A headlamp duct 28 is connected with engine ducting 2 between air inlet 40 and ducting outlet 42 which is coupled to the engine. Headlamp duct 28 receives airflow 13 from engine ducting 2 and directs airflow to vehicle headlamp 30. A valve 6 disposed between headlamp duct 28 and engine ducting 2 is displaceable between a first position and a second position, whereby in the first position valve 6 permits airflow to headlamp duct 28 to be discharged toward vehicle headlamp 30, and in the second position valve 6 occludes airflow more to headlamp duct 28. Valve 6 is preferably responsive to air pressure in engine ducting 2. At low engine throttle, valve 6 permits airflow to headlamp duct 28 and at high engine throttle valve 6 is displaced to the second position, increasing air flow to the engine.

In general, in an automotive headlamp using LEDs (light-emitting diodes), it is beneficial to manage the heat dissipated by the drive circuitry and by the LEDs themselves. Heat management approaches using large heat sinks or actively driven cooling fans are known, but these such components add weight, cost, restrict design space, and in the case of an actively driven fan can decrease overall robustness of the system. Software approaches to heat management are known such as programming the drive circuits to decrease power to lower the heat generated when temperature exceeding a pre-determined threshold is sensed, but this is also expensive.
The following vehicle lamps are known: U.S. Pat. No. 7,329,033 (Glovatsky); U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,507 (Weber); U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,151 (Jones); U.S. Pat. No. 7,478,932 (Chinniah); U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,283 (Ozawa); U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,672 (Yamaguchi); U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,000 (Rapp); U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,954 (Kalwa); U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,467 (Hashemi); and Application US 2011/0310631 (Davis). In U.S. Pat. No. 7,329,033 (Glovatsky) it is known to provide cooling air to ducts arranged in a headlamp assembly using a forced convective flow shown in FIG. 2A therein which occurs as the vehicle is moving forward; or a natural convective flow shown in FIG. 2B therein; or by use of an additional fan as forced air flow shown in FIGS. 2C-D therein. U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,954 (Kalwa) discloses a headlamp housing whose interior space is aerated by regulating a valve responsive to humidity.

Vehicle headlamp regulated airflow system and method


A battery booster cable storage system that takes two elongated battery booster cables each having a predetermined length L and folds them back and forth upon themselves into a predetermined shape that is substantially linear and having a folded length no greater than L/3. A closed loop elastic member is secured to one of the alligator clamp assemblies at each end of the substantially linear folded shape. A gripping member may be secured to the closed loop elastic member and there is provided a cable support member that removably receives the gripping member.

The invention relates to battery bootser cables and more specifically a system for storing them when they are not in use.
Presently battery booster cables are packaged and sold in a coiled shape in which they have been wound. A person buying such a battery booster cable will normally store it in the trunk of his vehicle or in his garage wound in a coiled configuration. Initially the cables are coiled into a compact package, but after opening the package for use the coiled cables are rarely recoiled into the original compact size. The cables can never be retained in a neat compact shape with out using a device to retain them. There is presently no known method of mounting a coiled battery booster cable in trunk of an automobile.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel battery booster cable storage system that allows the two battery booster cables to be folded back and forth upon themselves into a predetermined shape that is substantially linear and to also be retained in this configuration.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel battery booster cable storage system that allows the folded battery booster cables to be more easily stored in the trunk of an automobile when not in use.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel battery booster cable storage system that can be utilized with a battery booster cable support member that can be installed in the trunk of an automobile.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel battery booster cable storage system that is economical to manufacture and market.


In a starter for an engine, a magnet switch attracts a plunger by a magnetic force generated by a solenoid coil wound around a sleeve, so that a pinion fitted on an output shaft of a starter motor is driven by movement of the plunger to engage with an engine ring gear. The the plunger is pressed to contact tightly with the sleeve, whereby the relative movement between the plunger and the sleeve is restricted as long as the coil is held deenergized. The pressing may be attained by an inclined surface provided on the plunger or a flexture of a transmitting member which connects the plunger and a pinion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a starter for starting an engine.
2. Related Art
For a starter having a magnet switch, one conventional magnet switch is disclosed in JOURNAL OF NIPPONDENSO TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE, Ser. No. 82-113, published on Jan. 15, 1992.
This magnet switch for a starter has, as shown in FIG. 11, a plunger 100, taper portions 101 and 111 provided respectively on the plunger 100, a sleeve 110 forming a sliding surface of the plunger 100, and an elastic or resilient member 130 interposed between a plunger engaging portion 102 and an end 121 of a lever 120. With this construction, when the magnetic switch stops its operation (i.e., a standstill state), the plunger 100, urged by a return spring 140, stops in the state where the taper portion 101 of the plunger 100 is in contact with the taper portion 111 of the sleeve 110, and is held in a stable manner by the bias force of the return spring 140. Therefore, even if a large vibration is received from the outside, the plunger 100 is not moved in an axial direction (a lateral direction in FIG. 11) within the sleeve 110. The plunger 100 and the sleeve 110 become integral in effect, such that abrasions of the sleeve surface caused by relative movement of the plunger 100 and the sleeve 110 can be prevented.
However, this magnet switch has the following problems:
(1) an increase in the number of parts due to the provision of the elastic member 130, PA0 (2) an increase in manufacturing steps caused by the provision of the taper portions 101 and 111 on the plunger 100 and the sleeve 110, PA0 (3) a change in magnetic characteristic caused by the provision of the taper portion 101 in the plunger 100, PA0 (4) in the standstill state, since the lever 120 is pressed by the elastic force of the elastic member 130 (i.e., the lever 120 is not directly pressed by the return spring 140), the force for pressing and holding one-way clutch toward the axial rear end through the lever 120 lowers, and PA0 (5) since the intervention of the elastic member 130 between the plunger engaging portion 102 and the lever end 121 eliminates an engaging clearance therebetween, even if energization of the magnet switch is cut off after the start of an engine, there reduces a contact cut-off play set to cut off a motor contact when a pinion cannot be disengaged from a ring gear due to the inferior sliding or the like.

Starter having a vibration resisting magnet switch


The present invention relates to a headset having an adjustable microphone boom wherein gain applied to the microphone signal is varied based on the position of the boom.

Headsets with extendible and retractable booms are known in the art. Typically, these headsets use rather sophisticated processing to filter out background noise. This processing is relatively expensive and consumes power, which is an issue since this power is typically drawn from a battery in the headset or in a communication device to which the headset is connected. The present invention endeavors to provide a more simplified approach to dealing with background noise issues.

