A hand-held bagel slicer is described for circumferentially slicing a bagel into two equal halves. The slicer comprises a generally U-shaped clip attached to a handle. The clip comprises a generally semi-circular bight and two flexible legs. The legs converge slightly from the bight to their free ends to hold the bagel sideways, and the free ends are outwardly flared to facilitate insertion of the bagel for slicing. Midway between the two legs is a 2 edged knife blade. The blade has a base secured to the bight and a tip terminating in a point. The blade is about 50 to 75% of the length of the legs. The free end of the handle is generally elliptical in cross section. The handle decreases in cross-sectional size and becomes generally rectangular in shape toward the flared end. The clip is joined to a core which has one or more small cross ribs extending laterally from a center rib to match with a similarly shaped recess in the handle to prevent relative rotation between the handle and the clip. Proper tension for holding the bagel while slicing is maintained by controlling the thickness of the clip in the region of the bight.

Bagels have become enormously popular in recent years. They are prepared from plain yeast dough which is dropped briefly into boiling water and then baked. The product is a ring-shaped roll having a soft or hard surface and a tough chewy texture. There are many varieties of bagels including pumpernickel, raisin, whole wheat, sesame seed, and others too numerous to mention. Typically, the bagels are sliced in half before eating. They then are made into a sandwich, or are served with suitable spread such as jam or cream cheese.
Because of the differences in skin hardness and chewy texture of the bagel, as well as its irregular shape, it is not always an easy task to cut the bagel into two halves which are of equal size. A number of devices have been designed for slicing or cutting the bagel into halves, but they have all suffered from one or more deficiencies which have limited their commercial utility. These devices have been unduly complex, are difficult to clean, or are unsafe to use. Some of them utilize a powered rotary slicer, or movable parts. Others do only a marginal job of dividing the bagel into two approximately equal halves, particularly with respect to soft skin bagels which tend to tear into irregular pieces when cut.


Methods for automated uniformity assessment and modification of image non-uniformities using an image measurement device capable of determining image reflectance and/or transmitter as a function of position, such as a spectrophotometer, a calorimeter, and/or a densitometer. One or more of these devices scan an image on a substrate, such as a sheet, thereby generating data representing image characteristics, such as, for example, image non-uniformity. The sheet may contain a reference/test pattern including one column, strip or patch intended to have a uniform density. This data generated by the device after the scan of the substrate is analyzed with signal processing algorithms for image characteristics assessment, including image spatial uniformity and compared to reference image characteristics including image spatial uniformity. An image modification profile may be generated to be applied to a marking system to thereby alter subsequent image data and improve image spatial uniformity of the marking system.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to determining image characteristics.
2. Description of Related Art
In conventional marking systems, such as, for example, a laser printer, inkjet printer, or copier, one technique for monitoring the quality of prints is to create one or more "reference" or "test" patches of pre-determined desired tint. The reference/tint of a test patch may be referred to as the call or the density of the reference/test patch. The actual density of the material (often ink and/or toner) in each test patch can then be measured to determine the effectiveness of the printing process on marking a medium, such as for example, a sheet or reference strip. The uniformity of the image on the reference strip can then be determined.
There are many methods known in the art whereby reference/test patches may be used to monitor the quality of prints. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,639,669 B2 to Hubble, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a color analysis method in which reference strips, with multiple different color printed reference/test patches, are moved relative to a color analyzing spectrophotometer for analysis of test patches and an automatic diagnostic testing of the spectrophotometer. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,613 to Rolleston, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a calibration arrangement for calibrating a color printer using a plurality of reference/test patches, a densitometer, and a means for converting device independent color information to printer colorant signals, using a look-up table stored in memory.
Likewise, pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/248,390, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a method and apparatus to calibrate a xerographic print engine toner concentration sensor to control the toner concentration to a specified operating target. This disclosure, includes determining the reflectivities of at least two reference/test patches formed at the same toner concentration, and combining the reflectivities to obtain a combined reflectivity for that toner concentration.
As such, a spectrophotometer, a colorimeter, or a densitometer is generally provided as a tool for evaluating tone reproduction curves and color quality of marking systems. These image measurement devices can measure light reflected from, or transmitted by an object, including an image. These devices use light transmitted and/or reflected by an image to measure the image quality of an image printed on a substrate.
A typical spectrophotometer gives color information in terms of measured reflectances or transmittances of light, at the different wavelengths of light, from the test surface. This spectrophotometer desirably provides distinct electric signals corresponding to the different levels of reflected light received from the respective different illumination wavelength ranges or channels.
Known devices capable of providing distinct electric signals corresponding to the different levels of reflected light received from the respective different illumination wavelength ranges or channels include for example, a portable spectrophotometer as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,488 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
As used herein, unless otherwise specifically indicated, the term "spectrophotometer" may encompass a spectrophotometer, calorimeter, and densitometer, as broadly defined herein. The definition or use of such above terms may vary or differ among various scientists and engineers. However, the following is an attempt to provide some simplified clarifications relating and distinguishing the respective terms "spectrophotometer," "calorimeter," and "densitometer," as they may be used in the specific context of the specification as examples of providing components for an on-line printer correction system, but not necessarily as claim limitations.
A "spectrophotometer" typically measures the reflectance of an illuminated object of interest over many light wavelengths. Typical prior spectrophotometers in this context use 16 or 32 channels measuring from about 380 nm to about 760 nm or so, to encompass the humanly visible color spectra or wavelength range. A typical spectrophotometer gives color information in terms of measured reflectances or transmittances of light, at the different wavelengths of light, from the test surface. A spectrophotometer desirably provides distinct electrical signals corresponding to the different levels of reflected light from the respective different illumination wavelength ranges or channels.
A "colorimeter" normally has three illumination channels, red, green and blue. That is, generally, a "calorimeter" provides its three (which may be three additive color primaries, such as, for example, red, green and blue or "RGB") values as read by a light sensor or photo detector receiving reflected or transmitted light from a color test surface illuminated with red, green and blue illuminators, such as three different color LEDs or one white light lamp with three different color filters. A "calorimeter" may thus be considered different from a "spectrophotometer," in that a colorimeter provides output color information in terms of tristimulus values, such as, for example, RGB and/or related trichromatic expressions, such as, for example, trichromatic coefficients based on tristimulus values. One example of a portable scanning colorimeter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,494, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety.
Trichromatic quantities may be used for representing color in three coordinate space through some type of transformation. Other RGB conversions to "device independent color space" (i.e., RGB converted to conventional L*a*b*) typically use a color conversion transformation equation, a "lookup table", or recipe system in a known manner.
A "densitometer" typically has only a single channel, and simply measures the amplitude of light transmissivity and/or reflectivity from the test surface, such as a developed ink or toner test patch, on a photo detector, at a selected angle over a range of wavelengths, which may be wide or narrow. An illumination source, such as an IR LED, a visible LED, or an incandescent lamp, may be used. The output of the densitometer photo detector is programmed to give the optical density of the sample. A densitometer of this type is basically "color blind." For example, a cyan test patch and magenta test patch could have the same optical densities as seen by the densitometer, but, of course, exhibit different color spectra.
Thus, a spectrophotometer, a colorimeter, or a densitometer may be used as part of an image quality measurement and analysis system to determine image quality problems. These devices, include for example, the X-Rite® DTP41 automatic reference strip-reading spectrophotometer, have traditionally been used to assess raw engine tone reproduction curves, and build calibration look-up-tables, recipes and color profiles. These devices are often co-located with printing systems. Thus, an opportunity exists for extending the application of these devices beyond their traditional functionality.
Traditional use of these devices involves measuring discrete test patches to characterize print engine tonal and color response. For example, in various exemplary embodiments a predefined reference strip containing multiple test patches may be aligned with the device's measurement sensor, the start button pushed, the reference strip driven by the device's drive rollers powered by a motor through the reference strip entrance area of the device, and the reference strip scanned as the reference strip passes the scan area of the device. Measurement values for each reference/test patch may then be reported across a serial interface to a host computer.
It is known in the art that non-uniformity in the appearance of printed materials intended to be uniform is a persistent problem for marking technologies, such as direct-digital production color technologies. Thus, marking machines have inherent error manifesting itself in residual non-uniformities, even after all normal service actions, such as machine self-check diagnostics and technician implemented procedures, have been performed on a marking machine. These residual non-uniformities may occur, for instance, where an image to be printed is intended to be a specific uniform tone, but shows areas which are lighter or darker, or a different tone than other areas. These different areas of the same image are variations that were not intended when the image data was generated and do not reflect the image data generated.
It is known in the art that image quality metrics can be part of an overall image quality analysis engine. For instance, where a region of a printed image is intended to have a uniform color, but shows visible color variations or color differences with respect to the spatial nature of the non-uniformities, the image can be evaluated by a stand-alone scanner, a scanner associated with a printer or a digital camera. The results of the scan can be inputted into an image analysis module. The image analysis module can then quantify different types of non-uniformities and use this analysis to diagnosis printer problems.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,000 to Rasmussen, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, addresses the image quality problem relating to regions of a printed image, which was intended to have uniform color, but which show visible color variations. Rasmussen provides a way of evaluating absolute image quality with respect to uniformity, and using the results from the analysis as part of a system for machine diagnostics.
Image density of uniform chromatic and/or achromatic color areas, which may be characterized as image uniformity, is conventionally determined using a particular type of optical device. Image uniformity is conventionally determined using densitometers. On the other hand, image color characteristics are conventionally determined using different types of optical devices such as, for example, spectrophotometers (or spectroradiometers for determining light source color) and/or calorimeters.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,494 to Bowden, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a portable scanning colorimeter. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,488 to Berg, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a compact spectrophotometer. Both of these patents are assigned to X-Rite®, Inc. Other X-Rite® products are also capable of determining color characteristics of printed materials at various locations on a print medium. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,062 to Sugizaki, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, determines image density of solid image areas using an X-Rite® 404 densitometer manufactured by X-Rite, Ltd., whereas the color reproducibility is determined with a X-Rite® 968 Spectrophotometer, also manufactured by X-Rite, Ltd.
After data is generated by these devices the data may then be analyzed, applied to algorithms, or otherwise used to determine qualities of the area or image scanned. Pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/941,858, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses methods and systems whereby a spectrophotometer uses an algorithm, based on spectral information of an illumination source and reference spectrophotometer, to convert integrated multiple illuminant measurements from a non-fully illuminant populated color sensor into a fully populated spectral curve using a reference database.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,362 B1 to Butterfield, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a procedure for detecting a signal from an device, such as a density photo detector, which monitors each of the individual colors (e.g. cyan, magenta, yellow and black) represented by test patches on a reference strip. After scanning a reference strip, when a particular color is determined to be running at a level above or below a predetermined bit density value, information obtained by the scanning operation is reviewed. When a specific bit pattern or state is detected a template matching process is undertaken, wherein a determination is made as to whether a template matching the scanned image bit pattern exists in storage. When such a template is found to exist, the appropriate template is used in place of a corresponding scanned image area in order to counteract the faulty operation of the printer.
The ability to assess and diagnose unwanted non-uniformity is a problem for field service personnel. Engineering tools such as microdensitometers, two-dimensional precision color scanners, digital cameras, flat bed cameras, and elaborate signal processing which may be available in the lab are generally unavailable to field service personnel who must use simpler and less capable tools. Generally, field personnel must use printed standard image references (SIR) and visual comparisons to determine whether a printing system meets its specified uniformity performance. Additional transparent overlays are placed on printed images to determine spatial frequencies of unwanted image bands. The processes are subjective and thus, have a tendency to be inaccurate.


