A combustible waste incinerator with a tubular furnace defining a cavity with a first opening for receiving said waste and a second opening and an interior and an exterior surface is disclosed. A burner unit is positioned at the second opening of the cavity for producing an intense flame in the cavity sufficient to burn the combustible waste therein. A water pipe and an air pipe are spirally coiled along the interior surface of the cavity for dissipating heat formed and supplying air to the cavity to promote combustion. The water pipe and the air supply pipe are disposed on the interior surface of the cavity such that a spiral channel is formed from the first opening to the second opening of the cavity. A cylindrical wire screen is disposed between the water and air supply pipes and the cavity to permit at least a portion of the waste to pass from the cavity into the spiral channel. A means for rotating the furnace about its longitudinal axis enables at least a portion of the waste in the tubular furnace to tumble within the cavity so as to be directly exposed to the flame produced by the burner to dry and breakup waste so an additional portion of the waste passes from the cavity into the spiral channel to be moved in the channel away from the first opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an incinerator for burning and more particularly to an incinerator capable of burning a household waste, for example, briquette ashes which includes combustible coal and residue of foodstuffs, or an industrial waste in a high efficiency.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Conventional incinerators have been used mainly for burning combustible waste which has been separately collected. However, such incinerators are unable to adequately burn waste where the waste has a high moisture content. Furthermore, conventional incinerators do not achieve complete burning of the waste, even though such waste includes only combustible waste. Thus, conventional incinerators only reduce the residue after burning to 1/10 of the waste.
Typically, the residue after burning is solidified and then packed in a vinyl package and buried in the ground.
There are various conventional incinerator structures. For example, a rotary furnace type incinerator is disclosed in Korea Utility Model Publication No. 79-1379 and an incinerator for burning refuse is disclosed in Korea Utility Model Publication No. 80-5070. Also, the present inventors have proposed a method of and a device for burning waste in Korea Patent Application Nos. 89-606 and 91-4119.
The incinerator disclosed in Korea Utility Model Publication No. 79-1379 has no conveying means for moving the waste to be burned toward the flame. In this case, the rotary furnace itself is inclined so that the heat in the furnace tends to be discharged out of the waste input port. As a result, it is difficult to achieve complete burning of the waste in this incinerator.
On the other hand, in the incinerator disclosed in Korea Utility Model Publication No. 80-5070, waste is dropped into a burning furnace via a spiral member disposed in a rotary kiln and then burned over a grate. The rotary kiln for conveying refuse and the burning furnace forms an angle of 90.degree. degrees therebetween. Due to this arrangement, the remaining heat to be used for perfectly burning refuse and rising over the burning furnace enters the rotary kiln ant an angle of 90.degree. degrees, thereby causing the force of heat to be weakened. As a result, this incinerator does not dry the waste at the waste input port.
Korea Patent application Nos. 89-606 and 91-4119 filed in the name of the present inventors provide improvements over the above mentioned devices. The present invention is an improvement over their previous devices.


A wafer processing chamber is provided, including a first processing gas supply unit and a second processing gas supply unit. The first processing gas supply unit is configured for supplying a first processing gas to form a first processing zone in the wafer processing chamber. The second processing gas supply unit is configured for supplying a second processing gas into the wafer processing chamber to form a second processing zone in the wafer processing chamber. In the wafer processing chamber, the first processing zone and the second processing zone are virtually separated from each other, such that a process wafer in the first processing zone may be performed a different process from another process wafer in the second processing zone at the same time. Further, a heat treatment apparatus and a method for processing wafers also provide herein.

Generally, in manufacturing semiconductor devices, the semiconductor devices are formed on a semiconductor wafer by performing various types of processes such as heat treatments. The heat treatments include oxidation, diffusion, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), annealing and so on.
A heat treatment apparatus may be used to process the heat treatment of a batch of wafers at a time. The heat treatment apparatus includes a processing chamber, which is configured to accommodate a wafer holder loaded with the wafers. The wafers in the processing chamber are treated by supplying a processing gas injected into the processing chamber, and residual processing gas after the heat treatment is together exhausted from the processing chamber.
However, in the processing chamber, the processing gas can be only supplied to process the whole batch of the wafers. Accordingly, improvements in the heat treatment apparatus and methods for processing wafers continue to be sought.

Wafer processing chamber, heat treatment apparatus and method for processing wafers

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.


A liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal device is made up of first and second substrates, a first alignment layer formed on a surface of the first substrate so as to have a first pre-tilt angle, a second alignment layer formed on a surface of the second substrate so as to have a second pre-tilt angle which is smaller than the first pre-tilt angle, a third alignment layer formed on the surface of the second substrate so as to have a third pre-tilt angle which is greater than the first pre-tilt angle, and nematic liquid crystal material filled in a space between the first and second substrates. The liquid crystal panel would be oriented so as to have a helical structure extending in a predetermined direction by the effect of the pre-tilt angles if nematic liquid crystal material having no twisting power were to be filled in a space between the first and second substrates, but the nematic liquid crystal material employed is of a kind effective to render the liquid crystal panel to be oriented so as to have a helical structure extending in a direction counter to the predetermined direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Of the various types of liquid crystal display devices commercially available in the market, a liquid crystal display device utilizing an active matrix driving scheme, known as an active matrix drive liquid crystal display device, is largely developed. The active matrix drive liquid crystal display device employs thin-film transistors as switching elements and is well recognized superior in that, as compared with a liquid crystal display device utilizing a simple matrix driving scheme, a high contrast ratio can be attained regardless of the number of scanning electrodes and, hence, a clear, high-contrast image can be displayed at a high resolution.
While the active matrix drive liquid crystal display device is available in various types depending on the type of liquid crystal material employed, the active matrix drive liquid crystal display device employing twisted nematic liquid crystal has a normally white display mode. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the TN (twisted nematic) liquid crystal display device comprises a liquid crystal panel of a structure wherein liquid crystal material having 90.degree. twisted liquid crystal molecules is sandwiched between substrates, and a pair of polarizing plates with the liquid crystal panel sandwiched therebetween.
The TN liquid crystal display device having a normally white display mode is so designed that, while the direction of polarization of one polarizing plates is perpendicular to that of the other polarizing plate, one of the polarizing plates has its polarizing axis extending parallel or perpendicular to the major axis of the liquid crystal molecules held in contact with one of the substrates. In this normally white display mode of the TN liquid crystal display device, an image is displayed against a white background when no voltage is applied or a low voltage around a threshold value is applied while an image is displayed against a black background when a voltage higher than that is applied.
A mechanism of image display accomplished in the TN liquid crystal display device is such that, when a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal panel to cause the liquid crystal molecules, in a twisted state, to untwist, the liquid crystal molecules come to be oriented in a direction conforming to the direction of an electric field, permitting light passing across the liquid crystal panel to exhibit a different polarized characteristic with its transmittance modulated consequently. However, for a given orientation of the liquid crystal molecule, the polarization of light passing across the liquid crystal panel varies with a change in direction in which the light enters the liquid crystal display panel and, hence, the transmittance of light varies with a change in direction of incidence of the light upon the liquid crystal display panel. This means that the liquid crystal panel has an operating characteristic which is affected by characteristics of the viewing angle.
Specifically, in the normally white mode, the above discussed problem is considerable about when the black picture is displayed in which the liquid crystal molecules are set up relative to the substrates as a result of an application of the voltage. The characteristics of the viewing angle at this time are such as to be symmetric with respect to a plane containing the direction of the major axis of the liquid crystal molecules adjacent a center of the liquid crystal layer and perpendicular to the substrates, exhibiting a considerable change in transmittance of the light travelling towards such plane with a change in angle of incidence of the light upon the substrate. Accordingly, a change in characteristic of the viewing angle is particularly considerable in such direction.
In practice, however, since a rubbing is effected to the front substrate 1A, as viewed towards a display screen, in a direction shown by the arrow 18 in FIG. 8 and also to the rear substrate 1B in a direction shown by the arrow 19 in FIG. 8, the major axis of the liquid crystal molecules adjacent the center of the liquid crystal layer align on a plane perpendicular to any one of the front and rear substrates 1A and 2B, and therefore, the direction in which the change in characteristic of the viewing angle is considerable lies in a direction 34 heightwise of the display screen and symmetric in a horizontal direction as viewed towards the display screen.
The prior art TN liquid crystal display device of the type referred to above operating under the normally white mode has the following problems. Namely, if under the normally white mode the liquid crystal molecules completely set up in a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface upon application of the voltage, the display screen exhibit a true black color when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate. This is because, when the major axis of the liquid crystal molecules lines up with each other in a direction parallel to the direction of travel of light, no optical phase difference occurs and the light passes across the liquid crystal layer with no polarized component thereof varied.
However, in practice, some of the liquid crystal molecules adjacent the substrate interface are hard to set up, even when the voltage is applied to a certain extent, due to an interaction thereof with the substrate. Also, even another portion of the liquid crystal molecules adjacent the center of the liquid crystal layer fails to set up and, therefore, no optical phase difference is eliminated with respect to the light travelling in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, failing to represent a true black color.
On the other hand, under such a molecule orientation, the light travelling in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the major axis of some of the liquid crystal molecules adjacent the center of the liquid crystal exhibits a minimized optical phase difference as compared with the light travelling in a direction perpendicular to the substrate. Accordingly, in the actually manufactured liquid crystal panel, the characteristic of the viewing angle tends to become considerably asymmetric as shown in FIG. 9 on respective sides of the line normal to the substrate in a direction vertically of the display screen.
When the liquid crystal panel having the asymmetric characteristic as discussed above is employed in a video projection system, the following problem occurs.
In the case of the video projection system, it is generally recommended that while a projection lens employed having as small a F-number as possible, the projection lens receives the incoming light at a relatively large coverage, so that the image projected onto a screen becomes bright. This means that the liquid crystal panel as well should receive the incoming light at a large coverage. In order for the liquid crystal panel to receive light from the light source at a large coverage, the use must be made of a condensing lens for collecting the incoming light.
While a metal halide lamp is generally used as the light source in the video projection system, such a light source is not a point source of light and, therefore, it is difficult to provide a bundle of parallel rays of light. In view of the limitation imposed by the optics employed in the video projection system, the angle of incidence of light upon the liquid crystal panel and the coverage of light afforded by the liquid crystal panel vary from one local area of the liquid crystal panel to another.
Accordingly, where the characteristic of the viewing angle of the liquid crystal panel is asymmetric as discussed hereinbefore, the characteristic of the viewing angle of the liquid crystal panel varies from one local area to another, accompanied by a change in transmittance exhibited by the liquid crystal panel to such an extent that the image eventually displayed may have a varying brightness.
To improve the characteristic of the viewing angle, the following method is suggested.
Referring to FIG. 10, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules 9 relative to the substrate 37 when the liquid crystal molecules 9 are rubbed in a direction shown by the arrow 35 is such that the liquid crystal molecules 9 contact the substrate 37 at a trailing side with respect to the direction of rubbing and are inclined upwardly and away from the substrate 37 at a angle .theta.. This angle .theta. of inclination of the liquid crystal molecules 9 relative to the substrate 37 is generally known as a pre-tilt angle 36.
FIG. 4 illustrates the direction of alignment processing effected to the liquid crystal panel by means of a rubbing technique. As shown therein, since the rubbing is effected to the front substrate 1A in the direction shown by the arrow 18 and to the rear substrate 1B in the direction shown by 19, if the alignment process is effected to the substrates 1A and 1B in such directions, the nematic liquid crystal molecules having not been twisted are, because of the pre-tilt of the liquid crystal molecules at the interface with each of the substrates, oriented so as to depict a helix 20 extending counterclockwise from the front substrate 1A towards the rear substrate 1B. On the other hand, if a chiral material having a clockwise twisting force is injected into the nematic liquid crystal and if the twisting force is strong, the result would be that the liquid crystal molecules at the interface with each of the substrates are oriented so as to depict a helix extending clockwise from the front substrate 1A towards the rear substrate 1B. It is, however, to be noted that the molecules at the interface with the substrate are oriented exhibiting a pre-tilt angle 30 conforming to the direction of orientation since they are subjected to an anchoring force resulting from the rubbing.
Under such an orientation, if portions of the liquid crystal molecules 9 touching the substrates 1A and 1B, respectively, have an equal pre-tilt angle 15 as shown in FIG. 11, the liquid crystal molecules 9 at the center 10 of the liquid crystal layer are not inclined and have their major axes extending parallel to any one of the substrates. In such case, application of an electric voltage between the substrates 1A and 1B results in an orientation of the liquid crystal molecules at the center 10 of the liquid crystal layer which incline as shown by +.theta.m39 and -.theta.m39, respectively, in FIG. 12 with an equal amount of energies given at the time of elastic deformation. Accordingly, this liquid crystal panel in the case under discussion will exhibit such a characteristic of viewing angle that, if the liquid crystal molecules set up at an angle of inclination of +.theta.m38, the black picture tend to sink at a position somewhat upwardly of the direction perpendicular to the substrate (this characteristic being hereinafter referred to as an upward viewing characteristic), but if they set up at an angle of inclination of -.theta.m39, the black picture tends to sink at a position somewhat downwardly of the direction perpendicular to the substrate (this characteristic being hereinafter referred to as a downward viewing characteristic).
The orientation of such upward and downward viewing characteristics exist alternating in minute regions and if these minute regions are uniformly distributed over the entire surface area of the liquid crystal panel, the characteristic of the viewing angle of this liquid crystal panel presents a mixture of the upward and downward viewing characteristics and gives an apparent symmetric characteristic in upward and downward directions. However, under such an orientation, it is random as to which one of molecule movements of one of the two equal energy conditions is assured at the time of application of the voltage and, therefore, the controllability is very instable. Therefore, the prior art liquid crystal panel is not suited for use in the liquid crystal display device.

Liquid crystal display device with two different pre-tilt angles adjacent on one substrate

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A system for operating an aircraft includes a navigation computer and a flight control computer. The navigation computer receives guidance instructions and guidance parameters, and outputs automatic pilot instructions. The flight control computer receives control instructions and the automatic pilot instructions, and generates operating commands based on the automatic pilot instructions in an automatic pilot mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to aircraft with electrical fly-by-wire controls and, more particularly, to the architecture of the flight control system for such aircraft.
2. Discussion of the Background
It is known that an aircraft with electrical fly-by-wire controls has controls, such as sticks, ministicks, rudder bars, etc., equipped with electrical transducers so that they generate electrical control instructions which represent the action that a pilot exerts on them. It also includes a computer of flight control commands which, on the basis of the electrical control instructions generated by the controls and of control parameters originating, for example, from sensors, produces electrical operating commands that the flight control computer applies to actuators tasked with moving the control surfaces of the aircraft.
It is also commonplace for such an aircraft to have an automatic pilot capable, under certain circumstances, of piloting the aircraft in place of the pilot. As is also known, an automatic pilot consists essentially of a navigation computer and of a control computer. The navigation computer receives guidance instructions (indicated to it by the pilot) and guidance parameters (sent to it by sensors or by an inertial unit, for example), and from these guidance instructions and parameters produces automatic pilot instructions. For its part, the control computer converts these automatic pilot instructions into commands for operating the automatic pilot, which it applies to the actuators of the control surfaces of the aircraft.
Depending on the known embodiments of automatic pilots, the commands for operating the automatic pilot are applied to the actuators either directly or via the flight control computer. In the latter case, it will be noted that the flight control computer receives, from the automatic pilot, the commands for operating the automatic pilot which have already been fully produced and that in consequence its role amounts simply to transmitting the automatic pilot control commands unmodified.
Whichever of these two embodiments is on board the aircraft, it must also, however, be pointed out that, in such a known architecture, it is necessary to provide two control functions, namely one for the flight control computer and the other for the automatic pilot. Aside from the fact that this gives rise to significant costs, it may happen, owing to constraints of the system, that the control functions differ, particularly as regards the calculation power, the acquisition of parameters, the monitoring, etc. It is therefore compulsory to develop and to validate two control functions. In addition, a structure such as this does not make it possible to minimize the delays between the inertial information and the operating commands given by the automatic pilot to the control surfaces.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Disclosed herein is mucin-coated silica, compositions comprising the same, and methods of promoting the aggregation and/or clearance of oral bacteria using such compositions.

Oral cavity bacteria are the primary cause of dental ailments, including caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, and halitosis. Oral bacteria form biofilms which are tightly adhered to the oral surfaces, especially the tooth enamel. With time these biofilms calcify and turn into tartar, making them more difficult to remove from the tooth surface. Current at-home dental treatments, such as tooth brushing and mouth rinsing, can provide only marginal benefit in preventing the growth of oral biofilm, or preventing the conversion of biofilm to plaque and tartar. The only effective way to remove plaque and tartar once it has formed is through costly, sometimes uncomfortable professional dental treatments such root planning and scaling. It would be extremely beneficial to develop means of preventing the initial formation of oral bacterial biofilms before the process of plaque and tarter formation has begun.
The formation of oral biofilm requires the interaction of a variety of proteins and sugars on the surface of bacterial cells. After a successful dental cleaning, much of the oral biofilm may be removed, which leaves the teeth ready for a new round of bacterial colonization and the development of a new biofilm. The first step in biofilm formation is colonization by primary colonizers, which include Streptococcus species (e.g., S. oralis, S. mutans, S. sanguinis, S. mitis and S. gordonii), allowing the eventual accumulation of secondary organisms that are typically associated with oral health problems. Therefore, it would be of great benefit to be able to interfere with these organisms' ability to initiate attachment to the oral surfaces, preventing the eventual formation and accumulation of oral biofilms.
Mucins are a family of high-molecular weight glycoproteins that are produced by mucosal epithelial cells throughout the human body. They are a predominant ingredient of secretions of the respiratory tract (e.g., mucus) and of saliva. Many species of bacteria readily associate with mucins by utilizing it as a natural substrate for oral surface colonization. Therefore, mucins have the ability to aggregate bacteria.
If mucins could be anchored to an insoluble support, such as insoluble particles, then such mucin-coated particles could serve as a target for bacterial attachment and adherence. Rinsing the oral cavity using a composition comprising such particles would then be a way of collecting loose bacteria in the oral cavity for elimination.

