A combustor dome assembly includes an annular support plate fixedly joined to a combustion liner which confines combustion gases. The support plate includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced support openings for supporting respective carburetors, and respective splashplates fixedly joined coaxially to each of the support openings. Each of the splashplates includes an intermediate flared portion spaced axially downstream from an intermediate portion of the support plate to define a plenum, and a distal end spaced radially away from the liner to define a circumferential extending outlet gap in flow communication with the plenum. The support plate intermediate portion has a plurality of impingement holes disposed between the support openings and a proximal end of the support plate for channeling a first portion of compressed air as impingement air into the plenum to impinge against the splashplate intermediate portion. A plurality of circumferentially spaced air slots are disposed between the support plate proximal end and the liner for channeling a second portion of the compressed air therethrough and into the plenum for mixing with spent impingement air to form a cooling air film extending from the outlet gap along the liner for film cooling thereof.

A typical aircraft gas turbine engine combustor includes annular, radially spaced apart outer and inner combustion liners disposed coaxially about a longitudinal centerline axis to define an annular combustion zone therebetween. Disposed at the upstream ends of the liners is an annular combustor dome fixedly joined thereto and including a plurality of circumferentially spaced carburetors therein for providing a fuel/air mixture into the combustor which is ignited for generating combustion gases therein.
In order to protect the combustor from the hot combustion gases and provide a useful service life thereof, various means are used for cooling the dome and the liners including for example means for generating boundary layer films of cooling air along the inner surfaces of the combustor. Such film cooling must be provided from the dome and extend downstream along the full axial extent of the liners. The cooling air film is typically formed by a circumferentially extending conventional cooling nugget in the form of an annular plenum having a lip defining an annular outlet slot for discharging the cooling air film. The nugget includes a plurality of circumferentially space inlet holes typically located at a radius or apex of the nugget at an upstream end of the plenum. In conventional combustors, a plurality of axially spaced rows of the cooling nuggets are typically used for ensuring the continuation of an effective cooling air film along the entire axial and circumferential extent of the combustor liners.
Another type of combustor utilizes axially spaced rows of circumferentially spaced inclined multiholes for convectively cooling the liners as well as for providing the cooling air film along the inner surfaces thereof instead of using the conventional nuggets. However, in some multihole designs, the multiholes by themselves are unable to start an effective film of cooling air, and a conventional nugget or other means is provided for starting the cooling air film at the upstream end of the combustor immediately upstream of the first row of multiholes. An effective cooling air film in such an embodiment must be provided from the dome region of the combustor to ensure that the multiholes provide an effective cooling air film with an acceptable heat transfer rate. For example, one model test performed on behalf of the present assignee shows that the cooling effectiveness of a multihole liner alone as compared to a multihole liner having a cooling film starting slot at the upstream end thereof has initially about 10% of the cooling effectiveness compared thereto at the dome end of the combustor. The cooling effectiveness of the multihole-only liner increases along the liner in the downstream direction whereas the cooling effectiveness of the multihole liner with the cooling air film starting slot decreases in the downstream direction, with the film effectiveness of the latter being substantially greater than that of the former up to the last row of the multiholes in the liner.
The air used for providing a cooling air film in a combustor is a portion of compressor discharge air which necessarily decreases overall performance efficiency of the combustor since such air is not being directly used to support the combustion process. Furthermore, various conventional cooling air apertures exist in conventional combustors for providing cooling thereof including film cooling. Such various conventional structures have varying degrees of complexity, cost, undesirable weight, or stress concentrations, or efficiency of use of the available cooling air. For example, locating a cooling air aperture in the apex or radius of a plate typically results in a substantial stress concentration which must be accommodated, for example by increased thickness of the plate, for providing a useful life for the combustor. Furthermore, since combustor cooling air typically does not directly support the combustion process, the use thereof should be kept to a minimum to avoid overall performance efficiency losses of the combustor.


A main frame of a row crop attachment adapted to be attached to a field traversing forage harvester having a crop inlet. An auger, mounted on the main frame generally transverse to the direction of travel of the forage harvester, comprises a tube and flighting mounted on the tube for engaging the upper portion of standing row crops as the forage harvester traverses the field. A transverse cutting assembly, mounted below the auger, has a cutting mechanism for cutting the lower portion of standing row crops. Also mounted below the auger are elements for engaging the lower portion of the stalks in cooperation with the auger flighting under conditions where the auger is rotated in a direction that urges the crop material downwardly and inwardly. After the crop is cut it is urged rearwardly by the auger toward a crop outlet in the attachment adjacent the inlet in the harvester on which the attachment is mounted.

A typical forage harvester operating in matured crops growing in rows, such as corn or the like, includes a mobile base unit and a row crop header attached to the base unit for cutting, gathering, and conveying crop material rearwardly to the base unit. The base unit includes a forward generally rectangular inlet opening for receiving crop material being conveyed rearwardly, a feeding assembly spanning the width of the inlet opening to engage the conveyed crop material, and a crop processor including a rotating cutterhead for receiving crop material from the feeding assembly and chopping it into small pieces, which constitutes the end product that is transferred to a wagon for transport to a storage facility, such as a silo.
The header attachment is mounted on the front of the base unit and has a rear, generally centrally located discharge outlet in communication with the inlet opening on the base unit. As is well known, the stalks of the row crop being harvested are cut near the ground by a cutting assembly on the header attachment, after which the cut crop is gathered and delivered rearwardly through the central discharge outlet and into the feeding assembly on the base unit. During the time the crop material is being conveyed the stalks are manipulated by the gathering and feeding means in a manner such that the cut ends of the stalks of the crop material, or stalk butts, are presented first to the feeding assembly. Thus, the crop material is fed, stalk butts first, to the cutterhead by the feeding assembly, which commonly comprises one or more pairs feed rolls mounted transversely across the inlet of the base unit.
It is not uncommon for an operator of a forage harvester to be confronted with different spacing between the rows of standing crop as he moves from one field to another. Furthermore, non uniform row spacing may be encountered in the same field during successive passes due to adverse planting conditions, unreliable row spacing integrity of the planting apparatus, etc. Unless the operator somehow compensates for such differences the standing crops are not likely to be aligned properly with the header stalkways that guide the crop rearwardly in typical row crop attachments.
Various efforts have been made in the past to overcome this problem. For example, the areas between the leading portions of adjacent crop receiving elements have been enlarged and extended forwardly to engage and urge standing crops to the cutters regardless of row spacing. This type of apparatus tends to be ineffective under conditions' where there are wide variations between row spacing and is also undesirable due to the additional bulk.
Other attempts to solve the problem involve the utilization of units in which the crop passages are laterally adjustable, such as shown for exemplary purposes in U.S. Reissue Pat. No. Re. 31,063, issued Oct. 26, 1982 in the name of James g. Greiner et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,396, issued Apr. 18, 1978 in the name of David P. Fritz et al.
Another approach in the past has been to provide a row crop attachment that is not sensitive to the spacing of standing crop material regardless of distance between the rows. Examples of apparatus of this nature are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,622,804, issued Nov. 18, 1986 in the name of Bernard Krone et al, and No. 4,926,623, issued May 22, 1990 in the name of Josef Fiener. In Krone et al, a chain driven mechanism is operative transverse to the direction of travel to cut standing crop and convey it transversely to a chopping assembly. The Fiener patent discloses apparatus in which a pair of counter rotating cutting assemblies engage stalk-like crops independently of row spacing and employ opposing truncated cone members to guide the cut crop material rearwardly to a centrally located chopper.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,594,842, issued Jun. 17, 1986 in the name of Norbert Walters et al, and No. 5,237,804, issued Aug. 4, 1993 in the name of Alfred Bertling, are further examples of prior art forage harvester row crop attachments that are not sensitive to the spacing between the rows of standing crop being harvested. In these patents, assigned to a common assignee, pairs of counter rotating cutting assemblies operate in a manner similar to the above discussed Fiener patent. In the first instance the counter rotating cutting assemblies cooperate with opposed sloping conveyor drums, forward of processor feed rolls, while in the latter instance there are no means intermediate the cutting assemblies and the processor feed rolls.
These efforts in the past to solve the problem of providing forage harvester row crop attachment apparatus that accommodates randomly spaced crops, have either resulted in mechanisms that require time consuming and inconvenient mechanical adjustments or have yielded solutions fraught with difficulties spawned by complex endeavors to provide an acceptable solution.

Row crop attachment for forage harvester


A system and method for powering and monitoring use of battery powered automated dispensers is provided. In one embodiment, a pseudo battery assembly comprised of a pseudo battery and a plurality of battery spacers powers and monitors use of an automated hand hygiene dispenser. More specifically, the pseudo battery receives an external power supply from a control unit that is part of a hand hygiene compliance (HHC) system, wherein the pseudo battery is operable to distribute the power to the dispenser and detect use thereof with a sensor. Further, a feedback device associated with the control unit is operable to display an alarm or notification once the dispenser has been used a predetermined amount of times. In other embodiments, the pseudo battery assembly powers and monitors use of battery powered automated dispensers, such as an automated towel dispenser or an automated gloves dispenser.

