cards with metal layers may be hazardous and require proper precautions. For example, if a solvent silkscreen press is used to create images on the foil sheets, there is substantial risk of curling stock in the hot air dryer, which may result in equipment jams, and worse yet, fires caused by the backup of the foil sheets in the dryer. Finally, in order to have aesthetic and/or functional features visible from both sides of the card, it is known to include metal layers on both sides of the polymer core. Because such structures include two conductors in the form of two metal layers that are separated by a polymer insulator, they may operate as capacitors accumulating a static charge each time the card is used. Potential electrostatic discharge from these cards may damage the processing equipment
Thus, there remains a need in the art for multi-layer secure cards, e.g., banking, access, or identification cards, that include aesthetic and/or functional features to satisfy the demands of the card issuers, while being less expensive and safer to manufacture.

Multi-layer cards with aesthetic features and related methods of manufacturing


An image forming apparatus to supply a file transmission and reception list, and a control method thereof. The image forming apparatus may include a storing part and a controlling part to store a list of transmission and reception for transmitted and received files using an FTP (File Transfer Protocol). The file transmission and reception list may include a user name, a date of file transmission and reception, a file name, a file size, an address of a file transmitter recipient, and a user ID or password to log in an FTP server transmitting and receiving the file through the image forming apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus and a control method thereof. More particularly, the present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus to supply a file transmission and reception list, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus is an apparatus for forming an image by printing data on paper, such as a copier, a facsimile machine, and an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral). A network image forming apparatus is enabled to receive and transmit data through a network by mounting a network interface card in the image forming apparatus.
Conveniently, the network image forming apparatus can independently access the network without a host apparatus to perform network works. However, any user of the network image forming apparatus can transmit files externally through the network, thereby causing security problems.
In order to prevent such security problems, an image forming apparatus is being developed to limit the user's ability to output documents and to receive and transmit files.
Such an image forming apparatus having a security function can prevent secure files from being transmitted or received externally to a certain degree. However, when the secure files have already been transmitted through use of the image forming apparatus, it is almost impossible to determine who was responsible for the unwanted transmission.

Image forming apparatus to supply a file transmission and reception list and control method thereof


Settlement of barnacles on surfaces in a marine environment is inhibited by employing as a construction material for said surface of polymers including methyl methacrylate and an effective amount (preferably about 2% to about 10%) of a copolymerizable N-substituted maleimide.

It is known from Mori et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,879 that resin-based coatings or paints having in them certain amounts of N-phenyl maleimide (hereafter sometimes "NPM") will be effective in reducing the population of barnacles compared to articles submerged in a marine environment and not coated or painted with them. The NPM is not copolymerized with methyl methacrylate or any other monomer; rather, the "resin" is preformed.
NPM has been introduced into unsaturated polyester compositions through copolymerization with the styrene in which the polyester is normally dissolved. See Piermattie et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,669. It has also been copolymerized with ABS, styrene, and methyl methacrylate. See Nield U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,404, Dean U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,978, and Dean U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,493. The copolymers described in the Nield and Dean patents are useful in the present invention, and the entire subject matter of them is incorporated herein by reference. However, we are not aware of its use as a comonomer in polymethylmethacrylate to inhibit the settlement of marine organisms.


In a vehicle headlamp, a light source image forming device forms a first light source image and a second light source image. A projection lens projects the first light source image and the second light source image so as to have a common border with each other. The light source image forming device forms the first light source image and the second light source image at positions spaced apart from each other along respective edges forming the common border.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle headlamp.
2. Background Art
When driving a vehicle at night, a driver normally turns a headlamps ON so as to irradiate low-beams on a road surface, and turns the headlamps ON so as to irradiate high-beams when needed, to confirm a front side of the vehicle. However, when light is irradiated further above from a so-called cut-off line, a driver of a vehicle traveling ahead or a pedestrian walking ahead may be subjected to a glare. Therefore, there has been proposed a vehicle headlamp which determines a position of a person, for example, forming a mask having a dimension and position corresponding to the person on an image forming device, thereby forming a shadow projected around the person (refer to Patent Document 1, for example). There has also been proposed a vehicle headlamp device which detects the presence or absence of a vehicle traveling ahead, for example, adjusting light so as to reduce light in one direction depending on the detection result, thereby irradiating the thus reduced light to the other direction (refer to Patent Document 2, for example) There has also been proposed a night-vision system for vehicle in which, for example, an object is detected, and, among a plurality of image elements inside a light attenuation matrix, at least light of one image element is attenuated depending on the detection result (refer to Patent Document 3, for example)    [Patent Document 1] JP-A-2004-231178    [Patent Document 2] JP-A-04-081337    [Patent Document 3] JP-A-2006-188224
As disclosed in the above Patent Documents, there has been proposed a technology in which an intermediate member divided into a plurality of partitions capable of switching from light transmittance to light shielding or vice versa is arranged between a light source and a projection lens to mask light irradiated ahead, thereby suppressing glare from being given to people in front. However, where this technology is adopted, a border part between the partitions is less likely to transmit light or emit light than other parts, and the border part may be lit dimly in a projection image.


