An aromatic polyester shaped article, for example, a fiber, a film or a sheet, having excellent hydrophilic characteristics and a durable antistatic property, sweat-absorbing property and soil-releasing property, is prepared from an aromatic polyester composition comprising (a) 100 parts by weight of an aromatic polyester resin, (b) 0.2 to 30 parts by weight a water-insoluble polyoxyethylene type polyether represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein Z is a residue of an organic compound having 1 to 6 active hydrogen atoms and a molecular weight of 300 or less, R.sup.1 is an unsubstituted or substituted alkylene group having at least 6 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is H, a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 40 carbon atoms, or a monovalent acyl group having 2 to 40 carbon atoms, k is 1 to 6, l satisfies the relationship: k x l.gtoreq.70 and m is 1 or more, and having a number average molecular weight of 5000 to 16000, said R.sup.1, R.sup.2, l and m in the formula (I) satisfying the following relationships: ##EQU1## wherein [M(R.sup.1 O)] is a molecular weight of the R.sup.1 O and [M(R.sup.2)] is a molecular weight of the R.sup.2.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aromatic polyester resin composition and fiber. More particularly, the present invention relates to an aromatic polyester composition having an extremely durable antistatic property, sweat-absorbing property, soil-releasing property and hydrophilic property, which is useful for the production of shaped articles such as a fiber, film and sheet, and to a fiber made therefrom.
2) Description of the Related Arts
An aromatic polyester resin has many excellent characteristics, and therefore, the resin is used as a material for the production of shaped articles such as a fiber, a film and a sheet. But since the aromatic polyester resin is hydrophobic, the use of the aromatic polyester resin in fields where hydrophilic characteristics such as an antistatic property, sweat-absorbing property and soil-releasing property are required is restricted.
Attempts have been made to impart hydrophilic characteristics to the aromatic polyester resins, to manifest such functions as an antistatic property, sweat-absorbing property and soil-releasing property, and many proposals have been made to this end. As one attempt to impart antistatic characteristics to a polyester fiber, a method is known which comprises incorporating a polyoxyalkylene glycol into a polyester (see, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 39-5214). In this method, however, to impart a sufficient antistatic property to the polyester fiber, it is necessary to add a polyoxyalkylene glycol in a large amount such as 15 to 20% by weight, and therefore, the physical properties, especially thermal properties, of the resultant antistatic polyester fiber are greatly lowered and the washing fastness is poor. Accordingly, this antistatic polyester fiber cannot be put to practical use.
As the means for overcoming this defect, a method is known which comprises the steps of mixing, a polyester resin with a polyoxyalkylene glycol, a polyoxyalkylene glycol/polyamide block copolymer or a polyoxyalkylene glycol/polyester block copolymer, which is substantially incompatible with the polyester resin, and further mixing with an organic or inorganic ionic compound (see, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 44-31828, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 60-11944, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 53-80497 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60-39413). According to this method, the total amount of the antistatic agent to be used can be reduced, and therefore, an antistatic polyester, in which the reduction of the physical properties is relatively small, can be obtained. Nevertheless, the antistatic polyester fiber obtained according to this method is defective in that the chemical performance, for example, color fastness thereof, is easily lost. Furthermore, if this polyester fiber is subjected to a weight-reducing alkali treatment usually conducted for improving the touch, especially a weight-reducing treatment where the weight-reducing ratio is at least 20% by weight, which is necessary for manifestation of a silk-like touch, the antistatic property thereof is easily lost at the subsequent dyeing step usually conducted at a temperature of 120.degree. to 135.degree. C. Accordingly, this polyester fiber cannot be practically used in fields where an antistatic property is required.
Furthermore, there has been attempted a method in which a polyester resin composition containing a small amount (3% by weight at largest) of an antistatic agent substantially incompatible with the polyester resin, and consisting of a polyoxyalkylene glycol and a metal salt of sulfonic acid, is melt-spun into a hollow fiber, whereby the majority of the added antistatic agent is concentrated and predominantly distributed in the inside surface portion around the hollow of the hollow fiber and it is possible to improve the touch by a weight-reducing alkali treatment (see Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 60-56802). To impart sufficient antistatic characteristics to a polyester fiber according to this method, however, it is necessary to strictly control the fiber-forming conditions and the like and restrict the bleed-out of the antistatic agent to the inside surface portion around the hollow of the hollow fiber. This necessity results in that the fiber-producing cost is increased. Furthermore, if this polyester fiber is subjected to a weight-reducing alkali treatment and the weight of the fiber is reduced to at least 15% by weight, the imparted antistatic characteristics of the fiber are easily lost in the subsequent dyeing operation. Moreover, this polyester fiber is defective in that, since the fiber has the hollow portion, when this polyester is dyed the color depth or color vividity of the resultant dyed fiber is unsatisfactory.
Separately, in a core-in-sheath type conjugate fiber, it has been attempted to distribute an antistatic agent at a high concentration predominantly in a core portion of the core-in-sheath type conjugate fiber and to render a weight-reducing alkali treatment possible (see, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 61-6883, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 55-122020 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-28016). But this fiber is a conjugate fiber, and thus is defective in that the fiber-producing cost is drastically increased. Moreover, the antistatic property of the resultant fiber is unsatisfactory.
Furthermore, an antistatic resinous composition comprising about 3 to 30% by weight of a high molecular weight ethylene oxide copolymer having an average molecular weight of 20,000 or more and 70 to 97% by weight of a high molecular material is disclosed by Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 64-26674. This Japanese publication discloses that propylene oxide and 1,2-dodecylene oxide are usable as a comonomer to be copolymerized with the ethylene oxide.
In this attempt, since the high molecular weight ethylene oxide copolymer is utilized as a antistatic agent, when this is applied to the aromatic polyester resin, the bleed out of the antistatic agent is restricted, and accordingly the resultant aromatic polyester resin composition does not exhibit a satisfactory initial antistatic property.
Also, the ethylene oxide copolymers specifically disclosed in the Japanese publication are all random copolymers and water-soluble or water-dispersible, and therefore, when the ethylene oxide copolymers are utilized to produce fibers, the resultant fibers exhibit a poor resistance to hot water, alkali and laundering, and an unsatisfactory durability of the antistatic property, and thus cannot be practically employed.
Furthermore, other attempts have been made to impart hydrophilic characteristics such as an antistatic property, sweat-absorbing property, and soil-releasing property by a finishing treatment. For example, there are known a method comprising applying a hydrophilic polymeric compound to the surface of a fiber (see, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 53-47437), and a method comprising polymerizing a polymerizable monomer having a hydrophilic group on the surface of a fiber to form a coating (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 53-130396). If hydrophilic fibers obtained according to these methods are repeatedly subjected to a severe washing treatment, however, the imparted effects are often lost, and if the amount of treating agent applied is increased to improve the durability of the hydrophilic characteristics, the touch of the resultant fiber becomes coarse and rigid and the color fastness becomes poor. For examples, when a polyester fiber is used for a thin woven fabric useful for, for example, a dress or blouse for which a soft touch is required, the polyester fiber is frequently subjected to a weight-reducing treatment with an alkali. If the polyester fiber, which has been subjected to the weight-reducing alkali treatment, is subjected to the above-mentioned finishing treatment, a problem arises in that the durability of the resultant treatment effect becomes poor.
As apparent from the foregoing description, a solid nonhollow, non-conjugate type fiber made of an antistatic polyester resin, which is modified so that the fiber can endure a weight-reducing alkali treatment resulting in a large reduction of the weight, is not presently available. Moreover, the finishing treatment technique is limited, and therefore, development of an antistatic polyester solid fiber capable of enduring a severe weight-reducing alkali treatment causing a weight reduction of at least 20% by weight, which is necessary for improving the touch, is urgently required.
As the means for imparting a water-absorbing property (the capacity of absorbing water in the liquid state) to a polyester fiber, there have been proposed the above-mentioned method comprising forming a hydrophilic coating film on the surface of a polyester fiber, and a method comprising subjecting a polyester fiber to an electric discharge treatment, a method comprising graft-polymerizing a hydrophilic compound such as acrylic acid or methacrylic acid to a polyester fiber, and a method comprising etching the surface of a polyester fiber with a chemical. Moreover, there has been attempted a method in which a polyester fiber is rendered porous and the water-absorbing property thereof is improved by utilizing the capillary phenomenon thereof.
Many investigations have been made into methods of imparting a moisture-absorbing property (the capacity of absorbing water in the vapor state), for example, the above-mentioned method in which the polyester is copolymerized with a polyoxyalkylene glycol, but the effect of improving the moisture-absorbing property by the copolymerization with a polyoxyalkylene glycol is poor and the reduction in the heat resistance and light resistance is conspicuous, and therefore, a product that can be practically used is not obtained. A moisture-absorbing polyester fiber having a moisture absorption comparable to that of cotton, which is prepared by graft-polymerizing acrylic acid or methacrylic acid to a polyester fiber and converting the grafted component to a sodium salt thereof, has bean attempted, but this type of polyester fiber is defective in that the moisture-absorbing property thereof is easily lost by washing, the reduction in the color fastness thereof is conspicuous, and the touch becomes hard. Accordingly, this type of polyester fiber cannot be put to practical use.
Moreover, there has been attempted a method in which a moisture-absorbing polyester fiber having a porous structure and exhibiting a capillary condensing action is formed by steam-drawing an undrawn fiber of a polyester resin containing a specific oxalic acid complex salt incorporated therein (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 54-93121), but since the oxalic acid complex salt is easily soluble in water, if this polyester fiber is subjected to high-pressure dyeing or washing procedure, the moisture-absorbing property of the fiber is easily lost, and thus this type of polyester fiber cannot be put to practical use.
In view of the importance of the capillary condensation type of polyester fiber, we have heretofore made several approaches concerning moisture-absorbing polyester fibers (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60-155770, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60-167969, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-215770 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-231221 ). In the capillary condensation type of moisture-absorbing polyester fibers, however, since fine pore-forming agents contained in these fibers are water-soluble, a reduction of the moisture-absorbing property by a high-pressure dyeing or washing procedure cannot be avoided. Accordingly, development of the capillary condensation type of a moisture-absorbing polyester fiber having a high durability to high-pressure dyeing and laundering is urgently required.
The inventors of the present invention have made an attempt to provide a hydrophilic polyester fiber having excellent mechanical properties, alkali resistance and laundering resistance, by replacing the water-soluble polyoxyethylene glycol conventionally used to provide antistatic polyester fibers by a water-insoluble polyoxyethylene polyether polymer which is a copolymerization product of ethylene oxide with a specific higher olefin oxide.
Nevertheless, it was found that the above-mentioned type of antistatic polyester fibers are not satisfactory in that, when the antistatic polyester fibers were subjected to an alkali treatment with a weight reduction of 20% or more, and-then to a 30 times laundering treatment, it is difficult for the treated polyester fibers to satisfy all of the requirements of a high durability of the antistatic property, dyeing property evaluated by naked eye observation, and abrasion resistance.
In the above-mentioned attempt, the durability of the antistatic property of the polyester fiber was tested in such a manner that one test cycle consisting of one laundering treatment and one heat treatment at a temperature of 170.degree. C. for one minute, and this cycle was repeated to a predetermined number of times. In this test method, the polyoxyethylene polyether polymer is bled-out from the inside to the surface of the fiber during the heat treatment, and therefore, the evaluated durability of the antistatic property of the polyester fiber in appeared to be better than that evaluated by another test method in which no heat-treatment but only the laundering treatment is applied.
The antistatic polyester fibers, which can be subjected to a weight-reduction treatment with alkali, are mainly used for lining fabric and lingerie. In this use, the polyester fiber fabric is not always heat treated after the laundering treatment. Therefore, sometimes the above-mentioned polyester fiber fabric cannot exhibit a satisfactory antistatic property, due to the lack of bleed-out of the antistatic agent.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a polyester fiber which exhibits a satisfactory antistatic property even when the fiber is not heat treated, and a high durability of the antistatic property.


