A contact efuse structure includes a silicon layer and a contact contacting the silicon layer with one end. When a voltage is applied to the contact, a void is formed at the end of the contact, and thus the contact is open. Such structure may be utilized in an efuse device or a read only memory. A method of making a contact efuse device and a method of making a read only memory are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an efuse structure, and particularly to a contact efuse structure used for semiconductor devices and methods of making a contact efuse device and making a read only memory (ROM).
2. Description of the Prior Art
As semiconductor processes become smaller and more complex, semiconductor components are influenced by impurities more easily. If a single metal link, a diode, or a MOS is broken down, the whole chip will be unusable. To treat this problem, fuses can be selectively blown for increasing the yield of IC manufacturing.
In general, fused circuits are redundant circuits of an IC. When defects are found in the circuit, fuses can be selectively blown for repairing or replacing defective circuits. Besides, fuses provide the function of programming circuits for various customized functions. Fuses are classified into two categories based on their operation: thermal fuse and efuse. Thermal fuses can be cut by lasers and be linked by laser repair. An efuse utilizes electro-migration for both forming open circuits and for repairing.
Opening for a poly efuse when it is blown happens at a polysilicon layer thereof. A blowing mechanism of efuse is typically shown in FIG. 1. The cathode of an efuse structure 1 is electrically connected to the drain of the transistor as a blowing device 2 (or referred to be as a driver). Voltages Vfs, Vg, and Vd are applied to the anode of the efuse structure 1, the gate of the transistor, and the drain of the transistor, respectively. The source of the transistor is grounded. The electric current is from the anode of the efuse structure 1 to the cathode of the efuse structure 1; and the electrons flow from the cathode of the efuse structure 1 to the anode of the efuse structure 1. The electric current suitable for the blowing is in a proper range. If the electric current is too low, the electron-migration is not completed, and if it is too high, the efuse tends to be thermally ruptured. In general, the blowing current for an efuse structure made by a 65 nm manufacturing process is about 13 mA.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a conventional poly efuse structure. The poly efuse structure 10 has a neck portion and includes an anode 12, a cathode 14, and a fuse body 16. A plurality of tungsten contacts 18 are disposed on the anode 12, and a plurality of tungsten contacts 20 are disposed on the cathode 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the anode 12, the cathode 14, and the fuse body 16 include a polysilicon layer 22 and a metal silicide layer 24 on the polysilicon layer 22. The metal silicide 24 assists a better electrical contact between the tungsten contacts and the electrodes. A sufficient electron flow must be supplied to the cathode 14 through the plurality of the tungsten contacts 18 disposed on the cathode 14 and flow into the polysilicon layer 22 and the metal silicide layer 24 of the neck-shaped fuse body 16 to cause electrode-migration, and thereby the fuse body 16 is blown to open. The size of the cathode is relatively large because it needs to provide an enough place for the plurality of the tungsten contacts to land thereon to totally provide a large electron flow. In turn, it needs a large blowing device (i.e. a MOS transistor) to provide the adequate electron flow since a large electron flow is required to blow the fuse body. Accordingly, it is difficult for a conventional poly efuse with such a big size to be utilized in a 32 nm semiconductor node. Moreover, in a 32 nm manufacturing process, the conventional poly gate would be replaced by a metal gate. As a result, the manufacturing process of the conventional poly efuse would not be conveniently integrated with the 32 nm manufacturing process.
Therefore, there is still a need for a novel efuse structure having a relatively small size, which may be further conveniently made from metal gate material.


The secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution including at least one kind of cyclic nitrogen compounds and at least one of a first nitrile compound and a second nitrile compound.

The present technology generally relates to an electrolytic solution to be used in a secondary battery, a secondary battery using the electrolytic solution, and a battery pack, an electrically-driven vehicle, an electric power storage system, an electrically-driven tool, and an electronic device using the secondary battery.
Various electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are widely spread, and there is a demand for miniaturization, weight saving, and long service life of the electronic devices. Hence, development of batteries, particularly secondary batteries which are compact, lightweight, and capable of providing a high energy density as an electric power source is under way.
Application of secondary batteries is not limited to the above-mentioned electronic devices, but other applications of secondary batteries are also investigated. Examples thereof may include battery packs to be detachably mounted on electronic devices and the like, electrically-driven vehicles such as electric vehicles, electric power storage systems such as electric power servers for home use, and electrically-driven tools such as electric drills.
These secondary batteries include an electrolytic solution together with a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The composition of electrolytic solution greatly affects the battery characteristics, and thus various investigations on the composition of electrolytic solution have been carried out.
Specifically, in order to improve the cycle characteristics and the like, 1,3,5-triazine and the like are contained in electrolytic solutions.

Electrolytic solution for secondary battery, secondary battery, battery pack, electrically-driven vehicle, electric power storage system, electrically-driven tool, and electronic device


In producing nabumetone or precursor thereof, use is made of 2-bromo-6-methoxynaphthalene formed by (a) methylating 6-bromo-2-naphthol with methyl bromide or methyl chloride, in a halogen-free liquid solvent comprising at least about 40% by weight of one or more compounds of the formula RZ where R is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and Z is a hydroxyl group or a cyanide group with the proviso that if Z is a cyanide group, R is an alkyl group, and in the presence of at least one strong base; and (b) recovering and purifying 2-bromo-6-methoxynaphthalene so formed. The 6-bromo-2-naphthol in turn is preferably formed by reacting 1,6-dibromo-2-naphthol with hydrogen in a halogen-containing liquid solvent comprising at least about 50% by weight of (A) at least one liquid organic halide solvent in which the halogen content has an atomic number of 35 or less or (B) a mixture of water and at least one such liquid organic halide solvent, and in the presence of catalytic amounts of (i) a tungsten carbide-based catalyst, and (ii) at least one phase transfer catalyst, most preferably while purging HBr from the reaction mixture as it is formed. In this way, the quantities of by-products formed in the overall operation are reduced, the need for use of excess iron and/or dimethyl sulfate as reaction components is avoided, and the overall efficiency of plant operation is improved especially when conducted on a large scale.

Nabumetone, 4-(6'-methoxy-2'-naphthyl)-butan-2-one, is a well known non-steroidal antiinflammatory agent described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,639. While various synthesis procedures for its production have been proposed and studied, the most efficacious procedures utilize 2-bromo-6-methoxynaphthalene (also known as 6-bromo-2-methoxynaphthalene) as a key starting material or chemical intermediate. This product is usually formed by hydrodebromination of 1,6-dibromo-2-naphthol by use of iron powder in an aqueous acid medium to form 6-bromo-2-naphthol, followed by treatment with dimethyl sulfate and sodium hydroxide to effect methylation of the hydroxyl group. Unfortunately this process approach suffers from need for long cycle times, formation of large amounts of co-products from both reaction steps, need for use of stoichiometric excesses of dimethyl sulfate and iron, and lower than desired plant throughput. Another method of producing 2-bromo-6-methoxynaphthalene is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,829 where hydrodebromination of 1,6-dibromo-2-naphthol to 6-bromo-2-naphthol is effected by use of hydrogen and a tungsten carbide-based catalyst in an acidic organic solvent, and where the reagents taught for use in the methylation step are methyl sulfate or methanol. Despite the intensity and scope of prior investigations of such process steps, a need exists for process technology capable of reducing the quantities of by-product wastes formed in the operation, of avoiding the need for use of excess iron and/or dimethyl sulfate as reaction components, and of improving the overall efficiency of plant operation when conducted on a large scale.
This invention is deemed to fulfill this need in an efficient and effective manner.

Production of nabumetone or precursors thereof


A vehicle antitheft system has an immobilizer unit which reads in an identification code generated by and transmitted from an ignition key of the type having a built-in signal transmitter and compares the identification code read therein with an identification code having been entered therein to transmit an encoded word when there is a presence of coincidence between these identification codes, and an engine controlling unit which reads in the encoded word transmitted from the immobilizer unit and compares the encoded word read therein and an encoded word having been entered therein to permit itself to perform control of operation of the engine when there is a presence of coincidence between these encoded words.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of and a system for entering identification codes into a vehicle antitheft system.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to cope with frequent occurrence of vehicle thefts in recent years, various antitheft devices and systems have been proposed. One of the antitheft systems is called an immobilizing system comprising an identification code dispatching key and an immobilizer unit which monitors an identification code (which is hereafter referred to as an ID code) dispatched from the key to prevent an engine controlling unit (EGI) from actuating the engine when an ignition switch is turned on in the event that the key is identified as incorrect based on the ID code. Such an antitheft system is known from, for example, Japanese patent application No. 6-181146, filed on Aug. 2, 1994, by the applicant of this application and now opened to the public as Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-40206.
Another type antitheft system employs encoded words (which are hereafter referred to as CWs) for permitting the engine controlling unit (EGI) to actuate the engine as is known from, for example, Japanese patent application No. 6-297086, filed on Nov. 30, 1994, by the applicant of this application and opened to the public as Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-150899. Specifically, the immobilizer unit compares an ID code of a key read in through a transponder with an ID code registered therein and transfers a word code, different in form from these ID codes, to the engine controlling unit (EGI) whenever verifying the coincidence between these ID codes for another verification of the coincidence between the word code from the immobilizer unit and a word code registered in the engine controlling unit (EGI). The immobilizer unit transfers a permission command signal to the engine controlling unit (EGI) to permit it to actuate the engine only when the engine controlling unit (EGI) verifies the coincidence between these encode words.
In the event where the immobilizer unit and/or the engine controlling unit (EGI) of this type of vehicle antitheft system are replaced with new ones at a factory or a service shop, which is accompanied by entering ID codes and word codes in these new immobilizer unit and engine controlling unit (EGI), the utilization is made of a special testing device to coercively put the engine controlling unit (EGI) in a state of engine actuation. Such an ID code and encoded word entry device is known from, for example, Japanese patent application No. 6-324472, filed on Dec. 27, 1994, by the applicant of this application and now opened to the public as Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-180226.
Prior art vehicle antitheft systems are somewhat troublesome in the entry of ID code and encoded words into immobilizer units and engine controlling unit (EGI) and have a need to be assisted by a code entry device.

