A fluorine-containing copolymer comprising:. (a) from 0.05 to 20 mol % of polymer units based on at least one fluorinated comonomer selected from the group consisting of fluorinated comonomers of the following formulae (1), (2) and (3): EQU X--R.sup.f --CY.dbd.CH.sub.2 (1) EQU X--R.sup.f --O--CF.dbd.CF.sub.2 (2) EQU CF.sub.3 --(CF.sub.2).sub.n --(O--CF(CF.sub.3)--CF.sub.2).sub.m --O--CF.dbd.CF.sub.2 (3) PA1 (b) from 30 to 85 mol % of polymer units based on tetrafluoroethylene, PA1 (c) from 1 to 30 mol % of polymer units based on propylene, and PA1 (d) from 5 to 68.5 mol % of polymer units based on vinylidene fluoride.. wherein Y is a fluorine atom or a hydrogen atom, R.sup.f is a C.sub.2-12 bivalent fluorinated organic group, X is a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom or a hydrogen atom, n is an integer of from 0 to 3, and m is an integer of from 1 to 4,

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermoplastic fluorine-containing copolymer having flexibility.
2. Discussion of Background
A thermoplastic fluorine-containing copolymer having flexibility and excellent moldability is desired in the field of tubes, sealing materials, films or composite materials thereof. A copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (hereinafter referred to as TFE) and propylene, which contains at most 60 mol % of polymer units based on TFE, is known as an elastomer.
A three-component copolymer comprising TFE, polypropylene and vinylidene fluoride (hereinafter referred to as VDF) is known as an elastomer.
Further, a copolymer of a fluorinated comonomer of the formula (2) or (3) given hereinafter with TFE or VDE is known as an elastomer.
For example, JP-A-50-50488 discloses a three-component copolymer comprising from 50 to 65 mol % of polymer units based on TFE, from 20 to 45 mol % of polymer units based on propylene and from 5 to 26 mol % of polymer units based on VDF.
JP-A-52-44895 discloses a three-component copolymer comprising from 5 to 50 mol % of polymer units based on TFE, from 5 to 40 mol % of polymer units based on propylene and from 30 to 90 mol % of polymer units based on VDF.
Further, JP-A-52-45685 discloses a three-component copolymer comprising from 25 to 50 mol % of polymer units based on TFE, from 25 to 45 mol % of polymer units based on propylene and from 10 to 30 mol % of polymer units based on VDF.
JP-A-58-71906 discloses a copolymer comprising from 50 to 88 mol % of polymer units based on a fluoroolefin such as TFE or VDF and from 12 to 50 mol % of polymer units based on the comonomer of the formula (3) as defined in the present invention.
Further, JP-A-1-22908 discloses a three-component copolymer comprising from 30 to 80 mol % of polymer units based on TFE, from 5 to 60 mol % of polymer units based on the copolymer of the formula (2) as defined in the present invention, and from 3 to 50 mol % of polymer units based on the comonomer of the formula (3) as defined in the present invention. Such a copolymer is described to be a resilient copolymer having excellent low temperature characteristics.
These copolymers are excellent in flexibility. However, their molded products are elastomeric and, as such, can not practically be used unless they are vulcanized.
On the other hand, a two-component copolymer comprising TFE and VDF is known to be a thermoplastic resin having a melting point of from 150.degree. to 300.degree. C., but it does not have flexibility (Polymer Science USSR A18, No. 12, p2691-2699).
Accordingly, it is conceivable that by increasing the content of polymer units based on TFE and decreasing the content of polymer units based on propylene in a three-component copolymer comprising TFE, propylene and VDF, it may be possible to obtain a copolymer having a thermoplastic nature while maintaining flexibility.
In fact, a copolymer comprising from 40 to 80 mol % of polymer units based on TFE, from 5 to 25 mol % of polymer units based on propylene and from 10 to 55 mol % of polymer units based on VDF, has been confirmed to be a thermoplastic fluorine resin which has flexibility and which has a melting point of from about 130.degree. to about 200.degree. C.
A thermoplastic resin is usually required to have a low melt viscosity for extrusion. However, with the above three-component copolymer, it has been found that if it has a low melt viscosity, the mechanical properties, particularly the tensile strength and the tensile elongation at a high temperature, deteriorate.


The present invention relates to an antibody composition which contains antibodies specific for glycophorin A, CD2, CD3, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD19, CD24, CD56, CD66b and IgE antigens. A negative selection process is also provided for use on blood and bone marrow samples from a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia to recover cell preparations depleted of lineage committed cells. The invention also relates to kits for carrying out this process and to the cell preparations prepared by the process.

The present invention relates to a method of depleting normal and transformed lineage committed cells from a sample from a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia.
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a monoclonal expansion of a transformed pluripotent stem cell (Fialkow et al., 63:125, 1977, American Journal of Medicine). Myeloid cells, erythroid cells and less frequently lymphocytes arise from the leukemic clone (Bakhshi et al., New Eng. J. Med. 309:826, 1983). CML is characterized in more than 90% of patients by the rearrangement between the break cluster region (BCR gene, located on chromosome 22) and the ABL gene (located on chromosome 9) (Bartran et al., Nature 306:277, 1983).
Although patients with CML may have a prolonged course, the disease is invariably lethal. Bone marrow transplantation is the treatment of choice for this patient population with a curative rate of 90% in some centres. However, for 60% of patients this therapy may not be available either due to the lack of a suitable donor due to differences in human leukocyte antigens (HLA) or the age of the recipient.
For these reasons, other treatment options have been evaluated for their ability to remove the leukemic cells from the harvested material without depleting or damaging the co-existing benign (non-malignant) stem cells. The methods have included various drug regiments (Degliantoni et al., Blood 65:753, 1985) or the culture of the patient cells using the Dexter (long term culture) system which was shown to preferentially support the proliferation of benign stem cells as compared to malignant cells (Barnett et al., Bone Marrow Transplant 4:345, 1985).
Clinical experience has confirmed that although the leukemic burden has been greatly reduced using such protocols, the malignant cells in most patients have not been entirely eradicated and patients relapse with their original disease. (Coutintro et al., Progress in Clinical and Biological Research 333:415, 1990 and Deisseroth et al., Blood 83:3068, 1994) In addition, the high incidence of graft failure also suggests that certain types of treatment may have had adverse effects on the non-malignant stem cells (Talpaz et al., Blood 85:3257, 1995 and Daley and Goldman, Exp. Hematol. 21:731, 1993).
Further analysis of this disease has focussed on dissecting out certain populations of primitive cells in an attempt to understand at what stage the clonal abnormality occurs (Verfaille et al., Blood 87:4770, 1996). These studies may be limited by the low frequency of primitive cells due to the clonal proliferation of lineage committed cells. Further studies of this disease may be facilitated if the mature lineage committed xe2x80x9ccontaminatingxe2x80x9d cells could be reduced or eliminated.
The present inventors have developed an antibody composition for use in preparing cell preparations depleted of normal and transformed lineage committed cells, for example from blood or bone marrow samples from patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. The antibodies in the antibody composition are specific for selected markers associated with lineage committed cells. In particular, the present inventors have found that using an antibody composition containing antibodies specific for glycophorin A, CD2, CD3, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD19, CD24, CD56, CD66b and IgE gives a cell preparation enriched for hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells and depleted of committed lineage or differentiated cells.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to an antibody composition comprising antibodies specific for glycophorin A, CD2, CD3, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD19, CD24, CD56, CD66b and IgE which gives a cell preparation depleted of lineage committed cells.
The present invention also provides an antibody composition comprising antibodies specific for glycophorin A, CD2, CD3, CD14, CD16, CD19, CD24, CD56, CD66b and IgE. Such a composition can be used in combination with antibodies to CD15 to prepare a cell preparation depleted of lineage committed cells.
The present invention also includes a negative selection method for depleting lineage committed cells from a sample from a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia comprising:
(a) reacting the sample with an antibody composition comprising antibodies specific for glycophorin A, CD2, CD3, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD19, CD24, CD56, CD66b and IgE under conditions so that conjugates between the antibodies and cells in the sample having the antigens glycophorin A, CD2, CD3, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD19, CD24, CD56, CD66b and IgE on their surfaces;
(b) removing the conjugates; and
(c) recovering a cell preparation which is depleted of lineage committed cells.
The antibody composition of the invention may be used to prepare cell preparations from patients with chronic myeloid leukemia that are depleted of matured differentiated or lineage committed cells and can withstand freezing.
In a preferred embodiment, the sample is first treated with an antibody to CD15 and then it is treated with a cocktail or composition comprising the remaining antibodies to glycophorin A, CD2, CD3, CD14, CD16, CD19, CD24, CD56, CD66b and IgE.
The present invention also relates to a kit useful for performing the processes of the invention comprising antibodies specific for glycophorin A, CD2, CD3, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD19, CD24, CD56, CD66b and IgE and instructions for performing the process of the invention.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Antibody composition for debulking blood and bone marrow samples from CML patients


A process for recovering a secondary base metal mineral from a material containing it involving treatment of a pulp of the material with surface modifying reagent such as a water soluble sulphide. The pulp is subjected to deaeration by introduction of a non-oxidising gas to prevent oxidation of the reagent. The process is applicable to recovery of secondary minerals such as azurite, malachite, cerussite, anglesite and zinc ferrites from host materials.

