A support for machinery, and for isolating vibration from the machinery, comprises a plurality of mounts, each mount comprising an elastomeric block for completely supporting the static load of the machinery, and active isolation means comprising inertial shakers arranged to maintain essentially a zero stiffness of the mount to excited structural resonances over a desired frequency band above said mount resonant frequency, and to modify the transmission of out of balance forces to the hull. A control system coupled to the inertial shakers includes a means for applying damping force signals, such as to dampen structural resonances, to inhibit the onset of resonant vibration.

Working machinery is a major source of vibration in marine vessels and considerable effort is devoted to developing isolation systems that reduce transmission to the hull. A particular problem associated with machinery isolation in marine environments is structural resonance. This occurs principally in the machinery support structure. Such resonance leads to very high forces transmitted across machinery mounts, and this poses a very significant vibration problem. Moving machinery generates a complex spectrum of out-of-balance forces and in marine vessels considerable effort is devoted to developing resilient mounting systems that reduce the transmission of these forces across the machinery mounts to the hull.
A common approach to vibration isolation is to mount marine machinery items on a framework or raft and to support this raft from the hull on a set of rubber mounts. If the supported structures behaved as an ideal rigid body, the force transmissibility curve (transfer function from vibration force to transmitted force) would be as the monotonically descending line of FIG. 1. In practice however the supported machinery and its raft will always be flexible to some degree. As a result, structural resonances are excited, and a typical force transmissibility curve for resilient mounts is shown by the peaked curve in FIG. 1. This illustrates three distinct frequency regimes: the first below the 5 Hz resonance, where the entire force generated by the machinery, primarily the gravitational force, is transmitted through the resilient mounts; the second, the 5 Hz resonance itself where the machinery, acting as a rigid body, is "bouncing" on the resilient mounts, and the third, above the 5 Hz resonance, where the machinery is becoming flexible and individual structural resonant modes are excited. The 5 Hz resonance is called the mount resonant frequency. Above this frequency the force transmissibility is generally decreasing with increasing frequency and this results in forces generated by machinery vibrations being attenuated before arriving at the hull. However, the force attenuation in this regime may be dominated by structural resonances. Structural resonances act as mechanical amplifiers and hence generate large peaks in the force transmissibility curve as shown.
Because of the compromises that have to be made in designing passive isolation systems, active and semi-active systems have been proposed. In Patent Application WO 01/18416, and Daley, S., et al, Active vibration control for marine applications, IFAC Journal Control Engineering Practice, Volume 12, Number 4, pp 465-474, published 25 Jul. 2003, and in Johnson, A. and Daley, S., A Smart Spring Mounting System for Marine Applications, ISCV11 Conference on Sound and vibration, St Petersburg, July 2004, an active mount system is proposed comprising an array of a large number of mounts, each mount comprising an electromagnetic actuator in parallel with passive elements to form a composite mount as shown schematically in FIG. 2. In order to avoid transmission of large forces at frequencies corresponding to supported structure resonances, the mounting system fulfills a number of key requirements. The first requirement is for the composite mount not to transmit any additional force to the hull as a result of any local displacement of the supported structure at its attachment point. As a result no additional force is generated on the hull from excited resonances. Thus the composite mount must have effectively zero stiffness. A second requirement is that to support the structure each composite mount must also be able to generate an external demand force for compensating for out of balance forces. Out-of-balance forces, generated by the moving machinery, result in both linear and angular displacements of the supported structure. The external demand forces generated by each composite mount are the means whereby these linear and angular displacements can be continuously opposed to return them towards their equilibrium positions in a controlled way. As shown in FIG. 2, the actual force on a hull generated by the composite mount is measured by a load cell (or strain gauge) and compared with a global demand value, in order continuously to correct the current of the electromagnet.
In use, each electromagnet is first used to pre-stress the passive mount elements by a static force F so that the change in the force on the machinery may be ±F by increasing or decreasing the current through the electromagnets; thus a maximum control force of at least 2 F is required to be generated. When the power is switched off this pre-stress is relieved. A difficulty with this simple approach is that the large non-linearity of the electromagnet makes a simple feedback control unsatisfactory. To overcome this, a more complex local control is needed involving both feed-forward of the relative mount displacement and feedback of the transmitted force
Further improvements in mounting systems are desirable, in particular for reducing complexity and size of the mounting system.


Two pieces of elliptic semi-sphere surfaces, each forming a pinhole at the zenith thereof and also forming a reflection mirror on an inside thereof are stuck onto each other, with facing the interior surfaces thereof, respectively. A light ray entering therein from one of the pinholes, after being reflected between the elliptic semi-sphere surfaces facing to each other, emits from the pinhole on opposite side at an angle plane symmetric to the incident angle. Disposing the elliptic semi-sphere surfaces facing to each other, aligning on a plane, by plural numbers thereof, there is built up a pinhole array. Plural numbers of light rays reflecting on and/or emitting from a display object, which is disposed on one side of the pinhole array, after passing through the plural numbers of pinholes of the pinhole array, form an image at a position plane symmetric thereto, on the opposite side of the pinhole array.

Conventionally, studies have been made on the technology relating to such the display device for the observer to make a sense that a video or picture is displayed in a space.
For example, in the following Patent Document 1 is disclosed a technology for forming an actual image (i.e., the video), easily, by guiding light rays information of a target laying on an opposite side to the observer through orthogonal flat reflectors, within a space defined between the observer and the orthogonal flat reflectors.
Also, in the following Patent Document 2 is disclosed a technology for enabling a freely settable viewpoint to observe the actual image (i.e., the video) by means of a mirror, with forming that actual image (i.e., the video) at a position being symmetric thereto, by transmitting the light while refracting it therein with using an optical system, in which orthogonal two mirror surface elements are formed on a plane by a plural number thereof, and also the mirror therein.

Pinhole array and display device using same


A vehicular forward facing sensing system includes a radar sensor device disposed within an interior cabin of a vehicle and having a sensing direction forward of the vehicle. An image sensor is disposed within the interior cabin of the vehicle and has a viewing direction forward of the vehicle. A control includes an image processor, which is operable to analyze images captured by the image sensor in order to, at least in part, detect an object present forward of the vehicle. The control, at least in part, determines that a potentially hazardous condition may exist in the path of forward travel of the vehicle. The radar sensor device and image sensor collaborate in a way that enhances the sensing capability of the sensing system for the potentially hazardous condition in the path of forward travel of the vehicle. The image processor processes captured image data utilizing object detection software.

It is known to provide a radar (radio detection and ranging) system (such as a 77 GHz radar or other suitable frequency radar) on a vehicle for sensing the area forward of a vehicle, such as for an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system or an ACC stop and go system or the like. It is also known to provide a lidar (laser imaging detection and ranging) system for sensing the area forward of a vehicle for similar applications. Typically, the radar system is preferred for such vehicle applications because of its ability to detect better than the lidar system in fog or other inclement weather conditions.
Typically, such radar sensor devices are often located at the front grille of the vehicle and thus may be intrusive to the underhood packaging of the vehicle and the exterior styling of the vehicle. Although it is known to provide a lidar sensing device or system at the windshield for scanning/detecting through the windshield, radar systems are typically not suitable for such applications, since they typically are not suitable for viewing through glass, such as through the vehicle windshield (because the glass windshield may substantially attenuate the radar performance or ability to detect objects forward of the vehicle). It is also known to augment such a radar or lidar system with a forward facing camera or image sensor.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Forward facing sensing system for vehicle


There is described an absorber assembly for alkali electrolyte solutions comprised of an absorber member including an alkali neutralizing compound disposed within a chamber of a porous material.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to alkali electrochemical battery assemblies, and more particularly, to an absorber assembly for alkali electrolytes associated with the operation of electrochemical battery assemblies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,104, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, there is disclosed an electrochemical battery assembly using electrolytes including sea water or any liquid capable of conducting current. Alkaline electrolytes, also include concentrated sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and the like for use in metal/air, silver-zinc, nickel-cadmium, etc. While battery assemblies are designed to prevent electrolyte leakage, electrolyte leakage poses a safety hazard for maintenance crews as well as the battery user. Additionally, there is disposal and/or recycling problems for alkaline electrolytes from environmental considerations.


An improved method for estimating toner usage in digital xerographic printers and copiers. The method is characterized by taking into account digital image dot spreading which results in the area of a pixel not being developed fully and some areas outside of the pixel being developed. Thus, the improved method takes into account the departure of a developed image from an ideal shape (i.e. square). To this end, the improved method compensates for departure of a developed image from an ideal shape. In carrying out the method estimated toner usage is based on pixel groupings rather than simple pixel counting.