A direct current motor having one or more armatures supported between magnetic pole plates having pairs of pole pieces extending, in diametric opposition with respect to the periphery of an armature between the plates adjacent the perimeter of the armature or armatures, and is energized by direct current through one or more iron coil cores interposed between and connected with the magnetic pole plates. Wiring and electrical current controls connect a DC source to the coils and armatures for selectively operating the armatures and providing a selected torque with a minimum of ampere drain from the DC source.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to direct current motors and more particularly to multiarmature motors having coils or magnets interposed between parallel pole pieces establishing a plurality of magnetic poles for exciting armatures.
Conventional direct current motors usually comprise a housing journalling an armature with sectional field coils or stator windings contained by the housing which substantially surround the armature to provide a magnetic circuit for exciting the armature.
In this type of design only one armature is operated by each group of stators or field windings resulting in inefficient utilization of the various circuits established and thus limiting the potential of the magnetic circuit established by direct current through coils interposed between magnetizable pole pieces.
The number of rotors which may be interposed between and operated by the magnetic flux of pole pieces established by one or more coils from a single direct current source is almost unlimited as disclosed by this invention.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The most pertinent patents are believed to be my U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,984 issued to me on Sep. 9, 1980 for Stator For Multiple Rotor D.C. Magnetic Motor and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,316,099 and 4,316,109 issued to me on Feb. 16, 1982 for Permanent Magnet Stator For D.C. Motors and Stator For Multi-Rotor D.C. Magnetic Motors, respectively.
My U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,984 discloses some of the features of the motors of this invention, but does not disclose the feature and advantage of including magnetic flux of the same polarity at both ends of pole pieces extending longitudinally of and armature for obtaining desired torque and speed of the respective armature with relation to efficient use of input amperage as disclosed by this invention.
The other two of my above named patents (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,316, 099 and 4,316,109) disclose one of the essential features of this invention, namely, the dimension of the respective pole piece arc in relation to the winding span of the respective armature and each disclose concentric armature rotating motors for a specific purpose.


A developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image with a two-component developer comprises a developer container (46) including a developer-accumulating chamber (50), and a developer-agitating chamber (56) provided above the developer-accumulating chamber. A communication passage (64) is provided between the developer-agitating chamber and the developer-accumulating chamber, and is opened to the developer-agitating chamber to define an overflow opening for the developer. The device also comprises a developer-carrying body (48) provided in the developer-accumulating chamber of the developer container, and the developer-carrying body is exposed to face an electrostatic latent image carrying body, and brings the developer from the developer-accumulating chamber to a facing zone therebetween for development of an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image carrying body. The device further comprises a developer-lifting means (68, 68', 70) for lifting the developer, brought to the facing zone by the developer-carrying body, to the developer-agitating chamber of the developer container, and a developer-agitating means (58) for agitating the developer in the developer-agitating chamber of the developer container, a part of the developer agitated by the developer-agitating means being fed to the developer-accumulating chamber through the overflow opening and the communication passage.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing device for using in an electrostatic recording apparatus, such as an electrophotographic copying machine or an electrophotographic printer, and, more specifically, to a developing device suitable for use in a multicolor electrostatic recording apparatus for multicolor recording and provided with a plurality of recording units arranged in a line.
2) Description of the Related Art
In an electrostatic recording apparatus of the type as mentioned above, an electrostatic latent image is formed on an electrostatic latent image carrying body, such as a photosensitive body or a dielectric body, the electrostatic latent image is developed electrostatically as a charged toner image using a developer, the charged toner image is transferred electrostatically to a recording medium, such as a recording sheet of paper, and then the toner image is fixed to the recording medium by heat, pressure or light.
As a multicolor recording apparatus utilizing such electrostatic recording techniques, a single-drum type of multicolor recording apparatus is known. This recording apparatus comprises a single electrostatic image carrying body, i.e., a photosensitive drum, and a plurality of developing devices using different developers containing toner of different colors, respectively, and arranged between an electrostatic image writing location at which an electrostatic latent image is written on the photosensitive drum and a transfer charger. For example, a multicolor recording apparatus for a full-color recording is provided with four developing devices, which use a yellow developer containing yellow toner, a cyan developer containing cyan toner, a magenta developer containing magenta toner, and a black developer containing black toner, respectively. First, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum on the basis of yellow image data, and is developed as yellow toner image using the yellow toner, and then the yellow toner image is transferred to and fixed on a recording sheet. Subsequently, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum on the basis of cyan image data, and is developed as a cyan toner image using the cyan toner, and then the cyan toner image is transferred to and fixed on the sheet of paper carrying the yellow toner image previously fixed thereto. A similar process is repeated for each of magenta image data and black image data. Consequently, the four toner images are superposed on the sheet of paper, whereby a full-color recording is made. Although the single-drum multicolor recording apparatus is advantageous in that the same has a relatively compact construction, the single-drum multicolor recording apparatus is incapable of high-speed recording, because the same needs to form the toner images of the different colors on the single photosensitive drum.
Also, as a multicolor recording apparatus for the electrostatic recording techniques, the multi-drum type of multicolor recording apparatus is known, which comprises four electrostatic recording units aligned with each other along path for moving a recording sheet of paper. The respective electrostatic recording units includes developing devices which use a developer containing yellow toner, a developer containing cyan toner, a developer containing magenta toner, and a developer containing black toner. While a recording sheet of paper is moved along the path, an yellow toner image, a cyan toner image a magenta toner image and a black toner image sequentially is formed on the sheet of paper by the four electrostatic recording devices, whereby a full-color image is obtained on the sheet of paper.
Although the multi-drum type multicolor recording apparatus as mentioned above is advantageous in that a high-speed multicolor recording can be carried out, it has the most disadvantage in that a construction thereof is large due to the alignment of the electrostatic recording units.
Especially, as a developing device incorporated in a conventional electrostatic latent recording apparatus, a type of developing device comprising a developing roller and a developer-accumulating roller side by side is well known. The developing device of this type requires a relatively large area for installation thereof. Accordingly, the multi-drum multicolor electrostatic recording apparatus utilizing a plurality of developing devices of that type also has a large construction.
Recently, there is a demand for miniaturization of various apparatuses in the information processing market. Accordingly, as various companies or makers aim at miniaturizing computers, peripheral equipments therefor, and etc., there is a strong demand for miniaturization of even a recording apparatus provided with a monochromatic developing device and occupying a small area for installation thereof. Nevertheless, the above-mentioned developing device having the developing roller and the developer-accumulating roller arranged side by side unavoidably needs a relatively large area for installation thereof.