Method of and system for entering identification codes into vehicle antitheft system


An ignition controller for an internal combustion engine includes a control/calculation circuit for creating drive signals to injectors and ignition coils based on the rotation angle SGT and the operating state of the internal combustion engine. The control/calculation circuit includes means for calculating the respective timings at which the injectors and the ignition coils are controlled according to an operating state, means for discriminating a predetermined operating state corresponding to a state where fuel adheres to the ignition plugs and means for switching the timings at which the ignition plugs are driven according to a signal which discriminates the predetermined operating state. When the predetermined operating state is not discriminated, the timings at which the ignition coils are driven are set to the vicinity of the upper dead point of a compression stroke and when the predetermined operating state is discriminated, the above timings are set to the respective vicinities of the upper dead point of the compression stroke and the upper dead point of an exhaust stroke. With this arrangement, the ignition controller for the internal combustion engine can always maintain a stable combustion state by avoiding the adhesion of fuel to the ignition plugs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ignition controller for a four-cycle internal combustion engine, and more specifically, to an ignition controller for an internal combustion engine capable of securing a stable combustion by avoiding the fuel adhesion state to the ignition plugs.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 7 is a view of the arrangement showing an ignition controller for a conventional internal combustion engine.
In the drawing, an angle sensor 10 disposed to the crank shaft or the cam shaft (not shown) of the internal combustion engine detects the rotational angle of the internal combustion engine and outputs a crank angle signal SGT showing the reference crank angle of each of cylinders and a cylinder identification signal SGC for identifying each of the cylinders.
Usually, a crank angle sensor (not shown) of the angle sensor 10 for creating the crank angle signal SGT is disposed to a crank shaft and a cylinder identification sensor (not shown) thereof for creating the cylinder identification signal SGC is disposed to a cam shaft.
Various sensors 12 for detecting the operating state of the internal combustion engine include a load sensor 14 for detecting a load Q corresponding to an amount of air sucked by the internal combustion engine.
Further, the various sensors 12 include, for example, a water temperature sensor which detects a cooling water temperature TW as another operating state.
Injectors 16 disposed in correspondence with the respective cylinders of the internal combustion engine inject a predetermined amount of fuel by driving the fuel injection valves of the respective cylinders at predetermined timings.
Each of ignition coils 18 disposed in correspondence with the respective cylinders of the internal combustion engine includes a primary winding 18a and a secondary winding 18b constituting a transformer and imposes an ignition high voltage to the ignition plug 20 of each of the respective cylinders from the secondary winding 18b.
A power transistor 22 connected to the primary winding 18a of each of the ignition coils 18 shuts off a primary current il flowing to the primary winding 18a and generates an increased high voltage from the secondary winding 18b.
An electronic control unit 30 (hereinafter, referred to as an ECU) composed of a microcomputer includes an input interface 32 for fetching the crank angle signal SGT, the cylinder identification signal SGC, the load Q, the cooling water temperature TW and the like, a control/calculation circuit 34 for creating drive signals J and P to the injectors 16 and the ignition coils 18 based on various types of information input through the input interface 32 and an output interface 36 for outputting the respective drive signals J and P.
The control/calculation circuit 34 calculates the respective control timings of the injectors 16 and the ignition coils 18 based on the operating state of the internal combustion engine and outputs the drive signals J and P according to the respective control timings.
The drive signal P to the ignition coils 18 acts as a base current of the power transistors 22 and intermittently turns on the power transistors 22 in the sequence of #1 cylinder.fwdarw.#3 cylinder.fwdarw.#4 cylinder.fwdarw.#2 cylinder and sequentially shuts off the primary current i1 supplied to the respective ignition coils 18.
Next, operation of the ignition controller for the conventional internal combustion engine shown in FIG. 7 will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. 8.
In FIG. 8, the crank angle signal SGT is composed of a pulse signal according to the rotation of the crank shaft and the rising edges of respective pulses show a first reference position (reference crank angle) B75.degree. (crank angle 75.degree. this side from TDC) corresponding to the respective cylinders (#1-#4) and the falling edges thereof show a second reference position B5.degree. (crank angle 5.degree. this side from TDC).
The cylinder identification signal SGC is composed of a pulse signal offset in correspondence with particular cylinders (for example, #1 and #4 cylinders) and generates a level (H level or L level) at the respective edges (first and second reference positions) of the crank angle signal SGT in a predetermined sequence to thereby specify the respective cylinders (#1-#4 cylinders).
In the case of FIG. 8, the level of the cylinder identification signal SGC at the first reference position B75.degree. is changed by the rotation of the internal combustion engine such that the H level and the L level are alternately repeated, so that a group of the cylinder which are ignited simultaneously (group ignition) can be identified.
Further, the level of the cylinder identification signal SGC at the second reference position B5.degree. is set to the H level only to a particular cylinder (for example, #1 cylinder), so that the specific cylinder can be identified.
Note, various patterns are observed in the cylinder identification signal SGC and crank angle signal SGT, for example, as shown in FIG. 9. The respective cylinders can be immediately identified from the levels of the cylinder identification signal SGC at a pair of the edges B5.degree. and B75.degree. of the respective pulses of the crank angle signal SGT.
That is, as shown in FIG. 10, when the levels of the cylinder identification signal SGC at the respective reference positions B5.degree. and B75.degree. are "1, 1", "the #1 cylinder" is specified, when the levels are "1, 0", "the #3 cylinder" is specified, when the levels are "0, 1", "the #4 cylinder" is specified and when the levels are "0, 0", "the #2 cylinder" is specified as a corresponding cylinder, respectively.
When the respective cylinders are identified, the control/calculation circuit 34 detects the operating state of the internal combustion engine based on the crank angle signal SGT and the cylinder identification signal SGC from the angle sensor 10, the load Q from the load sensor 14 and other signals detected by the various sensors 12. The circuit also calculates the control parameters (timing at which fuel is injected, ignition timing and the like) of each cylinder using the respective reference positions B75.degree. and B5.degree. as control references.
Therefore, the drive signal J to the injectors 16 and the drive signal P to the power transistors 22 (ignition coils 18) are sequentially created in correspondence to the respective cylinders at an optimum timing corresponding to the operating state of the internal combustion engine.
The power transistors 22 are sequentially turned on by the drive signal P and the primary current i1 supplied to the respective ignition coils 18 are shut off in the sequence of #1 cylinder.fwdarw.#3 cylinder.fwdarw.#4 cylinder.fwdarw.#2 cylinder as shown in FIG. 8.
With this operation, the ignition of the ignition plugs 20 of the respective cylinders is controlled in such a manner that the ignition plugs 20 are sequentially discharged. Usually, the timing at which the primary current i1 is shut off (ignition timing) is set to the vicinity of the second reference position B5.degree., that is, in the vicinity of the upper dead point in a compression stroke.
As described above, the control/calculation circuit 34 controls the injectors 16 and the ignition coils 18 of the respective cylinders at the optimum timing according to the operating state.
However, when the ignition plugs 20 are cooled at the start of the internal combustion engine or when fuel adheres to the ignition plugs 20 in the operating state in which a lot of fuel is injected (so-called, a sooting state), a normal combustible environment cannot be created and combustion is made unstable.
Since no countermeasure is taken in the fuel adhesion state (sooting) for the ignition plugs 20 by the ignition controller for the conventional internal combustion engine as described above, there is a problem that when fuel adheres to the ignition plugs 20, a combustion state is made unstable, by which an exhaust (emission) is deteriorated and rotation is varied.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above problem by providing an ignition controller for an internal combustion engine capable of maintaining a stable combustion state at all times by avoiding the adhesion of fuel to ignition plugs.

Ignition controller for internal combustion engine


A gas turbine engine with a compressor section, a turbine section, and a combustion section located downstream from the compressor section and upstream from the turbine section, the combustion section including: a dome inlet, a combustor outlet fluidly coupled to the turbine section, a liner and a dome assembly together at least partially defining a combustion chamber extending between the dome inlet and the combustor outlet, a primary fuel injector fluidly coupled to the dome inlet, and a second fuel injector fluidly coupled to the combustion chamber.