This invention relates generally to a digital xerographic printers and copiers, and more particularly to an improved method for estimation of toner usage in such devices. The invention also relates to the control of toner additions to a developer housing based on the estimation method.
In a typical electrophotographic printing process, a photoconductive member is charged to a substantially uniform potential so as to sensitize the surface thereof. The charged portion of the photoconductive member is exposed to selectively dissipate the charges thereon in the irradiated areas. This records an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive member. After the electrostatic latent image is recorded on the photoconductive member, the latent image is developed by bringing a developer material into contact therewith. Generally, the developer material comprises toner particles adhering triboelectrically to carrier granules. The toner particles are attracted from the carrier granules to the latent image forming a toner powder image on the photoconductive member. The toner powder image is then transferred from the photoconductive member to a copy sheet. The toner particles are heated to permanently affix the powder image to the copy sheet.
In order to fix or fuse the toner material onto a support member permanently by heat, it is necessary to elevate the temperature of the toner material to a point at which constituents of the toner material coalesce and become tacky. This action causes the toner to flow to some extent onto the fibers or pores of the support members or otherwise upon the surfaces thereof. Thereafter, as the toner material cools, solidification of the toner material occurs causing the toner material to be bonded firmly to the support member.
In digital xerographic printers and copiers, the process control software has available the actual number and distribution of pixels in every image. Pixel-counting can and has been used to estimate the amount of toner used in developing a given image. The estimated value representing the amount of toner consumed is used for controlling the addition of toner to the developer housing.
To maintain print quality over the course of a job, toner concentration must be maintained during the job. This usually means adding toner to the developer housing in a controlled fashion during the entire run. In a digital xerographic engine, the number of pixels printed can be roughly correlated to the amount of toner to be used, and hence the amount of toner which should be dispensed to maintain proper toner concentration. When using simple pixel counting, the area of pixels developed is taken as fully developed, that is, toner mass developed can be calculated according to the following equation: EQU M.sub.t =N.sub.p *A.sub.p *DMA.sub.max
where:
M.sub.t is the mass of toner developed PA1 N.sub.p is the number of pixels developed PA1 A.sub.p is the area of each pixel PA1 DMA.sub.max is the maximum Developed Toner Mass Area which can be developed.
Due to the spreading of a digital image, the area of the pixel is not developed fully and some areas outside of the pixel are developed. Neither of these phenomena are accounted for in the forgoing equation.
The error in the equation occurs because it fails to account for the departure of the developed image from the ideal shape (i.e. square or rectangular). This error is greatest when developing isolated pixels, and decreases as the size of a pixel cluster increases. The error can be graphically represented by the deviation from the ideal. It is noted that the simulation data used and disclosed hereinafter reflects one particular xerographic system and setup. For this system, small dots are underestimated but for other systems (e.g. line spreading systems or systems with edge enhancement) the small dot estimation may be different. In any case, the largest errors are for isolated pixels and small clusters of pixels.
Following is a discussion of prior art, incorporated herein by reference, which may bear on the patentability of the present invention. In addition to possibly having some relevance to the question of patentability, these references, together with the detailed description to follow, should provide a better understanding and appreciation of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,901 discloses a xerographic system in which a toner concentration control system feeds toner to the developing mechanism in proportion to the area and density of the print. A cathode-ray tube (CRT) is used to expose a photoconductive member, and the signal which drives the CRT is also provided to a toner feed signal means where the signal is summed . When the signal exceeds a predetermined level an output signal is generated to cause toner to be dispensed into the developer mechanism .
U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,031 describes a device for regulating the dispensing of toner particles to a developer mix . During the operation of an electrostatographic printing machine a sensing mechanism, including a photosensor for determining the density of toner developed on a photoreceptor, outputs signals indicative of the toner concentration . The signals are summed and processed to determine if additional toner should be added to the developer mix.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,978, the relevant portions of which are hereby incorporated by reference, discloses an apparatus for controlling the concentration of toner particles used to form a highlight color document . Three signals are generated and processed to regulate the dispense rate of toner particles used to form the highlight color portion of the output document . The first signal is an indication of the percentage of the document area arranged to have color highlighted portions thereon . The second signal corresponds to the rate of toner particle usage per document, as determined by a central processing unit, and the third signal indicates the number of copies to be produced . To determine the amount of highlight color toner used, the three signals are multiplied, the product of the signals being used as a control signal which corresponds to the required dispense rate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,659 describes an electrostatographic machine which replenishes toner in a developer mix in response to a toner depletion signal which represents the toner usage rate . The toner depletion signal is determined from the number of character print signals applied to a print head, or in other words, the number of pixels to be toned. The depletion signal is used in conjunction with a second signal, which represents a proportional toning contrast, such that the constant of proportionality between the toner depletion signal and a toner replenishment signal is adjusted according to the second.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,666 teaches a toner replenishment control structure which operates in one of two control states to control contrast characteristics when using developers having two developer materials . The first developer material exhibits contrast characteristics which vary with concentration and the second developer material does not exhibit contrast variation due to concentration variance. The system has a first control state for replenishing the first developer material as a function of a concentration signal and a second control state for replenishing the second developer material as a function of a contrast signal.
Xerox Disclosure Journal, Vol. 6, No. 6 (Nov./Dec. 1981) describes a toner dispensing control system that relies upon an intensity signal, representing the intensity of light reflected from the surface of an original document, and a developed density signal to produce an error signal. Subsequently a combination signal is produced as a function of the error signal, in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, to control the dispensing of toner to the developer material.
U.S. Pat. 5,204,699 describes a method to estimate toner use by summing the intensities of the pixels being imaged. This sum of pixels is then related to an amount of toner to determine the amount to dispense. This allows for the pixel counting routine to count intensity information rather than just binary pixel summing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,377 discloses an improved system for more accurately estimating consumption of toner imaging material in a digital xerographic printer in relation to a count of the digital pixels generating the various images being printed, where the frequency rates of the switching between print and non-print pixels are analyzed to provide weighting factors corresponding to different types of images being printed which affect the consumption of imaging material by the printer, and the pixel counts are weighted by these weighting factors to provide an imaging material consumption calculation based on image types as well as image pixel counts. The pixel count weighting factor is automatically substantially increased for the higher print/nonprint rates, or pixel on/off frequencies, and higher toner consumption by fringe field development, corresponding to halftone images in comparison to solid area images. The pixel count weighting factor is intermediately increased for intermediate imaging frequencies corresponding to normal line text.

Method for estimation of toner usage in digital xerographic copiers and printers


A method for determining a talk/listen state using voice detection includes receiving an audio sample and detecting whether the audio sample includes voiced sound. The audio sample represents sound measured during a sample time interval. The method further includes deriving an audio level from the audio sample and comparing the audio level to a threshold level. The audio level represents an average power level of the audio sample. The method further includes determining the talk/listen state depending on a relation of the audio level to the threshold level and depending on whether the audio sample includes voiced sound.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multipoint conference systems, and, more particularly, to a method for selecting and switching the primary transmission site in a multipoint conference system based on voiced audio level.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multipoint conference environment typically includes a plurality of conference sites which are geographically separated but electronically linked together to enhance collaboration between and among individuals at the various conference sites. A multipoint conference system attempts to replicate the interpersonal communication and information sharing which would occur if all the participants were together in the same room at the same time. Such a multipoint conference system typically processes conference information (e.g., audio, video and/or data information) communicated between the conference sites during a multipoint conference. With respect to the audio signals, the multipoint conference system can analyze audio signals received from conference equipment located at the conference sites to determine whether the sites are in a "talking" or "listening" state (e.g., whether a speaker at one site is attempting to communicate information to other sites or whether the participants at the one site are listening for communication from the other sites). Specifically, when a multipoint videoconference system determines that a unique site is in a "talking" state, that site becomes the video source for the remaining conference sites.
As used herein, the site that is selected to be the video source for the remaining conference sites is called the primary transmission site. Although other sites may be transmitting video information, the video information transmitted from the primary transmission site is viewed at other sites. A multipoint videoconference system may display simultaneous views of multiple sites on a screen while identifying a "talking" site to manage the screen views. The selection of a primary transmission site from among a plurality of conference sites is called switching. The automatic selection of a primary transmission site according to audio levels received from the plurality of conference sites is referred to herein as sound-activated switching.
Because the microphones of conventional multipoint conference systems do not discriminate human voice from other sounds, the primary transmission site is typically selected based on the amplitude of sound detected by the microphones without regard to the type of sound detected by the microphones. Although much of the prior art uses the term "talking" and often refers to "voice-activated" switching, the terms "talking" and "voice" in the prior art typically refer to detected sound level at a particular input device without regard to whether the sound is actually talking or is in reality background noise.
For example, conventional multipoint conference systems determine talk and listen states depending on the sound level received from each station. Thus, although the selection of a primary transmission site according to such a "talk/listen" determination is often referred to as "voice-activated" switching in the prior art, such switching may be more accurately described as sound-activated switching according to a loud/quiet determination. Sound-activated switching provides a useful but limited approximation of actual voice-activated switching.
Another limited approximation to actual voice-activated switching is the use of a circuit or method to prevent a short duration audio signal above a certain threshold from switching the primary transmission site from the site of the speaker to the site of the short duration audio signal (e.g., a cough delay). Again, although such a circuit or method may be referred to as voice-activated switching, such a circuit is really a limited approximation of the behavior of an actual voice-activated switching method. Such a circuit or method is limited in that relatively long term but non-voiced sounds may switch the primary transmission site to an incorrect conference site. Furthermore, legitimate video switching may be delayed by such a circuit or method.
The audio signals received by a control unit of a multipoint conference system can vary greatly in volume and ambient noise depending on, for example, the conference room, conference equipment and/or audio compression algorithms used. Also, background noises such as computer keystrokes, the rustling of papers, the sounds of eating during a lunch conference, coughing, sneezing, and/or the opening and closing of doors often trigger a switch of the primary transmission site from the site of the speaker to the site of the background noises. Air conditioner fan noises and/or other continuous machine noises can also cause erroneous switching of the transmission site. When background noises are coupled with variations in speaker volume, the effectiveness of a multipoint conference system using sound-activated switching can be substantially degraded.