The present invention relates to a method for producing a saturated organic compound bearing at least one functional group from a mixture which comprises this saturated organic compound containing at least one functional group and also one or more other organic compounds, which comprises                i) mixing a silver-ion-loaded ion exchanger with the mixture at a temperature which is below the boiling point of the mixture,        ii) then removing the supernatant and        iii) detaching the ion-exchanger-bound, saturated organic compound having at least one functional group from the ion exchanger.

Separating and purifying organic compounds from mixtures of substances is still, in many sectors, a problem which has not been solved satisfactorily. Removing certain impurities or separating mixtures of complex mixtures of substances requires specific methods. The success of the separation depends substantially on the structure of the compound to be removed; in particular for compounds of similar structure, specially adapted, frequently highly expensive, methods are required. Thus, for example, for partial esters of glycerol with higher fatty acids such as monoglycerides, scarcely any simple and effective methods are available for purification.
Monoglycerol esters, for example of oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, are the focus of economic interest. They have emulsifying, stabilizing, plasticizing and thickening properties and are used, for example, as emulsifiers for doughs, for sweeteners and baking aids, margarine and ice cream in the food industry (labeling for mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids: E 471). They are also used, for example, as lubricants in the plastics processing (for example: glycerol monostearate).
Reacting monoglycerides with acetic acid produces acetylated, liquid to waxy monoglycerides (acetoglycerides) which, owing to their good compatibility with active pharmaceutical compounds and their physiological safety, are used in foods as protective films, in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.
Pharmaceutical applications particularly are increasingly becoming of public interest recently. For instance monoglycerides are described as PPAR activators (PPAR: Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor) which are suitable for ameliorating overweight and diabetes (JP-A 2001-354558).
Monoglycerides are generally produced by transesterifying triglycerides with glycerol, or by reacting glycerol with corresponding fatty acids. However, the currently widespread lipase reaction (KR-A 127510, JP-A 09-268299) is also being used to synthesize monoglycerides and diglycerides. Usually, mixtures of triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, free fatty acids and glycerol are obtained, and in virtually all cases a purification is necessary, that is to say separation and enrichment of the monoglycerides from the complex mixtures.
Frequently distillation methods are used for this (Bornscheuer et al., Enzymes in Lipid Modification Ed. U. T. Bornscheuer, Wiley-VCH, 2000), which, however, owing to the high temperatures (T>200° C.) required in these methods, can only be used with restrictions, since acyl migrations or even the destruction of the desired products, in particular in the case of compounds sensitive to oxidation are the consequence (Naohiro et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,025,384, Mares et al. CS-A 864520). This requires complex downstreaming to produce pure monoglycerides (Bornscheuer et al. see above).
A further current method for cleaning up is isolation via cold crystallization, since monoglycerides generally have different melting points from the corresponding tri-glycerides, diglycerides and free fatty acids. In some cases this successfully removes selectively the monoglycerides from diglycerides, triglycerides and other constituents.
However, this method is not universally usable, since non-uniform mixtures are difficult to work up, for example monoglycerides containing differing fatty acids, or monoglycerides which are present as regioisomers. The prochirality of many monoglycerides also plays a significant role. For instance, the melting points of rac-1-palmitoylglycerol (D,L-alpha-glycerol monopalmitate, approximately +74.9° C.) and 3-palmitoyl-sn-glycerol (L-alpha-glycerol monopalmitate, +71.1° C.) differ. The melting point of 2-monopalmitate (approximately +68° C.) is likewise different. The circumstance that the melting point is significantly affected by the fatty acid group makes selective crystallization difficult, in particular from mixtures.
In practice, the only separation which is successful is via crystallization of monoglycerides which bear fatty acids having more than 12 carbon atoms. Furthermore, the separation is considerably more difficult in the case of monoglycerides containing unsaturated fatty acids, for example oleic acid (18:1). In the case of polyunsaturated fatty acids the separation (crystallization) is virtually no longer successful.
Kang et al. (KR-A 94-6988) describe the synthetic preparation of monoglycerides and subsequent purification by means of solvent extraction.
Kolstad et al. describe a method for purifying monoglycerides by means of liquid-liquid extraction methods (U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,128).
Purification by column chromatography is described by Mekawa et al. (JP-A 61-166399). He successfully separates, in small yields, alpha- and beta-monoglycerides with the use of the ion-exchange material XAD, a synthetic-resin-based ion exchanger. Generally, the use of silica gels as ion-exchange material is not very suitable, since, owing to the acid behavior of many silica gels, an acyl migration can be catalyzed and thus purification opposed.
The PCT application 02/06158 describes an extraction method by selective complexation to a silver-ion-loaded cation exchanger and subsequent decomplexation to produce unsaturated, possibly derivatized, compounds from mixtures. This method is restricted to compounds containing highly unsaturated components, for example unsaturated long-chain fatty acids.
None of the known processes leads to satisfactory yields and sufficient selectivities in the purification of mixtures of compounds of the type described at the outset.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a method which permits the production of saturated organic compounds containing functional groups from mixtures which comprise these saturated organic compounds containing functional groups and also one or more other organic compounds. This method should make possible a quantitatively sufficient purification, a simplification of the method and an economic design of same. Furthermore, the method should be selective in order to make possible, for example, the separation of compounds which differ only slightly structurally.