Turbine engines are driven by a flow of combustion gases passing through the engine to rotate a multitude of turbine blades. A combustor can be provided within the gas turbine engine and is fluidly coupled with a turbine into which the combusted gases flow.
The use of hydrocarbon fuels in the combustor of a gas turbine engine is known. Generally, air and fuel are fed to a combustion chamber, the air and fuel are mixed, and then the fuel is burned in the presence of the air to produce hot gas. The hot gas is then fed to a turbine where it cools and expands to produce power. By-products of the fuel combustion typically include environmentally harmful toxins, such as nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide (collectively called NOR), CO, UHC (e.g., methane and volatile organic compounds that contribute to the formation of atmospheric ozone), and other oxides, including oxides of sulfur (e.g., SO2 and SO3).
Hydrogen or hydrogen mixed with another element or compound can be used for fuel and therefore combustion in a gas turbine engine, however hydrogen or a hydrogen mixed fuel can result in a higher flame temperature than traditional fuels. That is, hydrogen or a hydrogen mixed fuel typically has a wider flammable range and a faster burning velocity than traditional fuels such petroleum-based fuels, or petroleum and synthetic fuel blends.
Standards stemming from air pollution concerns worldwide regulate the emission of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), unburned hydrocarbons (UHC), and carbon monoxide (CO) generated as a result of the gas turbine engine operation. In particular, nitrogen oxide (NOx) is formed within the combustor as a result of high combustor flame temperatures during operation. It is desirable to decrease NOR emissions while still maintaining desirable efficiencies by regulating the profile and or pattern within the combustor.

Gas turbine engine combustor with primary and secondary fuel injectors


Disclosed herein is an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and having a first guide surface forming the outlet and a second guide surface facing the first guide surface provided therein, a heat exchanger configured to heat-exchange air suctioned through the inlet, a blower fan configured to suction air from the inlet, heat-exchange the air by passing air through the heat exchanger, and discharge air toward the outlet, and an airflow control unit provided to be movable between a first position adjacent to one end portion of the outlet from which air is discharged and a second position spaced apart from the end portion of the outlet from which air is discharged, and protruding from the first guide surface or the second guide surface when the airflow control unit placed at the first position.

An air conditioner is an apparatus that includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, a blower fan, etc. and uses a refrigeration cycle to adjust a temperature, a humidity level, an airflow, etc. in an indoor space. Air conditioners may be classified into a separated type having an indoor unit arranged inside and an outdoor unit arranged outside and an integrated type having both an indoor unit and an outdoor unit arranged inside a single housing.
An air conditioner includes a heat exchanger configured to heat-exchange refrigerant with air, a blower fan configured to circulate air, and a motor configured to drive the blower fan, and cools or heats an indoor space.
An air conditioner sometimes includes a discharged airflow controller configured to discharge air that is cooled or heated by a heat exchanger in various directions. Generally, such a discharged airflow controller includes a vertical or horizontal blade provided at an outlet, and a driving device configured to rotate the vertical or horizontal blade. That is, the air conditioner adjusts an angle of rotation of the blade to control a direction of discharged airflow.
According to the discharged airflow control structure using the blade, an amount of discharged air may be decreased because airflow is interfered by the blade, flow noise may be increased due to turbulent flow that is generated around the blade, and the blade cannot be easily rotated when the air conditioner is a central-discharge type, thereby causing a problem.
Also, in a case of an air conditioner in which an outlet has a circular shape, there is a problem in that a conventional blade structure is difficult to be applied thereto. Consequently, a method for controlling discharged airflow of air being discharged through the outlet is required.


In an image processing device which carries out processing for detecting and correcting defective portions of an image, it is possible to pre-emptively prevent the defective portion detecting and correcting processing from causing a deterioration in image quality or an excessive processing requiring time requirement. In cases in which a film type of a photographic film on which the image is recorded is a film type known to have a characteristic that an IR image is also formed at a time of image exposure and recording, and in cases in which a density distribution width of IR data is a predetermined value or more, defect detection-correction processing is cancelled. Further, in cases in which a non-image region is included in the image, either defect detection-correction is carried out only on regions other than the non-image region, or defective portion detection-correction is cancelled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device and method and a recording medium, and in particular, to an image processing device which corrects defective portions within an image as represented by image information, to an image processing method which is applicable to the image processing device, and to a recording medium on which is recorded a program for making a computer function as an image processing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are cases in which scratches are formed on an emulsion surface or back surface (the reverse surface from the emulsion surface) of a photographic film due to how the photographic film has been handled. In a case in which a scratch is formed in a place on the photographic film corresponding to an image-recorded region, when the image which is recorded on the photographic film is output (is recorded onto an image recording material such as a photographic printing paper, or is displayed on a display means such as a display), there are many cases in which (although it depends upon the extent of the scratch) the scratch formed in the photographic film is clearly visible on the output image as a defective portion such as a low density streak or a white streak or the like. Further, in cases in which foreign matter such as dust or the like adheres to the surface of the photographic film, the foreign matter is clearly visible as a defective portion.
In a planar exposure type photographic printing device, which irradiates light onto a photographic film and irradiates the light which has passed through the photographic film onto photographic printing paper so as to expose and record the image onto the photographic printing paper, as a countermeasure to scratching of the photographic film, a diffusion plate is disposed between the light source and the photographic film, and the light which is scattered by the diffusion plate is irradiated onto the photographic film. However, with this technique, it is difficult to eliminate the defective portions from the output image (the image which is exposed and recorded on the photographic printing paper), and the defects are merely mitigated slightly (i.e., are merely made to be slightly less noticeable).
A technique which is applicable to image reading devices which are structured to read, by a reading sensor such as a CCD, an image recorded on a photographic film is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 11-75039, which discloses reading a photographic film for at least four wavelength ranges, including three wavelengths in the visible light region and one wavelength in the invisible light region (e.g., the infrared region or the ultraviolet region). On the basis of information obtained by reading in the invisible light region, the image information which is obtained by reading in the visible light region is corrected.
For light in the visible light region, the transmitted light amount varies in accordance with the density of the image recorded on the photographic film. Further, at places where scratches are formed in or foreign matter adheres to the photographic film, the transmitted light amount of the light in the visible light region varies due to light being partially refracted and reflected by the scratches or foreign matter. On the other hand, for light in the invisible light region (invisible light), at the places where scratches have been formed in or foreign matter has adhered to the photographic film, the transmitted light amount varies, but the invisible light is not affected by the density of the image recorded on the photographic film.
Accordingly, in accordance with the technique described in the aforementioned publication, a scratch in or foreign matter on the photographic film can be detected from changes in the transmitted light amount of invisible light, and changes in the transmitted light amount of light in the visible light range that are due to the scratch in or the foreign matter on the photographic film can be corrected. Namely, the defective portions of the image (i.e., of the image as represented by image information obtained by reading in the visible light region), which defective portions are due to a scratch in or foreign matter on the photographic film, can be corrected.
However, among the many types of photographic films which are currently on the market, there are photographic films which are sensitive to invisible light as well, and on which, at the time of exposure and recording of an image, an invisible light image is simultaneously formed (so-called image-copy) in addition to the visible light image. In such a photographic film, the transmitted light amount of invisible light varies in accordance with the density of the image of invisible light. Thus, even if invisible light is used as above, it is difficult to isolate changes in the transmitted light amount which are due to the recorded image, and changes in the transmitted light amount which are due to a scratch or foreign matter. Problems arise in that, by carrying out the above-described defect detection-correction processing, conversely, deterioration in the image quality arises, such as edge portions in the image becoming more dull and the like, and the defect correction processing requires an unsuitably long time.
The aforementioned problems are not limited to cases in which defect detection-correction is carried out at the time of exposing and recording onto a photographic film for images which are formed at the same time as images by invisible light. The same types of problems arise in other cases; for example, in the reading of an image which is recorded on a reversal film which is set in a slide mount, by carrying out reading in a state in which non-image portions, such as the slide mount or the like, are within the reading range, the non-image portions (the portions corresponding to the slide mount) are included in the image represented by the image data which is the object of processing.

Image processing device and method, and recording medium


This invention provides a system and method that improves the sensitivity and localization capabilities of Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) by using combinations of time-varying and static magnetic fields. Combinations of magnetic fields can be used to distribute the signals coming from the magnetic particles among the harmonics and other frequencies in specific ways to improve sensitivity and to provide localization information to speed up or improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of imaging and/or eliminate the need for saturation fields currently used in MPI. In various embodiments, coils can be provided to extend the sub-saturation region in which nanoparticles reside; to provide a static field offset to bring nanoparticles nearer to saturation; to introduce even and odd harmonics that can be observed; and/or to introduce combinations of frequencies for more-defined observation of signals from nanoparticles. Further embodiments provide for reading of the signal produced by cyclically saturated magnetic nanoparticles in a sample so as to provide a measurement of the temperature of those nanoparticles.