Secondary base metal minerals occur mainly where the original sulphide ore body has been converted by chemical weathering to a partially or substantially oxidised form. Such deposits are mineralogically complex and may comprise a host of secondary minerals.
In the case of copper, relevant minerals include native copper (Cu), malachite (Cu.sub.2 (OH).sub.2 CO.sub.3), brochantite (Cu.sub.4 (OH).sub.6 SO.sub.4), antlerite (Cu.sub.3 (OH).sub.4 SO.sub.4), atacamite (Cu.sub.2 (OH).sub.3 Cl), azurite (Cu.sub.3 (OH).sub.2 (CO.sub.3).sub.2), chrysocolla (CuSiO.sub.3.2H.sub.2 O), cuprite (Cu.sub.2 O) and tenorite (CuO) as reflected for example in Hiskey, "In Situ Leaching Recovery of Copper--What's Next?", Biomine '94 Conference, Perth, Western Australia. These minerals may occur in association with gangue minerals such as silicates, e.g. quartz, iron oxides, e.g. goethite and haematite. The secondary minerals may also be associated with high value sulphide minerals, such as copper sulphides, being for example, chalcocite (Cu.sub.2 S) and covellite (CuS) or substituted copper sulphides, for example, chalcopyrite (CuFeS.sub.2), bornite (Cu.sub.5 FeS.sub.4), enargite (Cu.sub.3 AsS.sub.4), tetrahedrite (Cu.sub.12 As.sub.4 S.sub.13) and tennantite (Cu.sub.12 As.sub.4 S.sub.13). In addition, free or mineralised precious metals such as silver or gold may be present. As the mineralogy of the host orebody is complex, the metallurgy of separation of the various constituents of the host orebody has been correspondingly complex.
In the case of lead, minerals which may be included are cerussite (PbCO.sub.3), pyromorphite (Pb.sub.5 Cl(PO4)3), and the complex lead-vanadium minerals of South West Africa, the latter as discussed at length by Fleming in the paper "Effects of Soluble sulphide in the Flotation of Secondary Lead Minerals", Recent Developments in Mineral Dressing, Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (1953), p521 et seq. Specific minerals of interest may include vanadinite 3Pb.sub.3 (VO.sub.4).sub.2 PbCl.sub.2) and descloizite (PB,Zn).sub.3 (VO.sub.4)PbZn(OH).sub.2 !. In the case of zinc and lead, an important source of secondary minerals includes the ferritic residues left after acid leaching of roasted zinc sulphide concentrates. Such residues are rich in lead and other base metals in the form, for example, of zinc ferrite and plumbojarosite or lead sulphate (anglesite) and may grade up to 20% lead when concentrated by flotation.
Zinc minerals of interest may include smithsonite (ZnCO.sub.3), willemite (Zn.sub.2 SiO.sub.4) and zincite (ZnO).
Partially oxidised minerals may also be encountered at mine sites where freshly mined sulphide ore may oxidise and separation behaviour be adversely affected. For example, chalcopyrite and chalcocite may at least partially oxidise following mining.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,421 (Cutting et al) discusses a process wherein a sulphidising agent is added to a pulp of an ore containing secondary copper minerals. The sulphidising agent may, for example, be a water soluble sulphide such as sodium sulphide or bisulphide. The sulphidising agent reacts with sulphidisable components, for example oxide minerals, in the pulp thereby forming a thin layer of sulphide on grains of the oxide minerals which are susceptible to collectors. This enables flotation of the sulphidised oxide minerals. Avoidance of excessive addition of sulphidising agent, that is, a quantity greater than stoichiometrically required, is attempted by controlling the addition of the sulphidising agent in accordance with a predetermined optimal range of oxidation-reduction potential for each specific ore type.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,072 (Holman et al) discloses a copper recovery process in which the EMF of a pulp of oxidised copper minerals as well as sulphide minerals is monitored. Water soluble sulphide is added to the pulp whenever and for so long as the pulp EMF is above about -30 mV with reference to a standard silver-silver chloride electrode. Reagent addition is discontinued whenever the EMF is less than about -30 mV. Following conditioning, the pulp is subjected to a froth flotation operation in the presence of a collector for copper sulphide minerals to produce a bulk concentrate containing most of the sulphide minerals and a substantial part of the oxidised minerals of the ore.
Jones et al., "Evaluation of Ion-Selective Electrode for Control of Sodium Sulphide Additions during Laboratory Flotation of Oxidised Ores", Trans. IMM, Part C, pp C99-C105 also relates optimal addition of sulphidising agent to appropriate electrochemistry and proposes a modern sulphide-ion selective electrode as the most promising method for measurement and control of sulphide concentrations in a pulp.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,549 (Malghan) discusses a further process for recovery of oxidised copper sulphide minerals from sulphide copper minerals in which an ore pulp is conditioned with an alkaline reagent followed by a second conditioning step in the presence of a collector. A surface modifying agent is then added to the conditioned ore pulp at a rate and in an amount sufficient to decrease the platinum electrode potential of the pulp, when measured against a standard colomel electrode, to a minimum of -100 mV. The ore pulp is then conditioned for a time sufficient to achieve intimate contact between the ore particles, and thereafter subjecting the so treated ore to conventional flotation.
Fleming (op cit) mentions a treatment scheme for an ore containing cerussite, vanadinite and descloizite involving the formulation of a pulp of these minerals and treating them with a sulphidisation agent for flotation.


A switchable ratcheting clutch achieves four different modes of operation based on a relative rotational position of a cam ring and an inner ring. In a central relative position, an outer ring can rotate freely in either direction with respect to the inner ring. In either extreme relative position, the outer ring is prevented from rotating in either direction relative to the inner ring. In intermediate positions one either side of the central position, the outer ring is permitted to rotate in one direction but not the other. A number of pawls are supported on the inner ring and pushed radially out of engagement with the outer ring by a spring on a spring cage. The spring cage moves with the cam ring between the one-way positions but the cam ring rotates relative to the spring cage when moving into the extreme positions.

Automotive transmissions establish a variety of selectable speed ratios between an engine and driven wheels. For discrete ratio transmissions, the speed ratio is typically selected by engaging particular clutches. A clutch restricts relative rotation between components, one or both of which is otherwise rotatable relative to the transmission case. Some clutches rely on friction to restrict relative motion. Ratcheting clutches, on the other hand, have pawls or other members that engage to stop relative motion in one direction and ratchet to permit relative motion in the opposite direction.
Some ratcheting clutches are completely passive devices. Other ratcheting clutches are switchable between modes. For example, a switchable ratcheting clutch may include a first mode in which relative rotation is permitted in both directions and a second mode in which relative rotation is permitted in only one direction. Previously known selectable four-mode ratcheting clutches are formed by combining multiple two-mode ratcheting clutches.


The invention is to achieve, in a multifunction multifunction system applicable to a copying apparatus or a printer, automatic switching of an image processing method and a compression/expansion method for each compressed packet image (tile image). this object is achieved by a system including a storage unit for storing image data read by an image reading unit; a packet data generation unit for dividing the image data into plural tiles of a predetermined size and generating, for each tile, packet data composed of a header portion and an image data portion, the header portion including identification information for determining an image processing method for an image data portion corresponding to the header portion; a transfer unit for transferring the packet data corresponding to each tile from the storage unit; and an image processing unit for entering the packet data transferred from the transfer unit and utilizing an image processing method corresponding to the identification information described in the header portion of the packet data to apply an image processing to the corresponding image data portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing or an image compressing or expanding technology for a rectangular image data (packet data) in a controller for a multifunction system applicable to a copying apparatus, a printer etc.
2. Related Background Art
In a controller of a conventional multifunction system applicable to a copying apparatus or a printer, image data are processed as a raster image, and the image processing or the image compression/expansion is executed in a unit of a raster image of a page.
There is also known a controller which divides the image data into packets and executes image processing in the unit of each packet, thereby executing image processing to the packet data in parallel manner.
As the image processing has conventionally been executed in the unit of a page, a single process requires a time for completion and it has been difficult to process plural images at the same time. Such drawback becomes conspicuous particularly in case of handling a color image, since the data amount per page becomes larger. Also in case of executing compression/expansion of the image in the unit of a page, it is necessary to expand/compress the entire image even for processing only a part of a page, whereby the processing time increases.
Also in case of parallel image processing, since the processing is executed in divided manner in the unit of a pixel or a line, such process is unsuitable for the image processing in the unit of a block. Also in case of image processing in parallel manner in the unit of packet data, a change in the image processing mode in an image processing unit has to be made from a CPU. Therefore, such process is unsuitable for executing image processing in parallel manner for plural images of mutually different process modes. As a result, there results a prolongation of the image processing time or an increase in the burden of the CPU.

Multifunction system, image processing method, computer program and memory medium


According to one embodiment, a method of generating warning messages based on system load of an autonomous driving vehicle can relieve a safety operator of the burden of constantly monitoring the vehicle and outside driving environments. The method uses a threshold for each of a number of system load parameters to determine whether the vehicle has a heavy system load that needs the attention of the safety operator. In one example, the vehicle can use a CPU usage threshold and an end-to-end latency threshold to determine whether the vehicle has a heavy system load while travelling on a road segment. If any of the thresholds is exceeded, the vehicle can send a warning message to the safety driver. The system load thresholds may be determined from data collected from the autonomous driving vehicle when it previously travelled on the road segment.