Method for purifying compounds containing functional groups


A musician's chair that enhances the musician's posture when performing vocal or wind instruments. The music posture chair includes a seat and back that are mounted on a frame with respect to a floor to not only enhance diaphragmatic breathing of the musician but also to enhance the comfort of the musician.

For at least fifty years, it has been recognized that good posture enhances the performance of various activities. As a result, various products have been developed that enhance posture while performing various office, home and recreational activities.
For example, aeronautical and automotive seats have been developed that enable operators to comfortably operate their vehicles for extended periods of time. Spectator seating for cultural and sporting events have also been enhanced so that audiences can remain comfortably seated throughout the performances.
It can be appreciated that activities requiring higher levels of physical exertion have the potential of benefiting most from using equipment that promotes good posture as the posture tends to deteriorate as the body becomes more tired.
One particular field in which breathing is particularly important is for seated musicians such as the vocalist or wind instrumentalist. In light of the limitations associated with most prior art seating for musicians, it is common for the musicians to stand or sit near the front of a chair.
A drawback of these options is that it becomes difficult to remain standing or sitting near the front of a chair throughout an entire concert or practice session. As a result of the strains placed on the body when performing while standing or sitting on the front of the chair, the musician will typically be unable to maintain this position throughout the entire concert or practice session. When this occurs, the ability of the musician to remain focused on performing or practicing is greatly reduced.
One of the first attempts to produce a chair that promotes good posture while performing music is disclosed in Wenger et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,750, which is assigned to the assignee of the present application. The Wenger et al. musicians' chair orients the back rest and seat to promote posture while performing music. While the Wenger chair had the potential of providing seated musicians with enhanced posture, these benefits were only fully realized when the musician properly sat in the Wenger chair.


A method comprises: receiving a RF signal; providing a RF signal level; varying a laser power DC set point linearly with the RF signal level over a selected range; and modulating with the RF signal laser output power about the DC set point. The RF signal level can be RF signal amplitude or RF signal power. An apparatus comprises: a laser; a RF detector adapted to receive the RF signal and to provide the RF signal level; a laser power control circuit coupled to the RF detector and to the laser and adapted to vary the laser power DC set point substantially linearly with respect to the RF signal level over a selected range; and a laser modulator coupled to the laser and adapted to receive the RF signal and to modulate therewith laser output power about the DC set point.