A folding appliance includes a rotatable folding blade cylinder for transporting a signature to be folded, and at least one folding blade that can rotated about a first axle inside the folding blade cylinder. That first axle is held on a carrier which, in turn, can be rotated about a second axle. The folding blade can extend out of the folding blade cylinder during the course of rotation of the folding blade cylinder. The carrier and the folding blade cylinder can be phase-displaced in relation to each other.

DD 41 520 describes a wheel folding apparatus, whose folding blade movement can be switched between two modes of operation by the use of two different planetary wheels. A change of the fold in the product is not provided.
DE 197 55 428 A1 shows a device for changing the folding mechanisms of a folding cylinder of a folding apparatus.
DE 12 22 082 B discloses a folding apparatus with a rotatable folding blade cylinder for conveying a signature to be folded. The folding blade cylinder has a folding blade which is rotatable around a first shaft, which itself is maintained on a support, which support is rotatable around a second shaft. The folding blade can be extended out of the folding blade cylinder in the course of its revolution. The rotation of the folding blade is coupled with a variable phase to the rotation of the folding blade cylinder. The folding blade cylinder is rotatably coupled to a cutting cylinder by a transmission gear.


An electric shaver is provided which can enhance the vibration sound by increasing the length of arch-like edges formed between adjacent slots of the inner blade. In the electric shaver, an inner blade having the arch-like edges is moved reciprocally while its outer face contacts with and slides over an inner face of an outer blade to cut beard. The inner blade has an arch-like plate member, as a main body of the inner blade, and it has slots extending from a side wall through a top curved portion to the other side wall, to form arch-like edges between adjacent slots, and the inner blade is connected through a joint to a driver of the main body to be moved reciprocally. Mounting members for the joint are provided at two ends of the inner blade in the longitudinal direction, and the lower ends of the edges at the central portion of the inner blade are set lower than the lower ends of the beads formed above the mounting members of the inner blade.

In a prior art electric shaver, an inner blade having slots performs a reciprocating motion while sliding over an outer blade to cut beard between them (for example, Japanese Patent laid open Publication H7-250979). A plate sheet, as a main body of the inner blade, has an arch-like (or of inverse-U-character-like) section in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof, and it has a plurality of the slits in parallel to each other, extending from a side wall through the top curved portion to another side wall. An arch-like edge is formed between two adjacent slits, and the edge of the curved portion is a cutting edge. The outer blade is formed so that its inner face makes contact with and slides over an outer face of the inner blade. The outer blade is mounted to a main body of the electric shaver, while the inner blade is connected via a joint to a driver at the top of the main body. The inner blade fixed to the joint so that the outer plane thereof is provided along the inner face of the outer blade, and the joint to which the inner blade is fixed is connected to the driver at the top of the main body, and it is driven so that the longitudinal direction of the inner blade agrees with the direction of the reciprocating motion of the driver. The above-mentioned prior art inner blade has fixing members to the joint at the bottom end at the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the two side walls of the arch-like inner blade.
Some of such electric shavers generate a cutting sound due to vibrations of the edges of the inner blade when the inner and outer blades bite and cut beard between them. The cutting sound or vibration sound of the edges is used to judge the shaving state of beard. In order to judge the shaving state better, the vibration sound might be enhanced by increasing the length of the edges. However, when the fixing members to the joint are provided at the central portion in the longitudinal direction, the lower end of the edges at the central portion cannot be extended lower due to interference of the fixing portions, and the length of the edges cannot be increased. Therefore, the length of the edges cannot be increased as far as the height of the generally U-character-like inner blade is not increased.
The invention intends to solve this problem, and its object is to provide an electric shaver which can enhance the vibration sound by increasing the length of the arch-like edges formed between adjacent slots of the inner blade.


Disclosed is a raised floor to be installed on the subfloor of a room. The raised floor is constructed with a plurality of upper layer plates and lower layer plates separated and supported by a plurality of base seats. The separation between the lower layer plates and the subfloor forms an air space which can be used as an air-conditioning conduct. The gap between the upper layer plates and the lower layer plates is used as a conduit for computer network wiring. A plurality of cover plates are used to cover the gaps between adjacent upper layer plates. Bellowses and vents are used to induce the cool air in the air conditioning conduct to reach above the raised floor surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a raised floor having a number of separated layers to provide conduits for air-conditioning and computer network wiring.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an office building where a centralized air-conditioning system is used to provide cool air to a number of offices, a hanging ceiling is usually required to be installed to conceal the air-conditioning ducting. Such a hanging ceiling, as shown in FIG. 1, is formed by a base, a plurality of crossed plates, vertical frames, horizontal frames, and other components to be installed under an existing ceiling. In most cases, the air-conditioning vents are also located on the hanging ceiling. Because of the long distance between the vents and the floor below, the cool air coming out from the vent will lose some of its effect by the hot air floating above the room before it can cool the air near the floor level. Thus, in order to retain the desired cool temperature in the room, the thermostat must be lowered. This results in a waste of electrical power. Furthermore, as the cool air is directly and constantly blown toward the head of the people working in the offices, work-related sickness can sometimes be induced. Moreover, as the dust on the hanging ceiling is dispersed into the room by the vented air, it degrades the air quality in the room. More importantly, whenever the air conditioning ducting needs to be repaired, it is necessary to open up the hanging ceiling. This will cost a lot of time and money. Furthermore, in an office where there is an existing raised floor for accommodating the wiring for computer network, an additional hanging ceiling will reduce the working space of the office.
It is advantageous to provide a raised floor having a number of layers to form a number of separated air gaps so that the air conditioning ducting and the computer network wiring can both be accommodated. This type of raised floor can reduce the cost of air conditioning as the cool air is provided near the floor level.

4F, No. 13, Alley 2, Lane 95, Sec. 3, Mu-Shih Rd.


A method for impregnating wooden items, in particular poles situated in marine environment against attack from Teredo, where the method includes the following steps of a) forming a hole in parallel with the fibre orientation of the wood; b) then filling the hole with an impregnating agent containing a biodegradable chelating agent; and c) closing the hole thereafter.

