A tire air-pressure alarming device includes wheel speed sensors for detecting wheel speeds of wheels of a motor vehicle and also includes a microcomputer-base control device and an alarming unit. The control device is programmed to execute function steps of: deriving a decision value based on the wheel speeds detected by the wheel speed sensors; judging the occurrence of air-pressure drop of the tires constituting wheels, based on the decision value; and outputting a command when the occurrence of the air-pressure drop of the tires is judged. The alarming unit is responsive to the command from the control device thereby to raise an alarm indicating the occurrence of the air-pressure drop of the tire. The tires are monitored by the tire air-pressure alarming device, wherein the control device is also programmed to execute a function step of standardizing the speed dependency of a rolling radius of the tires thereby to standardize the performance in judging the air-pressure drop of the tires. Thus, the tire property can be controlled to improve the accuracy in detecting the tire air-pressure drop.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tire air-pressure alarming device for alarming a tire air-pressure drop based on a result obtained by indirectly detecting the state of tire air pressure in a motor vehicle. It further relates to a tire monitored by the device and a control method for property values of the tire.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Heretofore, as tire air-pressure alarming devices of this kind, there has been known one described in Japanese unexamined, published patent application No. 07-156621 for example. The known device comprises wheel speed detection means for detecting the wheel speeds of wheels of a motor vehicle, decision value deriving means for deriving a decision value based on the wheel speeds detected by the wheel speed detection means, air-pressure drop judging means for judging the tire air-pressure drop of the wheels based on the decision value derived by the decision value deriving means, and alarming means for raising an alarm when the tire air pressure of the wheels is judged by the air-pressure drop judging means to have dropped.
In the device, the air-pressure drop can be detected correctly by accurately and speedy compensating for initial differences of the tires which are caused by a dispersion of the tire property in production (including replacement of tires, air replenishment into the tires and the like). More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the aforementioned Japanese application, the speed Vi of each tire is detected (step S4), forward-rearward acceleration Ai is calculated based on the speed Vi when the same is larger than a threshold value VTH (step S7), and further, when the calculated forward-rearward acceleration is smaller than the threshold value VTH, it is judged whether or not the vehicle is in a straight-ahead traveling (step S9). As a result, when the vehicle is in the straight-ahead traveling, a rotational angular velocity Fi is stored in a rotational angular velocity area of a RAM for use in an initial compensation processing (step S10). The foregoing processing steps are repetitively executed until the traveling distance of the vehicle reaches a predetermined distance. When the traveling distance of the vehicle reaches the predetermined distance, a compensation coefficient Ci is calculated by the use of only the rotational angular velocities Fi being stored in the rotational angular velocity area (step S14). In accordance with the foregoing processing, the initial compensation processing can be executed more accurately since in the initial compensation, the rotational angular velocities Fi suitable for the initial compensation are selected and since the compensation coefficient Ci is calculated by using the selected rotational angular velocities Fi only.
In the compensation for the initial differences in the foregoing device, the dispersion of the tire property can be relieved by performing the compensation which takes traveling conditions into consideration, during the traveling of the vehicle. However, there arises a problem in that where the dispersion is large, it cannot be compensated to a full extent. Further, even if the initial differences were relieved, it is not carried out in the known device to relieve the dispersions (hereafter referred to as "property variation differences") which are caused by vehicle speed, wheel load (load on one wheel) and property variation in tire air-pressure. This gives rise to another problem that variations in the vehicle speed, the wheel load and the tire air-pressure property make it unable to detect the tire air-pressure drop precisely. That is, since each tire is not controlled in properties thereof, decision values a disperse large with the tires set under a normal pressure, and the sensitivity to the decision values a also fluctuates large with the decrease in the tire pressure. Thus, further problems arise in that the air-pressure drop is detected in spite of the fact that the tires are sufficient in air pressure or that the air-pressure drop is not detected in spite of the fact that the tire air pressure is below a lower limit for judgment.

Tire air-pressure alarming device, tire monitored thereby and control method for properties of tire


An image scaler which enlarges gray scale images, comprised of any number of gray scales, by any rational factor expressible as a ratio of integers between 1:1 and 2:1. The scaling method is "data conservative" in that it always keeps all of the original gray scale pixel values of the input image, generating additional pixel values as needed to produce an enlarged output image. The scaler generates an insertion number sequence for determining where to insert vacant pixel storage locations and calculates gray scale values for those newly created vacant locations by interpolating between values of neighboring pixels.

The invention relates generally to digital image scaling whereby a raster image of one particular spatial resolution is converted to a like image having a different spatial resolution. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for enlarging gray scale images.
Image scaling is often employed when images created, processed, or stored on one system or device are subsequently transferred for use, display, or output to another device. Image enlarging is especially useful where raster images which require large amounts of computer memory are stored in compressed form and then enlarged for display or hardcopy output.
Various scaling methods are known for enlarging black and white binary images but few of these are useful for gray scale images. Also, many of these methods enlarge an image only by a fixed amount. Finally, the techniques employed often result in many or most of the output data points being generated by the algorithm, resulting in computational inefficiency and possible degradation of image quality.
There is therefore seen a need for a fast and computationally efficient method for enlarging gray scale images by a variable amount. It is also desirable that this method be useful on images having any number of gray levels and that it output images of as good or better quality than those produced using other known techniques. Finally, such method should be easily and conveniently implementable in hardware.
The image scaler of the present invention bidirectionally enlarges gray scale images, comprised of any number of gray scales, by any rational factor expressible as a ratio of integers between 1:1 and 2:1. The method used to perform the scaling is "data conservative" in that it always keeps all of the original gray scale pixel values of the input image, generating additional pixel values as needed to produce an enlarged output image. The image scaler of the invention has two primary components, (1) the method for determining where to insert vacant pixel storage locations needed to produce an enlarged output image and (2) the technique for generating gray scale values for those newly created vacant locations.
To determine where to insert data points an insertion number sequence is generated as a function of the scale factor. The numerical values of the insertion sequence are applied to the image in a repeated fashion such that each pixel and each row of the input image has one sequence value associated with it. The sequence value associated with each pixel or row is interpreted by the scaler as the number of pixel or line units to increment a memory pointer before storing the next pixel value, the address for the next pixel being incremented by the insertion sequence value. Where a storage location is left vacant between original data points, the next pixel value is read and stored at the location specified by the incremented memory pointer, and then a gray scale value for the vacant pixel is calculated and the vacant memory location is filled with the calculated value.
A gray scale value for an inserted pixel is calculated by the scaler as a predetermined function of the current pixel and a previously read and stored pixel. This predetermined function could be simple averaging. For example, in an inserted column, the gray scale values of the two neighboring pixels in the same row could be averaged. For pixels in an inserted row, the neighboring pixels above and below in the same column could be averaged. As the scaler completes the calculations for the values for inserted pixels in a scaled or inserted row, it outputs "words" consisting of a fixed number of adjacent pixels in two parallel outputs, one consisting of an enlarged original row and the other being used to output an added row where necessary.
For a more complete understanding of the invention, its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Method and apparatus for enlarging gray scale images


According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal optical element includes: a pair of first and second substrates; a liquid crystal layer provided between the first and second substrates; first electrodes provided on the first substrate on the liquid crystal layer side and arranged along a first direction; second electrodes provided on the second substrate on the liquid crystal layer side and arranged along a second direction; and a driving unit configured to apply a voltage between the first electrodes and the second electrodes. The first electrodes are divided into electrode regions arranged along a third direction. The first electrodes included in each of the electrode regions are electrically connected to an extension line.