Headset with variable gain based on position of microphone boom


In a bicycle seat assembly a fastener driver is rotatable in first and second directions. Upon rotating the driver in the first direction, it threadably engages a shaft of an adjusting member causing tightening of a connection between a bicycle seat, a seat post and the adjusting member and producing simultaneous adjustment of a wedge sub-assembly provided at an interface between a distal end of the adjusting member and the seat post. Rotation of the fastener driver in the second direction causes at least partial disengagement of the threadable connection between the driver and the adjusting member, resulted in loosening connection between the seat post and the adjusting member.

In the prior art to provide adjustment of a bicycle seat and a bicycle seat post with respect to a bicycle frame, typically one or more bolts are used. An additional independent clamp is also typically provided for securing the bicycle seat post to the tube of the bicycle seat frame.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,899,389 and 7,059,672 to Saccucci disclose a bicycle seat assemblies concentrating on the adjustment and fixing the angular position of the seat with respect to the frame. However, these patents neither interested nor capable of providing simultaneous adjustment of the seat/seat post with respect to the frame. A special additional device is required for this purpose.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,052 to Rendall disclose an angle-shaped clamp facilitating vertical adjustment of the seat post within the bicycle frame and fixation thereof after the predetermined elevation is achieved. The Rendall Patent requires a separate independent mechanism for angular adjustment position of the seat with respect to the frame.
In both, the Rendall and the Saccucci references there are separate and independent mechanisms are provided for adjustment of the seat with respect to the frame and for adjustment of the post relative to the frame of a bicycle. Provision of two separate mechanisms increases the weight of the bicycle and makes manufacturing of the bicycles more expensive. Furthermore, use of the separate mechanisms complicates adjustment and fixation of the seat as well as adjustment of the seat post within the frame.
Thus, it has been long felt and unsolved need for a bicycle seat arrangement which is capable of providing a simple adjustment of the seat as well as the seat post relative to the frame, wherein both actions are carried out simultaneously by using a single integrated mechanism.

Method and apparatus for bicycle seat adjustment


A variable rate elastomeric torsion spring 30 includes a generally cylindrical elastomeric member 36 having an outer shell 34 bonded thereto on the outside and a plurality of adjacent, axially aligned inner sleeves 36, 38 bonded thereto on the inside. A variable spring rate is obtained by the spring by selectively engaging different combinations of the inner sleeves.

Heretofore, elastomeric torsion springs or rubber torsion springs have been made by concentrically positioning cylindrical sleeves of metal of different diameters and securing a resilient material, such as an elastomer, therebetween. The inner sleeve is secured to a first element which is to be resiliently carried for torsional movement and the outer cylindrical sleeve is secured to another or second element such as a housing and with respect to which the first element has relative torsional movement.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior elastomeric torsion spring 10 which includes an elastomeric member 12 disposed between and bonded to an inner sleeve 14 and an outer shell 16. Typically, outer shell 16 is anchored and inner sleeve 14 is keyed so that a shaft 18 extending therethrough can be utilized to rotate the inner sleeve 14 with respect to the outer shell 16. Under these circumstances, shaft 18 and outer shell 16 must be connected to parts of a device which are intended to move relative to one another.
FIG. 2 illustrates an elastomeric spring having an outer shell 26 which rotates in a direction opposite to an inner sleeve 22. A center shaft 20 of the inner sleeve 22 is keyed, thereby allowing the shaft 20 to be rotated by a keyed rod (not shown) with respect to the outer shell 26. The outer shell 26 therefore must be connected or anchored to something which has torsional movement with respect to the inner shaft. Each spring arranged and utilized in such a manner has a particular windup or spring rate curve to describe the amount of torque provided by the spring for any given angular displacement or torsional movement between the inner sleeve and the outer shell.
FIG. 3 illustrates a torque versus windup curve of a typical prior elastomeric spring such as is shown in FIG. 1. Designers who incorporate an elastomeric spring such as illustrated in FIG. 1 utilize the torque versus windup characteristics to anticipate the amount of torque produced by the spring at any particular given amount of angular displacement.
Sometimes, however, it is necessary to have a spring which can provide varying torque for a particular windup. Heretofore, it has been necessary to change springs to achieve varying torque. It is not always practical however to change springs in a structure in order to achieve this objective.
An elastomeric spring which can provide varying torque vs. windup is, therefore highly desirable.

Variable rate elastomeric torsion spring


Some embodiments implement a linear switching application that provides functionality for switching between different windows based on an x-axis ordering of the windows instead of the z-axis or other ordering of prior art. The linear switching application identifies an array of currently open windows and sorts the array based on the leftmost x-coordinate position of the windows in the array. Optionally, the linear switching application modifies the GUI to display window identifiers based on the leftmost x-coordinate position of each window to orient the user to the x-coordinate position of each of the windows on-screen. The application determines an index in the current x-sorted array for the window that is currently frontmost and changes the frontmost window based on the current frontmost window and a directional input provided by the user.

