A computer-based narration assembly system and method provide an environment analogous to in-person sharing of photographs by utilizing spontaneous verbal narration or story-telling, together with manual indications by the story-teller of significant or relevant image portions. The system combines the verbal narration with automatic cinematic display manipulations that relate to the manual indications by the story-teller to form a multimedia production or “movie” from the display images. The cinematic display manipulations may include pans, zooms, fades, etc. that animate the display of the images and transitions between them.

A person shares a display image (e.g., a still photograph) with another person by telling a story (i.e., a verbal narration) about what is shown in the image. With regard to conventional print photographs, the story is often told in-person, typically in a comfortable and convenient environment that encourages a spontaneous telling of the story. The personal presence of the story-teller and the typically spontaneous flow of the story typically increases the interest of the listener.
With the increasingly wide use of digital cameras and other tools for creating digital media, still photographs and other display images can be distributed and shared more widely without the direct personal presence of the story-teller. The problem is that computer-based sharing of such digital images typically results in a posting of static images, perhaps with some brief text captions. In view of the effort of typing and the commonly greater expectation of formality in written text over spoken language, written text captions rarely capture the context, mood and details of a spoken narrative.
Also, in-person explanation of still images typically includes gestures or pointing to relevant or significant portions of the image, thereby highlighting relevant parts of the image and helping the story-teller to recall and tell the story. Static display of still images includes no such highlights or story-telling aids. Passively viewing an image while telling its story often hinders the spontaneity of the story-teller, and the static display of images is less interesting for the viewer.
Accordingly, a goal is to recreate or simulate in a computer system the experience of sharing photographs in-person. The present system provides a computer-based environment analogous to in-person sharing of photographs by utilizing spontaneous verbal narration or story-telling, together with manual indications by the story-teller of significant or relevant image portions. The system combines the verbal narration with automatic cinematic display manipulations that relate to the manual indications by the story-teller to form a multimedia production or "movie" from the display images. The cinematic display manipulations may include pans, zooms, fades, etc. that animate the display of the images and transitions between them.
In one implementation, a narration assembly method for assembling narration with digital display media components provides simplified production of a narrated sequence or "video" of multiple separate digital display media components. The digital display media components or images may be, for example, still digital graphics or photographs, as well as video segments, computer display screen images or pages (e.g., Web pages, office application pages, such as slides from PowerPoint® software from Microsoft Corporation or pages from word processing software, etc.).
The narration assembly method includes selecting a digital display image within set of images and recording in a computer system a verbal narration by the user (i.e., story-teller) relating to the image. The user is prompted to indicate or point to relevant portions of the image, such as with a computer input device like a mouse, while telling the story. The locations or regions that are indicated or pointed to during the narration are also recorded in the computer system.
A digital multimedia production is formed in accordance with the narration and the display image locations or regions indicated by the user. The digital multimedia production may be in the form of, or include, a video, slide show, web tour, or any other series of images arranged in time, synchronized with audio or textual commentary. The multimedia production is formed in connection with cinematic image manipulations and predefined cinematic rules that are applied automatically without user input. The cinematic image manipulations provide a dynamic image display that relates to the story-teller's manual indications and improve the viewing of the images. The predefined cinematic rules ensure that the resulting multimedia production conforms to conventional cinematic practices, thereby avoiding the distraction of unconventional image manipulations that can distract from the verbal narration.
The present system facilitates the spontaneous telling of stories for display images and results in a production analogous to a professional documentary film based upon narrated still images. As in a documentary film, the present system can provide panning and zooming over the images in an aesthetically pleasing manner. In providing the cinematic image manipulations automatically, the story-telling spontaneity is preserved and the user is spared the technical difficulty of producing a cinematically-pleasing sequence.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Assembling verbal narration for digital display images


A quantum wire is formed at the top of triangular protrusion of silicon substrate. A quantum wire is isolated from the substrate by silicon oxide layers. A quantum wire is isolated from the substrate by impurity layers of a conduction type different from that of the substrate. An insulator film and a gate electrode are formed at the edge of triangular protrusion of a silicon substrate, and a quantum wire is induced by applying a voltage to the gate electrode. A quantum wire structure is fabricated by forming saw-tooth-like protrusions having (111) side planes by performing anisotropic crystalline etching and by oxidizing the silicon substrate with use of the oxide protection film to remain only around the top of the protrusions unoxidized. In another method, an oxide film is formed except around the top of the protrusions whereby a quantum wire is formed at the unoxidized region. In a different method, impurity layers are formed except around the top of the protrusions by ion implantation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quantum device and a fabrication method thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, various element structures and manufacturing methods thereof have been developed in order to decrease the size of semiconductor devices. The decrease in the size of an element of a semiconductor device not only improves the degree of integration, but also generates various advantages and disadvantages of the operating characteristics of the elements.
One of the factors which controls the operating characteristics of an element is the structure of a wire through which carriers propagate. New devices have been developed to make use of quantum effects or the like of a quantum wire which makes the dimension of the electrical conduction low. For example, the increase in electronic mobility is reported by Sakaki (Jap. J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 19, No. 12. 1980, pp. L735-L738.).
In order to utilize a quantum effect, besides the requirement very small size wire which restricts the conduction of carriers to a low dimension, it is also required that the scatterings of the carriers have suppressed in order to conserve the wave property of carriers. Then, the lattice vibrations have to be suppressed by lowering the operating temperature of the element and the ionic scatterings have to be suppressed by using an intrinsic layer as a very narrow line. Further, the scatterings at the surface roughness have to be suppressed.
However, the state of the art lithography technique which makes use of an ultraviolet ray or the like has a limit of 0.5-0.25 .mu.m practically as to the processing. Further, the prior art fine processing technique utilizing dry etching cannot suppress the scatterings due to surface roughness caused by the unevenness at the surface or at the interface due to damages.
An attempt was made to manufacture a good and flat fine wire by means including not only lithography, but also crystalline anisotropy etching. For example, FIGS. 1 and 2 show quantum wires manufactured by Shimizu (Jap. J. Appl. Phys. 27, L1778-L1779 (1988)) and by Iwameji (37th Meeting of Applied Physics Association, 30a-SB-5). In FIG. 1, a silicon wire 101 having (111) side planes are formed below a protection film 102, while in FIG. 2, a silicon wire 111 having (111) silicon side planes are formed below an etching protection film 112 on a SiO.sub.2 layer 113 placed on a silicon substrate 114. These structures exceed the limit of lithography because they use crystalline anisotropy etching at silicon (111) planes and have superior flatness and linearity.
However, in the structures of the above-mentioned fine wires, the width of fine wire is limited by the length of the flat region at the top of trapezoid-like protrusions. That is, it is a problem that the structure of fine wire and the limit of the fine processing have restrictions.

