An arrangement for an electronic manual franking machine having an ink printer head and having an integrated system for controlling and supplying the ink printer head includes a housing containing a first assembly composed of a carriage, an ink printer head with a replaceable ink tank, and a second assembly composed of a write-read unit for a postage credit card, a microprocessor as well as a rechargeable battery with charging terminal, and an adapter with a mains terminal and, as needed, a data terminal. The adapter includes a battery charging device and a cleaning device and is fashioned as a deposit and docking station for recharging, cleaning and sealing of the manual franking machine. The carriage is fashioned so that the recording medium is rendered taut in the printing region. The cleaning ensues by ink ejection and/or extraction into the sealing cap, by sucking the sealing cap empty with a suction pump and wiping the ink printer head at a wiper lip.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an arrangement for an electronic manual postage meter machine (hand franking machine) with an ink-jet print head and with integrated means for controlling and supplying the ink-jet print head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Postage meter machines of the above type can be employed everywhere where there is only low mail volume but there is a desire for a modern franking imprint.
The mechanical predecessor of such a postage meter machine is the D2 postage meter machine of Francotyp-Postalia that has been in use for many decades. This postage meter machine works without chip cards, so that the user must undertake a payment of fees at the post office, where a postal clerk directly sets the crediting system in the machine and seals it with a lead seal, as described in the instruction manual.
On the other hand, a franking tape generator system is known, as described in PCT Application WO 92/07338, with which a date a postage value and an advertizing slogan are printed on a franking tape. A printer unit, a processor system, a read-write means, an operating device and a tape supply container are arranged in a common housing. The write-read means serves the purpose of accepting postage credit cards and is connected to the processor system via information lines for the exchange of digitized data for identification, fee debiting and the individual advertizing slogan stored on the postage credit card. The digitized data of the advertizing slogan as well as monitoring and security data are likewise transmitted between the processor system and the printer unit via information and signal lines. The system can be operated independently of a network with batteries or rechargeable accumulators. For this system, the batteries must supply the energy for the printer unit as well as for the drive of the tape roll; accordingly, the batteries must be high-power batteries because the operating time would otherwise be limited. The tape supply container requires a corresponding volume. A loading of the postage meter machines at the post office is eliminated by employing postage credit cards, however, the franking tapes must be glued onto the postal matter and must be of such a nature that a re-use or further use is precluded.
A franker for printing a value imprint postal matter with an ink-jet printer means is also known, see German OS 27 01 072. The pattern of the postage value imprint is composed of successive sub-patterns. The franker contains an electronic control means for the ink-jet printer means and the control sequence thereof, a clock circuit for clocking the logic circuit during the course of printing as well as a postage fee memory. The franker is provided with a microcomputer operating on the basis of its own power supply whose clock circuit is actuated by a detector means. The detector means serves the purpose of identifying the relative speed of the franker with respect to the postal matter and supplying this information to the clock circuit as control signals. The clock circuit generates clock signals for the logic circuit of the microcomputer proportional to the relative speed. The ink-jet printer means successively emits the respective sub-patterns of the postage value imprint in the clock of these clock signals when the franker is moved over the postal matter. Two parallel axles each having two guide rollers at the ends serve to facilitate the motion. Eleven nozzles are arranged in the ink jet printer means in a row transverse relative to the moving direction of the franker.
The detector means is constructed as an optical monitor. A light source is the form of a light-emitting diode is focussed onto the region of the recording medium into which the ink drops are ejected from the ink jet printer means. The reflected light is supplied to a phototransistor via an optical probe composed of fibers. The microcomputer is programmed such that an ink drop is ejected every time the printer means is actuated. In order to permit a continuous optical scanning, a control pattern in the form of a line of printed dots is generated in addition to the actual franking imprint, the former underlining the latter. The monitor senses this line. The phototransistor reacts to changes from printing dot to free (unprinted) region in this control line and generates a pulsating signal that is forwarded to the microcomputer, the frequency of this pulsating signal thus being determined by the speed with which the monitor moves over the control line.
A rechargeable nickel-cadmium battery serves as the power supply.
Except for the nozzle discharge area, the housing of this known franker is closed with a cap that is displaceable corresponding to the stroke of an actuation switch but that can only be removed by an authorized person. This ensues in a postage distribution center when the stored postage has been largely used. The franker contains a number of input connections that are all accessible when the cap is removed. These input connections are composed of two sockets that are connected to the microcomputer, two sockets from the input of the power supply for the purpose of connection to a charging source, and a refill means for the ink reservoir.
After removal of the cap, the franker is plugged into a central location that has a main input plug that is connected to a charging means for the power supply, to an ink supply and a postage output computer. In one procedure, thus, the battery is recharged, additionally purchased postage is entered into the memory register of the microcomputer and the ink reservoir is filled.
It is obvious that the postage distribution center must usually be visited in order to recharge the battery, rather than for replenishing postage credit. If the hand franker is to meet moderns demands--printing not only a value imprint but an advertizing slogan as well--, then an ink printer head having 192 nozzles is required. Such an ink print head has a corresponding high energy consumption for setting the required operating temperature and for ink ejection which, if employed in a hand franker, would drain the battery long before the usual time for replenishing postage. Moreover, such ink print heads require an adapted cleaning mechanism that is entirely lacking in a hand franker. Since the nozzle area is always open, there is the risk during pauses in operation that the ink in the nozzle will dry and plug the nozzles. When the hand franker is mover over the postal matter on four parallel wheels running in the same direction, there is the risk that convexity and slippage arise in the recording medium and the print quality thus suffers. Determining the relative speed with bright-dark differences on the recording medium is susceptible to disruption dependent on the color of the recording medium, more so given a dark medium, less so given a light medium.
It has already been proposed in general for ink jet printers to attach an extraction means for cleaning the ink printer head to the latter itself, see German OS 27 25 761.
It has likewise been proposed for ink printers with a moving ink printer head that the nozzle discharge area be able to be covered in every position thereof, see German 29 19 727. To this end, a seal means that has a cover pad is moved together with the ink printer head on the basis of a mount. The seal means is displaceable from the outside in a position that makes the nozzle discharge area tight or releases it, this displacement occurring via a rocker extending over the entire range of motion of the ink printer head and via a coupling part placed against the mount. The nozzle area has a salient, all-around collar; the seal means is lowered thereinto. A cavity which is filled with ink by capillary action from the nozzles is formed in this way. This arrangement is specifically adapted to office printers, is relatively complex and the cleaning effect is achieved only with the cover cushion pad.
For intensifying the absorbency of an ink-absorbing means within a cap, another solution--see German OS 32 37 411--bring a suction line to the back side of the ink-absorbing means, an external suction pump being connected to the other end thereof. The ink stored in the absorbing means is eliminated in this way at the same time.
Finally, a ink jet recording device having at least one ink printer head and a regeneration means is also known from German OS 37 36 916.
In this device, a carriage with the ink printer heads is moved from a recording region into a regeneration and cleaning region. During the motion, the nozzle surface sweeps past an elastic wiper lip and is roughly cleaned in this way. A regeneration means having a cover housing is mounted against the ink printer head in the regeneration region, whereby each nozzle row, or each ink printer module given multi-color heads, is separately covered. The regeneration means operates with a suction pump. Ink, ink residues and air bubbles are suctioned off by under-pressure. This solution is also specifically tailored to an office printer.

Electronic manual postage meter machine having a recharging and cleaning adapter


A luminescent material is disclosed with emission in the near infrared wavelength range, the luminescent material including Sc1-x-yAyRE:Crx, wherein MO=P3O9, BP3O12, SiP3O12; A=Lu, In, Yb, Tm, Y, Ga, Al, where 0≤x≤0.75, 0≤y≤0.9. A wavelength converting structure including the luminescent phosphor is also disclosed.