Within the healthcare industry, infection control experts recognize the importance of preventing the spread of healthcare-acquired infections. To date many studies have been conducted in an effort to ascertain effective ways to reduce the occurrence of such infections, and the clear majority finds a thorough cleansing of one's hands as the single most important way to protect against the spread of healthcare-acquired infections. For this reason, many health care facilities have installed manual and battery powered automated dispensers to facilitate proper hand hygiene.
However, limitations exist with regard to these manual and automated dispensers. For instance, manual dispensers require users make physical contact with the dispenser. By requiring such physical conduct, the dispenser becomes a medium for transferring bacteria and disease to subsequent users. Automated dispensers have rectified this problem by eliminating the need for physical contact between users and a dispenser. As a result, automated dispensers reduce the potential for a user contracting a healthcare-acquired infection by eliminating the need for physical contact with dispensers. Turning again now to manual dispensers, it is well known that healthcare workers using such dispensers generally perform only a partial dispense. In other words, they fail to obtain the recommended dispensing volume of soap or alcohol making the hand cleansing less effective. Automated dispensers have again remedied this problem, as automated dispensers commonly utilize electrical motors capable of dispensing the appropriate volume of alcohol or soap for a given user. However, unlike manual dispensers, automated dispensers are often powered by standard batteries. As such, repeated use of automated dispensers results in a decrease in battery levels which has a direct effect on the efficiency of the electrical motor responsible for dispensing appropriate volumes of alcohol or soap.
While the discussion thus far has focused on manual and automated soap dispensers, the inadequacies stated above exist in manual and automated dispensers irrespective of whatever purpose they may serve. Even though automated dispensers are desirable in the sense that they require no physical contact between a user and the dispenser, they remain rather scarce in healthcare facilities due to their dependence on batteries as a source of power. Furthermore, from an economic viewpoint, the unavoidable costs associated with performing routine maintenance make automated dispensers an impractical candidate for widespread implementation. What is needed, therefore, is an automated dispenser which is no longer dependent on batteries as a power supply.

System and method for powering and monitoring an automated battery powered dispenser


This invention encompasses a process for making a compound of Formula A

This invention is directed to a process for making ketosulfone esters such as (1S)-1-methyl-1-[4-(methylsulfonyl)benzoyl]propyl isopropoxyacetate. These compounds are intermediates useful in the preparation of certain non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents, such as the compounds disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,576 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,343.
Non-steroidal, antiinflammatory drugs exert most of their antiinflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity and inhibit hormone-induced uterine contractions and certain types of cancer growth through inhibition of prostaglandin G/H synthase, also known as cyclooxygenase. Up until recently, only one form of cyclooxygenase had been characterized, this corresponding to cyclooxygenase-1 or the constitutive enzyme, as originally identified in bovine seminal vesicles. Recently the gene for a second inducible form of cyclooxygenase (cyclooxygenase-2) has been cloned, sequenced and characterized from chicken, murine and human sources. This enzyme is distinct from the cyclooxygenase-1 which has now also been cloned, sequenced and characterized from sheep, murine and human sources. The second form of cyclooxygenase, cyclooxygenase-2, is rapidly and readily inducible by a number of agents including mitogens, endotoxin, hormones, cytokines and growth factors. As prostaglandins have both physiological and pathological roles, we have concluded that the constitutive enzyme, cyclooxygenase-1, is responsible, in large part, for endogenous basal release of prostaglandins and hence is important in their physiological functions such as the maintenance of gastrointestinal integrity and renal blood flow. In contrast, we have concluded that the inducible form, cyclooxygenase-2, is mainly responsible for the pathological effects of prostaglandins where rapid induction of the enzyme would occur in response to such agents as inflammatory agents, hormones, growth factors, and cytokines. Thus, a selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 will have similar antiinflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic properties to a conventional non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug, and in addition would inhibit hormone-induced uterine contractions and have potential anti-cancer effects, but will have a diminished ability to induce some of the mechanism-based side effects. In particular, such a compound should have a reduced potential for gastrointestinal toxicity, a reduced potential for renal side effects, a reduced effect on bleeding times and possibly a lessened ability to induce asthma attacks in aspirin-sensitive asthmatic subjects.
This invention encompasses a process for making a compound of Formula A
wherein R2 is C1-6alkyl, optionally substituted with C3-6cycloalkyl, and
R3 and R4 are C1-6alkyl,
comprising: reacting pivaloyl chloride with a compound of Formula B
a compound of Formula C
and trialkylamine in the presence of a catalyst in a substantially non-reactive solvent to yield a compound of Formula D
and
oxidizing the compound of Formula D to yield a compound of Formula A.
These compounds are intermediates useful in the preparation of certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,576, granted on Nov. 9, 1999 and U.S. Pat. No., 6,020,343, granted on Feb. 1, 2000 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
This invention encompasses a process for making a compound of Formula A
wherein R2 is C1-6alkyl, optionally substituted with C3-6cycloalkyl, and
R3 and R4 are C1-6alkyl,
comprising: reacting pivaloyl chloride with a compound of Formula B
a compound of Formula C
and trialkylamine in the presence of a catalyst in a substantially non-reactive solvent to yield a compound of Formula D
and
oxidizing the compound of Formula D to yield a compound of Formula A.
An embodiment of the invention encompasses the process wherein trialkylamine is triethylamine.
Another embodiment of the invention encompasses the process wherein the catalyst is 4-dimethylaminopyridine.
Another embodiment of the invention encompasses the process wherein the substantially non-reactive solvent is toluene.
Another embodiment of the invention encompasses the process wherein pivaloyl chloride is sequentially the last reagent to be added.
Another embodiment of the invention encompasses the process wherein the ratio of trialkylamine to the compound of Formula B is in the range of about 2.1 to 3.1 equivalents of trialkylamine relative to about 1 equivalent of the compound of Formula B.
Another embodiment encompasses the process wherein the ratio of pivaloyl chloride to the compound of Formula B is less than about 2.5 equivalents of pivaloyl chloride relative to about 1 equivalent of the compound of Formula B. Preferably, the equivalence ratio of pivaloyl chloride to the compound of Formula B is about 1.5 to 1.
Another embodiment encompasses the process wherein the ratio of the compound of Formula C to the compound of Formula B is at least about 1.2 equivalents of the compound of Formula C relative to about 1 equivalent of the compound of Formula B and the ratio of the catalyst to the compound of Formula B is at least about 0.3 equivalents of the catalyst relative to about 1 equivalent of the compound of Formula B.
Another embodiment of the invention encompasses the process further comprising of making the compound of Formula A at ambient temperature.
Another embodiment of the invention encompasses the process wherein conversion to the compound of Formula D is greater than about 95%.
The invention also encompasses the process further comprising of making the compound of Formula B by reacting a compound of Formula E
with a lithiating agent and a compound of Formula F
in a substantially non-reactive solvent at a reduced temperature to produce a compound of Formula B. The term xe2x80x9clithiating agentxe2x80x9d means for example n-butyllithium, hexyllithium and phenyllithium. Preferably, the reduced temperature is about xe2x88x9235xc2x0 C. to about xe2x88x9230xc2x0 C. Within this embodiment is encompassed this process further comprising of making the compound of Formula E by reacting a compound of Formula G
with pyrrolidine and thionyl chloride in a substantially non-reactive solvent at a reduced temperature to produce a compound of Formula E. Preferably the reduced temperature is below about xe2x88x925xc2x0 C.
The invention also encompasses a process for making a compound of Formula A1
comprising: reacting pivaloyl chloride to a mixture of a compound of Formula B1
a compound of Formula C1
and trialkylainine in the presence of a catalyst in a substantially non-reactive solvent to yield a compound of Formula D1
and
oxidizing the compound of Formula D1 to yield a compound of Formula A1.
Within this embodiment is encompassed the process wherein trialkylamine is triethylamine.
Within this embodiment is encompassed the process wherein the catalyst is 4-dimethylaminopyridine.
Within this embodiment is encompassed the process wherein the substantially non-reactive solvent is toluene.
Within this embodiment is encompassed the process wherein the ratio of trialkylamine to the compound of Formula B1 is in the range of about 2.1 to 3.1 equivalents of trialkylamine relative to about 1 equivalent of the compound of Formula B1.
Within this embodiment is encompassed the process wherein the ratio of pivaloyl chloride to the compound of Formula B1 is less than about 2.5 equivalents of pivaloyl chloride relative to about 1 equivalent of the compound of Formula B1. Preferably, the equivalence ratio of pivaloyl chloride to the compound of Formula B1 is about 1.5 to 1.
Within this embodiment is encompassed the process wherein the ratio of the compound of Formula C1 to the compound of Formula B1 is at least about 1.2equivalents of the compound of Formula C relative to about 1 equivalent of the compound of Formula B1 and the ratio of the catalyst to the compound of Formula B1 is at least about 0.3 equivalents of the catalyst relative to about 1 equivalent of the compound of Formula B1.
Within this process is encompassed the process wherein conversion to the compound of Formula D1 is greater than about 95%.
For the purposes of this specification, the term xe2x80x9calkylxe2x80x9d means linear or branched structures containing the indicated number of carbon atoms. Examples of alkyl groups include methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, s- and t-butyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9cCycloalkylxe2x80x9d means cyclic alkyl structures containing the indicated number of carbon atoms. Examples of cycloalkyl include cyclopropyl, cyclopentyl, cycloheptyl, and the like.
The term xe2x80x9ctrialkylaminexe2x80x9d means tertiary alkyl substituted amines. The alkyl portions may contain 1 to 10 carbon atoms. Examples of trialkylamine include triethylamine, trimethylamine, ethyldimethylamine and the like.
The term xe2x80x9ccatalystxe2x80x9d means 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), pyridine or other pyridine derivatives.
The term xe2x80x9csubstantially non-reactive solventxe2x80x9d means, for example, toluene, benzene, xylene, etheral solvents such as diethyl ether, di-n-butyl and diisopentyl ethers, anisole, cyclic ethers such as tetrahydropyran, 4-methyl-1,3-dioxane, dihydropyran, tetrahydrofurfuryl, methyl ether, ethyl ether, 2-ethoxytetrahydrofuran and tetrahydrofuran (THF), ester solvents including ethyl and isopropyl acetate, halo carbon solvents including mono or dihalo C1-4alkyl such as dichloromethane, and C6-10linear, branched or cyclic hydrocarbon solvents including hexane. Mixtures of two or more of the aforesaid solvents are also contemplated.
The term xe2x80x9cambient temperaturexe2x80x9d means about 20xc2x0 C.
The term xe2x80x9creduced temperaturexe2x80x9d means any temperature less than ambient temperature. Preferably, xe2x80x9creduced temperaturexe2x80x9d means below about 0xc2x0 C.
The compounds of the present invention are intermediates useful in the preparation of certain non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents, such as the compounds disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,576 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,343. For example, the compound of Formula A1
can be used in the process described herein with diazobicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) to afford the following compound
which is useful as a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor.
Throughout the instant application, the following abbreviations have the following meanings:
EDC=1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide
DBU=diazobicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene
DMAP=4-Dimethylaminopyridine
IPAA=isopropyloxyacetic acid
Me=methyl
THF=tetrahydrofuran
The invention is illustrated in connection with the following generic scheme 1
Conversion of acid G to amide E (SOCl2, pyrrolidine, substantially nonreactive solvent) followed by arylation at low temperature (compound of Formula F, lithiating agent, substantially non-reactive solvent, xe2x88x9235 to xe2x88x925xc2x0 C.) provides the hydroxyketone B. Coupling of the hydroxyketone with a compound of Formula C (pivaloyl chloride, trialkylamine, catalyst, non-reactive solvent) followed by oxidation provides the ketosulfone ester A.