Conventionally, display devices capable of displaying stereoscopic (3-dimensional) images are proposed. In the stereoscopic image display devices, optical elements such as lenticular lenses or parallax barriers are used to provide different video image information items in space. The lenticular lens is a lens having semispherical-shaped (semicircular-shaped) cylindrical lenses linearly arranged in a certain direction and has a one-dimensional optical action. In order to provide parallax information for an observer by use of the optical action of the lenticular lens, it is preferable to arrange the array direction of the cylindrical lenses in the horizontal direction (a direction in which the left and right eyes are arranged) for the observer. However, in practice, since moiré occurs with respect to wires or the like if a normal display panel is used, the array direction of the cylindrical lenses may be shifted from the horizontal direction and arranged in an inclined state in some cases. This is true in the case of the parallax barrier.
Further, requests for switching a 2-dimensional (2D) image and a 3-dimensional (3D) image by means of the same display device exist and the technique for satisfying the above request is proposed. For example, in a reference (JP-A 2010-224191(KOKAI)), the technique using a birefringence lens utilizing a liquid crystal or the like and a polarization switching cell is described. 2D display and 3D display are switched by electrically switching the polarization state of light emitted from the polarization switching cell. Further, partial 2D/3D display is realized in which a part of 2D display is converted to 3D display by partially switching the polarization state of the polarization switching cell in the display screen.
Further, in the reference, the array direction of the lenses can be set without particularly paying attention to the influence given to the partial 2D/3D display. The boundary between the 2D display region and the 3D display region in the partial 2D/3D display is determined according to the electrode structure of the polarization switching cell. On the other hand, the array direction of the lenses is determined according to the structure of the birefringence lens. Since there is no correlation between both of the structures, they can be independently and freely designed.
Further, in the reference, the technique for switching 2D display and 3D display by use of a liquid crystal lens array element as the birefringence lens is described. The liquid crystal lens array element has rod-like electrodes repetitively arranged on one of the substrates. Then, an electric field distribution is created between the electrodes and an electrode formed on the other substrate opposed thereto. The alignment of a liquid crystal layer is changed according to the electric field distribution and a refractive index distribution acting as a lens is created. Since the lens action can be turned on/off by controlling voltages applied to the electrodes, 2D display and 3D display can be switched. A system in which the alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules is thus controlled according to the electric field is called a liquid crystal gradient index (GRIN) lens system.
However, since the polarization switching cell is required in addition to the lenses in the partial 2D/3D display switching technique using the birefringence lens and polarization switching cell described in the reference, the structure becomes complicated and a cost increase becomes a problem. Therefore, it is desirable to partially realize 2D/3D display switching without using the polarization switching cell.
Further, according to the study by the inventors, the shape of the boundary between the 2D display region and the 3D display region receives a restriction of the array direction (or extending direction) of the lenses when an attempt is made to partially realize 2D/3D display switching by use of a liquid crystal GRIN lens. Particularly, when the lens is inclined in an oblique direction and arranged as described in a reference (Jpn. PCT National Publication No. 2001-501073), a problem occurs in which the boundary between the 2D display region and the 3D display region becomes oblique with respect to the lens extending direction, thus the lens is not suitable for partial 2D/3D display.

Liquid crystal optical element and image display device


Iron and molybdenum containing agglomerates and a process for producing the agglomerates are disclosed. A green agglomerate is produced from mixing an iron containing powder, a molybdenum oxide powder, and a carbonaceous powder. The green agglomerates can be reduced at a temperature in the range of 400-1500° C.

Ferromolybdenum is an iron molybdenum alloy normally having a molybdenum content of 60-80% by weight.
In most commercial applications ferromolybdenum is produced from molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) by a carbothermic reduction, an aluminothermic reduction, or a silicothermic reduction. The carbothermic process produces a high carbon ferromolybdenum, while the latter two produces a low carbon ferromolybdenum. Low carbon ferromolybdenum is more common than the high carbon alloy. Lumps of ferromolybdenum produced by these methods normally have densities around 9 g/cm3. Dissolving the lumps in the steel melt can be difficult due to the high melting point of the lumps, for instance the commercial grade FeMo70 has a melting point of 1950° C., and since the temperature of the steel melt is considerably lower, dissolution of the ferromolybdenum is mainly affected by diffusion processes, which prolong the dissolution time of the ferromolybdenum. Another factor is the high cost of raw materials in the aluminothermic reduction and silicothermic reductions. Furthermore, around 2% of the Mo can be lost in the slag in these processes.


Disclosed is a method of making moldless/coreless single crystal castings of NiAl(.beta.') alloys. Drops of molten NiAl(.beta.') alloy is deposited on a starter seed block of single crystal alloy and casting structures are epitaxially grown to predetermined configurations and shapes by repeatedly dropping and solidifying molten NiAl(.beta.') materials.

Various methods of producing single crystal castings are known. Generally, these methods require a temperature of about 400.degree. F. temperature gradient above the melting point of the alloy to be grown in a single crystal structure. Such a temperature gradient is needed so that a section of the casting can be cooled below the melting point of the alloy and solidified slowly so that small layers build up duplicating and taking on the crystal structure of the previous solidified layer. Nickel-aluminide (NiAl) in a 50/50 atomic percent ratio would be a desirable alloy for a variety of structures including gas-turbine blades or components. However, NiAl(.beta.'), i.e., in a 50/50 atomic weight percent ratio, has a melting point of 2980.degree. F. (about 1638.degree. C.).
Unfortunately, commercially available ceramic casting mold shells and cores turn to glass at about 3000.degree. F. In order to produce a single crystal structure using NiAl(.beta.'), the casting mold and cores would have to be able to withstand a temperature of about 3400.degree. F. Thus, conventional methods of casting using molds and ceramic cores are not suitable for making a single crystal casting of NiAl(.beta.').
Thus, it would be desirable to have a method of producing single crystal castings of NiAl(.beta.').

Moldless/coreless single crystal castings of nickel-aluminide


A turbidity sensor is built in at a location being reachable by washing fluid in an automatic washing machine having a microprocessor for process control, a light transmitter and a light receiver for transmitting light through the washing fluid in a measurement path. A method for temperature compensation of measured values of the turbidity sensor includes calculating a temperature coefficient of the turbidity sensor for each operating point and storing the temperature coefficient in memory as a correction value in software for evaluating measurement results of the turbidity sensor. A respective measurement result is corrected by using the temperature coefficient as a function of a temperature being present and measured at the turbidity sensor.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for temperature compensation of measured values of a turbidity sensor which is built in at some location that is reachable by washing fluid in a water-carrying household appliance, preferably an automatic washing machine or dishwasher, having process control using a microprocessor and containing a light transmitter and a light receiver for transmitting light through the washing fluid located within a measurement path.
The turbidity of the washing fluid can be detected as a process parameter and used to optimize the rinse cycle through the use of a turbidity sensor in the washing machine. Since the turbidity sensor is located in the vicinity of the washing fluid, there is a thermal coupling between the turbidity sensor and the washing fluid. The temperature of the washing fluid may fluctuate in normal operation between about 10.degree. and 95.degree., so that the turbidity sensor is likewise exposed to severe temperature fluctuations.
The turbidity sensor functions according to an optical method and includes a transmitter (such as an LED), which transmits light in the near infrared range, and an optical receiver (phototransistor or photodiode or photoresistor), which converts the optical infrared signal into a proportional electrical signal. However, the transmitter (infrared LED, for instance) and the receiver being used (phototransistor, for instance) are highly temperature-dependent in their electrooptical properties. Without suitable temperature compensation, temperature fluctuations would be interpreted as fluctuations in the turbidity value and would lead to incorrect results in the evaluation of the signal. A temperature compensation of the turbidity sensor is therefore necessary in all appliances in which the turbidity sensor is exposed to major temperature fluctuations, such as in washing machines or dishwashers.
A washing machine with a device for measuring the dirtiness of the washing fluid is known from Published European Patent Application 0 393 311 A1. That device likewise uses an electrooptical turbidity sensor, which is to be calibrated at the beginning of a process that includes a plurality of turbidity measurements. That calibration relates to a reference value for the turbidity which is intended to be equivalent to a measured value definition of zero. To that end, before the measurements begin, the turbidity sensor is exposed to pure tap water or air, and the measurement value thus obtained is defined as zero. However, the known device does not take into account the fact that the ambient temperature of the turbidity sensor can fluctuate sharply and has a considerable influence on the magnitude of the measured turbidity value.
If a combination of a phototransistor and an IR LED is used for the turbidity measurement, then the temperature coefficients of the two components are superimposed on one another, and a total coefficient is obtained for the turbidity sensor. That is also true when similar components are used.
The total temperature coefficient is composed of many influencing variables, which are listed herein as examples for the combination of an IR LED and a phototransistor:
The radiation of the transmitter shifts with increasing temperature to higher wavelengths. The coupling factor between the transmitter and the receiver thus varies as well. PA1 The radiation out of the transmitter drops with decreasing temperature. As a result, the measurement current in the phototransistor drops by the factor according to which the light intensity decreases. PA1 Upon heating up of the IR LED, the on-state voltage drops by approximately 2 mV/K, and as a result if the on-state current remains the same the electrical output or performance drops. The light intensity drops even further as a result. PA1 At a high temperature, the IR LED ages faster, and the consequence is a decreasing light intensity. PA1 The spectral sensitivity of the phototransistor varies with the temperature, resulting in a variation in the coupling factor between the phototransistor and the IR LED. PA1 The current gain factor of the phototransistor increases with a rising temperature. As a result, the measurement current in the phototransistor rises while the light intensity is constant. PA1 The dark current of the phototransistor rises with increasing temperature, resulting in a general raising of the measurement current, regardless of the light intensity. PA1 The phototransistor ages faster at a high temperature, leading to a change in the electrooptical parameters. PA1 The index of refraction of the water in the measurement path varies with the temperature. As a result, the photooptical parameters of the beam path between the transmitter and the receiver vary, which in turn affects the coupling factor.
It is apparent from the many parameters that are dependent on the temperature and have an influence on the measurement current, that one cannot compensate for every influencing variable individually. The turbidity sensor must therefore be considered as an overall system, having parameters which must be determined by trial and error. That is particularly true for the temperature coefficients of the electronic components of the turbidity sensor, because they are very strongly expressed in the measurement result.
In experiments it has been found to be particularly problematic that the ascertained temperature coefficient is also dependent on the particular operating point. That is true both for the receiver (phototransistor, for instance) and the transmitter (IR LED, for instance). In the phototransistor, the temperature coefficient is dependent on the collector-to-emitter voltage, and in the IR LED it is dependent on the on-state current. If the on-state current of the IR LED is constant, then while the temperature coefficient of the IR LED does not vary, nevertheless the collector-to-emitter voltage of the phototransistor and thus its temperature coefficient vary as a function of the turbidity. In the temperature compensation, one can therefore not expect a constant compensation factor but instead must adapt the compensation factor dynamically.
The temperature coefficient of a turbidity sensor, over the temperature range applicable to washing fluids, when the so-called transmitted light method is used, is discussed below with reference to FIG. 1.
The same measurement without making the measurement path turbid, is discussed below with regard to FIG. 2.
Without suitable compensation, such temperature-dictated signal drifts would make the turbidity measurement so markedly wrong that a conclusive measurement of turbidity would no longer be possible.