The localization and imaging of magnetic particles and particularly nanoparticles (e.g. discrete particulate structures sized in the nanometer range) is becoming increasingly important for developing new diagnostic methods. Magnetic particles (e.g. iron oxide or iron particles having a magnetic characteristic) have recently been employed in several forms of imaging including MRI (See: H. Dahnke and T. Schaeffter: Limits of Detection of SPIO at 3.0 T Using T2 Relaxometry, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 53:1202-1206 (2005). Recently, a relatively new method termed "Magnetic Particle Imaging" or MPI. MPI was introduced in a paper by B. Gleich and J. Weizenecker entitled Tomographic Imaging Using the Nonlinear Response of Magnetic Particles, Nature Vol. 435(30):1214-9 Jun. 2005. Currently, this new technique (MPI) has received a good deal of attention in the wider press because of the promise of the method. See: C. Day, Novel Medical Imaging Method Shows Promise, Physics Today, Sep. 21-22, 2005. The teachings of each of the above three articles/papers being expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Thus, magnetic particles are becoming important in a wide variety of endeavors and applications. In medical applications, such magnetic particles are being used to identify pathology as well as to treat pathology like cancer and heart disease. In general, magnetic substances are relatively easy to detect using various detection and imaging technologies. A further discussion of the use of MPI, in the imaging of human bodily structures is disclosed in published U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0085703, entitled METHOD OF DETERMINING THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF MAGNETIC PARTICLES by Bernhard Gleich, the teachings of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. Reference will now be made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which illustrate a basic implementation of an MPI system in accordance with Gleich.
The MPI system detects particles in the field-free point 210 (FIG. 2 below) where there is very little static field. Those particles in the field free point produce signal at the harmonics, most strongly at the third harmonic.
As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality 100a, 100b of coil pairs are arranged above (100a) and beneath (100b) a patient (or other subject to be examined) 110 positioned on a table top, which is substantially non-magnetic. As described further below, the patient has been infused with magnetic nanoparticles. These particles can be formed with a variety of substances and in a range of sizes. In one example, the particles each comprise a spherical substrate, for example, of glass which is covered with a soft magnetic layer having a thickness of, for example, approximately 5 nm. This layer can consist, for example, of an iron nickel alloy (for example, permalloy). This soft magnetic layer may be covered, for example, with a further covering layer, which protects the particle against acids and other bodily fluids and/or environmental agents.
The range of these coil pairs defines the examination zone. The first coil pair includes the two identically constructed windings 102a and 102b, which are arranged coaxially above and beneath the patient or sample and conduct equally large but oppositely directed sinusoidal currents (indicated by oppositely arranged X's and dots). The gradient magnetic field thus generated can be represented by the field lines 200 shown in FIG. 2. In the direction of the (perpendicular) axis of the coil pair it has a substantially constant gradient and in a point 202 on this axis (dashed line 210) it reaches the value zero. Starting from this field-free point, the strength of the magnetic field increases in all three spatial directions as a function of the distance from this point. In a zone 210 which is denoted by a dashed circle (the first sub-zone) around the field-free point the field strength is so low that the magnetization of magnetic particles present therein is not saturated, whereas the magnetization is in a state of saturation outside the zone 210. In the zone remaining outside the zone 210 (the second sub-zone 220) the magnetization of the particles is in the saturated state.
The strength of the magnetic field required for the saturation of the magnetization of particles is dependent on their diameter and composition. Smaller particle require a larger magnetic field to saturate them than larger particles. When a coating of a material having a lower saturation magnetization is chosen, lower field values are enabled. The size of the zone 301 determines the spatial resolution of the system, and is partly dependent on the strength of the gradient of the gradient magnetic field and also on the strength of the magnetic field required for saturation. By way of example, for a 100-micron diameter and a gradient of 0.2 T/m of the magnetic field, the zone 210 (in which the magnetization of the particles is not saturated) defines a size of approximately 1 mm.
In order to appropriately image structures within the patient or other subject 100 under examination, the system must extract information concerning the spatial concentration of the magnetic particles within the subject 100. As such, a plurality of coil winding pairs is arranged above and beneath the subject 100 and/or the table top 112.
When a further magnetic field is superimposed on the gradient magnetic field in the examination zone, the zone 210 is shifted in the direction of this additional magnetic field, the extent of the shift being greater as the strength of the magnetic field is greater. When the superimposed magnetic field is variable in time, the position of the zone 210 changes accordingly in time and in space.
In order to generate such temporally variable magnetic fields for any arbitrary direction in space, three further coil winding pairs 104a and 104b, 106a and 106b, and 108a and 108b are provided coaxially with the first winding pair 102a, 102b. The coil winding pair 104a, 104b generates a magnetic field which extends in the direction of the coil axis (dashed line 130) of the coil winding pair 102a, 102b (aligned vertically in this example). To this end, the two windings 104a, 104b are supplied with equal currents which also flow in the same direction as adjacent windings 102a, 102b. The effect of coil winding pair 104a, 104b can also be achieved by superimposing currents flowing in the same direction on the oppositely directed equal currents in the coil winding pair 102a, 102b so that the current in one coil pair decreases while it increases in the other coil winding pair. However, it may be advantageous when the temporally constant gradient magnetic field and the temporally variable vertical magnetic field are generated by separate coil pairs.
In order to generate magnetic fields which extend horizontally in space in the longitudinal direction of the patient/subject 100, and also in a direction perpendicular thereto (e.g. generally parallel to the axis 130), there are provided two further coaxial coil winding pairs 106a and 106b, and 108a and 108b. In this example the coil winding pairs 106a, 106b and 108a, 108b are not of a Helmholz-type—while the coil winding pairs 102a, 102b and 104a, 104b can be of a Helmholz-type. To employ Helmholz-type coil winding pairs to generate horizontal fields would require them to be arranged along the sides of the examination zone—for example, windings each respectively arranged to the left and to the right of the examination zone and in front of and behind the examination zone. This arrangement may be impractical, as it impeded access to the examination area.
Thus, as shown, the windings 106a, 106b and 108a, 108b of the coil pairs are arranged coaxially above and beneath the examination zone, and hence they employ a winding configuration different than that of the coil winding pair 104a, 104b. Note that coils of this configuration are known and available in connection with magnetic resonance apparatus with an open magnet (e.g. open MRI) in which an RF coil pair is arranged above and beneath the examination zone so as to generate a horizontal, temporally variable magnetic field.
FIG. 1 also shows a further pickup/sensing coil(s) 150 which provides for the detection of signals generated in the examination zone. In principle any of the field-generating coil winding pairs 102a and 102b, 104a and 104b, 106a and 106b, and/or 108a and 108b can be used for this purpose. However, the use of a separate receiving coil offers advantages. A more attractive signal-to-noise ratio is obtained (notably when a plurality of receiving coils is used) and the sensing coil(s) 150 can be arranged and switched in such a manner that it is decoupled from the other coils.
In operation, the coil winding pairs 104a and 104b, 106a and 106b, and 108a and 108b receive their currents from current amplifiers 170. The variation in time of the currents Ix, Iy, and Iz which are amplified and produce the desired magnetic fields is imposed by a respective waveform generator 172. The waveform generators are controlled by a system control unit 174, which calculates the variation in time of the currents as required for the relevant examination method and loads this variation into the waveform generators. During the examination these signals are read from the waveform generators 172 and applied to the amplifiers 170, which generate the sinusoidal currents Ix, Iy, and Iz required for the coil winding pairs 104a and 104b, 106a and 106b, and 108a and 108b on the basis thereof.
Generally, a non-linear relationship exists between the shift of the zone 210 from its position at the center of the gradient coil system 102a, 102b and the current through the gradient coil system. Moreover, all three coils should generate a magnetic field when the zone 210 is to be shifted along a line extending outside the center 202. This is taken into account by the system's control unit 174 while imposing the variation in time of the currents, for example, by employing appropriate lookup tables. The zone 210, therefore, can be shifted along arbitrarily formed paths through the examination zone.
The signals S received by the sensing coil(s) 150 are applied to an amplifier 180 via a suitable filter 182. The output signals of the amplifier 180 are digitized by an analog-to-digital converter 184 so as to be applied to an image processing unit 186, which reconstructs the spatial distribution of the particles from the signals and the known position of the zone 210 during the reception of the signals S. An image of the sensed particle distribution can be displayed on an appropriate display monitor 188 (or otherwise rendered into a viewable image).
The signal produced from a harmonic field with an additional static field imposed has been characterized as discussed in Frequency Distribution of the Nanoparticle Magnetization in the Presence of a Static as Well as a Harmonic Magnetic Field, Medical Physics 35, 1988-1994, 2008, by J. B. Weaver, A. M. Rauwerdink, C. R. Sullivan, I. Baker. The second harmonic produced when there is a static field is larger than the third harmonic providing superior signal to noise. In addition, the size of the static field contributes localization information that contributes to the signal localization. See Imaging Magnetic Nanoparticles Using the Signal's Frequency Spectrum, Procedures of SPIE on Medical Imaging, Volume 6916, 6916-35, 2008, by J. B. Weaver, A. M. Rauwerdink, B. S. Trembly, C. R. Sullivan. Further, a combination of harmonic fields produce signal at many specific frequencies which can also be used to contribute localization information.
In medical applications, the ability to attach a nanoparticle to molecular agents that localize in pathology is very promising for both diagnosis and treatment. Also, a highly significant aspect of MPI is the promised sensitivity. Antibody-tagged nanoparticles can be targeted to cancer or other cells in very specific ways but highly selective targeting will generally collect relatively few nanoparticles to a specific location so sensitivity is critical. For example, targeting individual cells would be important to track a metastasis. In view of these promising new medical applications and techniques, it is, thus, highly desirable to refine the above-described system and method for performing MPI to achieve even higher imaging resolution and particle localization accuracy.