A modern day multi-tasking operating system (OS) allows multiple applications to be running at any given time with each application having one or more open windows. By providing this multi-tasking ability to have multiple open windows, users are able to work with more data and access more functionality simultaneously. However, the more windows that are open, the more challenging it can be for users to access a window with the desired data or functionality. Specifically, users switch between the different open windows in order to access the data or functionality that is provided within each window. For example, a user switches to (1) a first window of a document processing application in order to prepare a first document, (2) a second window of the same document processing application in order to prepare a second document, (3) a window of an email application in order to check emails, (4) a window of a media player application in order to play music tracks, (5) a file explorer window in order to access different files, and (6) a window of a web browser application in order to do research on the Internet.
Switching to a window involves making that window frontmost and providing key focus to that window. The graphical user interface (GUI) of the OS provides various means with which to switch to a particular window. A user can click on a desired window with a graphical pointing tool or touch gesture in order to make that window frontmost (i.e., gain access to the data or functionality associated with that window). However, when several windows are simultaneously displayed on-screen, the windows may overlap in a virtual three-dimensional space, based on the ordering with which each window is launched or accessed, also referred to as the z-order of the windows.
In such cases where windows overlap, the user must often rearrange the position of the windows by dragging them to new positions, or minimize or hide one or more obstructing windows in order to disclose the desired window. This laborious method of switching between windows is further exacerbated by the fact that many users forgo the benefits of viewing multiple windows, preferring instead to maximize, or fill the entire screen, with the window that they are currently working with. In so doing, to access a different window, the maximized window must first be minimized or reduced in size, so that other windows appear on-screen, thereby allowing the user to utilize an on-screen pointer to click, move or resize the desired window(s). It is clear that clicking on windows is an inefficient means with which to switch between different windows when multiple windows are simultaneously open. Finding the desired window becomes more challenging, time-consuming, and frustrating as more windows are open, as is often the case with larger screen sizes and/or multiple displays.
To improve upon window switching, the Windows operating system includes a taskbar that includes symbols for windows that the user may click to make a particular window frontmost. Similarly, the Mac OS X includes an application dock that includes symbols for applications that the user may click to make a particular application's window or windows frontmost. The taskbar and dock are spatially dependent graphical tools that require a layer of abstraction as the user must first identify a symbol corresponding to a desired window or application before clicking on that symbol. While often more effective than rearranging and clicking on windows, this manner of switching between windows is still inefficient. For example, when several applications are open, identifying the desired application from the taskbar or dock becomes overly time consuming as the user visually sorts through the multiple symbols in the taskbar or dock to identify a desired window. In the Windows taskbar, the problem is exacerbated when the taskbar becomes overcrowded and the symbols in the taskbar shrink in size to accommodate symbols for all open windows. As the symbols shrink, they become less readable, causing the user to hover the on-screen pointer, one by one, over each of the symbols, and wait until a pop-up text field identifies the name of the desired window. Furthermore, the symbols in the taskbar move around as windows are opened and closed. The user must therefore repeat the spatial identification step of identifying a position of a symbol that corresponds to the window on the taskbar each time. To select a particular document window in the OS X dock, the user must first click and hold the application symbol corresponding to the document, at which point a menu appears which lists all open documents for that application, among other things. The user must then drag the pointer to the name of the desired document and release the mouse. Furthermore, as more applications are in use or retained in the dock, the symbols become smaller and smaller, so that further mouse-over techniques are required to enable the user to identify the correct symbol.
Because of these and other issues, it is sometimes preferable to switch between windows using the discrete inputs of a key-based input device such as a keyboard. In operating systems such as Windows OS and Mac OS, various keystroke shortcuts are available to invoke a window switching function using discrete keyboard inputs. The window switching function allows a user to switch between different windows by pressing and holding at least a first keyboard key (such as a "Command" key) and then tapping a second keyboard key to select a different window to make frontmost. The first key can then be released and the last selected window remains frontmost. Specifically in Mac OS, holding the "Command" key while tapping the "Tab" key switches between different application windows in a first direction and holding the "Command" and "Shift" keys while tapping the "Tab" key switches between different application windows in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. The window switching function operates loosely based on which application was most recently frontmost, though the order is hard to discern, and therefore essentially becomes random to the user. Similar functionality is provided in the Windows OS, whereby holding the "Alt" key and tapping the "Tab" key invokes a windows switching function that switches between different windows. Complimentary functionality is also available in the Mac OS, whereby holding the "Command" key while tapping the "Tilde" key switches between windows that belong to the currently active application in the Mac OS. Each of these window switching functions is subject to the same ordering issues discussed below.
For purposes of simplicity and clarity, the following discussion generalizes the phrase "window switching function" to include functionality for switching between application windows and functionality for switching between windows of an active application without limitation. This phrase is meant to also encompass switching between windows, applications, and/or other objects or user interface elements of a GUI.
The above referenced window switching functions are inefficiently implemented for various reasons. Firstly, the ordering of windows used by the window switching function becomes essentially randomized to the user when three or more windows are accessed. Specifically, the order of the applications or windows changes in a seemingly random manner. As a result, there is no repeatable or static correspondence between the different windows in the GUI and the order with which the windows can be selected using the window switching function. Secondly, the existing keyboard shortcuts for performing the window switching function requires users to move at least one hand away from the associated home position keys (e.g., "A", "S", "D", "F", "J", "K", "L", and ";") when using the window switching function, which leads to time-consuming movements that can result in incorrect keys being pressed. Thirdly, reversing directions using the existing window switching functions is awkward for most users, and many users lack sufficient dexterity or do not know the keyboard shortcut for reversing directions because it requires that two non-adjacent keys be held down while a third key is pressed.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved functionality with which to switch between different application and document windows. Specifically, there is a need to switch between different windows without having to recall the order in which the windows were last accessed, and without regard to which application owns which window.

Linear progression based window management


A one-piece children's garment that fastens in the pelvic region configured such that the long sleeves detach from the short sleeves. The invention relates to an improvement to the one-piece children's garment whereby the long sleeves are removably attached to the short sleeves with one or more fasteners. The fastener can be colored according to the color of the garment. The short sleeves contain extra material to achieve a unique fold over, allowing the user the comfort and convenience of a short sleeved garment at will. Once the long sleeves are removed from the short sleeves, a folding process is completed by the user which discretely covers exposed snap fasteners to avoid further chaffing on an infant's skin.

The present invention relates to children's garments, and more specifically to one-piece children's garments that are fastened with snaps in the pelvic region. The classic baby one-piece garment can be purchased separately; as a long sleeved or short-sleeved garment. For a number of years, the one-piece children's garment has remained one of the most significant garments worn by children on a daily basis.
The present invention is an improvement to the classic children's one-piece garment configured such that material covers the arms, and the upper and lower torso, with crotch entry. The invention includes but is not limited to children's garments that require fasteners in the pelvic region such as, sleepers, rompers, body suits, and similar garments and may or may not contain any leg portions or leg portion attachments. The invention contains long sleeves that detach from the short sleeves, and a simple folding process using extra material in the short sleeves to keep the fasteners covered, and to provide a softer, non-abrasive transition. The improvement will alleviate the worries about determining whether or not the child will need to wear long or short sleeves due to varying outdoor and indoor temperatures, feeding, playing, etc. Also, importantly the conversion can be done "on the fly", that is without having to remove the infant or baby from the garment. In addition, it will be more cost effective for the consumer to purchase the one-piece children's garment that contains both long and short sleeves.

Long sleeve to short sleeve on piece childs garment


A ball grid array device includes a substrate, further including a first major surface and a second major surface. An array of pads is positioned on one of the first major surface or the second major surface. At least some of the pads include a barrier layer having pores or openings therein. When solder is placed on the pad, the barrier layer forms an intermetallic compound at a rate different from the rate of the intermetallic compound formed between the pad and the solder. The result is a solder ball on a pad that has a first intermetallic compound and a second intermetallic compound.