The field of the present invention relates to laser sources. In particular, a laser source for a passive optical network is disclosed herein.
In a typical passive optical network (PON), multiple network termini 102 are connected to a single network node 104 via an optical splitter network 106 (FIG. 1). Downstream optical signals are routed from the network node 104 through the splitter network 106 and reach all of the network termini 102, regardless of the intended target terminus of the signal. Upstream signals originating at a network terminus 102 are transmitted through the splitter network 106 to the network node 104. If upstream optical signals are transmitted from two or more network termini 102 simultaneously, those signals might interfere with one another upon reaching the network node 104, or further upstream from the network node.
Upstream optical signals are typically generated at a network terminus in response to radio-frequency (RF) electrical signals carrying desired information. The upstream optical signal typically comprises some DC optical power level (also referred to as a DC optical set point), with the information carried by optical modulation about the set point. The modulation of the optical signal is typically driven by the corresponding RF electrical signal. The source of the optical signal is typically a laser source or other coherent optical source.
It may be desirable to provide a laser source for use in a passive optical network that reduces the likelihood or severity of interference between simultaneously transmitted upstream optical signals.

Laser source for a passive optical network


The method, according to one embodiment of the present invention, receives a plurality of input values associated with a building or plurality of buildings. The method then constructs a thermal and an electrical load model based on the inputs and constructs an overall energy model, the overall energy model being based on the thermal and electrical load models. The method next generates a plurality of demand models and optimizes the demand models using complex multivariate optimization techniques, wherein optimizing is based on usage data and energy rules. Finally, the method displays recommendations based on the optimized model or generating real-time, complementary control instructions based on the optimized model, the determination based on client preferences.

In the United States, buildings consume a tremendous amount of natural resources and are a major contributor to the carbon footprint and water footprint of cities. There is a great opportunity to optimize the management of energy and water while meeting the needs of the multitude of different users of commercial and industrial buildings. From EPA 2009 data, buildings account for 39% of energy used, 68% of electricity consumed and 38% CO2 emissions. Building managers face significant pressures requiring them to efficiently manage energy consumption including corporate profit pressures coupled with increasing & volatile fuel costs, corporate sustainability top-down directives mandating carbon-reporting, GHG reductions, and usage of renewable energy sources, and building regulations mandating benchmarking and improvement programs.
The need for new automation solutions to aid in the optimum use of these natural resources is significant given the uneven state of current building automation, with estimates of approximately 14% of commercial buildings having a building management system (BMS) or building automation system (BAS) in place according to Pike Research. Where BMS or BAS systems are in place, the mode of operation of building resources is typically reactive management of heating, cooling ventilation and a portion of lighting based on schedule and reacting to set-points being exceeded. There is a significant opportunity for efficiency gains through shifting to proactive management based on demand forecasts and utilizing rich real-time data on building operation and disturbances such as weather, occupancy, etc. Also, expanding the scope of proactive management from heating and cooling to a more complete integration of lighting controls and other building subsystems including a variety of technologies and strategies available for meeting customer comfort with less energy consumed.
Opportunities also exist to apply a proactive approach of predictive demand forecasts leading to optimization to additional areas such as water consumption planning/management, ensuring ventilation requirements are met (especially for areas such as labs that have more stringent or regulatory requirements) and management of ancillary plug load capacity, which may be broken out separately for the data center.
Another area of opportunity is for improved integration of the different approaches in use for energy management in a building, with facilities management often pursuing separate and sometimes conflicting strategies for energy efficiency programs to reduce base load/energy costs, demand response participation with both voluntary and mandatory commitments to utilities, use of on-site generation and storage technology, etc. Together with the increasing number of energy management approaches in place there has been an increase in different priorities for energy management: reduce overall energy costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions/carbon impact, increase use of on-site and renewable energy resources, and generate revenue from sale of energy or participation in demand response programs. There is an opportunity for technology to give customers a way to take a holistic view of the entire envelope of energy management approaches in place and use an objective analysis to incorporate business priorities to generate an integrated energy management strategy.
Lastly there is an opportunity for the new energy management solutions envisioned to be supported by a software infrastructure that provides integration across disparate building monitoring and control systems (e.g. HVAC, lighting, plug load, etc.) and different real-time and historical data sources (e.g. weather data, rate and price data, occupancy data, peer building usage data, etc.) to enable real-time recommendations or control actions based on rich real-time data as well as planning based on predictive demand forecasts.