Primary transmission site switching in a multipoint videoconference environment based on human voice


Disclosed herein is a traveling device for moving toys. The traveling device includes a base plate formed in a plate shape; first and second magnets fixedly mounted on the base plate to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and configured to have opposite polarities on the upper surfaces thereof; a coil part mounted to be spaced apart from the first and second magnets, and formed of a wound coil, so that it generates magnetic force having a polarity that repels one of the first and second magnets when electricity is applied thereto; an arm rotatably mounted on the base plate by a hinge, and provided with the coil part at one end thereof and a braking arm at the other end thereof; a traveling arm rotatably mounted on the base plate by the hinge, provided with front wheels at both ends thereof, and configured to come into contact with the braking arm when the braking arm is rotated through a predetermined angle; a control unit configured to perform control such that current is supplied to the coil part in a predetermined pattern; and a power supply unit configured to supply power to the control unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a traveling device for moving toys and, more particularly, to a traveling device for moving toys that can implement forward and backward movement and rotation by rotating wheels without using a motor or a reduction gear and minimize the volume of a moving toy.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, moving toys, such as a Radio Control (R/C) car, are provided with reduction gears for reducing rotating speed generated by motors along with the motors for rotating wheels, so that the rotating speed generated by the motors is reduced by the reduction gears, and the reduced rotating speed is transmitted to the wheels, thus causing the moving toys to travel using high driving force.
That is, in the moving toys equipped with motors, such as cars, not only is rotating speed generated by the motors reduced, but rotating force is also increased, so that the moving toys can be operated using the increased rotation force.
Furthermore, the moving toys, such as cars, are equipped with batteries or rechargeable batteries that supply current to the motors.
However, in the case where such motors and reduction gears are used as parts for generating the driving force of moving toys, the volumes of the moving toys considerably increase due to the volumes of the motors and the reduction gears, so that a problem occurs in that it is impossible to manufacture small and flat moving toys.
In order to solve such a problem, small volume motors (micromotors) and small volume reduction gears may be employed. However, when this approach is used, a problem arises in that the output of the motors is low, and the unit cost of the parts is high, thus increasing the cost of manufacturing the moving toys.
Moreover, since the motors and the reduction gears are parts that generate rotation, a separate addition linking means must be provided so as to implement movement such as the crawling of an insect, so that problems occur in that the sizes of moving toys are increased, the manufacturing cost thereof is increased, and the number of component parts is increased, thus increasing the malfunction rates of the moving toys.


A method for forming a dielectric layer on a surface of a substrate uses high pressure. A pressure vessel of a high pressure oxidation equipment is heated to a predetermined temperature. The substrate is placed inside the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is pressurized to a pressure above atmospheric pressure. A flow of an oxidizing gas and a flow of steam are introduced into the pressure vessel, wherein the steam flow is only a fraction of the oxidizing gas flow. The dielectric layer on the surface is formed through an oxidizing reaction of the oxidizing gas and steam with the surface of the substrate, wherein the flow of steam acts in a catalytic-like manner to parabolicly accelerate the oxidizing reaction at the surface.

Silicon oxidation plays an important role in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices. The thermal oxidation of silicon produces a silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) passivation film with excellent electrical properties and is thus an important processing step during wafer fabrication. There are two known methods for thermal oxidation. The first is a standard 1 atmosphere (atm) oxidation using steam as the oxidant. This process requires a high processing temperature, in excess of 1000.degree. C., and a long oxidation time, approximately 5 hours, for an oxidation thickness of 1 .mu.m (10,000 .ANG.). An inherent problem with the conventional 1 atm oxidation process is the thermal budget management for sub-micron devices. The thermal budget is a function of the oxidation time and temperature, a 1 atm oxidation process may result in the semiconductor device exceeding its thermal budget.
A second method uses high pressure to accelerate the oxide growth on the silicon substrate. The high pressure oxidation (HiPOx) process utilizes either pure steam or dry oxygen as the oxidant. One advantage of using elevated pressures is that the processing temperature may be lowered as compared to the conventional 1 atm oxidation process. In the pure steam HiPOX process, the oxidation rate increases parabolicly with increased pressure. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the oxidation time, at a same temperature, for a 1 .mu.m thick oxide in a conventional 1 atm steam process is an order of magnitude larger than oxidation times for either a 10 atm or 25 atm pure steam HiPOx process.
A problem with the pure steam HiPOx process is that the oxidation time is too fast when the desired oxide thickness is less than 1 .mu.m. The process becomes unmanufacturable and uncontrollable because the oxidation completes during the transient or ramp-up time of the HiPOx equipment. It is thus, not possible, to control either the desired oxide thickness or the material properties of the oxide. A second problem with the pure steam HiPOx process is that dirty particles are generated during the oxidation. The particles are caused by the superheated steam impinging on the quartz process tube or other parts made of quart inside the equipment. The generated particles increase film defectivity which is detrimental to semiconductor devices, and thus decrease device yield. A third problem with the pure steam HiPOx process is the Kooi effect typically observed in LOCOS isolation. In this instance, the adjacent underlying substrate is a masking nitride instead of silicon. The steam diffuses through the nitride to form ammonia at the nitride / pad oxide interface during the oxidation process. Then the ammonia diffuses through the pad oxide to form silicon nitride spots at the pad oxide / silicon interface resulting in a pitted active region which causes a device reliability problem.
An alternative HiPOx process utilizes dry oxygen as the oxidant. The dry oxygen process poses no dirty particle generation problem but the oxide growth rate is 2 orders of magnitude slower than that of the pure steam process, as illustrated in FIG. 2. While this dry oxygen HiPOx process is controllable because the oxidation completes after the equipment has reached steady state operation conditions, the process offers no gain in the thermal budget due to the extremely long process time. In fact, the dry oxygen HiPOx process takes the same amount of time to grow a given oxide thickness as a conventional 1 atm steam oxidation process. So while the processing temperature may be lowered slightly by going to high pressure in a dry oxygen environment, no advantage in processing time is gained.
Thus, it is desirable to find a dean oxidation process which offers a low thermal budget.