Method for temperature compensation of measured values of a turbidity sensor in an automatic washing machine or diswasher


Materials for use in installing a deck include a plurality of decking tiles, each of the tiles having an outside corner angle with a hole at a predetermined location with respect to the corner and a plurality of decking tile connectors. Each of the connectors includes a plate, spacer flanges upstanding from the plate arranged to divide the plate into quadrants defined by angles that are the same as the corner angles of the tiles, and Christmas tree fasteners upstanding in the quadrants at locations to align with the holes in the tiles.

The present invention relates to a system for installation of decking tiles for a deck or walkway including a plurality of decking tiles and a plurality of decking tile connectors having fasteners to affix to the decking tiles. Wooden decking tiles have been installed with the use of adjustable height plastic support pieces. The pedestals are adjustable for height to make the decking tile level, and four pedestals are generally required to install one wooden decking tile. These pedestals come in a variety of sizes and shapes. There are some pedestals that are not height adjustable. Examples of both are Bison screwjacks available from Bison Screwjack Company, Shoshone Drive, Denver, Colo. 80204. Bison screwjacks merely hold corners of tiles by gravity, without any positive engagement of the tile and connector.
Decking tiles may also be installed on joists, which are appropriately spaced in order to receive the decking tiles. In the joist type installation, the joists need to be spaced apart to receive the edges of two decking tiles. The use of joists requires that the tiles be affixed by driving nails or screws through the tiles into the joist. There is an aesthetic problem with the utilization of screws or nails, because the heads of the screws or nails show on the decking tile after installation. Nails can work up, so that the nail head becomes raised above the deck surface. The exposed nail head can permit water in the nail hole and cause rotting of the wooden tile material. The exposed nail head could be a hazard, causing an individual to trip.
When using screws to attach the tiles, one method to improve the aesthetic problem is to countersink the screws into the decking tile and plug the hole with a material that provides an aesthetic appearance. But this process is expensive and time consuming.
Furthermore, the prior art approach that uses screws or nails to affix decking tiles to joists generally only work well with softwood and not hardwood tiles. Hardwood tiles are difficult to drive screws into, to be held in place on the decking structure. There is a need therefore to provide a system of deck tile installation that permits hardwood decking material to be easily and quickly secured on a base, without the need of nails or screws.

System for installation of decking tiles


A transmitter and a receiver share a maximum number of transmission bits per symbol as a parameter. The transmitter modulates an encoded and interleaved transmission signal in accordance with a modulation scheme which enables the transmission of one bit or more per symbol, while the receiver demodulates a received signal based on a channel quality in accordance with a modulation scheme which has a higher modulation level as the channel quality is higher. When the number of demodulated bits per symbol is smaller than the maximum number of transmission bits per symbol, the receiver deinterleaves and decodes a received signal after the demodulation on the assumption that the received signal has likelihoods of zero as much as the number of missing bits.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system which relies on multi-valued modulation for transmitting an error correcting code and information of one bit or more per symbol, and a demodulation method and a data rate control method associated with the wireless communication system for improving the reception quality when the gain, interference, and/or noise power vary on a channel.
2. Description of the Related Art
The multi-valued modulation has been known for transmitting information of a plurality of bits per symbol in order to increase the transmission amount per unit time in a wireless communication system.
The multi-valued modulation exhibits a higher maximum throughput on a channel of high quality as the number of bits per symbol increases, but experiences a largely reduced throughput, if the channel is degraded in quality, as the number of bits per symbol increases. Thus, adaptive modulation has been proposed for switching the modulation level in accordance with the channel quality in order to ensure stable communications. The adaptive modulation is described, for example, in an article entitled "Performance of Modulation Level Controlled Adaptive Modulation Systems" (Transactions of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers B-II, Vol. J78-B-II, No. 6, pp. 435–555, June 1995).
Normal transmission data is processed in the following manner. In an originating communication device, a channel encoder first encodes data to be transmitted. While wireless communications often employ convolution encoding and turbo encoding as an encoding method, the encoding method need not be limited to those, but any other encoding method may also be applied to wireless communications. Encoded codewords are applied to a QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) adaptive modulator for modulation, and a resulting baseband signal after the modulation is converted to a signal in a radio frequency band by a RF module for transmission. On the other hand, a receiving wireless communication device receives an RF signal through an antenna, and converts the received RF signal to a signal in a base band in a RF module. The baseband signal is first demodulated by a QAM demodulator which inputs the resulting signal demodulated thereby (likelihood) to a channel decoder which decodes the demodulated signal.
In the adaptive modulation scheme, the modulation level in the originating communication device must be matched with the demodulation level in the receiving communication device. Specifically, the modulation level m in the QAM adaptive modulator of the originating communication device is determined in the following manner. First, the situation on a channel immediately before a received signal is demodulated in the receiving communication device (or before a current time) is measured using an S/N measuring device or the like. Next, an S/N information generator generates a signal for transmitting the result of the measurement from the receiving communication device to the originating transmission device. Then, a modulator modulates the generated information for transmission. In the originating communication device, the received signal is demodulated in a demodulator to acquire the channel situation such as S/N information. The channel situation is determined from the acquired S/N information and the like, and the modulation is performed at a high modulation level if a good situation is found on the channel, whereas the modulation is performed at a low modulation level, if a bad situation is found on the channel. A series of these control operations form a feedback system.
With the conventional adaptive modulation described above which switches the modulation level in accordance with the varying situation on the channel, the receiver needs to know a scheme used by the transmitter in the modulation, so that the transmitter must communicate information on the modulation scheme to the receiver.
Further, when an error occurs in the information on the modulation scheme, the receiver will incorrectly demodulate signals, resulting in a failure of data communication, so that the information on the modulation scheme must be communicated with high accuracy.
In addition, the requirement for correctly matching the modulation scheme between the transmitter and receiver as mentioned above causes a time delay from the measurement of the channel quality to the switching of the modulation scheme, so that the receiver cannot appropriately switch the modulation scheme in response to a sudden change on the channel, thereby failing to sufficiently utilize the channel for communications.

Wireless communication system, and demodulation method and data rate control method therefor


A host-based color printing system having a color printing accelerator module that assists the host processor in order to speed up the rate at which color formatting tasks are performed by the host. The color printing accelerator module has an I/O interface that connects to a first I/O port of the host computer of the host-based color printing system. A second I/O port of the host computer connects to an I/O interface of the printer. After the color formatting tasks have been performed by the host computer and the color printing accelerator module, the processed data is sent from the host computer to the printer for printing.