The present invention concerns a method for impregnating wooden items against attacks from Teredo, particularly poles situated in marine environment.
Teredo is the Latin term for the family of shipworms that mainly live in salty water and mainly live off cellulose, which e.g. is found in wood. Shipworm is a long, worm-shaped bivalve, the shell of which only covering some of the front end of the animal.
Shipworms are active in the entire submerged length of the pole, i.e. from over the bottom to the surface zone. Attack by shipworms often only appears as small holes into which the larvae have disappeared. In the first year, shipworms are male, then changing to female. Reproduction occurs by male and female worms releasing semen and eggs to the water, after which fertilisation and hatching occurs freely in the water. When the larva is hatched, it seeks out a wooden item in the water, including poles and the like. The larva bores into the e.g. pole and lines the passage with a thin layer of lime. In the larva stadium, the shipworm larva is feeding mainly on cellulose fibres from the pole in which it has been born while at the same time eating and growing so that the destructive effect on the pole becomes more and more comprehensive. Thus it is difficult to judge to which extent a given pole is attacked by Teredo.
In order for the Teredo family of shipworms to live, a certain water temperature, a certain saltiness, and wood must be present. In the warmer areas of the Mediterranean Ocean, shipworm attacks have been widespread for a long time, and in recent years the attacks have also spread to Danish waters.
In order to counteract and curb attacks from Teredo, one may use exotic wood species for one's poles, including e.g. cypress wood, jarrah wood, turpentine wood. These and a few other types of wood are naturally resistant against Teredo attacks, but are very rare species of wood as well as they are very expensive. Degrading of the wood cannot be avoided, but the service life of the pole can be prolonged.
Another way of preventing Teredo attacks is to impregnate with chemical means. Since most chemical agents are environmentally hazardous, there is a desire to reduce the use of environmentally harmful agents as these are leached out into the sea water and thereby have negative effect on the marine environment around the pole.
A third method is to use mechanical or chemical barriers. A kind of mechanical barrier is to coat the pole with a copper layer or a concrete layer. This is a costly and cumbersome method, which in many cases makes it advantageous from an economic point of view to let the pole stand untreated, and, when the pole is degraded by Teredo attacks, to substitute it with a fresh pole.
A fourth method for preventing Teredo attacks is to coat the pole externally with a chemical barrier, e.g. in the form of a plastic film impregnated with a chemical material. This method has the same disadvantages as the chemical impregnation of the pole as often there are released very poisonous substances to the surrounding marine environment with associated harmful effects.
Thus there exists a need for producing a cheap and secure impregnation of wooden poles, whereby it is ensured in an environmentally safe way that the poles are safe-guarded against attacks from Teredo.

Method for the prevention of barnacle attacks


A disk drive system corrects run-out errors without substantial PES transients and without significant response time. The disk drive system includes a servo compensation system coupled to a read/write head. The servo compensation system is adapted to generate a run-out correction waveform for a track in a disk. The run-out correction waveform includes one or more sinusoidal component waveforms, each of which is defined by a phase and an amplitude. The method includes measuring an amplitude and a phase of one or more sinusoidal component waveforms for a set of specified tracks in a disk. The method also includes determining a phase and an amplitude of one or more sinusoidal component waveforms for a destination track based on a measured amplitude and a measured phase of the one or more measured sinusoidal component waveforms. The sinusoidal component waveforms for the destination track are adapted to substantially correct a run-out error in the destination track. The method further includes generating a run-out correction waveform for the destination track such that the disk drive system substantially corrects the run-out error in the destination track.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of servo compensation for disk storage systems, and more particularly to a feedback control system that corrects run-out error and operates as an oscillator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern computer systems typically include one or more disk drive systems for storing data. The disk drive systems generally store the data in circular tracks on a disk such as magnetic or optical disks. To read and/or write data from a disk, the disk drive systems employ a read/write head to write or read data to and from a specified track in the disk.
A read/write operation typically requires the disk drive system to operate in a seek mode followed by a follow mode. In the seek mode, the disk drive system locates a desired destination track and moves the head to the destination track. In the follow mode, the disk drive system adjusts the position of the head to precisely follow the destination track so that the data can be written to or read from the destination track.
During the follow mode, however, conventional disk drive systems typically encounter run-out errors. Run-out errors may occur due to various physical imperfections in the disk or the disk drive system that causes the head to be imperfectly positioned over the destination track. For example, a run-out error may occur when the disk or the circular tracks on the disk do not spin perfectly about the central axis of the disk. This condition causes a first harmonic run-out error, which is typically the same on all tracks of the disk. In addition, a second harmonic run-out condition can occur due, for example, to a warping of the disk, in which case the run-out error may be substantially different at different tracks.
FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary disk drive system 100 for showing a run-out error. The disk drive system 100 includes a disk 102 having a circular track 104 centered about a disk center 110. A head 108 is attached to an actuator 106 for writing or reading data to and from the track 104 on the disk 102. The disk center 110 is not concentric with the spin axis 112 of the disk 102. In this arrangement, the misalignment of the disk center 110 and the spin axis 112 causes the head 108 to be positioned off the center of the track 104 as the disk 102 spins, thereby resulting in a run-out error.
In order to properly perform read and write operations on a track, the head must be following the desired track without substantial run-out errors. For instance, if the head is mis-positioned over a particular track during a write operation, data may be partially written on an adjacent track, thereby overwriting the previously written data on the adjacent track and causing catastrophic loss of the data. During a read operation on the other hand, mis-positioning of the head due to a run-out error may cause a degrade of the read back signal such that the desired data may not be read properly. Hence, the run-out error must be substantially corrected before writing or reading data to and from the desired track.
To correct run-out errors, convention disk drive systems generally employ a servo compensation system in a feedback arrangement. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,186, entitled xe2x80x9cServo Compensation Systemxe2x80x9d describes in the background, several conventional disk drive systems utilizing a servo compensation system for correcting run-out errors.
Unfortunately, however, these traditional disk drive systems and methods typically require a substantial response time to adjust the head properly over the destination track in the follow mode if the run-out conditions are not the same on all tracks. For example, a conventional disk drive system gradually adjusts the position of a head to the center of a destination track over several revolutions of the disk in a feedback loop arrangement. These extra revolutions of the disk lengthens access time of the disk drive by several folds. Since disk drive access times typically represent one of the critical paths in a computer system, such a lengthy response time to adjust to the destination track is undesirable.
Thus, what is needed is a method and a system for efficiently correcting run-out errors in disk drive systems without a substantial response time to adjust to the physical conditions of the destination track.
The present invention fills these needs by providing a method and a system that efficiently compensate for run-out errors without substantial transients and with significant improvement in response time. It should be appreciated that the present invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including as a process, an apparatus, a system, a device, a method, or a computer readable medium.
The present invention provides a method for correcting run-out errors in a disk drive system, which includes a servo compensation system coupled to a read/write head. The servo compensation system is adapted to generate a run-out correction waveform for a track in a disk. The run-out correction waveform including one or more sinusoidal component waveforms, each of which is defined by a phase and an amplitude. The method includes measuring an amplitude and a phase of one or more sinusoidal component waveforms for a set of specified tracks in a disk. The method also includes determining a phase and an amplitude of one or more sinusoidal component waveforms for a destination track based a measured amplitude and a measured phase of the one or more measured sinusoidal component waveforms. The sinusoidal component waveforms for the destination track are adapted to substantially correct a run-out error in the destination track. The method further includes generating a run-out correction waveform for the destination track such that the disk drive system substantially corrects the run-out error in the destination track.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a servo compensation system for correcting run-out errors in a disk drive system, which includes the servo compensation system coupled to a read/write head. The servo compensation system is adapted to generate a run-out correction waveform for a track in a disk. Each run-out correction waveform includes one or more sinusoidal component waveforms and each sinusoidal component waveform is defined by a phase and an amplitude. The system includes means for measuring an amplitude and a phase of one or more sinusoidal component waveforms for a set of specified tracks in a disk. The system also includes means for determining a phase and an amplitude of one or more sinusoidal component waveforms for a destination track based on a measured amplitude and a measured phase. The one or more sinusoidal component waveforms for the destination track are adapted to substantially correct a run-out error in the destination track. In addition, the system includes means for generating the one or more sinusoidal component waveforms for the destination track such that the disk drive system substantially corrects the run-out error in the destination track.
In yet another embodiment, a method for adjusting run-out correction waveforms in a disk drive system is disclosed. The disk drive system includes a servo compensation system coupled to a read/write head. The servo compensation system is adapted to generate sinusoidal component run-out correction waveforms, each of which is defined by a phase and an amplitude. The disk drive system operates in a seek mode from a start track to a destination track. The start track and the destination track have sinusoidal component run-out correction waveforms that are each defined by a phase and an amplitude. The method includes (a) adjusting, for each sinusoidal component run-out correction waveforms, the phase from a sinusoidal component run-out correction waveform for the start track in response to the phase adjustment value; (b) adjusting, for each sinusoidal component run-out correction waveforms, the amplitude from the start track in response to the amplitude adjustment value; and (c) generating the sinusoidal component run-out correction waveforms for the destination track such that the disk drive system substantially corrects the run-out error in the destination track.
The present invention thus provides methods and a system for efficiently correcting run-out errors in disk drive systems without a substantial response time to adjust to the physical conditions of the destination track. In addition, the present invention reduces position error signal transients after seeks by forcing the compensation system to generate a proper run-out correction waveform immediately after a seek operation. Accordingly, run-out errors are corrected substantially instantaneously at the beginning of a follow mode without a substantial response time. These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a study of the specification and drawings describing the present invention.