Method for forming a dielectric layer using high pressure


A piston pump or compressor has a dynamically balanced drive assembly in which nearly all of the rotational, oscillatory and axial forces on the rotating drive shaft are canceled. The piston is primarily balanced by adding an oscillating counter weight mounted to the connecting rod to convert oscillatory forces into rotational forces at the axis of an eccentric element mounting the piston to the drive shaft. The remaining unbalanced rotational forces are centered along the drive shaft by a rotating counter weight. A further counter weight is mounted to the drive shaft spaced along the drive shaft from the rotating counter weight to impart a counter moment on the drive shaft and essentially cancel the moment about a moment axis perpendicular to the drive shaft resulting from the axial spacing of the piston and the other two counter weights. A method of reducing vibration on a piston drive shaft is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to pumps and compressors and in particular to balancing piston drive assemblies in such devices.
One problem with conventional pumps and compressors is that they can create excessive noise and vibration as the piston(s) are reciprocated. The piston is typically eccentrically mounted to the drive shaft so that it travels back and forth in the stroke direction as it reciprocates in the cylinder. It is also weighted more heavily at the head where compression occurs. Thus, the force acting on the drive shaft is ordinarily not balanced about the axis of the drive shaft. Moreover, as the piston reciprocates between the pump and suction strokes, the force on the drive shaft changes.
To reduce this unbalance, the end of the piston opposite the head can be weighted. By adding the appropriate mass to the piston at a side of the drive shaft opposite the piston head, essentially equal and opposite oscillatory forces can be achieved with respect to the drive shaft. German publication DE 4122198 A1 discloses a counter weighted piston arrangement. Another German publication, DE 19903185 C2 discloses a drive assembly in which the loading on the drive shaft is even more in balance. Here, the oscillatory forces of the piston are balanced about an axis of the eccentric by a counter weight mounted to the lower end of the piston. Then, these forces centered on the eccentric are balanced about the drive shaft by another counter weight which is mounted to the drive shaft to rotate therewith. The rotating weight is concentric with the drive axis but is weighted to offset the forces at the eccentric axis which revolve about the drive axis as the drive shaft turns. With this assembly, therefore, the oscillatory and rotational forces are essentially balanced about the drive shaft axis. The entire disclosure of these publications are incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
Even the improved balancing taught by the latter German reference, however, does not address the loading on the drive shaft that occurs in the direction of the drive axis. The axial distance between the force centered on the eccentric and the countering force at the rotating weight creates a moment, or shaking couple, on the drive shaft in the axial direction, such that unwanted vibration, and the corresponding noise and inefficiency, can remain.
This type of unbalancing is common in single cylinder pumps, however, it also occurs in multi-cylinder pumps. Even in opposed piston pumps where the pistons are 180° out of phase, the forces on the drive shaft can be unbalanced and cause the drive assembly to vibrate. The pistons are typically coupled to the drive shaft spaced apart along the drive axis, for example using a single retainer or eccentric element between the connecting rods of the pistons. Thus, a moment, or shaking couple, arises as the drive shaft rotates because of the axial spacing between the pistons even if they are otherwise balanced individually.
Accordingly, a piston drive assembly with better vibration dampening characteristics is needed.


This invention relates to an apparatus and method for integrated measurement of a sample that has miniature features. The apparatus has an optical measuring unit for illuminating the sample with a global test radiation over an optical test region and obtaining an optical response, such as scattered or transmitted radiation from the optical test region. In addition, the apparatus has a local measuring unit for making a nanometer scale measurement of a local material parameter ρ of the sample. The local parameter ρ is determined with a mechanical, optical, magnetic, electric or other physical measurement performed in the nanometer range with a scanning probe tip at a test location lying within the optical test region. The material parameter ρ is selected such that it is substantially constant or uniform over the illuminated area. A computational unit determines a property of the miniature features within the optical test region from the optical response supplemented with an adjustment derived from the local material parameter obtained by the local measuring unit.

The art of metrology includes various methods and apparatus for examining sample characteristics. Some of these apparatus and methods are destructive, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and some are non-destructive, such as scatterometry (e.g., ellipsometry and reflectometry). There are also some apparatus that can be employed in non-destructive mode and destructive mode, such as scanning probe microscopy (SPM) (for example, atom force microscopy (AFM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM)).
There are numerous suggestions in the prior art to employ any of the above apparatus and methods to sample metrology. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,611 to B. D. Aumond and K. Youcef-Toumi the inventors teach AFM for profiling high aspect ratio samples. They also describe a deconvolution technique for deconvolving the sample image and a technique for measuring the tip radius of curvature. U.S. Pat. No. 6,650,423 to R. J. Markle et al. teaches application of scatterometry techniques, such as reflectometry or ellipsometry, to a method for determining dimensions in a test structure that has a number of trenches and columns defined in the trenches. U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,723 to R. J. Markle presents a method of incorporating metrology grating into die design. J. H. Hussey et al. explain a method and apparatus for run-to-run control of trench profiles in U.S. Pat. No. 6,728,591. According to their teaching, a trench metrology data from the processed wafer is acquired. Then a chamber characteristic adjustment process is performed in response to the trench metrology data and the data relating to the processing chamber characteristic. A feedback adjustment of the processing chamber is performed in response to the chamber characteristic adjustment process. Furthermore, P. A. Burke in U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,281 discloses an integrated stylus with AFM to carry out quick, non-destructive, inexpensive measurements of critical dimensions (CDs).
Although the above references teach many useful approaches to metrology, they cannot be used to construct an efficient, low-cost and fast metrology tool that is primarily non-destructive. To provide a more rapid and versatile metrology system, S. G. Muckenhirm suggests in his U.S. Pat. No. 6,986,280 that AFM/SEM be integrated with a scatterometer. The scatterometer can rapidly measure to indicate whether a problem exists, and the AFM can perform detailed measurements on wafers flagged by the scatterometer. Furthermore, in U.S. published applications 2005/0128489 and 2006/0064280 Bao et al. and Vuong et al. teach an optical metrology model that optimizes the method based on the goals. Additional references include U.S. published application 2004/0080757 to Stanke et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,922 to Leigh et al.
Of the various AFM/SEM and related measurements employing a scanning probe many are described in the prior art. For further references specific to various techniques related to AFM in particular the reader is referred to the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,017,007; 5,994,691; 6,052,238; 6,194,711; 6,441,359; 6,621,079; 6,643,012; 6,668,628; 6,850,323 and 7,032,427.
Many of the more recent teachings listed above and referenced therein suggest that a combination of techniques would be beneficial for rapid and efficient sample metrology. Unfortunately, none of the teachings solve the problem of an effective and fast combination of optical and scanning probe measurements to yield an efficient, low-cost and fast metrology system.

Integrated local and global optical metrology for samples having miniature features


A fluidized bed system in which a plate is disposed in an enclosure and is adapted to support particulate material. A plurality of nozzles are supported by the plate for receiving air and directing the air through the plate and into the particulate material to fluidize same. Each of the nozzles includes a vertical tubular portion extending upwardly from the plate for receiving air from the air plenum, an angled tubular portion extending downwardly and outwardly from the vertical tubular portion for discharging the air, and a valve member movably housed in the vertical tubular portion, which permits air flow during operation but, upon shutdown, seals the nozzle and prevents backflow or backsifting of the particulate material.

This invention relates to a fluidization nozzle and a fluidized bed system utilizing same and, more particularly, to such a nozzle and system in which a bed of particulate material is fluidized by the introduction of air into the bed through the nozzle without the particulate material in the bed being allowed to backsift through the nozzle.
Fluidized bed reactors, such as gasifiers, steam generators, combustors, and the like, are well known. In these arrangements, pressurized air or other fluidizing media is passed, via a plurality of nozzles, through a bed of particulate material, including a fossil fuel such as coal and an adsorbent for the sulfur generated as a result of combustion of the coal, to fluidize the bed and to promote the combustion of the fuel at a relatively low temperature. The heat produced by the fluidized bed is utilized in various applications such as the generation of steam, which results in an attractive combination of high heat release, high sulfur adsorption, low nitrogen oxide emissions and fuel flexibility.
The most typical fluidized bed reactor is commonly referred to as a "bubbling" fluidized bed in which the bed of particulate material has a relatively high density and a well-defined, or discrete, upper surface.
Other types of fluidized bed reactors utilize a "circulating" fluidized bed. According to these processes, the fluidized bed density is well below that of a typical bubbling fluidized bed, the air velocity is greater than that of a bubbling bed, and the air entrains a substantial amount of particulate solids and is substantially saturated therewith.
In the event the reactor is in the form of a steam generator, the walls of the reactor are formed by a plurality of heat transfer tubes. The heat produced by combustion within the fluidized bed is transferred to a heat exchange medium, such as water, circulating through the tubes. The heat transfer tubes are usually connected to a natural water circulation circuitry, including a steam drum, which separates the water from the converted steam, which is routed either to a steam turbine or the like.
In both the bubbling and circulating fluidized bed arrangements, an air plenum is disposed below an air distributor plate, or grid, for supplying pressurized air to the bed. In some arrangements a plurality of air nozzles are supported by the plate and extend above the plate into the bed. The nozzles receive air from the plenum and discharge the air into the bed in a predetermined flow pattern.
However, the solids from the bed can backflow or backsift through the nozzles into the air plenum, especially in connection with circulating fluidized beds when the unit is suddenly shut down while operating at full loads. As a result, the solids will accumulate in the air plenum and block air flow through the nozzles.