Oomen et al. (J. Solid State Chemistry, vo. 75 no 1 (1988), 201-204), describe the luminescence of the Bi3+ ion (6s2) in the metaphosphates LnP3O9 (Ln=Sc, Lu, Y, Gd, La). For Ln=Sc, Lu, Y, Gd the metaphosphates have a monoclinic structure with four slightly different sites for the trivalent cations. For Ln=Sc, Lu, Y the Stokes shift of the Bi3+ luminescence increased with increasing radius of the host lattice cation. Concentration quenching of the Bi3+ luminescence is observed. In the case of GdP3O9—Bi3+ the excitation energy is transferred to the Gd3+ ions. LaP3O9 adopts an orthorhombic structure with only one site available for the trivalent cations. The different coordination of the Bi3+ ion leads to a large increase of the Stokes shift of the luminescence. Oomen et al. also reported on the luminescence of the 5s2 ion Sb3+ in LnP3O9 (Ln=Sc, Lu, Y, Gd, La).
Qiyue Shao et al., RSC. Adv., 8 (2018), 12035-12042, indicate that rapid extension of solid state lighting technologies offers the possibility to develop broadband near-infrared (NIR) phosphor-converted LEDs (pc-LEDs) as novel NIR light sources. In this paper, it is indicated that a NIR-emitting phosphor ScBO3:Cr3+ was synthesized by a high temperature solid state reaction method. Phase structure, spectroscopic properties, luminescent lifetime, quantum yield, emitter concentration influences and thermal quenching behavior of ScBO3:Cr3+, as well as its applications for NIR pc-LEDs, were investigated. ScBO3:Cr3+ phosphors exhibit a broad absorption band ranging from 400 to 530 nm, which matches well with the characteristic emission of the blue LED chip. Moreover, Cr3+ ions occupy the Sc3+ sites with relatively low crystal field strength in the ScBO3 host, and therefore ScBO3:Cr3+ phosphors show intense broadband emission peaking at ˜800 nm upon excitation at 460 nm, originating from spin-allowed 4T2→4A2 transition of Cr3+ ions. The optimum Cr3+ concentration was determined to be 2 mol % with a quantum yield of 65%. A broadband NIR pc-LED prototype device was fabricated by the combination of ScBO3:Cr3+ phosphors and a blue LED chip, which showed a maximum NIR light output power of 26 mW and a corresponding energy conversion efficiency of 7%.
Veeramani Rajendran et al., Optical Materials X, 1 (2019), 100011, indicate that the development of phosphor-converted technology-based broadband near-infrared light source for miniature spectrometers to perform spectroscopy applications has recently attracted remarkable attention among researchers in the academe and industry. The transition metal element Cr3+-activated luminescent materials act as the potential candidates to meet the demands for increased near-infrared light spectral distribution. In this document, the most recently developed broadband near-infrared phosphors activated by Cr3+ are listed and classified according to their major chemical element constituents. In addition to the luminescence mechanism of Cr3+, the association between the number of crystallographic sites and spectral distribution of near-infrared light is mainly reviewed with the example of known near-infrared phosphors, which may be helpful in exploring future broadband near-infrared phosphors. The performance-evaluating parameters of phosphor-converted near-infrared light-emitting diode are discussed and compared with those of known broadband near-infrared phosphors for spectroscopy applications.

NIR broadband emitting phosphors for infrared spectroscopy


A display unit for displaying sheet materials includes a channel support member and a plurality of channel members connected to the channel support member. Each of the channel members includes a pair of channel arms defining a channel shape. The channel arms extend outward from the base point and converge at a contact point disposed between a base point and distal ends of the channel arms. The channel arms preferably diverge beyond the contact point such that the distal ends are flared. Preferably, the channel members are formed integral with the channel support member by being extruded or cast from a plastic or other material. The display unit has a simple construction and is thus easy and inexpensive to manufacture. The display unit can be used laying flat, standing vertically, or hanging. The display unit can display multiple items and the items can be of various sizes, shapes and orientations.

The present invention relates to a card display unit and a method of manufacturing the card display unit and, more particularly, to a display unit and method of manufacture for displaying sheet materials and having channel members extending from a base point and converging at a contact point disposed between the base point and distal ends.
A display unit for sheet materials such as cards, notes, photos, and the like has both residential, office and other applications. In the home, for example, such a display unit can be used as an art piece supporting children's art, greeting cards, playing cards, recipes and/or pictures, etc. Conventional display units, however, typically utilize complex structural configurations, requiring a complicated manufacturing process, thereby increasing product costs of production. Such units are bulky, hence difficult for sellers and consumers to store. Moreover, the prior art products can be used in only one position, i.e., they typically sit on a table. These devices also lack the flexibility to display items of different sizes, shapes and configurations simultaneously such that they can be viewed in the correct position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,280 discloses a display unit having a central core member upon which a cord is wrapped in successive loops. The spines of greeting cards are inserted under individual strands of the cord for display. Unlike the current invention, this device has several limitations. First, it cannot display items that lack spines (such as photographs) since without a spine the device cannot hold the item. Second, this device is limited in that it can only display cards in one orientation, yet greeting cards come in vertical and horizontal orientations. Thus, some cards will not be displayed properly by this device. Third, the cylindrical display structure results in the cards obstructing each other such that the fronts of the cards cannot be seen without moving them. Fourth, the cylindrical display structure is bulky, requiring a large amount of horizontal space to use and store.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,526 discloses a similar greeting card display device which has similar limitations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,216 discloses another similar display device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,349 describes an apparatus for displaying a plural leafed greeting card. Two leaf supports are connected together at a desired display angle by a hinge. The leaf supports respectively receive each half of the greeting card and are transparent on one or both faces to allow display of one or both sides of the greeting cards. In contrast with the current invention, this device only displays one greeting card.
It is also known to utilize multi-channel clamp molding to bind plural sheets of paper and the like. Although the clamp molding structure is typically simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, conventional clamp molding is not suitable for use as a display unit. For example, one such molding is known having plural channels equally spaced around a central channel support member. In the known arrangement, the channels are not centered relative to the channel support member, which affects the channels' ability to retain the sheet materials, and the arms defining each channel do not define a contact point near their distal ends, thereby also affecting their ability to retain sheet materials as well as rendering it difficult to insert the documents in the channels. Other examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,555,606, 4,899,974 and 4,010,517. These devices, however, are not suitable for use as a display unit and/or are similarly of too complex construction and are thereby expensive to manufacture.


An automotive catalytic converter includes a three-way catalyst having Rh as the only precious metal configured as a front zone and a three-way catalyst having a mixture of Rh and Pd, Pt, or both configured as a rear zone, such that an exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine passes through the front zone before passing through the rear zone to minimize sulfur poisoning of the catalytic converter.

Reduction of tailpipe emissions is a challenging goal in the automotive industry. As the acceptable values for tailpipe emissions continue to decrease, technologies must continually improve to meet the standards. Many efforts have been focused on reduction of various hydrocarbons (HCs), carbon monoxide (CO), and mono-nitrogen oxides NO and NO2 (NOx) emissions. Various catalysts capable of converting HC species, CO, and NOx have been developed. Yet, providing a cost-effective TWC capable of efficient conversion has remained a challenge.