System and method for use of nanoparticles in magnetic particle imaging (MPI) and temperature measurement with extended / increased 3D sub-saturation region


An optical add/drop multiplexer to be tuned locally or remotely, to compensate for drift in operation, and to facilitate installation or replacement at remote terminals.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to optically-based products and more particularly to communications over optical transmission networks.
2. Description of Related Art
Synchronous Optical Networks (SONET) have been used for inter alia, commercial telephone and data distribution services. Most of the implementations of optical data transmission for commercial use are SONET based architectures. These networks consist of an optical ring emanating from a central office (CO) terminating either at end offices or remote terminal (RT) boxes.
SONET solves the need to deploy voice and some business data service to an existing group of subscribers. However, the bandwidth for SONET was architected for traditional 64 kb/s voice services and is based on Time Domain Multiplexing (TDM). Most of the implementations were installed in the early to mid 1990s and were designed to support on the order of 10,000 subscribers per optical carrier 3 (OC3) optical ring. With business subscribers utilizing for example, T1 connections, the number of subscriber service lines is further limited.
In the context of residential broadband service, Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) or other sorts of broadband access technologies operate at a bandwidth typically on the order of 100 times that of voice. Thus even though SONET rings appear to have a significant bandwidth, there is a considerable amount of oversubscription that occurs from a data perspective when trying to provide broadband telephony on a commercial scale. Gigabit Ethernet technology is a native packet transport scheme which is more efficient than a traditional TDM structure. As such it is better suited to operate in a data domain than is a TDM SONET.
Most of the existing SONET rings are built on 1310 nanometer (nm) optics. A typical OC3 ring includes a 1310 nm. laser, a photodetector that is optimized for the 1310 nm. band of light, a single mode fiber and optical splicing components. Basically, in such systems, light is transmitted from a Central Office (CO) to remote terminal #1, to remote terminal #2, to remote terminal #3, and so on, with add/drop multiplexers at each interim node.
To add another wavelength of light over the same channel (e.g., to combine a 1550 nm signal with a 1310 nm. signal in a channel), one must typically employ wave division multiplexing (WDM) hardware. The WDM hardware typically includes a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) or other nonlinear crystal and associated optical fibers. An erbium doped optical fiber ring can transmit both the 1310 nm. and the 1550 nm. wavelengths of light. A standard Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) typically may have a bandwidth wide enough to handle either band, or anywhere in-between for that matter.
Transmission problems are seen where it is desired to use more than the 1310 nm and 1550 nm specific wavelengths. Examples include four channel add/drop multiplexers, or taking a 1310 nm., and adding four channels of 15xx wavelength hardware on top of it. For example, a four channel 1550 nm wave division multiplexor (WDM) wavelength, typically operates at 1510, 1520, 1530, and 1540 nm. Four channel 1550 operations usually have windows at each of those stages. The limitations is that if one is only adding or dropping one channel at a particular node one must have a laser that is tuned to that particular frequency, and a photodetector that looks at that particular frequency. Which means that each node has to be preset to that particular frequency. This means that the telephony installation technician has to have optics components for each wavelength at his disposal to service each different terminal. Each wavelength in which the telephony system is capable of transmitting data must have add/drop multiplexers that are tuned to that wavelength and labeled accordingly. This results in much overhead distributed among the stock room, the CO, and the other service technicians who are required to have all hardware variations with them. Additionally, the technicians must know which multiplexers to use when they try to replace terminal hardware. In other words they have to make sure the replacement for the particular multiplexer he is replacing matches the wavelength for the bad module so he does not plug in a module tuned to the wrong frequency and thus interfere with a signal of a different wavelength of some other remote terminal in the ring.
FIG. 1 is a representation of an optical ring. Central Office (CO) 100 is connected to the remote terminal equipment by fiber optic loop 500. Incumbent equipment includes a SONET OC3 ring. Due to large deployment rates in broadband, there is not enough bandwidth in the traditional SONET OC3 optical ring. Data congestion could be alleviated by a virtual point to point connection to each remote terminal without having individual fibers connect each of these sites. If this were a traditional OC3 bandwidth ring, all the bandwidth of the OC3 ring is shared over the entire ring. A parallel path could be built using the exiting fiber in the ring by using WDM. Add/drop multiplexers may be used to use put each of these Remote Terminals (RT) at different wavelengths. Assume existing SONET uses 1310 nm. Assigning RT #1 to wavelength 1510 nm., RT #2 at 1530 nm., and RT #3 at 1550 nm. These wavelengths of light are overlaid on an existing SONET ring, but use different wavelengths of light. Using traditional techniques each site would have a fixed-wavelength add/drop multiplexer and laser tuned at that particular wavelength. This would require three specific models of gear as well as deployment of all this gear at the various sites. This invention is one add/drop multiplexing module that is capable of operating at all of the wavelengths transmitted over an optical fiber and yet tunable to any specific wavelength desired at the time of deployment or replacement.
A lot of progress has been made on tunable laser technology. For example inter alia, how to tune a laser to get exactly the frequency desired. Add/drop technology in the transmit, direction is unnecessary, all that is needed is an optical combiner.
Photodiodes are generally not tunable to a particular frequency, nor do they have enough quality or selectivity to be able to isolate its own tunable band. A photo diode that is tuned to the 1300 band is likely going to respond to a signal in the 1500 band as well. A filter in front of the device is required.
Wavelength Add/drop modules are such that they will only split off a particular wavelength of light while passing remaining wavelengths. Typically the majority of the selected wavelengths energy will be split off and 99% of the other frequencies of light will pass through, making them advantageous where multiple nodes must share a single fiber run.
The difficulty with optical filters is how to make an optical filter that can be set to one of a variety of wavelengths in the field. Something that is scaleable to deployment in the field. Small enough to fit in an optical interface, and cheap enough to deploy on a mass basis. That is where that tunable wavelength filter is beneficial.
An improved add/drop multiplexer that is affordable and small enough to be deployed commercially is needed.
In one embodiment, a scheme for tuning an optical add/drop multiplexer may be used to maintain focus on the wavelength of interest, and avoid drift in signal capture due to misuse or environmental conditions and pass undesired wavelengths through to other nodes. In one example, an apparatus configured for use in the present scheme includes one add/drop multiplexing module that is tunable to the frequencies desired at the time of deployment or replacement. In this manner an existing SONET ring may employ course wave division multiplexing (two channel, potentially four channel, optical add/drop multiplexing) to add Gigabit Ethernet services on top of traditional SONET services (e.g., voice). Such a scheme may allow for an increase in useful bandwidth of approximately 10 times the bandwidth of traditional OC3.
Additional features, embodiments, and benefits of this scheme will be evident in view of the figures and detailed description presented herein.


A code generator tool capable of creating command shell commands at compile time or runtime from a schema such as an XSD schema is provided. The code generator generates classes to represent data defined by a schema and the command shell generation code may use knowledge of the classes to generate appropriate command shell classes to manipulate the data. Plug-ins may be inserted following optimization of a model of classes generated by the code generation tool. The plug-ins can modify the model, insert their own code, or disable code generation and generate their own code from the model.

Command shells are regular command line interpreters that support a few basic commands within an operating system. In some cases, a separate console application may be provided, to be invoked from these shells. They may also include a scripting language (batch files), which can be used to automate various tasks. However, they are not intended to automate all facets of graphical user interface (GUI) functionality of the operating system, in part because command-line equivalents of operations exposed via the graphical interface are limited, and the scripting language is typically elementary and does not allow the creation of complex scripts.
Structured documents such as extensible markup language (XML) documents are commonly used in computing. XML schema documents or XSDs are documents written in XML schema language. XSD may be used to express a set of rules to which an XML document must conform in order to be considered valid according to that schema. However, unlike most other schema languages, the determination of a document's validity according to XSD may produce a collection of information adhering to specific data types. Command shell commands (also referred to as "cmdlets") may not be sufficient to modify data defined by XSD schemas, especially when the number of schemas is large.

Command line shell command generation based on schema


A system and method for modal progress dialog may provide progress feedback to a user when an application accesses or uses system resources on a computing platform. The application may access or use the system resource by invoking an operation via a system interface. Execution of the application may be blocked pending receiving a result of the system resource operation. The progress feedback may be provided by the system interface without the involvement of the application. The progress feedback may include displaying a progress dialog. The progress dialog may be displayed in a window associated with the application. The progress dialog may include a visual indication of a degree of completion of the system resource operation. The progress dialog may mitigate a user misinterpreting delays in completion of the system resource operation as misoperation or failure of the application.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to the field of human-machine interfaces (HMI). In particular, to a system and method for modal progress dialog.
2. Related Art
Various computing platforms provide for the execution of applications. The applications may include native applications and/or 3rd-part applications. The applications access and use system resources (e.g. objects in a file system) by invoking system interfaces (e,g, application programming interfaces (API)). In so doing, the applications may be coded with little or no insight or knowledge into the detailed operation and control of the system resources.
When an application invokes a system interface to access or use a system resource there is typically a delay before the system interface responds. The delay can vary from a virtually human-imperceptible time (e.g. on the order of 10's of mS for some local operations) to a user-frustratingly long time (e.g. on the order of 10's of sec to minutes for some network operations). In the absence of some feedback, the user may mistakenly perceive a long delay as misoperation or failure of the application.