Run-out correction adjustment method and system


A tuneable laser having an active section, a phase section and a Bragg reflector comprising a plurality of descrete grating units, at least two of which gratings have a discrete pitch, wherein at least two of the gratings having a different pitch are each provided with a plurality of independently actuable electrodes.

Tuneable lasers are well known in the field of optical communications, particularly in connection with wavelength divisional multiplex telecommunication systems, which rely upon either being fed by stacks of individually wavelength distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR) lasers, which can be individually selected, or by a wide tuning range tuneable laser that can be electronically driven to provide the wavelength required. Limited tuning range tuneable lasers that rely upon thermal effects for tuning are also available.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,325 discloses a wavelength tuneable laser having sampled gratings at the front and rear of its gain region. The gratings produce slightly different reflection combs which provide feedback into the device. The gratings can be current tuned in wavelength with respect to each other. Co-incidence of a maximum from each of the front and rear gratings is referred to as a supermode. To switch the device between super modes requires a small electrical current into one of the gratings to cause a different pair of maxima to co-incide in the manner of a vemier. By applying different electrical currents to the two gratings, continuous tuning within a supermode can be achieved. In practice, the reflection spectra of the known sampled grating structures have a Gaussian type envelope which limits the total optical bandwidth over which the laser can reliably operate as a single mode device.
In contrast to the Segmented Grating Distributed Bragg Reflector (SG-DBR) described above, a Phase Shift Grating Distributed Bragg Reflector (PSG-DBR) is disclosed in GB 2337135. This has a plurality of repeat grating units in which each grating unit comprises a series of adjacent gratings having the same pitch, which gratings are separated by a phase change of π radians, wherein the gratings have different lengths to provide a pre-determined reflection spectrum.
The known devices have Bragg gratings which bound both ends of the gain and phase regions of a four section tuneable laser, which produces a comb wavelength response. For a given set of drive currents in the front and rear grating sections, there is simultaneous correspondence in reflection peak at only one wavelength, as a consequence of which the device lases at that wavelength. To change this wavelength a different current is applied to the front and rear gratings. Thus the front and rear gratings operate in a vernier mode, in which the wavelengths of correspondence determine a supermode wavelength. Although the known devices have generally been acceptable, they share a tendency to suffer from short wavelength losses, which in combination with the front grating tuning absorption reduces the output power of the laser.


Techniques for determining image similar are described. For example, a computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a request to determine similarity between a first image and at least one other image; determining similarity between the first image and at least one other image based upon one or more Gram matrix-based style values and one or more vector distance calculation-based content values as determined from one or more outputs of layers of a convolutional neural network; and providing an indication of the similarity of between the first image and the at least one other image is described.

Common techniques of determining image similarity often involve using a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) model that provides high accuracy on feature extraction (such as image classification including, but not limited to using ResNet or NASNet). Models are often pre-trained on a large generic image database like ImageNet. Image similarity scoring is achieved by augmenting the model and applying additional inference and training algorithms.
For example, one approach is to use a generically pre-trained model and applying kNN on the vector outputs of the model. In essence, the model transforms an image into a feature representation of the image and measures its similarity by calculating the distance between vectors (for example, cosine similarity, Manhattan distance, etc.). This may perform poorly on a diverse data set.
Another approach is to fine tune a model using a Siamese network or triplet loss. A deep CNN that has been trained on a generic image dataset learns features that can be applied to specific domains. Fine tuning leverages these pre-trained models as a baseline, and further improves the effectiveness of the model by tuning the weights of the model so that it performs better on a specific domain data set. A Siamese Network trains a model by taking two images and teaching the network to learn whether the images are the same or not. As a side-effect, the model learns a vector space that describes the similarity between the models in the data set. This requires the additional labor of training the model.


While a user browses through a network, the present invention monitors and detects search queries. As a user enables queries to search for documents containing information necessary to the completion of a task, hobby, entertainment or to improve his or her general knowledge, the present invention detects that a query has been enabled and stores the query for later presentation to a user in an integrated browser list window. If a user wishes to share queries with other users in a global database, he or she must select a query string for sharing in an integrated browser list window. The query is stored locally and forwarded across a communication network to a hub processing unit for permanent storage in a global database accessible by a plurality of users. Also, the user can add annotations to the search query prior to its being forwarded to the hub processing unit. The hub processing unit in coordination with the global database organizes and manages the storage of selected shared query. Once stored in the global database, other users can benefit from the intelligence, work and experience of others by searching through categories of search queries as well as simply browsing through them. This is accomplished by a second user entering categorical data to his local graphical user interface which communicates with a search and retrieval program. The search and retrieval program returns a grouping or listing of headlines related to the category selected by the second user.

Database systems store enormous amounts of information that can be accessed by users for identification and retrieval of valuable documents that contain data, text, audio and video information. A typical example of a database system is shown in FIG. 1. Information processing units (101a to 101n) can be any of the following: personal computers (DOS, WINDOWS or Macintosh, Linux machines), workstations, a client, a dumb terminal or equivalent. Hub processing units (102a to 102y) can be any of the following: a server, a master, a database controller or equivalent. Network (100) can be any of the following: a token ring network, a star network, a telecommunication switching network, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a corporate intranet, the Internet or equivalent. Information processing units (101a to 101n) are in communication with hub processing units (102a to 102y) via network 100. The sharing of data across network 100 is accomplished by computer search programs (103a to 103x) operating in conjunction with the hub processing units (102a to 102y). The search programs can be located on the hub processing units themselves or on another processing units that are not shown. In addition, a user employs a graphical user interface (GUI 104a to 104n) that permits him or her to submit search queries across network 100 to the hub processing units.
Upon reception of the search query, the hub processing units forward the request to the search programs (103a to 103x) for completion of the transaction. As is well known, search programs provide Boolean Operators (AND, OR NOT) to help build more sophisticated queries in order to narrow down the search result set. These Boolean Operators are used to provide the various permutations to the search programs (103a to 103x) which uses these to locate pertinent documents. Once in possession of the search query, the search programs compare the requested search parameters against documents stored in databases (105a to 105z). Finding words or phrases that compare favorably with the search query, the search programs return a list of relevant documents to the information processing units (101a to 101n) as well as library information such as type of document, location and highlighted words or phrases indicating the flags that caused the search program to retrieve the particular document.
When the search results are loaded into the graphical user interface, the user reviews the first set of headlines and or documents returned. Because of the large number of documents found and because the first set of search results do not usually provide documents particularly pertinent to the user's needs, he or she ordinarily reexamines his search strategy. Typically, additional words and phrases as well as selection of terms that more closely parallel the desired concepts are reformulated into a new query; this process can be time consuming and tedious to a user. Therefore, because of the increasing size of databases and the astronomical number of documents being made available to users, it becomes more and more difficult for a user to locate in a timely fashion documents that are of significant importance to his or her study, employment and/or enjoyment.
In particular, this invention addresses several problems related to Internet based searching. First, the construction of a "good" query string can take a considerable amount of time. Mostly, users are able to specify what they are looking for using natural language. For instance, "I'm looking for an article about Maine Coon Cats which describes theories about their origin" could be a description for a search query. Possible simple search queries could be any permutation of the string "Maine Coon Cats Origin". As is well known, Search Engines provide Boolean Operators (AND, OR NOT) to help build more sophisticated queries in order to narrow down the search result set. The Boolean Operators are used to provide the various permutations to an Internet Search Engine which uses these to locate pertinent documents to the "Maine Coon Cats Origin" string.
Second, there are many Search Engines available on the World Wide Web. A user could use HotBot (http://www.hotbot.com) or AltaVista (http://www.altavista.com), or some other Search Engine. There are also Meta Search Engines available, which are used to search many popular Search Engines simultaneously. These Meta Search Engines then merge the search results from a plurality of Search Engines and present the merged results to a user. However, some of the engines may provide no results whatsoever whilst others might provide a better result; hence, it is difficult to determine which engine provides a reasonable result set. Also, this process can take a considerable amount of time. Therefore, it would be desirable to reuse existing queries from other users. Thus, one benefits from the intelligence and hard work of other users and one can find information faster. Additionally, some mechanism or incentive must be provided to users so that they would be willing to submit their queries for subsequent reuse by other users.