Uni-directional anti-backsifting fluidization nozzle and a fluidized bed system utilizing same


A projectile including a spherical core and a hook or loop outer cover, has an overall diameter, including the cover which is equal to or less than an internal diameter of a 68 caliber paintball gun for use in the gun in place of paintballs. The diameter of the projectile permits gravity fed, drop loading of projectiles into a conventional paintball gun barrel without an compression of the projectile being required whatsoever. The resultant small gap surrounding the projectile within the barrel permits some pressurized gas to escape around the projectile when firing, thus limiting the velocity of the projectile to a safer velocity for closer range use of conventional paintball guns. A gun is also described having a shuttle for pushing a projectile through the barrel thereof by action of a stretched resilient band. The barrel is sized similarly to a conventional 68 caliber paintball gun for firing either paintballs or the projectiles described herein.

Paintball is a known game in which guns are provided with a chamber of compressed gas which is selectively released to propel paintball projectiles. Paintball projectiles typically include a spherical shell which is ruptured on impact to release liquid dye contents within the shell. Accordingly the paintball projectiles are not reusable and cause considerable mess upon impact.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,629 proposes the use of reusable projectiles having an outer shell with either hook or loop type fasteners thereon which does not rupture nor contains liquid dye therein, but rather is intended to stick to a corresponding hook or loop fastener type target to indicate a hit. In order to project the hook or loop fastener type projectile, due to its textured surface, it is taught by this patent that it is required that the projectile be somewhat larger in diameter that the typical 17 mm internal diameter barrel of commonly available paintball type guns. Accordingly a complex loading system is required to load the projectiles under compression into the barrel. Due to the compression required, jamming of projectiles in the barrel readily occurs.


A toner cartridge (1000) that is attached to a development unit of an image forming apparatus in order to supply toner to the development unit comprises a toner bottle (100) containing toner, a lid member (200) fitted on a toner outlet (114d) of the toner bottle (100), and an armoring member (300) in which the toner bottle (100) is housed and to which the lid member (200) is attached. The lid member (200) is provided with a toner supply mechanism for supplying the toner contained in the toner bottle (100) to the development unit when the toner cartridge (1000) is attached to the development unit of the image forming apparatus. In the toner cartridge (1000), both of or one of the lid member (200) and the armoring member (300) is shaped quadrangularly in external appearance. The armoring member (300) and the toner bottle (100) are individually constructed so that the toner cartridge (1000) has a double construction comprising the armoring member (300) and the toner bottle (100).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a toner container used to supply toner to a development unit of an image forming apparatus and relates to the image forming apparatus to which the toner container is attached.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, a printer, or a fax machine, includes a toner supply device for replenishing a development unit with toner. This type of toner supply device comprises a cylindrical toner bottle that contains toner, a holding means for holding the toner bottle substantially horizontally in a state where the toner bottle is in connection with a toner-introducing portion of the development unit, and a rotation drive means for rotating the held toner bottle on its center axis. The toner bottle is of a screw bottle type having a spiral rib on the inner surface of the bottle. When the toner bottle is rotated by the rotation drive means, the toner in the bottle is conveyed toward a toner discharge opening of the bottle along the spiral rib and is discharged therefrom. In this way, the development unit is replenished with the toner.
The image forming apparatus (e.g., copying machine) further includes a heat source, such as a fuser. For this reason, there are instances where the toner in the bottle melts with the heat of the heat source. Even when the toner does not melt therewith, the toner bottle is intensely heated. This lowers the fluidity of the toner in the bottle, thus retarding the toner supply and causing no little toner to adhere to the inner surface of the bottle. Therefore, there occur disadvantages, such as an increase in quantity of the remaining toner in the bottle at the toner end. The disadvantages occur especially in a compact image forming apparatus, generally called a process cartridge, having a construction in which a photoconductor and its peripheral equipment are contained in a compact case in the form of a unit. The reason is that, in the compact image forming apparatus, a toner supply device and a heat source are close to each other.
Conventionally, in order to solve the disadvantages, there are known a developer container disclosed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 3-271782, a toner supply container disclosed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 6-194950, and so forth. The conventional container has a double construction comprising an outer cylindrical portion and an inner cylindrical portion so that the toner in the container is prevented from melting or hardening under the influence of heat, moisture, and the like.
The aforementioned toner supply device has a simple construction and therefore is manufactured at small cost. However, since the toner is supplied in a state where the toner bottle is held substantially horizontally, the toner discharge opening must be opened or closed with a stopper when supplying the toner. Therefore, it is required to mount a lid member of the toner bottle, an opening-and-closing mechanism for opening and closing the toner discharge opening with the stopper, and the like, on the side of the image forming apparatus. This is an obstacle to making the image forming apparatus more compact and reducing the manufacturing costs. Additionally, the conventional toner bottle of the screw bottle type cannot control a toner replenishment by itself and cannot singly serve as a toner supply device. For this reason, there is a need to mount a toner replenishment control means, such as a toner hopper, on the side of the image forming apparatus.
Generally, this type of toner supply device further has a seal member for preventing toner leakage. Especially, the seal member disposed at a sliding portion requires durability. However, if a polyurethane foam (i.e., sponge) of low cost, for example, is used as the seal member, there is a fear that the sealing power thereof will decline because of long-term use of the device. Therefore, in the conventional toner supply device, the sealing power of the sealing member must be retained according to the life of the device. In other words, a seal member of low cost, such as a sponge, cannot be used.
A toner container in which a toner bottle is provided with a lid member has been already proposed by the present applicant. Because of being shaped like a cylinder in outward appearance, this toner bottle is liable to roll when placed horizontally and is restricted in handling. Additionally, because of being generally made of polyethylene, this type of toner bottle is small in rigidity, and a fixing portion of the lid member is liable to be deformed. In other words, the toner bottle does not have sufficient mounting strength.
On the other hand, a toner container having a double construction comprising an outer cylindrical portion and an inner cylindrical portion is recyclable by refilling it with new toner. However, since the outer and inner cylindrical portions are formed integrally with each other, or since the outer cylindrical portion is provided with a toner supply portion, the whole container including the outer cylindrical portion is contaminated with toner during a single use. Therefore, in order to use it again, it is required to clean almost all the constituent parts including the outer cylindrical portion. Thus, the toner container having this type of double construction is unsuitable for recycling.
Additionally, in the conventional toner container, all the combined parts of the outer cylindrical portion must be sealed by welding, gluing, or adhesion of a seal member so as to prevent toner leakage. Thus, the toner container is difficult to have a simple construction. Additionally, when the conventional toner container is refilled with new toner, the new toner must be provided from a toner-introducing opening of the outer cylindrical portion by the use of exclusive equipment. Thus, the toner container is inferior in productivity.
Additionally, in a toner container provided with a toner supply mechanism, such as an agitator, or a toner container provided with a tapping member whose vibrations prevent toner from adhering to the inner surface of the container, there is a problem in that a noise is produced when the agitator or tapping member operates.

Toner container enclosed in a protective armoring member


The inventive system and method provides a portable sailboat mast hoisting crane which is safe, light weight, easily assembled, easily disassembled, and operable by one man. The crane can be locked down for security on the frame of the boat trailer for storage. The mounting mechanism is universally compatible with most pleasure craft sailboats, and does not require alternation or permanent modifications to the vessel.

Most pleasure craft sailboats have a mast which can be lowered from the upright and vertical position to a horizontal position. With the mast in the horizontal position, the boat can be stored in a low-ceiling protective enclosure, and can be moved over land on a trailer without having the mast interfere with power lines and bridges over roadways. It is desirable for many boat owners to trailer their sailboat to land-based storage to avoid costly water-based marina storage fees.
However, most masts of medium to large size sailboats are fairly heavy, and can require three or more men to lift them into the upright and vertical position before launching the craft from the trailer to the water. For example, a 24-foot mast weighs approximately 200 pounds in the vertical position, and can reach over 30 feet in height from ground level when in the upright position. This initial weight can be difficult and dangerous for one or even two men to lift, and the righted height can interfere with overhead power lines unintentionally.
Correspondingly, to safely lower the mast on the vessel, several men may be required again. This need for several men to "put in" and "take out" the craft reduces the independence of the boat owner who may want to sail alone, and can cause considerable safety risk to all involved during the lifting and lowering operations.
Most sailboats do not have a common method for mounting deck accessories such as wenches and hoists, so mounting an "after market" mast wench to the deck of sailboats presents a particularly challenging problem.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art to provide a lifting apparatus to allow a single man of normal human strength and agility to raise and lower a sailboat mast from and to the horizontal storage position to and from the upright and vertical position.
Furthermore, there exists a need in the art for this system and method to enhance the safety of the operator of the system over the prior art method of manual lifting and lowering.
Finally, there is a need in the art for this system and method to be easily installed and removed to and from a sailboat, without need for permanent mounting modifications or fixtures to the vessel.