Vehicles operating in an autonomous mode (e.g., driverless) can relieve occupants, especially the driver, from some driving-related responsibilities. When operating in an autonomous mode, the vehicle can navigate to various locations using onboard sensors, allowing the vehicle to travel with minimal human interaction or in some cases without any passengers.
An autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) includes an autonomous driving system (ADS) with software applications and/or hardware components for performing driving-related functions. Typically, the more complex a driving environment is, the more intensive computations the ADS needs to perform to operate the ADV. Given a set of hardware capabilities, more intensive computations would increase the load of the ADS. When the ADS is under heavy load, the performance of the system tends to decrease, which may prevent the system from handling some extremely complicated driving environments.
On the other hand, as the last resort for safety, a human driver typically sits in the ADV to watch for any danger and to take over the control of the ADV if based on his judgement the driving-by-wire system cannot handle the danger. However, the above scenario requires the human driver to be attentive to the outside environment and the ADV itself all the time, which is a demanding requirement, particularly when the journey is long.

System load based safety operator warning system


In a brake system for a boiler feed water pump wherein a flat-sided brake disc is mounted on a rotating shaft, arms are hingedly mounted on a base frame at the lower end of each arm, the arms being positioned at diametrically opposite sides of the disc, the base frame extending between the lower ends of the arms, calipers are mounted on the arms to embrace diametrically opposite areas of the sides of the disc. A yoke is mounted on the upper ends of the arms in such a way as to be easily dismounted. The yoke is conventional. When it is desired to repair the calipers or to remove one of the shafts upon which the brake disc is mounted or with which it is integral, with the shaft and disc not rotating, as when the unit is out of service, it is only necessary to remove the yoke, and swing the arms out away from the disc. The brakes can easily be inspected and repaired, as well. The brakes are actuated by an intensifier system, in which an intensifier is connected to a valve which is connected to a reservoir. When the valve is opened, the pressure in the hydraulic line to the brake is monitored, and if it is below the desired pressure, the intensifier is caused to repeat, to pull hydraulic fluid into the intensifier, hence to the brake line, and to the brake calipers, causing the calipers to brake the disc and shaft to a stop, and to hold it stopped indefinitely.

The brake system of this invention comprises a hydraulically operated, caliper type brake intended for a very special application; it is to be positioned over the brake disc which is mounted on the output shaft of a fluid drive, between the fluid drive and a boiler feed water pump of the type used in connection with the boiler of an electric power plant.
Conventionally, a separate hub is mounted on the output shaft with a shrink fit, and the brake disc is keyed or bolted to the hub. Such arrangements usually cause the shaft to bow, causing imbalance and resultant vibration when rotating.
Conventional brake systems are generally of one of two designs. The first is an electro-magnetic brake wherein the stationary components completely surround the shaft. In this case, the output shaft and the entire magnetic brake mechanism must be removed from the fluid drive to do inspection and/or maintenance, on either the output shaft or the brake. The second is an air over hydraulic design which has fixed uprights with a removable yoke, for the manually operated mechanical brake. The shaft with the brake disc can be removed after removal of the yoke. However, inspection and/or replacement of the calipers is difficult because the vertical uprights are fixed. Also, in such a conventional system, a multiplicity of hydraulic brake actuators and pads, for example, four, are mounted on the fixed upright or stanchion, the pads being arranged in an arc, generally along the lower half of the brake disc. This tends to induce lateral forces on the disc and shaft, hence, on the bearings of the output shaft.
An example of conventional air over hydraulic device is shown in FIG. 3, where a complete device 130 is shown as having a fixed, one-piece stanchion 131 with two upright arms 132 and a lower, central reach 133 with an arcuate upper surface 134. The stanchion 121 is fixedly mounted on a base 135. Four caliper brakes 136, mounted on the stanchion 131, are spaced in a semicircle around the bottom half of a brake disc 137 bolted to a hub 145 which is mounted with a shrink fit to an output shaft 146. The calipers 136 are supplied with hydraulic fluid from a master cylinder 138, connected by fluid line 139 that also communicates with an accumulator 140. The individual calipers are connected serially or in parallel, or both, by a connecting fluid line 141 to the line 139. In this arrangement, if there is a leak in the line 141 or 139, the master cylinder acts once, and if insufficient pressure is brought to the calipers, the brake cannot stop, or cannot continue to hold the disc stopped, and hence the brake will fail.
The purpose for having a brake on the output shaft of a fluid drive is to aid in the operation of the boiler feed pump by stopping the boiler feed pump shaft and to keep it from rotating when the pump is out of service, but when the driver, usually a steam turbine-generator, remains in service. There are certain boiler feed pumps that are designed and built in ways that will cause them to gall and consequently to seize if they rotate for more than a few seconds or a few minutes at low speed with no or low flow of water through them. Typically, these pumps have stainless steel components that can rub together. They are often, although not always, high performance, high pressure pumps.
Continued use of a boiler feed pump over a period of years permits the operators to establish if the pump has seized at low speed when the pump was out of service and a brake was not being applied. For those pumps that either have seized under low speed and flow conditions, or for which the manufacturer advises against operation at low speeds and low flow, it is imperative that a brake be employed when the driver is a steam turbine-generator. For those boiler feed pumps which have not seized when they were operated at low speed for several hours, or for which the manufacturer indicates that no problem will arise by operating at low speed with low to no flow, or which, generally, are motor driven, the brake is not required.
The speed and developed horsepower of the output shaft of a fluid drive depends upon the position of the scoop tube and the amount of circuit oil flow. This is discussed at some length in a co-pending application of Melbourne F. Giberson, Ser. No. 07/998,959, and broadly speaking, is well known in the art.
Usually, the hydraulic and mechanical brake systems in use presently can stop and hold the output shaft/coupling/boiler feed pump if the following conditions are met:
1) the scoop tube tip clearances are properly set; PA0 2) the scoop tube is intact, not broken off: PA0 3) the scoop tube linkage internal and external to the fluid drive is intact; PA0 4) the scoop tube is kept at the minimum power position, i.e. at its maximum radial reach; PA0 5) the circuit oil flow is at a minimum; PA0 6) no vane is broken at either the impeller or runner; PA0 7) the gap between the impeller and runner is properly set; PA0 8) the journal and thrust bearings are not worn to the point at which the impeller and runner are touching, either axially or radially; PA0 9) the brake disc is intact; PA0 10) the calipers are not excessively worn; PA0 11) the hydraulic brake system is not leaking oil; and PA0 12) the hydraulic brake is designed to stop the shaft and to keep the shaft from rotating, assuming that the control power remains on.
Conventionally, a mechanical pin, usually made of high strength alloy steel, is inserted through a hole in the brake disc and through one of the slots in a holding block fixed against rotation with the disc. However, the pin, like the brake itself, is not designed to withstand the torque of the turbine shaft of a large turbine. For example, in a three hundred thirty megawatt unit at full load, the available power of the output shaft is four hundred forty thousand horse power; for a seven hundred fifty megawatt unit, the available power is a million horse power. Clearly, a pin or a caliper type brake is not going to keep the shaft from rotating against such torque.
Historically, for those fluid drives that have brakes, the brake is one of the highest maintenance items; they cause many of the forced outages. The brakes fail for a variety of reasons, usually when one or more of the conditions listed above is violated, with the result that the brake is not able to keep the shaft from rotating.
The fluid drive has first priority on the steam power, ahead of the generator, regardless of whether the fluid drive is on the turbine end or on the generator end of the machine.
Reported failures of brakes are innumerable. Pins have been sheared, calipers worn out in a few seconds, brake discs glow red hot, brake discs are broken and scattered. Accordingly, if the brake does not need to be applied in order to prevent the pump from galling and seizing, then the brake should be removed. If the brake does need to be applied in order to prevent the pump from galling and seizing, then the brake should be used, but used sparingly and kept in excellent condition.
As has been indicated, the brake system does not provide assurance of safety for maintenance of any form, no matter how simple, no matter how short in duration. The only purpose for which the brake is installed is to aid in the operation of the boiler feed pump.
In the brake systems known heretofore, the brakes have been configured and installed in such a way that the brakes have had to be disassembled either for maintenance of the brakes or for removal of the output shaft from the fluid drive with the brake disc on it.
One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic brake system that is more reliable than brake systems now in use;
Another object is to provide a brake system in which the brake elements are more easily disassembled in order to service the calipers or pads of the brake, or to remove the output shaft of a fluid drive.
Another object is to provide an improved hydraulic caliper brake system in which vibration and lateral forces are minimized;
Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the following disclosure and accompanying drawing.