Abstract: These compounds are intermediates useful in the preparation of certain non-steroidal anti-inflammnatory agents.


The volumetric 3D display system of this invention applies a moving display panel that sweeps a display space. The full volume swept by the active screen is used as display space. A 3D image to be displayed is first processed into slices of image data based on an orthogonal 3D grid structure. The slice data are then converted into image frames to be displayed on the active screen by mapping the location indices in the orthogonal 3D grid to the location indices on the moving screen. The preferred method of displaying an image frame is to convert each image frame into a number of “image shots” and then display those image shots in sequence. An image shot comprises a number of simple orthogonal patterns aligned in vertical or horizontal directions. Combination of a number of image shots approximates the corresponding image frame.

This invention relates generally to volumetric 3D (V3D) displays, particularly for V3D displays applying a moving active display panel as the display means.
In the prior arts, there are a few descriptions of V3D displays based on a moving active display panel. Berlin in U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,973 describes a system with a rotating panel of light emitting diodes. Favalora in U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,020 describes a system with a rotating panel with emissive pixels with an overlay of micro-lenticular lens.
Tsao in Japanese patent application publication No. P2002-268136A describes a volumetric 3D (V3D) display that a "rotary reciprocating" mechanism drives a flat panel display to create volumetric 3D images directly, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The preferred flat panel display 2001 can be a board carrying arrays of LEDs (light emitting diodes) or OLEDs (organic light emitting diodes). The flat panel display is mounted on a support structure 520. Two pairs of rotary arms, 510a and 510c, drive the flat panel display and the support structure in a rotary motion such that the flat panel display rotates about an axis but with its surface always facing a fixed direction. As a result, the display panel sweeps a display space 12 as if in a reciprocating motion. The whole length of the flat display panel is larger than the length of the display space. As the flat panel display revolves to different positions, each corresponding 2D image frames of the volumetric 3D image to be displayed is kept within the display space by displaying each 2D image frames at a different location on the flat panel display, with the offset matching the location of the display space, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Image signals can be sent to the flat panel display through a cable 2002 connecting the display to its controller 2003. The cable can be made with minimum stiffness so that its effect on the display motion is also minimized. Alternatively, a wireless communication can replace the physical cable.
The V3D display described above can be categorized as a type of "Active Screen" V3D display, because the display screen requires active signal driving in order to display images.
This invention further develops the active screen V3D display technologies and describes improvements in a few key aspects.
This invention describes a method for processing frame image for displaying on the "rotary reciprocating" active screen.
This invention describes schemes of driving an active panel for the purpose of displaying V3D images.
This invention describes methods for designing 3D images that take advantage of the panel driving schemes.
This invention also describes methods and systems for coupling signals between the moving active screen and the stationary control.
This invention also describes the preferred image data memory buffer system.


On-die termination control circuit of semiconductor memory device includes a counter configured to count an external clock to output a first code, and to count an internal clock to output a second code, a transfer controller configured to determine whether to transfer the first code and the second code in response to a first termination command and a normal termination controller configured to compare the first code and the second code with each other to determine enabling/disabling timings of a termination operation in response to a second termination command.