The semiconductor industry has seen tremendous advances in technology in recent years that have permitted dramatic increases in circuit density and complexity, and equally dramatic decreases in power consumption and package sizes. Present semiconductor technology now permits single-chip microprocessors with many millions of transistors, operating at speeds of tens (or even hundreds) of MIPS (millions of instructions per second), to be packaged in relatively small, air-cooled semiconductor device packages. A by-product of such high density and high functionality in semiconductor devices has been the demand for increased numbers of external electrical connections to be present on the exterior of the die, and on the exterior of the semiconductor packages that receive the die, for connecting the packaged device to external systems, such as a printed circuit board.
To meet the demand for an increased number of external electrical connections, ball grid array packages were developed and are now used in many applications. A ball grid array (BGA) is an array of solder bumps or balls that cover the surface of the die or semiconductor package and are used to connect the die and the semiconductor package. A typical BGA package is characterized by a large number of solder balls disposed in an array on a major surface of the package. It is not uncommon to have hundreds of solder balls in an array. The BGA package is assembled to a matching array of conductive pads. The pads are connected to other devices within a substrate, or circuitry on a circuit board. Heat is applied to reflow the solder balls (bumps) on the package, thereby wetting the pads on the substrates and, once cooled, forming electrical connections between the package and the semiconductor device contained in the package, and the substrate.
BGAs have the advantage of providing more connections between the die and the semiconductor package. BGAs also have the advantage that the size of the balls or bumps can be made smaller to provide a higher density of solder bumps or balls, and thereby a greater number of connections from a die. BGAs are formed by placing an amount of solder on a solder pad and heating the solder to a melting point. The surface tension associated with the liquid solder causes the solder to form a solder ball. The solder ball retains its shape as it cools to form a solid solder ball or bump.
Two basic types of BGA pads for interconnection include a metal defined flat pad (MD) type BGA, and a solder mask defined flat pad (SMD) type BGA. Both of these two types of BGA pads are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the attached drawings. The solder adheres to the metal of the pad and not to the non-metallic substrate. In the metal defined flat pad type BGA, shown in FIG. 1, a metal pad 100 is initially formed on a substrate 110. Solid solder 120 is applied with the assistance of rosen flux, followed by heating the solder to molten stage. The surface tension associated with the liquid or molten solder 120 forms the solder into a solder ball 120. The solder 120 adheres to the entire metal pad 100. In the solder mask defined flat pad type of BGA, shown in FIG. 2, a metal pad 100 is initially formed on a substrate 110. Then a solder mask 200 is laid down to further limit the opening portion of the metal pad 100 that the solder adheres to. In other words, the solder of the solder ball 120 formed adheres only to the uncovered or unmasked portion 112 of the metal pad 100. The solder adheres to the metal and not the solder mask. The surface tension associated with the liquid or molten solder 120 forms the solder into a solder ball 120.
In either type of BGA, brittle fractures may develop due to mechanical bending, which can result in a separation interface between the solder matrix and the component pad. Fatigue failure can also result in a crack propagating across the pad, especially when a solder mask is used to limit the area of the metal pad 100 that the solder adheres to. Cracks can result in failed solder joints, that in turn result to electrical open failure of electronic device.
The description set out herein illustrates the various embodiments of the invention, and such description is not intended to be construed as limiting in any manner.

Solder interface locking using unidirectional growth of an intermetallic compound


A video apparatus for receiving broadcast direct-to-home audiovisual program data is provided with a position generator disposed at a position which generates a position signal corresponding to the position, an antenna for receiving broadcast audiovisual program data, the antenna being positionable in a plurality of different orientations including an initial orientation, a decoder coupled to the antenna for decoding the program data and being adapted to be connected to e.g. a home video display for display of programming corresponding to the program data, and an adjustment mechanism coupled to the antenna for automatically adjusting the initial orientation of the antenna based upon the position signal generated by the position generator. The antenna may be, for example, a satellite dish that is adapted to receive broadcast carriers from a broadcasting satellite. The adjustment mechanism may automatically orient the antenna based upon the relative qualities (e.g. magnitudes and/or error rates) of at least one broadcast signal received by the antenna when the antenna is in a first orientation and when the antenna is in a second orientation.

The present invention relates to a video receiver used to receive audiovisual programs and data broadcast from a satellite, for example, and which is adapted to be connected to a home video display, such as a television, or other video, audio, and/or data output device.
Direct broadcast satellite systems (DBS) for broadcasting video, audio, data and other programming (herein sometimes referred to as program data) to a plurality of remote locations have been available to consumers for more than one year prior to the filing of this patent. An example is the DSS.RTM. system utilized by DIRECTV and USSB broadcasting services. Typical DBS systems generate satellite broadcasts which are received by relatively small satellite antennas (such as dishes) each of which is typically owned by an individual subscriber, disposed at locations such as a house or hotel, for example. The satellite antenna system is utilized in conjunction with a prior art receiver unit, which also includes a decoder adapted to be connected to a video or other output device (e.g. audio system or computer) and which provides decoded program data outputs to the output device.
In such known consumer systems, the satellite antenna of the receiver is initially oriented towards the geosynchronous satellite from which it is to receive broadcast program in a manual manner by the subscriber as described below. The subscriber determines the correct azimuth and altitude for their geographic location. This may be done by utilizing zip codes or latitude and longitude information. In known systems, the needed azimuth and altitude information may be obtained by entering the geographic information (e.g. zip code, or latitude and longitude). The receiver unit then accesses a lookup table stored in its internal memory to determine the azimuth and elevation angles to which the antenna should be oriented so that it points to the satellite, and displays those angles e.g. on the television to which the receiver unit is connected.
The subscriber then manually orients the satellite antenna to the azimuth angle specified by the receiver unit by using a compass, and to the elevation angle specified by the receiver unit by using a set of elevation angle markings, similar to the markings on a protractor, disposed on the satellite antenna support.
After the satellite antenna is initially oriented in the above manner, the subscriber may adjust its orientation by using a display, typically generated by the receiver unit for display on e.g. the television, related to the quality (e.g. signal strength and/or error rate, or other known quality measure or factor) of the broadcast program data received by the antenna. The subscriber accomplishes the adjustment by manually moving the satellite antenna in increments until the received quality of the received broadcast is maximized. Other systems provide alternative quality factor indicators (e.g. meters or variable flashing LEDs), but still require manual incremental adjustments.
It is presently known that receiver units of DBS systems of the type described above have been previously used on an airplane in combination with a steerable parabolic antenna for receiving the broadcast signal. To enable reception of the broadcast signal regardless of the location and attitude of the airplane, the orientation of the parabolic antenna is continuously varied based upon electronic signals generated by the airplane, such as signals representing latitude, longitude and altitude.
It is also known that receiver units of DBS systems have been previously used on a ship in combination with a steerable parabolic antenna for receiving the broadcast. To enable reception of the broadcast regardless of the location and attitude of the ship, the orientation of the parabolic antenna is continuously varied based upon e.g. the sensed signal strength of the broadcast signal and/or attitude of the ship.