Brake assembly having an adjustable yoke


An image generating method comprises the steps of extracting elliptical shape parameters (specifying an elliptical shape), gradation pattern parameters (specifying a gradation pattern to be drawn in the elliptical shape) and drawing area parameters (specifying a drawing area) from an instruction for drawing an elliptical radial gradation, generating a transformation matrix for transforming the elliptical shape into a perfect circular shape based on the elliptical shape parameters, calculating an inverse matrix of the transformation matrix, transforming the gradation pattern parameters using the transformation matrix, transforming a first area containing the drawing area using the transformation matrix, drawing a radial gradation in the perfect circular shape in a second area containing the transformed first area based on the transformed gradation pattern parameters, and generating the elliptical radial gradation for the drawing area by inversely transforming the second area (in which the radial gradation has been drawn) using the inverse matrix.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image generating device, an image generating method and a printing device.
2. Prior Art
With the evolving high performance of document preparation systems and document printing systems using computers in recent years, there are increasing desires of users for realizing complicated expression in drawing. For example, gradation (gradually changing the color in a prescribed drawing area) is being used a lot for effective presentation, for expressing three-dimensional shapes, etc.
In order to print such a gradation (i.e. an image having gradation) with a printer or display such a gradation on a display, it is necessary to generate a gradation pattern in the bitmap format and draw the gradation pattern on a page memory or frame memory. The drawing of the gradation is carried out by successively drawing (overlaying) multiple areas slightly differing in the color value while gradually shifting the drawing position of each area. The drawing of such a gradation requires complicated calculations since each of such areas (to be drawn with the same (uniform) color value) has to be determined and specified for the drawing.
Under such circumstances, various devices have been proposed in order to draw a gradation while reducing the load related to the drawing of the gradation. For example, an image formation device (capable of drawing a concentric circular gradation) described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. HEI 11-31231 (hereinafter referred to as a "patent document # 1") reduces the load for the gradation drawing by carrying out the gradation drawing by first determining color changing points (at each of which the color value changes) for each scan line and then drawing each line segment between two color changing points (on a scan line) with a uniform color value.

Image generating device, image generating method and printing device


An aliasing technique allows transparently connecting multiple interconnects across a shared cross-connect interconnect, allowing devices on one interconnect to communicate with devices on another interconnect as if both interconnects were connected by a single interconnect bridge. Each interconnect appears to the cross-connect interconnect as a device on the cross-connect interconnect. Transactions between devices on different interconnects are aliased by a routing engine connected to the cross-connect interconnect for transmittal across the cross-connect interconnect and are invisible to other transactions on the cross-connect interconnect. Transactions between devices on the same interconnect are invisible to other interconnects. Cache coherent requests are supported by the use of additional attribute bits.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer interconnects and more particularly to using an interconnect as a cross-connect for a distributed system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Early conventional computer systems used a single interconnect, to which the various components of the computer system were connected. The interconnect known today as an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) interconnect was used in many early computer systems. The name ISA for these interconnects was an afterwards-developed name for a previously unstandardized interconnect used in IBM PC/AT systems. With the advent of interconnects such as the Peripheral Components Interconnect (PCI) interconnect, conventional computer systems began to use a host interconnect for connecting the processor to an interconnect to connect to other components, such as adapter cards. A Host/PCI interconnect bridge typically connects the host interconnect and the PCI interconnect.
The PCI 2.2 specification, a copy of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference, allows for connecting multiple PCI interconnects in an interconnect hierarchy, with PCI-to-PCI bridges. Transactions are routed by the PCI-to-PCI bridges based on an enumeration of the interconnect hierarchy performed at initialization of the computer system. Transactions typically contain information indicating the destination interconnect number and device, which allows the bridges to determine the transaction routing.
Other interconnect architectures have been developed that can also use bridges to interconnect multiple interconnect segments. Further, the PCI-X extension to the PCI standard, as defined in the PCI-X 1.0 specification, a copy of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, modifies the behavior of interconnect bridges in a PCI-X environment.
Additionally, distributed interconnects have been developed such as Ethernet, Infiband, and Fibrechannel. These distributed interconnects typically do not use bridges for connecting multiple interconnects or networks, but use devices such as routers, which route transactions across a network of connected interconnects. Typically, such distributed interconnects do not act as a single interconnect hierarchy, but as multiple connected systems.
Today, the computer industry is looking for a cost effective way to design distributed server blade type architectures. A blade server architecture typically uses an ultra dense collection of processor cards, known as "blades," connected to a common power supply on trays in a rack. Unlike traditional multiprocessor systems, in which a single operating system manages the multiple processors in a unified execution system, a blade server system generally is a collection of independent computer systems, providing benefits such as lower power usage over traditional separately configured computer systems.
In their simplest form, a blade would be a processor and memory. However, conventional blades today are typically a full computer system, with a processor, memory, video chip, etc., all on a board getting power and Ethernet connections from a backplane. Typical blades do not contain interconnect connectors, such as a PCI connectors, because of a perceived difficulty in extending the PCI interconnect across the backplane. Because blades, by definition, are single cards, other conventional PCI devices are not typically connected via PCI slots as in typical desktop systems.
The ability to use interconnects such as PCI in blades for connection to external PCI devices has been desired, to allow reuse of existing PCI hardware and to allow reducing the number of components on the blade.

Distributed system with cross-connect interconnect transaction aliasing

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Systems and methods for measuring stray light in a lithographic apparatus are described using Radiometric Kirk Test (also known as Scanning SAMOS Test). The Radiometric Kirk Test of the present invention involves a test pattern having an isolated dark area within a much larger bright field. The radiometric Kirk test includes at least two continuous or stepped scans of an aperture of a detector in an image plane of a lithographic system. During a dark area measurement, the aperture of the detector is positioned such that at least at one point the aperture of the detector is centered within an image of the dark area. During a bright area measurement, the aperture of the detector is positioned within the image of the bright field. The integrated detector signal is correspondingly computed for the dark area measurement and the bright area measurement. The ratio of the integrated dark area measurement result and integrated bright area measurement result is a measure of stray light present in the lithographic apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lithographic projection apparatus and systems and methods for measuring stray light in a lithographic projection apparatus.
2. Related Art
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of flat panel displays, integrated circuits (ICs), and other devices involving fine structures.
In some lithographic apparatus, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the substrate. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g., comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g., a semiconductor wafer). The lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system to illuminate the mask and a projection system (also referred to as a projection lens) to transfer the mask's pattern, via imaging, onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (photo-resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned.
Instead of a mask, in some lithographic apparatus, the patterning device can be a patterning array that comprises one or more arrays of individually controllable elements. Sometimes, the pattern can be changed more efficiently in a maskless system compared to a mask-based system. These types of apparatus are referred to as Optical Maskless Lithographic (OML) apparatus.
Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers or step-and-repeat apparatus, and so-called scanners or step-and-scan apparatus. In a stepper each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and the wafer is moved by a predetermined amount to a next position for a subsequent exposure. In a scanner, each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction, and next the wafer is moved to a next position for a subsequent exposure.
In order to achieve optimum performance in a mask-based or OML apparatus, monitoring the effect of stray light is important.
Stray light is measured on lithography systems using two primary methods: the Stray light At Multiple Object Size (SAMOS) test and the Kirk test.
The SAMOS test is a radiometric measurement that positions an image-plane detector (i.e., a detector placed in the wafer plane) within the image of a dark box surrounded by a bright field. The detector aperture is usually smaller than the image of the dark box. The light falling on the detector is an indication of amount of stray light present in the system. Details about the SAMOS test are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,862,076 B2, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The Kirk test is a lithographic measurement involving printing dark boxes (surrounded by bright fields, similar to the SAMOS test) into a photo-resist at increasing radiation or dose levels. The dose at which a dark box is not imaged into the photo-resist gives a measure of the stray light present in the system. In some embodiments, the Kirk test is implemented in positive photo-resist with multiple dark box sizes. Intensity is increased until the boxes of interest disappear. So, this test is also referred to as the "disappearing box test." The Kirk test is not limited to positive photo-resist. For example, when a negative photo-resist is used, intensity is increased until boxes of interest appear.
Both the SAMOS test and the Kirk test are valuable tools for measuring the performance of lithography apparatus in the presence of stray light, but SAMOS is often used for its relative simplicity, because no wafer processing is involved. However, either of the SAMOS test and the Kirk test alone does not provide an accurate measure of stray light in a lithographic apparatus aiming to achieve a very high contrast and a desired critical dimension of features. Additionally, SAMOS test is not a reliable method to measure stray light, where an imaging field of the lithography apparatus is small for each step of exposure, for example, in an OML apparatus.


A propshaft damper includes an inertia ring where the inertia ring having an inner ring. A rubber track is positioned on inner ring, the rubber track having an first inner surface. A transmission flange is further provided having a second inner surface and connected to the inertia ring. A hub is provided connecting the inertia ring to the flange. The hub having a first section and a second section where the first section of the hub includes a first outer surface and the second section includes a second outer surface. The first inner surface of the hub connected to the first outer surface of the hub. Further, the second outer surface of the hub is connected to the second inner surface of the flange thereby connecting inertia track and the flange by means of the hub in a secure press-fit connection.