In the color printing industry, two types of color printing systems dominate, namely, host-based color printing systems and page description language (PDL)-based color printing systems. In host-based color printing systems, the host computer (e.g., a personal computer (PC)) rather than the printer performs most of the computations associated with performing the print job. Because the printer does not need to perform color print formatting operations, a relatively inexpensive printer with relatively inexpensive hardware can be used for color printing. In PDL-based color printing systems, the printer rather than the host performs most of the computations associated with performing the print job. Therefore, the printers that are used in PDL-based color printing systems require more sophisticated hardware than those used in host-based color printing systems and are typically more expensive.
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a typical known host-based color printing system 1. The system 1 includes a host computer 2, which is typically a PC, a printer 3 and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface 4. The printer 3 and the host computer 2 are interconnected by the USB interface. When a user instructs the host computer 2 to perform a color print job, a rasterizer 5 of the host computer 2 rasterizes the image data and outputs the rasterized image data to a color space converter 6. The color space converter 6 performs an algorithm that converts red, green, blue (RGB) pixel data into cyan, magenta, yellow, black (CMYK) data.
The CMYK data generated by the color space converter 6 is provided to a print quality processor 7. The print quality processor 7 performs tasks such as edge detection, trapping, sharpening and coring.
The processed image data output from the print quality processor 7 is delivered to a halftoner 8. The halftoner 8 performs an algorithm that generates patterns made up of dots of the primary colors (CMYK) that together produce shading that gives the printed image the appearance of continuous color tones.
The output of the halftoner 8 is provided to a data compressor 9, which compresses the data in accordance with a compression algorithm, such as an algorithm that complies with the Joint Bi-Level Image Experts Group (JBIG) standards. The compressed image data is then transmitted over the USB interface 4 from the host computer 2 to the printer 3. The printer 3 receives the compressed image data and stores it in memory (not shown) of the printer 3. Compressing the image data provides the USB connection with more bandwidth, and requires less memory in the printer. The printer then reads the image data from memory, decompresses it and sends it to the print engine (not shown), which prints the color-formatted image.
The processing tasks performed by the printer 3 are small in comparison to those performed by the host computer 2. Therefore, the printer 3 may be a relatively inexpensive printer having only the hardware needed to decompress the compressed image and print it.
FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a known PDL-based color printing system 10. In the PDL-based system 10, the host computer 11 performs a relatively small amount of the tasks compared to those performed by the printer 12. The printer 12 typically includes a higher performance processor than that included in printer 3 of system 1, and an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Some of the tasks performed in the printer 12 are performed in software that is executed by the printer processor and others are performed in hardware of the printer ASIC. The incorporation of the processor and ASIC into the printer 12 increases the cost of the printer in comparison to the cost of the printer 3 of the host-based system 1 shown in FIG. 1.
The host computer 11 generates a PDL file that describes the color print job to be performed and transfers it via the USB connection 13 to the printer 12. The PDL file describes the primitive drawing objects and fonts that make up the printed page as well as their placement on the page. Examples of commonly used PDLs are Printer Control Language (PCL) by Hewlett-Packard Company and Postscript by Adobe Systems Incorporated. The printer 12 includes a PDL interpreter 14 that interprets the PDL file and performs rasterization. The blocks 15-19 shown in FIG. 2 then perform the tasks described above with reference to blocks 5-9, respectively, shown in FIG. 1.
As PCs continue to become more powerful, it has become even more desirable to harness the PCs' ability to perform the computations associated with color formatting. However, as PCs have continued to become more powerful, the performance capabilities of color printer mechanisms have also continued to improve. In particular, the page per minute (PPM) rate at which color printers are capable of printing continues to increase. The increase in the PPM rate taxes the host computer processor of the host-based color printing system. In general, PCs are not keeping up with the increased capabilities of color printers.
Increases in the PPM rate do not pose as much of a problem for PDL-based color printing systems as for host-based color printing systems because the printer hardware of PDL-based color printing systems is capable of keeping up with increases in the PPM rate. However, as indicated above, printers that have such hardware are relatively expensive compared to printers that do not have it, such as printers of the type typically used in host-based color printing systems. It would be desirable to provide a host-based color printing system that is capable of performing at a level comparable to that of PDL-based color printing systems. It would also be desirable to provide a host-based color printing system that has improved performance over currently available host-based color printing systems and that does not require an expensive printer having expensive hardware.

Method and apparatus for improving the performance of a host-based color printing system


A memory system includes a nonvolatile memory device, and a memory controller configured to control the nonvolatile memory device such that memory cells connected with a selected row of the nonvolatile memory device are programmed by one of a first program mode and a second program mode. At the first program mode, a plurality of logical pages corresponding in number to a maximum page number is stored at the memory cells, and at the second program mode, one or more logical pages the number of which is less than the maximum page number are stored at the memory cells using a bias condition that is different from that used in the first program mode.

The inventive concepts described herein relate to semiconductor memories, and more particularly, to memory systems including nonvolatile memory and to methods of programming executed by memory systems including nonvolatile memory.
Semiconductor memory devices may be volatile or nonvolatile. Volatile semiconductor memory devices are generally characterized by the loss of contents stored in a power-off state, whereas nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices are generally characterized by the retention of contents stored even in a power-off state.
Flash memory is one example of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device which has been widely adopted in electronics industries. Flash memory may be used to store large quantities of voice, image data and other data in information appliances such as a computer, a cellular phone, a PDA, a digital camera, a camcorder, a voice recorder, an MP3 player, a handheld PC, a game machine, a facsimile, a scanner, a printer, and the like.
In the meantime, in an effort to meet the continuing demand for highly integrated memory devices, research has focused on the development of nonvolatile memory devices (hereinafter, referred to as a three-dimensional (3D) nonvolatile memory devices) where memory cells are arranged in three-dimensions. Interference between word lines is a particular concern that must be addressed in the design of 3D nonvolatile memory devices. However, charge trap flash (CTF) memory cells are may be utilized to increase a cell size, which can mostly elevate word line interference. This may allow for multi-bit data to be programmed at a memory cell in a so-called one-shot program mode where multiple data bits are simultaneously programmed at the memory cell, as opposed to a shadow program mode where 1-bit data is programmed at a time at the memory cell.

Memory system comprising nonvolatile memory device and program method thereof


An apparatus and method are disclosed for compounding of parenteral admixture solutions, and recirculation with the admixture solution being formed. The apparatus includes a multiple pump cassette configured for operative association with a pump driver, whereby one or more selected source solutions are delivered through a pump cassette to an associated admixture container. After pumping of each source solution, the present method contemplates that the admixture being formed is recirculated through the pump cassettes thereby diluting any source solution in the cassettes and associated tubing. In this manner, the possible mixture of incompatible source solutions, resulting in formation of precipitate, is desirably avoided.

Currently, a large number of parenteral solutions are prepared by health care providers for intravenous or intramuscular administration to patients. Such parenteral solutions include those formulated for nutritional purposes, as well as drug-containing admixtures for therapeutic purposes. Because of the large number of such admixtures which must be prepared on a routine basis, efficient and accurate preparation of such solutions is highly desirable.
Previously, preparation of these medical solutions was performed manually by the pharmacist and assisting personnel in a health care facility. Specifically, an appropriate intravenous solution admixture container, such as a flexible patient bag, is selected, with the container typically being partially empty and containing appropriate base nutritional solutions or diluents. The pharmacist or other personnel then calculates the amounts of various liquid components that need to be added to the solution container in accordance with the physician's order. These components are then measured by drawing them into syringes of the appropriate sizes, with the contents of the syringes then injected into the final solution container.
Accurate preparation of parenteral solutions in this manner is time consuming, with the manual nature of the procedure raising the possibility of error in the preparation of the resultant admixtures. Additionally, the repeated needle-puncturing of source solution containers so as to make additions to the admixture container increases the risk of contamination as well as accidental needle stick.
Thus automatic electromechanical systems for compounding parenteral admixtures are coming into increasingly widespread use. Such systems typically include arrangements for measuring and combining one or more selected source solutions in a suitable admixture container for subsequent patient administration. Such devices ordinarily include programmable controls as well as suitable monitoring devices to greatly facilitate efficient and accurate preparation of parenteral admixtures.
The present invention relates to an admixture compounding apparatus for use in association with an automated compounding system. In particular, the present apparatus and method of use is specifically configured to dilute any mixture of potentially incompatible source solutions, which in their relatively undiluted and concentrated state could undesirably form precipitates. Also the present apparatus and method of use ensures that all dispensed source solution is mixed with the admixture in the patient container and does not remain in the common fluid path.

Recirculation through plural pump cassettes for a solution compounding apparatus


A well tool having a magnetically coupled position sensor. In operation of a well tool, relative displacement is produced between members of the well tool. A magnetically coupled position sensor includes one magnet assembly attached to a member for displacement therewith and another magnet assembly movably attached to the other member and magnetically coupled to the first magnet assembly for displacement therewith. The position sensor further includes a magnetically permeable material which increases a magnetic flux density between the magnet assemblies. In another position sensor, one magnet assembly includes a magnet having a pole axis, the other magnet assembly includes another magnet having another pole axis, and the pole axes are aligned with each other.

The present invention relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in an embodiment described herein, more particularly provides a well tool having a magnetically coupled position sensor.
In some types of well tools, it is beneficial to be able to determine precisely the configuration of the tool at given points in time. For example, a downhole choke has a closure assembly which is opened or closed by varying amounts to produce a corresponding increase or decrease in flow through the choke. To obtain a desired flow rate through the choke, it is important to be able to determine the position of the closure assembly.
Therefore, it will be appreciated that improvements in position sensors are desirable for use with well tools. As with other instrumentation, sensors and other equipment used in well tools, factors such as space, reliability, ability to withstand a hostile environment, cost and efficiency are important in improved position sensors for use with well tools.