Video receiver with automatic satellite antenna orientation


Significant changes in monitored and reported operational parameters and/or power outage events occurring in a utility's electrical power transmission/distribution grid are correlated with historical, current and/or forecast weather events based on potential root cause, geographic and temporal constraints. Operational event and outage information is collected and time-stamped using a communication network of devices and sources that monitor and report, among other things, equipment parameters, electric power availability and outages. A computer-implemented root cause analysis engine (RCA) operatively associated with a computer-implemented weather data correlation engine sorts and analyzes operational parameter/event information and identifies probable correlations to localized weather phenomenon. Operational parameters/events are then displayed using a graphic display device in a manner that enables user controllable and configurable viewing of a time-lapse evolution of weather phenomenon overlayed with graphics representing both weather-related and other relevant operational parameters/events depicted in relation to the utility's physical infrastructure.

Weather conditions and events can have a significant impact upon the generation and distribution of electric power and, consequently, in the number and type of service outages that may result and affect the customers of a particular electrical power utility company. Typically, the generation/transmission/distribution grid of an electrical power utility company will experience periodic service outages due to weather conditions that effect power distribution and availability to specific customers and/or specific areas. Consequently, it would certainly be useful for a utility to know or at least to be able to more accurately predict the types and likely occurrence of operational parameters/events and power outages that are directly caused by local or regional weather events. However, not all service outages and operational events are a result of the weather, even if occurring during a prevailing weather condition/event. Moreover, those operational parameter/events that are not caused by weather events may require a different approach to serving and repair. In this regard, power generation demand forecasting can be an important tool for power generation/transmission/distribution utilities in assessing and developing a cost effective and efficient mix of power generation, transmission/distribution and repair needed to meet electrical power load demands during potential outage causing events. Unfortunately, accurate weather-related power demand forecasting requires an ability to monitor and analyze existing power generation facilities and transmission/distribution grid operational events in light of constantly evolving weather patterns from days or even weeks past up to the present and including forecasts of several hours to weeks out. In this regard, utility companies need to be able to accurately identify where and what weather events are likely to disrupt electric service to customers so as to be able to proactively address power outage events or at least respond quickly with appropriate remedial measures. For example, if utility companies had access to effective methods and tools for studying, reviewing and correlating the evolution of various weather phenomenon/events to distribution grid operational events, information developed from such correlations could be used not only to address power outages as they occur but also to anticipate and prevent future equipment failures and power outages. Moreover, the access and use of such information would undoubtedly increase overall operating efficiency, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction.
Consequently, there is presently a need and a desire in the electrical power generation, transmission and distribution industry for some effective means that would enable a power utility company to better anticipate and prepare for weather related operational events so as to reduce the number of power outages and improve customer satisfaction. In addition, it would be useful and beneficial to a power utility company to have some practical means to identify and visually display the time and locations of power outage events and/or other significant operational parameters/events that occur throughout the utility's electrical distribution infrastructure. It would also be useful to be able to readily distinguish and identify those operational parameters/events caused by weather events/phenomenon from those that are not and to be able to view a time-lapse evolution of weather and events. Accordingly, a computer-implemented tool/system is disclosed herein which, among other things, acquires information concerning operational parameters/events occurring in an electrical power transmission/distribution grid, determines a degree of correlation of each event to relevant weather phenomenon, and displays the acquired information in a user-controllable manner as an animated video-graphic time-lapse evolution.

System and method of automated acquisition, correlation and display of power distribution grid operational parameters and weather events


A web-based data access system is described that allows users to easily access, manipulate and share information. The users can access the system to create customized view of the data and share the views with others. The data access system includes a database for storing multidimensional data. Electronic reports are stored as report object on a server and define dimensions and members of multidimensional data that are included in an electronic report. A page generation module executes on the server to access the multidimensional data and format a web page based on the report object. A packet engine communicates the web page to a client device in a stream of packets for display to the user.

Despite the billions of dollars spent on creating vast databases, corporations face staggering problems finding and delivering timely information into the hands of decision makers. Existing systems for accessing databases often require teams of analysts and programmers to extract and massage the data. Some conventional systems allow users to remotely view data via a network, such as the World Wide Web ("the Web"), but the data typically in the form of inflexible reports cannot be customized. End users typically cannot create and customize reports and graphs; they typically are forced to use a number of pre-defined, static reports. As such, employees, customers and supply chain partners are often unable to access and utilize valuable information, which results in under-informed, delayed business decisions.


The invention provides methods and materials involved in displaying polypeptide sequences using viruses such as avian leukosis viruses. Specifically, the invention provides nucleic acid molecules, collections of nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides, collections of polypeptides, viruses, and collections of viruses as well as methods for making nucleic acid molecules, collections of nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides, collections of polypeptides, viruses, and collections of viruses. The invention also provides methods for obtaining displayed polypeptide sequences that interact with biological molecules and/or cells as well as methods for identifying biological molecules that interact with displayed polypeptides.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to methods and materials involved in displaying polypeptide sequences using viruses such as avian leukosis viruses.
2. Background Information
Display technology involves generating libraries of modularly coded biomolecules and screening those biomolecules for particular properties. One feature of display technology is to link a particular phenotype (e.g., a displayed polypeptide) to its genotype (e.g., a nucleic acid encoding the displayed polypeptide) so that the genotypes of selected phenotypes can be rapidly identified. Polypeptide display systems include viral display systems as well as cell-based display systems. Viral and cell-based display systems have the ability to amplify the selected population of displayed polypeptides.
Phage display has been used extensively as a platform for polypeptide display, accommodating a wide-range of polypeptides from small polypeptides to single chain antibodies. For example, phage display libraries have been used to select polypeptides that specifically bind to unique antigens on immobilized polypeptides and to targeted receptors on cultured cells (Li, M., Nat. Biotech., 18:1251–1256 (2000)). In addition, in vivo selection strategies of phage display polypeptide libraries in mice have been developed (Pasqualini and Ruoslahti, Nature, 380:364–366 (1996)). These selection strategies allow cells, organs, and tumors to be studied in their natural environments, a complexity that is difficult to model in vitro. Thus, the power of polypeptide display technology for identifying new therapeutic targets such as targets for cancer treatment both in vitro and in vivo is clear.