Quantum device and fabrication method thereof

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A monochrometer mounted with the electron gun of an electron microscope or the like. This monochrometer does not need movement of a slit. An electron source consisting of any one of a thermal emission-type electron source (such as an LaB6 electron source or a tungsten hairpin), a Schottky emission-type electron source, and a tunneling field emission-type electron source is used. The slit is made of a single metal plate and mounted in position fixedly. Electrons are emitted from the electron source and dispersed within a plane including the slit according to energies. The slit is so positioned that it passes only those of the dispersed electrons which have energies close to the peak energy and blocks electrons having energies higher or lower than the peak energy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a monochrometer for selecting only electrons having a certain energy spread from an electron beam having an energy distribution and for causing the selected electrons to hit a specimen and, more particularly, to a monochrometer that can be preferably used within an electron gun.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, field emission guns (FEGs) have had wide acceptance as electron guns for electron microscopes and the like. An FEG is a source having high brightness and emits an electron beam of an energy spread of about 0.3 to 0.7 eV. With this energy spread, however, a desired energy resolution may not be obtained in some kinds of analyses.
For example, in electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) where an energy loss that electrons suffered within a specimen is measured to investigate the electron structure of the material, the energy resolution of a spectrometer used to measure the energy loss in the specimen is estimated to be less than 0.1 eV. Where the energy spread of electrons incident on the specimen is about 0.3 to 0.7 eV, the energy resolution for analysis is restricted by the energy spread of the electron beam incident on the specimen. Therefore, a finer energy spectrum cannot be observed.
Accordingly, it is considered that provision of a monochrometer for selecting only a certain energy spread from an energy distribution of an electron beam and for causing the selected electrons to hit a specimen is advantageous. In the prior art monochrometer, however, the monochrometer is inserted in the illumination electron lens system independent of the electron gun.
The following two methods are adopted for the monochrometer inserted in the illumination lens system in this way. In one method, electrons accelerated to a given accelerating voltage are directly passed through the monochrometer. In this case, if the accelerating voltage for the electron beam is increased, the dispersion power of the monochrometer deteriorates. Consequently, it is difficult to obtain an energy resolution of less than 0.2 eV.
In the second method, electrons accelerated up to a desired accelerating voltage are once decelerated and passed through a monochrometer to select only electrons with a desired energy spread. Then, the electrons are again accelerated. In this method, the energy of electrons passed through the monochrometer can be made low. Therefore, high energy dispersion power can be obtained. The energy spread of the electron beam passed through the monochrometer can be reduced to about 10 meV. In this method, however, electrons once accelerated are decelerated and reaccelerated. Where the accelerating voltage is in excess of 200 kV, multistage deceleration and multistage acceleration are necessary. This makes the instrument bulky.
In view of the foregoing circumstances, a third method is conceivable. That is, a monochrometer is mounted within an electron gun. Emitted electrons are passed through the monochrometer before being accelerated to a given accelerating voltage. This is a monochrometer within an electron gun.
In these second and third methods, however, a filter forming the monochrometer or a slit for selecting some energy of electrons must be placed at a high electric potential. Generally, the filter itself has no mechanical movable parts and so it is possible to place the filter at a high electric potential. However, it is difficult to place the slit, which must be mechanically movable, at a high electric potential.
In particular, it is customary to mechanically adjust the position and width of a slit. Therefore, where the slit is placed at a high electric potential, great problems will be produced. Especially, in the third method (i.e., in the case of a monochrometer within an electron gun), it is considered that mechanically adjusting the position and width of a slit at a high electric potential is substantially impossible.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a monochrometer for use with a slit that does not need to be moved. This can be especially preferably mounted within an electron gun.
To achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides a monochrometer which is mounted within an electron gun and to be used with an electron source for producing an electron beam, the monochrometer comprising: a dispersing filter for dispersing the electron beam according to energies of electrons; and an energy-selecting slit placed in a path of the electron beam dispersed by the dispersing filter. This energy-selecting slit is made of a single slit plate placed to block electrons having energies more than or less than a given energy. For example, the slit plate is a beam-blocking member made of a single metal plate having a straight edge.
In one feature of the invention, the electron source is a thermal emission type electron source, a Schottky emission-type electron source, or a tunneling field emission-type electron source.
In another feature of the invention, the position of the electron beam relative to the energy-selecting slit can be adjusted by controlling power supplies for driving the filter.
The present invention also provides a monochrometer inserted between a specimen and an electron source for producing an electron beam, the monochrometer comprising: a dispersing filter for dispersing the electron beam according to energies of electrons; and an energy-selecting slit placed in a path of the electron beam dispersed by the dispersing filter. This energy-selecting slit is made of a single slit plate placed to block electrons having energies more than or less than a given energy. For example, the slit plate is a beam-blocking member made of a single metal plate having a straight edge.
In a feature of this monochrometer, the electron source is a thermal emission-type electron source, a Schottky emission-type electron source, or a tunneling field emission-type electron source.
In another feature of this monochrometer, the position of the electron beam relative to the energy-selecting slit can be adjusted by controlling power supplies for driving the filter.
Other objects and features of the invention will appear in the course of the description thereof, which follows.


A communication device for an industrial communication network which can be operated in a redundant manner comprises a first and a second transmitting and receiving unit that transmit data packets in a bumpy or bumpless manner inside the industrial communication network and are selectively changeable over to a bumpy or bumpless transmission mode. An evaluation unit is connected to the first and/or second transmitting and receiving unit(s) and detects data packets to be transmitted in the bumpy or bumpless manner inside the industrial communication network. Redundancy handling and filter units for received redundant data packets are deactivated when a data packet to be transmitted in the bumpy manner is detected. A memory unit is assigned to the first and/or second transmitting and receiving unit(s) and buffers at least one data packet to be transmitted in the bumpy manner during a predefined period of time in the bumpy transmission mode.

1. Field of the Invention
In distributed industrial automation systems, it is necessary to ensure, when acquiring, evaluating and transmitting measurement and control data, that complete and unchanged data are present in real time, i.e., in time-critical industrial production processes. Intentional or unintentional changes or changes caused by a technical fault should be avoided because they may result in inconsistent system states and system failures with economically serious downtimes within an industrial automation system.
2. Description of the Related Art
An industrial automation system usually comprises a multiplicity of automation devices networked to one another via an industrial communication network and is used to control or regulate installations, machines or devices within the scope of production or process automation. On account of time-critical boundary conditions in technical systems automated using industrial automation systems, real-time communication protocols, such as Profinet, Profibus or real-time Ethernet, are predominantly used for communication between automation devices in industrial communication networks.
Interruptions of communication connections between computer units of an industrial automation system or automation devices may result in undesirable or unnecessary repetition of the transmission of a service request. This gives rise to additional utilization of communication connections of the industrial automation system, which may result in further system disruptions or faults. A particular problem in industrial automation systems regularly results from message traffic having a relatively large number of, but relatively short, messages, thus intensifying the above problems.
In order to be able to compensate for failures of communication connections or devices, communication protocols, such as Media Redundancy Protocol, High-availability Seamless Redundancy or Parallel Redundancy Protocol, have been developed for highly available industrial communication networks that can be operated in a redundant manner. The Media Redundancy Protocol (MSR) is defined in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard 62439 and makes it possible to compensate for individual connection failures in networks having a simple ring topology during bumpy redundant transmission of data packets. According to the Media Redundancy Protocol, a redundancy manager is assigned to a switch having two ports inside the ring topology, which redundancy manager monitors the network for connection failures and possibly initiates a switching measure to close the ring. In the normal operating state, the redundancy manager uses test data packets to check whether an interruption has occurred inside the ring topology. However, the switch assigned to the redundancy manager normally does not forward data packets containing useful data from one port to the other. Data packets containing useful data are therefore prevented from permanently circulating inside the ring topology. If a switch or a connection fails inside the ring topology, test data packets transmitted by a port are no longer received at the respective other port. The redundancy manager can use this to detect a failure and, in the event of a failure, forward data packets containing useful data from one port to the other and vice versa, in contrast to the normal operating state. In addition, the redundancy manager causes the remaining switches to be informed of a topology change caused by a failure. This avoids data packets from being transmitted via the failed connection.
Bumpy media redundancy methods can be implemented, in principle, with relatively little effort. However, the disadvantage is that, on the one hand, messages may be lost in the event of a fault and, on the other hand, a fault state is first of all present during reconfiguration of a communication network. Such a fault state must be safeguarded via a superimposed communication protocol, for example using TCP/IP on the network or transport layer, in order to avoid an interruption in a communication connection.
PROFINET (IEC 61158 Type 10) also refers to the Media Redundancy Protocol as a bumpy media redundancy method inside a communication network with a ring topology. In contrast, Media Redundancy Planned Duplication (MRPD) is an extension for bumpless transmission of isochronous real-time data. However, Media Redundancy Planned Duplication is not an application-neutral bumpless media redundancy method but rather a PROFINET-specific extension.
High-availability Seamless Redundancy (HSR) and the Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP) are defined in the IEC 62439-3 standard and make it possible to bumplessly transmit data packets in a redundant manner with extremely short recovery times. According to High-availability Seamless Redundancy and the Parallel Redundancy Protocol, each data packet is duplicated by a transmitting communication device and is sent to a receiver on two different paths. A communication device at the receiver end filters redundant data packets constituting duplicates from a received data stream.
DE 10 2008 017 192 A1 describes a method for setting up a network comprising a first network subscriber with a set of ports. These ports are connected to ports of further network subscribers of the network. In a first method step, the ports assigned to the first network subscriber are switched to a first operating mode. In the first operating mode, test messages can be received and transmitted via the ports. According to a further method step, test messages are transmitted via the ports assigned to the first network subscriber. In addition, the ports assigned to the first network subscriber are switched to a second operating mode if no test message of the transmitted test messages is re-received by the first network subscriber. In the second operating mode, messages that are received via one of the ports assigned to the first network subscriber are forwarded via the remaining ports. This makes it possible to avoid the formation of network loops when networking or expanding complex networks.
EP 2 282 452 A1 describes a method for transmitting data inside a ring-type communication network, in which the data are transmitted according to High-availability Seamless Redundancy and the communication network comprises at least one master node, a source node and a destination node. Each node has a first communication interface and a second communication interface with a respective first neighboring node and a second neighboring node. In addition, each node receives data frames via the first communication interface and forwards the received data frame, either in changed or unchanged form, via the second communication interface without an additional delay. The master node transmits a first redundant data frame and a second redundant data frame or an empty data packet to its first or second neighboring node. Upon receiving the two redundant data frames, the source node fills the respective data frame with process data in a predetermined reserved area. Each filled data frame is then immediately and individually forwarded to the first or second neighboring node of the source node. The destination node finally extracts the process data from the first received filled data frame of a pair of redundant data frames.
EP 2 343 857 A1 describes a network node for a communication network comprising a first subnetwork and a second subnetwork connected to the first subnetwork. Whereas data are transmitted according to a spanning tree protocol in the first subnetwork, a second protocol that differs from the protocol used in the first subnetwork is used to transmit data in the second subnetwork. The network node described in EP 2 343 857 A1 is set up as an element for the second subnetwork and for communication inside the second subnetwork. In addition, the network node is set up as a spanning tree main node for monitoring and controlling the second subnetwork by means of a spanning tree functionality. As a result, the second subnetwork can be handled as a virtual network node by the spanning tree protocol used in the first subnetwork.
EP 2 413 538 A1 discloses a method for redundant communication in a communication system comprising a plurality of communication networks. The communication networks are connected to one another via at least one coupling node. Data that originate from a first communication network are prevented from being transmitted back to the first communication network from a second communication network based on an item of information defined before data transmission.