Mucin coated silica for bacterial aggregation


An easily-cleaning multifunctional soybean milk maker comprises a motor, a blade, a head unit, and a container, wherein a lower cover of the head unit being capped on the container, characterized in that a flow guider is securely fastened to the lower cover of the head unit, with the lower part of the flow guider immersed into water and the lower port of the flow guider being open. The blade fastened at the front end of the motor shaft is arranged within the flow guider and extends into water. Guiding holes are provided in the flow guider, and/or guiding channels in communication with the interior of the flow guider are provided on the lower cover of the head unit.

A conventional home soybean milk maker comprises a motor, a blade, a head unit and a cylindrical container, wherein the lower cover of the head unit is capped on the cylindrical container. The device for crushing and slurry-making of such a conventional home soybean milk maker comprises a Filter mesh cover in which crushing blade is provided and the materials for making slurry are also contained. Therefore, it is difficult to clean the filter mesh cover. Especially it becomes even more difficult to clean the filter mesh cover when the filter mesh cover is heated up within the slurry during slurry boiling-up.

Easily-cleaning multifunctional soybean milk maker

Shandong Joyoung Household Electrical Appliances Co., Ltd.


A lining part, particularly a door-lining carrier for a motor vehicle, comprises a basic expandable polystyrene (EPS) or polyphenylene oxide (PPO) part, to which is foamed at least on one side a reinforcing layer, and energy-absorbing elements are embedded in the basic part.

The invention relates to a lining part, particularly to a door-lining carrier, for a motor vehicle, preferably of foamed plastic.
Such lining parts, especially the door-lining carriers addressed above, are manufactured in the automobile industry from various materials such as molded fiber-containing materials, flax/sisal bonded in resin, HM polypropylene, hard polyurethane foam with fiberglass or glass mats, as well as of thermoplastic materials. At the surface, these carriers have a decor on which the adhesive is placed or which is connected directly with the carrier.
The weight of all these lining parts is high and there is a lack of integrated protection zones in the event of an impact from the side. Aside from a lack of additional thermal insulation and sound protection, many of them absorb water up to an amount of 40% by weight. With the passage of time, this leads not only to a destruction of the lining part, but also to an appreciable increase in the total weight of the vehicle.

Lining part, particularly a door-lining carrier for motor vehicles


A drawing processing apparatus has a drawing data input section 2 for receiving the drawing data to be drawn. A drawing data determination section 3 determines the drawing data type from the drawing data input to the drawing data input section 2 and passes the drawing data having an outline shape to a vector generation section 4 and a drawing attribute processing section 5 and the drawing data having no outline shape to the drawing attribute processing section 5 according to the drawing data type. The vector generation section 4 prepares a vector representing an outline shape from the drawing data received from the drawing data determination section 3. The drawing attribute processing section 5 gets different drawing attributes for each drawing data type from the drawing data passed from the drawing data determination section 3 and performs processing as required.

This invention relates to an image processing apparatus or a drawing processing apparatus and in particular to a drawing processing apparatus for clipping and filling a plurality of clip areas of any shapes.
A drawing processing apparatus in computer graphics (CG), desk-top publishing (DTP), or the like can perform either or both of clipping of producing partial display of input image data, text data, etc., and filling of coloring the inside of a predetermined area, as required.
In some clipping, only rectangular areas can be handled as graphic form clip areas and in some clipping, areas of any shapes can be handled. In the clipping of handling only rectangular areas as clip areas, generally all intersection points of a drawing element and a rectangular area of a clip area are found and the inside or outside is determined, then only the clip area is displayed. Techniques based on such clipping are disclosed in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. Hei 1-103784, Sho 63-245576, and Sho 63-198174.
On the other hand, when areas of any shapes are frequently clipped as in CG or DTP, the number of intersection points of a drawing element and a clip area extremely increases. Therefore, if the above-described clipping method is used, the time consumed for determining the inside or outside of the clip area becomes enormous and the time taken in the clipping increases. As disclosed in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei 6-168339, when a line having thickness is drawn, it becomes a graphic form of a complicated outline shape involving graphic forms at the end points and the connection points, so that the clipping time furthermore grows.
Then, a method of using an edge list to perform clipping is disclosed in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei 6-274643. The edge list is used, whereby intersection processing is simplified as processing for each scan line and clipping can be performed at high speed.
However, the clipping method using an edge list involves a first problem of taking time in merging the processing results and a second problem of 2-step and complicated processing because filling is performed on a display list and then clipping is performed.
Another clipping method of graphic forms with vectors is disclosed in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei 4-282784. In this method, however, only cases where graphic forms and clip areas are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with each other are considered for clipping. Thus, to process a plurality of clip areas, it becomes necessary to merge the processing results on a page memory, etc.,; still much time is taken in the merging.


A magnetic actuator, for example a magnetic bearing, embodies a fixed part and a mobile part. These parts are ferromagnetic and form an airgap between them extending parallel to a predetermined first direction. The magnetic actuator further embodies a nonmagnetic wall interposed in the airgap. The wall is that of a confinement chamber, for example. In this magnetic actuator one of the fixed and mobile parts embodies fingers penetrating the nonmagnetic wall and directed towards the other of the fixed and mobile parts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a magnetic actuator embodied by a magnetic circuit formed of a fixed part and a mobile part which do not touch each other and which form between them an airgap into which a separator wall is inserted.
The magnetic actuator is more particularly a magnetic bearing and the wall is that of a confinement chamber, for example.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Specific applications of bearings require the use of a confinement chamber around one of the two relatively moving bodies. Such applications involve a high pressure, for example, a high temperature or a primary or hard vacuum. Other examples are corrosive, toxic or radioactive environments. It is generally not appropriate to place all of the bearing in the confinement chamber. This type of application therefore requires a perfect seal between the two parts of the actuator and therefore makes the use of static seals, which are necessarily rotary seals, between the mobile body and the other body difficult.
A magnetic actuator is then a beneficial solution since it enables a contactless coupling between the different bodies.
In a manner that is known in itself, for example from U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,345, a magnetic bearing is used for magnetically active centering about at least one centering axis of a body mobile relative to another body. The two bodies include ferromagnetic portions with no contact between them and the mobile body is said to be "suspended". Magnetically active centering implies the use of a winding in which flows a variable current adapted to generate a variable magnetic flux. A bearing of this kind generally further embodies permanent magnets that can in some configurations procure passive centering about one or more other axes. Magnetic bearings are frequently used in the case of rotary bodies but can also be used in the case of linear motion.
However, the walls of the confinement chamber extend into the airgap between the fixed part and the mobile part; these walls, which may be thick, must in principle be nonmagnetic so as not to create any magnetic short-circuit and therefore constitute a spurious airgap within the airgap of the magnetic actuator. This spurious airgap is even more of a problem if it is necessary to allow for differential expansion of the mechanical components due to temperature and/or compression, and therefore to provide an additional airgap. Finally, sufficient relative movement must be preserved between the fixed and mobile parts to guarantee the absence of contact.
This increase in the size of the airgap compared to a situation in which there is no wall degrades the performance of the magnetic actuator or increases the size of the components, the size of the windings, the excitation current, etc, if the same performance is to be maintained. This increase in the "dimensions" of the magnetic actuator is a cost penalty and also constitutes a penalty in terms of the space occupied by the actuator. It can even become technically impossible to implement it.
To reduce the required airgap consideration could be given to interrupting the wall at the level of the airgap and sealing the wall to the fixed body. This seal would be very difficult to achieve, however. The thickness of the wall could instead be reduced at the airgap, for example by means of a groove into which one of the bodies, for example the fixed body, would penetrate. This would reduce the mechanical strength of the chamber, however, and the latter would no longer fulfill its function.
The present invention is aimed at remedying these drawbacks of the prior art by providing a magnetic actuator having a wall in its airgap and the configuration of which has an airgap that is increased only a little or not at all compared to an actuator with no wall, so retaining substantially the same performance, while providing a seal and mechanical strength equivalent to that obtained with an actuator having a wall in a wider airgap.

Magnetic actuator provided with a separator wall

Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle


A device for filtering the frying bath of an electric fryer having a heating resistor that is immersed in a frying bath in a tank during frying, the device including: a filter screen adapted to extend beneath the immersed electric resistor; and at least one holding element for connecting said screen to the immersed electric resistor. An electric fryer composed of; a tank provided to receive a frying bath; an electric heating resistor provided to be immersed in the frying bath; and the device described above.