Avian leukosis viruses and polypeptide display

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research


Known techniques for forming nanoparticles require a multiple-step process to coat a surface with nanoparticles. The present invention provides a single-step process that requires the deposition of a substrate in a mixture of a solvent, ligands and organometallic precursors. The mixture containing the substrate is heated under pressure in a dihydrogen environment for a predetermined period of time, during which supercrystals of nanoparticles form on the substrate.

Thin film technology, wherein inorganic particles with sizes on the order of 1-100 nm are arranged in layers to form a film, is currently being used for an increasingly large number of different technological applications, including: information storage systems, chemical and biological sensors, fibre-optic systems, and magneto-optic and optical device.
A number of techniques are currently known for the preparation of such films. U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,904 discloses a method and structure that forms a multilayer nanoparticle thin film assembly by functionalizing a substrate with functional molecules and then replacing a stabilizer on a bottom surface of first nanoparticles with the functional molecules via surface ligand exchange to make a first nanoparticle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,729 relates to a method of making nanoparticles via metal salt reduction by firstly mixing metal salts in a solvent and then adding a reducing agent to the solvent. The nanoparticle dispersion is then stabilized and the nanoparticles precipitated from the nanoparticle dispersion. Finally, the nanoparticles are re-dispersed into the solvent. "Alternation of cationic and anionic polymeric materials and metal nanoparticles" (Decher et al., Science 1997, vol. 277: page 1232) describes alternation of cationic and anionic polymeric materials and metal nanoparticles. This is also described in "Layer-by-Layer Growth of Polymeric Nanoparticle Films Containing Monolayer Protected Gold Clusters" (Jocelyn F. Hicks, Young Seok-Shon, and Royce W. Murray, Langmuir, 2002, 18, 2288-2294) and "Rapid deposition of gold nanoparticle films with controlled thickness and structure by convective assembly" (B. G. Prevo, J. C. Fuller, III and O. D. Velev, Chem. Mater, in press (2004)). U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,532 describes a layer-by-layer formation of a film of compact arrays of magnetic nanoparticles for a magnetic storage medium.
However, all of the above described techniques comprise multiple steps to achieve formation of the nanoparticles on the substrate employed, including formation of the nanoparticles, selection of the size of nanoparticles and then deposition of the nanoparticles. At each step, loss or degradation of the end-product is risked and, in particular, when the nanoparticles are air-sensitive, resulting in restricting possible applications of the nanoparticles formed due to the resulting degradation of the nanoparticles formed caused by an ambient atmosphere. Some solutions have been proposed to obviate this disadvantage, for example, coating the particles with an amorphous and inert substance, such as silica or a polymer, or forming an oxide coating on the nanoparticles as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,925. However, such coating results in a loss of some of magnetic properties of the nanoparticle film.

Method of coating a surface with nanoparticles


An electrical box comprising an adjustable voltage divider may include a housing comprising an inner surface and ribs or threads integrally formed on the inner surface of the rectangular housing. A voltage divider plate may be disposed within the housing with vertical edges of the voltage divider plate extending along and held in place between the ribs or threads integrally formed on the inner surface of the housing, the voltage divider plate dividing the housing into a high voltage area and a low voltage area. The voltage divider plate area may comprise a plurality of horizontal guide lines vertically offset from each other, and a plurality of vertical guide lines horizontally offset from each other and intersecting the plurality of horizontal score lines. Upper outer corners of the voltage divider plate may be inwardly disposed from the vertical edges of the voltage divider plate.

Electrical box assemblies, boxes or housings are used as an area for aggregating electrical wiring, cable, optical fibers, conduit, or other transmission lines for electrical, data, communication, security, and other transmission line. At times different types of transmission lines may be brought together in adjacent boxes or in a single box.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Electrical box assembly with an adjustable voltage divider


A power supply control system including a variable power converter for converting electric power from a power supply to a load into that of a specification required by the load in response to a power specification information source provided on the load side. With a change in the load, the information source also changes, thereby providing a flexible power supply control system capable of meeting different loads. For applications to a high power supply, the system comprises a plurality of variable power converters adapted to operate selectively in accordance with requisite power information sources provided in or on the side of a plurality of loads, thereby providing a system realizing a flexible power supply. For application to a low power supply, the system comprises a plug having a power specification information source and a socket having a variable power converter.

The present invention relates to a system for controlling the power supplied from a power source to a load, or more in particular to a power supply control system capable of supplying electric power from a power source to a plurality of desired loads of different specifications or from a multiplicity of types of power sources to a plurality of loads having a variety of different specifications respectively.
In a high-power supply control system, the present invention preferably relates to a configuration and a method of controlling and operating a power supply system suitable for supplying electric power from a great variety of power sources to indoor services including various loads.
In a low-power supply control system, on the other hand, the present invention preferably relates to a system comprising a socket (convenience outlet) having a function of power conversion for connecting a power line to a plug connected to a desired load of a power specification different from that of the power line, and the plug having the function of the load power specification information.
A conventional power supply system for distributing large power to a plurality of loads, as described in "Mitsubishi Electrical Techniques", Vol. 60, No. 5, pp. 25-31 1986, supplies power from a commercial AC system to a load through a transformer. As a result, each load is required to have power conversion means to convert power into a form necessary for the particular load. Also, the conventional power supply system comprises two power transmission systems for normal and emergency services. Only the normal transmission system is used under normal conditions, while the emergency transmission system is operated only in case of emergency. The resulting lack of flexibility in the form of power supply makes it necessary to provide another power supply for preventing a power failure, thus posing a roadblock to reduction in the size of such a load system.
The failure to consider the flexibility of the form in which power is supplied to a load in the prior art prevents a load system from decreasing in size.
On the other hand, office automation (OA) equipments including home electric appliances and personal computers which receive relatively small power from a commercial AC power line have a respective power receiving cord with a plug making up their power input terminal, which is connected to a socket (convenience outlet) leading to the commercial power line. A socket in general use includes, as shown in FIG. 49, an input terminal connected to a commercial power line, and an output terminal to be connected to a load side plug 54, and a conductor for connecting the input and output terminals. The output terminal is replaceably constructed to facilitate the connection with or separation from the plug electrode 57. Also, the connecting portion of the commercial power line and the input terminal of the socket and the connecting portion of the output terminal and the plug electrode, are covered with an insulating material to prevent their complete exposure.
According to the above structure, the output voltage of the socket is equal to the commercial AC voltage applied thereto. On the load side, on the other hand, there is provided in many cases a switching power supply 84 for converting a commercial AC voltage received from the socket into a power level (DC 5 V, 12 V, etc.) required for driving the internal circuit of the load.
In the case of a load having a battery as a power supply, in order to make reception possible from a commercial power supply, an AC-DC converter 84 is often used. The converter 84 is inserted between a socket and a load side plug 54 as shown in FIG. 50 to convert a commercial AC voltage of 100 V into a DC voltages of 3 V or 1.5 V. The converter 84 is configured of a transformer 66, a rectifier 63 and smoothing means 82 as shown in FIG. 50. The taps of the transformer may be switchable by operating a tap switching means 83 provided on the surface of the converter body 84 to select an output voltage of 3 V or 1.5 V.
In the prior art described above, the voltage produced from the socket is a commercial AC voltage, and therefore, if the load needs the power of a different specification, it is necessary to insert power conversion means in the load or between the socket and the load.