Communication device for an industrial communication network which can be operated in a redundant manner and method for operating a communication device


A hinge assembly incorporates a substantially straight hinge pin for securing a lid to a container. At least one end of a hinge line is initially closed via a plastic wall. The substantially straight hinge pin is secured in the hinge line via passing the hinge pin through the plastic wall. Subsequently, residual axial and radial stresses caused by passing the hinge pin through the wall cause the opening to contract, thereby retaining the pin. By providing a hinge assembly including a substantially straight hinge pin, the assembly process can be more easily automated.

The present invention relates to a hinge construction generally for a container and lid assembly and, more particularly, to a hinge assembly for securing a container and lid assembly using a substantially straight hinge pin.
With reference to FIG. 1, the industry standard distribution container is an assembly including a tube-like box with two interlocking lids that attach using metal hinge pins. Like any hinge, the pins must be retained or with use they will begin to work out.
The most common and current way of retaining the pin once it has been installed is via a protrusion or hump that is interference fitted into a slot in the lid. When the pin is installed, the protrusion is captured in the slot and the pin is retained. An example of this conventional construction is shown in FIG. 2. Other methods have been tried but with little or no success. One known attempt used a bend on the end of the pin intended to displace the end from the entry hole after insertion.
Inherent disadvantages of these designs are apparent in any attempt to automate the assembly process. That is, the pin must be properly oriented in two dimensions. Additionally, the bump or bend must be oriented to enter the hinge last, and must be oriented vertically to engage the locking point. Automatic feeding mechanisms that can reliably achieve proper orientation are prohibitively complex and expensive.

Hinge assembly using substantially straight hinge pin


It is made possible to easily obtain a spectacle lens with higher performance in a spectacle lens designing method in which an eyeball motion (Listing's Law) is taken into consideration. A spectacle lens designing method in which an eye motion (Listing's Law) is taken into consideration, and which uses, as an evaluation function regarding visual acuity constituting a merit function which is used in optimization calculation, a visual acuity evaluation function (logMAR) derived in an ordinary manner from a visual acuity measured value V which is actually measured. Note that the visual acuity evaluation function (logMAR) is represented by the following equation (1), letting a curvature of field be an ordinary aberration of a spectacle lens, and a residual astigmatism be an astigmatism extendedly defined from the spectacle lens designing in which the Listing's Law is taken into considerationthe visual acuity evaluation function (logMAR)=log10(1/V(curvature of field, residual astigmatism)).  (1)

The Listing's Law in an eyeball motion means that, when an eyeball looks far forward (first eye position), a rotation axis of the eyeball motion exists in a surface including the center of rotation of the eyeball and being perpendicular to this eye position (Listing's surface). In this case, when the eyeball rotates from the first eye position along spectacle principal meridians (representing two vertical and horizontal lines orthogonal to each other on a Gaussian curved surface and representing the same below) according to the Listing's Law at the time one wears astigmatic spectacles, the spectacle principal meridians and axes of a coordinate system rotating according to the Listing's Law become parallel to each other and an angle between them becomes 0.
However, when the eyeball motion changes in a direction different from the spectacle meridians, the angle made by the spectacle meridians and the coordinate axes rotating according to the Listing's Law do not become 0 to cause an angle deviation.
By taking this angle deviation of the coordinate system into consideration, an accurate astigmatism and curvature of field (also called a power error) can be calculated.
A spectacle lens designing method in which this eyeball motion (Listing's Law) is taken into consideration is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Sho 57-10112 (hereinafter, referred to as Prior art 1)(refer to FIG. 5 in Prior art 1).
Meanwhile, optimization of evaluation functions for several kinds of aberrations, a lens shape, and so on by optimization calculation in an aberration correction process in designing a lens is known as is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 2-38930.
To explain the outline of this optimization calculation, taking designing of a single vision aspherical lens for example, though it is a known technique in spectacle lens designing, data on a lens material and prescription specifications are given as basic design specifications, items such as a center thickness are further included as additional specifications in a case of a positive lens, and a combination of refractive surface shapes of a front surface and a rear surface which satisfies them and has as small an optical aberration as possible is obtained by calculation. The refractive surface is expressed as a surface which is mathematized by a function and the function consists of a plurality of parameters defining a spectacle lens. The parameters include a refractive index of the material, a lens diameter, radii of curvature of the front surface and the rear surface, the center thickness, an aspherical conic coefficient, a high degree aspherical coefficient, and so on. They are classified into fixed factors and variable factors according to the object of the lens designing, and the variable factors are dealt as variable parameters.
Then, using a ray tracing method and a wave front tracing method, a plurality of evaluation points whose distances from an optical axis on the refractive surface are different are set on the lens surface, the optical aberration on each of the evaluation points is expressed as an evaluation function (merit function), and calculation to obtain the minimum evaluation function is done using an optimization calculation method such as a damped least square method. At this time, simulations are repeated while operating the variable parameters of the refractive surface, and when a target value is obtained, the final shape of the refractive surface is determined.
As the parameters constituting the evaluation function (merit function) in the optimization calculation, an astigmatism and a curvature of field are generally known, and in a case, for example, when the front surface and the rear surface are both spherically designed in a designing method in a prior art, assuming that the aberrations showing, in a unit of diopter, two focal positions Ft, Fs obtained by the ray tracing method based on a focus D obtained by a paraxial ray tracing are t (tangential error) and s (sagittal error) as shown in FIG. 11, a lens in which the astigmatism=(t−s) is minimum is called a Tscheming Form and a lens in which the curvature of field=(t+s)/2 is minimum is called a Percival Form. In Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 42-9416, an evaluation function in which t and s are complicatedly combined and which is expressed as a horizontal aberration is disclosed.
A distortion aberration is known to be also an important evaluation function in the aforesaid design optimization calculation, and designing in which it is taken into consideration is proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Sho 55-59425 (hereinafter, referred to as Prior art 2) and APPLIED OPTICS, Vol. 21, No. 162982-2991: written by Milton Katz (hereinafter, referred to as Prior art 3).
As one of free curved surfaces among lens refractive surface shapes, an atoric surface is known besides a spherical surface and an astigmatic surface. The use of a spline function as an equation used to express the atoric surface is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Sho 62-30216 (Prior art 4) and an equation using orthogonal functions of xy is disclosed in International Publication No. WO 93/07525 (hereinafter, referred to as Prior art 5) is disclosed.
In recent years, however, it has been found out that visual acuity is closely related to processing in the brain and it has been known that the visual acuity is mainly constituted by an image on a retina and processing of the image in the retina and the brain.
Meanwhile, in the designing of spectacle lenses in the prior art, such an idea has been dominant that performance of a spectacle lens is improved as optical performance of the lens becomes higher.
For example, in the optimization calculation method described above, the evaluation function in the prior art is based on an evaluation only by optical calculation, such as evaluation of the size of an image and t (tangential error) and s (sagittal error) of the aberration and so on which are calculated at a far point sphere (FPS) in FIG. 11 by the ray tracing method, and furthermore, an image plane or a retina surface are also dealt as a film surface of a camera without considering a physiological function of an eye such as the eyeball motion.
Furthermore, since the distortion aberration is dealt as an optical amount of a camera as described above also in the above-mentioned Prior art 3, the evaluation function used in it is different from an evaluation function based on a visual angle magnification M which is used in spectacles (for example, KOHGAKU (OPTICS), Vol. 19, No. 10 "Futatabi Kakubairitsu nitsuite (On Angle Magnification Again)" Kazuo Miyake), and furthermore, an astigmatic lens and the designing in which the eyeball motion is taken into consideration are not disclosed either. Furthermore, the above-mentioned Prior art 2 does not disclose any concrete technical content thereof and its actual state is not clear.
Meanwhile, in lens designing, the use of the spline function for the atoric surface having a higher degree of freedom of expression, which is disclosed in the above-mentioned Prior art 4, enables the expression of free surface shapes, but it has a disadvantage that it basically lacks precision in surface expression. Moreover, in the above-mentioned Prior art 5, the properties of the eyeball motion using the Listing's Law are not utilized to result in an insufficient optical surface.
Prior art 1 discloses a designing method in which the eyeball motion is taken into consideration using the Listing's Law. However, here, the explanation of the above-described technical idea is focused on, and in the concrete lens designing, performance evaluation is made based only on an astigmatism derived from optical calculation, and an evaluation function in the optimization calculation is insufficient.
Moreover, no concrete disclosure on the expression of a lens surface is given.
Furthermore, designing in this Prior art 1 is essentially the same as the one in the prior art based on the idea that performance of a spectacle lens is improved as optical performance becomes higher and it gives no consideration to the correlation with visual acuity.
Thus, it is clear that performance evaluation of a spectacle lens based only on indexes such as an optical amount on the retina and the aberrations is inaccurate as a simulation on a living human body since no consideration is given to the viewpoints of the processing in the retina and the brain and of the eyeball motion as described above.
An object of the present invention, which is made to solve these problems, is to provide a spectacle lens with high performance which improves visual acuity and to provide a designing method of the same.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Spectacle lens designing method and spectacle lens


An obstacle detection and tracking system identifies objects in the path of a vehicle equipped with the system and issues a visual, audible, and/or control system warning. The system includes a depth imaging system that acquires depth data from objects in the field of view of a detection zone encompassing at least a portion of the road to be driven upon. It is assumed most of the acquired data represents road plane information. Statistical analysis of the depth image data identifies in (X,Y,Z) space at least one plane of the road being driven, after which identification threshold normal heights above and below the road plane are defined. Imaged objects within the detection zone that are higher or lower than a threshold normal are deemed of potential concern and will generate a warning to the vehicle operator or vehicle.