The present invention relates to an on die termination (ODT) control circuit configured to control ODT operation of a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to an ODT control circuit with low power consumption.
With increasing capacity/speed of semiconductor memory devices, particularly DRAMs, and the advent of double data rate (DDR) synchronous DRAMs (SDRAMs), new technical ideas have been suggested to increase a transmission rate in memory devices. As one of various technical ideas, a termination resistor is required to enhance signal transmission between devices.
If impedance is not matched properly, a transmitted signal may be reflected, leading to an error of signal transmission. If, however, a fixed resistor is employed, the impedance cannot be properly matched due to degradation of an integrated circuit (IC), temperature variation or fabrication process variation. Therefore, to compare the resistance of a termination resistor with that of an external reference resistor and make them equal to each other, an impedance matching technology recently has been proposed, which controls a termination resistor by adjusting the number of turned-on transistors among a plurality of transistors connected in parallel.
An on-die termination (ODT) control circuit is a circuit to be used for controlling enabling/disabling timings of ODT operation, that is, enabling/disabling timings of an ODT circuit. Such an ODT control circuit is disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0625298.
According to the JEDEC standard, dynamic termination operation must be supported in DDR3 SDRAMs or high-grade memory devices. The dynamic termination operation is the operation of setting a termination resistor in a chip to have a predetermined resistance required to input data when a write command is input even though a mode register set (MRS) is not set again.
A data-input interface of a semiconductor memory device differs in the termination method and resistance of a termination resistor from a data-output interface. When data are output, an input/output pad, e.g., DQ pad, is pull-up or pull-down terminated to output data of logic 'High' or 'Low'. In contrast, when data are input, the semiconductor memory device receives the data in a state that the input/output pad is pull-up and pull-down terminated to a predetermined resistance, which differs from the resistance when the data are output. Termination schemes in data input/output may be differently designed depending on a kind of a memory device. In DDR3 SDRAMs or high-grade memory devices supporting dynamic termination operation, an ODT circuit inside a chip appositely operates just by receiving a write command.
That is, ODT control circuits before the advent of DDR3 memory devices played a role in simply controlling the ODT circuit to be enabled/disabled, however, dynamic termination operation must be added to DDR3 SDRAMs or high-grade memory devices.
Therefore, the ODT control circuit used in DDR3 memory devices controls enabling/disabling of normal termination operation and enabling/disabling of dynamic termination operation.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional ODT control circuit configured to control normal termination operation and dynamic termination operation.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional ODT circuit includes a counter 110, a normal termination controller 130, a dynamic termination controller 120, a clock divider 101, and a replica delay line 102. The counter 110 counts an external clock EXTCLK to output a first code EXTCNT<2:0>, and counts an internal clock DLLCLK2 to output a second code DLLCNT<2:0>. The normal termination controller 130 compares the first code EXTCNT<2:0> and the second code DLLCNT<2:0> with each other to determine enabling/disabling timings of normal termination operation in response to termination commands ODT_STARTP and ODT_ENDP. The dynamic termination controller 120 compares the first code EXTCNT<2:0> and the second code DLLCNT<2:0> with each other to determine enabling/disabling timings of dynamic termination operation in response to a write command WT_STARTP. The clock divider 101 supplies the internal clock DLLCLK2 to the ODT control circuit. The replica delay line 102 receives the internal clock DLLCLK2 to generate the external clock EXTCLLK.
The clock divider 101 and the replica delay line 102, which respectively supply the internal clock DLLCLK2 and the external clock EXTCLK to the ODT control circuit, will be described first below.
The clock divider 101 receives an internal clock DLLCLK1 supplied through a delay locked loop (DLL), and prevents the internal clock DLLCLK2 from toggling until a reset RST is deactivated. The clock divider 101 outputs the internal clock DLLCLK2, which is toggling, when the reset signal RST is deactivated. The internal clock DLLCLK2 is the same as the internal clock DLLCLK1 except that the internal clock DLLCLK2 does not toggle until the reset signal RST is deactivated.
The replica delay line 102 models a clock skew between the internal clock DLLCLK and the external clock EXTCLK. The replica delay line 102 reflects the clock skew in the internal clock DLLCLK, and then outputs the external clock EXTCLK.
The counter 110 counts the external clock EXTCLK to output the first code EXTCNT<2:0>, and counts the internal clock DLLCLK2 to output the second code DLLCNT<2:0>. Herein, the first and second codes EXTCNT<2:0> and DLLCNT<2:0> are a binary code. The first code EXTCNT<2:0> is counted from its initial value '0', however, the second code DLLCNT<2:0> has a specific initial value that is determined according to a CAS write latency (CWL). Since the CWL itself is regulated in a specification such that it has a limited value according to an operating frequency, the specific initial value of the second code DLLCNT<2:0> is determined according to the operating frequency.
The dynamic termination controller 120 controls dynamic termination operation. The dynamic termination controller 120 is responsive to the write command WT_STARTP to store the first code EXTCNT<2:0> at a timing when the write command WT_STARTP is activated. The write command WT_STARTP is generated from a write command, which will be described later. The dynamic termination controller 120 compares a stored value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0> and a value of the second code DLLCNT<2:0> to thereby enable the dynamic termination operation at a timing when the values of the two codes are equal to each other. Here, the value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0> does not vary because it is the stored value, but the value of the second code DLLCNT<2:0> increases because it is continuously counted. The dynamic termination operation is disabled at a timing when the sum of the value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0> and a predetermined value determined according to a burst length (BL) of the stored first code EXTCNT<2:0> is equal to the value of the second code DLLCNT<2:0>. Since the value of the stored value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0> is a constant value, the value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0> with the predetermined value added is also a constant value. Operation of the dynamic termination controller 120 will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings later.
The normal termination controller 130 controls normal termination operation. That is, the normal termination controller 130 controls a normal termination operation in response to the termination commands ODT_STARTP and ODT_ENDP provided from an external memory controller. Herein, the termination commands ODT_STARTP and ODT_ENDP are generated by an external command. Operation of the normal termination controller 130 will also be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings later.
FIG. 2 illustrates the operation of the dynamic termination controller 120 in FIG. 1.
First, since the internal clock DLLCLK2 and the external clock EXTCLK do not toggle before the reset signal RST is deactivated, the first and second codes EXTCNT<2:0> and DLLCNT<2:0> are not counted but fixed to respective initial values. From FIG. 2, it can be observed that the first code EXTCNT<2:0> has the initial value of 0, and the second code DLLCNT<2:0> has the initial value of 5. As described above, the initial value of the second code DLLCNT<2:0> is determined according to CWL. When the reset signal RST is deactivated, the first and second codes EXTCNT<2:0> and DLLCNT<2:0> start to be counted. The counting of the first code EXTCNT<2:0> is performed later than the counting of the second code DLLCNT<2:0> because the external clock EXTCLK is generated by delaying the internal clock DLLCLK2.
Meanwhile, when a write command is input from the outside, the WT_STARTP pulse signal is activated in response to the write command. The first code EXTCNT<2:0> at an enabling timing of the WT_STARTP pulse signal is stored (1 is stored in FIG. 2). A WT_DLL_STARTBP signal is activated to a logic low level when the value of the second code DLLCNT<2:0> is equal to the stored value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0>, i.e., 1. The WT_DLL_STARTBP signal activates a DYNAMIC OTEN signal used to control the dynamic termination operation, which initiates the dynamic termination operation.
How to finish the dynamic termination operation will be described below. A predetermined value is added to the stored value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0>, i.e., 1, according to a burst length BL in response to the write command. Since eight data are input at rising/falling edges of a clock when the burst length is 8, four clocks are required. In consideration of a timing margin, however, six clocks are required in totality, which is regulated in a specification. When the burst length is 4, four clocks are required in totality because two clocks are used for data input and the other two clocks are used for a timing margin, which is also regulated in a specification.
Therefore, when the burst length is 8, the value of 6 is added to the stored value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0>, i.e., 1. In FIG. 2, the burst length is 8 and thus the added value equals to 7, that is, 1+6=7. When the burst length is 4, the value of 4 is added to the stored value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0>. That is, when the burst length is assumed to be BL, the value of (BL/2)+2 is added to the stored value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0>. Thereafter, the value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0> with the predetermined value added is compared with the value of the second code DLLCNT<2:0>. At a timing when the value, i.e., 7, of the first code EXTCNT<2:0> with the predetermined value added is equal to the value of the second code DLLCNT<2:0>, a WT_DLL_ENDBP signal is activated to a logic low level, which deactivates the DTNAMIC ODTEN signal so that the dynamic termination operation is finished.
In this way, the conventional dynamic termination controller 120 enables the dynamic termination operation after a predetermined time from the input of the write command. After securing a time necessary for data input and a predetermined margin, the dynamic termination is disabled.
FIG. 3 is a timing diagram illustrating the WT_STARTP pulse signal in FIG. 2.
The WT_STARTP pulse signal is basically activated in response to a write command. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a column address strobe (CAS) command corresponding to the write command is input, and then the WT_STARTP pulse signal is activated after a predetermined time, i.e., after an additive latency (AL). Herein, since the CAS command corresponds to the write command, the CAS command is input while a write enable signal WE is activated.
In detail, when an external CAS command corresponding to the write command is input, a command input buffer receives the CAS command in synchronization with a clock CLK. Thereafter, the CAS command is delayed by a predetermined delay time tD1 in an internal circuit, and then the WT_STARTP pulse signal is activated. That is, the write pulse signal WT_STARTP may be generated by delaying the write command from the outside by a predetermined delay time. For reference, a pulse width of the WT_STARTP pulse signal may be properly set in consideration of a margin.
FIG. 4 illustrates operation of the normal termination controller 130 in FIG. 1.
First, since the internal clock DLLCLK2 and the external clock EXTCLK do not toggle before the reset signal RST is deactivated, the first and second codes EXTCNT<2:0> and DLLCNT<2:0> are not counted but fixed to respective initial values. From FIG. 4, it can be observed that the first code EXTCNT<2:0> has the initial value of 0, and the second code DLLCNT<2:0> has the initial value of 5. As described above, the initial value of the second code DLLCNT<2:0> is determined according to CWL. When the reset signal RST is deactivated, the first and second codes EXTCNT<2:0> and DLLCNT<2:0> start to be counted. The counting of the first code EXTCNT<2:0> is performed later than the counting of the second code DLLCNT<2:0> because the external clock EXTCLK is generated by delaying the internal clock DLLCLK2.
Meanwhile, an ODT_STARTP signal is activated, which is generated by a termination command of an external memory controller (also referred to as a 'chipset'). The first code EXTCNT<2:0> at an enabling timing of the ODT_STARTP signal is stored (1 is stored in FIG. 4). An ODT_DLL_STARTBP signal is activated to a logic low level when the value of the second code DLLCNT<2:0> is equal to the stored value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0>, i.e., 1. This ODT_DLL_STARTBP signal activates an ODTEN signal used to control normal termination operation, which initiates the normal termination operation. The normal termination operation means a typical termination operation, not the dynamic termination operation.
The finish of the normal termination operation is performed in the same manner as the initiation of the normal termination operation. The value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0> at an enabling timing of the ODT_ENDP signal generated by the termination command of the external memory controller is stored, for example, the value of 6 is stored in FIG. 4. When the value of the second code DLLCNT<2:0> is equal to the stored value of the first code EXTCNT<2:0>, e.g., 6, an ODT_DLL_ENDBP signal is activated to a logic low level, which deactivates the ODTEN signal used to control the normal termination operation. Finally, the normal termination operation is finished.
That is, both the initiation and finish of the normal termination operation are controlled by the external memory controller.
FIG. 5 is a timing diagram illustrating the ODT_STARTP signal and the ODT_ENDP signal.
The ODT_STARTP signal and the ODT_ENDP signal are basically generated by a command from the external memory controller. The termination command ODT is applied from the memory controller so as to satisfy setup/hold conditions. The termination command ODT is synchronized with an internal clock and then delayed by a predetermined time, i.e., additive latency (AL), thereby generating an ODT_COM signal. The ODT_STARTP signal and the ODT_ENDP signal are respectively activated at the enabling and disabling timings of the ODT_COM signal. Here, the ODT_STARTP signal and the ODT_ENDP signal are pulse-type signals.
As described above, the conventional ODT control circuit compares the first code EXTCNT<2:0> generated by counting the external clock EXTCLK with the second code DLLCNT<2:0> generated by counting the internal clock DLLCLK2, thus controlling the normal termination operation and the dynamic termination operation. Such a conventional ODT control circuit keeps on counting the external clock EXTCLK and the internal clock DLLCLK2 to generate the first code EXTCNT<2:0> and the second code DLLCNT<2:0>. Accordingly, the counter 110 consumes current continuously.
Furthermore, since the first and second codes EXTCNT<2:0> and DLLCNT<2:0>, which are continuously toggling, i.e., varying, are input into the normal termination controller 130 and the dynamic termination controller 120 for comparison, gate terminals of logic gates in the normal termination controller 130 and the dynamic termination controller 120 are charged and discharged continuously, thus always giving rise to a dynamic current consumption. This means that a memory device unnecessarily consumes power even in a stand-by mode.
For reference, dynamic power consumption means power consumption caused by charging/discharging of loading capacitors while a circuit is operating. More particularly, dynamic power consumption means power consumption occurring while capacitors at gate terminals are being charged and discharged periodically due to continuous toggling of the first and second codes EXTCNT and DLLCNT<2:0>.
Recently, there has been increasing demand for a low-power semiconductor memory device. In particular, power consumption in a stand-by mode may basically affect power consumption of all operating modes, and thus technology for reducing power consumption in a stand-by mode is a critical issue in semiconductor memory devices.