Developing device for electrostatic latent image


A system and related methods for allowing a player or user to load personalized or player-created content (such as graphics, sounds, and the like) into a game on a machine specifically for gaming, including, but not limited to, gambling or casino gaming. The player creates and uploads content to a remote content server, which reviews the content for acceptability, quality, and other standards, converts and scales the content to appropriate file types or standards, and stores it for later use. The player, when accessing a compatible machine, can request that the player-created content be downloaded into or otherwise available to the machine, where it replaces some or all of the standard content for a particular game.

Electronic machines to provide various forms of electronic gaming, such as, but not limited to, electronic video poker games, electronic slot machines, electronic twenty-one games or electronic craps games are well known. Discussion of electronic gaming and related devices may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,973 (Wilcox, et al., issued May 28, 1991); U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,400 (Weingardt, et al., issued Jan. 4, 1994); U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,162 (Weiss, issued Jun. 20, 2000); U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,466 (Rothschild, issued May 25, 2010); and U.S. Pat. No. 8,460,109 (Bryson, et al., issued Jun. 11, 2013); all of which are incorporated herein in their entireties by specific reference for all purposes.
The industry continues to seek ways to attract gamers to particular games, and to maintain their engagement. The present invention provides a novel way to address that problem.

System and method for providing player directed content in a gaming machine


An apparatus for cutting grass comprising: a lawn mower equipped with wheels and one or more blades for cutting grass; a perimeter cable delimiting a cutting area; a management device for generating an electrical signal (ES) in the cable; a recharging base. The lawn mower further comprises a control unit equipped with: sensor to detect the electrical signal (ES); a memory to store a maximum value (Vmax) and a minimum value (Vmin); a calculation module to determine, for intensity of detection, a target value (Tv) that is non-null and comprised between the maximum (Vmax) and minimum value (Vmin), the target value (Tv) being different from a preceding target value; an operative module to command the wheels so as to move the lawn mower in such a manner that the sensor detects the electrical signal (ES) at an intensity equal to the target value (Tv).

As is known, currently automatic lawn mowers are predisposed to operate within predetermined cutting areas.
Lawn mowers are utilized to keep lawns, gardens and grassy areas in general, in optimal condition, that is, to keep the grass below a certain height in a substantially homogeneous manner throughout the entire cutting area.
The cutting area is often delimited by a perimeter wire or cable, in which an electrical signal is propagated; the lawn mower, detecting this electrical signal, is capable of recognizing the boundaries of the cutting area and adjusting its own movement and/or cutting activities accordingly.
As is known, lawn mowers are equipped with an independent electrical power supply unit, which has the function of supplying electric power to the electrical and electromechanical devices present inside the lawn mower itself, such as, for example, the motors designed to drive the wheels and the blades, the electronic circuits dedicated to detection of the presence of grass, to detection of the presence of the perimeter cable, to the processing of the data collected and to controlling the various motors, etc.
When the power supply unit, which is typically made up of a battery or a battery pack, nears exhaustion, the lawn mower goes to a recharging base, where the power supply unit can be recharged so as to permit, after a certain amount of time, continuation of the activity of the lawn mower.
In the name of the same Applicant, the European patent application no. 11425071.5 has been filed describing a particular technique for re-entry to the recharging base, according to which the lawn mower follows a path consisting of a sequence of arcs having the ends thereof positioned, approximately, on the perimeter wire.
This solution undoubtedly offers a series of advantages, among which that of minimizing the probability of the lawn mower passing over the same area several times, damaging the grass that is situated there.
Yet, while continuing the research activity, the Applicant found that the arc paths also involve some drawbacks:
the route that the lawn mower follows to re-enter to the base is decidedly longer with respect to a theoretical rectilinear path, and therefore leads to waste in terms of time, and also in terms of the power consumed by the lawn mower;
in order to describe arc paths, the wheels of the lawn mower are activated in a substantially alternating manner (to turn right, the left wheel is activated, while the right wheel remains stationary, and vice versa), so that the lawn mower can never operate at maximum speed, which is clearly reached on rectilinear paths; this involves a further extension of the time required for re-entry to the recharging base; and
the fact that arc paths are followed, involves a significant task on the part of the mechanical and electrical/electronic structure of the lawn mower and, in the long term, more frequent and expensive maintenance activity may be required.

Autonomous lawn mower using perimeter cable with electrical signal


A rectangular housing has an electronics mounting frame shock mounted in it. The frame includes a plate and two angle members extending parallelly on opposite ends of the plate. A tray holding a controller electronics circuit board is suspended from the angles with knurled screws that can be hand fastened. A processor tray holds a processor circuit board. Spring-loaded plungers on one end of the processor tray attach the tray to flanges on the end of the plate distal from the controller tray. Hand-operable fasteners attach the other end of the processor tray to the angles overlying the controller tray. With these fasteners unscrewed, the processor tray may be pivoted upward, and a rod attached to one angle raised to stably support it, thus permitting access to the controller circuit. The controller tray may also be stably supported on top of the angles to provide access to a modular power supply beneath it. A rectangular frame extends the housing by one RETMA unit. One end of a flexible baffle is attached to the housing and the other end lies against the frame forcing air over the electronics, without transmitting housing shocks to the frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention in general relates to ruggedized computers and more particularly to such a computer having a housing that provides accessibility and adaptability to a wide variety of electronic components, and which directs cooling air to these components without transmission of shock.
2. Statement of the Problem
Ruggedized microcomputers are computers that have been specially designed to protect the electronic parts of the computer in hostile environments, such as on the battle field. Generally computers are maintained in controlled environments of "computer rooms" where temperature, humidity, vibration, etc. are closely controlled. This fact indicates the difficulty of designing computers that will operate in the extreme conditions of shock, vibration, temperature and humidity that can exist in the field.
Prior approaches to designing ruggedized microcomputers have included the mounting of the electronic components in strong frames, and the suspension of these frames within the computer housing on shock isolation mechanisms to prevent shocks to the housing from being transmitted to the electronic components. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,804 issued to W. Carroll Campbell et al. It has generally been the practice in ruggedized computers to strengthen all housing parts. For example, in ruggedized computers the relatively flexible circuit boards generally are mounted on rigid metal plates. This prevents flexing of the circuit boards which can lead to deterioration. At the same time, ruggedized computers are also as compact as possible to allow them to be more easily moved in the field. The combination of more complex, stronger housing structures with compactness has led to relative inaccessibility of components in ruggedized computers, even though accessibility and ease of repair of components is more important in these computers, as they may need to be serviced in hostile environments, such as war. Thus it would be highly desirable to have a ruggedized computer with a housing that has all the advantages of ruggedization yet provides ease of accessibility and repair of the electronic components.
The complex housings of ruggedized microcomputers are more expensive to build than the housings of other microcomputers. In addition, customers of ruggedized computers have many specialized needs, and thus they may specify any of a wide variety of processors and other components, for example anything from a PC processor to a Sun.TM. to a VAX.TM. processor. This combination of requirements has made it quite expensive to design, manufacture and store a supply of housings that will meet all customer needs. A ruggedized computer that retains the advantages of such computers and yet can accommodate a wide variety of electronic components would be a significant advance over the prior art.
The suspension of the electronics in positions away from the housing walls in ruggedized microcomputers necessarily creates gaps between the electronics and the walls. Thus, cooling air in such microcomputers tends to flow in these gaps rather than over the electronic parts. For this reason prior approaches to controlling the temperature environment in ruggedized microcomputers have used large fans with essentially straight-line flow structures plus the use of specialized smaller fans to cool specific components. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,804, referred to above. These solutions have added more complexity and constraints on the placement of internal components in ruggedized microcomputers that have further decreased the accessibility, lowered the adaptability to a variety of components, and increased the expense of building such computers. Thus a need exists for a simpler way of cooling while still providing the other advantages of ruggedized computers, such as shock isolation.
3. Solution to the problem:
The present invention provides a ruggedized microcomputer in which electronic units, such as circuit boards, can be moved from normal positions in which the block access to other components to service positions in which the other components are accessible and can be serviced.
The invention provides an apparatus for stably supporting the electronics units in the service positions, apparatus for electrical connection of the electronic units in the service positions, and apparatus which facilitates the moving of the units by hand.
The present invention provides an electronics tray which can accommodate a wide variety of processor units, which tray can be attached or released from the microcomputer by hand.
Additionally the invention provides a ruggedized computer housing extension that can be easily inserted in the manufacturing process to allow the microcomputer to accommodate a wide variety of processors requiring different headroom
The invention also provides a baffle that directs air flow to the electronics in an electronics assembly, without transmitting housing shocks to the various electronic assemblies it must contact in order to effectively direct such air flow.
The combination of the aspects of the invention listed above work together to provide a ruggedized microcomputer with unusual accessibility, adaptability, compactness, and durability. The ability to move electronics to service positions and to stably support them clearly creates greater accessibility, but also permits the units to be located more compactly in their normal positions since they can be moved when necessary. The electronics tray that can accommodate a variety of processors and is easily releasable clearly increases accessibility and adaptability, but also increases compactness for the reason given above and durability because sensitive electronics parts are less likely to be damaged when adjustments or repairs are made to the computer. The extension clearly increases adaptability and accessibility, but also means that microcomputers without the extension can be more compact since the extension is available, and increases durability because electronics is less likely to be crammed into too small of a housing. The baffle that does not transmit shock clearly adds to the durability because it directs air to where it can cool most effectively, but it also increases accessibility and adaptability because it can be easily moved to provide access to and adapt to other parts, and permits increased compactness because more effective cooling is available.