Systems and methods for optimizing energy and resource management for building systems


A method for recognizing an identification (ID) card of a user terminal using deep learning includes extracting an outline region of the ID card included in an input image using a first neural network model, modifying the ID card image of the image to a reference form using at least a partial value of the extracted outline region, and determining whether the modified ID card image is valid and recognizing text information in the valid ID card image. A recognition rate of the ID card may be increased by modifying an ID card image into a reference form using a trained neural network model.

In general, an ID recognizing device images an ID card (resident registration card, driver's license, employee card, etc.) presented by a user to acquire image information and searches the acquired image information for a character region.
Subsequently, the ID recognizing device extracts a character present in the searched character region and automatically recognizes the ID card through a process of converting the extracted character to be readable by a computer.
There are various ways of recognizing characters in an ID, and an optical character recognition (OCR) technology is typically used. The OCR technology is a technology that analyzes an image acquired by imaging an ID card to search for a character region and recognizes a character included in the searched character region based on a pattern.
That is, a character in an image of an ID card captured through a camera is automatically read by applying the OCR technology, which is an existing character recognition method, thereby omitting a user's character input operation.
However, since the related art method is not specially developed for ID cards, the related art method is vulnerable to an influence of a background for image capture and an external environment according to a pattern, reflection, etc. for preventing forgery of ID cards. For example, text in an ID card may not be recognized, it may take a long time to recognize text, and an area of an ID card itself may not be recognized due to shading by a hand holding the ID card or a shadow, and thus, there is a need for a recognition method to be considered.
In addition, the existing image processing-based character recognition technology takes a lot of time to process and has disadvantages in that it is difficult to actively cope with various external environmental changes.
Recently, with the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, AI technologies have been applied in various fields, and methods for detecting and tracking objects in images through a neural network model have been developed instead of the existing image processing method. The neural network model used for artificial intelligence may detect objects in an input image faster and more accurately than general image processing through learning.
Therefore, it is necessary to solve the disadvantages of the existing ID card recognition method based on the image processing technology, such as slow recognition speed, shading by hand, and a background for image capture by applying the AI technology to the ID card image.

Method and apparatus for recognizing ID card


A closet inside part modular system made of agglomerated material units, preferably 12 mm. thick and mass manufactured, of adjustable sizes, with combinable systems to increase their amplitude, standardized according to modern standards of popular or residential housing, characterized because it is easy to assembly, shows a high resistance to impacts and item overload, making optimum use of the available wardrobe space, with or without lateral edge reinforcement.