The present invention relates to the technical field of electric fryers and concerns more particularly electric fryers having an immersed electric heating resistor. The invention relates more specifically to filtration of the frying medium of such an electric fryer.
In fryers of the type mentioned above, heating of the frying medium is effected by an electric heating resistor immersed in the frying bath. The heating resistor is generally removable from the tank that contains the frying bath.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,834 describes an electric fryer having an immersed heating resistor on which a filter screen is disposed.
This arrangement permits recovery of cooking residues on the filter screen. These residues can then be withdrawn from the frying bath along with the immersed resistor carrying the filter screen.
This form of construction presents, however, the drawback of promoting carbonization of the cooking residues.

Device for filtration of the frying bath in an electric fryer having an immersed heating resistor


A mining system includes: a first tunnel that reaches a dump site and includes a first road surface; a second tunnel that crosses the first tunnel, reaches a mining site, and includes a second road surface positioned above the first road surface; a frame that includes a lower surface provided above the first road surface of the first tunnel and forming a transport passage between the first road surface and the lower surface and an upper surface forming a work road surface, on which a loading machine operates, together with the second road surface; and a moving vehicle that is capable of traveling on the first road surface and is capable of passing through the transport passage.

Patent Literature 1 discloses a work machine that is used in the tunnel of a mine. This work machine includes a bucket that mines ore. The work machine moves in the tunnel to transport the ore in a state where the work machine holds the ore in the bucket.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a mining system including a loading machine and a transport vehicle that are used in the tunnel of a mine. The loading machine stays at a mining site to mine ore. The transport vehicle travels in the travel passage to transport the ore, which is loaded from the loading machine, to a dump site.


A chain tensioner includes a housing defining a cylinder chamber, and a plunger having a small-diameter end and a spring both mounted in the cylinder chamber. A register ring is fitted in a ring-receiving groove formed in the inner periphery of the cylinder chamber near its open end. A plurality of annular grooves are formed in the outer periphery of the plunger so as to be axially spaced from each other at equal intervals. The register ring is adapted to be press-fitted in one of the annular grooves. With the register ring trapped between an engaging surface of a first annular groove which is one of the annular grooves located nearest to the front end of the plunger and a locking surface of the ring-receiving groove, an outer cylindrical surface of the plunger extending forwardly from the first annular groove has its front portion supported by an inner cylindrical surface of the cylinder chamber extending forwardly from the ring-receiving groove.

This invention relates to a chain tensioner for keeping a constant tension of a chain such as a camshaft driving chain in an internal combustion engine.
Typically, a chain transmission system for driving camshafts of a vehicle engine includes a chain tensioner for applying pressure to the slack side of the camshaft driving chain to keep a constant tension in the chain.
A typical conventional chain tensioner comprises a housing formed with a cylinder chamber, a plunger slidably received in the cylinder chamber, and a spring mounted in the cylinder chamber and biasing the plunger out of the cylinder chamber. The plunger defines a damper chamber in the housing. The housing is formed with an oil supply passage through which hydraulic oil is supplied into the damper chamber. A check valve is provided at the outlet of the oil supply passage. Hydraulic oil supplied into the damper chamber through the oil supply passage dampens the force applied to the plunger.
When the engine is stopped, according to the positions of the cams when the engine is stopped, the chain may remain in a tensioned state. The chain will thus push the plunger rather deeply into the cylinder chamber after the engine has stopped. When the engine is restarted with the plunger deeply pushed into the cylinder chamber, the plunger will advance abruptly for a rather long distance. However, because a hydraulic pump for supplying hydraulic oil into the damper chamber through the oil supply passage has just been started, it cannot fill the damper chamber, of which the volume is quickly increasing, with oil at a sufficient speed. This may cause the inclusion of air in the damper chamber. Air in the damper chamber will greatly deteriorate the function of the chain tensioner as a damper. Noise may result, too.
The chain tensioner disclosed in JP patent publication 2001-355691A includes means for obviating this problem. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 11 to 14, this chain tensioner includes a housing 71 defining a cylinder chamber 72 formed with a ring-receiving groove 73 in its inner periphery near its open end. A radially and resiliently deformable register ring 74 is received in the ring-receiving groove 73. A plunger 76 is slidably mounted in the cylinder chamber 72 and is biased outwardly by a spring 75. In the outer cylindrical surface of the plunger 76, a plurality of annular grooves 77 are formed so as to be axially spaced from each other at equal intervals. Each annular groove 77 comprises a rear tapered surface 77a of which the diameter decreases gradually toward the front end of the plunger, and a front engaging surface 77b extending from the front small-diameter end of the tapered surface toward the front end of the plunger. The ring-receiving groove 73 includes a locking surface 73a at its rear portion. The engaging surface 77b of any of the annular grooves 77 and the locking surface 73a are capable of trapping the register ring 74 therebetween, thereby preventing retraction of the plunger 76.
Further, in order that this chain tensioner can be mounted easily, the plunger 76 has a small-diameter portion 78 at its front end, thereby defining a set surface 79 at the boundary between the small-diameter portion 78 and the rear large-diameter outer cylindrical surface 78a. By trapping the register ring 74 between the set surface 79 and a stop surface 73b formed at the front portion of the ring-receiving groove 73, the plunger 76 can be kept pushed in the cylinder chamber.
Once this chain tensioner is mounted, the register ring 74 is radially expanded to unlock the plunger 76. The plunger 76 is thus pushed outwardly by the spring 75, thereby pressing a pivotable chain guide 80 against a chain 81. The chain 81 is thus kept in a tensioned state.
If the chain guide 80 is simply pushed by the plunger 76, the chain guide 80 may move laterally due to vibration of the chain. In order to check such lateral movement of the chain guide, the chain guide 80 is formed with a guide groove 82 in which the small-diameter portion 78 of the plunger 76 is received.
When the register ring 74 is radially expanded to disengage it from the set surface 79, the plunger 76 will move outwardly under the force of the spring 75, so that as shown in FIG. 12, the register ring 74 will engage in the frontmost one of the annular grooves 77 (which is hereinafter called the first annular groove). In this state, due to changes in the tension of the chain resulting from fluctuations in the torque of the camshafts, the chain 81 vibrates, thereby causing the plunger 76 to repeatedly move back and forth as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13.
In this arrangement, if the outer cylindrical surface 78a extending from the outer (rear) edge 79a of the set surface 79 to the first annular groove 77 is short in axial length, while the plunger 76 is moving back and forth, the outer cylindrical surface 78a may separate from the inner cylindrical surface 72a of the cylinder chamber 72 extending forwardly from the ring-receiving groove 73, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. When the plunger 76 is pushed into the cylinder chamber 72 in this state, the plunger 76 tends to incline, which will promote wear of the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder chamber 72 and the outer cylindrical surface 76a of the plunger 76 and may also impair operation of the register ring 74.
Also, when the plunger 76 advances under the force of the spring 75, the edge 79a of the set surface 79 will abut the inner (front) edge 73b′ of the stop surface 73b of the ring-receiving groove 73, impairing smooth movement of the plunger 76.
Among chain tensioners having means for restricting retraction of the plunger 76, there are ones in which the set surface 79 shown in FIG. 12 is omitted, and instead, the plunger is formed with a small-diameter portion at the front end thereof for preventing lateral movement of the chain guide 80, the small-diameter portion connecting with the rear large-diameter portion of the plunger through an inclined surface. In such chain tensioners, too, if the cylindrical surface of the plunger 76 extending between the outer edge of the inclined surface and the first annular groove is short, the same problems as mentioned above may arise.
In any of the abovementioned conventional chain tensioners, since the plunger 76 is always biased outwardly of the cylinder chamber by the spring 75, when mounting such a chain tensioner, it is necessary to fix the housing 71 to an engine block with the plunger 76 kept pushed into the housing. Thus, it was extremely troublesome to mount conventional chain tensioners to engine blocks.
A chain tensioner has been proposed which is free of this problem. That is, this tensioner is formed with radial pin holes in the front end of the plunger and the front end of the housing. With the plunger pushed into the housing until the pin hole formed in the plunger aligns with the pin holes formed in the housing, a set pin is inserted through the pin holes to keep the plunger pushed in the housing. After the chain tensioner has been mounted on an engine block, the pin is removed to let the plunger advance under the force of the spring, thereby applying tension to the chain.
But if an operator forgets to remove the set pin after mounting the chain tensioner on the engine block, the plunger is kept retracted in the housing. The chain tensioner therefore cannot perform its expected function.
Since an engine cover can be mounted on the engine block thereafter even if the set pin remains in the chain tensioner, once an operator forgets to remove the pin, he may leave the pin in the chain tensioner, not knowing this fact.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a chain tensioner which can minimize the wear of the sliding surfaces of the cylinder chamber and the plunger, and ensures smooth sliding movement of the plunger and unhindered operation of the register ring.
A second object of the invention is to provide a chain tensioner including means for preventing an operator from forgetting to remove the set pin after the chain tensioner has been mounted.


A method and apparatus is disclosed by which communication with a higher degree of accuracy can be achieved with increased easiness. A transmission apparatus transmits base data formed by dividing transmission data and redundant data produced by exclusive OR operation using a coefficient matrix prepared in advance to a reception apparatus. The base data and the redundant data have restoration relating information relating to a restoration process added thereto. The reception apparatus specifies lost base data based on the information added to the received base data and redundant data and aligns the acquired redundant data. The reception apparatus utilizes a coefficient matrix prepared in advance to perform exclusive OR operation to restore the lost base data and produces reception data corresponding to the original transmission data. The apparatus and method can be applied to a communication system.