Ruggedized computer assembly providing accessibility and adaptability to, and effective cooling of, electronic components


A solar collector assembly comprises a plurality of heater collection tubes. A thermal enhancement manifold assembly is integrated into the solar collector assembly to enhance thermal efficiency. The enhancement manifold assembly includes a supply manifold subassembly which selectively distributes a refrigerant between at least two supply manifolds and a return manifold subassembly which distributes the refrigerant between at least two return manifolds. A thermal enhancing tube provides fluid communication between each supply manifold and respective return manifold. The thermal enhancing tubes are assembled within an interior volume of the solar heater collection tubes. Each manifold pairing is operatively governed by a respective fluid control valve. The manifold pairings alternate between an active state and an inactive state, optimizing thermal transfer between the collection tube and a refrigerant. The refrigerant is retained within an inactive tube set of thermal enhancing tubes and flows therethrough in an active tube set.

Heat pump systems are well known for providing both heating and cooling by using a small amount of energy to move heat from one location to another. Heat pumps are typically used to pull heat out of the air or ground to heat a home or office building, but they can be reversed to cool a building as well. One of the biggest advantages of a heat pump over a standard heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit is that there's no need to install separate systems to heat and cool your home. Heat pumps also work extremely efficiently, because they only transfer heat, rather than burn fuel to create it. This makes them more "green" than a gas burning furnace. In fact, they don't just heat and cool buildings. Anyone that has ever enjoyed a hot tub or heated swimming pool probably has a heat pump to thank.
While heat pump systems provide a host of benefits, there has been a long felt need to improve the efficiency and overall performance of such systems. In particular, it would be highly advantageous to accomplish this by providing an improved heat pump system incorporating an environmentally friendly (i.e., "green") subassembly capable of efficiently raising the temperature of the hot gas line of the heat pump system. For example, it would be a tremendous benefit to provide a means for integrating an existing solar thermal assistance technology, such as a solar collector subsystem, into an existing conventional heat pump system to provide the aforementioned improved performance.
Solar heating and cooling systems use the sun as a source for energy needs. Because the sun is a renewable energy source, it has the potential to supply a home with enough power to meet its energy requirements every day. Solar energy is accumulated through a solar collector, a system that converts sunlight to usable energy by capturing and retaining heat from the sun and transferring this heat to a liquid.
Evacuated glass tubes, one form of solar collectors, provides a way in which heat loss to the environment, inherent in flat plate collectors, has been reduced. Since heat loss due to convection cannot cross a vacuum, it forms an efficient isolation mechanism to keep heat inside collector pipes. While evacuated tube technology clearly surpasses flat panel collectors or batch solar collectors for nearly all water heating applications, the advantages are truly dramatic when used for solar air conditioning and heating. This is because evacuated tube heat pipe collectors can more easily attain the higher temperature needed, they can collect and retain heat even when it is very cold outside, and they collect solar energy more evenly throughout the day resulting in lower buffer or thermal storage requirement. Generally, an evacuated tube solar collector contains several rows of glass tubes connected to a header pipe. Each tube has the air removed from it (evacuated) to eliminate heat loss through convection and radiation. Inside the glass tube, a flat or curved aluminum or copper fin is attached to a metal pipe. The fin is covered with a selective coating that transfers heat to the fluid that is circulating through the pipe.
What is desired is such an evacuated tube solar thermal assisting subsystem that can be easily integrated with, or retrofitted into, a conventional heat pump system to efficiently and effectively provide added heat to the system to extend the functionality of the heat pump system and thereby reduce the requirement to utilize electric heat strip or other alternate systems. Preferably, the system should have the inherent flexibility to be installed with any new heat pump or, alternatively, retrofitted to an existing heat pump, to boost the performance of the heat pump to provide interior heating, as well as to be connected to provide a hot water boost and pool/spa heating. This would negate the need for a separate pool heat pump. The heat pump, when used in its reverse cycle for air conditioning should, when either water heating or pool heating is desired, be able to route the hot gas through the solar collector and heat exchanger, and then back to the condenser. Preferably, the system can be prioritized to heat water when the temperature drops below a specified point. In this manner, the system would both provide free hot water and improve the air conditioning performance as the heat exchanger functions as an additional condenser. This would be particularly effective during the air conditioning cycle, where gas would not be routed through the solar collector unless water heating or pool heating is desired. In this manner, the panels would have the maximum heat available to put very hot gas into the heat exchanger to heat the water rapidly.

System and method for increasing the efficiency of a solar heating system


The present disclosure relates to a Zener diode including a Zener diode junction formed in a semiconductor substrate along a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate, and positioned between a an anode region having a first conductivity type and a cathode region having a second conductivity type, the cathode region extending from the surface of the substrate. A first conducting region is configured to generate a first electric field perpendicular to the plane of the Zener diode junction upon application of a first voltage to the first conducting region, and a second conducting region is configured to generate a second electric field along the plane of the Zener diode junction upon application of a second voltage to the second conducting region.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a Zener diode. Zener diodes are commonly used to regulate voltage in a circuit or to supply a stable reference voltage. For this purpose, a Zener diode is reverse-connected in parallel with a voltage source. When the voltage supplied by the voltage source reaches the breakdown voltage of the diode, the latter becomes conducting and then maintains the voltage at this value.
Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a conventional Zener diode formed in a substrate made of a semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, for example P. The Zener diode comprises a well NW having a doping of a second conductivity type, for example N, forming an anode region of the Zener diode. The Zener diode comprises a highly doped cathode region CD of the first P+-conductivity type, formed in the well NW. The region CD is formed on a region ZD having a high doping of the second N+-conductivity type. The regions CD and ZD are isolated from the rest of the well NW by a shallow trench isolation STI. The Zener diode comprises a highly doped anode connection region ED of the second N+-conductivity type formed in the well NW and isolated from the cathode region by the trench STI. Furthermore, the substrate SUB comprises a highly doped region SP of the first P+-conductivity type, forming a bias region of the substrate SUB. The substrate bias region SP is isolated from the regions CD, ZD by the shallow trench isolation STI.
FIG. 2 represents a curve C11 of variation of the current passing through the Zener diode according to the reverse voltage applied between the regions CD and ED. The curve C11 shows the operation of a conventional reverse-biased Zener diode. Between 0 and approximately 2.5V, the current passing through the diode remains low (lower than 10−12 A). From approximately 2.5V and up to approximately 5.2V, the current passing through the diode increases linearly (according to a logarithmic scale) up to approximately 10−8 A. This operating zone which results from a so-called "band to band" phenomenon cannot be used to supply a reference voltage or to perform a voltage regulation. Above approximately 5.2V, a breakdown phenomenon appears, the diode becoming highly conducting, by avalanche effect, while reaching a maximum voltage BV called "breakdown voltage" of approximately 5.5V. The diode keeps this voltage constant irrespective of the intensity of the current, provided that the latter remains between approximately 10−8 A and 10−6 A. Zener diodes are generally used in this operating zone, to supply a stable reference voltage or to perform a voltage regulation.
One proposal already made consists in producing circuits combining several discrete components to reproduce the operation of a Zener diode with a control input to adjust the breakdown voltage of the Zener diode. Thus, the circuit referenced TL431 works in a similar way to a Zener diode the breakdown voltage of which can be adjusted by a voltage value provided to a control terminal of the circuit. However, this circuit is quite complex and large in size, due to the fact that it comprises several dozen discrete components, including more than ten transistors.

Zener diode having an adjustable breakdown voltage


A method and device for measuring a distance to an object with light determines the distance by measuring the relative intensity of light reflected from the object and traveling over two or more paths of differing optical length. Light is emitted by one or more light sources; reflected from a surface of the object; and the reflected light is detected by one or more light detectors. The light detector(s) generate signals based on the intensity of reflected light detected and the signals are utilized to calculate the distance from the device to the object.