System for lifting and lowering a sailboat mast


The disclosure provides a portable terminal including an electronic device and a case disposed thereon that provides water resistant, dust resistant, and insulation for the electronic device by proper positioning of an aperture of the electronic device that uses an area of the case as an antenna. The case includes a body part that comprises a main body with a metallic portion formed of a metallic material, and an auxiliary body disposed adjacent to the metallic portion, and at least a portion of the auxiliary body is used as an antenna for transmission and reception of signals. An insulation member is disposed between the at least a portion of the auxiliary body and the main body, and a bonding layer is disposed in at least one of an area between the insulation member and at least one area of the main body, or between the insulation member and the auxiliary body.

When a metallic case is applied to a portable terminal, such as a smartphone or a tablet, which performs wireless communications, an area of the metallic case may be utilized as an antenna. The area used as the antenna may be electrically separated from the remaining parts.
In the electronic device that uses an area of a case as an antenna according to the related art, dust or moisture may be introduced between the area of the case and the remaining parts.

Electronic device case and material layer details of the same


In a gas turbine of the invention, a first blade ring portion to which first vanes are attached and a second blade ring portion to which second vanes are attached are integrally formed to form an integrated blade ring. A second upstream pressing member is arranged on the upstream side of a second upstream isolation ring which attaches a first ring segment and a second vane stage which is arranged on the downstream side of the first ring segment to the integrated blade ring. By attaching the pressing member to the blade ring portion, the pressing member pushes and fixes the isolation ring to the downstream side, and the sealing performance of a packing is maintained.

Gas turbines are equipped with a rotor body that rotates around a rotation axis, a rotor that has a plurality of blade stages that are lined up in an axial direction and fixed to the rotor body, a plurality of vane stages each of which is arranged on the upstream side of each of the plurality of blade stages, and a casing that covers the rotor and has the plurality of vane stages attached to the inner peripheral side thereof.
The structure of a casing of a gas turbine is described in the following Patent Document 1. This casing is equipped with a plurality of blade rings that form an annular shape around a rotation axis. Each blade ring covers one blade stage and a vane stage arranged on the upstream side of this blade stage. This casing further forms an annular shape around the rotation axis. Additionally, the casing is equipped with a plurality of ring segments arranged between a plurality of vane stages on the inner peripheral side of the blade rings and on the outer peripheral side of blades, and isolation rings that form an annular shape around the rotation axis and attach vanes and the ring segments to the inner peripheral side of the blade rings.
A downstream portion in an outer shroud of each of a plurality of vanes that constitute a first vane stage is attached to a blade ring for a first stage via a first isolation ring arranged on the downstream side thereof. Additionally, the ring segment arranged on the downstream side of the first vane stage has an upstream portion attached to the blade ring for a first stage via the first isolation ring and a downstream portion attached to a second isolation ring. A fixing ring as a pressing member that presses this second isolation ring to the upstream side is arranged on the downstream side of the second isolation ring. This fixing ring is fixed to a downstream end of the blade ring for a first stage with a bolt.
Elastic metal packings that are elastically deformed in the axial direction and perform sealing between both are provided between the downstream portion in the outer shroud of each of the plurality of vanes that constitute the first vane stage, and the first isolation ring, between the first isolation ring and the ring segment, and between the ring segment and the second isolation ring.


A first item and a second item that are displayed in a user interface are selected via a computational device. A determination is made as to whether a linkage between the first item and the second item is a valid linkage, wherein the valid linkage indicates that inferences that relate the first item to the second item may be drawn by interpreting properties of the first item and properties of the second item. In response to determining that the linkage between the first item and the second item is a valid linkage, the properties of the first item and the properties of the second item are interpreted to infer new properties that relate the properties of the first item to the properties of the second item.

1. Field
The disclosure relates to a method, a system, and a computer program product for the linking of a plurality of items of a user interface to display new information inferred from the plurality of item that are linked.
2. Background
Numerous visible items may be displayed in certain user interfaces. The visible items may be interconnected in a hierarchical navigation tree or in some other form. In certain situations, in the hierarchical navigation tree displayed in the user interface, there may be a node associated with properties available for a piece of hardware, such as, a server, wherein the node may be referred to as a "server" node. Additionally, another node that is different from the "server" node may represent security tasks that are available, wherein the node that represents security tasks that are available may be referred to as a "security" node.
In certain user interfaces, if the user selects the "server" node by itself in the hierarchical navigation tree, the user interface may display information related to the server. Furthermore, if the user selects the "security" node by itself, the information that is displayed may be associated with security tasks, such as, general security protocols, etc.

Linking of a plurality of items of a user interface to display new information inferred from the plurality of items that are linked

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


Signal conditioning circuitry includes logic circuitry, a low-pass filter, and comparator circuitry. The logic circuitry is configured to compare a data unit with a preceding data unit, from a sequence of data units, and provide a logic output signal. The low-pass filter is coupled to the logic circuitry, and the low-pass filter is configured to provide a data transition density measurement for the sequence of data units based on the logic output signal. The comparator circuitry is coupled to the low-pass filter, and the comparator circuitry is configured to compare the data transition density measurement to a threshold and, based on the comparison to the threshold, indicate a disruptive pattern in the sequence of data units.

When a transmitter transmits a signal containing data (referred to herein as a data signal or a signal), such as a high speed data (HSD) signal, across a communication channel, the signal exiting the channel may be distorted relative to the signal entering the channel. Distortion compensation circuitry, for example an equalizer or a clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit, may receive the signal exiting the channel and perform distortion compensation on the signal before providing it to a receiver.

Data transition tracking for received data


In devices known in the art, “conventional firetube” and “waste heat recovery” boilers each require many small tubes making successive passes within the boiler. In one embodiment of the invention, however, an enhanced conduit replaces numerous conventional small tubes. In some embodiments, the enhanced conduit incorporates a plurality of fins, each of which extends through a wall of the conduit. In other embodiments, the enhanced conduit incorporates a plurality of tubes along its outer surface, through which a heat transfer medium flows. Both designs enhance the heat transfer relationship between the hot fluid and the heat transfer medium by providing a continuous heat transfer relationship with the heat transfer medium, increasing the surface area involved in the heat transfer relationship and enhancing convection/conduction couples. For some applications, all of the tube banks of other devices in the art can be replaced by one continuous enhanced conduit.

(1) Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a heat exchanger, and more specifically to a "direct-fired" or "indirect-fired" boiler for generating steam, hot water, hot oil, and hot molten metals.
(2) Related Art
All boilers operate according to the physical sciences of thermodynamics and heat transfer. Essentially, forced hot gas is cooled within the boiler by transferring heat to a heat transfer medium, often water, to generate steam or hot water. Depending upon system requirements, direct-fired boilers and/or indirect-fired boilers are commonly placed in service to produce steam and hot water. In the case of a direct-fired boiler, a fueled burner or combustor is fired into the boiler, generating heat within the boiler itself. The fueled burner establishes a flame, producing a hot fluid, which is in heat transfer relation with a cooler heat transfer medium. A temperature differential between the hot fluid and the heat transfer medium drives the heat transfer process by way of conduction, convection, and radiation.
In a similar manner, a "waste heat recovery" or indirect-fired boiler makes use of residual heat from an isolated thermodynamic process. However, radiation heat transfer is a less significant heat transfer mechanism for the indirect-fired boiler. For boilers of either direct-fired or indirect-fired construction, the heat transfer medium is usually water and/or steam, due in large part to their widespread availability and substantial heat capacity. Another advantage of water/steam heat transfer media is that it presents no imminent environmental threat.
A conventional type of direct-fired boiler, commonly called a "firetube" boiler, employs a fueled burner to generate heat. The burner is fired into a single main tube, called the firetube. This firetube absorbs the majority of the radiation emitted from the combustion process. In addition, convective/conductive couples drive heat transfer between the hot fluid and the heat transfer medium throughout the device. Conventional firetube boilers typically contain one to three additional banks of significantly smaller tubes, called passes. For example, a firetube boiler design that includes two banks of tubes in addition to the firetube is termed a "three-pass firetube boiler," elicited from the path of the hot fluid. The course of flow for the "three-pass firetube boiler" occurs after the fueled burner generates hot gas inside the firetube, which is then driven through a first bank of smaller tubes flowing opposite the firetube, and then diverted through a second bank of smaller tubes flowing parallel to the firetube. A channel, called the "turn-around pass," is located between each pass, wherein the hot gas reverses direction. The hot gas cools while flowing through the tube passes of the firetube boiler by transferring energy to the heat transfer medium. For either design, all tube banks, less the "turn-around pass," are in heat transfer relationship with the heat transfer medium. In a similar manner, although a "waste heat recovery" or indirect-fired boiler does not require a firetube, the hot gas does flow sequentially from tube bank to tube bank as required to enact the heat transfer. As a result, heat transfer to the heat transfer medium is largely dependent upon the total length of the tubes it contacts. This can result in larger and more expensive devices.
Accordingly, a need exists for a heat exchange device capable of greater efficiency in the transfer of heat from its fluid to its heat transfer medium.