This invention relates to the production of durably liquidproof laminates and articles made therefrom, the laminates incorporating a barrier layer and a textile made from a composite yarn containing a core including fiberglass as a strength component and a sheath of a different material around the core. Shelters and other protective articles incorporating this laminate are also described.

The use of coated textile composites or laminates of textiles and liquid protective barrier membrane layers to create liquidproof protective apparel is well known in the industry. The most common of these applications is waterproof breathable apparel. Typical examples are laminate materials sold by W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc. under the registered trade name GORE-TEX, which contain a waterproof breathable film laminated, or bonded, to one or more textile layers. These laminates are fabricated into apparel and sold as GORE-TEX® garments and the like.
In the particularly demanding arenas of fire and safety service, and even chemical protective applications, the need for textiles which can withstand these more rigorous environments introduces challenges in forming laminated structures that retain liquidproofness even after flexing and abrasion during use. For example, textiles with enhanced fire resistance such as fiberglass, aramids, and the like, tend to be higher in weight and lower in flexibility. Furthermore, the composition of the textiles themselves can introduce additional challenges in bonding, or lamination, to create a durable bond between the barrier layer and the textile material. In addition, fiberglass textiles tend to be less flexible and subject to breaking during flexing, whereby the broken fibers can penetrate the barrier layer and compromise the liquidproofness of the laminates and resulting articles.
Textiles containing woven and non-woven glass fibers have in the past been bonded to PTFE and other polymeric materials to provide improved water resistance, UV stability, strength, etc., in applications such as roofing materials and other structural applications where the resulting material is not subject to significant flexing in use and durable liquidproofness is not as critical as in applications where human life can be put at risk in the event of material failure. For example, JP 61027245, in the name of Japan Gore-Tex, Inc., describes a continuously porous PTFE film laminated on a fabric woven with threads of glass fiber. Other similar references exist to such structural materials.
In the field of fire and safety service, fiberglass containing fabrics have not found widespread use because of the limitations of laminates comprising these fabrics to maintain barrier properties after flexing. Most textiles used in this application are aramids which have weight, manufacturing, cost, and lamination disadvantages.
Accordingly, a need has existed for lightweight, strong, flexible and durably liquidproof laminates including a barrier layer which can be readily formed into liquidproof articles to meet a wide range of demanding environmental conditions.

Barrier laminates and articles made therefrom


The present invention relates to a method and a device for adjusting the output torque or the output speed of an internal combustion engine in order to protect the differentials. The crux and advantage of the present invention lies in calculating and monitoring the rpm differences or the rpm differences in the transverse direction of any vehicle (front-wheel-, rear-wheel-, and four-wheel-drive) as well as the difference in the Cardan speeds that exists in the longitudinal direction in four-wheel drive vehicles. When a specifiable limiting value is exceeded, an automatic reduction in the drive torque or an automatic limiting of the engine speed to a manageable level takes place. This protective function for the differentials cannot be switched off and is available even in the passively activated drive-torque AMR control system. It can only be realized by software using already existing sensors and actuator devices. The application outlay is minimal.

The present invention relates to a method and a device for adjusting the braking action on the wheels of a vehicle, having the features of the preamble of the independent claims.
For transmitting the engine output torque to the drive wheels, so-called equalizing gears, or differentials, are known from the related art. They function primarily to equalize the rpm differences between the driven wheels of one axle, for example during cornering. In this context, a mechanical differential, a so-called transverse differential, is usually assigned to one drive axle.
If more than one axle is driven, for example in four-wheel-drive motor vehicles, then a further differential (center differential) is additionally present, primarily so that rpm differences between the driven axles are equalized.
Mechanical differentials, however, can only to a limited extent equalize the rpm differences between the left and right wheels, or between the rear and front axles. If the rpm differences exceed a critical limiting value, then the differential (and the tire) is destroyed by the excessive centrifugal force. The vehicle can no longer be driven and the result is an expensive repair of the affected parts.
For cost reasons, four-wheel-drive motor vehicles are increasingly equipped with open differentials. By way example, in order to be able to transfer a drive torque in one spinning wheel of an axle to the other wheel of the axle, especially in off-road vehicles, differentials are used that can be mechanically locked. Similarly, the center differential can be designed so as to be lockable, so that even in the case of two spinning wheels on one axle a drive torque can become effective on the other axle.
However, this locking function, in so-called open differentials that are designed so as not to be mechanically lockable, can also be realized by a controlled, one-sided braking engagement (BMR, braking torque control), and in four-wheel-drive motor vehicles also by an axle-based braking engagement. The spinning wheel, or wheels, of one axle can be braked in a controlled, or wheel-specific, manner.
Precisely in four-wheel-drive motor vehicles having open differentials, however, the differentials can be damaged very quickly if three wheels are standing still (e.g., on asphalt) and only one wheel is situated on a sheet of ice (or xe2x80x9cis hanging in the airxe2x80x9d) and the driver has caused the engine to xe2x80x9cracexe2x80x9d in the engaged state. If the one-sided braking engagement does not now provide for a braking of this wheel, then the entire drive torque acts on this one wheel in an accelerating manner. In this context, the engine/wheel speed ratio is twice as high as in a vehicle having a conventional drive. An individual wheel, in this context, can be accelerated within one second to several hundred km/h. This happens especially when faulty gear changing also occurs on the part of the automatic transmission. As a result of these enormous centrifugal forces, the tire can be destroyed or at least suffer structural damage so that later a blowout of the tire can result with fatal consequences.
Even if the differentials used are constructed in a mechanically robust manner and endure very high rpm differences at least for short periods, the stability of the tires is a serious subject. This is so especially in the case of off-road tires, which are in any case not designed for very high driving speeds.
The objective of the present invention lies in assuring an effective protection of differentials and tires, using simple means.
This objective is achieved by the characterizing features of the independent claims.
The present invention in a first variant relates to a method and a device for adjusting the output torque of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle having at least four wheels that are arranged on at least two axles and that are driven by the internal combustion engine.
For transmitting the drive, at least one transverse differential is provided that is assigned to an axle having driven wheels, and a center differential, that is assigned to two axles having driven wheels. For the driven case of the vehicle, a deactivatable, wheel-specific control system (BMR) for the braking action on the wheels and/or a control system (AMR) for the output torque of the internal combustion engine is provided. The crux of the present invention lies in the fact that, in a deactivated, wheel-specific control system for the braking action and/or control system for the output torque of the internal combustion engine
rpm quantities are measured which represent the rotational motions of the vehicle wheels, and
as a function of the rpm quantities, difference quantities are generated which represent the rpm and/or rotational speed differences at the outputs of the differentials, and
the difference quantities are compared with specifiable threshold values, and
the output torque of the internal combustion engine is adjusted in the sense of a reduction if at least one threshold value is exceeded.
A second variant of the present invention relates to a method and a device for adjusting the output speed of the internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle having at least four wheels that are arranged on at least two axles and that are driven by the internal combustion engine. In this context as well, at least one transverse differential is provided, which is assigned to an axle having driven wheels, and one center differential that is assigned to two axles having driven wheels. Then, in accordance with the invention,
rpm quantities are measured that represent the rotational motions of the vehicle wheels, and
as a function of the rpm quantities, difference quantities are generated which represent the rpm and/or rotational speed differences at the outputs of the differentials, and
the difference quantities are compared with specifiable threshold values, and
the output speed of the internal combustion engine is limited to a specifiable value if at least one threshold value is exceeded.
The following is presented as background to the present invention:
xe2x80x9cNormally,xe2x80x9d in the driven case, the locking system described above, by an active wheel-specific braking (BMR), prevents excessive rpm differences at the outputs of the differentials. However, there exists a series of possibilities that lead to a deactivation of the braking torque control system (BMR):
In the driven case, the driver intentionally brakes, for example in an off-road setting, or he does so unintentionally (a xe2x80x9ctwo-footedxe2x80x9d driver).
The braking torque control system (BMR) on one wheel can be deactivated due to a supposed overheating of the wheel brake.
Similarly, a faulty braking action on a specific wheel, for example as a result of a defective wheel brake, can lead to the BMR becoming inoperative.
In addition to the braking torque control system (BMR), a drive torque control system (AMR) can also be provided, which adjusts the drive torque effective on the wheels such that no excessive drive slip can arise. The drive torque control system (AMR) can be deactivated, for example by the driver. For instance, this can take place when the driver switches off a driving stability control system.
The wheel-specific control system (BMR) for the braking action on the wheels can therefore be deactivated if
a braking process triggered by the driver is occurring and/or
the measured temperature of at least one wheel brake unit exceeds a specifiable threshold value and/or
the driver manually switches off the control system.
According to the present invention, the problem described above is solved by the rpm differences being calculated and monitored through evaluating the wheel speeds. If a limiting value is exceeded, then the engine torque, or the engine speed, is reduced or limited by a regulator, so that no damage can occur to the vehicle. In this way, it is also possible to effectively deal with faulty operation on the part of the driver.
In one advantageous refinement of the present invention in the first variant, it is provided that when at least one threshold value is established as having been exceeded, the above-mentioned control system (AMR) for the output torque of the internal combustion engine is activated, the system acting in the driven case. As a result, it is assured that no excessive drive slip arises on the wheels.
In one advantageous embodiment of the present invention in the second variant, it is provided that the limiting value, to which the engine output speed is limited, is stipulated as a function of the differential whose difference quantity exceeds the specifiable threshold value.
Generally speaking, a manual or automatic transmission is arranged downstream of the internal combustion engine. In the second variant of the present invention, it can be provided that the limiting value, to which the engine output speed is limited, is stipulated as a function of the currently set speed ratio of the transmission.
Further advantageous embodiments can be found in the subclaims.