The subject invention relates to a method and device for measuring a distance from the device to an object using light, and, more specifically, to a method and device for measuring a distance from the device to an object wherein light is emitted from one or more light sources of the device and reflected from a surface of the object to one or more light detectors of the device. The light travels over paths of differing length between the light source(s), the object reflecting the light, and the light detector(s). The light intensity measured by the light detector(s) generates electrical signals that are used to calculate the distance from the device to the object.
There are various applications in which it is desirable to use light to measure distances. Examples of such applications include measuring a distance between a camera and a subject for auto focusing, measuring distances during surveying, measuring astronomical distances, etc. Correspondingly, a variety of methods that use light for measuring distances have been described. One method for measuring distances with light is to measure the time for a light pulse to travel between two points. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,813, Ohishi et al, discloses a method for measuring distances using lasers wherein a distance-measuring means calculates relatively long distances, e.g. kilometers in distance, to a target based on the time difference between a light beam emission and the reception of a return light beam from the target. However, the lasers and optics in such approaches are too complex and expensive for budget limited or highly miniaturized applications. Other, lower cost methods for the time of flight measurement of distances have been described. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,006, Schaefer, discloses a method for measuring distances in which Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and photodetectors are used in fiber optics, and modulation frequencies in the MHz range are used to measure time delays. Although such approaches use lower-cost LEDs and photodetectors, relatively short, properly shaped pulses are required. Electronics in the radio frequency range must also be used to process the signals. These factors introduce higher levels of noise into the overall system, thus relatively complex electronics circuitry or specialized, high power pulse generation at the LED is needed.
For applications such as camera focusing, it is common to transmit a light spot with an LED, then receive an image of the spot at the receiver. By measuring the location of the spot on the received image, the distance to the subject can be determined by triangulation. The basic approach is subject to problems with range and reliability, and various improvements have been described in the following patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,723, Tanaka, discloses a method of measuring distances that involves the transmission at different angles of two differing light distributions. In this method, the information on the amount of signals received tells how much signal does not impinge on the object of interest. Nakanishi, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,309, shows multiple LEDs and photodetectors that are used to increase the range and resolution. Kindaichi, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,375, uses two spaced lens that form images. From these images, positions are measured and calculated for the purpose of increasing the reliability of measurements. However, these approaches still require the use of lenses in order to obtain images of light spots or patterns. The need for lenses increases the bulk as well as the cost of a distance-measuring system.

Method and apparatus for measuring distances using light


The present invention relates in general to the field of water pumps, and more specifically, to an attachment configured to connect to the rear wheel of a motorcycle or motorscooter to provide power to a water pump and a method of pumping water using the attachment. One aspect of the aquacycle pump includes a base plate and a kick-stand support bracket configured to slidably adjust so that the aquacycle pump may be compatible with different sizes of motorcycles or motorscooters. The aquacycle pump may further include a roller that is configured to abut against the rear wheel of the motorcycle or motorscooter. The aquacycle pump may further include a water pump, wherein the water pump is connected to the roller. The aquacycle pump is configured such that as the engine of the motorcycle or motorscooter is started and power is provided to rotate its rear wheel, the abutting roller of the aquacycle pump also rotates. The rotation of the roller, in turn, operates the water pump to convey water to a location where water is needed. The purpose of the invention is to provide a device and method that may utilize existing motorized vehicles prevalent in developing countries (e.g., motorcycles, motorscooters), instead of electricity or petrol generators, to provide energy to a water pump for delivering water.

Clean, accessible water is vital to human health. Unfortunately, over 40% of the global population does not have access to clean water. According to the United Nations, about 4 billion people, representing nearly two-thirds of the world population, experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year. Water Scarcity, UN-Water (July, 2019), available at https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/scarcity/. Developing countries are most affected by water shortages and poor water quality. Indeed, the Global Water Institute has determined that in developing countries the lack of clean water and sanitation are the source of health problems for almost half of the population and can be linked to 80% of disease. Elizabeth Hameeteman, Future Water (IN)Security: Facts, Figures, and Predictions, Global Water Institute (2013).
In many of these developing countries, particularly in rural areas, households don't have accessibility to electricity or the resources needed to purchase and maintain petrol generators for operating a water pump. Despite this fact, the number of private vehicles—namely motorcycles and motorscooters—is increasing in almost all developing countries. For example close to 80% of households in Delhi, India have motor vehicles, most of them two-wheelers. The reason for this astonishing figure is that motorcycles and motorscooters may cost as little as $200 in developing countries. At such low costs families no longer have to accumulate considerable savings to own a vehicle. Indeed, motorcycles and motorscooters are the lifeblood of millions of individuals and small businesses in developing countries, transporting families, farm products and locally manufactured goods on a daily basis.
Thus, a desire remains to provide access to water in developing countries where electricity and petrol generators are scarce or cost-prohibitive. A desire also remains to use existing motorized devices common in such developing countries, such as motorcycles or motorscooters, as a power source for delivering water in a convenient and cost-efficient manner.


An apparatus for remote controlled physical activity monitoring, the apparatus comprising: at least one orientation measurer, wearable on at least one body part of a user, configured to measure orientation of a body part wearing the orientation measurer during a physical activity of the user, at least one pressure meter, wearable on at least one body part of the user, configured to measure pressure applied by muscle of a body part wearing the pressure meter during the physical activity of the user, a computer processor, associated with the orientation measurer and pressure meter, configured to derive monitoring control data from the measured orientation and pressure, and a data transmitter, associated with the computer processor, configured to transmit the monitoring control data to a physical activity monitoring device, and thereby to remotely control a monitoring of the physical activity of the user by the physical activity monitoring device.

The present invention relates to physical activity monitoring and, more particularly, but not exclusively to remote controlled physical activity monitoring.
Many systems are available for measuring features of a physical activity such as athletic performance by a professional athlete, or rather by an amateur one.
For example, many gyms and fitness centers are equipped with specialized systems that help track athlete's use of certain machines. The usage data may be automatically generated and downloaded to a central computer system and made available for the athlete's review. One disadvantage of such systems is that their use is confined to use with specialized machines within the walls of the gym or fitness center and very often requires the help of an operator other than the athlete.
Systems like the NIKE+™ athletic performance monitoring system (from NIKE, Inc.) allow an individual athlete to measure and collect data relating to walking or running, without confining the measurement and collection to any specific geographic location—i.e. at any desired location, be the location indoors and or outdoors.
However, not all personal exercise and athletic activities, are limited to walking and running.
For example, personal exercise may include other forms of sport—such as Biking, Swimming, Skiing, and even more extreme sports activities—such as Sky Diving, Ice Climbing, White Water Rafting, Mountaineering, etc.
Currently, in many of those forms of physical activity there is no easy or convenient system for efficiently collecting, compiling, and storing data that accurately and empirically depicts an individual's efforts when exercising.

Remote controlled physical activity monitoring


A computer enclosure includes a cage (40) and a bracket (50). The cage includes a rear panel (10) having a pair of catches (13), a bottom panel (20) having a bent strip (25) defining a cutout (27) therein, and side panel (30) having a latch bar (33) and a latch hook (35). The bracket includes a top wall (51) having a fastener (58) and a second stop (59), a pair side walls (52, 521) having a pair of opposite catches (56), and a rear wall frame (57). One of the side walls includes a board (53) and a first stop (55) at a bottom portion. The bracket sandwiches a power supply (60) in the cage, with the fastener and the second stop respectively engaging with the latch bar and the latch hook, the board engaging with the bent strip and the first stop engaging in the cutout.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer enclosures, and more particularly to computer enclosures having brackets for retaining power supplies therein.
2. Related Art
Taiwan Patent Application No. 88219428 disclose conventional computer systems in which a power supply is firstly mounted to a bracket, and then the combined bracket and power supply is attached to a rear panel of a computer enclosure with screws. A screwdriver must be used to attach or detach such bracket to or from the enclosure, and it is inconvenient and laborious to manipulate the screws. Furthermore, a typical computer enclosure with power supply is configured such that the power supply must first be removed to gain access to other components within the enclosure. Therefore, it is similarly inconveniently and laborious to have to unscrew and remove the power supply when maintenance or replacement of other components within the enclosure is required.
Taiwan Patent Issue No. 317337 discloses another device for attaching a power supply in a computer. A bracket retaining a power supply therein is attached to a computer enclosure via a lock mechanism of the bracket. The device simplifies attachment and detachment procedures. However, the device still does not solve the problem of having to detach a power supply when maintenance or replacement of other components in the enclosure is required.
An improved computer enclosure which overcomes the above-described problems is desired.

Computer enclosure with power supply bracket

Hong Fu Jin Precision IND (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


A driving mechanism for a powered hammer having a motor and a tool holder includes a ram mounted for reciprocation in a guide tube section. The ram has a radially outwardly projecting sealing portion and an outer circumferential surface that defines a helically shaped vent channel running from a front end portion of the circumferential surface to a rear end portion of the circumferential surface and being interrupted by the sealing portion. A piston is driven in reciprocating motion of the motor such that an air cushion is generated in a space between the ram and the piston to cause an impact on the tool bit by movement of the ram towards the tool bit. The space between the ram and the piston is temporarily connected with ambient air through the helical vent channel and a recess in the wall of the guide tube section after causing the impact on the tool bit.

A powered hammer may include a piston driven by a motor in a reciprocating motion and a ram in a guide channel that is driven in a reciprocating motion by an air cushion between a front surface of the piston and a rear surface of the ram. A front surface of the ram may impact a tool bit being held by a tool holder to effectuate a hammering action. This driving mechanism generates impacts on the rear end of the tool bit by reciprocating movement of the ram. In some embodiments, a beat piece may be interposed between the tool bit and the ram. In this hammering operation, the air pressure between the piston surface facing the ram and the rear surface of the ram increases, so that the ram hits directly on the rear end of the tool bit or it hits on the beatpiece which transmits the impact of the ram to the tool bit.
After having caused the forward movement of the ram the piston starts a rearward movement and, due to the recoil generated by the impact, the ram also moves backward. The ram may include an outer circumferential surface with a vent channel that extends axially from the front end of the outer surface to the rear end of the outer surface. The ram may also include an outwardly projecting O-ring disposed between the front and rear ends, interrupting a portion of the vent channel. The guide channel may include a recess defined in its wall. After the ram impacts the tool bit and recoils, the space between the ram and the piston may be temporarily connected to atmosphere through the vent channel and the recess in the wall of the guide tube. Thereby a possible loss of air in this space is compensated so that upon continued backward movement of the ram and the following forward movement of the piston an increase in air pressure in this space sufficient to cause an effective impact can be generated.
Manufacturing of the ram can be somewhat costly, as the manufacturing requires two, separate machining steps. First, a blank is machined in a machine tool that rotates the blank with respect to a machining tool bit, e.g. on a lathe, to form the outer circumferential surface. Next, after completing the first step, the axial vent channel is machined in the outer circumferential surface of the ram in another, separate machine tool.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention relates to a sealing device for making a longitudinal seal on and simultaneously trimming the excess material from a web of material during the formation of a continuous tubular wrapping of filter paper in a station forming part of an automatic machine for making filter bags containing infusion products such as tea or coffee.