Provided is a bumper reinforcement to be mounted to side members arranged at both end portions of a vehicle in a vehicle width direction so as to extend in a vehicle front-and-rear direction, the bumper reinforcement including: a body section formed into a tubular shape so as to extend in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, the body section having both end portions in the vehicle width direction, which are formed so as to extend in the vehicle width direction, and an intermediate portion in the vehicle width direction, which is formed in a protruding manner toward one of a front of the vehicle and a rear of the vehicle; and a mounting section to be mounted to one of a front end surface and a rear end surface of each of the side members, the mounting section being formed into a tubular shape extending in the vehicle width direction integrally with a side surface portion of each of the both end portions of the body section in the vehicle width direction, the side surface portion being opposed to the each of the side members.

Hitherto, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-176487, there has been known a bumper device for absorbing shock caused when a vehicle collides. The bumper device includes a bumper reinforcement formed so as to extend in a vehicle width direction.
The related-art bumper reinforcement is mounted to side members through intermediation of bumper stays. In other words, the bumper reinforcement is fastened to the bumper stays with bolts and nuts, and the bumper stays are fastened to the respective side members with bolts and nuts. The fastening portions between the components are regarded as a factor in reducing body rigidity of the vehicle. Therefore, in order to increase the body rigidity of the vehicle, it is desired that the number of the above-mentioned fastening portions between the components be minimized.


A Camper Truck Tent for detachably mounting on a pickup truck, consisting of front and rear mounting supports attached to the truck cargo box sidewalls, various tent poles attaching the folded out tent to the mounting supports, erecting means for folding out the tent and two beds placed inside the erected tent. When dismantled, all these components occupy minimum space. The tent itself is stored in a self-contained pouch on the cargo box floor, the mounting supports in an envelope integral with one bed and the tent poles in an envelope integral with the second bed. The stored components are close to the cargo box floor and out of sight of the truck driver. Several tent pole configurations are available: two main configurations and three alternative configurations. Front and aft erecting means keep the tent folded out. The front means is a front strap secured to the front of the truck or a cramping tent pole. The aft means are aft straps secured to the downed tailgate.

A number of designs exist for tent structures which can be mounted on pickup trucks and related vehicles. A search was conducted in the U.S. patent literature which resulted in the following patents and patent publications:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,379 (Nov. 1973) to Loiseau
U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,194 (Jan. 1982) to Biller
U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,265 (Jun. 1982) to Baker
U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,288 (Aug. 1993) to Chandler
U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,745 (Dec. 1999) to Alexa
U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,784 (Nov. 2002) to Cargill
2003/0146646 (Aug. 2003) to Cervenka
D484,942 (Jan. 2004) to Rapaport et al
U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,787 (Oct. 2004) to Angelos
U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,418 (Aug. 2005) to Connell
U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,694 (Apr. 2006) to Roberts et al.
None of these patents provide the configurations, convenience and facility of erection and removal of the present invention as described in the Summary of the Invention and Detailed Description which follow.


A readout circuit includes: an amplifier (408); and offset controllers (415 and 416) configured to set an output offset voltage of the amplifier, wherein the readout circuit operates in first and second modes, in the first mode, a first voltage, and thereafter a second voltage lower than the first voltage, are input into the amplifier, in the second mode, a third voltage, and thereafter a fourth voltage higher than the third voltage, are input into the amplifier, and the offset controller switches the output offset voltage of the amplifier, between the first and second modes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a readout circuit, a solid-state imaging apparatus, and a method for driving a readout circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A CMOS image sensor and a CCD image sensor include a pixel which includes a photoelectric conversion element, and a peripheral circuit which includes a readout circuit for reading out a signal that has been generated by photoelectric conversion in the pixel. In particular, CMOS image sensors are becoming to have higher functionalities due to having various modes. For instance, there is a CMOS image sensor which can switch resolution or a read out speed. As for image sensors associated with the above, there is a CMOS image sensor in which an input voltage range of the readout circuit changes and an order of input voltages change, according to the modes.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-74784, a solid-state imaging apparatus is described which includes a photoelectric conversion element, a resetting element for resetting the photoelectric conversion element, and a plurality of clamping capacitors for accumulating electric charges therein which have been generated in the photoelectric conversion element and then have been amplified by an amplifier unit. The solid-state imaging apparatus further includes common nodes which are provided on each of the clamping capacitors and can be connected to the clamping capacitor, a plurality of pixel selecting switches each connected between the clamping capacitor and the common node, and a clamping unit for fixing the common node to a reference voltage. The solid-state imaging apparatus further includes a sampling and holding circuit which is connected to the common node through the clamping unit, and samples and holds electric charges according to the electric charge of the common node. In a first mode, the solid-state imaging apparatus accumulates the output of the amplifier unit according to the amount of an electric charge which has been obtained through photoelectric conversion by the photoelectric conversion element, in the clamping capacitor as a photo signal, and then after the photoelectric conversion element has been reset by a resetting element, accumulates the signal to be output in response to the reset by the amplifier unit, in the clamping capacitor as a reset signal. In a second mode, after the photoelectric conversion element has been reset by the resetting element, the solid-state imaging apparatus accumulates the signal to be output in response to the reset by the amplifier unit, in the clamping capacitor as the reset signal. Next, the solid-state imaging apparatus accumulates the output of the amplifier unit according to the amount of the electric charges which has been obtained through the photoelectric conversion by the photoelectric conversion element in the clamping capacitor as the photo signal to sample and hold the reset signal and a difference between the photo signal and the reset signal.
In the configuration described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-74784, in the first mode, the reset signal is input into the clamping capacitor after the photo signal, and in the second mode, the photo signal is input into the clamping capacitor after the reset signal. Accordingly, the potentials which appear in the output of the clamping unit are also different. In the first mode, the output potential of the clamping unit when the photo signal has been input into the clamping unit shall be represented by an output potential 1, and the output potential of the clamping unit when the reset signal has been input into the clamping unit shall be represented by an output potential 2. In addition, in the second mode, the output potential of the clamping unit when the reset signal has been input into the clamping unit shall be represented by an output potential 3, and the output potential of the clamping unit when the reset signal has been input into the clamping unit shall be represented by an output potential 4. Then, the relationship of the magnitude between the output potential 1 and the output potential 2 and the relationship of the magnitude between the output potential 3 and the output potential 4 are reversed. The output potential 2 of the clamping unit in the first mode and the output potential 4 of the clamping unit in the second mode becomes an electric signal which shows the difference between the photo signal and the reset signal, and the magnitude, or the polarity of the output potential 2 and the output potential 4, is reversed.
In this case, even when a dynamic range in which the clamping unit is operated is appropriate in the first mode, the dynamic range becomes narrow in the second mode, and a sufficient dynamic range may not be available. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-74784, it is described in FIG. 7 and the second embodiment that reference voltages VC0R1 and VC0R2 to be input into the clamping unit are changed according to the mode, and thereby the dynamic range is appropriately secured. However, in the embodiment, such a case is considered that even when the reference potential VC0R1 or VC0R2 to be input into an amplifier 201 is selected and used so as to suit the mode, the dynamic range cannot still be secured depending on the configuration of an amplifier constituting the clamping unit.

Readout circuit, solid-state imaging apparatus, and method for driving readout circuit


A mud visor formed by a substantially transparent sheet is attached to a goggle lens. The mud visor may be attached to the goggle lens using a substantially transparent adhesive or adhesive tape. Thus, the mud visor may provide clear and improved field of view for the user. Further, the mud visor may be configured to cover and guide a top portion of a roll-off film as the roll-off film is conveyed across the goggle lens. A top portion of the mud visor may be inserted into the lens groove of a goggle frame along with the goggle lens when the goggle lens is attached to the goggle frame. The mud visor also may stretch across the goggle lens and overlap with film canisters at both sides to provide a seamless coverage to prevent mud from entering behind the mud visor or the roll-off film.

Sport goggles are worn by users for various sports or activities, such as motorsports, powersports, snowsports, watersports, biking, or the like, to protect users' eyes. A sport goggle may be installed with a roll-off film system to preserve a field of view on the lens of the sport goggle. In particular, the roll-off film system may stretch a section of a clear film across the lens of the sport goggle. When the section of the clear film is filled with dirt or debris from the sport activity, the roll-off film system may convey the used section of the clear film off the lens and a new section of the film may be conveyed onto the lens to provide a clear field of view for the user.
Nevertheless, dirt or mud still may enter through an interface between the roll-off film system and the lens of the goggle. This may reduce the field of view on the lens which may render the roll-off film system ineffective. As such, there is a need for an improved implementation that may address one or more of these shortcomings.