System and method for web based sharing of search engine queries

International Business Machines Corporation


Transmitter observation receivers and methods are described that can predistortion-compensate transmitters capable of operating in multiple communication bands and frequency ranges. Such observation receivers and method involve generating at least one compensation signal such that a signal to be transmitted that is within a bandwidth that simultaneously encompasses multiple frequency ranges is compensated.

Many current electronic communication systems use quadrature modulation schemes, which involve in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signal components and do not have constant envelopes. Examples of such communication systems are cellular radio telephone systems that use wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), and their variants. Thus, part of the communicated information is encoded in the amplitude (envelope) of the transmitted signal and part is encoded in the phase of the transmitted signal.
To avoid distorting communicated information, the power amplifier (PA) and various other components of a radio transmitter have to be linear, which is to say for example that the functional relationship between the output power of the PA and the input power of the PA is a straight line for all possible power levels. In addition, the phase shift of the input signal through the PA has to be constant for all possible power levels.
Departures from amplitude linearity and phase constancy introduce distortion into the PA's output signal, such as spectral broadening that can disturb nearby communication channels. Amplitude/phase distortion (vector distortion) in the transmitter can also increase the bit error rate (BER) of the communication system, e.g., degrading the audio quality of a voice call or reducing the speed of an internet connection.
In general, the likelihood of proper transmitter performance can be increased by including in the transmitter a transmitter observation receiver (TOR) that samples the output signal of the PA and generates a compensation signal that is fed back to the modulator, PA, and/or other transmitter components to correct the PA's output signal. In effect, the compensation signal pre-distorts the transmitter input signal such that the PA's output signal is apparently undistorted. Since transmitter distortion typically arises mainly in the PA, a signal acquired after the PA is fed back and compared with the transmitter input signal as part of the pre-distortion process.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an arrangement 100 that is an example of a pre-distortion-compensated transmitter having an antenna 102, a coupler 104, a power amplifier 106, a modulator 108, and a TOR 110. The PA 106 and modulator 108 can be considered the "transmit path" of the arrangement 100. It will be understood that the modulator 108 typically includes oscillators and other components not shown and that the modulator 108 generally represents the base-band processing and up-conversion processing applied to the input signal. As seen in FIG. 1, the TOR 110 samples the transmitted signal generated by the transmit path through the operation of the coupler 104 and provides a compensation signal to the modulator 108.
Currently available pre-distortion-compensated transmitters are generally designed to operate over a small range of transmitted frequencies, such as a communication band of a communication system. For example, the Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system currently being standardized by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has a communication Band 1that covers 2110-2170 megahertz (MHz). Both the forward transmit path and the feedback compensation path in the transmitter are effectively tuned to the same range of frequencies, and cannot be deployed to support other frequency ranges, e.g., other communication bands. The typical transmitter operation is constrained to a single (narrow) frequency range of interest as a result of spectral linearity limitations of its various tuned circuits (e.g., narrow-band filters) and tunable circuits (e.g., voltage-controlled local oscillators). For example, amplitude and phase variation over frequency makes linearization (pre-distortion) difficult over a broad range of frequencies, and an oscillator may be able to tune over only a few hundred MHz.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram that depicts a known way to use a single TOR in a single-frequency, multi-transmitter arrangement. The multiple transmitters generate respective signals having the same carrier frequency, e.g., any carrier in a communication band, of a communication system. In the arrangement 200 depicted in
FIG. 2, an antenna 202-1 receives output signals of a Tx 1 PA 206-1 and an antenna 202-2 receives output signals of a Tx 2 PA 206-2 that have a respective Tx 1 modulator 208-1 and a Tx 2 modulator 208-2. Couplers 204-1, 204-2 provide portions of the output signals of the PAs to a single TOR 210 through operation of a switch 212. The TOR 210 samples the output signal connected to it by the switch 212 without needing tuning and provides a compensation signal to the respective modulator. In this way, the single TOR 210 is essentially time-shared sequentially between the PAs 206-1, 206-2, each PA producing a signal in the same frequency range. It is believed that such an arrangement was available from Nortel in its CDMA tri-sector radio.
The frequency limitations of TORs and pre-distortion-compensated transmitters are becoming more serious problems as the number and range of available communication bands around the world increases. Currently available pre-distortion-compensated transmitters require redesign, modification and re-banding to operate in new communication bands, and this increases the cost of designing and supporting communication systems.


A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate in which a trench for element isolation is formed, and an element isolation oxide film buried into the trench in such a manner that the element isolation oxide film is projected from the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The element isolation oxide film which is an element isolation insulating film for defining an element forming region on the semiconductor substrate has a projection portion above the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The projection portion has the width wider than that of the trench. The projection portion and a contact portion made in contact with the semiconductor substrate within the trench are made of thermal oxide films, and a portion other than the projection portion and the contact portion is made of a CVD dioxide film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor device and a fabrication method of a semiconductor device, and more specifically, to such a semiconductor device having a trench type element isolation structure and a fabrication method of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As element isolation techniques in semiconductor devices, the LOCOS (local oxidation of silicon) method is the most popular element isolation method, in which a thermal oxide film is selectively formed at an element isolation region. However, in the LOCOS method, when an oxide film is formed, an enlargement of an oxide film region called as a xe2x80x9cbird""s beakxe2x80x9d will occur along a transverse direction. As a result, an element forming region becomes narrower than a designed value of the element forming region. Consequently, it is difficult in practice to isolate such element forming regions, the interval of which is shorter than, or equal to 1 micron.
To solve this problem of the LOCOS method, a trench type element isolation structure has been proposed in which a trench is formed in a semiconductor substrate, and then an oxide film is buried into the formed trench. However, such a trench type element isolation structure has the following problem. That is, when the surface of the insulating film buried into the trench formed in the semiconductor substrate becomes lower than the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a stepped portion is produced at an edge portion of the trench, electric field concentration may occur at the edge portion, and therefore leakage currents may be increased. Under such a circumstance, the two manufacturing methods described below for the trench type element isolation structures having no such stepped portion have been proposed.
(1) JP-A-7-176604 discloses trench type element isolation structure capable of rounding the corners of the silicon substrate in the following manner in order to mitigate the electric field concentration occurring at the edge portion of the buried element isolation region, which is caused by the stepped portion between the surface of the buried element isolation region and the surface of the silicon substrate. That is, after the first oxide film formed on the silicon substrate is side-etched, the third oxide film is formed by thermal oxidation method, which is employed to remove the defect and the like produced in the silicon substrate when the element isolation trench is formed. At this time, the edge portion of the silicon substrate exposed by side-etching the first oxide film is oxidized by way of the thermal oxidation. Also, the volume of the polycrystalline silicon film formed on the first oxide film is expanded by way of the thermal oxidation. As a consequence, the corner of the silicon substrate is rounded. However, even in the trench type element isolation structure, since the corner of the silicon substrate is rounded, there is a problem that the element forming region is narrowed.
(2) JP-A-5-47919 discloses the trench type element isolation structure in which the SiO2 film buried in the trench groove of the silicon substrate is grown by selective oxidation to form the rounded portion at the edge portion of the element forming region, so that both the bird""s beak and the bird""s head are formed. However, the trench type element isolation structure is directed to the improvement in the gate withstanding voltage and the leakage current failure in the MOS-type FET, and since both the bird""s beak and the bird""s head are formed, there is a problem that the element forming region is narrowed.
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device having a trench type element isolation structure without forming a bird""s beak, and a fabrication method of such a semiconductor device.
To achieve the above-described object, a semiconductor device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate in which a trench for element isolation is formed; and an element isolation oxide film buried into the trench in such a manner that the element isolation oxide film is projected from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the element isolation oxide film has a projection portion above the surface of the semiconductor substrate, the projection portion having a width wider than a width of the trench.
A fabrication method of a semiconductor device according to an aspect of the present invention comprises: a first step of forming a first oxide film on a semiconductor substrate; a second step of forming an easily oxidizable film on the first insulating film; a third step of forming an anti-oxidation insulating film on the easily oxidizable film; a fourth step of patterning the anti-oxidation insulating film; a fifth step of etching the easily oxidizable film, the first oxide film and the semiconductor substrate by using the patterned anti-oxidation insulating film as a mask to thereby form a trench in the easily oxidizable film, the first oxide film and the semiconductor substrate; a sixth step of oxidizing an exposed portion of the easily oxidizable film, which is exposed from a side surface of the trench, to thereby form a second oxide film, and oxidizing an exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate, which is exposed from bottom and side surfaces of the trench, to thereby form a third oxide film; a seventh step of forming a fourth oxide film on the anti-oxidation insulating film in such a manner that the E trench is buried by the fourth oxide film; an eighth step of polishing the fourth oxide film to thereby expose the anti-oxidation insulating film; and a ninth step of removing the anti-oxidation film, the easily oxidizable film and the first oxide film to thereby form an element isolation oxide film containing,at least the second to fourth oxide films.
Alternatively, in the ninth step, only the anti-oxidation film and the easily oxidizable film may be removed.