Method and device for protecting the differentials of a motor vehicle


A solid-state image pickup device including a substrate having a first face and a second face which serves as an opposite face of the first face; a solid-state image pickup element having a plurality of electrodes and a light sensing part, an opposite face of the light sensing part being bonded to the first face via a bonding agent; a plurality of wires formed over the face, first ends of the wires serving as external electrode terminals; and a connection part for electrically connecting the electrodes to the wires, wherein an endless-shaped contraction frame formed of resin larger in thermal expansion coefficient than the substrate and image pickup element is bonded to and formed on surface of the substrate located outside the light sensing part so as to surround the light sensing part, and a light sensing face of the light sensing part is warped.

The present invention relates to a solid-state image pickup device and a method of producing such a device. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique which is effective in application to a technique for producing a solid-state image pickup device using an image sensor such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor.
A solid-state image pickup element (image sensor) such as a CMOS sensor or a CCD sensor is used in optical devices such as digital cameras. Light (a beam) led by an optical lens forms an image on the surface (light receiving face or image pickup face) of a solid-state image pickup element (solid-state image pickup chip). The image is converted to an electric signal by cells (pixels) of the solid-state image pickup element, and taken out as image information.
On the other hand, the distance from a lens (optical lens) becomes long in an image center of the solid-state image pickup element which coincides with an optical axis of the optical lens and in a peripheral part. The so-called curvature of field aberration occurs and the lens is out of focus, resulting in a blurred image and a lowered resolution. As a method for eliminating such curvature of field aberration, a method of curving the light sensing face of the solid-state image pickup element (sensor chip) in a concave form so as to conform with the curvature of field is known (for example, JP-A-10-108078, JP-A-2004-349545 and JP-A-2004-146633).
According to a technique disclosed in JP-A-10-108078, the back of a solid-state image pickup chip is adhered to one face of a flexible elastic plate, and the curvature of the elastic plate is adjusted to adjust the curvature of the light sensing face of the solid-state image pickup chip.
According to a technique disclosed in JP-A-2004-349545, a planar image pickup element (Si having a thermal expansion coefficient of 4 ppm/K) and a planar member (invar having a thermal expansion coefficient of 2 ppm/K) that is different in thermal expansion coefficient from the image pickup element are stacked and bonded to each other in a high temperature state and then cooled to the normal temperature. The light sensing face of the image pickup element is curved to take a concave shape by a difference caused in shrinkage quantity between the image pickup element and the planar member due to the cooling. Thereafter, the image pickup element in the curved state is mounted on a substrate.
According to a method disclosed in JP-A-2004-146633, when joining a solid-state image pickup element to a printed circuit board of a material that is larger in thermal expansion coefficient than a material of the solid-state image pickup element via a projection electrode, the light sensing face of the image pickup element is curved to take a concave shape by a difference caused in thermal expansion coefficient between the printed circuit board and the image pickup element due to the cooling action after the heating and joining.
On the other hand, the conventional solid-state image pickup apparatus typically has a structure incorporating a solid-state image pickup element in a package called cer-DIP (for example, JP-A-2003-243635). A semiconductor device (solid-state image pickup device) disclosed in JP-A-2003-243635 has a structure in which a top opening of a package main body formed of ceramics is sealed with a lid formed of a glass plate. An element disposing region of a bottom part which is an internal bottom of the package main body is curved, and a solid-state image pickup element is stuck fast to and joined to the curved face.

Solid-state image pickup device and method of producing the same


A protective coating process is described for simultaneously sealing and priming the anodic coating applied to a metal compound without the need for elevated temperatures during a subsequent curing step. The process comprises the steps of anodizing the component to be coated, applying the coating composition at an elevated temperature of about 150 degrees F. to thereby simultaneously seal and prime the component and curing the sealed and primed component at ambient temperatures. If cross-linking agents are employed then elevated cure temperatures are utilized.

Known processes for applying corrosion resistant protective coatings on aluminum substrates are typically sequential in nature and utilize a chemical or electro-chemical surface treatment followed by the application of an organic primer. The aluminum substrate or component is first anodized, then sealed through hydration and subsequently the sealed anodic coating is coated, typically with an organic primer.
The multiple separate and distinct process steps of the above-noted coating operation result in a build-up of layers which creates dimensional problems due to the film thicknesses of the anodic coating and the primer. This build-up of layers results in an ultimate coating having a durability which is critically dependent on the degree of chemical/mechanical bonding between layers. Moreover, the entire operation for producing the multi-layered coating requires an appreciable amount of time and labor.
In an attempt to overcome the shortcomings of the known coating processes, the inventors of the present invention disclosed in Bradley et al. (4,310,390), assigned to the assignee of the present application, a protective coating process which reduces the number of process steps required to form a protective coating. The reduction of process steps is achieved by introducing a water-borne, water soluble acrylic resin into the sealing step of an otherwise conventional anodizing sequence to thereby simultaneously seal and impregnate the anodic coating. Subsequent to the sealing step, however, the resultant coating is cured at elevated temperatures up to 500.degree. F. The requirement of a heating step is not only costly in terms of production time and energy, but requires the maintenance of a precisely controlled temperature/time range which is difficult to achieve.
An improved coating composition and a simplified process to produce a protective coating for providing corrosion protection for metals is also disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,919 to Bradley et al., assigned to the assignee of the present application, wherein an anodic coating applied to aluminum and alloys thereof is simultaneously sealed and impregnated at temperatures in excess of about 170.degree. F., in a time/temperature relationship, the coating being cured without the need for elevated cure temperatures. Although the coating is operationally quite efficient, the protective coating process of the '919 patent requires complex and expensive facilization in order to prevent accelerated solution aging and polymerization skinning of the resin when scaled up from a pilot line configuration to a production scale.

Protective coating process for aluminum and aluminum alloys


A method of manufacturing an arthroplasty jig is disclosed herein. The method may include the following: generate two dimensional image data of a patient joint to undergo arthroplasty, identify in the two dimensional image data a first point corresponding to an articular surface of a bone forming the joint, identify a second point corresponding to an articular surface of an implant, identify a location of a resection plane when the first point is correlated with the second point, and create the arthroplasty jig with a resection guide located according to the identified location of the resection plane.

Over time and through repeated use, bones and joints can become damaged or worn. For example, repetitive strain on bones and joints (e.g., through athletic activity), traumatic events, and certain diseases (e.g., arthritis) can cause cartilage in joint areas, which normally provides a cushioning effect, to wear down. When the cartilage wears down, fluid can accumulate in the joint areas, resulting in pain, stiffness, and decreased mobility.
Arthroplasty procedures can be used to repair damaged joints. During a typical arthroplasty procedure, an arthritic or otherwise dysfunctional joint can be remodeled or realigned, or an implant can be implanted into the damaged region. Arthroplasty procedures may take place in any of a number of different regions of the body, such as a knee, a hip, a shoulder, or an elbow.
One type of arthroplasty procedure is a total knee arthroplasty ("TKA"), in which a damaged knee joint is replaced with prosthetic implants. The knee joint may have been damaged by, for example, arthritis (e.g., severe osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis), trauma, or a rare destructive joint disease. During a TKA procedure, a damaged portion in the distal region of the femur may be removed and replaced with a metal shell and a damaged portion in the proximal region of the tibia may be removed and replaced with a channeled piece of plastic having a metal stem. In some TKA procedures, a plastic button may also be added under the surface of the patella, depending on the condition of the patella.
Implants that are implanted into a damaged region may provide support and structure to the damaged region, and may help to restore the damaged region, thereby enhancing its functionality. Prior to implantation of an implant in a damaged region, the damaged region may be prepared to receive the implant. For example, in a knee arthroplasty procedure, one or more of the bones in the knee area, such as the femur and/or the tibia, may be treated (e.g., cut, drilled, reamed, and/or resurfaced) to provide one or more surfaces that can align with the implant and thereby accommodate the implant.
Accuracy in implant alignment is an important factor to the success of a TKA procedure. A one- to two-millimeter translational misalignment, or a one- to two-degree rotational misalignment, may result in imbalanced ligaments, and may thereby significantly affect the outcome of the TKA procedure. For example, implant misalignment may result in intolerable post-surgery pain, and also may prevent the patient from having full leg extension and stable leg flexion.
To achieve accurate implant alignment, prior to treating (e.g., cutting, drilling, reaming, and/or resurfacing) any regions of a bone, it is important to correctly determine the location at which the treatment will take place and how the treatment will be oriented. In some methods, an arthroplasty jig may be used to accurately position and orient a finishing instrument, such as a cutting, drilling, reaming, or resurfacing instrument on the regions of the bone. The arthroplasty jig may, for example, include one or more apertures and/or slots that are configured to accept such an instrument.
A system and method has been developed for producing customized arthroplasty jigs configured to allow a surgeon to accurately and quickly perform an arthroplasty procedure that restores the pre-deterioration alignment of the joint, thereby improving the success rate of such procedures. Specifically, the customized arthroplasty jigs are indexed such that they matingly receive the regions of the bone to be subjected to a treatment (e.g., cutting, drilling, reaming, and/or resurfacing). The customized arthroplasty jigs are also indexed to provide the proper location and orientation of the treatment relative to the regions of the bone. The indexing aspect of the customized arthroplasty jigs allows the treatment of the bone regions to be done quickly and with a high degree of accuracy that will allow the implants to restore the patient's joint to a generally pre-deteriorated state. However, the system and method for generating the customized jigs may rely on a plurality of images from a MRI scan or CT scan to construct a 3D bone model. The image slice orientation of the MRI scan or CT scan is at least partially dependent upon the imaging system operator to place the localizer in various positions during the scan. This imaging process is subject to operator error, such as inaccurate placement of the localizer, thereby increasing the time, manpower and costs associated with producing the customized arthroplasty jig.
There is a need in the art for a system and method for reducing the labor associated with generating customized arthroplasty jigs. There is also a need in the art for a system and method for reducing the effects of operator error and thereby increasing the accuracy of customized arthroplasty jigs.