Prior art machines for making filter bags from a web of filter paper comprise a plurality of stations, including a station for feeding a web of filter paper, a folding station and a first station for longitudinally sealing the folded web to form a continuous tubular wrapping of filter paper and preferably for transversally sealing the continuous tubular wrapping to form a succession of filter bags of substantially flattened shape.
The longitudinal and transversal sealing station may comprise a specially shaped upper roller with tracks for longitudinally and transversally sealing the continuous tubular wrapping of filter paper. The seals may be made by heat sealing means or, in the solutions of the latest generation, by sonotrodes, positioned in contact with the product to be sealed.
The sonotrode is the transducer element that converts the power supply into vibrations that are discharged onto the product to be sealed.
Prior art sealing devices, however, present some disadvantages linked to the fact that the edge of the product, after being sealed, is irregular and therefore requires trimming, that is to say, an additional cutting operation to obtain a straight, regular edge.
This constitutes a particularly serious drawback at high production speeds when it is even more difficult to guarantee a regular seal, and especially in cases where the quality of the sealed finish has a significant commercial value.
A first aim of the present invention is to provide an ultrasound sealing device that overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages.
A second aim of the invention is to reduce the number of separate steps required to obtain a finished product, for example, in the production of bags from a web of material, whether tubular or not.

Sealing device for sealing and simultaneously cutting a web of material

I.M.A. Industrie Macchine Automatiche S.p.A.


A bedding product having a colored hem and methods of making the same are disclosed. The bedding product can have a plain body attached to a colored hem which is made color fast so as to inhibit fading of the colored hem and/or prevent bleeding, crocking, and/or running of color from the colored hem onto the plain body during the useful life of the bedding product. The colored hem can be made color fast by a method including selecting a fabric, selecting dyes based on the fabric, preparing the fabric such as by mercerizing, applying the dyes, and treating the dyed fabric to remove unfixed dyes contained in the fabric to improve subsequent colorfastness.

Sheets, pillowcases, and other bedding products used in the hospitality industry are changed and washed on a frequent basis due to the high volume of guests staying for short term intervals. To meet stringent hospitality standards for cleanliness, such hospitality linens are often subjected to a laundering process that is much more strenuous than the washing process used in an ordinary residential home setting. Hospitality laundering often entails much higher temperatures than residential washing and commonly employs commercial grade surfactants that are much more severe than their residential counterparts. Due to the extreme strain upon products during hospitality laundering, there is a high likelihood that the color of any colored portion of these products will fade and/or bleed onto, crock, or otherwise stain other portions of the pillowcase, sheet, or other item during use, washing, and/or drying. Accordingly, any hospitality product that includes any color must exhibit substantial color-fastness.
The term "colorfastness" is used in the textiles industry to denote the degree to which a dyed article will retain or maintain its original finished hue and resist fading or running of color over time due to washing, drying, exposure to sun or other bright light, and/or other types of wear during the useful life of the article. Factors known in the industry to affect colorfastness primarily include the types of fibers, dyes, and treatments used for initially producing an article and setting its color. However, although these factors can be identified on a general level, the details and exact modifications necessary to achieve improvements in colorfastness are infrequently so easy to articulate. As such, even though extensive testing and significant effort has been dedicated to advancing the art of colorfastness, articles with multiple colors are not known to be used in the hospitality industry at present.

Bedding product having different colors for hem and body


A packaging apparatus includes a support unit having a first support shaft with a first open end portion, the first support shaft being adapted to rotatably support the film roll in a cantilevered manner; a packaging unit adapted to receive the film of the film roll supported by the support unit, the bag packaging unit being adapted to package items with the film; and a temporary holding unit. The temporary holding unit has a second support shaft that has a second open end portion, the second support shaft being adapted to support the film roll in a cantilevered manner, and a movement mechanism configured to controllably pass the film roll from the second support shaft to the first support shaft when the first open end portion of the first support shaft and the second open end portion of the second support shaft are substantially aligned.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging apparatus that supplies a film to a packaging unit, which package products using the film while rotating a film roll to supply the film therefrom. The present invention also relates to a packaging system including such packaging apparatus.
2. Background Information
Film rolls in packaging apparatuses are generally replaced by temporarily stopping the operation of the apparatus, manually removing the paper tube (core) of the finished film roll, and then mounting a new film roll. However, the operation of replacing the film roll has been hard work and has imposed a significant burden on the operator, because normally almost 1000 m of the film roll is wound around the paper tube, and the roll therefore weighs up to several dozen kilograms. Furthermore, since the operation of the apparatus is stopped while the film roll is replaced, the replacement is preferably completed efficiently in the shortest possible amount of time.
In view of this, packaging apparatuses have been conceived which automatically replace film rolls in this manner with a machinery. However, such packaging apparatuses described above have the following problems.
Specifically, since these packaging apparatuses described above have a double-end supporting configuration in which the film roll is supported at both sides of the axis of rotation, a new film roll must be mounted from a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation. Therefore, a complicated structure is needed that supports the film roll. As a result, the mechanism is complicated, which prolongs the time required for replacement of film rolls.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved package machine that addresses the above discussed problem. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

Packaging apparatus and packaging system including the same


A metallic cylinder head gasket for an internal combustion engine having cylinder liners, the gasket comprising at least one cover plate which has a plurality of openings, commensurate with the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine. The gasket has beads which extend around the openings, the beads being arranged at a distance from the edges of the openings. An annular upward extension is arranged concentrically with respect to each bead and serves as an upward extension of the combustion space and as a deformation limiter for the bead. The gasket is provided with at least one flat carrier plate. The upward extensions are formed by rings which are supported by the liner collars.

Published European patent documents EP-C-0 206 766 and EP-C-0 230 804 disclose metallic cylinder head gaskets for internal combustion engines, such gaskets comprising a carrier plate and at least one cover plate having resilient sealing projections, i.e., beads. The gap between the cylinder head and cylinder block of an internal combustion engine varies during operation as a function of the working cycle of the adjacent cylinder. A gasket disposed in the gap is subjected to constant changes in pressure and must have durable resilience properties in order to maintain a satisfactory seal.
In the gaskets of the above-identified publications, the head/block gap is sealed by means of an upward extension of the cylinder head gasket, which extends about the combustion space, in cooperation with a bead lying behind the extension. The bead, being resilient, follows vertical movements of the cylinder head in relation to the cylinder block in response to the ignition pressure. On the one hand, no unacceptably large deformation must occur when the bead is subjected to maximum compressive loading. On the other hand, the compressive force applied to the bead must not be completely released but, rather, must be maintained at least at a level which will ensure a minimum deformation with the maximum cylinder pressure. The working range of the bead thus lies between these two limits of deformation.
In order to ensure proper functioning, the bead must therefore not be completely deformed either during the installation of the gasket or in the operating state. An unacceptably large deformation of the bead vertically with respect to the plane of the gasket is prevented in known gaskets by means of a deformation limiter of constant thickness. The deformation limiter also serves to extend the gasket upwardly along the combustion space.
Prior art gaskets as exemplified by the above identified publications are not suitable for use on internal combustion engines having cylinder liners since the vertical forces which arise when the gasket is being clamped in position, or which exist after installation, are applied at the edge of the combustion space and thus essentially to the cylinder liner. These forces produce tilting moments on the liner. This occurs, in particular, if the distance between adjacent cylinder bores is small.
The object of the invention is to provide a cylinder head gasket which is suitable for internal combustion engines with cylinder liners.


The invention provides a novel method of effecting vasodilation in a warm-blooded animal in need of such treatment and involves administering to a warm-blooded animal an effective amount of a vasodilatory monoglyceride of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is a straight or branched chain aliphatic hydrocarbyl substituent of 2-7 carbon atoms, preferably 3-5 carbon atoms, which is saturated or unsaturated, and which is substituted or unsubstituted with one or more substituents that do not interfere with vasodilatory activity.