A subsea conduit system comprises a conduit extending between a surface vessel and a subsea support, and a load arrangement connected between a subsea anchor and the conduit at a region of connection which is intermediate the vessel and the subsea support to apply a force on the conduit. The conduit is configured such that the applied force generates axial tension in the conduit between the region of connection and the vessel, and between the region of connection and the subsea support.

Several configurations for connecting floating structures with a seabed pipeline or wellhead system for the purposes of fluid transfer therebetween are known in the art, and are commonly used in the offshore oil and gas industry.
One frequently used configuration is known as the free-hanging catenary configuration, often called a Simple Catenary Riser or SCR. Such a riser configuration is illustrated in FIG. 1 and includes a riser pipe 10 freely hung from a host vessel 12, such as a FPSO vessel, and forming a curved shape downwards until it lands on the seabed 14 at a touchdown point 16. After the touchdown point 16, the pipe horizontally lies on the seabed 14 and connects to subsea facilities, such as subsea hydrocarbon production facilities and infrastructure (not illustrated in FIG. 1). In this configuration, and regardless of the type of riser pipe 10 used, the oscillations of the vessel 12 may induce high curvature fluctuations of the pipe in the lower part of the riser, especially in the region of the touchdown point 16. This curvature can overstress the pipe and additionally may lead to significant fatigue-damage in the vicinity of the touchdown point of the riser.
When a riser, in this free-hanging configuration, consists of a rigid tube formed of metal such as steel, the radius of curvature at the touchdown point is made relatively large to minimise the possibility of stress exceeding the yield strength of the metallic pipe material. However, this may result in the requirement to use longer lengths of riser pipe, which can significantly increase the weight of the riser, giving rise to additional problems, such as exceeding vessel deck load limits and the like. Furthermore, this free hanging catenary configuration is highly sensitive to fatigue damage accumulation particularly at the welds used to connect the individual metallic pipe sections together.
A method for optimising the response in metal risers of this known catenary form is to apply buoyancy modules along the near horizontal section of the riser to favourably modify its response in the vicinity of the touchdown point. Varying quantities and distributions of buoyancy may be considered from small amounts that only provide a small upthrust and almost imperceptible change in curvature, to larger quantities that can result in large sections of pipe being vertically lifted off the seabed to form a riser shape that is often referred to as a wave catenary. Such a wave catenary form is illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein a riser pipe 20 is again hung from a vessel 22 and extends to the seabed 24. A section of the riser pipe 20 includes buoyancy modules 26, such as syntactic foam and/or aircans, which establish a wave configuration 28 along the length of the riser pipe 20. This wave configuration 28 assists to largely decouple the effect of motion of the vessel 22 from the riser pipe 20 at the region of a touchdown point 30 with the seabed 24, thus assisting to minimise stress and fatigue in this region.
A flexible pipe made from alternating layers of helically wound steel and thermoplastic materials may be used in deep seas in the free-hanging configuration. Such layered flexible pipe is typically known as non-bonded pipe in the art. Such flexible non-bonded pipe, when used in the SCR form, may have advantages over metallic equivalents, for example in that a smaller radius of curvature at the touchdown point may be permissible. Furthermore, flexible pipe may allow greater vertical and horizontal movements of the host vessel at the water surface due to smaller allowable bend radii and improved fatigue behaviour. However, known flexible pipe may have the drawbacks of being very heavy, exhibiting inferior thermal insulation, and having a higher cost per unit length than steel equivalents.
A further riser configuration uses the combination of buoyancy modules attached to the riser pipe to form an arch or wave in combination with a tensioned seabed tether which anchors a point on the riser below the wave to a fixed point on the seabed. This tether is assembled from steel wires or chain and is used to control riser shape and deflections. This configuration is commonly referred to as a Pliant wave. A development of the Pliant wave arrangement is proposed in WO 2009/139636.
A further wave catenary configuration is disclosed in US 2009/0269141 which proposes a combination of tethers and buoyancy modules wherein the tether is connected under tension between a point of fixity on the seabed and a point on the riser that is coincident with the point of application of the buoyancy modules.
The foregoing SCR and Wave catenary risers are primarily applicable to metallic steel pipe risers and non-bonded flexible pipe risers. These pipe constructions are often heavy and result in high tensions and payloads on the host vessel. However, the benefit of such high tensions is that they assist the stability of the riser structure to resist the application of hydrodynamic current forces.
Free standing or hybrid risers are also often used in the oil and gas industry to transfer fluids from surface vessels to and from subsea wellheads and pipelines. Free standing risers are typically used in deep water and comprise a long, stiff and largely vertical lower section which is quasi static, and a shorter flexible near surface upper section configured in a free hanging catenary configuration. The catenary upper section, typically called a flexible jumper, is designed to accommodate vessel motions and is typically constructed from non-bonded flexible pipe. As noted above, non-bonded flexible pipe has the benefit that it can accommodate small bend radii and this along with its relatively heavy in-water weight allows acceptable configurations to be achieved even when vessel motions and mooring excursions are large. However the disadvantage is that its weight can be excessive and this can detrimentally add to vessel and riser payload. Additionally, non-bonded flexibles have further limitations on their maximum diameter, maximum service temperature, sour service acceptability and long term robustness.
Generally, subsea pipelines, whether extending from surface to seabed, or simply extending entirely subsea, may suffer from similar issues to those identified above, such as requirement to minimise regions of high stress and fatigue, control of dynamic response to environmental conditions, excessive weight and the like.


A process for producing a crack-free, laser nitride-hardened layer on a titanium substrate, the process including preheating the substrate, melting a small area of substrate with a laser, and shrouding the melted area with a gas mixture having a maximum critical amount of nitrogen not greater than 85%. A crack-free pump shaft so hardened to Rockwell 52 C is produced.

This invention relates generally to a process for producing a nitride-hardened surface on a titanium substrate, and more particularly to a process for producing a laser nitride-hardened surface that is highly resistant to cracking.
It is well known to harden a surface of a substrate of titanium by causing nitrogen atoms to be absorbed into a pool of localized molten titanium on the surface of the substrate and to thereafter solidify the molten titanium, to form nitrides in the microstructure. Typical applications require hardness values at least equal to 52 on the Rockwell C scale. One problem with prior art nitride-hardened surfaces of this hardness is that the hardened surface has a tendency to crack upon cooling.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present nitriding processes. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming the limitation set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.

Process for producing crack-free nitride-hardened surface on titanium by laser beams


A device for power line communication is provided, including a transmitter adapted to transmit signals on at least two of a plurality of power line transmission paths of a power line network; a sensor adapted to determine one or a plurality of reflection parameters of one of the plurality of power line transmission paths; and a transmission impedance matching unit adapted to match the output impedance of at least two output ports of the device which each couple to one of the plurality of transmission paths to the impedance of the at least two of the power line transmission paths based on the one or the plurality of reflection parameters. Further, a device including a corresponding reception impedance matching unit is provided and corresponding methods for transmitting and receiving signals.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a device for power line communication, a method for transmitting signals and a method for receiving signals.
Description of Related Art
The "background" description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.
Current power line communication modems (PLC modems) are based on single input-single output (SISO) schemes. In a single input-single output scheme the signals are fed into a pair of dedicated wires (for instance between the phase or live (P or L) wire and the neutral (N) wire) of a power line network in a building. However, multiple input-multiple output (MIMO) schemes are currently investigated in order to improve e.g. data rate, coverage, robustness against disturbances, utilizing the diversity of the MIMO channel and consideration of electromagnetic interference (EMI) regulations. In MIMO schemes signals are fed into and/or received from at least two combinations of different wires by different input and/or output ports, e.g. between phase and neutral, phase and protective earth (PE), and neutral and protective earth (PE) in a three wire power line network. It is also possible to receive signals from a common mode (CM) signal received between any of the wires to ground.
Power line networks may exhibit strong variations in input impedances at individual transmission frequencies, at different locations of the outlets in the building and due to changing network topology (e.g. when a light switch is toggled by a user). This may have negative impact when feeding and/or receiving power line signals into and/or from power line networks.