Preoperatively planning an arthroplasty procedure and generating a corresponding patient specific arthroplasty resection guide


A vending machine comprises a cabinet, a rotating mechanism and a linkage mechanism. The cabinet comprises a cabinet body and a cabinet door pivotally connected to the cabinet body. An accommodating space is arranged in the cabinet body. An opening communicated with the accommodating space is arranged on the cabinet body. The cabinet door is capable of opening or closing the opening. The rotating mechanism is arranged in the cabinet body and is rotatable relative to the cabinet body. The cabinet door drives the rotating mechanism to rotate via the linkage mechanism, when the cabinet door is rotated toward a set position from a closed position.

A vending machine is one kind of machine that can automatically deliver commodity according to the input money, and common equipment for commercial automation. The vending machine has the characteristics of being free from time and place, saving manpower and facilitating transactions, and thus has a broad market at home and abroad.
The related art provides a vending machine, including a cabinet and a plurality of cargo compartments arranged in the cabinet. The plurality of cargo compartments are arranged in three columns and eight rows. Each of the cargo compartments is provided with a door, and comprises a turntable arranged on the bottom of the cargo compartment, a rotary shaft perpendicularly connected with the turntable, and a motor which is arranged under the turntable and connected with the rotary shaft in a transmission manner. The rotary shaft is symmetrically provided with six partition boards to divide each of the cargo compartments into six commodity storage spaces. One commodity is placed in each of the commodity storage space. Each time after one commodity is sold, the motor drives the rotary shaft to rotate 60 degrees, and the turntable rotates along with the rotary shaft, so that the commodity in next one of the commodity storage spaces faces to the door.
Since this kind of vending machine uses a plurality of motors and the cost of motor is relatively high, it results in a high manufacturing cost of the machine.

Shandong New Beiyang Information Technology Co., Ltd.


The device is a molded, chemically-resistant-plastic cylinder consisting of a top rail, a bottom rail, four equally spaced quadrant side bars and four tapered helicoidally twisted directional vanes. Vanes are tapered from top to bottom so as not to collect debris.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a retrofitable plumbing accessory for residential and commercial sink drains. Further this invention relates to the way waste liquids are transported through sink traps.
2. Description of Prior Art
Peterson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,351, discloses a kitchen or bathroom strainer device that is mounted beneath the sink and is incorporated in the drain. The elements of this disclosure are not similar to the present invention.
Huang, U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,701 discloses a device that permits a twisting downward discharge of waste water but in no way is similar to the present invention.
Canelli, U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,406, and others, Coogan U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,137, Tammera U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,705 and Doyen, U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,799, all disclose inventions that either strain waste water or use some mechanical means of preventing debris for collecting in the trap or drain system. They in no way are similar to the present invention.
Cantrell, U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,259, discloses a device which does change the direction of the flow of waste liquid as it passes into a drain but again in no way is similar to the present invention.


The disclosure relates to an apparatus for the controlled infeed, storage and discharge of elongate objects (20, 21, 22, etc.). The apparatus essentially includes a rotary drum (1) and at least one strap, belt or the like (2, 3, 4). The invention, the strap, belt or the like (2, 3, 4) is connected to the rotary drum (1) which is disposed to rotate in two different directions for winding up and unwinding of the belt (2, 3, 4) or the like. The elongate objects (20, 21, 22, etc.) are aligned with the drum (1), are disposed on the belt (2, 3, 4) or the like, and are arranged to be held by the belt (2, 3, 4) or the like against the rotary drum (1). The belt (2, 3, 4) or the like and/or the elongate objects (20, 21, 22, etc.) are moreover disposed to be prevented from movement in their storage position by a holding device (6).

Within such areas as the manufacturing industry, problems are experienced in the efficient handling of elongate objects on their transport between machining stations, on infeed into and discharge from the machining machines and also in the very storage of elongate objects before and after being machined. In particular in those cases in which machining takes place a large number of times of one and the same elongate object--and hence handling of such elongate objects takes place many times--the importance will readily be perceived of an efficient handling of such objects with slight or no manual labour input. For the elongate objects themselves, it is vital that the machining which has been carried out is not damaged or affected to any appreciable extent by handling and storage in connection with the machining proper.
The method most commonly employed today--despite all of the modernization which has been introduced with the aid of industrial robots, computers etc.--is to pick the object manually from and to a box, a container, a pallet etc., in applicable cases by stacking. The time consumption for this manual picking is considerable since the operation is repeated many times, with the result that the machining work is rendered considerably more expensive because of the handling process itself. In addition, the frequency of damage caused in such manual picking is considerable.
Moreover, objects which are stored loose in boxes, crates etc. are relatively theft-prone, stock-taking of objects in stores etc. is impeded and more expensive and, finally, production-line machining defies on-the-spot monitoring, for example for estimating delivery times etc.
The storage of flexible sheet material in rolls or coils is previously known in this art, for example for strip steel, such storage generally providing adequate protection for sheet material and, moreover, creating favourable conditions for rational handling at a workstation, where, for instance, infeed to a punch for punching details from the strip steel may relatively easily be automated. Coiling of such a roll is generally effected on a drum and, after completed coiling, the roll is strapped to prevent unwinding.

Apparatus for the controlled infeed storage and discharge of elongate objects


A permanent waving composition showing excellent waving properties and, at the same time, a hair conditioning effect contains. a) at least one reducing organic thio compound and (or) an inorganic sulfite; and PA1 b) at least one organopolysiloxane, whereby at least one silicium atom is linked to an alkylene group containing a hetero atom, particularly a nitrogen atom, together with a poly-(N-acyl alkylene imine) with units of the formula ##STR1## wherein n is a number from 1 to 5 and R is hydrogen, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl or aryl group.

This invention refers to a composition for waving of human hair, i.e. a permanent waving composition, providing an excellent waving effect, particularly leading to a uniform permanent wave with elastic curls and good combability, avoiding damage of the hair texture, also when applied repeatedly, but rather causing a conditioning effect and producing expressive lustre on the hair.
It is well-known that permanent waving is performed in a two-step process, i.e., reductive splitting of cystine disulfide bonds of the hair by the action of a reducing agent and subsequent neutralization or fixing of the wave by the application of an oxidizing agent whereby the cystine disulfide bonds are restored.
The reducing agent most commonly used is still thioglycolic acid, particularly the ammonium salt, although numerous other thio compounds have been suggested for this purpose which, however, have not been generally accepted in practical use.
The compositions comprising thioglycollate are normally used at a pH-value between 8 and 10, particularly from 8.5 to 9.5, which may cause hair damage when repeatedly applied within short intervals.
There have been attempts to circumvent these disadvantages by the creation of so-called "acidic permanent waving solutions" with a pH-value in the range from 6.8 to 7.8, i.e. near neutral. The reducing agent most frequently employed for this purpose is thioglycolic acid monoglycerol ester. However, this material has proved to have a skin irritating and sensitizing potential on some users, so that this solution of the problem is not optimal either.

Composition for permanent waving of human hair


An overcurrent protective circuit includes a N-type depletion mode FET, a P-type depletion mode FET, and a switch. The sources of the N-type depletion mode FET and the P-type depletion mode FET are connected to each other. The gate of the N-type depletion mode FET is connected through a resistor to the drain of the P-type depletion mode FET. The gate of the P-type depletion mode FET is connected through a resistor to the drain of the N-type depletion mode FET. The drain of the N-type depletion mode FET is a positive external terminal of the circuit, while the drain of P-type depletion mode FET is a negative external terminal of the circuit. A switch electrically connects and disconnects between the gate of the N-type depletion mode FET and the gate of the P-type depletion mode FET.