This invention relates to a transmission/reception system, a transmission apparatus and method, a reception apparatus and method, a transmission/reception apparatus and method, and a program, and more particularly to a transmission/reception system, a transmission apparatus and method, a reception apparatus and method, a transmission/reception apparatus and method, and a program by which the load of a restoration process for a lost packet is moderated and accurate communication can be achieved readily.
Various methods have conventionally been proposed for error correction in data communication. One of such error correction method is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 3427382 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1). According to the method, where data of a plurality of channels are transmitted through a wired, wireless, an optical or some other transmission medium or a recording medium on which noise of a high level distributed over a wide frequency band is superposed, at least one of the channels is selected as an error correction channel. A result of exclusive OR or modulo addition of data of the other channels is used as data of the error correction channel. It is decided that data of a plurality of channels with regard to which decision of reception is performed or data of a plurality of channels with regard to which decision of reproduction is performed suffer from an error if a result of exclusive OR or modulo addition of decision data of the error correction channel and decision data of a channel paired with the error correction channel does not exhibit a particular value determined in advance such as "0". Further, the quality is detected for each channel, and since the error occurrence probability of data of a channel which exhibits deterioration of the quality is high, a result of exclusive OR or modulo addition of data of the other channels except the data of the channel is replaced with the data of the channel of the quality deterioration to perform error correction.
In recent years, as data communication, streaming distribution, real time broadcasting and so forth of data such as sound and image data through a network represented by the Internet have been and are increasing progressively thanks to development of a broadband communication network.
In such data distribution through a network as described above, packet loss sometimes occurs in the network, and it is sometimes impossible to cope with such packet loss only by such error correction for received data as described above.
Thus, error correction methods for a lost packet have been proposed. For example, according to one of such error correction methods, the receiver side performs re-sending control of issuing a request to re-send a lost packet to the sender side. Also an error detection and correction method (FEC: Forward Error Correction) which uses the Reed Solomon code has been proposed and is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 11-136220 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2).
In the error correction process for a lost packet by the Reed Solomon code, the transmission apparatus produces an error correction code for transmission data for every block unit of a predetermined size, produces a redundant packet from the error correction code, and distributes the produced redundant packet together with packetized original or base data.
The reception apparatus receives the packet of the base data and the redundant packet distributed in this manner. Then, if the packet of the base data is lost, then the lost packet is restored using the received redundant packet.
However, in the method which performs re-sending control described above, every time packet loss occurs, a re-sending request is supplied from the receiver side to the sender side. Therefore, error correction can be performed with a high probability. However, where data are transmitted to a plurality of apparatus as in multicast distribution, re-sending requests supplied from various apparatus on the receiver side are concentrated on the sender side apparatus, resulting in the possibility that the load to the sender side apparatus may increase. Further, since such re-sending control as described above involves communication, predetermined time is required for an error correction process. Thus, for example, where real-time processing is required for reproduction of the receiver side as in the case of streaming distribution, there is the possibility that the processing may not be performed in time.
On the other hand, in the case of such an error detection and correction method which uses the Reed Solomon code as described above, arithmetic operation on a Galois field is required in a process for production of redundant data or a process for restoration of a lost packet. Therefore, the error detection and correction method has a subject to be solved that such arithmetic operation increases the load of the transmission and reception process.
Accordingly, for example, when a contents distribution server distributes contents data by streaming distribution to a large number of terminal apparatus as in multicast or broadcast distribution, where such an error detection and correction method which uses the Reed Solomon code as described above is applied, the real-time process is required for distribution processing to perform the streaming distribution. Therefore, high-performance hardware specifications which can execute a redundant packet production process of a high load at a high speed are required for the distribution server, and consequently, an increased cost is required for the distribution server. Similarly, also for a terminal apparatus which executes a restoration process, high-performance hardware specifications are required, resulting in increase of the production cost.
Thus, it seems a possible idea to reduce redundant packets to be produced in order to decrease arithmetic operation processing on a Galois field thereby to lower the production cost. However, if the redundant packets are reduced, then the packet restoration performance drops, and if error correction is impossible, then it is sometimes necessary to issue a request for re-sending of the packet.
However, in the case of multicast or broadcast distribution, if a distribution server processes all re-sending request from various terminal apparatus while it performs distribution, then the load increases and may possibly have an influence on the distribution process. Further, in the case of streaming distribution, since the real-time processing is required also for re-sending requests, it is actually difficult for the distribution server to respond normally to such re-sending requests. Thus, there is the possibility that the streaming distribution may not be performed normally.

Transmission/reception system, transmission apparatus and method, reception apparatus and method, transmission/reception apparatus and method, and computer-readable storage medium


A business accesses a campaign server and inputs information relevant to a marketing campaign. The server sends invitations to social media influencers, who then post content to various platforms to influence customers to act in ways beneficial to the business, either by further advancing the marketing campaign or by actually generating revenue for the sponsor. The system tracks the social media reactions of customers (likes, shares, etc.), as well as real-world activity (product purchases, physical attendance at advertised locations, etc.), attributable to each influencer, and points are awarded based on the activity they generate among customers. The points are weighted according to the type of activity generated and/or the social media platforms on which the activity is generated, and the running point totals of the influencers are published to foster competition among them. A total reward is allocated and paid to the influencers according to their relative total accumulated points.

The use of social media for advertising and promotion has grown rapidly with the advent of smartphones and various platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. New social media platforms continue to emerge, and this medium will continue to be exploited by businesses of all types as an effective way to advertise and market their locations, events, and goods.
Most advertising programs attempt to maximize exposure by using viral marketing techniques. Brand ambassadors can make significant amounts of money by using their network of social media contacts to promote a brand or product on a macro basis. These macro-influencers typically have a social media following of over 100,000 followers, and some celebrity influencers have networks of millions of followers. Fees paid to these influencers can range from thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a given promotional campaign.
However, this high cost generally puts the use of social media campaigns out of the reach of many small businesses. Additionally, this type of employment of macro-influencers is not the most effective way of using social media for a local or regional business, since many social media contacts in a macro campaign are outside of a local geographic area, and thus, are not likely to be realistic business prospects.
Further, posts by the business itself on social media sites like Facebook or Instagram are not likely to generate new traffic beyond the sometimes limited number of followers regularly visiting its site.
Thus, there exists a need for a low-cost approach that allows small, local businesses to use social media to grow awareness of their business in the local community, attract new customers, and increase revenues.