A message filtering system is provided including a message management unit and a message monitoring unit in communication with the message management unit. The message management unit is configured to send and receive message over a network and to route messages to the message monitoring unit based on a message source, and the message monitoring unit is configured to parse the message and locate identifiers in the message and to re-route the message based on the identifier located in the message.

Use of electronic messaging is growing at exponential rates. As the use of electronic messaging increases, additional risks and dangers are presented which require monitoring large amounts of data for inappropriate communications. The use of electronic messaging is even more concerning when one considers the number of children currently using electronic messaging. As has been well documented in the media, electronic messaging is commonly used by sexual predators and others who look to harm children. Monitoring of electronic messaging by parents is very difficult to do in real time, which results to children being exposed to inappropriate and dangerous information.
Currently, parents who are interested in viewing the electronic messages their children send and receive have limited options. Parents can view old e-mails or text messages directly on the child's communication device. In addition, logging software can save copies of the child's electronic messages on a server or workstation. However, these monitoring devices do not act in real time. Also, the parent is required to read all the text messages generated which is very time consuming. A need exists for a monitoring system which will automatically parse every message a child receives for inappropriate content and to notify parents if inappropriate content is received.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A system for synchronization whereby metadata repository maintains information regarding the history and status of data items in a data repository. Data items are associated with states and such states changes (e.g. increment) in response to changes to the data items. History statements associated with the same states describe the changes in a generic enough fashion that multiple data items may be associated with a single state (e.g. if multiple data items share a common history such as that they were all edited by a user on the same device). The history repository is synchronized with other history repositories so as to reflect the states of data items on multiple devices. The synchronized history stores are used during synchronization to identify and resolve data conflicts through ancestry of data item history.

Synchronization is a function that provides or maintains consistency between data sets. For example, a desktop computer may have desktop data sets regarding personal information management ("PIM"). A user of that desktop computer may desire to use that PIM data when she is away from her desktop computer. Therefore, she may desire access to the PIM data while using a laptop computer or a personal digital assistant ("PDA") such as a phone or other device like a miniature device. In order to accommodate that desire, her laptop computer and PDA may each carry PIM data sets that correspond to the PIM data sets on the desktop computer. The role of the synchronization function is to give the user a common view of her data on each device. This role is generally accomplished by synchronization events when two or more of the devices synchronize.
A common technique for synchronizing devices is by using snapshots of data at a point in time and comparing current data to the snapshot to determine what has changed. For illustration purposes, refer to FIG. 1 where there is shown a model for two devices, a desktop computer 100 and a portable computer 110. Desktop computer has PIM database 101, which keeps current information for PIM data sets that are edited or added on the desktop computer 100. Desktop computer 100 also has desktop snapshot database, which is a snapshot of the PIM data sets taken at some point in time but typically the time of a prior synchronization (perhaps, the most recent synchronization). Similarly, portable computer 110 has portable database 111 for current PIM data. Having these structures in place, we may attempt to synchronize desktop 100 and portable 110. Typical synchronization occurs by comparing both portable database 111 and desktop database 101 with snapshot database 102. During the compare operation, we can then assemble a list of data items that are new or changed in the active databases 101 and 111 as compared to database 102. Finally, to finish out the synchronization, the list of new and changed data may be used to update all three databases 101, 102 and 111.
A problem occurs in the described synchronization process when corresponding data is changed on both the desktop and the portable. For example, if sometime prior to synchronization Jane Doe's phone number was changed to 877-555-5555 on the Desktop and 800-555-5555 on the portable. During the compare operation (or at another time) the synchronizing system will notice this discrepancy and identify a conflict. In the current art, there is generally no elegant way to resolve this conflict with certainty. Some solutions present an interface to the user and ask her to choose between the two options. Unfortunately, even the user may not remember which piece of data is correct. Other solutions simply create duplicate entries in each database (one with each of the possible data items).
The problem is exacerbated if there are more than two devices carrying the corresponding data sets. For example, referring to FIG. 1, assume that after synchronizing with portable 110, desktop 100 attempts to synchronize with PDA 120. During synchronization, we may discover that PDA 120 carries Jane Doe's phone number as 888-555-555. Unfortunately, in the prior art, we once again have no elegant solution for determining the correct result with certainty. Furthermore, even if we could determine the correct result at this time (e.g. by the user, who remembers), we may be unable to stop the system from having the same problem again the next time portable 110 is synchronized.
Finally, the problem may be generalized for peer-to-peer systems with 3 or more peers. That generalization is that, if peers may synchronize with each other 2 at a time, and a conflict arises there is no way to know if one of the peers carries a more up-to-date data. It is noteworthy, that a time stamp can not resolve the conflict with certainty. This is because as a matter of practical human usage, if two corresponding data items have been changed over the past days or months, that doesn't necessarily mean that the second change is correct. This is especially true if the second change occurred as the result of synchronization with another peer (such "another peer" may have received its data change long ago). Therefore, in the peer-to-peer situation, we would be unable to determine if a detected conflict is, on the one hand, a true conflict, or on the other hand, an apparent conflict that could be verifiably resolved if we understood the history of the data.
Other and related prior art techniques for synchronization may be found in the following U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,922 Method for synchronizing and archiving information between computer systems which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, the following pending applications "A Method of Synchronising Between Three or More Devices" by Toby Paterson and Jerome Lebel, Ser. No. 10/853,306, filed May 24, 2004 and "A Method of Synchronising" by Toby Patterson and Jerome Lebel, Ser. No. 10/852,926, filed May 24, 2004 are hereby incorporated by reference.
In view of the discussion herein as well as the other problems existing in the prior art, certain embodiments of the invention propose a synchronization system with three goals: (i) to properly synchronize all non-conflicting data; (ii) to detect true conflicts and only present an interface to the user for resolving same if the conflict is true; (iii) to avoid asking an user twice to resolve the same conflict for the same datum.
Applying these goals to the prior art, we may observe that existing synchronization systems meet the first goal in that they generally can accurately synchronize non-conflicting data. However, to satisfy the second and third goals, some type of meta-data must be retained, for example, our reference to a time stamp above. While some prior art systems attempt to use meta-data to accomplish these goals, none fully succeeds.

Method and system using reusable state information for synchronization and maintenance of data


A device and a method for opening and closing a motor vehicle door having a door lock. The device includes an electric opening actuator and an electric closing actuator, by means of which the door lock can be brought from a pre-locking position into a final-locking position. A control device controls the opening and closing actuators. The control device, in the event of a door opening request during operation of the closing actuator, first switches the closing actuator into a reversing mode, in which the door lock can be moved again in the opening direction and the opening actuator is triggered after a predetermined period of time.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a device for opening and closing a motor vehicle door having a door lock, which is provided with an electric opening actuator and an electric closing actuator, by means of which the door lock can be brought out of a first pre-locking position into a final-locking position, further comprising a control device for controlling the opening actuator and the closing actuator. Exemplary embodiments of the invention further relate to a motor vehicle door having such a device and a motor vehicle having at least one such motor vehicle door. Finally, exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a method for opening and closing a motor vehicle door by means of such a device.
Such lock operating devices are well-known and widespread. These usually comprise a door lock that can be opened by an electric opening actuator triggered by a door handle. To close a vehicle door, modern lock operating devices also have a closing actuator to bring the door from a pre-locking position to a final-locking position. The user no longer needs to "firmly" close or slam the door, but only needs to bring it into the pre-locking position, in which a rotary latch of the door lock is operated. When the pre-locking position is reached, the aforementioned closing actuator for the door lock is triggered by a switch, which pulls the door lock fully closed and brings it into the final-locking position. The vehicle door is then closed a few millimeters against the force of the door seals. This "closing process" typically takes a few hundred milliseconds to move the door lock from the pre-locking position to the final-locking position.
DE 10 2010 054 975 B3 discloses a device for opening and closing a motor vehicle door having a door lock with a lock actuating device, which can be operated in a reversing operation, i.e., can be switched to an opening operation by a signal during a closing operation.
DE 10 2004 034 628 A1 discloses a motor vehicle lock having an auxiliary opening actuator and an auxiliary closing actuator, wherein the auxiliary closing actuator is also operated for a short time during an opening process to relieve a pawl.
Conventional door locks are known from DE 199 57 061 A1 and DE 199 55 883 A1.
If, however, the door handle is operated by the user during this closing process with the intention of opening the door again immediately, i.e., to provide an emergency opening function, for example, if fingers or objects are jammed, conventional lock operating devices unlock the door lock mechanically by means of a door handle mechanically coupled via a Bowden cable. Since considerable forces in the region of several hundred Newton occur in the door lock during the closing process, such an opening process during the electrical opening process leads to large strains and thus to an increased wear in the door lock and sometimes to unpleasant noises.
Thus, exemplary embodiments of the invention are directed to preventing these negative effects in the case of an emergency door opening and to provide a lock operating device and a method for operating this, which enables the door to be opened during the closing process without generating noise and while avoiding increased wear.
In light of the generic device, according to embodiments, the control device is designed, in the event of a door opening request during operation of the closing actuator, to firstly switch the closing actuator into a reverse mode in which the door lock can be moved again in the opening direction and the opening actuator can be triggered after a predetermined period of time.
Due to the predetermined time period before the opening actuator is put into operation, not only is there less tension on the mechanism of the door lock, but the rotatory latch and its catches can also become tension-free during this period. As a result, the opening noises and the wear in the door lock are considerably reduced. The catches do not need to be released under tension. Finally, the opening actuator can also be designed to be weaker and the "emergency opening" provided here can still be implemented. The motor of the opening actuator is also subject to less wear. The door opening request can come from an external door handle, an internal door handle or by means of a switch or a control device.
Preferably the predetermined time span is between 20 msec and 200 msec, particularly preferably between 60 msec and 120 msec.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the opening actuator can be activated by a switching signal triggered by a door handle. By this known controlling of the opening actuator by a microswitch attached to the door handle, which triggers after a short distance when the door handle is pulled, a comfortable operation of the door lock is achieved for the user.
In addition, according to an advantageous development, the door handle can be mechanically coupled directly to the door lock parallel to the electrical opening actuator. This is achieved, in particular, by means of a Bowden cable attached to the door handle and the door lock. This makes it possible to force an immediate opening of the door in case of an emergency opening, e.g., in the case of trapped limbs, as neither the predetermined time period according to the invention nor a system-related delay necessary to the opening actuator has to be waited for, but rather an opening of the door can take place without delay.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the opening actuator can be activated by a switching signal that can be triggered by a switch, wherein the switch can be mounted in the vehicle interior or in a remote control. Thus, the emergency opening according to the invention can also be triggered by a user inside the vehicle.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the opening actuator can be activated either alternatively or additionally by a switching signal that can be triggered by a programmed control system. This enables an emergency opening if the control system detects a corresponding state.
According to the invention, a motor vehicle door is also provided, which comprises an embodiment of the device described above.
According to the invention, a motor vehicle is also provided, which comprises at least one motor vehicle door having the described device. Preferably, all motor vehicle doors of the motor vehicle are designed correspondingly.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are further directed to a method in which, in the case of an opening request during the operation of the closing actuator, the closing actuator is first switched to a reversing mode in which the door lock is moved in the opening direction and, after a period of time, the opening actuator is triggered.
Further advantages, features and details emerge from the following description, in which at least one exemplary embodiment is described in detail—if necessary, with reference to the drawings. Identical, similar and/or functionally identical parts are marked with the same reference numerals.