Many modern motor vehicles include electronic sensing mechanisms that try to give the vehicle operator a sense of what is generally behind the vehicle as the vehicle is operated in reverse. For example, injuries may be caused by motor vehicles that are backing up, because the vehicle operator may not see objects in the vehicle path. The potential objects to be avoided, may not have been seen by the vehicle operator because they were in a blind-spot, perhaps obscured by a pillar in the vehicle, or perhaps obscured because they were too low to the operator's field of view. Often such objects are not seen simply because the motor vehicle operator is too preoccupied with reversing the vehicle to pay attention to what is behind the vehicle.
It has been suggested that different types of depth imaging can be used to detect objects around the car. Stereographic camera imaging systems often leave much to be desired in that there is an inherent ambiguity associated reconciling images acquired from two spaced-apart cameras. The depth measurement performance of stereographic cameras degrades rapidly as function of distance. Also, such cameras rely upon brightness information, and can be confused as to distance by bright objects that are farther away from the system than closer objects that reflect less light. Further, stereographic camera imaging systems do not function without ambient light, and thus are of little or no use in dark ambient conditions.
On the other hand, TOF systems can operate without reliance upon brightness data. Some TOF systems emit pulses of infrared optical energy and time how long it takes for emitted pulses to be detected as optical energy that reflects at least partially off a target object. Since the velocity (C) of light is known, the distance Z to a target object is given by Z=t▪C/2, where t is the measured time-of-flight. U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,942 (2001) entitled "CMOS-Compatible Three-Dimensional Image Sensor IC" and assigned to assignee herein Canesta, Inc., describes such a TOF system.
Other TOF systems emit optical energy of a known phase, and determine distances Z by examining phase-shift in the signal reflected from the target object. Exemplary such systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,740 (2003) entitled "Methods for CMOS-Compatible Three-Dimensional Imaging Sensing Using Quantum Efficiency Modulation", or U.S. Pat. No. 6,906,793 (2005) entitled Methods and Devices for Charge Management for Three Dimensional Sensing. These, and other TOF patents, are assigned to assignee herein, Canesta. Inc.
While the present invention operates with various types of depth imaging systems, TOF systems provide especially reliable data, and thus it will be useful to describe briefly a TOF system. FIG. 1A is taken from the '740 and '793 and depicts an exemplary phase-type TOF system. Such systems provide depth information (Z-distance between the sensor and a target object) at each pixel detector in a system detector sensor array for each frame of acquired data. As noted, relative phase shift between emitted optical energy and detected optical energy reflected by a target object is examined to determine Z-range to a target object.
In FIG. 1A, exemplary phase-shift TOF depth imaging system 100 may be fabricated on an IC 110 that includes a two-dimensional array 130 of pixel detectors 140, each of which has dedicated circuitry 150 for processing detection charge output by the associated detector. IC 110 preferably also includes a microprocessor or microcontroller unit 160, memory 170 (which preferably includes random access memory or RAM and read-only memory or ROM), a high speed distributable clock 180, and various computing and input/output (I/O) circuitry 190. Among other functions, controller unit 160 may perform distance to object and object velocity calculations.
Under control of microprocessor 160, optical energy source 120 is periodically energized by an exciter 115, and emits optical energy preferably toward an object target 20. Emitter 120 preferably is at least one LED or laser diode(s) emitting low power (e.g., perhaps 500 mW peak) periodic waveform, producing optical energy emissions of known frequency (perhaps a few dozen MHz) for a time period known as the shutter time (perhaps 10 ms). Typically emitter 120 operates at IR or near IR, with a wavelength of perhaps 800 nm.
Some of the emitted optical energy (denoted S1) will be reflected (denoted S2) off the surface of target object 20. This reflected optical energy S2 will pass through an aperture field stop and lens, collectively 125, and will fall upon two-dimensional array 130 of pixel or photodetectors 140. When reflected optical energy S2 impinges upon photodetectors 140 in array 130, photons within the photodetectors are released, and converted into tiny amounts of detection current. The detection current is typically integrated to accumulate a meaningful detection signal, used to form a depth image.
Thus, responsive to detected reflected optical energy S2 transmitted (as S1) by emitter 120, a three-dimensional image of the visible portion of target object 20 is acquired, from which intensity (A) and Z data can be obtained (DATA). More specifically, reflected incoming optical energy S2 detected by each imaging pixel detector 140 includes intensity information (A), and phase shift information (φ), where phase shift φ varies with distance Z and can be processed to yield Z data. The time-of-flight (TOF) required for optical energy transmitted by emitter 120 to reach target object 20 and be reflected back and detected by pixel detectors 60 is denoted as t. TOF information is captured from which distances Z are determined from the relationship Z1=t▪C/2, where Z is distance to be measured, t is roundtrip TOF time, and C is velocity of light.
TOF sensor system 100 can acquire three-dimensional images of a target object in real time, simultaneously acquiring both luminosity data (e.g., signal amplitude A) and true TOF distance measurements of a target object or scene. FIGS. 1B and 1C depict how a measure of TOF can be determined from shift in phase (φ) between the emitted optical energy (FIG. 1B) and the detected reflected optical energy (FIG. 1C). The DATA obtained from TOF system 100 may be processed to provide video and/or acoustic signals, and/or control system signals. For example, if system 100 were deployed within a motor vehicle and used to detect objects closer than a minimum distance Z, detection of such objects could generate a "Danger" audible command, a "Danger Icon" on a display, and/or a signal that will cause the vehicle to brake or steer in another direction.
Optical energy detected by the two-dimensional imaging sensor array 130 will include amplitude or intensity information, denoted as "A", as well as phase shift information, denoted as φ. Responsive to pulses or bursts of optical energy transmitted by emitter 120, a three-dimensional image of the visible portion of target object 20 is acquired, from which intensity and Z data is obtained (DATA′). Information within DATA′ may be used to generate an optical display representing target object(s) and their respective distances Z.
FIGS. 2A and 2B depict a prior art object detection and tracking system 200, which includes a prior art depth imaging system 100, which is understood to be a TOF system, a dual stereographic camera system, etc. System 100 is deployed so as to depth image a three-dimensional field of view (FOV) about the imaging system's optical axis 210 generally towards the rear of a motor vehicle 220 moving in reverse along surface 230, as indicated by the heavy arrowed line. In general, the FOV will encompass a desired detection zone, shown as cross-hatched rectangle 240. Detection zone 240 will typically be somewhat wider than the width of vehicle 220, and will extend rearward perhaps 9′ (3 M). As such, a detection zone is defined within which it is desired to recognize objects representing potential objects to vehicle 220, or to recognize objects that could be harmed by vehicle 220.
As indicated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, within detection zone 240 and FOV are a number of real objects, and one phantom object. More specifically, pothole (or the like) 250, tall target object 260-L, and a small target object 260-S. Within the detection zone is what may be reported as a fictitious or phantom object, the inclined region 270 of the roadway itself. Just beyond the detection zone is a medium target object 260-M.
In practice, prior art systems 200 will generally not "see" and thus miss identifying pothole 250 as an object of potential concern. Simply stated, the location along the z-axis of the x-y plane of road 230 is simply not readily known to system 200, and thus identification of the pothole as an object below the plane of the road is not made. The large target object 260L will typically be correctly identified as a potential object but the small target object 260S may often simply not be detected. However object 260S should be detected so a decision can be made whether it may be ignored. Inclined region 270 of roadway 230 is within the detection zone and may be sufficiently high to register as an object of potential concern, even though such identification is spurious, a false-positive. Nonetheless imaging system 100 may actually image or see this inclined surface of the road as a large object of potential concern to vehicle 220. Regretfully false-positives can be dangerous in that they may lull the vehicle operator into simply disregarding all warnings from system 200.
As shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, within vehicle 220 will be a display 280 or other warning indicator that can advise operator 290 as to the presence of objects of potential concern within the detection zone behind the vehicle. Thus, typically while operating vehicle 220 in reverse, operator 290 could simply look forward at display 280. If system 200 somehow could function perfectly, it would always correctly recognize objects such as 250, 260-L, 260-S, and would reject phantom objects such as inclined road surface 270. If vehicle 220 moved further rearward, object 260M would come into detection zone 240 and would hopefully then be correctly identified as an object of potential concern.
But in practice, as suggested by FIG. 2C, display 280 will correctly depict object 260L, which depiction may be generic rather than an actual image of the object, but will fail to display pothole 250, and small object 260S. Furthermore, display 280 will generally depict as the largest object the inclined roadway portion 270, which indeed to imaging system 100 may look like a large object, but is not. Thus, in addition to not displaying real objects 250 and 260S, prior art system 200 will generate a false-positive and will indicate inclined roadway region 270 as a large object. Upon seeing portrayals of objects of concern on display 280, operator 280 typically will halt vehicle 220 and look rearward or look in the rearview mirror to see what is actually present behind vehicle 220.
Thus, there is a need for an obstacle detection and tracking system useable with depth imaging systems that can identify objects of potential concern, while rejecting false-positive identifications. The class of identifiable objects of potential concern should preferably include potholes and the like, below the average plane of the roadway, as well as small objects that frequently are missed by prior art systems.
The present invention provides such systems and methods for their implementation.