Catalyst for automotive emissions control


In accordance with the present invention, a multi-bit CRC character is created by generating a most significant bit (MSB) portion and a least significant bit (LSB) portion in parallel and then combining the MSB and LSB portions to provide the CRC character. This is accomplished by first XORing a multi-bit input character and a current multi-bit CRC high value character stored in a CRC high value latch. The result of this initial XOR operation serves as the input to a high value look-up table which maps the input to a corresponding high value look-up table output character. The value look-up table output character is XORed with a current multi-bit CRC low value character stored in a CRC low value latch to generate an updated CRC high value character. In parallel with the generation of the updated CRC high value character, the result of the initial XOR operation is also provided as the input to a low value look-up table which maps the input to a corresponding updated CRC low value character. The updated CRC high and low value characters are combined to respectively provide the MSB and LSB portions of the CRC character. Both the high value latch and the low value latch are iteratively updated utilizing the updated CRC high and low value characters, respectively. The above-described operation is, thus, performed repetitively on an iteratively updated input character.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data communications systems and, in particular, to methods and apparatus for implementing a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculation in a High Level Data Link Control (HDLC) module.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Communications between stations in a data transmission network occur through the transmission of a series, or "frame", of information characters, with adjacent frames being separated by explicit or implicit start-stop patterns. The use of a unique start pattern ("start delimiter") and a unique stop pattern ("end delimiter") allows the receiving station to identify the exact beginning and the exact end of each frame.
William Stallings, Local Networks, Third Edition, Macmillan Publishing Co., 1990, Chapter 2, provides an overview of communications architectures for computer networks. As discussed by Stallings, to support communications between computer stations in a network, additional hardware and software is required. Communications hardware is reasonably standard. However, when communications is desired among different types of computer stations, the software development effort can become formidable, since different computers use different data formats and data exchange conventions.
Since development of special communications software for each network application is clearly too costly to be practical, the alternative is to establish common communications standards and a general computer architecture that defines the communications tasks.
A well known technique for defining computer architecture is "layering", wherein the computer's communications functions are partitioned into a hierarchical set of layers. Each layer of a station performs a related subset of the functions required to communicate with another station on the network.
The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model is an architectural standard that defines seven hierarchical communications layers. Information exchange between stations on an OSI network is achieved by having corresponding layers in different stations communicate in accordance with an established set of rules, known as a protocol.
FIG. 1 shows computer stations A and B, each of which, consistent with the OSI architecture, contains the seven OSI communications layers. When computer station A has data to send to computer station B, it transfers the data to its application layer. The application layer appends an application header (AH) which contains control data needed by the application layer in computer station B. The data is then passed down through the layer hierarchy, with each layer appending its own control header for use by the corresponding layer in computer station B. The data link layer generally appends both a header (LH) and a trailer (LT). The data link layer data unit, i.e., a "frame", is then transmitted by the physical layer onto the physical transmission medium.
As indicated above, the physical layer generally provides only bit stream service, that is, it serves only to physically transmit or receive, in a bit-by-bit, or serial manner, the bits of the binary information frame to/from the transmission medium. It is the data link layer than utilizes its bit-oriented communications protocol to define the frame.
One such standard OSI bit-oriented data link protocol is the so-called High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC) protocol.
According to the HDLC protocol, and as shown in FIG. 2, information is transmitted onto the physical transmission medium in frames that consist of six fields. The FLAG field is used for synchronization, indicating the start and end of a frame (i.e., it serves as the frame start and end delimiters). The ADDRESS field identifies the destination station for the frame. The control field identifies the function and purpose of the frame. The DATA frame contains the information to be transmitted. The CRC frame is a frame check sequence field that uses a 16-bit cyclic redundancy check (CRC).
As discussed by Stallings, the HDLC CRC field is a function of the contents of the Address, Control and Data fields. It is generated by the transmitter station and again by the receiver station. If the result generated by the receiver station differs from the CRC field of the received frame, then a transmission error has occurred.
In the implementation of the CRC calculation, the information to be transmitted is treated as a single binary number. This number is divided by a unique prime binary number and the remainder of this division operation is entered in the CRC field of the HDLC frame. When the frame is received, the receiver station performs the same division using the same prime number and compares the calculated remainder with the received CRC frame.
In a CRC calculation, the most commonly used divisors are a 17-bit primary number, which produces a 16-bit remainder, and a 33-bit prime number, which produces a 32-bit remainder. Use of the smaller divisor results in less overhead.
In a HDLC module, the CRC is a 16-bit sequence. It is defined as the complement of the sum (modulo 2) of:
1) the remainder of EQU X.sup.k (X.sup.15 +X.sup.14 +X.sup.13. . . X.sup.2 +X+1)
divided (modulo 2) by the generator polynomial EQU X.sup.16 +X.sup.12 +X.sup.5 +`
where k is the number of bits in the frame existing between, but not including, the final bit of the opening FLAG and the first bit of the CRC, excluding bits inserted for transparency, and
2) the remainder after multiplication by X.sup.16 and then division (modulo 2) by the generator polynomial EQU X.sup.16 +X.sup.12 +X.sup.5 +`
of the content of the frame, existing between, but not including, the final bit of the opening FLAG and the first bit of the CRC, excluding bits inserted for transparency.
As a typical implementation, at the transmitter, the initial remainder of the division is preset to all 1s and is then modified by division by the generator polynomial, as described above, on the Address, Control and Data fields. The 1s complement of the resulting remainder is transmitted as the 16-bit HDLC CRC sequence.
At the receiver, the initial remainder is preset to all 1s and the serial incoming protected bits and the CRC, when divided by the generator polynomial will result in a remainder of 0001110100001111 (X.sup.15 through X.sup.0, respectively) in the absence of transmission errors. The CRC is transmitted to the line commencing with the coefficient of the highest term.
The CRC computation is the most critical ingredient of a HDLC handling module in terms of run-time performance. However, run-time performance of conventional HDLC CRC modules has become inadequate for many current applications.

Implementation of the HDLC CRC calculation


A gas distributor for use in a plasma arc torch is provided that has at least one plasma gas passageway formed conjointly with a metering passageway, and at least one helical gas passageway formed along an interior portion of the gas distributor, wherein the helical gas passageway is in fluid communication with the plasma gas passageway and the metering passageway. The combination of the metering passageway and the helical gas passageway provides for a metered flow rate and a controlled swirling flow of plasma gas within the plasma arc chamber, respectively, which functions to reduce the amount of molten emissive insert that is ejected from within an electrode at arc shut off, thereby resulting in an increased life of the consumable electrode.

Plasma arc torches, also known as electric arc torches, are commonly used for cutting, marking, gouging, and welding metal workpieces by directing a high energy plasma stream consisting of ionized gas particles toward the workpiece. In a typical plasma arc torch, the gas to be ionized is supplied to a distal end of the torch and flows past an electrode before exiting through an orifice in the tip, or nozzle, of the plasma arc torch. The electrode has a relatively negative potential and operates as a cathode. Conversely, the torch tip constitutes a relatively positive potential and operates as an anode. Further, the electrode is in a spaced relationship with the tip, thereby creating a gap, at the distal end of the torch. In operation, a pilot arc is created in the gap between the electrode and the tip, often referred to as the plasma arc chamber, which heats and subsequently ionizes the gas. The ionized gas is blown out of the torch and appears as a plasma stream that extends distally off the tip. As the distal end of the torch is moved to a position close to the workpiece, the arc jumps or transfers from the torch tip to the workpiece with the aid of a switching circuit activated by the power supply. Accordingly, the workpiece serves as the anode, and the plasma arc torch is operated in a "transferred arc" mode.
During operation of the plasma arc torch, both the electrode and the tip, among other components, are subjected to extremely high temperatures and severe conditions from the high current, gas flow, and the plasma stream, in addition to chemical reactions with different types of gases at high temperatures. These conditions are especially intense within the plasma arc chamber, and as a result, cause wear of the electrode and the tip over time. With increased wear, the performance of these components degrades, causing the plasma stream to become less controlled and constricted, which eventually effects cut quality of the plasma arc torch in a negative manner. Thus to maintain an acceptable cut quality, the components such as the electrode and the tip must be periodically replaced, hence the reference to these components as "consumable components."
In most electrodes for plasma arc torches, an emissive insert is disposed within a distal end of the electrode face. The emissive insert is typically a material such as Hafnium, and thus provides a location for arc attachment and transfer during operation due to its inherent ability to transfer electrons more efficiently than other materials. During operation however, the Hafnium wears according to several mechanisms depending on the stage of the cutting process. During plasma arc ignition, the primary wear mechanism is related to high ion flux pressures and electromagnetic pressures, as well as possible cracking and loss of an oxide layer on the surface, whereas during cutting, the primary wear mechanism is evaporation. At plasma arc shut off, a surge of gas within the plasma arc chamber has a tendency to displace the Hafnium, which becomes molten with the extremely high temperatures. Accordingly, the displacement of molten Hafnium increases wear of the electrode and decreases the usable life of the electrode. Additionally, Hafnium is a relatively expensive material and thus it is desirable to reduce wear and replacement of the electrodes as much as possible.
Therefore, a need exists in the art to provide improved techniques for extending the life of consumable components for use in plasma arc torches.

Plasma gas distributor with integral metering and flow passageways


A vessel closure apparatus with a stripping magnet for unprocessed crown caps disposed before a cap feeding device relative to the revolving direction of a closure head. The stripping magnet is located below the revolving path of the closure heads and has a greater magnetic attraction for the crown cap than the magnet used to hold the crown cap in the closure head.

1 Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vessel closure apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vessel closure apparatus are already known in which U-shaped, outwardly open pockets for the crown caps are formed at the lower side of the closure heads, from which the crown caps held in the ejector by a permanent magnet only project slightly downwardly (DE-GM 1 947 169). The stripping means has a stationary edge extending obliquely outwardly and disposed closely below the pockets. Remaining bottles which get caught in the closure heads can be discharged by means of the oblique edge. However, the removal of unprocessed crown caps is extremely problematical due to the slight projecting portion so that malfunctions due to crown caps fed doubly or getting hooked in the area of the feeding means cannot be excluded.
In another vessel closure apparatus the crown caps supported by a permanent magnet in the ejector again project with respect to the lower front side of the closure heads with their full height so that unprocessed crown caps can be removed by a stationary stripping edge aligned radially to the revolving path and can be introduced into a downwardly extending discharge duct (DE-PS 27 40 440). However, the insufficient fixing and carrying along of the crown caps both in the area between the feeding means and the closure zone and between the closure zone and the stripping means is disadvantageous.