Trench isolation for semiconductor device with lateral projections above substrate


In a method and apparatus for monitoring a parameter, such as a concentration level, of an easily ignited gas, such as hydrogen, includes a wake-up device that is connected to a current/voltage supply, and can switch the monitoring unit from a state of rest into an active state after an adjustable time interval. The device according to the invention can be used in a fuel cell system or in a vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for monitoring the concentration of an easily ignited gas.

This application claims the priority of German patent document 102 14 868.6, filed Apr. 4, 2002, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring parameters of an easily ignited gas.
Electronic units, typically integrated in controllers, are used increasingly for open-loop control, closed-loop control and/or monitoring of fixed and mobile devices and systems. During monitoring, relevant status variables of a system are usually measured or observed, and evaluated by means of diagnostic algorithms to predict failures, so that corresponding measures for eliminating or minimizing their effects can be initiated. As a result, environmental risks can be alleviated.
In fuel cell systems used, for example, in vehicles, electrical energy is generated from gases which are rich in hydrogen and oxygen. Because hydrogen is an explosive gas, reliable monitoring of the concentration of the hydrogen is essential. Oxygen can be ignited, for example, at concentrations starting from approximately 4%.
German patent document DE 199 59 699 C1 discloses a device for monitoring a gas which is rich in hydrogen in a vehicle with a fuel cell system. The device has an evaluation unit to which hydrogen-sensitive sensors are connected. The latter are arranged in two ducts and are connected, at least partially, in the form of a cascade, providing a device which is robust with respect to fluctuations in temperature.
In order to ensure the operational capability and the safety of a fuel cell system (or other systems in which a gas that is rich in hydrogen or other easily ignited materials are used, such as internal combustion engines to which hydrogen is fed as a fuel), it is necessary to monitor such system for an acceptable concentration of hydrogen (or other easily ignited gas), both in a state of rest and while the entire system is operating. Such monitor must be performed as long as hydrogen (or other easily ignited gas) is present in the system, in particular in a store or tank. As used herein, easily ignited gases include combustible, explosive or highly inflammable materials or mixtures of such materials, such as hydrogen.
One object of the invention is to provide a device for monitoring concentration of an easily ignited gas during periods when the system is at rest, with a low expenditure of electrical energy.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fuel cell system and a means of transportation in which an easily ignited gas can be monitored with a low expenditure of electrical energy.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method for monitoring an easily ignited gas, with a low demand for electrical energy.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the method and apparatus according to the invention in which the hydrogen concentration is monitored during a state of rest, in such a way that a current/voltage source, such an energy store, provided for the entire system is only slightly loaded; and as a result it is prevented from being stressed. Entire systems include, for example, a fuel cell system or a means of transportation, such as a motor vehicle.
The invention can advantageously be used in a motor vehicle to detect gas leakages, due to the low energy demand of a wake-up device for the monitoring unit, even when the motor vehicle is not in use, (for example, when it is parked), because the low energy demand of the wake-up device can be covered by a vehicle battery. The safety of persons, vehicle and their surroundings is therefore ensured even when the motor vehicle is in a stationary state or parked.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method and apparatus for monitoring parameters of an easily ignited gas


A micro-beam friction liner adapted to increase performance and efficiency and reduce wear in a piezoelectric motor or actuator or other device using a traveling or standing wave to transfer energy in the form of torque and momentum. The micro-beam friction liner comprises a dense array of micro-beam projections having first ends fixed relative to a rotor and second ends projecting substantially toward a plurality of teeth of a stator, wherein the micro-beam projections are compressed and bent during piezoelectric movement of the stator teeth, thereby storing the energy, and then react against the stator teeth to convert the stored energy stored to rotational energy in the rotor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates broadly to friction liners and other mechanisms for enhancing a transfer of energy, in the form of, for example, torque and momentum, between a stator or other driver component and a rotor or other movable component. More particularly, the present invention concerns a micro-beam friction liner comprising a dense array of micro-beam projections having first ends substantially fixed relative to a rotor and second ends projecting substantially toward a plurality of teeth of a stator, wherein the micro-beam projections compress and bend to store energy during movement of the stator teeth and then react against the stator teeth to convert the stored energy to rotational energy in the rotor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a piezoelectric material expands and contracts when an alternating voltage is applied across two opposing surfaces. In a rotary embodiment, a piezoelectric motor comprises a stator and a rotor, with the stator having a plurality of teeth that, due to a traveling wave developed in the stator by piezoelectric action, drives the rotor using elliptic motion of the stator teeth to transfer torque and momentum. Commonly, a friction liner is bonded to the rotor and the rotor and the friction liner are spring-loaded against the stator in order to maximize the transfer of torque and momentum therebetween.
Unfortunately, prior art friction liners are constructed of such materials as hard metals or metal oxides or soft organic polymers, and often experience slippage resulting in significant energy loss and reduced torque transfer. Furthermore, because the tangential velocity of each stator tooth varies at each point on its elliptical path, and because the rotor's velocity can be considered constant during one traversal of the ellipse, the tangential velocity of each stator tooth can only match the rotor velocity at one or two points along the elliptical path. Thus, the majority of contact between the stator tooth and the rotor or the friction liner involves slippage. Additionally, prior art friction liners typically have low Q, or little dynamic action. Such dynamic reaction force/impulse is thought to be one of the mechanisms whereby torque is transferred between the stator and the rotor.
Due to the above-identified and other problems and disadvantages in the art, a need exists for an improved friction liner.

Micro-beam friction liner and method of transferring energy

Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC


The present invention discloses edge guides (12) for use in guiding a curtain (17) of coating liquid onto a moving support. Each edge guide (12) is made of two or more small diameter wires (20) spaced apart a distance and running from the hopper lip (16) to the support web. The distance between the wires is approximately the thickness of the curtain. Flushing solution is introduced between the wires (20) near the hopper lip (16) and removed near the support web (15).

In a coating station of the curtain coating type a moving support is coated by causing a free falling curtain of coating liquid to impinge onto the moving support to form a layer thereon. An apparatus to perform this method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,947 to Hughes wherein a multilayer composite of a plurality of distinct layers is formed on a slide hopper and dropped therefrom to form a free falling curtain.
In the curtain coating process, particularly as used to manufacture multilayer photographic materials, the quality of the coating is largely determined by the properties of the liquid curtain. It is important to ensure that a stable laminar liquid sheet is formed by the slide hopper and that an equally stable, laminar flow, liquid curtain is formed from that sheet. To prevent contraction of the falling curtain under the effect of surface tension, it is known that the curtain must be guided at its edges by curtain edge guides.
In general, edge guides are stationary, solid members which are attached to the slide hopper used to supply coating liquid to the curtain and extend downwardly from the initial point of free fall of the curtain, the so called hopper lip. Wetting contact of the edges of the falling curtain with the edge guides should be maintained along the entire length of the edge guides to avoid a break in the curtain.
Curtain stability is commonly defined by the speed at which a disturbance (wave) moves through a curtain relative to the curtain. If the curtain speed is greater than the wavespeed, the disturbance is washed downstream and the curtain is stable. If the curtain speed is less than the wavespeed, then the disturbance propagates upstream and the curtain is unstable. The wavespeed disturbance is given by: EQU C=(2*.delta.*U/(.rho.*Q)).sup.1/2 ( 1)
Where:
C=Wavespeed of a disturbance PA1 .delta.=Local surface tension PA1 U=Local curtain speed PA1 .rho.=Density PA1 Q=Volumetric flowrate per unit width
(See Journal of Colliod and Interface Sciences, Vol. 77, No 2, October 1980, pp. 583-585).
Using the curtain stability criteria that the curtain speed must be greater than the wavespeed: EQU U>C (2)
The curtain stability criterion can be rearranged to read: EQU .rho.*Q*U/2*.delta.>1 (3)
It is clear from equation 3 that the local curtain speed and the volumetric flowrate per unit width, referred to herein as flowrate, are the dominant factors in determining curtain stability, since the density and local surface tension only vary by small amounts.
Equation 3 shows that a lower flowrate yields a less stable curtain. In particular, the flowrate within approximately 0.5 cm of the edge guide typically determines curtain stability, since this region is where the flowrate nonuniformity caused by edging equipment occurs. Therefore, to maximize curtain stability, an edge guide should not adversely affect the thickness uniformity near the curtain edge.
Equation 3 also shows that the curtain stability increases as the local curtain speed increases. Again, the curtain edge typically has the lowest speed since this region experiences the effect of viscous drag forces with the edge wall. Therefore, an edging system which minimizes viscous drag forces will exhibit a more stable curtain.
Lower drag forces have been effectively achieved in the prior art through use of a low viscosity flushing solution to prevent the higher viscosity curtain solution from contacting the edge guide. Another method for reducing the drag forces is to reduce the edge guide-curtain contact area. This has been attempted in the prior art by employing a small diameter edge guide, typically a wire or rod. However, poor curtain stability was observed. Perhaps this is best explained by a force balance analysis at the curtain edge. Surface tension forces attempt to contract the curtain surfaces, and the edge guide is attempting to overcome this contractile force to maintain a constant curtain width. Prior art designs which have been successful have relied upon a relatively large edge guide contact land and the resultant meniscus formed by that land to balance the curtain contractile force. When the contact land width is reduced, an imbalance is observed and the curtain is unstable.
Since edge guides are typically solid members, there is always the possibility of photographic material congealing on the edge guide surface. This is particularly true when there is a stagnant fluid region. Such stagnant fluid regions can occur in the prior art when the curtain moves backward and forward under the influence of pressure differences between the frontside and backside of the curtain. As the curtain moves to and fro, liquid deposits are left on the edge which may eventually congeal. The formation of congealed deposits on the edge guide may act as a disturbance source in the curtain and result in a thickness nonuniformity in the final coating, or produce an unstable curtain.
The prior art is not successful in providing an edge guide which achieves good curtain stability and uniform thickness up to the edge guides, while reducing the propensity to form congealed deposits. Thus, efficient use of the curtain coating method for manufacturing photographic materials has been adversely affected.
The present invention describes a method and apparatus wherein a more stable curtain is formed, the propensity to form congealed deposits is greatly reduced and there is uniform film thickness up to the edge guides.