In an image forming apparatus, a sheet discharge device is provided. The sheet discharge device may include a drive roller and a driven roller driven by the drive roller. Also, the sheet discharge device can have a flange portion disposed at one end of the driven roller in a longitudinal direction thereof so as to rotate together with the driven roller. The flange portion may include a cutout having a first guide surface and a second guide surface disposed downstream of the first guide surface in a rotating direction of the driven roller. The first guide surface may be longer than the second guide surface.

1. Field
Aspects of the invention relate to sheet discharge devices, for use in image forming apparatuses, configured to discharge a sheet from the image forming apparatuses.
2. Description of Related Art
Known image forming apparatuses, such as facsimile machines, copiers, and laser printers, discharge sheets after an image is formed on the sheets.
A known image forming apparatus includes a drive roller and a driven roller that is driven by the drive roller, to discharge a sheet on a discharge tray. A flange having circular shaped cutouts on its periphery is disposed on one or both ends of the driven roller in its axial direction, to push the sheet toward the discharge tray to prevent the sheet from adhering to the drive roller or driven roller due to static charge on the sheet.


A video processor, for transferring a set of image data from an input device to an output device, is provided. The video processor is intended for use in a printing apparatus having a controller for controlling operation of the input and output devices as well as the video processor, while the video processor has an image bus across which the set of image data can be transmitted. The video processor comprises an integrated adaptive compressor for buffering a preselected number of the bytes, the integrated adaptive compressor communicating with the input device. A memory communicates with the integrated adaptive compressor, the memory being capable of selectively storing the preselected number of bytes. The memory also includes predesignated addresses at which the bytes can be stored, and the controller communicates with the memory. The video processor further comprises a direct memory access arrangement, the direct memory access arrangement communicating with the integrated adaptive compressor and the memory. The direct memory access arrangement is adapted to enable transfer of the preselected number of bytes in the integrated adaptive compressor to the predesignated addresses. Preferably, the controller is capable of transmitting data independent of the integrated adaptive compressor so that data can be transferred between the controller and the memory while image data is being accumulated in the integrated adaptive compressor.