Reward system for micro influencers in a social media marketing campaign


A first housing is provided so as to be able to rotate with respect to a second housing and a first and second openings are provided in the first housing. Within the first housing are provided an image pickup device having a plurality of photosensitive elements therein arranged on one face of a transparent substrate, a surroundings imaging lens system fixed to the first opening and disposed on the side of the transparent substrate of the image pickup device, a fiber collection member fixed to the second opening and bonded to the side of the photosensitive elements of the image pickup device via an adhesion layer, and a light emitting element. In addition, a light absorbing face is formed in a surface of the second housing, which becomes in contact with the first housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging device suitably incorporated within an electronic equipment such as a portable telephone, a personal digital assistance and a notebook personal computer, and an electronic equipment incorporating therein the imaging device. More particularly, it relates to an imaging device capable of imaging both surrounding distant views such as a landscape and a person, and close views such as a fingerprint and a validating signature, and an electronic equipment incorporating therein the imaging device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some electronic equipments such as a portable telephone, a personal digital assistance and a notebook personal computer incorporate therein an imaging device for capturing the image of the surroundings such as a landscape and a person. Furthermore, for purpose of prevention of leakage of information stored within an electronic equipment and identity verification of a person seeking authentication at an electronic business transaction, an electronic equipment is required to incorporate therein a device for capturing a user's fingerprint as an image to verify a person seeking authentication.
Conventionally, an electronic equipment has been known which is capable of capturing both the image of distant views (hereinafter, referred to as the surroundings) such as a landscape and a person, and the image of close views such as a fingerprint or the like (hereinafter, referred to as a fingerprint) using the same image pickup device. Such an electronic equipment includes two independent focus optical systems therein and is configured to mechanically select a focus optical system that should receive light and deliver light from the surroundings or a fingerprint to the image pickup device. Particularly, for a portable electronic equipment whose volume and manufacturing cost of device are considered relatively critical, achieving the ability to image the surroundings such as a landscape and a person, and in addition, verify a person seeking authentication via a fingerprint by using the same image pickup device has a large meaning.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2001-142606 discloses an example of such kind of electronic equipment. FIGS. 1A and 1B respectively are a front view and a cross sectional view of such conventional electronic equipment, showing operation for imaging the surroundings. FIGS. 2A and 2B respectively are a front view and a cross sectional view of such conventional electronic equipment, showing operation for imaging a fingerprint. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the electronic equipment is a portable telephone having a surroundings imaging lens system (hereinafter, it represents a lens system for imaging the surroundings) 102, a switch section 105 and a finger rest prism (hereinafter, it represents a prism on which a finger rests) 106 made of a transparent material, all of which are provided in a housing 104. A mirror 103 is mounted in the switch section 105 that is made to slide in left or right direction to switch imaging modes.
The finger rest prism 106 has a finger rest face 106a facing the outside of the housing 104 and a prism bottom face 106b formed opposite the finger rest face 106a, and a reflecting face 106c and a lens system fixing face 106d are formed between the finger rest face 106a and the prism bottom face 106b. Within the housing 104 are provided an image pickup device 101 such as a CCD, a fingerprint imaging lens system 107 and a display 108 such as a liquid crystal display, and the display 108 is disposed to face the prism bottom face 106b, and further, the fingerprint imaging lens system 107 is fixed to the lens system fixing face 106d. When the switch section 105 is positioned on one side out of the two sides, light from the surroundings is focused onto the image pickup device 101 passing through the surrounding imaging lens system 102. In this case, the switch section 105 is positioned so as to make the mirror 103 positioned outside a light path. Furthermore, when the switch section 105 is positioned on the other side, light incident on the finger rest prism 106 passes through the fingerprint imaging lens system 107 and is reflected by the mirror 103 to thereby be focused onto the image pickup device 101.
The operation of the electronic equipment for imaging the surroundings will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1A, when the switch section 105 is made to slide to the right side in the figure, light from the surroundings is collected by the surroundings imaging lens system 102 and focused onto the image pickup device 101, as shown in FIG. 1B. Thus, the image of the surroundings is captured by the image pickup device 101. Thereafter, the captured image of the surroundings is displayed on the display 108 and then, the captured image can be viewed from outside since the finger rest prism 106 is made of a transparent material.
Subsequently, the operation of the electronic equipment for imaging the fingerprint will be described below. First, as shown in FIG. 2A, the switch section 105 is made to slide to the left side in the figure. Then, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a finger is made to tightly rest on the finger rest face 106a of the finger rest prism 106. Keeping this state of the finger, the display 108 is made to uniformly emit light and the finger tightly resting on the finger rest face 106a is illuminated. The light scattered by the finger is reflected by the reflecting face 106c of the finger rest prism 106 and passes through the lens system fixing face 106d and further the fingerprint imaging lens system 107, and then, is reflected by the mirror 103, and finally is focused onto the image pickup device 101. After the image of the fingerprint is captured by the image pickup device 101 as described above, the captured image is displayed on the display 108 and then, the captured image can be viewed from outside since the finger rest prism 106 is made of a transparent material. Furthermore, since the display 108 can show a graphic symbol indicating a profile of the finger and a message, for example, "Put a finger here" when a fingerprint is imaged, a user is able to put his/her finger on a previously determined position and therefore, the imaging device is securely able to image a specific portion of the fingerprint.
As described above, the conventional electronic equipment disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2001-142606 has two focus optical systems therein respectively for imaging the surroundings and a fingerprint and is configured to mechanically switch lights respectively passing through both systems so as to allow one of the lights to pass through one of the two focus optical systems to deliver the corresponding light to an image pickup device, thereby enabling the equipment to capture both images of the surroundings and a fingerprint using the same image pickup device.
It should be noted that the inventors of this application developed an optical system named "SOFI (Single Optical Fiber Imaging" in the past and disclosed it in the publication "NEC TECHNICAL JOURNAL Vol. 51, No. 10 pp. 90-95 (1998) 'Development of a pen-shaped scanner and its applications'." The SOFI optical system has been developed to realize a hand-held scanner configured to trace a document and input the corresponding data to a computer.
The SOFI optical system has a light source, a glass substrate, an image sensor and an optical fiber array. The glass substrate is disposed in a location on which light from the light source is incident. The image sensor is disposed on a surface of the glass substrate opposite the surface thereof that faces the light source. And the optical fiber array is provided to face the image sensor. The image sensor has a window being passed light through and a plurality of pixels. The optical fiber array has a plurality of optical fibers. And the light from the light source transmits through the glass substrate and the window to enter the plurality of optical fibers.
The SOFI optical system operates as follows. First, a document to be read is made in contact with the optical fiber array and keeping this state of the document, the light source is made to emit light. Light emitted from the light source transmits through the glass substrate, the window formed on the pixels and the optical fibers in this order to illuminate the document. Light reflected from the document enters the optical fibers through which the illumination light has transmitted and then, enters the image sensor. Thus, the SOFI optical system acquires the image of the document. Although the SOFI optical system has been developed for reading a document, it may also be used as an imaging device for imaging a fingerprint.
However, the above-described conventional technique includes the following problems. First, the electronic equipment disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2001-142606 includes components having a large volume therein for imaging an object and therefore, the equipment is forced to increase its volume. That is, the above-described conventional electronic equipment has two independent focus optical systems provided therein each for imaging the surroundings and a fingerprint, and therefore, distances needed to focus the respective images onto the image pickup device have to individually be secured between the corresponding lens and the image pickup device. In addition, in order to switch the two focus optical systems, the electronic equipment needs physical space for making the switch section slide in left or right direction to switch imaging modes. As is mentioned above, the electronic equipment disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2001-142606 is unfavorably forced to increase its volume.
Secondly, the electronic equipment disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2001-142606 is configured to make a user view the display through the finger rest prism. Therefore, the user feels it difficult to view a displayed image since the image is deeply located behind the prism. In addition, when capturing the image of fingerprint, oil on a finger surface adheres to the finger rest prism, deteriorating the image to be displayed. As described above, the conventional electronic equipment includes the drawbacks. That is, a user forcibly feels the image displayed on the display is deeply located within the equipment and the residual fingerprint image left on the finger rest prism deteriorates the image to be displayed.
Thirdly, when capturing the image of the surroundings such as a landscape or a person, it is desirable to be able to capture the image of the surroundings in a number of directions in which the electronic equipment is moved regardless of orientation of the electronic equipment. However, since the above-described conventional electronic equipment has the focus optical system fixed to the housing of the equipment for imaging the surroundings, the equipment is able to image an object only in one specific direction in which the equipment is aimed. As described above, the conventional electronic equipment includes the problems. That is, degree of freedom in selecting directions in which the equipment is moved to capture the image of the surroundings is small.
Furthermore, the above-described imaging device employing SOFI optical system therein includes the problems. That is, although the imaging device is able to capture the image of fingerprint, it is not able to capture the image of the surrounding.

Imaging device having dual opening with open/close unit and electronic equipment incorporated therein the same


Systems and methods are described for retexturing portions of surface in a 2-D image, where the surface is an image of a 3-D object. The systems and methods analyze, with user input, the 2-D image and then, in computer memory, generate a 3-D model of the imaged surface. The surface may then be retextured, that is, for example, artwork may be added to the 2-D image in a realistic manner, taking into account a 3-D geometry in the scene of the 2-D image.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of image generation. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus that deliver imagery with embedded data that can be used to efficiently render design concepts.
Discussion of the Background
In rendering images of the physical world, artists represent a three-dimensional (3-D) scene on a two-dimensional (2-D) canvas. This requires the artist to use their knowledge of perspective to produce a realistic image when drawing or painting, for example. Similar skills are required when creating or modifying digital artwork. Thus, photo manipulation of images, whether adjusting, modifying or adding imagery to existing images or creating altogether new images, often requires the artist to use these same skills as when painting or drawing.
As an example, an artist may make use of computer's photo manipulation software to modify an image of a coffee cup such that it appears to have different artwork on its surface. This requires numerous manual 2-D manipulations to attempt to simulate the perspective and surface curves of the cup. These 2-D manipulations are extremely time consuming, often provide a less than realistic result and often require far more time than the time involved in creating the new label design itself.
There is no simple way of easily applying artwork to an image of a 3-D structure, short of the photo manipulation software having access to information on the 3-D structure of objects in the image.
Thus, for example, the use of 3-D structure data of objects embedded the image to realistically place artwork is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,866,841, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Alternatively, a 3-D model may be constructed from multiple images, by making assumptions about the geometric shape of the objects, or by iteratively modifying 3-D models to best reconstruct how the objects appear in 2-D. All of these techniques are time consuming and/or require equipment to develop a 3-D model. Moreover, the texture mapping that is produced by these methods isn't continuous, thus making it difficult to use for retexturing.
There is a need in the art for device and method for developing 3-D models of objects within a single image. Such devices and methods should be easy to use, provide representations of the objects sufficiently detailed to cause artwork placed on the image to appear as it includes the proper perspective, and should be compatible with other image processing software and systems. The models such developed should also allow for meshing of the surface and/or changing the appearance of the surface ("retexturing"). The models such developed should also produce texture maps with no or little distortion.

System and method for retexturing of images of three-dimensional objects


This invention is directed to a portable table which is formed in two half sections movable between a folded position where they form a brief case and an unfolded position in which the half sections abut one another to define a planar table top capable of supporting a laptop computer, notebook and the like. The table top has a pair of legs which are adjustable both in the vertical and lateral directions.