Krones AG Hermann Kronseder Maschinenfabrik


Disclosed is an externally heated, external heater member for transferring heat to a fusing member used to heat fix a toner image to a substrate, such as a fuser employed in an electrophotographic process. The heater member includes:

This invention relates generally to members useful in fusing apparatus for heat-fixing a heat-softenable toner material to a substrate. More particularly, the invention relates to a heater member useful for transferring heat to a fuser member in said fusing apparatus, wherein the heater member is externally heated and has an overcoat layer thereon comprised of a cured fluorocarbon thermoplastic copolymer composition described hereinafter.
Heat-softenable toners are widely used in imaging methods such as electrostatography, wherein electrically charged toner particles are deposited imagewise on a dielectric or photoconductive element bearing an electrostatic latent image. Most often in such methods, the toner is then transferred to a surface of another substrate, such as a receiver sheet comprising paper or a transparent film, where it is then fixed in place to yield a final desired toner image.
When heat-softenable toners, comprising for example thermoplastic polymeric binders, are employed, the usual method of fixing the toner in place involves applying heat to the toner once it is on the receiver sheet surface to soften it, and then allowing or causing the toner to cool.
One such fusing method comprises passing the toner-bearing receiver sheet through a nip formed by a pair of opposing members, typically in the form of cylindrical rollers, wherein at least one of the members (usually referred to as a fuser member) is heated and contacts the toner-bearing surface of the receiver sheet in order to heat and soften the toner. The other member (usually referred to as a pressure member) serves to press the receiver sheet into contact with the fuser member. In some other fusing methods, the configuration is varied and the xe2x80x9cfuser memberxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cpressure memberxe2x80x9d can take the form of a flat plate or belt. The description herein, while directed to a generally cylindrical fuser roller in combination with a generally cylindrical pressure roller, should not be construed as limited to such a roller configuration.
The fuser member typically comprises a rigid core covered with a resilient material, which can be referred to as a base cushion. The resilient base cushion and the amount of pressure exerted by the pressure member serve to establish an area of contact for the fuser member with the toner-bearing surface of the receiver sheet as it passes through the nip formed by contact of the fuser member with the pressure member. The size of this area of contact helps establish the length of time that any given portion of the toner image will be in contact with and heated by the fuser member. The degree of hardness (often referred to as xe2x80x9cstorage modulusxe2x80x9d) and stability thereof, of the base cushion are important factors in establishing and maintaining the desired area of contact for fusing.
In some prior fusing systems, it has been advantageous to vary the pressure exerted by the pressure member against the receiver sheet and fuser member. This variation in pressure can be provided, for example in a fusing system having a pressure roll and a fuser roll, by slightly modifying the shape of the pressure roll. The variance of pressure, in the form of a gradient of pressure that changes along the direction through the nip that is parallel to the axes of the rolls, can be established, for example, by continuously varying the overall diameter of the pressure roll along the direction of its axis such that the diameter is smallest at the midpoint of the axis and largest at the ends of the axis, in order to give the pressure roll a subtle xe2x80x9cbow tiexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9chourglassxe2x80x9d shape. This causes the pair of rolls to exert more pressure on the receiver sheet in the nip in the areas near the ends of the rolls than in the area about the midpoint of the rolls. This gradient of pressure helps to prevent wrinkles and cockle in the receiver sheet as it passes through the nip. Over time, however, the fuser roll begins to permanently deform to conform to the shape of the pressure roll and the gradient of pressure is reduced or lost, along with its attendant benefits. It has been found that permanent deformation (alternatively referred to as xe2x80x9ccreepxe2x80x9d) of the base cushion of the fuser member is a contributor to this problem.
While some fuser members are internally heated by placing a quartz lamp or other type of heat source internally within the fuser core, fuser members can also be externally heated by use of one or more external heater members, i.e., rollers, belts, plates or the like, placed in an opposed, contacting relationship with the fuser member. External heater members for fuser members can themselves be internally heated by use of a quartz lamp or other heat source. Apparatus for externally heating a heater member by a radiant heat source are disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/500,826 and 09/501,459 filed on Feb. 10, 2000, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Heater members which are internally heated and used commercially have either an anodized surface or a very thin fluoropolymer resin, i.e., Teflon(copyright) fluorocarbon available from E.I. DuPont deNemours and Co. of Wilmington, Del., coating thereon, both of which have very low thermal resistance due to the relative thinness of such coatings. However, such heater members, when used in an opposed and contacting relationship adjacent to a fuser member, are not resilient or conformable, and therefore, do not allow for a relatively large area of contact (referred to as a xe2x80x9cnip widthxe2x80x9d hereinafter) with the fuser member when a nip is formed by contact of the heater member with the fuser member. Further, such coatings also have little or no ability to store heat. This arrangement results in inefficient heat transfer and undesirable heat loss.
A greater area of contact between the heater member and fuser member would allow for greater and more efficient heat transfer to the surface of the fuser member. To achieve a longer nip width, a conformable elastomer layer could be applied to the heater member. For internally heated heater members, however, a disadvantage with the use of such an elastomer layer is that it could create a time delay for heat energy to transfer to the surface of the heater member due to an increase in thermal resistance. A time delay would increase thermal response time when altering the fuser member surface temperature for any process reason. This increase in thermal response time could preclude the use of image gloss control by making changes in the fuser member temperature, or gloss and fusion tuning for various receiver types. Various receiver types, such as papers or films, have different thermal properties that can affect gloss and fusion quality. Having the ability to change the fuser member surface temperature rapidly within the time between consecutive receiver sheets allows fusion and gloss to be tuned to receivers within a document run that are of different types without reducing the productivity of the entire electrophotographic system. The foregoing ability to control gloss is particularly important for color electrophotographic systems.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/501,459 previously mentioned herein, discloses a heater member which is externally heated and comprised of a core; a fluoroelastomer foam layer, such as Viton(copyright) fluoroelastomer available from DuPont, overlying the core; and an outer cured poly(perfluoromethylvinylether) layer thereover, such as a Kalreze(copyright) polymer also available from DuPont. While this externally heated heater roller is an improvement over prior commercially used internally heated heater rollers, the fluoroelastomer foam layer disclosed therein may not have sufficient mechanical strength in some apparatus designs to withstand stress imposed by what is known in the art as xe2x80x9cvelocity overdrivexe2x80x9d. As a result, the polymeric layers placed over the core could delaminate therefrom, thereby causing premature failure. Further, the poly(perfluoromethylvinylether) material is difficult to dissolve in commonly used solvents, thereby making it difficult to solvent coat onto the foam base cushion overlying the core. As a result, a sleeve of the material must generally be extruded and thereafter bonded to the foam base cushion, or molded and thermally bonded to the foam base cushion at high temperatures. These methods are generally more difficult to perform than solvent coating methods.
As can be seen, there is a need for a heater member, capable of being externally heated by a radiant heat source, which has a nip width, i.e., contact area, which can be set and/or varied so as to maximize and/or optimize heat transfer to the surface of an associated fuser member. It would also be desirable for the heater member to have an outer polymeric layer thereon in contact with the fuser member which is not only thermally stable, but also mechanically stable and more easily formed than other methods known to the art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a heater member, capable of being externally heated by a heat source, which overcomes the limitations and disadvantages described hereinabove. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a heater member which is particularly suitable for external heating by a radiant source, and for use, for example, in an axially unsupported configuration in a fusing apparatus. According to the present invention, direct heating of the heater member surface allows for rapid changes in fuser and heater member surface temperatures, so as to alter the fusing process and provide gloss and/or image quality control between consecutive jobs and/or receiver sheets.
A method to accomplish the foregoing objectives according to the present invention employs an externally heated external heater member to impart thermal energy to a fuser member through conduction, i.e., by direct contact. The heater member has a conformable base cushion layer to increase nip width, i.e., contact width, and heating time, with the fuser member. The heater member is heated by an external radiant heat source, which imparts heat energy directly to the heater member surface and not solely by indirect heating means through the heater member core and overlying elastomer layer.
Thus, in one aspect, the present invention relates to a heater member for transferring heat to a fusing member used to heat fix a toner image to a substrate. The heater member comprises:
a core;
a conformable base cushion layer overlying the core; and
an outer layer overlying the base cushion layer,
wherein the outer layer comprises a cured fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer.
In embodiments, the invention relates to a heater member for transferring heat to a fusing member used to heat fix a toner image to a substrate. The heater member comprises:
a core;
a conformable base cushion layer overlying the core; and
an outer layer overlying the base cushion layer,
where the outer layer comprises a cured fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer having subunits of:
xe2x80x94(CH2CF2)xxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CF2CF(CF3))yxe2x80x94, and xe2x80x94(CF2CF2)zxe2x80x94,
wherein:
x is from 1 to 50 or 60 to 80 mole percent,
y is from 10 to 90 mole percent,
z is from 10 to 90 mole percent, and
x+y+z equals 100 mole percent.
The present invention provides an ability to change the fuser member surface-temperature during operation, thereby allowing for gloss and/or image quality control. It also provides better thermal droop management for the overall fusing system, so that it is not necessary to artificially increase and decrease the fusing member surface temperature to increase the stored energy within the fuser member, while trying to maintain a desired fusing temperature-control set-point.
The external radiant heat feature, particularly in combination with a preferred, relatively low thermal conductivity (i.e., thermally insulating) conformable base cushion layer as described hereinafter, can allow internal components within the heater member to remain cooler in comparison to an internally heated heater member system, which could either increase component life or reduce component cost if the component life requirement otherwise remains the same.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the cured fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer materials employed allow for a relatively large temperature gradient to be formed between the surfaces of the fuser member and heater member, so as to increase available heat time or dwell.
Another advantage is that use of a preferred poly(organosiloxane) base cushion layer as described hereinafter allows for mechanical stability and also sufficient compression characteristics so that the resulting heater member has a conformable outer surface which can be adapted to form contact, i.e., pressure, nips of increased width and, therefore, greater surface area for heat transfer, with the associated benefits and advantages as previously described. A greater nip width allows more nip time and thereby enables high volume (or high speed) heating of the fuser member surface without undesirable thermal droop. The preferred silicone base cushion also generally allows for a pressure nip with significantly less velocity overdrive, which reduces relative motion in the nip, therefore reducing fuser member surface wear.