Well tool having magnetically coupled position sensor


An optic fiber payout test system and apparatus is disclosed which is adad for simulating the payout of fiber at high speeds. This optic fiber payout test apparatus is comprised of a projectile, a source of fiber attached to the projectile, and a pneumatic propulsion system to propel the projectile and initiate the payout of the fiber. The fiber payout test apparatus further comprises a projectile track system as well as a braking system which allows the projectile to be used safely within a laboratory environment. The optic fiber payout test apparatus also provides a means for testing the payout of fiber optic cable in a manner that simulates the high rate of speed and high accelerations encountered during free flight. This capability is important for the development of launched fiber optic guided weapons systems and in particular, air launched optic guided weapons systems.

The present invention relates in general to a optic fiber payout test system and pertains more particularly to an optic fiber payout system simulating the payout of fiber at high speeds during laboratory testing. The optic fiber payout system of this invention is an improvement over the conventional fiber payout test apparatus. This device provides a means for testing the payout of fiber optic cable in a manner that simulates the high rate of speed and high accelerations encountered during free flight. This capability is important for the development of launched fiber optic guided weapons systems and in particular, air launched optic guided weapons systems.
Prior to the development of the present invention, the primary means for performing this type of optic fiber payout testing was via captive flight testing or free flight testing. These methods of flight testing tend to be very expensive. As previously stated, an apparatus was needed to produce a high acceleration fiber optic cable payout initiation in a laboratory environment. This invention would simulate the accelerations seen by fiber optic data links during air launches and other launches from various platforms. This invention would also allow different fiber payout designs to be tested in an inexpensive and simple manner.
The launch period is known to be critical for fiber payout systems. A laboratory based test apparatus or system that simulates such launch periods for fiber payout is preferred over launching weapons from an aircraft. This is primarily due to the repeatability of a laboratory test, the ability to collect reliable data as well as the capability to control various parameters that affect the fiber payout. In addition, a laboratory based test apparatus or system is easier to use and costs less than flying an aircraft for each test. The present invention also provides a quick and easy set up for other fiber pulling needs such as fast camera coverage of payout and test ancillary equipment such as fiber payout counters, strain gauges, and other sensors.
In many fiber payout systems the wire or optic fiber typically unwinds from spools, spindles or bobbins on either the launcher or the projectile or both. A major concern with many fiber payout systems is the reliability of the payout device during the launch period. Another drawback with many fiber payout system results from the extreme forces acting upon the wire or fiber as a result of the launch as the projectile accelerates away from the launcher. Yet another concern is the formation of a relatively long spiral helix and other such phenomena know as the ballooning of the fiber as it pays out. This ballooning effect creates an increase in the tensile loading on the wire or fiber as it continues to unwind. The tensile loads present during launch tend to fracture or break the wire or fiber thereby rendering the projectile ineffective.
Yet another problem often encountered is various fiber payout systems is the phenomena of macrobending and microbending of the optic fiber and corresponding disruptions or interference in the transported signals. However, as the operational speeds of these platforms and projectiles increase, the drawbacks associated with the ballooning effects, microbending and macrobending of the fiber, as well as the tensile loading become an ever increasing problem. Simulating such ballooning effects and initial forces in order to further study and develop solutions to the aforementioned problems encountered during the operational use of fiber payout systems is a task not adequately resolved by many existing laboratory based fiber payout test apparatus or systems.
Conventional laboratory based fiber payout test systems have been used for a wide range of testing applications simulating various platforms. They have been used for example to simulate shoulder launched projectiles, mobile mounted projectiles, land based launches, and by weapons dispatched by various aerial platforms. The conventional test apparatus or system typically pulls the fiber or wire with some sort of spinning wheel at high rates of speed. These machines normally take several seconds to ramp up to speed and are not capable of generating the high acceleration seen during operational launches. These typical payout test apparatus and systems also have the drawback that they do not accurately simulate the loading that occurs during high speed payout as discussed above. This present invention, on the other hand, provides a test apparatus or system which is capable of generating a high acceleration mode in a very short period of time and simulating the actual loading that occurs during high speed payout.

Optic fiber payout test apparatus having a projectile track system with dual rails

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A control device of a motor vehicle, for controlling and/or regulating at least the operation of an internal combustion engine, wherein, before the execution of at least one defined function and/or during the execution of at least one defined function, the control device demands operation of the internal combustion engine in a defined operating state, and wherein, as a function of the length of time for which the respective defined function has not been executed and/or as a function of the length of time for which a defined operating state of the internal combustion engine has not occurred, the control device determines a defined characteristic variable, on the basis of which the control device, in a temporally variable manner, determines different and/or variable measures for influencing the operating state of the internal combustion engine.

DE 10 2009 035 845 A1, which is incorporated by reference, discloses a method for operating a fuel vapor retention system of a motor vehicle, specifically of a hybrid vehicle or of a motor vehicle with an automatic start-stop system, in which method, during vehicle operation, factors which have an influence on the fuel vaporization are monitored and used such that an undesired overflow or breakthrough of an activated carbon filter is prevented. If an overflow or breakthrough of the activated carbon filter is impending, a stopping or deactivation of an internal combustion engine or of a combustion engine of the motor vehicle is prohibited. Here, the method of the fuel vapor retention system is hard-coded such that, if the overflow or breakthrough of the activated carbon filter is identified by a controller on the basis of a defined criterion, one and the same measure is always implemented, specifically the prohibition of the stopping or deactivation of the internal combustion engine or combustion engine.
DE 102 00 016 A1, which is incorporated by reference, discloses a method for purging a vapor vessel of a hybrid vehicle, in which method a time which has elapsed since the most recent purging of the vapor vessel is determined, wherein said time since the most recent purging of the vapor vessel is compared with a time stage, that is to say a defined criterion, and wherein the internal combustion engine is started as a function of said comparison. In said method, too, hard coding is provided, specifically such that, if a fixed time stage is exceeded, one and the same measure is always implemented, specifically the starting of the internal combustion engine.

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft


Disclosed is an approach for performing auto-classification of documents. A machine learning framework is provided to analyze the document, where labels associated with certain documents can be propagated to other documents.

Many enterprises generate vast amounts of data pertaining to or resulting from the operations of the enterprise. These vast amounts of data are stored into collected locations, such as on-premise storage systems or external storage solutions (e.g., vendor-based cloud storage systems). Since the data stored in these storage systems provides a broad scope of content pertaining to the activities of the enterprise, there is often the need at some point in time to review and analyze the data contents. This type of analysis may occur for many reasons.
One possible reason is to identify the confidential and/or legally privileged documents within the set of data. This is particularly useful, for example, in the context of performing e-discovery or transactional diligence activities. Identification of such confidential or privileged documents permits them to be specially handled and/or withheld from production to a third party.
Another reason to analyze the data is to make recommendations about the data contents. For example, when a user has a usage history with certain documents or has chosen to access certain specified documents of interest, it would be quite beneficial to allow the system to recommend other documents that are "similar enough" such that other documents are identified that should also be of interest to the user. The user can then directly access these other documents with some confidence that they would be of particular pertinence to that user.
Existing technologies to perform these analysis activities suffer from significant drawbacks. For example, one common approach is to drive the analysis using a set of policies and rules, where search terms are used in various Boolean AND and OR combinations to identify documents of interest. The problem with this approach is that it is very difficult to properly tune the policies and rules such that they have an acceptable, correct, and/or efficient scope. If the policies and rules are too restrictive, then the necessary materials are not properly identified. If the policies and rules are too non-restrictive, then there may be an excessive number of false positives in the analysis results.
Another approach is to employ certain learning algorithms to create a "classifier" for analyzing the data. The classifier works by obtaining a large number of existing documents that have already been tagged in some manner, and then having the classifier train from those documents to learn how to identify similar documents of interest. The problem with this approach is that it requires a large body of training documents for the classified to operate properly. In many cases, such training materials just do not exist. In other cases, the enterprise may choose not to make such training materials available to third party tools, e.g., where the enterprise chooses to withhold such materials from a cloud-based storage service provider or from an e-discovery vendor.
These problems are further exacerbated by the sheer volume of the data that is typically collected by modern enterprise organizations. Given the large number of documents and materials to be reviewed for a typical modern enterprise, it is becoming more and more difficult to effectively analyze the collected data.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved approach to implement analyses of large data collections.