In recent years, the trend toward miniaturization of electrical components has been especially apparent in the computer field. Large, bulky desk top computers continue to be replaced by laptop computers and notebooks which can match the performance and speed of desk tops but in a much smaller package. Laptop computers and notebooks have become increasingly thinner and lighter over the years, and are readily portable allowing users to take them on the road for work or recreation and remain in contact with the office or home via connections to the internet.
While laptop computers and notebooks are convenient from the standpoint of portability, they are not particularly easy to use especially when one is in transit. Use of the term "laptop" to identify these types of computers apparently came about by observing how one had to balance the machine on his or her lap when using it. Not all people are built the same, and it is difficult for some to easily rest the computer on the lap and still type or view the screen. Working on the computer for longer periods of time while supporting the computer on one's lap can be difficult for anyone. Although there are a number of cases for transporting laptop computers and notebooks, none provide a convenient and adjustable means of supporting the machine while it is in use.


In a rotary head height measuring system 50, a peak position detector 51 detects peak positions of output signals of rotary heads 62-65 mounted on a magnetic recording and reproduction system 60. A time difference detector 52 detects a time difference .DELTA.t between specific peaks based on the peak positions detected by the peak position detector means 51. An altitudinal dislocation calculating means 53 calculates an altitudinal dislocation .DELTA.h of a concerned rotary head based on the time difference .DELTA.t obtained by the time difference detector 52. During the measurement of rotary head height, a tape in the magnetic recording and reproduction system 60 is driven at a specific travelling speed which is k times a regular reproduction speed of magnetic recording and reproduction system, where k is not larger than -1 or not smaller than 2.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a method and an apparatus for measuring the height of rotary heads mounted in a magnetic recording & reproduction system.
2. Prior Art
There is known a method of measuring the height of a rotary head mounted or equipped on a rotary head unit in a magnetic recording & reproduction system without removing the rotary head unit itself from the magnetic recording & reproduction system. Recently, size of such a measuring system and manufacturing costs for it have been steadily reduced. For example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 5-120650, published in 1993, discloses a system capable of measuring the height of a rotary head using rotary head output signal obtained in the still reproduction mode of the magnetic recording & reproduction system, as shown in FIGS. 9 through 12.
FIG. 9 is a view showing an arrangement of a rotary head device where a plurality of rotary heads 92-95 are provided an a rotary drum 91 equipped in a magnetic recording & reproduction system 100. As shown in FIG. 10, the magnetic recording & reproduction system 100 is associated with a conventional rotary head height measuring system 200 which comprises a detecting circuit 201, an A/D converter 202 and a computer 203. Rotary heads 92 and 94 belong to a second channel (i.e. CH2) having the same azimuth angle, while rotary heads 93 and 95 belong to a first channel (i.e. CH1) having the same azimuth angle but opposite to the azimuth angle of the rotary heads 92 and 94.
Meanwhile, rotary heads 92 and 93 are a couple of rotary heads belonging to channel B (i.e. CHB) and rotary heads 94 and 95 are another couple of rotary heads belonging to channel A. (CHA). Channel A and channel B are alternately selected or switched in response to a head switching signal.
An operation of the above-described conventional rotary head height measuring system will be explained hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 is a view illustrating the locus or trajectory of rotary heads on a tape, used for explaining the operation of the conventional rotary head height measuring system 200. As shown in FIG. 11, numerous oblique tracks 72-76 are recorded consecutively on the surface of a tape 71.
A track, denoted by reference numeral 72, is recorded with the azimuth angle corresponding to the CH2 heads (i.e. rotary heads 92 and 94. A track, denoted by reference numeral 73, is recorded with the azimuth angle corresponding to the CH1 heads (i.e. rotary heads 93 and 95. Each track is administrated to have a predetermined width.
Reference numeral 74 represents the locus of rotary CH2 heads (i.e. rotary heads 92 and 94 in the still reproduction mode when these rotary heads 92 and 94 are positioned correctly at their predetermined regular height. Reference numeral 75 represents the locus of CH1 heads (i.e. rotary heads 93 and 95 in the still reproduction mode when these rotary heads 93 and 95 are positioned correctly at their predetermined regular height.
Meanwhile, reference numeral 76 represents the locus of rotary head 94 in the still mode when this rotary head 94, one of CH2 heads, is positioned lower than the predetermined regular height by an amount of .DELTA.h3.
FIG. 12 is a time chart showing respective outputs of rotary heads 92-95 in the still reproduction mode shown in FIG. 11. Reference numeral 81 represents the head switching signal whose output alternates at the same intervals between high (CHA) and low (CHB). This interval is referred to as head switching duration, hereinafter. Reference numeral 82 represents the output waveform of CH1 heads (i.e. rotary heads 93 and 95) obtained when these rotary heads 93 and 95 are precisely positioned at their predetermined regular height.
Reference numeral 83 represents the output waveform of CH2 heads (rotary heads 92 and 94) obtained when these rotary heads 92 and 94 are precisely positioned at their predetermined regular height. Reference numeral 84 represents the output waveform of the rotary head 94 obtained when this rotary head 94, one of the CH2 heads, is dislocated lower than the predetermined regular height by the amount of .DELTA.h3.
When the rotary head 94 (one of CH2 heads) is positioned lower than the predetermined regular height by the amount of .DELTA.h3, its locus 76 is deviated from the correct locus 74 as shown in FIG. 11. In such a case, the output peak of rotary head 64 is offset from its regular position by an amount of time difference .DELTA.t5 as shown in FIG. 12. Hence, the time difference between concerned two peaks of channel CH2 is differentiated.
T3'>T4' PA1 .DELTA.h represents the altitudinal dislocation of the concerned rotary head; PA1 P represents the number of peaks appearing on the output signal of each rotary head within each switching interval; PA1 A represents the number of kinds of azimuth angles of the rotary heads; PA1 Tw represents the track width; PA1 .DELTA.t represents the peak time difference; and PA1 T represents each switching interval.
The time difference .DELTA.t5 is expressed by the following equation. EQU .DELTA.t5=(T3'-T4')/2
In this conventional system, only one output peak appears on the rotary head signal within each head switching duration. The rotary heads and tracks recorded on the tape respectively correspond to two kinds of azimuth angles. Hence, a shift amount of the concerned output peak during a period of time from a building up of each head switching duration to its trailing edge corresponds to a change of the height of the rotary head, mounting two times the track width, as defined by the following equation. EQU .DELTA.h3/.DELTA.t5=2.times.Tw/T
where Tw represents the track width, while T represents the time interval of each head switching duration; T=(T1+T2)/2.
Accordingly, the altitudinal dislocation .DELTA.h3 is obtained from the above-defined relationship. EQU .DELTA.h3=2.times.Tw.times..DELTA.t5/T
As shown in FIG. 10, magnetic recording & reproduction system 100, when it operates in the still reproduction mode, sends the rotary head output signal to the rotary head height measuring system 200. The detecting circuit 201 and A/D converter 202 cooperatively detect each peak position of the rotary head output signal, and the computer 203 calculates the time difference .DELTA.t5 and obtains the altitudinal dislocation .DELTA.h3 referring to the above-described equation.
However, according to the above-described conventional rotary head height measuring system, there were problems derived from the nature of the still reproduction where the tape travelling speed was zero. In the magnetic recording & reproduction system, appropriate tension is normally applied on the tape when it travels, providing uniformity in the contact between the rotary head and the tape and assuring adequacy in the rotary head output signal.
On the contrary, when the tape is stopped in the still mode, tape tension cannot be stabilized and also tape restriction cannot be steady in the transverse direction of the tape travelling in the longitudinal direction thereof. As a result, contact between the rotary head and the tape is not uniform. As shown in FIG. 12, swelling or distortion 85 appears on the waveform of the rotary head output signal. Accordingly, it was not possible to obtain a correct peak time difference, resulting in the deterioration of measuring accuracy in the measurement of the rotary head height.
Furthermore, when the width of the rotary head is different from the width of the track recorded on the tape, the rotary head output signal may cause a flattened peak in its waveform, which will make it possible to detect the peak time difference accurately.
Still further, if a method of identifying the maximum output value as corresponding to a peak position is adopted in the case where the width of the rotary head is different from the width of the track recorded on the tape, it will encounter the problem that the maximum output value may be detected in a relatively wide zone in the vicinity of the actual peak position due to the flattened peak in the waveform, making it difficult to accurately find out the actual peak position.

Apparatus and method for rotary head height measurement


A fiber coupler is provided, which includes a tubular enveloping structure and several optical fibers arranged in the enveloping structure, each of which has a fiber core and a fiber cladding surrounding same, in order to conduct laser radiation, and each of which extends from the first as far as the second end of the enveloping structure. The enveloping structure includes a tapering section which is tapered in a first direction from the first as far as the second end. In the tapering section, both a first ratio of the diameter of the fiber core to the diameter of the fiber cladding and also a second ratio of the diameter of the mode field of the laser radiation conducted in the optical fiber to the diameter of the fiber core, increases in the first direction for each optical fiber.