Curtain coating method and apparatus using dual wire edge guides


A method is disclosed for determining the idle travel of a piezo-injector which has a piezo-actuator and a nozzle needle which is activated directly by the piezo-actuator. A test pulse is applied to the piezo-actuator, which pulse brings about a continuous increase in the piezo-travel. The time period is measured which passes between the starting of the test pulse and the time when the idle travel is overcome. The idle travel of the piezo-injector is then determined from the measured time period.

A piezo-injector of this type is used in connection with the fuel injection process in motor vehicles, in particular in motor vehicles that comprise a common-rail fuel injection system.
A piezo-injector of this type comprises a piezo-actuator and a nozzle needle that is actuated by said piezo-actuator. The piezo-actuator that is embodied in the form of a piezo-stack represents a capacitive load and it can be extended by means of being charged to an electrical voltage that amounts for example to 150V. In the case of a directly driven fuel injection system, this piezo-actuator can be used to transmit the piezo-movement and/or the piezo-force to the nozzle needle by way of reversing the effective direction, for example using a lever.
During the charging phase of the piezo-actuator for the purpose of opening the nozzle needle, an idle stroke is initially overcome and only then is the nozzle needle opened. The term "idle stroke" or "idle travel" describes the distance over which the piezo-actuator must extend to a great extent in a force free manner prior to the force becoming effective on the nozzle needle. It is necessary in dependence upon the system pressure for the drive unit to overcome a defined force in order to raise the nozzle needle from its needle seat. The movement of the piezo-actuator is then transmitted to the movement of the nozzle needle.
The idle stroke has consequently a decisive influence on the point in time at which the nozzle needle rises from its needle seat.
In known injection concepts, it is necessary to place high demands on the components in order to minimize the unavoidable effects of manufacturing tolerances on said components. Irrespective of this, in addition, comprehensive influence analyses and calibration processes are performed, during which the respective concept behavior is ascertained and any effects of manufacturing tolerances are compensated for during the serviceable life of the component.
Furthermore, in the case of known injector control concepts, it is possible to monitor the respective desired injection fuel quantity by means of transmitting electrical feedback signals, which transmission is possible as a result of said nozzle needle being directly coupled to the piezo-actuator, and where necessary to compensate for any changes in the idle stroke.
A disadvantage of the abovementioned option resides in the fact that, for example, when the engine is in the coasting mode in which fuel is not being injected, it is not possible to observe any change in the idle stroke as in this case there is no feedback with regard to the needle position. As a consequence, as the fuel injection process is re-instated, several injection cycles are initially required in order to be able to ensure an acceptably accurate detection of the needle position, which is in turn a prerequisite for compensating any changes that occur in the idle stroke. A temperature model of the piezo-injector can have a supporting effect during this process. However, even in this case, it cannot be sufficiently guaranteed that the accuracy of the fuel injection quantity is ensured.
In the case of in-line injectors, the positions of the components, drive unit and nozzle needle change greatly in particular as a result of thermal expansion. This renders it necessary to continuously correct the fuel injection quantity. A prerequisite of this continuous correction is that the idle stroke of the piezo-injector is ascertained precisely.

Method for determining the idle travel of a piezo-injector with a directly actuated nozzle needle


The present invention pertains to animal harnesses and particularly to animal reins. More particularly, the invention provides a dual configuration continuous precision rein system which incorporates an adjustable loop on each rein, thus providing a correct contact between the bit and the rider's hands. The rein can be easily converted to a flat strap configuration. In one preferred embodiment, the continuous rein comprises a continuous rein segment attachable at opposed ends to the bit of an animal, wherein the rein contains one or more adjustable loop straps which can be held by the rider to provide correct contact between the rider and the animal when desiring a collected gait from the animal. Alternatively, the rider also has the option of releasing or flattening the loops and holding the continuous rein segment in an extended position to permit the animal to stretch its head down and forward if desired.

The present invention is related to new and useful improvements in animal harnesses and particularly to animal reins. The invention provides a dual configuration continuous precision rein system which incorporates an adjustable loop on the outside of each rein, thus providing a correct contact between the bit and the rider's hands. Because the adjustable loop can be affixed to the outside of the continuous rein, the rein can be easily converted to a flat strap, the configuration most commonly seen and utilized.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved device by means of which a domestic riding animal such as a horse, donkey or a mule can be controlled when the animal is being ridden. In particular, the invention relates to a continuous rein to which a length of strap is sewn or otherwise affixed, which can be used to form an adjustable loop. This loop is held by a rider which secures a fixed contact between the bit in the animal's mouth and the rider's hands. Because the loops are adjustable, the former problems of maintaining correct contact between riders and animals are eliminated.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide adjustable harness keepers in which to secure the length of strap when the adjustable loop strap is not in use. The rein is transformed to a traditional flat rein when the loops are laid flat in the adjustable keepers.

Dual configuration continuous precision rein system


An improvement is proposed in the suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride monomer in order to obtain a polyvinyl chloride resin powder having good absorptivity of plasticizers by virtue of the well developed porosity of the resin particles and containing a decreased amount of fish eyes. The improvement comprises adding, to the polymerization mixture, a water-insoluble partially saponified polyvinyl acetate having an average degree of polymerization of at least 1000 and a degree of saponification of 20 to 60% in combination with a conventional water-soluble polymer as the suspending agent such as water-soluble partially saponified polyvinyl acetates and water-soluble cellulose ethers.

The present invention relates to an improvement in the preparation of a polyvinyl chloride resin by the suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride monomer in an aqueous medium or, more particularly, to an improvement in the preparation of a polyvinyl chloride resin having well developed porosity of the resin particles to exhibit good plasticizer absorptivity and containing a greatly decreased amount of fish eyes by the suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride monomer in an aqueous medium.
Various proposals and attempts have been made heretofore relative to the method for the preparation of a polyvinyl chloride resin having good workability in resin molding and containing a decreased amount of fish eyes by the suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride monomer in an aqueous suspension medium. For example, Japanese Patent Kokai 52-5886, 52-110797, 52-115890, 55-112210 and 53-6392 and Japanese Patent Publication 61-18562 each propose a method in which a partially saponified polyvinyl acetate of a low degree of saponification of, e.g., 55% or lower, and a low average degree of polymerization of, e.g., 600 or lower, which is also called an oil-soluble polyvinyl alcohol, is used as a dispersing agent of the monomer so that the polyvinyl chloride resin obtained thereby has well developed porosity to exhibit improved workability and contains a greatly decreased amount of unreacted residual monomer absorbed in the resin particles.
The above described prior art method is indeed effective at least to some extent in increasing the porosity of the resin particles but a disadvantage is unavoidable therein that the bulk density of the resin powder is more or less decreased. When the amount of the so-called oil-soluble polyvinyl alcohol is increased with an object to further increase the porosity of the resin particles, in particular, an adverse influence is caused on the stability of the suspension resulting in occurrence of coarse particles in the resin product which may eventually contain agglomerates of resin particles along with a problem of an increase in the amount of polymer scale deposited on the walls of the polymerization reactor.