Method and system for implementing machine learning analysis of documents for classifying documents by associating label values to the documents


A printing apparatus has a desk-top printer housing having a paper input port, a paper output port and a data input port. A digital processor is disposed in the housing and is operatively connected to the data input port. The processor is programmed to detect odd pages and even pages in an electronically encoded document arriving via the data input port and to separate odd pages of the document from even pages thereof. A paper moving engine including rollers is disposed in the housing for moving a paper sheet through the printer housing from the paper input port to the paper output port along a predetermined path. A first laser printing assembly is disposed in the housing along one side of the path for printing an odd-numbered page of the document along one side of the paper sheet. A second laser printing assembly is disposed in the housing along an opposite side of the path for printing an even-numbered page of the document along an opposite side of the paper sheet. The processor is operatively connected to the laser printing assemblies for controlling the first laser printing assembly to print the odd-numbered page of the document along the one side of the paper sheet and for controlling the second laser printing assembly to print the even-numbered page of the document along the opposite side of the paper sheet.

This invention relates to an apparatus for two-sided printing. More particularly, this invention relates to a desk-top laser printer responsive to computer generated signals for printing a document on two sides.
At the present time, thousands of banks, brokerage houses and other financial institutions are printing millions of weekly, bi-weekly and monthly statements on one side of pre-printed statement forms. For the most part, these statements are printed off of mainframe or large-scale mini-computers. Affordable printers capable of handling mainframe and mini-computer output are either chain or dot-matrix printers. Consequently, printing both sides of paper having the conventional quality would masticate the paper.
Conventional two-sided photocopying and book printing present problems which have perhaps inhibited efforts to develop two-sided printing of financial type statements. Such problems include a warping of the paper which results from the high levels of heat employed. More moisture flees from the side of the paper in contact with the heated elements than from the more remote side of the paper. In addition, the deposition of electrostatic charges causes the paper sheets to cling to one another and to other surfaces. Both the warping of the paper sheets and the deposited electrostatic charge cause paper jams in the machinery. Avoiding or clearing the paper jams requires personnel to be present to monitor and correct problems as they occur. Sometimes, papers printed on one side are placed aside for flattening prior to printing on the opposite side. Such efforts increase costs and delay the production of the desired documents.
An object of the present invention is provide a printing system or apparatus for printing two-sided documents in response to computer-generated signals encoding the documents.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system or apparatus which can handle mainframe and other large-scale computer output.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a system or apparatus which prints on each side of a sheet of paper in real time.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a system or apparatus which can utilize laser printer technology and basic or conventional printer driver programming.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide such a system or apparatus which is simple to manufacture, assemble and implement.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the descriptions and drawings hereof
A printing apparatus comprises, in accordance with the present invention, a desk-top printer housing having a paper input port, a paper output port and a data input port. A digital processor is disposed in the housing and is operatively connected to the data input port. The processor is programmed to detect odd pages and even pages in an electronically encoded document arriving via the data input port and to separate odd pages of the document from even pages thereof. A paper moving engine including rollers is disposed in the housing for moving a paper sheet through the printer housing from the paper input port to the paper output port along a predetermined path. A first laser printing assembly is disposed in the housing along one side of the path for printing an odd-numbered page of the document along one side of the paper sheet. A second laser printing assembly is disposed in the housing along an opposite side of the path for printing an even-numbered page of the document along an opposite side of the paper sheet. The processor is operatively connected to the laser printing assemblies for controlling the first laser printing assembly to print the odd-numbered page of the document along the one side of the paper sheet and for controlling the second laser printing assembly to print the even-numbered page of the document along the opposite side of the paper sheet.
Preferably, the paper path is essentially linear. One of the laser printing assemblies is located above the path while the other laser printing assembly is located below the path.
Because the paper travels along a linear or straight path from one laser printing assembly to the other, the paper is easily aligned. There is less paper jamming and less paper warping than there would be in a printer with a curved paper path between the two laser print stations.
Because the laser print stations can be located essentially right next to one another, there is no need to provide the processor with multiple buffers for temporarily storing several pages. At most, a single output buffer is necessary to store one side of a page while the other side is being printed. Conventional RAM is sufficient to implement the output buffer.
It is to be noted that the laser printing assemblies are essentially identical to laser printing assemblies in conventional desk-top laser printers. Each laser printing assembly includes, for example, a drum having a photosensitive surface, a toner reservoir, a laser, a toner waste reservoir, an erase lamp, and a corona wire.
It is preferable that one laser printing assembly is located below the paper path while the other laser printing assembly is located in a more conventional position above the paper path. The laser printing assembly located above the paper path is essentially identical to existing laser printing assemblies. Moreover, only minor modifications are necessary to adapt a conventional laser printing assembly for disposition below the paper path. Generally, this second laser printing assembly is in an upside down configuration, with alterations in structure necessary to accommodate that inverted arrangement being made.
In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the two laser printing assemblies are mounted to a carriage which is movably disposed in the housing. Thus, the laser printing assemblies may be easily removed from the housing for servicing. One of the laser printing assemblies may be mounted to an upper side of the carriage, while the other laser printing assembly is mounted to an underside of the carriage. Accordingly, a toner cartridge of the one laser printing assembly is removed from above the carriage whereas a toner cartridge of the other laser printing assembly is removed from below the carriage.
Generally, it is contemplated that the laser printer apparatus has only one engine for moving the paper. The one engine is coupled to a sufficient number of rollers placed in appropriate locations to move the paper along the linear path past the first print station and subsequently the second print station and out the paper output port.
The processor is programmed to synchronize operation of the first laser printing assembly and the second laser printing assembly so that opposite sides of essentially every sheet bear consecutive pages. The processor is further programmed to generate the document from (1) encoded information peculiar to the document and (2) standard textual and graphic information incorporated into a plurality of documents.
A printing method in accordance with the present invention utilizes a desk-top laser printer for printing documents encoded in computer generated digital signals, the laser printer having two laser printing assemblies disposed in a single desk-top housing, the laser printer including a digital processor which is disposed in the housing and is operatively coupled to the printing assemblies. Pursuant to the inventive method, a multiple page document in digitally encoded form is transmitted to the processor via a data input of the laser printer. The processor is operated to detect odd pages and even pages in the document and to separate odd pages of the document from even pages thereof. A paper sheet is moved through the housing from a paper input port to a paper output port along a predetermined path, the printing assemblies being disposed along opposite sides of the path. One of the printing assemblies is energized, in response to a signal from the processor, to print an odd-numbered page of the document along one side of the paper sheet, while the other of the printing assemblies is energized, in response to another signal from the processor, to print an even-numbered page of the document along an opposite side of the paper sheet.
Where the laser printing assemblies are mounted to a carriage movably disposed in the housing, the method further comprises moving the carriage and the printing assemblies at least partially out of the housing for equipment servicing purposes. Where one of the printing assemblies is mounted to an upper side of the carriage and the other printing assembly is mounted to an underside of the carriage, the method also comprises removing a toner cartridge of the one of the laser printing assemblies from above the carriage and a toner cartridge of the other of the laser printing assemblies from below the carriage.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the processor is operated to control energization of the laser printing assemblies so that opposite sides of essentially every sheet sent through the laser printer portion bear consecutive pages.
The processor is operated to synchronize operation of the laser printing assemblies so that opposite sides of essentially every sheet sent through the laser printer bear consecutive pages. The processor is additionally operated to generate the document from (1) encoded information peculiar to the document and (2) standard textual and graphic information incorporated into a plurality of documents.
A printing system or assembly in accordance with the present invention is a high-volume printing system which can print customer data, e.g., on financial statements, in real time, using black and white laser printing technology and basic or conventional printer driver programming.
A printing system or assembly in accordance with the present invention reduces the number of sheets of paper necessary to print financial statements by 50% or more, concomitantly reducing printing and mailing costs. In addition, the system eliminates the need to use expensive pre-printed paper stock for financial statements. Logos may be printed on the front of each sheet in real time, while legal compliance information is printed only on the last face of a statement. The quality of the printed characters may be significantly improved over conventional methods of statement printing, up to the highest laser standards. Moreover, development costs can be substantially decreased through the utilization of existing (off-the-shelf) laser printer engines (preferably using powerful RISC processors).
A printing system or assembly for printing two-sided documents in accordance with the present invention can handle mainframe and other large-scale computer output. The printing occurs without essential delay (in real time) in response to computer generated signals. In contrast, in photocopying and other printing methods, there is a substantial delay between printing of one side and printing of the opposing side.
A system or assembly in accordance with the present invention utilizes laser printer technology and basic or conventional printer driver programming.
A laser printer for two-sided laser printing in accordance with the present invention does not require any memory space over and above that normally present in desk-top printers. The conventional RAM space is sufficient for the storage requirements of the present laser printer.
A laser printer for two-sided laser printing in accordance with the present invention is not size or speed sensitive and can be used in a wide range of printer powers and sizes. The two-sided laser printer is easy to maintain and repair. Paper handling is minimized. Accordingly, paper jamming and alignment problems are reduced.
A laser printer for two-sided laser printing in accordance with the present invention is useful for myriad applications, not just high-speed high-volume financial statements.