Enhanced obstacle detection and tracking for three-dimensional imaging systems used in motor vehicles


A toilet seat assembly, which includes a seat base pivoted to a mounting frame at a toilet bowl, a seat pad detachably fastened to the seat base by a plug joint, a stack of strippable sanitary sheets adhered to the seat pad for the sitting of the user, and a seat cover pivoted to the mounting frame for covering the sanitary sheets to protect the sanitary sheets against contamination.

The present invention relates to a toilet seat assembly for a toilet, and more particularly to such a toilet seat, which is equipped with a stack of strippable sanitary sheets that can be taken off one another to keep the seat area clean.
In order to prevent contamination, disposable sanitary sheets may be provided in a bathroom for covering the seat of the toilet upon each use. These disposable sanitary sheets are commonly made of tissue paper. Upon each use of the toilet, the user shall have to pick up one disposable sanitary sheet from the sanitary sheet storage box, and then cover the sanitary sheet on the seat of the toilet. Because the disposable sanitary sheets are made of tissue paper, they tend to be moistened. Further, because the disposable sanitary sheets are arranged in a stack and received in a box, it is inconvenient to pick up one sanitary sheet from the box and then to cover the sanitary sheet on the seat of the toilet. These drawbacks impart a barrier to people, causing people to have little interest in using a sanitary sheet upon each use of the toilet.

Toilet seat assembly with a stack of strippable sanitary sheets

No. 129, Chai-Tien, 5th Lin, Chai-Tien Li, Hsan Hsai Town


An arm member (52) detachably provided with a stylus arm (53) is rotatably held by a casing (11), where pivots (68) respectively project from both sides of a rotation center of the arm member (52), a first ball bearing (70) engaging with one of the pivots (68) is fixed to the casing (11) and a second ball bearing (70) engaging with the other one of the pivots (68) is fixed to the second ball bearing (70). A leaf-spring (75) has one end fixed to the casing (11) and the other end fixed to the second ball bearing (70). Since the second ball bearing (70) does not shift relative to the leaf-spring (75), measuring pressure remains stable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface texture measuring instrument for measuring a surface roughness, waviness, and profile of a workpiece.
2. Description of the Related Art
A surface texture measuring instrument has a detector having a stylus at a distal end thereof, the stylus being moved along a measurement surface to detect displacement of the stylus as a measurement data.
The detector used in the surface texture measuring instrument has an elongated arm member rotatably attached inside an approximately cylindrical casing. A stylus arm having a stylus is provided at the distal end of the arm member. Displacement of the stylus is detected by a detecting unit provided to the arm member.
Conventionally, in order to rotatably support the arm member inside the casing, a pivot has been fixed to a rotation center of the arm member and a bottomed cylindrical bearing for engaging a pointed end of the pivot in a bottom bearing hole is fixed to the casing (Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 11-248404).
Further, in another conventional arrangement, a spring for pre-loading the arm member is provided in the casing to press the stylus toward the measurement surface (Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 11-190605).
Since a stylus arm of a different type has to be used in some measurement process, the stylus arm is capable of being plugged in and out of a recess formed at an end of the arm member.
Generally, the surface texture measuring instrument is used for conducting measurement with a skid (referred to xe2x80x9cskid measurementxe2x80x9d hereinafter) and skidless measurement without using a skid.
Accordingly, the skid is attached to the casing to cover the stylus in the detector of the surface texture measuring instrument. The skid is attached to the casing by a bolt, so that the skid is capable of being attached and detached relative to the detector body.
The skid measurement is used in order to remove a waviness component and to detect only roughness component data when the measurement surface has both waviness and roughness. During the measurement, the detector is moved while both the stylus and the skid are in contact with the measurement surface.
The skidless measurement where the skid is detached from the detector body is used for measuring a cross-sectional profile and straightness of the workpiece by detecting all of the concave-convex data of the measurement surface including waviness, etc. During the skidless measurement, the detector is moved while only the stylus is in contact with the measurement surface.
In the surface texture measuring machine, especially in the surface roughness tester, it has been desired that a workpiece be measured at a minute measuring force of 0.75 mN. However, in the conventional arrangement, the micro measuring pressure has been difficult to achieve on account of measuring orientation in accordance with measuring condition and problems caused in exchanging the stylus arm.
Specifically, though the above conventional art disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. Hei 11-248404 can work at the micro measuring pressure, since a force is applied between a pointed end of the pivot fixed to the arm member and the bearing hole of the bearing in plugging the stylus arm in and out, durability of the bearing is inferior. Further, when a great plugging force is applied in exchanging the stylus arm, the bearing cannot sustain the plugging force, and an independent special mechanism is additionally required.
A ball bearing is used for improving durability of the bearing.
For using the ball bearing, in a detector for the surface texture measuring instrument, a pivot may be respectively fixed on both sides of the rotation center of the arm member, and the ball bearing respectively engaging to the pivot may be disposed in the casing.
In order to sufficiently support the pivot by the mutually opposing ball bearings, it is preferable that one of the ball bearings may be fixed to the casing and the other ball bearing may be pressed by one end of a leaf-spring with the other end being fixed to the casing.
However, when the ball bearing is merely pressed by the end of the leaf-spring, the ball bearing abutting the leaf-spring may be shifted by plugging the stylus arm in and out, so that the measuring pressure may be fluctuated in accordance with the position shift of the ball bearing.
Especially, in the detector of the surface texture measuring instrument for measurement with micro measuring pressure, the stylus arm can be fixed and unable to turn on account of the change in the measuring pressure caused in accordance with position shift of the ball bearing.
Further, since the pressing force against the measurement surface of the stylus is determined by the spring force of a spring for pre-loading the arm member in the conventional arrangement of Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 11-190605, minute change in measuring pressure required for exchanging the stylus arm cannot be sufficiently conducted.
Further, in the conventional arrangements, the skid measurement and the skidless measurement are conducted by attaching and detaching the skid relative to the casing of the detector. However, in both cases, since a straightness correction function has to be switched on and off and a surface roughness calculation and a surface profile calculation have to be switched in accordance with the presence of the skid, troublesome operation has been required and error is likely to occurr.
Further, in order to conduct recalculation after the data outputted by the detector is stored, it has been difficult to identify whether the data was obtained by the skid measurement or the skidless measurement.
An object of the present invention is to provide a detector for a surface texture measuring instrument capable of highly accurate measurement even with a micro measuring force in accordance with a measuring condition.
A detector for a surface a texture measuring instrument according to the present invention has: an arm member detachably attached with a stylus arm having a stylus at a distal end thereof; and a casing rotatably holding the arm member. The detector being characterized in that pivots project from both sides of a rotation center of the arm member, that a first ball bearing engaged to a distal end of one of the pivots is fixed to the casing, and that a second ball bearing engaged to a distal end of the other one of pivots is attached to the casing through a leaf-spring, the leaf-spring pre-loading the second bearing to the pivot and having one end fixed to the casing and the other end fixed to the ball bearing.
In the present invention, when the detector is moved while the stylus is in contact with the measurement surface, the stylus is displaced along an irregular surface on the measurement surface, the displacement being transmitted as a rotary (seesawing) movement of the stylus arm and the arm member.
Pivots are respectively attached to a rotation a center on both sides of the arm member, the pivots being supported by the ball bearings.
In the present invention, rotary torque can be decreased by using the ball bearing. Further, the stylus can be exchanged by widely supporting the shaft, thus minimizing hysteresis and enabling measurement with a low measuring force.
Since one of the ball bearings is fixed to the leaf-spring and is movable while following the leaf-spring, highly accurate slide movement of the pivot ball bearing is not required, thus reducing production cost.
Even when a force is applied to the bearing in pulling out and inserting the stylus arm, since the ball bearing does not shift relative to the leaf-spring, fluctuation of the rotary torque can be restrained, thus not fluctuating measuring pressure thereafter.
A detector for a surface texture measuring instrument according to the present invention has: an arm member detachably attached with a stylus arm having a stylus at a distal end thereof; and a casing rotatably holding the arm member, the detector being characterized in that a balance weight for balancing weight of the stylus arm and the arm member at a rotation center of the arm member is attached to at least one of the stylus arm and the arm member, the balance weight being movable in an axial direction.
In the present invention, when the stylus arm is exchanged into a different type, the weight center of the arm member and the stylus arm can be shifted. In this case, the measuring pressure can be minutely adjusted by axially sliding the balance weight.
In the above arrangement, the balance weight may preferably have a weight body disposed on an end of the arm member and a screw portion having a base end fixed to the weight body and being screwed to a female screw extending in the longitudinal direction of the arm member.
According to the above arrangement, since the balance weight includes the weight body and the screw portion, the balance weight can be easily slid by rotating the weight body to adjust screwing amount of the screw portion.
A detector for a surface texture measuring instrument according to the present invention has: an arm member detachably attached with a stylus arm having a stylus at a distal end thereof; a casing rotatably holding the arm member; and a skid detachably attached to the casing with a distal end disposed around the stylus, the detector being characterized in having a detecting switch for detecting whether the skid is attached to the casing or not.
In the present invention, whether the skid is attached or not can be detected by the detecting switch, so that switching on and off the straightness correction function and switching between a surface roughness calculation and a surface profile calculation are automatically possible, thereby facilitating operation thereof and avoiding error.
Further, when the data outputted by the detector is stored, the output signal outputted by the detecting switch is also stored, so that it can be facilitated to identify whether certain data is collected by the skid measurement or the skidless measurement. And switching on and off the straightness correction function and switching between the surface roughness calculation and the surface profile calculation are automatically possible during re-calculation, thereby facilitating operation thereof and avoiding error.
An example of the detecting switch is a limit switch, a pressure-sensitivity switch using a piezoelectric device.
When the limit switch is used as the detecting switch, the structure of the detecting switch can be simplified.