Glycerides are fatty acid esters of glycerol. Those in which all three of the glycerol hydroxyl groups are esterified are called triglycerides. Such compounds account for most of the substance of vegetable and animal fats. When only one or two of the hydroxyl groups are esterified with fatty acid, the resulting glycerides are called monoglycerides and diglycerides, respectively. Mono- and diglycerides occur in only a small quantity in the fats synthesized in nature, but are the intermediate products of the hydrolysis of fats. Both long and short chain mono- and diglycerides are known mainly as laboratory products prepared for research or as products manufactured for man's use. Richardson, A. S., "Glycerides," The Encyclopedia of Chemistry, (Hampel and Hawley eds. 1973).
There have been few reports concerning the biological activity of monoglycerides, although isolated references to biological activities of such compounds do exist. For example, Birkhahn et al., demonstrated the possibility of using butyric acid, in the water soluble form of monobutyrin, as a source of intravenous nutrition by infusing the monoglyceride into rats. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2078-2082 (December 1977). This study showed that the animals could tolerate very high infusions of monobutyrin, up to 27 gm/kg a day, with little or no resulting toxicity and that the compound could provide calories for the animals when infused intravenously.
Another group experimentally demonstrated that monoglycerides having C5-C12 alkyl side chains, especially glyceryl monocaprylate, can be used to enhance the permeability of skin to certain water soluble chemicals and drugs. Okumura et al., Drug Design and Delivery, 6:137-148 (1990).
In 1990, Dobson et al described 1-butyryl-glycerol (monobutyrin) as a novel angiogenic compound that is synthesized naturally and secreted during the differentiation of 3T3-F442A preadipocytes into adipocytes. Angiogenesis refers to the growth of new blood vessels and involves the growth of capillaries composed of endothelial cells. Monobutyrin was shown to promote angiogenesis in the chick chorioallantic membrane assay and motility of isolated endothelial cells in vitro. These results, coupled with an observed 200-fold increase in monobutyrin levels during the adipose differentiation process, suggested that monobutyrin is an important regulatory factor in the development of adipose tissue vasculature. Cell, 61: 223-230, (Apr. 20, 1990).
The discovery of monobutyrin as a naturally occurring angiogenic factor resulted in the filing of a patent application, U.S. Ser. No. 07/327,314, directed to the use of monobutyrin and other short chain monoglycerides of the formula CH.sub.2 OHCHOHCH.sub.2 OCOR, wherein R is a straight or branched chain hydrocarbyl having 2-10 carbon atoms, saturated or unsaturated, in stimulating angiogenesis, especially for wound healing.
In later work by this group, which includes several of the inventors herein, it was shown that monobutyrin production increases substantially at the onset of lipolysis and that monobutyrin production is surprisingly cell specific. Conditioned medium from several other cell lines representative of actively metabolizing tissue failed to reveal detectable levels of monobutyrin. This cell specificity, coupled with knowledge of other bioeffecting molecules having multiple functions in vivo, led the group to consider that monobutyrin might be a pleiotropic effector having multiple functions in blood vessel biology. Because vessels in adipose tissue are known to vasodilate during lipolysis, a correlative hypothesis was made that monobutyrin could be involved in vasodilation and/or vascular permeability. Wilkison et al, The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 25:16886-16891 (September, 1991). The hypothesis was not supported by experimentally, and indeed, was nothing more than conjecture at the time. It is well known from the literature that the concentration of other factors such as glycerol, which do not have vasodilatory activity, also increases after the onset of lipolysis, making it more likely than not that the hypothesized correlation would not be substantiated. It is believed that short chain monoglycerides have not otherwise been associated with vasodilatory activity
There is at least one report in the literature of a long chain monoglyceride, monoolein (C18:1), having a depressor effect on blood pressure. Muirhead et al., The American Journal Of The Medical Sciences, 298:2 93-103 (August 1989). The vasodilatory capability of monoolein was reported to be dependent upon hepatic activation, as evidenced by a period of latency between intravenous infusion of the compound and observation of the depressor effect of the compound and a loss of activity upon removal of the liver. In addition, free fatty acids, particularly caprate, a C10 fatty acid, have been associated with vasodilatory activity. White et al., Stroke, 22:4, 469-476 (April 1991); White et al., Gen. Pharmac., 22:4, 741-748 (1991). The studies by White et al., suggest that saturated fatty acids have vasodilatory activity and that the medium chain fatty acids are far more potent than either the short chain or the long chain ones. By rank, C10 was the most potent, while the C.sub.4 compounds were not particularly vasoactive. The effects of the fatty acids appeared to be independent of the endothelium.
Vasodilation is the dilation of vessels, generally resulting in increased blood flow to a part of the body. A wide variety of vasodilator drugs are known and have been used successfully in the treatment of pathophysiological diseases such as hypertension, angina pectoris, and congestive heart failure, to name a few. These agents may be classified according to their primary mechanism of action. One important group of vasodilators, which includes the nitrates and sodium nitroprusside, exert a direct effect on smooth muscle. Sodium nitroprusside acts to directly relax vascular smooth muscle in both arterioles and veins, while the nitrates, such as nitroglycerin, act principally on the venous bed and pulmonary arteries. Another important group of vasodilatory compounds, which includes captopril, enalapril and lislinopril, appear to exert their activity through the inhibition of enzymatic conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, which is a potent constrictor of arteriolar resistance vessels. Alpha and beta-adrenoreceptor blocking agents and calcium antagonists have also been used successfully as vasodilators.
Despite reports of the development of pharmaceutical agents that lower blood pressure, improve congestive heart failure, or hasten recovery from anginal episodes, none of the vasodilator drugs currently available is ideal. A need continues to exist for medicaments that are useful in the treatment of these disorders, and especially for medicaments that not only exhibit a desirable pharmacological profile, but are also non-toxic, do not induce tachyphylaxis, and are inexpensive to manufacture. A need also exists for vasodilators that have a localized vasodilatory effect which can be used to counteract disorders associated with vasoconstriction in localized or regional vascular beds.
It is an object of the invention to provide short and medium chain monoglycerides capable of stimulating vasodilation in arm-blooded animals that are highly non-toxic and suitable for pharmaceutical formulation and administration.
It is another object to provide vasodilatory compounds that have localized vasodilatory effects.

Method for effecting vasodilation with monoglycerides


A semiconductor device comprises an SAC structure having side wall spacers and offset nitride films. In particular, in this semiconductor device, the side wall spacers are constituted from lower side wall spacers that are composed of silicon oxide films and are in contact with the lower side of the gate electrode side walls, and upper side wall spacers that are composed of silicon nitride films and are in contact with the upper side of the gate electrodes side walls. As a result thereof, a distance is formed between the substrate and the interface between the silicon nitride film and the silicon oxide film. This suppresses the hot carrier phenomenon and the occurrence of poor contact.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A self aligned contact (SAC) method has been employed in the pasts to achieve a higher degree of integration in semiconductor devices.
The SAC method is as follows. First, gate electrodes having side wall spacers and offset nitride films (silicon nitride films used for offset) are formed on a substrate. An interlayer insulation film is then formed so as to cover the side wall spacers, offset nitride films, and gate electrodes. After this, contact holes are formed at self-aligning positions utilizing the etching selectivity of the side wall spacers, the offset nitride films, and the interlayer insulation film.
With the miniaturization in design rules today, the exposure mask alignment margin in photolithography is determined by the alignment or mask precision of the apparatus, among other factors. It is therefore considered difficult to achieve a mask alignment margin of less than about 0.07 to 0.08 xcexcm. The SAC method, however, is suited to increasing the integration of a semiconductor device in that the mask alignment margin can be larger.
The method disclosed in publication I (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application H10-4190) is an example of a conventional SAC method.
FIG. 8 serves to illustrate a conventional SAC process. The SAC process in publication I will now be briefly described through reference to FIGS. 8(A) to 8(D).
As shown in FIG. 8(A), first, a gate insulation film 101 and a plurality of gate electrodes 105 having offset nitride films 103 are formed on a substrate 107. With the technique in publication I, the next step is to form side wall spacers 109 composed of silicon nitride film at the side wall 105a portions of the gate electrodes 105, as shown in FIG. 8(B). An interlayer insulation film 111 composed of a silicon oxide film, for example, is then formed, as shown in FIG. 8(C).
After this, as shown in FIG. 8(D), an etching mask 113 having openings corresponding to contact holes is formed. The interlayer insulation film 111 is then etched via this etching mask 113. As a result, just the interlayer insulation film 111 is selectively etched with respect to the silicon nitride films (the offset nitride films 103 and the side wall spacers 109). At this point there remain portions protected by the side wall spacers 109 and the offset nitride films 103. In this way contact holes 115 are formed at self-aligning positions in the interlayer insulation film 111.
Unfortunately, with the SAC method of publication I, as shown in FIG. 8(D), the offset nitride films 103 and side walls 109 are formed from silicon nitride films. Consequently, a hot carrier phenomenon tends to occur when the semiconductor elements in the semiconductor device are driven, as disclosed in publication II (T. Mizuno et al., xe2x80x9cHot-Carrier Injection Suppression Due to the Nitride-Oxide LDD Spacer Structure,xe2x80x9d IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 38, No. 3, p. 584, March 1991) or publication III (F. C. Hsu and H. R. Grinolds,. xe2x80x9cStructure-Enhanced MOSFET Degradation Due to Hot-Electron Injection,xe2x80x9d IEEE Electron Device Letters, Vol. EDL-5, No. 3, p. 71, March 1984).
According to publications II or III, the hot carrier phenomenon tends to occur in the vicinity of the interface between the silicon oxide film and silicon nitride film (the portion circled with a broken line in FIG. 8(D)). The hot carrier phenomenon is particularly prone to occur if the silicon oxide film/silicon nitride film interface is close to the substrate. Therefore, a drawback to the semiconductor device in publication I is its large hot carrier injection.
FIG. 9 serves to illustrate an improved version of prior art. In order to suppress hot carrier injection in the technique of publication I, it is proposed, for example, that a thin oxide film be formed over the entire side wall portion of the gate electrodes 105 prior to the formation of the side wall spacers 109 composed of silicon nitride film. In the example shown in FIG. 9(A), gate electrode side wall oxide films 117a are deposited on the surface of the gate electrodes (polysilicon gate electrodes) 105 and the offset nitride films 103. In the example shown in FIG. 9(B), thin silicon oxide films 117b are formed on the side walls of the gate electrodes 105.
At the present time, however, as miniaturization is increasing due to higher integration, the gap between adjacent gate electrodes 105, for example, is already down to about 0.20 xcexcm. Furthermore, side wall spacers need to be provided to each gate electrode. The slit gap formed between opposing side wall spacers is therefore only about 0.10 xcexcm or less, for example. In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, it is difficult to form the contact holes 115 in self-aligning fashion, as mentioned above. Specifically, the narrow slit gap w tends to cause a phenomenon-whereby etching comes to a halt at the interlayer insulation film 111 in this fine slit portion (generally called etch stop). Thus, with the prior art shown in FIG. 9, it is difficult to form the side wall spacers 109 while ensuring a slit gap w that is wide enough to prevent etch stop. Consequently, poor contact tends to occur.
In view of this, it is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device with an SAC structure, and a semiconductor device manufacturing method that makes use of an SAC method, wherein the structure of the semiconductor device and the semiconductor device manufacturing method allow the hot carrier phenomenon and the occurrence of poor contact to be suppressed.
To achieve the stated object, the semiconductor device of the present invention comprises the following unique structure. Specifically, the semiconductor device of the present invention comprises a substrate, a plurality of gate electrodes having offset nitride films and side wall spacers for forming contact holes in a self-aligning fashion, provided on the substrate via a gate insulation film, an interlayer insulation film that covers the gate electrodes, and contact holes that go through the interlayer insulation film between a plurality of gate electrodes. With the present invention, the side wall spacers are constituted from lower side wall spacers that include a silicon oxide film and are provided on the lower sides of the gate electrode side walls, and upper side wall spacers that include a silicon nitride film and are provided on the upper sides of the gate electrode side walls.
With the structure of this semiconductor device, the side wall spacers are constituted by a laminar structure of lower side wall spacers and upper side wall spacers. The upper side wall spacers and the offset nitride films function as stopper films during the formation of the contact holes. The result is a structure in which the contact holes are formed in self-aligning fashion (SAC structure).
Furthermore, since the lower side wall spacers including the silicon oxide films are provided at the lower portion of the gate electrode side walls where the hot carrier phenomenon tends to occur, the silicon oxide film/silicon nitride film interface can be sufficiently isolated from the substrate surface. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve an element structure that suppresses the hot carrier phenomenon better than the prior art shown in FIG. 8.
With this structure, there is no need to oxidize the gate electrode side walls or to deposit a silicon oxide film over the entire surface of the gate electrode side walls in order to suppress the hot carrier phenomenon, as was the case with the prior art shown in FIG. 9. Thus, there is less reduction in the width of the slits formed between mutually opposing portions of the side wall spacers provided to each of the adjacent gate electrodes. Therefore, etch stop is less likely to occur, which means that the incidence of poor contact can be reduced.