Desk-top printer and related method for two-sided printing


A method for detecting a code word is proposed, wherein the code word is a code word of one of at least two codes, wherein n states are read from memory cells of a memory, respectively. The n states are determined in a time domain for each of the at least two codes, wherein additionally n states are read from further memory cells and at least one reference value is determined therefrom and wherein the at least one reference value is taken as a basis for determining which of the at least two codes is the correct code. A corresponding device is furthermore specified.

The invention relates to the detection of code words of various k-out-of-n codes.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,805,771 B2 discloses the evaluation of states which are read from memory cells to transform them into the time domain and to utilize states arriving earlier in time accordingly for efficient read-out of memory cells.


An organic material represented by the following General Formula (1):

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to organic materials and a photoelectric conversion element using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, importance of solar cells has been increasing as an alternative energy to fossil fuel and as a measure against global warming. However, existing solar cells typified by silicon solar cells are costly at present, which is a factor of preventing them from being widely used. Therefore, research and development on various low-cost solar cells have been advancing. In particular, one example thereof is an organic thin film solar cell. The organic thin film solar cell is lightweight, low-priced, and easily enlarged in its surface area. Thus, expectations for practical applications have been increased. However, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the organic thin film solar cell is still ½ or less that of the silicone-based solar cells.
A photoelectric conversion layer of the organic thin film solar cell includes a p-type semiconductor and a n-type semiconductor. Excitons generated in the p-type semiconductor and/or the n-type semiconductor by light absorption are dispersed to a pn interface, and then, are separated into electrons and holes at the pn interface. Next, the separated electrons and holes are each transferred to a trapping electrode, and are taken out to an external circuit. However, organic materials have an exciton diffusion length of about only several nanometers, and a diffusion length of the separated electric charge is also much inferior to silicon or the like although it cannot flatly be said since the diffusion length is greatly influenced by its crystalline state.
A bulk heterojunction structure which is disorderly formed by mixing the p-type semiconductor material and the n-type semiconductor material, or a regular bulk heterojunction structure which has order to ensure a charge transport path, or the like is one of the structures which solve the problems such as a diffusion length of the exciton and charge transportation, and are indispensable for improvement in photoelectric conversion efficiency. In the bulk heterojunction structure, the pn interface is disposed within a range of several nanometers from a place where the excitons are generated, which improves exciton separation efficiency. Moreover, by ensuring the charge transport path, the electric charge can be transferred to each of the electrode without binding them each other during transportation, and thus, a large amount of electrical current can be taken out to an external circuit.
Regarding organic materials mainly used at present, a lot of conjugated polymers have been reported as the p-type semiconductor material. The conjugated polymers easily form a bulk heterojunction structure, which is excellent in charge separation ability and charge transport ability. However, the conjugated polymers have a problem in that it is difficult to obtain high open circuit voltage since their ionization potential, which is a material property correlated to the open end voltage, is low due to extended conjugation thereof. Moreover, they are polymers and have a molecular weight distribution, which causes a problem in that stable materials are difficult to obtain during production.
In order to solve the problems, organic, low-molecular-weight, p-type semiconductor materials that can be formed into an element by a coating method, which needs no vacuum process, have been reported.
The present inventor has previously reported a photoelectric conversion element containing a diketopyrrolopyrrole derivative that is a low-molecular-weight organic material and has a certain structure (refer to "Chem. Mater., 2013, 25 (12), 2549-2556"). Moreover, the present inventor has also reported a diketopyrrolopyrrole derivative containing a benzodithiophene derivative (refer to "ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2013, 5 (6), 2033-2039").
However, the former has a high ionization potential and a high open circuit voltage, but it can absorb light of short wavelengths, and thus is insufficient in photoelectric conversion efficiency. Meanwhile, the latter can absorb light of relatively longer wavelengths, but it is poor in aggregated structure responsible for charge transport path and charge separation, and thus is still insufficient in photoelectric conversion efficiency.
Thus, it has been desired to provide a novel organic material which has a high open circuit voltage, can absorb light of a wide wavelength range, and is excellent in charge transport ability, when it is applied to an organic thin film solar cell system.

Organic material and photoelectric conversion element

Abstract: where in the General Formula (1), R1 and R2, which may be identical to or different from each other, each represent an alkyl group having 4 to 24 carbon atoms, X represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, Y represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group, an alkoxyl group, or an alkyl group, which may be substituted with a substituent, and n represents an integer of 1 to 3.

KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION


The 3-Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) decorated magnetic more-aluminosilicate shell Na(Si2Al)O6.xH2O/NiFe2O4 structures were hydrothermally prepared and were well characterized by different analysis methods. The XRD patterns were truly proved the formation of the aluminosilicate layer on the surface of the magnetic cores. In addition to the TGA curve which implied on the presence of the GPTMS organic segment, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms demonstrated that the final sample has high specific surface area. The products were incredibly able to remove the toxic lead and cadmium ions from the wastewaters. Furthermore, the mechanism of the sorption and the role of GPTMS in enhancing the sorption capacity of the structures were comprehensively discussed.

Water purification through removing heavy metal and other ionic organic agents like surfactants is one of the preliminary tasks required for environmental clean-up. Outlet water from the industrial activities contains quantities of many types of the soluble and insoluble materials which it would be uneconomic and dangerous for the ecosystem, and it is therefore desirable to be able to eliminate selectively the toxic agents in question. Heavy metal ions and the others waste water have been removed from polluted waters using a wide range of methods such as solvent extraction, precipitation, vacuum evaporation, membrane technologies, ionic exchange and adsorption (U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,122, A, U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,315, A, U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,239, A, 3,821,351, A).
As a very common method in water treatment, the toxic constituent is removed by absorbing onto the channels and pores of a porous sorbent or converting it to a solid compound which makes it possible to be removed by settling and filtering. However, in this way there are always considerable issues. For example, the filtration of small particles and the suspension-like medium is normally difficult and energy intensive.
Selective removal of the ions from the polluted waters is established as an ion exchange-based technique to delete the selected undesired particles from wastewaters, in which the ions are held by organic agents attached to a solid organic or inorganic support. Here, the binding route is typically affected by the acidity of the solution. Magnetic treatment of the wastewaters by using various solid systems has been previously reported.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,896,815, B2 developed a two-step chemical precipitation method involving hydroxide and sulfide precipitation combined with "magnetic field separation" technology toward removal of the non-chelated heavy metals. This technique with some modification was developed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,331. In this patent, Anderson reported that removing the heavy metals by using ferrous with sulfide will result in better heavy metal removal than the former case.
WO 2001002304 A1 describe a method based on filtration using a sedimentation chamber included sand particles bed for the removal of pesticides and heavy metals from the raw water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,147 describes the purification of the liquid medium using magnetic materials coupled with an extra agent which fastens the removing of non-magnetic impurities via a reversible chemical binding.
EP 0302293 demonstrates a method for purification of the solutions by using modified magnetic granules which were prepared by mixing and pressing the wet precursors. Here, absorption is the basic step of the removing process.
EP 0522856 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,790 described using polymeric composites including magnetic ingredients for clarification of wastewaters. These methods were based on chelating ion exchange function of the structures to eliminate the ionic pollutants.
Another one, GB 2170736 described the capacity of the sulphide-functionalized magnetic particles toward removing the heavy metal ions.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,153,435, B2 discussed developing a method by means of magnetite and magnetic structures which remove the heavy metals via binding to the surface of these functionalized solid matrixes.
Treating the mercury contained wastewater toward its purification from the heavy metal ions was reported in U.S. Pat. No. 8,043,510, B2. The process is based on attracting the mercury ions onto the active outer surface of the prepared magnetically separable particles.

Reusable porous Na(SiAl)O6.xH2O/NiFe2O4 structure for selective removal of heavy metals from waste waters


A process is provided for manufacturing devices that carry an active material. The process involves the continuous deposition of a strip of low-melting alloy in the liquid state on a ribbon of a metal net or a micro-perforated and stretched sheet metal, which surface has been pre-treated, for example by means of deoxidation. The ribbon is preferably prepared for subsequent cutting into individual components with active material. The deposition can occur by immersion into laminar wave or into a constant jet, by spraying of small drops or by liquid dispensation.