The subject matter of the present case is related to copending patent application Ser. No. 07/784,493, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,041 filed Oct. 29, 1991, 1991, entitled "VIDEO PROCESSOR FOR A PRINTING APPARATUS," the pertinent portions of which are incorporated herein by reference, and to copending patent application Ser. No. 07/784,195, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,799, filed Oct. 29, 1991, entitled "EXPANDABLE ELECTRONIC SUBSYSTEM FOR A PRINTING APPARATUS," the pertinent portions of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a printing apparatus, and more particularly to a video processor including an improved data transfer arrangement, which arrangement facilitates multi-function operation of the printing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is now well accepted that electronic reprographic systems, such as Canon's NP-9030 digital copying apparatus, have certain distinct advantages over known light-lens systems. The NP-9030 was one of the first electronic reprographic systems to be marketed with the capability to convert an optical image from a scanned original to image intensity signals, and reconstruct the signals, by way of a print engine using a pulsed diode laser. Because of the many image processing capabilities of the electronic reprographic system, which allows for, among other things, cut and paste operations, these types of systems are gaining immensely in popularity. While the NP-9030 was, when first introduced, a revolutionary product, it can no longer keep pace with advancements in the art, many of which are spurred on by advancements in related art areas, such as facsimile and computer.
Advancements in the area of digital design has had a profound effect on the design of electronic reprographic systems. Indeed, in 1990, Xerox launched an electronic reprographic system, known as Docutech, that should serve as a benchmark in the area of electronic reprographics for many years to come. In systems such as Docutech, documents being scanned by an automatic document scanner, also known as an image input terminal (IIT), are processed by an electronic sub-system (ESS) controller and stored in permanent memory pending printing, editing or later use. The ESS of the Docutech system represents a great advancement in the art; however, the highly advanced ESS of Docutech carries a relatively high price, in terms of design and manufacturing. Consequently, to those users who seek some of the advantages of electronic reprograpics, without the potentially inaccessible price tag of Docutech, there continues to be a demand for a system having a relatively high speed, yet inexpensive ESS.
A relatively inexpensive electronic reprographic machine is disclosed in RESEARCH DISCLOSURE, No. 32388, March, 1991. This machine comprises a scanner communicating with a memory section and a Video Processor (VP) by way of a CPU. In one form of operation image data can be transmitted to addresses configured in the memory by the CPU. Moreover, the image data can be retrieved from memory and processed with the VP.
The following patents, which relate to image data transfer in image processing devices, may be of pertinence to the present disclosure:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,171 PA0 Patentee: Arimoto PA0 Issued: Apr. 1, 1986 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,431 PA0 Patentee: Deering PA0 Issued: Jan. 24, 1989 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,427 PA0 Patentee: Hirata PA0 Issued: Apr. 24, 1990 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,984 PA0 Patentee: Ny PA0 Issued: Jun. 5, 1990 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,529 PA0 Patentee: Craft et al. PA0 Issued: Jan. 22, 1991 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,114 PA0 Patentee: Sakata et al. PA0 Issued: May 14, 1991 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,892 PA0 Patentee: Kita et al. PA0 Issued: Jun. 4, 1991 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,221 PA0 Patentee: Hisatake et al. PA0 Issued: Jun. 25, 1991 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,218 PA0 Patentee: Matsumoto PA0 Issued: Aug. 6, 1991 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,275 PA0 Patentee: Gunning PA0 Issued: Sep. 25, 1979 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,350 PA0 Patentee: Gunning PA0 Issued: May 27, 1980 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,186 PA0 Patentee: Van Tyne PA0 Issued: Jun. 9, 1987
U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,171 discloses an image a system in which a reader is coupled with a CPU and an image memory. The memory includes an address counter for sequentially designating addresses to which respective bytes of image data generated by the reader are transferred. As each address is designated by the counter, a memory control signal is transmitted from the CPU to the memory so that the byte can be transferred to or from the memory. An arrangement of a byte counter and a comparator is employed to determine when a preselected number of bytes has been transferred to or from the memory. The preselected number of bytes written into the memory are transferred to a pair of line buffers for subsequent output.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,431 discloses a video signal processing device frame buffer controller for storing a frame of an image in its original, intermediate or final form in a frame memory. The frame buffer controller comprises a video input interface, a video output interface, a microprocessor interface and a memory interface. Input data is in an eight bit format, and two successive eight bit chunks are stored in an input buffer so that a sixteen bit format can be transferred to memory through a memory controller. Similarly, in the output interface sixteen bits from the memory are held in a buffer and transmitted to the output eight at a time. This allows the input and output channels to alternate internally while appearing externally to be operating simultaneously. Apparently, data from a system controller, namely a microprocessor, is transferred to the memory controller by way of the input buffer. Hence, it follows that the system controller cannot access the memory controller while image data is being inputted to the input buffer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,427 discloses a facsimile apparatus having multiple bus lines. A first pair of bus lines for carrying image data are coupled with a DMA, a RAM, a disk controller, a data compressor, a data decompressor and a CPU. The CPU is also connected to a third bus, the third bus being connected to a plurality of devices including a working memory (a RAM) for the CPU and a ROM for storing programs used in the CPU. An object of the invention is achieved by inhibiting at least a calling operation during an interval in which a call signal is interrupted so as to prevent "collision" of a receiving operation and the calling operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,984 discloses a file data retrieving system architecture including: a main bus having a CPU, a memory and a plurality of interfaces connected thereto; an image bus; a pair of data processing units for performing data compression and reproduction, each data processing unit being connected to both the main bus and the image bus; and two display memories, each display memory having data storage capacity corresponding to at least one page of a document of a maximum size, and each display memory being connected to both the main bus and the image bus. The above-described architecture makes it possible to reduce load on the main bus due to a toggle processing of data wherein image data is only transmitted on the image data bus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,529 discloses a bus arbitration control system for a computer system having a microprocessor, a system memory, a memory refresh circuit, a DMA controller, and a plurality of peripheral device bus masters and a shared bus. The arbitration control system gives highest priority to a bus access request signal from the memory refresh circuit. The DMA controller is given second priority access to a shared bus, and the peripheral device bus masters are given next highest priority. The priority rankings of the peripheral device bus masters rotate each time a bus master is granted access to the bus. The microprocessor is given lowest bus access priority except when an interrupt signal must be serviced.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,114 discloses a digital copier apparatus with external laser card storage and image compression. In one embodiment of the invention a processor bus is coupled with a main bus and a local bus. An IIT/IOT module, an MPU, a main storage section and an I/O control block are coupled with the processor bus. Additionally, a bit map memory, a compander, a DMAC, a buffer memory and a laser card module are coupled with the main bus. Finally the bit map memory, the compander and the DMAC are also coupled with the local bus. In one example, the buffer memory can be omitted and the compander can be integrated with a FIFO buffer. When the compander and the FIFO are integrated, the buffer memory can be omitted and image data can be fed continuously to the laser card module.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,892 discloses an image processing device for controlling data transfer comprising an image scanner, an image printer, a facsimile control unit, a multi-purpose bus, a bidirectional parallel interface unit, and a main CPU. Data can be moved among various input/output units of the device by way of the main CPU. Moreover, the device includes a memory, the memory including a table of I/O codes. The I/O codes can be used to express predetermined combinations of the input/output devices between which data can be transferred.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,221 discloses a digital image recording system comprising an IIT, an IOT, a compressor/decompressor arrangement, a controller and a storage unit. The IIT and IOT are coupled with the controller by way of a first bus so that scanning and printing rates of the recording system can be controlled by the controller, while the compressor and decompressor are coupled with the controller by way of a second bus so that compression/decompression rates can be controlled by the controller. The storage unit communicates with the ITT and compressor for permitting temporary or long-term storage of image data generated at the IIT.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,218 discloses a digital copying apparatus comprising a video processor coupled with a plurality of input devices and a plurality of output devices. Each input device is selectively coupled with the video processor by way of an input selector while each output device is selectively coupled with the video processor by way of an output selector. The video processor comprises a main control circuit, the main control circuit communicating with the input and output selectors as well as a DMAC, a memory section, a plurality of image manipulation devices and a plurality of input/output devices.
The following patents relate generally to electronic reprographic systems, and may be of pertinence to the present discussion:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,169,275 and 4,205,350 each disclose a reproduction scanning system having intermediate storage between input and output scanning stations wherein an input document is scanned in first and second directions, the first direction being orthogonal to the second direction, and the electrical signals being representative of information on the scanned document stored on an intermediate storage member. The information stored in the intermediate storage member may be read out and reproduced on a reproducing medium.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,186 discloses a document scanning system which scans printed documents for subsequent storage, retrieval and manipulation. A computer interfaces with a computer I/O bus and printer interface. The computer also controls the operation of a video terminal subsystem through a buffer interface and a synchronous data link control master. A high speed transport system is employed to transport individual documents through image capture stations, machine readers, encoders and sorters.
It would be desirable to provide a computer-driven video processor for a multi-function printing apparatus in which the computer is capable of transferring data and/or addresses with a system memory independent of the video processor transferring data and/or addresses with other I/O devices. Additionally, the computer would possess the capability of transferring data and/or addresses with the system memory substantially concurrent with the video processor transferring data and/or addresses with the other I/O devices.

Video processor for a printing apparatus