Device for power line communication, method for transmitting signals, and method for receiving signals


An image processing apparatus includes: an acquisition mechanism acquiring image data of a 3D image including a left-eye image and a right-eye image, and superimposed-area information being information on a superimposed area included in the left-eye image and the right-eye image; and a disparity detection mechanism detecting an amount of disparity in an area excluding the superimposed area identified by the superimposed-area information of the left-eye image and the right-eye image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data structure, an image processing apparatus and method, and a program. In particular, the present invention relates to a data structure, an image processing apparatus and method, and a program that allows improving precision of disparity detection and disparity control of a 3D image having superimposed information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although 2D images are prevailing in video contents, such as a movie, etc., 3D images attract people's attention in these days. Various techniques have been proposed on 3D-image display apparatuses, and methods of coding and decoding 3D images (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 10-327430 and 2008-182669).
A 3D image includes a left-eye image viewed by a left eye and a right-eye image viewed by a right eye. By setting a predetermined disparity between the left-eye image and the right-eye image, a viewer is allowed to perceive the 3D image as a stereoscopic image.

Data structure, image processing apparatus and method, and program


A phase locked loop (PLL) and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) thereof are provided. The VCO includes a ring oscillator circuit and a control circuit. The ring oscillator circuit is used for providing an output clock signal; and the control circuit is coupled to the ring oscillator circuit, and used for receiving an output voltage to respectively provide a first voltage-frequency gain and a second voltage-frequency gain so as to control a frequency of the output clock signal provided by the ring oscillator circuit, wherein the first voltage-frequency gain is larger than the second voltage-frequency gain.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a phase locked loop (PLL), more particularly, to a PLL with a low-variation and stable loop bandwidth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Phase locked loop (PLL) plays important roles in the communication engineering area, and its application range is quite extensive, for example, modulation, de-modulation, frequency multiplication, frequency synthesizing, carrier synchronization, bit synchronization, etc. all apply the concept and technical of PLL therein. PLL is a kind of feedback loop. In the loop, the frequency and phase of the output clock signal are locked on the same frequency and phase of the input reference clock signal by using the feedback signal. Therefore, in the radio communications, if the phenomenon of carrier frequency offset is occurred by signal transmitting, the local oscillation frequency of the receiver follows the frequency offset to achieve the purpose of phase locking by using PLL in the receiver.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conventional PLL 100. Referring to FIG. 1, in general, the PLL 100 includes a phase detector (PD) 101, a charge pump (CP) 103, a loop filter (LF) 105, and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 107. The PD 101 would compare the phase of the input reference clock signal Ref_Clk with the phase of the output clock signal Out_Clk returned from the VCO 107, so as to generate a control signal CS to the CP 103.
The CP 103 generates an output voltage Vout according to the control signal CS. The LF 105 is composed by the resistor Rf and the capacitor Cf, and used for filtering high frequency noises on the output voltage Vout of the CP 103. The VCO 107 generates the output clock signal Out_Clk in response to the output voltage Vout, which is filtered by the LF 105, of the CP 103.
For some PLL's applications, the loop bandwidth of the PLL is requested for having very low variation, and the loop transfer function of the conventional PLL is generally determined by the gain (Kpd) of the PD 101, the current (Icp) of the CP 103, the gain (Kvco) of the VCO 107, the resistor Rf, and the capacitor Cf.
In practical, since the PD 101 may be composed by a pure digital circuit, so that the range of variation of the gain (Kpd) of the PD 101 is very low. Accordingly, the variation of the gain (Kpd) of the PD 101 has a little effect on the loop bandwidth of the PLL 100. In addition, the capacitor Cf also has a little effect on the loop bandwidth of the PLL 100, and if the current (Icp) of the CP 103 is the inverse of the resistor Rf, the current (Icp) of the CP 103 also has a little effect on the loop bandwidth of the PLL 100. Furthermore, the gain (Kvco) of the VCO 107 has a biggest effect and a hardest control on the loop bandwidth of the PLL 100. The gain (Kvco) of the VCO 107 is defined as below:
  Kvco  =            Δ                                      f              Δ                                      v
Wherein, Δf is the differential of the frequency of the output clock signal of the VCO 107 in a unit time; and ΔV is the differential of the output voltage of the CP 103 in a unit time.
In general, in order to restrain the variation of the gain (Kvco) of the VCO 107 so as to no influence the variation of the loop bandwidth of the PLL 100. The structure of inductor-capacitor (LC) may be mostly used to make the VCO (i.e. LC VCO), but since the LC VCO has an up limit to restrain the variation of the gain (Kvco) of the VCO 107, and needs more layout area and higher fabrication cost, so that the die designer would not like to design such VCO into the die.
In addition, if by using low cost process, the structure of ring oscillator circuit may be usually used to make the VCO (ring oscillator VCO), but since the variation of the gain (Kvco) of the ring oscillator VCO is quite high when the temperature, voltage, and process are changed. Accordingly, the loop bandwidth of the PLL 100 also has a high variation and unstable.
Nothing herein should be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art of any portion of the present invention. Furthermore, citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention, or that any reference fauns a part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Phase locked loop and voltage controlled oscillator thereof


A system and method that downlinks weather data, generated by existing weather and data sensors, to a groundstation. The groundstation utilizes data from multiple aircraft to form refined weather information, and uplinks the refined weather information to the aircraft. The refined weather information is stored at the aircraft and picture generating equipment, such as an existing on-board ground proximity terrain picture and symbol generator, generates pictorial information depicting the weather information. The pictorial information is displayed, for example by an existing EFIS or weather radar display, in the form of polygons.

The invention relates to delivery of weather product information to the cockpit of an aircraft and in particular to a network architecture and on-board systems for providing real time weather data to an aircraft.
Commercial aircraft operating in United States air space have on-board weather radar systems. Existing on-board weather radar systems provide data on weather local to the aircraft, for example, weather ahead of the aircraft within the range of the weather radar unit. The weather information is displayed on a cockpit weather display. However, the weather data collected by an aircraft is available only to the particular aircraft experiencing the weather, the data is not transferable to the ground or to other aircraft. Thus, today, weather information displayed on on-board cockpit displays is limited to the weather returns supplied by the on-board weather radar.
Visual depictions and bounding of significant hazardous weather areas outside the range of an on-board weather radar system on a cockpit display would be a significant operational tool for the aircraft crew.
Systems for providing an aircraft with weather products outside the aircraft local area have been proposed but posses several limitations. First, dedicated equipment is necessary to implement the systems. This requirement introduces additional cost to the airline operator for acquisition, installation, maintenance, and training and in additional fuel burn due to the additional weight of the equipment. Second, to present the information to the pilot, large quantities of data must be uplinked. The resulting bandwidth requirements make real time weather uplinks impractical, and/or prohibitively expensive, thereby diluting the benefits of such a system.
The present invention recognizes and resolves significant problems of the prior art by providing an aircraft weather information system wherein weather information is provided to the aircraft from various sources external to the aircraft.
According to one aspect of the invention, local atmospheric data collected by aircraft weather radar systems and other aircraft sensors, including actual aircraft accelerations and other flight data; altitude; and position are down-linked to a groundstation. The down-linked data is assembled with other weather information and an up-to-date atmospheric model is developed. Weather products based on the up-to-date atmospheric model are up-linked to aircraft and displayed in the cockpit. The up-linked weather products can be displayed upon command depicted as bounded polygons on the cockpit display.
According to another aspect of the invention, the weather system of the present invention works with the existing world wide aircraft communications network. This feature of the present invention minimizes the acquisition and operating costs to the aircraft owner while also reducing system infrastructure requirements.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the present invention is designed and operates so as to be tolerant of the bandwidth and other limitations of the existing aircraft communications network. Data can be compressed and/or the graphics data can be up-linked such that post-processing of the uplinked data can occur aboard the aircraft for generation of the display.
According to another aspect of the invention, the invention includes interactive features that reduce the crew workload in weather monitoring. The system can be configured by crew or ground operations to automatically alert the crew to selected weather threats, such as turbulent conditions or thunderstorm activity. In addition, the system is configurable such that tailored weather information can be transmitted based on aircraft position or flight plan. Destination weather can also be up-loaded for crew viewing. Such features allow weather information to be integrated into real-time flight planning decisions. According to still another aspect of the invention, information currently conveyed to the crew as text, e.g. AIRMET, SIGMET, can now be shown graphically aiding spatial comprehension.
Other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent in view of the following detailed description and appended drawings.