1. Field of the Invention
Modular system of closet inside part mass manufactured in units of agglomerated material, of adjustable and standardized sizes according to the needs of modern popular or residential buildings, characterized because it is easy to assemble, highly resistant to impacts or items overload, and using optimally wardrobe spaces, with or without lateral edge reinforcement.
2. Description of the Previous Art
Several closet construction designs are known, such as the assembling of pieces or modules generally of solid wood, fine wood or pine wood. For example, British Patent 640,518, describes a dismountable closet based on a module with lateral and back walls formed as one single unit. Japanese Patent 5141080 describes the building structure of a closet based on a smaller member of parts through the use of grooved posts for the assembly of the lateral walls.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,490 describes a portable dismountable closet for travels, characterized because it has a textile cover on a supporting tubular structure for assembly purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,099 describes a support module for closet to increase the usable space in the closet, based on bars placed in horizontal or vertical positions and assembled on collapsible cylindrical pipes through connecting elements with intersection joints.
Japanese Patent 5098791 describes the formation of a closet through the assembly of wooden frame shaped panels with heat insulation structure with "U" shaped sections and fixed onto posts, forming units.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,803 describes a system of closet organization and a method for its installation, characterized because it features the assembly of a console unit, the unit having tubular plastic posts to include additional racks.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,208 describes a self-assembly closet, that uses clip elements to fasten the shelves onto the lateral parts of the closet through a tongued and grooved assembly.
The above-mentioned inventions are generally characterized because they propose adjustable closets that can be assembled and dismounted. The invention relates to pieces of furniture such as closets, book shelves, etc. made of agglomerated-wood based materials that, through various manufacturing techniques, are made as resistant and durable as the pieces of furniture made of solid material. Moreover, said pieces of furniture can be assembled, dismounted and adjusted to the space available according to popular or residential building standards.
The closet inside part is an easily assembled packed modular system adjustable to the space available. It is offered in standard sizes and can be combined for larger spaces from a minimum to a maximum size according to the needs of the user. Said closet inside part consists of a series of mountable modules based on a section provided to hang long clothes, a shelf tower and double hanging section for short clothes. The sections are separated by vertical screens that are longitudinally assembled because said screens are not made of single pieces. The vertical screens are packed in at least two sections, each one fitting inside the box of the closet inside part. The main module is a tower with several shelves 10, FIG. 1, said tower is assembled first through screwing and is fastened onto the wall of the available space.
The shelf tower 10 is a vertical frame with shelves 11 of depth adequate to place folded clothes or shoes 12. Its sizes take full advantage of the agglomerated raw material sheets from which they are obtained. In the shelf tower, it is also possible to place drawers 26 FIG. 4. In the same shelf tower, it is possible to assemble shelves purchased as separate accessories.
The frame consists also of two screens 13 and 14 vertically placed to be fastened to the shelves, one of said screens 13 is higher to create the desired organizer.
The vertical screen 13 is placed very near the mid part of the full width design of the closet inside part and in this way the user can cover afterwards said closet inside part using a set of two equal sliding doors. Besides, if the user wishes to, he can keep said piece in a different position adjusting the product to the width of the existing enclosure through the cutting of shelves and pipes at both sides of the closet inside part. Moreover, said user can choose to cut one side more than the other to keep a larger quantity of short clothes than long clothes or vice versa.
The vertical screens 13, 14 measures no more than half the depth of the deepest shelves. Moreover, the vertical screens are placed far away from the back wall, and in this way it is possible to place the clothes on the shelves through the sides and at the same time it is possible to see the clothes kept up to the contact with the back wall, facilitating the cleaning. The clothes are ventilated in the lowest part, preventing confinement that favors insect nesting, fungus growth or moisture accumulation.
The placement of the vertical screens separated from the back wall makes it easy to obtain the adequate seating of the weight of the closet and the load placed on the shelves and the load received by the hanger pipes sustaining clothes, preventing deformation of the structure of the closet inside part.
The shelves 11 of the tower or frame 10 are panels made of agglomerated material, preferably 40 cm deep and 61 cm long, approximately.
The edges 15 of the screens and the edges 16 of the shelves, FIG. 10 can be reinforced through PVC profiles such as is described in Mexican Patent 202201, owned by the applicant, or as is indicated in Mexican Patent Application No. PA/a/2001/011576. In this way, it is possible to obtain a high quality finishing or through the application of a veneer strip it is possible to obtain an economical closet. Said closet is highly resistant to lateral mechanical stresses through its assembly system. Moreover, it can be reinforced on its left and right side edges, totally or partially with regard to the width of the screen to increase its strength in the case of thin panels through "U"-shaped profiles made of plastic or other material.