Noise is a common customer complaint within the interior compartment of a vehicle. The firings of cylinders in an internal combustion engine of a vehicle may generate torsional vibrations thus causing noise heard by the user of the vehicle. These periodic firings generate torsional vibrations as a fixed order of the engine rpm. An excitation sweep starting at idle up to the maximum engine speed is measured and graphically depicted. Various multiple degrees of freedom have several eigenforms per its inertia, torsional rates, and dampening. Each eigenform has a certain frequency, vibration shape, and resonant application. Systems not having dampers on the propshaft exhibit higher frequency versus amplification on a system with amplifying eigenmode (resonance) not having dampers on the propshaft.
The noise and vibration of an amplified eigenmode in resonance heard by the user of the vehicle is significantly reduced through the use of torsional propshaft dampers. The propshaft damper works as an added single degree of freedom system tuned to the problem eigenform of the driveline. FIG. 2 illustrates the graph 30 showing frequency versus amplification of the reduction of torsional resonant vibration when using a damper at line 34 and not having a damper at line 32. Line 34 is an example of the frequency versus amplification of the present invention.
Several known propshaft dampers exist such as a damper having rotating support pins and being pressed onto a flange/shaft OD. Other dampers includes a damper having a track but assembled with a rubber coupling and being pressed to an OD of a flange protrusion which accommodates a center sleeve. Other dampers include a damper having a rubber coupling or a propshaft damper pressed to a minimum shaft flange accommodated into a cv-joint. Even further, these dampers all require the user of a bolt or other fastener for assembly. The dampers of the prior art are frequently prohibitively expensive to manufacture when assembled between a u/cv-joint and a transmission flange because of the number of components required, the weight and assembly costs. As such, there exists a need in the art to provide a propshaft damper producing effective results at a lower cost.


A list display apparatus that displays multiple pieces of character string data in a list on a display unit includes a storage unit that stores the multiple pieces of character string data; a sorting unit that sorts the multiple pieces of character string data stored in the storage unit in a character code order; a ligature decomposing unit that decomposes a ligature included in the multiple pieces of character string data into multiple original letters on which the ligature is based in the sorting by the sorting unit; and a sorting control unit that controls the sorting unit so that the multiple letters resulting from the decomposition by the ligature decomposing unit is used in the sorting, instead of the ligature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to list display apparatuses, list display methods, and list display programs. More particularly, the present invention relates to a list display apparatus, a list display method, and a list display program suitable to display multiple pieces of character string data in a list.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various display devices have hitherto processed characters and letters to be displayed according to Unicode in order to support character systems for the respective languages used over the world.
The characters and letters processed according to the Unicode include Arabic letters. Many of the Arabic letters vary their shapes in accordance with the positions at which the letters are arranged in words (at the beginning, at the end, or at intermediate positions) (refer to FIG. 10). In addition, when specific multiple letters are continuously used in a specific order, the series of multiple letters may be described as a ligature in which the multiple letters are joined to each other (refer to FIG. 11).
For Arabic letters having the above features, the letters before their shapes are varied illustrated in FIG. 10 and the multiple letters (single forms) on which the ligature is based illustrated in FIG. 11 are defined in U+06xx (x is a specific numeric character that is varied depending on the letter) in the Unicode. In contrast, the letters after their shapes are varied illustrated in FIG. 10 (the first letters, the intermediate letters, and the last letters) and the ligature illustrated in FIG. 11 are defined in U+FExx or U+FFxx.
As described above, for Arabic letters, the letters after their shapes are varied and the ligature are processed as the Unicode characters the numbers of which are separated from those of the letters of the single forms.
The various display devices have hitherto sorted the respective pieces of character string data in a certain sort order in order to display lists of the multiple pieces of character string data (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 3-210627).
In the sorting of English character string data, the character string data is often sorted in alphabetical order, and this sorting order coincides with the order in the Unicode. In the current navigation applications, letters with diacritical marks, such as umlaut, are processed as letters without diacritical marks for the sorting, as illustrated in FIG. 12.
Arabic letters are also often sorted in alphabetical order or according to the Unicode. In some devices, the letters after their shapes are varied illustrated in FIG. 10 are converted into the letters of the single forms for the sorting. For example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-138281 and International Publication No. WO2008/018287.
However, since the ligature illustrated in FIG. 11 is processed as U+FExx in the Unicode for the ligature in the sorting, the ligature illustrated in FIG. 11 is sorted as a letter separate from the Arabic letters.
Accordingly, in the display of character string data for sorted Arabic letters in the list, it is difficult to find the character string data including the ligature from the list.

List display apparatus and list display method


A facsimile device stores communication administration information every time image information is transmitted and received. The facsimile device stores information in a region including a title of an image to be transmitted and information of a transmitting source which transmitted the received image information in the image information to be transmitted and received. The transmitting source information and the title of the transmitted original, which are stored, are printed out by a printer as a daily report administration list along with the communication administration information. As a result, the transmitting source information and the title of the transmitted original can be easily confirmed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to facsimile devices for transmitting and receiving image information with a facsimile device at an opposite end, and more particularly, relates to facsimile devices with which a summary of contents transmitted and received can be easily known.
2. Description of the Background Art
In a conventional facsimile device, the date, the time of the transmitting and receiving operation, the name of the transmitting or receiving office, the time period required for the transmitting and receiving operation, the number of pages, the communication result and so on are stored as communication administration information so that an operator can later confirm communication record of the facsimile device. The contents thereof are sequentially printed as a daily report administration list in time sequence in each communication unit, for example, as shown in FIGS. 7 A and 7B.
In the conventional facsimile device, however, though the communication administration information outputted as the daily report administration can be confirmed by the operator after the transmitting or receiving operation, it is impossible to confirm the contents of image to be transmitted or received (for example, a summary of the contents and a title of an original to be transmitted and transmitting source information from a facsimile at the transmitting office which is added as an image to the image to be received. There is a problem that unless the operator keeps the transmitted original or the received image and he himself retains and administers when the original or the image was transmitted or received, the contents thereof cannot be confirmed.

Facsimile device with which content transmitted and received can be easily known


A continuous kneading machine capable of achieving selfcleaning, improvement in kneading efficiency, and reduction in abrasion of paddles is provided. This continuous kneading machine is characterized in that sectional shape of one paddle in a section perpendicular to a rotation shaft is formed of n (where n is an integer, and n.gtoreq.2) pairs of major radius parts and minor radius parts which are alternately arranged with equal angle and formed by a gentle curve, and that sectional shape of another paddle is formed of m (where m is an integer, m.gtoreq.2, and n.noteq.m) pairs of major radius parts and minor radius parts which are formed by an escribed envelope curve drawn by rotation in cooperation with the one paddle, and in which rotation of another paddle is performed in a direction different from the one paddle at a different ratio of rotation frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a continuous kneading machine in which process for uniformly mixing and kneading various kinds of materials in a state of liquid, viscous substance or powder is performed.
2. Prior Art
FIG. 14 shows one of kneading machines heretofore known.
This known kneading machine is provided with at least two pairs of lense-shaped paddles (b), (c) respectively arranged in a cylindrical body (a) formed of two partially crossover circles in section so as to engage with each other and rotate in the same one direction within the cylindrical body (a). When rotating the paddles (b), (c), a self-cleaning is performed in such a manner that internal wall of the cylindrical body (a) and external surface of the baddles (b), (c) are scraped. At the same time, as a result of continuous change in sectional area of a space formed between the paddles (b), (c) engaged each other and the internal wall of the body (a) to be occupied by the treated materials, compression and expansion of the materials takes places repeatedly, resulting in mixing and kneading of the materials.
There exist, however, following problems to be solved in the mentioned conventional kneading machine:
1) Referring to FIG. 14, when rotating the two paddles (b), (c) in the same one direction indicated the arrows, it happens that a material held in a space (d) (hereinafter referred to as "material space") to be filled with the material put between the paddles (b), (c) and the body (a) moves leftward, while a material held in another material space (e) moves counterclockwise downward, and therefore the materials are difficult to encounter each other. In other words, even if the material held in the material space (d) moves after the material held in the material space (e) to catch it up, the latter material held in the material spcae (e) cannot be caught but moves away. Likewise, on the underside, a material held in the material space (f) moves counterclockwise downward, while a material held in the material space (g) moves rightward, and the materials are difficult to encounter each other. As a result, no effective kneading takes place.
2) So long as the two paddles (b), (c) are rotated at equal speed, there is a possibility of encountering and mixture only between the limited and unchanged part of the materials every rotation, no matter how rotation of the two paddles is repeated. This is another problem resulting in insufficient kneading.
3) Because of little change in the sectional area of respective material spaces, no efficient kneading takes place.
4) Since the pair of paddles (b), (c) rotate in contact with each other for the purpose of self-cleaning, one end of either paddle is always in contact with another paddle, hence there arises a further problem of local or partial abrasion of such contact portion, as compared with other portions on the paddles.


A software conversion tool that facilitates automated conversion of a software program from one operating environment to another. More particularly, a computer program is compiled using a compiler for a software environment other than a software environment assumed by the computer program. As a result, the compiler produces an error message, and, in response to the error message, source code within the computer program is automatically modified in order to remove a condition causing the error. The software conversion tool acts in concert with the compiler, which may be a standard compiler, to form in effect an error-correcting compiler, i.e., a compiler that instead of only detecting errors and presenting them to the user, is able to actually correct errors such that they do not occur during recompilation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to software development tools, in particular to software conversion tools.
2. State of the Art
Software development is a time-consuming and laborious process. Maintaining and reworking previously-written software is at least equally laborious. Many times a need will arise to convert programs written to run in one software environment (i.e., written to interface to one system) to a form that will run in another different software environment. Such a conversion requires finding all language elements in the programs which refer to the old system and replacing them with language elements that refer to the new system. If the programs are large, including several hundreds of thousands or even a million or more lines of code, performing such a conversion manually is an enormous task. Clearly, it is desirable to devise a machine-assisted method of performing such a conversion.
Unfortunately, a simple "search and replace" strategy, in which every occurrence of a specified text string is replaced with a different specified text string, is too simple to provide useful results. In computer languages as in natural languages, the meaning of a particular language element is heavily context-dependent. Sometimes, for example, a local version of a name may appear. Replacing the local version of a name with a global new name results in a program that will not run or will not run correctly.
Therefore, there exists a need for a software tool that automates, to the greatest extent possible, software conversions of the type described.