Lock actuation device having an emergency opening function


Provided is a tire puncture repair device capable of injecting a puncture sealing agent into a tire stably and speedily. A container is compressed between plate members by placing one of the plate members on the ground and pressing down the other one of the plate members with a foot. Thereby, the puncture sealing agent is discharged from the container and is injected into the tire through an injection tube. Discharge amount control means is attached to the injection tube to level an amount of the puncture sealing agent to be discharged.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tire puncture repair device, and more specifically, to a tire puncture repair device capable of injecting a puncture sealing agent into a tire stably and speedily.
2. Description of the Related Art
As vehicles such as passenger cars go spare-tireless, there is growth in demand for an emergency puncture sealing agent for easy fixing of a tire puncture. There are roughly two methods proposed as a method of injecting the puncture sealing agent into the tire. In one of the methods, the puncture sealing agent contained in a container is pressured by a compressor or the like to be injected into the tire semi-automatically (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2004-338476). In the other one of the methods, the container containing the puncture sealing agent is compressed by hand to inject the puncture sealing agent into the tire (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2003-26217).
The former method has a problem of requiring a complicated structure which is expensive. The latter method, on the other hand, has a problem that the weak-handed cannot easily handle the device because a certain level of strength is needed to compress the container. In addition, with the latter method, it is difficult to inject the puncture sealing agent into the tire speedily.
While the puncture sealing agent is injected into the tire, an injection tube sometimes comes off a tire valve due to factors such as poor connection between the injection tube attached to the container and the tire valve, or an imbalance between an inner pressure of the container and an injection pressure. In such a case, with the conventional method, a large amount of the puncture sealing agent flows to the outside of the tire and is lost. This causes shortage of the puncture sealing agent, causing a problem of being unable to repair the tire.


An actuator which drives a lens frame in an optical axis direction is constructed by piezoelectric elements, driving members, and a pressing spring. The piezoelectric elements are placed at opposite sides with a driven plate therebetween, and the driving members are fixed to the respective piezoelectric elements. The driving members are pressed against the driven plate from both sides by the pressing spring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an actuator and its control method, and a lens device, and particularly relates to an actuator which is loaded on a compact precision apparatus such as a digital camera and a cellular phone to drive a zoom lens and a focus lens.
2. Related Art
There is an actuator using a piezoelectric element as a drive device of a lens part of a digital camera or the like. For example, in an actuator in Japanese Patent No. 2633066, a driving rod is fixed to an end surface of the piezoelectric element and a lens-barrel is slidably supported at the driving rod. A plate spring is mounted to the lens-barrel so that the frictional force works between the lens-barrel and the driving rod by the elastic force of the plate spring. A driving pulse in a substantially sawtooth-shaped waveform is applied to the piezoelectric element, and the piezoelectric element deforms at different speeds in an extending direction and a contracting direction. When, for example, the piezoelectric element gradually deforms, the lens-barrel moves with the driving rod. On the other hand, when the piezoelectric element deforms fast, the lens-barrel stays at the same position by the inertia of its mass. Accordingly, by repeatedly applying the driving pulse in the substantially sawtooth-shaped waveform to the piezoelectric element, the lens-barrel can be intermittently moved at a fine pitch.
However, the actuator described in Japanese Patent No. 2633066 transmits a driving force via the long driving rod, and therefore, vibration of the piezoelectric element is absorbed by the driving rod and attenuated, thus causing the problem of being unable to move the lens-barrel accurately. The vibration at a high frequency especially has a large attenuation rate by the driving rod, and therefore, responsiveness of the lens-barrel becomes unfavorable. Therefore, the actuator in Japanese Patent No. 2633066 can be controlled only with the driving pulse at a low frequency, thus causing the problem of the number of moving times of the lens-barrel per unit time becoming small. Therefore, in order to increase the moving speed of the lens-barrel in the actuator in Japanese Patent No. 2633066, it is necessary to increase the applied voltage to increase the displacement amount of the piezoelectric element, and increase the moving amount of the lens-barrel at one time.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-50660, the moving amount at one time is increased by raising the power supply voltage of 5 V to 30 V, and thereby the moving speed of the lens-barrel is increased. Therefore, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-50660, a boosting device becomes necessary, thus causing the problems of the device becoming large in size, and requiring a complicated control.
In an actuator described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-232337, an engaging member is mounted to an end surface in the displacing direction of the piezoelectric element, and this engaging member is frictionally engaged with the movable plate, and the lens-barrel is mounted to the movable plate. By applying the driving pulse to the piezoelectric element, the vibration is transmitted via the engaging member, and the movable plate and the lens-barrel move.
Incidentally, in the actuators disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2633066, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-50660, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-232337, the speed difference between extension time and the contraction time has to be set so that the magnitude relation of the frictional force of the driving member (the above-described driving member, engaging member and the like) and the driven member (the above-described lens-barrel, moving plate and the like) and the inertia force of the driven member is inverted at the extension time and the contraction time of the piezoelectric element. Accordingly, there is the problem that selection of the spring force which frictionally engages the driven member and the driving member with a suitable frictional force is extremely difficult. Especially in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-232337, the spring force is generated by the shape of the driving member (engaging member), and therefore, it is very difficult to set the suitable spring force. Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-232337 has the possibility that the driven member does not slide because the frictional force becomes large, and the driven part does not move because the frictional force becomes small, as a result of which, the driven member cannot be moved accurately.
In the actuator disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-232337, the movable plate is held from both sides with the engaging member to be frictionally engaged, and there is the problem that a rattle occurs to the movable plate in the direction orthogonal to the holding direction. Therefore, there arises the problem that the movable plate (driven member) cannot be accurately moved.
Further, the actuators disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2633066, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-50660, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-232337 have the problem that the frictional forces between the driving member (the above described driving rod, engaging member and the like) and the driven member (the above-described lens-barrel, moving plate and the like) easily become unstable. Especially when machining accuracy of the driving member and the driven member is low, there is the possibility that the aforesaid frictional force changes in accordance with the contact position of the driven member and the driving member, and the frictional force changes in accordance with the individual actuators. Therefore, the conventional actuators have the problem that it is difficult to move the driven member stably and accurately.
When the actuators disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2633066, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-50660, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-232337 are applied to lens devices, position detectors which detect the position of the lens-barrel are needed. As the position detector, for example, a transmission type photo-interrupter, and a reflection type photo-reflector are used, and based on the detection values of the position detectors, drive control of the actuator is performed.
The photo-interrupter and the photo-reflector themselves are very compact, but a shielding body and a reflection plate are large, and thus causing the problem that the lens device becomes large in size.

Actuator and its control method and lens device