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing devices that carry an active material, particularly on a lateral edge thereof, based on the deposition of a low-melting alloy.
Numerous applications are known in the prior art which require that inside a manufactured product a material is introduced having a specific activity necessary for the correct functioning of the manufactured product itself. Of particular significance among these applications is the production of lamps, so that in the following description reference is made to devices used in gas lamps, keeping in mind, however, that the process according to the invention can also be utilized advantageously to manufacture devices for different uses.
In the gas lamps industry it is known that various active materials have to be introduced into the lamp, e.g., compounds for mercury release, amalgams for the pressure control of that element in the case of fluorescent lamps, getter materials for the removal of undesired gases from the internal atmosphere of the lamp, which may damage the functioning thereof, or materials emitting particular gases, such as oxygen. The use of these materials, as well as the devices that allow their introduction into the lamps, are the subject of numerous patent documents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,764,842; 3,794,402; 4,056,750; 4,182,971; 4,278,908; 4,282,455; 4,542,319; 4,754,193; and 4,823,047; and Japanese patent application publications A-60-193253; A-06-096728 and A-06-076796, all relating to devices for introducing inside lamps elemental mercury or a material capable of releasing this element; U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,525,009; 4,461,981 and 4,855,643, all relating to getter devices for the use in lamps; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,825,127 and 6,043,603 and European patent application publication EP-A-0359724, all relating to devices that combine both the functions of mercury release and gettering integrated to each other; U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,855 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,618 both relating to amalgams for mercury pressure control inside the lamp; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,519,864 and 6,169,361, both relating to devices for oxygen release inside of lamps.
The devices described in these patent documents are generally manufactured by introducing the active material in a container or by applying it on the surface of a support, and then by fixing the container or support to an adequate prop, which is then mounted in a pre-determined position in the lamp.
However, the manufacturing of these devices is generally rather complex, requiring the mechanical shaping of (generally metallic) small size parts and the assembly of these to each other in various ways. The problem becomes even more serious when considering the present tendency in the lamp industry to miniaturization, which imposes that the above-mentioned devices also be miniaturized. Furthermore, this miniaturization also involves a greater control, both geometrical and dimensional, of these devices, because in the finished lamp these are all arranged in the same zone (the terminal portion of the lamp or at most the two terminal portions in the case of tubular lamps), while avoiding having these devices come into contact with the electrodes or their supports. A contact of this type could in fact change the lamp functioning. Moreover, adopting production processes in which the device is manufactured by assembling (mechanically or through welding) pre-formed parts results in a reproducibility problem as to the shape and size of the finished devices.
Another problem that arises in the production of the devices, made more serious by the miniaturization thereof, is that in some instances it is possible to have particularly delicate manufacturing steps that imply a possible risk of compromising the semi-manufactured product. For example, in the case in which a device must be manufactured having an amalgam for the mercury pressure control, introducing the amalgam into (or affixing onto) the final piece turns out to be a complex operation, which requires the mechanical moving of a piece, generally having a non-planar shape. In contrast, working a part already having the amalgam thereon, e.g., performing a welding between this part and its support, may compromise the adhesion of the amalgam itself on the part. Finally, all these construction problems result in relatively high costs of the devices, especially when compared to the low selling price of the lamps, such that their use is often limited by economic reasons.

Process for manufacturing devices carrying at least one active material by deposition of a low-melting alloy


A method and apparatus for analyzing a membrane structure by fitting simulated operation data to measured data obtained by X-ray reflectivity measurement to analyze the membrane structure. The analysis result obtained by the fitting can be prevented from falling into a local solution, so as to obtain an analysis result of the membrane structure with high accuracy. The method for analyzing a membrane structure for analyzing a structure of a membrane specimen having a single layer membrane or a multi-layer membrane by an X-ray reflectivity measurement, includes a step of simultaneously analyzing plural pieces of measured data obtained by measuring the membrane specimen under plural sets of measuring conditions different from each other in at least one of a resolution and a dynamic range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for analyzing a membrane structure and an apparatus therefor. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for analyzing a membrane structure by simultaneously fitting simulated operation data to measured data obtained with an optical system utilizing at least two sets of resolutions and dynamic ranges, and an apparatus therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the X-ray reflectivity measurement, an interference phenomenon of X-rays reflected on interfaces among layers of a membrane is measured, and simulated operation data is fitted to the measurement results to analyze density, membrane thickness and roughness of the respective layers. The density of the outermost thin layer can be calculated from the total reflection critical angle, and the densities of the other layers can be calculated from the amplitudes of the interference fringes. The membrane thickness of the layers can be calculated from the frequencies of vibrations. The roughness can be calculated from the attenuation ratio of the total reflectivity measurement data and the attenuation of the amplitudes of the interference fringes on the higher angle side (as described for example in JP-A-2001-349849).
In the case where the X-ray reflectivity measurement is applied to a multi-layer thin membrane having a layer thickness of several hundred nanometers, it is necessary that the measurement is carried out with the divergence angle and the wavelength spread of the incident X-ray being set to sufficiently small values. For example, a perfect crystal monochromator of Si or Ge is used on the incident side. The perfect crystal monochromator suppresses the wavelength of the X-ray generated by a light source from being spread and abstracts only the parallel component from the X-ray, and therefore, the intensity of the X-ray thus irradiating the thin membrane is reduced by about from 1/10 to 1/100 in comparison to the case using no perfect crystal monochromator. In the case where a four-crystal optical system is used, in particular, the intensity of the incident X-ray is reduced to about 1/100, and there are some cases where a sufficient dynamic range cannot be obtained upon X-ray reflectivity measurement.
That is, in the case where the perfect crystal monochromator is used, the measurement cannot be attained to the higher angle side due to the small dynamic range, and there are some cases where the roughness cannot be sufficiently evaluated. In the case where a thin layer is present in the multi-layer membrane, furthermore, there are some cases where the fitting goes with neglecting the layer since the period of vibration corresponding to the layer thickness is small.
FIG. 3 shows a profile as a result of analysis of measurement data of an Si thin membrane with an optical system using a Ge(220) four-crystal monochromator (divergence angle of incident X-ray: about 0.0045°). As a result of fitting of simulated data to the measured data, it is expected that the thin membrane is a single layer membrane formed on a substrate, and in the analysis results shown in Table 2 below, the R value is 0.01586, which shows good agreement.
TABLE 2DensityThicknessRoughness(g/cm3)(nm)(nm)R valueSi2O3CH31.012398.301.450.01586Si substrate2.33—0.81
However, in the case where the fitting is again carried out with different initial values set to the parameters including density, thickness and roughness of the membrane, the fitting results in the profile shown in FIG. 4, which converges to a solution shown in Table 3 as different from that shown in Table 2, and the R value of 0.015712 seems to be slightly improved in accuracy.
TABLE 3DensityThicknessRoughness(g/cm3)(nm)(nm)R valueSi2O3CH31.012398.300.440.015712Si substrate2.33—1.65
It is understood from the comparison between the results shown in Table 2 and the results shown in Table 3 that the magnitude relation of the interface roughness is reversed.
Such a case that plural solutions are present is often encountered, and it is difficult to evaluate as to which is the correct solution or as to whether both are ascribed to insufficient analysis only by using the measurement results shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The phenomenon where the roughness values are reversed can be evaluated by measuring data to the higher angle region, but it is impossible to attain sufficient analysis in the case where the dynamic range is short.

Method for analyzing membrane structure and apparatus therefor


A wipe unit, including one or more wipers, a wiper carriage, a collection tray, and an ink receiving member, cleans a recording head having an ink ejection surface in which an ink ejection port for ejecting ink onto a recording medium is opened. The one or more wipers wipe off ink on the ink ejection surface. The wiper carriage is moved along a wiping direction while holding the wiper. The collection tray, having a tray surface and placed below the wiper, collects ink wiped off by the wiper. The ink receiving member, which is recessed-shaped and provided in the wiper carriage, receives ink dropping from a wiper that is placed furthest downstream in the wiping direction among the one or more wipers, and moreover the ink receiving member lets the ink drop onto the tray surface.

The present disclosure relates to a wipe unit, as well as an ink jet recording apparatus including the wipe unit, for cleaning recording heads which eject ink onto a recording medium such as a paper sheet.
As a recording apparatus such as facsimiles, copiers and printers, ink jet recording apparatuses in which ink is ejected to form images are widely used by virtue of their high-definition image-forming capability.
Conventionally, for ink jet recording apparatuses, it is common practice to execute a recovery process in which ink thickened within ink ejection ports is forcedly pushed out through the ink ejection ports and wiped off by wiper. For this purpose, an ink jet recording apparatus is equipped with a recording head for ejecting ink onto a paper sheet (recording medium), and a wipe unit for cleaning the recording head.
The wipe unit includes a wiper for wiping off forcedly pushed-out ink, a wiper carriage which is moved along a wiping direction while holding the wiper, and a collection tray placed below the wiper and having a tray surface for collecting ink that has been wiped off by the wiper.
In addition, there has been disclosed a prior-art ink jet recording apparatus in which a recording head recovery process is executed by a wipe unit.

Wipe unit and ink jet recording apparatus including the same