The present invention relates to a resettable overcurrent protective circuit which cuts off an overcurrent to protect a load circuit when an overcurrent flows therethrough.
A breaker cannot interrupt an overcurrent very quickly due to its mechanical operation. Therefore, there has been a problem that a breaker cannot be used in a circuit which requires a rapid cut-off operation such as an IC semiconductor circuit. Also, there has been another problem that a breaker requires a mechanical operation to be reset.
In Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Nos. 3-48456 and 5-167021, and PCT Publication No. WO 94/18736, an overcurrent protective circuit is disclosed which is connected in series between a power source and a load circuit, and in which the sources of an N-type depletion mode FET and a P-type depletion mode FET are connected to each other, the drain of the N-type depletion mode FET is a positive terminal, and the drain of the P-type depletion mode FET is a negative terminal. The disclosed overcurrent protective circuits operate to cut off an overcurrent to protect a load circuit when the overcurrent flows therethrough. In the case that, subsequently, the overcurrent returns to a normal level, it is, however, necessary to use a troublesome operation of disconnecting the overcurrent protective circuits from the power source in order to restore them from the cut-off state to the normal current-carrying state.

Resettable overcurrent protective circuit


A method for fabricating a filtering member in which overlapping portions of a wire are bonded together in a layered manner through thermal treatment for forming a mesh is disclosed. In accordance with the method, a contact surface pressure between portions of the wire to be bonded together is maintained as equal to or higher than a predetermined level set depending on a thermal treatment condition. In this state, the thermal treatment is conducted such that a bonding portion of the wire has a strength equal to or greater than 4N.

Conventionally, a vehicle is provided with an airbag device, which inflates a bag by quickly supplying gas when a rapid deceleration occurs due to, for example, a car crash. The airbag device includes an inflator for quickly supplying gas when the device is activated and a bag inflated by the gas from the inflator for protecting passengers. The inflator incorporates an igniter, a gas generating agent burned in an explosive-like manner by the heat generated by the igniter, and a filter. The filter collects and cools solid or liquid residue contained in hot gas generated through combustion of the gas generating agent. The filter is configured normally by a coil type filter, which is formed by winding a circular wire or a deformed wire, such as a square wire, formed of metal (hereinafter, referred to as "a wire") in a layered manner for defining a meshed cylindrical body. When gas or liquid passes through the mesh defined by the wire, the substance is cooled and filtered by the coil type filter such that a residue is recovered.
After winding the wire of this type of filter, overlapping portions of the wire are bonded together by, normally, thermal treatment (sintering). In this manner, the filtration performance of the filter is maintained by preventing the mesh from being deformed due to expansion of the wire or an impact caused by the gas passing through the mesh.
Particularly, a filter serving as a filtering member for an airbag is exposed to extremely hot gas. It is thus necessary to employ a bonding method that ensures a relatively high bonding strength. Therefore, for improving the bonding strength, it has been proposed that the sintering be conducted at a higher temperature, or for a prolonged time, or in a modified atmosphere (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-171472).
However, in accordance with the fabrication method for a filter for an airbag inflator described in the aforementioned publication, it is necessary to modify the corresponding equipment for obtaining a higher sintering temperature or changing the sintering atmosphere. Such modification requires a relatively large cost, thus increasing the manufacturing cost. Further, the prolonged processing time decreases productivity.
Accordingly, in order to solve the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a fabrication method for a filtering member by which the bonding strength of a wire forming a mesh is improved with relatively low cost and relatively high efficiency.


A container (1) includes a receptacle portion (3) and a lid (2) butt ends thereof being hingeably connected one to the other, one or more resiliently mounted teeth (4) are formed which extend upwardly from a forward end of the receptacle portion (3), and which include a body portion with a recess (5) extending therethrough; a plurality of laterally spaced apart protrusions (6) are provided and extend inwardly from a forward end of the lid (2), such that on the lid being hinged over the receptacle portion, the protrusions contact and move over the resiliently mounted teeth (4) so as to releasably engage within the recesses and so as to releasably lock the receptacle portion (3) and lid (2) together. Recess means (10) are provided and extend through an upper surface of the lid (2), adjacent a front face thereof, so as to allow for the insertion of release means (11) therethrough and between said one or more teeth (4) and a forward end of said lid (2) and into contact with a movable release bar (9) which acts to deflect the teeth (4) away from the front face of the lid, so as to allow for disengagement between said one or more teeth (4) and said one or more protrusions (6) and subsequent release of said lid (2) from said receptacle portion (3).

In this day and age containers are used for a number of purposes and in particular are used in connection with the sale and renting of video tapes, compact discs, computer games and the like. Such products are often placed in security containers for display, wherein the security containers carries some form of coding or bar code, so that if the containers are removed from a premises without authority, monitoring means will actuate appropriate alarms. For example, in premises where videos, tapes, compact discs, video games and the like are hired out, the games are placed in containers, such as clear plastic containers, and are placed on shelves. These are then viewed by customers and a choice made. Normally the containers are security coded or have some bar code associated therewith for security purposes.
Once a choice is made, the container enclosing the chosen video, disc, video game or the like is taken to the counter and the appropriate money paid. An attendant or assistant at the counter will then remove the video, tape, video game or the like from the container, thereafter handing the chosen article to the purchaser, so that the purchaser can leave the store. Clearly, if the purchaser attempts to leave the store with the video, tape, disc or video game retained in the container, alarms and the like will be actuated.
Reference to the hiring of video tapes, discs, video games and the like is by way of example only. It should be appreciated that containers can be used in many areas, such as for the display of any desired goods for hire, sale or the like. They can be used in department stores, retail stores, wholesale outlets or the like.
It will however be appreciated that it is important that containers which display such goods are in essence security containers which cannot be easily opened so that the goods displayed therein or contained therein can be removed. Various forms of security container have been suggested and are know. However, these are often difficult and time consuming to manufacture and effectively to use.
One security container according to the prior art is that disclosed in EP 522679 (Alpha Enterprises, Inc.), but it suffers from the disadvantage that its construction makes it relatively easy to break into, because of external hinges and multiple leverage points for forced entry.
The security container according to our earlier Australian patent application No. 57964/94 overcomes these disadvantages, but suffers from the disadvantage that its construction requires a separate releaser (opening device) for different sizes or types of containers (e.g. different releasers for compact disc containers and for video containers).


An information generation device comprises a processor that acquires sensor information indicating a measurement result of a detection target area from each of a plurality of sensors having the detection target area that is common to the plurality of sensors, that determines whether or not each of the plurality of sensors detects an object existing in the same predetermined area on the basis of a plurality of pieces of the sensor information acquired, and that generates first display information for separately displaying the object that is detected by each of the plurality of sensors in a case where a determination result is positive and a predetermined condition for determining whether or not a plurality of the objects detected by the plurality of sensors are the same object is not satisfied, and generates second display information for displaying the object detected by each of the plurality of sensors in a display style different from a display style of the first display information in a case where the determination result is positive and the predetermined condition is satisfied.

In the related art, a display control system that displays sensor information received from a plurality of sensors on a display device is suggested.
In the display control system, when displaying the information received from the plurality of sensors on a plurality of display devices, display information conforming to each of the display devices is generated.
And the display control system causes the display device to display the display information.
(1) To accomplish the above-described object, according to an embodiment of a disclosure, there is provided an information generation device including: a sensor information acquisition unit that acquires sensor information indicating a measurement result of a detection target area from each of a plurality of sensors having the detection target area that is common to the plurality of sensors; a determination unit that determines whether or not each of the plurality of sensors detects an object existing in the same predetermined area on the basis of a plurality of pieces of the sensor information acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit; and a display information generation unit that generates first display information for separately displaying the object that is detected by each of the plurality of sensors in a case where a determination result of the determination unit is positive and a predetermined condition for determining whether or not a plurality of the objects detected by the plurality of sensors are the same object is not satisfied, and generates second display information for displaying the object detected by each of the plurality of sensors in a display style different from a display style of the first display information in a case where the determination result is positive and the predetermined condition is satisfied.
(20) According to another embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided an information generation method including: a step of acquiring sensor information indicating a measurement result of a detection target area from each of a plurality of sensors having the detection target area that is common to the plurality of sensors; a step of determining whether or not each of the plurality of sensors detects an object existing in the same predetermined area on the basis of a plurality of pieces of the acquired sensor information; and a step of generating first display information for separately displaying the object that is detected by each of the plurality of sensors in a case where a determination result in the determining step is positive and a predetermined condition for determining whether or not a plurality of the objects detected by the plurality of sensors are the same object is not satisfied, and generating second display information for displaying the object detected by each of the plurality of sensors in a display style different from a display style of the first display information in a case where the determination result is positive and the predetermined condition is satisfied.
(21) According to still another embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a computer program causing a computer to function as: a sensor information acquisition unit that acquires sensor information indicating a measurement result of a detection target area from each of a plurality of sensors having the detection target area that is common to the plurality of sensors; a determination unit that determines whether or not each of the plurality of sensors detects an object existing in the same predetermined area on the basis of a plurality of pieces of the sensor information acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit; and a display information generation unit that generates first display information for separately displaying the object that is detected by each of the plurality of sensors in a case where a determination result of the determination unit is positive and a predetermined condition for determining whether or not a plurality of the objects detected by the plurality of sensors are the same object is not satisfied, and generates second display information for displaying the object detected by each of the plurality of sensors in a display style different from a display style of the first display information in a case where the determination result is positive and the predetermined condition is satisfied.
(22) According to still another embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided an in-vehicle device including: a display information acquisition unit that acquires at least one piece of display information between the first display information and the second display information from the information generation device, the first display information and the second display information being generated by the information generation device; and a display control unit that controls display on a screen based on the display information acquired by the display information acquisition unit.

Information generation device, information generation method, computer program, and in-vehicle device