Such fibre couplers for geometric coupling of laser radiation conducted in the optical fibres are formed for example by drawing and merging the optical fibres. To achieve a high brilliance in the output beam bundle exiting the fibre coupler, the ratio of core diameter to overall diameter of the optical fibres can be increased up to the output side in the coupler, as described e.g. in EP 2 071 376 A1. Alternatively, the ratio of the mode field diameter of the laser radiation conducted in the optical fibres to the core diameter in the coupler can be increased (US 2010/0278486 A1, US 2010/0189138 A1) wherein, during a tapering by drawing the optical fibres by more than the factor of three, complex refractive index structures are required to achieve a high brilliance.


Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for reducing the consumption of electric power in decoding VLC frame patterns by selectively decoding data patterns based on an analysis of marker patterns. A device to receive data in visual light communications includes a processor component; and a decoding component for execution by the processor component to analyze a marker pattern of a frame pattern in a captured image to determine whether the frame pattern is a useful frame pattern, and to selectively decode a data pattern of the frame pattern to retrieve a packet of data based on the analysis. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Visual light communication (VLC) in which data is encoded into at least one visual data pattern of at least one frame pattern visually presented on a display of a sending device for capture by a camera of a receiving device has gained acceptance as an alternative to radio frequency (RF) communication of data. VLC has inherent security advantages over RF communications including being considerably more difficult to intercept as VLC is literally a form of line-of-sight communications. VLC is also able to be used in environments in which RF communications may not be permitted, such as on board aircraft where safety concerns exist over RF communications interfering with navigation systems.
As familiar to those skilled in sampling techniques, including the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theory, the rate at which the camera of the receiving device captures images of the frame patterns should be no less than twice the rate at which those patterns are visually presented on the display of the sending device to avoid data loss due to aliasing. Given that displays of typical computing devices are refreshed at a wide range of rates from 30 to 85 times per second, the capturing of images of frame patterns may need to be performed at a rate as high as 190 times per second.
Unfortunately, a high proportion of the captured images will be of no value. As many as half of the captured images will be of a new frame pattern amidst the process of being rendered onto the display to replace a previous frame pattern such that the captured image appears to include a frame pattern, but the apparent frame pattern is actually an unusable mixture of portions of two frame patterns. Others of the captured images may include a duplicate of a frame pattern already successfully captured in the previous captured image.
To distinguish captured images of unusable mixtures of frame patterns and of duplicates of frame patterns from useful captured images of frame patterns, the receiving device must attempt to decode whatever frame pattern may be included in each captured image. Thus, the receiving device may have to attempt to decode as many as 190 frame patterns per second, where no more than half will turn out to be useful frame patterns. These attempts at decoding frame patterns include decoding the data pattern and may also include performing a checksum or other check of integrity of the data pattern as part of distinguishing a mixture of two data patterns arising from an unusable mixture of two frame patterns from a single intact data pattern.
Each such attempt at decoding requires considerable processing resources, and accordingly, a considerable amount of electric power. With at least half of those frame patterns being of no value, the result is a waste of at least half of the electric power employed in such attempted decoding. This can become a significant issue where the receiving device relies upon a battery for the electric power to perform such attempts at decoding.

Techniques for low power visual light communication


A dynamically determined data-driven model for detecting fraudulent behavior is provided. An initial model is developed using historical data, such as demographic, psychographic, transactional, and environmental data, using data-driven discovery techniques, such as data mining, and may be validated using additional statistical techniques. The noise within the data models determine appropriate initial control points needed for the initial model. These initial control points define an ‘electronic fence,’ wherein data points within the fence represent acceptable behavior and data points outside the fence represent unacceptable behavior. Updated data is received. A fraud detection mechanism validates the updated data using data mining and statistical methods. The data model, or ‘electronic fence,’ is refined based on the newly acquired data. The process of refining and updating the data models is iterated until a set of limits is achieved. When the data models reach a steady state, the models are treated as static models.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to data processing and, in particular, to fraud detection. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method, apparatus, and program for detecting fraud using a system of dynamic, data-driven models.
2. Description of Related Art
Most banks throughout the world experience fraudulent behavior. One of the most common example of this behavior is credit card fraud where either a credit card number or even a physical credit card is stolen thereby forcing the bank to absorb an unauthorized charge. A credit card number is at risk of being stolen every time a salesperson or waitperson takes a card out of the sight of the customer, every time a credit card number is spoken over the telephone, or every time a purchase is made online. There have been recent attacks on electronic commerce Web sites in which thousands of credit card numbers were stolen at once. Some unscrupulous people even dig through garbage bins looking for credit card numbers.
Once a credit card number is stolen and compromised, it may be used in many ways. Some thieves make many small purchases hoping they go unnoticed. Others go on one wild shopping spree. The only protection the credit card owner and the issuer have is the signature. For many years, this was an accepted risk. Merchants agreed to accept credit card payments for the convenience of their customers knowing that the customer's signature was their only protection against fraud. However, consumers have grown more and more comfortable with electronic commerce and, as a consequence, credit card fraud has reached alarming levels. For example, a large bank in Caracas Venezuela was losing over one million dollars a month due to various fraudulent activity, including fraudulent credit card charges. For every instance of credit card fraud, either the account holder, the merchant, or the account issuer has to eat the cost, as in the above example.
Other forms of fraudulent activity may also be used, one example being account kiting. An account holder will write a check drawn against a first account at a first financial institution and deposit it into a second account at a second financial institution. Before the funds are collected from the first financial institution, a check is drawn against the balance of the second account and deposited into the first account to cover the amount of the check. As the account holder continues this process, checks are drawn against balances in both accounts. Typically, the balances escalate because the kiter writes the check for more than the amount of that clearing, and will keep the excess amount in cash. The kiter may then repeat this process indefinitely, increasing the amount of the checks and withdrawing a substantial amount of cash each time.
Enterprises other than banks also experience fraudulent behavior. Employees may file fraudulent expense reports, for example. Many solutions have been proposed for preventing fraud. However, those who commit fraud spend just as much effort to circumvent these solutions. While fraud may be impeded using digital cryptography, personal identification numbers, and other security measures, fraudulent behavior will always be an ongoing concern.
Solutions have also been proposed to detect fraud. Many of these solutions use static data-driven and statistical models, based on historical data, to detect behavior that is outside the account holder's usual behavior. However, modeling an account holder's total behavior is too complex and computation intensive. These solutions are typically ineffective. Even if the proper controls and procedures are in place, they are not properly and uniformly enforced. Many banks and other institutions still have fraud occurring throughout the enterprise. Most of the time they do not have the capability or expertise to identify, quantify, eliminate, or even minimize this undesirable behavior.

Incremental compliance environment, an enterprise-wide system for detecting fraud

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed is a workpiece retention assembly including a plurality of measuring fixtures for supporting and positioning a workpiece. The measuring fixtures are aligned along a platform for positioning the measuring fixtures. The measuring fixtures include a selectively adjustable stanchion and a selectively rotatable clamping member for retaining the workpiece. Workpieces of widely varying types, shapes and sizes can thus be positioned using the measuring fixtures according to the teachings of the present invention.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a workpiece retention assembly and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for supporting and positioning a workpiece.
2. Discussion
To use an inspection system to measure a workpiece it is highly beneficial and, for the most part, a requirement that the workpiece being inspected is accurately positioned and securely maintained in that position.
The conventional workpiece holder for use with an inspection system generally uses a single type of device positioned along a variety of locations on the workpiece. Moreover, the positioning devices are usually specially made for a specific workpiece and can not be used for other workpieces. In other words, conventional workpiece positioning and holding devices lack universality in that a single set up positioning device can not be used for workpieces having varied shapes and sizes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,819 to Poland discloses a jig assembly for holding a variety of workpieces for assembly or machining processes. Individual workpiece positioners are permanently attached to a base portion and a matrix configuration. Each positioner can be raised or lowered, and can reach points within a certain range by rotating a tip around 3 differing axis A, B and C. It appears that the workpiece rests on a supporting ledge adjacent the tip. One draw back of this workpiece holder is that it is not truly universally adjustable. As one axis is adjusted the other two are necessarily effected.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,834 to Seidensaden discloses a fixing and tensioning system for workpieces to be mechanically processed. A template is used over a platform having a uniform rectangular grid. The template indicates positions for modular units to support different workpieces. The modular units do not appear to be adjustable such that the fixing and tensioning system is truly universal.
British Patent No. 764,351 discloses a jig assembly for supporting motor vehicle body shells of differing sizes. A series of location units are arranged on the platform having a number of places for securing the units. The units can be moved to other locations on the platform to support other size vehicle frames. It does not appear however that the location units themselves are adjustable.
This invention eliminates the above described problems as well as many others. Up until now a universal workpiece measuring fixture for positioning and supporting a workpiece in a specific location was not known. This invention enables the operator to easily change from one workpiece to another using the same set of measuring fixtures. This invention also allows the operator to set the measuring fixture to support the workpiece at various desired angles.