Semiconductor device having self-aligned contacts


A manual dimmable mirror assembly includes a mirror element having a first substantially transparent substrate and a second substantially transparent substrate. The first and second substantially transparent substrates are substantially parallel and define a cavity that contains an electro-optic medium. The mirror assembly also includes an input device and a controller in communication with the input device. The controller configured to control electrical power supplied to the mirror element, such that the mirror element transitions from a substantially clear state to a substantially dark state at least partially based upon the communication from the input device.

There are many instances where a user may want to dim or darken a mirror assembly to enhance visibility. In automotive applications, for example, a user may want to darken a rearview mirror assembly at night to help reduce the glare caused by headlights or other impinging light sources. For these applications, as well as others, a dimmable mirror assembly that can be darkened and lightened without having to be physically adjusted or flipped like a prism mirror may be used. Such a dimmable mirror assembly may include control features that permit a user to manually activate, control, and deactivate the dimming functionality of the assembly. While a dimmable mirror assembly of this kind can certainly be manually operated as needed, the convenience of using the assembly may be improved by programming it to function a particular way in certain situations.

Dimmable mirror assembly and method thereof


One or more DNS services are provided that are configured to not only tolerate some commonly observed DNSSEC misconfigurations (while still providing DNSSEC's security guarantees), but also provide a more intelligent DNS resolution process informed by DNSSEC.

DNSSEC is a suite of Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) specifications for securing certain kinds of information provided by the DNS as used on Internet Protocol (IP) networks. It is a set of extensions to DNS, which provide to DNS users origin authentication of DNS data, authenticated denial of existence, and data integrity. All answers in DNSSEC are digitally signed. By checking the digital signature, a DNS user is able to check if the information is identical (correct and complete) to the information published at the authoritative DNS server.
DNSSEC was standardized in 2005 and uses a straightforward hierarchical verification architecture to learn keys and verify data. DNSSEC has become one component of naming and resolution services provided by DNS registry services. However, it has become apparent that DNSSEC's verification model does not adequately support the flexibility and robustness needed by Internet systems. DNSSEC's design verifies DNS data when deployment operates without benign misconfigurations. This is in contrast to DNS, which offers robustness to many types of misconfigurations. In a sense, DNSSEC presumes near-perfect operational deployments.
By way of a simplified example of a top-level domain (TLD) implementing DNSSEC, the DNS records in the TLD zone file are digitally signed using a private key. The corresponding public key is published as a DNSKEY record in the TLD zone file, and is given to the root name server's provisioning system, which digitally signs a DNS record containing the fingerprint of the public key (a Delegation Signer ("DS") record) with the root zone's private key. The root zone's public key may be retrieved directly by a relying party from a local trust list by a client application. A lookup request queries the trusted root zone for authoritative name server information for the TLD and for the associated public key fingerprint. The public key fingerprint is then used to verify the TLD's public key. This process keeps the chain of trust intact. Because a lookup request begins with a trusted node (the root server), each subsequent step in the chain of lookups maintains the trust by using the public/key private key infrastructure. Thus, once the TLD's public key is verified using the public key fingerprint from its "parent", the root zone, the TLD name server returns the public key fingerprint for the next authoritative name server, which is digitally signed with the TLD's private key. The next authoritative name server has also digitally signed its DNS records with a private key. The chain continues indefinitely until the last node is reached and the ultimate DNS record, e.g., a record containing a web server's IP address, is determined. (Note that in practice, the DNSSEC trust chain typically is slightly more complex, with two levels of keys per zone. A key-signing key signs DNSKEY records, and a zone-signing key signs other records, including the DS record containing the fingerprint of the next zone's key-signing key.)
If a failure occurs during at any stage of the DNSSEC chain of trust verification process, the requestor typically has no other mechanism to validate the requested DNS record. The requestor may be provided the DNS record and may have to make a determination as to whether the record is trustworthy. Alternatively, the requestor may not be provided the DNS record. In either case, the results are not optimal for the requestor. Thus, there is a need for a mechanism to validate DNS records when DNSSEC is not functioning properly, i.e., when DNSSEC is "imperfect."

Strengthening integrity assurances for DNS data


In at least one illustrative embodiment, a lift may comprise a support frame, a pair of lift arms pivotally coupled to the support frame and configured to support a motor vehicle tire, and a powertrain including a motor and a pair of pull rods, each of the pull rods being coupled between the motor and one of the pair of lift arms. The powertrain is operable to move the pair of lift arms between a first position, in which the second end of each of the lift arms is positioned a first distance above the support frame, and a second position, in which the second end of each of the lift arms is positioned a second distance above the support frame, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

Existing approaches for changing motor vehicles tires typically require a user to perform a number of manual operations. For instance, existing approaches may require the user to manually remove the tire to be changed, manually raise a replacement tire toward a hub configured to support the replacement tire (once the tire to be changed has been removed), and/or manually align the replacement tire relative to the hub once the replacement tire has been raised. The manual labor associated with such approaches tends to limit their desirability.


A method is provided in one example and includes receiving a video sequence having at least one code symbol embedded therein. The at least one code symbol is selected from a sequence of code symbols. The method further includes determining whether the at least one code symbol is decodable, and determining one or more video quality parameters based upon whether the at least one symbol is decodable. The method still further includes determining a video quality metric associated with the video sequence based upon the one or more video quality parameters.

Unlike analog video, the quality of digital video is influenced by many parameters such as the codec, resolution, and frame rate used to quantify the video. Such variability presents significant challenges in defining video accuracy and in tracking video streams from a source, such as a camera, to a viewer with adequate precision. Determining the quality of streamed digital video is often not amenable to automated testing procedures. Systems that operate on digital video are often validated manually by the subjective measure of a tester. These tasks are inherently time consuming and prone to errors. In addition, traditional objective video quality measurement metrics do not necessarily correlate with an end user experience.

Method and system for analyzing video stream accuracy in a network environment