The shelf tower is characterized because it is made by two screens preferably, 20 cm wide. Each screen is integrated by two assembly sections reinforced with an economically extruded profile through screwing or tongued and grooved assembly, pressure fit plastic or metal. Each screen presents a minimum thickness that is equal to the thickness of the shelves, preferably from 12 to 19 mm being in this way possible to carry a relatively light package. Because it has vertical screens on only half the depth of the deepest shelves, the weight of the screens is divided by half.
Because they are half the depth of the deepest shelves 11, two pieces of vertical screens fit in only one layer of material within the box instead of needing two layers and in this way the package is smaller.
Because previously laminated agglomerated material is used, a high quality and durable finish can be obtained which is washable.
The hanger pipes 17 FIGS. 2 and 3, are made of steel and of oval cross section to improve their load capacity and reduce the weight of the package and are PVC covered through extrusion so that they can be used in all climates. Instead of this, it is possible to use other types of hanging elements, of one piece or collapsible. Caps are supplied 40, FIGS. 8 and 9, for the heads of the placement and assembly screws and pegs or anchors are supplied for concrete, brick, block, plaster and wood walls, indistinctively.
In FIG. 2, the first combination of mass manufactured modules can be seen. Said combination includes: shelf tower 10, a left side long clothes hanging module 19, through the incorporation of a panel 20 placed in the upper end of the shorter screen 14 of the tower 10 and fastened to it through an element 24, FIG. 13 C and fastened to the larger screen 13 through screws 18 FIG. 9 C and through plastic fastening elements 21, FIG. 14 D onto the enclosure wall. It also includes a right side hanging module 22 with two hanging sections 17, FIG. 3 based on a larger panel 23 fastened by two plastic fastening elements 21, onto the wall and supported on the larger screen 13, the hanging pipe 17 is pressure assembled on a couple of plastic fastening elements 24, FIGS. 2 and 13 C and through screws. reinforced in its intermediate part against excess load through a fork element 25, FIGS. 3 and 10 which is assembled in the hanging pipe 17 that opposes compression stresses because the excess lo load is absorbed by the steel pipe 17. The fork 25 can slide to any desired position because it is not screwed.
An additional combination FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 to previous modular combination relates to inclusion of chests by drawers 26 that offer a comfortable closet inside part for residential or popular housing depending on the finish of the edges 27, FIG. 7 A of the organizing system, i.e the extruding profiles 28 FIG. 7C or adhered veneer strips.
A second combination FIGS. 2 and 3 of the shelf tower is different from the first combination because the long clothes hanging module is larger because it has a longer upper panel 20 and about twice the shelves of the tower 10.
A variation FIG. 15 B of the second combination is the incorporation of two or more chests of drawers 26 depending on the needs or it can include a larger member of shelves and the preferred sizes are shown in said figure, in cm.
In FIG. 6, the parts making up a chest of drawers consisting of two units are shown. Said chest of drawers consist of a base 29, three side shelves 30 and a front shelf 31 each one having a recessed profile 32 in it lower part for the base 29 assembly. The lateral shelves are joined through screws 33, and the front shelf is joined through a specially designed plastic fastening corner element 34, FIGS. 6 and 11, with overlapping elements 35, to facilitate screwing while it has bolts 36 penetrating into holes 37 placed for better screwing and rough use. The chest of drawers 26 also has sliding elements 38 with their corresponding parts 39 for drawers 26 sliding. The shelf 31 can have extruded profiles on its edges for a better finishing can be lined veneer strip adhered through a glue.
On FIG. 14 D, the fastening element design 21 FIG. 14 can be seen on the walls, said design permits a better pressure fastening onto the shelves because of its cone shape, and can be screwed onto the wall of the enclosure through the use of conventional pegs.

Modular system of closet inside part based on adjustable units easily assembled and packed by the user


The techniques of this disclosure relate to a vehicle occupancy-monitoring system. The system includes a controller circuit that receives occupant data from an occupancy-monitoring sensor of a vehicle. The controller circuit determines an occupancy status of respective seats in a cabin of the vehicle based on the occupancy-monitoring sensor. The controller circuit indicates the occupancy status of the respective seats on a display located in a field of view of occupants of the vehicle. The display is integral to one of a roof light module, a door panel, or a headliner of the cabin. The system can improve passenger safety by alerting the operator and other occupants about the occupancy status of the passengers.

Modern automotive vehicles typically include seat-belt-latch sensors that detect when the seat belt is properly latched and alert a driver of the vehicle when any occupant's seat belt is not latched. The alert is typically a combination of an audible chime and a visible icon that is displayed in a field of view of the driver, with limited or no visibility to the other occupants of the vehicle. In some vehicles, a transitory icon is displayed to the driver for a brief period after all of the occupied seats are determined to have properly latched seat belts, after which the display is removed from the driver's view. These types of alerts are not suitable for driverless vehicles where none of the occupants is a driver responsible to remind the other occupants to latch their seat belts.