Heater member with conformable, cured fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer overcoat

Abstract: a core;

Abstract: the outer layer comprising a cured fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer. In embodiments, the copolymer has subunits of:

Abstract: wherein

Abstract: y is from 10 to 90 mole percent,

Abstract: z is from 10 to 90 mole percent,

Abstract: x+y+z equals 100 mole percent.


A rolling contact bearing assembly comprises an inner race member adapted to be mounted on a rotatable element and including a spacer disposed axially adjacent the inner race. This inner race member is formed with a lubricant reservoir for accommodating a lubricant and a lubricant flow passage communicating the reservoir with a space defined between the inner and outer race, in which space rolling elements are accommodated. At least a portion of said lubricant flow passage is defined by minute interstices which are formed by surface roughness left by surface roughening at an interface between mutual contact faces of a plurality of component parts forming the inner race member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a rolling contact bearing assembly and, in particular, to an angular contact bearing assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a rolling contact bearing assembly in a machine tool for the support of a high speed rotating main shaft of the machine tool, with an increase in speed of rotation of the main shaft, an air oil lubricating system, an oil mist lubricating system, a jet lubricating system or the like is generally employed. Since any one of those lubricating systems employs a pumping device for jetting the lubricant, requiring a complicated fluid circuit, a grease lubricating system is still largely practiced due to its excellent maintenance.
In the grease lubricating system, grease is filled inside the bearing assembly, more specifically, in gaps delimited among various component parts such as, for example, rolling elements, inner and outer races and ball or roller retainers. In this case, where the quantity of grease retained in the various gaps is small, a problem occurs in that the length of time over which the lubrication can be effected tends to be shortened.
Although the quantity of the grease filled in the gaps in the bearing assembly can be increased to some extent, the filling of the grease in an increased quantity may bring about such problems that the resistance induced by a stirring of the grease evolves a relatively large amount of heat and that a make-ready operation to facilitate a discharge of the excessive grease and/or to stabilize the operativity of the bearing assembly takes a relatively long time. Especially in the case where the bearing assembly is used in the machine tool, the heat evolved in the bearing assembly adversely affects a machining tolerance and must therefore be minimized.
In an attempt to increase the liftime during which the lubricating system works satisfactorily, the Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Publication 64-718 has suggested the provision of a grease reservoir in a ball or roller retainer so that the grease or a base oil thereof can be supplied through one or more minute through-holes relying on the fluidity thereof. However, there is no sufficient space available in the retainer for the formation of the grease reservoir and, furthermore, a sufficient effect of suppressing the flow of the lubricant cannot be obtained because of a processing limitation in defining a bore size of the through-holes and, therefore, the lubricant tends to be supplied excessively.


Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, related to cross-language searching. Input characterizing search criteria in a first language may be received and a search may be performed on a database having records in a second language. The search may be performed on the database with synonyms of the search criteria that are in the second language. A user may be able to select or edit search criteria in the second language from suggested search criteria. Context information may be used to find search criteria in the second language or results that may be more relevant. The results may be translated for a user to the first language.

The present disclosure relates to data processing by digital computer, and more particularly to cross-language searching.
Search tools may search a body of electronic documents that may be in multiple languages. For example, a search tool may search newspaper web articles written in English and cooking recipes written in Italian. Using some techniques, a search tool may narrow search results to a particular language. For example, a search tool may implement a technique to recognize that several documents are in Portuguese while other documents are in English, and, the search tool may return results that are only in Portuguese or English, depending on a preference of a user. To search in a language other than a user's native language, a user may translate terms using translation tools and use the translated terms as criteria for a search. Then, to understand results the user may use a translation tool to translate the results.


A transistor advantageously embodied in a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor device having a gate located over a channel region recessed into a semiconductor substrate and a method of forming the same. In one embodiment, the laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor device includes a source/drain having a lightly doped region located adjacent the channel region and a heavily doped region located adjacent the lightly doped region. The laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor device further includes an oppositely doped well located under and within the channel region, and a doped region, located between the heavily doped region and the oppositely doped well, having a doping concentration profile less than a doping concentration profile of the heavily doped region.

The design of early integrated circuits focused on implementing an increasing number of small semiconductor devices on a semiconductor substrate to achieve substantial improvements in manufacturing efficiency and cost, product size, and performance. The continuing improvements in the design of integrated circuits over the past few decades has been so dramatic and so pervasive in numerous products that the effects can be measured in changes in industries.
The design and construction of integrated circuits has continued to evolve in a number of different areas. One area of innovation is a continuing reduction of feature sizes of semiconductor devices such as control and signal processing devices formed on a semiconductor substrate. Another area of innovation is the advent of construction techniques to incorporate higher voltage semiconductor devices (also referred to as "higher voltage devices") having higher voltage handling capability such as switches of a power train of a power converter into the integrated circuits.
An objective of incorporating control and signal processing devices on a semiconductor substrate with the higher voltage devices often encounters conflicting design requirements. More specifically, lower voltages (e.g., 2.5 volts) are employed with the control and signal processing devices (hence, also referred to as "low voltage devices") to prevent flash over between the fine line structures thereof. A potential difference of only a few volts separated by a fraction of a micrometer can produce electric fields of sufficient magnitude to induce locally destructive ionization in the control and signal processing devices.
When employing the higher voltage devices therewith, it is often necessary to sense and switch higher external circuit voltages (e.g., ten volts or higher) on the integrated circuit. To accommodate the higher voltage devices on a semiconductor substrate with the control and signal processing devices, a large number of processing steps are performed to produce the integrated circuit. Since the cost of an integrated circuit is roughly proportional to the number of processing steps to construct the same, there has been limited progress in the introduction of low cost integrated circuits that include both control and signal processing devices and higher voltage devices such as the switches of the power train of a power converter.
The aforementioned constraints have been exacerbated by the need to employ a substantial area of the semiconductor substrate to incorporate more efficient and even higher voltage devices into an integrated circuit. Inasmuch as the cost of a die that incorporates the integrated circuit is roughly proportional to the area thereof, the presence of the higher voltage devices conflicts with the reduction in area achieved by incorporating the fine line features in the control and signal processing devices.
With respect to the type of semiconductor devices readily available, complementary metal oxide semiconductor ("COOS") devices are commonly used in integrated circuits. The COOS devices such P-type metal oxide semiconductor ("PROS") devices and N-type metal oxide semiconductor ("NODS") devices are used as logic devices, memory devices, or other devices such as the control and signal processing devices. In addition to the COOS devices, laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor ("LAOS") devices such as P-type laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor ("P-LAOS") devices and N-type laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor ("N-LAOS") devices are also commonly used in integrated circuits. LAOS devices are generally used for the higher voltage devices in the integrated circuit. In the context of COOS technology, the higher voltage devices generally relate to devices that operate at voltages above a standard operating voltage for the selected COOS devices (e.g., the low voltage devices). For instance, COOS devices employing fine line structures having 0.25 micrometer line widths operate at or below about 2.5 volts. Thus, higher voltage devices generally include any devices operating above approximately 2.5 volts.
Integrating the COOS and LAOS devices on a semiconductor substrate has been a continuing goal in the field of Microelectronic and has been the subject of many references over the years. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,541,819 entitled "Semiconductor Device Having Non-Power Enhanced and Power Enhanced Metal Oxide Semiconductor Devices and a Method of Manufacture Therefore," to Lot fi, et al., issued Apr. 1, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference, incorporates non-power enhanced metal oxide semiconductor devices (i.e., low voltage devices) with power enhanced metal oxide semiconductor devices (i.e., higher voltage devices) on a semiconductor substrate. While Lot fi, et al. Provides a viable alternative to integrating low voltage devices and higher voltage devices on the semiconductor substrate, further improvements are preferable in view of the higher voltage handling capability associated with the use of higher voltage devices such as with the LAOS devices in the power train of a power converter.
In the field of power Microelectronic, the COOS devices may be employed as the control and signal processing devices integral to the controller of a power converter. As an example, the control and signal processing devices are employed as low voltage switches and comparators that form portions of the controller of the power converter. The LAOS devices, on the other hand, may be employed as the higher voltage devices integral to the power train of the power converter. The higher voltage devices perform the power switching functions to control the flow of power to, for instance, a microprocessor. The power switches include the main power switches, synchronous rectifiers, and other power switches germane to the power train of the power converter. The power switches can also be used for circuit protection functions such as a rapidly acting electronic version of an ordinary fuse or circuit breaker. Variations of power switches include metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors ("MOLESTS") that exhibit low level gate-to-source voltage limits (e.g. 2.5 volts) and otherwise are capable of handing the higher voltages germane to the power train of the power converter.
To achieve the overall reduction in size, the integrated circuits as described herein should include control and signal processing devices with fine line structures having sub micron line widths (e.g., 0.25 micrometers) on a semiconductor substrate that operate with lower voltages to prevent flash over within the integrated circuit. At the same time, the integrated circuit may incorporate higher voltage devices that can conduct amperes of current and withstand voltages of, for instance, ten volts. A benefit of incorporating the low voltage devices and the higher voltage devices on the semiconductor substrate is that it is possible to accommodate higher switching frequencies in the design of the power processing circuit due to a reduction of parasitic capacitances and inductances in the integrated circuit.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a semiconductor device and method of forming the same that incorporates low voltage devices and higher voltage devices on a semiconductor substrate that overcomes the deficiencies in the prior art. Additionally, there is a need in the art for a higher voltage device (e.g., a transistor such as a LAOS device) that can accommodate higher voltages and is capable of being integrated with low voltage devices on a semiconductor substrate in an integrated circuit that may form a power converter or portions thereof.

Laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor device and method of forming the same


Disclosed is a device for fabricating a polarization insensitive long-period fiber grating which includes: an ultraviolet laser for irradiating a ultraviolet laser beam; an ultraviolet polarizer for converting a polarization status of the ultraviolet laser beam into a linear polarization status in parallel along the longitudinal direction of a fiber; a lens for adjusting a focus of the ultraviolet laser beam from the ultraviolet polarizer; an amplitude mask for selectively passing the ultraviolet laser beam from the lens; and, a mount for holding both ends of the fiber so that the outer circumferential surface of the fiber can be exposed to the ultraviolet laser beam from the amplitude mask.

This application makes reference to and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. Section 119 from an application entitled xe2x80x9cDEVICE FOR FABRICATING POLARIZATION INSENSITIVE LONG PERIOD FIBER GRATINGxe2x80x9d filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Aug. 4, 2000 and there duly assigned Serial No. 2000-45196.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an optical communication, and in particular to a device for fabricating a long-period fiber grating used in an optical communication field.
2. Description of the Related Art
Long-period fiber grating devices selectively remove light at specific wavelengths by mode conversion. Long-period gratings remove light without reflection by converting it from a guided mode to a non-guided mode. A non-guided mode is a mode which is not confined to the core, but rather, is defined by the entire waveguide structure, i.e., a cladding mode. The long-period fiber grating has been used as a fiber filter, such as a non-reflecting band rejection filter and band-pass filter, an optical sensor, and a gain flattener for the erbium-doped amplifier.
A typical method for fabricating the long-period fiber grating is based on a well known principle that xe2x80x9cgermanium-doped optical fiber is photosensitive to ultraviolet lightxe2x80x9d in pp.647-649 of APPL. PHYS. Lett. Vol. 32, xe2x80x9cPhotosensitivity in optical fiber wave guides: Application to reflection filter fabricationxe2x80x9d suggested by K. O. Hill et. al. and published in 1978.
A representative method for fabricating the long-period fiber grating is ultraviolet irradiation using xe2x80x9cside writingxe2x80x9d as suggested in pp.823-825 of Opt. Lett. Vol. 14, xe2x80x9cFormation of Bragg gratings in optical fibers by transverse holographic methodxe2x80x9d by G. Meltz et. al. and published in 1989.
FIG. 1 is a structure diagram illustrating a conventional device for fabricating a long-period fiber grating. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional device 100 for fabricating the long-period fiber grating includes a ultraviolet laser 110 for irradiating a ultraviolet laser beam, a lens 120 for adjusting a focus of the ultraviolet laser beam irradiated from the ultraviolet laser 110, an amplitude mask 130 for selectively passing the ultraviolet laser beam from the lens 120, and a fixing unit 140 for fixing both ends of a fiber (f). The positioning and orientation of amplitude mask 130 are such that when ultraviolet laser beam is transmitted therethrough, an interference pattern is formed which extends through the fiber (f). Here, the period of the grating can be adjusted by tilting amplitude mask relative to the longitudinal extend of fiber (f).
When the conventional device 100, as described in the preceding paragraph, is used to fabricate the long-period fiber grating, the ultraviolet laser beam is asymmetrically irradiated on one side of the fiber, thus the refractive index of the fiber core is anisotropically varied due to a polarization status of the ultraviolet laser beam and causes birefringence in the fiber. That is, the core of the non-birefringent fiber is substantially circular-symmetric. The circular symmetry ensures that the refractive index of the core mode is essentially insensitive to the state of optical polarization. In contrast, in hi-birefringent single mode fibers the effective refractive index of the core mode is substantially different between two principal polarization states. For background information, the birefringence due to the polarization of the ultraviolet laser beam has been disclosed in detail in a treatise of T. Erdogan, p.2100 to p.2105 of xe2x80x98Journal of the optical society of America Bxe2x80x99 in 1994.
In contrast with conventional Bragg gratings, long-period gratings use a periodic spacing which is typically at least 10 times larger than the transmitted wavelength, and thus has serious variations of the refractive index due to the polarization status of the ultraviolet laser beam, namely high polarization dependence. The polarization dependence of the long-period fiber grating results in a undesirable PDL (Polarization Dependent Loss) and PMD (Polarization Mode Dispersion), thereby deteriorating the property of the long-period fiber grating as an optical communication device.
It is, therefore, the present invention relates to a device for fabricating a polarization insensitive long-period fiber grating, which can reduce the property loss due to birefringence that is resulting from the polarization status of a ultraviolet laser beam.
According to an aspect of the present invention to provide a device for fabricating a polarization insensitive long-period fiber grating, which can reduce a property loss due to birefringence that is generated when ultraviolet light is irradiated merely to one side of a fiber.
Accordingly, there is provided a device for fabricating a polarization insensitive long-period fiber grating. The device includes: an ultraviolet laser for irradiating a ultraviolet laser beam; an ultraviolet polarizer for converting a polarization status of the ultraviolet laser beam into a linear polarization status in parallel along the longitudinal direction of a fiber; a lens for adjusting a focus of the ultraviolet laser beam from the ultraviolet polarizer; an amplitude mask for selectively passing the ultraviolet laser beam from the lens; and a mount for holding both ends of the fiber such that the outer circumferential surface of the fiber can be exposed to the ultraviolet laser beam from the amplitude mask.
In another aspect of the present invention, a device for fabricating a polarization insensitive long period fiber grating includes: an ultraviolet laser for irradiating a ultraviolet laser beam; an ultraviolet polarizer for converting a polarization status of the ultraviolet laser beam into a linear polarization status in parallel along the longitudinal direction of a fiber; a lens for adjusting a focus of the ultraviolet laser beam from the ultraviolet polarizer; an amplitude mask for selectively passing the ultraviolet laser beam from the lens; a mount for holding both ends of the fiber such that the outer circumferential surface of the fiber can be exposed to the ultraviolet laser beam from the amplitude mask; and a mirror for reflecting the ultraviolet laser beam from the amplitude mask to the outer circumferential surface of the fiber.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for passing light through an amplitude mask to create interference pattern into a fiber. The method includes the steps of: generating a ultraviolet laser beam; converting a polarization of the ultraviolet laser beam into a linear polarization in a parallel relationship with the fiber; directing the converted ultraviolet laser beam through an amplitude mask and into the fiber, such that when the converted ultraviolet laser beam is transmitted through the amplitude mask and exposed to along the fiber, an interference is formed which extends through the fiber.

Device for fabricating polarization insensitive long period fiber grating


A system and method for site calibration of a controller is provided. In one embodiment, a method may include determining coordinates of a point in a first coordinate system based on at least one measurement by a surveying device, determining coordinates of the point in a second coordinate system based on data provided by a global positioning device, and calculating a transformation of the first coordinate system relative to the second coordinate system based on the coordinates determined for the point. The method may further include calibrating the controller based, at least in part, on the transformation.

Conventional surveying methods are typically based on local coordinate systems. A surveyor in the field will often record survey locations in a local coordinate system. Coordinates of a point in the local coordinate system are different than coordinates for the point in the global coordinate system. It may be difficult to interpret measurement results when measurements are performed in two coordinate systems.
Coordinates of local coordinate systems are typically expressed as Northing, Easting and Height/Elevation values, or Southing, Westing and Height/Elevation values, with respect to a survey center (SC). FIG. 8 illustrates a local coordinate system S with reference to ellipsoid surface E of a global coordinate system. In one conventional approach, horizontal coordinates in the local coordinate system S may be determined by a projection of π(S, E) on a location measured with reference to ellipsoid surface E, onto a tangential plane τ. Thus, a point or location PE in a global coordinate system may be referred to as a point PS=π(S, E)PE in a local coordinate system S under a projection of π(S, E). Conventional systems typically calculate projections post measurement of data. Further, local coordinate systems and global coordinate systems may have different origins, scales and orientations. Conventional systems do not facilitate use of the data from local and global coordinate systems. This can lead to measurement and/or survey errors. Conventional systems are additionally susceptible to error when improperly marked locations or points in a local coordinate system are employed.
Thus, there exists a need to facilitate use of measurement data associated with local and global coordinate systems. Further, there exists a need for a surveying system and method which allows for coordinates to be determined in the coordinate systems including calibration of surveying devices.