A circuit arrangement for a power semiconductor module provides low parasitic inductances and low loss. An electrically insulating substrate supports metallic ribbon connectors which in turn power attached semiconductor components. DC port conducts are positioned in close proximity to each other and are arranged in at least one partial sector parallel and in close proximity to the surface of the substrate and/or the ribbon connectors and electrically insulated from the same, and at least one AC port conductor is similarly attached. The port conductors include surface elements enabling simplified low-inductance wire bond connection from the port conductors to either the power semiconductor components or ribbon connectors or both.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a low-inductance circuit arrangement for power semiconductor modules. More specifically, the present invention relates to a low-inductance circuit arrangement for high-speed modem power semiconductor modules having low parasitic inductances and low ohmic resistance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power transistors such as IGBTs (Insulating-Gate Bipolar Transistors) or MOSFETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors) are conventionally known. In use, power transistors such as IGBTs and MOSFETs are regulated, i.e., switched into a conductive or non-conductive state, by applying a certain voltage between the gate and the emitter.
It is conventionally known that individual switches and power semiconductor modules may have individual constructive means to reduce parasitic inductances, certain designs are shown in, for example, EP 0 277 546, DE 39 37 045 or DE 100 37 533.
EP 0 277 546 describes a method for reducing parasitic inductances in the DC input leads of an individual switch. Here, the two DC input leads are arranged in close proximity and at least partially parallel to each other. This results in a small current-circumfused (current surrounded) surface in the area of the closely adjacent input lead arrangement and thus a lower inductance of this input lead sector. Here, the DC input leads are connected to the substrate in a positive bond by means of soldering. Similarly, DE 196 18 978 A1 discloses a comparable arrangement for the load ports, unfortunately, the entire arrangement including the substrate is not of sufficiently low inductance, since the current-circumfused (current surrounded) surfaces (see description in DE 100 37 533 C1) are too large.
DE 39 37 045 describes a method of reducing parasitic inductances in the DC input leads of a half-bridge. As shown, the two DC input leads are arranged contiguously, but with the AC input lead between the plus and minus lead, and at least partially parallel to each other. This arrangement also has the effect of reducing the size of the current-circumfused surface in the area if the adjacent arrangement of input leads and thus a relatively low inductance of this input lead sector. Here, the DC and AC leads are also connected to the substrate in a positive bond by means of soldering.
DE 100 37 533 describes a circuit arrangement with very low parasitic inductances. The description arranges the individual power transistors of the two power switches in series and in an attempt to provide finger-like contact elements between the individual power transistors. Unfortunately, the low parasitic inductances in this circuit arrangements, achieved with this pressure-contacted arrangement, are still limited.
DE 197 52 408 A1 discloses contiguously arranged port conductors some of which are attached to or arranged in a frame-like housing. Unfortunately, these port conductors are auxiliary port conductors which, in contrast to the load port conductors consisting of DC and AC port conductors, have no effect on the parasitic inductances of the power semiconductor module.
Compact power semiconductor modules are conventionally described in DE 197 19 703. This type of power semiconductor module consists of ceramic substrates with applied ribbon (or web or track-type) connectors on which semiconductor components are arranged. These semiconductor components are connected by soldering to the ribbon connectors, and they have bonded connections with other semiconductor components. The port elements on the housing wall are provided with partial surfaces from where wire bond connections are established with individual ribbon connectors of the substrate.
Unfortunately, in EP 0 277 546, while the transistors forming the individual switch are in close proximity to each other, the current can nevertheless flow through the circuit arrangement along dissimilar paths, in particular along paths of dissimilar length. This design results in dissimilar current-circumfused surfaces, dissimilar inductances for the different conduction paths, and also dissimilar ohmic resistance values for these conduction paths. As a particular detriment to this design, the design of a half-bridge with such individual switches can never be of low inductance due to the external circuitry necessary for that purpose. Consequently, considering all characteristics together, this design leads to a certain reduction in parasitic inductances of the overall system of intermediate circuit and DC/AC converter. Unfortunately, the design shown does not meet all the requirements for minimizing parasitic inductances. Neither can an arrangement of individual switches, each with its own housing, meet the requirements of a compact and/or cost-effective design of the overall system.
Similarly to the above discussion, DE 39 37 045 misses the goal of low parasitic inductance for two main reasons. First, the DC port conductors are not arranged at a minimal distance from each other, since the AC port conductor is arranged between the two DC port conductors. Consequently, the current-circumfused surface in the area of the DC port conductors is not minimal, and thus the inductances for this area are not minimal either. Secondly, the power transistors of the first and second power switches are relative far apart, which also increases the parasitic inductances. In this arrangement, the relatively large surfaces parallel to the substrate below the port conductors for the plus and AC port are contrary to the goal of compact assemblies.
In sum, the unfortunate consequence of the above-mentioned related art teachings are circuit designs having ineffective low-inductance design and result in substantially larger parasitic inductances than necessary.

Low-inductance circuit arrangement for power semiconductor modules


The invention relates to a print media loading system for a printer, wherein the printer includes a print media input, a print media output, and a print media path located between the print media input and the print media output. The print media loading system comprises a print media drive mechanism associated with the print media input, and print media output device associated with the print media output. The print media output device is operatively coupled to the print media drive mechanism so as to control feeding of the print media through the print media path by actuation of the print media output device. The invention also provides a corresponding printing system and a method of loading print media into a printer.

Printing systems are known in the art where a continuous print media is fed through a print zone, e.g. from a print media supply roll to a print media output roll. In this and other print systems where a continuous print media is fed through the printer, it is necessary to thread the print media from print media input, through the print media path and to a print media output. Many printing systems, such as large-format printers and industrial printers for example, can have long and complex print media paths so that it can become tedious to thread the print media through said print media path. There are prior art printing systems which provide dedicated threading mechanisms which grab and guide the print media from the print media input through the print media path to the print media output. In other printers, threading of the print media is performed manually. The present disclosure relates to a print media loading system for this type of printing systems as well as other printers using a continuous print media.

Print media loading system for a printer


An integrated circuit comprising a plurality of processing cores, characterised by comprising electrically controllable switches for controlling the supply of power to one or more of the processing cores, a memory for saving state data from at least one of the processing cores and a controller adapted to control the supply of power to one or more of the processing cores such that processing cores can be de-powered.

Integrated circuits may be provided which have several distinct functional blocks provided within them. Thus a single integrated circuit might include a general purpose processor, a maths co-processor, a digital signal processor and other dedicated hardware optimized to perform a particular task or calculation. However, not all of these cores or hardware resources within the integrated circuit may be required to be operational at the same time.

Method of and apparatus for reducing power consumption within an integrated circuit