Detector for surface texture measuring instrument


A rumble seat for increasing passenger capacity of a motor vehicle by at least one occupant includes a combination seat back frame and roll bar moveable between a retracted position and an extended position. The combination seat back frame and roll bar can be selectively operated for carrying at least one additional passenger when in the extended position, while providing a substantially uninterrupted exterior motor vehicle contour when in the retracted position. A track mechanism and a plurality of rotatable elongate linkages can be provided for guiding movement of the combination seat back frame and roll bar between the retracted and extended positions. The track mechanism can include a guide track having an L-shaped configuration with an upper horizontally extending segment and a lower vertically extending segment.

The invention relates to seating for vehicles, and in particular to selectively operable seating for vehicles in which part or parts of the seat form in one position a part of the contour or structure of the vehicle's body.
Selectively operable rear row seats are generally known in the industry. In the 1920's-1960's many vehicles were sold and included selectively operable rear row seats, sometimes referred to as rumble seats or jump seats. The seats were typically located in a trunk area and were designed to carry additional passengers when in an extended position, and to provide a conventional vehicle appearance when in a retracted position. When placed in a retracted position, these seats typically define, or allow placement of, a cover that defines a portion of the exterior vehicle surface. In this manner, a substantially continuous or uninterrupted exterior vehicle contour is be presented when the seat is in its retracted position. Examples of rumble seats can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,156,408; 1,591,153; 1,751,378; 1,796,081; 1,806,692; 1,816,937; 1,895,832; 2,043,804; 2,880,033; 3,323,828; 3,413,031; 4,103,961; 4,139,232; and 4,182,468. Various other convertible or moveable seat configurations can be found for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,046,175; 3,290,086; 4,699,418; 4,750,778; 5,533,774; 6,237,981; 6,899,367; and 6,899,378.
While these configurations have been suitable for their intended purpose in the past, it would be desirable to provide roll over protection for auxiliary seat occupants. Various retractable roll bar mechanisms are known in the industry, such as those illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,557,502 and 5,393,093. While these devices have been suitable for their intended purpose, they do not provide additional passenger capacity for the vehicle. It would be desirable to provide additional passenger capacity with roll over protection.


The present invention relates to a transparent pane with an electrically heatable coating, which extends over a major part of the surface area of the pane and is electrically connected to at least two low-impedance bus bars lying opposite one another, at least one conducting structure (4G, 5G) only covering the heating area outside a central viewing area, in order to shorten electrically the distance between the bus bars (4, 5), and in that the current flows in the part of the heating area that is not covered by at least one conducting structure (4G, 5G).

A general problem of heatable coatings with low light absorption is their still relatively high sheet resistance, which at least in the case of large dimensions of the window to be heated or long current paths requires a high operating voltage, which is at least higher than the conventional voltages of the electrical systems in vehicles. If it were desired to lower the sheet resistance, with the previously known systems of layers this would entail a reduction in the transmission of visible light, since the conductive layers would have to be thicker.
For these technical reasons, wire-heated panes, which can be readily fed with the conventional vehicle voltage, are currently still fitted with preference. However, these laminated windows with inlaid heating areas comprising very thin wires are not accepted by all customers.
The patent DE 1 256 812 B1 describes a glass sheet which can be heated by means of an electrically conductive layer of metal or metal oxide applied over its surface area. This publication with application priority from 1963 is based on a very high sheet resistance of 200 Ω/unit of surface area. In order nevertheless to heat this layer homogeneously with a relatively low voltage by means of two lateral low-impedance bus bars, narrow, printed, low-impedance comb electrodes are provided, extending from said bus bars over the entire viewing area of the pane. These electrodes mesh with one another with alternating polarity. They only end in each case shortly before the bus bar respectively lying opposite. This does indeed achieve the effect that, transversely to the longitudinal extent of the individual lines of the comb electrodes, the heating current only has to cover relatively short paths within the layer.
Mentioned there as an advantage in comparison with windows which are only heated with the aid of printed narrow heating conductors is the homogeneous heating output with relatively great mutual distances between the comb electrodes.
However, the said lines, resembling shading, disturb the view through the window and the visual appearance of the main viewing area of the pane configured in this way. The optical advantage of a transparent heating layer remains unused. This window is only intended as a rear window for automobiles. Even now, it should not be used as a windscreen, since they must not have anything impeding the view, at least in a standardized A viewing area, as it is known.
A further problem with coatings for heating purposes may be caused by factors such as that they cannot be applied homogeneously over the entire surface area of the transparent pane but instead have to be provided with one or more interruptions in them, known as communication windows, which impair the flow of the heating current and possibly lead to the formation of hot spots (instances of local overheating) at their edges. Such communication windows serve the purpose of making the coating locally more transmissive for certain information flows or signals, whereas it intrinsically reflects shortwave or infrared rays.
For leading the heating current in and out of such coatings, at least one pair of electrodes (in strip form) or collecting conductors (also known as bus bars) is provided, intended to lead the currents into the surface of the layers as uniformly as possible and distribute them widely. In the case of vehicle windows, which are appreciably wider than they are high, the bus bars usually lie along the longer edges (at the top and bottom in the fitted position) of the window, so that the heating current can flow along the shorter path over the height of the window. At the same time, the communication windows mentioned usually lie at the upper edge of the window, where they extend over a width of several centimeters.
The document WO 00/72 635 A1 describes a transparent substrate with an IR-reflective coating and a communication window produced by removing or omitting the coating over a surface area.
Obviously, any communication window that changes the homogeneity of the coating constitutes a disturbance of the current flows. Local temperature peaks (hot spots) occur and may lead to damaging of the substrate (thermal stresses) and of the coating itself. This is not only the case when the coating is omitted over a large area but also when the communication window is formed by a greater or lesser number of individual, discrete slits. These also constitute a notable increase in the sheet resistance in the area concerned and at the same time likewise cause the hot spots mentioned.
As a measure for reducing the disturbing effect of the large-area communication window, the last-mentioned document proposes providing at the edge of said window an electrically conductive band that has a very much lower ohmic resistance per unit area than the heating layer. It is intended to make the currents bypass the cutout. With preference, a communication window is completely surrounded by such a band. The band can be produced by printing on and baking a conductive screen printing paste containing silver. It may, however, also be provided by applying an electrically conductive lacquer or by placing on a metallic strip. In all cases, an electrically conducting connection of the band to the coating is of course functionally necessary.
The band may be optically masked by overlaying an opaque, electrically nonconductive masking strip, for example of black enamel. Such masking strips generally consist of a nonconductive, black-coloured material that can be baked (screen printing paste). Infrared radiation is not reflected by this material but absorbed.
WO 03/024 155 A2 discloses a relevant transparent window with a heatable coating in which an operating voltage of at most 42 V is specified but which also attempts to solve the problem of hot spots at the edges of a communication window. In general, a number of different voltage levels are used, a lower voltage being applied to current paths that have been shortened (for example because of the communication window), in order to avoid local overheating. Specifically, the region of the communication window is left in the heatable surface area by placing a separate bus bar between the communication window and the bus bar on the other side.
Furthermore, DE 36 44 297 A1 discloses many examples of subdividing heatable coatings of a vehicle windscreen. Subdivisions can accordingly be provided by leaving portions without layers over a surface area and/or by incisions being made mechanically or by laser radiation. They serve for the selective setting and directing of a current flow within the coated surface area and are intended to ensure a current density that is as uniform as possible in the surface areas concerned.
WO 2004/032569 A2 discloses a further design of a transparent pane with a heatable coating, which likewise seeks to achieve a homogeneous heating output in the surface area by separating lines introduced into the coating.
DE 29 36 398 A1 is concerned with measures for preventing current peaks at the transition from the bus bars to the coating in a transparent window with a heatable coating. It is generally endeavoured to reduce the abrupt difference in resistance between the coating and the bus bars by using materials or formations of higher impedance for the latter, or else by means of intermediate resistances. For the coating, sheet resistances of between 1 and 10 ohms per unit area are specified there. In one or more solution variants described there, the edge of each bus bar facing the respectively opposite bus bar is of a wavy form. This is intended to avoid the formation of peaks directed towards the coating for heating purposes. With this approach, a notable lengthening of the transitional line between the bus bar and the coating is sought, and consequently a reduction in the current density at this transition. However, all these measures appear to be little suited for allowing the heatable layer to be fed with a relatively low voltage.
It is also known to provide what are known as grid or comb electrodes on the light incidence side of photovoltaic solar cells (see for example WO 03/075 351 A1). They are often produced by screen printing and comprise a bus bar arranged at the edge of the solar cell and a plurality of very narrow prongs, which extend from the bus bar over the surface area of the solar cell. They make it possible for the photovoltaic voltage that is applied to the two sides representing the surfaces of the absorber or between the comb electrode on the front side and the metallic/full-area rear electrode to be picked up over the surface area, without greatly reducing the light that enters the absorber.
DE 197 02 448 A1 discloses a heatable mirror, on the glass body of which two conductor tracks or electrodes formed in the manner of a comb and interlocking each other are applied with a PTC coating covering them and filling the intermediate spaces between the prongs of the comb. Here, however, the problem of making the coating visually unobtrusive does not arise, because the conductor tracks and the heating layer can lie behind the mirror layer.
DE 198 32 228 A1 describes a vehicle window with an electrically conductive and optically transparent coating that is used as an antenna. High-frequency radio signals are picked up purely capacitively from the antenna layer with the aid of a coupling electrode, which comprises a number of thin interconnected wires that are arranged parallel to one another at a great distance in comparison with their diameter and extend from the edge into the viewing area of the window, where they end blind. There is no galvanic coupling between the coating and these wires, since they are in each case arranged in different planes of the laminated window.
The patent DE 10 2004 050 158 B3 describes a transparent pane with a heatable coating.
The bus bars, already mentioned several times, may be produced both by (screen) printing, before or after the layer is applied to the window, or by soldering on thin metal-band strips, preferably made of (tin-plated) copper. There are also combinations of printed and metal-band bus bars (see for example DE 198 29 151 C1). Although the bus bars are usually configured in the form of a narrow band, they are opaque. For optical reasons, they are therefore respectively arranged in the vicinity of the outer edge of the transparent windows concerned. They can usually be masked by opaque edge coatings (usually likewise produced by screen printing). The communication windows mentioned may also be masked by these edge coatings, as long as the latter are sufficiently transmissive for the radiation that is to be transmitted.
In the case of common vehicle windscreens, these opaque coatings are configured as frames which, as a further function, shield the adhesive bond between the window and the vehicle body against UV rays. These frames circumscribe the viewing area of the windows. In the case of windscreens, a distinction is made furthermore between an A viewing area, in the middle of the area of the window, in which there must not be any viewing impediments (for example colourations, wires or instances of damage), and the B viewing area, lying closer to the edge.