Method for the preparation of polyvinyl chloride resin


An analog-to-digital converter comprising a minimal amount of circuitry for conversion of an input analog signal to a series of digital bits. A differential comparator is provided for generating digital values to which the digital bits correspond. A pair of digital-to-analog converters are provided for generating, via successive approximation, a differential feedback analog signal based on bits previously generated by the differential comparator. The analog-to-digital converter compares the differential feedback analog signal to the input analog signal, and based on the comparison generates a digital value that corresponds to a digital bit. In the method of the invention, an analog signal is converted to a digital value using the analog-to-digital converter, and a pair of digital-to-analog converters each generate, via successive approximation, a differential feedback analog signal that is applied to a differential comparator for comparison to the input analog signal being digitized.

Analog-to-digital converters ("ADCs") convert an incoming analog signal to a corresponding series of digital bits. Image sensing devices (i.e., image sensors) generate analog signals that are typically converted by ADCs to digital bit values as part of image processing. Image sensors typically employ light detecting elements (e.g., photosensors) and are used in various applications. Such image sensors may be formed using a variety of fabrication techniques. Currently, two commonly fabricated image sensors are CMOS image sensors and charge coupled device (CCD) image sensors. Each sensor generally includes an array of pixels containing the photosensors. The image sensors typically use photosensors in the form of photogates, phototransistors or photodiodes.
When an image is focused on the image sensor array (also called an "imager array" or "pixel array"), light corresponding to the image is directed to the pixels usually through micro-lenses. Each micro-lens may be used to direct incoming light through a circuitry region of the corresponding pixel to the photosensor region, thereby increasing the amount of light reaching the photosensor. It is known in the, art to use circuitry that includes storage regions (for example, floating diffusion regions) that collect pixel charge representing the light reaching the photosensors.
In a CMOS imager, the pixel array discharges this pixel charge as an analog voltage signal that is proportional to the light collected by the photosensor. It is known in the art to use row select transistors to select a particular row in the pixel array and cause the storage element (e.g., a floating diffusion region) for each pixel in the selected row to discharge its voltage for further processing by image sensor circuitry. In this way, the pixel array circuitry discharges the voltage stored in each column of the pixel array one row (i.e., the selected row) at a time. The discharged analog voltage signals may be used to replicate an image represented by the light incident on the photosensors of the array (i.e., the incident light). For example, the discharged analog voltage signals may be used to display a corresponding image on a monitor or to otherwise provide information about the image.
It is known in the art to convert analog voltage signals to digital signals using an ADC that uses a successive approximation ("SAR") method, where digital bit values are successively approximated using the values of previously generated bits. An ADC typically includes: a sample and hold circuit for sampling and holding analog signals; a comparator for comparing an input analog signal to a feedback analog signal and for outputting a corresponding digital value; memory for storing digital bit values; and a feedback loop comprising a digital-to-analog converter ("DAC") for generating the feedback analog signal. In operation, the DAC receives a digital value (e.g., a digital bit previously generated by the ADC) and outputs a corresponding analog signal that is applied to one of the comparator inputs and used to generate the next successive digital bit value of the digital bit series.
For a differential comparator, error signals also may arise due to offset values that are inherent to the differential comparator and therefore embedded in the differential comparator output. Such offset values are undesirable. Undesirable errors may also arise as a result of common mode error, or as a result of quiescent current variations in the differential comparator.
Successive approximation type ADCs that require one storage capacitor for storing the value of each bit of an N-bit series (i.e., N capacitors) are known in the art. For example, if ten bits are to be converted, the ADC circuitry includes ten capacitors. Such configurations require significant die area to accommodate the numerous circuit elements. Moreover, for high resolution ADCs, the size of the capacitors significantly increases from least significant bit ("LSB") to most significant bit ("MSB") in order to compensate for charge leakage and thermal noise on the MSB capacitor. For example, SARs with charge-sharing DACs are known where each of the N capacitors are sized 20, 21, 22, 24 . . . 2N relative to one another. Such SARs rely on capacitor matching and a large ratio from the largest capacitance to the smallest.
Other DACs having a limited number of capacitors (e.g., two) are known in the art. However, the comparator of these SAR ADCs typically process signals MSB first, LSB last, while serial DACs typically process bits LSB first, MSB last. In order to use such a DAC in an ADC, the comparator of the ADC must completely convert the analog input to digital values before the LSB is generated and DAC processing can begin. This is undesirable. Furthermore, these known SARADCs fail to compensate for offset or errors or other variations (e.g., common mode errors or quiescent current variations) prior to conversion of the pixel cell output (the analog signals) used to generate the digital bits which is undesirable.
DACs that process MSB first, LSB last are also known, but these DACs typically require integrator circuitry prior to transferring the analog output to a comparator. Such integrator circuitry requires additional electronic components (e.g., a separate comparator and a capacitor network) and takes up additional die space, which is undesirable.
Other DACs that process MSB first, LSB last are limited to use in monotonic DACs (i.e., the DACs' output either increases (for a digital input of 1) or stays the same (for an input of 0)). Thus, the DAC output is not sufficiently sensitive for high resolution applications such as image sensor applications.
Accordingly, there is a desire and need for an image sensor having a successive approximation type analog-to-digital converter comprising circuitry that includes a minimal number of circuit components that take up minimal die area.
There is also a need for an improved method of processing signals through an image sensor using a successive approximation type analog-to-digital conversion method having a serial digital-to-analog converter that is capable of processing bits MSB first, LSB last.
There is further a need for an improved method of correcting for error signals in a successive approximation type analog-to-digital converter.
Further there is a need for an improved method of converting analog signals to digital signals using a successive approximation type analog-to-digital converter comprising a digital to analog conversion method for high resolution applications.

Minimized differential SAR-type column-wide ADC for CMOS image sensors


According to a machining device for machining a conductive workpiece (W) by a conductive (T), when the tool (T) contacts the workpiece (W) in machining, there is formed a closed-circuit (C) connecting the tool (T), the workpiece (W), a brush (315), a conductor (311), a main spindle housing (12), a main spindle (11) and again the tool (T in that order. Alternating-current is inducted to the closed-circuit (C) by a high-frequency generator (314) and an exciting coil (312). As a contact state between the tool (T) and the workpiece (W), impedance of the closed-circuit (C) is changed and then the alternating-current is changed, so that induction current is generated at a detector coil (313), thus monitoring and controlling the contact state by way of the induction current. Since a light contact state can constantly be maintained in machining according to a monitoring condition including a light/heavy contact-determining threshold, cutting resistance will not increase, thereby preventing damage on the tool (T) and deterioration in machining accuracy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machining device. In particular, the present invention relates to a machining device capable of machining while monitoring and controlling a contact state between a workpiece and a tool.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there has been known a machining device described in Document: JP H10-217069A (on pages 4, 5, 8 and FIGS. 1, 2).
The machining device includes a machine body, a table attached to the machine body for setting a workpiece thereon, a main spindle for attaching a tool which machines the workpiece, a contact bearing interposed between the machine body and the main spindle for rotatably supporting the main spindle, a feeding electrode coaxially disposed to face the main spindle with a minute gap, and a conductor for electrically connecting the machine body with the feeding electrode. The machine body, the table, the main spindle and the feeding electrode are conductive, and also, the workpiece and the tool to be selected are conductive. Accordingly, when the workpiece and the tool come closer or contact with each other in machining, a closed-circuit is formed for connecting the workpiece, the tool, the main spindle, the feeding electrode, the conductor, the machine body, the table and again the workpiece in that order. Alternating-current is fed to the closed-circuit by an AC power supplier. The alternating-current is then detected by an electric-current detector including a resistor.
In machining, while the workpiece and the tool gradually come closer to contact with each other from their locations sufficiently spaced apart, impedance of the closed-circuit is changed along with the change in electrostatic capacitance CL of a capacitor defined by the workpiece and the tool, and then, detection current detected by the electric-current detector is changed. Owing to this, the approach and the contact of the workpiece and the tool can be sensed by way of the detection current.
With the machining device, the approach and the contact of the workpiece and the tool can be detected, however, once the workpiece contact the tool, the change in the contact state may no longer be detected. For example, when cutting is performed with a tool T contacting a workpiece surface W as shown in FIG. 10, as the tool T advances rightward in FIG. 10 and contacts a projecting portion P on the workpiece surface W, cutting load (mechanical load) between the workpiece surface W (projecting portion P) and the tool T rapidly increases. Even though there is generated the change in the above contact state, the rapid increase of the load cannot be corrected according to the above machining device described in the Document, and the cutting is forcedly performed with the excessive cutting load, thus resulting in disadvantages such as damage on the tool T and the deterioration in machining accuracy.