Disclosed herein is an ultrasonic extrusion apparatus which causes resonance of an extrusion die using ultrasonic vibrations, thus reducing friction between the extrusion die and an extrusion material. The ultrasonic extrusion apparatus has an increased number of ultrasonic vibrators provided around the extrusion die in the circumferential direction to increase the vibration output, whereby when extruding a metal material such as a magnesium material, friction between the metal material and the extrusion die can be reduced, thus improving the performance of the extrusion process (preventing a reduction in an extrusion rate, generation of heat, cracking of a product, errors in measurements, etc.).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ultrasonic extrusion apparatuses which cause resonance of extrusion dies using ultrasonic vibrations, thus reducing friction between the extrusion dies and extrusion materials and, more particularly, to an ultrasonic extrusion apparatus which has an increased number of ultrasonic vibrators provided around the extrusion die in a circumferential direction to increase the vibration output, whereby when extruding a metal material such as a magnesium material, friction between the metal material and the extrusion die can be reduced, thus improving the performance of the extrusion process (preventing a reduction in an extrusion rate, generation of heat, cracking of a product, errors in measurements, etc.).
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, it is difficult to shape a metal material such as a magnesium material because of friction between tools and the material to be shaped.
For this reason, an extrusion method is mainly used to shape a metal material. Typically, as shown in FIG. 1A, the method of extruding a metal material includes passing a molten metal material 20 through an extrusion die 10, thus forming a metal product 22 having a desired shape.
This metal extrusion method is a method which is used to manufacture high-density and high-quality products at a high production rate. However, the conventional extrusion method has many problems which occur because of friction between the extrusion die 10 and the metal material 20 to be extruded.
To overcome these problems, as shown in FIG. 1B, a technique was proposed, in which an ultrasonic vibrator 10 applies ultrasonic resonance to the extrusion die 10 which shapes a metal material, thus minimizing friction between the extrusion die 10 and the metal material, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the extrusion process.
FIG. 2 shoos a conventional ultrasonic resonance system 50 in which ultrasonic resonance is applied to the extrusion die 10 to reduce friction between an extrusion material 20 and an extrusion die 10, thus improving the process of forming a rod-shaped product.
In the conventional ultrasonic resonance system 50, two ultrasonic vibrators 40 are respectively provided on upper and lower portions of too extrusion die 10. The ultrasonic vibrators 40 generate ultrasonic waves. For this, an ultrasonic wave generator 60, first and second amplifiers 62 and 64, a pressure controller 66, an oscilloscope 68, a heater controller 70, etc. are connected to the ultrasonic vibrators 40.
In detail, the ultrasonic wave generator 60 outputs a voltage at 10V in a from of sine wave to operate the ultrasonic vibrators 40. Each of the first and second amplifiers 62 and 64 amplifies the voltage output from the ultrasonic wave generator 60 to from 10 to 100 times and supplies it to the corresponding ultrasonic vibrator 40.
Furthermore, the pressure controller 66 controls a piston 72 of a double-acting extruder with a pressure ranging from 0 ton to 500 tons. The oscilloscope 68 measures the voltage and current applied to the ultrasonic vibrators 40. The heater controller 70 maintains the temperature of extrusion material (magnesium) 20, which is approximately 200° C., so that the extrusion material 20 is prevented from being cooled.
As shown in FIG. 3, compared to the metal extrusion method using no ultrasonic vibrator, the conventional ultrasonic resonance system 50 having the above-mentioned construction can markedly reduce friction between the extrusion die 10 and the extrusion material 20, thus making it possible to manufacture higher-density and higher-quality metal products at a high production rate.
However, as shown in FIG. 4, in the case of the extrusion die 10 provided in the conventional ultrasonic resonance system 50, opposite surfaces of a die body 12 which is fixed between an extruder heater 82 and a die holder 34 are planar. An extrusion hole which has a cylindrical or polygonal shape having a constant cross-sectional area is transversely formed through a central portion of the extrusion die 10
Furthermore, a plurality of mounting holes 16 are formed in a circumferential outer surface of the die body 12 at diametrically opposite positions. The two ultrasonic vibrators 40 are fastened to two portions of the die body 12 through the corresponding amounting holes 16 end apply vibrations to the extrusion die 10.
However, in the conventional extrusion die 10, a front surface of the die body 12 is a planar surface and is brought into direct contact with the extrusion material 20. Thus, extrusion pressure, ranging from about 90 tons to about 150 tons, for extruding the extrusion material 20 is directly transmitted to the front surface of the die body 12. A rear surface of the die body 12 is also planar, is brought into close contact with a front surface of the die holder 84, and is reliably integrally fixed to the die holder 84.
Therefore, in the case of the conventional extrusion die 10, even if vibrations are applied from the ultrasonic vibrators 40 to the extrusion die 10, they are disturbed by high extrusion pressure of the extrusion material 20 and dispersed to the outside through the die holder 84. Thus, the vibrations cannot be effectively transmitted to the extrusion die 10, so it is difficult to obtain a satisfactory vibration effect. Moreover, a phenomenon in which a vibration mode deviates from normal conditions is also caused.
In addition, because only the two ultrasonic vibrators 40 that are disposed on the upper and lower portions of the die body 12 apply vibrations to the die body 12 in the directions facing each other, vibrations cannot be evenly applied to the overall shaping space in the extrusion die 10, but vibrations are partially applied to only the upper and lower portions of the die body 12, thus greatly reducing substantial ultrasonic vibration effect.

Ultrasonic extrusion apparatus for metal material

Korea Institute of Industrial Technology


A forward converter has a primary side containing a PWM controller for controlling switching of a power switch and has a secondary side coupled to the primary side via a transformer. The secondary side includes a forward transistor and a catch transistor. A secondary side switch controller controls switching of the forward transistor and the catch transistor without communication from the primary side. The secondary side switch controller detects the rising and falling of the voltages at the ends of the secondary winding to control the switching of the forward and catch transistors. A delay locked loop (DLL) is provided in the secondary side switch controller that turns on the catch transistor when the power switch is turned off and turns off the catch transistor at a predetermined time before the power switch is turned on. A separate circuit controls the catch transistor during a discontinuous mode.

FIG. 1 illustrates one type of prior art forward converter. A forward converter is a DC/DC converter that uses a transformer to increase or decrease the output voltage relative to the input voltage (depending on the transformer winding ratio) and provide isolation for the load. In a forward converter, unlike a flyback converter, energy is passed to the output of the forward converter by transformer action during the primary side switch conduction phase.
The maximum output voltage of the forward converter is constrained by the isolation transformer T1 turns ratio Ns/Np, where Ns is the secondary side winding and Np is the primary side winding. Vout equals the PWM duty cycle*Ns/Np*Vin.
Generally, in FIG. 1, a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller IC 12 senses Vout using any type of isolated feedback circuit 13, such as a photodiode-photodetector optical sensor or a transformer to achieve isolation. The PWM controller IC 12 compares the feedback signal to a reference and adjusts the duty cycle of the power MOSFET M1 to match the feedback signal to the reference. More specifically, the PWM controller IC 12 generates fixed frequency pulses, having the required duty cycle, for controlling the power MOSFET M1 (or other type of transistor) and also for controlling the secondary side MOSFETs MFG and MCG in order to keep Vout at a predetermined regulated voltage. MFG refers to a forward gate transistor (also referred to herein as a forward MOSFET), and MCG refers to a catch gate transistor (also referred to herein as a catch MOSFET). A catch transistor is also called a synchronous rectifier and substitutes for a diode. A synchronous rectifier is more efficient than a diode since there is a lower voltage drop, and an output voltage can be lower by using a synchronous rectifier.
When the PWM controller IC 12 issues a pulse via its primary side output pin OUT to turn on the MOSFET M1, it also issues a pulse via its secondary side output pin SOUT to control the secondary side MOSFETs MFG and MCG. When MOSFET M1 is on, MOSFET MFG is on and MOSFET MCG is off. When MOSFET M1 is off, MOSFET MFG is off and MOSFET MCG is on. The pulses are precisely timed to ensure MOSFET MCG is off when MOSFET M1 turns on to avoid wasting energy. The control signals from the PWM controller IC 12 to the secondary side need to be isolated from the secondary side via the transformer T2. A secondary side controller IC 14 receives the control signals at its SYNC input and controls the MOSFETs MFG and MCG synchronously with the switching of the MOSFET M1.
When the forward MOSFET MFG is on, a ramping-up current flows through the output inductor Lout, and the output capacitor Cout smooths the ripple to create a DC output Vout. When the MOSFETs M1 and MFG are off and the MOSFET MCG is on, the MOSFET MCG causes a ramping-down current to flow through the inductor Lout.
The current though the MOSFET MCG is monitored by the secondary side controller IC 14 by detecting the voltage across it (CSN and CSP). If the current is about to reverse (CSP approximately equals CSN), the controller IC 14 turns the MOSFET MCG off, so as not to waste power.
When MOSFET M1 is off, a reset circuit 16, controlled by the PWW controller IC 12, resets the primary winding of the transformer T1 to a starting state, such as by temporarily connecting a series capacitor between the primary winding and ground during MOSFET M1's off time.
FIG. 2 illustrates typical control signals received and generated by the ICs 12 and 14 to generate a regulated Vout by controlling the fixed frequency duty cycle of the MOSFET M1.
One drawback of the prior art converter of FIG. 1 is that the transformer T2 adds cost and size to the converter. It also adds complexity to the system. What is needed is a forward converter that can synchronously control the secondary side MOSFETs (or other types of transistors) without the use of a separate transformer like the transformer T2.

Predictive and reactive control of secondary side synchronous rectifiers in forward converters


A system for unlocking a key cylinderless automobile vehicle door includes a portable object having an identifier and a circuit for interrogating the object. The circuit powers the object and interrogates the object when it is outside the vehicle. The interrogating circuit supplies a signal authorizing unlocking of the door as a function of the identifier. A standby power supply, which is separate from the main power supply of the vehicle, also powers the circuit and the object. As a result, the vehicle door does not require a key cylinder while still ensuring unlocking even if the main power supply of the vehicle fails.