System and method for site calibration of a surveying device


A mobile lighting system includes a self-powered mobile base that can be driven long distances and maneuvered in tight locations. An articulateable boom is mounted on the base and has multiple degrees of freedom of movement. A light array is attached to the end of the boom and has additional degrees of freedom of movement. One or more fixtures are mounted on the end of the boom and also have several degrees of freedom of movement, as well as having structure to vary the beam pattern output from each fixture. The system contains power generating means as well as all structure to operate the lights and the boom. Additional features which facilitate the efficient and advantageous provision of the mobile lighting system are also disclosed.

a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a means and method of temporarily lighting relatively large areas, and inparticular, to a means and methods for providing controlled and variable temporary lighting.
b. Problems in the Art
A wide variety of events occur which need temporary lighting. For example, movie scenes being shot at locations remote from a sound stage usually require supplementary light, even in daytime hours As another example, on-the-spot television news reports at night could use powerful, wide scale lighting. Still further, certain special events, whether at day or at night, may need this type of lighting, but cannot justify installation of permanent lighting.
A conventional way of meeting these needs is utilization of whatever portable or semipermanent lighting is available This can be in the form of temporary light poles or towers to which are fixed one or more light fixtures. This type of temporary lighting requires substantial personnel and equipment to both erect and disassemble the structures. Also, it is usually somewhat difficult to adjust the aim of the fixture or fixtures once erected on the structures. While this method does allow elevation of several high powered, wide area lighting fixtures, it takes a lot of time simply to get these lights constructed and operational. Once done, they are difficult to reposition and adjust A worker must physically climb or use a mechanical lift to move to the top of the boom to adjust the lights.
With movie making, such a system is limiting because of the amount of time needed and the high cost of construction in remote shoots. It does not give the lighting director much flexibility once erected. Such systems also lack precision and control. To adjust the lights requires more equipment and expense.
This type of method is generally unacceptable for transient activities such as news reporting. The event has come and gone before any such lights can be constructed. The cost of such construction is also generally prohibitive.
Special events usually provide more time to set up lighting. However, again, the time and labor required is substantial and leaves room for more economical solutions
If some sort of semipermanent or fixed structures are not used, reliance generally must be placed on more portable lighting fixtures which are much smaller and put out much less light. For example, fixtures can be put on small portable stands or secured to cameras or the like. Such lights are limited in the amount of light output they can create and the ability to control the created light; and therefore, are limited as to the area they can cover.
Room therefore exists in the art for a lighting system which can meet these types of needs. Attempts have been made satisfy these needs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,167, issued to inventors Gordin and Drost, entitled REMOTE CONTROL, MOVABLE LIGHTING SYSTEM, illustrates one such attempt. A large tractor truck carries a crane which can raise and somewhat articulate an array of light fixtures. An on-board generator and associated electronics allows operation of the crane and provides a variety of controls for the aiming of and beam pattern issued by each fixture in the array. The truck and crane can therefore be loaded with the light fixtures, driven to a required location, and have all components necessary to relatively quickly connect the fixtures into an array, and then erect the array of fixtures and power those fixtures.
A primary example of the use of such a system is with respect to special events such as night time football games. Several of the trucks can be positioned spaced around the outside of a football stadium. The crane can erect the fixtures tens of feet in the air so that the light is projectable onto the playing surface over the walls of the stadium. To accomplish this, each of the fixtures has to be a high power highly efficient light unit that, when combined with all the fixtures, can produce the type of light to cover such a wide area, and maintain the high level of light needed for television to produce an adequate picture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,167 is incorporated herein. It discusses in detail how a lighting system that can cover a relatively wide area can at the same time be fairly mobile, and then very flexible. It allows both substantial and subtle control of lighting, either compositely for the entire light array, or with respect to groups of or individual fixtures.
Others have attempted to meet the needs expressed above by utilizing a crane to simply suspend one or more light fixtures. Those methods are deficient in that while they do allow some mobility, as well as the ability to elevate high powered lights to substantial heights, there is a significant absence of control of fixture aiming or of beam pattern once erected and elevated. Most of the systems also are not self-contained, in the sense that they require an auxiliary power source that is not on board.
The system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,167, therefore represented a significant advance in the art. However, there are still matters which can be improved upon, and problems which have not been adequately solved.
For example, improvement in the set up speed, mobility and flexibility of such a system is needed. A movie director may desire to shoot a scene on a crowded big city street. A light source may be required to be set up, moved and tested in various locations and orientations until it is found acceptable. Large semi-truck tractor vehicles may not have sufficient maneuverability. Additionally, they simply may not be able to be driven to a desired location In such situations, the large temporary lighting support structures are probably out of the question. The hourly cost of shooting movies is anywhere from thousands of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, the ability to quickly and efficiently adjust lighting, as well as control lighting output, can represent significant money savings.
There is need also for improvement in how much positioning control is available once a mobile platform is in place. Conventional crane assemblies allow the crane arm to be extended substantially, as well as some movement of the arm angularly and rotationally. However, the crane generally is for elevating an item, and has limitations as to orientations and degree of articulation.
Still further, room for improvement exists as to how quickly lighting can be set up in operative condition. The need exists for an absolute minimum amount of construction or setup steps once on sight, to minimize the amount of time to bring the lights into position to operate. This need can easily be envisioned with respect to an emergency situation, or a fleeting news event.
Additional room for improvement exists with respect to a system such as disclosed in the 4,712,167 patent. More flexibility with respect to the adjustment and control of individual fixtures is desirable. More comprehensive control of all the components, including electrical components, of the system is desirable.
Still further, an important aspect of such a system is the ability to transport it without requiring substantial disassembly, or substantial storage or even packaging of the components during transport. For example, in the 4,712,167 patent, the light fixtures must be disassembled from the end of the crane during transport because of their fragile nature and because they can not be sufficiently stabilized. This presents the requirement, however, that they be reattached once the truck arrives at the desired location.
Also, improvement is required of the components of such a system because of the wear and tear, environmental factors, and other operational realities which must be dealt with for a mobile lighting system that must be used in varying climates, locations, and weather. For example, the system must be able to work in conditions of precipitation. It also must adequately provide cooling for high power lighting fixtures. This all must be done while also making the components resistent to debris, dirt or moisture experienced while being operated and adjusted (in multiple phases), or during transport.
Additionally, room for improvement needs to be made in the ability to maintain equipment, or replace components, if needed. The goal is to provide a system which one person can drive to the desired location, and then within a matter of a very few minutes erect the lights and provide a lighting pattern desired for the moment or event. The goal also would be to allow the system to be maintained and parts replaced within a matter of minutes, even though the system utilizes complex and heavy duty parts and components.
It can therefore be seen that a real need exists in the art for improvement. A primary object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which solves or improves over the problems and deficiencies in the art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which is easily transported to the desired location; and once at the location can be easily maneuvered to different locations.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which has a wide variety of adjustment features to locate and aim the lighting fixtures once on location.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which can provide high levels of lighting to relatively large areas; and high intensity lighting, as desired.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which can provide high powered, high intensity, wide scale lighting from a relatively small, highly mobile platform.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which can be transported for long distances in virtually a ready-to-operate condition.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which deters interference by environment or travel with the operation of the lighting components.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which can be elevated tens of feet into the air, or articulated beneath the level of the mobile platform, if desired.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which can individually control the aiming and beam pattern issued by each individual lighting fixture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which is entirely self-contained including power, electrical components, cooling system, environmental protection systems, and control systems.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which minimizes the amount of labor involved in transport and operation.
Further object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which allows remote monitoring of operating parameters of the system to insure that it is operating efficiently and correctly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile lighting system which is efficient, economical, and durable.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the accompanying specification and claims.


A lock control for each processor is based on a lock variable status set by a lock control apparatus in a secondary cache. The lock control apparatus indexes lock address registers upon receiving one of LOCK, SETLS, and UNLOCK requests. The SETLS request sets the lock variables to a "lock" status in all banks after acquiring a "lock" in one bank. The SETLS request prevents a deadlock in a banked memory system.