Transparent window with a heatable coating and low-impedance conducting structures


A bidet for infants and children includes a main body that is shaped as a chair, has an inner surface and an outer surface and comprises a backrest part with a predetermined length, a cradling part forming a predetermined angle with the backrest part, and a buttock-cradling part between the backrest part and the cradling part and connecting the backrest part and the cradling part and concavely recessed in the inner surface of the main body, a plurality of hang protrusions formed at an outer surface of the backrest part and arranged with predetermined intervals for fixing the main body at different angles, and a supporting member having a predetermined length and formed at a bottom surface of the buttock-cradling part, and a discharge port is formed lengthwise through a center portion of the buttock-cradling part concavely recessed in the inner surface of the main body.

Generally, infants and children have to bathe often because they frequently urinate and defecate and have low level of immunity compared to adults. In particular, since children urinate and defecate while wearing diapers, children's buttocks may be infected with urine and feces, which may harmful for the children's health.
In order to bathe a child such as a infant that cannot balance by oneself, the child's back and neck have to be covered with one hand and use the other hand to clean the child. In this case, the child may be dropped by mistake. Accordingly, bathing a child with only one hand is not convenient.
In order to solve the problem above, an apparatus for sitting a child and easily bathing the child using both hands is needed. KR 20-0178060 (hereinafter, referred to as 'cited invention') discloses a chair for bathing infants.
FIG. 1 of the cited invention shows that two bathing chair legs 26 extend at both sides, a slippage prevention member 48 at a lower part, a frame 4 having an inner part that is formed in accordance to curves of a body; a head rest surface 12 at an upper part of the frame 4 which accommodates a head, a head rest part 10 including head side supports 13 at both sides of the head rest part 10 which are curved inward; an arm rests 20 formed at both lower sides of the head rest part 10; and a height adjusting unit 30 for adjusting height of the chair according to a body size of a child.
Since the cited invention may support the child's neck and back, it may be possible to conveniently bathe the child using both hands while the child is sitting thereon, and adjust the chair according to the body size of the child by using the height adjusting unit 30.
However, according to the cited invention, since the child's buttock contacts the frame 4 because the child is cleaned while the child is sitting on the chair, urine and feces on the buttock may also stain the frame 4, and thus the child may not be fully cleaned. Also, although the height adjusting unit 30 between the child's legs is provided to prevent the child from slipping, children such as infants that cannot balance oneself may cause too much stress for the children to support the whole body by using the height adjusting unit 30.


A management device (100) for use in an access network (10, 19, 20, 30, 40, 100) including a plurality of data connections (18, 19, 20) between end user devices (10) and an aggregation transceiver device (20) where the connections (18, 19, 20) are aggregated for onward connection through the access network (20, 30, 40), the access network storing in association with each data connection a Dynamic Line Management, DLM, profile which specifies a set of values for a plurality of parameters associated with the respective data connection. The device includes initial profile selection means for, when a line is to be caused to operate in a rate adaptive mode, selecting an initial profile for the line from among the plurality of stored different profiles in dependence upon one or more measurements, or a parameter or parameters derived from one or more measurements, made in respect of the connection while operating in another mode.

Dynamic Line Management (DLM) is a technique for improving the stability of DSL connections. It is particularly useful when operating DSL connections at close to their maximum speed, because under these conditions external noise affecting the transmitted signal can cause the transceivers to be unable to successfully recover the signal to be transmitted with sufficient reliability to enable the connection to be maintained. If this occurs, the connection needs to be re-established. This is referred to as a re-synch and the user notices a temporary loss of service while the connection is re-established. Re-synchs are generally found to be particularly annoying by end users.
DLM seeks to minimise such re-synchs by automatically analysing DSL connections (especially the rate of occurrence of re-synchs) and varying certain parameters which can affect the likelihood of re-synchs occurring (for example the depth of interleaving, the amount of redundancy built into the encoding used, etc.). Typically, this is done by using a number of different profiles having various different sets of values for the parameters most likely to have an impact on the stability or otherwise of a DSL connection and moving a particular connection between different profiles until a profile is found which has an acceptable stability. The profiles are applied at the local exchange (sometimes referred to—especially in the USA—as the central office) usually within a piece of equipment known as a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) which houses a number of DSL transceiver units as is well known in the art.
Typically, the profiles are conceptually able to be thought of as ranging between more aggressive and less aggressive, where the more aggressive profiles tend to provide better services to the user (in terms of especially higher bit rates and lower latencies) but are more likely to result in the line being unstable, whereas less aggressive profiles tend to offer lower bit rates and/or latencies but greater stabilities.
An Alcatel Technology White Paper entitled "Dynamic Line Management for Digital Subscriber Lines" and available at the following URL http://www1.alcatel-lucent.com/com/en/appcontent/apl/18812_DLM_twp_tcm172-228691635.pdf discusses DLM and suggests in overview an implementation in which there is a Validation Phase and an Operations phase. In the validation phase a connection is monitored fairly intensively to identify an appropriate profile for the line and thereafter it is monitored less intensively to ensure that the originally selected profile continues to remain valid.
Co-pending European patent application No. 07250428.5 describes an earlier DLM solution devised by the present applicants in which very unstable data connections are detected in an efficient manner and corrective action is taken within a relatively short period of time whilst data connections which are not very unstable are monitored and transitioned between different profiles based on more thorough monitoring over a longer time-scale.
All of the DLM solutions known to the present applicants have a default profile at which all lines are initially connected (i.e. so called "new provides"). This tends to result in lines initially having a setting which is more conservative than need be the case, in order to prevent poor connections from suffering so many re-synchs as they might otherwise. Furthermore, lines which are very poor are typically nonetheless given a profile which is more aggressive than they can cope with and so the user still perceives many re-synchs and an unstable connection until the DLM process has migrated the line to a more suitable profile.

BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY


According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, a core network control plane device sends quality of service (QoS) information to a radio access network device, wherein the QoS information includes an indication information that indicates that a parameter of uplink QoS of the traffic is obtained based on a parameter of downlink QoS of the traffic, the radio access network device establishes a correspondence between a flow and a radio bearer based on the QoS information for a terminal; and the radio access network device receives data of the traffic that is sent from the terminal by using the radio bearer.

To ensure quality of traffics, an end-to-end quality of service (English: Quality of Service, QoS for short) mechanism is usually used in an existing Long Term Evolution (English: Long Term Evolution, LTE for short) system. In this mechanism, when a terminal initiates a traffic whose QoS needs to be ensured, a dedicated bearer needs to be established for the terminal, to transmit data of the traffic.
The dedicated bearer includes a radio bearer between the terminal and an evolved NodeB (English: evolved NodeB, eNB for short) and a ground side channel between the eNB and a network side device. A process of establishing the dedicated bearer is as follows: When initiating the traffic, the terminal first interacts with an application server by using a default bearer. The application server triggers a policy and charging rules function (English: Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF for short) unit to generate a QoS parameter, and notifies a mobility management entity (English: Mobility Management Entity, MME for short) of the generated QoS parameter. Then the MME sends the QoS parameter to the eNB. After receiving the QoS parameter, the eNB establishes the dedicated bearer based on the received QoS parameter. Then the terminal can send the traffic data on the established dedicated bearer.
However, the terminal needs to wait for completion of a process of allocating the QoS parameter, and can send the traffic data only after the dedicated bearer is established based on the QoS parameter. Therefore, a data transmission start speed of an uplink traffic is relatively low, and a requirement for reducing a traffic latency cannot be met.

Method, device, and system for processing reflective QoS characteristics


An electrical assembly may include a contactor, a bus bar connected to the contactor, a bracket connected to the bus bar, a flexible circuit electrically connected to the contactor, and/or a cooling member connected to the bracket. A method of assembling an electrical assembly may include disposing a flexible circuit at least partially on and/or in the bracket, connecting a bus bar with the one or more contactors, connecting the bus bar with the bracket, electrically connecting the flexible circuit to the one or more contactors, disposing a cooling member on or about the bracket, and/or connecting the cooling member with the bracket.

This background description is set forth below for the purpose of providing context only. Therefore, any aspect of this background description, to the extent that it does not otherwise qualify as prior art, is neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the instant disclosure.
Some electrical assemblies do not provide sufficient functionality, are not configured for use with large electrical currents, do not provide sufficient cooling (e.g., that may be associated with large electrical currents), and/or require complicated assembly processes.
There is a desire for solutions/options that minimize or eliminate one or more challenges or shortcomings of electrical assemblies. The foregoing discussion is intended only to illustrate examples of the present field and is not a disavowal of scope.


A system includes a rack with shelves and one or more groups of shelf-mountable electrical systems. Each of at least two of the shelf-mountable electrical systems includes one or more chassis, shelf computing devices, a shelf power supply mechanism, and one or more power-pooling bus elements. For at least one of the groups, a power-pooling bus element of at least one shelf-mountable electrical systems is electrically coupled to a power pooling bus element of at least one other of the shelf-mountable electrical systems in the group such that the power-pooling bus elements form an inter-shelf power-pooling bus for one or more of the computing devices in the group.

Organizations such as on-line retailers, Internet service providers, search providers, financial institutions, universities, and other computing-intensive organizations often conduct computer operations from large scale computing facilities. Such computing facilities house and accommodate a large amount of server, network, and computer equipment to process, store, and exchange data as needed to carry out an organization's operations. Typically, a computer room of a computing facility includes many server racks. Each server rack, in turn, includes many servers and associated computer equipment.
Because the computer room of a computing facility may contain a large number of servers, a large amount of electrical power may be required to operate the facility. In addition, the electrical power is distributed to a large number of locations spread throughout the computer room (e.g., many racks spaced from one another, and many servers in each rack). A network of cabling, bus bars, power connectors, and power distribution units, is used to deliver the power to numerous specific components in the facility.
In some rack-based computing systems, the power supply units for the servers in the rack are not sized to match the electrical loads of the servers. In some cases, the power supply units have excess capacity relative to the loads of a server. In other cases, the power supply units have insufficient capacity to supply power in all of the conditions encountered during operation. In addition, in some rack designs, if one power supply unit fails, the computing devices coupled to the power supply unit may be taken out of service.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words "include," "including," and "includes" mean including, but not limited to.

Power bus aggregated from shelf-level bus elements


To provide an electrostatic actuator capable of attaining a large diaphragm displacement by low voltage drive. Furthermore, a droplet discharge head provided with this electrostatic actuator, a method for driving a droplet discharge head, and a method for manufacturing an electrostatic actuator are provided. A diaphragm, an individual electrode facing the diaphragm with a gap therebetween, while a voltage is applied between the diaphragm and the individual electrode, and an insulating film which is disposed on a surface of the diaphragm, the surface facing the individual electrode, are included, wherein the insulating film is converted to an electret.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrostatic actuator to be used as a driving mechanism of an ink-jet head and the like, a droplet discharge head, a method for driving a droplet discharge head, and a method for manufacturing an electrostatic actuator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of droplet discharge head previously include a thermal type droplet discharge head by using a heat generating element or the like as a driving device and an actuator drive type droplet discharge head. Examples of actuator drive types include a so-called electrostatic drive type, in which an electrostatic force is used as a driving device, and a so-called piezoelectric drive type, in which a piezoelectric element (piezo element) is used.
In the actuator drive type droplet discharge head, a diaphragm constituting a part of a discharge chamber is elastically displaced on the basis of an electrostatic force or a piezoelectric effect of a piezoelectric element, a pressure is generated in a pressure chamber and, thereby, droplets are discharged from a nozzle. For this type of droplet discharge head, in recent years, a multi-nozzle has been used in order to address the high-speed printing. Furthermore, a miniaturized actuator has been required to meet the demands on higher resolution. However, as the actuator is miniaturized and is made denser, the displacement of the diaphragm becomes inadequate. Consequently, there is a problem in that an adequate pressure is not generated in the pressure chamber and a required amount of discharge of droplets cannot be attained.
For piezoelectric drive type droplet discharge apparatuses, a multilayered inorganic electret layer is disposed on a diaphragm to attain a large mechanical driving force and, thereby, the displacement of the diaphragm is increased (for example, Patent Document 1), or a diaphragm is allowed to have a configuration in which an inorganic electret layer and a thin film metal heating pattern are laminated, the electret layer is deformed by application of a voltage and, in addition, the electret layer is expanded by the thin film metal heating pattern, so that the diaphragm is displaced by a large degree (for example, Patent Document 2).
With respect to the electret layer, in addition to the above described technology for applying the electret layer to the droplet discharge head, there is a configuration in which at least one pair of opposed electrodes are disposed on an ink flow path side wall, and one of the pair of electrodes includes the electret layer (for example, Patent Document 3).
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-255605
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-255614
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-280490
In the technology of Patent Document 1, the multilayered inorganic electret layer is disposed on a diaphragm, and the thickness of the diaphragm must be increased to support it. In the technology of Patent Document 2, the diaphragm itself is composed of a multilayer and, likewise, the thickness of the diaphragm is increased. The above-described configurations have problems in that the mechanical resistance is increased, it is difficult to actually attain a diaphragm displacement adequate for stably discharging droplets, and the driving voltage must be increased to attain an adequate diaphragm displacement. Furthermore, there is a problem in that the manufacturing method is complicated and it is difficult to manufacture.
Patent Document 3 discloses the technology in which the electret layer is used for the droplet discharge head in order to improve the ink bubble discharging property. However, there is no specific discussion on the reduction of driving voltage.

Electrostatic actuator, droplet discharge head, method for driving droplet discharge head, and method for manufacturing electrostatic actuator


Provided is a sensor part having a vibrating member and a mounting method therefor that allows the sensor part to be mounted to a target member such as a bumper in a simple, efficient and reliable manner. The sensor part includes a first assembly (3) including a tubular first case (5), a vibrating member (7) temporarily retained by the first case, and a pressing member (12) slidably supported in the first case, and a second assembly (4) including a second case (34) to be connected to the first case, and a circuit board (35) for controlling the vibrating member. After the first case is fixed to the target member, the pressing member is pushed so as to release the vibrating member from the temporal retention, and press the vibrating member against the target member.

A sensor may be attached to the vehicle for the purpose of driving assistance or autonomous driving of the vehicle. An ultrasonic sensor attached to a bumper or the like detects an obstacle or the like by causing a vibrating member to generate an ultrasonic wave and detecting a reflected wave. A hole may be made in the bumper so that the vibrating member may be fitted in the hole, and associated component parts may be placed on the back side of the bumper. However, if the vibrating member is exposed to the outside in this way, the external appearance may be impaired. Therefore, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an ultrasonic sensor having a vibrating member secured to the back surface of the bumper so that the ultrasonic waves may be transmitted and received through the bumper.

Sensor assembly and mounting method therefor