Vehicle locks are used to keep an automobile vehicle door in the closed position. For purposes of this application, the word "door" should be interpreted to extend to any vehicle closure, such as a door, a trunk, a lift gate, etc. The locks allow the door to be opened by operating an internal or external manipulator, such as a key, linked to the lock and operable by a user. Typically, the locks are mounted in the vehicle door and include a claw mechanism designed to release or engage a cooperating means with respect to the lock to unlock and lock the door, respectively. The claw mechanism is urged into its closing position by the cooperating means when the door is closed. A pawl prevents the claw from returning to its release position and keeps the lock in the closed position if the lock is not subject to any release action by, for example, a release control. A vehicle will have both internal and external release controls, such as actuatable door handles.
The lock includes an internal or external release lever to connect the lock to a corresponding internal or external release control. Locking the lock prevents the lock from being opened through actuation of the external release control, while unlocking the lock allows the lock to be opened when the external release control is actuated. In the case of an automobile vehicle door, these operations are conventionally performed using a fascia pull or electromechanical actuator. For mechanical locking, generally, it is necessary to provide a linkage between the lock and a key cylinder.
Using a key cylinder raises several following problems, however. A key cylinder represents a considerable architectural constraint: the introduction of an object into the window seal can allow a thief to act on the lock-key cylinder linkage to break into the vehicle. This problem may be resolved by bringing the key cylinder and lock closer together, but this solution imposes a constraint on the relative position of the key cylinder and the lock. The problem may also be resolved by providing a linkage between the key cylinder and the lock that resists manipulation through the window seal, but this constrains the linkage movement. The position of the key cylinder is also constrained by the need to ensure that the key cylinder does not block the path of the window glass when it is lowered into the door.
The presence of a key cylinder also creates a mechanical constraint. One way of breaking into a vehicle involves tearing the key cylinder from the vehicle door. This is sometimes solved by strengthening the sheet-metal of the door around the lock area, but this adds weight and bulk to the vehicle door. In all of the cases described above, the keys employed in vehicle locks can be easily copied, further adding potential security problems.
Electronic remote controls are known ways to lock and unlock vehicle doors.
Remote controls are usually battery-powered and operate at high frequencies, such as 315, 433 or 865 MHz. Remote opening systems can operate over ranges on the order of 10 m and are usually supplemented by conventional locks to ensure that locking is always possible even if the remote control or its receiver should fail.
One vehicle, the Peugeot 406, has a key that includes a transponder (a passive circuit) that is remotely powered and can be remotely interrogated. The circuit that powers and interrogates the transponder is disposed in the vehicle and prevents the vehicle from starting if the transponder is not responding. In this application, the power feed and disabling circuit is designed to interrogate the transponder when the key is close to the vehicle steering wheel. The circuit operates at frequencies around 125 kHz, i.e., low frequencies, with a range on the order of 5 cm.
French patent 2,740,501 discloses a hands-free system for unlocking and/or opening an automobile vehicle trunk. One or two antennae are provided on the vehicle. Presenting a transponder to the antenna or antennae in a predetermined sequence causes unlocking and/or opening of the trunk. The system disclosed in this patent requires powering by the vehicle battery to achieve unlocking and opening and consequently requires the vehicle to be provided with a cylinder lock as a backup should the hands-free system fail.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,392 discloses a keyless opening system. The opening system employs a transmitter powered by a long-life battery.
There is considerable resistance in the art against eliminating the mechanical key cylinder, which makes opening the vehicle possible even if the radio control should fail.
European Patent Application 0,694,644 discloses an electrically-released automobile vehicle lock. Lock opening is provided electrically by operating an actuator powered by the vehicle battery. A standby power source, such as a standby battery, is built into the door associated with the lock. If the electrical power supply from the vehicle battery fails, the lock can still be opened using electrical power supplied by the standby battery. This document says nothing about employing a key cylinder in its system.
This proposed solution poses a problem with the proper dimensions of the lock opening because the motor should allow the lock to be released under both normal conditions and degraded (e.g., post-impact) conditions. The motor and its speed reduction gear are therefore designed to allow opening under degraded conditions, leading to both electrical and mechanical over-dimensioning with respect to requirements under normal conditions. Motor dimensioning consequently presents a problem for standby powering because motor should be supplied with the energy needed for release under heavy loads, but this amount of energy is excessive and wasteful for normal operating conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,641 and European Patent Application 1,052,353 disclose locking systems for automobile vehicles based on portable transponders. These documents do not discuss what type of lock is employed in the vehicle. International Application WO-A-0123695 discloses a transmitter for operating a vehicle locking system. Contacts are provided on the transmitter as a way of overcoming failure of the transmitter or vehicle battery.
Other documents disclose locks with electrical or mechanical releases, including European Patent Application 0,589,158, European Patent Application 0,828,049, German Patent Application 196 00 524 and International Application WO-A-01/66889.
There is consequently a need for an automobile vehicle unlocking system that overcomes the disadvantages of purely mechanical locking systems and avoids the architectural and mechanical constraints caused by mechanical systems.

Unlocking system for automobile vehicle doors and the like

ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Systems - France


A method for determining a borehole geometry parameter vector and/or lateral tool displacement vectors in a borehole is provided. The method includes acquiring at least one set of standoff measurements at a corresponding time. The method also includes processing a system of equations to determine the parameter vector and/or the lateral displacement vector(s). The system of equations may include variables representative of the parameter vector, the lateral tool displacement vector(s), and the standoff measurements. Exemplary embodiments of this invention advantageously enable the borehole parameter vector and/or the lateral displacement vector to be determined substantially contemporaneously.

Wireline and logging while drilling (LWD) tools are often used to measure physical properties of the formations through which a borehole traverses. Such logging techniques include, for example, natural gamma ray, spectral density, neutron density, inductive and galvanic resistivity, acoustic velocity, acoustic calliper, downhole pressure, and the like. Formations having recoverable hydrocarbons typically include certain well-known physical properties, for example, resistivity, porosity (density), and acoustic velocity values in a certain range. In many applications (particularly LWD applications) it is desirable to make azimuthally sensitive logging measurements, for example, to locate faults and dips that may occur in the various layers that make up the strata.
The shape of the borehole and the standoff distances between the various logging sensors and the borehole wall often influence such azimuthally sensitive logging measurements. Parameters that characterize the size and shape of a borehole are therefore of interest in many wireline and LWD applications. An instantaneous lateral displacement vector of a downhole tool within the borehole may also be of interest. Such lateral displacement vectors, in combination with tool azimuth measurements and the borehole parameters may be useful, for example, for imaging and azimuthal logging applications, such as LWD density imaging and azimuthal resistivity measurements. The above information may also be useful for interpreting and environmentally correcting azimuthally sensitive measurements such as multi-component resistivity, and directional acoustic measurements that may be used for analyzing anisotropic electrical and elastic properties of an earth formation.
Prior attempts have been documented to develop wireline and/or LWD tools and methods for estimating borehole geometry. Many such attempts make use of a plurality of acoustic standoff measurements. For example, Birchak (in Birchak et al., "Standoff and Caliper Measurements While Drilling Using a New Formation-Evaluation Tool with Three Ultrasonic Transducers", SPE 26494, 1993) describes a method in which a tool including three ultrasonic transducers is positioned in a borehole. The borehole is assumed to be circular and a borehole radius, an eccentering distance (the distance between the circular borehole and the center of the tool), and an azimuth are determined from the ultrasonic standoff measurements. While the Birchak method has been long used in commercial drilling operations, one drawback to that method is that the borehole shape is often not circular but rather elliptical (or some other shape). Therefore in many applications the Birchak method does not adequately represent the true borehole shape.
Priest, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,277, in attempting to overcome such limitations, discloses a method in which a preferably centralized tool including an acoustic transducer is rotated in a borehole. The shape of the borehole is assumed to be of quadratic form; thus the standoff measurements are fitted to an algebraic elliptical model to solve for the borehole parameters. Priest also assumes that the tool does not translate (i.e., move laterally) in the borehole during data acquisition. While this may be a suitable assumption in some wireline applications in which a centralized and/or stabilized tool is utilized, it typically leads to errors in LWD applications (in which the LWD tool along with the drill string are known to often undergo significant lateral movements in the borehole as drilling progresses). As such, the Priest method is not typically suitable for LWD applications.
Varsamis et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,513 disclose a method and apparatus for determining the ellipticity of a borehole. The method uses multiple circle-based calculations involving a statistical analysis of the standoff measurements made by three acoustic sensors in the borehole. The ellipticity (the ratio between the lengths of the major and minor axes of an ellipse) is then estimated based on the mean and standard deviation of the radius and an eccentering distance. While it may be suitable in some applications to estimate the ellipticity of the borehole, the Varsamis method does not provide for a determination of the length of the major and minor axes of the ellipse or the orientation of the ellipse. Nor does the Varsamis method provide for a determination of the tool position within the elliptical borehole.
Conventional wisdom in the industry and in the prior art suggests that at least five simultaneous transducer measurements are needed to determine the borehole parameters for an ellipse (major and minor axes and orientation) and a lateral displacement of the tool in an elliptical borehole. Even more transducer measurements would be required for boreholes having a more complex shape. The above cited prior art is representative of such conventional wisdom. In each case, for LWD applications, three standoff measurements are utilized in an attempt to determine three unknowns. Birchak assumes that the borehole is circular and attempts to determine the radius of the circle, the eccentering distance, and an azimuth. Varsamis also uses circle calculations and attempts to determine the radius of the circle and a lateral displacement of the tool in the borehole. In practice Varsamis is unable to unambiguously determine the lateral displacement of the tool, but rather determines it with a 180 degree ambiguity. Priest, on the other hand, assumes that the tool does not translate in the borehole and thus determines three different unknowns, the major axis, the minor axis, and the orientation of the assumed elliptical borehole. While it is theoretically possible, to utilize a measurement tool having five (or more) standoff sensors, such a tool would be considerably more complex than a conventional tool having three (or sometimes four) standoff sensors. Such complexity would increase fabrication and maintenance costs and likely reduce the reliability of the tool in demanding downhole environments. Furthermore, deploying five or more sensors about the circumference of a downhole tool may reduce the mechanical integrity of the tool body.
It will therefore be appreciated that there exists a need for improved methods for determining the shape of a borehole. In particular there is a need for a method for determining, substantially simultaneously, the borehole parameter vector of an elliptical borehole (or a borehole having a more complex shape) and an instantaneous lateral displacement vector between a measurement tool and the borehole.

Estimation of borehole geometry parameters and lateral tool displacements