The present invention relates to a lock control apparatus and method, and more particularly to a lock control apparatus and method for a computer system, which includes a plurality of banks, each paired system of which has a plurality of store-in cache memories (SICs) which share a main memory. Each of the caches of the paired system is used by at least one central processing unit, respectively, and is connected to another cache of the paired system through a bus.
In a shared-memory multi-processor system, a plurality of processors share a main memory. In such a system, a certain processor must exclusively use data in a certain shared area of the main memory for a certain time period. For example, when the processor executes an operation of adding "1" to data in the certain shared area, during a sequence of processing conducted since data in the shared area is read out to add "1" until the data is again written in the shared area, other processors must be prohibited from accessing to that data. Without such prohibition, updating data and thus accessing updated data are not ensured.
In order to ensure exclusive access and thus to prohibit the other processors from accessing the data, a lock variable is typically used. In gaining access to the shared area of the main memory, the lock variable must be checked to confirm that the lock variable is not in a "lock" status. The lock variable check is conducted in accordance with a lock request, and when the lock variable is in an "unlock" status, then the lock variable is updated to the "lock" status. Then, access is permitted to a corresponding shared area. After the exclusive processing is finished, the lock variable is returned to the "unlock" status in accordance with an unlock request. Such control is called a "lock control".
When a cache memory (e.g., a first cache memory) is provided in each processor, if an inconsistency occurs between the contents of the main memory and the contents of the cache memory, corresponding data in the cache memory must be invalidated. Such a processing is called "cache consistency processing".
For example, when a certain processor rewrites the contents in the shared area from "0" to "1", unless corresponding data in the cache memories of other processors is invalidated (e.g., nullified), the other processors unintentionally and erroneously read out old data, that is, "0". Hence, that data is invalidated through the cache consistency processing so as to be "flushed" (e.g., removed) from the cache memory. Then, other processors read data in the main memory because of a cache "miss", since the processors are capable of reading data after updating, that is, a "1".
In this example, when a certain processor A acquires a "lock" in accordance with the lock request, all the cache consistency processing with respect to corresponding shared areas must be completed. Without the processing, a data updating operation which has been conducted with respect to the shared areas by other processors B is not ensured.
Hence, a conventional lock control apparatus has a request buffer which ensures an order of requests. A "reply for lock" (e.g., a lock reply) is stored in a last entry of the request buffer.
In the conventional lock control apparatus, when a lock is to be acquired in the secondary cache which has been divided into a plurality of banks, two conventional methods are used as described below.
In a first method, a processor issues lock requests to all banks concurrently until the processor acquires locks from all the banks. However, in this first method, when a plurality of processors issue a lock request to the same lock address, respectively, and when a different processor obtains a lock in each bank, an unlock request and a lock request must be repeated since each central processing unit releases the lock thus acquired once until it issues a lock request again and the lock succeeds in all the banks. This is cumbersome and problematic in that the time required for acquiring a lock at the time of lock conflict at the same address is increased.
In a second method, a processor issues a lock request to a certain bank. After acquisition of the lock, the processor issues cache consistency requests to all the banks. However, in this second method, a cache memory in the processor cannot be accessed until a reply to the cache consistency request is returned from all the banks.
That is, even though a result of a lock request is found in accordance with a lock reply from a certain secondary cache, because it cannot be ensured that the cache consistency processing for the shared area has been completed, a first cache cannot be accessed until a reply to a request for a cache consistency guarantee is returned from all the secondary caches. Hence, access to the shared area is delayed until replies to the request for the cache consistency guarantee are returned from all the banks of the secondary cache although the lock acquisition has been completed.

Lock control apparatus and method including controlling means for setting a lock variable status


A method to reduce DPOAE fine structure in the measurement of DPOAE acoustic signals generated in the cochlea in response to two primary tones.

1. Field
This invention relates to measurement of Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE), acoustic signals generated in the cochlea. In particular, it relates to a method to reduce DPOAE fine structure by using frequency modulated primary tones.
2. State of the Art
The mammal and human ear features an amplification system, which amplifies soft sound by up to 40 dB. This "cochlear amplifier" employs so-called outer hair cells (OHC) located in the organ of Corti in the inner ear. The mechanical activity of the OHC is non-linear, causing non-linear distortion to be produced in the inner ear.
The non-linearity of the ear has been known over a century, but it was relatively recent that the OHC of the cochlea were identified as the primary cause. The middle ear is quite linear over sound pressures of 40 to 110 dB SPL, and does not result in noticeable distortion at normal listening levels. The inner ear non-linearity does produce distortion, which can be heard, and measured in the ear canal. Measurement of distortion products in the ear canal is used as a hearing test for newborn infants, since the distortion products are absent for certain forms of hearing impairment.
In principle the ear non-linearity could be expressed as a power series; that is, where the response is linearly proportional to the sound pressure, plus a term proportional to the square of the sound pressure, cube of the pressure, etc. If two frequencies were present, a square term would produce intermodulation products equal to the sum and difference of the two frequencies. A cubic term would produce products equal to twice one frequency plus and minus the other frequency.
If continuous sinusoidal sounds are applied as a stimulus, the sound response generated by the inner ear can be separated from the stimulus by analysing the outside sound response generated frequencies of the stimuli. Since intermodulation products of the primary frequencies are generated as a result of the non-linearity of the functioning inner ear, the presence of signals whose frequencies do not match ("clash") with the stimulus signals is a deciding factor in proving the integrity of the inner ear. These signals are termed distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE).
DPOAE are acoustic signals, generated in the cochlea of mammals, especially humans, as a response of two sine tones of different frequency ("primary tones") used as stimuli. The probe for recording DPOAE typically contains two loudspeakers for stimulation and one or more microphones for recording.
Typically, primary tones with levels L1, L2 and frequencies f2 are set with f1<f2 and L1≧L2 and the frequency ratio f2/f1 is in the order of 1.2 to 1.3.
The strongest DPOAE component is generated at fDPOAE=2*f1−f2. This component is the one used by virtually all commercial DPOAE equipment.
DPOAE measurements work in a broad frequency range, from less then 500 Hz to more than 10 kHz, depending on the subject, recording equipment, and noise conditions.
DPOAE are thought to be generated by the so-called "outer hair cells", which act as an acoustic amplifier in the cochlea.
Since the DPOAE are only a side effect of this cochlear amplifier, the signal that can be recorded in the ear canal is normally small in amplitude, compared to background noise and stimuli. This makes signal processing necessary to detect the signal combined with background noise.
DPOAE Detection
The common method to detect DPOAE is framing the measurement of raw data in frames of constant length, with all frequencies (f1, f2, fDPOAE being multiples of the frame rate).
The frames or the FFT components of the frames are usually averaged with some artifact rejection scheme to finally decide a DPOAE has been found or to determine its amplitude.
A widely used method to decide a DPOAE has been recorded is to observe the amplitude of the recorded spectrum at fDPOAE compared to the neighboring frequency components ("SNR criterion").
In order to support the stimuli described below, DPOAE detection needs to be designed differently, to allow small, continuous frequency deviations.
DPOAE Fine Structure
When measuring DPOAE with a high frequency resolution, such as one measurement every 20 Hz, fine structure can be observed in most subjects. Fine structure in this context means, that the amplitude of DPOAE varies with frequency, and can show variations of up to 20 dB within as little as 100 Hz primary tone frequency modification. This fine structure is thought to be the result of outer hair cells in the regions that are tuned to the DPOAE frequency that generate otoacoustic emissions (OAE) themselves, which can constructively or destructively interfere with the original source, located at the overlap region of the primary tones f1 and f2.
The main aspects of DPOAE fine structure are outlined in the article, "Separation Anxiety: DPOAE Components Refuse to be Apart", by Sumit Dhar, www.otoemissions.org/guest_editorials/2009/dhar/2009.htm.
An example of such a recording, ranging from 2 kHz to 4 kHz with 20 Hz resolution, is shown in FIG. 1. Three recordings were performed to prove the reproducibility of the fine structure.
DPOAE fine structure is unwanted in many applications of DPOAE measurements. In newborn hearing screening, test time is crucial. Hitting a fine structure minimum with one or more of the test frequencies can extend test time dramatically, or lead to refer results. Typically 4 to 6 frequencies are tested, with an "overall criterion" that passes a subject if, for example, DPOAE are found at 3 of the 4 frequencies.
When using DPOAE to estimate the hearing threshold, usually by extrapolating input-output functions, the fine structure, because it is level dependent, can severely corrupt the growth behavior at certain frequencies. This leads to large errors in estimating the hearing threshold.
In both cases, there is no need to measure exactly using only nominal stimulus frequencies. Deviations in the order of +100 Hz are tolerable for most applications. This is supported by the common DPOAE model, which predicts a certain region of the cochlea producing the DPOAE response. This region is thought to be close to the location tuned to f2, and covers a frequency range anyway.
In many applications, it is even desirable to cover a frequency band with a single DPOAE measurement instead of a single frequency, since often only a few tests at selected frequencies can be done in reasonable time, which are then used to characterize performance of hearing over the complete frequency range. Typically, test frequencies are spaced as coarse as octaves of half-octaves.
In order to overcome unwanted effects of the DPOAE fine structure, it is desirable to disable or attenuate the so-called second source. Methods have been suggested to mask the second source with additional stimulus tones, for example a tone that is close to fDPOAE.
However, these methods do not perform as stable as desired, and useful parameter settings vary strongly among subjects. The method described below provides a new approach for measuring DPOAE.

Method and apparatus for measuring distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) by means of frequency modulated stimuli